Aggie Muster is a very special day in the lives of all Aggies. It is a celebration amongst Aggies that is celebrated in over 400 places around the world. It is said that “If there is an A&M man in one hundred miles of you, you are expected to get together, eat a little, and live over the days you spent at the A&M College of Texas.” Muster is a time of celebration, serving as the 50 year class reunion, and remembrance of those Aggies who have lost their lives. Each year, a speaker is chosen and honored at Reed Arena and Roll Call is done to honor the lives of the fallen. This year’s speaker will be Robert Gates, and those whose lives that will be honored include those, who at the time of their passing, were: current A&M students, former students residing in Brazos County, members of the 50-year class reunion Class of 1959, former students that have an immediate family member who is currently enrolled as an A&M student, former students who have immediate family members residing in Brazos County, former students who lost their lives while deployed on active military duty within the last year, and A&M faculty/staff of long tenure.

This year’s muster will take place on April 21st at Reed Arena (for those of you out of town, check local Aggie Clubs or with the Former Student Association to find a muster celebration near you). There will be a barbecue at Sbisa beginning at 12:30pm and the doors to Reed Arena will open at 5:00pm. The ceremony will begin at 7:00pm, with the post-muster reception beginning at 8:00pm.

For more information and complete list of those whos names will be called during Roll Call, please visit the muster website at http://muster.tamu.edu/

Research Park at Texas A&M is 350 beautiful acres of relaxing outdoor fun. Home to many different plants and wildlife, you’re welcome to bring your dogs to play or a loaf of bread for the ducks. There are ten different buildings located at research park, all occupied by companies devoted to technology and research. It’s conveniently located, making it the perfect place for an afternoon picnic and stroll through the park. For more information and a map of the area, visit Research Park’s website!

Volunteer work isn’t usually something that someone thinks of when searching for entertainment, but it’s an awesome way to cure boredom while helping someone in need! There are a TON of different organizations around College Station that are always willing to take on volunteers. For all of you animal lovers, the Brazos Valley Animal Shelter is always in search of volunteers! As for all of you kid-lovers, there are even more opportunities to lend a helping hand! Texas A&M is home of many different student organizations specializing in everything from special needs children (Sunshine Project) to sports-loving kiddos (Sports For Kids). All students are encouraged to join any of these organizations, but if you’re not a student and are looking to find something productive to do, two great places to spend your time are the College Station Children’s Museum and the Big Brothers, Big Sisters Program.

While Big Brothers, Big Sisters is a great organization to donate your time to, it typically requires a long-term commitment. If you’re looking for something a little less “binding” try the children’s museum! Located in Bryan, the museum is home to many different exhibits and programs for the kids. Volunteers have many different commitment options that range anywhere from a one-time event to everyday!

If you’re looking for more volunteer opportunities check out http://sm.tamu.edu/Volunteer%20Opportunities.pdf and see what may interest you. These are just a FEW of the volunteer opportunities available in the area. You may try calling the City of College Station for more information!

Arctic Wolf Ice Center, located at 400Holleman Dr. East is the perfect place to go to cure boredom! With tons of public skating times throughout the week, broomball leagues and a rock climbing wall, Arctic Wolf makes for a great place for entertainment and birthday parties. If you’re interested in learning how to skate, taking figure skating lessons, or playing on a hockey team, there are tons of programs for every age and skill level. Arctic Wolf even offers kids night out programs for parents to get some time to themselves. This Tuesday, March 31st, is College night late skate from 10:00-12:00. $5 for skating (includes rentals), live music and door prizes. On April 22nd, Arctic Wolf will host a student broomball tournament! Check the website often for updates!

Public Skating: $7 admission, $3 for skate rentals

Rock Wall: $2.50 for 1 climb, $5 for 3 climbs

Skating/Hockey Programs: Check the website for all other program rates

I apologize for this one being posted a little late, as there’s only a couple days left, but if you’re up for a small road trip to Houston, the livestock show and rodeo is the perfect place to go! With big-name entertainers everynight, a carnival for all ages and every rodeo event you can think of, the HLSR is great entertainment for the entire family. There are tons of booths selling everything from corn dogs to cowboy boots. One of the buidlings is home to tons of farm animals with educational videos and hands on stations for the kids. There’s even a birthing center with piglets, chicks, baby lambs and calfs! The cost to get into the carnival and shopping is fairly minimal, while tickets to the rodeo & concerts start as low as $10. For more information, visit the HLSR website at http://www.hlsr.com/

If you’re a Texas Country music lover, College Station is the place for you! With different artists in town everyweekend, it’s the perfect town be in. Don’t worry, though, it’s okay if you’re not a fan of Texas Country; there’s always something for you too! The following is a short list of upcoming concerts in the area, keep an eye out for the FREE ones! Enjoy.

Wolf Pen Amphitheatre:

• March 27th: Third Day ($27)
•  May 2nd: Foghat (Free)
• May 9th: Hotel California (Free)
•  May 16th: Roger Creager (Free)
•  May 30th: Vocal Trash and Cowboy Mouth (Free)
•  June 6th: Separate Ways (Journey Tribute) (Free)
•   June 13th: Jason Boland (Free)

Chili Fest 2009 Artists:

Friday, April 3rd:

• Robert Earl Keen
• Pat Green
• CCR
• Stoney Larue
• Reckless Kelly

Saturday, April 4th:

• Paul Eason
• Ryan James
• Mark McKinney
• Adam Hood
• Kyle Park
• Chris Night

**Check the chili-fest website for specific times. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the gate. http://www.chilifest.org/

For more Texas Country concerts, check the following websites, as dates & times often change.

Hurricane Harry’s

http://harrys.bcsclubs.com/

Texas Hall of Fame

http://www.texashalloffame.net/

The Tap

http://www.tapbcs.com/calendar.html

The George Bush Presidential Library is the 10th presidential library and is home to thirty-eight million pages of official records and personal papers that document the life of George Bush. Located right here in College Station, the library is definitely a place that everyone should visit at least once. The museum, located on 90 acres at Texas A&M holds over 90,000 artifacts from Bush’s presidency, including over 3,000 gifts from the foreign heads of state that Bush received as president and vice president. You can now walk through the museum with an audio tour from George and Barbara Bush, provided in both English and Spanish.

My favorite part of the museum is located behind the building, where Barbara Bush’s rose garden lies. A beautiful pond stocked with fish is available to the public for catch-and-release fishing where George Bush can often be found. The Bush’s burial site is located through the woods behind the garden and is a very peaceful, beautiful site. I would definitely recommend visiting both the museum and the pond! It’s beautiful and calm!

Museum hours are 9:30am-5:00pm Monday through Saturday and 12:00pm-5:00pm Sundays. TAMU and Blinn students are admitted into the museum for FREE, while adults may tour for $7, children 6-17 for $3 (5 and under are free), and senior citizens for $6.

One of the best things College Station has to offer is it’s collegiate sports! With baseball and softball kicking off in the middle of an exciting basketball season, there’s never an excuse for boredom. Student tickets are fairly inexpensive if you’re lacking a sports pass and it seems like there’s always a friend around that’s more than willing to lend you theirs. The following is the baseball and softball schedule for the month of March. Get out to the games and enjoy!

Baseball:

Tuesday, 3rd: SFA

Wednesday, 4th: SFA

Friday, 6th: Utah

Saturday, 7th: Utah

Sunday, 8th: Utah

Tuesday, 10th: CSF

Wednesday, 11th: NWU

Saturday 14th: Baylor

Sunday, 15th: Baylor

Tuesday, 17th: University of New Mexico

Wednesday, 18th: University of New Mexico

Tuesday, 24th: UTA

Friday, 27th: KU

Saturday, 28th: KU

Sunday, 29th: KU

Tueday, 31st: UTSA

Softball:

Friday, 6th: Utah

Saturday, 7th: Kent State

Saturday, 7th: Utah

Sunday, 8th: Louisiana Tech

Sunday, 8th: Stephen F. Austin

Saturday, 21st: Nebraska

Sunday, 22nd: Nebraska

If you’re looking for some professional spring sports action, check out this blog for MLB spring training updates: http://blogs.tamu.edu/springtraining09/

Grand Station Entertainment in College Station is a family entertainment center that offers fun for everyone! With bowling, video games, glow-in-the-dark mini golf, lazer tag and a sports bar, Grand Station has it all. It is open late for those college students looking to have some clean fun after hours and has tons of deals through-out the week!

Monday & Wednesdays: 9pm-12am, Unlimited lazer tag, glow-in-the-dark mini golf and a $2 game card - $15.95/person
Tuesday: 9pm-12am, Unlimited bowling, lazer tag and mini golf - $19.95/person
Tuesday & Thursday: 9:30-12am, Unlimited Bowling (Including Shoes) - 11.99/person
Sunday-Thursday: 6:30-9:00pm, Unlimited lazer tag, mini golf and video games - $10/person
Sunday: 9pm-12am, Unlimited Bowling (including shoes), $12.99/person

Lick Creek Park, located at 13600 East Rock Prairie Road contains 3.5 miles of marked trails and is the perfect place to bring the dogs! While the scenery isn’t the best in the area, it offers wide trails and a peacful atmosphere. The main trails are fairly flat and are ideal for running or bike riding. Lick Creek Park is the only park in the area that allows dogs to be leash-free, as long as they are under ‘voice control’.

According to the City of College Station, “Lick Creek park is the premiere nature preserve in College Station. The 515-acre park, is located at 13600 East Rock Prairie Road approximately 1.5 miles from Greens Prairie Road. The park ahs several cultural sites along with a great diversity of plant and animal life including the endangered Navasota Ladies Treeses. Approximately 3.5 miles of marked trails provide a unique opportunity for hiking, cycling, bird watching ad equestrian activities.”

Directions: Exit HWY 6 at William D. Fitch Pkwy (HWY 40), turn right onto Fitch, follow road until the stop sign at Rock Prairie (past entrance to Pebble Creek Subdivision), turn right at stop sign, park will be on your right.

Pictures:

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