October 2013 - Absolutely Brazos Magazine

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Serving Richmond, Rosenberg &

Fulshear

OCTOBER 2013

FOCUS ONTHE CURE

Halloween TREATS Cross Creek Fall Festival

Meet the

GEMSof Fort Bend

INSIDE FRONT

INSIDE FRONT

According to the American Cancer Society, the early detection of breast cancer saves

thousands of lives each year. One of the newest tools in this effort is 3-D mammography,

or tomosynthesis, which is now available at St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital.

3-D mammograms allow physicians to take images from different

angles, providing sharper, better quality results and a

reduction in “false positives.” The new technology is recommended for

women with dense breast tissue and allows physicians to view images

with pinpoint accuracy in order to detect smaller tumors earlier.

See if a mammogram is the answer for you.

Call 281-637-7001 today for an appointment.

Highway 59 one block north of Highway 6 at Lake Pointe Parkway | 1317 Lake Pointe Parkway, Sugar Land, TX 77478

StLukesSugarLand.com

We’re taking mammograms to a whole

new dimension.3-D MAMMOGRAMS

Now available at St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital

October is Breast Cancer

Awareness Month!St. Luke’s Sugar Land Hospital

invites you to take charge of your health by scheduling your annual mammogram.

Eric Humble, M.D.Board Certified Plastic Surgeon

281•313•055516926 Southwest Freeway

Sugar Land, TX 77479

SpecialsCoolSculpting$1000 per large applicator & $500 per bilateral applicator

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A portion of hydrafacial purchaseswill go to American Cancer Society

www.absolutelybrazos.com l OCTOBER 2013 3

Pink Ribbon Specials

Compounding Corner Pharmacy, Inc.®

THE ONLY PCAB-ACCREDITED COMPOUNDING PHARMACY IN FORT BEND COUNTY

www.compoundingcornerpharmacy.com

for compounded medications in fort Bend county

The Gold STandard

281-494-7777 • 1730 Williams Trace Blvd., Ste. K, Sugar Land

• Accredited

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For the discerning patient:• DISCOUNTS: We offer 20% off 90 units of capsules, mL’s of cream, troches, etc., 35% off of 180 units and 40% off ≥360 units.• SAME DAY PROCESSING: Most medications are finished the same day. Anything ready after 6:00pm will be ready at 9:00am the next business morning.• TESTING: We regularly test our products for potency, sterility and endotoxins.• EXPERIENCE: All of our compounding staff are highly trained, ACPE-certificate earned and state registered compounding experts, each with years of experience. We are not a teaching pharmacy and do not have students rotating through our pharmacy.• ACCREDITED: We are the only accredited compounding pharmacy in Fort Bend County.

Shannon Maguadog, Pharm. D.Compounding Specialist/Owner

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SPECIALTIESBio-Identical Hormones • hCG • MIC B-12 • Glutathione Tri-Mix • Hydroquinone • T3 • Veterinary • Fertility • Libido

Dermatology • Pain Management • Autism

OCTOBER 2013 l TO ADVERTISE CALL 281.690.42424

J. Georges Youssef, M.D.

Board certified in Pulmonary Diseases, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine

Dr. Youssef has admitting privileges at Memorial Hermann, The Methodist Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital and Kindred Hospital.

Dr. Youssef completed Pulmonary Disease and Critical Care Medicine from The Stony Brook University Hospital in New York and Pulmonary Transplant Fellowship at The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pennsylvania. He relocated in the Houston-Sugar Land area after 10 years of private practice in Arizona.

Dr. Youssef has strong roots in the community and is looking forward to serving all of your Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine needs.

J. Georges Youssef, M.D.

Call 713-781-4600 for an AppointmentMost insurances are accepted.

Same day appointments are available.

Two locations to serve you!

Second Location:7777 Southwest Fwy, Suite 860Houston, Texas 77074

Main Location:1429 Hwy. 6 SouthSugar Land, Texas 77478

• Evaluation and treatment fordifferent lung diseases such asDyspnea, COPD/ Emphysema, Asthma, Pulmonary hypertension, Pulmonary fibrosis, Chronic Cough, Pleural effusion and Lung Transplantation

• Pre-operative evaluation

• Disability evaluation

• Occupational health evaluation

• Minimally Invasive Procedures including Ultrasound Guided Bronchoscopy and Electromagnetic Navigation Bronchoscopy to Diag-nose Lung Cancer

• Bronchial Thermoplasty designed to reduce asthma attack frequency and severity

• Sleep Evaluation for sleep apnea, Insomnia, fatigue and other sleep disorders

• In-house Labs, Radiology & Sleep Lab Testing

PULMONOLOGY

CRITICALCARE

SLEEPMEDICINE

PULMONOLOGY

CRITICALCARE

SLEEPMEDICINE


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1093from $190s-Millions facebook.com/crosscreektexas . 281.344.9882

HigHland . lennar . newmark . Perry Homes . Trendmaker . Village Builders

Custom Home Builders: aVanTi . darling . HunTingTon . ParTners in Building . Taylor morrison

CROSS CREEK RANCHFALL HOME

TOUR FESTIVALOCT. 5-20

FESTIVAL EVENTS

Sat. Oct 12 . 10am-4pmCROSS CREEK RANCHART MARKET

– FREE ADMISSION –

Sat. Oct 19 . 11am-4pm4th Annual FULSHEAR SCARECROW FESTIVAL

The popular 4th Annual Fulshear Scarecrow Festival returns Saturday, October 19! Enjoy kid-friendly games, pumpkin decorating, live music and a stroll through a collection of full-size scarecrows.

If you have ever decorated for the holidays or if you are wanting a new home for the holidays, this is the place to be. Tour professionally decoratedmodel homes. Each home will surprise you! Forget Pinterest and Martha Stewart! Bring your cameras and let your imagination flow!

for more details www.crosscreektexas.com

More than 30 art vendors and festive food booths!


C O V E R S T O R Y

O c t o b e r 2 0 1 3

THE GEMS OF FORT BEND: MEET THREE GENEROUS, ENTHUSIASTIC MEN SERVINGThese men have dedicated their time to volunteering and giving back to the community, and each one will be honored at a premier event featuring dinner, live entertainment and a “chips for charity” casino benefiting AccessHealth.

12

F E AT U R E S

39 FOCUS ON THE CUREFrom detection to recovery and evenbreast reconstruction surgery, find vital information every woman needs in breast cancer education.

40 CURE AND COMPANYOffers products and pamperingfor cancer patients

44 absolutely! PRETTY IN PINKSee what local retailers have to offerto support Breast Cancer Awareness.

F I L M R E V I E W

30 PRISONERSHugh Jackman, Melissa Leo andJake Gyllenhaal star in a gripping filmcentered on missing six-year-old girlsand one father’s actions to find them.

Joe M. Gurecky, Carl P. Favre and S. Scott West.Photography by Nesossi Studios.


CONTRIBUTORS

30

Nick NicholsonEntertainment EditorPages 30

52

Steve KursarAuto EnthusiastPage 52

60

Joan FrancesWriterPage 60

40

Linda K. EavesWriter Page 40

14

Patti Parish-Kaminskiabsolutely! focus mediaPage 14

M E D I C A L & B U S I N E S S

36 MEDICAL FOCUSMeet Dr. Brett McRay

N E W S W O RT H Y

37 OAKBEND MEDICAL CENTERHonors Community Pillarsof Inspiration

47 COWBOY UP 2013

Partners with Texas FarmBureau Insurance

50 CROSS CREEK RANCH

FALL HOME TOUR FESTIVALShowcases Best in Holiday Décor

a b s o l u t e l y !A U T O R E V I E W

52 2014 JEEP CHEROKEE

N E W T O T H E N E I G H B O R H O O D

53 J. GEORGES YOUSSEF, M.D.Opens New Sugar Land Office

a b s o l u t e l y ! D E L I C I O U S

54 SPOOKY HALLOWEEN DRINKSIdeas everyone will love

57 SWEET TREATS

For Halloween

C O L U M N S

60 A LITTLE PIECE OF HISTORYJester State Prison Farm

I N E V E RY I S S U E

10 EDITOR’S POINT OF VIEW 32 SEEN ON THE SCENE

Photos from local charitable events 48 OUT & ABOUT IN THE

HEART OF BRAZOSA few snapshots of people,places and happenings

56 COMMUNITY EVENTS

Fun events the wholefamily will enjoy

58 COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE

O C T O B E R 2 0 1 3 | V O L U M E 1 | N U M B E R 1 1

ON THE COVER:

Joe M. Gurecky, S. Scott Westand Carl P. Favre.

Photography by Nesossi Studios.


Join us forTrunk

or Treaton 10/27

281.232.7737 www.southernsisterdesigns.com

817 Third Street • Historic Downtown Rosenberg

Women’s Apparel, Jewelry & Accessories

L.A. Idol • Silver Denim Consuela • Lollia

Circle E Candles • Cowgirl JusticeBig Buddha • Corral Boots

Lane Boots • Liberty Black Boots Miss Me Jeans • Vera BradleyInfant & Children’s Apparel

Home Décor & GiftsMonogramming Available

Open Tues - Sat 10:00am - 5:00pm & Sun 1:00pm - 5:00pm

Medical Office Building Three 16605 Southwest Freeway, Suite 450Sugar Land, Texas 77479281. 275 . 0880 methodistsugarlanddocs.com

Another wAy we’re leAding medicine: introducing dr. tArriK ZAidHouston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital is pleased to welcome Dr. Tarrik Zaid to Houston Methodist Gynecologic Oncology Associates. Dr. Zaid has extensive training and experience in gynecologic cancer, including the completion of a fellowship in gynecologic oncology.

Dr. Zaid joins the experts at Houston Methodist Gynecologic Oncology Associates in providing compassionate, individualized care for the treatment of uterine, ovarian, cervical and other female reproductive system cancers. This team of leading physicians is supported by the state-of-the-art technology and caring, knowledgeable staff at Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital.

Call 281.275.0880 today to sChedule an appointment.


Generous, Enthusiastic Men Serving

EXCLAMATION POINTS!T H E I N S I D E S C O O P S T R A I G H T F R O M T H E T O P

4655 TECHNIPLEX DR. STE. 700STAFFORD, TX 77477

281-690-4242

WWW.ABSOLUTELYBRAZOS.COM

Vol. 1 No. 11 | October 2013

absolutely!TM Magazines are published by absolutely! focus me-dia, 4655 Techniplex Dr., Ste. 700, Stafford, TX 77477. Copyright © 2013 by absolutely! focus media. All rights reserved. Repro-duction without permission is strictly prohibited. absolutely!TM Magazines does not knowingly accept false or misleading ad-vertising or editorial, nor do the publishers assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. absolutely!TM Maga-zines welcomes editorial submissions from its readers.

Subscription requests are free to West Fort Bendarea addresses. Annual paid subscription of $25

required outside West Fort Bend area.

E X E C U T I V E P U B L I S H E R SMichael & Lisa Fredrickson

E D I T O R- I N - C H I E FPatti Parish-Kaminski

S E N I O R AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V EJessica Kij

AC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E S Stephenie Cox

Susan DannhausJennifer Elliott

Kay GarrettAndrea Rigamonti

Bonnie Bell Woodrow

A RT D I R E C T O RGrace Belleza

G R A P H I C D E S I G N E RGinger Garza

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S C O O R D I NAT O R

Sarah Bearden

C O N T R I BU T O R SLinda K. EavesJoan Frances Steve Kursar

Nick Nicholson

P H O T O G R A P H E RNesossi Studios

W E B D E S I G N E R Joey Belleza

I N Q U I R I E S281-690-4242

E D I T O R IA L SU B M I S S I O N [email protected]

Publishedby

The calendar says fall has arrived. My internal temperature gauge says otherwise. Other than the fact that we are still fighting heat, humidity and mosquitoes, I love the arrival of fall. Even though my kids no longer don costumes and go trick-or-treating, my house is full of candy, there are pumpkins on my porch and Tim still puts out the ghostly – really ghastly – Halloween decorations in our yard. What’s not to love?

I also absolutely! love our GEMS of Fort Bend, who will debut this month with a very special event on October 24th benefiting AccessHealth. These three Generous, Enthusiastic Men Serving have so much in common. They are Godly men, they are dedicated to helping others and they absolutely! love Fort Bend. Yes, I am absolutely! in love with our GEMS, and I hope you will enjoy getting to know them beginning on page 12.

October also brings us Breast Cancer Awareness, and with all of our community magazines, it is important to us to shine the spotlight on such an important issue affecting so many. Our special Focus on the Cure section begins on page 39, and it is full of valuable information to share with your friends and family.

As we are in the midst of gala and festival season, we are out and about in Brazos quite a bit. If you are involved with an organization and would like for us to attend and cover it, please e-mail me at [email protected]. And, if you see us out and about, please say hello! We love meeting new friends in our community.

If you are looking to spend some quality time with the kids making sweet treats for Halloween, check out our Spooky Halloween Drinks and Sweet Treats features. Fun to make and even more fun to eat!

Be safe this Halloween, and remember, ladies, get those mammograms!

Absolutely! yours,

[email protected]

Editor-in-Chief, PATTI PARISH-KAMINSKI

READER FEEDBACK

Ticket giveaways to area attractions and events.Facebook.com/AbsolutelyBrazos

Deanna McDonald, Patti Parish-Kaminski and Ann Smith at Texana’s Changing Lives Breakfast.

Attached is a sweet note we received while passing out our lunches one day and I wanted to pass it on to you, too. Thank you so very much for including us in both absolutely! Brazos and Fort Bend Focus Magazines last July. We received many, many new volunteers this summer because of your article. We are 100% volunteer based – no paid staff – so we are alwaysso very grateful for a wonderful opportunity to get our name and face out in the community. A big thanks to you and your staff for a wonderful article – we appreciate you and your support!

Together we can end childhood hunger in our community!

Best Regards,Adriane Gray, Lunches of Love

Join


CASINO DINNERLIVE ENTERTAINMENT

Tickets & Sponsorship Opportunities 281-690-4242 www.absolutelyfocusmedia.com

Special Thanks to Our Official GEMS Contributors

Thursday, October Twenty Four, Two Thousand and Thirteen

6:30 - 10 pm

Imperial Center for the Arts

823 Third Street Rosenberg, Texas

S. Scott WestCarl P. Favre Joe M. Gurecky

Benefiting

MarquiseSafari Texas Ranch

Trillion

Houston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital Imperial Center for the Arts Nesossi StudiosPamela Printing RBC-Hardee Investment Group Texas Direct Auto

Brilliant Cut

Gurecky Manufacturing Services, Inc.

Corporate GemMr. and Mrs. Neil Banfield Carl and Mary Favre

Roberts, Markel, Weinberg May W. Tape, DDS The West Law Firm


The West Law Firm

S. Scott WestTriple-Board Certified

Trial Lawyer

Community Involvement:Director

Fort Bend Lawyers Care

Council of ResourcesFort Bend County Women’s Center

Development BoardMemorial Hermann Hospital Sugar Land

1600 Highway Six, Suite 450Sugar Land, Texas 77478

281.277.1500 • westfirm.com

Phot

ogra

phy

by N

esos

si S

tudi

os

F or the past five years, Fort Bend Focus Magazine has host-

ed a stellar evening honoring the JEWELS of Fort Bend – the Joyous, Extraordinary Women Enriching Lives. From 2008 to 2012, twenty-five Fort Bend women were honored as JEWELS in an exclusive annual event that raised nearly $100,000 for six community organizations. Today, this tradition of shining the spotlight on community servants while benefiting area non-profits continues with Fort Bend Focus and absolutely! Brazos Magazine’s new initiative: the GEMS of Fort Bend.

The GEMS of Fort Bend’s debut is scheduled for Thurs-day, October 24th, and the event honors three Generous, En-thusiastic Men Serving: Carl P. Favre, Joe M. Gurecky and S. Scott West. Featuring live entertainment and a “chips for charity” casino, the event will be held at the Imperial Center for the Arts located in Historic Downtown Rosenberg, and best of all, the proceeds will be invested back into the com-

Fort Bend Focus and absolutely! Brazos Magazines Host theGEMS of Fort Bend

Generous, Enthusiastic Men Servingmunity by supporting AccessHealth. AccessHealth, formerly Fort Bend Family Health Center, is dedicated to excellence in providing integrated health care services that are afford-able and accessible to the commu-nity at large.

“These men are role models for our community,” said Lisa Fred-rickson, publisher of absolutely! focus media. “Our GEMS have not only helped build our community through their leadership, service

and generosity, they have helped mold it into a remarkable place to live, work and raise our children. We are humbled by their giving spirits that exem-plify the true meaning of the word service.”

Join the GEMS of Fort Bend – Carl, Joe and Scott – on Oc-tober 24th for a fun-filled evening of entertainment provided by Imperial Arts, a casino, cocktails and a seated dinner – all to help make health care accessible to everyone in Fort Bend. Tickets are available by contacting absolutely! focus media at 281-690-4242.

The GEMS of Fort Bend: S. Scott West, Joe M. Gurecky and Carl P. Favre.


Safari Texas Ranch281.277.7888

11627 FM 1464, Richmond, Texas 77407www.safaritexasballroom.com | e-mail: [email protected]

WEDDINGS | GALAS | CORPORATE MEETINGS | SPECIAL EVENTS

Congratulations to the

GEMS of Fort Bend

A Gem of a Venue


F armer, machinist, entrepreneur, statesman all de-scribe this GEM of Fort Bend who was born and raised in the small, rural community of Fairchild as

the son of a share cropper. Fort Bend County native Joe M. Gurecky has never called anywhere else “home,” and home, or Rosenberg, is definitely where this GEM’s heart belongs.

“Doris and I built a ‘starter’ home in Rosenberg in 1958, and we still live in that home today. Even though in the early part of our marriage I worked in Houston, I never thought of living anywhere else,” said Gurecky, who enjoyed a 27 year career with N. L. Baroid, an oilfield service company located in Houston. Even though he traveled to Houston daily along Highway 90A, this GEM stayed close to his roots. “My family ties and my ability to farm part-time for myself factored into why we stayed in Rosenberg,” recalled Gurecky. “To teach us entrepreneurship, my dad let each of my brothers and I farm a bit of the family farm. We rented land from my dad, used his equipment and paid for the oil and gas. What we made off of our crop, we kept as a profit.”

Another lesson learned from his dad, Joe J. Gurecky, was the love of machining. “Growing up, my dad would buy a new piece of farm equipment and immediately start making al-terations to improve the equipment and function. As a kid, we learned if something wasn’t working like we thought it should, we could adjust it to make it better.”

Joe J. Gurecky raised his five children as true American entrepreneurs though he was the first generation born in America. His father, Frank Gurecky, came from Europe as a talented journeyman blacksmith, and today, Gurecky has his grandfather’s blacksmith training certificate, written in German, proudly displayed in his office. Gurecky’s maternal grandfather, Vojt Stavinoha, was instrumental in the early 1900s in building a Catholic church in Needville and a lifeline for the community: the Fairchild Dance Hall. “In those times, the hall was more than just a recreational place; it was a civic center. People met there to hear the local and world news as there were few radios and no televisions in their homes.”


Stavinoha also formed a co-op with area farmers to build two cotton gins so the farmers could control the ginning of their own cotton at harvest time. “There was a lot of entrepreneur-ship in my family way before my time,” said Gurecky. “Dad was self-employed his entire life, yet he and Mom raised us five siblings and was able to purchase a 100 acre black land farm..”

Entrepreneurship wasn’t the only asset that Gurecky gained from his rural roots. In rural Fort Bend County, he found his lifelong partner and love while going to school with her at Needville Junior High School. “For the first few years, I just aggravated her,” Gurecky said about his early years with Doris. “She sat in front of me with a beautiful Western coat with tassels, and I would pull her tassels. It was just puppy love until the end of our junior year in high school.”

Both Doris and Joe, born one day apart, graduated from Needville High School in 1956. Doris attended Southwest Business School in Houston, and Joe attended Taylor Voca-tional Tech School. After about six months, Gurecky had the opportunity to work for N. L. Baroid taking his brother’s posi-tion, who had been called into military service.

GEMof

Fort Bend

Joe M. Gurecky

Gurecky spent 17 of his 27 years at N. L. Baroid in manu-facturing management, and his family spirit of entrepreneur-ship served him well when in the early 1980s, a severe reces-sion in the petroleum industry hit the Houston area. “We had overbuilt,” recalled Gurecky. “All companies in the petroleum industry were laying off people.” At the time, he was the Man-ufacturing Manager supervising a 200 employee shop. He was instructed to lay off 160 of the employees. “There were only 40 of us left; we called ourselves the ‘Fortunate 40.’”

Even though he was able to retain his job, the layoffs weren’t over. Gurecky was asked to reduce his 40 member team to 12; his new position as Material Distribution Man-ager was being moved to North Houston and his role would change. “I told Doris, ‘I’m a nuts and bolts guy; I like manu-facturing.’ So, Doris and I decided to start our own business.”

This decision was based on an industry trend that Gur-ecky had foreseen. “There was a huge philosophical change in manufacturing, a philosophy on which we founded Gurecky

The Gurecky family: Blair Koepke, Joe Gurecky, Kylie, Jacob and Kellen Dor-man, Doris Gurecky, Blake Koepke, Luke, Tama and John Dorman and Pam and Ken Koepke.

By Patti Parish-Kaminski


on a ten-member committee to fund the center. “We raised $2.5 million from people and businesses in our community to help build our facility.” The George Foundation funded a challenge grant of $2.5 million, and if the community could meet it, they would donate the grant for a total of $5 million bringing technical education to Rosenberg. “I don’t have a col-lege education,” shared Gurecky. “I strongly support any type of education, and I’m very proud to have been a part of bring-ing this educational initiative with Wharton County Junior College and the Texas State Technical College to Rosenberg.”

Even though Mayor Gurecky has officially retired after he elected to not run for a seventh term, he remains involved in his community with a focus on education. In 2005, Gurecky was appointed to a six-year term by Governor Rick Perry to the Texas State Techni-cal College Board of Regents and was reappointed for a second six-year term in 2011. He is also a foundation board member for Wharton County Junior College. Gurecky also served as the Board President of OakBend Medical Center and is currently on the board of the Polly Ryon Foundation, Gulf Coast Medical Foundation, Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels and NewFirst National Bank. If you attend virtually any community event from L.E.A.F’s Men Who Cook to the Holy Rosary Bazaar to the Fort Bend County Fair, you will see Gurecky Manufacturing as a supporter.

Despite his many professional and community achieve-ments, perhaps Gurecky’s greatest legacy is that of hard work and family. He often shares a Czech phrase reminiscent of both his work ethic and his heritage: “Bez práce – nej sú kolá e, which translates to ‘Without work, there are no ko-laches.’”

“My parents raised us with a good work ethic, a respon-sibility to serve and a determination that anything is possible. You can have the American dream if you’re willing to work at it.”

Both of the Gureckys, Joe and Doris, have instilled this virtue of hard work and service in their two children and six grandchildren to continue the Gurecky legacy. For his determination, his fore-sight for the future and his willingness to serve and share of his time and tal-ents with others, absolutely! Brazos and Fort Bend Focus Magazines are proud to honor Joe M. Gurecky as a GEM of Fort Bend.

Manufacturing. The big companies were beginning to utilize job shops instead of hiring employees as a cost-saving mea-sure They were letting the mom and pop shops build what they needed.”

Though as Gurecky said, “We had nothing to offer but a part-time job,” he hired several of his colleagues and started Gurecky Manufacturing in Rosenberg. “It was tough, but it turned out to be a Godsend,” said Gurecky. “Did I see it all coming? No, but I knew there was going to be a huge corpo-rate change of philosophy regarding contractors. Even today, I manufacture parts that I built over 50 years ago.”

Gurecky’s ability to foresee and plan for the future served him well as he entered his life of community service. In 1995 with Gurecky Manufacturing running well, he ran for Rosenberg City Council, District 4 and was elected twice to serve two-year terms. “I was a political activist before I be-came a councilman,” said Gurecky. Back in the early 1990s, Gurecky, along with five colleagues, formed a taxpayer coali-tion. “We weren’t watchdogs. We were just interested in our local government and questioned why some things were hap-pening.” The five-person coalition grew to over 100 members who attended council, school board and commissioner’s court meetings.

“I always felt that I needed to give back,” shared Gurecky regarding the catalyst for public service. “I wanted to make a contribution to our community and fulfill my personal desire to give back.”

In 1999, Gurecky ran for Mayor of Rosenberg and was elected as the City’s 28th mayor. After 12 years of mayoral service, he is the longest continuously tenured mayor of the City of Rosenberg, and though his role was at times controver-sial, overseeing and contributing to the growth of Rosenberg is one of the former mayor’s proudest achievements. “Watch-ing the city change and being a part of the amazing growth of Rosenberg is what I enjoyed most about being mayor.”

One of the City’s greatest achievements during Mayor Gurecky’s tenure was the building of Brazos Town Center. “It was unheard of for the government to partner with the private sector in Rosenberg. Other Fort Bend cities were doing it, but Rosenberg never did. The council and I felt so strongly that Brazos Town Center was a risk worth taking, yet the taxpayers of Rosenberg never had to pay one cent for the development.” Today, the 550 acre Brazos Town Center is the 30th larg-est entertainment/shopping center in the United States with 112 tenants and boasts $3.5 million in annual sales tax revenue to the City of Rosenberg.

“I’m very proud of the Fort Bend Technical Center that we were able to build as well,” said Gurecky, who served

Mayor Joe M. Gurecky, Rosenberg Police Chief Robert Gracia and NewQuest Properties Steve Alvis signing agreements for the building of Brazos Town Center.

Regent Gurecky at the 2013 Gradua-tion Ceremony at Texas State Techni-cal College-Marshall.



© 2013 RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.

Hardee Investment Group

Hardee Investment Group

(713) 853-0879 www.hardeeinvestmentgroup.com

Time to make Dollars and Sense of your Investment PortfolioIf your current portfolio is not the gem you wish it was, we should talk. Continued market uncertainty is no reason for a lackluster view of the future. Let us do the work to help your investments make sense once again.

Congratulations to the 2013 GEMS of Fort Bend! The service you provide to our community is just as, if not more, precious than gems alone. Thank you for making Fort Bend a better place for all of us to live.

There’s Wealth In Our Approach.™

OCTOBER 2013 l TO ADVERTISE CALL 281.690.424218 OCTOBER 2013 l TO ADVERTISE CALL 281.690.424218

W hat does Sir Winston Churchill and Fort Bend County resident, attorney and community servant Carl P. Favre have in common? A shared philoso-

phy of service. “A quote by Sir Winston Churchill says it all,” according to this GEM of Fort Bend. Churchill said, “We make a living by what we get; we make a life by what we give.”

“I know Churchill’s words to be so true,” said Favre. “As a person of faith, I do believe that we all have been blessed and are called to share our blessings with others.” This passion for helping others began during a transformation in Favre’s life, a period of self-discovery that was years in the making. As a young man, he graduated with a Civil Engineering De-gree from the University of Texas at Arlington and began his career designing airports at Houston’s Hobby Airport. He had married in college in 1973, and by 1976, Favre decided to put himself through law school at the University of Houston while working his full-time job. In 1977, he was blessed with his first son, Christopher Jude.

Joy was put on hold shortly after coming home because infant Christopher began to have breathing problems. He was admitted to a Neo-Natal Intensive Care Unit (NICU), and after a series of invasive tests, multiple misdiagnoses and 10 days in the hospital, Chris’ condition continued to de-teriorate. Feeling hopeless and desperate, Favre returned to the Catholic roots of his childhood and began praying for his son’s recovery. He promised God that he would read the Bible, cover to cover, if only his son were spared. “After this prayer of negotiation, the very next day, Chris got better. The doctors simply did not know what the problem was. In the end, they felt it was likely newborn pneumonia. Chris has never been sick since.” Yet, Favre forgot the vow made in desperation in the NICU of Texas Children’s Hospital.

Shortly thereafter, Favre and his family moved to Rogers, Arkansas, where he continued law school at the University of Arkansas. With a young family, Favre obtained a broker’s license and supported his family as a real estate broker in Ar-


kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma while in school. He became a real estate broker for a small company, and sold a wide range of property from chicken farms to lake lots. “I loved real estate sales and the challenge of negotiations, but I wasn’t willing to give up pursuit of my law degree.”

Favre’s love of real estate and law was the foundation of his future career. He was hired directly out of law school by Exxon in 1980. “I started in litigation, and my first assign-ment was in New Orleans,” said Favre. Shortly after arriving in New Orleans, his second son, Nicholas Carl, was born. In 1982, Favre was sent to Colorado to help with the develop-ment of a new town for the workers of Exxon’s oil shale proj-ect. Unfortunately, after only six weeks, Exxon projected that the price of oil would plummet to around $10 per barrel and closed the project reassigning Favre to Houston.

Favre spent the next five years as senior counsel for Exx-on’s subsidiary, Friendswood Development Company. While working for Friendswood, he became board certified in com-mercial and residential real estate law. At Friendswood, he served as counsel for the master planned communities of Kingwood and Clear Lake City, getting back to the profes-sional combination that he loved: real estate and law. He left Exxon in 1987 and joined Sugarland Properties, Inc. as gen-eral counsel. “The development of raw land into a community is something that I always enjoyed,” said Favre, who later became a partner as Sugarland Properties grew into Planned Community Developers, Ltd.

In his new role in a growing, thriving community, Favre was part of the team that developed and built much of First Colony including Sugar Land Town Square. “I consider my small role in building such an amazing community as a great professional accomplishment. We were able to participate in building a community that we live in, work in and that we love so much. I feel a great deal of pride at being a participant in helping building this community and making Sugar Land one of the best cities in the United States to live and work.”

GEMof

Fort Bend

Carl P. Favre


Amelia Favre Plexico, Carl, Melissa, Christopher and Juliette Favre with Hector Betancourt.

www.absolutelybrazos.com l OCTOBER 2013 19 www.absolutelybrazos.com l OCTOBER 2013 19

By 1991, Favre had divorced and despite his professional success, he felt something was missing in his life. “After my divorce, I really did some reflection on my life – about who I was and what I wanted to do,” said Favre. “On the outside, I had it all, but on the inside, I was miserable. I realized the missing component in my life was a personal relationship with God. I rededicated my life and began the transformation of my spiritual life, as well as service to others. I also prayed that a Godly woman be brought into my life.”

has his heart is the Parks Youth Ranch. “The Parks Youth Ranch is a unique facility,” said Favre. “There’s really noth-ing like quite like it, and yet, and it is my hope that it will be a model for other youth facilities because we are making a dif-ference in children’s lives.” The Ranch provides housing and resources for homeless teens and works at securing them a permanent or foster home. “Usually, we have only 90 days to give them a positive and nurturing environment along with counseling. Helping a homeless child, now that’s important.” shared Favre. “We feel the same way about other charitable organizations that are focused on improving the welfare of women and children. Those are the kinds of organizations we feel the greatest desire to help.”

Favre has made it a priority to instill the value of giving to his three children: Christopher, Nicholas and Zoe. “At times during our children’s lives, we have given them financial sup-port, and I tell them, ‘Don’t pay us back.’ Instead, we ask that they give the money we gave them to a charity or someone in need.”

Favre truly believes in the philosophy that it is much bet-ter to give than to receive. “The irony of it all is that the Bible says the more you give, the more you will receive.” Proverbs 11:24-25 states, “There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered.”

Carl, Zoe and Mary Favre on top of Bald Mountain in Utah.

Carl, Landon, Amber, Briley and Nicholas Carl Favre.

Favre’s prayers were answered at a church dance in 1992 when he met Mary. “From the moment we danced, I knew she was the one,” said Favre. He took her out the next day for brunch and told her that he wanted to see her again. Unfor-tunately, Mary’s schedule at the time didn’t allow for a rela-tionship. “She told me that she was sorry, but she had com-mitted to facilitate a 36-week, intense Bible study.” Mary was leading the class of only 12 individuals, and the curriculum included reading the Bible from beginning to end. “She told me there was one spot available, and if I really wanted to see her, I could join the study.”

Favre finally made good on that promise made years ago, and he read the Bible cover to cover. In 1994, Carl and Mary were married, but their journey getting to the altar encoun-tered a few obstacles. “I asked Mary to be my wife in Decem-ber of 1993, and right after we became engaged, she was diag-nosed with breast cancer, and I was diagnosed with testicular cancer. Through that ordeal, we realized that every day is a blessing, and our priority in life should be to strive to do His will.”

Favre’s commitment to the community he loves and helped build includes serving numerous organizations, often from be-hind the scenes. His humility or “quiet service” comes from his intense desire to simply help those in need. Though he serves on four boards currently including the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, Sugar Land Heritage Foundation and Skeeters’ Deacon’s Dugout Foundation, the organization that truly

“Our community has many charitable organizations that do an excellent job of supporting people who are in need and helping them through a personal crisis,” said Favre. “You get a sense of well-being that is hard to describe when you think you’ve made a difference in someone’s life. ‘Pay it forward’ is what Mary always says, so if we can share our blessings with others, we will have a fulfilled life.” For his humility in ser-vice, his dedication to community and his willingness to share his blessings with so many, absolutely! Brazos and Fort Bend Focus Magazines are proud to honor Carl P. Favre as a GEM of Fort Bend.


Gurecky ManufacturingService, Inc.

Honors the 2013 GEMS of Fort Bend

2013 GEM of Fort BendJoe M. Gurecky and Doris Gurecky

2420 3rd Street, Rosenberg, TX 77471281.342.5926

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S mart, aggressive, tenacious are characteristics often associated with attorneys. And, when you meet S. Scott West, you immediately recognize those traits.

But once you get to know this GEM of Fort Bend and his legacy of service, you recognize traits that are not normally associated with a personal injury trial lawyer. West is com-passionate, insightful and downright tender. But make no mistake about this GEMS’ sensitive side; he’s above all else a passionate fighter and protector.

Born and raised in Houston, West’s childhood experiences laid the groundwork for his role as a protector, his steadfast determination to fight for the underdog and his sensitive side. Man of the house by age ten, West attributes the devel-opment of these traits to his mother. “Whatever God gave me in the spirit of giving, caring and fighting for the underdog came from Him through my mother. Momma is very tender and emotional. She sacrificed most everything she has ever had for her children. She’s non-confrontational and accom-modating — until someone crosses one of her children. Then, you better find shelter.”

From an early age, West knew that he wanted to be a lawyer, but he also knew that he needed an undergraduate degree first. While in high school, he got a copy of the Texas Blue Book, a legal directory of attorneys. “I started looking at the background of lawyers and found that most had business degrees. I wanted to be different,” said West. His undergrad-uate choice was a logical one given his childhood fascination with how things work. “One Christmas when I was a young boy, I wanted tools. Momma got me plastic tools, and I threw a fit. I wanted real tools.”

From taking electrical outlets out of the wall to removing the oil pan from under his mother’s Buick, young West was intrigued by all things mechanical. A good student, he was able to graduate high school with two much-needed partial scholarship/grant offers: one from The University of Texas at Austin (UT), and another from Massachusetts Institute of


Technology (MIT). “I borrowed money from my grandfather and took a bus to Cambridge, Massachusetts to tour the MIT campus,” recalled West. West ultimately chose UT because he felt Austin would provide a more diverse social and aca-demic experience.

In 1985, West graduated from UT with a Bachelor of Sci-ence in Mechanical Engineering. He began his career on a project for a subcontractor for the Air Force and then moved to Hallettsville for a year to run one of father’s manufactur-ing companies. He returned to Houston and worked as an engineer during the day and attended law school at night. West designed a device that is used at fast food restaurants throughout the world today. “I designed the window open-ing mechanism that is used at drive-thrus. I sold the patent rights and that money put me through law school.”

West graduated from South Texas College of Law in 1989 and began his career at a prominent personal injury law firm in Houston. He quickly became a valuable as-set to the firm litigat-ing complex cases and prosecuting claims for catastrophic losses by doing what his momma taught him: fighting for the underdog.

It was at this firm in 1990 when he met a young paralegal. “I was in trial with my boss, and during the trial, he lost his paralegal – she was fired. He found a new paralegal to interview, but my boss didn’t make it to the office, so I interviewed her for him.” This new

GEMof

Fort Bend

S. Scott West


The West family: Gunner, KK, Scott and Maddi West, Grayson, Matt and Tiffany Slataper and Garret West.


Scott and KK West.

paralegal impressed West, and she was hired. That parale-gal was named KK.

In 1992, Scott and KK were married. By 1996, Scott had become a named partner in the firm, and KK had given birth to twin boys, Garret and Gunner, joining their sisters Tiffany and Maddi. KK had left the legal profession to become a full-time mom.

In 1997, Scott and KK started The West Law Firm out of a small office in Houston. They often worked 20 hours a day for the better part of a year to prepare one of his most complex cases for trial. The defendant was a formidable opponent: General Motors. “It was a bunch of General Motors lawyers against me,” said West, “and I loved it.” This did not deter West’s passion for fighting for justice. “After a full day of jury selection in East Texas, enough money finally was offered to settle the case for my client, a young boy paralyzed by a de-fective seat belt system. We settled that case, and shortly thereafter, moved into a new office in Sugar Land. It truly was a David and Goliath victory, and one I will never forget. KK was right there with me, and our kids slept on that office floor many nights.”

With a number of impressive victories under his belt that now included personal injury and commercial litigation, West continued to represent causes that made a difference in people’s lives. “The first commercial case I tried was very important to a small manufacturing company in north Hous-ton. One of their distributors had gone into competition with them in direct violation of their contract. We won the case and received a large monetary verdict along with a perpetual injunction to prevent other companies from competing with my client.” This was yet another David and Goliath victory for West and his client, who he still stays in touch with today.

With the relocation of The West Law Firm closer to home, West began supporting the community where he had chosen

to now work, live and raise his family. “Fort Bend County is special because of the sense of family, community, responsi-bility and pride. The overall spirit of excellence is unmatched by any community I’ve ever experienced,” said West.

The organizations that have West’s heart are naturally organizations that help the underdog, organizations such as the Fort Bend County Women’s Center where West was hon-ored as Board Member of the Year in 2009. “Unfortunately in our society, many times women and children are the ones who end up being underdogs. I want to help those who can’t help themselves, which is why the Women’s Center is so im-portant to me.”

West has served on the Women’s Center’s Council of Resources since 2006, and as a Board Member from 2008 – 2010. He has also served as a Board Member of Fort Bend Lawyers Care since its inception in 2007, an organization dedicated to providing legal services for individuals who cannot afford them. “Legal rights are vitally important,” said West. “I care about rights, I care about justice. That’s important to me.”

In addition to his board service, West participates in le-gal clinics for Fort Bend Lawyers Care, which help people

from guardianship is-sues to adoptions to property rights, and he has served in event leadership roles with his wife, KK, who he says has inspired him to serve his community. “Unquestionably, my wife’s spirit and unfail-ing hospitality inspire many in our communi-ty – including me.”

As West has cited his wife as an encourager and inspira-tion, he does the same to instill leadership and service to his children. “Leadership is done by example,” said West. “That means when nobody is watching, what are you doing? Are you doing it the right way? Or, are you only doing it the right way when someone is watching?”

West’s legacy is that of a fighter – fighting to protect the underdog and fighting for those who cannot fight for them-selves. And, his philosophy of service is equally as straight-forward: “Do what you can, and don’t stop there. Whatever God’s gifts to you are, you should share with other people. Whatever you don’t share is wasted.” For his ability and pas-sion to fight for those in need and his willingness to share his gifts with so many, absolutely! Brazos and Fort Bend Focus Magazines are proud to honor S. Scott West as a GEM of Fort Bend.


Garret, Scott and Gunner West in Hawaii.

Scott West with grandson Grayson Slataper.

OCTOBER 2013 l TO ADVERTISE CALL 281.690.424224 OCTOBER 2013 l TO ADVERTISE CALL 281.690.424224


Mary and 2013 GEM ofFort Bend Carl Favre

We congratulate the 2013 GEMS of Fort Bend.

Thank you for all thatyou do to give back!

Carl & Mary Favre

We Salute You 2013 GEMS of Fort Bend

Your contributions to the community make Fort Bend a place worth living!

w w w . r o b e r t s m a r k e l . c o m


May W. Tape, DDS5501 Ave. I (FM 1640) • Rosenberg281-341-7733 • www.tapedds.com

Congratulations2013 GEMS of Fort Bend!

Your work in the community is truly appreciated by all!

2013 GEMS of Fort Bend

Thank you for yournumerous contributions

to our community!

Neil & Carolyn Banfield



MarquiseSafari Texas Ranch

TrillionHouston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

Imperial Center for the ArtsNesossi StudiosPamela Printing

RBC-Hardee Investment GroupTexas Direct Auto

Brilliant CutGurecky Manufacturing Services, Inc.

Corporate GemMr. and Mrs. Neil Banfield

Carl and Mary FavreRoberts, Markel, Weinberg

May W. Tape, DDSThe West Law Firm

Be a part of this special event honoring the GEMS of Fort Bend.

Please Join Our Sponsors:

To purchase tickets, sponsorship opportunities or for more information,

call 281-690-4242

Thursday, October Twenty Four, Two Thousand and Thirteen 6:30 - 10 pm

Imperial Center for the Arts 823 Third Street Rosenberg, Texas



Y our family is – or should be – your most prized possession. That being said, what would

you do in order to protect them? What if one day you realized your child was missing? That is the nightmare that has become all too real in Prisoners. Directed by Denis Villeneuve and star-ring the wonderful talents of Hugh

neuve has mastered the art of the cat and mouse game. He keeps the audi-ence on its toes throughout the entire film, and the solution does not come into focus until the very end. Guess as much as you’d like, but this one is tough. The film is expertly shot by Roger Deakins, who is arguably the fin-est cinematographer alive today. With Prisoners’ brilliant script, wonderful acting and simply gorgeous visuals, look for multiple Oscar nominations out of this film as the award season draws near.

Nick Nicholson is the Film and Entertainment Critic for CNN Radio, the Fort Bend Star and absolutely! focus media. In addition, his reviews can be seen and heard in numerous other print/media outlets in Texas and Oklahoma. Mr. Nicholson is in great demand as a speaker to both public and civic organizations on the subject of film and the entertainment industry. He is the co-founder of the Houston Film Critics Society and is currently the President of the organization.

PrisonersStarring: Hugh Jackman,Melissa Leo and Jake GyllenhaalDirector: Denis VilleneuveCompany: WarnerNow Showing: In LocalArea TheatresMPAA Rating: RGrade: A+

All photos courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.Photos by Wilson Webb.

FILM REVIEWBy Nick Nicholson

Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal, Prison-ers contains an incredibly well-written script and a cast of virtual all-stars who each carries their own weight through-out the film.

Jackman stars as Keller Dover, whose six-year-old daughter has come up missing along with one of her girl-friends. Jake Gyllenhaal returns to a role in law enforcement as Detective Loki and quickly locates the best clue in the story – an old mobile home – and apprehends the driver, Alex Jones, bril-liantly played by Paul Dano. However, Loki’s case doesn’t hold water, and the detective is forced to release his sus-pect. As the frustration continues to build, Dover concludes that every hour gone by creates a lesser chance that his daughter will be found alive. He looks deep inside of himself to find the cour-age that, if his daughter is going to live, it is entirely up to him to find her be-fore it is too late.

Prisoners is a whodunit unlike any that I have seen in a number of years. As each scene passes, the audience is left to decide how best to put the pieces of the mystery together. What is truly unique about Prisoners is that Ville-

Viola Davis as Nancy Birch, Jake Gyllenhaal as Detective Loki and Terrence Howard as Franklin Birchin Prisoners.

Hugh Jackman as Keller Dover and Maria Bello as Grace Dover in Prisoners.


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Fort Bend County Fair Style Show and Reception

Teresa Reading, Diana Collins, Sharlene Jacobson & Lauren Richard

Geraldine Whitt & Deanna Clapsaddle

Mandy Barbour & Megan Blair

Loren Carver & Dawn Hopkins

Ana Jalomo, Annie Elliott & Lyn Wicke

Louise Blair, Joanne Crouch & Elizabeth Duff Drozd

Margaret Kunz & Sandy Campos

Shannon Ferguson & Azalia Sadiq


Honoring the Fort Bend County Fair’s 77th Anniversary • August 16, 2013 • Safari Texas Ranch

Pat Scholes & Vickie Autrey

Lisa Reese & Brenda DuranJennifer & Charlene Rogers

Jamey Crane & Kurt Freeman

Judy Bowe & Nancy SchultzKelly Klein, Amy Miller & Noell Myska

Jennifer, Deb & Jessica Ellefson Lauren & David Zietz

Carl Drozd & Susan Sillavan

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2nd Annual Back-to-School Fashion Show & Brunch Benefiting Lunches of Love

Kathy Cartwright & Shelley Richards Joy Rosenbaum, Dawn Till & Liz Harden

Bobbie Sue Woodfin & Jenna Broxson Kay Danziger, Eileen Wildy & Sondra Urbano Dana Clark & Candace Bruce

Cynthia Preas, Julie Tinker & Amanda Dickson Cheryl Kramer & Janet MarlowNicole Hawker with Emma & Sharon Dimicelli

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The office of Dr. Stuart Rimes is pleased to welcome Brett McRay, DDS to the practice. Dr. McRay offers invalu-able expertise in all facets of contempo-rary comprehensive dentistry. His dental postgraduate studies and experience have allowed him to competently serve patients in specialized areas of laser dentistry, aesthetics, implantology, clear aligner orthodontics and sedation.

Dr. McRay is origi-nally from Houston and now calls Sugar Land home with his wife who is also a dentist. He is com-mitted to higher edu-cation having gradu-ated with honors from Texas State University

and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Univer-sity with Bachelors and Masters degrees respectively. After working several years with NASA, Dr. McRay attended the Uni-versity of Texas School of Dentistry in Houston earning his Doctorate in Den-tal Surgery in 2010. He also completed a one year advanced dental residency with the University of Texas Health Sci-ence Center at Houston and Memorial Hermann Hospital. Since graduation, he is furthering his commitment to continu-ing education by seeking his Fellowship with the Academy of General Dentistry.

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NEWSWORTHY

OakBend Medical Center is proud to honor five outstanding women whose lasting contributions to the Richmond/Rosenberg communities have made them legends in Fort Bend County. Join OakBend in honoring Billie Wendt, Carolyn Banfield, Carole Brown, Donna Kay Tucker and Ann Council at OakBend Medical Center’s “Patchwork of Life ... Putting the Pieces Together” event on Thursday, October 17th from 6:30 to 9:30 pm at Safari Texas Ranch.

All proceeds from the event will bene-fit OakBend Medical Center’s new Acute Care for the Elderly (ACE) Unit, the first of its kind in Fort Bend County. The ACE Unit will be dedicated to the serving only geriatric patients, utilizing the most re-cent research on geriatric care to design the unit and manage its operations to prevent the loss of physical and mental abilities in the elderly when hospitalized.

“OakBend’s 4th floor Jackson Street ACE unit will showcase a home-like set-ting with uncluttered hallways and rooms and a peaceful quiet zone for patients and visitors,” said Joe Freudenberger, OakBend Medical Center CEO.

“Few things are more meaningful and important than investing time and re-sources in supporting the area in which we live,” said Pat Hebert, event chair. “These women are outstanding role models who share passion, vision, integ-rity and heart, while continuing to uplift our communities.”

OakBend Medical Center’s “Patch-work of Life . . . Putting the Pieces To-gether” will include a dinner and live auction. Tickets to the event are $150 and sponsorship opportunities range from $1,500 to $10,000. For tickets and sponsorship information, call Katie Thompson at 281-341-3023 or e-mail [email protected].

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Educate yourself and your lovedones about awareness and detection. Learn about treatment options availablein our community.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Breast Cancer Awareness

FOCUS ON THE CURE

Cure and Company Offers Productsand Pampering for Cancer Patients

L ike many endeavors, the idea for Cure and Company was born of necessity – a place for

cancer patients to relax and be pam-pered while shopping for products to make them feel beautiful.

Irma Klink is a breast cancer survi-vor and wanted to do something to help cancer patients, but she wasn’t sure what. Her family carries the BRCA1 gene. At 32 years-old, daughter Sasha knew it wasn’t a matter of if, but when it would happen. “Honestly, I thought it would happen when I’m forty,” said Sasha.

She recalls watching a movie during which the word cancer was mentioned. “I thought, oh my God, I haven’t given myself a breast exam. I felt like it was God who grabbed my hand and put it exactly where that lump was.”

When Sasha was tested, she was told she’s young, it’s probably just a knot, and it should go away, but her gut told her otherwise. She got checked again, and the biopsy was positive. She had 16 rounds of chemotherapy, a double mastectomy, reconstruction and a hysterectomy as a preventative measure.

After she was diagnosed, Sasha and her mom went shopping for a wig. “I had very long hair and was very proud of it. I was more upset that I was going to lose my hair at one point than going through chemo.”

Although the highly recommended wig store had many wigs from which to choose, the atmosphere was depress-

ing. “We walked in, and it was gloomy, dark and dreary to me. We started cracking jokes so we wouldn’t cry.”

“While I was trying on a wig, I said to Mom: ‘Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a cool one-stop-shop – like a Sephora – for people going through cancer?’ She said, ‘Oh my God, we need to create a Sephora for cancer patients!’”

Cure and Company has been open a few months. “We’ve seen all ages, from a 17-year old to an 80 year-old. We un-derstand when someone tells us their hair hurts or how their skin gets so dry, or how a 30 year-old woman can have hot flashes.”

The store has the look of a chic bou-tique with its hot pink velvet couch and chandeliers and stocks mastecto-my bras and bathing suits, Lindi Skin Products, wigs, hats, prosthesis and

more. It also has a spa room. “We have everything here that helped us,” said Sasha.

Patients get pampered. They receive a hand massage, a wig sitting, makeup and have coffee while hanging out. “We book our clients for 45 minutes to an hour because we want to give them one-on-one time.”

Sasha gives free facials, and Irma teaches how to make a turban and how to draw eyebrows. “When you look good, you’re ultimately going to feel better. When you feel better, it trickles down to everyone around you. It turns into a little party when women bring their friends.”

Irma and Sasha give helpful hints about organizations, websites and how to make things easier while going through chemo. They also get useful information from clients such as an or-ganization that cleans your home while you undergo treatment.

Often, people come in just to talk. “One of our client’s husbands came in and broke down crying. He said, ‘Thank you so much for helping my wife.’ That made me cry – it was the best feeling in the world,” shared Sasha.

Sasha and Irma’s Cure and Com-pany is more than a boutique. “People open up when we share our experi-ences. We convey personal stories on how we went through it, and how we were helped. It’s brought me closer to my husband and closer to God,” said Sasha.

Cure and Company is located in Sugar Land near First Colony Mall.


By Linda K. Eaves

Sasha Klein and her mother, Irma Klink.

“When you look good, you’re ultimately going to feel better. Whenyou feel better, it trickles down to everyone around you.” – Sasha Klein



Come visit our unique salon andtalented stylists for a beautiful, new, you!

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FOCUS ON THE CURE

Lowering Your Riskof Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among women, second only to lung cancer. One

in eight women is expected to develop breast cancer in her lifetime, and a re-cent survey by the Society for Women’s Health Research found that 22 percent of women named breast cancer as the disease they fear most. The specter of breast cancer makes it no surprise that women are eager to seek various ways to reduce their risks of developing this potentially deadly disease.

Though cancer treatments continue to evolve, there remains no cure for breast cancer or any other types of can-cer. However, there are steps men and women can take to reduce their risks of developing breast cancer. In fact, the National Cancer Institute says avoid-ing breast cancer risk factors is the best path to prevention.

Avoid exposure to radiation. Re-peated exposure to radiation therapy used to treat illnesses like Hodgkin’s disease can increase a person’s risk of breast cancer.

Maintain a healthy weight. Obe-sity increases the risk of breast cancer, particularly in postmenopausal women.

Get your exercise. Exercising four or more hours a week can lower breast cancer risk. Exercise need not be heavy lifting at the gym. Any moderate physi-cal activity, from cycling to walking, can be effective.

Eat a low-fat diet. The Women’s Intervention Nutrition Study from the National Cancer Institute found that the highest rate of breast cancer reduc-tion was among a group of women who ate a low-fat diet.

Reduce alcohol consumption. Various studies have indicated that women who drink alcoholic beverages may develop cancer at a higher rate. Women who consume two to five drinks daily have a greater risk of developing breast cancer than those who abstain from alcohol.

Weigh the risks of hormone re-placement therapy. There are mixed reviews on hormone replacement thera-py, or HRT, for postmenopausal women. There may be a link between long-term HRT and breast cancer, particularly when estrogen and progesterone are used in combination.

Use of SERMs and aromatase in-hibitors. Selective estrogen receptor

modulators, or SERMs, are drugs that act like estrogen on some bodily tissues but block the effect of estrogen on other tissues. Aromatase inhibitors decrease the amount of estrogen made by the body. Women with a high risk of breast cancer may benefit from taking a SERM or aromatase inhibitor.

Increase fruit and vegetable con-sumption. Carotenoids are cancer-pro-tective pigments found in a vast number of fruits and vegetables. Researchers at New York University found women who had higher blood carotenoid levels had a significantly smaller risk of breast can-cer than women with lower levels.

Go sparingly on antibiotics. Only take antibiotics when they are truly needed. New evidence suggests that the more often a woman takes antibiotics, the higher her breast cancer risk.

Breastfeed your children. Lac-tation can suppress ovulation and the body’s production of estrogen, which has been linked to higher levels of breast cancer.

Although there is no cure for cancer, there are a number of different ways women can reduce their risks for breast cancer.


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Make pink personal with the Tyler tote from Jon Hart Designs. Add initials, selected emblems or your name for a minimal charge. Also available in 14 other colors. Shop all that Jon Hart has to offer at Luggage & Leather, 16069 City Walk Drive in Sugar Land Town Square. Call 281-491-1811.

Purchase a one-of-a- kind3.12 carat ruby ring with 1.75 carats of diamonds. Don’t monkey around with your health ... or jewelry!J Loggins Jewelers, 14015 Southwest Fwyin Sugar Land.Call 281-242-2900;www.jloggins.com.

Wear this Benedictine Blessing Braceletto remind yourself that you have a mission to make the world a better place. Together, we hold in prayer a future that is cancer free. Buy pink and support Breast Cancer research. Twenty-Two Fifty Interiors,2250 Lone Star Drive in Sugar Land Town Square. Call 281-265-2250; www.twentytwofiftyinteriors.com.

For the month of October, Rustic Kuts Furniture, Western Décor & Boutique will donate 10% of sales from Circle E Candles to the Breast Cancer Awareness Program.Rustic Kuts Furniture, Western Décor & Boutique,828 3rd Street in Historic Downtown Rosenberg. Call 281-232-6033.

Breast Cancer Awareness Sweaty Bands are handcrafted in theUSA and feature aunique non-slip hold.Portions of each purchase aredonated to Susan G. Komen.Southern Sister Designs,817 Third Street inHistoric Downtown Rosenberg. Call 218.232.7737; www.southernsisterdesigns.com.


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SEPTEMBER 27th - OCTOBER 6th, 2013

FORT BEND COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS • 4310 Highway 36 South • Rosenberg, Texas 77471

Purchase Tickets: www.fortbendcountyfair.com or 281-342-6171

Complete Schedule of Events: www.fortbendcountyfair.com

Carr Pro RodeoPRCA Championship Rodeo Nights October 4th & 5th

WINE EVENTGrapes on the BrazosSept. 27 toOct. 6, 2013

October 5thTOUGH ENOUGH TO WEAR PINK

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The Triumphs

Fri: 10/4Joe Diffie

& Dale Watson

Sun: 10/6

Johnny Lee

Sat: 10/5Wade Bowen

Will Hoge &

The Rankin Twins

77th Annual“Celebrating Our

Western Heritage”

Daily Activities CarnivalAg’Tivity BarnPetting ZooPony RidesLive Music – Texas StageWade Henry ShowKidz Celebration ShowLivestock ExhibitsHome Economics ExhibitsShoppingFood Special Events &Competitions for all Ages BBQ CookoffOct. 4 & 5, 2013

FREEADMISSIONto ALL School Kids ‘til 6pm on OpeningDay

Did You Know?Breast cancer is a disease

that claims the lives of so many people. Although many deaths can-not be prevented due to the se-verity and late stage of the breast cancer, early diagnosis goes a long way to improving mortality rates and sending individuals into remis-sion faster. Knowing the symptoms of breast cancer can help women and men improve their chances of surviving the disease after diag-nosis, as the earlier the disease is diagnosed, the better a person’s chance at survival.

Not every person experiences symptoms of breast cancer. That’s because, in its very early stages, breast cancer may not exhibit any symptoms, or if a tumor is present, it may be too small to detect during a breast self-exam. Furthermore, there are different types of breast cancer, each of which may have its own distinct symptoms. Some of these symptoms may mimic symp-toms of more benign conditions as well, making it difficult to deter-mine if symptoms are indicative of breast cancer or another ailment.

But even though the following symptoms will not necessarily lead to a breast cancer diagnosis, it’s still important to visit your doctor for further clarification if any of them appear.

• swelling of all or part of thebreast

• skin irritation or dimpling• breast pain• nipple pain or the nipple

turning inward• redness, scaliness or thicken-

ing of the nipple or breast skin• a nipple discharge other than

breast milk• a lump in the underarm area• changes in the size or symme-

try of breasts• presence of unusual lumps

FOCUS ON THE CURE


When Breast Cancer Hits Home

Dr. Ankur Mehta has accompanied breast cancer patients on their

journey from diagnosis, to treatment, reconstruction and to becoming a breast cancer survivor. Even though he deals with breast cancer patients on a daily basis, he was not prepared for the news he received one day. “I remember everything about that phone call even though it was so long ago,” said Dr. Mehta. “I was a plastic surgery resi-dent at the time and was on the way to the operating room when my dad called my cell phone. I hurriedly an-swered some of his questions except for his last question, which was, ‘Can you come with us to your sister’s doc-tor’s appointment today?’ I could sense something was not right. Then, as the words left my dad’s mouth, my heart began to pound, I sank down in a chair, shook my head in confusion and tried

to comprehend how my 28 year-old little sister, my free spirited, happy-go-lucky, beautiful little sister, could have just been diagnosed with breast cancer. Soon after her diagnosis, this brave 28 year-old, underwent a nipple sparing mastectomy with implant reconstruc-tion.”

It wasn’t until his sister’s journey that Dr. Mehta better understood some of the true fears, thought processes and concerns of women fighting this fight. Dr. Mehta has spent countless hours speaking to female plastic surgeons, breast cancer patients and breast cancer survivors to better understand what the perceived consequences were in regards to different options for treat-ment.

Dr. Mehta always knew his sister would defeat her breast cancer, but he worried what the diagnosis and treat-ment would do to her strong spirit and bright aura. “My sister’s spirit only be-came stronger and her aura brighter!” said Dr. Mehta. The loss of a breast, such as by partial resection or mas-tectomy, is just the beginning of the reconstructive and emotional healing process. The female breasts are sym-bolic of a woman’s pride, power and self-worth. When a woman is fully con-fident, she will radiate from within, achieving goals and building stronger relationships with family, friends and loved ones. Many surgeons have typi-cally been taught that the goal is to

treat the cancer first, just get it out, and worry about the cosmetic aspect later. A patient, however, thinks dif-ferently about this defining character-istic of the female body – the breasts. Although the cancer operation should never be compromised for cosmetic out-come, a harmonious balance between cancer treatment and reconstruction can be achieved.

Today, as a plastic surgeon at Time-less Plastic Surgery, Dr. Mehta has the honor of providing “concierge care” to all patients including, but not limited to, breast cancer survivors. Dr. Mehta takes his and his sister’s personal ex-periences and applies it to his patients by trying to understand what they de-sire whether related to the face, body or breasts. In regards to breast recon-struction, Dr. Mehta focuses on second-ary aesthetic breast reconstruction. Simply put, this is the art of creating a more beautiful breast after cancer removal and initial reconstruction. The main objective of secondary aesthetic breast reconstruction is to produce a more natural and proportioned coun-terpart to the opposite breast.

Since her diagnosis, Dr. Mehta’s sis-ter remains cancer free, has recently gotten married and has moved to Ger-many where she continues to make the most of every minute of her life. “Going through this very personal journey with my sister has definitely made me a bet-ter physician,” shared Dr. Mehta.

Ankur Mehta, M.D.Timeless Plastic Surgery


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Preview Night

Thursday, November 7th

Benefiting

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Presented by

WILDABOUT

The Parks Youth Ranch Board of Directors is pleased to announce Texas Farm Bureau Insurance as the Presenting Sponsor for Cowboy Up 2013!

Since 1952, Texas Farm Bureau has been protecting members’ moments – the big, the small and the everyday. As part of the Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Companies, their mission is twofold: to help their members manage the financial risks of everyday life and successfully recover from any insured loss through prompt, professional and personal service based on high ethical standards and fairness; and to build and manage a financially strong, efficient and mem-ber-oriented organization that supports the objectives and growth goals of the Texas Farm Bureau parent organization.

Karl Drefke with Texas Farm Bureau says they are “proud to support the Parks Youth Ranch mission of providing an emergency shelter, counseling and life-changing services to at-risk and homeless youth in Fort Bend Coun-ty.”

The Fred and Mabel R. Parks Youth Ranch (PYR) opened its doors in March 2011 to address a gap in services for homeless youth. PYR is a 20-bed emergency shelter located in Fort Bend County that is able to accommodate 10 boys and 10 girls, ages 7 to 17, referred by Texas De-partment of Family and Protective Services and by the local commu-nity. Cowboy Up 2013 is scheduled for Saturday, October 12th at The George Ranch Historical Park Arena, with all proceeds from the event go-ing towards meeting these needs and providing “Home for Today, Hope for Tomorrow!”

Local support includes Fort Bend County District Attorney John Heal-ey and his wife, Theo, as Honorary Co-Chairs and Fort Bend County Commissioner James Patterson as the event auctioneer. The unforget-table event will feature live music by Kim and Bill Nash from Nash3, BBQ with all the fixins’, dancing, cash bar,

NEWSWORTHY

Cowboy Up 2013 Partners WithTexas Farm Bureau Insurance

Josh Stanka, Sam Morris, Roger Camp, Pat Somers, Mark Eyring, Joe Chirco, Kavita Self, Shannon Bloesch, Karl Drefke and Bill Rohrbach.

live auction and much more.A variety of sponsorship and underwriting opportunities,

from $250 to $10,000, are available. General admission tick-ets are also available for $75 each. Mosey on over for a very special Wild West hoedown - y’all won’t want to miss it!

For more information on sponsorship or general admis-sion tickets, please visit the PYR website at www.parksy-outhranch.org or contact Parks Youth Ranch Executive Direc-tor & Cowboy Up Co-Chair, Shannon Bloesch ([email protected]) or Cowboy Up Co-Chair, Kavita Self ([email protected]).


IN THEHEARTB R A Z O S

OUT&ABOUT

The Crusader group collected money for Faith-Full Kids as their service project of the week. Faith-Full Kids provides a backpack of food to kids on the weekends at several local schools. Karleigh Schlicht, Taylor Schooler, Erin Coco, Ally Millonzi and Anna Brooks assisted in counting money.

Common Threads held a Back to School Drive on August 10th. Over 800 people were serviced with clothes and backpacks.

Helping to keep things running smoothly were a variety of volunteers including Olivia Salazar, Chrysantha Davis, Julia Chavarria, Marissa Soza, Sandra Vautrain, Morgan Loser, Eric Skinner, Noah Joe, Caroline Jennings, Madeleine Hope, Lori Salazar and Karin Loser.

Emma Pustejovsky and Madison Palmer helped families find back to school clothing.

Faith United Methodist church hosted Vacation Bible School for area kids in late July. This year’s theme: Kingdom Rock.

Davis Stotler, Kai O’Donnell, Owen Mathis, Mackenzie Randoph and Abigail Broughton enjoyed a fun week singing, playing games and making crafts.


Hannah Hennessey rode into Whoville as Samantha Schmid and Donnie Fondon giggled with excitement.

On August 29th, Calvary Episcopal School and College Prep unveiled their new library theme. This long-standing Calvary tradition was not just a simple library make-over. Librarian Mandy Casey, along with alumni and parent volunteers, transformed the standard library into a literary wonderland designed to captivate the students for the entire academic school year.

The Central Fort Bend Chamber conducted a Congressional Update Breakfast with Congressman Pete Olson at Del Web Sweetgrass in Richmond.

Courtney Diepraam and Kimberly Hays attended the breakfast.

Visiting after the breakfast were friends Tim Kaminski, Kevin and Margaret Patton and Veronica Munoz.

Mary Servantes as The Cat and the Hat.

Zach and Bella Irwin as Thing 1 and Thing 2.

absolutely! Focus Media staff enjoyed dinner at Ray’s Gourmet Country in Fulshear with advertisers and friends. Chef Denver Kao created a spectacular menu featuring Ray’s farm to table cuisine.

Tim Kaminski and Joe Freudenberger.

Patti Parish-Kaminski and Lin Humble.

Michael Fredrickson, Laura Freudenberger, Katie Tyler and Mitch Syma.

Candelario and Caron Lopez with Leena and Pravin Taneja.


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Fourteen magnificent, new model homes, each decorated with special touches for the holidays, will be open to the public during the Cross Creek Ranch Fall Home Tour Festival, Oc-tober 5th – 20th. Visitors can pick up holiday decorating ideas for everything from wonderful dining room table set-tings to eye-catching stair rail arrange-ments. For three weekends, families can tour each model home in Cross Creek Ranch, just minutes west of the Grand Parkway off FM 1093, where event organizers promise “a festive holiday photo opportunity in every home.” From creative floral and table ornaments to decorated mantles, visitors are cer-tain to come away with a number of quick and easy holiday decorating tips.

The Fall Home Tour Festival, which kicks off several October events in the west Houston community, is open on Saturdays from 10 am – 6 pm and Sun-days from noon – 5 pm. “Our design teams are working to create that one special place in every home that will capture the essence of the holidays,” said Cross Creek Ranch General Manager Rob Bamford.

Along with the Fall Home Tour Festival, Cross Creek Ranch will host the Art of Living Festival featuring more than 30 art vendors and food booths on Saturday, Octo-ber 12th from 10 am – 4 pm. The community will also host the 3rd Annual Oktoberfest Triathlon on Sunday, October 13th followed by the 4th Annual Fulshear Scarecrow Fes-tival on Saturday, October 19th, where families can enjoy kid-friendly games, pumpkin decorating, live music and a stroll through a collection of full-size scarecrows.

These and other events along with popular amenities and a convenient location have helped the 3,200-acre master-planned community in Fulshear consistently rank as one of the nation’s top sellers. Cross Creek Ranch offers homes from the $200s from award-winning build-ers presented in the Houston area’s largest model home collection with spacious, fully furnished homes by High-land Homes, Darling Homes, Lennar Homes, Newmark Homes, Perry Homes, Trendmaker Homes and Village Builders. Its gated, custom-home neighborhood, The Lakes at Cross Creek Ranch, offers homes from the $650s to $1 million with lake views from custom home-builders Avanti Custom Homes, Huntington Homes, Part-ners in Building and Taylor Morrison Homes. A project of The Johnson Development Corp., Cross Creek Ranch’s approach to “sustainable” living has led to the planting of more than 30,000 trees since 2006. Close to half of its 1,000 homes are adjacent to native landscape, desig-nated trails and parks. For more information, visit www.crosscreektexas.com.

Cross Creek Ranch Fall Home Tour Festivalto Showcase Best in Holiday Décor


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T he Jeep Cherokee is back! It’s an all new 2014 model that’s awfully sleek and stylish. It

also handles likes a car instead of a rough off-roader, and it boasts amaz-ing fuel economy for a mid-size SUV. But don’t let that fool you because it’s still a “Trail Rated” Jeep and will safely take you places that most of its competitors wouldn’t dare think of go-ing.

Jeep introduced the first Cherokee way back in 1984 when the brand was owned by American Motors, and it continued as a successful SUV model even after Chrysler bought the brand in 1987. The original Cherokee was a boxy, rugged SUV that found itself on the cutting block when Daimler-Benz

JEEP CHEROKEE bought Chrysler in 1999. The new German owners brought in the Jeep Liberty as a replacement, and the Cherokee name lived on only in for-eign markets. Fast forward to 2013, and the Cherokee is back, and the Lib-erty is history.

Showing up in dealerships this au-tumn, the 2014 Cherokee shares the same platform as the popular new Dodge Dart. This car-based platform gives the new Cherokee the han-dling and driving comfort of a car, as well as excellent fuel economy. The base Sport model, with an MSRP of $22,995, is equipped with the 184 hp, 2.4 liter four-cylinder engine that’s mated to a nine-speed transmission delivering an estimated 31 mpg. If you need more power, opt for the 271 hp, 3.2 liter Pentastar V6 engine.

But since this is a Jeep, it must be capable of getting you through tough conditions, and it can. All new Chero-kees feature the Jeep Selec-Terrain traction control system that promises you better control in difficult condi-tions. Just select any of the five cus-tomized modes: Auto, Snow, Sport,

2014Sand/Mud and Rock, and the Chero-kee adjusts itself to get you through safely. If you need a Cherokee that can rock crawl, then the “Trail Rated” Trail Hawk has to be on your shopping list. For less than $7,000 over the base Cherokee, the 4x4 Trail Hawk exem-plifies everything that is a rugged, go anywhere Jeep. Standard equipment includes Jeep Active Drive Lock with locking rear differential, skid plates and signature red tow hooks.

Whether you need a Cherokee to get you to the mall or up a mountain, there’s one for you. I just think it’s great to have the Cherokee back on the block and on the road.

Follow Steve Kursur at KursarOnCars.blogspot.com.


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Board certified Pulmon-ologist and Sleep Medicine physician Dr. J. Georges Youssef welcomes patients to his new office on High-way 6 in Sugar Land. Dr. Youssef completed Pulmo-

nary Disease and Critical Care Medicine from The Stony Brook University Hospi-tal in New York and Pulmonary Trans-plant Fellowship at The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center in Pennsylva-nia. He relocated in the Houston- Sugar Land area after 10 years of private prac-tice in Arizona.

Dr. Youssef has admitting privileges at Memorial Hermann, The Methodist Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital and Kin-dred Hospital. He has strong roots in the community and is looking forward to serving Fort Bend’s Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine needs.

Specific services provided by Dr. Youssef include: evaluation and treat-ment for lung diseases such as Dyspnea, COPD/Emphysema, Asthma, Pulmo-nary Hypertension, Pulmonary Fibrosis, Sleep Apnea, Insomnia, Fatigue and other sleep disorders, Chronic Cough and Pleural effusion; pre-operative evalua-tion, including lung-volume reduction surgery, Lung Transplantation and Gas-tric Bypass; Disability and Occupational health evaluations; minimally invasive procedures including Ultrasound Guided Bronchoscopy and Electromagnetic Navi-gation Bronchoscopy; Bronchial Thermo-plasty for Asthma; and sleep evaluation including home and lab sleep studies.

In addition to standard tests of pul-monary function and spirometry, Dr. Youssef offers Cardio-Pulmonary Exer-cise and Pulmonary Stress testing. Lab services including chest x-rays, ct’s and nocturnal pulse oximetry are also avail-able.

Dr. Youssef accepts most insurances and same day appointments are avail-able. Call 713-781-4600 or visit 1429 Highway 6 South.

J. Georges Youssef, M.D. Opens New

Sugar Land Office

Monster MashMudslideIngredients• 4 cups TruMoo Lowfat Chocolate Milk• 10 chocolate wafer cookies, coarsely broken• 1/2 cup frozen non-dairy whipped topping, thawed• 8 mini chocolate chips or mini chocolate candies

(orange/brown color recommended)

PreparationIn blender, blend chocolate milk and chocolate wafer cook-

ies until smooth. Heat mixture in saucepan or microwave un-til just heated through.

To serve, pour chocolate milk mixture into 4 glasses. For each serving, spoon a large, upright dollop of whipped topping to resemble a ghost. Insert chocolate chips or chocolate can-dies into dollop for eyes.

ServesYield 4 servings

Notes, Tips& Suggestions

To enjoy a cold mud-slide, do not heat in saucepan or microwave.

W hether you’re planning the ultimate Halloween bash or just want something fun to enjoy with the family, try these frightfully delicious drinks.

The Spooky Smoothie is a flavorful combination of vanilla milk and Greek yogurt, which is blended with ice and topped with whipped cream. The fun is all in the orange-tinted Lim-ited Edition TruMoo Lowfat Vanilla Milk, so make sure to serve it in a clear glass. And ghosts will rise from the dead for the chocolaty Monster Mash Mudslide.

SpookyHalloween Drink IdeasEveryone Will Love

Both of these tasty concoctions feature TruMoo, which is made with 35 percent less total sugar than the leading choco-late and vanilla milk competitor and has no high fructose corn syrup. That’s one thing that won’t scare you this Hal-loween season. For more information, visit www.facebook.com/TruMooMilk.

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SpookySmoothieIngredients• 3 cups Limited

Edition TruMoo Lowfat Vanilla Milk, orange color

• 1 1/2 cups lowfatvanilla Greek yogurt

• 5 cups ice cubes• 1/4 cup fat free

whipped cream• Candy corn for

garnish, optional

PreparationIn blender, combine

vanilla milk, yogurt and ice cubes. Blend on high speed until smooth and creamy.

To serve, pour into serving glasses. Top with whipped cream and candy corn.

ServesYield 4 servings.

Monster Mash Mudslide

Spooky Smoothie

Source: Family Features. TruMoo.



Hello Neighbor,Looking for a new home can be really fun or really stress-

ful or both. I would like the opportunity to work with you and your real estate agent on making your new home purchase stress free, but mostly financially sound for you and your family. A meeting with me will set the financial guidelines for your new home purchase.

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October 7th “MATH CAMP” and lunch.

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You may have dreamt about a retirement house in Colorado or just a vacation home. You may want to consider a master planned development that offers much

needed utilities. This beautiful waterfront lot with picturesque mountain views in Pagosa Springs is close to the family-owned Wolf Creek Ski Area and the mineral springs that made Pagosa Springs famous. This lot is approximately .24 acres in the Pagosa Lakes development that has all utilities as well as several fishing lakes, a golf course and other amenities. $89,000

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an Arts Fulshear event

Preview Dinner & Auction for the 2013 Scarecrow Festival

OCTOBER 18, 2013 at 7 P.M.Safari Texas Ranch

11627 FM 1464 | Richmond, TX 77407tickets $65 per person

includes dinner, live music by �ird Coast Swing, and auction ofartwork by local artists and services from nearby businesses. Cash

bar will also be available. *All proceeds will bene�t Fulshear arts.

Please visit our website to purchase tickets, view sponsorshipopportunities and learn more about Arts Fulshear

www.artsfulshear.org


October 12thCowboy UpStrap on your spurs and join Parks Youth Ranch as they party with a purpose. Presented by Texas Farm Bureau Insurance Company, the event benefits Fred and Mabel R. Parks Youth Ranch. Tickets include a scrumptious barbeque dinner, a performance by Kim and Bill Nash, dancing and a live auction. Visit www.parksyouthranch.org or call 832-390-4797.

October 18th, 7 pmYoung at Art Preview Dinner and AuctionJoin neighbors and friends at a fun-filled, entertaining evening featuring art from student artists and special guest speakers at Safari Texas Ranch, located at 11627 FM 1464 in Richmond. Bid on the work of local artists and services from nearby businesses. All proceeds will benefit Arts Fulshear. Tickets include dinner and live music. Call 713-416-6837 or visit www.artsfulshear.org.

October 24th, 6 – 8 pm Classic Boogie M*A*S*H Bash Fort Bend County Women’s Center and Classic Chevrolet will unveil plans for Boogie 2014 in the Classic Chevrolet Showroom at 13115 Southwest Freeway in Sugar Land. Activities will include a fashion show, Corporal Klinger Wannabe Contest, appetizers and drinks. Call 832-435-1322 or email [email protected] by Friday, October 18th.

October 26th, 9 am 30th Annual Texian Market Days

Bring the whole family to discover more than 150 years of Texas history! Texian Market Days features hands-on activities, battle re-enactments, live entertainment, food, craft vendors and more. The festival is executed by the Fort Bend County Museum Association and held on the grounds of the 480-acre George Ranch Historical Park, located at 10215 FM 762 in Richmond. Call 281-343-0218 or visit www.texianmarketdays.com.

October 26th, 10 am – 4 pm Second Annual Fall Craft ShowSt. Mark’s Episcopal Church will present their second annual Fall Craft Show at 7615 FM 762 in Richmond, across from George Ranch. The family-oriented craft show will feature many home and small business vendors, as well as games and entertainment for children. Admission is free. Visit www.stmarksfortbend.org or call 281-545-1661.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •E V E N T S • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

October 4th – 5th, 11 amChampionship BBQ CookoffTeams will fire up the pits in pursuit of the Grand Champion BBQ team title at the Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo, located at 4310 Highway 36 South in Rosenberg. Kicking off the culinary competition on Friday, teams will compete for the best pot of pinto beans, beef chili, seafood gumbo and stew. On Saturday, teams will compete in Brisket, Ribs, Chicken and Fajitas categories. Visit www.fortbendcountyfair.com.

October 5th, 9 – 11 am Fort Bend Master Gardeners Join the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners in their four acres of demonstration gardens and attend an informal garden talk on Butterfly Gardening at 10 am in the Butterfly Habitat. Park in front of the Agriculture Center, located at 1402 Band Road in Rosenberg, and take one of the sidewalks to the area behind the building. Visit www.fbmg.com or call 281-341-7068.

October 5th, 5:30 – 8:30 pmLamar Educational Awards Foundation (L.E.A.F.) Fish FryEnjoy all the fried catfish you can eat at the home of Terry and Lisa Raska, located at 3238 Klosterhoff Road in Rosenberg. Sit back as head fry cook Neil Banfield and his team serve Fort Bend's finest dinner! All proceeds will support L.E.A.F. For reservations, visit www.leafgrants.org or call 832-223-0334.

October 11th, 12 – 1 pm Friends for Life FundraiserThe Pregnancy Resource Medical Center of Fort Bend County will host its annual Friends For Life fundraiser at the Pecan Grove Plantation Country Club, located at 3000 Plantation Drive in Richmond. To reserve a seat, call 281-232-2375. Visit www.prcfortbend.org.

October 12th, 6 pm Rosenberg Railroad MuseumPresents The Circus Comes to TownRosenberg Railroad Museum’s annual gala will feature circus-themed, live entertainment and live and silent auctions at SafariTexas, located at 11627 FM 1464 in Richmond. Proceeds from the event will support program operations for the Museum. For tickets, contact 281-342-5926 or [email protected]. For more information, visit www.rosenbergrrmuseum.org/gala.

Committee members Joe Gurecky, Lisa Rickert, Doris Gurecky, Marcia Vogel-sang and Honorary Ring Masters Nancy and Pete Olson.

ChocolateLollipops

All it takes is a mold, heating device and some chocolate candy melts to make delicious and eye-catching homemade lollipops. A visit to the craft store will yield all of the ingredients you need. Some kits feature squirt bottles that can be filled with chocolate, heated in the microwave and then easily squirted into the candy molds.

absolutely!DELICIOUS

H alloween is a time for costumes and candy. Americans spend roughly $6 billion per year on Halloween candy. After Christmas, Halloween

is the country’s second-biggest commercial holiday. Although many people like the convenience of buying

bags of pre-made candy, they will not have control over the amount of sugar or the other ingredients that are being put into these confections. This Halloween, make your own sweet treats to hand out or share at Halloween festivities.

Sweet Treats forHalloween

Cake PopsA revolution in dessert, cake

pops can be made in two ways. The first method is baking a cake and then crumbling it up into a bowl. Then, a container of cake frosting is added, making the mixture mold-able. The mixture is then formed into balls, which are put on lollipop sticks and dipped into melted chocolate. The second cake pop method is to purchase pans or special waffle-iron-type devices that turn batter into balls while cooking. Then, the cake balls are put on sticks and covered in frosting or chocolate.

Chocolate BarkCreate a healthy and delicious

mixture of ingredients by melt-ing dark chocolate and adding in nuts, dried cranberries, raisins, sunflower seeds or anything else you can think of. Pour the mixture on a piece of wax paper and allow to harden in the refrigerator. Then, cut into chunks and enjoy.

Candied FruitCaramel-covered apples are

an autumn tradition, but you also can dip bananas into chocolate or pieces of pineapple for a pseudo-healthy treat.

Source: MetroCreativeConnection.


281-342-21981405 Jackson Street

Richmond, Texas 77469

Mario’s Paint & Body Shop

www.mariospaintandbody.com

• Custom paint• Clear Coat• Expert Color Matching• One Day Service

Wrecker Service24 Hr.

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Diana Critelli [email protected]

An independently owned and operated member of Prudential Real Estate Affiliates, Inc.

Prudential Premier Properties

YOUR SUCCESS is My Goal!

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Cosmetic & Family Dentistry

Digital denture, better fit & design

Before After

1301 FM 2218, Suite 500B Richmond, TX 77469

281-239-3900 www.smilesmart.com

Accepts Most INSURANCE Walk-ins Welcome

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Lana K Wilson

Career Opportunities Available

Cell Contact Hm Office

281-703-2383832-595-1500

Call for a complimentary makeover

Independent Senior Sales Director

110 Crabb River Rd.Richmond, TX 77469

[email protected]

Kristen Albrecht

281.232.95832417 4th Street, Rosenberg, TX 77471

www.gbhdaycare.com

Locally Owned33 Years

Like Us On

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Pre-K 1 Ages 3 & 4Pre-K 2 Ages 4 & 5CDA Certified Teacher

After-School programs onsite at Frost, Hutchison and

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Are You Up for the90 Day Challenge?

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Fine Properties

Denise Moore4500 Hwy 6 • Sugar Land, Tx 77478

Cell: 281-451-1189 • Fax: 281-971-4944Web: www.DeniseMoore.RemaxTexas.com

Email: [email protected]

Each Office is Independently Owned and Operated.

MLS

1919 Avenue G (Vogelsang building) • Rosenberg, TX 77471

Open Wednesday through Sunday • (832) 595-2881

Historic Downtown Rosenberg

www.brprovisions.com

Jams, Jellies & SalsasHand-made in Rosenberg

Happy hour Wed-Fri 3-7pm

Boutique Wines & Craft Beer New Outside Patio

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281-238-44431223 Sixth Street, Rosenberg

“Our Family Serving Your Family” Johanna Compean

Fort BendFencing Academy

Manuel S. Rodriguez - Coach/OwnerInstruction in the

Olympic Sport of FencingBeginner to Advanced Levels

Mobile: (832) 457-4431www.fortbendfencingacademy.com

Email: [email protected]

Enter As Strangers.. . Leave As Friends!Antiques H Collectibles H Fine Gifts, Etc.

Once Again

Hours: Wed – Sat 10-5 • Sun 12-5

Once Again brings together dealers, collectors & artisans to provide an all

around shopping experience.

Historic Downtown Rosenberg801 3rd Street Rosenberg • 281-232-3955

www.shoponceagain.com

coffee company

Changing Lives,One Cup at a Time

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Weight Loss and Energy Coffee100% All Natural and Organic

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1/8 page 3.5” x 2” • 6 or 12 Consecutive Month Commitment Required

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281-341-77335501 Ave. I (FM 1640) • Rosenberg

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PEDIATRIC DENTISTRY

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Old buildings of the Harlem Prison Farm.

“It is said that no one truly knows a nation until one has been inside its jails. A nation should not be judged by how it treats its highest citizens, but its lowest ones.”

- Nelson Mandela

Riddick Plantation next door to the Harlem Property. By 1925, the prison farm encompassed 5,005 acres of land with 260 prisoners. They worked the sugar plantation and also a brick and garment plant, all very successful.

In the 1950s, the name of the facil-ity was changed to Jester State Prison Farm for the Governor Beauford H. Jester. Today, they are individually re-ferred to as Jester I Unit, Carol Vance Unit (Jester II), Jester III Unit and Jester IV Unit.

Early prison life was deplorable. Prison scandals, unsanitary living con-ditions and abuse were perpetrated by guards and prison officials. Mysterious deaths of convicts were common knowl-edge. In 1927, a new law was adopted which permitted a nine member Texas Prison Board to oversee the prisons, to set policy and to hire a general manag-er to direct the system. The first brick building on the premises was built in 1933, which improved living condi-tions.

In 1996, Carol Vance, chairperson

of the Texas Board of Criminal Justice, requested state officials to implement the InnerChange Freedom Initiative program. Founded by Charles Colson of the Prison Fellowship Ministries, these faith-based rehabilitation ses-sions are devoted to those inmates classified at the minimum security custody level and who are expected to be released within three years. Fifteen-hour days are spent studying the Bible and Christian beliefs. The program is operated with no additional cost to the Texas taxpayers.

The World Voice in the Wilderness Ministries, a group of motorcycle rid-ers, came to Richmond to reach out to the prisoners and other neglected and forgotten people at the Vance Unit. They preached the ministry and gave advice during a Prison Crusade. John-ny Moffitt, the director of this program, is committed to assisting prisoners all over the state to find a spiritual path to follow before leaving confinement.

Prisoners refer to Vance as a “Ca-dillac Unit,” and visitors remark that it feels more like a Bible College than a prison. On September 15, 1999, the Jester II Unit was officially renamed the Carol Vance Unit in honor of this innovative woman who had the com-passion to encourage criminals to pre-pare for leaving prison with strong Christian and moral beliefs.

Today, Jester Prison Farm is a very different place. What once was 5,000 acres of working farm land now is just 960 acres surrounding the prison walls. Homes, schools and businesses fill the acreage with construction crews continuing to build.

W hen settlers came to the Fort Bend County area to live, cities sprang up and

the government was orchestrated. Post offices, hotels, saloons and the mercan-tile grew to accommodate the growing community. With the good, came the bad. Law enforcement was created, and prisons were built to house the criminals. In 1885 and one of the old-est facilities in the area, Jester State Prison Farm opened.

Originally known as the Harlem Plantation or Harlem Prison Farm, it was the second prison farm purchased, owned and run by the State of Texas. For $25,000, the state contracted 2,500 acres of land from William Guion and harvested sugar cane through the rail-road using convict labor. This farm was so successful that by 1890, it was out of debt and valued at $200,000.

R.J. Ransom was in charge of the prison until his death in 1895. Two other tracts of land were started and named Harlem I Unit and Harlem II Unit. In 1908, the state purchased the

Jester State Prison Farm


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Documents

October 2013 - Absolutely Brazos Magazine