Texas Exes Around the Globe From A to Z

By Rose Cahalan in Alcalde on LHN, Chapters, Nov | Dec 2012, TXEX on October 31, 2012 at 1:13 pm | No Comments

Some of the world’s most passionate 450,000 living Longhorns are in our 128 Texas Exes chapters and networks. From bull-riding to painting, here’s a sampling of the innovative, spirited things they do.

A The Alaska Chapter cooks a Texas-Alaska feast for the Texas 4000 charity cyclists every summer.

B The Brownsville Chapter raises scholarship funds through a dinner dreamed up by Brownsville native PJ Calapa, BJ ’74, now a chef at New York’s Ai Fiori.

C The Chicago Chapter takes an “art walk” through Chicago’s Arts District.

D The Dallas Chapter went brainy with a lecture by UT neuroscientist Russ Poldrack.

E The El Paso Chapter got its game on with a Bunco Night for scholarships.

F The France Network hosted students from the McCombs School of Business when they studied in Paris.

G The Guadalupe County Chapter crafted a giant cardboard Tower and a 7-foot inflatable Bevo for its Fourth of July parade float.

H The Houston Chapter teamed up with its gamewatch bar, Junction, to create a Trudy’s-style Mexican Martini for a taste of Austin.

I The Indonesia Network goes cycling in the scenic Sentul Highlands outside Jakarta.

J The Johnson County Chapter teamed up with the Lake Granbury Chapter for a joint scholarship fundraiser—complete with live country music.

K The (Karachi) Pakistan Network munched on peri-peri chicken— and longed for Texas barbecue—at a dinner in Karachi.

L The LGBT Alumni Network and friends added burnt orange to the rainbow by marching in Houston and Austin’s pride parades.

M The Madison Network represented the “Austin of the Midwest” with a Texas-OU gamewatch party.

N The New York Chapter hosts a mechanical bull-riding tournament as part of its Texas Independence Day celebration.

O The Orange County, Calif. Chapter is planning a barbecue contest to raise scholarship funds.

P The Portland Network hangs with Portland Trailblazers star LaMarcus Aldridge, ’06, at an annual postgame meet-and-greet.

Q The brand-new Albuqerque Network, with a dozen members, is learning from the Santa Fe Network as it gears up for its first gamewatch.

R The Rocky Mountain (Colo.) Chapter president jumped in icy water for a midwinter polar bear plunge.

S The San Antonio Chapter raised $50,000 for scholarships with a tailgate at the Alamodome.

T The Treasure Valley, Idaho, Network sent care packages to soldiers in Afghanistan.

U The U.K. Chapter throws a wild Halloween Party, complete with a costume contest (and thousands raised for scholarships).

V At one week old (as of presstime), the Vermont Network is our newest group. Great events ahead.

W In The Woodlands, Texas, members of the Montgomery County Chapter created paintings of the UT Tower to support scholarships.

X The Phoenix Chapter got the inside scoop on the new Bowl Championship Series format with a lecture by Robert Shelton, Fiesta Bowl executive director.

Y The Lake Ray Hubbard County Chapter is in Texas’ smallest county (147-square-mile Rockwall County), but members are doing big things: their 6th-annual golf tournament drew 115 Longhorn golfers.

Z The Brazos Valley Chapter is located deep in Aggieland, but that just makes the group prouder: members once spontaneously serenaded a restaurant full of A&M fans with “The Eyes of Texas.”

Tags: alamodome, chapters, Fiesta Bowl, LaMarcus Aldridge, LBGT, mccombs school of business, PJ Calapa, Robert Shelton, Russ Poldrack, Trudy's