FYI

Bridgeland 4th Chili Cook-Off heating up

The fourth annual Bridgeland Chili Cook-Off, sponsored by Bridgeland, will be held Saturday, Dec. 1 at Bridgeland Activity Center in Cypress.

The event will run from 11:30 a.m.-2:30 p.m.

According to a press release from Bridgeland, cooking will begin at 6 a.m., with judging at noon. Attendees can taste the chili after judging. There will be awards for best booth and people’s choice.

Rules are available upon request.

Bridgeland Activity Center is at 16919 N. Bridgeland Lake Parkway, Cypress.

For more information, call 281-213-9600 or visit www.bridgeland.com/home.

Purple Heart Marine receives new house

Purple Heart recipient Marine Sgt. Marty Gonzalez, of The Woodlands, received a new house from the Helping a Hero Home program in honor of Veterans Day.

Gonzalez, a Woodlands High School graduate, was injured while stationed in Fallujah, Iraq, according to a press release. He earned three Purple Hearts and two Bronze Stars after being struck in the face by an enemy grenade and shot twice in the right humerus bone by an insurgent. He sustained these injuries while saving another Marine, according to the release. Nine surgeries later and on the road to recovery, he is working to create the Texas Veterans Court.

The Helping a Hero program partnered with Mischer Development and Perry Homes to present the keys to the family during a Nov. 12 ceremony. Gonzalez will share the Cypress-area home with his wife, Tawnee, and three children.

Helping a Hero has awarded more than 90 homes in 21 states. On Oct. 24, President George W. Bush, comedian and commentator Dennis Miller and country star Lee Greenwood all participated in the National Gala where 33 homes were awarded to amazing wounded heroes. The Houston community showed up with over 2,300 people attending and over $3 million raised. For more information on the Helping a Hero Home program, visit www.
helpingahero.org.

Cypress teen elected president of honor society

Greg Kelley, a Cypress resident, was recently elected president of the National Honor Society for the 2012-13 school year.

According to an academy press release, “membership is based on scholarship, leadership, service and character. The eligible students (based on scholarship) are ranked by all faculty members according to their leadership, service and character based on assessment of community service hours and behavior (leadership and character) as exhibited in and off campus.”

Kelley is the son of Gregory and Yvonne Kelley of Cypress. He is a student at Subiaco Academy in Subiaco, Ark. Subiaco Academy is a college preparatory boarding and day high school dedicated to the Catholic Benedictine traditions of service to God, respect for self and others, mutual support and the value of work.

For more information, visit www.subiacoacademy.us.

Small Steps hosts Thanksgiving program, feast

Small Steps Nurturing Center students, families, staff and board members gathered to celebrate Thanksgiving with a feast Friday, Nov. 16.

The students performed Thanksgiving songs for their families, and then attendees sat down to a Thanksgiving feast prepared by the Black-eyed Pea restaurant. The Black-eyed Pea donated and prepared the meal for 400, school officials noted.

The school also thanked the volunteers and board members who helped organize the event.

The Small Steps Nurturing Center is an accredited school with locations in Houston in the First and Fifth wards. It is for students in economically at-risk families and is a nonprofit organization. Greg Stirman is the executive director and Kathie Hartzog and Hermette Ward are program directors at the schools. Small Steps was founded in 1995.