Glass House to provide crystal awards to new titleholders

By DAVID MORRIS

Cove Leader-Press

Jealousy set in as members of the 2016 Rabbit Fest court were given a sneak peak of the awards that will be presented tomorrow during the annual Rabbit Fest Pageant.

“These are beautiful,” Miss Rabbit Fest Ashley Baty said. “I wish we received something like this last year with our prize package.”

Glass House created custom etched plates and awards with each of the titles decorating the crystal plates for the scholarship pageant that has grown leaps and bounds in its third year under the direction of Wendy Sledd.

“We are excited to be a part of this as we grow our business,” Glass House co-owner Richard McNutt said. “We are working out of our garage personalizing glassware. We can personalize dinner wares or even custom etching on the window of your car.”

McNutt along with his brother Daniel and cousin Albert operate in Killeen and have found that there isn’t a lot of personalization in the awards business.

“We all have our day jobs that we focus on and come together on the weekends and create products and work on growing the business,” Daniel said. “It’s been about six months since we started the business and a majority of our sales are word of mouth.”

Examples of the Glass House products can be found on the company’s facebook page https://www.facebook.com/glasshousetx.

Also new to the lineup for the pageant are entertainment numbers from Poly-Mic Dance Group of Central Texas and a performance by Hip Hop recording artist Jon Boi.

The Poly-Mic Dance Group of Central Texas has performed all over the state with members sharing their cultural heritage through music and dance. The Award winning dance ensemble was started 20 years ago.

Jon Boi is a national hip-hop recording artist with two CD releases and recently cut a national commercial for the U.S. Army. He has opened for major artists such as Ginuwine, Juvenile and G-UNIT and received attention and acclaim for his eye-catching performances. He has shared his music through multiple radio and television appearances, reaching crowds from the South to the West coast; created theme songs for program directors; and, in 2013, founded Jon Boi Music Group.

“I am very excited to be performing at the event,” Jon Boi said. “It will be a first for me performing at a pageant and I am really looking forward to it.”

Jon Boi will serenade the contestants prior to the moment of crowning. Winners will receive tiaras in the shape of rabbits measuring as tall as 8 ½ inches to represent the festival theme. In addition to a multitude of prizes to include professional sporting event tickets to days at the spa, winners in each of the 18 categories will walk away with money for college, said Sledd.

“We have always awarded scholarships for all age divisions, but we are thrilled this year to have nearly doubled the amount of scholarship money awarded,” Sledd said. “Our royalty work very hard all year long representing the City of Copperas Cove and the festival and we do everything possible to let them know how appreciated they are.”

Due to the tremendous support from sponsors, all contestants who have entered the pageant receive a gift bag filled with gift certificates, event ticket, cosmetics and more valued at more than $200. Winners receive prize packages valued as high as $2,000, Sledd said.

The pageant crowns an ambassador each year. The reigning titleholder who has chaired a major charity event and accrued the most hours during his/her year of service is crowned Rabbit Fest Ambassador and reigns a second year. This year’s royalty have fulfilled more than 200 appearance obligations and accrued more than 5,000 hours of service.