SENIOR EXPO
Watercrest at Bryan, a new community for active adults, recently participated in the ninth annual Brazos Senior Expo tradeshow held at the Brazos Center in Bryan.
The event, themed "A Patriotic Salute to Seniors," showcased the many services and merchants available to senior citizens in the Brazos Valley.
With more than 1,000 people in attendance, the event honored the USO and U.S. service members.
Watercrest chose a "Rosie the Riveter" theme for its booth, to honor the women who supported their families, husbands and the military by working during the 1940s.
Dressed in blue shirts, jeans and red and white polka-dotted bandanas, Watercrest representatives handed out prizes such as accommodation packages, tote bags and more.
"The Brazos Senior Expo was very successful this year," said Janice McAlister, manager of Watercrest at Bryan. "It presented a chance for us to showcase our community and spread the word about our unbeatable amenities and resort-style living."
The event offered fitness demonstrations, musical talents and prominent speakers who discussed important topics such as illness, financial planning, Medicare fraud, fitness and active lifestyles, hearing problems and photograph restoration.
Located on 16 acres at 3801 E. Crest Drive near the corner of University Drive and Boonville Road, Watercrest at Bryan has 205 independent-living apartments and a variety of resort-style amenities. Call 703-7088 or visit www.watercrestbryan.com.
AREA STUDENTS
* Thirteen cheerleaders from A&M Consolidated High School in College Station were named All-Americans at a recent camp held at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth: Avery Scherr, Maggie Drummond, Caroline Waller, mascot Clint Hollis, Katie ByrnE, Callie Craigen, Maci Greene, Caitlynne Holllis, Taylor Lynne, Holland Knapp, Madeline Street, Katherine Nunley and Madison Brown.
* Two band students from Somerville High School won awards recently at the Stephen F. Austin State University Band Camp in Nacogdoches.
Timothy Kazmir received the Outstanding Brass Performer Award and Joseph Reese earned the Outstanding Musician Award.
* Iola resident Lexie Black has been selected as a delegate to the Texas Youth Leadership Forum conducted by the Center on Disability and Development at Texas A&M University.
Thirty-two rising high school juniors and seniors with disabilities from across Texas will attend this year's forum, being held this month on the campus of St. Edward's University in Austin.
The week's activities will include a tour of the Capitol with opportunities to meet state legislators and the governor, and to hold mock legislative sessions.
At the conclusion of the leadership forum, student delegates develop leadership plans to implement in their respective communities. Past delegates have reported such accomplishments as becoming mentors; organizing food, clothing and blood drives; volunteering at child care centers and doing a presentation on how to apply to medical school.
The delegates are selected through a competitive application process, with emphasis placed on the student's demonstration of leadership potential, participation in extra-curricular activities, school and/or community involvement, and the ability to interact well with other students.
The organization's goal is to develop youth into leaders who advocate for persons with disabilities and influence policy development.
* Three 2010 graduates from A&M Consolidated High School in College Station placed in the SkillsUSA National Championship held recently in Kansas City, Mo.
Finn Lynch and Ellen Bruxvoort placed second in Television Production, and Jeremy Frye placed second in Computer Programming.
In addition to the winners, Travis Knight and Taylor Gade competed in Radio/Audio Production, and Aadil Razvi and Carlos Bogran competed in Web Design.
Only students who won first place in their respective state competitions were eligible for the national contest.
The students were instructed by Consol teachers Bart Taylor and Scott Faulk.
SkillsUSA is a partnership of students, teachers and industry working together to ensure America has a skilled work force. It serves more than 300,000 students and instructors annually. The group has 13,000 school chapters in 54 state and territorial associations.
More than 10,000 students from around the country competed at nationals.
* A&M Consolidated newspaper staff members Becca Gamache and Dini Susanto were recognized recently at the Interscholastic League Press Conference's Summer Newspaper Workshop on The University of Texas campus.
Gamache, a senior and photography editor for The Roar, was recognized as Outstanding Workshop Photographer, and editor-in-chief and senior Susanto was awarded Outstanding Design.
Senior features editor Faria Akram, senior sports editor Anna Huff and junior opinions editor Amy Zhang also attended the workshop. The journalism adviser is A&M Consolidated English and journalism teacher Courtney Wellmann.
Instruction at the workshop focused on newspaper writing, editorial leadership, photography and newspaper design. Classes were led by outstanding journalism instructors and professionals from around the state and country.
SCHOLARSHIPS
The Delta Kappa Gamma Chapter of College Station-Navasota recently chose three area high school graduates to receive $500 scholarships: Shannon Schulze, Brittany Blomstedt and Kayla Marie Stafford.
Schulze graduated from A&M Consolidated High School in College Station and is the daugther of Robert and Lynn Schulze. She plans to attend The University of Texas at Austin and pursue a degree in special education.
Blomstedt graduated from Consol and plans pursue a degree in elementary education at Texas A&M University. She is the daughter of Steve and Shelly Blomstedt.
Stafford graduated from Navasota High School and plans to attend Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, majoring in dance education. She is the daughter of Brad and Mary Stafford.
Delta Kappa Gamma is a professional honor society of top female educators promoting excellence in education.
The members raise funds for scholarships for future teachers through a silent auction held each November.
SPECIAL OLYMPICS
Heart of East Texas area athletes Ross Clubb of College Station and James Hawkins of Franklin will join more than 3,000 qualifiers from around the United States, including 152 from Texas, to compete this week in the Special Olympics 2010 USA National Games.
Clubb and Hawkins will represent Team Texas in the competition, which is being held at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
Both athletes will compete in the Unified Flag Football event.
Clubb is 27 and has been involved in Speical Olymplics since 1992, competing in volleyball, soccer, aquatics, flag football and bowling. He was named the Houston Area Athlete of the Year in 2003, when he also traveled to Ireland to compete in the 2003 World Games.
Clubb also participated in the 2007 World Games in Shanghai, China. In 2006, he participated in the first National Games, earning a silver medal in the Unified Soccer event.
Hawkins is 21 years old and participates in basketball, bocce, bowling, golf and flag football.
The 2010 games feature 13 Olympic-style sports with more than 3,000 competitors, 1,000 coaches and 8,000 volunteers, with an estimated 15,000 family and friends in attendance. In addition to sports, the games will provide health, wellness and education programs.
Special Olympics Texas is a privately funded, nonprofit organization, providing year-round sports training and atheltic competition for more than 36,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities.
For more information, visit www.specialolympicstexas.org.
HIGHER EDUCATION
* Trent Alan Doerner of College Station, a sophomore in mechanical engineering at Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, has been named to the spring honor list in recognition of earning a grade-point average of 3.2 or above.
* Several Brazos Valley residents recently graduated from Texas Woman's University in Denton.
Lucas Anthony Soeken of Brenham earned a doctorate of physical therapy; Kristen Nicole Halloway earned a master of science in family studies and Rachel Lynn Sinclair earned a bachelor of arts in fashion design, both are from College Station; and Franklin resident Alicia Christine Fulton earned a bachelor of science in nursing.
* College Station resident Julian Casey Letton has graduated with a bachelor of arts degree from Bard College in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y.
* Area residents Janelle Myers Perrone, Laura Elizabeth Persky and Brian Dad Vu each earned their doctor of medicine degree from Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.
The three completed four years of medical education, including two years of basic science instruction and two years of clinical training with the college's many clinical affiliates throughout Austin, Beeville, Bryan, College Station, Houston, Round Rock and Temple.
* Montgomery resident Grant Cooper has been named to the spring President's List at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene. Cooper is one of 219 students at HSU who earned a perfect grade-point average for the semester.
THE SALVATION ARMY
Lts. Joe and Monica Contreras, new officers of the local Corps of The Salvation Army, were welcomed by members of The Salvation Army Board of Directors and Women's Auxiliary. A meet and greet reception was held July 1 at The Salvation Army building at 2506 Cavitt Ave. in Bryan.
Joe Contreras is a third generation Salvationist and his wife, Monica, is a first generation Salvationist. Both are ordained ministers, and every Sunday at 11 a.m., they hold worship services at the Cavitt Avenue location. This is their first appointment as officers for The Salvation Army.
"We are very excited to be here in Bryan and look forward to living out The Salvation Army's mission in this community: preaching the gospel and meeting human needs without discrimination," Monica said.
The Salvation Army began serving the Bryan-College Station area in 1957 as a service unit. It became a service center on Jan. 31, 1992, and a full-fledged Corps, or church, on May 15, 1995.
In addition to chairing the Building Hope Campaign in 2004, Travis B. Bryan Jr. served the community on behalf of The Salvation Army for many years before the purchase of the Cavitt Avenue building. Programs at the Bryan Corps include utility and rent assistance, a food pantry, and the "Red Kettle Holiday Bell-Ringing."
On Aug. 31, a membership luncheon is planned by The Salvation Army Women's Auxiliary at Miramont Country Club in Bryan. Anyone interested in learning more about The Salvation Army and the Women's Auxiliary is encouraged to attend. For more information about this luncheon, call Ginger at 361-0618.
COMMUNITY CONTRIBUTION
For the fourth consecutive year, the Kroger Southwest Division and its 210 stores in Louisiana and Texas, including Bryan-College Station, came together to collect food and monetary donations for area hunger-relief organizations such as the Brazos Valley Food Bank.
This year, Kroger Southwest, along with other grocery retailers in Texas, collectively raised more than $4.5 million in food and cash during the three-week campaign. The Brazos Valley Food Bank received a donation of $4,623.
Brazos Valley Food Bank is a nonprofit organization that receives, stores and distributes more than 2 million pounds of food each year to organizations throughout the Brazos Valley that help to feed food-insecure families and individuals.
GENERATIONS
Descendents of John R. and Ella Scasta of Wheelock attended a 20th family reunion at Hilltop Lakes in Normangee recently.
Frank and Frances Walton hosted the reunion. John and Ella's children attended: John H. and Lena Ruth Scasta of Marshall, Lonnie and Bobby Scasta of Wheelock, Bill and Delma Scasta of Wheelock, Cynthia Scasta Janik of Bryan and Frances and Frank Walton of Franklin.
The family prayed together and then reminisced about their parents while visiting and particpating in a weekend of festivities.
NEEDS A HOME
Toni is a spayed blue tabby and she is soft on many levels -- her meow, her fur, her eyes and her behavior. She is so sweet and is a real lover! She will make a wonderful addition to your family as an indoor kitty.
Meet Toni and other animals in need of adoption 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.
BRYAN POLICE
Bryan Police Department recently announced the promotions of two officers. Officer Jason James is now a sergeant and Sgt. Sharean Gideon has been promoted to lieutenant.
James began his career with the department in 1998. He has served as a field training officer, K9 officer, school resource officer and detective, and became the department's public information officer in 2008.
He received a police commendation for work done on a robbery task force in 2005 and a community citation award for providing security for the presidential inauguration.
He is a graduate of Lamar University with a degree in criminal justice and has a master's degree in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati. James is involved in Special Olympics, Bryan Evening Lions Club and the Palmer Drug Abuse Program.
Gideon began her career in Bryan in 1986 after graduating from Sam Houston State University. She has worked as a field training officer, bike patrol officer and a member of the Street Crime Apprehension Team. She has also worked as a K9 officer and member of the mounted patrol.
Gideon has supervised patrol, criminal investigations and the School Resource Unit. She received two public commendation citations for her work on the Street Crime Apprehension Team.
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