|
|
Matt Lafata’s Weekly Community News
|
|
March 20, 2008 – Volume 7, Issue 12 |
|
|
Matt for Mayor of Frisco
Web Site
Getting six kids, and a pet, to all look
into a camera at the same time? Priceless. We had our family
portrait done with Fran Reisner here in Frisco and are so
pleased with the results. Fran is a Master Photographer, a title
not many photographers get to boast. Her work is amazing, and we
are loving our beautiful portrait hanging in our home now! Visit
our family web site
to see a larger picture. Just a quick campaign update, we have a
great “Meet and Greet” event coming up this Saturday.
CrossRoads
Winery is holding a special event on Saturday, March 22 from
7:30-10pm. Check out their web site for more details. Mornings with Matt: I’m always looking for more ways to
communicate and reach out to citizens. “Mornings with Matt”
takes places each Wednesday morning from 7:30-8:30 at It’s A
Grind located at the Shops at Starwood (SW corner of Lebanon and
the Dallas North Tollway). The owner, Marchand Froschheuser, is
a Frisco resident and dear friend and I hope you will support
her business any chance you get and stop by on Wednesdays to
talk about issues facing our great city, or really anything for
that matter. As an additional note, somebody asked if I will
continue doing this after the good citizens of Frisco elect me
as their next Mayor. The answer is a big YES as I want to make
sure the Office of the Mayor is as open and accessible to the
public as possible. This newsletter and information source is
designed to bring us all a little closer together each week by
providing coverage of so many things going on in our community.
There are so many amazing things in this newsletter, as there
are every week. Please forward this newsletter to all your
friends and neighbors and encourage them to sign up to receive
it themselves. They will greatly appreciate you for it as no
citizen should be without this important information at their
fingertips. Let’s work to get all Frisco citizens on this
list as a more informed society is a more functional society. If you have questions or have any community
events, people or groups you want to recognize, fundraising
events, or any newsworthy items you would like to see added and
shared with more than forty thousand residents and businesses in
Frisco and the surrounding areas, please send me an
email so I may
include them. The newsletter goes out each Thursday and I need
materials by the end of the day on the preceding Wednesday if
you want something to be included. If you received this from somebody else and
would like to be added to the list, just send me an
email. Your
email address will never be sold, rented, or given to anybody
else for any reason as your privacy is of the utmost importance
to me. All newsletters can also be found on our web site at
www.mattlafatamarketing.com. Quote of the Week: "Imitation is the best form of flattery” For advertising opportunities, please
contact
sales@mattlafatamarketing.com As always, this newsletter is absolutely
packed with information – something for everyone. There is
always something going on in our great city and I try to include
everything I can. In this jam packed issue, you will find lots
of great information. There is something for everyone including
the following…
Matt
Lafata’s Weekly Community News
1
Newsletter Sponsor – Collin County Songwriters Association:
2
Upcoming
Scrapbooking Classes Being Offered at the Frisco Athletic
Center:
3
Twice As
Nice MOPS Consignment Sale:
4
Tornado
Talk…by Junior Reporter, Kaleigh Lafata:
4
Frisco
Thunder Happenings…by Junior Reporter, Kaleigh Lafata:
4
Genesis
Metro Church Easter Worship Services:
5
DFW
Family Hope Seeking Host Families for Spring 2008 Orphan
Camp:
5
Fourth
Annual Pros vs. Prospects Game:
5
Frisco
Humane Society is Having a “Spring Cleaning” Yard Sale:
6
Curtsinger Elementary 3rd Annual Sock Hop and Silent
Auction:
6
Wakeland
Class of 2009 Parents:
7
Catholic
Professionals Network:
7
Frisco
Flyers Fourth Annual Golf Tournament:
7
First
Annual St. Francis of Assisi Fellowship Golf Tournament:
8
2nd
Annual Liberty High School Redhawk Open:
8
“Fabulous in Frisco” Fashion Show and Silent Auction – May
6th:
9
CCBT
Gala "Unmask The Night" April 5, 2008:
9
Fifth
Annual Teachers on Ice:
10
Frisco
Residents of Color (FROC) “Tranquility by the Glass” Event:
10
“Kids in
the Kitchen” Fighting Childhood Obesity:
11
B’nai
Israel to Hold Purim Carnival on March 30:
11
RoughRiders to Honor Local Student Athletes:
12
Frisco
RoughRiders Inaugural Player and Fan Bowling Tournament:
12
Collin
County Ballet Theatre Announces “Dancing Through Time”:
13
WOVI,
Frisco Chapter Hosts Patsy Clairmont:
13
Frisco
RoughRiders Eggstravanza Event:
14
Upcoming
Meeting of the Texas Democratic Women of Collin County:
14
2008
Wellstone Communities Gala and Corvette Raffle:
15
Kelly
Miller Circus, Sponsored by the Heritage Association of
Frisco:
15
Trinkets
to Treasures, Collin County's Largest Rummage Sale:
16
Career
Opportunity of the Week:
16
Are You
Raising a Child That Is Not Your Own?:
16
5th
Annual Monte Carlo Night:
17
Frisco
Area Children's Theater Acting Class Schedule:
17
Word of
Mouth Productions Spring Drama Classes:
18
Cavanaugh Flight Museum to Host its First Fundraising Gala:
19
An
Elegant Easter at the Cyprus Grille (Embassy Suites):
20
DBU-North: Collin County’s University for Christ Centered
Education:
20
Frisco
Retired School Personnel:
21
First
Annual Frisco Dog Park, Inc. “Rover Rally”:
22
OPUS
Hits Another High Note For Cross Timbers Youth Orchestra:
23
St.
Philip’s Episcopal Announces New Summer Camp Program:
24
North
Texas School of World Dance Spring Concert:
24
Frisco
Blogging Conference Attracts Worldwide Audience:
24
The
American Cancer Society Saddles Up to Fight Cancer in Collin
County:
26
Collin
County Event Professionals Networking Group:
26
Building
Permit Update for February:
29
Cavanaugh Flight Museum Adds Skyraider to its Collection:
30
March
Events and Programs at Stonebriar Centre:
30
Embassy
Suites – Dallas/Frisco Earns Second AAA Four Diamond Award:
31
Collin
County Day – Orchestrating Our Future:
32
Frisco
Resident Shot by Intruder:
33
Centennial Medical Center Receives Breakthrough CT Scanner
with Reduced Radiation Risk:
33
TxDOT
observes National Work Zone Awareness Week:
34
TxDOT to
hold Meeting for Elderly and Disabled Needs:
35
Dallas North Tollway – Phase 4 and 5
Progress Report:
38 Newsletter Staff Members and
Contributors Matt
Lafata – Editor and Publisher – 214-336-3355
Kaleigh Lafata – Tornado Talk and Thunder Happenings Sarah
Ianace – Happenings in the Frisco ISD Glenn
Kopanski – Landscape Design Pedro
Checo – Advice from Dr. Checo Joe
Hockaday, CPA – Today’s Tax Talk From Joe Citizen of the Month and Neighborhood of
the Month Details If you have a citizen or neighborhood
you would like to nominate, please send it to me. The Citizen of the Month will focus
on a person or group in Frisco who has been nominated by another
individual. He, she or they could be a person or a group who has
recently done something special that contributes to the
well-being of our city and/or its citizens, or it could be
somebody who has had (or currently has) an interesting career or
experiences that could be shared with our readers. The Neighborhood of the Month will
highlight a particular neighborhood in our city. I am looking to
hear from you as to why your Neighborhood is so special. City of Frisco Related Question of the
Week: Q. What are the regulations,
restrictions or prohibitions on having an underground LP or
Natural Gas tank for things like outdoor kitchens, home
generators, etc? A. The storage of compressed
natural gas and LP-gas is regulated by the Railroad Commission
of Texas. This commission has the responsibility for overseeing
the activities of many different industries, including
transportation and storage. The agency has adopted NFPA 58 as
the regulating Code of LP gas and Texas Administrative Code for
regulating compressed natural gas (CNG). Both regulations
prohibit the installation of storage containers below grade.
Please contact this agency for any additional information you
may require. This Day in History – March 20, 1965:
LBJ Sends Federal Troops to Alabama From the History Channel… On this day in
1965, President Lyndon B. Johnson notifies Alabama's Governor
George Wallace that he will use federal authority to call up the
Alabama National Guard in order to supervise a planned civil
rights march from Selma to Montgomery. March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness
Month:
So far this month we have covered Deep
Vein Thrombosis Awareness and Brain Injury Awareness… Colon cancer is unique in the medical
world. It is one cancer that can actually be prevented if
detected early before cancerous polyps have a chance to grow and
spread. Colon cancer can strike at any age, but 9 out of 10 new
cases are in people age 50 or older. That is why colorectal cancer screening is
recommended for men and women over the age of 50 and for anyone
with a family history of the disease, regardless of age. There is good news – the American Cancer
Society reports a nationwide drop in colon cancer deaths in
2003-2004 due to an increase in screening and early detection. The National Colorectal Cancer Research
Alliance, co-founded by national news anchorwoman Katie Couric,
has promoted colonoscopy tests since 2000 and part of the rise
in awareness can be attributed to those efforts. The ads “Are
you the picture of health?” featuring Couric are being used
extensively during March 2008 to raise awareness of colon
cancer. For advertising opportunities, please
contact
sales@mattlafatamarketing.com Homeowner Association Meetings and Other
Group Meetings: If you have an upcoming meeting that you
would like a city official at, just to be available to answer
any questions, please let us know. If Matt’s schedule permits,
he would love to attend. Answering Questions for Kids and Young
Adults: As you know, communication and sharing
information is something that I spend a lot of time doing. I
frequently get asked to answer questions for kids and young
adults for school projects or leadership programs. Usually the
project involves getting these questions answered from somebody
in a leadership position, and as a City Council member, I’m
always happy to take the time to do this. If your son or
daughter ever needs questions answered from a leadership figure
for projects of any kind, please feel free to contact me or have
them contact me directly. Alternatively, if your child is interested
in learning more about city government and has questions, feel
free to contact me. Finally, if you are looking for a speaker
to talk to a group of kids or young adults about city government
or Frisco in general, I’m happy to try and schedule something. All the opinions, endorsements or
recommendations in this newsletter are mine alone and they do
not necessarily reflect the opinions or views of any
organization or group with whom I am affiliated or the
individuals who are a part of such organizations and
groups. You should not rely on any statement made in this
newsletter as evidenced of how I may act as a member of any
organization or group. Inclusion of news, events and
other information in this newsletter does not imply
an endorsement; it merely serves as my effort to be of service
to the readers. All About Frisco: In our continuing efforts to bring
information to our great community, we have updated our web site
with listings of:
·
Frisco Neighborhoods and Homeowner
Associations
·
Churches and other places of Worship
·
Clubs and Organizations
·
The Frisco Independent School District and
other Schools Visit
www.friscocommunity.com to access this information and I
look forward to your feedback. This site will continue to grow
and evolve over time. Clubs, Groups and Organizations in and
around Frisco: Frisco is
home to a very diverse and numerous set of clubs, groups and
organizations. If your group or organization is missing, and you
would like to get it listed, please send me an
email so we
can list it and continue to maintain the most comprehensive list
available.
Adopt A Pet – 972-668-4311
Alcoholics Anonymous
Frisco – 972-708-5086
Allen-Frisco-Plano
Autism Spectrum Parent Group
American Cancer Society of Collin County – 214-819-1221
American Red Cross of North
Texas – 972-542-5642
Angel Food Ministries
– 214-282-5576
Association of Frisco Retired School Personnel – 972-335-3040
Boy Scouts of
America – 214-902-6754
CASA of Collin County – 972-529-2272
Celebrate Recovery
– 214-282-5576
Christian Community Action
– 972-436-4357
Chronic Hugs: Chronic Pain Support Group – 214-726-9060
City of Frisco –
972-292-5000
Collin County –
972-424-1460
Collin County Association of Realtors – 214-618-3800
Collin County Central
Appraisal District
Collin County Community College
Collin County
Community College Education Foundation
Collin County Connection – 214-544-0666
Collin County Early Childhood
PTA – 972-712-3634
Collin County
Event Professionals – 214-542-1317
Collin County Gay and Lesbian
Alliance – 214-521-5342
Collin County Genealogy Association – 972-231-4190
Collin County
Republican Party
Daughters of the American Revolution – 972-307-5906
Democratic Party of Collin
County
Denton County Central
Appraisal District
Downtown Advisory Board – 972-292-5108
Downtown Merchants
Association – 972-292-5108
Frisco A&M Club –
972-897-7765
Frisco American Business
Women’s Association (ABWA)
Frisco Al-Anon Family Group – 972-978-8757
Frisco-Allen Texas Area Alumnae
Panhellenic
Frisco Area Children’s
Theater – 972-377-2675
Frisco Association For the
Arts
Frisco Baseball/Softball
Organization – 972-712-2288
Frisco Business and
Professional Women – 972-377-0335
Frisco
Citizens on Patrol (C.O.P.s)
Frisco Community
Band – 972-668-5315
Frisco
Community Theatre – 972-377-3868
Frisco Convention and
Visitors Bureau
Frisco Ducks Unlimited –
972-712-5049
Frisco Economic Development
Corporation – 972-668-5550
Frisco
Education Foundation – 469-633-6066
Frisco Family Services
Center – 972-335-9495
Frisco Family YMCA –
972-335-3222
Frisco Fire Department
– 972-335-5525
Frisco Football
League – 972-712-0558
Frisco
Garden Club – 972-335-3812
Frisco Gymnastics Center
– 972-377-0888
Frisco Humane
Society – 972-498-8980
Frisco Independent School
District – 469-633-6000
Frisco Lion’s Club –
972-335-2487
Frisco Music
Teachers Association
Frisco Police Department
– 972-292-6000
Frisco Police Officers’ Wives
Association
Frisco Post Office –
972-335-7453
Frisco
Republicans – 972-335-9176
Frisco Rotary Club –
972-701-2801
Frisco Soccer Association
– 972-712-4625
Frisco Thunder
Professional Football
Frisco Veterans of Foreign
Wars Post #8273 – 972-712-5611
Frisco Women’s
League – 972-712-8890
Frisco/Plano Christian Women’s Club – 972-668-4464
Frisco Youth Volleyball
Leagues
Heritage Association of
Frisco – 972-335-6684
Heroes for Children
– 214-256-5824
KittiCo Cat Rescue –
214-826-6903
Labrador Retriever
Rescue of North Texas
Lewisville Independent School
District
Meals on Wheels – 972-562-6996
MOMS Club of
Frisco – East Central Chapter – 972-712-1789
MOMS Club of Frisco – South Chapter – 214-336-8001
MOMS Club of Frisco –
SE Chapter – 214-2272418
MOMS Club of Frisco – SW Chapter – 469-384-8002
MOMS Club of Frisco
– West Central Chapter
MOMS Club of
Frisco – West Chapter – 214-504-9223
Mothers of Preschoolers
(MOPS) – 972-668-7458
National Alliance on Mental
Illness of Collin County – 214-509-0085
Newcomer Friends of
Greater Plano
North Texas Tollway Authority
– 214-461-2000
OU Club of Collin County –
972-797-9708
Overeaters Anonymous –
972-832-5263
Play Pals –
972-839-0312
Prosper Independent School
District
Senior Center at Frisco
Square – 972-292-6550
SPCA of Texas – 972-562-7387
Speak Up – Frisco Toastmasters Group – 972-881-9989
Stonewall
Democrats of Collin County
Texas Democratic Women of Collin
County
Toastmasters Club of
Frisco – 972-712-4611
Volunteer Center
of North Texas
Voter Registration Information – Collin County
Voter Registration Information – Denton County
Women Encouraging
Business – 972-335-9522
WOVI-Frisco: Women of
Visionary Influence – 469-252-4528
Young Life Frisco
– 972-424-6339 Churches and other Places of Worship in
and around Frisco One of the wonderful things about Frisco
is the many diverse religions you can find. If your Church is
not listed, please contact me at
matt@mattlafata.com so
we can list it and continue to maintain the most comprehensive
list available.
Apostolic Temple – 972-712-5673
Assembly of God Cornerstone Community Church – 972-335-4704
Celebration
Covenant – 214-387-9833
Central Christian Church – 972-377-2608
Church of God in Christ – 972-377-3649
Church of Living Stones – 972-335-3499
Compass Christian Church – 972-335-7546
Cornerstone Christian
Reformed Church – 469-362-7844
Cornerstone Community Church
– 972-335-4704
Crossroads Community Church – 972-712-0582
Destiny’s Place Ministries – 972-712-1130
Faithbridge
Presbyterian – 972-377-9560
Fellowship of Frisco
– 972-335-1700
First Baptist Church of
Frisco – 972-335-9830
First Pentecostal Church – 972-292-3174
First United Methodist
– 972-335-4380
Frisco Bible Church –
972-335-8150
Frisco Church of
Christ – 972-335-2118
Frisco Masjid –
972-898-8691
Frisco Trails Fellowship
Bible Church – 972-731-5999
Genesis Metro –
469-450-6277
Grace Avenue United
Methodist – 972-335-2882
Grace Church –
469-633-9104
Grace Pointe –
972-292-3174
Hamilton Chapel Baptist Church – 972-377-3348
Harvest
Church International – 214-632-4581
Hope Fellowship –
972-377-8855
Kingdom Life
Christian Center – 214-618-1500
Lebanon Baptist Church
– 972-377-3348
Liberty Baptist Church – 972-625-3546
Living Waters Family Worship
Center – 214-387-9602
Lone Star Baptist
Church – 469-358-7089
Newstart Church of the
Nazarene – 214-282-5576
Northstar Church –
972-712-8282
Praise Fellowship
Worship Center – 214-387-9397
Preston Ridge Baptist
Church – 972-712-7007
Preston Trail Community
Church – 972-668-1244
Rejoice Lutheran Church – 972-335-6411
Revolution
Ministries – 214-649-0623
Rock Hill Church of Christ –
972-346-2710
Shawnee Trail Church of Christ – 972-377-9106
St. Francis of Assisi
Catholic Church – 972-712-2645
St. Philips Episcopal
Church – 214-387-4700
Stonebriar
Church of Christ – 972-712-9264
Stonebriar Community Church
– 469-252-5000
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints – 972-377-4724
The Journey – 214-529-8873
Turning Point CMA Church – 469-733-3196
Water’s Edge Lutheran
Church – 972-712-7377 Frisco Neighborhoods and Homeowner
Associations:
If your HOA or neighborhood is not listed, please contact me
at matt@mattlafata.com
so we can list it and continue to maintain the most
comprehensive list available. For a map of where each HOA is
located, along with contact information for each HOA, visit the
City of Frisco HOA Directory
Autumn Park
Coventry Oaks
Creekside at Stonebriar
Crestview
Cypress Creek
Estates on Legacy
Frisco Heights
Golden Gate Village
Hickory Springs
Hickory Street Village
Hillcrest Highlands
Hillcrest Lebanon/Cecile Place
Hillcrest Lebanon/Hillcrest Meadows
Hillcrest Lebanon/Smith Estates
Kings Garden
Kings Ridge
Lakes on Legacy
Lakes of Preston Vineyard
Parkside Estates
Plantation Estates
Preston Estates
Presto\n Gables
Preston Glen
Preston Lakes/Lakes of Hillcrest
Preston Manor
Preston Oaks
Preston Ridge
Preston Trace Estates
Quail Meadow Village
Red Bud Estates
Russwood Acres
Saddlebrook Village
Shenandoah
Village/Villages of Stonebriar Park
Shepherds Hill
Stonebriar
Stonebriar Country Club Estates
Stonelake Estates West
Stonebrook Estates
The Chase at Stonebriar
The Creeks on Coit
The Enclave at Stonebriar Creek Estates
The Villas/Lakes on Legacy
The Vintage/Lakes on Legacy
Townhomes of Tuscany Square
Tuscany Meadows
Villages of Lake Brook Farms
Villages of Stonebriar Park
Villages of Willow Bay
Woodstream Hills Bios of Erika and Matt Lafata: Erika and Matt Lafata are a great team
and enjoy a great marriage and life partnership. Together they
try to do everything they can to give back to the community.
They are involved in so many things together and in fact, they
have even been referred to as “The Dynamic Duo” by a fellow
Frisco City Council member! About Matt Lafata: Matt Lafata and his wife Erika share six
children between the two of them. In January 1999, Mr. Lafata
moved to Frisco from Gloucester, MA. Mr. Lafata has helped build
several highly successful businesses for more than 20 years. A
long-time business consultant, entrepreneur and human resources
professional, he is the Director of Business Development with
the Frisco-based HR strategy and technology consulting firm
HRchitect (www.HRchitect.com).
He is also the founder of several marketing and public relations
agencies including The Matt Lafata Marketing Group (www.mattlafatamarketing.com).
Previously, Mr. Lafata was an Executive Vice President of a
computer software company where he was responsible for corporate
development, marketing, sales, product development and more. Mr.
Lafata studied finance and business management at Salem State
College in Salem, Massachusetts. Mr. Lafata is involved in numerous
organizations throughout Frisco. He is in his 2nd
term as a Frisco City Council member and has been involved in
the following…
·
Former Deputy Mayor Pro Tem on the Frisco
City Council
·
Former Planning & Zoning Commissioner
·
Graduate of Leadership Frisco
·
2005 recipient of the “21 Leaders of the 21st
Century” by Inside Collin County Business
·
Graduate of the Citizen’s Police Academy
and a member of the Alumni group
·
Youth sports coach
·
Past board member for the Frisco Family
Services Center
·
St. Francis of Assisi Knights of Columbus
Member
·
Member of the Frisco Heritage Association
·
Member of the Frisco Association for the
Arts
·
Member of the Frisco Community Theatre
·
Community Advisory Board member for the
Frisco Women’s League
·
Friends of the Frisco Public Library Member
·
Board member for the Frisco Square
Municipal Management District
·
City of Frisco Technology Committee member
·
City of Frisco Budget and Audit
subcommittee member
·
Tax Increment Finance board member
|
