AUDUBON SOCIETY

Come to the Rio Brazos Audubon Society's October meeting and discover the joys of becoming an Eastern bluebird landlord. David Gwin and Jim Anding will share their knowledge of bluebirds, what it takes to attract them, how to build and maintain the proper housing for them, and what steps need to be taken to ensure successful nesting results.

The Rio Brazos Audubon Society encourages the establishment of bluebird trails throughout the Brazos Valley. Several members, as well as other area residents, have established bluebird trails and monitor them regularly. They are eager to share the results of their efforts and are available to provide onsite consultations concerning evaluation of habitat and placement of boxes, and to provide information for those who are interested in enjoying bluebirds on their own property.

Bluebird numbers started to decline in the early to mid-1900s due to widespread habitat changes, use of certain pesticides, the introduction of the nonnative house sparrow and European starling and the scarcity of natural nesting cavities. The establishment of bluebird trails around the country has helped reverse this decline.

Anyone interested in learning how to help bluebirds is welcome to attend the meeting at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 14 at the Texas A&M Horticultural Gardens on Hensel Drive in College Station.

For more information, go online to www.riobrazosaudubon.org or call 776-8381.

DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION

At a recent meeting of the La Villita Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Regent Sheila May called the meeting to order and led the opening ritual.

Junior members Frances Shelby and Laura Harding led the pledge to the U.S. flag and to the Texas flag, respectively. Leonora Owre led the preamble to the U.S. Constitution.

Chaplain Emma Gene Schroeder gave the invocation and blessing before members and guests enjoyed the annual Constitution Week dinner.

The speaker for the evening was Bill Giesenschlag.

After the program, May announced national and regional awards presented to the chapter or to chapter committees. She also presented awards to individual members.

Susan Irza gave the President General's message and the Corresponding Secretary's report.

Nancy Schwart gave the National Defense report.

Mary Elizabeth Dresser presented the Registrar's report noting that chapter enrollment is 134. The chapter voted to reinstate one member; two members who were requesting to transfer in and one prospective member were voted on unanimously.

Gorgianne Bigam gave the report of the membership Committee and introduced guests and prospective members.

Owre presented the report for the Constitution Week Committee. Betty Davis gave the Women in History Minute. Mary Louise Shelby presented the report for the DAR Service for Veterans Committee. Schwart gave the report of the By-Laws Committe. Betty Thompson presented a report on the Honor Flight Project.

May announced that past State Regent Lynn Forney Young would be running for Recording Secretary General and that Nancy Tiner had been asked to make the nomination.

May also said the Stitching for Scholarships project of the state was so successful that it would be done again this year. She asked for volunteers to make a quilt block for a quilt to be raffled at the quilt show in Houston. She also recognized members who attended Fall Forum in Austin.

The chapter also recently received Proclamations from the Office of the Governor, Mayor Ben White of College Station, interim President R. Bowen Loftin of Texas A&M University and Brazos County Judge Randy Sims asking citizens to celebrate the 222nd anniversary of the U.S. Constitution, which was last month.

Many community events were a part of the anniversary celebration, including the Wiley Lecture Series at Texas A&M and special programming on KAMU-TV.

ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Mark Allen of College Station is among 3,800 undergraduate students at the University of Iowa named to the dean's list for the 2009 spring semester. Allen is majoring in engineering.

All students named to the dean's list carried at least 12 graded hours during the semester. A minimum 3.5 grade point average (based on a 4.0 scale) for current work is required for inclusion on the dean's list in the Colleges of Liberal Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Business and Engineering.

BRAZOS VALLEY ELKS

Brazos Valley Elks Lodge 859 recently initiated eight new members into the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks. The Elks is a fraternal, charitable organization dedicated to veterans, Americanism and the Brazos Valley. For information on becoming an Elk, contact Jennifer at 218-5505 or elkslodge859@yahoo.com.

FORMER RESIDENTS

A&M Consolidated High School graduates David and Nathan Zellner's film Goliath was recently purchased and distributed by Independent Film Company L.A.

The movie has been an invited feature film at several national and international film festivals this year, including SXSW in Austin; Dallas; CineVegas; AFI; Santa Barbara; Los Angeles; Boston; Berlin; London; Athens, Greece; and Krakow, Poland.

Goliath premiered at the 2008 Sundance Film Festival and on the Sundance Channel on Sept. 4 and 28. The film is exclusively available at Blockbuster Video stores, and will be distributed elsewhere after two months.

David graduated from Consol in 1991 and Nathan in 1993. Nathan is also a 1997 graduate of Texas A&M University. The brothers have been prolific in writing and directing films over the past 10 years. Their Web site is http://zellnerbros.com.

BRAZOS CHRISTIAN SCHOOL HOMECOMING

Brazos Christian School recently celebrated homecoming. The court: 2008 queen Lauren Paine, 2009 queen Kalee McCurdy, Katie Shaub, Bonny Barnby, Melanie Mahnke, Emily Poe, Lindsey Strong and Devin Anne Trotter. The Eagles beat The Woodlands Christian School 28-21.

CITY AWARDS

Geri Marsh, recreation supervisor with the College Station Parks and Recreation Department, was selected for a Texas Amateur Athletic Federation Service Award. The Service Award is granted to professionals in the field who have exhibited dedicated service by showing a willingness to upgrade and promote federation activities.

To be eligible, an individual must have at least five years of service to the organization. In Marsh's tenure with the city of College Station, she has served as a TAAF regional director, executive board member, sports commissioner and Winter Games of Texas liaison, and has served on numerous other committees.

College Station's Parks and Recreation Department received the Gold Level Member City Award at the TAAF conference in Beaumont. The Member City Award is for "Outstanding registration support from teams, individuals and TAAF training programs" and is based on the city's participation in federation programs and events throughout the 2008-09 season.

CHARITY

The Bridal Association of the Brazos Valley chose Brazos Valley Breast Cancer Support as its designated charity for the proceeds from the annual fall bridal show. The event raised $3,000, which will be presented to the cancer group during a banquet on Tuesday.

NEEDS A HOME

Scrappy Doo is so quiet you might miss him when you walk by. But he is really dying for attention, he is just too polite to tell you. Scrappy Doo is sweet and likes to cuddle, but he is too skinny. He needs love as well as some food to fatten him up. He is an adult, so he is going to stay nice and small.

Meet Scrappy Doo at the Brazos Animal Shelter (www.brazosanimal shelter.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.