CHAPPELL HILL CHAMBER NAMES 2023 MAN, WOMAN, BUSINESS OF YEAR
The Chappell Hill community recognized some of its outstanding citizens and businesses Friday night during the Chappell Hill Chamber of Commerce’s annual awards banquet.
recognized as Chappell Hill's 2023 Man and Woman
of the Year.
Presented the honor of 2023 Man and Woman of the Year were longtime community advocates John Schaer and Elizabeth Jane Rigney.
Schaer has contributed and volunteered at many of the town’s festivals and events, like the Independence Day Parade. He is the treasurer for the Chappell Hill Historical Society, and he and his wife, Dottie, are members of the Chamber of Commerce. He has overseen the re-roofing of The Rock Store and repairs at Providence Baptist Church, and he continues to oversee improvements at the museum. He and Dottie were instrumental in securing a grant for Chappell Hill’s library to preserve its history. In addition, they are active in Brenham’s Maifest, and he hosts the Skybox at the Washington County Fair. He also helped found Abiding Word Lutheran Church, where he currently serves on the property committee.
Rigney and her family have a long history of documenting and promoting Chappell Hill’s history. She helped lead the Chappell Hill Historical Society through the pandemic and increased programs at the museum. She has volunteered much of her time to the board of Camp For All, the Washington-on-the-Brazos Historical Foundation, Chappell Hill Historical Society and the Chamber of Commerce. She is an active member of the River Oaks Garden Club and was listed as one of ABC13’s 2013 Women of Distinction. She was also Maifest Queen the same year the late Robert Stark was Maifest King.
Business of the Year.
Texas Star Winery was selected as the 2023 Business of the Year. Texas Star Winery, owned by Jim and Susan Chisholm, is a large driver of tourism to Chappell Hill and Washington County. It is a member of the Washington County and Chappell Hill Chambers of Commerce and the Chappell Hill Historical Society, and Jim and Susan have been active with the Washington County Hotel Occupancy Tax Board and the Boys and Girls Club of Washington County. Texas Star Winery is also active in the Texas Bluebonnet Wine Trail and has been heavily involved in the Independence Day Parade and the creation of Chappell Hill’s wine events.
Friday’s banquet featured dinner catered by LJ’s BBQ, refreshments from Mike Hopkins Distributing, music by Solutions in Sound, various silent auction items, and activities like the “Heads or Tails” game, where attendees paid for beads and would declare heads or tails, getting to keep their beads if they guessed correctly until one person was left standing.
Proceeds from the banquet will support the Chamber in promoting local businesses and the community and in hosting future events and programs. The “Heads or Tails” game alone raised $4,400.