UNIVERSITY OF PHOENIX LITTLE FIRECRACKER ESSAY CONTEST WINNERS. The University of Phoenix selected Rylan Brickhouse as the grand prize winner of the 2012 Little Firecracker Essay Contest.

Brickhouse’s essay was among the many responding to the question, “What is your favorite moment in American history and why it is important to you?” As part of her prize, Brickhouse received a free weekend stay to The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center. Her submission focused on the 19th amendment, granting women the right to vote.

Winners in other age groups included Anna Powell’s essay on Martin Luther King Jr. (ages 5-6); Joseph Kloesel’s essay on Harriet Tubman and the underground railroad (ages 7-9); Grace Anne Kloesel’s essay on the United States Constitution (ages 10-12); Abbey Killeen’s essay on the 19th amendment and women’s suffrage (ages 13-15); and Alexus Villarreal’s essay on the Statue of Liberty (age 16-18). Age group prizes featured movie passes, SplashTown passes, Waterway Cruiser passes, Market Street gift cards and gift certificates to local restaurants of The Woodlands.

The 2012 University of Phoenix Little Firecracker Essay Contest was part of the 15th Annual Red, Hot & Blue Festival. Winners were announced on the Bud Light stage during the festival.

_________________________________________________________________________________

MCYS’ 14TH ANNUAL LADIES NIGHT OUT ACHIEVES GREATEST SUCCESS YET. Girls Just Wanna Have Fun, Montgomery County Youth Services’ 14th Annual Ladies Night Out, achieved the event’s greatest success yet, with its highest number of attendees and raising more money for MCYS than it has in prior years.

Held at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott and featuring live music from The Spazmatics, the evening attracted more than 500 guests and raised more than $72,000 for Montgomery County Youth Services.

Ladies from the community dressed up in ’80s attire and got together for an annual night of fun that included a dinner buffet and cash bar, live music, dancing, a hula hoop contest, musical chairs, shopping, pampering stations, a silent auction, raffle and giveaways. All proceeds benefit Montgomery County Youth Services.

_________________________________________________________________________________

LOCAL FAMILY DONATES PIANO TO INTERFAITH. Interfaith of the Woodlands received a R.F. Rachals grand piano donated by the Harnsberger family.

Donald and Sigrid Harnsberger no longer had space for the piano after downsizing to a smaller home and needed to find a home that would appreciate the baby grand. The piano has been in the Harnsberger’s family since 1930. It was made in Hamburg, Germany, and features ivory keys. The piano will be played often, especially on Sunday mornings during worship services conducted in Interfaith’s chapel by International Christ’s Fellowship Church.

_________________________________________________________________________________

AMAZING SPACES STORAGE CENTERS PROVIDE RECYCLING SERVICES. Amazing Spaces Storage Centers® has teamed up with GREENspot DROPoff to provide Houstonians with a free, convenient and responsible way to recycle e-waste. Residents of Houston are now able to drop their e-waste at four Amazing Spaces storage locations.

When e-waste is dropped off at an Amazing Spaces location, it is sent to either an R2 or e-Stewards certified recycler for processing. Once at the processing facility, the material is sorted by type and either dismantled, shredded, or both. The material that is shredded is then separated into different commodities like ferrous metals (iron-based metals), non-ferrous metals and plastics. These materials are sent to manufacturers for reuse in new products.

The GREENspot program is open to the general public and collects items such as: computer monitors, PC boards, computers/laptops, fax machines, printers,   DVD players, VCR’s, cables and cords, stereo components, hard drives, tape and zip drives, radios and oscilloscopes.

The Amazing Spaces locations that are drop off sites are Spring-Champions, 9040 Louetta Road; Cy-Fair/Jersey Village, 10830 West Road; The Woodlands, 18250 Interstate 45 South; and Medical Center/West University, 2412 W. Holcombe Blvd. For additional information, visit greenspotdropoff.org.

_________________________________________________________________________________

MCYS RECEIVES GRANT FROM WOODFOREST CHARITABLE FOUNDATION. Montgomery County Youth Services received a $6,500 grant for general operating support from the Woodforest Charitable Foundation.

The grant will help MCYS continue to make a positive impact in the lives of the youth and families that it serves and will help in funding for counseling, Street Outreach Services, and maintenance of two youth shelters.

_________________________________________________________________________________

DESCENDANTS OF FOUNDERS OF MONTGOMERY TAKE PART IN FOUNDER’S DAY CELEBRATION. Montgomery County’s recently crowned National Beauty Queens delighted guests during the Conroe Symphony Orchestra’s patriotic concert conducted by Don Hutson of Montgomery.

Members of the Spackey family, descendants of Dr. Charles B. Stewart, designer of the Texas Flag, and W.W. Shepperd, founder of Montgomery, were greeted by the winners, who were all from Montgomery County and were crowned at the National United American pageant held in Austin. Skyler Knight, (Little Miss United America); Shaune Stauffer (outgoing Ms. United America and Ms. United America Royal, who now wears the crown of Ms. Texas Galaxy); Terri Jaggers (Mrs. United America); Elizabeth Ehrman (Ms. United America Lady); and Lyn Hawthorne-Howard (Ms. United America Elite) participated in the celebration, as the community celebrated the 175th anniversary of the founding of Montgomery.

The city of Montgomery rolled out the red carpet in honor of its 175th birthday. Montgomery honored its heritage, the founders, and the men and women who continue to keep the history and continued growth of Montgomery alive.

_________________________________________________________________________________

COLLEGE PARK HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATE IN TOM HANKS MOVIE. Sam Daugherty, a 2008 College Park High School graduate and member of the U.S. Navy who is on the Vessel Boarding Search and Seizure team, was cast in a role for a movie starring Tom Hanks.

The movie Captain Phillips is the true story of the cargo ship Alabama that was hijacked by Somalian pirates. It shows the heroism of Capt. Richard Phillips, who is played by Hanks. The movie is being shot on the USS Truxton and the casting director wanted someone with real experience to participate in the movie. Daugherty and a few others were asked to portray the VBSS team in the movie. Daugherty was filmed in a few rescue scenes with Hanks.

_________________________________________________________________________________

BLANKETS FOR SENIORS WARMS THE HEARTS OF VOLUNTEERS. Carolyn Gerken, founder of A Plus Services and A Plus Caring, Community and Compassion, has a passion for helping wherever and whenever she sees a need. Five years ago, Gerken discovered a number of seniors from her church who were homebound and in need of warm blankets. Sharing the need with others willing to pitch in, together they made more than 60 blankets.

The response of the recipients inspired Gerken to recruit additional help the next year. Since then many seniors have benefitted. “We have volunteers who come together to work on the blankets and others who make them at home then bring them to us,” said Gerken. “Some are quilted, others are knitted or hand tied. They are all handcrafted and the seniors love them.” As word traveled about the need for blankets, she also accepted many blankets purchased by donors. This past year, more 460 blankets were given to those who needed them. For more information about donations or to locate a group, visit APlusServicesThe Woodlands.biz or call 713-682-4705.

_________________________________________________________________________________

WOODFOREST CHARITABLE FOUNDATION DONATION SUPPORTS  INTERFAITH PROGRAMS. To show its support for the community, the Woodforest Charitable Foundation donated $20,000 to benefit four Interfaith of The Woodlands programs.

The $20,000 donation will be used to support Interfaith’s School Supply, Serving Our Seniors, Holiday Food, and Senior Grocery Delivery programs.

This year it is estimated that more than 2,000 school supply kits will be distributed to eligible students through Interfaith’s School Supply program. Each child will receive a complete school and grade specific supply kit along with a new backpack and a voucher from Interfaith’s Hand Me Up Resale Store where the child may select a back-to-school outfit.

Interfaith’s Serving Our Seniors program is an intergenerational, bi-annual event that brings seniors and volunteers together for a day of service. More than 400 volunteers work at 200 projects sites painting, raking, cleaning and organizing.

Each month, the Senior Grocery Delivery program provides homebound seniors in the community with two bags of non-perishable food items and fresh produce from Interfaith’s Food Pantry.

_________________________________________________________________________________

IRONMAN FOUNDATION DONATES TO INTERFAITH OF THE WOODLANDS. The Ironman Foundation donated $10,000 to Interfaith of the Woodlands, a charity partner with the Memorial Hermann Ironman Texas Triathlon. More than 700 Interfaith volunteers provided 2,300 hours of service over six days to support the race.

“Volunteering at this annual event is a unique and fun opportunity for Interfaith volunteers and staff as well as local residents to participate in the event while helping to raise money for charity,” said Dr. Ann Snyder, president and CEO of Interfaith of The Woodlands.

_________________________________________________________________________________

HOSPITAL’S TINIEST FORMER PATIENTS REUNITE TO CELEBRATE NICU MAKEOVER. Former patients and their families revisited Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Hospital for the unveiling of the newly-made over Neonatal Intensive Care Unit. The families were the first to tour the NICU’s “Walls of Hope,” a series of before and after photographs highlighting some of the unit’s tiniest and sickest newborns who have grown into thriving infants, toddlers and children.

The “Walls of Hope” photographs were taken by Brittani and Corey Oliver of Brittani Louise Photography and underwritten by Paige and John Wolf of the Jack Wolf IV Memorial Foundation, both former NICU families who support the unit.

“The transformation of our NICU is simply inspiring,” says Children’s Services Director Liz Kutchback, R.N., B.S.N. “Our staff and our patient families have been and continue to be impacted positively by these touching and inspirational photos made possible by the Wolf Family and the Oliver Family.”

_________________________________________________________________________________

OMICRON TAU OMEGA HOSTS PINK TEES AND PEARLS GOLF TOURNAMENT. Omicron Tau Omega hosted its first Pink Tees & Pearls Golf Tournament at Cypresswood Golf Course. Five teams competed in the golf tournament to raise money to support the charitable programs of the chapter.

Golfers were treated to a massage by AS Physiques Massage and Therapy prior to hitting the driving range. The chapter also provided golfers with a personal valet service from the course to their vehicle. At the conclusion of the event, prizes were awarded to the first- and second-place teams. Other contest winners received $25 gift cards. More than 20 Sorors participated in the event.