Rising Star, Texas

[Rising Star Native]

I've read all these blogs this morning, and it sure seems there are a lot of people who wish to write about Rising Star who've never even stopped in our town for a cup of coffee are to visit with any of the people who live and work here. So, I guess when it comes to the polls, I've got to agree that if you've not stopped in, you're really not qualified to vote. I'm the Mayor of Rising Star. This is my second term in office. I was raised in this area, went to Elementary School here, finished in another wonderful small town near here. After I finished high school, like so many others from these small communities, I headed out into the big, wide world of action and thrills. Talk about culture shock! From time to time, I'd come home and would always find myself missing the country lifestyle I'd grown up in. So, one day after living in Houston for several years, I just packed up, came home, bought a little house and settled in.

I'm not going to tell you that life in Rising Star is perfect. However, I can't tell you that life anywhere I've ever lived has been perfect. But, I tell ya, it's just about as close as you can get here. I love Rising Star simply because the people ARE friendly, and always ready to stop what they're doing and give a helping hand. Ok, so I've got to admit, there might be one or two who have a different attitude about life here, but I will assure you, 99.99% of the people here love it here. If not, they leave. Funny thing how I've noticed more people moving IN than OUT the last few years.

People here grow gardens. They sit out in the yard in the evenings and wave when you drive by. They drink a lot of iced tea... sweet... Texas style. They cook out on the grill and invite friends and neighbors over. They laugh. They shake your hand when they see you in the grocery store or cafe. I, personally, get a lot of hugs. Which I always love. People here put up a backyard pool and invite you over for a swim anytime you want to come. They play baseball. They play football and basketball. They go to the City Park and play volleyball, or have a birthday party under the wonderful pavilion. They sit on the sidewalks at times at that red blinking light in the center of town and just watch traffic go by. And they wave at you when you drive through the intersection there. They DO leave fresh home grown veggies on your porch from their gardens. They talk to you and will find something to laugh with you about. Did I mention friendly?

I've seen the polls about there's nothing here. Might I mention we have over 40 businesses in Rising Star? And that number continues to grow. The Rising Star Economic Development Committee, of which I sit on that board, along with the City of Rising Star, the Chamber of Commerce, Star Pride, the Rising Star Foundation and others continue to work to bring in more businesses and have high hopes for the future of our town. I might also mention our Library. Stop in there sometime. You'll be amazed at the quantity and quality of the books available for you to check out and read. AND, those people are so friendly you'll just want to sit and visit for awhile.

We also boast and are extremely proud of our KIC's (Kids In Community) program we have here. KIC's brings the youth of our community together to bring about life and beauty in Rising Star. We are a new program with a vision to break down barriers and join together to improve the quality of the life of the youth in Rising Star. KIC's is a program for the youth of the community to become involved in the activities of Rising Star. It is to incorporate the "Kids In Community" to create murals downtown, and work to imporve the overall appearance of our surroundings by taking pride in the community where they live. This will not only bring our youth into actifvity for the strength and betterment of our city, but it will incorporate "kids" of all ages to work together to bring about pride in not only our community, but in one another. It's an awesome way for "kids of all ages" to be able to work side by side regardless of cultural background, and have fund raisers and just have fun in general. We have a monthly meeting and invite the public to be a part of KIC's. We have a Senior Panel which consists of parents, grandparents and business owners, and the elected Officers (President, Vice President, Secretary/Treasurer, Reporter) are the "Kids" so they learn the responsibilities and importance of leadership. We're working on a website for KIC's, so watch for it soon.

We have seven churches in Rising Star, with a strong Christian foundation in our community. The churches are Rising Star New Life Church (which I Pastor), First Baptist, Bible Baptist, First United Methodist, Cowboy Church, Church of Christ and Union Center Baptist. So, you're covered. *smile* And, I assure you, these churches are absolutely here for you!

Ok... time for me to head for a birthday party. I invite you to come for a visit. If you're looking for a home in Rising Star, we do have a few Realtors here who will be MORE than happy to give you a tour. If you're just driving through, stop in one of the convenience stores or cafe's, or stop at City Hall and visit with us. We have businesses "downtown" that I know you'd love to visit. And you'll always be treated like royalty. We'd love for you to come visit us, and hey, look around the town and see what you're missing out on.

Thanks for the opportunity to put my pen to work here. God bless.
Mike McGinn, Mayor

[TT Dave]

I lived in a small town like Rising Star one time when I was a child. There really is an undeniable charm to many of these small Texas towns. The people in these small towns are usually very friendly and caring people with good values. I've been through Rising Star but I've never spent any time there. I know several people that live in or near smaller towns within about a 15 or so mile radius of my city (Abilene) and most of them love it.