Clear Lake Chatter

March 30th, 2020

Executive Leadership Team members Brandy Gates, Sarah Ferguson, Karen Keesler, Emmeline Dodd and Kimberly Fleming, from left, get together to lend a hand with preparations for the Go Red for Women Luncheon benefitting the American Heart Association.

Sea of Red raises $275,000 for Heart Association

YOU HAVE TO admit it — there’s nothing quite like walking into a hotel and seeing hundreds of women dressed in red. And men wearing red ties.

But, while hotel guests might have been puzzled, we all know it was the American Heart Association’s 2020 Go Red for Women Luncheon at South Shore Harbour Resort.

And, not only did the 480 attending present a beautiful sea of red, they raised $265,000 to help fight heart disease — $40,000 more than last year’s $225,000 — with Chairman Wendy Drapela and Survivor Champion Amy Doherty joining AHA officials Michelle Stoddard and Macy Osoria in welcoming the arriving crowd that included Cindy Harreld DeWease, Barbara Clariday, Sheree Frede, Michelle Holland, Kim Woods, Jana Reed, Sarah FergusonJill Reason, Karen McCorkle, Jill Lammers, Brandy Gates and Emmeline Dodd.

In fact, Emmeline was one of five women selected to tell their story of their fight with heart disease. Others were Eva Baker, Brandi Arnold, Alma Solis and Meloney Bean.

Go Red for Women 2020 Chairman Wendy Drapela, right, and Survivor Champion Amy Doherty await the arriving crowd for this year’s luncheon.

Also recognized were members of the Circle of Red – Tamara Baker, Meloney Bean, Mike and Sherri Belsley, Martha Bowles, Tami Brantley McEwen, Kippy Caraway, Jonathan Cottrell, Rita Cunningham, Lance and Laurie Dahse, Emmeline Dodd, Wendy Drapela, Lila Fass, Anita Fogtman, Jerry Foyt, Kimberly Fleming, Michelle Jacobs, Stephen Jones, Yvette Jones, Jill Lammers, Karen and Mark Keesler,  Misty Killebrew, Michael and Ann Wismer Landolt, Holly Lilley, Dinah Matthews, Joan McKinney, Dr. Monte Orahood, Greg and Pam Ploss, Theressa Riggs, Dr. Amber Shamburger, Wendy Shaw, Gretchen Sheehan, Marilyn Sims, Randy Stine, Jim Sweeney, Darcy Whatley, Matthew and Angie Weinman, Mary Williams and Keely Wood.

KPRC Ch. 2’s Jonathan Martinez served as emcee and also took time to thank Event Committee members for their many contributions – Teresa Vencil, Sandy Adams, Teresa Provis, Laurie Dahse, Mary Williams, Donna Orozco, Valerie Blumfield, Jill Reason, Meloney Bean, Darcy Santana, Dinah Matthews, Kelli Reddinger, Stephanie Rice, Amy Doherty and Kim McFate.

UHCL President Dr. Ira Blake, from left, says hello to Pearland Mayor Tom Reid, Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership President Bob Mitchell and, seated, League City Mayor Pat Hallisey.

 

League City Mayor Pat Hallisey and his wife Janice and Pearland Mayor Tom Reid were in the massive crowd, as were Congressman Randy Weber and his wife, Brenda; State Sen. Larry Taylor, State Rep. Dennis Paul, BAHEP President Bob Mitchell and his wife, Joan; Clear Creek ISD Superintendent Dr. Greg Smith and CCISD Trustees Dr.Laura DuPont and Win Weber, with CCISD Communications Director Elaina Polsen; attorney Becky Reitz, Cheryl Maultsby, Rebecca Lilley, Ashlea Quinonez, Karen Reed, Jim and Jane Sweeney, Kelly Williams, Kimberly Halliburton, Kaci Hanson, Laurie Wood, Brandy Taylor, Vickie Brown, Kay Smith, Eric and Megan Green, Rick Clapp, Chris Premont, and Drs. Matthew Higgs, Hannah Dineen, Roxanne Edrington and Ann Haggard. Plus a few hundred more.

Space Center Rotary members get together for a photo with honoree Suzi Howe, in red, as the event comes to an end.

Rotarians celebrate Suzi Howe’s honor

Bill and Suzi Howe take part in the Rotary ceremony at Palms Event Center celebrating her appointment to the 2020-21 Rotary International Board of Directors.

SUZI HOWE, a member of Space Center Rotary Club in Clear Lake, was honored Feb. 16 when some 200 Rotarians from all over the Houston area gathered at the Palms Event Center on the Gulf Freeway to celebrate her appointment to the Rotary International Board of Directors.

 Howe, who lives in Friendswood, is a former president of the Space Center club and a former Rotary district governor, who is always busy with Rotary activities.

 “Rotary has a million or so members all around the world, and to be chosen to serve on the 20-member Rotary International Board of Directors is quite an honor,” Rotary District Governor-elect Scott Rainey, a past president of the Clear Lake club, said.

 “We were both amazed and shocked when you think of the size of Rotary but could not think of a more deserving member,” Assistant District Governor Nancy Anderson added.

 Rotary District 5890 hosted the celebratory event honoring her as an incoming Rotary International director for the 2020 – 2022 Rotary years. A special guest was David L. Shaw, a founding member of Space Center Rotary nearly 66 years ago on Aug. 6, 1954.

 State Rep. Dennis Paul presented her with a flag that flew over the Texas State Capital in her honor, while Kippy Caraway presented a proclamation signed by Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner declaring Feb. 16 Suzi Howe Day in the Bayou City and Friendswood Mayor Mike Foreman came with a proclamation he signed also declaring Suzi Howe Day in his city — as Suzi’s husband Bill, also a Rotarian, looked on with pride.

Howe, a former owner of South Shore Montessori School in League City and a graduate of the University of Kansas, has spent much of the past several years working with Rotary committees and their projects.

Her selection couldn’t come at a better time — Houston will host the Rotary International Convention June 4 – 8, 2022.

Friendswood Mayor Mike Foreman, left, says hello to State Rep. Dennis Paul and his wife, Eliza, as they arrive at the Palms Event Center for the party honoring Suzi Howe.

 

 Some of the local Rotarians in the crowd were Club President Mike Porterfield and his wife, Cindy; Wayne and Marilyn Musial, Delia Stephens, Mary Alys Cherry, Adrienne and Dr. Vissett Sun, Gary Johnson, Bill Geissler, Raymond Moore, Nancy and Robert Anderson, Alan and Gaye Wylie, Scott Rainey, Rev. Steve Oglesbee, Stan Galanski, Darryl Smith, Madella Williams, Randy Straach, Michael Holt, Bob Anderson, Jim Saxe and Dennis and Eliza Paul.

Clear Lake Chatter: Mayors Update BayTran on a Variety of Topics

July 1st, 2018

BayTran Chairman David Hamilton, left, Binkley & Barfield executive vice president, welcomes League City Mayor Pat Hallisey, center, and Pearland Mayor Tom Reid to the Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership luncheon at the Marriott South Hotel.

THE MAYORS of League City and Pearland often attend the monthly luncheons hosted by the Bay Area Houston Transportation Partnership, so why not let them be the program and give an update on their Harvey problems?

Both Mayor Tom Reid of Pearland and Mayor Pat Hallisey of League City thought it was a good idea and presented quite an interesting program that all appeared to enjoy.

After briefly focusing on Hurricane Harvey, the conversation changed to transportation with Mayor Hallisey recalling that his city of 110,000+ had only 5,000 residents when he moved there, going on to talk about how transportation had played a big role in the city’s rapid growth, even back in 1893 when Kansas Street was formed. Forty-eight percent of the city’s land is still undeveloped, he added.

Mayor Reid then remembered back when his city of 135,000 plus had only 3,000 folks in 1965. Today it is the 33rd largest city in Texas, he said, the fifth safest city in the state and the third largest in land area – 48 square miles. More than 9,000 work at the Texas Medical Center, he said, adding, “Mobility has been a blessing.”

“We’ve focused on transportation and maintaining a quality lifestyle,” he explained, added that Pearland was spread over three counties and he expected it wouldn’t be long before the population topped the 200,000 mark. But before it ended, their thoughts turned to money, or the lack thereof, to build roads to carry all these people to work, to school and to the grocery store.

Volunteers Ann Wismer Landolt, Katie Jones, Chairman Wendy Drapela and Karen Keesler line up for a photo as guests begin arriving for the Las Vegas dining event. Photo by Jill Reason

Festival off to a happy start
LUNAR RENDEZVOUS is moving right along so fast we can hardly keep up with it. Already the Golf Tournament, Spa Night and Lunar Las Vegas are history as we prepare for the next round of events.

First event in July will be the Sunset Service at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 15 at the Clear Creek Community Church on Egret Bay Boulevard between Clear Lake and League City.

Next, comes the Down to the Derby Fashion Show, starting at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, July 17 at the San Luis Convention Center overlooking the Gulf of Mexico in Galveston.

Then the gala conclusion of the festival – the Coronation Ball, which has an Arabian Nights theme and starts at 5 p.m. Saturday, July 21 also at the San Luis Convention Center.

HELPING OTHERS WAS NEVER SO MUCH FUN!

FASHION SHOW luncheons are always enjoyable, but so much more fun when everyone knows their enjoyment is going to bring joy to others, as did this year’s Dogs & Divas.

Held at South Shore Harbour Resort, proceeds will benefit both the Bay Area Turning Point and its partnership with Friends of League City Animal Shelter that led to their forming Safe Paws, which provides a safe place for the pets of those seeking shelter from abusive situations.

And, what could be more charming than both lovely ladies and wide-eyed pooches coming down the runway in fashionable outfits? Yes, one slightly embarrassed pooch even wore a multi-color lace skirt!

Carla Medlenka, BATP Board chairman, and Leigh Ann Fry, the new BATP president, welcomed the crowd and introduced TV Ch. 11 anchor Lisa Hernandez, who served as emcee for the show, after the invocation by Pastor Brad Heintz. Later, Ralph Kramer got the place humming as he conducted the auction.

UHCL to add new buildings in both Clear Lake, Pearland

October 1st, 2015

UHCLLogoPMS3 [Converted]Legislature loosens purse strings

By Karen Barbier

The University of Houston-Clear Lake received great news from the 84th Texas Legislature with lawmakers’ approval of House Bill 100, which authorized two key UHCL projects geared to accommodate expected student growth.

Among the outcomes for the legislative session was continued operations support for the university’s transition to a four-year institution; exceptional item funding for UHCL’s Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities; and capital construction funding for the addition of two new buildings, including a Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and Classroom Building and a Health Sciences and Classroom Building.

“The 2015 legislative session was a great session for us,” says UHCL President William A. Staples. “Several key legislators made the difference for us including Sen. Larry Taylor, Rep. Dennis Paul, Rep. Ed Thompson and Rep. Greg Bonnen.

UHCL received $54 million in Tuition Revenue Bonds/Capital Construction Funding for the STEM and Classroom Building at its Bay Area Boulevard location and $24.6 million for the Health Sciences and Classroom Building at UHCL Pearland Campus, 1200 Pearland Parkway. The new building in Pearland has been tentatively scheduled to open in fall 2018, with the Bay Area Boulevard. building scheduled for either fall 2018 or spring 2019.

UHCL’s Center for Autism and Developmental Disabilities will receive special item funding of $200,000 per year, while a second special item funding of $3.25 million will support the university’s Downward Expansion/Four-Year Initiative Start-Up.

“The new level of funding for the four-year initiative will significantly enhance the continuing development of UHCL as a four-year university,” explains Staples about the successful addition of freshman and sophomore students to UHCL in fall 2014. “We are very grateful for the support we have received.”

Other significant items include an increase in Higher Education Funding, formerly known as HEAF or Higher Education Assistance Funding, from $5 million to $8 million that will go in effect in fiscal year 2017. Also, Rep. Dennis Paul and Sen. Larry Taylor sponsored legislation which passed and gives UHCL legislative authority to assess a recreation and wellness facility fee for the construction and operation of such a facility.

For public universities in Texas, lawmakers approved Campus Carry Legislation that allows licensed gun owners, who are at least 21 years of age, to carry concealed handguns at state universities, subject to certain exemptions, beginning in fall 2016.

 

UHCL planning welcome events

With the start of a new school year, UH-Clear Lake is celebrating with a number of events for students and alumni. Among them are:

  • Fall Open House, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Oct. 3, Student Services and Classroom Building;
  • MBA Mixer for grad students at Fall Open House,  9 a.m.-12:30 p.m., Oct. 3, Student Services and Classroom Building;
  • I HEART UHCL Day Oct. 14, noon – 6 p.m., Bayou Building, Atrium II
  • Alumni Coffee Table, Oct. 14, 6–8 p.m., Bayou Building, Atrium II; both alumni and public invited.
Bay Area Houston Magazine