West Fort Bend - March 2023

WEST FORT BEND

Contents &Staff

6 FEATURE STORY

Child Advocates of Fort Bend focuses on transforming the lives of children through its support services, programs and outreach, and one mother stresses why fostering and adopting children is crucial.

10 TALK OF THE TOWN

A little “beetique” in Fort Bend celebrates nature’s little pollinators through products, services and education.

CHAIRMAN, EDITOR & PUBLISHER

Clyde King cking@hartmannews.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Marquita Griffin mgriffin@fbherald.com

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Stefanie Bartlett sbartlett@fbherald.com

Ruby Polichino ruby@fbherald.com

WRITERS & CONTRIBUTORS

Marquita Griffin

Scott Reese Willey

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS

Melinda Maya mmaya@fbherald.com

Rachel Cavazos rcavazos@fbherald.com

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If you are interested in advertising in the West Fort Bend Living, please call 281-342-4474 and ask for Stefanie Bartlett or Ruby Polichino. We’ll be happy to send rates, and deadline information to you.

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18 ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

With its showcase of artists, entertainment, cars and contests, Art In The Bend “represents all of the arts” and is

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‘A COLLECTION OF PEOPLE WHO LOVE EACH OTHER’ Transforming lives through foster care and adoption

by MARQUITA GRIFFIN | mgriffin@fbherald.com

Sometimes people say to Jodi: “I don’t know how you do it,” when they discover she and her husband are foster parents.

“I always liked being around children,” said Jodi Harris, who started her first year as a fourth-grade teacher in August. “I looked into it when I was really young, when I was single and before I had children, so it was easy for me to jump into it.”

Through their biological children and adoption, Jodi and Tony Harris created a blended family of nine children ranging from adults to toddlers, and it’s a household dynamic that Jodi describes as “just so natural.”

“Fostering is an important need,” explained Jodi, who has been a foster parent for a decade. Tony, she said, stepped into that role around five years ago.

Although she’s gone through an adoption process before, she and her husband were one of several families praised for adopting children during the Child Advocates of Fort Bend’s National Adoption Day celebration last year. The Harris family grew by two children that day, welcoming two siblings.

It was a decision for which Jodi doesn’t seek validation. Adoption isn’t about her or her husband, she said, but about the children.

The siblings, a boy and a girl who are 2 and 1 years old, first came to the Harris family as foster children.

“They’re a good family and they really care,” said CASA advocate Austin Falcon, who worked with the Harris family.

CASA or Court Appointed Special Advocates, are Child Advocates of Fort Bend’s trained and screened volunteers — specifically called advocates — who, along with other appointed professionals, visit children in foster care and attend court proceedings to ensure the well-being of the children.

Their ultimate goal is to reunify children with their parents whenever safe and possible, but if that option isn’t available, they advocate for the child to live with and be adopted by other family members, friends or with an unrelated devoted family.

“Our entire focus is whether the needs and the best interest of the children are being met. We look at their physical health, emotional needs, the stability of the home and what’s good for them in the long run,” Falcon said, explaining that advocates collaborate with other professionals working on the child’s case. “The social workers, CPS case workers or attorneys assigned to the children all have different roles. CASA volunteers only have one focus, and that’s the child.”

He added that while upwards of 15 children can be assigned to one CPS case worker, CASA advocates are appointed one to two children.

Falcon said Jodi and Tony Harris’ relationship with the adopted siblings started when they fostered them as babies and “loved them as their own.”

“They foster out of the goodness of their hearts and they know it’s needed,” he said.

Jodi explained that she doesn’t think of her and her husband’s children with the qualifiers of “biological” or “adopted.”

She prefers instead to focus on “being a good parent all the time and be all that [she] can be for them.”

TRANSFORMING LIVES

In the weeks following the Child Advocates of Fort Bend’s National Adoption Day celebration, the nonprofit’s CEO Ruthanne Mefford found herself enthusiastic about the toy drive the nonprofit was hosting for the children before the onset of the last holiday season.

But beyond the festivities of the drive and oncoming holiday season was a grim reality: an increasing number of children need stable homes.

“In this season of sharing and thankfulness, let’s not forget the kids, these children,” Mefford said. “We don’t want them to fall through the cracks. When we’re sharing with our families, take a minute to think about those kids, who are not having those opportunities. Say a prayer, go on website to make a gift, or become a volunteer — just take a minute out for them.”

Since its inception in 1991, the nonprofit agency Child Advocates of Fort Bend has served child victims of sexual and physical abuse and neglect through two nationally-affiliated programs — Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC).

To date, the nonprofit has provided services to more than 20,000 Fort Bend children.

According to the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services, around 6,000 children are waiting for adoption. The department’s most recent adoption data, which is from the 2021 fiscal year, states 712 children were on the adoption waiting list of the Region 6 area of the state. Region 6 includes Fort Bend, Harris, Walker, Montgomery, Liberty, Chambers, Waller, Galveston, Brazoria, Matagorda, Wharton, and Colorado counties.

“The numbers are exploding. Across the nation, more than 100,000 children need to be adopted,” Mefford said. “And they are of all ages. When people think of children needing to be adopted, they instantly think of babies. They’re not just babies, they’re young kids, siblings and teenagers.”

Teenagers, she noted, are the last to be adopted.

“Teenagers and the ones who are in the [foster care system] for

Jodi and Tony Harris were one of four adoptive parents celebrated during the 2022 Child Advocates of Fort Bend’s National Adoption Day.

long periods are the ones, perhaps, that suffer the most because they feel like a ‘throw away’ child. They’re [also] looking for safety, love and caring families.”

And that word, family, is one that Mefford takes a moment to define.

“There is no one way a family looks,” she said. “A family is a collection of people who love each other, and gives children stability and consistency.”

Like the Harris family, she stressed.

“By them creating a blended family, they’re transforming lives.”

During the National Adoption Day celebration, Child Advocates of Fort Bend partnered with the Fort Bend County 328th, 387th, and 505th District Courts to finalize adoptions of children from foster care.

Thirteen children were adopted from foster care in Fort Bend County in 2022.

Mefford said the course Child Advocates of Fort Bend uses to connect children to families is through its Collaborative Family Engagement services.

This approach, open to all children in foster care, tries to connect children with family members who weren’t previously involved with the children.

In 2021, six of 23 children adopted from foster care in Fort Bend County were adopted by family members.

“Children are often adopted by relatives,” she said. “We look at family members first because we’re looking for the best permanent outcome for the children,” Mefford said. “We also talk to the children themselves to see if they will share memories or milestones that provides a lead for a potential adoptive parent, who is usually a relative.”

“When we think about adoption from foster care, many of us think of it in terms of adoption by a non-relative. What we don’t all realize, however, is that adoption can take many forms. It’s also quite common for a child to be adopted by or live with a relative or family friend,” Mefford continued.“Often, when a child cannot safely go back home with their parents, then their grandparents, aunts, uncles and other family members step up to care for them. This is known in the system as ‘kinship care.’ In some cases, children live with family friends, coaches, teachers or mentors - ‘fictive kin.’”

But when the adoptive parents and the child are unrelated, Mefford dispels the myth that they will have a harder time than a relative would or that bond between parent and child can’t or won’t feel authentic.

“When you’ve been in a child’s life from birth, or even [fostered] a child for longer than a year, you have this bond,” she said. “And you just can’t let it go, unless you know they’re going to a family member.”

ADVOCATED & INCREASING AWARENESS

Mefford said the nonprofit continues to address child abuse and neglect, a topic “we don’t talk enough about.”

“The awareness isn’t high enough,” she said. “Almost 5,000 children [in 2022] were served by Child Advocates. Every school and community in the county has a child suffering from neglect.”

But this statistic isn’t without a resolution, she said.

“People in our community are incredibly caring. They become volunteers, donate, host toy drives, and some step up and say: ‘I want to take a child into my home’ — which is a huge gift and commitment. That’s why when we have events like National Adoption Day, the kids are happy and the parents are too. It’s very fulfilling.”

Aside from becoming a foster parent, Mefford said an individual can become a CASA advocate as another option to help the

children.

“That’s a commitment to complete 35 hours of training, which can be extensive but it prepares you for advocacy and becoming comfortable with advocacy.”

The position requires 5 to 8 hours a month, and advocates are assigned a child whose emotional, physical, academic and health needs must be determined. This work includes visiting with parents, doctors, and teachers before composing court reports to present to judges.

“Our advocates are incredible,” she said. “The program here is unequaled because of the community support. 100 percent of the children in foster care in Fort Bend is matched with a CASA advocate. Child Advocates of Fort Bend is the only one in the state doing that.”

Child Advocates of Fort Bend has a staff of about 50 professionals, is governed by a 30-member board of directors and has a volunteer base of more than 800 people.

“It’s a really good organization,” said CASA advocate Falcon, who went through his training in 2019. “I encourage people to apply to become a volunteer. Especially men because there aren’t a lot but there are a lot of young boys who want that [male] mentor and role model.”

Mefford adds that other ways to support the efforts of Child Advocates of Fort Bend include volunteering for the nonprofit’s Advocacy Center, which requires 16 hours of training and a time commitment of once a week for a few hours.

She also encourages people to “get a behind-the-scenes look” at how the nonprofit benefits Fort Bend children during its bi-weekly, 45-minute Voice For Children Tours.

During these tours of the nonprofit’s facility, guests meet the professional staff and clinicians, hear real stories of children helped through the nonprofit’s program, view the interview rooms where forensic interviewers provide a safe place for children to tell their stories, and the therapy rooms.

“You get to actually walk the path a child would take,” Mefford said. “The tours are open to the public. Come see all that Child Advocates does for our children.”

For more information about the tours or how to volunteer with Child Advocates of Fort Bend visit www.cafb.org

‘THEY ARE OUR FUTURE’

Jodi implores those with the means to foster to consider the children.

“You have to put yourself in the kids’ positions,” she said, sentiment creeping into her voice. “There are challenges in these kids’ lives. Some of these kids have no where to sleep. That is their truth and it’s real for them —”

She pauses to compose herself and then apologizes: “I’m sorry, I get emotional about this,” she said. “I would like more people to be open to fostering because these kids need help. Open your hearts and open your homes. Foster, volunteer, be a mentor, do something.

“It’s not easy all the time,” she continued. “But if you care about kids and people, you’ll care about the needs of these children. There are challenges, so sometimes I question my choice but I ask God to place me where I’m supposed to be. And He always makes sure we’re OK. He always does.”

She sums up her fostering and adopting experience in eight words: “We love them and they bring us love.”

“They are our future,” she said firmly, punctuating every word. “But they need someone. You never know the impact you can have. And time moves so fast — you look up and they’re something special.”

theTown

A ‘beetique’ in Fort Bend

SweetNes Honey Apiaries & Beetique celebrates nature’s little pollinators through products, services and education

by MARQUITA GRIFFIN | mgriffin@fbherald.com

It was a shrub, a Wax Leaf Ligustrum to be exact, that was positioned beneath the kitchen window of her childhood Houston, Texas home that unintentionally sparked a passion in Danessa Yaschuk that she would rediscover decades later.

“It was springtime and it was covered in bees,” Danessa recalled about the shrub that became the starting point of her fascination with the buzzing pollinators.

“I would watch them for hours,” she said.

Decades later, Danessa owns SweetNes Honey Apiaries & Beetique in Needville with her husband, Brent.

The beetique, as the honey farm and honeybee rescue business is cleverly called, had its grand opening in December 2022. It’s the first storefront for the couple whose bee products are also sold in retail stores, including the Painted Tree Boutique shops, several HEB locations, Hinze’s Country Kitchen in Wharton, Texas and Needville Feed & Supply.

Now with their first storefront, the Yaschuks can directly offer products, such as local raw honey, infused and creamed honey, honey sticks, honey combs and pollen.

“We offer bee pollen that can be used as a daily supplement,” Danessa said, explaining the preference for using local honey as a natural remedy to combat sea sonal allergies. “It’s a better option for people who are diabetic or don’t like the taste of honey.”

Accessories like jewelry, clothes, charms, gifts, honeybee colonies, a skincare collection and bee equipment are also included in the product lineup.

SweetNes Honey Beetique also offers bee removal, pollination and education services. The Yaschuks additionally offer bees and bee keeping services for Ag Exemption in Fort Bend and Brazoria counties.

Danessa and Brent weren’t always beekeepers, though.

After marrying and starting a family, they lived the suburbia life in Missouri City, Texas, working within the oil and gas industry.

Danessa, who was running the office for her husband, was efficient at her job and didn’t mind the profession, but she was considering other pursuits.

“I was working on bank statements in the bed one night and I told my husband: ‘What I really want to do is be a beekeeper.”

She laughs heartily before sharing her husband’s reaction to her random confession.

“He looked at me like I had grown a third eye.”

But no matter how absurd her fixation may have seemed, Danessa knew she was meant to be a beekeeper.

“I started playing with bees as a kid,” she recalled. “I would catch bees in my yard and, yes, I would get stung.”

Her mother advised her to stop, but Danessa didn’t. Unlike her peers, bees didn’t unnerve her, she said, noting that she even had a kingsnake.

“[The stings] hurt, but I’d keep catching and studying them,” she said. “They were just so fascinating.”

BECOMING A BEEKEEPER

Although Danessa was ready to evolve into a beekeeper, she wasn’t sure how to become one, so she began researching.

“I heard about beekeepers but I didn’t have a clue about it. I had never met one,” she said. She joined bee clubs, collected books and followed beekeepers on social media. Then she became involved with the Fort Bend Beekeepers Association and “kind of forced a senior beekeeper to be [her] mentor.”

She laughs at her unrelenting pursuit to absorb all she could from that mentor, who was a bit reluctant. Soon enough, Danessa took her initial step into the beekeeper role by catching her first swarm of bees in her backyard.

“I caught my first, then a second swarm and I was thinking: ‘Now I’m a bee keeper’,” she said. “I started catching them left and right. Then a lot of people started coming to me to ask me to catch bees [on their property] and I started being known for bee removal.”

In early 2015 she teamed up with another beekeeper who knew her husband, and the two removed bees from their community and relocated them to apiaries on someone else’s property. At the same time, she and Brent initiated a farmer’s market in their community of Sienna Plantation and sold honey. She also began teaching herself how to make beeswax products, including can-

PHOTO BELOW: Danessa and Brent Yaschuck with their children Nicholas and Benjamin

Alpesh Desai, D.O. Vy Ngo, PA-C

dles, which she started to sell on Etsy.

That’s when she had to think of a name for her budding business. Interestingly enough, she decided on the perfect name nearly three decades prior.

“When I was a kid I said if I ever owned a boat, I would call it SweetNes,” she said, explaining that her nickname is “Nes” or “Nessa.”

The name felt a little prophetic if she was being honest, so without hesitation, she launched SweetNes Honey Apiaries & Beetique in 2015.

BUILDING A BUSINESS

Through the bee removal services, Danessa was able to amass 26 apiaries, but the location turned out to be unfortunate. The arrival of Hurricane Harvey in 2017 flooded that property, resulting in the Yaschuks losing all but four apiaries.

“It was so sad,” she said.

Although a setback, the couple didn’t succumb to the blow. Instead, the Yaschuks left the suburbs for Damon, Texas, where their home rests on enough acres that allowed them to rebuild their business and apiaries. During this time, Brent also purchased a honey business from a retiring Fort Bend Beekeepers Association member and the move grew their hives from 50 to 150. It also seemed to catapult Brent into becoming a beekeeper.

“At the beginning he handled the business side,” Danessa said. “Now he’s into the bee side of it.”

She said between the two of them — with Brent being more analytical and her being more creative, she explained — they form a balanced dynamic for their business, which has been beneficial.

“We’ve entered some of our products in contests and won,” she said.

In the 2022 Texas Beekeepers Association Honey Show, the Yaschuks earned three Best of Show Winner titles, including People’s Choice in the Black Jar Honey, Best Sideliner Honey and Best Photos. They also won first place in the “Chunk Honey,” “Comb Honey – Cut Comb,” “Wax Plain Block,” “Beekeeping Arts and Crafts,” “Photo Scenic,” and “Candles” classes of the show. They earned second in the “Extracted Honey Medium/Amber” class and third in the “Extracted Honey Light/Amber” class.

INCREASING AWARENESS AND EDUCATION

Although delighted about their first storefront, Danessa said she remains focused on spreading awareness about the benefits of beekeeping and bees’ salient impact on the environment.

In addition to its honeyed products, SweetNes Honey Apiaries & Beetique makes appearances at elementary schools, with boys and girls scouts troops and even at senior homes to educate and discuss the significance of bees. She hopes the Spring will allow her to reach more people.

“I really want to bring people up here and do different classes,” she said. “The more you learn, the more you realize everything has a place.”

SweetNes Honey Apiaries & Beetique is located at 8922 Main Street, Needville, Texas. Contact the beetique at 832-303-1595 or www.sweetneshoney.com.

Annabelle’s Run races into fifth year

by MARQUITA GRIFFIN | mgriffin@fbherald.com

When the van Deursens were given the diagnosis of their oldest child six years ago, in the gravity of that moment, they said they couldn’t imagine how many people would fight alongside them to save their daughter’s life and to spread awareness about the rare GNAO1 mutation, a neurological disorder.

Typically marked by developmental delays, irregular muscle contractions, early infantile seizures and poor muscle tone, the GNAO1 mutation isn’t a straightforward diagnosis because it also has variants.

As it stands now, there is no cure for the disorder, but parents Daniel and Shelley van Deursen are working to change that.

After founding Annabelle’s Amazing Graces, the nonprofit that bears their daughter’s name, the van Deursens have raised funds to donate to The Bow Foundation, a volunteer-run 501(c)3 nonprofit which funds research projects centering on the mutation and similar neurological conditions.

The nonprofit’s inaugural fundraiser was held in 2019, and to date, the nonprofit has raised more than $300,000 for The Bow Foundation.

“We had our best year last year, donating over $100,000 to GNAO1 research,” said Shelley van Deursen, Annabelle’s mother and co-founder of the nonprofit. “We are so grateful and blessed by an amazing community filled with family, friends, and strangers helping us cure our Annabelle. People from all over are helping us bring awareness to the GNAO1 mutation and helping us cure GNAO1 by supporting research.

“I hope that we can continue to grow, so that we can continue

to bring awareness to the GNAO1 mutation and ultimately fund enough research to cure Annabelle and all of her friends who have this mutation.”

ANNABELLE’S RUN

On April 1 Annabelle’s Amazing Graces will host its annual fundraiser — Annabelle’s Run— at No Label Brewery in Katy, Texas. The event kicks off at 8:30 a.m.

The 5th annual Annabelle’s Run is a 5K run and 1-Mile Walk

ABOVE: Annabelle with her service dog, “Weller,” who came from Canine Companions in August.“They are an amazing organization that provides service dogs to people with disabilities,” her mother Shelley explained. “Weller is so amazing to Annabelle, they are BFFs! He knows over 40 commands to help Annabelle. He can pick things up for her, push a push plate to open a door, open doors for her, go on walks with her wheelchair, and mostly he loves on her by giving he kisses and snuggles. She of course adores him and sneaks him an occasional bite of her food.”

BELOW: Parents Daniel and Shelley van Deursen with their children, from left, James, Annabelle, Matthew and Madeleine.

event that includes coffee from Humble Grounds, kolaches from Kolache Factory, breakfast tacos from Snooze, cookies from Sugarberry Cookie Shoppe, a snow cone truck, cookies from Tiffs Treats, waters from The Brielle Group exp realty, beer from No Label, a wine pull, live music, princesses from Fairest of All Parties, face painting, a balloon artist, and more.

Adult registration is $40, youth registration is $25, and as with every Annabelle’s Run event, 100 percent of the proceeds will benefit The Bow Foundation for GNAO1 research.

Shelley added that Annabelle’s Amazing Graces also participates in Giving Tuesday to double the donations to The Bow Foundation for GNAO1 research and in GNAO1 Awareness day, which occurs every October 1.

“The more awareness we can bring to this extremely rare mutation, the better for Annabelle and all children with this mutation,” she said. “We need the continued support of our community and businesses in the community, who have been wonderful. We could never have been so successful without [their] help.”

Multiple GNAO1 research studies are underway including one that will help in understanding how GNAO1 precisely affects the brain and another that is using approved medication to determine if those medicines can help manage GNAO1 symptoms.

The Bow Foundation is also opening up two $100,000 research grants this year, one of which Annabelle’s Amazing Graces fully funded.

“So amazing,” Shelley said.

CATCHING UP WITH ANNABELLE

When Fulshear Living covered Annabelle and her journey for the first time, she was a 3-year-old toddler defying the odds. She was participating in therapy — usually accompanied by her younger brother James and her mother at that time — getting support from family at home, and was enrolled in a school district supporting her needs.

These days, Annabelle is 7 years old, in first grade, “loving school” and thriving. She’s still hippotherapy at Reining Strength in Richmond and “loves riding her horse, Keke,” Shelley said.

Not to mention she’s the big sister to not only James, now 5 years old, but also 3-year-old brother Matthew and 1-year-old sister Madeleine.

“Everyone is doing really well and growing too fast,” Shelley said happily. “The kids are all great and love playing with each other. It’s so fun right now and never a dull moment at home.”

Annabelle, who Shelley said “continues to be so happy, sweet, kind, smart and helpful,” also has “Weller,” her service dog.

“They’re best buds,” Shelley said. “He is amazing with Annabelle and she just adores him.”

Shelley is still a pediatric nurse at Texas Children’s Hospital, and her husband Daniel still works in commercial construction at Aluminum Techniques, Inc. When the duo isn’t working, “the kids keep us busy and on our toes,” Shelley noted lightheartedly.

But not a day passes when the van Deursens aren’t thankful for the benevolence surrounding them — and not just during the annual fundraiser. Every day.

“It is so beautiful to be a part of and to witness how many amazing, generous, and kind people there truly are in this world,” Shelley said. “Thank you so much to everyone helping us help Annabelle and every child with a GNAO1 mutation and rare disease.

“We are making a difference.”

For more information about Annabelle’s Amazing Graces visit annabellesamazinggraces.org.

Richmond FD gives strength to sick child

by SCOTT REESE WILLEY |swilley@fbherald.com

Jack Crown, 4, of Richmond, was diagnosed with spinal muscular atrophy when he was only 5 months old. SMA is a disease in which the body lacks the proteins to make muscles grow — including the muscles needed to breathe, walk and talk.

“Prior to 2017, SMA was one of the hardest diagnoses you could get, because there were no drugs available to extend your life span,” explained Jack’s mother, Paige. “But since 2017, new drugs have been developed that can extend the lifespan of those with SMA.”

Still, little Jack’s daily battle with SMA means that even simple colds can lead to hospitalization. And that’s what happened just before Thanksgiving.

“For most people, a cold is a normal respiratory illness, but for Jack it really took him out,” she said.

ed another Fort Bend family whose daughter was also being treated at the hospital.

Just days before Jack’s release, the girl’s grandfather, Larry Riendean, asked Paige and Johnny if it would be all right for him to reach out to the Richmond Fire Department and see if firefighters would be willing to welcome Jack back home.

Larry, a retired Fort Bend County sheriff’s deputy, still has plenty of friends on the force and knows plenty of other public servants. The Crowns thought it was a delightful idea.

“Jack loves the color red, he loves trucks and big red trucks,” Paige said. The youngster returned home in an ambulance because the family was worried something would happen while they were in traffic. When Jack arrived at his Pecan Lakes home, friends, family and neighbors were there to welcome him home. Parked out front was a Richmond fire engine and standing by to welcome Jack home was a squad of firefighters, much to the little boy’s delight.

Your Home for Dentistry

Jack was taken to Children’s Memorial Hermann in downtown Houston where he had to be intubated — have a hose inserted down his throat to provide oxygen to his lungs. Jack spent eight weeks at the hospital and he was intubated for six of those weeks.

When the hoses were removed and he was awakened, all he wanted to do was go home, Paige recalled. During his stay at Children’s Memorial, Paige and her husband Johnny befriend-

Dr. McCrea has been creating healthy, beautiful smiles in Richmond/Rosenberg since 1994. Dr. McCrea and Dr. Vo are both graduates of and current Professors at the Herman Hospital based General Practice Residency Program for UTDS Houston. Their goal is to work with each patient to produce the best possible outcome based on that patient’s individual needs and desires.

“It was lovely. All our neighbors were there. And the firefighters were amazing. Jack was so happy,” Paige recalled. “I can’t thank Larry and the fire department enough for what they did. They put a big smile on Jack’s face. They made him very happy.”

Dr. Kyle D. McCrea & Dr. Mary George YOUR HOME FOR DENTISTRY

Dr. McCrea has been creating healthy, beautiful smiles in Richmond/Rosenberg since 1994. Dr. McCrea and Dr. George are both graduates of and current Professors at the Herman Hospital based General Practice Residency Program for UTDS Houston. Their goal is to work with each patient to produce the best possible outcome based on that patient’s individual needs and desires.

Four-year-old Jack Crown’s day was made when the Richmond Fire Department welcomed Jack home from the hospital. Jack suffers from spinal muscular atrophy.

Dr. Kyle D. McCrea and Dr. Victoria Vo

Fort Bend Seniors Celebrates March for Meals with special deliveries

Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels announced that it will participate in the 21st annual March for Meals – a monthlong, nationwide celebration of Meal on Wheels and seniors who rely on this essential service to remain healthy and independent at home, especially amid a lingering pandemic and high inflation.

On Wednesday, March 22, local community leaders will participate in a Community Champions Celebration, delivering meals to homebound seniors in our area.

“In the last year, we have experienced a 31% increase in new clients in Fort Bend and Waller Counties,” said Bob Hebert, Executive Director of FBS. “We are in awe of the outpouring of support from our local communities, and there’s still much we can do to ensure everyone in need of our vital services can benefit from being well-nourished and more connected to our community through this challenging time and beyond.”

In 2022, Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels served 364,680 meals to over 2,200 seniors in our local community.

The annual March for Meals celebration commemorates the historic day in March of 1972 when President Nixon signed into law a measure that amended the Older Americans Act of 1965 to include a national nutrition program for seniors 60 years and older. This critical support and federal funding have fueled the growth of the Meals on Wheels network for more than 50 years.

During the month, community-based Meals on Wheels programs from across the country will join forces for the annual awareness campaign to celebrate this successful public-private partnership and garner the resources needed to reach every senior in need of a nutritious meal, friendly visit, and safety check.

“March is an important time for us to come together to ensure that Meals on Wheels is there for all of our senior neighbors in need,” said Ellie Hollander, President and CEO of Meals on Wheels America. “The demand for services is already great and approximately 12,000 Americans are turning 60 every day. We must maintain and expand the programs that have helped so many get through this unprecedented time in our nation’s history. We can’t do it alone. It takes all of us to keep the nationwide Meals on Wheels movement going.”

For more information about Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels, visit www.fortbendseniors.org. For more information about March for Meals, contact Kristie Phillips, Director of Development, at 281-633-7741 or kristie@fortbendseniors.org.

Sweet Dew Farm grows and delivers wellness

Palm Grove at Old South Plantation was the gathering site for the January meeting of the Garden Club of Richmond hosted by Judy Adamson and her co-hostesses Barbara Wade, Mike Greenwood, Carole McCann, and Ann Crosser.

Deidre Doggett introduced speaker John Truong, owner of Sweet Dew Farm and a local farmer working with organic, sustainably grown superfoods emphasizing freshness, healthy foods, and ethical farming. Starting in 2016 growing wheatgrass in his backyard, he now owns a three-acre farm in Rosenberg. In 2019 he added home deliveries in addition to delivering to stores and restaurants.

Last year Sweet Dew Farm began selling at the Farmers Market in Richmond held every 2nd and 4th Sunday of the month from 10 a.m. to 1 pm. With the help of his parents and others, he offers microgreens and sprouts, herbs, pasture-raised eggs (chicken, duck, and quail), 12 different homemade herbal teas, and homemade bread. He emphasized that his microgreens germinated from seeds are harvested within 7 to 21 days promoting a more concentrated nutrient content and more flavor. He offered a website to order from: sweetdewfarm.com.

Inspired by the documentary “Back to Eden” which promotes God’s initial plan for man tending his garden versus tilling his garden, Sweet Dew Farm implements a Permaculture philosophy, a permanent culture where the eco-system can sustain itself with a soil health emphasis. He uses compost and mulch from his garden with the addition of fruit pulp, vegetable waste and coffee grounds supplied by his customers’ businesses. This encourages microbes, earthworms, and beneficial bugs that help keep the soil full of nutrients and workable. His greenhouse uses natural sunlight and fresh air. His future goals include more fruit trees and blackberries added to the farm thus creating a polyculture environment where many species intermingle with others under trees and ground cover.

John Truong of Sweet Dew Farm in Rosenberg

After members enjoyed a box lunch of chicken salad, fruit salad, toast rounds, chocolate fudge and a sampling of the bread from Sweet Dew Farm, president Courtney Raska opened the meeting.

Claudia Wright gave the thought for the day, “Happiness is not ready made. It comes from the heart”.

Marilyn Long reported the Anniversary Garden survived the freeze but will require a clean-up day before planting caladiums.

Nancie Rain encouraged members to help promote more caladium sales and sign up for bagging and distribution. Pick-up for the bulbs starts on March 1.

Barbara Benes reminded the ladies that the Caladium Tour for members will be held on the first of the summer and encouraged everyone to get their caladiums planted.

Pam Scarborough solidified arrangements for the members’ social trip to the Music Box Theater.

Keely Knipling and Emily Scherer announced that medical forms are due for the spring trip to Nashville. Members going on the trip need to check their emails for any new information.

Lynn Hewitt and nominating committee members Nancie Rain and Laura Hartman presented the 2023-2024 slate of officers: president- Deidre Doggett, vice president- Susan Farris, secretary- Roz Kavanaugh, treasurer- Justine Huselton, and parliamentarian- Claudia Wright.

Members of the club agreed to donate gardening supplies for the Fort Bend Museum’s gardening event on March 14.

Hostesses for the Garden Club of Richmond’s January meeting were (L to R ) Barbara Wade, Carole McCann, Judy Adamson, Mike Greenwood, and Ann Crosser

Art in The Bend has artists, entrainment, cars and contests

by MARQUITA GRIFFIN | mgriffin@fbherald.com

Following an inspiring rebrand, the Historic Richmond Association announced its upcoming Art In The Bend in Richmond, featuring food, art, cars, pet contests and plenty of entertainment. The event may sound familiar to many in the community because it used to be called The Art Walk and Motor Madness, said Jessica Rose Huang, Historic Richmond Association’s Committee Chair for Art In The Bend.

“We’re really looking into making it bigger and better every year,” said Huang, explaining that the name change more accurately reflects the Historic Richmond Association’s intentions and aspirations.

“And since Richmond is the county seat, we wanted this event to be Fort Bend County-wide and represent all of the arts. We wanted to increase [the Fort Bend] culture and have a way for people to come together.”

Artist Elizabeth Marie — the festival’s featured artist for 2023 — said the new name is substantially more fitting.

“Art Walk is so common, too common, and the event in Richmond on historic Morton Street is way beyond common,” she said.

Art In The Bend is “about community,” she added. “Art in all its forms from performance and music to the energy of art created by local artisans.”

So when someone shouted “Art In The Bend!” during one of the meetings when name-changing was considered, Marie felt invigorated.

“The name change is a true representation of Richmond being located at the bend of the Brazos,” Marie said. “Art In The Bend is a fabulous name. It’s a refreshing, energized, one-of-a-kind branding.”

A GOOD TIME ALL AROUND

Art In The Bend is set for March 25 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Morton Street in Historic Richmond.

“We know there are a lot of festivals and happenings on this day,” Marie said. “[but] we’d love you to spend Saturday with us in Richmond.”

Huang said she understands that most residents have become accustomed to the HRA’s annual spring event kicking off in April, but considering Sugar Land will host its festival that weekend, the association decided to change the date.

“It is the same day as the Bayou Art Festival,” she noted. “But Art in The Bend is a free event with free parking and there will be a lot to do.”

The event will include more than 20 local artists showcasing and selling their art — “the artists are local, most of them from Fort Bend, with some from the general Houston area,” Huang, noted — as well as food trucks and the opportunity to dine in the downtown restaurants or patronize the downtown stores.

And, of course, Motor Madness is included in the festivities.

“For the people into cars, we’re still having Motor Madness, it just isn’t in the title of the event,” Huang said, adding that it’s estimated that between 100 and 300 vehicles will be on display, depending on the weather.

Motor Madness will also include a contest and prizes. It cost $35 to register for the automobile-centric affair.

“It’s always really fun and there are so many beautiful cars,” Huang said.

Cisco Tucker’s popular Bark in the Park will return, including its contest and “doggie parade,” and the scheduled live band — James Wilhite and The Classix — is comprised of two Grammy-winning musicians. Around mid-day, festival-goers will also have a chance to watch a 25-minute play performed by young actors from 8 to 17 years old from Rosenberg’s Creative Learning Society theatre.

Behind Blockhouse Coffee & Kitchen (611 Jackson St, Suite C) there will be more art activities for the children, Huang noted.

ENTERTAINING AND UPLIFTING THE COMMUNITY

While Art In The Bend is inherently a lively event for the community, Huang noted it’s also about supporting the community. Aside from the artists, car enthusiasts and pet lovers, Art in The Bend is also “bringing in nonprofits that focus on art to expose them the public.”

ARTreach, a nonprofit organization that provides mentoring and art-related support for children, Expose Excellence Youth, a Fort Bend County program that promotes positive self-expression and the development of life skills in children, and Lamar Consolidated ISD, which will participate in an art contest, are also included in the event’s lineup.

Want to become a Fort Bend Master Gardener?

Master Gardeners are volunteers who assist Texas A&M AgriLife

Extension in Fort Bend County with promoting research-based horticultural practices to help residents succeed in creating and maintaining their home landscapes.

Classes begin with 35 hours of comprehensive training conducted by Texas A&M professors and extension specialists and delivered over 10 weeks.

That training is then supplemented with Fort Bend County local classes to round out the training.

Volunteer opportunities are many and varied, including maintaining demonstration gardens, responding to gardening inquiries, making presentations to small community groups, teaching youth about the fundamentals of gardening, assisting in community gardens, and writing articles and social media posts to name a few. A member must re-certify each year by satisfying minimum volunteer service and continuing education requirements.

EDIBLE GARDEN PLANNING

The Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service in Fort Bend County and the Fort Bend County Master Gardeners will offer a six-class program on creating a productive edible garden in the home landscape, starting March 4 from 9 a.m. - 10:30 a.m. at the Bud O’Shieles Community Center, located at 1330 Band Road in Rosenberg. Participants will learn how to start a garden, the keys to success, what to plant and when, and how to reap the benefits of year-round food production in Fort Bend County. Registration is required.

Gardening

VEGGIE

& HERB SALE COMING

On March 11 the Fort Bend Master Gardener’s annual spring Vegetable-Herb Plant Sale will run from 9 a.m. to noon at the Bud O’Shieles Community Center.

For more information about becoming a master gardener or upcoming events visit www.fbmg.org.

“The benefits of an organization like this, is that you can dive into the community and get to know everyone,” Huang said of her time with the Historic Richmond Association. “And I love it.”

Because of its relationship with The City of Richmond, which she called “a great supporter of Art In The Bend,” the HRA has deepened its community ties, and support, grown in membership and progressed its initiatives.

“People are happy to give time and talents,” Huang said, adding that contribution will be evident at Art In The Bend.

“It’s a great atmosphere — the food, the arts, music, the fun —it’ll have everything for everyone. So if you’re brining children, your fourlegged furry friends, or coming alone, there’s something for everyone.”

COMMUNITY IS CONNECTION

What Marie said she most looks forward to at Art In The Bend, is the connectivity. The event is the “true embodiment of community,” she stressed.

“[In] the world we live in now, where so many people work from home and shopping is via a photograph on the Internet, events like this bring back the goodness of sensory living,” Marie said. “There is something so exceptional about feeling the energy of others, shopping with your eyes and senses and making that purchase [and] seeing how you are positively enhancing an entrepreneur’s life.”

“Art is an experience,” she said. “And community is about connection.”

For more information about, or to stay updated about Art In The Bend, visit www.artinthebend.com.

Huckman Named 2023 Grand Champion at Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Art Show

Foster High School senior Mia Huckman has been named the 2023 Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo School Art Grand Champion. This is Huckman’s fourth time to have artwork in the HLSR’s School Art Auction and the first time she has placed first. She received this year’s honor at the HLSR School Art Awards Ceremony on February 11 at NRG Center. Her painting, “Our Last Round Up,” was ranked #1 out of 72 auction lots and 4,500 artwork pieces entered from school districts from across Southeast Texas.

Last year in 2022, Huckman was the 2022 School Art Reserve Grand Champion. Her painting, “Partners in Time,” broke the world record with a selling price of $265,000. It sold for $15,000 more than the Grand Champion painting.

Three other Lamar CISD student artists will also have artwork in the auction including Foster High School juniors Mia Caycedo and Hannah Horton, as well as Fulshear High School junior Trina Ha. The HLSR School Art Auction is scheduled to take place on Sunday, March 12 at 12 PM and will be broadcast live on ABC Channel 13.

Celebrate Spring at International Art & Kite Festival

Step into springtime, and enjoy a day of fun activities and excitement at Sugar Land’s International Art and Kite Festival as the city celebrates with a full slate of outdoor adventures for families to enjoy on Saturday, March 25, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., at Crown Festival Park, 18355 Southwest Freeway. Kite enthusiasts will decorate the sky with splashes of color, unique kite shapes and exceptional kite-flying skills. The main stage will feature upbeat cultural dance performances with entertainment acts to include the rhythmic beats of DRUM percussion

“Our Last Round Up” Painting by Mia Huckman Named 2023 Grand Champion at Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo Art Show

Houston Rodeo Art Grand Champion Mia Huckman with her art teachers.

“Sluuurp!” by Trina Ha

Foster High School junior Hannah Horton was placed in lot 34 for her piece titled “The Glamorous Homestead.”

“The Glamorous Homestead” by Hannah Horton

Foster High School junior Mia Caycedo was placed in lot 29 for her artwork titled “Topic of Conversation.”

“Topic of Conversation” by Mia Caycedo

Fulshear High School junior Trina Ha was placed in lot 71 for her artwork titled “Sluuurp!”

ensemble, show-stopping performances by local dance groups and the freshest sound in steel drum music, Steel Vibrations. The Kids Zone will feature inflatables and a stage for kid-friendly entertainment. Trackless train rides will continuously depart from the Kids Zone which will also include strolling characters. Booths from local vendors abound at the Champion Energy Artisan Market. A variety of food trucks will be on location with an assortment of food choices and desserts available for purchase. A Beer Garden will feature complimentary springtime beer from Saint Arnold Brewing Company and Texas Leaguer Brewing.

Throughout the event, attendees can participate in the Chalk Art & Kite Flying competitions. First, second and third-place prizes will be awarded for each category. There is no cost to enter the competition and online registration is encouraged for all contests. Additionally, attendees can represent their heritage by hosting a free booth representing their culture or country of origin or by participating in the Cultural Fashion Show. Country Booths will be strategically located throughout the festival representing Asia, the United States, India, etc. Show off traditional attire by signing up to be in the Fashion Show that will take place on the Cultural Stage. General festival admission is free.

Free shuttles will be provided from the University of Houston-Sugar Land, and public parking will be available onsite at Brazos River Park and Crown Festival Park. Limited handicap-accessible parking will be available onsite. Plan for traffic delays.

To participate and host a Country Booth or walk in our Cultural Fashion Show, contact Sugar Land’s Parks and Recreation Department at 281-275-2825 or visit www.sugarlandtx.gov/specialevents. For other updates, follow Sugar Land Parks and Recreation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram @SugarLandParks.

Help Us Honor

Free programs and activities at the George Memorial Library

Fort Bend County Libraries’ George Memorial Library, 1001 Golfview in Richmond, will present a variety of free children’s programs, adult computer classes, book clubs, and special programs for people of all ages this month. All programs are free and open to the public. Visit www.fortbend.lib.tx.us or call George Memorial Library 281-342-4455 or the Communications Office at 281-633-4734 for more information.

CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS

Craft packets will be given out at the end of each program, so that children may take them home to enjoy.

Family Story Time: Wednesdays and Thursdays from 10:1510:45 a.m. in the Meeting Room. Families with children of all ages will enjoy stories, songs, and action rhymes. The schedule is: March 1 and 2:Rodeo; March 8 and 9:Green Animals; March 15 and 16:Staff Favorites; March 22 and 23:Flowers & Gardening; and March 29 and 30:Ducks

Pajama Night Story Time: Thursdays from 6-6:30 p.m. Gives families an evening option for some activities presented during the day time.

After-School Break: Takes place on the second and fourth Tuesday, from 4:15-5 p.m. in the Puppet Theater. Crafts, movies, stories, and more programs are designated for school-aged children in grades kindergarten through 5.Materials for these programs are made possible by the Friends of the George Memorial Library. The schedule of activities is as follows: March 14: Build It! and March 28: No-Bake Playdough

Creative Connection: on Monday, March 13, from 10:15 to 11 a.m., the Spring Break Build-It Bash! — intended for students in

Greatwood Veterinary Hospital

Include: Photo, Name, Rank, Military Branch & Unit, Year(s)

At Greatwood Veterinary Hospital, we are dedicated to providing excellent and compassionate care for your furry, family friends. We offer full veterinary services in our new, spacious 6,500 square foot facility. Our experienced and caring veterinarians and staff strive to provide the best quality care available for your pets, with an emphasis on client education and an understanding of your pet’s specific needs. We would like to be partners with you in ensuring your pet’s good health and well-being. In addition to full medical, surgical, and dental veterinary care, we also offer boarding, grooming, and cremation services. Greatwood Veterinary Hospital has been providing affordable and quality veterinary care to the Fort Bend area for over 15 years. It is our hope that we can meet all your animal’s health care needs with our warm, friendly, and knowledgeable services.

To make an appointment for your pet or for more information, please call us at (281) 342-7770 or visit us at 401 Crabb River Road in Richmond.

grades 4 through 8 – will take place in the Middle Grades department on the second floor. Students will put their building skills to the test with some fun building challenges and games.

YOUNG ADULT PROGRAMS

Young Adult Advisory Council: Wednesday, March 15, 4-5 p.m. in Room 2C. Teens in grades 9-12 who are interested in an exciting new leadership opportunity and volunteer service hours are invited to attend this meeting of the Young Adult Advisory Council. Members will have a chance to share ideas about library programs, help out at events, give suggestions for teen services, books, and movies, and meet new people.

ADULT PROGRAMS

• Crochet for Beginners: Saturday, March 4, 2-3 p.m. in the Meeting Room. Learn the basics of crochet in this hands-on class. Library staff will provide materials, teach basic terms, and demonstrate simple crochet stitches. This class is for adults and teens. Registration required.

• Adult Coloring: Birds & Blooms: Saturday, March 11, 2-3 p.m. in the Meeting Room. During this fun activity, learn more about adult coloring -- a hobby often embraced for its relaxation and stress-reduction techniques. Coloring has been shown to lower heart rates and is thought to lower blood pressure as well. The creative process of coloring can also be a way to exercise the brain. Unwind and relax while re-discovering this favorite childhood activity and demonstrating strokes of creative genius.

• Story Spinners Writing Club: Thursday, March 16, 5:308:30 p.m. in Room 2C. This month’s topic is “Synopsis.” From beginning bloggers to published novelists, writers of all genres and experience levels are welcome to write, share, learn, support, network, and critique each other’s work. Writing prompts, brainteasers, and brief exercises will be available to ignite the imaginations of any and all wordsmiths who wish to hone their craft. This program is recommended for adults and teens aged 14 and up.

• Ancient Civilizations: Indus Valley: Saturday, March 18, 2-4 p.m. in the Meeting Room. Architecture professor Sheba Akhtar will talk about the agricultural civilization of the Indus Valley, which had the largest geographical extent and population of any ancient civilization. Located in the northwestern portion of the Indian subcontinent (present-day Pakistan), the Indus Valley civilization attained greater urban achievements than any other ancient civilization, establishing superior city planning, water distribution,

drainage, and standardization.

• Family-History Research: Genealogy 101: Wednesday, March 22, 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Computer Lab. In this introductory program, beginning family-history researchers will learn how to start their research. Library staff will provide a basic introduction to many of the resources that are available to the beginning genealogical researcher in FBCL’s Genealogy and Local History department. Items that will be introduced include print resources, materials that are available on microfilm, and basic online tools such as the Ancestry.com and Heritage Quest USA databases. Learn how to fill out basic genealogical forms and organize one’s research. Registration required.

• Family-History Research: Genealogy Online: Saturday, March 25, 10:30-11:30 a.m. in the Computer Lab. Learn more about some of the online resources that are available for family-history research, including FamilySearch.org, HeritageQuest, and FindaGrave.com. Tips and strategies for a more efficient Internet search will also be demonstrated. Registration required.

ADULT BOOK CLUBS

Book Break Book Club: Thursday, March 16, at noon in Room 2A. A variety of popular fiction is discussed in this book club, which meets on the third Thursday of every month. Those attending may bring a lunch. This month, readers will discuss Furious Hours: Murder, Fraud, & the Last Trial of Harper Lee, written by Casey N. Cep. This selection is available in print and audio on CD; call the library to check availability of additional print copies

Heavy Inks Graphic Novel Book Club: Saturday, March 18, 11 a.m. - noon in Room 2B. Readers of all ages who enjoy illustrated novels and comic books are invited to join this book club specifically for graphic-novel enthusiasts. For March, readers will discuss Locke & Key, Vol. 1-3, created by Joe Hill. Call the library to check availability of additional print copies. This book club meets on the third Saturday of every month.

Live Online: FBCL Reads Online Book Club: Wednesday, March 22, 10-11 a.m. FBCL Reads book-club meetings will be live-streamed through Webex so that readers can participate virtually and interact with others in real time; the book club will meet online on a permanent basis. The book to be discussed in March – Kim Jiyoung, Born 1982, written by Cho Nam-Joo — is available in print and digitally as an ebook on OverDrive. Call the library to check the availability of additional print copies.

Business Directory

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