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Newsletter of the Houston Heights Association
Happy New Year!
Volume 41, Number One, January 2015
by 2015 HHA President Mark Williamson
Happy New Year to all of you
from the 2015 Board of Directors,
Officers, and Committee
Chairs of the Houston Heights
Association. There’s a list of all
of us on page 3 of this issue.
You’ll see some new names there
and some familiar names in new
positions. œ
To the extent that presidents
can affect the priorities of the
Board and the Association, I
want us to focus on improving
the continuity and organization
of HHA and celebrating the history of Houston Heights, while
continuing to do the things we have done well in the past.
To improve continuity, I’m asking each of our Vice Presidents and
Committee Chairs to start grooming one or more successors and to
provide them with the information and tools to do the job someday.
Meanwhile, we will continue reviewing our policies and procedures,
revising them as necessary to improve our organization.
These successors won’t come out of thin air. We will need more of
you, our members, to get involved with a committee or an event. Tell
your neighbors about what HHA has done for the neighborhood and
what we can do with their help.
My wife and I moved to Houston Heights in 1991, the year we
were celebrating the centennial of the founding of the original Omaha
& South Texas Land Company planned community at the far end of
Monthly Meeting &
Happy Hour
Join us on the second
Monday of every month to
meet neighbors, hear interesting
programs, and learn about events.
Doors open to the Fire Station
at 6:30 PM for happy hour; the
monthly program commences
at 7:00 PM. Everyone is invited!
Learn about the Houston
Heights Association and your
neighborhood at the HHA
welcome table.
January 12: For the Love of
Animals
Rescue Realities in the Heights
Six rescue organizations will
be on site to share their mission
of rescue, rehabilitation, and
rehoming of dogs and cats in the
Heights. Each organization will
have two pets for you to meet and
learn about adoption.
The following organizations
are scheduled to participate:
• All Texas Dachshund
Rescue, Linne Girouard,
www.atdr.org;
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...continues on page 7
Monthly Meetings from page 1
• American Brittany Rescue, Addie Spicer, abrtexas@yahoo.com;
• Friends For Life, Salise Shuttlesworth,
www.adoptfriends4life.org;
• Miniature Schnauzer Rescue of Houston, Laura Virgadamo,
www.msrh.org;
• Pup Squad Animal Rescue, Stephanie Hill, www.pupsquad.org;
and
• Scouts Honor, Leslie Hillendahl, www.scoutshonor.org.
Thank you to Laura Virgadamo for chairing this program.
February 9: Share the Love
Meet the committees of the Houston Heights Association and
learn about their activities and your opportunities to participate at
this annual valentine-themed event. There will be door prizes and
“heart-felt” refreshments.
Meet Your School Principals
The HHA Education
Committee invites Principals
of local schools to the HHA
Monthly Meetings to introduce
themselves to our members
and describe their schools and
their programs. These Principals
are scheduled in the next few
months:
January 12: Dr. Mina Schnitta
from Hogg MS
February 9: Robert Chavarria
from Love Elementary
March 9: John Baker from
Helms Elementary
The Houston Heights Association gratefully acknowledges the
support of our Winter 2014-15 Sponsors:
Platinum
Gold
Silver
Bronze
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The Heights is published monthly by
the Houston Heights Association, Inc. Its
purpose is to acknowledge achievements and
to inform HHA members of events.
Copyright © 2015, the Houston Heights
Association and/or the authors unless otherwise noted.
Newsletter inquiries, suggestions, or
submissions should be directed to:
Editor, The Heights, 107 W. 12th Street,
Houston, TX 77008-6907,
email editor@houstonheights.org,
or leave a message on 713-861-4002.
VP of Communications................. Julie Pettit
Editor.............................Mark R. Williamson
Assistant Editor........ Kathleen S. Williamson
January contributors:
Bill Baldwin, Stacey Courville,
Angela DeWree, Brenda Eskelson,
Linda Eyles, Lauriel Hindman, Julie Pettit,
Kelly Simmons.
Organizational Meeting
At its organizational meeting in December, the 2015 HHA Board
of Directors took the following actions:
• elected officers as listed at right,
• elected two non-officer Directors to the Executive Committee,
• filled the two vacant one-year board positions,
• appointed check signers,
• confirmed the customary general and board meeting dates, and
• discussed the appointment of committee chairs.
2015 Committee and Subcommittee Chairs
Archives — open
Awards Dinner — Bill Baldwin, Andrea Sharp
Bicycle Rally — Jessica Hughes
Boulevard Beautification — Jim Bennett
• Garden Club — Dee Melancon, Brenda Eskelson
Business — Laura Menefee
By-laws/Policies — Lauriel Hindman
Citizen of the Year/Marcella Perry Awards — Denise Martin
Community Improvement. Awards — Anne Culotta
Crime & Security (Constable Patrol Project) — Lanna vonBaden,
John Ridgway
Education — Anne Sloan
Election — Robert Woods
Executive — Mark Williamson
Finance — Matt Bedingfield
Fun Run — Damian Ogier
Holiday Food Baskets — open
Holiday Home Tour — Marianne & Kenny Terrell
Land Use — Bill Pellerin
• Bike Trails — Donna Bennett
• Urban Forestry — Angela DeWree
Membership — Stacey Courville
Newsletter — Mark Williamson, Julie Pettit
Programs — Angela DeWree
Property Management — John Baldwin
Property Scheduling — Lauriel Hindman
Public Relations — open
Sponsorships — Matt Bedingfield
Spring Home & Garden Tour
• Tour — Janet Buchheit , Denise Martin
• Dinner — Kit Davis, Bess Yeary
• Auction — Stacey Courville, Carol Welter, Joan Kerr
Volunteer Coordination — Laura Menefee
2015 Officers
President © —
Mark Williamson
President-Elect © —
Stacey Courville
Secretary © — Robert Killian
Treasurer © —
Matt Bedingfield
VP Communications –
Julie Pettit
VP of Fundraising and
Special Events –
Janet Buchheit
VP of Community Relations
– Lindsey Lee
VP of Community Affairs –
Bill Pellerin
VP of Finance & Operations
– Bill Baldwin
(© indicates Officers
automatically on the Executive
Committee.)
2015 Directors
Bill Baldwin (2015)
Matt Bedingfield (2017)
Donna Bennett* (2015)
Janet Buchheit (2016)
Neal Cannon* (2015)
Stacey Courville (2016)
Bill Davis (2015)
Laura Menefee © (2017)
Bill Pellerin (2016)
Kenny Terrell © (2017)
Cressandra Thibodeaux
(2017)
Carol Welter (2017)
Mark Williamson (2016)
Robert Woods (2016)
Mike Yeary (2015)
(Number in parentheses is
the last year of each Director’s
term. Asterisk indicates one-year
appointment. © indicates nonofficer Directors elected to the
Executive Committee.)
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MARTINIS & MISTLETOE,
an HHA Holiday Party
by Party Co-Chairs Bill Baldwin, Linda Eyles, and Kelly Simmons
The scene was lively with the Mark Towns trio and their Latin jazz
sounds and the voices of more than 100 attendees excitedly discussing
their upcoming plans for the holidays. The setting was the 1910
William A. Wilson home at 205 Bayland Avenue, which was dressed
up to the nines (as were all of the
guests). The Glass Wall pulled
out all the stops and served
the best of the best from their
delectable menu, and all sorts
of refreshments were poured,
including the evening’s signature
drink – a choice of martinis. We’ll also mention, as the evening wore
on, there was plenty of kissing under the mistletoe strategically placed
throughout the home.
A small silent auction was offered and included generous
donations by Keith Crane, Dramatika, Michael Klaybor, Denise Liebl,
Manready Mercantile, Yu Cha Pak, Patrick Palmer, Chris Silkwood,
Kelly Simmons, and Todd Van Duren. Santa also gave out a few dozen
gifts to nice and naughty guests alike.
After a long (albeit warm and muggy) Winter’s eve, as guests made
their way back to their luxury sleds, they received a very special 2014
commemorative glass ornament, courtesy of “Please Shop Local”
Jubilee.
Thanks to our wonderful Winter Sponsors for their support
this season: Platinum Sponsor Boulevard Realty; Gold Sponsors
Harold’s Restaurant | Bar | Terrace, Lucas Craftsmanship, and Trudy
Waguespack Nelson; and Bronze Sponsors Bayou City Aire, Jubilee,
and The Village of the Heights.
We had some additional underwriting help for the event from
Bill Baldwin, Tyri Schiek Centanni, GDF Suez, Saint Arnold
Brewing Co., and Kelly Simmons and Keith Crane. We also had
some welcome assists from John Baldwin, Keith Crane, Julie Pettit,
and Arturo Rodriguez, and as always, Blue Ribbon Staffing did an
incredible job keeping the crowd fed and hydrated.
A big thanks to all who came out and supported the HHA at this
event, and to those who couldn’t make it this year, we hope to see you
next December!
Happy New Year!
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Holiday Baskets
Volunteers from the Houston Heights
Association and Heights Rotary Club
joined forces to assemble one hundred
food “baskets” (sets of bags) on the
evening of December 16.
The following day, more volunteers
distributed the baskets to deserving
families in the area.
Candlelight Dinner Silent Auction
Plans are already underway
for a spectacular 2015
Candlelight Dinner & Auction,
to be held on Friday, April 10. A
crew of wonderfully enthusiastic
volunteers is already in high gear
creating the highly anticipated
Silent Auction that takes place
at the Candlelight Dinner. It
takes a village to pull this auction
together, and we would love your
help!
Proceeds from the auction are
very important to fund the many
HHA projects that benefit our
neighborhood. You can help by
donating items or gift certificates
to the Silent Auction. Guests
enjoy bidding on a huge variety
of auction items such as getaways,
sporting event tickets, dinners
and all things Heights related –
art, neighborhood memorabilia,
products, services, restaurant
certificates, performances, events,
and neighborhood parties.
In recognition of your kind
generosity and helping hand, you
will receive acknowledgment in
the event’s gala program, on the
bid sheets accompanying your
donation, and in the wrap-up
newsletter article.
You can also help by
volunteering to be a part of
the Silent Auction Committee.
Committee members help solicit
and collect donations and help
organize, set up, and design
the silent auction on the day
of the event. Helping with the
Committee is a great way to meet
new friends while helping our
neighborhood. As a small token
of our appreciation, each Auction
Committee volunteer also
receives a complimentary ticket to
the Spring Home Tour.
If you can help by making
a donation or by volunteering
to be part of the Silent Auction
Committee, please email
auction@houstonheights.org.
Thank you in advance for your
help making this a fantastic
fundraiser!
Spring Home &
Garden Tour
Volunteers needed!
The annual HHA Spring
Home & Garden Tour will be
April 10–12, 2015. It takes about
300 volunteers to make this event
go smoothly, and we need you!
If you would like to volunteer
or just to inquire about ways
you can help, let us know at
volunteer@houstonheights.org.
We would love to sign you up!
New Members
Please welcome these new members to the Houston Heights
Association.
Dean & Laura Bernshausen
Douglas & Karen Kayes
Hilary C. Borow
Chris Klawinski &
Amanda Bullard
Amanda Walker
Jared & Rachael Cahan
Tracy Birkelbach Kremen
Carolyn Coates
Lamontre & Delores Lewis
Kyle & Jennifer Cope
Buddy & Stacy Marshall
S. Tyler Crabtree
Kelsey McArthur
Neeraj & Urvi Dani
Melissa McEllin
Cindy & Don Dean
Carissa &
Dennis Devlin
Pam Baldwin-McGinnis
Ron & Lizzie Dovich
Dee Ann & Kevin McLarney
Brandon & Lauren Duke
Scott McKenzie
Lisa Fievet
Alex & Lindsey Brooks
John Folmnsbee &
Niebruegge
Geraldine Young
Andrew Noel &
Shawn Gallagher
Mary Kennedy
Joel Gluskin
Marian Ragland
Michele Haralson
Jessica Rose &
Heights Dermatology,
Thomas Keenan
Daniel Salvato
Jessica & Ken Ross
Annie & Anthony Higgins
Maria & Paul Sonderfan
Jordan Hill
Cara & Brian Stewart
Nich Hughes
Jacqueline & Paul Suarez
Ana Jaime
Susan Thibodeaux
Laura & Wes Johnson
Becki & Debasish Tripathy
Karen Browder, Realtor
Blake Willeford
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A Change For The Better…
…that’s what the HHA Community Improvement Awards are all
about!
NOW is the time to nominate recent residential or commercial
renovations and new construction that you think stand out as
improvements to our Houston Heights neighborhood. The deadline
for receiving nominations is January 9.
A copy of the nomination form with rules is inserted in the
print edition of this issue. It can also be downloaded at www.
houstonheights.org/pdf/CIAform.pdf.
Heights Garden Club
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January’s meeting features
our first field trip, which will
be to our favorite compost
resource: Nature’s Way Resources
in Conroe. Come enjoy a tour
and adventure on January 10
from 10:00 AM to noon. John
Ferguson, the owner of Nature’s
Way Resources, will lead the tour. John is a soil scientist, the author
of the book Organic Management for the Professional, and he is
one of the pioneers of the composting industry in Texas. Those on
the tour will get the inside scoop on how Nature’s Way Resources
makes their compost, mulches, and soils from scratch. Additionally,
John and his staff will show off several demonstration gardens and
a new plant nursery that specializes in useful plants such as natives,
heirlooms, and edibles. Bring your gardening boots and get ready for
an adventure!
Bill Baldwin has graciously offered the use of the parking lot at
Boulevard Realty at the corner of Heights Boulevard and 16th Street
as a staging area for carpooling. Meet us at 9:00 AM to share a ride up
to Conroe — drivers and riders are welcome! Riders may leave their
cars in the parking lot.
We have planned another field trip for the February 14th meeting
to Arbor Gate at 15635 FM 2920 in Tomball. The Arbor Gate is way
more than a garden center — it is quite literally an inspired collection
that includes unusual plants, artisan-created decorative pieces, and
a constantly changing array of items that bring beauty, comfort, and
even flavor to the home and garden. We have tentatively scheduled
a talk on butterfly gardening, but we also want to leave plenty of
time to explore the nursery and shops. 10:00 AM to noon. Carpool
arrangements to be announced.
All events are free. For more information check our Facebook
page or our website at www.heightsgardenclub.com.
The award goes to…
Attend HHA’s annual
Volunteer Appreciation and
Awards Dinner on Sunday,
February 22, 2015. Doors will
open to the Fire Station at 5:00
PM for a happy hour, followed
by dinner at 6:00 PM. During
the program, which will begin at
approximately 7:00 PM, winners
of the Community Improvement
Awards, as well as Citizen of
the Year, Marcella Perry Award,
and Corporate Citizen, will be
announced.
Tickets are $25 per person,
and seating is limited. You’ll
be able to purchase your tickets
online beginning around
February 1. In the meantime,
more information about the
Volunteer Appreciation and
Awards Dinner will be available
on the HHA website and
Facebook page as details become
available for this fun event.
Heights ROW Tree Day
Learn about your Right-of-Way Trees, automatic sidewalk variances
for tree friendly sidewalk construction, and ROW Tree adoptions.
Victor Cordoba of the City of Houston Urban Forestry is
collaborating with HHA for a ROW Tree Day and tree adoption at
Donovan Park and the 7th Street Bikeway at Heights Boulevard on
Sunday, February 1 from 9:00 AM to noon.
Only a limited quantity of trees will be available on a first-come
first-serve basis by reservation form only. To reserve your tree to
plant exclusively in the right-of-way, simply email urbanforest@
houstonheights.org; include your name and the address location for
your tree. You will get a form to complete with all the details. Forms
will also be available at the HHA Monthly Meeting on January 12.
It’s Rewarding — If You Sign Up
As we noted last month, Kroger is making it easy for local nonprofits, such as HHA, to receive cash through Kroger Community
Rewards. A new program year started in September, and it looks like
many of you forgot to sign up again this year. Here’s how you can sign
up.
First, you need to have a Kroger Plus Card. If you don’t have a
Plus Card, get one at a Kroger service desk. If you use your phone
number at the register, call 800-576-4377 and select option 4 to get
your Plus Card number.
Second, you need a registered Plus Card account online at www.
krogercommunityrewards.com. If you are new to the Kroger online
programs, you’ll need to sign up for an account.
If you already have an account, sign in to your Kroger account at
the link noted above, select Account Summary in the left column,
click on the “Edit” button under Kroger Community Rewards
information, and enter our name or our organization number 81249.
Then, every time you shop at Kroger using your Kroger Plus Card,
HHA will accumulate points toward a donation from Kroger. The
amount HHA earns will depend on how much our participants spend
compared to other organizations. Organizations that are supported by
Kroger Plus Card shoppers will earn a percentage of the $1.5 million
donated annually.
If you’re a Kroger shopper, we encourage you to sign up and
increase HHA’s earning potential.
Happy New Year from page 1
a streetcar line from the little city
of Houston. Since then, we’ve
marked a series of centennials,
including the incorporation as
an independent municipality in
’96. This year, we’ll be celebrating
the centennial of the dedication
of the City Hall & Fire Station,
now HHA headquarters; I hope
you’ll join us in March. The
cycle culminates in 2018 with the
centennial of the annexation of
Houston Heights by Houston.
We’ll continue to support our
schools, assist our neighbors with
land use issues, maintain our
parks and the esplanade for the
public, recognize achievements in
the neighborhood, coordinate the
constable patrol program, offer
a series of interesting programs
at our monthly meetings, do the
other good things we’ve been
doing, and hold the events that
pay for all of it with the help
of our sponsors, donors, and
members.
Speaking of continuity and
succession, we have a new team
ready to start producing this
newsletter with our February
issue. Watch for some exciting
new ideas and designs as they
get into full swing. I’m pleased
to say that this newsletter will be
in good hands. Thank you for
allowing me to be your Editor for
most of the last two decades.
Now let’s get out there and
do it!
— Mark
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Donations
Our thanks to these donors for their generous support of the
programs of the Houston Heights Association.
Irene & Tim Anderson — Donovan Playground
Rich and Amanda Anhorn — Boulevard
Matt Bedingfield — Boulevard
Tim Beeson — Flower Gardens
Ricchard & Laura Brown — Donovan Playground
Amanda Bullard — Boulevard
Jared & Rachael Cahan — Boulevard
Wanda & Mark Cohen in memory of Carol Sofianopoulos
S. Tyler Crabtree
Gregg DeJarnett & Tracy Rummel — Parks, Boulevard
Jean Dorsey — Boulevard
Josh & Lisa Ecroyd
Stella Edmondson — Parks
GDF Suez Energy N. America Matching Gift of Keith Crane &
Kelly Simmons
Matt & Marybeth Gebauer — Donovan Playground, Flower
Gardens
Todd & Cindy Green — Parks, Boulevard, Fire Station
Restoration
Michele Haralson — Boulevard, Fire Station Restoration
Jamie Hay — Donovan Playground
Houston Heights Tai Chi Association — Flower Gardens
Houston Zen Center — Parks, Boulevard, Flower Gardens
Buddy & Stacy Marshall
Gary & Holly Martinez — Donovan Playground
Dee Ann & Kevin McLarney
David McLean & Cynthia Felde
Henry Pogorzelski & Blair Woodell — Parks, Boulevard, Flower
Gardens, Fire Station Restoration
Clay & Barb Robinson — Boulevard, Fire Station Restoration
Ron Foster Properties, Inc. — Parks
Jessica & Ken Ross
Catherine Smith — Boulevard
Brian Stephens
Cara & Brian Stewart — Donovan Playground, Fire Station
Restoration
Evin Thayer — Boulevard, Flower Gardens, Fire Station
Restoration
Becki & Debasish Tripathy — Boulevard
Steve Weyand
8
Season’s Greetings
Postcard
The Houston Heights
Association wants to thank
Angela DeWree of Design &
Inspiration for the beautiful work
she did designing the postcard
that went out during the holidays.
Angela is always working behind
the scenes and most people
don’t know everything she
does for the Association and
the neighborhood – including
putting together the programs for
the monthly general meetings at
the Houston Heights City Hall &
Fire Station (held every second
Monday of the month). Thank
you, Angela!
Calendar (continued from back cover)
Sunday
February 1
Deadline for
next newsletter
8
15
22
Awards Dinner
5:00–9:00 PM
Fire Station
Monday
2
Groundhog Day
HHA Land Use
6:30 PM
Fire Station
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
11
12 - garbage
and recycling
13
19 - garbage
20
Mardi Gras
18 - heavy trash
(junk waste in
even months)
14
Valentines Day
Heights Garden
Club, 10:00 AM
Tomball
24
25
26 - garbage
and recycling
27
3
4
PIP Meeting
7:00 PM
1602 State Street
9
10
HHA General
“Share the Love”
7:00 PM
Fire Station
16
Presidents’ Day
HHA Board
6:30 PM
Fire Station
23
17
5 - garbage
Community Calendar
Events planned by other community organizations
Every Saturday, 8:00 AM, Heights Running Club meets on
the Heights Boulevard jogging trail at 7th Street. Back to the regular
time. Contact Meghan.olds@gmail.com to be added to the weekly
distribution list.
First and third Thursdays, 7:30 PM, English Country Dancing in
the Heights, dances taught and called. For more information, email
jnjbloom@gmail.com or visit www.hatds.org/ecd.html.
January 12, 6:30–8:30 PM, Memorial Park Master Plan
Update Meeting at Moody Park, 3725 Fulton Street. For
more information, visit www.memorialparktomorrow.org or
www.memorialparkconservancy.org.
January 30–February 8, Opera in the Heights presents Mozart’s
La clemenza di Tito in Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Blvd. For tickets,
visit operaintheheights.org or call 713-861-5303.
March 20–29, Opera in the Heights presents Bizet’s Carmen in
Lambert Hall, 1703 Heights Blvd. For tickets, visit operaintheheights.
org or call 713-861-5303.
Heavy Trash Notes
January is a “Tree Waste Only” month; February is a “Junk
Waste” month. The heavy trash pickup date is the third Wednesday
for most of the HHA coverage area.
For dates at your address, visit the City Solid Waste site www.
houstontx.gov/solidwaste/treewaste.html.
6
7
21
28
Future History
February 22, 2015, Awards
Dinner
March 8, celebration of the
centennial of the Fire Station
dedication [new date]
April 10–12, Candlelight Dinner
and Spring Home Tour
June 6, Heights Fun Run
[tentative date]
October 4, Bicycle Ride &
Scavenger Hunt [tentative
date]
December 4–5, Holiday Home
Tour [tentative dates]
December 15-16, Holiday Food
Baskets [tentative dates]
At The Properties
Events at the Houston Heights City
Hall & Fire Station, Donovan Park,
and Marmion Park
Heights Tai Chi Association
meets Saturdays at 9:00 AM
and Wednesdays at 7:00 PM
in Marmion Park, Heights
Boulevard at 18th.
9
HOUSTON HEIGHTS ASSOCIATION
107 W. 12TH ST.
HOUSTON, TX 77008-6907
NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION
US POSTAGE PAID
HOUSTON, TX
PERMIT NO 2995
Return Service Requested
Calendar of Events for January 2015
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
1
New Year’s Day
Friday
Saturday
10
Heights Garden
Club
10:00 AM
Conroe
2 - garbage and
recycling
3
4
Deadline for
next newsletter
(tomorrow)
5
HHA Land Use
6:30 PM
Fire Station
6
7
PIP meeting
7:00 PM
1602 State Street
8 - garbage
9
11
12
HHA General
“Pet Rescue”
7:00 PM
Fire Station
13
14 - heavy trash
(tree waste in
odd months)
16 - garbage
and recycling
16
19 MLK Jr. Day
HHA Board
6:30 PM
Fire Station
20
21
22 - garbage
23
24
26
27
28
29 - garbage
and recycling
30
31
18
25
HHA headquarters: The Fire Station is on the corner of Yale and 12th Streets.
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continued within
HHA web site: <http://www.houstonheights.org>