Lee County Café Listed On Texas Monthly Top 40

11/30/08  The Elm Creek Café in Lincoln has been honored with a listing as one of Texas Monthly’s Top 40 Cafés. The list was released in the recent December issue which is currently available at the newsstand.  

Leslie Baldwin wrote the review for the story which included an alphabetical listing of the Top 40 picks.

Baldwin praised Elm Creek’s Chicken Fried Steak saying “the crust is crunchy and light”, and “full of flavor without being too greasy”.  She labeled the meal "perfection on a platter".

The article also praised the eatery for its Sirloin Burger and country atmosphere, and said “the service couldn’t have been nicer”.    

Baldwin added that Elm Creek “feels as if it’s in the middle of nowhere”, but “in reality it’s only 45 minutes from Austin”.    

Texas Monthly’s search team included 39 people who traveled a total of 24,000 miles in search of the best café dining experience.

The Elm Creek has been a main stay for years for the Northwest side of Lee County. While the ownership has changed the quality has remained the same or improved as the years have passed. The establishment serves travelers using Highway 21 as well as locals from Giddings, Paige, Lincoln, and Lexington.       Texas Monthly Online

Ball Girl's Amazing Catch Actually A Gatorade Commercial

6/27/08  Gatorade used a ball girl's amazing catch to launch a new marketing campaign and as the video traveled to you tube viewers around the world many people thought the amazing catch was real.

The so called "viral marketing ploy" is loosely based on an incident in 1996 when a 20-year old ball girl made two spectacular catches during a Seattle Mariners - New York Yankees game.

Gatorade's advertising agency, Element 79, used a stunt woman lifted by cables to replicate the shot. The commercial is set to look just like " real game action", including the game announcers play-by-play, which is amazingly authentic.

Gatorade hits a winner with the commercial, tying it to their tag line "Never Underestimate the Power of Superior Hydration".

Viral marketing is a phenomenon that facilitates and encourages people to pass along a marketing message. Its success depends on a high pass-along rate from person to person, within a quick period of time, to be effective.

For Gatorade it worked, reportedly 11-12 million hits from people all over the globe, who tuned in to view the clip. Even thought the you tube clip does not include the tag line or the rest of the commercial, it ends with a shot of the ball girl with a bottle of Gatorade by her side. Talk about creating a Buzz. View Video

(Sources: adage.com, maketingterms.com, and allnews.com)

An Idea and a Memory That Have Come “Full Circle

The Jamin Barrett Nitsche Memorial

by Dana Lehmann

For over 19 years, the Jamin B. Nitsche Memorial Scholarship Fund has helped local high school seniors make their way through college by providing scholarships for students who stand out during the scholarship application process.  

Jamin Barrett Nitsche, son of R.J. and the late Linda Nitsche, was killed in an alcohol-related car crash on March 25, 1989. He was 16 ½ years old at the time of his death.

Jamin was an athlete at Giddings High School, where he was on the GHS football and basketball teams, ran track, and was a competitive golfer. Jamin was a natural competitor who, by all accounts, excelled at most everything he did. He had an outgoing personality and possessed all the qualities of a natural born leader.  

The heartbreaking event of Jamin's death marked the Nitsche Family, the family of employees and associates, at Nitsche & Ferguson Insurance Agency (now Insurance Network of Texas), and the Giddings community as a whole. In an attempt to turn the life-changing tragedy into something positive, R.J., Linda and son Robert - with the help of their family, friends, employees, and business associates established the Jamin B. Nitsche Memorial Golf Tournament & Scholarship Fund. This year the tournament and scholarship will observe its 20th Anniversary. (Photo : Linda & Jamin Nitsche)

Sadly, on October 25^th, 1990, Jamin’s mother Linda Barrett Nitsche died in an automobile accident, adding further tragedy for the family and everyone who knew and loved her.  In remembrance of Linda, R. J. and Robert established the Linda Barrett Nitsche Memorial Scholarship (in association with the Jamin B. Nitsche Memorial Golf Tournament), offering another avenue of funding for local high school seniors facing college expenses. 

Each year, the Nitsche scholarships are funded by the Jamin B. Nitsche Memorial Golf Tournament. The event is held annually at The Falls Resort and Club in New Ulm, Texas. This year’s tournament marks the 20^th Anniversary of the event.

The Falls Resort, described as the “Best Hidden Gem” by the San Antonio Express News, hosts the more than 170 golfers who descend on the course from all over Texas to participate in the two-day fundraising effort.

The tournament is sponsored by both local and national corporations, small businesses and individuals. Golfers are treated to a great round of golf, refreshments on the course and an awards dinner to close out the event. Scholarship recipients have a chance to address the golfers during the dinner offering information about themselves and the college and career path they have chosen. 

The tournament raises thousands of scholarship dollars every year, awarding a 19-year total of $603,500.00. Seniors who receive the Jamin B. Nitsche Scholarships win $4000; $1000 per year renewable for four years. Upon application for the scholarship students must be active in their Christian community and must sign an agreement promising to remain free of alcohol and illegal substances. A committee, made up of people close to the Nitsche Family and various associates involved in the tournament, determines which local students win the scholarship awards. While attending college, these students must maintain a 2.5 grade point average. Scholarship recipients are asked to attend the tournament each year to assist golfers and the tournament staff on the day of the event.

The Jamin B. Nitsche Memorial Golf Tournament is managed locally, while scholarship funds are administered by the Texas Lutheran Foundation.

Many recipients have returned to play in the tournament and participate in the fundraising affair. These former students, now business men and women, view their participation as a way of giving back in an effort to support the cause and continue the tradition.

Over the years, 219 students have benefited from the Nitsche scholarships. Jason Locke, a 1997 graduate of Giddings High School, used the Jamin B. Nitsche Scholarship to achieve a Bachelors Degree in Construction Management from Sam Houston State University. Jason recently joined Gaeke Construction Company, of Giddings,  as a Project Manager; and will assist Bob Gaeke  in the construction of the new high school facility in Giddings. Jason attributes his successful career to a supportive family and to his college education made possible, in part, by the scholarships he received. Jason has played in the tournament for several years and admires the work that has gone in to making the tournament the success it has come to be. He said, “the tournament provides a fun environment where the recipients are able to meet the people who help R.J. fund their education”.    

Dr. Laura Birnbaum, who was a 1994 scholarship recipient used the $4000 scholarship to help fund her trip through medical school. She obtained her Bachelors Degree from Texas A&M University and then continued her education, attending medical school at The University of Texas Health Science Center. She then spent three years of medical residency at the Conroe Family Practice. Laura finished her medical schooling and training in 2005, spending 11 years educating herself before returning to Giddings to begin her local medical practice. Shortly after she, and husband Randy, came back to Giddings they were able to begin construction on a new medical facility which will be completed in the coming months.

Laura grew up playing with Jamin in her neighborhood. When we talked, she reminisced about the fond memories she has of playing flag football games with Jamin and the other kids who lived in their neighborhood. She said that knowing Jamin as a child and then seeing how the community reacted when he died, made receiving the scholarship that much more special to her.   

Laura considers the Jamin B. Nitsche Scholarship the “best scholarship opportunity in Giddings”. She said that she used the scholarship funds as a stepping stone towards a better future. The fact that the scholarship was renewable for four years took a huge burden off of Laura and her parents.

Laura’s husband Randy plays in the tournament as often as he can, and together, Laura and Randy will continue to support the event realizing that education is the key to the future for our young community.