The Lakewood Service League will host its 12th annual auction/party, “Mardi Gras Madness,” April 9 at 7:30 p.m. at the Southland Center Hotel. Entertainment will be provided by Tommy Loy and the Gateway Jazz band, and the Dancin’ City D.J.’s. For ticket information, call Carol Hensley at 826-0700.
Numerous items donated by neighborhood businesses will be sold in live and silent auctions. Items to be sold include shopping sprees, resort packages, dinners at local restaurants and jewelry.
Money raised at the event will fund the league’s service projects throughout the year. League members volunteer at neighborhood nonprofit agencies, and the league donates more than $30,000 annually to neighborhood organizations.
Nonprofit organizations interested in applying for funds from the league can send requests to the Lakewood Service League, P.O. Box 140157, Dallas 75214.
Pate Named Director of Habitat Program
Neighborhood resident Jim Pate recently was appointed as executive director of Dallas Habitat for Humanity by the organization’s board of directors. Pate replaces Wink Dickey, who became executive director of Habitat in Phoenix, Ariz.
Pate began volunteering with Habitat in 1984 through his church in Memphis, Tenn. He gave us his career as a lawyer in 1992 when he became a paid consultant for Habitat and moved to Dallas. He was named deputy director of Dallas Habitat last year.
Pate says he has continued to upgrade the organization’s administration, finances and land acquisition – which is becoming more difficult because Habitat needs large land parcels to build whole neighborhoods of affordable housing.
In the future, Pate says he plans to expand Habitat’s housing services to include more than just families with children. He says he would especially like to serve the elderly and continue to work with other nonprofit organizations to meet housing needs.
“I think decent, affordable housing is a God-given right,” Pate says. “I think mankind, as social creatures, need to take care of each other.”
Literacy Program Helps Neighbors Learn to Read
A new neighborhood literacy program, English Language Ministry, is being provided for parents whose children are in Head Start. The program is sponsored by St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, Northridge Presbyterian Church and East Dallas Christian Church through the East Dallas Cooperative Parish, says Pastor Martha Murchison with St. Andrew’s.
The program will be offered twice weekly while the participants’ children attend Head Start. Free day-care will be provided for siblings not enrolled in Head Start.
The program will be housed in East Dallas Christian Church, 629 N. Peak, because of the church’s central location and its walking distance to neighborhood Head Start programs, Murchison says.
“We want to help our neighbors,” Murchison says. “The crying need we kept hearing is literacy. If you help the mom, you will help the kids. We’ve got a lot of services, but this is the one that is missing.”
Volunteer tutors are needed. Day-care will be provided. For information, call Murchison at 821-9989.
Annual Easter Egg Hunt Set
One of Dallas’ largest Easter egg hunts will be at the Dallas Arboretum on April 3 at 1:30 p.m. Admission is $6 for adults, $5 for seniors and $3 for children.
More than 25,000 candy-filled eggs will be hidden in the garden at the Arboretum. The Easter Bunny will be there for photos.
Easter Brunch will be served on the scenic Camp House covered terrace. The price is $24.95 for adults and $12.95 per child. Reservations are a must, call 327-8263, ext. 124.
Volunteer Center to Honor Neighborhood Volunteers
Several neighborhood residents and programs will be honored at the Volunteer Center of Dallas County’s 14th Annual Award Luncheon.
The luncheon will be April 20 at noon at the Hyatt Regency Downtown. Tickets are $35. For information, call Julie Clapp at 826-6767, ext. 242.
Neighborhood residents nominated for their hard work and the agencies they volunteer for include: Katie Bratcher, Baylor University Medical Center; Ann Breeding, SPCA of Texas; F. Hall Brown, Lions Club International; Lisa Ciminell, AIDS Arms Network, Inc.; Ronald Cowart, Refugee Services of North Texas; and Christine Cunningham, W.H. Gaston Middle School.
Also, Lorinne Emery, Dallas Committee for Foreign Visitors; Dorothy Houston, Baylor University Medical Center; Jane Kemp, Brady Center; Christine Latham, Visiting Nurse Association; Lisa Matthews, Kid Net Foundation/Jonathan’s Place; and Carlin Morris, Wilkinson Center.
Also, Gale Paul, Custer Road United Methodist Church; Martia Scottino, Brady Center; J.D. Weatherly, Fellowship Bible Church of Park Cities; Ellen Wood, Girls Incorporated of Metropolitan Dallas.
Also, the Blue Dragon Explorer Post, Boy Scouts of America/Circle Ten Council; Court Appointed Special Advocates, Dallas CASA; Off Our Rockers Group, Mark Twain Vanguard; White Rock Senior Center Volunteers, and the White Rock Senior Center.
News & Notes
VOLUNTEER ROUNDUP: The Dallas Public Library needs more than 300 volunteers to help with its annual Book Sale from April 22-24 at the Dallas Convention Center.
Volunteers are needed to help set-up prior to the sale, during the sale and to help tear-down after the sale. For information, call 670-1789.
LINE DANCERS NEEDED: The Greater Lakewood Shepherd Center needs seniors who line dance or who want to learn to line dance. The group practices Tuesday from 1:30-3 p.m. at St. Paul Evangelical & Reformed Church, 6464 Lovers. For information, call Norma at 328-1280.
MEETING ABOUT THE TRACKS: If DART owns a rail corridor near you then you need to attend the Community Transportation Forum on April 11 at 7 p.m. at the Northeast Police Substation’s Detail Room, 9915 Northwest Highway. Options will be discussed for the 120 miles of rail corridors, part of which run through our neighborhood, that DART is not using for their rail starter system. Lonnie Blades with DART will be on hand to provide information.
ADVENTURES IN LEARNING: Go on an Adventure in Learning Program with the Greater Lakewood Shepherd Center. Classes provided by the center for adults 60 and over include money management, conversational German and Spanish and book reviews. The program begins April 8th and is every Friday through May 27 at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church, 3204 Skillman. Each day will start at 9 a.m. with an exercise class. After lunch, there is a half-hour forum with city leaders, such as Police Chief Ben Click and City Manager John Ware. For information, call 823-2583.
