august 2015 - fort bend focus magazine - people • places • happenings

2015 GEMSof Fort Bend

AUGUST 2015

Finest inMEDICINE

Back to SCHOOL

Confidence ChangesLivesSugar LandFace and BodyPlastic Surgery

Fortunately for Fort Bend, a vital organization dedi-cated to excellence in providing integrated health care services to improve the quality of life in our community is meeting our health care needs, and they are doing so by being the best.

Excellence in Health Care

Setting and achieving the standards for excel-lence in patient-centered health care is Richmonds Ac-cessHealth. The National Committee for Quality Assur-ance (NCQA) recently announced that AccessHealths Richmond Center received Patient-Centered Medical Home (PCMH) Recognition for using evidence-based,

patient-centered processes that focus on highly coordinated care and long-term, participative re-lationships.

The NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home is a model of primary care that combines teamwork and information technology to improve care, improve patients experience of care and reduce costs. Medical homes foster ongoing partnerships between pa-tients and their personal clinicians instead of approach-ing care as the sum of episodic office visits. Each patients care is overseen by clinician-led care teams that coordi-nate treatment across the health care system. Research shows that medical homes can lead to higher quality and lower costs and can improve patient and provider report-ed experiences of care.

NCQA Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition raises the bar in defining high-quality care by emphasiz-ing access, health information technology and coordinat-ed care focused on patients, said NCQA President Mar-garet E. OKane. Recognition shows that AccessHealth has the tools, systems and resources to provide its pa-tients with the right care at the right time.

Providing Award-Winning,Patient-Centered Care for Fort Bend

T ake a quick survey of friends, neigh-bors and employers, and ask them what they feel are the most important issues facing our community today. Odds are many responses will include concerns regard-ing health care quality health care that is both affordable and accessible.

Photos by Nesossi Studios

AccessHealth team members Gelatia Tesfaye, DDS; Jimmy Robertson, MD; David Krusleski, MD, CMO; Stasha Lewis, MD; Carol Edwards, CEO; Varghese Joseph, MD; Brenda Mallett, NP; Mehjabin Parkar, MD;Michael Lawson, MD; Pamela Liang, MD; Vanessa Ruiz, DDS;Nishit Shah, MD and Amber Garcia, DDS.

What this recognition means for the community is a proven, team ap-proach for providing long-term health care, something that CEO Carol Edwards is pas-sionate about. Our goal at AccessHealth is for our pa-tients to achieve a personal state of wellness through the highest quality services provided with compassion, competence and integrity, said Edwards. We strive to address patients physical, social and psychological needs through collaboration. Our care providers, em-ployees, volunteers and board mem-bers all collaborate with patients, their families and other community organizations to achieve our mission of excellence in providing integrated health care services. This recognition is an important milestone in our orga-nization emphasizing our commitment to excellence recognition we achieved as a team. I couldnt be more proud.

To earn the PCMH Recognition, which is valid for three years, Ac-cessHealth demonstrated the ability to meet the programs key elements, em-bodying characteristics of the medical home. NCQA standards aligned with the joint principles of the Patient-Cen-tered Medical Home established with the American College of Physicians, the American Academy of Family Phy-sicians, the American Academy of Pe-diatrics and the American Osteopathic Association.

Widespread, dedicated community support for AccessHealth is evi-dent by their newly elected board mem-bers, who hail from across the county and have a combined nearly 30 years experience dedicated to the organiza-tion. Effective July 1st, AccessHealths newly elected board officers include:

Lisa Wood, President Commercial Lender and AccessHealth boardmember since 2013.

Brian Machart, DDS, VicePresident Dentist and AccessHealth board member since 2014.

Lionel Martin, Secretary Retired Educator and AccessHealth boardmember since 2014.

Olaniyi Oyedele, Treasurer Certified Public Accountant and AccessHealth board member since 2014.

Other dedicatedboard members include:

Francisco Ramirez Attorney,Previous Board President and AccessHealth board member since 2001.

Myrta I. Torres Outreach Coordinator, Previous Board VicePresident and AccessHealth board member since 2011.

Carolyn Fields Retired Educator and AccessHealth board membersince 2014.

George Kuebler Pastor Emeritusand AccessHealth board membersince 2014.

Melissa Martin Attorney and AccessHealth board member since 2014.

Priscilla Salas Financial Aid Counselor and AccessHealth board member since 2014.

David Timmermeyer Commercial Banker and AccessHealth boardmember since 2015.

For more information regarding AccessHealths board of directors or volunteer opportunities, visit www.myaccesshealth.org.

More Patients ServedThan Ever Before

The PCMH Recognition announce-ment comes at a time when Ac-cessHealth is serving unprecedented numbers of patients to meet a grow-ing demand for services. From 2011 to 2014, the number of patients served by AccessHealth increased by 37%, and the growth trend is continuing well into 2015. AccessHealth served 16,348 patients in 2014, which demon-strates a 12% increase over the 14,533 patients served in 2013, as illustrated below:

In 2012, AccessHealth served13,474 patients.



The number of patient visits to AccessHealth in 2014 was 53,767, yet another unprec-edented number and a 15% increase over the 41,346 pa-tient visits in 2013. In addi-tion to patients served at its five clinics, AccessHealth also served 28,427 clients at its 12

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) sites in 2014. To meet increased demand,

AccessHealth expanded its num-ber of WIC sites and added a fifth clinic in 2014. The new clinic is a

Diverse, Professional Leadership:

A Dedicated Board

Patient Lizzy Whitmire and Nishit Shah, MD.

Brenda Mallett, NP and patient Dylan Hill.

school-based clinic at Fort Bend ISDs Ridgemont Early Childhood Development Center, where AccessHealth serves Head Start and Early Head Start participants, as well as Ridgemont Elementary students and their siblings.

AccessHealth has also increased its hours of operation to meet the demand for health care services, adding evening and Saturday hours. The expanded hours of operation at the main Center in Richmond, located at 400 Austin Street, are: 7 am to 7 pm, Monday through Friday and Saturdays from 8 am to noon.

With our unprecedented growth and now success earning PCMH Recognition from NCQA prepar-ing for the future of AccessHealth is more important than ever, said board president Lisa Wood. As a board, we are committed to lead-ing and growing this organization so that everyone in our community regardless of their ability to pay has access to quality, sustainable health care.

AccessHealths board of directors has accepted the chal-lenge of identifying and implementing long-term solutions to these issues. AccessHealth has positioned itself to meet the demand for services by leveraging community partnerships, expanding service capacity, increasing staff as needed and adding service lines to meet community needs.

Earning PCMH Recognition status from NCQA is an im-portant milestone for AccessHealth as it works to meet health care needs in the communities it serves. NCQA is a private, non-profit organization dedicated to improving health care quality. NCQA accredits and certifies a wide range of health care organizations. It also recognizes clinicians and practices in key areas of performance. NCQAs Healthcare Effective-ness Data and Information Set (HEDIS) is the most widely used performance measurement tool in health care. NCQAs website, ncqa.org, contains information to help consumers, employers and others make more informed health care choic-es.

For more information regarding AccessHealths Patient-Centered Medical Home Recognition or AccessHealth, visit www.myaccesshealth.org.

The Richmond Center of AccessHealth, recipient of the National Committee for Quality Assurance Patient-Cen-tered Medical Home Recognition, offers several health care services including:

Pediatric Medicine Family Medicine Immunizations Lab Services Behavioral Health & Case Management Womens Services Pharmacy

The Richmond Center is located at 400 Austin Street and features expanded hours of operation: 7 am to 7 pm, Monday through Friday and 8 am to noon, Saturdays.

For more information, visit www.myaccesshealth.org or call 281-342-4530.

AccessHealthsRichmond Center Services

AccessHealth board president Lisa Wood.

Patient Evelyn Mercado and Mehjabin Parkar, MD.

Leading for the Future

As AccessHealths clinical staff works to serve more pa-tients, the executive leadership and board of directors are working to identify sources of revenue that can help sustain the increased level of service delivery. AccessHealth serves patients regardless of a funding source that could be billed for services. Since AccessHealth is a 501(c)(3) charitable orga-nization, foundation grants and donations from businesses, civic groups and individuals help to provide its health care services to the low-income and uninsured who likely would otherwise go without. A majority of AccessHealths patients do not qualify for Medicaid benefits, which would reimburse for service fees.

Earning PCMH Recognition was a goal of AccessHealths executive leadership team and board of directors. Ac-cessHealths board includes members with a history of dedi-cated service to the organization, as well as community and business leaders who are relatively new to AccessHealth and equally eager to contribute.

AccessHealth board members collectively bring to the or-ganization experience in health care delivery and non-profit leadership, as well as business, legal and financial expertise. Together, the board of directors and staff leadership team are leading the organization in working towards its mission of providing integrated health care services to improve the quality of life in the communities it serves.

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A U G U S T 2 0 1 5

CONFIDENCE CHANGES LIVESSugar Land Face and Body Plastic SurgeryWith high-quality concierge care, a compassionate and dedicated staff, a redefined medical spa and most importantly, its own on-site operating room, Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery is the go-to place to meet any cosmetic need. A progressive vision of Dr. Eric Humble, Sugar Land Face and Bodys convenient location makes both surgical and aesthetic options more convenient and accessible for patients.

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FEATURES

26 GALLERY FURNITURE OPENS THIRD AND LARGEST SHOWROOMIN HOUSTON AREAFort Bend is officially home to Gallery Furniture Grand Parkway, and the store has chosen The Brookwood Community as one of its main beneficiaries.

32 FORT BEND FOCUS AND absolutely! BRAZOS MAGAZINES KICK OFF THE GEMS OF FORT BEND Who are the 2015 Generous, Enthusiastic Men Serving?

34 10 WAYS TO STAY ORGANIZEDALL DAY LONG Follow these simple tips to keep your home and your mind clutter-free.

37 absolutely! BACK TO SCHOOLGet the kids organized and ready for the new school year.

57 absolutely! FINEST IN MEDICINEHealth Care News You Can Use

COLUMNS

18 FOCUS ON FINANCEMid-Year Review

22 UNDERSTANDINGRAMADAN AND IFTARMany Fort Bend residents recently observed the Islamic month of fasting with gatherings and as a time of spiritual reflection.

28 HIGH SCHOOL HOT SHOTMeet Allyson Peters

36 KIDS CORNERBullying

80 LIVING THE SWEET LIFE:Ive Been Thinking, Worrying, Wondering, Praying and Hoping Youll See . . .

Dr. Eric Humble.Photo by Nesossi Studios.


CONTRIBUTORS

AUGUS T 2 0 1 5 | V O LUME 1 1 | N UMBER 1 0

36

Patrick BironBirons Youth Sports CenterPage 36

Will HardeeHardee Investment Group Page 18

38

Tim KaminskiGingerbread Kids Academy Page 38

Alisa MurrayAlisa Murray PhotographyPages 74 & 80

74

NEWSWORTHY

19 STYLIN IN THE BENDKicks off the Fort Bend County Fair

29 FORT BEND COUNTY AND HOPE FOR THREEComfort Kids in Crisis

31 CHILD ADVOCATES OF FORT BEND Announces 2016 Gala Theme

48 6TH ANNUAL AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETYCouture for the Cause: A White Haute Affair

AN EVENING WITH ASHLEY JUDDMarks 35 Years of Healing and Hope

54 ROSENBERG RAILROAD MUSEUMS ANNUAL GALAPromises an Evening of Retro Fun

AUDITIONS ONGOINGFor the Fort Bend Boys Choir

56 LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL At The Stafford Centre

absolute ly! AUTO REV IEW

24 2015 FORD F-150

BUSINESS BRIEFS

30 ATTORNEY REHAN ALIMOHAMMAD Appointed as Minority Director of the State Bar of Texas

71 PLANS UNVEILED AT SITE OF FORMER IMPERIAL SUGAR REFINERY For Shopping, Dining, Office, Museum and Hotel

absolute ly! DEL IC IOUS

72 BETTER BETS FORBACK TO SCHOOL Food choices the whole family can feel good about

75 THE ARTISTS PALATESotos Kitchen

76 VINE SLEUTHFamily Winery Tour

IN EVERY ISSUE

10 PUBLISHERS POINT OF VIEW

20 SEEN ON THE SCENE

50 OUT & ABOUT IN THE HEART OF THE BEND

52 AMATEUR PHOTO CONTEST

78 COMMUNITY EVENTS

28

Joan FrancesContributorPage 28

Amy Grosswine4.mePage 76

76

ON THE COVER:Dr. Eric Humble

Photo by Jasmin Chen Photography.

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22

Zeenat Kassam MithaCultural CorrespondentPage 22

Steve KursarAuto EnthusiastPage 24

24

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BeautyBecomesYou.com4655 TECHNIPLEX DR. STE 700STAFFORD, TX 77477281-690-4242WWW.FORTBENDFOCUS.COM

Fort Bend FocusTM Magazine is published by absolutely! focus media, 4655 Techniplex Dr., Ste. 700, Stafford, TX 77477. Copy-right 2015 by absolutely! focus media. All rights reserved. Reproduction without permission is strictly prohibited. Fort Bend FocusTM Magazine does not knowingly accept false or mis-leading advertising or editorial, nor do the publishers assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear. Fort Bend FocusTM Magazine welcomes editorial submissions from its readers.

Vol. 11 No. 10August 2015

EXCLAMATION POINTS!THE INSIDE SCOOP STRAIGHT FROM THE TOP

Subscription requests are free to all Fort Bend addresses. Annual paid subscription of $25 required outside the Fort Bend area.

PUBLISHEREDITOR-IN-CHIEFPatti Parish-Kaminski

ASSOCIATE PUBLISHERJessica Kij

MANAGING EDITORSarah Bearden

ACCOUNT EXECUTIVESJennifer ElliottMolly EllisKay Garrett

Andrea RigamontiSuzanne Stiles

ART DIRECTORGrace Belleza

GRAPHIC DESIGNERApril Roseberry

WEB DESIGNERJoey Belleza

OFFICE ADMINISTRATORAdrienne Boring

PHOTOGRAPHERNesossi Studios

CONTRIBUTORSM.G. AnguloPatrick BironJoan FrancesAmy GrossWill HardeeTim KaminskiSteve Kursar

Zeenat Kassam MithaAlisa Murray

INQUIRIES281-690-4242

EDITORIAL [email protected]

Publishedby

Publisher/Editor-in-Chief, PATTI PARISH-KAMINSKI

Questions and Answers

Finally, the answer to the question thats been on everyones mind this summer: Who are the 2015 GEMS of Fort Bend? Were happy to share with our readers the deserving 2015 Generous, Enthusiastic Men Serving. They are Bob Hebert, Don Kerstet-ter and Steve Onstad. The reach of these community servants is extraor-dinary, and we cant wait to tell you all about them in our upcoming is-sues. I hope you will join us for our award-winning GEMS of Fort Bend event on Thursday, October 22nd for our GEMS and Jeans themed casino event. To purchase tickets, call us at 281-690-4242. It will be a fun-filled evening benefitting a great organization: The Fort Bend Family YMCA.

Another question answered in this issue: What will really be at the old Imperial Sugar Refinery site, and when will it be finished? The Imperial Market features an upscale shopping, dining, entertainment and cultural destination complete with restaurants, a luxury hotel and office space all while paying homage to the his-tory of the site. Construction will begin this year, and a grand opening is slated for spring 2017. Read all about what this fabulous area will contain including Fort Bend Childrens Discovery Center and the Sugar Land Heritage Society Museum on page 71.

As we are getting ready to get the kids back to school, another question is top of mind: Where can we get those back to school check-ups and immunizations? The Richmond Center of AccessHealth is not only here to help, they are award-winning. Congratulations to this amazing organization that offers quality, affordable and ac-cessible health care to our community regardless of their ability to pay. Read all about their services and their patient-centered care in their gatefold at the front of the magazine, and if you happen to fall in love with this organization like I have, mark your calendars for Thursday, October 29th for their annual Heart of Fort Bend fundraising event. Call 281-633-3169 for tickets. Wed love to see you there!

The final question on my mind this month is: How am I going to survive send-ing my firstborn off to college? I know Ive raised her to be an independent young woman, but I truly wasnt going for independence from me? American physician and writer John Andrew Holmes said, A child enters your home and for the next

twenty years makes so much noise you can hardly stand it. The child departs, leaving the house so silent you think you are going mad. Fortunately, I have a spare. Look out, Kolt. August is going to be a rough month for Momma!

Stay focused,

[email protected], Patti and Kolton Kaminski.

absolutely! focus media was proud to receive the Excellence in Community Service Philanthropy 2015 Communitas Award for the 2013 and 2014 GEMS of Fort Bend! The Association of Marketing and Communications Professionals recognized afm as an exceptional business that is unselfishly giving of themselves and their resources, changing how we do business to benefit our community.

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A progressive vision of board certified plastic surgeon Dr. Eric Humble, Sugar Land Face and Body offers high-quality concierge care, a compassionate and dedicated staff, a re-defined medical spa and most importantly, its own on-site operating room, which is certified by the American Asso-ciation for Accreditation of Ambulatory Surgery Facilities (AAAASF). The AAAASF, one of the largest non-profit ac-crediting organizations in the United States, was established in 1980 to develop an accreditation program to standardize and improve the quality of medical and surgical care in am-bulatory surgery facilities while assuring the public of high standards for patient care and safety in an accredited facil-ity. Surgeons, legislators, state and national health agencies and patients all acknowledge that AAAASF stands alone in setting the Gold Standard for quality patient care.

To become certified, facilities must satisfy federal regu-lations for equipment, operating room safety, personnel and

COVER STORYBy M.G. Angulo

Confidence Changes Lives

S ugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery this is the go-to place to meet any cosmetic need. From a consult to surgery, Sugar Land Face and Body offers its patients everything theyll need for their transformation and boosted self-esteem all in one convenient location.

The Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery team: Marty Knesek, RN, Angela Garza, Drs. Eric and Lin Humble, May Akbari and Tiffany Ortega.

With their on-site operating room and now, medical spa featuring cutting edge technology and procedures, Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery is your one stop shop for everything beauty. Their convenient location makes both surgical and aesthetic options more convenient and accessible for patients. Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery services include:

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surgeon credentials. Additionally, the operating room will also need to pass inspection once its built. Its not an easy process, but one thats worth it ac-cording to Dr. Humble. Our standard of care at Sugar Land Face and Body is of utmost importance to me and my team. Providing exemplary care in an exemplary facility is our priority, and its one that we take very seriously. I want our patients to know that safety always comes first.

Dr. Humble can perform breast aug-mentation and lift, tummy tucks, mom-my makeovers, implant exchange, oto-plasty, liposuction, body, face and neck lifts, rhinoplasty (nose job) and blepha-roplasty, which is surgical repair or reconstruction of an eyelid, all in the on-site operating room. With our in-house AAAASF certified surgical cen-ter, we have the full gamut under one roof. My only goal is to erase those im-perfections that drive you crazy so you can have renewed confidence. We want every patient to feel excited about life after a visit to us.

Quality Patient Care

With every aspect of a cosmetic transformation under one roof, Dr. Humble can also promise his patients a level of quality and compassionate care they deserve. The operating room which has a separate entrance from the main building to offer both patient privacy and accessibility features state-of-the-art equipment, allowing Dr. Humble and his staff to provide concierge-oriented care to patients. Patients also have access to the main facility that includes the comforts of a day spa, as well as a private library where they can relax before, during or after surgery.

Charissa Rudy of Angleton, Texas can attest to the level of care provided at Sugar Land Face and Body. Choos-ing the right doctor was important to me, said Rudy, who was looking for breast augmentation surgery. I saw a few other doctors in Houston first, then I went to Dr. Humbles office. He was amazing. He spent a lot of time with me and answered all of my questions. I immediately scheduled my next ap-pointment with him.

Kaylyn Moehrig, RN; Katie Taylor, RN; Nicole Azar, MD; Eric Humble, MD and Toby Dunn, CST in Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgerys state-of-the-art operating room.


After scheduling a consultation, Dr. Humble will discuss a patients surgical options, including incisions, types of im-plants available and the pros and cons of each choice. He also creates an individualized surgical plan with the patient, be-cause he know that everyones body is different.

When I went in for my surgery, Dr. Humble was super efficient. He was on time, and I was in and out quickly, said Rudy. Truly a caring doctor, he gave me his cell phone num-ber so I could call him personally if I needed anything or had any problems after the surgery. And for my post-op appoint-ment, he took time out of his busy weekend to see me on a Saturday morning.

My favorite thing is getting to know my patients. I be-lieve that handing out my cell phone number keeps me ac-countable, said Dr. Humble.

Rudy said Dr. Humble was extremely helpful and profes-sional while helping her make her decisions, and his bedside manner was so compassionate that she recommended Sugar Land Face and Body to three close friends, all of whom went to Dr. Humble and are pleased with their results. He is very honest and will tell you what he really thinks, Rudy said. I love the way I look now.

Improving Confidence, Changing Lives

Dr. Humble said Sugar Land Face and Body isnt just a place to rid oneself of problem areas its a step into a more fulfilled life. During my residency in Head and Neck Sur-gery, I was fortunate to be mentored by a famous plastic sur-geon, Dr. James Carraway, who told me after the first time I operated with him that he was going to turn me into a plastic surgeon, said Dr. Humble.

Because of his mentor, Dr. Humble decided to complete a second residency in plastic surgery. Dr. Carraway taught me that patients who have face lifts live an extra seven years. At first, this concept did not seem valid, because I did not understand the role of self confidence in ones life, said Dr. Humble.

After he performed his first face lift during his residency, Dr. Humble saw just how close plastic surgery and quality of life were connected. He understood that plastic surgery was more than looking younger or better, it gave patients a new zest for living. My patient found renewed love of life, began working out and making healthy choices, he said. That mo-ment helped me form my philosophy of care: Every patient should walk out of our office feeling confident, because con-fidence changes lives. We want every patient to feel excited about life after a visit to us!

With a multitude of services available, including both a variety of aesthetic and surgical procedures all under one roof, Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery has become the go to for beauty. From consult to surgery, our patients get everything they need here in one place, said Dr. Humble. Rejuvenation is about making your vision of yourself a real-ity, so you can enjoy life to the fullest, and we are thrilled that we are able to help patients achieve their goals beauti-fully. For me, thats the ultimate reward: a happy, rejuve-nated patient.

To schedule a consult with Dr. Humble or to find out more about Sugar Land Face and Body Plastic Surgery, visit www.beautybecomesyou.com or call 281-313-0555.

Tiffany Ortega, Marty Knesek, R.N., Angela Garza, May Akbari and Dr. Eric Humble.Photo by Nesossi Studios.

The Sugar Land Face & Body Plastic Surgerystate-of-the-art facility in Sugar Land.Photo by Nesossi Studios.

When I had breast cancer, the worlds leading care was right here.My team of experts in Sugar Land focused only on me and my cancer. They guided me through advanced MD Anderson treatment options including surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, clinical trials and support services. They customized a plan just for me. Having MD Anderson in my community kept me close to my two boys and close to home.

I chose MD Anderson in Sugar Land. Find your MD Anderson today.

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I chose the MD Andersonclose to me.- Michelle Williams


Theres Wealth in Our Approach.

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Mid-Year Review

FOCU$ on FINANCE

I ts been a very interesting six months for investors. Even though the market is basically flat for the year, some stocks and industries have gone up and some have gone down, which is frustrating. Leading the pack on volatil-ity has been the energy sector, which bottomed in early Janu-ary, rallied strongly into mid-April and has given back most of that through June. On the other side, cybersecurity has burst into our consciousness with cyber attacks on Sony, Blue Cross Blue Shield, NSA and other government agencies. The stocks in this group have been on fireeye with gains over 25 percent year to date as evidenced by the only exchange traded fund Hack. Our main themes of energy consumers not producers, in-dustrial America and growth over value still remain strongly in play. Oil has stayed in a range between $48 and $62 a bar-rel with gasoline prices hovering around $2.50 a gallon. Us-ers of energy, such as chemical companies, are reporting ex-cellent earnings. I recently met with Calumet management, and the outlook for them is quite positive, as they benefit from a surplus of cheap oil. Furthermore, I spent two days in Corpus Christi looking at the billions of dollars of new petrochemical plants being built to take advantage of cheap dependable feedstock. This advantage is making industrial America a force to be reckoned with. Growth over value is becoming more evident as witnessed by cybersecurity. This industry didnt exist to any extent six years ago. Now, we see increasing cyber attacks throughout. We believe this is a very young industry that is one of the fastest growth industries ahead of us. Boris and Yurgi are coming, and they want your information.

Finally, this is a great time to go to Europe. The dollar is up over 25 percent versus the Euro. Its a bad time for Euro-peans to go to Disney World, because it costs them 25 percent more. There is a currency war developing, or what we call a beggar thy neighbor policy. Both Europe and Japan are devaluing their currencies to make their products cheaper to the rest of the world. In that way, they hope to stimulate eco-nomic recovery in their respective countries. It seems to be working as Toyota, Sony, Daimler Benz and BMW reported record quarterly profits. Its a bad time to sell a Cadillac in Europe. Being in the right industries will be critical to investment success. I have meetings with management of companies we own scheduled throughout the summer and plan to make field trips to see first-hand the changes occurring in our fa-vored themes. We know you have a choice when deciding on a team to help you realize your financial goals. We do things a little dif-ferently at the Hardee Investment Group by doing whats in the clients best interest. We encourage you to experience the difference. We thank you for your trust and confidence in us. Its a responsibility we dont take lightly.

This article provided by H. H. Will Hardee, AWM of the Hardee Invest-ment Group and a Managing Director - Financial Advisor at RBC Wealth Man-agement in Houston, and was prepared by or in cooperation with RBC Wealth Management. The information included in this article is not intended to be used as the primary basis for making investment decisions nor should it be construed as a recommendation to buy or sell any specific security. RBC Wealth Management does not endorse this organization or publication. Consult your investment professional for additional information and guidance. RBC Wealth Management does not provide tax or legal advice. RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.*


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Stylin In The Bendto Kick off the

Fort Bend County Fair

Bling, boots and bunches of fun will be seen at the Fort Bend County Fairs (FBCF) Stylin In The Bend Dinner and Style Show on Friday, August 14th at Safari Texas Ranch. The committee has been hard at work to combine fashion and fun, said FBCF Fair Manager Su-san Sillavan. Our event features local celebrities, hot fashions and of course introduces our 2015 FBCF queen can-didates.

This year, guests will be treated to fashions provided by several Fort Bend County boutiques and businesses, in-cluding Wardrobe: The Boutique, Cor-ral Western Wear and Southern Sister Designs. Styles ranging from western chic to vintage retro will sizzle on the runway. This is our New York Fashion Week event. Its a fun and exciting time of year, boasted Lucas Chavez, Style Show Committee co-chairperson. This event is the kick-off event for the Fort Bend County Fair.

Tickets are available at the fair office and can be purchased as an individual for $55, as a couple for $100 or as a VIP table of 10 for $500. A limited number will be sold at the door. Festivities will begin with a trunk show at 5 pm, fol-lowed by the dinner and style show at 7 pm. Bambi Lynn of BLiNC will return to produce the fashion show featuring the FBCF 2015 queen candidates and Fort Bend Countys own celebrities.

With this event, we have the oppor-tunity to support the Fort Bend County Fair scholarship fund in a fun, fabulous and exciting way, stated 2015 Fair President Margaret Kunz.

For more information, visit www.fortbendcountyfair.com or call 281-342-6171.


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the power of genuine prayer is significantly accelerated dur-ing this night of power, said humanitarian and local philan-thropist Mariam Issa.

The celebration of Eid al-Fitr marks the end of Ramadan. This is a festive time of celebration after having experienced the month of fasting successfully and returning to normal life.

An annual Iftar dinner is held at the White House and hosted by the United States President and the First Lady to celebrate Ramadan. On December 9, 1805, President Thomas Jefferson postponed dinner at the White House until sunset to accommodate an envoy from Tunis, an event considered by many to be the first White House Iftar.

Since 1996, the United States Department of State has held an annual Iftar dinner for local and national community leaders and faith groups, as well as foreign policy officials. The occasion has also been marked in Jewish synagogues. In 2012, Iftar was recognized with events at three synagogues in Chicago, Illinois. Islam means peace. Those that associate themselves with this faith but are not peaceful, they are not part of Islam, stated Issa.

Islam is a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion and the sec-ond largest in the world. According to the Pew Research Center, Muslims are followers of Islam and make up over 23 percent of the worlds population over 1.57 billion people. The observance of Ramadan stretches from the Americas to Egypt, Indonesia, Trinidad and Tobago and Yemen.

TO SHARE YOUR IDEASfor cultural stories and events, contact Cultural Correspondent Zeenat Kassam Mitha at [email protected]

By Zeenat Kassam Mitha

T here are many in the Fort Bend community, as well as the Greater Houston community, who celebrate Ramadan, as it is a time of spiritual reflection. Ra-madan is observed through a month of fasting on the ninth month of the lunar Islamic calendar by those who follow Is-lam to honor the first revelation to the Prophet Muhammad from Allah (God). Ramadan lasts 29 to 30 days.

Ramadan was observed June 17th through July 17th this year, and fasting occurred from dawn to sunset. Performing the fast is said to sway the heart away from worldly activi-ties and dedicate one to the cleansing of the soul by releasing it from impurities. Ramadan also facilitates the habit of self-discipline, self-control and empathy for those who are less fortunate. This inspires activities of generosity and charity (zakat). For fasting, it is believed that spiritual rewards (tha-wab) are multiplied within the month of Ramadan. Fasting during Ramadan usually includes greater offering of prayers (salat).

I was excited to observe and participate in the goodness and charity during Ramadan, including the sharing of a meal, said Sugar Land City Councilwoman and Mayor Pro Tem Amy Mitchell.

Iftar, which is breaking of the fast in the evenings, is cel-ebrated with family, friends and the greater community. The breaking of the fast is usually done with dried or fresh dates, which are a source of energy. Thereafter, a healthy meal is eaten. Food and drink is provided every day, during the fast, before dawn and after sunset.

The evening table can be a feast shared with neighbors, friends, the needy and the poor. Friends and family come together during this time to give thanks to God, and giving is at its peak as a sign of gratitude to the Almighty. We have been getting together for Iftar for many years, and it is a wonderful time to come together, said Houston Mayor Annise Parker at the Iftar gathering held at Bayou Event Center in Houston.

Those who are ill, women who are pregnant or children and families traveling or experiencing hardships are not ex-pected to fast. They make contributions to the community in other ways. As a whole, the community-at-large gives back generously via donations and volunteering.

Laylat al-Qadr, which in Arabic means the night of pow-er, is considered the holiest night of the year. It is believed to be the night when the first revelation of the Quran was sent down to Prophet Muhammad. What that means is that

Understanding

Rashmi Sharma, Kathy Hubbard, Zeenat Mitha and Amy Mitchell attended the Iftar.

Ramadan and Iftar


absolute ly!AUTO REVIEW

absolute ly!AUTO REVIEW

By Steve Kursar

The all-new 2015 Ford F-150 is the reigning Truck of Texas as voted on by the Texas Auto Writers Association. Thats an honor for which truck makers vie annually, and this new Ford truck won it by a wide margin. It may not look like it from the outside, but this pickup is a revolutionary step in truck design, one that will pay off with fewer trips to the gas station for its smart owner.

Back in the 1970s after the Arab Oil Embargo, Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards were en-acted by the United States Congress, forcing carmakers to engineer more fuel efficient vehicles. Family sedans that

2015used to get 15 miles per gallon (mpg) now regularly get closer to 40 mpg. Since those standards also apply to light-duty pickups, Ford took a radical approach to squeezing more mpg by making this latest generation F-Series truck much lighter, in fact, 700 pounds lighter. They did this through the ex-tensive use of military grade aluminum in the trucks body and incorporating more high-strength steel in the full-boxed frame.

But Ford doesnt just stop at weight reduction to save fuel. They offer four fuel efficient engines choices to deliver trucks that fit your needs. The base engine option is a normally aspirated

283 hp, 3.5 liter V6 en-gine thats rated at 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. The next step up is ac-tually a smaller engine, the 325 hp, 2.7 liter V6 EcoBoost that will sur-prise even die-hard V8 fanatics, because it out-performs the 5.4 liter V8 that powered F-150 just five years ago. Whats

more, that little engine gets fuel econo-my numbers of 19 mpg city and 26 mpg highway. The 365 hp, 3.5 liter V6 Eco-Boost is next up the engine lineup (17 mpg city/24 mpg highway), and the last option is the only V8 offered, a normally aspirated 385 hp, 5.0 liter (15 mpg city and 22 mpg highway).

You can get yourself a highly capable albeit bare-bones F-150 starting with an MSRP of $26,030. But if you feel the need to step it way up, Ford is ready to swathe you in Texas-style luxury with the iconic King Ranch edition. Dont worry; there are plenty of trims in be-tween those two to make it work for you. There is just no settling when it comes to the revolutionary new 2015 Ford F-150.

Follow Steve Kursar at KursarOnCars.blogspot.com.

FORD F-150


Owner Jim Mattress Mack Mc-Ingvale and his wife, Linda, worked closely with architects to translate his decades of retail experience into a design that will delight and surprise customers, giving them a shopping experience like no other. At 165,000 square feet, the Grand Parkway store

is not only the largest Gallery Furni-ture showroom, its also the largest steel building project ever completed in Houston-based Whirlwind Steel Build-ing Systems Inc.s 60 year history.

In addition to the stores huge in-ventory of made-in-America furniture, the showroom offers new collections, including an exclusive William Stubbs Collection designed by acclaimed de-signer Bill Stubbs, who has been named one of Architectural Digests Top Designers and Architects for years.

To further McIngvales philosophy of capitalism with a cause, one of the main beneficiaries of Gallery Furni-

Gallery FurnitureOpens Third and Largest

Showroom in Houston Area

G allery Furniture, one of Houstons most recognized retailers, officially opened its third store on Wednesday, July 1st at 7227 West Grand Parkway South in Fort Bend County.

ture Grand Parkway is The Brookwood Community, a non-profit residential fa-cility and vocational program for adults with disabilities. The McIngvales have donated an entire section of the store to the Brookwood citizens to sell their personally crafted products.

The store also provides customers with a unique and entertaining shop-ping experience through featured ame-nities including:

A 20,000 square-foot atrium with monkeys, birds, ever-changing floral masterpieces initially designed and installed by world renowned floral de-signer Jeff Leatham and the largest indoor living wall in Texas with more than 11,000 plants.

Gallery Furniture Grand Parkway

Jim Mattress Mack McIngvale

Gallery Furniture Grand Parkway features a 20,000 square-foot atrium.


A 30,000 gallon saltwater aquar-ium featuring a variety of fish, includ-ing blacktip and zebra sharks.

Brick & Mortar Kitchen, a full-service restaurant, bar and bakeshop with a separate entrance and outdoor seating.

This store has been a dream come true for my family and me, McIngvale said. I couldnt think of a better com-munity to be joining, and the entire Gallery Furniture team looks forward to serving the outstanding families of Fort Bend County.

Gallery Furniture Grand Parkway is located at 7227 W. Grand Parkway South in Richmond. The store is open daily from 10 am to 10 pm. For more information about Gallery Furniture, visit www.galleryfurniture.com.

The interior of the new Gallery Furniture store in Fort Bend.

The Brookwood Community was founded in 1985 for adults who are functionally disabled, including adults with mental or physical disabilities preventing them from living in society on their own. Located on a 485 acre campus in Brookshire, The Brookwood Community con-sists of eight group homes, two single-family staff homes, a residential inn, health and dental clinic, worship center, enterprise building, activities and administration building, 47 greenhouses, a Gift and Garden Center and the Caf at Brookwood, as well as several other support buildings.

The Brookwood Communitys programs presently serve over 200 citizens. One hundred and twelve residential citi-zens live at Brookwoods Brookshire campus 24/7 and are joined by another 98 citizens in Brookwoods work program. Brookwoods expansion work program in Georgetown, Texas serves an additional 27 citizens. The range of diverse needs Brookwood helps includes people with autism spec-trum disorders, intellectual disabilities, developmental dis-abilities, traumatic brain injury, dual diagnosis and aging care needs. Brookwood also serves as a resource for families, and the centers outreach program actively shares innovative concepts and techniques with other professional caregivers across the nation and around the world.

Brookwoods purpose is to provide opportunity through education so that Brookwood citizens will acquire meaningful job skills and hold real jobs in the communitys own business enterprises, experience the pride that accompanies the ability to contribute to ones own support and grow socially, emo-tionally and spiritually.

Funding for The Brookwood Community comes from 40 percent enterprise revenues, 40 percent tuition and 20 per-cent private sector donations from individuals, corporations, foundations, churches and civic groups. Brookwood has operated independent of government funding since its incep-tion.

Horticulture at The Brookwood Community began with two greenhouses and a small tree farm. It has grown to 47 greenhouses with specialized environments for bedding plants, plant propagation, transplanting and showroom/sales. Brookwood citizens now grow approximately 500,000 plants each year. Plants are sold to the general public and some wholesale customers. Handcrafts started as a small indi-vidual workshop and have grown to include large studios for the production of plaster cast, ceramic and cement garden statuary.

Food packaging includes Brookwoods famous salad dressing lines and private-labeled products. In addition, Brookwood operates a shipping and packaging operation for mail order and website catalog sales.

The Caf at Brookwood is open seven days a week for lunch. The Caf provides additional job venues for our citi-zens and serves hundreds of customers each week with a unique, gourmet dining experience. Brookwoods chef and food service director is a graduate of the Culinary Institute of America. Weddings, receptions and catering are an out-growth of the Cafs continued progress.

For more information about The Brookwood Community, visit www.brookwoodcommunity.org.

The Brookwood Community

Meet Allyson Peters

By Joan FrancesPhotography by Jaime Vines.

F ort Bend Christian Acad-emy prepares students for the future with a Christian approach to learning. With a highly qualified staff that focuses on mold-ing the life and character of each stu-dent in order to provide a solid foun-dation, students graduate prepared to take the next step in life. One Class of 2015 senior who has excelled in academics, sports and humanitar-ian service is Allyson Peters.

In a class of 73 students, Allyson ranked number one. During her four-year career, she excelled in advanced courses and was a participant of the Distinguished Scholar Diploma Program. She received the Honors World History Award as a sophomore and was a participant in the Student Leadership Community. Allyson was a member of Mu Alpha Theta and the National Honor Society Histori-an. She was also a member of the Na-tional English Honor Society and the Spanish Club. She was the president of the Interact Club, a service-based organization that partners with My Brothers Keeper and other minis-tries in the Sugar Land and Houston area.

HOT SHOTHigh School

Allyson is also engaged in sports and served as the varsity cross-country captain, soccer captain and varsity track trainer. She also enjoys art, spe-cializing in charcoal and photography. Allysons participation in art gives her an outlet to relax from the stress of schoolwork and express her creativity.

I try to live by the quote, Leader-ship begins at the feet of Jesus, Ally-son said. I first heard this saying at Student Leadership 101, a four-year leadership program that fosters Chris-tian leadership and service in high school students around the country, and ever since, this quote has been for me what it means to lead by serving. Volunteers are the ones to take initia-tive to help a need they see growing around them, and through time and effort, they are able to make a true change. Service is my passion, because I want to be able to make a change in someone elses life.

When asked what she feels she en-joyed the most during her high school experience, Allyson replied that her favorite week of the school year is al-ways the week before Spring Break. We call it Eagle Week, and it is a week of service where everyone in the high school takes a break from their normal routine to partner with service organi-zations both in our nearby communi-ties and beyond. This year, I traveled

around the world to the small village of Susani in Romania, where I had an amazing experience. My group and I conducted a Vacation Bible School for the children of Susani and surrounding villages. With the help of our translator, we were able to vis-it the homes of disadvantaged fami-lies to deliver much needed grocer-ies, and we were able to have great conversations with them.

While in Romania, I had incred-ible experiences that will stay with me for the rest of my life, and in ad-dition, my time spent overseas has given me a heart for service. I trea-sure the fact that my high school has given me the opportunity to have these amazing adventures, where I have been able to experience differ-ent cultures and learn what it means to be a servant to others.

Service is my passion, because I want to be ableto make a change in someone elses life. Allyson Peters

Allyson is very generous with her time outside of school. She is a member of First Colony Christian Church and assists with Vacation Bible School. She also spends time as a volunteer at Star of Hope and Bess Campbell Elementary.

This fall, Allyson will attend Bay-lor University with a major in Busi-ness and a minor in Graphic Design. Congratulations on your faith and commitment to the service of human-ity, and good luck in your ambitious future.

Allyson



Anson Aviation will help you discover a brand new way of life. Were based at the award-winning Sugar Land Regional Airport. Call 281-242-2555 or visit ansonair.com.

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With great effort from Hope For Threes volunteer Mare Solcher and Deputy Nick Kaminski of the Fort Bend County Precinct 1 Constables Office, Hope For Three is helping to make things bearable for children in crisis.

Solcher, who chairs the project, re-cently presented homemade blankets, entertaining toys and soft, comforting bears to the Precinct 1 Constables Of-fice. Deputy Kaminski, who is a certi-fied Mental Health Peace Officer, stated, Oftentimes, when arriving on a chaotic scene where children are involved, hav-ing a cuddly bear or some type of toy on hand brings comfort to the child.

The project is part of Hope for Three Autism Advocates Crisis Intervention Team (CIT) partnership with the Fort Bend County Sheriffs Office. The CIT program seeks to bridge the gap be-tween police response and mental health care by forming a partnership with be-havioral health and human services pro-fessionals, consumers, their families and law enforcement. Donations are given to all children, including those with unique abilities.

For more information on donating items for children in crisis, contact [email protected]. For more information on Hope For Three, call 281-245-0640 or visit www.HopeForThree.org.

Fort Bend County and Hope For Three Comfort Kids in Crisis

Deputy Nick Kaminski and Hope For Three volunteer Mare Solcher.


Attorney Rehan Alimohammad Appointed as Minority Director

of the State Bar of Texas

BUSINESSBRIEFS

Rehan Alimohammad, part-ner in the Sugar Land based law firm Alimohammad & Zafar, PLLC, was sworn in as Minority Director of the Texas State Bar on June 28th in San Antonio dur-ing the State Bars Annual Con-ference. The State Bar of Texas was created in 1882 by attorneys to uphold the highest ethical standards, and membership be-came mandatory for all attorneys practicing in the state in 1939.

The Texas State Bar is com-prised of around 97,000 active

members and is the fourth largest bar association in America. It is managed by its approximately 65 directors, who are elect-ed or appointed and serve voluntarily, with no monetary com-pensation. The mission of the State Bar of Texas is to support the legal system, assure all citizens equal access to justice, foster high standards of ethical conduct for lawyers, enable its members to better serve their clients and the public, educate the public about the rule of law and promote diversity in the administration of justice and the practice of law. Alimohammad was appointed to a three-year term.

Alimohammad is a founding partner of Alimohammad & Za-far, PLLC, in charge of immigration law, tax law and litigation of family law matters. He was listed as one of the Top Attorneys in Houston, Texas by Houstonia Magazine in 2013 and 2014 and has a 10.0 Superb rating on Avvo, which rates all licensed attorneys. He also was named one of the Five Outstanding Young Texans by the Texas Junior Chamber of Commerce in 2011. Under his guidance, the firm has received the 2015 Global Mobility, Immigration and Logistics award for the Best Immigration Law Firm for Client Satisfaction in Texas from AI magazine.

Alimohammad is heavily involved in the Fort Bend com-munity and State Bar organizations and is currently an ad-visor to the Texas State Bar Committee on Laws Related to Immigration & Nationality, appointed legal counsel and board member for the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce, elected to the Board of Directors for the Katy Bar Association, current member of American Immigration Lawyers Association and a current member of the Fort Bend County Bar Association. He was previously the Legal Member for His Highness Shia Imami Ismaili Council for the Southwest United States, member of

the Texas State Bar Committee on Laws Related to Immigra-tion and Nationality and elected Legal Counsel for the Houston Asian Junior Chamber of Commerce.

Alimohammad was brought up believing heavily in commu-nity service and credits his grandfather and father for instilling that value at an early age. He has taken cases on behalf of the YMCA International Services, the Houston Volunteer Lawyers Program, the University of Houston Legal Clinic and has volun-teered for Fort Bend Lawyers Care. He has also organized wills clinics throughout the state of Texas that have resulted in free wills for over 1,000 people over a three-year period.

Alimohammad received a Bachelor of Business Administra-tion from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996 and is a Cer-tified Public Accountant admitted to the Texas State Board of Public Accountancy in 1997. He received a Juris Doctorate from the University of Houston Law Center in 2001 and was admitted to the Texas State Bar in 2001. Alimohammad & Zafar, PLLC is a full-service law firm located in Sugar Land, Texas and fo-cuses on immigration law, family law, business and corpo-rate law, tax, estate planning, probate law and litigation. For more information, visit www.aandzlegal.com or call 281-340-2074.

Attorney Rehan Alimohammad

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Child Advocates of Fort Bend (CAFB) invites everyone to iron their capes, press their best suits or slip into their ball gowns and join them April 30, 2016 in the ballroom of the Sugar Land Marriott Town Square for The Super-hero Ball. From the minute guests fly into the Marriott, the event promises to be a supernatural evening of action heroes, motivating stories, delicious food and a live and silent auction filled with unique opportunities and excep-tional objects.

CAFB recently held The Secret Garden Gala. With the help of Event Underwriter National Oilwell Varco and Pre-senting Sponsors Exchange Club of Sugar Land and Ear-ly McClintic & McMillan, the event was a record-breaking success. Funds raised from the event support CAFBs programs and allow the organization to continue to serve the needs of child victims of abuse in Fort Bend County.

Other 2015 sponsors were Dr. and Mrs. Bracken Kolle; OCuSOFT, Inc.; Sysco Corporation; Baker Hughes; Bank of Texas; Brown & Gay Engineers, Inc.; FireTron; Memo-rian Hermann Sugar Land Hospital; Nalco Champion, an Ecolab Company; Jenny and Clay Williams; Louisa and Denny Adelung; Community Bank of Texas; Culak/Douds/King/McClellan/Somers; Monica and Xavier Maza; Ame-gy Bank; Atinum Energy Investments; Dr. Betty Baitland; Carolyn and Neil Banfield; Bushra Cheema, MD and Q. Imam; Cloud9travels.com, Naushad and Narmin Kermal-ly; Cross Creek Ranch; Del Webb Sweetgrass; Finnegan Auto Group; Four Dragons Institute; Kathy Johnson and Edward Gaskill; PB&J Pavement Marking, Inc.; Kathy and Bill Rohrbach; Steiber Insurance Group, LLC; WJ Inter-ests, LLC and State Representative John Zerwas, MD.

At the very heart of this event is the belief that every child deserves a safe and healthy childhood. Commu-nity participation in our gala fundraiser is a crucial part of our mission to help children and families affected by child abuse, said Ruthanne Mefford, executive director at Child Advocates of Fort Bend.

For more information, call 281-344-5108 or visit www.cafb.org.

Child Advocates of Fort Bend Announces 2016 Gala Theme

Child Advocates of Fort Bend staff members Ophelia Mok, Jessica Hernandez and Mariel Barrera.

Generous, Enthusiastic Men Serving

Fort Bend Focus andabsolutely! Brazos Magazines

Kick off the 2015GEMS of Fort Bend

Fort Bend Focus and absolutely! Brazos Magazines recently kicked off the 2015 GEMS of Fort Bend. GEMS Gener-ous, Enthusiastic Men Serving is an annual initiative honoring three male role models whose contributions to our community make them shine.

The 2015 GEMS were introduced at a brunch hosted by Joe and Doris Gurecky at their Historic Ebell House, which is the oldest brick home in downtown Rosenberg. The 2015 GEMS were joined by 2013 and 2014 GEMS, JEWELS of Fort Bend and com-munity and event partners. The 2015 GEMS Bob Hebert, Don Kerstetter and Steve Onstad will be honored at a premier event featuring dinner, live entertainment and a chips for charity ca-sino on Thursday, October 22nd at the Safari Texas Ranch Lodge located in Richmond.

Proceeds from the evening event will be invested back into the Fort Bend community by supporting a non-profit organiza-tion whose mission is vital in our community: Fort Bend Family YMCA. The Fort Bend Family YMCAs mission is to put Judeo-

Jackie and Don Kerstetter.

Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all. The Y is a cause-driven organization that is for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility because a strong community can only be achieved when we invest in our kids, our health and our neigh-bors.

This is the third year Fort Bend Focus and absolutely! Brazos Magazines have hosted the GEMS of Fort Bend. Last years event was sold out and raised over $15,000 for its beneficiary, Texana Center. Over the past seven years with both the GEMS and JEWELS of Fort Bend events, Fort Bend Focus and abso-lutely! Brazos Magazines have contributed nearly $150,000 to eight Fort Bend non-profit organizations.

Continuing our mission of giving back to our community is paramount to our organization, said Patti Parish-Kaminski, publisher of absolutely! focus media, the publishing company for Fort Bend Focus and absolutely! Brazos Magazines. Honor-ing these three amazing men who have contributed to our com-munity in extraordinary ways through GEMS is an honor for us. These men have helped mold our community into an exemplary place to live, work and raise our children. We are humbled by their stellar ex-amples of the true meaning of the word service.

The GEMS of Fort Bend is open to the public and is scheduled for Thursday, Oc-tober 22nd. The GEMS and jeans themed event kicks off with the casino and cocktails at 6:30 pm followed by din-ner and live entertainment. Tables and individual tickets are available by contacting 281-690-4242.

Doris Gurecky and Kay Garrett. Lisa Fredrickson and Sharon Hilburn.

Pat and Bob Hebert.

Holly Kaminga and Lucas Chavez. Carole and Bob Brown.

Michaela Filla and Steve Onstad.

Donna Kay Tucker and Judy Schmid.

Ann Smith and Joe Gurecky.

Jessica Kij and Mary Favre. Lucia Street and Sarah Bearden.


Generous, Enthusiastic Men Serving

Special Thanks to Our Official GEMS Sponsors

Gurecky Manufacturing Service, Inc.Hardee Investment Group LC Floral Designs

Nesossi Studios Pamela PrintingStar Digital Studios Sterling McCall Lexus

Safari Texas RanchHouston Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

Thursday, October Twenty Two, Two Thousand and Fifteen6:30 - 10 pm

Safari Texas Ranch Lodge11627 FM 1464 Richmond, Texas

Steve OnstadBob Hebert Don Kerstetter

Join

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Benefiting

CASINO DINNERLIVE ENTERTAINMENT

Tickets & Sponsorship Opportunities 281-690-4242 www.absolutelyfocusmedia.com

Association of Marketing and Communication ProfessionalsRecognizing exceptional business that are unselfishly giving of themselves and their resources, and those that are changing how they do business to benefit their communities.

Winner of a2015

Communitas Award


People often think that getting organized at home means hours of overhauling every room, said Lisa Zaslow, organization and productivity expert and founder of Gotham Organizers. Often, small changes to your process and approach can make a big difference in keeping your family organized all day long.

Zaslow recommends these simple tips to keep your home clutter-free:

1 Start each day with a game plan. Hang a weekly calendar in the kitchen, and make note of activities and items that need to be packed to prevent scheduling snafus and frantic phone calls for forgotten items.

2 Eliminate last-minute morning madness. Set an alarm clock or timer giving everyone a 10 minute warning before its time to leave to avoid having to run out the door.

3 Institute a 10 minute maintenance routine. Create a playlist of high-energy songs to play while the kids empty backpacks to make organizing tasks fun and more efficient.

4 Label everything. Use a label maker to designate a proper place for items throughout the house to avoid confusion about where to put things during clean up.

5 Keep closet clutter at bay. Place a sturdy shopping bag on the floor of each bedroom closet to serve as a donation bin for outgrown clothes. Schedule drop-offs at local thrift shops or donation centers once they are full.

HOME FEATURE

O rganization is essential for keeping stress at bay throughout the day. Whether youre getting the kids ready for school, tackling household chores, preparing meals or getting everyone ready for bed, there are several things you can do to maximize time, space and peace

of mind.

Source: Family Features

Ways to Stay Organized

All Day Long

6 Maximize storage space. Adhere damage-free Command Broom Grippers in the mudroom or kitchen closet to keep brooms, mops and dusters neat and off the floor.

7 Create a drop zone. Hang hooks near the front door for each family member to stow items they need to grab when entering and leaving the house. Everyone from kids to family pets will have a station to conveniently hold their things.

8 Avoid paper pile-ups. Set up a customized mail sorter using a desktop file box with labeled folders to keep all mail, receipts and other important documents organized.

9 Dress without stress. Adhere Command Clothes Hangers in the laundry room or on each family members closet door for easy outfit planning every night, so there are fewer decisions to make in the morning.

10 Know whats for dinner. Create a weekly meal planner to track each nights dinner, recipes and grocery needs so you can spend less time stressing over what to do for dinner and more time enjoying meals with the family.

For more organizing tips, visit Command.com.


STARTING AT $495,000


As a parent, its extremely painful to see your child being bullied. Your instinct will be to protect your child, but until you understand the problem, you cant truly formulate a good solution. Visit www.stopbullying.gov for an explanation of what separates bullying from isolated instances of bad behavior.

The Bureau of Justice Statistics estimates that 28 percent of elementary school children are bullied, and bullies make up about 10 percent of the school population. The reason for the latter is more than just kids will be kids. Its engrained in the psychological process that children go through in social situations and can be boiled down to three main steps.

Bullying

Kids Cor

ner

By Patric

k Biron

B ullying. It is as hot of a buzzword and topic as any in schools nowadays and for good reason. But what if I told you most

parents, coaches and schools arent addressing

the problem in a way that will properly fix it?

A child enters a school or any social situation. Without fail, the child enters what I call the freak-out stage, when he is desperate to fit in but is unsure if he can. In response to this, the child will employ some tactic to not be excluded by the group. For some, this might be extroversion. Others will seek out those who share interests, and still others will choose to not speak at all to avoid rejection. In step three, they re-evaluate their status in the group and proceed to either repeat the action or try something new.

Now, consider a bully in this situation. A bullys response in step two is usually to exploit the things that make other children more different than they are, be it appearance, strength, interests or something else readily identifiable. What the bully is saying to the group around him is two things: The other child is more different than he is and that he has the most power in the group, because no one will stop him.

Its easy to want to address the bully in this situation, and obviously the bullied as well, but the true solution comes from addressing the group. Over 90 percent of children will directly witness bullying at school, and their reason for not speaking up to stop it is rather easy to understand: They dont want to be bullied. They are going through their own freak-out cycle, and the way that they fit

in is by not standing up to the bully and becoming a target themselves. This fear, however, is based on the concern that they will be alone in doing what is right. If they knew the whole group wouldnt tolerate bullying, then they would absolutely speak up, since not doing so would be the thing that made them different.

In my career, I make sure everyone who walks in the door knows that our team doesnt tolerate bullies, and we stand up to them together. We proactively empower our kids and adults with the courage to do something and the knowledge to do it effectively. Kids know that if they see someone standing up to a bully, then its their job to help. We have to constantly and purposefully remind ourselves and our kids what to do, but we have set an important standard. Bullies know that bullying wont just result in discipline, but more importantly, it will result in them being singled out from the group, and nothing terrifies them more than that.

Bullies need consequences, and the bullied need our help. But to truly stop the problem, focus on the 90 percent of bystanders, and stop the issue before it even begins.

PARENTS GUIDE TO

absolutely

Pr ivate Schools & Af ter School Act iv i t ies

F E ATUR I NG

Is Your Child Kindergarten Ready?

Gingerbread Kids Academy

Fort Bend Christian Academy

Safety America

Sugar Grove Christian School

International Preparatory School

St. Marks Episcopal School

KnILE Center

10 Ways to Simplify Back to School Shopping

Sugar Land Gymnastics, Dance and Karate

College Bound

Back to School



Before you pack your little one off to Kindergarten, there are some basic skills that will help him have a successful entry into the education system, all of which can be addressed by enrolling three and four-year-olds in a public or private Pre-K program that focuses on 10 key mile-stones to insure your child is Kindergar-ten ready.

1. Social and Emotional DevelopmentThrough age-appropriate social and

emotional development, the child devel-ops a sense of self and personal control. He is able to follow rules within a class-room type setting and engage with his peers in group activities without being disruptive. The child is aware of his own feelings and the feelings of his peers.

2. Language and Communication The child is able to understand and

follow two to three step instructions. He uses communication to initiate conver-sations with his peers and to gain new information about his environment.

3. Emergent LiteracyReading The child is able to identify up to 20

upper and lower case letters of the al-phabet. He is able to sound out single

sight words with pictorial support, and identify those words in stories. The child can reenact parts of a story after it has been read to him.

4. Emergent LiteracyWriting The child is able to write his name

with some accuracy, and he can inde-pendently write some letters upon re-quest. The child may use some scribble drawings to convey a meaning to a story.

5. MathematicsThe child is able to rote count from

one to 30. He has a basic understanding that items and things can be counted. He understands that the order sequence of counting is always the same and can use a verbal word problem to add or subtract one to five items. The child should also be able to name and recreate common shapes.

6. ScienceThe child is able to observe and de-

scribe the common properties of dif-ferent objects, such as fruits and veg-etables. He is able to use basic tools for measuring and learning about objects. The child is able to talk about changes in the environment, such as weather and

seasons, and he is able to discuss cause and effect from experiments.

7. Social StudiesThe child is able to discuss the simi-

larities and differences between people. He is able to organize his life around events, time and routines, and he can identify the roles and responsibilities of community workers, such as policemen and firemen. The child should also be able to recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

8. Fine Arts The child is accustomed to using a

variety of art materials and activities for sensory experience and exploration. He should be able to use art for self-expres-sion and be able to show appreciation for other peoples artwork. The child should also be familiar with participating in music and dramatic play activities.

9. Physical Development The child is able to run, jump climb

and pedal. He shows signs of improved eye hand coordination and is able to cut using scissors. He also understands per-sonal safety and hygiene.

10. TechnologyThe child is able to identify rudi-mentary parts of a computer, such as a mouse and key board. He is able to use basic software programs to navigate through an activity on the computer.

By focusing on these 10 key mile-stones, parents can easily determine whether their child is prepared to succeed in Kindergarten. For more information on the Texas Pre-Kindergarten Guide-lines, visit the Texas Education Agency website at http://www.tea.state.tx.us/index2.aspx?id=2147495508&menu_id=2147483718.

Ready?Is Your ChildKindergartenBy Tim Kaminski

M aking sure that your child is Kindergarten ready is an important step in the overall success of his or her long-term education. But making certain that your child is ready is more than just purchasing school supplies and new sneakers.

absolutely! Back to SchoolAdvertorial


absolutely! Back to School Advertorial

As summer begins to wind down, it is time to turn our attention to a new school year. This past year, the Ginger-bread Family of Learning Centers celebrated the one year anniversary of their newest location, the Gingerbread Kids Academy in Richmond, and the 34th anniversary of The Gingerbread House Learning Center in Rosenberg. The Gin-gerbread Kids Academy and Gingerbread House Learning Center have developed an environment where children can learn and grow. The programs are designed for children ages eight weeks to 12 years.

Research has shown that in order for a child to be suc-cessful in school and in life, they must begin with a strong foundation in learning. Gingerbread has designed a curricu-lum that includes an emphasis on reading, writing, science, math, discovery and exploration, as well as social skills de-velopment. The infant and toddler programs focus on the development of both gross and fine motor skills along with basic language development. The three to five-year-old Pre-School and Pre-K programs focus on academics, peer relationships and preparation for entry into kindergarten and elementary school. The Gingerbread After-School pro-grams, located onsite at Frost, Hutchison and Hubenak El-ementary, as well as onsite at the Gingerbread Kids Acad-emy and Gingerbread House, offer homework assistance, arts, crafts, games and sports.

A new year means new beginnings. The Gingerbread Family invites you to come and visit. Both locations are now accepting enrollments for the 2015-2016 school year. For more information, contact Tim Kaminski at 281-239-2110 or e-mail [email protected].

Gingerbread: Quality EarlyEducation in Fort Bend County

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