Local companies help American Heart Association raise nearly $400,000

January 1st, 2016

(Left) Kaneka North America top Heart Walk sponsors. (Right) Memorial Hermann Southeast’s Rebecca Lilley served as Heart Walk Co-Chair.

(Left) Kaneka North America top Heart Walk sponsors. (Right) Memorial Hermann Southeast’s Rebecca Lilley served as Heart Walk Co-Chair.

Chilly winds, and an earlier start time, didn’t keep 2,000 participants from hitting the pavement at Kemah Boardwalk to participate in the non-competitive, three mile Bay Area Heart Walk on Saturday, Nov. 14, hosted by the American Heart Association.

The event, chaired by Steve Skarke of Kaneka North America and Rebecca Lilley of Memorial Hermann Southeast, was sponsored by three local companies: Hunt & Hunt, LTD., LyondellBasell, and Houston Methodist San Jacinto. A total of $385,145 was raised for the fight against cardiovascular diseases and stroke.

Memorial Hermann Southeast came in as the top fundraising company, raising nearly $26,000 for the Heart Walk.  Kaneka North America came in second place, while CHI St. Luke’s raised nearly $20,000.  Indira Feustel came in as the Heart Walk’s top individual fundraiser with $20,007 raised.

Houston Methodist St. John, Merrill Lynch, DOW Chemical, Ascend Performance, Kindred Hospital Systems, CHI St. Luke’s Health, ISC Constructors, Lockheed Martin, Kroger, Nestle, and Acadian EMS were also Heart Walk sponsors and Bay Area Houston Magazine and Houston Community Newspapers Bay Area Citizen were the event’s media partners.

Go Red for Women Luncheon raises $160,000

April 1st, 2015

Bay Area Regional Medical Center Chairman Dr. Michael Lyons and his wife, Loraine, right, visit with Monica MacKerron, from left, and Nacole Beasley, R.N., as the crowd begins arriving for the 2015 Go Red for Women Luncheon at South Shore Harbour Resort in League City.

Bay Area Regional Medical Center Chairman Dr. Michael Lyons and his wife, Loraine, right, visit with Monica MacKerron, from left, and Nacole Beasley, R.N., as the crowd begins arriving for the 2015 Go Red for Women Luncheon at South Shore Harbour Resort in League City.

A SEA OF RED greeted any late arrivals at the American Heart Association’s 2015 Go Red for Women Luncheon at South Shore Harbour Resort as they looked over the crowd.

And, as AHA Communications Director Michelle Reed put it, “It was one for the books with a record-breaking $160,000 raised” by the 350 men and women who arrived clad in red.

The high-energy event, chaired by the Bay Area Regional Medical Center’s Chief Operating Nurse Susan White, hit an all-time high with its Open Your Heart donations and sales at its live and silent auctions, Michelle said. Fox 26 Anchor Rita Garcia served as emcee.

Memorial Hermann Southeast staff members Ashlea Quinonez, left, and Rebecca Lilley, right, welcome Fay Picard, who came to the Go Red for Women Luncheon to represent State Rep. Greg Bonnen, who was tied up in Austin with legislative duties.

Memorial Hermann Southeast staff members Ashlea Quinonez, left, and Rebecca Lilley, right, welcome Fay Picard, who came to the Go Red for Women Luncheon to represent State Rep. Greg Bonnen, who was tied up in Austin with legislative duties.

Highlights included a powerful story of learning how to have confidence by Michelle Aguilar, winner of The Biggest Loser; several inspiring stories told by heart attack victims; and the annual competition for the Heart Throb of the Year,
Five Bay Area men competed for the title of Heart Throb of the Year Award – Jason Mercer, Beau Harding, Dr. S. Benjamin Albright III, Dr. Monte Orahood and the winner, Dr. Alexander Sardina.

Others you might have spotted in the energetic crowd were Bay Area Regional Medical Center Chairman Dr. Michael Lyons and his wife, Loraine; Circle of Red Chairman Brandy Gates, Men Go Red Chairman Santiago Mendoza Jr., Heart Throb Chairman Sandy Adams and Auction Chairman Laurie Dehse.

Council elects Angela Braun

AS A THANK YOU for all Mayor Pro-tem David Braun did for his community before his death, the Nassau Bay City Council unanimously elected his wife, Angela, to fill his seat for the rest of his term at its March meeting.
Then, the council took a break from its deliberations to join Angela for a photo.

Harry Dollar, who filed for the Position 1 seat in the May 9 election and is unopposed, will take the seat after the May 9 election.

Angela Braun, center, has been appointed by the Nassau Bay City Council to fill the seat held by her late husband, Mayor Pro-tem David Braun, until the May election. Joining her for photos after the vote are, from left, City Attorney Dick Gregg Jr., and Councilors Bob Warters, Jonathan Amdur, Bruce Klug, Mayor Mark Denman, Sandra Mossman and John Mahon.

Angela Braun, center, has been appointed by the Nassau Bay City Council to fill the seat held by her late husband, Mayor Pro-tem David Braun, until the May election. Joining her for photos after the vote are, from left, City Attorney Dick Gregg Jr., and Councilors Bob Warters, Jonathan Amdur, Bruce Klug, Mayor Mark Denman, Sandra Mossman and John Mahon.

Bay Oaks ladies turn out for lunch

AUTHOR ANDY UPCHURCH presented an entertaining talk that had members of the Bay Oaks Women’s Association chuckling at their February luncheon.

Hospitality Chairman Judie Ferguson and her committee – Kaylee Benoit, Jo Cat Bruce, Danele Buehlar, Ann Dooley, Fran Gentry and Sue Ellen Jennings — were on hand to welcome the arriving crowd that included Judy Raiford, Courtney Atchley, Sharon Phelps  and her guest, Jeane Olsen; Jean Hays, Carol Bobo, Sandy Lantz, Molly Gorrell, Diane Konick, Linda Herzfeld and Angela Swint.

After which President Sue Broughton and Vice Presidents Cambrey Rogers and Becky Hensley directed them to the registration desk.

They hardly had time to sign in when in walked Jackie Daley, Grace Cameron, Mary Smith, Annette Dwyer, Betty Woodhouse, Angela Bivens, Allyson Jackson, Joan Grant, Sylvia Resch, Sharon Christman, Betty McElvain, Pam Ploss, Emmeline Dodd, Jodi Schnabel, Linda Kelly and Eileen Hult.

Hospitality Committee members await the arriving crowd for the Bay Oaks Women's Association Luncheon. They are, from left, Fran Gentry, Chalrman Judie Ferguson, Jo Cat Bruce and Danele Buehlar.

Hospitality Committee members await the arriving crowd for the Bay Oaks Women’s Association Luncheon. They are, from left, Fran Gentry, Chalrman Judie Ferguson, Jo Cat Bruce and Danele Buehlar.

Others you might have spotted enjoying the French Almond Chicken Sautee were Sharon Dillard, who had Joy Muniz, Badiha Nassar and Barbara Groh as her guests; Janet Greenwood, Terri Steinkamp, Mary Colombo, Bobbie Moutz, Barbara Dickey, Sarah McClintock, Ann Stephenson, who had Dina Stephenson as her guest, Trisha Gunn, and Karen Reed.

Connie Zieba chairs benefit

OUR AREA’S Connie Windes Zieba served as chairman of the recent Houston Junior Forum’s annual fundraising luncheon, “Conversations from the Heart” at the Junior League of Houston. The luncheon featured Jim McIngvale, founder, owner, and operator of the Gallery Furniture retail chain, author, and philanthropist. The luncheon raised funds for the HJF College Scholarship Fund and HJF Community Grants Program.

Emcee for the event was Bill Stubbs, a leading interior designer and owner of William W. Stubbs and Associates Interior Design Firm. Marilyn and Bob McDowell were the guests of honor. The McDowells are longtime HJF and community supporters.

Rotary plans Crawfish Boil

LOOKING for fun things to do this spring?

The La Porte Rotary Club plans to host its 7th annual Crawfish Boil on Saturday, April 11, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. in SeaBreeze Park at 1300 Bayshore Drive.

They invite everyone to come on over to La Porte and enjoy some crawfish.

League City WaterSmart Park Award H-GAC Award

January 7th, 2015

Concept 11The City of League City’s Ghirardi WaterSmart Park has been named the winner of the of the 2014 Houston Galveston Area Council Parks & Natural Areas Award in the “On-the-Ground Projects Over $500,000” category.

The project serves as a model for other projects in the 13 county region.

Ghiradi WaterSmart Park is a 3.75-acre space that features a pavilion, walking trails and a playground, but it’s more than just another park. It also has special conservation and educational features including rain gardens, an outdoor classroom, cistern to collect rainwater for irrigation, a green roof on the pavilion and WaterSmart landscapes.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERAThe park was funded through the City of League City’s Park Dedication Fund and a grant through the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. The TCEQ grant for Ghirardi WaterSmart Park gives the city and other area entities the opportunity to study, showcase and improve water management.

The Ghirardi WaterSmart Park is also home to the 100-year-old Ghirardi Compton Oak, which was moved to the site in 2012. The Ghirardi Family of League City donated the 3/4 of an acre site where the tree is now located.

“The city is very honored to receive this award. We continually strive to implement programs and projects that benefit our residents and we look for cost effective and practical ways in which to implement those ideas,” said City Manager Mark Rohr.

“The WaterSmart Park not only serves as a place for children to play and families to gather, but it’s educational, and the city was able to create it using grants and park dedication fees.”

The H-GAC Parks & Natural Areas Subcommittee established the Parks Award Program in 2006 to highlight best practices and innovative approaches to parks planning and implementation.

Concept 3H-GAC honors projects in the categories of: Projects over $500,000, Projects under $500,000, Planning Process, and Policy Tools. Winning entries demonstrate best practices and collaboration between developers, local government, engineering and planning agencies, businesses, resources, environmental groups, and citizens. Entries are evaluated on innovation, merit, and regional impact. These projects serve as models for planning and project implementation for parks and natural areas in the region.

H-GAC is the region-wide voluntary association of local governments in the 13 county Gulf Coast regions of Texas. Its service area is 12,500 square miles, and contains more than 6 million people.

Bay Area Houston Magazine