Fort Bend Lifestyles and Homes Magazine Sep 2009: Around The Bend1 - Fort Bend, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, People, Events, Campus News, Chamber, and Business

Meadows Foundation Funds $87,000 to Support Local Senior Citizens. The Meadows Foundation has awarded $87,000 to Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels to not only provide meals for senior citizens on the waiting list, but to also insure the nonprofit continues its mission during this challenging economy.

“The funds the Meadows Foundation has provided will allow FBS to continuing caring for our area seniors. We had a waiting list of over 150 seniors, which these funds will help provide meals through the end of the year, ” said Manuela Arroyos, chief executive officer Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels.

Presently, FBS is providing meals to more than 1,200 seniors each day and that number continues to grow. Moreover, meals are provided seven days a week, 52 weeks a year.

“The meals provided to the seniors meet the national nutrition requirements and often are enough for two meals. These meals are usually the only food the senior has each day, and if it was not for these meals the seniors would not only go hungry but would have many more challenges, all of which are brought on by malnutrition, ” Arroyos said.

Mayor Owen Reads to YMCA Summer Camp. Minute Maid and the Astros In Action Foundation teamed up to sponsor Read Around the Bases, a YMCA pilot program, founded by Karla Newton. The program encourages children to read during the summer months.

The children at the Fort Bend YMCA summer camp were treated to a “Mystery Reader” session when Missouri City Mayor Allen Owen read aloud to the children and gave autographs. Participants who completed the program were treated to a free Houston Astros baseball game at the end of the summer.

Fort Bend American Business Women’s Association Leaders Receive Mayoral Proclamation. Stafford Mayor Leonard Scarcella presented proclamations to Louise Grasse, Woman of the Year, and Loan Mansy, Woman of Excellence, at the the Fort Bend Chapter of the American Business Women ’s Association meeting.

Grasse is a 20-year ABWA member, serving as two-term Fort Bend Chapter past president and Houston Area Council past president. Louise chairs the chapter ’s annual Toys for Tots community service program and was awarded the Sapphire Star for sponsoring more than 40 new members to the Fort Bend Chapter.

Mansy has served as the Fort Bend ABWA Chapter treasurer, program chair and scholarship chair.

Fort Bend CARES Foundation Supports Parks Youth Ranch. At a reception announcing Fort Bend CARES 2009 grant recipients, Parks Youth Ranch Inc. received a grant award of $10,000 to be used for the establishment of the Fred and Mabel R. Parks Youth Ranch.

The youth ranch is being constructed on an 8-acre site outside Fairchilds in rural Richmond. Once completed, the ranch will operate a counseling center and a temporary emergency shelter for at risk and homeless youth. The shelter and counseling center will provide community agencies a place to refer eligible youth for counseling and/or shelter services. Construction is expected to be completed in early 2010.

Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels Receives March for Meals Campaign Grant. The Meals on Wheels Association of America awarded Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels a $1,000 grant in recognition of the success of its 2009 March for Meals campaign. The grant was announced by MOWAA and the grant money will be awarded at the 2009 MOWAA Annual Conference in San Diego.

The Mayors for Meals/March for Meals campaign for Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels was a huge success. Twenty-eight elected officials from both Fort Bend and Waller counties and surrounding cities, including Rosenberg, Richmond, Fulshear, Sugar Land, Meadows Place, Missouri City and Kendleton, signed up to serve the seniors. Mayors Joe Gurecky of Rosenberg, Jamie Roberts of Fulshear, Darryl Humphrey of Kendleton and Mary Etta Anderson of Arcola, as well as County Commissioners James Patterson, Grady Prestage and Andy Meyers, County Clerk Annie Elliott and County Treasurer Jeff Council were among the esteemed meal delivery team for March 18. The March for Meals/Mayors for Meals volunteers delivered 50 meals on behalf of Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels.

“We raised awareness and are enjoying a renewed interest in our organization and its mission, ” said Manuela Arroyos, CEO. “As always, we have received a positive response from our community, which makes all the work that goes into this public awareness campaign worth the effort. ”

March for Meals/Mayors for Meals participants are: (l-r, front row) Manuela Arroyos, Karyn Dean, David Vasquez, Nicole Volek, Peggy Demmick, Rebbeca Annie Elliott, Mayor Mary Etta Anderson, Thomas Abraham, Jeff Council, Mayor Joe Gurecky, Mayor Jamie Roberts; (back row) Melvin Petitt, Mayor Darryl Humphrey, representative from Commissioner Prestage Office, Chief Scott Head, Grady Prestage, Chief Stephen Noto, Capt. Larry Capps, Interim Chief Pat Worrell, James Wenzel, Representative from Rep. Dora Olivo ’s office, James Patterson, Representative from Rep. Dora Olivo’s office, Daisy Mitchell, Lisa Collins, Randy Briones and Michael Campbell.

read around the bases. Minute Maid and the Astros In Action Foundation teamed up this summer to sponsor Read Around the Bases, a Fort Bend YMCA pilot program, founded by Karla Newton, aimed at encouraging children to read during the summer months. As a finale to the program, participating Fort Bend-area children were treated to a free Houston Astros baseball game. The two children who read the most books this summer were awarded an Honor Ball, a baseball signed by Houston Astro Chris Sampson: first-place, Nick Ilagan and second-place, Juan Ruiz Cordero. For more information about the Read Around the Bases program, visit ReadAroundTheBases.com.

in Corpus Christi. Members spent the convention time attending a business session as well as educational and special interest workshops at the American Bank Center.

Attending from Lambda Sigma Chapter (Sugar Land, Richmond and Missouri City) were: Carla Meuth, president; Christi Chrisman, second vice president; Cathie Richie, treasurer; Linda Russell, membership chairman; Mary Crochet, yearbook chairman; and members Angelyn Schuster and Ocie Whitaker. They were joined by Area IV Coordinator and chapter member Mary Ann Dolezal.

The Lambda Sigma Chapter, currently 83 members strong, received the following awards and recognition: Five Star Newsletter Award, Annie Award for a program entitled, Cinderella and Cinderfella Project, sponsored by Eva Fackeldey. Members were recognized for their “Gold” contributions given to the Hundreds for Headquarters campaign.

The 2008-10 chapter presidents of the 287 chapters in Texas were honored with a special presentation. President of the Lambda Sigma Chapter Carla Meuth, an 18-year member, was presented with a long stem red rose by the society and a wrist corsage by chapter members.

cultural diversity awareness seminar. In an outgoing effort to enhance the city’s ability to deliver excellent services to all residents, the city of Sugar Land hosted Asian-Indian “101” a half-day seminar for all department heads and senior staff.

City Manager Allen Bogard welcomed city staff and the guest speakers including youth and heads of various organizations of the Indian community: “The Asian-Indian community is a vital part of Sugar Land’s continuing development as one of the best places to live and work in the United States. Your contributions are many, and we join with you today to learn more about the Asian-Indian culture in order to further our understanding and communication. ”

The program opened with a prayer of Ganesha and Shanti Path by Gaurang Patel of BAPS Swaminarayan Mandir. Program chair Dinesh Shah made opening remarks; Megha Shah presented statistics about Indians in India and Indians in the U.S. and Houston. A presentation on the demography, business and economics, customs, wedding, folk dance, and foods of India was made by boys and girls including Meghan Rao, Umesh and Dinesh Saripilla, Hamsika Chandrasekar and Shalin Dalal.