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Monday, October 27, 2008

Volunteers Make It Their Mission to Beautify Shearn Elementary...


Read the story at HISD website, click here.

Read what people is saying about Whole & Healthy Children Initiative, click here.

Hurricane Ike may have knocked out the lights for a few weeks, but it didn’t dampen the enthusiasm of dozens of local volunteers from Mission Houston, who came together on October 18 to give Charles Shearn Elementary School a “face-lift.”

Approximately 75 people from area churches—in conjunction with teachers, staff members, parents, and students—participated in the effort to beautify the campus by landscaping, painting, pruning, and mulching.

“Principal Buck was very supportive of our efforts,” said Mission Houston Project Coordinator Jeff Peters. “I was pleased to see our faith-based community members gathering together and extending themselves to support our students.”

Peters worked closely with Principal Bill Buck to identify and prioritize projects at the school, and started with the ones that would have the most impact. “Due to Hurricane Ike, we did limited promotion of this event and were planning on a reduced work day with only 40 people,” explained Peters, “but the commitment was so strong that we wound up with 75 volunteers. We will tackle the rest of the projects in spring.”

Mission Houston also began a mentoring program in October 2008 at Shearn. Entitled the “Whole and Healthy Children” initiative, it is a 10-year commitment to assist local elementary schools with high percentages of at-risk students.

Read More...

Friday, October 24, 2008

What people are saying about the Whole & Healthy Children Inititative...

Notes received by e-mail:



... referring to the Bellaire-SW Loop project day at Shearn Elementary:

Friends from Mission Houston,

I want to thank everyone for all their hard work today.
The school has really been transformed by your efforts into a place with so much more beauty.
I know it is difficult to give up your Saturday, but it sure was a wonderful day to be outside.
I can not wait until we get our new electronic marquee so that we can honor you.
Thank you again for all that you've done!

Bill Buck, MBA, M.Ed.
Principal
Shearn ES Houston ISD
cbuck@houstonisd.org
713-295-5236 fax 713-295-5253

--

Dear Gary and all the members of Mission Houston,

I will send this properly in paper form but I wanted to tell you and your congregation a couple of things about your work here at Shearn.

On Monday when I got out of the car I smelled the mulch. The wonderful smell of working with hands, gardening, growing. Everything here feels softer, gentler. Most of our students have relatively hard lives. They live in apartments without yards, plants, and nature. All the greenery you put in has shifted the color of our place, and the “People” you put in are shifting the color also. The volunteer mentors are giving our kids some connection to other adults who are awesome role models, good citizens, good listeners and people of faith. They see that inner strength, that peace that leads us to reach out. We do that because of God at work in our lives. The volunteer who helps me in the Library, Jean, provides me a chance to breathe by helping check out books and restoring books to their shelves. She is a little bit of the “cool waters” He provides. One of my favorite quotes is by St. Francis of Assisi. He said “I always preach the Gospel, sometimes I use words.” What you do for the least of these is surely a blessing. That work for an hour a week reverberates throughout each school day, each school hour and then…….it goes home. It will begin to work in so many ways and so many lives that the ripples will pass our horizon, certainly. I thank you for your dedication, your time, for I know it is precious, your love.

Many blessings,
Catherine Nelson
Teacher, Shearn Elementary School

--

My students and I really appreciate your hard work.
What it really counts for me is your initiative and the kindness of youor hearts.
Thank you very much.
Mr Gomez 3rd Grade Shearn Elem.
Luis Gomez
lgomez4@houstonisd.org

--

I want to thank you for improving the appearnce of Shearn Elementary. It is such a blessing to see the students take great pride in their school with the help of Missoion Houston. I am the science lab teacher and I will be able to have my students explore the different plants when we study life science. Thank you again,
Lisa Asi
Shearn Elementary Science Lab Teacher
lasi@houstonisd.org

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Information for the Hispanic Community...

by Mark Hernandez - OSHA


El Depto. de Labor - OSHA estamos trabajando con FEMA, SBA y otros agencias para dar información para la comunidad Hispana acerca de cómo aplicar para obtener ayuda por los daños de IKE. Estamos tratando de tener cuatro foros en diferentes áreas para dar esta información a la comunidad, pero necesitamos la ayuda de Lideres de las Iglesias y la comunidad para cumplir con este reto.

Representantes de las agencias de ayuda pueden acudir a eventos que esten ya organizados previa comunicación y coordinación. Para ello por favor comunicarse con Benito Juárez de la Cuidad de Houston, con Pedro González, o con Mark Hernandez.

Grace Community Church ya ha organizado un evento para Nov. 1ero, 2008.

Gracias por su consideración en ayudar a nuestra comunidad Hispana,

Mark A. Hernández, CHST
Compliance Assistance Specialist

U.S. Department of Labor - OSHA
Houston South Area Office
17625 El Camino Real, Suite 400
Houston, Texas 77058
Phone: (281) 286-0583 *241
cell: (281) 898-8155
Fax: (281) 286-6352
hernandez.mark@dol.gov

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Volunteers needed, two urgent requests...



American Red Cross in Galveston / Vans & Drivers Needed

Currently about 300 evacuees remain in the Red Cross Shelter on Galveston Island. Many are without transportation which is desparately needed in order for them to meet with their FEMA inspectors and move their families and belongings into safe housing.

Individuals with cars or vans are asked to contact Carolyn Shell of the American Red Cross at 713.724.9813 or by email at: carolyn.shell@earthlink.net.

Disaster Recovery Center - Wheatley

Evacuees need rides to hotels.

If available, contact Peter Fraenkel at 703.258.4763 or by email at: peterf526@yahoo.com

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