PEO International
Ellen Stanton, a member of PEO Chapter FZ, recently won a door prize presented by Pattie Sears of the Brazos Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau. The basket contained products from local merchants.
Sears also presented a program to the chapter on the economic impact of visitors to this locale, emphasizing especially the growing attraction of athletic events.
Co-hostesses for the meeting, Laurel Lancaster and Laura Higgins, were recognized by President Lou Ellen Ruesink.
Beta Sigma Phi
* Preceptor Beta Phi chapter of Beta Sigma Phi met last month at the home of Faye Caldwell. Members celebrated Halloween with a chili cheese dog meal. Secret Sister gifts were exchanged.
Following supper, President Kay Hamn led a business meeting. Vice President Diana Kratchman announced that the ritual of jewels would be given to Joan Logan on Nov. 25. Logan was recognized by the international office for doing well on her pledge training test.
Penne Mathews announced that the December service project would be providing snacks and personal items for Pvt. Bruce Cowan, Hamn's grandson, who will be home for Christmas and then ship out to Germany in January.
The next meeting was to be held at Tricia Barksdale Design/Baskets on the Brazos. Following the program there, members planned to go to Denny's for a meal and business meeting. Mathews was set to be the hostess.
* The Beta Sigma Phi City Council held its November meeting at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in College Station. Attending were Faye Caldwell, Della Nichols, Polly Niles, Kim Ritchie, Andi Scott and June Scott.
Upcoming events are the Valentine's Day social and Founder's Day.
The next meeting will be at 7 p.m. Dec. 8 at St. Thomas.
* Epsilon Alpha Beta Master Chapter of Beta Sigma Phi met at the home of Louise Smith for an October Fest dinner last month, with each member bringing a German covered dish.
Following the dinner, President June Scott conducted the business meeting. An invitation was read for RSVP's annual Christmas Dinner at the Hilton on Dec. 10.
Rose Watson, service chairman, announced that gifts for the service menu would be due at the next meeting. Members were asked to bring Christmas gifts for seniors who may not receive a gift otherwise. The gifts will be distributed by RSVP.
Social chairman Smith announced that on Nov. 25 there will be a Thanksgiving Cookie Exchange Social. Smith also announced that the annual Christmas party would be held Dec. 9 at Della Nichols' home.
Ways and means chairman Ginny Cooper passed out cutlery catalogs. Orders are due Nov. 25.
Program chairman Marianna Bond announced that the next meeting would be held at Paula Goodale's home and she would also give the program.
Lynne Hambric gave the program with readings from poems by James Whitcome Riley.
Bridge Club
Star Duplicate Bridge club met Oct. 31 at College Station Conference Center. The winners were:
N/S -- 1. Sally Koestler and Billie Watkins; 2.Elizabeth Booker and Sheryl Pace. E/W -- 1. Ann Fleischer and Harry Suggs; 2. Sara Branch and Lynn Reeves.
On Nov. 3, the winners were:
N/S -- 1. Elizabeth and Ed Booker; 2. Richard Duble and Jim Hibbetts. E/W -- 1. Peggy Anderson and Louise Gorwick; 2. Pace and Jane Turner.
College Station
At the Texas Municipal League Annual Conference and Exhibition, held Oct. 28-31 in San Antonio, College Station was presented the 2008 Municipal Excellence Award in Communication Programs for cities with a population of more than 25,000.
Recognizing that the city needed a way to talk to the public long before important issues became meeting agenda items, College Station Mayor Ben White offered to host "Coffee with the Mayor" -- informal discussions with residents. The mayor selects the topic and target group for these free monthly sessions, which are announced through news releases.
To extend the dialogue, sessions are recorded and broadcast on the city's cable access channel, CSTV-19. The city also has a Web page for the program, www.cstx.gov/coffee.
Bicycle safety
The Texas Medical Association's Hard Hats for Little Heads program distributed 2,000 free bike helmets to second-graders in Bryan-College Station last month in observance of Brain Injury Awareness Month.
Statewide, 3,500 helmets were given away.
TMA physicians, medical students, and TMA Alliance members fitted the helmets on children and instructed parents and children about the importance of wearing a helmet that fits properly.
"We hope this is only the beginning of a new tradition," said College Station doctor Andrew de Jong, who cosponsored the event along with his physician partner. "Our goal is to fit every second-grader in the community with a new helmet every school year."
Bicycle helmets can reduce the risk of head injury by as much as 85 percent, yet only about 50 percent of cyclists wear a helmet when they ride.
Since the medical association's program began, more than 45,000 helmets have been provided to Texas children.
Needs a home
Shadow's a 4-month-old black Labrador mix with sweet brown eyes and joy in her face. Meet Shadow at the Brazos Animal Shelter (www.brazosanimalshelter.org) at 2207 Finfeather Road in Bryan. Hours are 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Fridays and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturdays.
Rockdale gala
The Rockdale Chamber of Commerce is sponsoring its 13th annual Christmas Ball next month.
The western swing dance and buffet will take place at the Knights of Columbus Hall in Rockdale on Dec. 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Music will be provided by Billy Mata and the Texas Tradition, featuring Floyd Domino on the piano. The attire is coat-and-tie for men and after-five or formal for women (no jeans).
For ticket information, call the Rockdale Chamber of Commerce at 512-446-2030. Tickets will not be sold at the door.
Celebrity Chef
Six regular guests of Madden's Casual Gourmet had the opportunity to cook with chef Peter Madden to raise money for three charities.
The Bryan restaurant hosted a "Celebrity Chef" wine dinner fundraiser last month. More than $8,500 in proceeds went to Young Life, Kamp Kesem and Big Brothers Big Sisters.
The six guest chefs -- Sherry Yenello, Karen Geismar, Chuck Huber, Jane Riley, Sherry Escalante and Shalaine Moreno -- were chosen to participate because they have a passion for cooking. Each chef prepared a course with Madden that would serve 50 guests.
"Peter wanted to host an event to benefit charities, and he wanted to do something different including our guests," said Madden's wife, Tara. "We felt like it was a great success for the first time and hope to make it an annual event."
College Station schools
* Three A&M Consolidated High School orchestra students were recently selected to participate in the 2008-2009 All-State Orchestra.
June Kang and Rajeev Kinra on violin, along with Katherine Park on double bass, will perform at the annual Texas Music Educator's Association Convention in February.
* A&M Consolidated High School senior Kyle Johnson has been selected to participate in the Texas Music Educators Association All-State Jazz Ensemble.
The ensemble will perform at the group's annual convention in February in San Antonio.
Johnson is one of five trombone players in the 20-student ensemble selected from thousands of musicians across the state.
* College Station teen Megan Scamardo was recently crowned Miss Bay Area Teen.
Scamardo, 18, is a senior and cheerleader at A&M Consolidated High School.
She will compete in the Miss Texas Teen USA pageant Nov. 28-29 in Houston.
St. Joseph schools
St. Joseph High School received an Honorable Mention in Catholic Identity during the annual Catholic High School Honor Roll recently.
The Bryan school is one of 10 Catholic schools across the U.S. that were recognized in the category. The event, sponsored by the Acton Institute for the Study of Religion and Liberty, evaluates schools in three areas: academic excellence, Catholic identity and civic education.
Bryan schools
Last month, seven Rudder High School students were named to the 9th and 10th grade All-Region choir.
Sophomores Madison Hancock, Amy Loke, Ashley Morehead, Charity Scroggins and Cade Wood and freshmen Matt Hayhurst and Carson Wehmeyer were chosen as some of the best singers in their sections.
Blinn College
Dental hygiene students at Blinn College recently collected items to send to a U.S. Army platoon serving in Iraq. There are 29 soldiers in the 4th Infantry Division platoon, so the students tried to collect 29 of each item on the soldiers' wish list. The students also wrote personal letters to each soldier thanking them for their service to our country.
The soldiers have been serving since March in southern Baghdad and are not expected back home at Fort Hood until spring.
Famous face
Former President George Bush was spotted by Bryan photographer Chris Lungu of Delight Studio last Sunday morning as he was getting in a little fishing at the pond at his presidential library and museum campus in College Station.
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