november/december 2012 - pearland focus magazine - people • places • happenings

Impactingthe WorldThrough Giving

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 2012

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Inside:Holiday Entertaining

Pearland Purchase PowerFocus on Community

+ HolidayGift Guide$2.95

InnovativeHumanitarianSolutions

www.pearland .com • November/December 2012 1

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At Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital, we’re experts at caring for Pearland families. In fact, we were ranked once again among the top 1% of U.S. hospitals* by HealthGrades® in 2012 for delivering exceptional care. We’re the only area hospital to achieve this distinction. From surgical services to heart and vascular care, from oncology to sports medicine, we offer a direct connection to the region’s top specialists and comprehensive services. Our skilled team of affiliated physicians, nurses and therapists stands ready to take care of your family.

Taking care of your family’s health is what we do best.

To learn more, visit memorialhermann.org/southeast or call 713.222.CARE.

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* As part of the Memorial Hermann Healthcare System: The Woodlands, Southeast, Southwest and Northwest Hospitals.

Is staying healthy on your mind?

pearland magazine • November/December 2012 4

ON THE COVER:Jerry Squyres

Photo by Jessica Pledger

N O V E M B E R / D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 2

06 PUBLISHER’S PREVIEW

13 HEADLINERS

29 COMMUNITY EVENTS

32 HISTORICALLY PEARLAND

I N E V E R Y I S S U E

17 PEARLAND PURCHASE POWER Make your holiday spending not

only about finding the perfect gift but also about building a better economy in Pearland. By shopping strategically, you can help build a stronger community.

18 HOLIDAY & ENTERTAINING

30 HOLIDAY GIFT GUIDE

F E AT U R E S

08 LIVING A CAUSE WITH A CAUSE TO LIVE

Meet Innovative HumanitarianSolutions (IHS) and its founder, Jerry Squyres. A Pearland-basedorganization for meeting tremendous humanitarian needsaround the world, IHS brings hope to people without clean water,adequate food, basic medicalprovisions, clothes or a home.

C O V E R S T O R Y

12 HIGH SCHOOL HOT SHOT

16 A BRIGHT, NEW SMILE CAN CHANGE YOUR LIFE

22 SEEN ON THE SCENE

28 SCRAPBOOK

A R O U N D T H E C O M M U N I T Y

10 FOCUS ON FINANCE

15 FOCUS ON BEAUTY

23 FOCUS ON COMMUNITY

26 LIVING THE SWEET LIFE

C O L U M N S

CONTRIBUTORS

Brian Covault Texas Community Referral NetworkPage 2323

Linda K. EavesFreelance WriterPage 12

12

Swet Chaudhari, MD Divinity Med Spa & WellnessPage 1515

Carol Artz-Bucek Pearland Chamberof CommercePage 1717

Alisa MurrayAlisa Murray PhotographyPage 26

26

John D. “Mickey” MarkPearland Historical SocietyPage 32

32

pg 8

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P ublisher’s Preview

Dear Pearland Friends,

Gobble, gobble and jingle, jingle...the holidays are upon us!! Tis’ the season to realize and appreciate the good things, the good people we have in our lives and to count our blessings!

Our cover feature focuses on Innovative Humanitarian Solutions whose world-wide efforts reflect the season of giving. Its mission is to travel the world identifying and helping people who are without basic human needs such as fresh water, medical attention, schools and books. This special group provides the basics so that the recipients can lead better and more productive lives in their communities, and this non-profit organization survives on donations. Read about their efforts and find out how you can contribute to their continued success.

Our Holiday Entertaining section gives you ideas for the holidays – both for getting ready for them and for participating in them. Take note of our regular monthly features as well as to see what’s happening in your community this holiday season.

And now, for the big news! I am pleased to announce that Pearland Focus will be published monthly starting with the January 2013 issue. What a way to celebrate three years as your community magazine. We are thrilled to cover the people, places and happenings on a monthly basis keeping you up to date and informed with the goings on in Pearland.

I want to thank our advertisers who have supported Pearland Focus for the last three years and enabled us to grow. Being monthly, Pearland Focus will be in a great position to help you promote your business even better. As they say in advertising, frequency works! And that is exactly what we are providing. Please welcome Susie and Naomi into your business to discuss with you how Pearland Focus can promote your business through advertising and our many added value opportunities.

As always, be sure to send us your headliners, photos and event news as well as your article ideas, community highlights and celebrations. Our readers want to know what’s happening in Pearland! We welcome your feedback as well. Please contact us at [email protected], 281-690-4242 or www.pearlandfocus.com.

Stay focused!

Jessica [email protected]

4655 TECHNIPLEX DR. STE 400STAFFORD , TX 77477

281-690-4242

WWW.PEARLANDFOCUS.COM

Pearland Focus Magazine is published by absolutely! focus media, 4655 Techniplex Dr., Ste. 400, Stafford, TX 77477. Copy-right © 2012 by absolutely! focus media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Pearland Focus Magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertising or editorial, nor do the publishers assume responsi-bility should such advertising or editorial appear. Pearland Focus Magazine welcomes editorial submissions from its readers.

November/December 2012Vol. 3 No. 6

Subscription requests are free to all Pearland and Manvel addresses. Annual paid subscription of $9.95

required outside the Pearland and Manvel areas.

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

E DI TOR- I N - C H I E F Patti Parish-Kaminski

P U B L I S H E RJessica Kij

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S D I R E C T O RSusie Ainsworth

AC C OU N T E X E C U T I V E S Henry Pineda, Jr.

Naomi Smith

C O N T R I BU T O R SCarol Artz-Bucek

Swet Chaudhari, MDBrian CovaultLinda K. Eaves

John D. “Mickey” MarkAlisa Murray

A RT DI R E C TORGrace Belleza

A RT & P RODU C T IONC ON SU LTA N T

Joey Belleza

G R A P H IC DE SIG N E R SChris Hernandez

Jesse McPeek

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

Sarah Greeson

A DM I N I ST R AT I V E DI R E C TORErin Sanders

P H O T O G R A P H E RJessica Pledger Photography

W E B D E S I G N E RJoey Belleza

(Jobpagegraphics.com)

I N T E R NCamille Hay

I N Q U I R I E S 281-690-4242

T O L L F R E E 1-888-430-7469

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

READER FEEDBACK

Naomi Smith and Susie Ainsworth.

Shannon Yunker Campbell posted on Pearland Focus’ WallTo all my friends and family ....thank you. I couldn’t have told

my story of hope without all of you. Now I get to share it andmaybe pay it forward.

Thank You, Susie and Pearland Focus, for telling my story with such a caring heart.

Publishedby


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When you think of Christmas, your mind may start to swirl with all of the things that need

to get done, traditions to honor and gifts to buy, not to mention getting the house cleaned and decorated, baking cookies and breads and mailing cards or at least e-mailing them. The list seems to go on endlessly. But wait. What is the season really all about? Giving to others who are less fortunate, preparing your heart for the greatest gift of all and spending qual-ity time with family and friends.

You may participate in a giving tree at your local church, and what a wonderful way to share your gifts with others. But what if you could also give to an organi-zation right here in our hometown that provides fresh water for people to drink or builds school houses and gives books so that children can become educated. The thought of touching lives in such a pro-found and yet basic way seems out of this world. But, it’s not.

Meet Innovative Humanitarian So-lutions (IHS) and its founder Jerry

Squyres. Jerry founded IHS in 2003 with his first project in Iraq providing free book bags to children. To this day, Innovative Humanitarian Solutions is a vehicle for entering countries where there are tremendous humanitarian needs that are not being met, said Jer-ry. “People are hurting. Children are starving. Many do not have clean water, adequate food, basic medical provisions, a clean place to live or clothes to wear. The needs of the world create the need for our organization and others like us.”

Most of the projects that IHS works on are in North Africa and the Middle East. The list of places around the world where they have served include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Morocco, Pakistan, Sudan and Turkey. The pow-erful effect that IHS is making is evident in the eyes of the people they are helping. Jerry shared a story of how they gave eye glasses to a man who couldn’t see very well. As soon as he put them on, he ran away from them. Jerry and his team asked the translator to explain why he did

that and found out that the man thought that they were going to take the glasses away. He hadn’t been able to see for many years. Can you imagine?

It’s hard for us to comprehend the con-ditions of people living in poverty ridden countries. You see pictures on television but to actually give to an organization that goes to these countries first hand and pro-vides basic needs is amazing. It is truly a blessing and gift.

Just last month, Jerry and a team went Sudan, Africa with several humani-tarian goals. Here is an example of the kind of work IHS does. While on this trip, they delivered money to provide goats for poorer people in the northern part of the country. To continue to help others, each new owner will give the first offspring back to a co-op, and it will be given to an-

Living a Cause with aCause to Live

COVER STORY

By Susie Ainsworth

Fran and Jerry Squyres. Photo by Jessica Pledger.

An Innovative Humanitarian Solutions (IHS) volunteer

teaches in an outside classroom in Afghanistan.

Namosa school project in Sudan.

other family. The goal is that eventually each family will have a herd, which will provide for their needs. They also provided a computer lab for people who do not have access to computers in an effort to educate children and one day break the cycle of poverty. Some of the team taught com-puter skills and English at a university campus near the capital city. Others went to villages in the desert to deliver desks for schools that have none and rebuild a kin-dergarten classroom that was on the verge of collapse. This group also worked with the people to install a water filtration sys-tem to give the people clean water. When they journey across the ocean, their inten-tions are to accomplish many things in a short amount of time. Like Jerry, many of the team members are married and have families here to care for as well.

While there are many who need help right here in our country and even city, Jerry feels the need to help those in for-eign countries where the basic needs are so much greater. “There are needs at home, and we recognize them and person-ally help with them,” Jerry explained. “We encourage those who feel their place of service is in Pearland. But, we also know that the number of helpers, the amount of money, the number of foundations and the number of churches that help here far outnumber those who are willing to travel long distances, live uncomfortably and sometimes endure a little sickness. We prefer to go where others are not going.”

Jerry shared a story of a project they worked on that has stayed with him. They arrived in northwest Afghanistan at a camp for internally displaced persons, otherwise known as refugees, in their own country. There, they found seven wa-ter wells that thousands of people used, but only two of the wells worked. They saw a woman getting water with a rope and bucket both made from old tires. She

struggled to get the water from the ground to the large plastic containers while men watched, which is simply their culture. She then carried the water to her house, which was about 20 yards away. And, she did all of this on crutches because she had lost one leg to a land mine when she was a young girl. To watch someone struggle just to get water in their home impacted his team in ways that are unimaginable. So, Jerry and his team provided a hand-pump for the well and money to train the woman’s son so he could maintain all of the wells in the camp. Such a small change can have such a lasting effect.

Innovative Humanitarian Solutions is a 501(c)3 organization, so all donations are tax deductible. It is their objective to make your gift go a long way. “I sup-port Innovative Humanitarian Solutions because I know exactly how and where

my money is used,” said Gary Williams. “I have seen firsthand how conservative they are with their money and how im-portant it is to them to get the most out of every gift. I also support IHS because they go to help people who are largely ignored by everyone else.”

Refugees from Somalia can have food, shelter, clothes and other basic needs for what the average American spends on cof-fee in a month. Women in a refugee camp in northern Ethiopia can start their own business and support themselves with a loan of a few hundred dollars, Jerry ex-plained. “The needs are many. We have so much. They have so little. It only takes a little of our much to make much of their little.”

“I have seen the results and know that IHS’s goals are being accomplished,” said William Andress who donates money reg-ularly to them. “People are being saved. IHS opens doors into areas where it would be impossible to go.”

To find out more about Innovative Hu-manitarian Solutions, visit them at www.innovativehs.net or call them here in Pearland at 281.997.7900.

Pearland’sInnovative Humanitarian

Solutions Spans the Globe Helping Others

Innovative Humanitarian Solutions, a 501(c)3 organization, helps individuals in third world countries by providing them basic human needs. To date, the organi-zation has provided relief to the following areas:

• Afghanistan• Bangladesh • Eritrea• Ethiopia

Visit HIS at www.innovativehs.net or call 281.997.7900.

• Morocco • Pakistan• Sudan• Turkey

School children in Sudan.

Innovative Humanitarian Solutions (IHS) volunteers building a dam in Eritrea.

Herat well in Afghanistan.


on Finance

Provided by Texas First BankBy Jason Alderman

The Ins and Outs of ePayments

Are you ordering far fewer checks for your bank account these days? Does a roll of postage stamps

seem to last a lot longer? Like most peo-ple, you’re probably performing many more financial transactions electronical-ly, either by choice or because companies and government agencies have increas-ingly made it all but mandatory.

For example, most gyms require au-tomatic deductions from a checking or credit card account. Utilities, mortgage lenders, insurance companies and others strongly encourage electronic payments. And many states now distribute benefits like unemployment, child support and disability assistance using prepaid cards instead of paper checks.

Electronic transactionshave caught on because:

They’re cheaper. Businesses save on the costs of printing, processing and mailing millions of paper checks and statements, and with first-class postage costing 45 cents, customers rack up sav-ings over time. And, they save millions of tons of paper.

They’re faster. Bill payments, fund’s transfers and direct deposits to your bank account or prepaid card occur the same day (often instantly), versus being delayed in the mail. And, if you some-times forget to mail payments on time, auto payment protects against late fees and overdraft charges.

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They’re convenient. You can choose one-time bill pay, where you first review your bill and then autho-rize payment, or recurring bill pay, where your bills are paid automati-cally at a scheduled time – for either the full amount (usually mandatory with utilities), the minimum payment due, or an amount you choose. You can usually have funds drawn from either your checking or credit card account. Be sure to ask.

They’re safer. Even in these high-tech times, old-fashioned mail theft re-mains a major problem. For example in 2010, more than 540,000 mailed federal benefit checks were reported lost or sto-len and had to be replaced.

That doesn’t mean electronic trans-actions are risk-free. As with email or any kind of online activity, you should take precautions to protect your com-puter – and cell phone – from being hacked. For example:

• Make sure your anti-virus and an-ti-spyware software is up-to-date.

• When making online payments, look for safety symbols like a padlock icon in the browser’s status bar, an “s” after “http” in the URL, or the words “Secure Sockets Layer” (SSL).

• Review credit card and bank ac-count statements regularly and report duplicate bill payments or suspicious/unauthorized charges to the card issuer.

• Ask whether your credit or debit card offers “zero liability,” which means you won’t be responsible for unauthor-ized or fraudulent purchases.

• Regularly order your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion), and review for errors or fraudulent activ-ity. You can order one free report annu-ally from each at www.AnnualCreditRe-port.com or more frequently for a small fee from each bureau.

• Create complex, random passwords and change them regularly.

Be a savvy consumer wheneverusing a bill-paying service:

• Ask if any fees are involved. • Before signing the agreement, make

sure you understand and accept the terms.

• To stop service, you must notify the merchant as well as the bank/credit card company. Cancellation may take a month or two to become effective, so plan ahead.

• If your payment card expires, the merchant will need new card information to ensure uninterrupted service.

• Track expenses carefully, and keep your budget up to date.

This article is brought to you by a partnership between Visa and Texas First Bank and was au-thored by Jason Alderman, who directs Visa’s finan-cial education programs. For more information, fol-low Texas First Bank on Facebook, Twitter and You Tube or visit us at www.texasfirstbank.com.


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Mackenzie Bush’s Orient Adventure

This past summer Dawson High School junior Mackenzie Bush served as an exchange student in Japan through Youth for Understanding USA, a study abroad program that immerses students in the lives, culture and com-munity of a family in one of 40 countries around the globe. She also created a blog about her experience.

Growing up, her family hosted ex-change students from Germany, Den-mark, Norway, Sweden, Finland and Switzerland. This year they are hosting their 10th exchange student. “I really enjoy it. I like knowing people from all over the world – it’s interesting,” said Mackenzie.

Mackenzie often wondered what it would be like to experience life in an-other country with a different culture, so she filled out an application and was accepted. “My biggest surprise was that in Japan people don’t hug each other

unless they know you really well. Here, when we say ‘hi,’ we give people a hug.”

Japan airs many American TV shows in the Japanese language. “I picked up a few basic phrases that my host family taught me. I tried to speak it as much as I could,” she said.

Mackenzie’s most memorable experi-ence was wearing a kimono and perform-

ing a Japanese dance. Although it was difficult, she said, “It was different, and it was really, really, fun.”

Another memorable experience was when she helped students at the elementary school where her host dad is principal. The schools have basically the same courses as here, but the stu-dents stay together in their group the whole day; they don’t switch classes. Af-ter lunch, the students clean the school; there are no janitors. “They were all so adorable and cute,” she said. “They all wanted my autograph because they thought my writing was cool.”

She toured the Kikkoman factory and learned that it takes about 10 months to make soy sauce. The soy milk ice cream is, “the best ice cream ever.”

Jade, another exchange student, and Mackenzie visited the shopping mall of Odaiba and a nearby cat café where cats can be held and played with. They attended an Italian opera that the movie Rent is based on and rode the train by themselves.

For the first time, she ate at a su-shi restaurant and discovered that she likes the salmon and shrimp. At the zoo, she saw the pandas and her favorite an-imal, the sloth.

Mackenzie is undecided on a major and college, but is leaning towards a program and career that has something to do with international studies.

“Japan is an amazing country. If anyone would want to do an exchange program, I would 100% recommend Ja-pan. It’s so different, but everyone is so nice there.”

Visit Mackenzie’s blog at www.ken-ziebush.blogspot.com. To learn more about the exchange program, please visit www.yfu-usa.org.

By Linda K. Eaves

HOT SHOTHigh School

Mackenzie“Japan is an amazing country.

If anyone would want to do an exchange program,

I would 100% recommend Japan. It’s so different, but everyone is so nice there.”

Mackenzie in a Kimono, a Japanese traditional garment.


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PEARLAND

HEADLINERSSend your news via www.PearlandFocus.com. All submissions are subject to the publisher’s approval, editing and space availability.

Derrick, the longtime Pearland High School (PHS) Oiler mascot, has returned to relive his glory days.

Reviving tradition, Principal Larry Berger initiated the effort to have the nine-foot-tall fiberglass statue restored. Refurbished this summer, Derrick now stands in the PHS commons, where the school plans to create a historical display on the wall behind him. The lumberjack-sized man in the hard hat may even make an appearance on the football field for this year’s homecoming game.

Constructed in 1963 by the company that created the Houston Oilers’ “Oiler Man,” Derrick served as the school’s mobile mascot for nearly 40 years. PHS alumni may remember the Oiler Guards hauling Derrick to all the football games from the 1960s to the 1980s, running him up and down the field when the Oilers scored. Through the 1990s, cheerlead-ers commandeered him to help promote school spirit.

After PHS entered the 21st century, Derrick – finally too weather-beaten for outings on the field – was retired to the school’s vocational department. Artist Jes-se Aguirre restored the mascot with help from Drew Dietrich of ADDI Printing. All restoration proceeds benefitted the non-profit organization Exceptional Parents of Little Angels with Special Needs.

Pearland High School’s longtime mascot, Derrick,now stands newly-refurbished in the school commons.

Headliners continued on page 27

Pearland High SchoolRevives Oiler Tradition:

‘Derrick’ Mascot


Memorial Hermann Southeast Hospital l Caring for the Community

M emorial Hermann Southeast Hospital offers the latest treatment options for a range of ear, nose and throat

(ENT) conditions, including the following: • Sinuses – When swelling, inflammation or polyps block

the drainage system of the sinuses, innovative techniques such as surgical balloon dilation through the nasal cavity – similar to the technique used for blocked heart vessels – are used to open the clogged area.

• Allergies – To address ENT inflammation caused by food or environmental allergies, allergens are identified and controlled using precise medication management, such as nasal steroids and antihistamines.

• Obstructive sleep apnea – Depending on the se-verity, treatment options include continuous positive air pressure (CPAP), using a device that sends air pressure through a nasal mask and opens the airway during sleep; a customized mouthpiece that minimizes snoring; or surgery to tighten or remove soft tissue and open the airway.

One Size Does Not Fit AllAlthough ENT disorders are among the most common

medical conditions in the United States, they can vary greatly from one patient to another. It takes a trained otorhinolaryngologist – a physician specializing in ENT and related structures of the head and neck – to expertly diag-nose and treat them.

For Houston-area residents, physicians at Memorial Hermann Southeast now offer ENT services for a variety of conditions, ranging from vocal cord disorders to chronic ear

Comprehensive ENT Services Close to Homeinfections. “We provide comprehensive ENT evaluations and advanced medical and surgical treatments, so that patients no longer need to travel far for quality services,” says Mi-chael C. Byrd, M.D., a board-certified otorhinolaryngologist affiliated with Memorial Hermann Southeast and an as-sistant professor in the department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery at The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston (UTHealth) Medical School.

Teaming Up for Optimal ServicesThrough its collaboration with UTHealth Medical School,

the department of Otorhinolaryngology at Memorial Her-mann Southeast is able to offer treatments customized to individual needs. “Whether patients require primary care or cutting-edge surgical treatment, we are proud to offer excel-lent ENT services close to home,” says Dr. Byrd.

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Are you suffering from an ENT condition? Schedule an appointment with an otorhinolaryngologist. Call 713.222.CARE (2273) for a physician referral or visit www.memorialhermann.org/southeast.

Freeze Your Fat Away

Focus on BeautyBy Swet Chaudhari, MD

Y ou skip the donuts, hit the gym religiously and steer clear of the mid-day snacks. But no matter how hard

you work, you’re still battling that pesky muffin top or the not-so-lovely love handles.

What you’re battling is stubborn fat. What you need is CoolS-culpting™ by Zeltiq. It’s the coolest thing in fat reduction – one session, one hour, with no invasive surgery and no downtime. Per-haps you’ve heard the buzz or seen it on Good Morning America, The CBS Early Show, The Doctors or Rachael Ray – a new way to freeze your fat away.

CoolSculpting™ is a great new option for men and wom-en dealing with exercise and diet-resistant problem areas. CoolSculpting™ uses the science of cryolipolysis to get rid of your stubborn fat and improve body contouring. Through cryolipolysis, targeted fat cells are treated with a cooling process which enables the body to naturally dispose of the altered cells. This painless process can eliminate up to one third of the fat from a treated region with no needles, no anesthesia, no surgery and no required recovery time. Fol-lowing treatment, patients may immediately return to nor-mal activities, including work and exercise. Zeltiq is FDA-

approved and completely safe to use, offering you a painless route to a new body.

CoolSculpting™ is highly effective and is producing consistent results for local areas of fat like the love-handles and spare tires. The ideal candidate is someone in relatively good shape, with modest areas of fat bulges that they’d like removed. Some of the most common areas of stubborn fat include the upper and lower abdomen (spare tires), the flank areas (lovehandles), the upper arms (bat-wings), and inner thighs.

When it comes to body contouring, trusting a plastic surgeon is key to getting an amazing result. Dr. Chaudhari has been offering CoolSculpting™ to his patients in south Houston area for the last year and has successfully treated hundreds of patients. Contact Dr. Chaudhari today at (832) 398-0112 to schedule a free consul-tation, and see if CoolSculpting™ is right for you. To learn more about services available at SunCoast Plastic Surgery, visit www.suncoastplasticsurgery.net.

CoolSculpting™ is also available at Dr. Chaudhari’s new Di-vinity Med Spa & Wellness, the premiere medical spa in south Houston. For more information about holiday specials, visit www.divinitymedspa.com and Like Us on Facebook.

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www.pearland .com • November/December 2012 15 Advertorial


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Y our smile is usually the first thing people notice about you. A beautiful

smile improves your personal and profes-sional image and your overall appear-ance. Social life is based on appearance

and works its way inward from there.The doctors at Accent Dental Group,

along with Dr. Enrique Tabarini, a local oral surgeon with Shadow Creek Oral and Facial Surgery Center, know the benefits of a beautiful smile. Studies show that if you have bad teeth that are not treated, it will have a negative affect on your overall health. Poor oral hygiene is a known con-tributor of heart problems, cardiovascular disease, arthritis and joint pain. Many opt to live with bad teeth due to fear of dental procedures while others cannot afford to have the work performed.

Accent Dental Group selects one per-

son a year from the community to receive a new smile makeover to at no cost. Smith and Tabarini selected a worthy individual to receive the gratu-itous smile makeover, which includes all nec-essary cosmetic and restorative dental care, Accent Dental Group believes in giving back

to those less fortunate, and there is noth-ing like a bright new smile to change someone’s life.

Tiffany Harwell was selected to receive this year’s smile makeover. The concept of a smile makeover can mean different things to different people. For Harwell, it meant after years in constant pain mak-ing eating almost unbearable, she would finally have a day without pain. Harwell never dreamed of getting her dental work done because of the enormous cost and the fact that she is on a tight budget. “It will feel so good to not have to think about my smile anymore. I have been so self-conscious about my teeth. I am ex-periencing a happier, more confident out-look.” Harwell was so embarrassed about her teeth that she was afraid to smile. “I am still in shock looking at the before and after pictures.”

“It is rewarding seeing such a deserv-ing woman who otherwise couldn’t af-ford the work we preformed transform,” said Dr. Smith “I look forward to seeing where Tiffany goes from here with the confidence she has gained from her new smile.” Harwell truly looks amazing and is in better health both physically and emotionally.

Learn more about Accent Dental Group by visiting www.myaccentdental.com, calling 281.997.0100 or emailing [email protected]. Accent Dental Group is open Monday though Thursday 8 am to 7 pm, Friday until 5 pm and Saturday 9 am until 3 pm. In most cases, you can get in the same day. They accept most insurance plans and will provide more information when you call.

Learn more about Shadow Creek Oral & Facial Surgery Center by visiting www.shadowcreekoms.com, calling 713-436-0148 or emailing [email protected].

Around TheCOMMUNITY

A Bright, New Smile Can Change Your Life

Before After

Sage and Tiffany Harwell.


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Y ou can almost smell the Christ-mas trees and roasting turkeys as the holidays quickly approach.

Pearland retailers are kicking into high gear to provide citizens with monstrous piles of goods. This year we are asking residents of Pearland to shop strategical-ly and help build a stronger community. The Pearland Chamber of Commerce Pearland Purchase Power Team asks that you use the following the shopping strategy.

Strategy 1: THINK PEARLAND FIRST before purchasing gifts outside of our community. The sales tax col-lected from purchases made in our city provides funding for improved infrastruc-ture, parks and the quality of life ameni-ties everyone wants. Wouldn’t you rath-er fund the Pearland park system than some other citys?

Strategy 2: EXPLORE PEARLAND to find shops and gift sources you might not have even known were available. There is no longer the excuse that, at gift giving time, items cannot be found in our own city. City leaders have worked diligently to provide avenues and options for more goods and services. Pearland offers a diverse array of shopping oppor-tunities from boutiques to major shop-ping retailers. Shopping locally helps grow a stronger community by keeping those tax dollars at home. Please pur-chase your gifts in Pearland.

Strategy 3: THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX. Who says a gift must fit in a shirt box wrapped in paper? Everyone gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local hair salon or barber? Gym membership? It’s appropriate for all ages who want to improve their health.

Who wouldn’t appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, locally owned de-tail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates. Perhaps that grateful gift re-ceiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or games at the local golf course. How many driv-ers couldn’t use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a local auto store? Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would love the ser-vices of a local cleaning lady for a day, a manicure and pedicure, or even a day of beauty at the local spa. There are many locally owned restaurants all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn’t the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast establishment or taqueria.

Outcome: WIN-WIN FOR PEARL-AND. By shopping in Pearland, you are helping our local businesses follow their

dreams. By supporting hometown folks, you can assist those who have their fi-nancial lives on the line keep their doors open. Local employers support our com-munity by providing jobs and support to numerous organizations. Pearland busi-ness cares about the health of the econ-omy. Now, let’s show appreciation for those businesses. Shopping in Pearland proves a desire to improve our commu-nity, and the benefits will come back in ways that will assist everyone.

Only you and your choices can help build a better community. Take responsi-bility to invest in the city where you live. The holidays can be beneficial to Pearl-and with very little effort if each resident commits to shopping locally. Make your holiday spending not only about finding the perfect gift but also about building a better economy in Pearland. Remember, this holiday season, support Pearland and shop local.

Pearland Purchase Power Urges the Use ofStrategic Tactics for

By Carol Artz-Bucek

Advertorial

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This holiday season, let A & A Cleaning Services help you get your house ready with a deep cleaning.

When Mona Chavarria first started A & A Cleaning Services, her mission was clear: provide quality residential cleaning services that exceed customer expectations. Almost fifteen years later, A & A has expanded its wide range of services to include residential cleaning services, commercial cleaning services, janitorial supplies, professional com-mercial lawn care services, window cleaning and carpet cleaning for both residential and commercial businesses.

Locally owned and operated, A & A Cleaning Services is highly invested in the Pearland community. “I believe it is important to give back to the community that has given so much to me,” says owner Mona. “That’s why I give so much of my time and money to various local organizations in community service.”

A & A Cleaning was named Business of the Year by the Pearland Chamber of Com-merce. In 2010, A & A received the prestigious Blue Ribbon Small Business Award from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. A & A was recently presented a resolution by the State of Texas House of Representatives for demonstrating the degree to which a successful busi-ness can make a positive difference in the community it serves.

To find out more about A & A, visit www.aacleaningservices.com. Call 281-489-8614 to schedule a cleaning.

Carino’s Italian:Good Food at Great Prices is Our Mission

At Carino’s Italian, food is our mis-sion. From the Italian classics to signa-ture dishes such as the Skilletini or our Spicy Shrimp & Chicken, all offerings are handcrafted from the finest, freshest ingredients available.

We revere the tradition of serving only the best, and when it means coming in early to hand-roll the meatballs, build a 16-layer lasagna one tier at a time, or craft our tiramisu from scratch, we think of it as passion, not work.

Come experience Carino’s great weekday specials:

Family Night Monday: Enjoy half off family platters every Monday night at Carino’s. Feed the family for half the price with 13 mouthwatering platters to choose from.

Wine Wednesday: Unwind with half off bottles of wine - every bottle, every Wednesday.

Happy Hour: Monday through Friday from 3 to 7 pm, come take advantage of drink specials and half-price pizzas and appetizers. Beer and wine from $2 and signature specialty drinks from $3. Come hungry and enjoy half price appetizer specials including famous Italian Nach-os or mouthwatering Meatball Sliders.

Carino’s Catering: Big or small, whether it is an office party, holiday gathering, or wedding reception, Ca-rino’s Catering offers delicious and af-fordable options that everyone will love.

Visit catering.carinos.com or join us at 3050 Silverlake Village Drive in Pearland, dine in or curbside.

Advertorial

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Holiday Decorating:Mix It Up

The holidays are my favorite time of year! I love the smells, the traditions, the colors, and all of the time spent with family and friends. As an Interior Designer, I like to combine all of these aspects of the season into my holiday decorating.

When deciding on your holiday decorations this year, don’t be afraid to experiment with bold colors or to use holiday decorations in an unconven-tional way. For example, use tree orna-ments as centerpieces for your dining room table. Find a few vases that you like; they can be different sizes or all the same, whichever you prefer. Fill the vases with the colored balls you nor-mally hang on the tree. You can leave it as simple as that or add some flowers.

When thinking about how to deco-rate your dinner table for the holidays, try to incorporate something fun into the mix. Add a Christmas cracker to each place setting so your guests have something to be entertained by and laugh about while they are waiting for dinner to be served.

Lacie Grace Interior Design spe-cializes in residential interior design and decoration. If you are looking for a little help with your holiday decorations, Lacie Grace would love to help. Lacie Grace offers a no cost consultation for interior design and holiday decorations.

Visit www.LacieGrace.com, call 281-549-5191 or email [email protected].

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Advertorial pearland magazine • November/December 2012 20

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The holidays are fast approaching, and your house feels tired and in need of some help. What do you do?

The answer to a fast, fresh look may exist within your own home for free! Have you thought to repurpose your ex-isting furniture and accessories to get a new perspective? Think outside the box: You can mix it up a bit and swap a side chest in the bedroom for a side table in the living room. Or, you can pull a sofa table from the living room into the entry or front dining, stack some great lamps on it, and call it a console. If you need a large side board for the holiday spread, here’s a brave thought: Will your great looking bedroom dresser work?

Think scale and rhythm when ac-cessorizing. If you have small lamps but need to give them a bit of oomph, pull out a couple of nice hardback books and stack the lamps – one on the table, and one immediately next to it on the books. Flank them with a great looking photo frame and voila! Or, if accessoriz-ing bookshelves, try removing a shelf or two and offset them so they aren’t so symmetrical. Remove small items and replace with large, chunky pieces, and make sure to group collections together so they make more of an impact.

Have fun with your furniture, and don’t be afraid to take interesting risks to jazz it up for your holiday get-togeth-ers. And, if you need help, contact the Designer’s Niche at 281-323-3630 or www.thedesignersniche.com.

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Advertorial www.pearland .com • November/December 2012 21

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This holiday season, Rodeo Bar-B- Q Restaurant and Saloon celebrates nearly three years serving Pearland and would like to thank their customers for their support. Mike started smoking meats back in the 1970s in his family-owned businesses in the Pearland and Alvin area. Today, Rodeo Bar-B-Q is a family owned and operated business. Stop by for some true Texas barbeque and to watch a game of sports. Rodeo Bar-B-Q now offers a custom built, full service bar.

As in holidays past, Rodeo Bar-B-Q offers turkeys, honey-smoked hams and all the trimmings. Treat yourself during this happy season, and let Rodeo Bar- B-Q do the cooking for you. Instead of putting all of the pressure on yourself to prepare holiday meals for your fam-ily, come by Rodeo Bar-B-Q Restaurant and Saloon. Let them cover all of your holiday season meal needs so that you can enjoy the extra time with your fam-ily and friends. From smoked turkey to pumpkin pie, get your order in early!

Owners Mike and June along with their employees thank you for your sup-port and wish you a blessed holiday season.

Rodeo Bar-B-Q is located at 1807 East Broadway, just east of Dixie Farm Road at the entrance of Woodcreek Subdivision in Pearland. Call 281-993-2222 or visit www.rodeobarbq.com.

Go to www.PearlandFocus.comSeen on the Scene

Thursday, September 20, 2012 • Golfcrest Country Club

Golf ClassicPearland Chamber of Commerce

Peyton Saverance, Blaire Pancake & Erin Cureton William Fesler, Adam & Courtney Palmer & Jonathan Ahearn

Susie Ainsworth, Andy Armadillo & Naomi Smith

Adam Smith & Sonia Hertaran Randy Svatek & Joe Munel

Andy Armadillo with Carol & Joshua Bell & Quinton Parks LJ Del Papa & Aaron Schneider

Gene Craig, Patrick Bealer, Steve Boylan & Scott Slattery VJ Leggio & Frank Samperi

Matt Anderson, Doug Bergen, Earnest Richards & John Leonard

Sean Murphy & Steve Buckaloo

Jason Yowell, Blake Barmore, Nathan Rorick & Wendy Ghormley

Dave Robbino, Ed Guzman, Chales Kozel & Todd Harvey

Skip Thevenot, Harold Redman, Gary Bucek & Tom Amundsen



FOCUS ON COMMUNITY

Connecting YOU with the Community

T exas Community Referral Network (TCRN) is much more

than just a marketing compa-ny that helps local businesses grow. TCRN is committed to strengthening the communi-ties we serve across Greater Houston as a resource to those same communities. We do that through our dynamic websites, our Preferred Customer Cards and local events as a way to bring the community together, as well as give back in a phil-anthropic nature.

The Pearland division of TCRN has a local website, www.tcrn-pear land.com, which provides an opportu-nity for you to have different information about the com-munity you live in. TCRN wants to be on your list of “favorite” websites, and offer you more than a great online directory filled with fantastic busi-nesses. We are expanding the offer-ings and information that can be found on our community sites. You will find more important links and helpful in-sights about your community.

We invite you to use the event cal-endar on the Pearland site to post lo-cal events. Here, local non-profit orga-nizations, schools, churches and civic groups can post their events for free and provide information and details pertaining to their upcoming events. This calendar is open to the commu-nity at large and is just one more place local activities can be listed. For ex-ample, when the general public visits the site, they can view different things going on around the community and choose where to take the kids for some-thing fun to do! Tell your school PTA’s, church offices, local boards and civic or city organizations about www.tcrn-pearland.com. They simply click on

the event calendar tab and click on the “Add an Event” button to fill out the online form, and their event will post to the website within 24 hours. With the holidays approaching, there are al-ways lots of fun events around town…so make sure that yours is on there!

Are you trying to hire new employ-ees? Are you looking for a job? If so, then you need to go to the Job Op-portunities page on your local TCRN website. Here, any business can list job openings that they may have, and there is no cost to do so. Business can take advantage of an additional source to list employment opportunities abso-lutely free. In addition to offering busi-nesses another source for listing job op-portunities, it also gives those looking for a job another source to look for job openings!

Do you like to save money? Our Pre-ferred Customer Card is a great tool to do just that! From dining at Stadia Sports Grill (save 15% off your food bill) to home services with Killum Pest Control (save $20 off your first service)

to personal services at Divinity Med Spa (save $50 off weight loss programs plus savings on many other savings) and children services at Bright Learners Academy (save $100 when you register your child), you can keep more of your dol-lars in your wallet! Visit our site often to learn about new TCRN-Pearland businesses and additional great ways to save money.

Look out for TCRN commu-nity events too! To start out the New Year, there will be a TCRN Chili Cook-Off where you can sample great home town chili while benefiting a local non-profit. More details on the Chili Cook-Off will be in the next Focus on the Com-

munity article in the January 2013 issue, followed by more great events throughout the year!

TCRN is dedicated to the residents of Pearland and its surrounding area. Tell your friends about our local web-

site, our Facebook page, and give them a Preferred Customer card, too. I want to an-nounce the addi-tion of Heart to Heart Hospice, Alisa Murray Photography and Tomorrows On-line Marketing as the newest busi-ness members of

TCRN-Pearland. TCRN wants to bring you the best Pearland has to offer, and connect you with the Community. On behalf of TCRN-Pearland, and its mem-bers, Happy Holidays!

Visit www.TCRN-PEARLAND.com for more information.

By Brian CovaultFounder and

President of TCRN

Go to www.PearlandFocus.comSeen on the Scene

Friday, October 12, 2012 • Pearland Community Center

9th Annual Plant Thyme Fall Luncheon Keep Pearland Beautiful

Gary Bucek, Laura Austin & Laurie Rock Jim Johnson, Scott Sherman, Quentin Wiltz & Jacob Williamson Jennie Stevens & Janice Hallisey

Mayor Tom Reid & Corkey Turner Helen Beckman & Buck Stevens

Donna Rizzo, Greg Hill & Ruby Sandars Lori Bott, Judy Janiga & Shannon Bott

Patsy Ramirez, Dymess Richardson, Beatriz Grant, Rosa Alonzo with Anna & Jennifer Bryant Teagan, Doris & Sherwin Sun Sally Mercer & Lisa Cushing

Carol Artz-Bucek & Virginia Brown Delores Fenwick & Charlie Miles

Kim Hocott & Ruben Almanza Nelva Urick & Johanna McWilliamsAnn Frautschi, Shirley Coffman & Chet Garner Billy Jo Moffett & Shirley Britt

Lynette Wilson & Mary Hammer Susan Conley-DeFisher & Barb Lindberg



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is veterans and out of those, 5 to 10 percent are women.”

These he-roes are living

in deplorable con-ditions without basic living essentials. Their health-care needs are not being met, and to make matters even worse, over half of them have mental illnesses that have been either cre-ated by serving our country or exacerbated by having served.

Satavia is a nurse and in her life’s work, she became increasingly weary of what she saw. She created the foun-dation Planet Hope to find and assist our homeless veterans. This November 10th is Veterans Day, and the Planet Hope Foundation is hosting a Veterans Walk to honor the men and women who have served our country. The walk is at Oyster Creek Park located at 4033 Hwy 6 South in Sugar Land from 10 am to 2 pm. By participating in this walk, you can help Planet Hope end the words “homeless” and “veterans” used in the same sentence.

If you can make it out with your chil-dren, it will be a fantastic way to honor and assist those in need while teaching a lesson of thankfulness and grateful-ness. Visit planethopefoundation.org or call 832-248-8292 to register to walk or create a team for the walk.

Happy Thanksgiving! Take care of you!

Living the Sweet Life:By Alisa Murray

www.AlisaMurray.comNationally recognized portrait artist

and award-winning columnist.

B ecoming grateful is something that is taught. Children can

only learn what it means to be grateful by understand-ing what they have been given and how others around them do not have what they do. I remember going with my mother and feeding the homeless when I was little. Over the years, I have cre-ated opportunities for the children, both my own as well as all those in the client base, to learn the important lesson of giving back. Each October for the past ten years, our stu-dio hosts a toy drive. Behind the scenes, we at the studio quietly collect toys and gently used clothes until Santa arrives the first Saturday evening in December to take all of these items to needy fami-lies. It’s interesting to see a toddler, a very self-absorbed being who is not willing to share a toy, blossom into a giver during the first few years of life. Teaching gratefulness and sharing is not a natural instinct; it is a learned social behavior.

Sometimes we receive gifts from oth-ers that we were not expecting. Learn-ing to be thankful for opportunities and gifts not asked for is also a social lesson. I remember the lesson Nana taught about always saying thank you and be-ing grateful for what you had been giv-en, even if it was not on your list! If there ever was a year that I have been made aware of all that I have been given, it would be this one. The trip I took this fall to India has changed me and my per-spective on the world in which I live. The things I witnessed there, so other world-ly, made me stop my busy, carefree life and take notice of the needs of others.

We Have a Planet of Hope!

It was not convenient or fun, but it was important, and I am grateful for having been given the opportunity to see.

Right under our nose here in Hous-ton, we have 3,600 homeless veterans. At first I could not believe the numbers. My good friend Satavia Hazley dropped by to be photographed, and we got to talking about my trip to India and the homeless children there. She shared with me about her organization, Planet Hope Foundation, which serves to pro-vide housing and healthcare services to homeless veterans here in our area. She shared with me how right here in my back yard, I could make a difference.

Through the years I have written many a piece on freedom and how grate-ful I am for all of the people who have given their life so that I may live in a free country. Men and women dying for our freedom is not a light, warm and fuzzy topic to think about, and I am ashamed to think of those same heroes walking the streets of my town without a home or healthcare. They are here amongst us though, and according to the Michael Debakey VA Medical Center, “Twenty-eight percent of our homeless population

Satavia Hazley and Alisa Murray. Photo by Alisa Murray Photography.



Outfitting students with dress code clothes just got easier for Pearland Inde-pendent School District parents, thanks to the Community Closet/Swap Shop.

The shop, organized by the Pearland Council of Parent-Teacher Associations, allows parents to exchange or pick up gently used clothes for students to wear to school. Clothing to be exchanged can-not have ink, marker/pencil marks, miss-ing buttons, tears or other flaws. In addi-tion, all items must be washed and neatly folded.

The shop accepts only standardized dress code jumpers, polo shirts, pants, skirts, shorts (elementary school only), belts, jackets and sweaters. Donations of acceptable clothing and nice shoes are al-ways welcome.

Parents may also pick out clothes with-out exchanging. For clothing vouchers, contact a school nurse, counselor, Com-munities in School’s representative, prin-cipal or a community closet coordinator. Parents may set up an appointment or visit the shop during regularly scheduled hours.

The Community Closet/Swap Shop is located behind Pearland Junior High West and across from PACE Center. Hours are 5 to 7 pm on the following dates: Nov. 27, Dec. 11, Jan. 29, Feb. 26, March 26, April 30 and May 28.

For more information, contact Swap Shop Coordinators Tanya Green at 832.434.2018 or [email protected] and Frances Caballero at 832.385.2685 or [email protected].

Coordinators Tanya Green and Frances Caballero get the Community Closet/Swap Shop ready for the 2012-13 school year.

Headliners continued from page 13

PTA Swap Shop GivesSchool Clothing Second Life •Deer Park•

9001 Spencer Hwy, Suite JLa Porte, Tx 77571

(Wal-Mart Parking Lot) (281) 479-4867

•Pasadena•1213 S. Main St. Suite A

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Eye Styles Trunk Show

Lance and Gemma Taylor with Diane and Bob Lewis. Joe Gutierrez and Nicole Byrd. Gwen and Andrew Noser.

Fay Watson and Susie Ainsworth.Gina Beam, Melanie Melancon, John Sahio,Shavarrah Gooden, Brandy Ferguson and Jackie Lorino.

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PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Events, schedules and information may change without notice. Please refer to the event’s contact person or check the event’s website for more information.

Submit your calendar events [email protected]

E V E N T S• • • • • • • •

November 1st – 9th Annual Holiday Texas Dow Employees Credit UnionCanned Food DriveTDECU invites you to help feed the hungry this holiday season by participating in its annual canned food drive. A specially marked donation box will be available in branch lobbies. The collected food will be donated to food banks in the area where they are collected to be distributed to local families in need in time for the holidays. Visit TDECU.org for branch locations and hours.

November 10th Saturday, 5 – 8 pmSanta’s Wonderland EventSanta arrives by boat to PearlandBass Pro Shops at 1000 BassPro Drive in Pearland to open Wonderland. Join for freecrafts, refreshments and afree photo with Santa. Call 713-770-5117.

November 17thSaturday, 9 amPearland Parks - 5K Run, Walk, RollJoin Pearland Parks for a pre-turkey 5K to get ready for the holiday season. The race is open to anyone willing to run, walk, or roll (wheelchair and strollers only) across the finish line. Bring the kids out early for the 1K Fun Run.Call 281-412-8900.

November 30th – December 2nd Friday, 7 – 10 pm; Saturday, Noon – 8 pm;Sunday, Noon – 6 pm

Hometown Christmas FestivalAll ages are welcome to the food, craft and activity festival, located at the Pearland Town Center, 11200 Broadway. Admission is free. Saturday’s festival will include “A Very PEAR-land Christmas” hometown Christmas Parade, located at FM 518 from Pearland Parkway to Old Alvin Road. Visit pearlandparks.com for a route map.

December 1stSaturday, 10 am – 4 pmAnnual Christmas Home TourThe Silverlake Lions Club will sponsor this Christmas Home event. Tickets are $10 for the tour; add a buffet lunch at Golfcrest Country Club for $15 more. Call 281-216-3322 for more details and to purchase tickets.

December 8th Saturday, 8 am – 12 pmPearland Old TownsiteFarmers MarketSupport local families by purchasing local produce and products at Zychlinski Park, 2243 Grand Boulevard in Pearland. Visit pearlandoldtownsitefarmersmarket.com.

GET REVVED UP FOR THE HOLIDAYS!Wherever great sports cars gather, Corvette is front and center. Corvette has carved a permanent niche into the sports car landscape, yet it defines state-of-the-art technology and modern efficiency. Classic Chevrolet of Sugar Land, 13115 SW Fwy at Hwy 90A. Call 281-491-9000;www.classicchevysugarland.com.

Shop Pearland for the Holidays and find the

perfect gift for that special

someone!

HOLIDAY

RIDE IN STYLEGet a hot new ride this holiday season from

TexasDirectAuto.com. With thousands of vehicles in stock, you’re sure to find a ride that you will love!

TexasDirectAuto.com, 12053 SW Freewayin Stafford. Call 281-499-8200;

www.TexasDirectAuto.com.

EYE CANDYSunglasses are a great holiday gift! For December only, receive 20% off any pair of sunglasses, with or without prescription. Not to be used in conjunction with insurance. Eye Styles, 10555 Pearland Parkway at Beltway 8. Call 713.991.5522; www.pearlandeyestyles.com.

TRANSFORM WITH ADVANCED SKIN CAREGet bright, silky smooth skin with Obagi's Nu-Derm Starter Kit, the most advanced skin care regimen available. Start your transformation today! Divinity Med Spa + Wellness, 400 W. Parkwood, Suite 116 in Friendswood. Call 281-993-4999; www.DivinityMedSpa.com.

ANTI-AGING DAILY PROGRAMObtain and maintain youthful looking skin with

Pevonia's SkinFit professional treatment with potent repairing and rejuvenating benefits. Preserve an attractive, healthy complexion by integrating the

home care concept in your daily ritual for only $30. SunCoast Plastic Surgery, 400 Parkwood Ave.,

Suite 116 in Friendswood. Call 832-398-0112; www.SunCoastPlasticSurgery.net.

SKEETERS: HISTORY IN THE MAKING

This exclusive behind the scenes look at the development and

history of the Sugar Land Skeeters minor league team makes the

perfect gift for the baseball fans in your life! Visit the Skeeters

Stadium at Constellation Field, 1 Stadium Drive in Sugar Land.

Call 281-240-4487;www.sugarlandskeeters.com.



Now Seeing Patients in Pearland!Board Certified Ophthalmologist

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713-558-8702 • 8619 W. Broadway St., Ste. 101, Pearland, TX 77584

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Historically Pearland By John D. “Mickey” Mark, President – Pearland Historical Society

Another Tragedy in the 40sMany Pearlanders Clearly Remember

A parking lot one quarter of a mile away from the explosion.

I n the last issue of Pearland Focus Magazine, we wrote about the terrible tragedy of

the Gulf Hotel fire in 1943. Later in 1947, there was another tragedy which many long time Pearlanders can very vividly remember even af-ter 65 years.

The date was April 16, 1947. For those of us who were in school at the old Pearland school on Grand Blvd. at the time, we very clearly recall about mid-morning as we were in class that the school building was shaken by a tremendous explosion. Not knowing at the time what was happening, the teachers quickly emptied the classrooms out into the school yard. As we looked around, it became obvious the school had no damage to the buildings, and there was no evidence of any fire or explo-sion or airplane crash nearby. What we soon learned was that a fire on a French vessel named “Grandcamp” in the Texas City harbor had deto-nated approximately 2,300 tons of ammonium nitrate resulting in a chain reaction of fires and explo-sions which killed at least 581 peo-ple including all but one member of the Texas City Fire Department. We later learned the blast was felt as far away as 100 miles inland from Texas City.

The blast resulted in a chain reaction of fires and explosions at Monsanto Chemical Company and also at other refineries and chemi-cal storage vessels on the shoreline. Over 5,000 persons were injured, with 1,784 admitted to 21 area hos-pitals. Of the dead, 63 have never been identified and another 113 were classified as missing since no identifiable parts were ever found. More than 500 homes in Texas City were destroyed and many more damaged leaving over 2,000 people homeless. Many businesses were flattened or burned. The Texas City disaster was the deadliest in-dustrial accident in U.S. history.

Many Pearland citizens quickly drove to Texas City after the explo-sion to help rescue victims and to

The two-ton anchor from”the Grandcamp” was hurled 1.62 miles and was found in a ten foot crater.

transport them to hospitals. At the time, there were only two routes from Texas City to Houston. One was the old Highway 75 (now High-way 3) and the other being High-way 6 to Alvin and then Highway 35 to Houston through Pearland. The traffic through Pearland be-came bumper to bumper non-stop for 24 hours. Many Pearland citi-zens worked non-stop for more than 24 hours helping to rescue people and transport them to hos-pitals. When you mention Texas City to old time Pearlanders, most will have some story to tell about their memory of that terrible day or perhaps had a relative killed or injured in the explosion. It was cer-tainly a day many in Pearland will never forget.

The Texas City disaster was the deadliest industrial accident in U.S. history.

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“What Could Have Been Night”Sponsored by Texas Direct Auto

T h e S u g a r Land Skeeters wrapped up

their regular season on September 22, 2012 by donning Sugar Land War Chickens uniforms for “What Could Have Been Night” sponsored by Texas Direct Auto. The special event was a fundraising event that highlighted just one of the Sugar Land team name suggestions that were seriously consid-ered when choosing the Sugar Land base-ball team name. This year, the organization chose to highlight the name War Chickens. The team wore War Chicken uniforms, and a silent auction was held to auction off the one-of-a-kind uni-forms worn exclusively for the benefit.

In addition to the game and auction, Texas Direct Auto handed out 500 jerseys to youth attending the event and secured 93Q’s Kevin Kline to serve as emcee.

After the game, the silent auction winners were an-nounced, and the War Chickens jerseys and hats were signed by the player

and awarded to the winners. The auction raised $8,558, and Tex-as Direct Auto request-ed that the proceeds be donated to Kline’s Snowdrop Foundation. The Snowdrop Foun-dation helps provide funding for continued research to eliminate childhood cancer and also provides college bound pediatric can-cer patients and survi-vors.”

“Part of our mission at Texas Direct Auto is to give back to the

community by assisting in educating our youth,” said Jessica DeMarr. “We applaud the efforts of Kevin Kline and The Snow-drop Foundation for assisting pediatric can-cer patients with their education, and we are

very proud to be a part of their efforts.”For more information about The Snowdrop Founda-

tion, visit www.snowdropfoundation.org.

Matt Hagen, Max Mahaffey, Tim Redding, Roberto Giron, Manny Mejia, Kelvin Villa and Garrett Parcell of the Sugar Land Skeeters on “What Could Have Been Night.”

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