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Pearland Community Rallies to Help Family 6
What do you do when you receive word from Pearland ISD Business Community Liaison, Lisa Cushing, three weeks before Christmas that a Pearland family can't afford Christmas presents for their children this year? If you are Tammy Dexter, executive director of Pet Hub Animal Rescue, you starting rallying the community.
"Even though our primary focus is helping the four-legged members of the family, I knew that many people in Pearland would be willing to help if asked," said Dexter.
And help they did. Donations were made by generous Pearlanders and by retailers Macy’s, Manvel Mattress, Bed, Bath and Beyond, Best Buy and Wal-Mart, who also offered discounts on items on the family’s Christmas list to make the donated dollars go even farther. Soon a sleigh-full of presents were gift-wrapped and ready to go under the anonymous family's tree.
According to Brendan Halford from Macy’s at Pearland Town Center, “At Macy’s, we make magic in our communities every day. Through our employee volunteer program, Partners in Time, our associates saw this as an opportunity ‘give back’ to our community.”
Because of the positive response, Dexter says that Pet Hub Animal Rescue plans to turn this effort into an annual “Share Your Christmas” program. “We want to build on the great community support and adopt more families next year.”
Pet Hub Animal Rescue rescues and fosters homeless animals, promotes spay/neuter programs, and helps return lost pets through its free PETS411 service. Visit www.pet-hub-rescue.org.
Classic Family of Dealerships Expands into Galveston
The Classic Family of Dealerships, that includes Classic Chevrolet in Sugar Land, has purchased the Sand Dollar Autoplex in Galveston bringing the total number of dealerships owned by the Durant Auto Group to ten. Classic Galveston will offer multiple brands including Chevrolet, Ford, Buick, GMC, Cadillac, Honda, Toyota, Scion and Ford Medium Duty trucks. Howie Bentley, who will be the managing partner of the new Galveston franchise, plans to emulate the successful formula for business that is used by all the Classic family of dealerships. Don Kerstetter, owner and managing partner of Classic Chevrolet in Sugar Land, expects the honest and straightforward reputation of Classic Chevrolet to be a huge asset. “We do things differently than most dealerships and have a real culture of respect that permeates the entire organization. We have an excellent reputation in the Houston market that we are immensely proud of and it is something we’ve worked very hard at to establish. Howie Bentley is extremely well-suited to instill our culture into every single employee at the new store,” said Kerstetter. “Under Howie’s leadership, we expect Classic Galveston to be very successful in a relatively short period of time.”
A longtime resident of Galveston and Brazoria counties, Bentley joined the Classic organization in 2009.
Classic Chevrolet in Sugar Land is an excellent example of how doing things right from the very beginning can quickly generate tremendous success. Within 90 days of opening, Classic Chevrolet in Sugar Land was already ranked 15th in the nation for Chevrolet sales. And in just their first full year of business, they were chosen by General Motors as GM’s “Dealer of the Year,” an award that represents the highest honors in the industry and recognizes only 2% of all of the nation’s Chevrolet dealerships. The Sugar Land dealership has also received the Service Hero award multiple times recognizing excellence in the service department as well as Chevrolet’s Mark of Excellence award.
11th Annual FBJSL Sugar Plum Market
to Feature Big & Exciting Changes
The holidays and shopping go hand in hand. For many, shopping with friends and family for gifts is an annual tradition. And for truly savvy shoppers, Fort Bend Junior Service League’s (FBJSL) Sugar Plum Market, presented by Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, is the ultimate shop ‘til you drop extravaganza.
This year’s “Walkin’ in a Winter Wonderland” themed event will be held on Thursday, November 3rd from 6:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. Friday, November 4th from 10:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, November 5th from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at the Stafford Centre Performing Arts Theatre and Convention Center.
Proceeds from the 2011 Sugar Plum Market will benefit local Fort Bend County charities.
In lieu of our fashion shows and luncheons, we will be adding vendor spaces and increasing the shopping opportunities for guests with more than 100 vendors. The 2011 Sugar Plum Market will feature a wide variety of new and returning vendors from across Texas. One very popular vendor returning to the market this year is Latte Tots. Jamie Rohlich of Latte Tots remarked, “Sugar Plum Market is my favorite market I do because everybody comes with their girlfriends ready to shop and have a fantastic time. The whole ambiance is fun and you forget you are there to work! “With the expanded vendor space, opportunities for additional vendors are still available.
Not only have the shopping opportunities been expanded, but so have the Preview Night hours. Preview Night will be back for a second year with extended hours held on Thursday, November 3rd for all the early shoppers wanting to get a head start and have a night out with the girls. This year a special VIP hour from 5:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. will be provided to all sponsors of the Market. For a $60 ticket, preview night shoppers get an exclusive night of shopping while tasting delicious samples from area restaurants. In addition, they will receive two drink tickets. The Preview Night Ticket is also good for readmission to the Market on Friday and Saturday, for even more shopping.
Individuals and businesses wishing to be featured in front of over 6,000 anticipated patrons may sponsor the Market as well as place advertisements in the program received by all attendees. Sponsorships are still available with opportunities ranging from $250 to $5,000. Preview Night Tickets will be $60 each. General Admission tickets will be $10 each.
For additional information on sponsorship opportunities, vendors, or purchasing tickets to the 2011 Sugar Plum Market, please visit www.sugarplummarket.com, call 281-636-6272, or e-mail info@fbjsl.com
Girl Scouts Encourage Adults to Volunteer:
Make a Difference in a Girl’s Life
Every year, through programs that include science and technology, business and economic literacy, visual arts, and outdoor and environmental awareness, Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council (GSSJC) encourage women and men over the age of 18 to help build girls of courage, confidence and character who make the world a better place. As a volunteer of the premier organization for girls, you’ll add meaningful days to the lives of girls by creating new learning experiences for future leaders in grades kindergarten through 12th. Betz-Pearland Arts’ League Art Juror
Lori Betz, owner of Betz Gallery, Houston, renowned international artist and jurist, will choose the art for Pearland Arts’ League First Annual Juried Art Show. Betz recently was a judge for the Bayou City Arts Festival and will be the co-chair for the judging committee in the fall of 2011. Pearland Arts’ League is honored to have Betz as our juror for their first annual Pearland Arts’ League juried event.
Pearland Arts’ League and Pearland Parks and Recreation will co-host the “Best of Show” juried event at the 4141 Bailey Road, Pearland location. Exhibition dates are November 5 to 27. The opening reception will be November 5, 2011 from 5-7PM.
Deadline to enter the juried “Best of Show” exhibition is October 3, 2011. Two dimensional works of art will be eligible for entry by Texas artists 18 years and older. Details for entry requirements will be explained in the “Call to Artists” on the www.pearlandartsleague.com website. Contact Margo Green at margog@prodigy.net or 281-922-1118 for additional information.
Immunization Questions and Answers by
Dr. Julie Hung, board certified Internist and Pediatrician
While it is true that most diseases prevented by vaccines are becoming very rare in the U.S., the reason they are no longer common is that we have been vaccinating against them. Even the few cases we have in the U.S. could quickly become hundreds or thousands of cases if we stop vaccinating. When vaccination rates drop, we have seen outbreaks of whooping cough, chicken pox and even measles.
Isn’t natural immunity better than vaccinations?
A natural infection usually provides more complete immunity than vaccinations. However, the natural infection can lead to serious complications. For example, a natural polio infection could lead to permanent paralysis. A natural mumps infection could lead to deafness. By preventing diseases with vaccinations, you are protecting your child from these potentially serious complications.
Are there dangerous side effects to vaccines?
Any vaccine may cause side effects, but most of these side effects are minor. Common side effects are a low-grade fever and redness, swelling and tenderness at the injection site. Some vaccines may cause a mild headache, dizziness or fatigue. Very rarely, a child may have a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine. Although these side effects are a concern, the vaccines themselves are much safer than the diseases they prevent.
Why are there chemical additives in vaccines?
To ensure that vaccines are potent, sterile and safe, minute amounts of chemical additives are required. These are added to vaccines to inactivate a virus or bacteria and stabilize the vaccine, keeping it sterile and preventing it from losing its potency over time. The amount of chemical additives found in vaccines is very small and has been found to be safe.
Is it true that some vaccines can cause autism?
No, vaccines do not cause autism. Despite much controversy on this subject, scientific studies and reviews have found no relationship between vaccines and autism. Signs of autism may occur at about the same time that children receive certain vaccines, such as the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, but this is merely a coincidence.
Why do preteens and teens need additional
vaccines after getting their childhood vaccines?
The protection from some childhood vaccinations wears off with time, so your preteen and teenage child needs booster shots. Also, as kids get older, they develop a higher risk for other serious diseases, such as meningococcal meningitis and human papillomavirus.
Who should get the flu vaccine?
Vaccine experts now agree that everyone 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine each year. While everyone should get the flu vaccine, it’s especially important that those individuals who are at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications and the people who live with or care for these individuals are immunized. These high risk groups include: 1. Pregnant women
2. Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
3. People 50 years of age and older
4. People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
5. People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
6. People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
a. Health care workers
b. Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
c. Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months
of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated) When is the best time to get the flu vaccine?The best time to get your yearly flu vaccine is in the fall, beginning in September or as soon as the flu vaccine is available. Flu vaccination continues throughout the flu season and into December, January, and beyond, as the timing and duration of the flu season varies from year to year. Most years, flu activity peaks in January or later. This fall, Methodist Sugar Land Hospital will again be offering free flu shots in exchange for a toy at its annual flu shot/toy drive on October 29, 2011 from 8:00am to 12:00pm. Call 281-274-8085 or email KStolhand@tmhs.org for more information.
Who should get the pneumonia vaccine?
1. All adults 65 years of age and older.References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vaccines & Immunizations.- http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines
American Academy of Pediatrics - http://www.aap.org
Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) - http://www.immunize.org
Mayo Clinic - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vaccine
