On Nov. 13, Mayor Herbert Gears and Rep. Linda Harper-Brown presented a $25,000 check to Garry Brown, the producer of The Deep End, a television drama filming at The Studios of Las Colinas through December—or longer if the series gets picked up.

Brown thanked the mayor and said the city was doing a good job hosting the cast and crew.

“This gift to us is extremely appreciated,” Brown said. “When you come here to film, you get this sense of family and it feels good.”

Brown also produced Prison Break, which he said gave Fox Studios a taste of the quality of crews here. He mentioned how the tax incentives are much appreciated and help bring projects to Texas.

The legal drama is giving local crews and actors the chance to work close to home.

One extra is Stephanie Swanson of Las Colinas. “It’s been great,” she said, despite the 12-hour-long days of shooting.

A few of the regular actors, including Billy Zane, posed for photos with the mayor, Harper-Brown and Brown.

Justin Muller and Jennifer Loeb of the Studios also posed for photos and said they are glad to see the complex get the work. Now, the studio has been transformed into a swanky law firm, complete with amazing views of the Los Angeles skyline outside each window.

The producers said they could know this month if the series is picked up but if not, the word may not come until next spring. The show is an ABC mid-season replacement series.

Honoring employees 

And for many Irving employees that saying rings true loudly. City employees with many years of service took center stage at the recent banquet held at the Westin Hotel. They each received a gift--an airplane with the face of a clock, signifying how quickly time passes.

As employees entered the room, city manager Tommy Gonzales, community services director Paul Gooch and Chris Michalski and Casey Tate of Parks and Recreation shook their hands to welcome and thank them.

During the recognition ceremony, the crowd gave a standing ovation for Larry Erwin from the Fire Department for his 45 years with the city. Tim Bilyeu of the Engineering Division was honored for his 40 years. Four employees received 35-year awards and 17 received 30-year awards, including Linda Spencer of the HeritageSeniorCenter. Then the 25-year recipients were recognized, followed by a larger number of employees honored for the remaining awards.

Among those who attended were Mayor Herbert Gears and many department heads.

Of note

Irving-based Big Brothers, Big Sisters recently held its “Big Black Tie Ball: An Evening of Masterpieces” at the Fairmont Hotel in Dallas. The event featured artist Brenda Greenwood Bogart and entertainment was by Ricki Derek. To learn about the nonprofit, visit www.bbbstx.org.

The Irving Schools Foundation received $20,000 from the Pfaff family to establish the Plastronics Perseverance Scholarship. A $1,000 scholarship will be given each year to an Irving ISD student who is homeless and forced to work. The student must show college admission grades. Anne Pfaff founded the foundation in 1985 and daughter Diana Pfaff is past president of the foundation. Visit www.irvingisd.net/foundation.

Irving’s lost and abandoned furry pets will soon be smiling. Their new home is almost ready.

The DFW Humane Society facility is set to open in January.

To celebrate its progress, supporters recently gathered at La Cima Club. Society executive director Sarah Kammerer presented a slide show that gave details of her new place of work.
“It will be really nice,” she said, especially after the cramped quarters she and her animals have endured for too long on Irving Boulevard.

Chamber president Chris Wallace thanked sponsors and especially those, such as Carla Smith, whose vision led to the development of the facility.

Mayor Herbert Gears talked about the late Rosemarie Goldhammer’s contributions to help the Society. He also said the $8 million for drilling rights from Chesapeake Gas helped, even though the company never drilled on the property.

The state-of-the-art facility is a joint project that will house the DFW Humane Society and the city’s Animal Services operations.

Since the Society will still need to raise funds for its operation, Sherry Durdin, executive director of administration and development, informed guests about sponsorship opportunities. Levels start at $300 for cage sponsors and go up to $250,000 for founder plaques and room naming. To make a "paw print" on the new shelter, visit www.dfwhumane.com. 

2010 TexasFest announces news at kick-off

The Irving Healthcare Foundation recently kicked off its 2010 TexasFest with a reception at an Irving business in Las Colinas. Foundation president John Drake and his staff hosted about 90 guests. Board members who attended included Clem Lear (chair), LaneAtkins, Angela Enright, Vail Tolbert and Helma Mazon. Other guests included Dr. Robert and Teresa Israel, Dr. James and Robin Filbeck,  Karen Berlin and Chuck Cooperstein.

Raegan Arrington will chair the 2010 fundraiser. A graduate of MacArthur High, she said her decision to chair was two-fold—to give back to a community she’s loved for many years and to honor her parents, Dr. Jerry Rodgers and the late Linda Rodgers.

The entertainment at this year’s bash will be the country music group Diamond Rio. The six-member band has been together for about 15 years and has garnered more than a dozen Grammy Award nominations.

TexasFest will be May 1 at Eddie Deen’s Ranch in Dallas. Call 972-579-4390 or visit www.irvinghealthcare.org.

Students go to the symphony

The Irving Symphony Orchestra performed for a younger audience this time.

As part of its “Next Music” program, the musicians came to Calvary Church Nov. 4 and 5 to perform for Irving ISD fifth and seventh graders. In the sprawling church, which has about 2,000 seats, students heard classical and popular music with a nautical theme. Student artwork flashed on two screens and during a couple of numbers, the Dallas Puppet Theater provided puppetry. Jeremy Earnhart, the district’s fine arts director, was the master of ceremonies. Chris Wallace, president of the Irving Chamber, took a few moments to thank program sponsors. The best part for the students seemed to be when they did the wave while yelling “ARGGHHH” to music from Pirates of the Carribean. To learn more, visit www.irvingsymphony.org. 

Alibis sometimes backfire.

They lead to major mix-ups in the play, Don’t Dress for Dinner.

ICT MainStage presents this comedy by French playwright Marc Camoletti through Nov. 21 at the Irving Arts Center. The late Camoletti wrote the hit, Boeing Boeing, which was revived two years ago on Broadway to critical acclaim. Don’t Dress for Dinner played in London’s West End for most of the 1990s. It may head to Broadway.

The six actors appearing in the Irving production include J. Alan Hanna as Bernard, Nikki Andoga as his wife Jacqueline, Brad Stephens as Robert, Angela Allen as Suzette, Ginger Goldman as Suzanne and Scott Nixon as George.

Jill Stephens directs and Binnie Tomaro is the show's costumer designer.

The play opens ICT MainStage’s 2009-10 season. Up next, will be John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men. Auditions for this drama will be Nov. 8 and 9. Visit www.irvingtheatre.org.

A loss and a soccer award at North Lake

North Lake College recently lost a beloved professor. Kent Reppond died last month of congestive heart failure. Reppond joined North Lake when it opened in 1977. He taught biology and often took students outside the classroom on field trips to Big Bend, Pingree Park, Colo., and Caddo Lake for biology credits. At one tribute, he was called “the jewel-in-the-rough teacher you only find once in a lifetime.” A native Texan, Reppond leaves behind a wife, two daughters and four grandchildren. He was 74.

The late Jim Benedek, North Lake’s soccer coach, recently was inducted into the Texans Credit Union Walk of Fame at Pizza Hut Park in Frisco. The Walk of Fame honors those who have been instrumental in helping build the sport in the community. Benedek played soccer for the Houston Stars and Dallas Tornado and was the first men’s soccer coach at Southern Methodist University. He also was a consultant with the U.S. national team.

Saluting veterans

Several tributes to veterans are scheduled in Irving this month. The city’s program will be at 2:30 p.m. Nov. 8 in the Central Library auditorium. Irving High School will provide the color guard and Rep. Linda Harper Brown will be the speaker. A wreath will be placed at the Veterans Memorial wall following the program. 

The Irving Silvertones Choir, led by Woody Schober, will honor troops and veterans with a free patriotic concert at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 10 at Oak View Baptist Church, 1004 S. Story Road. 

Porter’s Army Navy is holding its Unite for Troops program from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Nov. 14. Steve and Cindy Porter started the event in 2007 as a way to help wounded soldiers. They ask guests to bring care package items or sponsor a care package. In return, they provide entertainment, games, food and more. The city is also a sponsor. The store is at 600 E. Irving Blvd. To learn more, visit  www.unitefortroops.com.

The Irving Public Library will present Celebrate our Veterans at 2 p.m. Nov. 14 at the Central Library, 801 W. Irving Blvd. Stephen Neal Manning, author of The Courage of Common Men: Texans Remember World War II, will be the guest speaker. The Fire and Drum Corps of the Irving Fire Department will perform and Bob Moffatt, secretary of the Veterans Memorial Park Committee, will provide details on the Irving Veterans Memorial Park commemorative brick program. Call 972-721-2606.    

With jets hanging overhead, Michael Israel splashed color on canvas. With the song Imagine playing, he created a portrait of John Lennon. Up next was a painting of all four Beatles—John, Paul, George and Ringo. He continued with patriotic works and portraits of two more celebrities—Marilyn Monroe and Elvis.

Guests oohed and ahhed throughout his performance.

Israel shared his passion with about 700 people at the recent Irving Firefighters Ball. Planes were everywhere since the event was moved this year to the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas.

“We almost ran out of space even here,” said Monica Ellington, who put together the glittery affair that was started a few years ago by Christina Gears.

The evening included a live auction of Israel’s paintings and a few other items, followed by recognition of Irving’s Fire Department staff. Mayor Herbert Gears helped Fire Chief Mario Molina present plaques to recipients.

Among the awards given were the Shaky Lifetime Achievement Award to Capt. Bobby Willingham, Officer of the Year to Lt. Hugh Harris, Paramedic of the Year to Greg Wreyford, a Unit Citation Award to Mike Sanford, Chuck Spivey, R. C. Etheridge and Doug Jefferson, and Firefighter of the Year to David Belk. Six groups received Lifesaving Awards and Asst. Chief Rusty Wilson received the community service award.

Rep. Linda Harper-Brown recognized the ten children of firefighters who received scholarships.

The firefighters surprised the mayor's wife and presented a Civic Leader award to her. A teary-eyed Gears then recognized her assistant, Ellington.

“Ray, girls, your mom is incredible,” Gears said to her assistant’s husband and children.

One other emotional moment took place when the Muscular Dystrophy Association, which is one of the firefighters’ charities, brought out Kelly Crash. A firefighter in Wichita Falls, Crash walked slowly to the podium and admitted he has Lou Gehrig’s disease.

“Now I have three families—my family, my fellow firefighters and my MDA family,” Crash said in appreciation of all the support he’s received.

Among the guests were Flower Mound Mayor Jody Smith, Texas State Association of Firefighters chief Michael Higgins, Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau director Maura Gast and Dallas County Commissioner candidate Elba Garcia.

Remembering the journey

The Irving branch of the NAACP celebrated the civil rights organization’s 100^th anniversary at its Freedom Fund luncheon Oct. 25 at the Wyndham Hotel. A panel discussion on “Then and Now” included Dallas County Commissioner John Wiley Price, Reginald Gates of the Dallas Black Chamber, retired State Senior District Judge L. Clifford Davis and Dr. Gwendolyn Morrison of the Tarrant County College District.

Before the panel discussion, two Irving students recited poems. Cyrah Mays and Brandi Covington of Lamar Middle School read “Excuses” and “See it Through” respectively.

The luncheon included the presentation of a few awards. The Clergy of the Year Award went to the Rev. Louis H. Simmons of Shady Grove CME. MacArthur High principal Cynthia Bean received the Educator of the Year Award.

Irving NAACP president Tony Grimes recognized two members with awards—Ora Guy and Jearlene Miller. Warren G. Lee Jr. served as master of ceremonies and Robert Townsend of Mount Pisgah Missionary Baptist Church provided opening and closing prayers.

The NAACP was founded on Feb. 12, 1909. Based in Maryland, the organization now has about 1,700 chapters nationwide. In addition to celebrating 100 years of civil rights efforts, many members are also celebrating the election of Barack Obama, ending the 233-year-old color barrier in the White House. To learn more, visit www.naacp.org.

DeGrazier teaches screenwriting and the business aspects of film/video at NorthLake. He’s been at the college since 2007. A graduate of Southern Methodist University, he earned a master’s degree from the University of Southern California.

His career so far includes writing screenplays for HBO, 20th Century Fox and Fox Searchlight. He wrote and directed a feature for Lion’s Gate and is working on his second feature as a writer/director.

New episodes of Friday Night Lights start Oct. 28 on Direct TV and later will air on NBC. Visit www.nbc.com/friday_night_lights.

A weekend of dining and music

Many Irvingites enjoyed a fundraiser and then the symphony last weekend.

On Oct. 9, Don Herring Jr. hosted The Great Harvest—An Evening To Care at the Four Seasons Resort and Club. The 19^th annual fundraiser benefits Irving Cares, a nonprofit that helps residents in need. The evening included an extensive buffet of gourmet food and a live and silent auction. Irving Cares executive director Teddie Story said she’s proud of the community’s support especially since requests for services continually increase. Visit www.irvingcares.org.

The Irving Symphony Orchestra kicked off its 2009-10 season in style on Oct. 10. A near sell-out crowd witnessed graceful aerial artists floating across the stage while Hector Guzman led his musicians. The concert included complimentary champagne. Following the event, patrons in the Amati Circle were treated to a dinner hosted by Connie and Jerry Dunn. The symphony’s Crowd 15, a group of young professionals, headed to Las Colinas Country Club for an evening of dancing. To learn more, visit www.irvingsymphony.com.

Native Brazilian happy about 2016 Olympics

Maria Seppy of Irving said when she came to America from Brazil, many called her the “Girl from Ipanema.”  The Cimarron Park recreation specialist said she received lots of calls when it was announced her native country will host the 2016 Summer Olympics. She went to a boarding school in Rio de Janeiro, which is near where some Olympics games will be. “My school was huge and directed by Italian nuns,” Seppy said. “It’s in a rich part of Rio with many mansions that look like castles.”

Seppy said she was surprised to learn that Rio was chosen because she knows the city has lots of poverty and economic issues. But she added, “People who go to the Olympics will come back very happy and impressed by the friendliness of the people.”

Mark Watters is coming back to Texas. The MacArthur High School graduate will conduct the orchestra at the Star Warsconcert Oct. 23 at Cowboys Stadium. The Irving native who is now an Emmy-award winning composer and conductor left his hometown to study saxophone at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He's achieved great success with his music. Among his compositions are The Return of Jafar and Aladdin and the King of Thieves for Disney and All Dogs Go To Heaven 2 for MGM. In 1996, Watters served as music director for the Centennial Olympic Games in Atlanta. He returned to the Olympic podium for the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games. He’s also directed music for the Academy Awards.

The concert that brings him to his home state will be a two-hour collection of highlights from all six of John Williams’ scores for the George Lucas films. Watters will lead a 90-piece orchestra and choir in a concert that includes lights and video, plus the stadium’s huge screens. For tickets, visit www.starwarsconcerttickets.com.

Supporting Irving's firefighters

Michael Israel paints unlike most artists. He furiously splashes colors on canvas to produce a painting in just minutes.

His talent will be on display Oct. 23 at the 2009 Irving Firefighters Ball. He’s the featured entertainment at the ball, which will be held at the Frontiers of Flight Museum in Dallas.

Christina Gears and Monica Ellington work tirelessly organizing the annual tribute to the city's firefighters and their families. Funds raised benefit scholarships for the children of firefighters. The event includes the presentation of several awards to Fire Department staff.

For tickets, visit www.irvingfirefightersball.com.

Author to talk about Poe

Author Dan Brown describes him as "the shining star of literary fiction--a heady, inventive and immensely gifted author."  He's written The Dante Club, The Poe Shadow and The Last Dickens, his latest work.

This acclaimed writer, Matthew Pearl, comes to Irving Oct. 20 as part of the Irving Public Library's Big Read program. He'll give a presentation about Poe at 7 p.m. at the Irving Arts Center.

"We chose to feature Poe not only to commemorate the 200^th anniversary of his birth but also because few authors have had such a lasting influence on literature and almost every other art form,” said Jan Bodnar, library services supervisor, about the Big Read featured author.

The National Endowment for the Arts offers the Big Read program to encourage reading. Visit www.neabigread.org. The Irving Public Library is one of 238 communities nationwide participating in the program. Visit www.cityofirving.org./library.

ICTN snagged a major award this year. The television station received the award for Best Overall Excellence in Government Programming in Texasfrom the Texas Association of Telecommunications Officers and Advisors.

“We’re the best in Texas,” said Mayor Herbert Gears. “And we’re a big state.”

The mayor was one of many guests at a recent reception given by the Irving Chamber to honor the station.   

Chamber president Chris Wallace welcomed the crowd, which included city manager Tommy Gonzalez, city secretary Janice Carroll, Rep. Kirk England, Maura Gast of the ICVB and several council members.

Rep. Linda Harper-Brown read a resolution that congratulated the station on its accomplishments.

Gears joked that the station’s awards might be because his acting has improved.

“Or maybe it’s because they have Tommy on every 30 seconds,” he added.

ICTN staff members then said a few words. “We have an awesome staff and they have really stepped up especially as we’ve increased programming,” said Laurie Kunke, the city’s communications director.

Courtney Mason, ICTN’s executive producer, also thanked her staff. “They are wonderful,” Mason said. “They work very hard.”

ICTN now offers 24-hour programming and several new shows. Visit www.ictn.tv.

Lyric Stage presents world premiere    

Two New York musical theater writers once received an e-mail that read, “We want you write musical. How much?” Writer/lyricist Stephen Cole and composer David Krane replied and ended up writing an original musical for the Emir of Qatar and 1,000 of his invited guests. When they returned, they decided to write a musical about their adventures in the Middle East.

Lyric Stage premieres this musical called The Road to Qatar through Oct. 24 at the Irving Arts Center.  Cast members include Brian Gonzales, Lee Zarrett, Jill Abramovitz, Bill Nolte and Bruce Warren. Phillip George directs with music direction by David Caldwell. For tickets, called 972-252-2787.

New Philharmonic presents awards

The New Philharmonic Orchestra recently honored groups who build music audiences with its newly created Grace Note Awards.

“Grace notes are the small, extra notes that make music more beautiful,” said Gretchen Cabrera, orchestra president. “Our awards recognized these extra efforts that help create the audiences for our music.”

The recipients are the Fine Arts Chamber Players, Big Thought’s “Thriving Minds” program, The Friends of WRR and the Dallas alumnae of Sigma Alpha Iota and Mu Phi Epsilon.

Of note

The Irving-based Canadian-American Chamber will celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving with an event Oct. 12 at Parker College of Chiropractic in Dallas. RSVP to lfellers@parkercc.edu.

Neighborhood association grants are available thanks to Community Partnership Grant funding. Last year, $20,000 was given to 17 associations. The deadline to apply is Dec. 7. Call 972-721-2533.

Former pilots recently descended on Irving. The Irving Convention and Visitors Bureau welcomed the American Airlines' Grey Eagles Reunion to Irving for its 2009 gathering.  Irving resident Don Jensen, president and a long-time member of the organization, worked with the Bureau to recruit the group to his home town. The Omni Mandalay Hotel in Las Colinas served as the host hotel.

The Grey Eagles maintains the close friendships of its members and promotes their general welfare. The group also assists pilots approaching retirement. Membership is open to retired pilots and active pilots over 50. Irving Mayor Herbert Gears welcomed the group at its opening reception on Sept. 25, presenting both a proclamation and a Texas flag flown over the state capitol in their honor. Visit www.thegreyeagles.org.

Walking for a cause

This year, pink and white balloons filled the skies. And walkers donned grey T-shirts with pink and white writing.

Pink was featured since the 2009 BAPS Charities Walk, which includes raising funds for a local nonprofit, helped the Susan G. Komen for the Cure this year. Officials presented a check for $5001 to a Komen representative. They also recognized supporters and elected officials before the walk began. The event took place Sept. 26 at T. W. Richardson Grove Park along Campion Trails.

Mayor Herbert Gears said a few words in an Indian dialect, which caused the crowd to chuckle. He also told them he and wife Christina Gears are visiting India in November.

Other elected officials who attended were Rep. Linda Harper-Brown and Carrollton Mayor Ron Branson.

BAPS Charities is an international organization with more than 3,300 centers worldwide. Its parent organization is BAPS Swaminarayan Sanstha, which was founded in 1907 in India. The 35 BAPS centers in North America also hold annual walkathons to raise funds for the charity and local causes. Visit www.bapscharities.org.

Arts Center is staying busy

After just holding a fun-filled Family Weekend celebrating its NASA exhibit from the Smithsonian, the Irving Arts Center is gearing up for a busy October. Some of the highlights include the following.

On Oct. 4, the New Philharmonic Orchestra of Irving will perform its first "Sundays at the Symphony" concert at 3:30 p.m. Lyric Stage premieres the musical The Road to Qatar from Oct. 9 through Oct. 24. The Irving Black Arts Council presents a production of To Kill a Mockingbird on Oct. 13. As part of the Irving Public Library’s Big Read program, author Matthew Pearl will talk about his book, The Poe Shadow, on Oct. 20. And the Las Colinas Symphony, founded by Robert Carter Austin, opens its season with a “Skull and Crossbones” concert Oct. 24. To check out more events, visit www.irvingartscenter.com.

The spacious, open lobby of TXU’s Irving offices was the setting for a potluck dinner. But this wasn’t just any potluck. The dishes were Indian, African, Brazilian, Thai, Indonesian, Hispanic and more.

The Irving International Women’s Consortium recently held “Food for Thought,” a networking event with an international flair. Cultural dishes abounded, including a Hungarian specialty by Christina Gears. The founder of the consortium, Gears hopes to plant the seeds of peace on a local and personal level.

“We need peace at home to have global peace,” Gears said. “How we teach our children will help foster peace.”

Consortium member Dianne Orfanos welcomed guests and talked about the organization.  Kelli Rod of TXU also said a few words, and presented an energy-saving light bulb to each guest.

The next event for the group is a seminar on “Career, Finance and Wellness” Oct. 3 at Las Colinas Medical Center. Members are also invited to participate in Porters Army/Navy Veterans Day Celebration Nov. 13 at Memorial Park.

To learn more, visit www.iiwc.net.

Soar into space at Arts Center

Artist James Wyeth is on display. So is work by Annie Leibovitz, Nam June Paik, Norman Rockwell, Andy Warhol and William Wegman.

They are artists featured in the exhibit “NASA/Art: 50 Years of Exploration” at the IrvingArtsCenter. The artwork is from the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service. The exhibition stays in Irving through Nov. 22 and then heads to 20 more museums nationwide through 2011.

The original artwork includes Chakaia Booker’s Remembering Columbia, a tribute to the spacecraft that disintegrated over Texas; Warhol’s Moonwalk silkscreen; Henry Caselli’s When Thoughts Turned Inward; and Wyeth’s Gemini Launch Pad.

To highlight the exhibit, the ArtsCenter will hold Smithsonian weekend Sept. 26-27. From 2 to 5 p.m., the center will offer space-themed art projects, screenings of When We Left the Earth and Into the Vault, a gallery talk and more. Visit www.irvingartscenter.com.

Four Seasons gearing up for Cool events

The Four Seasons Resort and Club at Las Colinas is hosting its 25th annual Cool October 5K and 10K runs Oct. 31. The event benefits BaylorIrvingCancerCenter and honors the memory of Canadian Terry Fox, who inspired many with his “Marathon of Hope.” He died at age 22.

The resort’s 750 employees help organize the event, which is open to the public. There will be children’s activities, a Halloween costume contest, live music, prizes and more. Cash prizes for the top three finishers in each age category. Runners may register at www.runontexas.com.

Irving Mayor Herbert Gears has been staying busy.

He recently stopped by an Organizing for America-Irving meeting.  Two days later he attended a reception given by the Irving Hispanic Chamber’s before its fifth annual banquet at the Omni Mandalay Hotel. But Gears couldn’t stay for dinner. He had to head to Dallas for the DFW International Dinner at Temple Emanu-El. At the 17-course dinner,  Gears was joined by several other mayors, including Tom Leppert of Dallas, Joe Chow of Addison, Ron Jones of Garland, David Green of Duncanville, Dr. Carrie Gordon of Balch Springs, John Harper of Rowlett, Ron Branson of Carrollton and Gary Slagel of Richardson.

A couple days later, several of those mayors and Gears attended a dinner at the Renaissance Hotel in Richardson. They were guests of the Dallas-Fort Worth Asian American Citizens Council. Each mayor had a chance to say a few words. The keynote speaker was Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.

When Gears was on stage, he let everyone know who he’s voting for next year. He said he supports Sen. Hutchison and Rep. Linda Harper-Brown, who also had a chance to speak.  “They help Irving so I support them,” the mayor said.

Other Irvingites at the dinner were Lowell and Rose Cannaday, Lely White and Katherine Dress. Dress won the council's Member of the Year Award for being an active member. To learn more, visit www.dfwaacc.org.

Supporting education

Isela Russel and Carey Christenberry received a standing ovation. So did Sen. Florence Shapiro. They were among the guests Monday at the head table at the fifth annual Fall Education Luncheon, which benefits the Irving Schools Foundation.

A fifth grade bilingual teacher at John Haley Elementary, Russel was honored for being named the district's elementary teacher of the year. Christenberry, who's taught for 24 years at Nimitz High, is the district's secondary teacher of the year.

Shapiro, the keynote speaker, stressed how hard she and others in the Texas legislature fight to keep funds for education. 

The luncheon was dedicated to the late Barbara Cardwell, a longtime school board member. A few of the speakers mentioned they were thinking of former superintendent Jack Singley, whose health is failing.

Three fellows and one sustainer of the Irving Schools Foundation were recognized. They are Lisa Hamilton, mother of foundation president Mandy Hamilton; the Irving Hispanic Chamber; Jack Singley, given by the Association of Texas Professional Educators; and Jack Singley, given by the Froese Family Foundation. To learn more about the Schools Foundation, visit www.irvingisd.net/foundation. 

Braniff Airlines used that slogan in one advertising campaign. It’s a saying that rang true for Braniff. The company’s planes were colorful. (One was painted by Alexander Calder.) Its marketing was bold. Pucci and Halston designed flight attendant uniforms. Its management was innovative.

But the airline struggled and shut down in 1982, leaving about 10,000 out of work.

To reach these former employees, a Braniff Airlines Retirement Club was formed that year. The club meets monthly in Irving. Gerald L. “Butch” Hunt serves as president.

At a recent meeting, more than 70 mostly white-haired men and women gathered to socialize and enjoy a potluck lunch. The average age of the group is about 80. "We’d like to get more members,” said Hunt. “We’re getting smaller because of our age.”

While pilots and flight attendants have their own groups, this club is mostly for those who worked as ground personnel. But any former employee is welcome.

Club officers include Brenda Granchay, vice president; Patsy Hunt, secretary; Sally Campbell, treasurer; Willie Walton, sargeant-at-arms; and Clark Holder, chaplain. The club meets at 10 a.m. the second Thursday of the month at 228 Chamberlain off Senter Road in south Irving. To learn more, call 972-221-7727.

One note of interest, the airline has another Irving connection. The University of Dallas offers a Braniff Graduate School of Liberal Arts and the university runs along Tom Braniff Drive, a street named after one of Braniff’s founders.