Summer can often seem busier than other times of the year, with vacation, entertaining the kids while school's out, etc.
In the midst of all this activity, we sometimes forget that not everyone is able to do these things, particularly people who are homebound du to illness or other reasons.
That's why Meals On Wheels and More is so vital to our community, providing meals for people who are otherwise unable to cook for themselves. The organization relies on dedicated volunteers to transport 90 percent of the one million meals it distributes each year throughout the Austin area.
With summer approaching,MOWAM is facing a shortage of drivers to cover its routes, and more cancellations are expected due to summer commitments. 40 of these routes are currently open, which means they don't have regular drivers assigned to them, and are having to be covered by paid drivers. This raises administrative costs, including gas.
Meals On Wheels and More is looking for both regular and substitute drivers, particularly in north Austin and areas east of I35. If you can help, visit their website at:
http://www.mealsonwheelsandmore.org/volunteer.
Once a year, I get the privilege of emceeing an annual Bowl-a-thon that benefits an Austin area beep baseball team, to raise money for them to travel to the sport's annual World Series.
What is beep baseball? It's a modified version of baseball played by blind individuals. The ball has an electronic mechanism that beeps, and the cone-shaped foam bases emit a buzzing sound, allowing the runner to hear where the base is.
The Bowl-a-thon is more than just a fundraiser, though. It's a chance for blind and sighted people to come together, bowl a couple of games, and just have fun. All proceeds go to the Austin Blackhawks, a team that has been in existence since 1986, and is the proud winner of several World Series championships. I happen to be a former player, although I haven't swung a bat in a game in over 20 years. The World Series of Beep Baseball is held each August in a different city, and the Blackhawks have been every year for as long as I can remember.
This year's Bowl-a-thon will be held this Saturday, Feb. 12, at Highland Lanes, 8909 Burnet Rd. from 1 to 3. It's $15 per person, and you get to bowl two games. There are also door prizes given generously by numerous local businesses, and many merchants also sponsor a lane.
The 2011 Beep Baseball World Series is coming up July 31-August 7 in Indianapolis. Watch this video to find out more about how the game is played:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNXqN_QVmpk
My son James has always wanted to see the UT Tower, so we took a drive there recently.
Since we were short on time, we didn't climb to the top. However, I thought I'd try my hand at shooting a video with the new video camera I'd just bought. As big as the tower is, I figured even a totally blind person like me couldn't possibly miss it. Well, judge for yourself.
Last week was an emotional and disastrous one for so many people and families in Texas due to the damage and devastation caused by the late summer wild fires! Â Sunday was also the 10th Anniversary of the 9-11 Â tragedy which was very emotional. Â Here we are with a fresh new week full of new hope and recovery and I thought I would post more of my favorite sunrise pictures for you. Â I am also including some from Majic 95.5 listener Lucy Perez. Â Thank you for sharing Lucy!!
It's hard to believe that summer is almost over and the kids are back in school! Â When I was in school one of my first homework assignments was to tell the class what I did on my summer vacation. Â This year I spent my first summer in 6 years in my home state of Michigan !! Â Here are some of my favorite photo's from my trip! Â Enjoy!
I lived in St. Joseph Michigan for most of my teenage years!! It's a beautiful town on the banks of Lake Michigan !! You can see the lights of Chicago on the other side at night!
Welcome to Monday!! I'm up early most days of the week and one of my hobbies is taking pictures of the beautiful sunrise's we get everyday!! Our Majic studios have an awesome view !!   I'll share one with you every Monday morning! Enjoy!
It's going to be another sweltering day here in Austin and I've got the perfect way to celebrate!To commemorate 7-Eleven, Inc.âs 84th birthday on July 11th, aka 7-Eleven Day, participating 7-Eleven® stores across the nation will celebrate by giving customers a free 7.11-oz size Slurpee® beverage. As a special birthday treat, the 7-Eleven store at 2600 Guadalupe in Austin, TX 78705 will hold a series of competitions, including timed Slurpee-drinking contests, one-minute 7-Eleven-themed challenges and a Twitter popularity contest. Winners will be rewarded with exclusive 7-Eleven prizes.
With the theme âOur Birthday â Your Bash,â participating 7-Eleven stores will thank customers for their patronage and support by offering a free Slurpee in a cup specially designed for this day while supplies last. Fans in Austin will get an extra treat by participating in a variety of prize-winning games to round out the birthday celebration. Stop the the 7-11 at 2600 Guadalupe between 11:30 and 1:30 for all the fun!!Â
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Prince William and Kate Middleton arrive in Los Angeles at 4pm this afternoon , 6pm out time!! They will most certainly take the west coast by storm. Here is their complete schedule. It looks like a fun packed weekend!Friday: Arrive at LAX at about 4 p.m.Friday Afternoon: Recpetion at Beverly Hilton.Friday Night: A reception at the British Consul-General's residence. The couple will stay at the Hancock Park home during the weekend.Saturday: The couple will attend a charity event for American Friends of The Foundation of Prince William and Prince Harry at the Santa Barbara Polo and Racquet Club. William will play in a polo match at the club. Saturday Night: A black-tie dinner at the Belasco Theater in downtown Los Angeles. William is president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, which will host the event.Sunday Morning: It's breakfast with American patrons of Tusk Trust
, an African conservation charity.
Later Sunday:Â They will travel to Skid Row to visit the Inner-City Arts school, a nonprofit academy that provides free classes in visual and performing arts to children from poor neighborhoods. At the school, the duke and duchess will join grade-school students in painting and working with ceramics and will watch a performance by teenage dancers.
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Sunday Afternoon:Â They will attend a job fair for veterans at Sony Studios in Culver City before leaving Sunday night.
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Last weekend I headed down to Corpus Christi for a much needed weekend getaway!! This is my 3rd summer heading down to Corpus and it just keeps getting better every year!! The beaches are clean and wonderful and the people are friendly! There is also so much to do. This year I made sure to stop by the South Texas Botanical Gardens and Nature Center. There are more and more lovely additions each year! When your looking for a fun weekend getaway for the entire family , look no further than Corpus Christi! Check out some of my photos from this year's trip! Enjoy!
