Events

Jim was appointment as Honorary Consul for the Republic of Poland in Texas.  Dr. Jim Mazurkiewicz (Ma-zur-kay-veech) is the Leadership Program Director for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension and Texas A&M University Professor in the Department of Agriculture Leadership, Education & Communications.   Dr. Mazurkiewicz is responsible for the Governor Dolph Briscoe Jr. Texas Agricultural Lifetime Leadership (TALL) Program, the San Antonio Livestock Exposition - Leadership Extension (SALE-LE) Program and International Extension Programs. He has been in this position since April 1, 1998, and County Extension Agent for 20 years in Guadalupe, Knox, Ector and Brazos Counties prior.  

Phil Shackelford has called Bryan-College Station his home since 2002 with only a couple of brief stints that took him to Austin and West Texas.  Raised in Plainview, TX, Phil graduated from Plainview High School and attained the rank of Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America before continuing his education at Texas A&M University.  Phil currently owns Shackelford Consulting, a governmental affairs firm focused on grant writing and consulting, which has a successful track record of securing funding for meaningful infrastructure projects across the Brazos Valley.  Prior to that, Phil served as the Associate Director of the Blinn College Foundation and Alumni Relations also holding the distinction of overseeing and developing the most successful fundraising event in the over 135 year history of Blinn College.  Phil also previously worked for Congressman Chet Edwards as a field representative in a five county area including Burleson, Grimes, Madison, Robertson and Brazos Counties.  Every day in the Congressional Office could range from working with local officials on transportation or public safety projects, to providing aid for a downed grain elevator in Calvert, TX, to tracking over $243 Million in innovative research at Texas A&M.  After his time on Congressional Staff, Phil established a consulting firm with clients ranging from many local elected officials, local non-profit organizations seeking help in fundraising, and many other special projects.  Throughout his time in business and government service, Phil has worked diligently on campaigns and policy at the local, state, and federal level in various capacities.  Phil currently serves as Past Board Chair of the Bryan College Station Chamber of Commerce and Chair of the Legislative Affairs Committee.  He is a past President and proud member of the Rotary Club of Aggieland, a Paul Harris Society Member and our Rotary District Governor.  He married the love of his life Kyndra, who works as a Business Manager for the Geochemical Environmental Research Group at Texas A&M University.

Known for her approachable leadership, Dorothy champions a culture where every staff member and volunteer feels ownership of the Mission’s goals. She famously emphasized that the Mission “does not belong to one person… but to the community that we serve” . This community-centric philosophy guides her efforts to thoroughly assess program needs and bolster team capacity. Under her guidance, Twin City Mission continues to expand its outreach to the vulnerable and homeless in the Brazos Valley, building on her extensive organizational and financial expertise.  In April 2025, Twin City Mission moved into a newly constructed 25,000 square foot donation warehouse.  A need the Mission has had for quite a long time. Dorothy also serves as the VP of Finance for the Leading Women’s Express Network and currently serves on the United Way Board.  She loves music and plays the keyboard at her church. Dorothy has been married to Hardy Nevill for 38 years and the proud mom of two amazing children, four incredible grandchildren, and of course two magnificent puppies, Songa and Zola

Chandler Arden grew up in Bryan–College Station, attended Bryan schools, and has lived in the area for almost 55 years. He earned a Bachelor of Science in Photography from Sam Houston State University in 1988 and spent many years running and growing local businesses, including Specialties Photography, Chandler Arden Photography, Inhabit Real Estate Group and CWA Development. His career ranges from small business ownership to the hospitality industry, and most recently to real estate and residential development.

For more than two decades, his primary “focus’’ was photography. Early on he worked for Quick As A Flash and Imagemeaker Photography. Right out of college he was a staff photographer at Texas A&M for four years, then Specialties and finally Chandler Arden Photography. During that time, it was an honor to serve as the primary photographer for the George Bush Presidential Library Foundation, where he saw firsthand the value of public service and leadership.

For the past 15 years as a REALTOR, he has worked closely with housing and neighborhood growth in our area—experience that directly shapes how he think about housing, infrastructure, and long-term planning in College Station.

Chandler has served on the Chamber of Commerce board, HOA president, completed College Station Citizen’s University and the College Station Citizen’s Police Academy. He has served on the board of the Greater Brazos Valley Builder’s Association, the City of College Station’s Impact Fee Advisory Committee, the Greater Brazos Partnership’s Quality of Life Committee and volunteer with his wife at Habitat for Humanity.

Jennifer Fredericks and Chandler were married in their home, where they have lived for over eight years. Chandler and Jennifer have four children between them and hope to welcome their first grandchild in February. 

J. Brooke Arellano serves as Executive Director of Keep Brazos Beautiful (KBB), where she leads regional efforts to advance community engagement, volunteerism, and environmental impact across the Brazos Valley. She focuses on turning community pride into action-oriented partnerships that support litter prevention, beautification, and environmental education. Under her leadership, KBB has strengthened collaboration with municipalities, Texas A&M University, schools, businesses, and civic organizations, creating opportunities for meaningful engagement beyond traditional sponsorships. These partnerships mobilize thousands of volunteers annually and drive measurable improvements in public space stewardship, litter reduction, and environmental awareness. Brooke is recognized for a results-driven leadership style that blends operational effectiveness with strong community connection. She brings a multidisciplinary background in nonprofit leadership, education, arts management, and organizational operations, supported by degrees in music, business administration (MBA), and educational administration. Her commitment to the region extends beyond her professional role. She is an active member of the Brazos Valley Chorale and a participant in the Leadership Brazos Academy, reflecting her ongoing investment in regional collaboration and civic leadership.

Hunter Parks is a 2003 M.S. graduate of the Texas A&M Visualization program. He has more than 20 years of experience in the visual effects industry as a look development and lighting technical director. His area of expertise focuses on photo-realistic shading techniques. As senior visualization production specialist, Parks continues to learn about visualization production practices and techniques that are relevant to this space.

Rotary Club of Aggieland to Donate 500 Thanksgiving Meal Baskets to support local families in need.

The Rotary Club of Aggieland is announcing that its annual Thanksgiving meal basket event for the 2026 Thanksgiving will be held Friday, November the 20^th  at A&M Church of Christ on Highway 6.   These baskets are put together and distributed as a part of the Club’s commitment to assisting members of the local community by ensuring everyone can break bread with their loved ones this season.

“We have been providing meals for the Brazos Valley since 1998.  Our first year was 12 baskets and now we have grown to 500!!  It is such a great experience for the families receiving the meals however, the families delivering the meals are so touched by overwhelming gratitude of the clients.”  Barbie Patterson, Thanksgiving Basket Chair

This event is about more than providing a meal to a family; it is about ensuring that all members of our community get the chance to gather with and cherish their loved ones and be reminded of all they have to be thankful for.

You can sign up to deliver or volunteer at the event by going to this link.  We need as many drivers as we can get. 

These Thanksgiving baskets will include ingredients for a full Thanksgiving meal, including a 12 lbs. turkey, stuffing, and various components for traditional Thanksgiving sides. Each of these baskets can feed a family of 8 to 10 people.

The Rotary Club of Aggieland would not be able to complete this project without the generous help and support of the local Bryan/College Station community. Obtaining, packing and delivering these meals is no easy task. The club would like to thank the generous sponsors and supporters listed below, as well as the volunteers who assisted with this program, for making it possible to provide this service to those in need.