Heart of Hamilton County Episodes
Episode 5
MJ O’Brien Hannell - Hico and all the Hats
MJ O'Brien Hanell wears just about every hat you can wear in Hico, running a downtown shop, writing for the newspaper, serving on the Chamber of Commerce, and now launching her own magazine, and somehow makes it look easy.
We recorded this episode right at Hide and Horne in downtown Hico, where MJ walks us through how she juggles it all, what she loves about downtown Hico, and the exciting new chapter she's writing with Hico Magazine. We also get into the 144th Annual Old Settlers Reunion and Rodeo, held July 10-18, 2026.
Episode 4
Episode 4: Jacque Emery, Chamber & Master Gardeners
Jacque Emery wears more than one hat around Hamilton County, serving on the Hamilton Chamber of Commerce board and as part of the Hamilton County Master Gardeners.
In this episode, she talks about what the Chamber does for the community, how the Master Gardeners bring people together to grow, learn, and give back, and the Vacation Garden School the group puts on at the Hamilton Public Library.
Episode 3
Jessica Hester and Brooke's Blossoming Hope
Jessica Hester carries her daughter Brooke's legacy forward through Brooke's Blossoming Hope, a foundation providing hair accessories to children with cancer and contributing to childhood cancer research.
In this episode, Jessica shares Brooke's story and the remarkable kind of love that built something lasting out of grief. Click here to learn how you can get involved with Brooke's Blossoming Hope and help with the fight against childhood cancer.
Episode 2
Dr. Drew Dabbs — Author of The Journey
Dr. Drew Dabbs is the pastor of First Baptist Church Hamilton and the author of The Journey: Finding Our Way Without Formulas. We were so thankful to Drew for graciously being our first interview.
In this episode, he sits down with Liz and Garen to talk about his heart for the Hamilton County faith community and what inspired him to write the book. He shared with us a bit about what faith can look like without formulas.
Click here to learn more and purchase The Journey.
Episode 1
Welcome to Heart of Hamilton County
Every good story starts somewhere, and this is where ours begins.
Liz and Garen Graves introduce Heart of Hamilton County, a podcast built around the people, places, and stories that make Hamilton County special, and share why they wanted to create a space for this community to tell its own story.
Click here to learn more about your hosts, Liz and Garen Graves.