march 2013 - fort bend focus magazine - people • places • happenings

MARCH 2013

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100th

ISSUE CELEBRATION

+100 Daysof Giveaways

+HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS

Dr. Samuel E. Cress

Discoverthe DNADifference 10

Spring BreakStaycation Ideas

www.fortbend .com • March 2013 1

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F E AT U R E S

20 JEN’S TOP 10Family fun staycation ideas for Spring Break

23 FORT BEND FOCUS MAGAZINE CELEBRATES 100February marked Fort Bend Focus Magazine’s 100th issue – 100 issues of bringing you the people, places and happenings in Fort Bend.

51 SAVVY HOME STAGINGQuick Tips for Selling Your House Faster

52 HOME IS WHERE THE HEART ISFind your home and make it your own!These resources will help you turn yourhouse into your dream home.

C O L U M N S

18 FOCUS ON FINANCE The Last Four Years

26 FOCUS CARES Jessica and Ryan McCauley: Making a Difference, Together

70 HIGH SCHOOL HOT SHOT Imani Butler: A Prescription for Success

C O V E R S T O R Y

M a r c h 2 0 1 3

Discover TheDNA Diffference …Beautifully A visionary in the field of Craniofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medicine, Samuel E. Cress, D.D.S. is utilizing a groundbreaking new therapy that offers hope for patients with obstructive sleep apnea: the Daytime Nighttime Appliance.

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Samuel E. Cress, D.D.S.

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Meet this month’s recipient on page 71!

N E W T O T H E N E I G H B O R H O O D

44 FIRST VICTORIA NATIONAL BANK

45 REVOLUTION STUDIO


CONTRIBUTORS

M A R C H 2 0 1 3 | V O L U M E 9 | N U M B E R 5

40

Nick NicholsonEntertainment Editor Page 40

Lauren DanteWriter Page 70

70

28

Amy GrossVineSleuthUncorked.com Page 28

51

Keron WeatheredOut of the Box Design Page 51

ON THE COVER:Samuel E. Cress, D.D.S.Photo by Nesossi Studios

26

Whitney HenslerWriter Page 26

a b s o l u t e l y !D E L I C I O U S

28 VINE SLEUTHBrunello de Mantalcino

N E W S W O RT H Y29 GET READY

For the First Annual Plop Drop

42 COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS For Fort Bend County Students

TIMELESS PLASTIC SURGERY Celebrates Expansion

43 SOUTHMINSTER SCHOOL REVVED UP For Denim and Diamonds Gala

60 TUNE IN TO BOOGIE 2013Happy Days in Your Classic Chevrolet

64 TEXANA GOES BOLLYWOODReaching for the Stars Gala

78 SKEETERS SIGN FIRST PLAYERSFor 2013 Season

F I L M R E V I E W40 STOKER

a b s o l u t e l y !H E A LT H Y L I V I N G

46 RESOLUTIONS TO GET FIT

M E D I C A L & B U S I N E S S

48 BUSINESS BRIEFSTap into the world of business in Fort Bend

76 MEDICAL FOCUSMedical news you can use from Fort Bend’s finest in medicine

Dr. Peter OsborneTown Center WellnessChiropractic and Nutrition Page 2222

Jennifer L. Evans WriterPage 20

20a b s o l u t e l y !A U T O R E V I E W

62 2013 MERCEDES-BENZ GLK

I N E V E RY I S S U E10 PUBLISHER’S PREVIEW

22 FOCUS ON HEALTHGluten Free Diets: Do They Help with Weight Loss?

30 SEEN ON THE SCENE Photos from Fort Bend County charitable events

66 OUT & ABOUT IN THE HEARTOF THE BEND A few snapshots of people, places and happenings

72 AMATEUR PHOTO CONTEST A winning shot by a local photographer

74 COMMUNITY CALENDAR Fun events the whole family will enjoy

79 FOCUS FAVORITESLooking for a service provider? Find one here.

80 LIVING THE SWEET LIFE Challenge Number Three: You Can Be Slow and Steady or Fast and Furious, But Working Hard is Mandatory

62

Steve Kursar Auto Enthusiast Page 62

80

Alisa MurrayAlisa Murray Photography Page 80

Will HardeeHardee InvestmentGroup Page 1818

Tim Cashion, DDS Teresa Cody, DDS

Call us now!281-206-4482

Does your dentist still use a drill?

Does your dentist check forcavities with a precise laser?

Does your dentist recommendextractions for crowded teeth?

Does your dentist o�er before& after work appointments?

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Instant images the size of a computer monitor. Remember those old x-rays that were 1” x 2“ ? Imagine the difference looking at a clear image 16” x 16” with all the software abilities that go along with computers. We can magnify a suspicious area and basically see inside the tooth. An added benefit for you is 1/10 the radiation needed.

17003 SW Freeway, Suite 100, Sugar Land, TX 77479Formerly Cashion & Cody Family Dentistry and Orthodontics

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Does your dentist have massage chairsand satellite TV?Your comfort is our #1 goal. Relaxing in a warm massage chair while watching a movie or your choice of 119 channels, is the best way we can think of for our patients to enjoy themselves while we do all the work!

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Does your dentist have an intra-oral camerathat not only takes a picture of your toothbut also lights up decay?You read that correctly! An intra-oral camera so small it fits inside your mouth and not only takes a picture of your tooth, but also lights up decay in RED. Now we can show you your tooth on a 20” TV, magnified 50 times, and shine a specialized light to find decay on the biting surfaces and in between 2 teeth. Truly Amazing!

6Laser technology allows us to offer pain free, no shot fillings. Why do it the old fashioned way? No high pitched whine or vibration from the grinding of the drill. Kids never become afraid of the dentist.

No Kidding! What could be more fun than waiting in a comfy armchair watching movies? If you don’t feel like checking your email at the internet cafe, come into the theater and recline and relax. This is not like the dentist when you were a kid!

10Does your dentist have a movie theater?

Ask �ese 10 Questions To Make Sure Your Dentist Stacks Up

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A $25.00 flat fee foran x-ray & consultation

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Hello Fort Bend Friends,

Happy Spring and Happy Easter! We are well on our way to bringing you another 100 issues of Fort Bend Focus, and to continue the celebra-tion, we are kicking off our 100 Days of Give-aways. Post daily on our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/fortbendfocus to be eligible to win a prize every day from now until June 8th. Daily drawings, great prizes – just another way to cele-brate our 100 and give back to our community that has given us so much.

Starting on page 23, you’ll see a few photos for you to enjoy from our 100th issue celebration we held at the Houston Museum of Natural Science here in Sugar Land. It was truly epic! And, if you haven’t visited the museum, it’s a must-see in Fort Bend.

Talking about pictures, there has been so much going on in Fort Bend that we are featuring five Seen on the Scenes covering the people, places and happenings in our community. And, don’t forget to check out our Out & About in the Heart of the Bend on page 66.

With Spring quickly approaching, we all like to spring up our best investment: our homes. Our bi-annual Home Is Where The Heart Is special section starts on page 52. These local experts will help you with all of your home improvement needs with their products and services.

Spring Break is this month, and we have listed some great staycation ideas for you and your family to have some fun close to home. Check them out on page 20.

Enjoy the Springtime weather, and we will see you around the Bend.

Stay Focused,Lisa Fredrickson

4655 TECHNIPLEX DR. STE 400STAFFORD , TX 77477

281-690-4242

WWW.FORTBENDFOCUS.C0M

Fort Bend FocusTM Magazine is published by absolutely! focus media, 4655 Techniplex Dr., Ste. 400, Stafford, TX 77477. Copy-right © 2013 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.

Publisher, LISA FREDRICKSON

Vol. 9 No. 5March 2013

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.

E X E C U T I V E P U B L I S H E R S Michael & Lisa Fredrickson

E DI TOR- I N - C H I E F Patti Parish-Kaminski

S E N I O RAC C O U N T E X E C U T I V E

Jessica Kij

AC C OU N T E X E C U T I V E SMelissa HuckabeeHenry Pineda, Jr.

A RT DI R E C TORGrace Belleza

G R A P H IC DE SIG N E R SGinger Garza

Christopher HernandezJesse McPeek

C O M M U N I C AT I O N S C O O R D I NAT O R

Sarah Greeson

A D M I N I S T R AT I V E D I R E C T O RErin Sanders

W E B DE SIG N E R Joey Belleza

P H O T O G R A P H E RNessosi Studios

C O N T R I BU T O R SLauren Dante

Jennifer L. Evans Amy GrossWill Hardee

Whitney HenslerSteve Kursar Alisa Murray

Nick NicholsonDr. Peter OsborneKeron Weathered

I N T E R NBunty Keo

I N Q U I R I E S281-690-4242

E D I T O R IA L SU B M I S S I O N [email protected]

Lisa Fredrickson, Kathryn Klugeand Michael Fredrickson

Publishedby

Lisa [email protected]@Fortbendfocus.com

READER FEEDBACK

Ticket giveaways to area attractions and events.Facebook.com/FortBendFocus

Ooops!We incorrectly identified this couple in last month's issue. They areJay Jacoby & Robin Seale. We apologize for the error.

Dear Lisa, Just wanted to sincerely thank you again for making the 2012 Sugar Plum Market a huge success! Raising $203,000 for Fort Bend charities will make a significant impact on our community. We look forward to partnering with you in 2013!

Sincerely, Trina Sanford, Sponsor Committee

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W e all do it. It’s a routine part of taking care of ourselves and our families. Twice a year, we

make our obligatory appointment to the dentist to make sure we are maintaining proper oral health, and perhaps we might improve on some cosmetic issues such as whitening or straightening. While the

traditional practice of dentistry has been around for hundreds of years, specialized dentists have the opportunity to success-fully treat many more issues than their predecessors. Through dentistry, today’s dentists can dramatically change patients’ lives treating much more than simple cavities.

A visionary in the field of Craniofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medicine, Samuel E. Cress, D.D.S., spent 18 years caring for his patients in the traditional sense of cos-metic and general dentistry in his Sugar Land practice. But while he was provid-ing for their dental health and cosmetic smiles, he noticed a trend. Many of his patients confided in their trusted dentist about other health issues they were hav-ing, along with their frustration in seek-

ing health care providers that truly care. “Many of my patients were complaining about multiple – and similar – symptoms including snoring, insomnia, fatigue, headaches, Temporomandibular Dis-orders (TMD) and poor memory – even depression.”

Dr. Cress began compiling data on his patients, identifying similarities and re-searching possible causes and treatments. “Certain disorders, including sleep apnea, sleep bruxism, TMD and chronic pain, have a direct bearing on the practice of dentistry,” explained Dr. Cress. “There-fore, gaining a working understanding of Craniofacial Pain and Dental Sleep Medi-cine will greatly enhance what dentists can offer their patients who need help in this area.”

COVER STORY

Photo byNesossi Studios

Discover the DNA Difference . . .

Remodeling for Life, Restructuring for Beauty

The staff of The Center for Craniofacial and Dental Sleep Medicine.


Dr. Cress has gone as far as to pursue advanced education at the prestigious Tufts School of Dental Medicine in Bos-ton, Massachusetts in the area of Dental Sleep Medicine to help his patients suffer-ing from obstructive sleep apnea.

Sleep Apnea: Are You Tired of Being Tired?

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common disorder present in approxi-mately one out of every 15 Americans in which patients have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths during sleep. The breathing pauses can last from a few seconds to minutes, and they may occur 30 times or more an hour. The re-sult in these pauses is a chronic condition – obstructive sleep apnea – that disrupts sleep. As breathing pauses or becomes shallow, individuals will move from a deep sleep (REM) into a light sleep or may nev-er reach deep sleep, resulting in poor sleep quality. As a result, individuals suffering from OSA are tired during the day leading to excessive daytime sleepiness.

The causes of OSA are varied and can range from craniofacial dental arch ab-normalities to adenotonsillar hypertrophy (disease in the tonsils and adenoids) to obesity. OSA is the leading cause of other disorders including high blood pressure (hypertension), and certain heart condi-tions. OSA can affect an individual’s qual-ity of life by causing fatigue, impaired concentration, depression and learning difficulties and has been associated with cognitive defects and hyperactive inatten-tive behaviors, Attention Deficit Disor-der (ADD) and Attention Deficit Hyper-activity Disorder (ADHD).

Dr. Cress noted that traditional treat-ment for OSA such as CPAP was not producing optimum results for many of

his patients. The traditional CPAP treat-ment involves a cumbersome device that uses mild to moderate air pressure to keep an airway open. Essentially, it is a large face mask with tubes worn over the nose and mouth while sleeping to assist with breathing. Patients report not only dis-comfort with the mask but sleep interrup-tion or disturbance caused by irritation associated with the mask. These interrup-tions in normal sleep patterns also cause fatigue, which is a primary symptom of sleep apnea.

Dr. Cress noted a significant lack of compliance in his patients using CPAP. Determined to find a better solution, Dr. Cress pursued extensive education to develop a better understanding of sleep-disordered breathing and treatment op-tions for OSA. “The great irony about Dental Sleep Medicine is that for genera-tions dentists have examined the mouths of countless individuals with sleep-disor-dered breathing without understanding the issues.”

The DNA Formula: Correction for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

Intrigued by the possibility behind of-fering oral appliance therapy for the treat-ment of OSA to his patients, thereby doing away with the invasive and uncomfort-able CPAP mask, Dr. Cress discovered a groundbreaking new therapy that offered hope: The DNA (Daytime Nighttime) Ap-pliance.

The DNA appliance is an oral appli-ance developed to correct many symptoms associated with OSA by expanding the mouth’s upper arch space in three dimen-sions, which in turn increases the size of the patient’s airway. As the upper arch is expanded, the lower jaw is able to move forward into a more natural position. As

the jaw moves forward, it pulls on the tongue and soft tissues, thus permanently increasing the size of the airway giving patients more airflow and greater oxygen-ation to the body. The result is a painless, non-invasive, dramatic improvement in the patient’s ability to breathe.

The DNA Difference

While there are a number of oral de-vices available to patients suffering from OSA, Dr. Cress felt the DNA appliance was a superior treatment. “Most oral de-vices simply move the jaw forward and hold it in position, forcing the airway to open to help patients breathe,” explained Dr. Cress. “The DNA appliance works naturally to permanently optimize the underlying structures of the airway. The DNA appliance non-surgically remodels the upper airway by widening the arch, lowering the palate and altering the shape of the oral cavity, which improves a per-

ObstructiveSleep Apnea Symptoms

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a common sleep disorder present in approximately one out of every 15 Americans. Patients with OSA have one or more pauses in breathing or shallow breaths during sleep which results in disruptive sleep patterns.

Nighttime symptoms of OSA can include:• Snoring: intermittent with pauses• Snorting, gasping• Apnea, pauses in breathing• Frequent and/or fragmented awakening• Sweating• Fragmented, non-refreshing, light sleep• Insomnia

OSA symptoms are also commonduring the day and can include:

• Excessive Daytime Sleepiness (EDS)• Poor memory, clouded intellect• Poor concentration and performance• Fatigue• Morning headache• Depression, irritability• Decreased sex drive, impotence• Gastro-esophageal reflux (GERD)

For more information about OSA diagnosis and treatment, contact Dr. Samuel E. Cress at The Center for Craniofacial & Dental Sleep Medicine at 281.565.4100 or visit www.cfdsm.com.

T he Center for Craniofacial and Dental Sleep Medicine offers sleep apnea patients innovative solutions and individualized therapies

for oral and airway management that are created to improve one’s quality of life.

Mission Statement

son’s ability to breath. The DNA appli-ance also tightens the soft tissue and muscle of the upper airway preventing vibration as air passes over them – the most common cause of snoring.”

Astonishing Dental – and Cosmetic – Results

Dr. Cress also discovered additional benefits that the DNA appliance of-fered in addition to addressing the root cause of OSA. His findings can best be described as remarkable. “Not only does the DNA appliance treat my pa-tients’ OSA, the cosmetic benefits are astonishing.”

In addition to non-surgical, drug-free relief to their OSA symptoms, Dr. Cress’ patients experienced straighter teeth, as well as multiple cosmetic en-hancements. And the best news? Pa-tients only wear the DNA appliance at night while they sleep.

“In using the DNA appliance in my

practice for more than three years, I now have over 200 appliances in place,” said Dr. Cress. “The astonish-ing results have not only improved the patients’ airways, thereby addressing the root cause of their OSA, but mal-occlusion and midface underdevel-opment have been corrected. By en-hancing the development of the upper and lower face, we are seeing broader smiles, fuller lips, better balance and facial symmetry leading to happier, healthier patients.”

All of these benefits – cosmetic and dental – are accomplished with the DNA appliance, and best of all, cosmetic re-sults can be seen in as little as 90 days.

Success Stories

So what do Dr. Cress’ patients have to say about their experience with the DNA appliance? One patient re-layed her experience of sleeping with her husband now after years of snor-

ing and OSA symptoms: “There has already been a huge improvement in two weeks! The apnea spells have completely stopped, and my husband is going three hours or more with-out a single ‘snort.’ I find myself waking up worry-ing because he’s so quiet when he sleeps! I would recommend this treat-ment to everyone who has snoring issues; it has made a huge difference in our lives! My husband just said yesterday that he can’t believe how much more energy he has now during the day.”

Dr. Cress knows first-Before After

Before After

hand the benefits of the DNA appli-ance. A patient himself since dental school, Dr. Cress has had extensive dental work including all silver fillings replaced, elective root canals to expe-rience the procedure from a patient’s perspective, orthodontics and jaw sur-gery to correct his bite, an extraction, bone graft and a sinus lift to receive an implant. He recently completed full mouth rehabilitation with complete cosmetic makeover, and today, he con-tinually wears the DNA appliance for better breathing while he sleeps, allow-ing him to personally experience the DNA difference.

In addition to his practice special-izing in Dental Sleep Medicine, TMD, Full Mouth Rehabilitation and Cos-metic Dentisty, Dr. Cress is a clinical instructor in the prestigious Dr. Dick Barnes Group where he teaches other dentists the benefits and application of DNA Therapy for patients suffer-ing from OSA. Dr. Cress is a featured speaker at industry conferences and educational seminars in the area of Dental Sleep Medicine.

With the effectiveness of the DNA appliance – and the amazing cos-metic results – Dr. Cress believes this groundbreaking technology will contin-ue to improve lives while adding a few beautiful smiles along the way. Tra-ditionally, dentists have been trained to look at patients from a dental, not a cosmetic perspective, but Dr. Cress’ results with the DNA appliance have taught him to look at dentistry from a new perspective. “My practice is about quality of life,” explained Dr. Cress. “I want to give my patients every ad-vantage in treatment options for their overall health. My commitment to my patients is to get them from where they are to where they need to be regard-ing their overall dental and physical health. So, if I can treat my patients’ OSA symptoms, straighten their teeth, enhance their facial features without injections, fillers, pain or discomfort, and decrease their TMD pain, their quality of life is greatly improved. Then, I truly have reached my goal as a health care provider.”

For more information about DNA appliances and Dr. Cress, visit www.cfdsm.com or call 281.565.4100.

“A new product was introduced to me a few months ago called a DNA appliance. The first night I wore the product, I actually slept better, and my wife said I snored less. I have been wearing the appliance for a few months now, and my wife and I have noticed a lot of changes. Not only has my sleep apnea, snoring, and restless nights vanished, I have noticed that my constant indigestion, difficulty breathing while exercising and morning headaches have also gone away.

I truly believe that the DNA appliance was the best decision I could have made, and my wife is very thankful I made it!”

- M. Mc.

What are patients saying aboutDr. Samuel E. Cress and the DNA appliance?



Prepared by the Hardee Investment Group and RBC Wealth Management

The Last Four Years

N o, this is not a political comment. This is about the word anxiety and how it’s affected investors.

Ever since the bankruptcies of Gen-eral Motors, AIG, Lehman Brothers and the major collapse of our banking system in 2009, investors have been looking over their shoulders waiting for the other shoe to drop. In many cases, it seems investors are suffering from a form of post-traumatic stress disorder. This trauma or stress has investors second-guessing every move and run-ning for cover at the first sign of per-ceived trouble. Call it a flash back to 2008-2009.

In my opinion, the stress and trau-ma of 2008-2009 was the worse since the 1973-1975 recession, which was the worst since the late 1930s. In other words, it occurs every 30 to 40 years. Yet, we are still reacting and looking for “after shocks.” Stocks have doubled, and interest rates are near zero. In-vestors have flocked to bond funds for safety, even though they pay the least they’ve paid since 1980. Nobody want-ed bonds at 17 percent in 1980 because of inflation fears. Now everyone wants

them at 2 percent for 20 years.Anxiety lets emotions drive our ac-

tions and color our judgment. Sir John Templeton, who many consider to be the finest investor of our time, removed himself from emotional investing. He didn’t live in New York City or fre-quent Wall Street. He did not watch TV or let emotions make his decisions. He was at his best when doing the op-posite of “conventional wisdom,” and there are opportunities in every mar-ket. Sir Templeton’s last great vision was selling short “dot.com” stocks at the height of their popularity in 2000. He died a billionaire, leaving his money to charity.

Sir Templeton believed in identify-ing long-term trends and having con-viction to follow through. It didn’t hap-pen immediately; he allowed time to be his ally, not his master.

We can all benefit from Sir Temple-ton’s lessons. An example of this is our view that this decade will belong to en-ergy users, not energy producers. This theme will become more obvious in the next few years, but America is the low cost producer of energy, and American in-

dustry stands to benefit for years to come.Ready for the next four years? Or

does anxiety still have you looking over your shoulder? When you’re always looking back, it’s hard to advance and plan for the future. Allow the Hardee Investment Group to help you feel more secure with your portfolio. By keeping you well educated about your invest-ments, we help restore the trust and confidence that may have been lost. Give us a call today at 713-853-0879 or visit us online anytime at www.HardeeInvestmentGroup.com. Time will pass whether you’re confident or not. Don’t let the next four years pass you by without the assistance of the Hardee Investment Group.

This article is provided by H. H. Will Hardee, AWM, Senior Vice President, Senior Portfolio Man-ager- Portfolio Focus, a Financial Advisor at RBC Wealth Management’s Houston Center office, and was prepared by or in cooperation with RBC Wealth Man-agement.

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 or-ganization 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 Capi-tal Markets LLC, Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.

© 2012 RBC Wealth Management, a division of RBC Capital Markets, LLC, Member NYSE/FINRA/SIPC.

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Methodist Orthopaedic Specialists of Texas

Methodist Orthopaedic Specialists of Texas (MOST) physicians are

recognized as some of the finest board certified physicians in the

specialty of orthopedics. They provide comprehensive, world-class

orthopedic care under one roof right here in Fort Bend County —

from sports medicine to joint replacement, hand and wrist to ankle

and spine care. They perform on a higher level, so you can, too.

Toscheduleanappointment,call281-494-MOST(6678)or [email protected].

The MOST Complete ORTHOPEDIC CARE in FORT BEND COUNTY

Four Convenient Locations:

1201 Brooks Street Sugar Land, Texas 77478

1327 Lake Pointe Parkway, Suite 425 Sugar Land, Texas 7747818400 Katy Freeway, Suite 200 Houston, Texas 770942500 Fondren, Suite 209 Houston, Texas 77063

281-494-MOST (6678) MethodistOrthopedics.com [email protected]’sDugout

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D. Dean Dominy, III, M.D. Hand&UpperExtremitiesKenneth M. Renney, M.D. SportsMedicineJeffrey B. Wood, M.D. Diseases&Deformities oftheSpine

Eddie T. Matsu, M.D. GeneralOrthopedics, JointReplacement

Mark W. Maffet, M.D. Knee&ShoulderSurgery, SportsMedicine

Timothy C. Sitter, M.D. Knee&ShoulderSurgery, SportsMedicine

Vincent C. Phan, M.D. Hand&UpperExtremitiesCarl A. Hicks, M.D. JointReconstructiveSurgery

Christopher K. Smith, M.D. Adult&PediatricOrthopedics

David A. Braunreiter, M.D. SportsMedicineRay R. Valdez, M.D. Foot&Ankle

Anthony J. Muffoletto, M.D. Diseases&Deformities oftheSpine


S pring Break in Katy is March 11th – 15th. If you are going to

stay close to home, you can still have a wonderful time with your family. Whether you are new to the area or are looking for fresh ideas, keep this list handy as you plan your week.

1 Try a gravity ropes course. The newly opened Main Event En-

tertainment, located on the Katy Free-way in Katy, features a fun gravity ropes course. You must be 48 inches tall to try your luck, but this is sure to keep your bored tweens busy. And, it’s a gender neutral activity! www.mainevent.com

2 Pack a picnic lunch. Pack your favorite lunch and take the

whole crew to downtown Houston’s park Discovery Green located

at 1500 McKinney in Houston. Bonus: On Tuesday, March 12th, Houston Ballet II will give a free performance at noon – a surefire way to introduce your children

to one of Houston’s finest arts institutions. www.discoverygreen.com

3 Let’s rodeo! Get your cowboy/cowgirl on at the Houston Live-

stock Show and Rodeo™! Even if you don’t want to spring for concert tickets – and there are some great ones – you can still buy general admission tickets. Enjoy the carnival rides and midway games and venture into the Rodeo properties for pet-ting zoos, art displays and other daytime activities. Check the online daily calendar of events. www.hlsr.com

4 A day at the park. Speaking of parks, visit Katy’s own Mary Jo

Peckham Park on the north side of I-10, near the Grand Parkway. Catch some fish, play mini golf or take a nature walk around the trail and look for critters. Bring a frisbee and just let everyone cut loose! www.pct3.hctx.net

5 Head to the beach. Day trip to Galveston Island and pretend you

are in the tropics because, well, it will likely be that hot! An easy one-hour commute from Katy, you can make this trip on a budget or you can splurge. On a budget? Pack towels, chairs, toys and a picnic and head to Stewart Beach where, for a small fee, you can park on the sand near the water and play all day. Shower off at the clean pavilion and leave by 3 pm to avoid traffic. If you are splurging, be a tourist for the day and hit Schlitterbahn first thing. Wrap up at the Pleasure Pier for dinner and a few thrills, then hit the road at 7 pm and be home within the hour. Or, go all out and book an overnight stay at one of the is-land’s lovely hotels. www.galveston.com

6 Shop ‘til you drop. Avoid the heat and spend the day at Katy

Mills Mall. With many new shops, a large arcade, movie theater and numerous res-taurants, you can easily kill a few hours at Katy Mills. But, don’t just show up. Map out the agenda with your family so you can do the things most important to you all. www.simon.com/mall/katy-mills

7 Get crafty. If you are the creative type, start stocking up on inex-

pensive craft projects at the local Hobby Lobby. Then, execute in the back yard and invite the neighborhood kids and parents over to join you. Not crafty? No biggie! Just pop into Ceram-ics by Tess, Pinot’s Palette or Harry the Potter and let someone else lead. www.hobbylobby.com; www.ceramicsbytess.com; www.pinotspalette.com and www.harrythepotterinkaty.com

8 Get wet and wild. Cool off at Splashway Water Park, located in

Sheridan, approximately 90 miles from Houston. Admission is a little less than other area water parks and a little more low key. With some strategically placed shade and neat activities for wee ones, this is a more relaxed experience – es-pecially if you are going it alone. www.splashwaywaterpark.com

9 Got culture? Any top ten list for the greater Houston area is incom-

plete without mentioning the Houston Museum Dis-trict and Theatre District. If you did not know, Hous-ton’s art scene is interna-tionally renowned. I won’t play favorites here, because each of these gems offers something unique. Some are free or cheap, others can put a serious dent in the wallet. But all are spectacular! www.houstonmuseumdistrict.org; www.downtownhouston.org/district/theater

10 Visit historic halls. Got a history buff in the family? Visit

the Katy Heritage Museum, which is open on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of most weeks. Explore a little of Katy’s farm-ing history and see artifacts and equip-ment used by Katy residents in years past. Venture down the street in Old Town Katy for lunch at Los Cucos Mexican Café. Also be sure to ask your waiter to tell you about the Cabrera brothers who founded Los Cucos. www.katyheritagesociety.com; www.loscucos.com

By Jennifer L. Evans

Jen’s Top Things to do

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Second Opinions Welcome

Many people today are going on gluten free diets. You can find extensive gluten free sections

in Kroger, HEB and Whole Foods. Glu-ten has been in the national spotlight re-ceiving recognition on Discovery Health, CNN’s Larry King, Oprah and more.

So What is Gluten?Gluten is a protein found in the follow-

ing grains: wheat, barley, rye and oats. It is also found in processed foods derived from wheat, barley, rye and oats. Breads, cereals and pastas are rich in gluten. Other foods and/or food additives can be derived from gluten containing grains. Examples include soy sauce, gravies, soups, whiskey and modified food starch. Traditional medical thought is that the protein gluten interacts with some people’s immune systems causing an au-toimmune reaction, which damages the intestine. However, newer research iden-tifies that the protein gluten is only part of the problem. Some scientists argue that many grains – including corn – can create similar reactions.

What is gluten sensitivity?It depends on who you ask. Many

people use the term gluten sensitivity interchangeably with celiac disease, an autoimmune intestinal disorder. Some call gluten sensitivity a food allergy or intolerance. Both are correct to some degree. Gluten sensitivity causes celiac disease, but not all people with gluten sensitivity develop celiac disease. This is where the problem in traditional diag-nosis can occur. The only way to confirm

Gluten Free DietsDo They Help With Weight Loss?

whether or not a person has celiac disease is to perform an intestinal biopsy. If the results reveal villous atrophy (flattening of the intestinal folds), then celiac disease is diagnosed. If the results are negative, then both celiac disease and gluten sensi-tivity may be dismissed. Newer research shows that gluten sensitivity exists inde-pendently without causing celiac disease. There are more than 190 different disease conditions, syndromes and symptoms that have been linked to gluten sensitivity in scientific studies. Some common condi-tions include thyroid disorders, seizure disorders, migraine, bone loss and irri-table bowel syndrome.

Diagnosing Gluten Sensitivity and Celiac Disease The proper tools must be used to ac-

curately diagnose gluten sensitivity. Re-lying solely on a biopsy can delay a diag-nosis for several years. I have personally seen cases of celiac disease where up to eight biopsies were performed before a diagnosis was made. Genetic testing offers the greatest degree of accuracy and when combined with a patient’s his-tory and examination a diagnosis can be made early and accurately. However, the greatest tool is patient improvement. If a person starts to feel better on a gluten free diet, it doesn’t matter what blood tests or biopsies reveal. The proverbial proof is in the pudding.

Gluten Free Diet for Weight LossThe gluten free diet is being used by

thousands as a weight loss aid. Unfortu-nately, many in the medical profession are

falsely proclaiming that gluten free diets for weight loss are dangerous and can lead to nutrition deficits. All untrue.

A gluten free diet can be very helpful for weight loss. Think about it. If we want to fatten up cows, pigs, chickens or other farm animals, what do we feed them? Grain. Look at the obesity trend in the U.S. It is most definitely on the rise. This increase parallels an increase in grain based foods in being used as staple foods in the U.S. Diet.

A common day of eating for most Americans is grain loaded:

Breakfast – Cereal (with milk from ani-mals fed grain), bagels, toast, donuts, gra-nola bars, etc.Lunch and Dinner – Sandwich, pizza, spaghetti or pasta, rolls, rice and corn.Dessert – Cake, cookies and ice cream.

Are you fat or overweight?Excessive grain causes obesity in ani-

mals and in humans. Excessive grain causes inflammation and contributes to a host of different chronic degenerative dis-eases. Do you fit these categories? If so, it is time to look at gluten as a potential cul-prit. All that being said, can a gluten free diet be used to lose weight? Absolutely!

Gluten Free Expo is Coming…Want to learn more about gluten? Join

us on March 10th for the Glutenology Houston Gluten Free Expo. We will have experts in gluten sensitivity, food, cooking lessons and more. For more information, visit www.HoustonGlutenFreeExpo.com. Visit www.GlutenFreeSociety.org to learn more.

DID YOU KNOW?You have one of the country’s most advanced alternative medicine clinics right here in Sugar Land

4724 Sweetwater Blvd. Suite 102, Sugar Land, TX 77479281-240-2229 • www.TownCenterWellness.com

Dr. Peter Osborne

n Dr. Osborne• Is a Diplomate and the Executive Secretary of the American Clinical Board of Nutrition• Is the only Board Certified Nutritionist in Sugar Land• Is a member of the ACA Council on Nutrition• Has held teaching appointments at Texas Women’s University and HCC’s nursing program • Lectures nationally to other physicians on the topic: drug induced nutritional deficiencies

n Town Center Wellness:• Offers genetic testing to match your lifestyle and diet to your genes• Offers complete laboratory nutritional analysis to identify vitamin and mineral deficiencies• Offers traditional and specialty lab services to assist in patient diagnosis• Offers state of the art Spinal Decompression therapy to prevent back surgery• Offers genetic and laboratory testing to identify gluten sensitivity• Offers chiropractic care


FOCUS ONHEALTH

By Dr. Peter Osborne


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February 2012 marked a tremendous milestone for Fort Bend Focus:

We celebrated our 100th – 100 issues of bringing you the people, places and happenings

in Fort Bend. We celebrated with a commemorative issue in February, and

best of all, we celebrated with an event at the Houston Museum of Natural

Science at Sugar Land with our readers, advertisers, subscribers, staff,

columnists – our Fort Bend friends. Thanks Fort Bend – for helping us

reach a major milestone with 100 issues. We look forward to the next 100!

Celebrates


What a great event! It was fun seeing so many friends. Thank you!

Lisa Giesler, CPO

Issue Celebration

I want to thank you for including me in the invitation to the celebra-tion last night. Just like the magazine it was a class event. Fort Bend County is extremely fortunate to have a magazine with such a community oriented “focus.” I know that non-profit organizations, like Texana Center, really do appreciate the coverage you so graciously give to many of our activities. Here’s to the next 100!

Tracey J. ShawDirector of Development & Community Relations, Texana Center


Congrats, ladies! Great event!

Jacquie Baly

Wonderful event! Ed and I wish you all continued success!

Lydia Crowell

Congratulations for 100 issues of your publications! Nice reception tonight at the Houston Museum of Natural Science in Fort Bend. You’re a real Gem!

Britt Cafferena

Issue Celebration


May 4, 2013 at the Sugar Land Marriott Town SquareFor sponsorship, tickets or more information contact Lisa Moore

at [email protected] or 281-344-5108 or go to www.cafb.org

Presenting Sponsors:Exchange Club of Sugar Land

Indo American Forum of Fort BendNational Oilwell Varco

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honoring Bob & Carole Brown

Jessica and Ryan McCauley:Making a Difference, Together

Jessica McCauley, a first grade teacher at The Fay School, found a renewed passion for volunteer-

ing when she met her husband, Ryan, a Commercial Bank Relationship Man-ager at JPMorgan Chase. “Ryan has always been really passionate about volunteering and works with a lot of not for profit groups through his job,” Jes-sica said. “He renewed that in me. My parents would always tell us, ‘to those whom much is given, much is expected.’

Ryan really leads the way for both of us to do that.”The McCauleys, who married in 2012, volunteer with a fam-

ily of Congolese refugees through Catholic Charities and earned an Honorable Mention at the Catholic Charities’ National Awards for their efforts. Ryan called getting involved with the family a happy “twist of fate.”

“I was trying to get more involved with the refugee community,

because I had been reading up a lot on where these poor people had been coming from,” Ryan said. “Things aren’t any easier when they get here. The opportunities for people without GEDs aren’t what they thought it would be. I talked to a few organizations, and at a World Refugee Day, I introduced myself to someone who was in charge of refugee resettlement at Catholic Charities. It was a match made in heaven.”

As volunteers, Jessica and Ryan help the family with things Ryan says most people would find “routine,” including filling out job applications, managing bank accounts and going apartment hunting. “This is a family who is trying to learn English and try-ing to hold down minimum wage jobs to pay the rent,” he said. “They’re fleeing a war torn country; they’re never going to be able to go back home. They have no belongings. They’re in a sea of chaos. Things we take for granted are more complicated for them.”

Jessica’s best memory of the family centers around something routine: making them their first grilled cheese sandwich. “It was the neatest moment. It was a life-changing experience for them,” she said. “It’s something you don’t give any thought to, but it was a huge moment for them. They thought it was a delicacy.”

Although they both acknowledged that helping the family is gratifying, Jessica said the perspective she and Ryan gain through working with the family is their real reward. “It’s what they give to us. They give way more to us as far as shifting our perspective and showing us how to appreciate things we take for granted,” she said.

“If you can imagine what they’ve been through to get here, up-rooted from their village, they had to literally walk to a different country. They found their now five-year-old in the bushes while they were walking to Uganda and decided to bring her up as their own daughter,” said Ryan. “They do it all with a smile on their faces. They started fresh with a smile, not begrudgingly. That’s what we get the most out of. It’s a humbling experience being around them.”

Ryan said their involvement with the family had “no end game” and is a “long term thing.”

“Our goal is to help them get to a place where we hang out as friends instead of because they need help translating something or need help finding a job,” he said. “We’re really friends already. We’re just looking forward to the time when they tell us to come over to watch TV or have a barbeque.”

At the McCauley’s wedding in March, the family attended as guests. “We had no idea one of them was an awesome break-dancer,” said Ryan. “Sharing those moments really just as friends means so much to us.”

For more information regarding Catholic Charities, visit www.catholiccharities.org, or call 281-202-6200. For additional volun-teer opportunities in Fort Bend County, call Volunteer Fort Bend at 713-965-0031 or visit www.VolunteerFortBend.org.

FOCUS CARESBy Whitney Hensler

Ryan and Jessica McCauley.


At First Victoria National Bank, we take pride in keeping pace with your needs with our “customer-first” attitude and local decision-making. And as the community continues to grow, that also means bringing you new and convenient locations, like the new Spring Green Banking Center now open in Katy. Experience full-service banking, three drive-thru lanes, a 24-hour Image Enabled Deposit Taking ATM and a Children’s Corner, as well as club-style business center amenities at our V-Source Center®.

So, stop in soon and discover the first-rate service of First Victoria.

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T his month you’re likely to start seeing the 2008 Brunello di Mantalcino wines hitting the

wine shops after they made their debut at Benvenuto Brunello in Montaclino, Italy in late February. I was fortunate enough to be among the first to preview these delicious wines in late January, when the Consorzio Del Vino Brunel-lo di Montalcino chose to share their wines first with wine writers, beverage directors and sommeliers here in Hous-ton a full three days before our coun-terparts in New York City had their preview. It’s great to be in Houston, isn’t it?

Just before the preview, I was able to speak with Kevin Zraly about Brunellos and Rossos and then at-tend a seminar and tasting of several Brunellos. Zraly is one of the world’s leading wine educators and author of the book Windows on the World: Com-plete Wine Course, which has sold more than three million copies since the first edition was released.

After the interview and seminar, I was set loose to experience the wines of nearly 40 producers in the appellation, and what an experience it was! I rel-ished tasting each and every producer, beginning with their Rosso, moving up to their 2008 Brunello and then mov-ing on to their Riserva or 2007 vin-tage. Tasting those wines back-to-back helped me to really appreciate and be-gin to understand the differences be-

By Amy Gross

tween wines at different levels made by the same producers, but also the nu-ances between different styles used in making wines by the different produc-ers. It was definitely a delicious day!

Zraly named Brunello as one of the three greatest wines in the entire world, and, although I still have a lot to experi-ence before I could ever come close to making such a statement, I agree that these wines had delicious character and beauty. And, to top it all off, so many of them were also great values.

What is Brunello? Brunello wines are made from 100

percent Sangiovese grapes all a red, zesty little grape that can also be se-ductive and silky in Brunello di Mon-talcino, an appellation within Tuscany, which is just north of Rome.

Brunello wine must be aged in oak for a minimum of two years, which, ac-cording to Zraly’s book, makes a fruiti-er, more accessible wine. Some produc-ers age in smaller French barique to impart more oak flavor, whereas others age in larger oak casks. After that pro-cess, the wine is required to be aged a minimum of four months in the bottle. Brunello Riserva is aged a minimum of three years in oak and six months in the bottle.

What about Rosso? Rosso wines are typically made from

the same or at least very similar San-

giovese grapes that go into Brunello, making Rosso a great budget-friendly place to start your Brunello education. They are grown in the same place; they just didn’t make the cut for the first la-bel and are not required to be aged as long and are thus called Rosso.

A wonderful thing about Rosso, though, is that it might be second-label grapes, but when you are drinking sec-ond-label grapes for what Zraly calls one of the best wines in the world, you know they still must be delicious. And, they are.

Budget-friendlyand world class

Aside from being extremely food friendly, easy to pronounce, aromatic and extremely flavorful, another great thing about Brunello wines is their price. They are easy on the budget, es-pecially for what you get. You can ex-pect to pay 15-18 dollars retail for an outstanding Rosso. Zraly suggests you can get an excellent Brunello for no more than $50. My husband and I have enjoyed many Brunellos between those two prices.

What should you eat when enjoying

Brunello de Montalcino?Zraly suggests lean beef or lamb.

With the Rosso he suggests a bit light-er fare such as poultry, risotto, mush-rooms or veal. I’d add pizza to both of those lists, perhaps a heavier, meatier pizza for the Brunello and a lighter one for the Rosso. But, then again, we like to keep things casual at our house.

Whatever you choose to eat it with, now is the time to head out and try these new Brunellos. If you’re feeling adventurous, pick up a Rosso and a Brunello from the same producer and compare them yourself.

A few of my favorite producers from the preview include:

• Barbi• Camigliano• Collosorbo• Costello Banfi• Pian Delle Vigne• RidolfiAfter you’ve given some a try, visit

me at www.VineSleuthUncorked.com or email [email protected] and let me know what you think. Cheers!


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Get Ready for the First Annual Plop Drop

The Volunteer Services Council of the Richmond State Supported Living Center (RSSLC), formerly the Richmond State School, is proud to announce a new fam-ily fundraiser: The First Annual Plop Drop!

The Plop Drop will take place at the George Ranch on Saturday, March 23rd from 11 am to 4 pm. Family and friends will enjoy a fun-filled day of activities, mu-sic and food. Enjoy playing Poo-Poo Putt-Putt, participating in the Cow Pie Toss, jumping on Balloon Fun Jumps or taking a Snake Train Ride. There will be clowns, face painting, a fish pond, Duck Pull, Pet-ting Zoo, Horseshoe Tournament, Chicken Plop and riding demonstration by the indi-viduals in the SIRE Program (Therapeutic Riding Program). The main event will be the Plop Drop, and Plop Drop squares will be sold for $25 each or 5 for $100. There will be two $1,000 prizes awarded to Plop Drop participants. Only 400 squares are available, and a live and silent auction will also be featured during the event.

Admission is free to the event; tickets are available for purchase for activities, food and beverages. Special seating VIP tables of eight are available for $1,000 and VIP individual admission is $100 and in-cludes food and beverages. Event and ac-tivity sponsorships are available from $250 to $15,000.

The Richmond State Supported Living Center is a community for adults living with intellectual disabilities located in Fort Bend County and serving a nine county area. The Volunteer Services Council is a 501(c) 3 non-profit organization committed to en-riching the lives of the individuals residing at RSSLC. For more information, call 281-344-4286 or visit www.goVSC.org.


Celebrate at City Centre

Breathtaking golf course views, three gorgeous rooms, including the Magnolia Ballroom, await your next event. From weddings to trade shows, seminars to galas, the City Centre at Quail Valley has multiple venues that can host 30-300 guests in any style you choose. If you’re planning a future event, large or small, your guests and your budget will love the City Centre!

281.403.8517 • golfquailvalley.com2880 La Quinta Drive Missouri City, Texas 77459

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Network Nites by Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce

Prasad Nutalapati & Stivie Eleby

Patricia Crear & Alan Lroy

Destiny Helms & Tammy Zboril

Christy Medin & Kathy Mahan

Danielle Reichenbach & Lauren Dorn

Dee Rodgers & Jeanne GregoryYasmin & Malik Kutty

Jan Michael Jekins& Jessica Kij


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January 17, 2013 • Sugar Land Surgical Hospital

David Hodson, George Boyum & Randy Kozlovsky

Val & Candy Smits with Mary Richards

Jeannette Pineda & Joy Packard

Blanca Cervantes, Chris Green & Leticia NeriJim Lockwood, John Mitton & David Foster

Johnatha Pursch & Jen Watson

Jennifer Jones & Loren Cicard

Ryan Ridley & Avid Jeyaraj

Jeff Hogan & Christian Hawkins


A Triple Bill Paquita, La Vie Est Belle, and Peter and the Wolf

Guest Artist - Christopher Cardenas

[email protected]

832-387-MCB1

April 20th & 21st, 2013Stafford Civic Center

to purchase tickets visit www.missouricityballet.org

Artistic Director - Sharon TeagueContemporary Choreographer - Kerry Jackson

Ballet Mistress - Kristin Thomas-Martin

Tickets also available for our

Tees and Tutus Golf TournamentApril 12th, 2013

Quail Valley Country Cluball proceeds benefit Missouri City Ballet 501(c)(3)

Barbara Meeks & Gary Pearson

Allison Wen & Lisa Fredrickson

Misty Alnahaoi & Yenny Saravia

Doug & Laura Butler

Ron & Jennifer Roberts

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Super Ball Event XII Benefiting American Red Cross

Chris & Lillie Breaux

Doris & Joe Gurecky

Kiri & Karen SeligerBarb & Randy Maffett


Karen & Carl Daniels

Monica Mondrik & Patty Martin

Mary Gayle Brindley & Janice Stanford

January 26, 2013 • Safari Texas Ranch

Ursula & Carey Wright

Marianna Carmichael & Crystal HoffmanMarlo & James Cochran

Vicki Stevenson, Lisa Noser & Lisa ArnoldErika & Jesse Perez


No joining Fee April 22 - 30

Healthy Kids Day Sat., April 27,

10am - 1pm, Free Community Event

J.D. & Joan Huey

Pam & Randy McClendon

Jan Michael Jenkins & Keri Schmidt Jim & Laura Richard

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Chairman’s Gala 2013 • Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce

Sharon Galloway & Victor Salcedo

Stewart Jacobson, Ray Aguilar & Bruce Mercer

Steve Boado & Mike Powell

Lynn & Jeri Krauss

Jim & Jessica Kij

• Experienced Family Practice Physician -

New to Sugar Land

• Thorough & Comprehensive Medical Care

• Treats Many Conditions Including

Diabetes & Hypertension

• Excellent Patient - Doctor Communication

with Teamwork Approach

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• Now Accepting New Patients •

Doctors Proudly Serving the Houston Area Since 1948

Tannique N. Rainford, M.D.Board Certified in Family Medicine

Hillcroft Medical Clinic Associationwww.hillcroftmed.com

1429 Hwy 6 South, Ste. 206Sugar Land, Texas 77478

713-781-4600


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Amber Jenkins & Farah Ghandi

Lisa Fredrickson & Travis Johnson

January 25, 2013 • Safari Texas Ballroom

Faith Burgin, David Crowl & Traci Buczo

Michael & Lisa Fredrickson with Katherine & Rob Douglas

Kevin & Kristin Hancock with Shannon & Sarah Orsak

Daniel & Catherine PagelBill Forman & Lane PearsonKyle & Leigh Ann Dawson

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We DO NOT take your valuable time to re-teach high school.

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Diane & Tobin Englet

Lauren & Kevin Tucker

Gay & Dave Armstrong

Pete Olson Carl & Elizabeth Drozd

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L incoln-Reagan Dinner Presented by Republican Party of Fort Bend County

Merle & Don Smithers

Allen West

Charles & Betsy DeVegaHarry Roberts with

Marilyn & Conrith Davis

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GREG A. LINNEY, D.D.S., Inc.4660 Sweetwater Blvd., Ste 230, Sugar Land, Tx 77479

[email protected] • www.drlinney.com281-980-1733

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February 1, 2013 • Sugar Land Marriott Town Square

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John & Dorothy Molloy with Michael Salvo

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Reading Between The Wines Presented by The Literacy Council of Fort Bend County

Brenda Bowman & Leila Meacham

Regina & Vincent M. Morales, Jr.

Elizabeth & Carl Drozd

Yvonne Jackson & Taylor Stevens

Linda & Bruce Webb

Valerie Koehler & Martha Moore

Stephanie Evans, Donna Deerfield & Sharon Gurske


February 8, 2013 • Safari Texas Ranch

Michael Schiff & Sharon HymesAnn Smith, Bridget Yeung & Betty Baitland

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Lisa Arnold, Tracey Satterwhite, CeeCee Parker, May Tape, Jacquie Baly, Karen Mawyer, Kim Cress, Lisa Fredrickson, Patti Parish-Kaminski & Dianne Wilson.

Nick Nicholson is the Film and Entertainment Critic for CNN Radio, the Fort Bend Star and absolutely! focus media. In addition, his reviews can be seen and heard in numerous other print/media outlets in Texas and Oklahoma. Mr. Nicholson is in great demand as a speaker to both public and civic organizations on the subject of film and the entertainment industry. He is the co-founder of the Houston Film Critics Society and is currently the President of the organization.

StokerStarring: Mia Wasikowska, Dermot Mulroney & Nicole KidmanDirector: Park Chan-WookCompany: Fox SearchlightNow Showing: In Local TheatresMPAA Rating: RGrade: A

Photos Courtesy of Fox Searchlight PicturesMatthew Goode as Uncle Charlie, Nicole Kidman as Evie and Mia Wasikowska as India, on the set of Stoker.

When India Stoker (Mia Wasikowska) loses her be-loved father and best friend

Richard (Dermot Mulroney) in a tragic auto accident on her 18th birthday, her quiet life on the family’s secluded es-tate is suddenly shattered. Exquisitely sensitive, India exhibits an impassive demeanor that masks the deep feelings and heightened senses that only her fa-ther understood. Thus, acclaimed Ko-rean filmmaker Park Chan-Wook’s first English language psychological thriller Stoker comes to life.

India finds herself drawn to her father’s long-lost brother, Charlie (Matthew Goode), who unexpectedly arrives for the funeral and decides to stay with her and her emotionally un-stable mother, Evie (Nicole Kidman). While India initially mistrusts her charming but mysterious uncle, he fascinates her as well, and she begins to realize how much they have in com-mon. As Charlie reveals himself to her little by little, India becomes increas-ingly infatuated with her charismatic relative and comes to realize that his arrival is no coincidence. With her un-cle to guide her, India will fulfill her unusual destiny.

Beginning with the script’s open-ing image of a young girl playing a pi-ano as a spider creeps up her leg, the audience will be riveted, shocked and enthralled by the story as it unfolds to its inexorable conclusion. The audi-

ence will find themselves lost in the ee-rie, improbable and self-contained world of the Stoker family.

The family is pure to the core. They can’t experience any emotion without fully following it through to fruition. The interesting spin is the family’s complete lack of understanding regarding the ramifications of their actions. Each fam-ily member, brilliant in their own way, is incredibly perceptive and often sees what others cannot. Obsessed with their own self-preservation, they take their emotions in their own hands as they take

whatever course neces-sary to protect them-selves, their needs and their family values.

Simultaneously eerie and creepy, Stoker pro-vides enough twists and turns to keep you en-gaged. Mia Wasikows-ka provides a perform-

ance for the ages in her portrayal as India. The emotion she emotes is pal-pable, as is the chemistry between her family. Chan-Wook has matched bril-liant actors with an incredibly strong script and given them all the ability to simply be. The evolution of this story and the characters has the “wow” fac-tor on every level. Although not for younger kids, Stoker will definitely keep you in suspense and provide ten-sion all the way to the bitter end.

Mia Wasikowska as India Stoker.

Nicole Kidman as Evie Stoker.


FILM REVIEWBy Nick Nicholson


March is National Brain Injury Awareness Month

©2011:HealthSouth:505137

When it comes to brain injury prevention and rehabilitation, think ahead.

Get the facts on how prevention, proper diagnoses and rehabilitation can

help you avoid serious long-term consequences down the road.

HealthSouth is a national leader in brain injury rehabilitation, offering the

most advanced technologies and customized programs to restore hope

for patients and families facing challenges from brain injury.

For more information on how HealthSouth can offer a higher level of care for brain injury prevention and rehabilitation, call 281 276-7574. Additional brain injury resources available at biausa.org

1325 Highway 6 • Sugar Land, TX 77478 281 276-7574 • Fax 1 866 429-3485

www.healthsouthsugarland.com

2223 FM 1092Missouri City, Texas 77459

281-403-4994www.hbctx.org

Dr. Charles A. Murphy, Sr.Pastor

SUNDAYSunday School ................. 9:30amSunday AM Worship ..... 10:45amBible Classes ................... 6:05 pmSunday PM Worship ..... 7:00 pm

WEDNESDAYBible Study ...................... 7:00pmAwana Bible Clubs .......... 7:00pm

Schedule of Services

a place to call home

Heritage Baptist Church


Office Furniture New & UsedModular Systems • WorkstationsConference • Seating

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NEWSWORTHY

Timeless Plastic Surgery Celebrates Expansion

Timeless Plastic Surgery celebrated their new office expansion on February 7th by presenting a Day of Beauty to new and previous patients. The turnout was just as grand as the “concierge care” provided by Timeless. Dr. Chang has been involved in the Sugar Land community for many years and hopes to expand his patient outreach to neighboring communities even further by educating those interested in aesthetics.

Due to the high demand in cosmetic surgery, the Timeless office has expanded to meet the individual needs of each patient. During the expansion party, the Timeless team offered their best “concierge care” to all patients awaiting beauty treatments. They of-fered discounted Botox treatments and laser packages for all in attendance. At the event, Caribbean-themed food and music uplifted the mood of visitors offering laid back and comforting service. The elegant waiting room provided a soothing mood to discuss the importance of skin care for all ages. A raffle was also held every hour to give away Obagi skin care products. In the end, guests left feeling relaxed after each treatment and were correctly educated on the services Timeless has to offer.

Timeless Plastic Surgery would like to say thank you to all guests who attended the office expansion party and made the event a huge success. The Concierge Team invites you to schedule a free consultation and visit the face-lifted Timeless Plastic Surgery office by calling 281-242-TIME (8463).

The Timeless Plastic Surgery Team: Jessica Feldtman, Joanna Tyo, Pearl Pedroza, Dr. Peter Chang, Sarah Fournier, Katlin Guerra and Karrie Story.

College Scholarships for Fort Bend

County Students

For the ninth consecutive year, Fort Bend Friends and Neighbors (FBFN) Foun-dation, the newly formed 501(c)3 non-profit charitable arm of FBFN, will award scholar-ships to college-bound students from Fort Bend County public high schools.

These unique scholarships provide as-sistance for students to attend a Fort Bend County campus of Wharton County Junior College, Houston Community College or the University of Houston Sugar Land. To be eligible, a student must graduate from a public high school in Fort Bend County and attend college as a full-time student in the 2013-2014 school year.

Applications are available from the counselors’ office at any Fort Bend Coun-ty public high school or at www.fbfn.org/scholarships. The completed applications and all supporting documents are due by noon on Thursday, March 28th. The scholarship winners will be honored at the Fort Bend Friends and Neighbors and FBFN Foundation Joint Annual Meeting and Luncheon on May 16th.

Gary A. Hilsher, DDS.281-265-3567

4666 Hwy 6, Sugar Landwww.drhilsher.com$3,995

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On Friday, April 12th, Southminster School will host its Denim and Diamonds Gala, beginning with a 6:30 pm reception at the Stafford Centre, 10505 Cash Road. The evening will feature Michael Garfield, the High-Tech Texan heard on KPRC AM 950, as master of ceremonies, and Fort Bend County Commissioner James Pat-terson will preside over the live auction.

“The gala is one of our most important events,” said Southminster’s Acting Head of School Angela Holden. “It is a great op-portunity for fun, fellowship and fundrais-ing. The proceeds go toward enhancing our program so that our students can grow in mind, spirit and body.” The eve-ning features a wonderful dinner, unique live and silent auctions, and dancing to the music of The Houston Rebeats. Auction items include trips, dinner and birthday parties, golf outings, tickets to sporting events and more.

Southminster School is honored once again to recognize Texas Direct Auto as presenting sponsor of its Denim & Dia-monds Gala. As part of its sponsorship, Texas Direct Auto has generously donated a fully loaded 2012 FIAT 500 Sport to the event as a raffle item.

During the gala, attendees can also participate in a Diamond Dig where one lucky participant will win a stunning one-carat diamond, graciously donated by

Texas Gold and Diamond Exchange, plus a pair of designer denim jeans.

In keeping with the event’s name, at-tendees are encouraged to dress “denim chic,” which Gala Co-Chair Carrie Conlon described as a combination of “your fanci-est jeans, shiniest boots, and either blouse and bling for the ladies or a sport coat for the gentlemen.”

The biennial gala is the school’s prima-ry fundraiser and is open to anyone who would like to attend. With past galas rais-ing tens of thousands of dollars for the chil-dren, the school has been able to enhance the facility with major purchases such as playground equipment and laboratory/

educational supplies. Proceeds from this year’s event will be used to upgrade ev-erything from technology such as SMART Boards and curriculum improvements to stricter security measures.

With the addition of premium auction items and the community moving into what looks like a prosperous new year, gala co-chairs expect a full house at the Stafford Centre.

“Even people whose children don’t attend Southminster will have a wonder-ful time,” said Gala Co-Chair Kelli Smith. “How exciting to think that someone at our event will have the chance to win a beauti-ful diamond or drive away in a new car.”

Tickets for the Diamond Dig are $5 each, or five for $20. Raffle tickets are available at $25 each. The grand prize is a Fiat 500 Sport. $5,000 in tuition, which is available to a winner whose child attends Southminster, will also be raffled.

In addition to the Denim and Diamonds presenting sponsor, Texas Direct Auto, other notable sponsors for this event in-clude Texas Gold and Diamond Exchange in Missouri City and Who Made the Cake.

Sponsorships are available and range from $750 to $10,000. Individual, non-re-served tickets are $50 each, and reserved tables of 10 start at $750. Tickets can be purchased at Southminster School or at www.southminsterschoolgala.org.

Southminster School Revved Up For Denim and Diamonds Gala

Angela Holden and Carrie Conlon display the Fiat 500 Sport to be raffled at the event.


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In banking, experience matters, and as the oldest independent bank in Tex-as, First Victoria National Bank has it. Founded in 1867 by pioneer families, First Victoria was established as the first bank of Victoria, Texas, opening as Brownson Bank to meet the finan-cial needs of this newly settled but growing community.

With a history of steady growth and economic stability, First Victoria has grown to more than $2.4 billion in assets and 34 locations serving over 85,000 customers along the Texas Gulf Coast, the I-45 corridor north of Hous-ton, Fort Bend County, Brazos Valley and the San Antonio/Austin corridor. The newest location is at 9610 Spring Green in Katy. But despite its impres-sive growth, First Victoria’s roots are still deeply intertwined with the color-ful traditions and communities of Cen-tral and South Texas.

In fact, local decision making is at the heart of First Victoria’s business model, in addition to providing finan-cial solutions, solving problems and building relationships. Still privately owned and with a solid foundation of prudent management and responsible leadership, First Victoria is well poised to meet the financial requirements of your needs.

For more information about First Victoria, visit www.firstvictoria.com or call 1-800-242-3120.

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Revolution Studio, Sugar Land’s first premier indoor cycling studio, is now open in Town Square. The boutique stu-dio combines the popularity of indoor cycling with a full body workout compo-nent to offer riders a complete exercise experience. “Our mission is to create a community focused around our fitness philosophy, which combines the benefits of cardio and strength training while con-necting the mind, body and spirit,” says Kim Syma.

The studio has 35 bikes, immaculate locker room facilities and classes 7 days a week. Each 50-minute class is designed to burn fat, tone muscle and build endur-ance all while leaving clients 500-800 calories lighter. Revolution Studio in-structors incorporate motivational mu-sic and inspirational coaching into every ride. The cycling “sanctuary” is dimly lit with candles to set the mood for riders to escape the day and enjoy a physically and emotionally rewarding cycling expe-rience.

“We drew inspiration from our com-bined 20 plus years in fitness. Kim was a UT cheerleader and has a strong back-ground in dance choreography, which is how rhythm comes into play in our classes,” says Mitch Syma. “I bring the strength conditioning aspect to our work-out, drawing from my experience as a personal strength and conditioning coach for the United States Air Force. Togeth-er, our experiences allow us to create a fun, effective, full body workout, one that feels less like a workout and more like a party on a bike.”

To join the revolution, visit www.rev-olution-studio.com or stop by the studio at 2125 Lone Star Drive. For more infor-mation, call 281 313-0662 or visit www.facebook.com/revolutionstudiocycling.

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Revolution Studio owners Kim and Mitch Syma.

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T hirty minutes of moderate daily physical activity can help a person’s

body fight off many cancers and other diseases. Even 15 minutes of daily ex-ercise can increase life expectancy by up to three years, according to recent research. In response to these findings, experts at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center have advice on some creative ways to incorporate exercise into a full schedule, even if it is in small chunks of time throughout the day.

“You can break your daily workout into three 10-minute or two 15-minute chunks as your schedule allows and still benefit from the activity,” said Karen Basen-Engquist, Ph.D., profes-sor in the Department of Behavioral Science at MD Anderson.

Now is the perfect time to adopt new exercise habits. Each person’s physical ability and personal schedules will de-termine which of the following exercise examples will work best for them in their daily lives.

Busy SchedulesShouldn’t DerailResolutions to Get Fit

20 Minutes of Exercise:Tidy up Your Home

Cleaning the house can qualify as aerobic activity. “Just make sure you’re getting your heart rate up at a consis-tent level,” Basen-Engquist said. For the best work out, repetitive activities that use large muscle groups, like your legs and back, are best. This includes vacuuming, mopping, scrubbing, gar-dening and even taking multiple trips up the stairs to put away laundry.

30 Minutes of Exercise:Pick YourFavorite Routine

A half hour is the perfect amount of time for almost any exercise routine. Spend 30 minutes practicing yoga, jog-ging, biking or taking a fun, high-ener-gy dance class like Zumba. “The most important thing is to do something you enjoy,” Basen-Engquist said. “That way, you won’t be counting the minutes un-til your workout ends.”

1 - 2 Minutes of Exercise: Take the Stairs

Taking the stairs instead of the el-evator gets the heart pumping, builds muscle, strengthens bones and burns calories. Additionally, taking even a one-minute break from sitting may help reduce the risk of cancer.

5 Minutes of Exercise: Stretch

People can stretch their back, fore-arms, wrists, legs and hamstrings without ever leaving their desks. In re-turn, these quick stretches can provide more energy, better circulation and improved flexibility. Because stretch-ing helps relieve muscle tension and stress, which can weaken the immune system, it provides another way to help fight off diseases like cancer.

10-15 Minutes of Exercise:Take a Brisk Walk

A short walk during lunch or a quick trip around the neighborhood is an easy way to raise the heart rate for 10 to 15 minutes. Walking helps to increase metabolism, build stronger bones, re-lieve stress and lower blood pressure. “For walking to count as exercise, you should be a little out of breath and feel your heart beating a little faster,” Basen-Engquist said. “You should be able to talk in short sentences, but not sing.”

For additional tips on health and exercise, visit www.mdanderson.org/focused. To learn more about the MD Anderson Regional Care Center in Sugar Land, visit www.mdanderson.org/sugarland.

Creative ways to fit in recommended30 minutes of daily exercise

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Call for an appointmenttoday--281-649-7200

EASTER VIGILSaturday, March 30

8:30pm

Fr. Santi Kurian, Fr. Drew Wood and Fr. Tom Hawxhurst

at St.LaurenceEaster

St. Laurence Catholic Church3100 Sweetwater Boulevard • Sugar Land

281-980-9812 • www.stlaurence.org

EASTER SUNDAYSunday, March 317:00am • 9:00am

11:00am • 1:00pm • 5:00pm

Rejoice!

“Overflow” Masses at the RE Center9:15am • 11:15am

DANCE STUDIO

281-499-39213643 Glenn Lakes Ln.,

Highway 6 • Missouri City

www.robinsdancestudio.com

Call or visit website for more information!

Ballet • Tap • Jazz • Lyrical • Hip HopLeaps & Turns • ZumbaDance Team Technique

Summer DanceFun at RDS!!

Celebrating 40 Years of Dance in Missouri City!

Tutu Express SummerDance Camp

Ages 4-6 • June 25-29 Summer Dance Session

Ages 3 & up • June 11-July 10on Tuesdays & Wednesdays


Kurt M. Andreason, Attorney-at-LawBoard Certified by the Texas Board of Legal Specializationin Estate Planning, Probate Law andCommercial Real Estate.

26 years experience in Texas

4840 Sweetwater Blvd, Suite B (at rear), Sugar Land, TX 77479281-265-1561 www.andreasonlawfirm.com

The Andreason Law FirmNow you don’t have to drive to Houston for experienced Estate Planning.

BUSINESSBRIEFS

Busy, Busy!Riverstone Sees

New Neighborhoods, Homes, Amenities

You can almost feel the excitement of progress in Riverstone. Now ranked Houston’s number three top-selling master-planned community, the Fort Bend development is buzzing with activ-ity. New neighborhoods are being read-ied, builders are constructing new model homes and work is starting on a 17-acre water park that will put the cool back into summer when it opens in 2014.

Also, crews recently completed an extension of University Boulevard through Riverstone, good news for area residents who now have another travel route from Highway 6 to U.S. 59.

Riverstone’s proximity to major road-ways and area entertainment has even lured an award-winning San Antonio builder to the Houston market. Sitterle Homes, often lauded for luxury de-sign and customer service, will make its Houston debut this spring in a new Riverstone neighborhood.

The public will soon have two oppor-tunities to see why more than 600 new-home buyers chose Riverstone last year. The development is opening the doors on 20-plus model homes and dozens of inventory homes during “Houston’s Larg-est Home Tour” weekends in April. For the tour, Riverstone is joining six sister projects of The Johnson Development Corporation that will have simultaneous

home tours throughout the city from 10 am to 6 pm Saturdays and noon to 6 pm Sundays.

Only one home will be open for May’s event, but it is sure to impress. More than a dozen interior designers will showcase their creative talent for the 2013 ASID Show Home, open May 11th-27th in Riverstone.

After another year of record-breaking home sales in Riverstone, the Fort Bend development is ranked number three among Houston’s top-selling master-planned communities and number seven in the nation. The momentum is continu-ing into 2013, with new neighborhoods, model homes and builders.

Visit www.riverstone.com for details on either event or to learn more about Rivestone.

This new Fedrick Harris Estate Home model is now open in the Riverstone neighborhood of Waterside.

Submit Business Briefs at

[email protected]


GASTROINTESTINAL CARE CONSULTANTS, P.A.

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MADHUKAR KAW,M.D.

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APPOINTMENTS: 832-379-8603

• Heartburns and Ulcers • Colon Polyps, Colon Cancer Screening • Crohn’s Disease & Ulcerative Colitis • Irritable Bowel Syndrome• Viral and Non-Viral Hepatitis • Pancreatitis, Gallstones• Gastrointestinal &Pancreatic Cancers • Unexplained Abdominal Pain

Hours: Mon.-Fri. 9.30 am - 5.30 pm Medicare/Medicaid Patients

and Private/Commercial Insurance Accepted.

Procedures: EGD, Colonoscopy, ERCP, Endoscopic Ultrasound, Endoscopic Treatment of Reflux

TWO CONVENIENT LOCATIONS:

12121 Richmond Ave., Ste. 424, Houston, Texas 77082

1400 Creekway Dr., Ste. 201B Sugar Land, TX 77478

MADHUKAR KAW, M.D. AND TOJO THOMAS M.D.

“Raising the Barre”

281.969.7054www.laeraldance.comwww.missouricityballet.org7746 Highway 6 #D Missouri City, Texas 77459

A professionally instructed and staffedperformance/dance studio

Classical Ballet • Pointe Variations Tap • Jazz • Hip Hop

Come by and Visit our NEW State of the Art Facility

Now Proud to Offer Gymnastics Classes By Alpha Omega at our New Facility


Calling all mommies in Sugar Land, Katy and Memorial areas! Dr. Shel and a panel of judges will select one lucky mom from each of these areas to win a laser facial, laser hair removal package, an autographed copy of Dr. Shel’s book I am Woman and much more!

One grand prize winner* will be chosen, and she will win over $10,000 in prizes to include: Coolsculpting fat reduction, Botox, Radiesse, Juvederm, a hormone evaluation test and much more for a complete Mommy Makeover! Enter today and see if you’ll be the lucky grand prize winner!

The Contest Details

Dr. Shel’s Annual Mommy Makeover Contest

*One runner up will be chosen from each area: Sugar Land, Katy and Memorial. From the top three winners, one lucky grand prize winner will be selected.

• Nominations can be submitted by friends,children, brothers, sisters – anyone who knows a deserving mom.

• Submit a 300 word essay to tell why your loved one is deserving of a Mommy Makeover! And moms, you are free to nominate yourself!

• Send a photo of the nominee, name, email address and phone number to: [email protected]. (Any entries received without this information will be invalid and not eligible.)

• Submit nomination by March 31, 2013 to be considered for judging.

• Mark your calendars to attend the“Mother’s Appreciation Luncheon” on April 30, 2013 from noon to 2 pm at Dr. Shel Wellness and Medical Spa to announce the lucky winners.

Submit your request and get the next issue of

delivered to your mailbox!

Visit www.fortbendfocus.comor Call 281.690.4242

Dr. Melissa Moeller Says Goodbye

to Texas

After spending the entire six-teen years of her optometric career with Today’s Vision Sugar Land, Dr. Melissa Moeller and her fam-ily are relocating to Richmond, Vir-ginia. Moeller’s husband, prominent psychiatrist Frederick G. Moeller, M.D., has accepted a position as Director for the Institute for Drug and Alcohol Studies and Director of Addiction Psychiatry at Virginia Commonwealth University School of Medicine.

“This is a tremendous opportu-nity and promotion for my husband. Our whole family is very proud of his accomplishments. This advance-ment of his career is a recognition of his many years of research in the field of psychiatry and drug abuse,” said Moeller.

Moeller joined Dr. Thomas Ar-nold and Today’s Vision Sugar Land upon graduating from the University of Houston College of Optometry in 1997. During her career, she estab-lished herself as a leading pediatric optometrist in Fort Bend County. She plans on continuing her practice in Virginia while supporting the many activities of her children, William and Marie.

Moeller plans to continue to see patients until the first week of May 2013. She encourages all her pa-tients who would like an exam be-fore she leaves to call Today’s Vi-sion Sugar Land at 281-242-2020 or email [email protected] to schedule an appointment.

The doctors, staff and certainly her patients will miss Moeller. Patients wishing to just send a note of thanks or good luck may email Moeller at [email protected].

BUSINESSBRIEFS

I f you are like most of us, it is difficult to envision the potential of a stripped-bare home. Rooms look too big or too small, the place echoes – which is never a homey sound – and Realtors or builders who verbally paint a picture of the finished beauty have an uphill battle.

On the other hand, homeowners who have thrown open their doors with their belongings intact have also found it challenging to capture a buyer’s interest. What gives? Well, it’s like the story of Goldilocks. One has too little furnishings, the other way too much! The “just right” approach is an art form called home staging, and here are some general guidelines:

SavvyQuick Tips for Selling Your House Faster

Define the Focal PointFind the “focal point” of each room

and design the “flow” to instantly draw the buyer’s eye there. Keep furniture and accessories to the unadorned basics, and strategically place them to empha-size the flow and heighten the feeling of spaciousness.

How do you find the focal point? A tip is to watch a person’s eyes when they first enter the room. Their gaze will immediately land on the “focal point” of the room. Is this what you wanted them to see? If not, then it’s a home staging flaw.

Make it a Clutter-Free ZoneGet rid of clutter that takes away from

a dramatic focal point like a fireplace or backyard vista. These are your beloved possessions, so why is it clutter? It disrupts the room’s flow or distracts buyers from the focal point.

Often clutter is a judgment call that requires a professional designer. For example, art on the walls can be a lovely touch to pop a room and heighten spaciousness. Too much art, like coordinating pieces that line an entire length of wall, turns the room into a gallery. If the focal point is the waterfall pool out of the two-story arched window, you have distracted your buyer.

Get “Un”personalPersonal touches that make it your

home will most assuredly cause discomfort for house hunters. Why? Because they feel like they are trespassing. One framed family photograph on a console is appropriate; five will remind them that it is someone else’s dwelling. You want your buyer to feel like it could be their dream house right now!

Even the tiny details of bath mats and half-used soap are too personal. It’s a subconscious reminder that people still live in the home. A pair of lovely folded towels? Yes. Toothbrushes and a hair dryer left out? No.

Go Light and BrightKeep enough lamps and lighting to

emphasize the focal aspects of the room or brighten if the outside light is minimal. If there are floor or table lamps you are not turning on for a prospective buyer, then remove them.

Area rugs will soften a tile or wood floor. A plant or floral will add just the right homey touch. But a window sill lined with herbs or cacti or a collection of thimbles becomes personal clutter.

HOME STAGING

HOME FEATURE

By Keron Weathered

Stage to SellSo what if the homeowner already

removed the furniture and relocated? What if it’s a newly built home? Builders and realtors often hire a designer to choose just enough rental furnishings to make the house a home. This is a win-win on all accounts: The buyer sees the potential of each room, the designer displays her talents and the home sells quickly. If the new homeowner falls in love with some of the artistically placed pieces, it also benefits the local furniture store that leased them to the designer.

Can you home stage yourself? Sure. Just make sure to keep the result clean, simple, flowing and soft and enhance the focal points. Overwhelmed at the artistic effort and energy that home staging requires? Then hire a professional designer by the hour or by the project.


HOME IS WHERE THE HEART ISAdvertorial


Patio Covers • Outdoor Kitchens • Screened PorchesDecorative Patios • Sunrooms • And More!

Your New Outdoor Living Room!

281-265-1994TexasCustomPatios.com

Call today to schedule a free design consultation.

If youwant it in

May, call us Today!

Texas Custom Patios:Creating Stylish Outdoor Living Spaces

Texas Custom Patios is the Houston area’s premier designer and builder of stylish outdoor living spaces. The company is a family-owned residential re-modeling contractor specializing in designing and building custom projects to enhance outdoor living such as patio covers, outdoor kitchens, sunrooms, fire-places, screened porches, pergolas and decorative patios. They have completed over 700 projects in the Houston area since 2004.

Texas Custom Patios provides a turnkey custom design project. Their spe-cialty is building projects that look original to the home, including room addi-tions, guest houses, decks, outdoor kitchens and custom patios.

You will know exactly what you are getting when you choose to work with Texas Custom Patios. Detailed designs include rendered views showing the completed project on the back of your home. If you would like a detailed expla-nation of the process they use from design to completed construction, please visit their website where they will walk you through the steps. There is also a huge photo gallery with hundreds of pictures of completed projects to give ideas for your dream backyard.

Texas Custom Patios serves much of the Greater Houston area including Cypress, The Woodlands, Fulshear, Katy, Missouri City, Richmond, Rosenberg, Pearland, Spring, Sugar Land and Tomball.

Contact Texas Custom Patios today to schedule your free design consulta-tion at 281.265.1994 or visit www.texascustompatios.com.

Trendmaker Now Offering Homes With

Aliana® Address

Aliana has announced that Trend-maker Homes, recognized as one of Houston’s premier home builders for more than 42 years, will soon begin building new homes in the 2,000-acre master-planned community lo-cated in Fort Bend County. As part of the announcement, Trendmaker revealed that the builder will offer homebuyers in Aliana its new pa-tio home floor plans, which will be called The Villas.

According to Will Holder, presi-dent of Trendmaker Homes & De-velopment, Aliana is a great fit for Trendmaker because of its location in Fort Bend County, which contin-ues to be one of the strongest re-gions in terms of growth in the great-er Houston area. This is a result of a number of factors, including conve-nient access from a number of major thoroughfares, the proximity of sev-eral major employment centers, and the highly-rated Fort Bend ISD.

The patio homes in Aliana will be one and two-story plans featuring many of the same amenities offered in their other products. Although smaller, the homes will include plen-ty of storage areas. There will be a courtyard feature, which is popular among homebuyers, as well as more scenic views from living areas onto outside green spaces. Because so many families are caring for older parents or welcoming back “boom-erang” children, some floor plans will offer two master suites.

With access to major roadways, Aliana is conveniently located west of Houston, on the Grand Parkway (State Highway 99) at West Airport. For more information on Aliana, visit www.alianahouston.com.

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Plant yourself at Aliana’s Model Home Village and enjoy a veritable bouquet of cooking demonstrations, gardening tips, and shopping for your home. Don’t miss out on all the fun, fabulous food, prizes and more! For a full schedule of events and information about our $25,000 in prize drawings, visit alianahouston.com.

Winner will be chosen by random drawing based on submission of completed registration cards. Entries accepted only during the promotional dates dated March 16, 2013 and ending April 7, 2013. No purchase necessary. Gifts offered are not redeemable for cash or any other values of any kind. See promotional details, official rules and disclaimers. Aliana reserves the right to amend or cancel this promotion or any other program at any time without notice. Additionally, no warranty is made as to the quality and function of the gifts. Aliana is not held to any warranty made by product gift or of any product gift information contained herein, nor is gift to be delivered or installed. Once gift has been received, the gift and the gift process will be deemed complete and final. *$5,000 in builder upgrades is good only on new homes in Aliana® placed under contract on or before between March 16, 2013 and April 7, 2013. As with any financial decision, buyers are encouraged to do their own due diligence when selecting a home builder. Developer does not guarantee or warrant the obligations of, or construction by, such Builders, or the availability or pricing of homes. Prices, specifications and details concerning homes are established by the builders and are subject to change without notice. All rights reserved. “ALIANA” AND “Handcrafted for Living” are trademarks of Aliana Development Company.

Ashton Woods • Coventry • Darling • Highland • J.Patrick • Meritage • Perry • Plantation • Ryland • Trendmaker • Village Builders

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prize drawings at every model $5000 in builder upgrades*

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Our team of professionals will provide you with a competitive bid that meets your satisfaction.

We will “slide into home” with a free estimate that covers all the bases.

– Geri & Manuel Zamora, Owners 281.261.2847

homebaserepairs.com

Before After

Before After

HomeBase Repairs, LLC:Your Homerun in Repairs and Remodeling Since 1994In his teenage years, Manuel Zamora could handle almost any construction

project. In his twenties, Manuel operated his own landscaping business. Years later, he worked for a custom homebuilder. As Customer Service Manager, Man-uel served 125 homes a year in every phase of home construction.

Now that their youngest is in college, Manuel and his wife, Geri, are blessed to take HomeBase Repairs to the next level, meeting and helping people all over Fort Bend County and the Houston area.

Customer Jerry Lohr shared, “Our home sustained extensive roof damage during Hurricane Ike. For more than a day, rainwater saturated ceilings in five rooms causing damage to the paint and drywall. We tried for nearly a year to get a competent contractor to help us without success. Manuel reviewed the damage and gave us a bid within a week. His estimate was in line with the insur-ance settlement so we asked him to do the work. During our vacation, he closely supervised the work, sending us photos of the progress via email. We were very comfortable with having Manuel and his crew in our home while we were gone because of his excellent reputation and integrity. When we returned home, all of the work was done excellently, and the post project cleanup was so thorough it was difficult to see that anyone had been in the house.”

Specializing in repairing kitchen and bathrooms, flooring, interior and exterior painting, pressure washing and more, HomeBase Repairs can also partner with you for the rehab on your next real estate investment.

Call Geri and Manuel Zamora at 281-261-2847 or visit HomeBaseRepairs.com.

How DoesYour Garden Grow?

The flowers are blooming and the grass is beginning to turn green. It is nearing springtime in our area, and perhaps your yard can’t wait any longer for an update or maybe a complete overhaul. A well-designed landscape can add privacy, beauty and value to your home. How can you make sure you choose the best contractor for the job?

Determine your landscape styleWhat do you want in your new

landscape? Referring to pictures in magazines, books and on the inter-net is a great way for homeowners to communicate design ideas to their contractor. Your style could be formal, informal, natural or low-main-tenance. Also keep in mind your life-style. Do you have pets, children or do you travel a great deal? Answers to these questions help the land-scaper exceed your expectations long after the project is complete.

Landscape designerand horticulturist

Is the person you are working with a landscape designer, or did they just move from lawn mowing into planting some shrubs? Call the landscaper’s references, and drive by the landscaped homes. Ask the landscaper to give you addresses of homes that have been recently landscaped and more importantly, homes where landscapes have been growing for more than two years. A landscape that is newly installed will look clean and fresh, but the true test of a professional landscape is what it grows into. Plant selection is a top priority when designing the landscape and what a plant looks like today in a five-gallon container may surprise you in two years.

For more information, contact the Garden Guy at 281-208-4400 or visit www.garden-guy.com.

HOME IS WHERE THE HEART IS Advertorial


It’s Time For Spring Planting…



Complete Interior Design Services

Consultation

Staging

Furniture

Rugs

Accessories

Window Treatments

Lighting

Master Planning

New Construction

Remodeling

3644 Highway 6 South | Sugar Land, TX 77478 | 281.242.3336

THE DESIGN SOURCE

Visit us at www.dessource.com or on Facebook

Visit our 5,000 sq ft showroom!Spectacular home accessories, unique artwork, floral arrangements,

furniture and fabulous window treatments that will surely please anyone.

Sugar Land’s leading designers working together to beautify every home.

exquisite

Not only is your home the most important investment in your life, it is where you live your life. Your home reflects your personality and style, so it should be as beautiful, comfortable and pleasurable as possible. Whether you are starting a small project from

scratch or wanting an all-encompassing home makeover, The Design Source can take you from bland to beautiful in no time. The talented staff of designers at The Design Source specializes in taking interior space to another level and trans-forming it into the home of your dreams.

The Design Source: Giving the Gift of a Gorgeous Home

To make your home all it should be, designers at The Design Source will work closely with you to help you transform your home into a work of art. The Design Source’s renowned design professionals do not just make your dreams for your home come true; they make the process enjoyable. Their friendly approach is anything but intimidating.

The Design Source’s total design approach offers you a cost effective plan to save you time and money. The Design Source’s 5,000 square foot exquisite showroom is conve-niently located in Sugar Land and houses a full staff of designers who are ready to assist you with any de-sign dilemma.

With commitment to design ex-cellence and unmatched creative vi-sion, the Design Source will be there to service your every interior design need. Visit The Design Source to-day at 3644 Highway 6 in Sugar Land. For more information, visit www.dessource.com or call 281-242-3336. Give yourself the gift of a gorgeous home!

Baker Mortgage: Helping Dreams Come True For Over 58 Years

When it comes to dealing with your home and your money, it’s a very personal business, and Baker Mortgage understands that very well. For over 58 years, we’ve en-joyed helping people make their dreams come true. When the time comes, we’d love to help you.



Large enough to take care of your needs... Small enough to care.

Proud Recipient of the Better Business Bureau’s Pinnacle Award for Excellence 2005, 2009 & 2010

281-313-6683 • www.bakermortgage.com14090 Southwest Freeway, Suite 540 • Sugar Land, Texas 77478NMLS 263213 NTFN

Inquire about our realtor purchase program.

Cathy Baker, CMC

Serving the Houston area since 1955.Currently on 700 AM KSEV and 740 AM KTRH.

MORTGAGE COMPANY

Let the benefit of our experience go to work for you.

• Provide financing for purchases, equity loans & refinancing.

• Purchase real estate notes from people who have sold property & owner financed it. Call us at 281-313-NOTE.

• We deliver closings with no surprises.

Services:• We are a different kind of mortgage

company. You’ll know it when you walk in the door or talk to a real person on the phone.

• We are all about giving back. We give tips & advice on both 700 AM KSEV & 740 AM KTRH.

• When you’re ready to make your move, call us. You’ll be glad you did.

Serving You:

A+RATING

A division of NTFN, Inc.

We still do 80/10/10’s and 80/15/5’s, which offer alternatives to paying private mortgage insurance. We also have a tax-advantage PMI option available with a rate adjustment that will keep it in one loan and still avoid PMI.

You can feel the family type atmosphere when you walk in the door. We’ll walk you through the process with as little stress as possible, knowing that you have us as your Trusted Advisors and have for 58 years now. For many years now, our advertising budget has been spent by giving tips and advice on how to navi-gate this process safely. We make great loans at fair prices that you can comfortably afford.

We want to help you, but we’re not going to help you over a cliff. We appreciate the many referrals we receive and have so many parents who send their kids. We’re like the surrogate mortgage banker of Fort Bend County. It’s an honor and a privilege that we take very seriously.

Come see us. I promise, you’ll be glad you did. Call Baker Mortgage Company at 281-313-6683 or visit www.bakermortgage.com.



We are pleased to recognize

Sharon Kayeas the

2012 Top ProduceRFort Bend Office

Whether buying or selling, for a successfultransaction, contact Sharon at

[email protected]

Wherever Life Takes You,

CALL ON US

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MosquitoNix® custom-designed mosquito spray systems provide proven insect control that’s safe and effective

MosquitoNix® Custom Installed Mosquito Spray Systems

for you and your family. The mosquito misting systems are the best tool on the market to rid your yard of mosquitos as

they work 24/7 throughout the mos-quito season.

Nozzles for this unique mosquito killing system are placed every eight to twelve feet around the perimeter of your home and can be concealed using your fence line, eaves, trees or other landscape elements. The power and control portion of the “mosquito machine,” consisting of a reservoir, control unit and pump, can be placed in your preferred lo-cation outdoors.

The system sprays time settings are customized based on your prop-erty. Each system also comes with an easy-to-use remote to provide you on demand usage.

The MosquitoNix system mists a propriety blend of pyrethrum based solution and essential oils. Pyre-thrum, which is derived from the chrysanthemum flower, has been used to control insects for decades.

We are so sure you’ll be satis-fied that we offer an unprecedented promise to you – your MosquitoNix system is 100% satisfaction guar-anteed and covered by a limited lifetime transferable warranty.

For more information, please call 713-682-9900 or visit www.Mosqui-toNixHouston.com.



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WE CAN REPAIR WHILE YOU WAIT!

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Don’t ReplaceBroken Devices, Repair Them atFix Ur Gadget

We live in a gadget world. These devices are part of our everyday lives in work, school or personal life. What happens if your smart phone or tablet breaks? Now a Houston area business has a solution.

Does your iPhone, iPad, iPod, Droid, Blackberry, Samsung or HTC have a cracked screen? Accidents happen. Now if you break your phone, you have an option other than insurance or buying a new device!

Call Fix Ur Gadget at 713-468-5100, and get it repaired. Most re-pairs are less than your deductible if you have cell phone insurance. You won’t have to mail your phone away and be without your lifeline of com-munication. Most repairs are made while you wait in the store. Fix Ur Gadget repairs screens, charging ports, trackballs, buttons and even liquid damage on all models of cell phones and tablets.

Fix Ur Gadget also offers repairs on iPads, Kindles and all tablets. For the gamers, they repair Xbox, Playstation, PSP and Wii game consoles. They can also repair disk drives, Red Ring of Death, Yellow Ring Errors and many more issues with your game console.

Remember your neighborhood Fix Ur Gadget when you have a broken device. Their fast, friendly service will send you home with a repaired device and a smile! Fix Ur Gadget has locations in Memorial, Sugar Land and River Oaks. For more information, call 713-468-5100 or visit www.fixurgadget.com.


Tune In to Boogie 2013:“Happy Days in Your Classic Chevrolet”

Classic Chevrolet Sugar Land and the Fort Bend County Wom-en’s Center are paying homage to all the greats – I Love Lucy, Happy Days, M*A*S*H, Perry Mason and many more at Boogie 2013 “Happy Days in Your Classic Chevrolet: A Tribute to Classic TV.” Tickets are available online at www.fortbendwomenscenter.org or by calling the Women’s Center’s office at 281-344-5750. This year’s event will be held at the Stafford Centre on Saturday, March 23rd, from 6:30 to 11:30 pm

Wind your television dials back as emcee Anthony Yanez of KPRC Local 2 takes guests on a technicolor trip down memory lane. Enjoy:

• The red hot sounds of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s with Roteland the Hot Tomatoes

• Ice cream sundae station catered by Rosenberg’s ownAnother Time Soda Fountain

• Texas BBQ dinner catered by Vincek’s• Live and silent auctions• Dance and costume contestsGet in on the action by becoming a sponsor, donating to the

auctions and/or placing an advertisement in the program guide. Individual tickets are also available for $75 each. For more infor-mation on any of these opportunities, visit www.fortbendwomen-scenter.org, email [email protected] or contact Jacki Breckon at 832-435-1322.

All proceeds raised from Boogie are used to provide free and confidential emergency shelter, counseling, crisis intervention and other supportive services for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and their children.

Boogie Chairs, Volunteers and Sponsors: Dorine Craig, Nancy Colmenares, Crissy Nolan, Don Kerstetter, Lizzie Dragon, Courtney Culver, Dustin Fessier and Marta Mohan.

NEWSWORTHY

Coming March 1st

DAYS OFGIVEAWAYS

Giveaways run March 1, 2013 through June 8, 2013. Contest rules at www.fortbendfocus.com

Must include email address to be eligible to win.

In celebration of our first 100 —and our next 100 — issues —

Fort Bend Focus is giving away a prize every day.

Post daily on our page at www.facebook.com/fortbendfocus

for daily drawings to win!


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John Paul II Back & Bone Health CenterCesar A. Sevilla M.D. Board Certified, American Board of Orthopedic Surgeons. General Orthopedic Surgery. Total Joint Replacement. Children and adult fractures. Knee Arthroscopy. Shoulder surgery. Non surgical treatment of back pain. He trained and served in US Army for more than 6 years.

Dr. Magdalena M. Sevilla in the same office provides

chiropractic rehabilitation protocols. Dr. Magdalena has

successfully treated sports injuries, plantar fasciitis,

headaches and back pain. She has special interest in nutrition,

personal injuries and worker compensation injuries.

15200 Southwest FWY STE 285, Sugar Land TX 77478 • 832-344-7757 • www.backandbone.com

Together in home like atmosphere we will bring our best of conventionaland alternative medicine and do every effort to treat your condition without surgery. Same day appointments available, most insurances accepted. Hablamos Español, Mowimy po Polsku.

Got Tickets?Facebook.com/FortBendFocus

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Win ticket giveaways to area attractions and events!

“Like” Us Today!


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T he kids are finally out of your car. Now, you’re looking to downsize. You don’t need a lot

of room, but you still want that high-riding SUV position for better visibility. Oh, and you want to indulge yourself with a touch of luxury. Take a close look at the new 2013 Mercedes-Benz GLK, an upscale SUV with enough room for you and just a little more.

The compact SUV/crossover seg-ment is crowded and highly competi-tive with great vehicles that keep getting better each year. That’s why Mercedes-Benz significantly upgraded their popu-lar GLK-Class SUV for the 2013 model year. Take one look, and you’ll instant-ly see the difference. Get behind the wheel, and those upgrades will bring a big smile to your face. It may not be a complete overhaul, but this is a much better car than last year’s model.

The new sloping front end gives the 2013 GLK a more stylish look. But it’s

MERCEDES-BENZ GLK

the interior and under the hood where the improvements are striking. For in-stance, the dashboard now features a polished piece of simply gorgeous wood that stretches from door to door. Of course, the materials used and the fit and finish remain impeccable. After all, this is a Mercedes-Benz. Along with all that luxury, the interior now enjoys tech-nological upgrades that make driving both safer and more convenient.

One example is Attention Assist, a system to alert you at the first signs of drowsiness. A steering sensor is coupled to smart software that uses 70 parameters to establish a unique driver profile during the first 20 minutes of driving. Between 50 and 112 mph, the system will identify any erratic steer-ing corrections you make as you might get drowsy, thereby triggering an au-dible warning along with a “Time for a rest?” message in the instrument cluster. You’ve seen the commercials; now, it’s

standard equipment on the 2013 GLK. There’s more technology. But let’s talk engines.

The 2013 GLK350 gets a peppier 302 hp, 3.5-liter V6 that delivers EPA-estimat-ed fuel economy numbers of 19 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. It should get you from 0-60 in about six and a half seconds. And coming soon is the GLK250 BlueTec with a 190 hp, tur-bocharged 2.1-liter four-cylinder diesel that’s slower than the gasoline powered GLK but delivers significantly better fuel economy. If you haven’t experienced modern diesel engines, you are in for a treat. Be sure to take one for a test drive before making up your mind.

Follow Steve Kursar at KursarOnCars.blogspot.com.

absolutely! focus media281.690.4242 | www.absolutelyfocusmedia.com

In Print • Online • In Person We’re absolutely enthusiastic over community magazines. They allow us

to come into your homes and focus on what’s important to you – your

community.

So what’s the power of communi-ty magazines? They’re absolutely

free, they’re absolutely timely, and they’re absolutely available

24/7 when you want to read them. And best of all, they are

delivered right to your door.

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theimperial.org 281.277.7444

HOUSTON CHAMBER CHOIRSunday, March 3

ROSENBERG SYMPHONIC BANDSaturday, March 9

GOTTA HAVE HARPSt. Patrick’s Day, Sunday, March 17

SCULPTOR JIM ADAMSFriday, March 8gallery

THE WIZARD OF OZSaturday, March 16film

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NEWSWORTHY

Texana Goes‘Bollywood’ at The 2013 Reaching For The Stars

Get ready for an outing to exotic In-dia as Texana Center’s Reaching for the Stars 2013 Gala goes Bollywood at Safari Texas on Friday, April 12th. Legacy Ford is once again taking the lead as Presenting Sponsor for the event.

Franco Albarran, Gala Chair, has as-sembled an enthusiastic committee that is putting together an evening to remem-ber with great food, fabulous entertain-ment and the chance to bid on unique items in the live and silent auctions. Safari Texas will be transformed into all the glitz and glamour of a Bollywood set, so get ready for a color explosion!

Honorary Chairs for this year’s event are Dr. William and Teresa Reading, who are both extremely committed to help-

ing improve the lives of people who Texana serves in Fort Bend County. They are supported by a committee of distinguished community leaders: Michael and Lisa Fredrickson, Himesh and Farrah Gandhi, Lois and Larry Gremminger, Mayor Vincent and Regina Morales and Bill and Thelma Shelton, all of whom have been involved with Texana.

Judge Jim Richard is serving as auctioneer and has agreed to lend his powers of persuasion and to guide guests through the live auction. Back by popular demand is Yvonne Washington and the Mix, who will entertain guests with a fabulous blend of tunes to dance away the night. Of course, no Texana gala would be complete without a surprise for the audience. You don’t want to miss this one!

The committee is seeking items for both the silent and live auctions. Table sponsorships are available and begin at $1,500. Individual tickets are $100 each. For information about sponsor-ship or tickets, call 281-239-1427. To purchase tickets online, visit www.texanacenter.com.

Texana Center is a 501(c) 3 public, not for profit organization that provides behavioral healthcare and developmental disabili-ties services to residents of a six-county area including Austin, Colorado, Fort Bend, Matagorda, Waller and Wharton Counties. Texana Center has its headquarters in Rosenberg in Fort Bend County. Texana serves about 4,000 clients per month in an array of service programs located in each of the six counties, covering about 6,000 square miles.

Tye Martinez; Ron Ewer, Legacy Ford; Chance Geary and Jasmine Scott.


exceptional peoplewe are hiringEmail resume: [email protected]

NOW

New DNA Appliance Therapy to Aid PatientsSuffering From Obstructive Sleep Apnea


IN THEHEART

O F T H E B E N D

OUT&ABOUT

Imperial Arts and Southern Sister Designs hosted a

special Girl’s Night Out in January. Guests visited

Southern Sister Designs, enjoyed cocktails and some

super sales and then traveled to Imperial’s Center for the Arts to enjoy a classic film:

Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Tracey Satterwhite hosted guests at her store for a special pre-cinema sale and cocktails.

Showing their classic Audrey Hepburn looks were Leslie Woods and Robyn Miller.

The Fort Bend Education

Foundation hosted a Royal Bash for a night of frivolity at the 2013 Gala

Sponsor Party. Guests feasted

and danced the night away.

Pat Houck, Patty Godfrey and Terrie Gorney.

Manmeet and Paul Likhari hosted the event at their Sugar Land home.

Harry and Preet Munday.

Larry and Teena Caldwell and Faisel Khan.


Imperial’s Center for the Arts hosted the Opening Reception of photographer Geof Nessosi at The Imperial Gallery. This year marks Nesossi’s 43rd year of photography and 30th year as co-founder of Nesossi Studios in Sugar Land.

Geof and Biji Nesossi. Margie and Frank Matta.

Terri Porter and Jean McKinney. Brad and Cindy Reaves.

Adrienne Barker and Raquel Smith. Gay and James Thompson.

Debbie and Philip Buckner. Cindy Dempster and Laura Thompson. Jana Baumann andKatherine Hunton.

The Fort Bend Junior Service League and Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital hosted an Evening in Paris, a celebration for Charity Ball sponsors. Guests enjoyed a Parisian inspired evening with hors d’oeuvres, drinks and desserts.


IN THEHEART

O F T H E B E N D

OUT&ABOUT

On January 18th, Oyster Creek Rotary recognized the non-profit organization Hope for Three with a check to help families living with autism in the community.

Cindy Fauvelle, Wanda Kras, Darla Famer and Kirk Monroe.

Texas Community Referral Network (TCRN) hosted a networking event at Kublai Khan Crazy Mongolian Stir Fry in Sugar Land on

February 12th. Attendees enjoyed mingling over an original dining experience.

Stefani Fitzgerald, Leslie Little and Raymond Guo.

Texas Community Referral Network’s Galleria area meeting at The Eighteenth Cocktail Bar was enjoyed by many TCRN members including Summer Geronimo, Elia Cooper and Keron Weathered.


It was ladies night out at the Fifty Shades

of Gray Valentine event at A Beautiful

Smile at Lake Pointe on February 12th.

Guests sampled decadent chocolate

creations and were treated to

complimentary spa treatments.

Rachel Dietrich and Jeri Krauss. Tanja and Reya Mitra.

Michael DeMarse and Jackie Castene.Aaron Bond, Christine Jue and Jeff Gutjahr.

Cheryl Beam-Clampitt andMelissa Labadie.

Amber Vermillion, Dr. Rachael Garrett, Megan Haynes, and Eriklca Bell.

Texana artist Lyle Woodruff showed off his work at the exhibit.

Guests Donna Kay Tucker andRobin Miller enjoyed the art exhibition.

The artists of the Texana Learning Center hosted an Unveiling Ceremo-

ny and Reception on January 23rd to showcase their work. The open-ing of the Texana Learning Center

at Rosenberg has provided an op-portunity to significantly expand the art program and enlarge the range

of art related activities for the center. The event was a "sneak peek" at the paintings, collages and sculptures of

the artists created by clients of the Learning Center.

My Kid’s Dentist hosted an Open House on February 12th to showcase their new facility in Sugar Land.


HOT SHOTHigh School

Imani Butler: A Prescription for Success

Imani Butler is a senior at High-tower High School in their Medi-cal Academy. She is a dedicated

student, avid volunteer and hard worker. Even though Imani is only in twelfth grade, she has achieved more than most people do in their entire life-time. Imani has prepared herself for an enormously successful future, and she will continue to work toward her goal of becoming a doctor and educat-ing the world about leading a healthy lifestyle.

As an aspiring doctor, Imani de-cided to apply to Hightower’s Medi-cal Academy during her eighth grade year. Out of approximately 1,000 ap-plicants, Imani was chosen as one of the 200 people admitted to the pro-gram. This year, Imani is completing her Practicum One class that includes two internships: one at the VA Hos-pital and the other at MD Anderson. Through this internship, Imani has become CPR certified, HIPPA certified and AED certified. Imani’s favorite part of the internship has been learn-ing about medical ethics. “There are so many ways to look at things and solve an issue when it comes to ethics,” said Imani. “Every patient is different, so your perspective on different ethical is-sues can vary from patient to patient, and that is very interesting to me.”

In addition to her Medical Acad-emy classes, Imani is also taking Advanced Placement classes. She has been awarded the Academic Ex-cellence award all four years of high school, and she is an AP Scholar.

Imani utilizes her academic talents as a member of the Academic Decath-lon team. For the Decathlon competi-

By Lauren Dante

tions, Imani participates in a variety of events from a written essay to an inter-view. Within the club, the members spend most of their time studying individually, so Imani enjoys going to the competitions and socializing with her teammates.

As a member of Youth in Philanthro-py (YIP), Imani has also met some great teammates. She has participated in three service activities for various non-profits. Through her volunteer experiences with each of these organizations, Imani has obtained a better understanding of her community. “I knew that community service was very important to me, but it was wonderful to meet my teammates and get to have these eye-opening expe-riences with them,” said Imani. “YIP has given me a better perspective of the is-sues affecting Fort Bend, and I am glad that I now really understand what is happening within the community.”

Imani is not only an active commu-nity volunteer, she is also conscientious

about her own health. As a member of Health Occupation Students of Amer-ica (HOSA), Imani participates in the Healthy Lifestyles competition where she keeps a logbook of what she eats, her activities and her exercising sched-ule. She also participates at the state level in the Health Care Issues Exam that tests her knowledge over current events in the medical world.

Last summer, Imani attended the PIPELINE Scientific Training Program at MD Anderson to increase her knowl-edge of the health care industry. In this program, Imani worked with a mentor on research projects. Imani’s passion is gynecological research. Therefore, Imani’s research focused on lifestyle factors in relation to ovarian cancer. After completing her research paper, she submitted it to various conferences. Imani was invited to present her re-search at the Texas Obesity Research Center Conference. She also presented at the Texas Society for Public Health Education Conference, where she was the youngest presenter. Although she was nervous to present, the experience gave her new a mission and goal to edu-cate people on how to live healthy lives. Her research was also published in the November issue of the International Journal of Exercise Science.

This young lady is headed down the path toward becoming an immensely successful doctor. Her research abili-ties and her empathy for others will make her a sought-after physician in the health care industry. Imani plans to attend college next year and major in biological sciences. We wish Imani the best of luck as she heads toward her bright future!

Imani

“Every patient is different, so your perspective on different ethical issuescan vary from patient to patient, and that is very interesting to me.” - Imani Butler


Register now and win a

www.fortbendfocus.comFind complete details and forms at

SCHOLARSHIP!

$1,000

Congratulations to Gilian Bentulan, a senior at Dulles High School, for being selected as Texas Direct Auto’s “Scholarship Star” for March! Jessica DeMarr, Director of Business Development, presents the $1000 check. At Dulles High School, Gilian is a member of the National Honor Society and a member of the band as a drum major and drill instructor. Gilian has received multiple awards for his academic performance, including the Academic Excellence Award. Gilian is also an active member of the community, teaching free saxophone lessons at Dulles Middle School, serving in Dulles High School’s Peer Assistance and Leadership (PALs) program and as a teen summer volunteer at M.D. Anderson. Gilian will attend the University of Houston this fall as a music and nursing major. Gilian was selected as part of Texas Direct Auto’s commitment to educational excellence through the “Scholarship Stars” program. Find complete information at www.fortbendfocus.com.

Gilian BentulanCONGRATULATIONS!

ATTENTION: Fort Bend

High School Seniors


ENTER TO WINFort Bend Focus Magazine is looking for great amateur photos. Think you have a great shot? Any subject matter will be considered, black and white or color, special effects and/or edited are not necessary.

A WINNER EVERY MONTHEach month’s winner receives a $50 gift certificate to a restaurant and the winning photo will be published in our magazine. To claim your prize, call Sarah at 281-690-4242. Runner-up photos may be published in our “Readers’ Photo Album.”

NO LIMIT TO ENTRIESTo submit a digital photo, e-mail the jpeg file to [email protected]. Digital photos must be HIGH RESOLUTION at least 300 dpi at actual size of at least 4” x 6”.

Please make sure to send some basic information about every photo you submit such as: who, where, when, a title, your name and daytime phone number.

By submitting an entry, the photographer gives the Fort Bend Focus Magazine the right to use and publish their photograph. There is no contest deadline.

March 2013 Winner

“Telfair Reflections”By Louise Blake

Congratulations Louise, you’ve earned a $50 gift certificate to a restaurant!

A M A T E U R P H O T O C O N T E S T

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E V E N T S

March 2nd, 9 am – 5 pm Tales of Texas at theGeorge Ranch Historical ParkOn Texas Independence Day, come learn about Texans who made an impression. Visit each historical time period and learn about the people who helped make this state great! Call 281-343-0218 or visit www.georgeranch.org.

March 2nd, 10 am - 1 pmWATCH Your Wellness Health FairFort Bend ISD and the Fort Bend Medical Society Alliance invite you to the 7th Annual WATCH Your Wellness Health Fair at Sugar Land Town Square. Enjoy activities for children and the entire community with free health screenings and continuous student entertainment. The goal is to encourage lifelong healthy habits. Visit www.fbmsa.org or call281-634-3565.

March 2nd, 10:30 am and 2 pm Seuss-ical Celebration forRead Across America DayChildren of all ages are invited to a special Read Across America Day celebration ofDr. Seuss’s at Sienna Branch Library, 8411 Sienna Springs Blvd in Missouri City. Families will enjoy stories by Dr. Seuss, songs and rhymes, door prizes, a cake and a visit from “The Cat” himself! Later that day, the First Colony Branch Library, 2121 Austin Parkway in Sugar Land, will host a Birthday Picnic Celebration. Families may participate in outdoor games, listen to stories by Dr. Seuss and munch on birthday snacks. Call 281-341-2677.

March 3rd, 8 am Third Annual Memorial HermannSugar Land Half MarathonCome out for the Third Annual Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Half Marathon, which starts and finishes at beautiful Sugar Land Town Square. Runners will enjoy a certified, double-loop Sweetwater Country Club course, prizes and lots of fun. Enjoy a live music performance by Chris Mitchell from 8 – 10 am and live music by the U2 tribute band “With Or Without U2” from 10 am until noon. More than 10 local charities benefit from this event. Visit wwwslfinsihlinesports.com.

March 4th – 5th, 5:30 – 11 pm Texas Medal of the Arts Awards 2013Hosted by the Texas Cultural Trust, this biennial event celebrates Texans who have achieved greatness through their creative talents and whose generosity has opened doors to artistic opportunity for Texans of all ages. The Texas Medal of the Arts Awards will honor legendary artists, entertainers and arts patrons.Call 214-733-3636 or visitwww.txculturaltrust.org/tmaa.

March 9th – 16th, 9 am – 5 pm “Trails Through Time”Spring Break CelebrationPave your own trail this Spring Break at the George Ranch Historical Park. Want to try your hand at pioneer life or get a taste of an old-fashioned cattle drive? Experience these programs and more at the “Trails Through Time” Spring Break Celebration. A historic lunch will be offered every day from 12:30 - 2 pm as a wonderful way to round-out your visit. Call 281-343-0218 or visit www.georgeranch.org.

March 9th – 30th, 3 pm Pinkalicious at Fort Bend TheatreJoin award- winning Fort Bend Theatre, 2815 N Main, for this off Broadway smash hit, Pinkalicious, showing Saturdays and Sundays at 3 pm. Based on the popular book series, Pinkalicious can't stop eating pink cupcakes, despite warnings from her parents. Purchase tickets online at www.fortbendtheatre.com. For more information, birthday party specials or group discounts call281-208-3333.

March 23rd, 9 am – 4 pm Gifts Galore Greatwood –Spring 2013 Gift Show Gifts Galore Greatwood invites shoppers to the 11th Annual Spring Gift Show at Dickinson Elementary in Greatwood, 7110 Greatwood Parkway. The event features over 75 vendors with a variety of new merchandise. A portion of the proceeds benefits Lamar Educational Awards Foundation (L.E.A.F.), a non-profit community-based organization created to support the educational programs of Lamar CISD. Contact [email protected] or visit www.facebook.com/giftsgaloregreatwood.


March 23rd, 1 – 3 pm Learn About Homeschooling atMissouri City Branch Library ProgramFort Bend County Libraries’ Missouri City Branch Library presents a free program on “Homeschooling A to Z: All You Need to Know” in the Meeting Room of the library, located at 1530 Texas Parkway. Speakers include Dr. Bruce Shortt, Ph.D., Kathie Stone and Kerense Harryman.Call 281-238-2100.

March 23rd, 2013, 12 – 5 pm Fort Bend Museum's AnnualChildren's Day FestivalThis free family event located at 500 Houston Street in downtown Richmond includes free admission to the Fort Bend Museum and historic Moore home, performances of The Story of the Lone Star State by Houston's InterActive Theater Company at 1 and 3 pm, wildlife education with Brazos Bend State Park, a real archeological dig with the Fort Bend Archeological Society, cookie decorating with the Fort Bend Museum Docents and more. Visit www.fortbendmuseum.org.

March 24th, 12:30 – 2:30 pmPalm Sunday Family FestivalJoin Sugar Land Methodist’s Annual Palm Sunday Family Festival and Easter Egg Hunt for age-appropriate Easter egg hunts at 1 pm and various festivities including games, crafts, bounce houses and more. The church is located at the cornerof Eldridge and Seventh Streets in Sugar Land. Call 281-491-6041 or visit www.sugarlandmethodist.org.

March 27th, 5 - 7 pmSugar Land Jr. Superstar AuditionsCalling all 9 to 13 year old Fort Bend County residents: Are you the next Sugar Land Superstar? Audition in the Plaza at Sugar Land Town Square for a chance to be in Sugar Land's biggest singing competition. Participants must be full-time residents of Fort Bend County and at least 9 years old at the time of audition. Visit www.sugarlandtownsquare.com/events.

March 28th, 6:30 pm Free Colorectal Cancer Awareness SeminarPresented by Dr. Swarna Balasubramaniam and Dr. Nasrullah Manji, the seminar will include refreshments and door prizes. Attendees will receive a free colorectal screening kit to take home. Call 281-274-7500 or email [email protected] to reserve a seat.

March 30th, 6 – 9 pmMagic in the PlazaBring your family and friends to Sugar

Land Town Square for three hours of family-friendly entertainment including music, strolling magic and juggling, plus a one hour Illusion Show all performed by Ted Schwank’s Magic and Illusions. Visit www.sugarlandtownsquare.com/events.

March 30th, 9 am – 5 pm An Old Fashioned Easter at theGeorge Ranch Historical ParkTravel back in time at the George Ranch Historical Park. Participate in a traditional egg roll in the 1830s, decorate eggs the old-fashioned way with natural dyes at the Ryon Home and join the 1890s Victorian Egg Hunt at the Davis Mansion. An Easter brunch with a 1930s twist will follow at the George Yard. Cost for the meal is $13.50 for adults ages 13 and older, $10 for children ages 5 to12 and $4 for children 4 and under. Call 281-343-0218 to make reservations for the historic meal. Visit www.georgeranch.org.

UPCOMING NEXT MONTHApril 11th, 4 - 8 pm 3rd Annual Classic Chili ChallengeJoin Classic Chevrolet for family fun, great chili and Music Houston’s own Archie Bell at 13115 Southwest Freeway in Sugar Land. All money raised will benefit the Sugar Land Police Officers Association. For team entries or sponsorship opportunities, email [email protected] or call 281-969-4132.

E V E N T S

Dr. Swarna Balasubramaniamand Dr. Nasrullah Manji

Submit calendar events at

[email protected]

MEDICALFOCUS

When your spine operates properly and is in good health, you don’t even notice it. But the minute an injury, poor posture or bad work habits (e.g., improper lifting, sitting at a poorly fit-ted computer station) come into play and create back or neck pain — watch out! When proper function of the spine is compromised, getting back on track takes center stage.

“Most physicians start with con-servative treatments in dealing with back pain,” shared Jeffrey Wood, M.D., board certified orthopedic surgeon spe-cializing in diseases and deformities of the spine and with Methodist Ortho-pedic Specialists of Texas. “Rest, pain relievers, muscle relaxants and steroid injections in the spine (nerve blocks) may all be tried first to alleviate pain and improve function.”

“Other initial treatment approaches may include the use of physical thera-py and the use of back or neck braces,” said Larry Tran, M.D., board certified

neurologist with Methodist Sugar Land Neurology Associates. “These options help to strengthen weak areas that support the spinal column and provide additional support. Exercises approved by a physical therapist can aid in recov-ery from injuries, minimize pain and help maintain a healthy spine.”

When conservative treatment fails, surgical intervention is the last resort

to alleviate back and neck pain. The following procedures, some of which are minimally invasive, are available at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital:

• Discectomy • Laminectomy • Corpectomy • Spinal fusion To learn more about these treatments

and other solutions to your back and neck pain, join us at our free seminar!

Free Back & Neck Pain Seminar Whether you’ve had pain for just

a few days or several years, join Drs. Larry Tran and Jeffrey Wood to learn more and have your questions answered regarding back and neck pain. A free Back and Neck Pain Seminar will be of-fered on Thursday, April 11th from 6 to 7 pm at Methodist Sugar Land Hospi-tal’s Conference Center and will include refreshments and door prizes. Reserva-tions are required. Call 281-274-7500 or email [email protected].

Overcoming Back or Neck Pain – Free Seminar

Larry Tran, M.D. and Jeffrey Wood, M.D.

Most people aren’t comfortable dis-cussing issues relating to their colon or rectum. That’s okay.

“What isn’t okay is letting that discomfort prevent you from getting screened for colorectal cancer. Embar-rassment is trivial when you compare it to the possibility of having colorectal cancer,” says Nasrullah Manji, M.D., board certified gastroenterologist on staff at Methodist Sugar Land Hos-pital. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer related deaths in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

“Colorectal cancer is one of the few cancers that can not only be detected in

Colorectal Cancer Screenings Save LivesFree Seminar and Colorectal Screening Kit

its early stages by screening, but can actually be prevented,” says Swarna Balasubramaniam, M.D., board certi-fied colorectal surgeon on staff at Meth-odist Sugar Land Hospital. “These can-cers almost always develop from polyps in the colon or rectum. With many of the screening tests, polyps can be found and removed before they become can-cerous.”

The ACS and the U.S. Preven-tive Services Task Force recommend colorectal cancer screenings for men and women beginning at age 50. Cer-tain people should begin screening ear-lier and may need more frequent tests. Talk to your doctor about a screening

Dr. Swarna Balasubramaniamand Dr. Nasrullah Manji


Methodist Sugar Land Hospital HonorsOutstanding Nurse with DAISY Award

Joy Fey, RN, received Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s DAISY Award, a national honor that recognizes the contri-butions of extraordinary nurses.

Joy was chosen because she has dem-onstrated the highest degree of compas-sion for her patients. She has a repu-tation of exceeding her job duties and responsibilities to ensure the safety and well being of her patients.

For example, one of Joy’s patients was very ill; Joy learned this patient’s daughter was getting married soon. Be-cause the patient was too ill to attend the wedding, Joy and some of the other nurses joined efforts to have a wedding held in the patient’s room. It was of the utmost importance to the daughter that her mom was present for her wedding. Joy made it her priority to make sure this family’s wishes were met, and the wed-ding was successfully carried out in the patient’s room.

“This is just one example of the great nurse Joy truly is,” said Janet Leather-wood, Chief Nursing Officer of Methodist Sugar Land Hospital. “She is a shining light to anybody who meets her. While her knowledge and nursing skills are very sharp, it is her heart that really shines and proves that her name, Joy, truly fits her personality.”

In honor of her DAISY Award, Joy received a certification of appreciation, a DAISY Award pin and a beautiful sculp-ture titled “A Healer’s Touch,” hand-carved by artists of the Shona tribe in Zim-babwe. Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s

Nursing Administration group will select a DAISY Award winner each quarter.

The DAISY Foundation was estab-lished by family members in memory of J. Patrick Barnes, who died in 1999 from an auto-immune disease. The care Pat-rick and his family received from nurses inspired this unique award as a way of thanking nurses for making a profound difference in the lives of their patients and patient families. Today, more than 1,300 hospitals across the U.S. partici-pate in the program.

One day while Patrick was in the hospital without an appetite, he was able to eat some of his father’s cinna-mon roll. The next day, he asked his family to bring him his own cinnamon roll, plus enough for all the nurses in his unit! Today, the DAISY Foundation car-ries on this tradition by serving cinna-mon rolls to all the nurses in the award recipient’s unit as a reminder that their efforts are appreciated.

“We are proud to be among the hos-pitals participating in the DAISY Award program,” said Leatherwood. “Nurses like Joy are everyday heroes who demon-strate excellence through clinical exper-tise and compassionate care, and we are excited to be able to recognize her – and our future winners – as outstanding role models for the nursing profession.”

To learn more about Methodist Sugar Land Hospital, visit www.Meth-odistSugarLand.com or facebook.com/MethodistSugarLand to congratulate Joy on her award.

DAISY Award Recipient Joy Fey, RN, with the DAISY Award Committee.

schedule that is right for you.“The exact causes of colorectal can-

cer are not known,” says Dr. Balasub-ramaniam. “However, certain factors increase the risk of developing the dis-ease.” According to the National Can-cer Institute, they include:

• Age. Most people who developcolorectal cancer are over age 50.

• Polyps. Most polyps – abnormalgrowths that protrude from the inner wall of the colon or rectum – are noncancerous, but the major-ity of colorectal cancers develop in polyps.

• Personal history of colorectalcancer. Women who have had ovarian, uterine or breast cancer also have a higher risk.

• Family history of colorectal cancer. • Ulcerative colitis or Crohn’s disease. • Diet. Eating a lot of red and

processed meats and not many whole grains, fruits and vegeta-bles may increase risk.

• Sedentary lifestyle. • Smoking.“Although you hear people say

they’re ‘dying of embarrassment,’ in reality, it simply doesn’t happen,” says Dr. Manji. So if you’re embarrassed to talk to your doctor about colorectal can-cer screening, do it anyway; you’ll get over it. The same may not be true of cancer. To schedule a screening or con-sultation with Dr. Balasubramaniam or Dr. Manji, call 281-274-7500.

Free Seminar and ScreeningAttend a free Colorectal Cancer

Awareness Seminar presented by Dr. Swarna Balasubramaniam and Dr. Nasrullah Manji. Attendees will re-ceive a free colorectal screening kit to take home. The free Seminar and Screening will be offered March 28th at 6:30 pm at Methodist Sugar Land Hospital’s Conference Center.

Contact 281-274-7500 or email [email protected] to reserve a seat.


MEDICALFOCUS

As a leader in brain injury rehabilita-tion, HealthSouth Sugar Land Rehabili-tation Hospital will join the Brain Injury Association of America and its partners this month in recognizing Brain Injury Awareness Month. Throughout March, they are highlighting the importance of preventing head injuries and the healing power of brain injury rehabilitation.

The Brain Injury Association of Amer-ica cites the most common causes of brain injury as vehicle crashes, falls, sports injuries and violence. To prevent injury, HealthSouth Sugar Land Rehabilita-tion Hosptial encourages our community to think ahead and make the following smart choices for brain injury prevention:

• Wear a seat belt every time you driveor ride in a motor vehicle.

• Buckle your child into a child safetyseat, booster seat or seat belt in the car.

• Never drive or engage in physicalactivity while under the influence of alcohol or drugs.

• Wear a helmet and make sure yourchildren wear helmets during appro-priate activities.

HealthSouth Sugar Land Rehabilitation HospitalCelebrates National Brain Injury Awareness Month

• Use safe guards to avoid falls.• Check first the depth of the water

when swimming or diving.• Make sure the surface on your child's

playground is made of shock-ab-sorbing material, such as hardwood, mulch and sand.

• Keep firearms stored unloaded in alocked cabinet or safe. Store bullets in a separate secured location.

For more information on brain injury rehabilitation or prevention, visit www.healthsouth.com or the Brain Injury As-sociation of America online at www.bi-ausa.org.

HealthSouth Sugar LandRehabilitation Hospital

HealthSouth Sugar Land Rehabilita-tion Hospital is a 50-private room inpa-

tient rehabilitation hospital that offers comprehensive inpatient rehabilitation and home health services. Serving as the only Rehabilitation Hospital in the Fort Bend community, the hospital is located at 1325 Highway 6 directly in front of the Sugar Land Lifetime Fitness. Visit www.healthsouthsugarland.com or call 281-276-7574 and ask for Lisa Collins, Direc-tor of Marketing 281-276-7574 to arrange a tour.

HealthSouth Corporation is the na-tion’s largest provider of inpatient reha-bilitative healthcare services. Operating in 26 states across the country and in Puerto Rico, HealthSouth serves patients through its network of inpatient rehabili-tation hospitals, long-term acute care hos-pitals, outpatient rehabilitation satellite clinics and home health agencies. Health-South’s hospitals provide a higher level of rehabilitative care to patients who are recovering from conditions such as stroke and other neurological disorders, ortho-pedic, cardiac and pulmonary conditions, brain and spinal cord injury, and amputa-tions. HealthSouth can be found at www.healthsouth.com.


The Sugar Land Skeeters announced that the club has signed four players to the 2013 roster: right-handed pitchers Julian Tavarez and Greg Aquino, and infield-ers Josh Pressley and Ofilio Castro.

Tavarez spent 17 seasons in the Major Leagues with Cleveland (1993-96), San Francisco (1997-99), Colorado (2000), Chicago-NL (2001), Florida (2002), Pittsburgh (2003), St. Louis (2004-05), Boston (2006-08), Milwaukee (2008), Atlanta (2008) and Washington (2009). He owns an 88-82 career record and 23 saves over 828 Major League games, maintaining a 4.46 ERA (696ER/1404.1IP).

Aquino pitched in parts of six Major League seasons with Arizona (2004-06), Milwaukee (2007), Baltimore (2008) and Cleveland (2009). Originally signed by the Diamondbacks as a minor league free agent in 2004, the Dominican native owns a career 3-6 record with a 5.31 ERA (91ER/154.1IP) and 17 saves in 145 Major League games.

Pressley hit .275 (119x433) with 16 home runs and 74 RBI in 120 games with Sugar Land in 2012. Originally the first-ever player signed with the Skeeters, Pressley pre-viously spent five seasons (2007-11) with the Somerset Patriots of the Atlantic League. In 15 career minor league seasons, the infielder owns a .289 (1521x5263) average with 163 homers and 871 RBI in 1,492 games.

Castro played 124 games as the Skeeters’ primary third baseman last season. He led the club’s offense with a .306 (143x468) average, four home runs and 56 RBI in 2012 and was named a mid-season Atlantic League All-Star. Over nine minor league seasons, Castro owns a .265 (826x3114) average with 342 RBI in 889 career games.

“This group of players brings a wealth of experience to the club,” said Kirk. “We are looking to build a strong core of players that not only have experience in the Atlantic League but at the highest levels of baseball.”

Skeeters Announce First Player Signings of 2013

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FOCUS FAVORITES... Your Community Resource Guide

DID WE GET YOUR ATTENTION?

Then call 281-690-4242to have your business

listed here.

Finance/Wealth Management

Hardee Investment Group713-853-0879www.HardeeInvestmentGroup.comHardeeInvestmentGroup@rbc.comWith over 85 years of collective experience, the Hardee Investment Group is your ultimate finan-cial planning resource. Our team is comprised of five diversified professionals, working primarily with family wealth and businesses up to $100 mil-lion. Our Group has been awarded national recog-nition by RBC Wealth Management, the National Association of Board Certified Advisory Practices, the Houston Business Journal and Barron’s, a sis-ter publication to the Wall Street Journal, for our award winning service and advice. (10/2011)

Jewelry

J Loggins Jewelers281-242-2900www.jloggins.comFor all of your jewelry needs, come view a large selection of beautiful pieces by various design-ers. Expertise in original design and construction with an emphasis on providing the best in quality

and value sets J Loggins Jewelers apart from all of the rest. Take advantage of the wide array of services including simple solders, repairs in all precious metals, repairs of some fashion and base metals, heirloom restorations, makeovers, engrav-ing, watch battery replacement, restringing and appraisals. (05/2012)

Pediatrics

MedCare Pediatric Group, LP713-995-9292www.medcarepediatrics.cominfo@medcarepediatrics.comMedCare has been providing quality healthcare services to area families since 1991. Our mis-sion is to enhance the lives of children, and our dedicated team carries out this vision with the utmost care and compassion. In addition to our caring team, MedCare reaches out to families in the community through our non-profit founda-tion, MedCare Milestones. Our MedCare ser-vices include Home Health Nursing and Therapy, and three Outpatient Rehab facilities located in Stafford, Northshore and Spring. (01/2013)

Pest Control/Exterminator

Integrated Pest Management Inc.281-341-1761 • Fax [email protected] owned and operated servicing Fort Bend County for 29 years, Integrated Pest Manage-ment’s knowledge and friendly staff can answer all of your pest questions. A convenient retail store located on Hwy. 90 next to the Women’s Center retail store, we are open Monday through Friday, 9 am to 5 pm. Stop by to check out our col-lection of snakes, exotic bugs and rodents. Save money by purchasing the materials yourself and let us educate you on how to apply them. Better yet, let us do the job for you. Thanks, Bob, Frank, Shirley, Daniel and Phil. (04/2013)

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I t’s always interesting when you get to talking with people about success. Some think the person

who shows up and does what they do and repeats this every day is more worthy of it than the person who is always changing and moving around. I think it boils down to what people can see and are able to eventually understand about each other. Whether you are a high energy person or a steady, even keel type, it is important to realize it is all about working hard.

As a mother of two versions, I am pleased to inform you and your deep psyche that part of your get up and go ain’t ever gonna have anything to do with you specifically; you are a product of your genes here. I know this because I have seen firsthand the transferal of all of it. With that said, the good news is we all can get there, and how we find ourselves naturally going about the task of it is not our fault!

Working hard starts, I would argue, in one’s temperament. And, I have come to this conclusion both with a sense of satisfaction from observations in both myself, my husband and now, our chil-dren. Yes, some of the “fire in the belly” or desire to be “only the best” is some-what born in one’s soul. For some, this will come as an astonishing surprise and might mitigate at least to some degree a tiny bit of disappointment, while for others, nodding their heads with a smile, it has been the most ob-

front of him, I am at least, in my mind, more productive, even if to the onlooker I do not appear so.

For a long time, well into my thirties, I was bothered by all of this. I was befud-dled as to how I could get up at 3 am and be obsessed with a new idea, a new col-umn, or a new painting, while my sweet husband could, and did, and continued to sleep soundly to, say, late morning? I would find myself incensed at the laziness and the pathetic acceptance of a methodi-cal daily rhythm. I did not appreciate the differences until I became a mother and old enough to realize that there is, as Nana used to say, “more than one way to (you fill in the blank).” Here, appropri-ately, it is beneficial to say there is more than one way to work hard, and working hard, after all, is what gets you where you want to be. There, I said it. I am no longer keeping score. I promise!

So, there you have it. Lesson number three is to work. Working hard at being the best is a task that some take on with a “carpe diem” sort of fancy while others do so steadily and perhaps a little less chao-tically. Neither is better than the other. Here’s a tidbit from my own gallery of life lessons: labeling those creative types as ADHD is only going to make you feel bet-ter about the steady temperament you got dealt. It will never change us because we are not paying attention to your boxes. In order to be a success and to find your true calling, work at it slowly, or blaze through fast and furiously. In the end, all of it boils down to really hard work!

Take Care of YOU!

Living the Sweet Life: By Alisa Murraywww.AlisaMurray.com

Nationally recognized portrait artistand award-winning columnist.

Challenge Number Three – You Can Be Slow and Steady or Fast and Furious, But Working Hard Is Mandatory

vious thing they have ever experienced. Take the toddler who is very busy. To

some, and I am referring to adults and educators, the child might appear some-what out of sorts; since they run on a slower speed, let’s say they feel the need to slow the child down, requiring the child to take naps, sit still and focus on a somewhat boring toy. This whole process of being pulled down to a common cur-rent happens often and happens early. I remember my own father after some epi-sode of excited gibber gabber exclaimed, “Can you please just shut up?” I would, of course, stop talking, but after all these years, I have not forgotten his exaspera-tion. Some of you should take note of this.

I married, for the purposes of this il-lustration, a slower, more calmer version of a human being. He is happy guy and totally cool with the status quo. He has been this way since birth. Sitting quietly for hours, I am told to play quietly and not necessarily needing to exude any force in his universe. In fact, the very thought of having to exude forceful anything would very much rock him out of his so very comfortable zone! He does, though, work hard and steady. The difference is there’s a methodical calm to his working, and you can see it stop and start each day. This is the kind of hard working that the teachers and parents like, because they can see it!

I, of course, was the busy child with her hands on and into several things at once. It is not a better way of working, but just different. My work starts each day and stops and moves and sways and changes and changes again. I am on a forever mov-ing platform of creativity, design and inno-vation. I see big things better, and sitting and thinking is most often misunderstood by my peers as doing nothing, when, in fact, I am quite busy. You just can’t see it. I am over the ridicule and sometimes secretly take score of what I have accom-plished in a day that my love and coun-terpart cannot measure. Often, although I shall never admit it if you mention it in

Brian and Alisa Murray

16655 Southwest FreewaySugar Land, Texas 77479281-274-7500MethodistSugarLand.com

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march 2013 - fort bend focus magazine - people • places • happenings

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