Community Service

Attorneys and staff at Blazier, Christensen, Bigelow & Virr, P.C., feel a great obligation to give back to the community, to provide time, both legal and non-legal, to help others. Some of the groups and organizations people at the Firm have the honor to work with are listed below. Should you wish to know more about any of these groups and perhaps even join in working with them, please give one of us a call.

John C. Blazier - Former Chair, Austin Partners in Education which implements initiatives such as seeking logistical technology support from governmental entities and private businesses for AISD high schools and middle schools; helping to supervise the construction of a 6,700 square foot teaching kitchen which will be the cornerstone of the Institute of Hospitality & Culinary Arts at William B. Travis High School; President, Travis Education Foundation, which helps landscape AISD schools.

Fleur A. Christensen - helps coordinate the construction of a 6,700 square foot teaching kitchen which will be the cornerstone of the Institute of Hospitality & Culinary Arts at William B. Travis High School; helps with landscaping duties, including watering plants.

Bruce Bigelow - Board of Texas Lawyer Referral Service, a non-profit dedicated to providing the public with access to the legal system, that provides referrals to attorneys who will meet with you for the first 30 minutes to discuss legal issues for a modest payment to the Lawyer Referral Service, and if you hire the attorney will pay part of the fee to the Lawyer Referral Service - http://www.austinlrs.com; Member, Kiwanis Club of Northwest Austin, a service organization devoted to serving the needs of the community, primarily supporting area children; Volunteer Lawyer, Volunteer Legal Services, whose mission is to match low-income clients (income at or under 125% of federal poverty guidelines) who have a variety of legal needs - landlord/tenant problems, wills, probate, real estate, social security disability and Medicaid, and the like, with volunteer attorneys who have agreed not to charge for their services; http://www.vlsoct.org.

Thomas F. Virr - active with the Estate Planning Council of Central Texas and a past president; active with Triumphant Love Lutheran Church and has served on the Church Council, as Chair of the Endowment Fund Committee, and on the Building Committee.

Justin M. Welch - Members, Young Men's Business League which has supported the Austin Sunshine Camps for over 75 years: The Austin Sunshine Camps are owned and operated by the Young Men's Business League of Austin. Founded in 1928, the Camps seek to teach life skills, self confidence, trust and teamwork, all while providing outdoor fun through traditional activities like hiking, swimming, canoeing, and sports. The Austin Sunshine Camps serve over 700 at-risk and disadvantaged children every summer, and their year-round leadership and mentoring programs serve many more. The Camps provide an overnight summer camp experience at NO CHARGE to the children's families. The members of the YMBL raise the funds and provide the volunteer energy necessary to run the Camps year after year; http://www.sunshinecamps.org

Kathleen Ford Bay - Paul Harris Fellow in Rotary International and member of Rotary Club of Austin, whose mission is to encourage and foster the ideal of service as a basis of worthy enterprise and, in particular, to encourage and foster: (1) The development of acquaintance as an opportunity for service; (2) High ethical standards in business and professions; the recognition of the worthiness of all useful occupations; and the dignifying by each Rotarian of his occupation as an opportunity to serve society; (3) The application of the ideal of service by service by every Rotarian to his personal, business and community life; and (4) The advancement of international understanding, good will, and peace throughout the world fellowship of business and professional men and women united in the ideal of service; Volunteer Lawyer, Volunteer Legal Services, whose mission is to match low-income clients (income at or under 125% of federal poverty guidelines) who have a variety of legal needs - landlord/tenant problems, wills, probate, real estate, social security disability and Medicaid, and the like, with volunteer attorneys who have agreed not to charge for their services

Trevor G. Green - with Travis Education Foundation, has planted many, many flower beds for public schools in Austin; been active with First Tee Foundation which solicits and provides to children (especially inner city youth) pre-owned and new golf equipment, access to golf courses, and instruction, has volunteered at and done fundraising for Austin Sunshine Camps.