Fort Bend Lifestyles and Homes Magazine Dec 2009: Around The Bend

Literacy’s Brenda Bowman Addresses Woman’s Club of Missouri City. Brenda Bowman of the Literacy Council of Fort Bend was the guest speaker at the Woman ’s Club of Missouri City in October. The Woman’s Club, founded in 1956, provides annual scholarships to deserving Missouri City students. The Literacy Council began in 1987 around a kitchen table. They have grown from a one-room office to a 6,000-square-foot literacy center. In addition to teaching basic literacy, LCFB teaches ESL, offers a GED program, citizenship classes and computer classes. They offer classes at 17 tutor locations across Fort Bend. The hotline number is 281-980-7323.

retired educators collect new books for stafford msd. Members of the Fort Bend/Harris Retired Educator’s Association delivered 441 new books to the Stafford Municipal School District in October. The books were donated to the retired educator ’s organization by Diane Flint, owner of the Fort Bend Book Company. Flint made the book donation to the retired educators for their Children ’s Book Project, a statewide service project carried out by local units of the Texas Retired Teachers Association.

Fort Bend/Harris retired educators Dianne McDonald and Peggy Norman as well as Diane Flint presented the books to the Stafford MSD. District Librarian Jacqueline Mamou received the books on behalf of the school district. Superintendent H.D. Chambers and Rebecca Benedict, Stafford High School principal, were also in attendance.

The books are available to Stafford MSD elementary, middle school and high school students through the District Library.

More information on the retired educators association can be obtained at www.trta.org.

Missouri City’s Crime Victim Liaison Toni Slusser reads some literature. Over the past five years, Missouri City’s Crime Victim Liaison has used her expertise and empathy to help more than 3,500 residents help themselves. She tirelessly assists people who are victims of domestic abuse, sexual assault, robbery and other crimes and provides them with the information, resources and referrals to get help.

“Toni brings a unique skill set to the table in that she was a certified police officer in the Missouri City Police Department for years, so she ’s been on the front lines of policing, seeing trauma firsthand and dealing with it, ” said Assistant Chief Larry Capps, who directs Slusser in her role. “Toni is like the gatekeeper—the issues come to her and she opens the door to help people get on the right track at the right time. Having a full-time crime victim liaison is a tremendous asset for the department, community and officers. ”

Historically, Slusser’s role had been filled by detectives, who were struggling to aid victims on a part-time basis while still fulfilling their primary duties. Determined to provide a full-time advocate to victims and to ease the strain the dual jobs put on their officers, departmental officials made a commitment to seek funding for a crime victim liaison.

“Five years ago we got our first [Victims of Crime Act] grant through the Houston-Galveston Area Council, ” a conduit between local governments and the state, Capps said. Since then, Missouri City has successfully gone through four competitive application processes and has been awarded grants totaling more than $200,000 to fund the crime victim liaison position.

“Toni does a fabulous job helping crime victims. There’s a number of civic groups that she works very closely with to enhance the level of services we provide our crime victims and with her working fulltime, she has the ability to establish relationships with these other social services groups. She also has a very close working relationship with the area ’s district attorneys offices and their crime victim liaisons,” Capps said.

FBJSL Cookbook Makes a Great Holiday Gift! Looking for that perfect holiday gift for the cook in your family? The Fort Bend Junior Service League recommends its new cookbook, Treasures from the Bend, Rich in History and Flavor. Presented by St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital, this hardbound cookbook features over 275 delightful recipes contributed bylLeague members, local restaurants and chefs, and notable Fort Bend residents. In addition, the beautiful full-color photographs highlight historical sites throughout the county. Proceeds from cookbook sales benefit Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels.

Cookbooks retail for $27.95 each and will be on sale at several events in Sugar Land Town Square during December, including the Tree Lighting Ceremony on Dec. 3 and the holiday-themed events on Dec. 5 and Dec. 12. Cookbooks can also be ordered online at www.fbjsl.com.

In addition to presenting sponsor St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital, many generous sponsors supported Treasures from the Bend, including Amici, Yolanda and Von Celestine, DonDulin.com, NewFirst Bank, Sugar Land Town Square, the Wynn and Mary Geiger Foundation, Karen and Steve Awalt, Brigit and Andrew Engleman, ExxonMobil on behalf of Rhonda Yost, Gem Food Services Corp., Linens by Lisa and Sugar Land Antiques, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land, Minute Maid, Weezie ’s Embroidery and Julie and Jim Wilson.

For more information, visit www.fbjsl.com or contact Cookbook Committee co-chairs Shannon Bloesch and Shayne Newell at cookbook@fbjsl.com.

fort bend lawyers care thanks county bar association. Fort Bend Lawyers CARE would like to thank the Fort Bend County Bar Association for its donation of $5,000 from the proceeds of the 31st annual golf tournament. Not only has The Fort Bend Bar supported Fort Bend Lawyers CARE financially, but the Fort Bend County Bar Association has assisted with acquiring 147 volunteer attorneys who give their time and expertise to the low income residents of Fort Bend County in need of legal assistance.

Contact Fort Bend Lawyers CARE if you require legal assistance, a Fort Bend County resident and are low income, or if you want to become one of the supporters or volunteers: 281-239-0015.

Dompiers receive flag certificate from sar. The Alexander Hodge Chapter of the Sons of the American Revolution presented Tom and Mimi Dompier, owners of T & M Ranch, Richmond, Texas, a Flag Appreciation Certificate on Sept. 11. This certificate is presented to those individuals selected by SAR for their dedication and patriotism demonstrated by continually flying and maintaining the American Flag.

The Dompiers took over the
cattle operation in 1991 as T & M Cattle Co.

FBTSL Presents Donation to Rainbow Room. The Fort Bend Teen Service League made a donation of $600 to the Fort Bend Community Partners Rainbow Room. The league raised the funds by selling homemade craft picture blocks. The teens are always looking for more opportunities to give back to the community, and this ongoing craft project is just one more example of their dedication to Fort Bend County and their service-oriented attitude.

“The girls took the lead on this project. From buying the supplies to designing the overall product, the teens did it all. It ’s truly remarkable to see it all come together and see their hard work and efforts pay off —literally!” said Susan Scarborough, advisory board president for the Fort Bend Teen Service League.

The teens voted on their project’s beneficiaries after listening to speakers representing each of the five core placements for the Fort Bend Junior Service League. The members overwhelmingly chose the Rainbow Room as their charity of choice. The Teen League members have given countless hours of volunteer service to the Rainbow Room. Already this year they have helped with sorting school supplies and preparing for the Rainbow Room ’s community garage sale.

The Fort Bend Teen Service League is a project of the Fort Bend Junior Service League with members from across Fort Bend County in grades 9-12. For more information about FBTSL, visit www.fortbendteenleague.org.