Our Mission
Golden Circle Special Needs Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Fairfield, Texas. Our mission is to provide financial assistance to individuals and groups with special needs in the surrounding five-county area through a variety of fundraising events.
Funding to Programs, Camps & Events
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Golden Circle Special Needs Association (GCSNA) focuses on providing funds to aid special needs individuals in our local five-county area of rural Texas, including Freestone, Navarro, Anderson, Limestone, and Leon counties. GCSNA has given much-needed donations to special education life skills programs at local schools and special needs camps, and we hope to establish a scholarship fund soon. These classes and camps benefit significantly from our efforts, as special needs classes, especially life skills, are some of the most underfunded school programs today.
We have also donated to Camp of the Rising Sun, a recreational camp for children with special needs outside of Corsicana, and Creekside Christian Retreat outside of Mexia. Our donations have directly contributed to the expansion of their life skills classes and the development of new programs, such as the transition class for special needs teens and adults trying to enter the workforce at Creekside. Our fundraising efforts are about raising funds and making a tangible difference in the lives of special needs individuals and their families. For the 2024 Freestone County Fair, we sponsored the very first All-Star Show, a livestock show for special needs kids. We had great success with this event and look forward to working with the Freestone County Fair to continue the All-Star Show each year. |
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Big T Memorial State Championship BBQ Cook-Off
The Big T Memorial State Championship BBQ Cookoff event raises funds yearly to support Golden Circle Special Needs Association in our charitable efforts. Along with raising funds, we aim to provide a fun, family-friendly event for everyone in our local communities, regardless of their abilities. The event features a BBQ cookoff, live music, games, and various other activities. We have added extra events to our cookoff to encourage the youth of our area to get involved with things like cooking, disc golf, and learning about entrepreneurship by inviting participants of our local Lemonade Day. We also enjoy introducing local youth to various types of trucks featured in our Touch-A-Truck event, which allows kids to experience these vehicles hands-on.
For our 2023 event, we added a special category for some of our fundraising recipients to judge BBQ, and they were able to award a team with their very own prize category. That was a huge hit with the kids, their caregivers, and our BBQ teams, and we will continue this new tradition each year.
The 2024 Kids Cookoff Challenge will be the sixth kids cookoff held at the Big T Memorial Cookoff. This event is a unique opportunity for kids to showcase their culinary skills and creativity. We have seen growth in this event each year and incredible entries from all contestants. The creativity coming from these kids is fantastic, and we fully encourage it! We strive to provide a safe and fun experience for each cook and encourage kids with special needs to participate as well.
For our 2023 event, we added a special category for some of our fundraising recipients to judge BBQ, and they were able to award a team with their very own prize category. That was a huge hit with the kids, their caregivers, and our BBQ teams, and we will continue this new tradition each year.
The 2024 Kids Cookoff Challenge will be the sixth kids cookoff held at the Big T Memorial Cookoff. This event is a unique opportunity for kids to showcase their culinary skills and creativity. We have seen growth in this event each year and incredible entries from all contestants. The creativity coming from these kids is fantastic, and we fully encourage it! We strive to provide a safe and fun experience for each cook and encourage kids with special needs to participate as well.
