Where does the time go? It seems the older I get, the faster the days and months just fly by. I feel like we just welcomed 2012, I blinked, and it’s August! As we prepare to jump into the Fall fundraising season and all the exciting events coming, take a moment to enjoy these last few weeks of Summer. Soon Summer vacations will be in our rear view mirror as the kids head back to school and our busy calendars will once again fill with the sports and philanthropic events that pack our Fall. Speaking of Fall, the invites and Save the Dates for upcoming events are popping into mailboxes everywhere! Check out the following… and you too will be “Scene in The Woodlands!”

UPCOMING FALL SOCIAL EVENTS:

Aug. 18 – South Montgomery County The Woodlands Chamber of Commerce Chairman’s Ball: The Chamber Goes to Broadway, Ann’s Musical Night honoring outgoing Chamber Chairman Dr. Ann Snyder, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott and Convention Center; thewoodlandschamber.com

Sept. 15 – 4th Annual HOPE Under the Stars fundraiser benefiting The Will Herndon Fund for Juvenile Batten Disease Research, The Woodlands Resort and Conference Center; willherndon.org

Oct. 6 – The Woodlands Celebration of Excellence Gala Honoring the 2012 Hometown Heroes, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott and Convention Center; woodlandsinterfaith.org

Oct. 12 – Memorial Hermann The Woodlands 12th Annual In The Pink of Health Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon featuring guest speakers Giuliana and Bill Rancic, The Woodlands Waterway Marriott and Convention Center. For more information call 713-897-PINK

Want to see your upcoming event featured in an upcoming column? Please send dates and details to missyherndon@yahoo.com.

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BRING THE BLING LUNCHEON

Pink Defying Gravity recently held its inaugural “Bring the Bling: A Girl’s Date Out” featuring a luncheon, silent auction, photo booth and BLINGO. The primary mission of Pink Defying Gravity, Inc. is to empower young women to discover their uniqueness and encourage them to Dream Big! Students Nailah Jones and Rickeal Martin were presented with scholarships sponsored by local State Farm agent, Corey LeJeune. I was honored to speak at the Luncheon on finding the “bling” in life no matter your circumstances. Congrats on a great event ladies! For more information about Pink Defying Gravity or their leadership and self-esteem conferences for young ladies, please see www.pinkdefyinggravity.org.

Photo Credit: Jill S. Boone

1) Pink Defying Gravity Founder and Executive Director Jarvis Daughrity with fellow Board members Amanda Mason, Malitta Taylor and Jaya McNair

2) Luncheon Scholarship winners Nailah Jones and Rickeal Martin. (Kabria Davis not pictured)

3) Luncheon Speaker Missy Herndon and Jarvis Daughrity

4) Amy Odom and Whitney Montgomery

5) (L-R) Darcy Bass, Bridget Buck and Lauren Temple

6) Karen Smith, Rasheda Malveaux-Jackson and Victoria McNair

7) Kim Willing, Brandi Henderson and Stephanie Brennan

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RED HOT AND BLUE FESTIVAL

The 15th Annual Red Hot and Blue Festival at The Woodlands Town Center was an amazing evening of fun, food and fireworks celebrating America’s birthday! Neighbors enjoyed hot dog and watermelon eating contests, live entertainment on the waterway, tons of activities for the kids and vendor stands. The evening ended with a spectacular fireworks extravaganza.

8) The Speer Family

9) The Gruita Family

10) George and Dianne Lindahl

11) (L-R) Jim Conley, Judy Pierce and Sandy Alexander with Operation Lonestar Texans Supporting our Troops (operationlonestar.com)

12) The Jordan Family

13) (L-R) Event volunteers Harrison Baker, Emily Ellis and Andi Ellis

14) The Ashley Family

15) Tony Rodgers (co-owner), Marlene Palacios, Jaime Delazrez, Lauren Saphon and Brittany Rodgers (co-owner) of Hand & Stone Massage and Facial Spa

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CELIAC DISEASE AWARENESS AND FOOD DRIVE

While most kids are taking a break this Summer, local Eagle Scout Carey Ulrich has spent his school break focusing on a unique scout project, a food drive for gluten-free food and awareness campaign for Celiac Disease. Carey, a student at The Woodlands High School, has Celiac Disease. After visiting the Montgomery Food Bank and realizing there were very little gluten-free specific products on the food pantry shelves, he decided to focus his Eagle Scout project to help neighbors in need that also deal with the condition.

Carey and his fellow scouts camped in front of the Sterling Ridge and Alden Bridge Kroger stores, collecting monetary and gluten-free food donations. Thanks to the generosity of The Woodlands community, Carey expects to have close to $5,000 worth of gluten-free food to donate to The Montgomery County Food Bank later this month. Way to go Carey!

16)  Food Drive organizer Carey Ulrich (center left) with fellow Eagle Scouts Andrew Gomez (far left) and Grant and Taylor Kern (center right and far right)

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HOPE ON THE GREEN GOLF TOURNAMENT

The 3rd annual Hope on the Green Golf Tournament benefiting The Will Herndon Fund for Juvenile Batten Disease Research and The Beyond Batten Disease Foundation was recently held at Woodforest Golf Club. The event was a huge success raising nearly $75,000 for life-saving research to help my 9-year-old son, Will, who has this rare and fatal condition. The 27-hole course was sold out with 216 golfers supporting the cause. Players participated in the $1,000,000 Shoot Out and $100,000 Putting Contest sponsored by Woodforest, and a Hole-In-One Contest sponsored by SEWELL Houston.

A Helicopter Ball Drop began the day’s festivities thanks to Helicopter Services, Inc. and The Aldridge Company. Proceeds will go directly to the most promising research to find a treatment to help Will and the hundreds of others affected with this devastating condition. For more information, see will-herndon.org. On behalf of our family, I thank The Woodlands community, Publishers Bill and Linda Anderson, and the entire Fort Bend Publishing staff for your continued support. Also, a special thanks to Holly Anderson Photography for taking these photos the day of the event.

17) HOPE Golfer Josh Williams

18)  Kathy Croom and Alexa Currie

19) Gina Lattimer and Amy Wetherington

20) (L-R) Alison Henderson, Kelly Lunn, HOPE event Chair Nicole Murphy and Michelle Hewgley

21) Tricha Stilley, HOPE Golfer Ted Tomes and Julie Comeaux

22) HOPE Helicopter Ball Drop Sponsor The Aldridge Company’s golfer Shawn Anderson

23) HOPE Golf Team including: Matt Lord, Wayne Herndon, Dr. John Bulovas and Damon Aucoin

24) (L-R) Amy Odom, Coco Mahoney, Julia Dell, Jenni Skipper of Lunch Sponsor Chick-fil-a Alden Bridge and Magnolia locations, and Missy Herndon.