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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 4, 2008
Contact: Molly Dannenmaier
Galveston Historical Foundation
502 20th Street,
Galveston, TX 77551
409-765-7834
molly.dannenmaier@galvestonhistory.org
Gonzalez Challenges Fellow Contractors to Support Dickens on The Strand
A local contractor has thrown down the gauntlet, challenging fellow businesses to help Dickens on The Strand. The annual Victorian holiday festival is Galveston Island's signature holiday event, which returns for its 35th year on the weekend of Dec. 6 and 7.
Alex Gonzalez is the owner of Creative Combinations, Inc., and a longtime supporter of Galveston Historical Foundation. After Hurricane Ike, Gonzales says he, along with everybody else in Galveston, has witnessed a tremendous upswing in construction business on the island.
“Knowing that there's a lot of work going on,” Gonzalez says, “I want to encourage all the contractors working on the island to support Dickens on The Strand by making a financial or in-kind donation, or by volunteering their time.”
Those who make a donation will be recognized on GHF’s website, in official Dickens on The Strand press releases and in the Official Dickens Guide, published by the Galveston County Daily News.
Although its fans know it as a jolly good time, and as one of Texas's top tourist attractions, Dickens on The Strand is also the principal annual fund-raising event of Galveston Historical Foundation. The Foundation is the steward of 13 historic properties on the island and provides a wide array of services to residents. For example, just after the hurricane GHF distributed truckloads of drywall to low- and moderate-income island residents to help them repair their hurricane-damaged homes. GHF is also working hand-in-hand with the National Trust for Historic Preservation throughout the post-Ike recovery period to bring in a wide array of national experts in a range of fields—from architects to mold experts—to share their expertise with members of the Galveston community—at no charge.
As a general contractor, working in both residential and commercial development on the island, Gonzalez and his team have always found time to volunteer at Galveston Historical Foundation’s signature holiday event. Gonzalez' company has built and set up festival booths and fencing, along with the event's giant Christmas tree. He has served as one of the festival organizers, serving in a wide range of capacities, from ticket chairman to quadrant leader.
Gonzalez says one of his favorite parts of the festival was the lantern-light parade, which will not be able to take place this year because all the festival's signature kerosene-burning lanterns, which set a 19th-century mood for the festival, were destroyed, along with three of the organization’s vehicles, and many of the festival’s props, when the foundation's Mechanic Street warehouse was flooded with 10 feet of water.
“Alex’s challenge is one more way to show how important our Dickens festival is to the community and how Galvestonians are helping in the recovery of the island each and every day,” says Galveston Historical Foundation Executive Director Dwayne Jones.
Alex Gonzalez rode out Hurricane Ike at O'Connell High School, where he also serves as school board president. Now, like thousands in the region, he looks to a successful Dickens festival not only as central to the island's recovery, but also as the start of the Christmas season. “This year, we really need that holiday spirit,” Gonzalez explains.
To volunteer their time or to make in-kind or financial donations, businesses can call Galveston Historical Foundation at (409) 765-7834.
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