Have you heard of the Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP), Merchant Marine and Rosie the Riveter? The City is hosting the seventh annual Military Veteran Tribute at   Veterans Memorial Park at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 9. All three groups will be honored. To be a WASP, a woman had to have a minimum of 500 hours flying time and successfully complete ground school instruction that included navigation, meteorology, radio and Morse code, and use of firearms. The Merchant Marine (referred to as mariners) is a fleet of U.S. civilian-owned merchant vessels that transport cargo and passengers during peacetime. In time of war, men at the fronts depended on the mariners to transport bombs, gasoline, shells, ammunition, food, guns, vehicles, planes, medicine, and other materials. Rosie the Riveter was the face of an ad campaign during World War II to encourage women to do their patriotic duty and enter the workforce to fill the gaps left by men who enlisted. The Rosie the Riveter campaign was aimed at recruiting women to work in the munitions industry. For more about the event at 298 E. Renfro St., see the news release.

If you have never been to Breakfast with Santa, 2013 is the year to make it happen. Santa Claus is coming to town Saturday, Dec. 7. The big guy from the North Pole and his elves are hosting the 14th annual Breakfast with Santa, 7 a.m.-11 a.m., at the BRiCk. Kids, come in your Sunday Best or your PJs! Saint Nick's elves will be up early flipping pancakes, cooking sausage, and making the orange juice and coffee. Santa will be in the BRiCk's Winter Wonderland until 11 a.m. to hear Christmas wishes. Be sure to bring your camera to take those memorable pictures. Children can also visit Santa's workshop to make their own holiday crafts. Advance Breakfast with Santa tickets are available at the BRiCk, 550 N.W. Summercrest Blvd., at $4 for children/$5 for adults. Tickets at the door Dec. 7 are $5 for children/$7 for adults. For more information call the BRiCk at 817-426-9104.

Are you collecting receipts from Hwy. 174 businesses located between the I-35W/Hwy. 174 split and Elk Drive? The Shop Wilshire winner for September was Nancy Newton. She received a $50 gift card to Chisholm Trail Firearms - 344 SW Wilshire, Suite Q. The Texas Department of Transportation is making median improvements to Hwy. 174 between I-35W and Elk Drive. During the construction, the City encourages everyone to keep visiting your favorite Wilshire businesses in the improvement area as part of the City's Shop on Wilshire Loyalty program. Collect five separate receipts from businesses in the improvement area, then deliver or mail the receipts to Burleson City Hall. The next drawing is Nov. 11. Make sure your name and your phone number are included with the receipts. Receipts for the Nov. 11 drawing must be dated Oct. 1-31 and turned in to Justin Bond at Burleson City Hall before the 6 p.m. city council meeting on Nov. 11. The prize is a $250 travel voucher from 1st Travel of Burleson as well as a 21-inch roll bag.

Get your picture taken with a "Rein-Donkey" during the three-day Christmas at Russell Farm festivities. The City's 30-acre historic farm at 405 W. County Road 714 is the site for fun Dec. 12-14. The hours on Thursday and Friday are 5 p.m.-8 p.m. Saturday's hours are noon-8 p.m. The festivities are free. The fun includes pictures (bring your own camera) with a donkey wearing antlers; checking out the Christmas trees decorated by community clubs and organizations; hay rides; handmade crafts for sale; tours of the historic Russell-Boren house as well as the Russell Farm Art Center gallery; and hot chocolate, cookies and coffee. Call 817-447-3316 for more information.

Visit the Burleson Rotary Club website, for more information about the Christmas "Parade of Lights." Parade participants will step off from Kerr Middle School at 6 p.m. on Dec. 7 and wind through Burleson's Old Town. All floats are required to have Christmas lights and encouraged to have music. Entry fees in the four categories range from $10-$30. The parade will start on the Irene Street side of the school parking lot, turn right on Gregory Street, right on Johnson Avenue, and right on Ellison Street. The Christmas parade will then turn right at the intersection of Ellison and Warren Street (next to Community Bank and Burleson City Hall) and head back to the middle school parking lot. The parade will not go past city hall. For more information, call Lisa Keese at 817-447-7300.

The City's Household Hazardous Waste/Electronic Recycling/Paper Shredding event on Nov. 2 was a non-stop  success (see pictures on the City of Burleson Facebook). During the two-hour event, 270 Burleson residents drove to the City's old service center on Main Street to dispose of chemicals, electronics, and paper that needed to be shredded. Staff and volunteers collected household hazardous waste from 183 homeowners. Of the rest of the participants, 119 had electronics and 81 had paper to be shredded. Anyone with large quantities of household hazardous waste is encouraged to take their items to the Environmental Collection Center located at 6400 Bridge St. in Fort Worth.  Burleson residents may drop off material there at no charge as long as they have a City water or solid waste bill to show as proof of residency.  Read More