September 2013 - Absolutely Brazos Magazine

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10 COMMON THREADS: A LIFELINE FOR LAMAR CISD FAMILIESCommon Threads gives struggling families one less thing to worry about. Started in 2001 because of the huge need for a place to help families with school uniforms, Common Threads now serves over 2,000 students in Lamar CISD.

F E AT U R E S

14 FORT BEND FOCUS ANDabsolutely! BRAZOS MAGAZINES KICK OFF THE GEMS OF FORT BENDGenerous, Enthusiastic Men Serving

29 READY ... SET ... NO? Making Your Home a “Beautiful Home for the Holidays”

30 HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS Find your home and make it your own! These resources will help you turn your house into your dream home.

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

16 RIBBON CUTTINGS

28 BUSINESS BRIEFS

38 MEDICAL FOCUS

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

24 HILLCROFT MEDICAL CLINIC Expands Sugar Land Services

25 SWEETWATER PULMONARY Moves to New Facility

H O M E T H E AT R E

19 BLACK ROCK

27 MEET THE SMALL POTATOES

39 THE JACKIE ROBINSONSTORY

N E W S W O RT H Y

12 THE LITERACY COUNCILOF FORT BEND COUNTY Challenges Your Orthographic Capacity at the Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee

ALL ABOARD!The Circus Comes to Town

26 FORT BEND COUNTY PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION Introduces The SMART CARD

28 ROSENBERG EXCHANGECLUB Donates to Child Advocates

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

40 2013 FORD EXPLORER

C O L U M N S

44 A LITTLE PIECE OF HISTORYFort Bend County Fair: Ten Days of Convivial Entertainment

I N E V E RY I S S U E

6 EDITOR’S POINT OF VIEW

20 OUT & ABOUT IN THEHEART OF BRAZOS A few snapshots of people,places and happenings

38 COMMUNITY EVENTS Fun events the whole familywill enjoy

42 COMMUNITY MARKETPLACE

19

Nick NicholsonEntertainment EditorPages 19, 27 & 39

40

Steve KursarAuto EnthusiastPage 40

44

Joan FrancesWriterPage 44

10

Linda K. EavesWriter Page 10

Common Threads’ teen volunteers Casara Han, Haeven Gales, Jennifer Ortega and Luz Ortiz.Photography by Nesossi Studios.

29

Caron LopezGrand Windows& InteriorsPage 29

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Vol. 1 No. 10 | September 2013

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The start of a new school year marks the beginning of a new season as surely as January 1st marks the beginning of a new year. And, as with the new year, it typically takes some time to get back into the routine: early mornings, hectic schedules, stuffing backpacks and making essential purchases for the back-to-school rush. For many of us, we have to budget for these extra expenses when back-to-school time rolls around each year. But for some families, budgeting for the start of the new school year provides an extra financial burden that they are unable to endure.

For Lamar CISD families, a unique program exists to help with the burden of back-to-school expenses. Jill Duban and her team at Common Threads helps over 2,000 Lamar CISD students with clothing and materials to help them start off the new school year prepared to learn and succeed. Supported by donations and volunteers, Jill has grown this program since 2001, and she and her sole staff member, Elsa Gonzales, are always looking for help. So, the next time you clean out your children’s closets or want to be involved in a true community grass-roots effort, remember Common Threads, and read all about this vital organization on page 10.

Since school has crept up on us, so will the upcoming holidays. Now is the time to get your home holiday ready, and we’re here to help. Our special Home Is Where the Heart Is section will help you with some ideas and resources to get the ball rolling on those home projects so you – and your family – can enjoy a beautiful home for the holidays.

The fall always brings around gala season as many fundraising events begin in September. September also kicks off the arts’ season, and absolutely! focus media is proud to serve as a sponsor for Imperial Arts’ Red Carpet event to kick off Fort Bend’s arts’ season in style. Join us on Friday, September 13th at 6 pm at the Center for the Arts located at 823 3rd Street in Historic Downtown Rosenberg for an exclusive preview of Imperial Arts’ season. We’d love to see you and snap your photo on the red carpet!

Absolutely! yours,

[email protected]

Editor-in-Chief, PATTI PARISH-KAMINSKI

READER FEEDBACK

ON THE COVER:Jill Duban

Photography by Nesossi Studios

I love your magazine. I really like all of the summer activity info in the May 2013 magazine. I also love how y’all recognize so many of our Fort Bend County residents. The story on US Navy SEAL Danny Dietz Memorial Team Roping Weekend was great!

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

Kassidi and Patti Parish-Kaminski.

Loved the story y’all did on Lunches of Love in this month’s issue of absolutely! Brazos, and as a board member, I appreciate it so much!

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Common Threads:

“T he gravity of needing help for some families is really heavy – sometimes they

get angry or cry. They don’t want to be here, but they have no choice.” The situ-ations vary for the families who benefit from Common Threads. Some are from the Women’s Shelter, others are single parents barely keeping their heads above water to pay the rent and others are homeless.

Jill Duban became coordinator of Common Thread five years ago under her umbrella of jobs for Lamar CISD including serving as coordinator of all of the district’s volunteers. Common Threads was started in 2001 because of the huge need for a place that would help families all year long to find uniforms, especially during back-to-school and the beginning of winter. When the program started, 800 Lamar CISD children were served. Now, over 2,000 students in the district are served. Children, especially boys, may grow four sizes over the sum-mer, and when it’s time to go back to school, for many families, it’s a struggle. Common Threads provides these stu-

dents with a shopping experience. Kids go in and pick out their clothes.

Duban also started a graduation gown collection and a fund for kids who want to walk across the stage but can’t afford the gown. “We started collecting prom gowns as well. I have three kids and their friends would say, ‘You know, I’m never going to wear this again.’ We pass them around and do fashion shows for the high schools and funnel them through different programs that get them to the kids who need them.”

Teen VolunteersTo help with sorting and washing

the multitude of donated clothing Com-mon Threads receives each year, Duban needed help. She started the teenage volunteer program not only because of this need, but because her children wanted to volunteer, and there wasn’t really a place to get their service hours or community hours for National Honor Society or the service cord program at the high schools.

“The teen volunteer program was born out of the issues that my own kids

were having. It’s been such a great learning experience for my volunteers in the summer because sometimes they don’t know why they’re going through all these sometimes stinky clothes and gross lunch boxes at the end of the year,” said Duban.

“Then, when these teens help the families and meet kids from different schools in the area, they learn to work together and get to meet peers from oth-er areas. By the end of the summer, the teens have made new friends. It chang-es their outlook on life. I’ve noticed huge changes in kids from the beginning to the end of summer, maturing and get-ting why it’s important to give back to the community. My favorite part of my job is working with the teenagers and watching them work with the families.”

The teenage volunteers are vital to the success of Common Threads’ Back-To-School Drive. A great deal of prepa-ration time is required to sort the uni-forms and regular clothes, pack school supplies and get everything organized for the big shopping day. “The teenagers save my life every school year,” said Du-

A Lifeline for Lamar CISD Families

COVER STORYBy Linda K. Eaves

Photos by Nesossi Studios

Common Threads gives struggling families one less thing to worry about. Jill Duban, director of Common Threads, hears the stories

while families shop for clothing and basic items for school.

Teen volunteers Dev Patel, Paul Varghese, Mistilyn Thorton, Eric Skinner, Amanda Gutowsky, Elizabeth Hias, Rachel Lee, Lindsay Etzler, Luz Ortiz, Jennifer Vargas, Elizabeth Park, Hazel Githumbi, Chloe Lall, Hoa Nguyen, Brenda Negreros, Madeline Hope, Caroline Jennings and Casara Han.

ban. “It’s a lot of fun but a lot of work to serve over 2,000 kids. It’s a life lesson for the volunteers. A lot of kids don’t realize the level of poverty here.”

Duban feels the schools should pro-mote volunteering from the six-grade level through high school. She would like to see a community-wide effort to get kids to volunteer. “I think the dis-trict’s service cord program and having different clubs be service-oriented in the community is really important be-cause it opens every kid’s eyes. Their world becomes a little bigger.”

Duban reaches out to as many or-ganizations within Lamar CISD as possible. “We work with all of clubs on the campuses. They hold drives for us all during the year. When you cre-ate awareness on a campus level, you start a trend where those kids start to volunteer, and they teach their kids to volunteer.”

Fulfilling the NeedCommon Threads’ mission is to

give children in need one less thing to worry about. “We hope that when these kids get new outfits and new uniforms, they’ll feel better about themselves, feel like they belong and want to stay in school.”

Giving children one less thing to worry about is paramount to their suc-cess according to Lamar CISD Superin-tendent Dr. Thomas Randle. “Passing STAAR is tough enough, and it is even harder if you are worried about having proper clothing and the supplies neces-sary to do your school work. The goal of Lamar CISD is to give the best possible education to every student, regardless of their economic situation. The work of Common Threads and their many vol-unteers and donors makes it possible for students to begin school with a few less worries.”

Through the Common Threads’ pro-gram, each child is given three shirts and three pairs of pants. “We’ve re-cently had to ask for new socks and un-derwear, since Wal-Mart stopped pro-viding them last March. The kids love getting new socks and underwear.”

This year, Common Threads held a Back-To-School Drive on a Saturday to give working parents a chance to at-tend. “We work with the social workers year round, and we’re able to take some of the kids off of our list. Many people who receive donations give back when they are able.”

EligibilityLamar CISD families who find

themselves in difficult situations may be eligible for assistance from Common Threads. Inquires about participation in the program should be directed to the school nurse at the student’s cam-pus. Community members may also provide information about families needing assistance by contacting the student's school nurse. All referrals are confidential.

After the referral is approved, par-ents and students may choose to select school clothes at Common Threads or to have a clothing request filled and sent to the campus. Each student is pro-vided with new or gently used sets of clothes, socks, undergarments, shoes, toiletry items and backpacks based on availability.

“Jill and her team have helped so many,” said Dr. Randle. “It often goes unnoticed by the general population, but I know those folks that are able to start school with the right clothing are appre-ciative of all Common Threads does.”

Jill Duban and Elsa Gonzales spend countless hours during the summer to help prepare clothing for back-to-school.

Help Replenish CommonThreads’ Campus Store

After the August Back-To-School Drive, Common Threads’ stock needs to be replenished. Summer and winter clothes are accepted year round and can be dropped off in the blue donation box at Common Threads located at 710 Houston Street in Richmond or any Lamar CISD campus.

Donation Opportunities

Common Threads relies on donations and contributions from local businesses and community members. The organization also sponsors various drives during the year to keep items in stock for students, and all donations are tax deductible.

Items Can Be New orGently Used and Include:

• Clothing, especially School Uniforms size 4-XXL

• New Socks and Undergarments• Shoes• Toiletries (soap, shampoo, tooth

brushes, toothpaste, deodorant)• Coats• Backpacks• Tax Deductible Donations

Contact Common Threads

For more information aboutCommon Threads, call 832-595-4540 or email at Jill Duban at [email protected].


Getting InvolvedParents, student organizations and

community members are all welcome to volunteer at Common Threads. Vol-unteers can help at the campus level by assisting the school nurse with clothing drives and organizing the donations. They can also volunteer at Common Threads and assist with washing, fold-ing and sorting clothes, filling orders and assisting parents and students with clothing selections.

For more information about Common Threads, call 832-595-4540 or email Jill Duban at [email protected].


The Literacy Council ofFort Bend County ChallengesYour Orthographic Capacity

Are you an unparalleled orthographer with a penchant for bacchanalia? Then it’s time to put your currency where your orifice is and enter a team! On Thursday, September 12th, CenterPoint Energy presents the Great Grown-Up Spelling Bee, which will take place at the University of Houston-Sugar Land.

Enunciation is rarely a drunkard’s strength, so keep that in mind when you venture over to the tables with local craft beers, donated by Karbach Brewery, and fine wines donated by Beviamo International. Those not interested in partici-pating but who want to support the Literacy Council of Fort Bend County can sponsor a word for $200, sponsor a let-ter for $100 or serve as an event sponsor starting at $5,000. Spectator bees will be allowed to view the event and general admission tickets are available for $40. Raffle tickets are be-ing sold for $5 a ticket for the chance at scoring an iPad Mini.

Every dollar counts towards educating our community, so dust off your dictionary and start practicing. Participants will receive great prizes, but more importantly, they will raise money for an excellent cause. Rosenberg Mayor Vincent Mo-rales, Jr., Richmond Mayor Evalyn Moore and Literacy Coun-cil of Fort Bend County Board Treasurer Shayne Newell will serve as judges for the evening. Spectators are welcome to heckle between rounds and spellings. Come on out and sup-port the Literacy Council of Fort Bend County!

For more information, visit www.grownupbee.com or con-tact the Literacy Council at 281.240.8181.

NEWSWORTHY

Spelling Bee committee members Pamela Bergeron, Jenetha Jones, Christina Guerra, Literacy Council Events and Communications Coordinator; Angela Cowan, University of Houston-Sugar Land Executive Administrative Assistant; Kelli Metzenthin, Literacy Council Executive Director and Crissy Nolen.

It’s full steam ahead for the Rosenberg Railroad Museum’s committee presenting The Circus Comes to Town on October 12th at Safari Texas Ranch as they prepare for the annual fundraising event. A tribute to circuses that have traveled the rails to bring fun, family entertainment to towns across the nation since the mid-1800s, this year’s event features circus-themed, live entertainment and amazing live and silent auc-tions with something for everyone.

What’s on board for the live auction? How about a Vintner’s Dinner for 16 at Rosenberg’s hottest wine bar B R Vino? Or, perhaps a more intimate dinner in a historical setting? Enjoy dinner for 12 at the newly restored Ebell House in Rosenberg. The Ebell House was built in 1902 with bricks from Rosen-berg’s Carter Brick Factory, and this will be the first time an event has been offered for auction in the historic home since it’s restoration by Joe and Doris Gurecky. If traveling is more your style, there’s a South Padre Island adventure with four days and three nights in a 15th floor condo with views of the Gulf of Mexico and Laguna Madre Bay. Also offered is a weekend fishing getaway in Matagorda Bay with accommo-dations at the Paisley House and a fully guided fishing trip. For the ladies, there’s a chauffeured trip for 6 to antiquing in Warrenton and Round Top during Texas’ Antique Weekend’s spring market, plus much, much more!

Proceeds from this year’s event will support program op-erations and general operating needs for the Museum to as-sist in preserving the rich heritage of the railroad industry and its contribution to the history of Fort Bend County. Sponsor-ships are available for the event, and they range from $1,000 to $5,000. All sponsorship opportunities – from The Ring Master to the Trapeze Artist – include tickets to the event, recognition in the program and invitations and on-site recog-nition at the event.

Hop aboard this year as The Circus Comes to Town! Tick-ets to the event are $75 per person, and they, along with sponsorships, are available by contacting the Doris Gurecky at 281.342.5926 or [email protected]. For more in-formation, visit www.rosenbergrrmuseum.org/gala.

All Aboard!The Circus Comes to Town

The Rosenberg Railroad Museum Presents The Circus Comes to Town committee members Doris Gurecky, Sharon Wallingford, Marcia Vogelsang and Lupe Uresti are on the front porch of Rosenberg’s Ebell House where a private dinner for 12 is being auctioned off at the newly restored home at the Saturday, October 12th event.


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F ort Bend Focus and absolutely! Brazos magazines re-cently kicked off a new initiative honoring three role models whose contributions to our community make

them real GEMS – three Generous, Enthusiastic Men Serving. The three GEMS were introduced at a brunch at the home

of KK and S. Scott West that included the JEWELS of Fort Bend along with community and event partners. The GEMS – Carl Favre, Joe M. Gurecky and S. Scott West – will be hon-ored at a premier event featuring dinner, live entertainment and a “chips for charity” casino on Thursday, October 24th at the Imperial Center for the Arts located in Historic Downtown Rosenberg.

Proceeds from the GEMS of Fort Bend will be invested back into the community by supporting an important orga-nization: AccessHealth. AccessHealth, formerly Fort Bend Family Health Center, is dedicated to excellence in providing integrated health care services to improve individual’s quality of life. Affordable and accessible health care is top of mind in our community, and AccessHealth is dedicated to providing excellence in health care services in the communities it serves. With centers throughout Fort Bend, AccessHealth is helping fill that void in vital health care.

“We are delighted to debut this new event honoring these three amazing men while continuing our mission of giving back to our community,” said Lisa Fredrickson, publisher of absolutely! focus media, the publishing company for Fort Bend Focus and absolutely! Brazos magazines. “Each of these men has contributed to our community in extraordinary ways, from public service to leadership in philanthropy to simply giving from both their heart and as stewards, these remarkable men have helped mold our community into an exemplary place to live, work and raise our children. We are humbled by their stellar examples of the true meaning of the word service.”

The GEMS of Fort Bend is open to the public and will be held on October 24th. The event kicks off with the casino and cocktails at 6:30 pm followed by dinner and live entertainment by Imperial Arts. Tables and individual tickets are available by contacting absolutely! focus media at 281-690-4242.

Fort Bend Focus and absolutely! Brazos Magazines Kick Off the GEMS of Fort Bend

Generous, Enthusiastic Men Serving

Mary Favre, Doris and Joe M. Gurecky and Carolyn Banfield.Melissa Hayslip, Brigit Engleman and Jacquie Baly.

Carol Edwards, Lisa Fredrickson, Donna Kay Tucker and Cindy Reaves.

Bob Brown and Will Hardee.

Carole Brown, Jessica Kij and Carl Favre.

Edward Crowell, Cari Middaugh and KK West.

The 2013 GEMS of Fort Bend: Carl Favre, S. Scott West and Joe M. Gurecky.


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

Special Thanks to Our Official GEMS Contributors

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Thursday, October Twenty Four, Two Thousand and Thirteen

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S. Scott WestCarl Favre Joe M. Gurecky


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Care 2 Chat Community Connect Conference Set for September 28

M emorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital will join with Fort Bend Indepen-

dent School District (FBISD) and the University of Houston-Victoria (UHV) School of Nursing to present the Care 2 Chat Conference on Saturday, Sept. 28 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Uni-versity of Houston Sugar Land. Gen-erously underwritten by Johnson De-velopment Corp., this free community event is open to parents, grandparents and adults who care about kids.

The inspirational conference in-cludes helpful information and insights on understanding and guiding children of all ages. There are even tips to help parents and caregivers handle stress. Community members will have the chance to attend three breakout ses-sions led by parenting and childcare experts, pediatricians and educators on topics such as:

• Navigating your way throughpuberty

• Shopping tips, lists and recipesfor busy families, with H-E-BRegistered Dietitian Rita Zapien

• Allergies, asthma and your child• From the playground to the

playing field – sports injuries andthe school-age child

• How to pay for college withoutgoing broke

• Finding resources and support for your autistic child

• Helping your child safely navigatethe Internet with FBISD Educational Technology Coordi-nator Allegra McGrew, M.Ed.

• Getting your child ready for theworkforce with Memorial Hermann Talent AcquisitionManager Kit Exum

The morning kicks off with a com-plimentary breakfast and vendor mar-ketplace featuring the latest in jewelry, cosmetics, fashion and more. Free flu shots, administered by UHV nursing students, are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Ruggles Green will provide snacks.

Healthcare professionals will be on hand to provide a variety of screen-ings, including blood pressure, bone density and body glucose. In addition, a diabetes educator will be ready to answer questions. Door prizes, includ-ing a brand new iPad again donated by Memorial Hermann Credit Union, are included in the day’s festivities.

“Last year, we joined with Memo-rial Hermann Sugar Land and UHV

in Care 2 Chat to extend our offerings beyond the school district,” said Pame-la Shaw, FBISD volunteers and part-nerships coordinator. “The feedback was very positive and the community appreciated the larger selection of ses-sions and vendors.”

Care 2 Chat began in 2008 as a mother-daughter event for adolescent girls after the 16-year-old daughter of a Memorial Hermann Sugar Land staff member expressed surprise at how small a breast lump felt in a synthetic breast mold used to help teach breast self-examination. As a result, Care 2 Chat was born as an educational event to help mothers and daughters improve their knowledge and communicate about important healthcare issues.

Today, Care 2 Chat continues to provide knowledge to help parents im-prove their parenting skills. Popular topics at the first conference that are still well attended include the physical changes that accompany adolescence, the link between HPV and cervical can-cer, eating disorders, obesity and body image.

Care 2 Chat is free, but registration is required. Please call 713.222.CARE (2273).

Presenters and sponsors Lauren Phillips, M.D., Karen Chitty-Boe, Pamela Shaw and Kathryn Tart, M.D., at the 2012 Care 2 Chat conference.

Jana DeBow, UHV recruitment coordinator, speaks with an attendee at the 2012 Care 2 Chat.

Attendees at the 2012 Care 2 Chat learned how to protect their children with a Child Safe Kit. Photos by SPCcreative Photography

Sharon Yeh, R.Ph., Memorial Hermann pharmacist, prepares to give a flu shot at the 2012 Care 2 Chat. Flu shots will again be available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Sharon Smalling, R.D., a Memorial Hermann clinical dietitian specialist, shares tips for healthy eating at the 2012 Care 2 Chat.


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Black RockLionsgate

T hree young women – Sarah

(Kate Bosworth), Abby (Katie

Aselton) and Lou (Lake Bell) – get

together for a private campout at

one of the iconic settings of their

childhood, an empty island off the

coast of Maine, to renew their bond

of sisterhood. They quickly learn,

though, that the island is anything

but empty, when they encounter

three men, who have come to the

island to hunt. A misunderstanding

quickly turns to tragedy, and the

three women soon find themselves

the targets of the hunt. What started

as a simple playdate to recall old

times is now a race for survival.


IN THEHEARTB R A Z O S

OUT&ABOUT

BR Vino Wine Room was a hot spot for Cajun Night in July. Enjoying the spicy fare and live music were Brenda and David Bowman, Bob Vogelsang and Tim and Patti Kaminski.

Andres and Rachel Novoa kicked up their heels at Cajun Night.

Edward Crowell III, Deborah Duncan and Robyn Miller.

Sharon Gorman, President of Tri-City Women’s Club, received a scrapbook from Marcia Hollingshead at their monthly luncheon, which was held at Nick’s Italian Restaurant.

Rosenberg Mayor Vincent M. Morales, Jr. welcomed H-E-B’s Winell Heron and Scott McClellan to Rosenberg.

Supporters of Imperial Arts made a debut on Great Day Houston to highlight their upcoming arts’ season.

Rosenberg Mayor Vincent M. Morales, Jr. with Great Day Houston host Deborah Duncan.

H-E-B announced the launch of the H-E-B Bravo Plus, an exclusive line of detergent that is completely produced by local companies: Rosenberg-based Seatex and Houston-based N2it Containers and Clarity Fragrances. The H-E-B Bravo Plus developed by Seatex features a four enzyme equivalent to a popular household name brand formulation.


An Evening at the Cabaret featured soprano Betsy Uschkrat and pianist Marvin Gaspard in a June concert benefitting Imperial Arts.

Robyn Miller, Edward Crowell III, Betsy Uschkrat and Marvin Gaspard posed a for a picture after an extravagant evening of music.

Tom and Randi Magliaro with Susan Friedman.

Enjoying the delightful evening of music were Sheri and Herschel Lindsey.

Ed Crowell, Jr., Jo Vorpahl, Lydia Crowell and Dwight Vorpahl visited after the Cabaret.

Winning bidders were all smiles at Yeaman Auctioneers & Real Estate Auction’s monthly event in Historic Downtown Rosenberg. The auction house hosts Saturday afternoon events monthly.

David Bowman and Bob Vogelsang were spotted in the crowd.

Patti Parish-Kaminski and Brenda Bowman joined in on the bidding fun.

Fulshear Freedom Fest was held on Saturday, June 29th in downtown Fulshear.

Terri League and David Hannah had fun passing out festive beads at Freedom Fest.

Waiting for the concert to start were McKenzie Schellberg and Grace Boone with Bailey and Samler Schellberg.

Playing games, rock climbing and jumping in the bounce house were Ford and Andy Anderson, Hunter Sweeney, Shep and Leslie Anderson and Laura Sweeney.

Taking a turn in the dunking booth was Fulshear Police Chief Kenny Seymour.


IN THEHEARTB R A Z O S

OUT&ABOUT

Imperial Arts’ Executive Director Edward Crowell III and Patti Parish-Kaminski viewed the exhibit which ran through August 9th.

Tour Choir members Emmanuel Arredondo, PJ Chambers, Nathan Chao, Reid Curnan, Alex Dewey, Brandon Do, Ethan Dravis, Lee Drones III, Reuven Ducay, John Garrido, Caeden Holly, Ethan Huson, Liangston Jamesou, Javier Janer, Charlie Kacal, Christian Keller, Tristan Lindsey, Justin Ma, Braulio Martinez, Shaurya Mathur, Donnie Miller, Kent Mohr, Flynn Moore, Maksim Moore, Chap Obregon, Bradley Pang, Kalyan Rath, Arturo Rodriguez III, Raj Rupani, Michael Stassi, Tyler Sutton, Cameron Thompson, Joshua and Luke Thurman, Joshua Tia, Timothy Yen, Jonathan Yuan and Carlos Zambrano at Deception Pass in Washington.

Tiffany Pace, Frances Lerma and Janice Scudder attended the ribbon cutting for Texas One Volleyball with a copy of absolutely! Brazos in hand.

The Fort Bend BoysTour Choir visited Washington State for their summer tour in June. In addition to performing at various churches, cathedrals and the State Capitol, they had plenty of fun visiting wildlife and marine refuges, hiking and ended their tour in Seattle, where they visited Pike Place and the famous Space Needle.

Having a good time on the trip were Braulio Martinez, Luke Thurman, Tristan Lindsey, Emmanuel Arredondo and Kent Mohr.

Historic Downtown Rosenberg’s Imperial Gallery hosted an opening for artist Ruben Coy. Coy’s oil on canvas paintings focus on the earth’s floral and fauna arranged into alluring and fantastic settings. Due to the unique nature of his work, Coy’s paintings have been featured in Laguna Gloria in Austin and the Houston Arboretum.


Lieutenant Governor David Dewhurst celebrated July 4th at Rosenberg’s Family 4th Independence Day Celebration at Seabourne Creek Nature Park. Pictured with Lieutenant Governor Dewhurst are Danielle Delgado, Jazz Roberts, Jerry Price, Sean DeRoch and Rosenberg Mayor Vincent M. Morales, Jr.

Imperial Arts hosted Celebrating the American Masters art camps in July.

Attending one of the summer camps were Vance Vyoral, Allison Lytle, Gallery Director Robyn Miller, Jake Lytle and Lily Winter.

Collecting donations were Jill Duban and Juanita Vasquez.

Jamie Campbell along with Jenny, Lily and Kreely Gardner posed in front of a 1950s Chevrolet.

Imperial Arts and Rosenberg’s downtown merchants partnered with Common Threads to present a night of summer fun in Downtown Park featuring the movie Grease. Anyone who brought a clothing donation received free admission to the movie.

On June 27th, Fort Bend Community Partners Rainbow Room hosted the 12th Annual Flo Berkman Award Luncheon at Sweetwater Country Club. The ceremony recognized businesses, families and individuals who provide donations to assist in the fight against abuse and neglect of children and adults in Fort Bend County.

Nell Ciancareli, Jo Ann Engleton, Ann Smith, Rosenberg Mayor Vincent M. Morales, Jr. and Betty Baitland.


To Make An Appointment Call 832-255-663216959 Southwest Freeway, Suite 100 • Sugar Land, TX 77479

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Hillcroft Medical Clinic (HMC) re-cently expanded its presence in Sugar Land. Located at Highway 6 in front of Lifetime Fitness, HMC added new facil-ities to accommodate additional doctors and services. In addition to family med-icine and internal medicine, many med-ical specialties are now offered in Sugar Land, including cardiology, endocrinol-ogy, ENT, gastroenterology, neurology, OB/GYN, pulmonology, rheumatology, urology and general surgery. Expanded services in Sugar Land also include on-site X-ray, CT and ultrasound, along with an in-house laboratory.

When you visit the HMC office, something you won’t see is a Physician Assistant or Nurse Practitioner. Physi-cian owned and managed, HMC doctors pride themselves on establishing direct relationships with patients. In a nod to patients’ busy schedules, HMC doctors offer convenient appointments, includ-ing same-day, lunch-time and Saturday appointments for both sick and routine visits, including physicals. The doctors and services have In-Network status with most insurance plans, too.

HMC has provided medical care for the Houston area since 1948 and is the area’s oldest multi-specialty group. HMC opened its first Sugar Land office in 1980 on South Main. In 2007, HMC moved to its current home on Highway 6. HMC doctors also care for patients at their office in southwest Houston. With the recent growth of their Sugar Land office, HMC doctors look forward to con-tinuing the tradition of quality medical care for another 65 years.

For more information about HMC and its doctors, visit www.hmcdoctors.com. To make an appointment, call 713-781-4600.

Hillcroft Medical Clinic Expands

Medical Services in Sugar Land


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Sandip Desai, MD Board Certified Pul-monologist, welcomes patients to his new facility, conveniently located in Sugar Land at the intersection of Highway 59 and Sweetwater Boulevard. Dr. Desai cares for patients with COPD/Emphysema, Dyspnea, Asthma, Lung mass, Pulmonary Hypertension, Pul-monary Fibrosis, Sleep Apnea, Chronic Cough, Pleural Effusion and more. He also offers support for smoking ces-sation and performs tests in the office including the Pulmonary Function Test and Spirometry.

Dr. Desai has received numerous awards and accolades for his work in pulmonary medicine, including Physi-cian of the Quarter (Methodist Hospi-tal Sugar Land, 2009) and Best Male Doctor (Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital, 2010). His attention to detail and above and beyond care for his patients is reflected in awards for Best Overall Documentation (Memo-rial Hermann Sugar Land, 2011 and 2012), Best Bedside Manners (Memo-rial Hermann Sugar Land, 2008) and Best Educator (Memorial Herman Sug-ar Land, 2011). Dr. Desai’s approach to overall patient care, not just the pulmonary aspect, has won him the ad-miration of his patients and colleagues (Best Team Player, Methodist Hospital Sugar Land, 2010).

Dr. Desai has admitting privileges at Memorial Hermann, Methodist Hospital, St. Luke’s Hospital and Kin-dred Hospital in Sugar Land. He also has satellite offices in Wharton as well Eagle Lake. Dr. Desai serves as team physician for the Sugar Land Skeeters.

Sweetwater Pulmonary Associates accepts most insurances, and same day appointments are available. Dr. De-sai’s courteous staff is ready to help pa-tients feel welcome and comfortable. To schedule an appointment, call 832-255-6632. For more information, visit www.sweetwaterpulmonary.com.

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Fort Bend County Public Transportation has been around since 2005 offering Demand Response rides and Commuter Services into the Houston area.

Fort Bend County Public Transportation is replacing their current paper ticket books with a new convenient way to pay for your fare: the SMART CARD. The auto-matic fare collection system will use the SMART CARD to conveniently track your fare balance similar to a debit card. The SMART CARD will have the capability to load and reload fare value on the card at your leisure from any computer or at any of our existing sales locations.

This August, be looking for more information about how to get your free SMART CARD. After this limited time offer, the SMART CARD will be available for a nominal fee of only $3.50.

For more information, contact the Fort Bend County Public Transportation Department at 12550 Emily Court, Ste. 400 in Sugar Land, call (281) 633-RIDE (7433) or visit www.FBCTransit.org.

Fort Bend County Public Transportation

Introduces The SMART CARD

Introducing the Fort Bend CountySMART CARD!

Fort Bend County Public Transportation isbringing the latest technology to your every ride!

• No more tickets to worry about with the new SMART CARD.

• Easy to load, reload, easy to track, just like a debit card.

• You can load your fare on any computer or at any current sales location.

281-633-RIDE (7433) www.FBCTransit.org

Fort Bend County Public Transportation Department12550 Emily Court, Ste. 400 • Sugar Land, Tx 77478

Hours: M-F, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm

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NEWSWORTHY

The National Exchange Program of Service is the Pre-vention of Child Abuse. With that in mind, the Exchange Club of Rosenberg presented a $500 check to Child Advo-cates of Fort Bend to assist them in their mission to pro-vide a voice for abused and neglected children.

Child Advocates was invited to come to speak to the Exchangites at a recent meeting about their work and provide an update. Ruthanne Mefford, Executive Director, commented, “These Exchangites are wonderful, caring people. I am in awe of how much the Rosenberg Exchange Club has accomplished, not only in the number of commu-nity projects they have completed but also in understand-ing the value of volunteerism and community involvement.”

The club earned the funds through a fundraising fashion show event. Rafika Milledge, Exchange Club Child Abuse Prevention Committee Chair, said, “Whatever we can do to help the children, we will. We are ready to volunteer.”

The Exchange Club of Rosenberg is comprised of 34 members who have an intellectual disability. They are a dynamic group that is all about making their community a better place to live. For more information, contact 281-239-1311.

Rosenberg Exchange Club Donatesto Child Advocates of Fort Bend

Casey Davis, Ruthanne Mefford, Amy Crane, Rafika Milledge and Irene Wisner.The Literacy Council of Fort Bend County is proud to

announce Kelli Metzenthin as the organization’s new exec-utive director. Metzenthin is a Fort Bend County native and an active community volunteer. She brings over 12 years of experience in business financials, fundraising and non-profit development.

“The Literacy Council is a wonder-ful organization. It’s all about building a better community and helping peo-ple help themselves,” said Metzenthin. “It is also about families and children in our community. When adults are motivated to better their life skills, they set examples for their children and pave the way for the next generation of adults and leaders.”

Metzenthin looks forward to using her skills and experience to benefit the many adult learners at the Literacy Council, bring even greater awareness to literacy issues and increase volunteer activities in the Fort Bend County area. She enjoys growing organic vegeta-bles, cooking with her husband and playing with her dog, Frankenstein. She currently serves as an Exchange Club of Fort Bend board member.

For more information about the Literacy Council of Fort Bend County, visit www.ftbendliteracy.org or call 281-240-8181.

The Literacy Council of Fort Bend County

AnnouncesKelli Metzenthin as

New Executive Director

Kelli Metzenthin

BU

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Ready . . . The “ready” stage is a time for you to

explore but do so with a timeframe. The multitude of ideas and people who want to give advice can overwhelm you. To help you streamline the process, a designer can save you valuable time by giving you direction in selecting a suitable style, a mix of textures and an intriguing pal-let of colors while saving you money by knowing how to get the most impact for your dollar. Start saving photos, which will help you communicate better with those who are going to help you. While making a folder of ideas, jot down a note as to the special detail that caught your eye. After reviewing the photographs, notice to what you are drawn. A theme will emerge. Keep an open mind to the designer's or contractor's suggestions be-cause they know the newest and greatest ideas, as well as the time-tested classics.

Think inside the box and outside the box. Are existing layouts in your home as a whole working for you? Do you need to tweak the floor plan? What about light-ing? Lighting has a dual effect. It illu-minates work areas, and if strategically placed, sets the drama of the room.

Could this year's holiday entertaining be expanded and enhanced with a pa-tio being converted to an outdoor living area? Our mild winters make the outdoor “room” a viable option to increase the us-able square footage of your home. Com-plete it with an outdoor kitchen or fire pit and inviting colorful cushions on comfort-able furniture. Set the mood with outdoor curtains to define the space. Determine what is going to upgrade both your life-style and your home's style, and go for it!

Set . . .Set your project up for success by prop-

erly managing your project from start to finish. Determine whether your wish list is budget friendly. Exceeding a budget brings no joy. I approach the project as pieces of a puzzle, and each piece has a price on it. The piece causing overages on the budget, if not significant, gets thrown out or put into a later project file.

Do-it-yourselfers, do your homework and bite off a little of the project at a time so it is doable and enjoyable. If seeking a professional, be sure they are! Don't be afraid to ask to see projects they have completed and get references. Profession-

als can help you with planning the scope of the project, designing a room's traffic plan, the improvement of lighting, selec-tion of finishes and hardware, budgeting issues and help with the shopping, order-ing, timing of deliveries and installation. If you experience sticker shock in your initial stage, do not let it discourage you. Discuss possible budget cures with sup-pliers. The scope of the project and the budget are always entangled and need to be resolved.

If Plan A is stopping you, research Plan B. Layout and function is more important in this stage than cosmetics. If you plan a new space, no matter how beautiful it is, if it is uncomfortable, if lighting is insufficient, if traffic flow is ir-ritating, if it is downright not functional, again, there is no joy. Set your scope of the project, seek contractors or supplier bids to see if the range of the budget is re-alistic, and get the many unknown costs to become known. Set the budget, set a timeline, sign your contracts or if you are a do-it-yourselfer, schedule your orders to prevent delays. And, take your “before” pictures, because you are ready to . . .

Go!An ounce of prevention goes a long

way now that you are in this stage. Items in your home need to be covered, removed, relocated, draped and then, tear out begins. If dust is being produced, drape the area with plastic and remem-ber to change your air conditioner filters often. Communicate with those in your home about safety of children and pets. With each day of your project's actual work, enjoy the progress. Contractors want to know your expectations and will make efforts to please. Contractors will respond well to your praises.

Now, we are close to the finish line. This last lap is not finished, so handle this effectively but with patience. Create a punch list. Documenting it by email is a good idea in addition to a phone call. There are always going to be details that need to be addressed. There may be a drawer that sticks, or a remote control missing, or a dimmer that did not get installed. With the punch list checked off, take the "after" pictures. Enjoy your "Beautiful Home for the Holidays!”


H as your remodeling project taken on that queue each time - starting with motivation and then, ending up on a holiday wish list that did not materialize for another year? September is the jump start month

to get those jobs planned, contracted, and for the approaching holiday season, getting it done. Gifting yourself with a “Beautiful Home for the Holidays” will bring pleasure to you and your family all year. And no, it’s not too early. In the design and remodeling industry, scheduling for the approaching holiday rush is already in full swing.

By Caron Lopez

Making your home a“Beautiful Home for the Holidays”

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HOME IS WHERE THE HEART ISAdvertorial

Live the Way Nature Intended at Cross Creek Ranch

Cross Creek Ranch is an award-winning, master-planned community nestled in a rich, natural setting minutes west off of the Grand Parkway and FM 1093 where ac-tive lifestyles and the highest-quality homes come together to create an unmatched quality of life.

Residents of Cross Creek Ranch enjoy several first-class amenities including the Cross Creek Water Park, a large resort-style swimming pool with a 200-foot water slide, a wading pool and a spray park. A new pool opened this summer for swim meets and lap swimming.

In the restored Flewellen Creek Park, miles of hike-and-bike trails wind through the tranquility of native trees, plants and tall grasslands. Observation areas, manicured resting areas and a disc golf course amidst the park’s native landscaping provide further enjoyment for the entire family. At Arbor Park, Cross Creek Ranch’s sprawling sports complex, families enjoy tennis, basketball and sand volleyball. Plus, several parks are within walking distance of every neighborhood in the community.

Families in Cross Creek Ranch attend schools in the Katy Independent School District and Lamar Consolidated Independent School District, including a new Katy ISD elementary school scheduled to open in the fall of 2014. Both award-winning school districts maintain a commitment to helping children reach the highest level of academic achievement.

A community of The Johnson Development Corp., Cross Creek Ranch presents homes from Lennar Homes, Newmark Homes, Perry Homes, Highland Homes, Trend-maker Homes and Village Builders. Luxury custom homes also are available in the Lakes of Cross Creek Ranch from Avanti Custom Homes, Huntington Homes, Part-ners in Building and Taylor Morrison. Visit www.crosscreektexas.com for more infor-mation.

Grand Windows & Interiors: A Charming Showroom with a Huge Selection

Grand Windows & Interiors welcomes you to visit their huge window fashion and design showroom, a charming French Quarter-like shop set with a wide variety of se-lections in several vignettes showcasing shutters, drapery, hardware, shades, blinds, bed ensembles, tile, granite and silestone. Let Grand Windows & Interiors’ experi-enced team help you get your 2013 projects completed in style and on budget.

At Grand Windows & Interiors, you can sit down, talk about your expectations, organize your ideas and get projects you want accomplished off the wish list and start to enjoy them with your family. Grand Windows & Interiors’ 20,000 fabric samples are sure to inspire you if you are looking for custom drapery, bedding, re-upholstery or custom furniture. Gorgeous draperies and custom bedding are their specialty, and they are the leading draper in the area. Beautiful examples of their work are available at www.grandwindows.com.

For 30 years, Grand Windows & Interiors has been providing clients with the new-est and most innovative options available. Their dedication to providing impeccable installation and following through with clients’ after-the-sale needs has allowed Grand Windows & Interiors to emerge as a leader in the Gulf Coast region.

For a consultation or for color, murals, staging or interior design, or if you need a one-stop shop for affordable window treatments and motorization, visit Grand Win-dows & Interiors at 1405 Ave I in Rosenberg. Shop hours are 9 am to 3:30 pm Monday through Friday. To schedule an appointment outside of shop hours or on Saturday, call 281-342-9160.

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Cross Creek Ranch is an oasis of natural beauty

offering endless opportunities for living.

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Rustic Kuts Furniture:Where Unique and Rustic Combine

Alan and Sandra Macik have been in business for over five years since they decided to open a rustic furniture store in their hometown of Rosenberg. They started with 600 square feet, and today, their store boasts 5,000 square feet. Rustic Kuts specializes in rustic furniture, mantles, western bedding, kitchen and bath accessories.

In October of 2012, Sandra decided to add a boutique that carries an array of gift items ranging from candles to cowhide koozies. The boutique also carries several clothing lines such as Scully, Vocal, Umgee, Pretty Angel, A’reve, Cowgirl Justice, Urban Mango, LA Idol, Silver Jeans, Corral Boots and much more.

Alan and Sandra own a sawmill in Rosenberg and a ranch in North Central Texas where they cut timbers to make unique one-of-a-kind pieces. Alan’s hand-made crosses are a must-see, and they are just one of his many creations.

Rustic Kuts Furniture is family owned and operated. If you are ever in the area, please stop by to say, “Howdy!” They will be glad to assist you in giving your home that rustic flair or an outfit at a cost that will fit your budget. With rustic furniture, Western décor and boutique items, Rustic Kuts Furniture truly is a unique store in Rosenberg.

Rustic Kuts is located at 828 3rd Street in Historic Downtown Rosenberg. For more information, visit www.rustickuts.com, www.facbook.com/rustickuts or call 281-232-6033.

Explore LandscapingOpportunities at

Enchanted Nurseriesand Landscapes

Enchanted Nurseries and Land-scapes is dedicated to helping customers create magical outdoor spaces filled with all of the beauty of nature. For those who prefer to do it themselves, Enchanted Nurseries and Landscapes’ two 7-acre nurs-eries, Enchanted Forest near Sugar Land and Enchanted Gardens near Katy, are full of the inspiration, re-sources and materials you need to transform your landscape.

But, if you have a large-scale proj-ect in mind or just need a little ex-tra help translating your vision, their landscaping division is there to help. A full-service, design-build compa-ny, Enchanted Landscapes is a one-stop shop for everything from basic irrigation to outdoor kitchens. Their designers have backgrounds in land-scape design, architectural drafting, horticulture, irrigation, drainage and other related fields, and each of them is dedicated to outstanding customer service.

Don’t wait until spring to consid-er landscaping. Instead, have your work done during the fall or winter when temperatures are cooler and demand is lower. When spring rolls around, you will have a maturing, art-ful landscape to nourish and enjoy.

Schedule an appointment with one of Enchanted Nurseries and Landscapes’ designers or visit the nurseries to begin dreaming of your very own outdoor paradise. To schedule a consultation, call 281-937-0646.

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Patio Covers • Outdoor Kitchens Screened Porches • Decorative Patios Sunrooms • And More!

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Outdoor Living

You will find your design-build outdoor living experts at Texas Cus-tom Patios. Family-owned, Texas Custom Patios has completed nearly 1,000 outdoor living projects since it opened its doors in 2004. The resi-dential remodeling contractor pro-vides turnkey design solutions for outdoor living, including patio cov-ers, kitchens, screened porches, room additions, guest houses, per-golas, decks and fireplaces. Their specialty is constructing projects that look original to the home.

Texas Custom Patios builds in Katy, Cinco Ranch, Cypress, Spring, The Woodlands, Sugar Land, Mis-souri City, Fulshear, Richmond, Ro-senberg, Tomball, Pearland, Friends-wood, Memorial, Bellaire and West University.

Experience the Texas Custom Patios difference. Texas Custom Pa-tios offers personalized service and flexible payment terms. When you choose to work with them, you will work with the same project devel-oper every step of the way, from the preliminary design stage to project completion and cleanup.

When you schedule a consulta-tion with an experienced project de-veloper, you will receive more than just a ballpark figure. Your estimate is exactly how much your outdoor living project will cost – down to the penny. Every estimate includes a detailed drawing with specifica-tions and dimensions, plus rendered views and elevations, so you can preview your completed project on your home.

Contact Texas Custom Patios today to schedule your free design consultation at 281-265-1994 or visit www.TexasCustomPatios.com.



AUTO • HOME • LIFE • HEALTH • COMMERCIAL

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Luggage & Leather:Your Source forAll Things Travel

Luggage & Leather has been pro-viding top quality travel and acces-sory products to the Houston area since 1981. This family-owned and operated specialty retailer, with four Houston-area locations, has always focused on providing the largest and newest selection of luggage, business cases, travel accessories, small leather goods and gifts. This broad selection includes great wom-en’s brands such as Spartina 449, Cinda B, Vera Bradley and Jon Hart. Top name travel brands like Tumi, Briggs & Riley, Hartmann, Rimowa and Travelpro make up just a portion of the wide range of product lines carried.

Though there has been a store in the Sugar Land area since 2007, Luggage & Leather recently moved to a new location in Sugar Land Town Square. The new store is lo-cated at 16069 City Walk Drive, across from Marriott Town Square. This new store front provides a fabu-lous boutique shopping experience, as well as the opportunity to offer a large selection of unique gifts and accessories. The knowledgeable staff make it a goal to outfit each customer with the right products for their travel, business or gift giving needs.

Luggage & Leather truly is your source for all things travel. For more information on Luggage & Leather, visit www.luggageandleather.com or contact the Sugar Land Town Square location at 281-491-1811.



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Gorgeous Hill Country Home SiteWaterfront Lot in Comal County

Just 20 minutes from San Antonio and minutes from the Guadalupe River in Spring Branch, this 1.72 acre lot is your Hill Country dream come true! Amazing views on the hillside lot that features a meadow with waterfront along Spring Creek, The Crossing at Spring Creek, an acreage home site community, is the perfect place to build your Hill Country getaway. The

community offers all underground utilities, paved, county maintained roads, plus a beautiful 10+ acre owners-only park with scenic hiking trails, a swimming pool and pavilion and a playground. $89,000

For Sale By Owner

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A Place to Call Home

Discover Tejas Lakes, Fort Bend County’s best kept secret west of the Brazos. Tejas Lakes is a gated acreage community just eight minutes south of US 59. Acreage lots are available starting in the 40s.

If you are looking for wide-open spaces and big blue sky, Tejas Lakes is for you. Nestled in the countryside of Fort Bend County in the acclaimed Needville School District, Tejas Lakes is your place to call home. Tejas Lakes is just minutes away from the big city amenities, yet it feels like a world away.

Inside its private gates, Tejas Lakes proudly offers a vari-ety of acreage home sites, private streets and a central water system. Underground utilities include electric, phone, cable, high-speed Internet and natural gas. Lake lots are available on the breathtaking 25-acre lake. Enjoy a playground area, wide-open green spaces, secured entry gates and much more. Te-jas Lakes allows buyers to buy now, build later and choose their own builder.

Tejas Lakes is a remarkable place to call home. Visit Tejas Lakes today! From US 59, exit Highway 36 and go south 8.5 miles to Jeske Road. Turn left onto Jeske Road, and Tejas Lakes is on the left. Tejas Lakes sales office is open Saturday 11 am – 5 pm and Sunday 12 – 5 pm. For more information, call 713-927-2879 or visit www.TejasLakes.com.

See ad on page 34.



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

www.shoponceagain.com

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.

Spend time at the signature

puzzle table and enjoy a complimentary “puzzle cookie” while you shop.

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

Beautiful Views From Your Future Colorado Home Site

Deborah Kerns • Wolf Creek Realty970-264-4500


MEDICALFOCUS

Having his roots in Sugar Land, Dr. Ankur Mehta is excited to provide “Con-cierge” plastic surgery for the community that he loves at the Center of Excellence for Cosmetic Surgery.

Dr. Mehta has had the opportunity to operate with many different well-known and respected plastic surgeons in the community, including but not limited to those at UTMB Galveston, MD Anderson

and St. Joseph Medical Center. He attends several annual plastic surgery meetings, keeping him up to date on the latest innovations and trends in plastic surgery. He enjoys all aspects of cosmetic surgery including breast augmenta-tions, liposuction, facelifts, eye lid surgery (Blepharoplasty), tummy tucks (abdominoplasty), breast lifts, Botox and fillers.

Dr. Mehta’s bedside manner and communication skills leave his patients feeling comfortable, informed and under-stood. When asked about his ultimate goal as a plastic/cos-metic surgeon, he stated, “To safely achieve the patient’s desired look, to make my patients feel more self-confident about their physical appearance and to make my patients feel like a part of the Timeless Plastic Surgery family is my ultimate goal.”

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Mehta, call 281-242-TIME (8463) or visit www.TimelessPlasticSurgery.com for more information.

Dr. Ankur Mehta

• • • •E V E N T S • • • •

September 9th, 8:30 am 14th Annual Texian Golf ClassicParticipants will tee off at 8:30 am at Sweetwater Country Club and enjoy complimentary snacks during the tournament and a buffet style lunch afterward. The event honors Fort Bend County leadership, and all proceeds benefit the educational programs of the Fort Bend County Museum Association. To register or to become a sponsor, e-mail [email protected] or call 281-342-1256.

September 13th, 6 – 10 pm Imperial Arts’ Season Opening Celebrate the Imperial Arts’ 2013-14 season at a red carpet event sponsored in part by absolutely! focus media at the Center for the Arts, located at 823 3rd Street in Rosenberg. Visit www.theimperial.org or call 281-277-7444.

September 14, 6:30 – 10:30 pm Groovy Party Presents WoodstockAnother year, another Groovy Party! Enjoy an Aquarian dinner, live auction and Woodstock musical revue performed by local artists at Safari Texas, located at 11627 FM 1464 Road in Richmond. All proceeds benefit Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels. Visit www.fortbendseniors.org or call 281-633-7049.

September 27th – 28th, 10 am – 5 pm Pumpkin Patch Grand Opening Stroll through Blessington Farms, located at 510 Chisolm Trail in Simonton, to find the perfect pumpkin, and enjoy fall festivities including hay rides and maze, giant slides, barrel train rides, pedal cars, sand mountain, picnicking and more. Admission is $8 per person over 18 months old. Visit www.BlessingtonFarms.com or call 832-444-8717.

September 27th Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo ParadeThe 2013 Fort Bend County Fair Parade will officially kick off the 77th Annual Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo at 9 am. Participants will wind their way from the Historic Court House in Richmond to Jennetta Street in Rosenberg. At the Fort Bend County Fair, located at 4310 Highway 36 South in Rosenberg, you can enjoy a livestock show, rodeo, carnival and musical entertainment along with events that benefit and serve our community such as Special Citizens Evening, Senior Citizens Day and Exceptional Rodeo. The 2013 Fair runs September 27th – October 6th. For more information, visit www.fortbendcountyfair.com.


Timeless Plastic SurgeryWelcomes Ankur Mehta, M.D.

Emma Nguyen and Luke Johnson at Blessington Farms.

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T he 2013 Ford Explorer Sport delivers about as much fun as a full-size SUV/crossover is le-

gally allowed to deliver. Yes, it looks to the untrained eye like a regular Ex-plorer, but this baby has a lot going on under the sheet metal that makes a Clark Kent-looking vehicle perform like Superman. Simply put, it’s a blast!

Back in 2009, Ford decided to add the Sport designation to their Fusion model by giving it a slightly bigger en-gine, a retuned suspension and much better tires. Except for the tires, the Fusion Sport was okay but nothing to really write home about. But Ford was committed to adding the Sport desig-nation to some other models, and last year, they added some serious muscle

FORD EXPLORER to their already popular Explorer. Re-member, this is the Explorer they re-designed and revealed back in 2010.

The base Explorer comes standard with the 290hp, 3.5 liter V6 normally-aspirated engine. Although that en-gine is pretty nice, it does feel a bit underpowered at times, until you get the revs up in the power band. You can opt for the 240hp, 2.0 liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine that is bet-ter suited to the Explorer. Although it does put out fewer horses than the base engine, the low end torque makes the SUV feel peppier.

The Sport version takes the Explor-er to a whole new dimension. Take a look at the tires, and you’ll start to get a feel for what I’m talking about. The 20” tires, along with sport-tuned in-dependent front and rear suspension, hug the road and give this crossover sports car handling. Bigger brakes provide better stopping power. But the real surprise is under the hood. The Explorer Sport comes with the 290 hp, 3.5 EcoBoost V6 engine which totally transforms this Explorer. What

2013the EcoBoost engines deliver is die-sel engine-like low end torque which means that full power is available as soon as you step on the accelerator. That’s the reason Ford sells so many cars equipped with EcoBoost engines.

The 2013 Ford Explorer Sport has a starting MSRP of $40,780, which may seem a little steep – that’s over ten grand more than the base Explor-er – but sometimes fun has no price tag. This may be the perfect mid-life crisis car if you still have kids in the house. Think of it, you drop the kids off at school, then roar off in search of adventure. Oh, the places you’ll go…

Follow Steve Kursur at KursarOnCars.blogspot.com.


theimperial.org 281.277.7444

CENTER FOR THE ARTS823 3rd Street, Rosenberg 77471

at the corner of 3rd and Avenue G, just one block off Highway 90A

SAVE THE DATE

Sponsored in part by absolutely! Focus Media

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4000 Avenue IRosenberg

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A LI T TLE P I ECE OF HISTORYBy Joan Frances

Now celebrating 77 years, this event is scheduled for ten days of non-stop fun. Carnival rides and games invite guests of all ages. The Livestock Show and Ro-deo are considered the main attraction with big names from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association participat-ing since 2001. Competitions in creative art, swine pig racing, BBQ Cook-Off, a Fair Queen contest, lawn tractor race, talent competition and hay hauling are only a few exciting events patrons may participate in and observe. Food vendors are also abundant with varieties of tasty dishes to entice any palate, and many of the vendors support community non-profit organizations.

The annual event begins with a kick-off parade, dance and continues with a crawfish boil, Senior Citizen Day, style show and Go Tejano events. Concerts are held featuring local and famous country singers.

From its conception, the primary fo-cus of the county fair has always been youth education. Area school involve-ment in fair activities has continued to grow through the years. In 1979, Fort Bend County initiated a scholarship program to provide deserving students scholarship opportunities to Texas col-leges and universities. Competitions such as the calf scramble, Junior Live-stock Show, Junior Livestock Auction, Freezer Sale and Ag Mechanics projects

engage our youth to set goals and work to achieve them. To date, over 600 schol-arships of $2,000 each have been award-ed. Leadership development, team spirit, individual skills, winning attitudes and good sportsmanship are only a few of the character building benefits these stu-dents achieve.

This year, the fair is September 27th through October 6th. There are approxi-mately sixty county fairs that are sched-uled throughout Texas annually, mainly through the summer and fall. They are all non-profit with scholarship opportu-nities for youth. Some are larger than others, but the goal is the same: to en-gage and educate young people to be a successful part of society. The commit-tees and sponsors that orchestrate this huge endeavor should be highly com-mended.

Through the years, the Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo has become so much more than fun and entertainment. The event, particularly for our youth, can be life-changing for the next generation and is enjoyed by the entire community offering old-fashioned family fun.


Fort Bend residents work hard to be comfortable. Productive busi-nesses and beautiful neighbor-

hoods are a clear indication of successful people. This community works well to-gether throughout the year and equally enjoys time to relax and unwind. Movie theaters, sports arenas, parks and mu-seums are prevalent attracting a wide variety of interests and are conveniently located around the area. Special events are held with families looking forward to participating in the festivities. One of the most anticipated, and one of the largest successful activities in Fort Bend, is the annual county fair.

The first Fort Bend County Fair was held for three days, October 6th, 7th and 8th in 1933. The site of the original fair was sixteen acres of land between Rosen-berg and Richmond on Avenue H now occupied by Fiesta Food Store. Seven buildings were built and a racetrack con-structed. During the years of World War II, the fair buildings were used to house 250 Germans as a prisoner of war camp. The “Fritz Ritz” prisoners were sent out to work on local farms and ranches.

In 1974, the fairgrounds moved to the existing location on State Highway 36 near U.S. Highway 59 in Rosenberg.

The original site of the Fort Bend County Fairgrounds was used as a prisoner of war camp during World War II. Photo from Fort Bend County Texas: A Pictorial History.

Agnes Booth paid Henry Ondrey, III, $550 for his Reserve Champion Turkey.

Ann Booth purchased the Grand Champion Market Turkey from Daniel Conrad. Circa 1961.

Live entertainment is always part of the fun at the Fort Bend County Fair. This group of fiddlers from 1971 entertained fairgoers and today, top performers appear live in concert at the Fair. Photo by Jim Keeland.

INSIDE BACK

INSIDE BACK

BACK

BACK

Richmond Bone & Joint Clinic is proud to serve the community.Come visit our doctors in Katy, Richmond and Sugar Land.

We practice evidence-based medicine while delivering the highest level of collaborative, quality patient-centered care.

15035 Southwest FreewaySugar Land, TX 77478281.344.1715

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We cover the entire range or orthopedic care and musculoskeletal conditions, including:• General orthopedics • Pediatric orthopedics • Spine surgery

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Documents

September 2013 - Absolutely Brazos Magazine