SEMINAR - Tourism Public Relations & Communication

Mark your calendars for a great Texas Leadership Institute seminar about how to harness the power of public relations for the tourism industry. "Tourism Public Relations & Communications" will be held on November 19th at the LCRA Riverside Conference Center in Bastrop.

Topics include:
· What the media considers to be newsworthy
· How to secure media coverage
· How to develop relationships with the media
· How to conduct an effective interview (you get to practice!)
· What to include in your press kit
· How to organize and host a media tour

Our three great speakers include Gaye McElwain, Director of Marketing and Development for the Texas Commission on the Arts; Meredith Michelson, Senior Account Executive with Vollmer Public Relations; and Russ Rhea, Vice-President of TateAustinHahn Public Relations.

The seminar is only $99 and includes a tasty lunch and dessert. To register for course # 1368 online, please click here and follow the prompts.

Hope to see you there!

SEMINAR - Social Media Marketing: Using Facebook, Twitter, and Blogs to Promote Your Community

Back by popular demand! Mark your calendars for a great Texas Leadership Institute seminar about how to use this new way of marketing to promote your community, your destination, or your non-profit organization. This seminar will be held on November 17, 2009 at the LCRA Riverside Conference Center in Bastrop.

** This seminar will be hands-on and very interactive. Please bring your laptops and apply what you're learning on site!

Topics include:

• An introduction to social media - what it is and how to use it
• Facebook, Twitter, & Blogs: Tools to Try
• Live web site critiques
• Social media case studies/best practices
• How non-profits can use social media to create awareness, attract volunteers, and raise money
• How cities and towns can use social media to engage and inform residents
• How tourism organizations can use social media to market a destination
  

Our four great speakers include Carla Pendergraft with the Waco Convention & Visitors Bureau and Carla Pendergraft Associates; David J. Neff with the American Cancer Society and New Media Marketing; Will Hampton from the City of Round Rock; and Sarah Page with LCRA's Colorado River Trail.

The seminar is only $99 and includes a tasty lunch and dessert. To register for course # 1382 online, please click here and follow the prompts.

Fall Is the Perfect Time for Camping

Fall is here! There's a cool breeze in the air now, and the temperature has dropped enough that it's actually comfortable to be outside. That makes Fall the perfect time of year for camping.

The Colorado River Trail makes camping easy and fun. The LCRA and the Texas Parks & Wildlife Department have dozens of parks that offer tent camping. For those of you who don't like to rough it, several parks offer cabins. Or for the more adventurous at heart, why not try camping at a primitive camp site?

Camping is a fun activity for the whole family. The four-leggeds love it too!

Photo courtesy of Tea~Heart.

Lazy Days on the River

All you hear are the soft, peaceful sounds of nature all around you. The little splash when the paddle goes in the water. The call of a bird from a tree somewhere over there. The rush of the breeze as it wraps around the trees and rocks on the shore. And the sound of your own breathing ... in and out.

This is rest. This is true relaxation. This is time well spent in the best way imaginable - with your toes in the water.

Though this photo was taken during the Summer, it almost seems like a day in the early Fall. During Indian Summer. A time when afternoons like this are precious.

It makes you want to be there, doesn't it? You could, you know. It's not too late. Summer may be officially over now that school's back in session, but Texas still has great Fall weather.

If you plan to be in the Columbus, Texas area where this great photo was shot, why not dip your toes in the water too? The Columbus Convention and Visitors Bureau has great information on canoe rentals and events to help you out.

Hurry, Indian Summer is calling ...

Photo courtesy of Randell.

The Simple Joy of Playing in a Fountain

Sometimes it really is the simple things. Uncomplicated. Straightforward. Effortless. Life can be so crazy, and so we occasionally need to take a moment to pause.

What better way to illustrate this than a child playing in a fountain? Their needs are simple and basic. They only want to have fun ... and probably to cool off a bit.

The Liz Carpenter Fountain in Austin's Butler District Park satisfies those needs in grand style. The colorful lights and sprays of water are a visual delight for children of any age. Playing in it is fun too.

Butler District Park and the Liz Carpenter Fountain are located between Riverside Dr. and Barton Springs Rd. near Austin's Zilker Park.

For more information on fun things to see and do in Austin, Texas, visit the fine folks over at the Austin Convention and Visitor Bureau. Tell 'em we said howdy.

Photo courtesy of wednesday181.

It Was THIS BIG! Fishing in Matagorda Bay

If it's fishing you want, then Matagorda County is the place to be. Whether you fish from a boat offshore, from the bank, or off the pier, you're bound to land one that will be the subject of many fish tales back at the office.

Need some help finding that big one? There are dozens of fishing guides in Matagorda County who can take you out and show you all the best spots. Fishing tournaments are held frequently from March through the fall months, so grab your buddies and come on down for a weekend of fishing and fun.

For information on events, other things to do, places to stay, and restaurants to try during your visit to Matagorda County, contact the Matagorda County Convention and Visitors Bureau. And for great, up-to-the-minute information become a fan of the Matagorda County CVB on Facebook.

Photo courtesy of ChiODaisi.

San Saba's Mill Pond Park Is Perfect for a Picnic

Even in the heat of the Texas summer, there's shade in San Saba's Mill Pond Park. This picturesque park isn't far from downtown, and provides the perfect spot to kick back under the trees and have a picnic lunch. If you're not careful, the sound of the water rushing over the rocks might just lull you into an afternoon nap!

Before it was a park, the area was once San Saba's first waterworks. The Mill House from an old gristmill and the water wheel are still there today. You can also find crystal clear water from the spring, ducks and geese, and abundant plant life.

In addition to the beautiful setting, Mill Pond Park also features picnic sites, pool, pavilion, and a campground with 14 RV hookups. Also located on the grounds are the Mill Pond Gazebo, baseball fields, tennis courts, a playground, beach volleyball court, basketball courts, and nature trails. Visitors to the park can also find the San Saba County Museum and San Saba Civic Center.

For more information about Mill Pond Park and visiting San Saba, contact the San Saba County Chamber of Commerce.

Photo courtesy of Neta Herron Photography.