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The 2011 Tyler Cattle Baron’s Gala

May 21st, 2011

Well, another big summer event is almost upon us. The annual Tyler Cattle Barons Gala will be held at Graham Farm in Bullard Texas, on Saturday, June 11, 2011. Tyler has been putting on the gala for a generation now and it has become a significant event for our area. All summer, similar fund raisers are held around Texas and the country at large. Of course all proceeds go to the American Cancer Society (ACS) to be used for cancer treatment and research. ACS cites that eleven million cancer survivors celebrating another birthday this year. The Society is the largest private fund raiser for cancer research. Their webpage claims that they have raised 3.4 billion dollars to combat all forms of the disease since the organization’s inception in 1946. (And I don’t doubt it by the way).

The theme for Tyler’s Gala this year is “Route 66, Crusin’ for the Cure,” and the evening features the music of Pat Green, Wade Bowen and JB and the Moonshine Band. Local businesses of all sorts have donated a litany of items including special goods and services, travel packages, and tickets to various other events. In addition to the silent auction there will be an elegant dinner, entertainment and dancing, late into the evening. As you can imagine, tickets to the event aren’t cheap. Depending on whether or not you want to attend the pre-party mixer, (which features food, an open bar, and prime seating to the evening’s festivities), or are just interested in the main event, they run from one hundred, twenty five dollars, to three hundred dollars. Since all proceeds go to a great cause the cost is not the central issue for most attendees. For more information on the 2011 Tyler Cattle Baron’s Gala, visit the American Cancer Society’s website at http://www.cattlebaronsgala.net/

A Day in the Park for Autism Awareness

March 28th, 2011

I rarely get directly involved in too many community causes outside those promoted by my local church. It’s not that I lack core values; it’s just that I’m not that good a person! No honestly, I find somber events dealing with life and illness outside the realm of religion to be kind of hollow, especially given the fact that I feel essentially powerless to make any quantifiable difference. Ritual apart from faith has always struck me as rather empty. I whole heartily commend those who work tirelessly on behalf of others, and I try to contribute in at least some small way to charity, but I seldom participate in the surrounding pomp and circumstance. Well there’s an event happening in Tyler next week that even I can support.

The Assist Autism Foundation will be holding a community day in the park event, in order to raise awareness concerning the disease. The day’s events will include bouncy houses, face painting, children’s yoga, (whatever that is), great music, and whole litany of other activities. Participation in most events is free; although I’m sure there will be opportunities to give for those who are so inclined. There are a number of local businesses and organizations sponsoring the event which will run from ten am to two pm. It’s an up- beat day of community involvement that promises to be fun for the kids in particular, and goes to supporting a great cause. Businesses and organizations who are interested in taking a more direct and active part can call 903-509-4430.

On a not completely related note, parents or family members of Autistic children who would like to connect with other families in similar circumstances, or simply get some general and anonymous advice are invited to visit the following web page: http://www.findingjackson.com “Finding Jackson” is a great resource, and will hopefully be an encouragement to many families struggling with Autism.

The Hudnall Planetarium at TJC in Tyler TX

June 16th, 2010

I have a somewhat foggy memory of a field trip I made as a Jr. High School student. It’s of a visit made by my class to the Hudnall Planetarium on the campus of Tyler Jr. College. While I was researching for writing topics, I came across their website and bells went off in my memory so I had to write about my visit and the planetarium in general.

The Hudnall Planetarium was first built in 1963 just as interest in space and space travel was beginning to heat up. At the time of its construction it was one of the largest of its kind in the state. The Planetarium is named for Mr. Jimmy Hudnall who made numerous and sizeable contributions to it’s development and improvement over the years. Dr. Jim Vaughn also made significant financial contributions including a research telescope. Today, Hudnall has a thirty foot domed theater and numerous telescopes. While the original plan for Hudnall was to serve TJC science students, it has proven useful in a surprising variety of classes offered on campus, as well as area grade school, middle school and high school classes from schools around East Texas.

The Planetarium has been a great draw for the college. By offering a whole litany of educational programs for grade schoolers of all ages, (although I’m fairly certain adults and teachers enjoy the presentations as well), they have been able to bring attention to TJC.  For those interested in visiting, I strongly recommend checking out their website first as well. Go to http://planetarium.tjc.edu. It’s an excellent resource, with a surprising amount of fascinating pictures and information. See the educator tab in particular. Neat stuff! One weekend a month the Planetarium has a public show. Shows are on Saturday and Sunday at two pm. A small admission fee is required, but it’s only three dollars for adults and two dollars for children and seniors, so it’s a small price to pay for a great educational experience.

The Planetarium can be reached by phone at (903)510-2312. Their physical address is Hudnall Planetarium, Tyler Junior College Box 9020 Tyler, TX 75711-9020. For a memorable experience check them out. I can attest that the kids will never forget it! For more information on Tyler Jr. College go to their website at www.tjc.edu.