Posted on Dec 4, 2009 | Tagged in: events , education , community
The Friendswood Community recently had the chance to tour the finest Holiday homes from City Hall to gardener’s homes chosen for their Holiday décor. The 43rd Annual Christmas Home Tour, hosted by the Friendswood Heritage Gardeners Club, took place Saturday November 21 and Sunday, November 22. A Bazaar, Bake Sale and raffle started at 10am, with delightful lunch and assortment of desserts served in an old fashioned tea room at high noon. The afternoon followed with a tour of Friendswood homes and gardens dressed to impress for the Holiday season.
The bake sale was a hit, with more than 300 pies and cakes for sale, and the raffle awarded lucky winners with a cash prize of $99, a gourmet food basket and a chiminea donated by H-E-B. Raffle and Bake Sale Chairman Carlotta Garza shared that she baked six cakes, 10 loaves of pumpkin bread, and several dozen homemade macadamia nut cookies. “They sell really well every year,” she said.
This was one of two main fundraising events to support the educational and charitable activities hosted by Heritage Gardeners. Throughout the year the club gathers at their garden center for plant exchanges, field trips, craft workshops, flower shows, luncheons and much more. They even sponsor a garden club for children ages 6-12 where they learn a curriculum developed by Texas A&M and become certified Texas Jr. Master Gardeners.
Heritage Gardeners, Inc. was founded in 1966 and “is dedicated to the horticultural enhancement of home and community.” They are best known for their Christmas and Spring Home Tours. The Spring Home Garden tour will take place the last weekend in April, from 12pm-4pm on Saturday April 24 and 1pm-5pm on Sunday April 25, 2010. The Spring tour will also include a bazaar, raffle and bake sale but will also feature a plant sale and flower show. The cost for the Spring tour is $10 (or $7 advance purchase) and kids 10 and under are free.
For more information on the Home Tours or on Heritage Gardeners Inc. please visit them online at www.heritagegardeners.org
Posted on Nov 24, 2009 | Tagged in: events , community , charity
Friendswood residents can take a break from the holiday bustle and take part in the Holiday Hustle, a 5K Fun Run/Walk and Kid’s K Run sponsored by the City of Friendswood Community Service Department, Alton Todd Law Firm and International Paint and Body.
The race will take place in Stevenson Park, 1100 S. Friendswood Dr. on Saturday December 5, 2009. Registration starts at 7am and the first leg of the race – the Kid’s K – starts at 8am, with the adult runners and walkers taking off at 8:20am. After the race trophies will be awarded to the top males and females in each age category and to the best overall male and female runners. Then participants can rest their legs and enjoy a pancake breakfast, vying for their chance to win a number of door prizes.
Registration costs $20 per person for adults, and $10 per kid 12 and under. T-shirts are provided for participants, but are only guaranteed for those that register before November 27. Checks can be made to the City of Friendswood, and please note the fee is non-refundable. Participants are asked to park behind City Hall or on Shadwell as parking will not be allowed in the pool parking lot.
Proceeds from the event will go to the Laura Recovery Center Foundation (LRCF) for missing children. For more information on the LRCF please visit their website at www.lrcf.org
Posted on Nov 19, 2009 | Tagged in: community , charity
West Ranch residents are invited to join in the Holiday festivities during the 23rd Annual Christmas Lighted Parade and the 2nd Annual “Christmas in the Park.”
This year’s festivities will take place Saturday, December 12 at 6:00pm. The Friendswood Chamber of Commerce will host its annual lighted parade with this year’s theme: “Christmas in Toyland.” Area businesses are encouraged to enter the parade to celebrate the holidays and promote their services.
Immediately following the parade there will be the 2nd annual “Christmas in the Park” where families can enjoy activities and take pictures with Santa. The event will take place in Stevenson Park and is hosted by the City of Friendswood Community Services Department and the Community Appearance Board.
For those participating in the parade, line up begins at 5:00pm prior to the parade. For more information on entering the parade please call the Chamber at 281-482-3329. For more information about “Christmas in the Park” please call the City of Friendswood at 281-996-3320.
Posted on Nov 4, 2009 | Tagged in: Friendswood ISD , education , community , charity
Did you know: YOU can donate to the Friendswood Education Foundation, a non-profit that benefits Friendswood ISD students and teachers through scholarships and grants, by subscribing to the Houston Chronicle?
Each month they send us a check that consists of a portion of the donated subscription money when subscribers named us as their CHARITY OF CHOICE.
How?
It is always such a nice surprise to get a Chronicle check and the donor gets his Chronicle. Win-Win!
Posted on Nov 3, 2009 | Tagged in: community , charity
It’s not spring cleaning, but it’s purging before the new year. It’s your chance to get rid of those items that you no longer need and weren’t quite sure what to do with.
The City of Friendswood will be hosting their Fall Haul Day on Saturday November 7 from 8am until 2pm. The event will take place at Centennial Park, 2200 S. Friendswood Dr. and is for the citizens of Friendswood.
A non-profit organization will be collecting household items in good condition such as furniture and household items in good condition. Your charitable donation will go to good use in helping others, but please note that mattresses will not be accepted.
You can also benefit the Wildlife Rehabbers in Friendswood. This group, which rescues and cares for many injured wild animals that make their home in Friendswood’s green space, is in need of the following: aquariums (they do not have to hold water), dog and cat kennel carriers, clean rags (towels/shirts), and shallow crock bowls.
Non Hazardous items will also be accepted. These items include, but are not limited to, tree limbs, grass clippings, old appliances, old furniture, wood, metal, plastic, large and small.
Posted on Oct 26, 2009 | Tagged in: Friendswood ISD , education , community
CLEAR – Clean Living Encouragement and Responsibility – is a student led group club that encourages Friendswood students to stay away from drug and alcohol use. The club is now in its third year at the Friendswood Junior High and High Schools and continues to have a positive impact on the community.
This group challenges students to take a step up and out into the light letting other students know that it is not the norm to do drugs, but rather many students prefer to live a drug free – a clear – life. In this way students become leaders and create an awareness of the positive opportunities and lifestyles that result from staying away from substance use. By participating in this voluntary program students show their commitment by volunteering to be randomly drug tested.
Each group must find sponsors from among their teachers to help support students in planning substance free activities, educating the community and guiding the students on this path by answering questions, addressing concerns and fears, and supporting them in their healthy choices.
Teachers Megan Marshall, Corey Dalton, and Lindsay Hutchins enthusiastically filled the role of sponsors at the Friendswood Junior High. Megan Marshall was actually in CLEAR when she was in high school and stands behind the program. Sophie Wostal, Paul Tucker and Kristen Castillo have come forward as sponsors at the Friendswood High School because they believe in the program and the positive effect it will have on students’ lives.
“I know every year these kids are propositioned about drugs and alcohol at an earlier age. CLEAR is a program worth fighting for! Having a group that gives students an outlet to express concerns, questions, fears, etc about substance abuse, peer pressure, stress and anything else they want is amazing!”
Friendswood Independent School District has raised the bar in financial accountability - they have received a rating of "Superior Achievement" from the Texas School's FIRST Rating System. This is the Financial Accountability Rating System of Texas (FIRST), which is in its seventh year of awarding ratings. "It shows that our district is making the most of our taxpayers' dollars. This shows that FISD's schools are accountable not only for student learning, but also for achieving these results cost-effectively and efficiently," said George Rogers, FISD's Assistant Superintendent of Business.
The FIRST rating was developed by the Texas Education Agency as a standard accountability system for Texas school districts to ensure they achieve the highest quality in managing their financial resources. The rating system designates a rating based on data quality, with the highest rating being "Superior Achievement," followed by "Above Standard," "Standard Achievement," and "Substandard Achievement." If a school district has serious data quality problems they may receive an additional rating of "Suspended - Data Quality."
"We are very pleased with FISD's School FIRST rating," Rogers shared. It is an achievement that Friendswood families and taxpayers can also be proud to share in as they move forward in the coming academic and fiscal year. They have set a standard that will hopefully spur on other school districts and continue to raise the bar for Texas school’s financial responsibilities.
Posted on Oct 9, 2009 | Tagged in: healthcare , education , community
Money Magazine and CNN/Money recently named Friendswood, TX as one of the country’s “Best Places to Live.” It was one of only six Texas cities to be awarded the title, and it was ranked number 32 out of 100 cities in the U.S.
The 2009 list focuses on smaller communities that offer the best economic opportunities, great education, a safe environment, and a range of activities that draw the community together. In 2007 Friendswood ranked number 51 out of 100. In both instances, Friendswood was the only community in the greater Houston area to be awarded this title.
The winning cities were chosen based on criteria of populations between 8,500 and 50,000, job growth, cost of living, housing prices, education, arts, leisure activities, safety, diversity and health care. With these factors weighing in their favor, West Ranch residents can enjoy their community and be proud to hold this title for the second time in three years.
For the complete list of cities, visit http://money.cnn.com
Source: www.ci.friendswood.tx.us
Posted on Oct 9, 2009 | Tagged in: healthcare , Friendswood ISD , education
Students at Friendswood Junior High and Friendswood High School have the opportunity to take a leadership role in reducing alcohol and substance abuse among youth in their community by becoming members of a student-led group called Clean Living Encouragement and Responsibility (CLEAR). By becoming members, they help to change student norms and perceptions by making others aware that the majority of students do not do drugs, but prefer to live a clean and clear life.
In order to assist students in their activity planning, schools must find teachers who will volunteer to become CLEAR sponsors.
"It is the mission of our schools to provoke quality instruction for our students in a safe and secure environment. These dedicated sponsors help us to secure and promote a healthy environment," Superintendent Trish Hanks said.
As CLEAR begins its third year at Friendswood I.S.D., educators have volunteered to serve as sponsors and have agreed to share some personal reasons for their commitment to Friendswood I.S.D. youth.
Posted on Oct 6, 2009 | Tagged in: events , education , community
On Monday, October 12th, the charitable organization Julia F. Thompson, Inc. is having its 9th Annual Pink On The Green Golf Tournament.
This fundraising event will take place at the Timber Creek Golf Course on 4554 F.M. 2351 in Friendswood, Texas. Funds will help volunteers assist elementary school children with their reading skills, and secondary students with their math and science skills.
The competition will be heated, as the putting contest sponsored by Keller Williams Realty is awarding $5,000 to its winner. The Hole-in-One prize also raises the stakes by offering a chance to win a 2009 automobile, donated by Bayway Lincoln-Mercury.
The prices are $150 per golfer, $600 for a foursome, and $10 for the putting contest. Visit golfdigestplanner.com/11301-PINKONTHEGREEN to register for this event. For more information on the Julia F. Thompson, Inc. charity group and the event, visit their website at www.jftcharities.org.
Source: CultureMob.com and jtfcharities.org
