Main Street, Apaches Athletics celebrate Back-to-School Bash

Independence Square was packed Saturday, Aug. 5 with Gonzales residents to celebrate the new school year for Gonzales ISD — and to get a first peek at this year’s participants in fall extracurricular activities.

Gonzales Main Street collaborated with Apache Athletics to host the second annual Back-to-School Bash and Meet the Apaches Night.

Event organizer Adriane Hastings said it was a “splendorous” turnout this year. She added it is Main Street’s goal is to do something with the children of Gonzales and their mission is “to provide something to them to get ready for school.”

“We also want to collaborate with the athletics department and introduce all of the teams and the cheerleaders, the Flames and all of that. So it actually was a great turnout,” Hastings said.

More than 30 backpacks with supplies were donated to the event to be passed out to the children.

The event closed out with the introductions of the Gonzales High School and Gonzales Junior High football, volleyball, cross country, cheerleaders, Flames and the Mighty Apache Band.

Athletic director and head football coach Joey Rivera was excited seeing the community come together for the students.

“This is a special community that backs our extracurricular athletes and kids that do it because they just back them no matter what, win or lose…. such a close knit community. I love getting them together. And I know they love getting downtown down here and having reasons to celebrate kicking off the 2023 school year and this season is definitely a reason to celebrate,” Rivera said.

Hastings is looking forward to the new school year and the football season.

“I love football. Just the intensity, just to see these kids thrive and focus. My goal is to enhance these children to be able to keep going, keep striving for what they can get to,” Hastings said.

Sponsors of the Back to School Bash included Schmidt Ranches & Realty, Sgt. TFO Hastings, Roadway Specialties Inc., Tejas Environmental Solutions, Elite Supply, 321 PopUp, Persons Flower Shop, Kashs Bourbon Barn, Stripes, VES, West Motors, Come & Crepe It, Councilwoman Rhonda Miller and Janie Guevara.