ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT
The Dallas Museum of Art currently showcases 36 artists in Modern Masters of Mexico, the largest and most important private collection of 20th century Mexican art. The exhibitions in on view for the first time in the Southwest and will leave the city on Jan. 28. Call 214-922-1200 for information.
Pegasus Put-on. “The Frequency of Death,” a murder-mystery comedy by Kurt Kleinmann will be presented “live in black and white” beginning Jan. 4 and running through March 10 at Pegasus Theatre, 3916 Main. This is the latest in the adventure of Harry Hunsacker, the would-be actor turned would-be detective. Performances Thursdays through Saturdays, 8:15 p.m., and Sundays at 7:15 p.m. For information, call 214-821-6005.
More Florida troubles. The Pocket Sandwich Theatre’s current audience participation, popcorn-tossing, comedy, “Attack! Of The Killer Mutant Leeches,” will run through Feb. 17. A spoof of the great/bad horror films of the ’50s and ’60s, this play concerns the terrorized inhabitants of a Florida swamp (no connection with recent election problems … we think). Shows are Thursdays through Saturdays, 8 p.m., and Sundays, 7 p.m. Food service starts an hour-and-a- half before curtain. For reservations, call 214-821-1860. The theatre is located at 5400 Mockingbird, suite 119.
The African American Museum, at Fair Park, will host the Hewitt Collection Of African-American Art Nov. 3 through Jan. 14. This “Celebration and Vision” is one of the most important and comprehensive collections of 20th century African-American art. All tours must schedule an appointment by calling 214-823-7644.
CIVIC
Honor Outstanding Volunteers. The Volunteer Center is accepting nominations for the 21st annual Outstanding Volunteer of the Year Awards, presented for volunteer work done in Dallas County during the last year. Categories are individual, lifetime service, education, disabled, adult group, large and small business, youth individual, youth group and volunteer coordinator. Nomination forms are available on the Center’s web site at www.non-profits.org and due Jan. 26. Call 214-826-6767 for information.
Facts of Life. The Arc of Dallas needs volunteers to teach life skills classes to individuals with mental retardation or developmental disabilities. Instructors and assistants are needed for the following spring classes: computers, career exploration, weight training and computer games. Morning, afternoon and evening volunteers are needed at various locations. Call the Volunteer Center at 214-826-6767 for information.
Legal Largesse. The lawyers of Thompson & Knight help keep families together, save others from homelessness and give children the opportunity to remain in school. The clients in these cases cannot afford to pay for the services, but they receive help nonetheless through the generous efforts led by partner John Cohn. The team of attorneys offers its services once a month at legal workshops hosted by the Housing Crisis Center. For six years, Cohn, a neighborhood resident, and the firm’s other volunteer attorneys have willingly taken on time-consuming cases and learned the intricate details of landlord tenant laws.
Book Drive. Half Price Books has launched its third annual “Half Pink Library Book Drive,” January through March. The program has collected more than 330,000 books to build 65 libraries in children’s hospitals, community centers, pediatric HIV/AIDS facilities and medical clinics. To contribute, visit the store at 5803 Northwest Highway. For information, call 214-360-0833.
Bryan Adams High School teacher Diane Birdwell takes a break from teaching world history to serve as a captain in the U.S. Army Reserves. Birdwell, who was present when the Berlin Wall was torn down, says she chose to join because of her interest in politics and the military. She tells her students that military service teaches “teamwork and responsibility.”
Preservation Dallas is seeking nominations of meritorious renovations and restorations of historic structures, sensitive new construction within historic districts, and individuals or firms with notable accomplishments in the field of preservation to be recognized at the Second Annual Preservation Achievement Awards in February. Nominations are due by Jan. 15 and can range from a prairie style cottage improved by handyman owners to a massive downtown loft renovation; applications are available by calling 214-821-3290.
Think Green. If your holiday tree is still sitting there shedding needles as you read this, the City of Dallas asks that you let its Sanitation Department turn it into free mulch, which can be used to protect your landscaping through the cold weeks ahead. Call 3-11 to get hours and places for recycling.
Cityplace Station Open. The Austin Chalk underneath North Central Expressway has formed Cityplace Station, 120 feet underground along DART’s 3.25 mile tunnel connecting downtown Dallas and north Dallas. The station can be accessed from Cityplace Tower on Haskell at Central; the above ground entrance will be open later in the month.
Caring Friend. East Dallas resident Jerry Lynn works 50-60 hours each week, supervising more than 150 volunteers and managing operations at the Caring Friends Center. But Jerry is not a paid staff person, he is a volunteer. He is also the founder of the Center ,which provides services for men, women and children with HIV/AIDS and women with breast cancer. His friends and fellow volunteers say that despite his own medical difficulties, Jerry is always there for anyone who needs him. Caring Friends Center needs volunteers to cook and serve lunches, provide administrative assistance, work in the store and clean the building. Call the Volunteer Center at 214-826-6767 for information.
GATHERINGS
Happy Anniversary. Neighborhood residents April Smith and Liz Griffin joined a crowd of 500 well-wishers at Terilli’s 15th anniversary costume party.
Tennis Anyone? Want to improve your tennis game? Play singles. Ladies Friendly Singles is registering for winter league. All ages and skills levels. Play is by appointment. Call Carolyn Benne at 214-343-4658.
Lake Lovers. For the Love of the Lake will hold their monthly “Second Saturday Shoreline Spruce-Up” of White Rock Lake on Jan. 13. Volunteers should meet the FTLOTL’s new space in Casa Linda Plaza (under Eckerd’s, facing Buckner). For information, call 972-622-SAVE.
The Center of Community Cooperation, 2900 Live Oak, will once again sponsor a panel discussion featuring prominent members of the media in conjunction with the Volunteer Center of Dallas and the Dallas-Fort Worth Association of Black Communicators. The meeting will take place on Jan. 25, 5:30-9 p.m.; cost is $10 for members, $20 for non-members. “Meet the Press … A Dialogue with African-American Media” is targeted to community organizations to assist them in understanding the local African-American and mainstream media. For information and reservations, call 214-826-3470, ext. 239.
SENIORS
The White Rock Senior Center hosts daily activities at Lakeview Christian Church on 9100 Diceman. Call Manager Adrienne Kahn at 214-328-4863 for scheduled events.
The Greater Lakewood Shepherd’s Center Adventures in Learning are held for senior adults on Fridays at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 3204 Skillman. The winter semester will run from Jan. 5 to Feb. 23; cost is $30. Senior Citizens of Greater Dallas will present “Wisely Navigating the Maze of Financial, Legal and Life Changing Decisions” and Herb Crowe will lecture on “The Middle East: Past of Present.” Classes, activities and programs include square dancing, literary exploration, watercolor, religious studies, travel, German and Spanish lessons, local happenings, table games and various entertainers. Participants are asked to bring a sack lunch; drinks and desert are provided. Call 214-823-2583 for information.
The Casa Linda Chapter of the AARP will meets each month at the Family Life Center at Casa Linda United Methodist Church, 1800 Barnes Bridge Road. The speaker on Jan. 8 will be Pierson Ralph. For information, call Chapter President Sue Payne, 972-412-0950.
The Brady Senior Center, 4009 Elm, will host many activities for seniors in the neighborhood. For information call 214-826-8330 and ask for Ella or Oralia.
YOUTH
Scouting for Food. The White Buffalo Boy Scout District along with Circle Ten Council will conduct their annual “Scouting for Food” program by delivering yellow plastic grocery bags to houses in East Dallas Saturday, February 3, 2001. Each bag will be printed with directions to fill the bag with canned goods and nonperishable food items. Please leave the yellow bag on the porch or doorsteps visible from the street on the following Saturday, Feb. 10. Local packs and troops will return to collect the food and deliver it to local food pantries. You may also donate at your local Tom Thumb grocery store.
Organizers prefer canned products. No perishable or frozen foods will be accepted. Good choices would be soups, canned juices, canned meats, fruit, and vegetables, canned baby formula, and ready to eat meat entrées like chili. Please no glass containers or boxes.
All collected food remains in our community to help our neighbors in need. This year the food will be distributed to Central Dallas Ministries, Bryan’s House, Stew Pot, Wilkinson Center, St Edwards Brady Center, First United Methodist Church, Skillman Church of Christ, Skillman Avenue Church of Christ, Highland Oaks Church of Christ and Family Gateway Shelter.
This year’s “Scouting for Food” is conducted as part of the 2001 National Scouting Week celebrating the 91st anniversary of Scouting in the United Sates. The origins of Scouting for Food lie in the Scout slogan: “Do a good turn daily.” This effort is North Texas’ largest single day food collection program. Last year Circle Ten Council collected 523,000 food items. This year “Scouting for Food” is sponsored by Tom Thumb, Channel 5 and the Dallas Morning News.
National Achievement Scholar. Woodrow Wilson senior Monique Roberts has been designated a commended scholar by the National Achievement Scholarship Program. More than 110,000 students entered the competition nationwide, with 5000 receiving recognition based on their scores on the 1999 Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test.
Miss Texas in the Middle. Bishop Lynch Senior Students Ali Kazura (second from left) and Kathryn Kennedy (far right), tutors and donation volunteers for Robert T. Hill Middle School, joined Michelle Martinez Metzger (second from right), Miss Texas 1996, for a fall PTA meeting encouraging “communication between parents and teens.” Hill PTA program chairman is Judy Porter (far left).
Good Morning Mom. East Dallas mom Leigh Parks was recently selected to be a member of WFAA-TV’s Good Morning Texas Mom Squad (weekdays 9 a.m.). Parks, a mother of two, will be representing the “stay-at-home mom” as she participates in special segments aimed at providing mothers with parenting, financial and consumer advice. “I know how important it is for me to hear other moms say this is all normal,” says Parks. “I am sure there are other moms, like me, who just need to hear it again.”
Best Pageant Ever. Among the 101 young performers in the cast of the Dallas Children’s Theatre recent production of “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever” were East Dallas residents: Mick Alpert, Dan Martin, Frank Smitham, Andrew McPherson, Bubba Smitham, Amber Harris, Bridget Johns, Adrienne Ortega, Sara Roberts, Maureen Martin, Claire Smitham, Sally Smitham, Andrew Michael, Colin Smitham, Matthew George, Jordan Rhyner, Wilson Brewster, Noah Berlin, Brenna Buchanan and Alex Montgomery. DCT’s next production will be “The Three Sillies,” Jan. 26-Feb. 25, El Centro College Theater, Main & Market Street. For information, call 214-978-0110.
Woodrow Open House. “Welcome to Woodrow,” an annual open house and orientation for prospective students and parents, will be held on Jan. 25, 7 p.m., at the school, 100 S. Glasgow. The event will provide an opportunity to meet administrators, teachers, students and parents, and learn about academic and extracurricular programs, and tour our award-winning neighborhood school. The event is primarily for 8th graders, but all are welcome. For information, call 972-502-4400 or Kathy Glenn, 214-821-3268.
Oshman’s Grants for Girls Awards. Oshman’s Grants for Girls has awarded the District Champion Woodrow Wilson tennis team a $1000 grant for the purchase of new uniforms. The award was presented by Olympic gold medallist and world record holder in women’s pole vault Stacy Dragila. The winning grant proposal was prepared by tennis coach Kendall Hasse. Woodrow was the only Dallas school to receive an award. The grants program is a part of Oshman’s Women & Sports program whose commitment is to provide leadership and vision, and acknowledge the importance of sports in the lives of girls and women of all ages.
DSO Deb. Morgan d’Lane Packard, daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Dighton Carl Packard, has been selected to be a Dallas Symphony Orchestra League Debutante. She will be presented at the 2001 Presentation Ball to be held at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Hall on Feb. 3. A 1999 Woodrow graduate, Morgan attends Tulane University. She received the Founder’s Scholarship for Outstanding Academic Achievement, is in Honors Classes, and made Dean’s List and National Dean’s List for 2000.
Choir Honors. Woodrow Wilson students have been selected for All Region Choir, All Area Choir and 9th Grade Region Honor Choir. Qualifying for All Region Mixed Choir were Jane Lilly, Taylor Thompson, Kati Schuerger, Brad Romney, Robert Reed, Ty Halasz, Ben Wright and Jose Arvizu. Selected for All Region Treble Choir were Jennifer Thompson, Laura Sandifer and Bessie Waddill. Lilly, Halasz and Romney also qualified for All Area Choir and will audition for All State Choir in January. Qualifying for 9th Grade Region Honor Choir were Mary Beth Schuerger, Shawn Flynn and Marshall Worrall. The choir director is Marca Lee Bircher.
Lakehill senior Mark Rummel has been named to the TAAPS Private School All Star Team for Texas.
