american red cross swimming lessons at
Lamar CISD Natatorium, beginning june 8

American Red Cross Swimming Lessons (all levels and all ages) will be offered June 8 through July 31. The 2-week sessions meet Monday through Thursday. The cost is $50 per person for eight 40-minute classes. Class times are 9:15 a.m., 10 a.m., 11 a.m. and 11:45 a.m.

Public Swim hours run June 8 through Aug. 1. The pool will be open for public swim Mondays through Saturdays from 1 p.m.-6 p.m. Admission is $3. Lap swimming is offered year-round, with the exceptions of major holidays or bad weather.

Private rentals are available upon request and availability.

For more information, call 832-223-3598 or visit www.lcisd.org. (Click on LCISD departments, then athletics, then scroll down to swimming and diving programs.)

FORT BEND CHAMBER OF COMMERCE PRESENTS “CAREER TRANSITION IN TODAY’S VOLATILE MARKET,” june 9

The Business & Professional Division of the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce presents “Career Transition in Today’s Volatile Market” presented by chamber member Doug Ehrenkranz, an executive recruiter with Boyden. This “lunch and learn” workshop will be held on Tuesday, June 9, from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. The cost is $15 for members and $25 for prospective members and includes lunch and materials. This seminar will be held at the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce located at 445 Commerce Green Blvd. in Sugar Land.  

Doug Ehrenkranz is a managing director at a leading global search firm and is a member of the Consumer Goods, Retail, and Industrial practice groups. Doug has partnered with clients ranging from Fortune 500 companies to much smaller public and private companies, recruiting for a broad range of assignments in general management, marketing, sales, and operational roles.  

In this session, Doug will address the key elements of a job search strategy including: Resume development, Sources of jobs, Internet search strategy, Role of search and recruiting firms, Working with recruiters, Networking, Working directly with target companies and Interviewing.

To register, contact Ellen Bush at 281-491-0277 or ellen@fortbendcc.org.

Green Thumb Seminar: Vegetable Gardening, June 11

The Fort Bend Master Gardeners, sponsored by Texas AgriLife Extension Service, will present Vegetable Gardening on June 11 from 7 p.m.-9 p.m. at the Bud O ’Shieles Community Center, 1402 Band Road in Rosenberg.

Learn about planting and care recommendations; production and disease control; and selections for spring and fall planting. The seminar is free and no pre-registration is required. For more information, 281-341-7068 or go to www.fbmg.com.

AUTISM Play Group of Fort Bend County, june 13

The Autism Play Group of Fort Bend County will meet on June 13 from 10 a.m.-noon at Lost Creek Park, 3703 Lost Creek Blvd., Sugar Land.

This group provides social opportunities for children with autism, ages 1-12 years and their families, while building a support network in Fort Bend County. Meetings are planned for the second Saturday of every month. Thanks to local sponsors, drinks, snacks and door prizes are provided. There is no cost, but donations are appreciated. RSVP is required.

For more information, contact Susan at susan@susangar.com or 281-726-2665.

Texas Children’s Hospital West Campus Invites Children to Share Their Dreams,  deadline june 16

Area children are invited to share their dreams with Texas Children’s Hospital and be part of the “Dream Tree.” A colorful ribbon representing each child’s dream will be displayed on a tree raised to the top of the West Campus in a ceremony celebrating the completion of its first construction milestone.

Six children will be selected at random to participate in the Dream Tree ceremony. All qualifying dreams will be displayed on the Texas Children ’s Web site.

For details and to submit dreams, visit www.westcampus.texaschildrens.org.  Submissions deadline is June 16.

Join the Decibelles, june 19

If you like to sing in four-part harmony, The Decibelles, an independent women’s barbershop chorus, invites you to a “Special Guest Day” on Friday, June 19, from 10:30 a.m. until 12:30 p.m. at Treemont Auditorium, 2501 Westerland, @ Westheimer.

For information, call Pat at 281-497‐4904 or e-mail decibelle@comcast.net or go to www.harmonize.com/decibelles.

Harris County benefits fair for Texas veterans,
June 20

A free “come and go” benefits fair for Texas veterans will be held from 10 a.m.-1 p.m. on Saturday, June 20, at the Stafford Centre, 10505 Cash Road, Stafford. The fair, targeting all Houston area veterans, is one of several throughout the state.

Officials from the Texas Veterans Land Board will be on hand to provide information on state programs including land, housing and home improvement loans as well as Texas state veterans cemeteries and nursing homes for veterans. Joining them will be representatives from the Texas Veterans Commission, the Small Business Administration, the Social Security Administration the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, and local Realtors and lenders specializing in veterans loans who will be available to discuss federal benefits and pending claims.

Veterans wishing to discuss pending claims with VA officials should bring pertinent case information, including claim numbers if available. Veterans are encouraged to drop in to learn more about their benefits any time between 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. and are not required to stay for the duration of the event.

For more information on the benefits fair, call Michael McReaken at 713-383-2729.

For more information on benefits available only to Texas veterans, such as low-interest land and home loans, call 800-252-8387 or visit www.texasveterans.com.

Farmers’ Market, every sunday

Wild West World first introduced the farmers’ market in April 2007, and it has been growing ever since. Is there anything better than an organic homegrown tomato? The farmers bring jellies, watermelon, blueberries and strawberries, olive oils, fresh tomatoes, potatoes, corn, okra, breads even whiskey bread. They offer produce that is growing in this area. The farmers educate their customers about the produce and products they are purchasing and how it is different than what is purchased at the supermarket. You can even start your own garden with the Herb Cottages organic pieces from the WWW garden every Sunday from noon-4 p.m. Wild West World is located on FM 359 in Richmond. Please see more information on the farmers ’ market page at www.localharvest.org.

LITERACY COUNCIL TUTOR TRAINING, july 13, 15, 18

Tutor training dates for the Literacy Council of Fort Bend County have been scheduled for Monday, July 13, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.; Wednesday, July 15, 6 p.m.-9 p.m.; and Saturday, July 18, 9 a.m.- 4 p.m. All training takes place at the Literacy Center, located at 12530 Emily Court in Sugar Land.  

LCFBC volunteer tutors teach adult basic literacy and/or English as a Second Language (ESL). Students will benefit from the individualized attention while tutors will enjoy the rewards of helping improve adult literacy.  Please volunteer and make an important difference in someone’s life. Literacy tutors do not need knowledge of any foreign language, nor do they need formal teaching experience. The most important requirement is that volunteers be committed to helping adults change their lives by improving their ability to read, comprehend, and speak the English language.

Tutor-training workshops are held every other month and attendance at all scheduled days of training is required in order to become a certified tutor. For more information about LCFBC or to register for the next training workshop, call 281-240-8181 or visit www.ftbendliteracy.org.

eco-explorers returns to brazos bend
state park, thursdays

Brazos Bend State Park will offer Eco-Explorers again this summer. This program, for children ages 4-12, meets each Thursday from 9:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. in the Nature Center during June, July and the first week of August. The program will consist of a learning activity, followed by games, crafts, songs and refreshments. A fee of $2 per child is charged to cover the costs of the crafts and refreshments.

This year, besides the Brazos Bend State Park Rangers and volunteers, the Houston Audubon Society and the Coastal Prairie and Gulf Coast Master Naturalist Chapters will assist in providing activities for the children. The schedule includes: June 11, Insect Inspection. Check out all their working parts; June 18, Eggs, Wings, Beaks and Things. Learn about what birds can do; June 25, Something Fishy, Junior Angler program. Learn the basics and ethics of fishing at Hale Lake pavilion; July 2, Astronomical Delights, Take a visit to the George Observatory for a trip to infinity and beyond; July 9, Clues to Who ’s Hiding From You. Learn to identify animal tracks, scat and other signs left behind; July 16, Micro-Monsters, Discover what lurks beneath the surface of a quiet pond. Use viewing boxes and microscopes; July 23, Variety Day, vultures, spiders, mammals and leaves; July 30, Bit-O-Honey, Hardworking honeybees know how to get the job done; and Aug. 6, Reptile Roundup. Wrap up the summer with a hiss and a bellow —snakes and alligators.

For park information, visit the Web site or call 979-553-5101. For information about Texas Parks & Wildlife sites and events, visit www.tpwd.state.tx.us.

fort bend La Leche League, meets monthly

Mothers wishing to find out more about breastfeeding are invited to attend a meeting of La Leche League of Fort Bend. Call Laura: 281-277-4989, Ingrid: 281-778-3433 or Karen: 281-937-9597.

library launches new online obituary database

Fort Bend County Libraries’ Local History and Genealogy department is launching an online obituary database that will provide quick and easy Internet access for people who are searching for family history information in Fort Bend County from anywhere in the world.

The database includes the data that has been collected and converted into a digital format, making it available on the Internet as an online, searchable database. The database includes obituaries of Fort Bend County residents, as well as some obituaries of former long-time Fort Bend County residents who have left the area.

Most of the obituaries were ones that appeared in the Fort Bend Herald, although some obituaries are available from random issues of the Houston Chronicle that were donated by volunteers. The database also includes public death records from the Fort Bend County courthouse.

Researchers may access the database via three portals in the library’s Web site at www.fortbend.lib.tx.us: the “obituaries” tab in the online catalog; the Quick Links drop-down menu on the main page; and the Genealogy page in the About Us section.