• 713-524-4CEC (4232)
  • info@cechouston.org
September 17, 2012

Coalition Notes 09-17-2012

  1. Chase Community Giving – YOUR VOTES ARE NEEDED.You have the power to help decide which eligible local charities will share in $5 million grants! Many local charities you know and love were nominated, including the following CEC member organizations:
    • Armand Bayou Nature Center, 6
    • Artist Boat, 242
    • Galveston Bay Foundation, 907
    • Houston Audubon, 23
    • Houston Parks Board, 1
    • Katy Prairie Conservancy, 16
    • Buffalo Bayou Partnership, 2
    • Memorial Park Conservancy, 6
    • Trees for Houston, 18
    • Urban Harvest, 446
    • Texas Wildlife Rehabilitation Coalition, 628
    • Mercer Society, 2
    • Gulf Coast Bird Observatory, 125

    The numbers that follow each agency are their current vote totals (as of Monday evening, when the cutoff was 806 votes). Visit the Facebook page until September 19th to vote for the charities that you want to see receive grants from Chase. That’s WEDNESDAY! The 196 charities with the most votes will share in $5 million in grants! Currently, Galveston Bay Foundation is fighting for a spot on the leadership board and needs your help. EVERY VOTE COUNTS! Visit https://www.facebook.com/ChaseCommunityGiving/ to learn more and to vote!

  2. Going Green Series: Water For The Woodlands – Today… and Tomorrow. Water availability will continue to challenge the future of The Woodlands and surrounding communities. There are big plans underway to address these challenges and the San Jacinto River Authority is a key participant. Mark Smith, Administrator of the SJRA Groundwater Reduction Plan, will speak at the Going Green Sustainability Lecture Series on September 18th. Mr. Smith was Director of Public Works in College Station for over 16 years, joining SJRA in 2010. The Going Green Lecture Series is a program of The Woodlands G.R.E.E.N. in partnership with The Woodlands Township Environmental Services Department. The lectures begin at 7:00pm at the South Regional Library (2101 Lake Robbins Drive) in The Woodlands. This event is not sponsored or endorsed by Montgomery County Memorial Library system. For more information, contact Cinda Hitchcock, Going Green Coordinator, at 281-363-2723.
  3. Wild West Tour: Hawk Migration. Rise and shine with regal raptors! Come out this Friday to learn about the secret lives and habits of these amazing birds of prey. Visit some of the best KPC preserves with expert local naturalist, Glenn Olsen. Wild West Tours are a great way to get an up-close look at some of the best places and wildlife that the Katy Prairie has to offer! The tour is on September 21st from 8am-12:30pm at the Indiangrass Preserve. Registration is required: $65 per participant. Light breakfast included. Call 713.523.6135 or email info@katyprairie.org to register. Learn more at http://www.katyprairie.org/.
  4. Scenic Galveston’s 25th Adopt-A-Beach-Estuary Event. Scenic Galveston’s 25th Adopt-A-Beach-Estuary Event will be held on September 22nd from 9am-12:30pm to clean tons of debris & invasive species from Scenic Galveston’s preserves. This will be an invigorating day in scenic marshes and prairies, and on two bay shorelines. You must RSVP by calling 979-234-2096 or 409-789-4996, or emailing evangelinewhorton@yahoo.com. More at http://guidrynews.pmailus.com/.
  5. Green Building Tour: University of Texas School of Nursing. As one in a series of free tours of green buildings in Houston, you are invited to see the LEED Gold UT School of Nursing, on Friday, September 28th in an “open house style” guided tour approximately every 30 minutes from 11am to 2pm. The Tour will begin at the University of Texas School of Nursing, 6901 Bertner Avenue, Houston, Texas 77030. Please visit www.houstontx.gov/mayor/leedtour.pdf for more details and a map.
  6. Houston Toad Teacher Workshop. Several organizations are teaming up, including the Houston Zoo, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department, LCRA, and Amphibian Ark to offer the first ever Houston Toad Teacher Workshop on Saturday, September 29th at McKinney Roughs Nature Park in Bastrop, Texas. This workshop and education program is designed so you can get all of the facts, resources and activities you need to talk about amphibians and the Houston toad in the classroom, or with the public. Participants of the FREE workshop will receive 4 state continuing education teacher credits from the Houston Zoo and a free flash drive which will include an educators guide, video clips, frog and toad calls, and tons of activities and resources. To register, email rachel@amphibianark.org. When you register please provide your full name, email address, school or organization, and county you teach in. Learn more at http://houstonwilderness.org/index.php/.
  7. 2012 Garden Faire – Mercer Arboretum & Botanic Gardens. Enjoy a fun-filled day at Mercer’s annual Garden Faire (22306 Aldine Westfield Road), shopping for plants and other unique home and garden goodies while visiting with garden experts. This two-day event will be held Saturday and Sunday, September 22 and 23 from 8am-4pm. The Garden Faire takes place on the west side of Mercer under the canopy of the wooded trails at the picnic area and will include over 50 vendor booths, with activities for all ages. You and your kids can adopt a rescue dog, take a train ride with Stan the Train Man, get your face painted, learn to grow seeds, and make amazing paper hats. Food and refreshments will be available for purchase. This sixth-annual event attracts more than 3,000 people and is staffed by 150 volunteers from organizations including the First Baptist Christian Academy in Pasadena, H-E-B, Mercer, the National Charity League, and ROTC students from Cy-Creek, Nimitz, and Spring high schools. More at http://themercersociety.org/.
  8. Houston Green Film Series: Urbanized. The Houston Green Film Series will continue on September 26th at the Rice Media Center (2030 University Blvd) from 6:30-8:30pm. The film, ‘Urbanized,’ examines cities and the issues and strategies behind urban design. It features some of the world’s foremost architects, planners, policymakers, builders, and thinkers. More at http://www.facebook.com/.
  9. Houston Audubon’s Fall Event: That’s Crowbiz! Come hear about the complex and fascinating social life of the American Crow, one of our the interesting but least appreciated birds. The speaker is Kevin J. McGowan, instructor for the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Home Study Course in Bird Biology and online short-course, Courtship and Rivalry in Birds. Kevin will share insights gained from 25 years of following the life stories of over 2,000 banded individual crows. Family values, care giving, slumber parties, neighborhood watch, dynasties, treachery, and murder. It’s all there! The event will take place on September 27th at 7pm at the United Way Center (50 Waugh). Learn more at http://www.houstonaudubon.org/.
  10. Willow Waterhole Harvest Moon Festival. See the Harvest Moon rising… take a horse-drawn hayride; take the kids on a ride on a miniature train or just stroll the Willow Waterhole paths as the moon peeks above the horizon. The Willow Waterhole Greenspace Conservancy will be holding the Harvest Moon Festival on September 29th from 6-8pm at the South Gazebo at Willow Waterhole Conservation Reserve (5300 Dryad Drive). Admission is free! Learn more at http://www.facebook.com/.
  11. National Public Lands Day. National Public Lands Day, September 29th, is a fee-free entrance day at many federal public lands including national parks. It’s a great opportunity to help a local or favorite public land near you and spend the rest of the day recreating or relaxing on the land. Parks in Houston are looking for volunteers. Join this annual community event in Bayou Parkland, Hermann Park’s natural area along Brays Bayou, between 8am and noon. Volunteers will dig in to help restore various habitats such as prairie, ponds, and urban forest. Families welcome! To sign up or learn more, please email volunteer@hermannpark.org by Sept.21.
  12. Artist Boat – Kayak Raffle. Would you like to own your own kayak but it’s too expensive? Here’s your chance! Artist Boat is raffling a $1700 kayak which could be yours for only $10 per raffle ticket! This year you can even buy raffle tickets right online! Entrance tickets for Float the Boat festival are also available online. Purchase tickets at: http://www.artistboat.org/float-the-boat.html.
  13. Save the Date!