Driving Dickinson County hosted its inaugural Evening Cruise on Thursday, August 6, 2026, at the Holiday Inn in Abilene, marking the launch of the organization’s new Business After Hours program. The event drew current DDC partners, local business owners, and first-time visitors for an evening designed to showcase membership benefits, introduce new resources, and strengthen connections across Dickinson County’s business community.

“Evening Cruise is more than our version of a business after-hours event,” said Natalie Muruato, CEO of Driving Dickinson County. “It gives us an opportunity to bring businesses together, build relationships, introduce new resources and benefits, and create connections that might not happen otherwise. I want our partners to feel like they have someone in their corner.”

A Night Built for Business

The Evening Cruise featured a custom hat bar — offering trucker, bucket, baseball, and cowboy hats with custom patches for attendees to keep — on-site professional headshots by Michela Brown Photography, and an exclusive showcase of partner benefits including discount rates on supplemental insurance through presenting sponsor Colonial Life. Abilene Golf & Fitness was also on hand to walk partners through the perks available exclusively through their DDC membership.

The event also served as one of the first public showcases of DDC’s newly launched website, DrivingDickinsonCounty.org, which went live in June 2026 following the organization’s brand relaunch in February.

Colonial Life’s sponsorship of the inaugural Evening Cruise was facilitated by Andrea Taylor, Employee Benefit Advisor with Gallagher Benefit Services and a first-year DDC partner who has lived in Abilene her entire life. Taylor connected Colonial Life Producer Casey Kugler with Driving Dickinson County.

“I was confident that Casey would see the value in aligning their brand with an organization that’s creating meaningful momentum and bringing people together around a positive vision for our county and communities,” Taylor said.

What Attendees Are Saying

For current DDC partners, the Evening Cruise offered a clearer picture of what their membership actually includes. Zac Burt, agent for Copeland Insurance, said he discovered benefits he didn’t know existed.

“I was unaware that DDC members and partners had special access to benefits with Colonial Life until last night,” Burt said. “Business expansion takes time and resources. DDC helps speed that process up.”

Burt also weighed in on the hat bar: “This was my first one. 5/5.”

Not every attendee arrived as a DDC partner — and that was intentional. Collen McGee came representing both Rowantree Farm, her family’s small business, and the Abilene chapter of the Christian Motorcyclists Association. She left with a different impression of the organization than the one she walked in with.

“We were excited to see the energy that has come behind the organization,” McGee said. “The revamp of the website is beautiful — we’re looking forward to learning about resources for small business.”

McGee was also struck by Muruato’s presence at the event: “I can tell she has a passion for connecting people whether they are a member or not. As far as our personal small business — we are encouraged to explore more of the resources available to us.”

For Taylor, who has watched DDC grow since its earliest days, the Evening Cruise represented something larger than a single event.

“What struck me most was seeing how far Driving Dickinson County has come while staying true to its original purpose,” she said. “The energy in the room, the turnout, and the excitement about what’s ahead all reflected how much this organization has grown and how much people believe in its mission.”

Taylor added that the new website captured that momentum: “The website demonstrates that DDC isn’t just talking about the future of Dickinson County — it’s actively building it.”

What’s Next

The Evening Cruise is planned as a recurring signature event for Driving Dickinson County. Muruato said the goal is simple: make room for every business in Dickinson County, regardless of size or history with the organization.

“You don’t have to be a large employer or a longtime member to get involved,” Muruato said. “Whether you are a small business, entrepreneur, nonprofit, major employer, or someone just getting started — we want to know you and understand how we can help.”

Businesses interested in learning more about DDC partnership are encouraged to visit DrivingDickinsonCounty.org.