Community Events fill week’s Agenda

GRANDPARENTS DAY AT CAMPBELL CENTER: Lone Star College North Harris president Gerald Napoles welcomes families with a “Lone Star Fan.”

Grandparents, Mammograms, Health Fair, Environmental Hearings

Residents of the Aldine area and the North Houston neighborhoods were kept busy last weekend, and on into this week, with a number of events that mark the end of summer and the beginning of school and family activities.

GRANDPARENTS DAY AT CAMPBELL CENTER: Lone Star College North Harris president Gerald Napoles welcomes families with a “Lone Star Fan.”

GRANDPARENTS DAY

At Campbell Center, the 16th Annual Grandparents Raising Grandchildren event, also known as the Family Strengthening Conference, was held on Saturday, Sept. 7 with several hundred families attending.

The event started at 10 a.m. with opening remarks by Aldine ISD Assistant Superintendent Abel Garza, Scout Troop 141 presenting colors, and an invocation by Pastor Jamail Johnson. The family counseling roundtable sessions began after that, with topics for raising Children, Teens and Adults. Each session had a discussion leader, Aldine counselors and social workers, and was followed by a Q&A time. The adult Roundtable included State Representative Senfronia Thompson, Family Court Judge Angela Graves-Harrington, Attorney Damiane Curvey Banieh, and Baylor Teen Health Clinician Rosa Acosta.

PILGRIM PLACE Grandparents enjoyed a day with families, and games with their friends. At left, Connie Esparza visits with Coco Martinez.

PILGRIM PLACE

Under the direction of Coco Martinez, a full day of activities for senior citizens included family visits with young and old, games and refreshments with family and friends. Tents were set up as protection from the heat, which came with a beautiful sunny day. Most of the residents of the Senior Center were able to participate. Children had a huge inflatable water slide as part of the fun of the day.

Greater Pure Light Church hosted a mammogram bus from the Rose, plus a Health Fair with screenings, blood drive, flu vaccines, and an ISD job fair.

GREATER PURE LIGHT CHURCH

The church hosted a Mammogram screening on Saturday, and a Health Fair on Sunday, with many hundreds participating. Mammograms were free, and had a steady line of woman patients.

The Health Fair on Sunday include free HIV testing, a Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center blood drive, free Flu Vaccine shots. There was also a job fair by Cypress Fairbanks ISD, recruiting bus drivers or attendants.

The busy week also continued with an environmental hearing on Monday night, to discuss and oppose the proposed Concrete Batch plant in the Aldine-Bender area. The hearing will take place at 6:30 p.m. at the BakerRipley Center. State Representative Armando Walle is leading the meeting.

There is also a dedication of the new Lone Star East Aldine Campus on Friday, Sept. 13 at 2 p.m. Classes and sign-ups are now underway at the building on Aldine Mail.

CAMPBELL CENTER hosted several hundred families who participated in round table discussions, visited information booths, and had a hearty lunch.