BIGGERS FOCUSES ON GERMAN HERITAGE, CHARITIES
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE NEW BRAUNFELS, TX – Roger Biggers, a New Braunfels native, can tell you a fact or two about Wurstfest. The 2009 President-elect has been attending Wurstfest since his college days in the early 1970s. The 49th annual Wurstfest begins on Friday, Oct. 30 and runs through Sunday, Nov. 8 at the Wurstfest grounds in Landa Park along the beautiful Comal River. Biggers also can tell you a thing or two about German heritage. His forefathers arrived in New Braunfels in 1845, making him the fourth generation of New Braunfels settlers. His wife, Jeannine Schumann Biggers is a fifth generation of New Braunfels settlers. “My mother is 100 percent German. My wife’s parents are both 100 percent German,” he says. Biggers became a member of Wurstfest Association in 1979. He was first elected to the board in 1988. He became a Vice President of the organization in 2006 and will serve as President during its 50th year. He has served on five of the nine festival operating committees and chaired both the Maintenance Committee and Information Booth. As President-elect, Biggers also serves as Festival General Chairman, overseeing the daily operations of the event to make sure it runs smoothly. He enjoys the different music venues and food, as well as seeing all the families come to the event and have a good time. “Perhaps my favorite part is knowing that Wurstfest is helping keep the German heritage alive and at the same time providing a venue for numerous charitable organizations in New Braunfels to generate income to fund their causes,” he says. After obtaining his engineering degree from the University of Texas, Biggers spent the first five years of his career as a design engineer for Symons Corp. in New Braunfels. He later went to work for New Braunfels Utilities, where he has worked for the past 26 years. He presently serves as the Executive Director of Water Services. Biggers also is a lifetime member of the Texas Exes and a member of the Texas Society of Professional Engineers and the National Society of Professional Engineers. Also an active member of the community, Biggers served on the Emergency Children’s Shelter Board (formerly the Comal County Emergency Children’s Shelter) in 1996; the McKenna Children’s Museum Board in 1989/1990; and as President of the Downtown Rotary Club in 1989/1990 (a member since 1979). He also has been a Greater New Braunfels Chamber of Commerce Life Member and Blue Coat since 1999 and is a graduate of Leadership New Braunfels. He serves as Deacon in the New Braunfels Presbyterian Church. The Wurstfest Association of New Braunfels is a non-profit corporation whose purpose is to promote the local economy through tourism and promote and preserve the community’s rich German heritage. Proceeds from the event benefit a wide variety of projects. Admission to the Wurstfest grounds will be free from 4 to 7 p.m. on opening night, Oct. 30. After that, admission to the festival is $8 at the gate; and children ages 12 and younger will be admitted free at all times. Group rates, advance discounts and special weekday promotions are available. For information about Wurstfest, call 830/625-9167 or 1-800-221-4369, or visit the Web site at www.wurstfest.com.
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