New Sports Event may be coming to The Woodlands - Memorial Herman Ironman

Today, Nick Wolda of The Woodlands announced a proposed international Ironman competition event right here in The Woodlands to the Woodlands Board of Directors. Memorial Herman Ironman would, if approved next week, become a major international event with participants from all 50 states and 23 countries. $100,000 would be raised for local charities, mostly for those organizations that provide volunteers to help put on the event. The race would be televised and viewed by some 1.5 million persons over the world. The proposed competition would be held on the third Saturday in May. The run would be here; the swim on Lake Woodlands; and biking in Montgomery County. 

Its economic impact on the community will be $16 million at the event in hotel, services and sales. It will generate more money with the preparations, trials and visits by competitors and news media. This is a great opportunity for The Woodlands, and will give us considerable advertising all over the world.

It will cost us $30,000 per year for five years. Bret Strong (a triathlon competitor) and Nick Wolda (CVB) helped to negotiate the deal. Hotel room tax and local sales taxes would more than offset the cost.

Creekside Outdoor Adventure Park

This facility in The Woodlands, Texas, is quite a leap to something different than the other YMCA's. Today, the "Y" had its debut or grand opening of the new facility in the woods. Phase 1 of 2 has been completed and is available for camp adventures. The facility is designed for families, children and adults. Adults might want to schedule the main room for banquets, meetings and the like for business, community events or for various age group socials or meetings. Children will engage in day camp and special interpretive nature outings. Today's festivities are presented as a slide show. 

This climbing tower is really huge. Today, they were limiting it to three children at one time, heavily supervised.

The camp has several cabins elevated by a railed boardwalk high off the lowlands that are subject to flooding.

There are nine tepees, three separate camps slightly elevated off the ground.

An amphitheater is quite spacious for seating. Today, a young lady was singing for the visitors.

A mist was really cool (literally) on this hot day!

The main building is without sectioning, designed for meetings or banquets. Today, it was full of vendor booths and free food and drinks. It has a capacity to hold 250 adults or 500 children. It is available for day rental.

This facility fits into The Woodlands very well. It has been part of the vision, the master community plan, from the very beginning. Today's opening is however only phase 1. Next to this facility is room to build phase 2 - a complete gymnasium with two sports fields. Akk theyneed is the money to start phase 2. That will come in time. I'm sure residents in the Village of Creekside Park would love to have an exercise facility in their community. All of it is part of the South Montgomery YMCA, so there will be discounts on activities at the adventure park as well as the gym, when it is built. Membership will be shared and interchangeable among the three gymnasiums in The Woodlands.   

Elected Officials honored by Economic Development Partnership

The South Montgomery County Woodlands Economic Development Partnership (EDP) held its 12th annual Elected Officials Reception at The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center on February 16th. For the past 12 years, the EDP has taken great pride in expressing their appreciation to elected officials at the local, county, state and federal levels. “We are excited to have an opportunity to personally thank our elected officials for their dedication to making our area prosper. Our officials are pro-business and work towards making a strong economic environment for our area by encouraging job growth for our local businesses,” said Gil Staley, CEO of the Economic Development Partnership.  Photograph left to right are 

Representative Rob Eissler, Texas House of Representatives, Marsha Williams, Senator Tommy Williams’ Office, Congressman Kevin Brady, United States House of Representatives, Dr. Ed Robb, The Woodlands Township Board of Directors, and Bruce Tough, The Woodlands Township Board of Directors.

This year the EDP Platinum Level Sponsors, Petroleum Wholesale, The Woodlands Development Company, The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center, and The Woodlands Township thanked the elected officials for their assistance and support in helping make local businesses and organizations successful.

Several elected officials at the federal, state, and local levels were in attendance at the reception.

Special thanks go to the sponsors of this event, who made hosting this reception possible.

The Economic Development Partnership generally promotes the economic development of South Montgomery County through supporting existing businesses and the recruitment of new businesses that can bring job opportunities and capital investment to the area.

The EDP is a public and private partnership with 42 funding partners active in the organization. For further information on the EDP and information about the local business community, visit www.edpartnership.net or call 281 363-8130.

Photography Clubs

With the advent of digital photography, there has been an explosion of photography clubs. Why? Photography has never been easier for many people, but has been made somewhat more complicated by all the technology. Changes over the past decade has spawned renewed interest in photography. It is simply amazing what can be done with a camera  now which has a "focused" photographer behind it. There are many levels of competence from the beginner who wants to just push a button and see or share an image, to the serious photographer who is ever reaching for excellence and perfection, creating something new, or exploring and leveraging technology for hobby or business. Anyone of any skill level is welcome in either group.   

Here in The Woodlands, we have two photography clubs.

(1) The Woodlands Photography Club 
Meetings: Second Monday of every month from 6:30 to 8:00 PM.
Location : South Montgomery County Community Center
2235 Lake Robbins Road
The Woodlands, Tx
Website:  www.woodlandsphoto.org
Venue: general photography, workshops, outings, presentations, photo sharing, social

(2) The Woodlands United Methodist Church Camera Club 
Meetings: First Monday of every month from 7:15 to 8:45 PM.
Location: United Methodist Church on Lake Woodlands near HEB Foods
2200 Lake Woodlands Drive
The Woodlands, Tx
Website:  twumc.org/cameraclub
Venue: God's creation through photography, special focus on nature but often generalized content, SIGs, photo sharing, workshops, presentations, social, photography outings