Service League drums up fun at Special Needs party, prepares for Chow Down

A guest of the Highland Lakes Service League’s Special Needs Christmas Party high-fives the Chick-fil-A cow while volunteers welcome other guests. The 2024 party was held at Putters & Gutter in Marble Falls on Dec. 6. Courtesy photo
The Marble Falls High School drumline welcomed more than 400 guests, teachers, and caregivers to the Highland Lakes Service League’s 24th annual Special Needs Christmas Party on Dec. 6 at Putters & Gutters in Marble Falls.
The free party for children and adults with special needs is the crowning event of the HLSL’s year of fundraising and giving. The league’s members volunteer across Burnet and Llano counties and raise money for scholarships for women continuing their education and grants for local 501(c)(3) organizations.
Party guests enjoyed a variety of activities, including crafts, bowling, lunch, a visit with Santa and Mrs. Claus, and a dance party hosted by Ben Shields, operations manager for KBEY 103.9 FM Radio Picayune.
The Burnet High School choir, led by Naomi Zamora, entertained with cheerful Christmas classics. Also, Dr. Jon Hager, a Baylor Scott & White ophthalmologist, impressed guests with his violin playing while simultaneously riding a unicycle.
The Highland Lakes Service League thanked its donors and volunteers, including Putters & Gutters, Double Horn Brewing Company, Chick-fil-A Highland Lakes, Sonic, Subway, McDonald’s, WalMart, H-E-B, Tom Morgan, Matthew McCabe, Charles Jones, Traci Shillingburg, and Martelle Luedecke.
HLSL FUNDRAISER
Money raised at the annual Chuck Wagon Chow Down Dinner and Auction each January helps pay for the party. The 2025 Chow Down is Jan. 25 at the YMCA of the Highland Lakes at Galloway-Hammond in Burnet.
The event features a barbecue dinner catered by Pok-e-Jo, live entertainment, and silent and live auctions. Proceeds also fund scholarships for women and grants for nonprofits in Burnet and Llano counties.
Tickets are on sale online. Individual tickets are $100, tables for eight are $1,000, and tables for 10 are $1,250. For sponsorships, item donations, and underwriting opportunities, contact Darlene Hargett at cwcd.hlsl@gmail.com or 713-805-2325.
Any local woman interested in joining the Highland Lakes Service League should visit its website at hlsl.org.