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July 26, 2007 – Volume 6, Issue 30 |
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Photo courtesy of SDS Photography
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 or given to anybody else for any reason. All newsletters can also be found on our web site at www.mattlafatamarketing.com.
Inspirational Quote of the Week:
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.” - Margaret Mead
For advertising opportunities, please contact sales@mattlafatamarketing.com
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 – Frisco Square and the Frisco Farmer’s Market: 3 Spotlight on National Night Out – August 7: 4 Interview to be Mrs. Frisco 2008!: 6 It's Almost HERE!!! The 4th Annual Monte Carlo Night "Evening Under the Stars": 6 Ron Lyon's Ultimate Body Studios Ultimate Garage Sale: 7 Special Olympics seeking Volunteer Coordinator: 7 Frisco Cycling Club’s 1st Annual FREE Family Fun Ride: 8 Grace Avenue MOPS 5th Annual Back-to-School Children's Consignment Sale: 8 21st Annual John Weinberg Golf Tournament: 8 August 26th Auditions for Cross Timbers Youth Orchestras: 9 Frisco Area Republican Women 6th Annual Luncheon & Style Show: 10 National Police Motorcycle Championship set for August 22-25: 10 Vendors Wanted for Holiday Bazaar at Grace Avenue UMC: 11 Happenings in Frisco ISD by Sarah Ianace: 12 Meet & Greet – Sem Elementary: 13 St. Francis 6th Annual Holiday Bazaar: 13 Frisco Aquatics 2007-2008 Season Try-Outs: 13 Frisco Area Children's Theater presents Velveteen Rabbit: 14 Grace Community Church Accepting Enrollment for Pre-School/Mother’s Day Out Program: 15 Faithful Servant Ministry of North Texas Notification of Services and Search for New Location: 15 Teatro delle Muse Proudly Presents...: 15 Visual Arts Guide of Frisco – Calendar of Events: 16 Centennial Wind Ensemble Ranks 2nd at State Finals: 16 Grandparents Raising Children - Support Group Meeting: 17 Tickets Available for Red, White, and Boots Dance: 17 Best of Big D – Frisco Winners: 18 Financial Peace University: 18 Pro-Am Benefiting the CALM Charity www.staycalm.org: 19 Volunteer Opportunities at Frisco Family Services Center: 19 Back to School Supply Program: 20 St. Philip’s Episcopal Hosts Donor Day; Sponsors “Financial Peace University”: 20 Frisco Chorale Holding Auditions for Upcoming Season: 21 Heart Day on the Lake 2007: 23 Frisco A&M Summer Events are Around the Corner: 24 Ladies By Design Pre-Debutante Parent Information Meeting: 25 Third Annual 343 Memorial Climb To Benefit Fallen Firefighters At Pizza Hut Park In Frisco: 26 First Annual Titan 10k March-A-Thon – The Centennial Titan Band Is On The March: 27 Gala Sponsorship Opportunities Available: 29 Upcoming Neighborhood Park Planning Meeting: 29 Frisco Business and Professional Women meet 1st Thursday: 29 Children's Theater Class Registration: 30 Advice From Dr. Checo – Metformin et al: 31 Landscape Design/Detail (Late July - Early August): 32 Centennial Medical Center Hosts Healthy Hometown Fair at Stonebriar Centre: 34 New Studio Location for Hathaway Academy of Ballet & Collin County Ballet Theatre: 34 Tamagotchi Characters Visit Stonebriar Centre on Friday, July 27 36 Stonebriar Centre Collects Back-to-School Supplies and Clothes at Caring Schoolhouse: 36 Capitol Steps by Rep. Ken Paxton: 37
Issue of the Week:
I’ve started this new column where I will post a different issue each week for discussion. Your opinions mean a lot to me and I’d love to get your feedback on the subject. Please send me an email with your thoughts. While your feedback is for my own use at this time, I may publish comments in a future issue with just your first name…
The City of Frisco is fortunate to have one of the lowest tax rates in the area. How do you feel about our city property tax rate in relation to the level of services you feel the city supplies to its citizens?
Newsletter Staff Members and Contributors
Matt Lafata – Editor and Publisher – 214-336-3355
Kaleigh Lafata – Tornado Talk
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.
Please send an email to community@mattlafatamarketing.com to nominate and explain why a Frisco citizen or a neighborhood should be honored with this monthly recognition.
City of Frisco Related Question of the Week:
Q. I realize the Dallas North Tollway will be open all the way up to US 380 by the end of September 2007. Are there plans to improve the Dallas Parkway once the Tollway is completed? Will it be widened to three lanes?
A.
There are plans to widen the frontage road to 3 lanes from SH 121 to
Eldorado. This expansion will occur in phases.
This Day in History – July 26, 1775: U.S. Postal System Established
From the History Channel…
On this day in 1775,
the U.S. postal system is established by the Second Continental
Congress, with Benjamin Franklin as its first postmaster general.
Franklin (1706-1790) put in place the foundation for many aspects of
today's mail system. During early colonial times in the 1600s, few
American colonists
In 1774, the British fired Franklin from his postmaster job because of his revolutionary activities. However, the following year, he was appointed postmaster general of the United Colonies by the Continental Congress. Franklin held the job until late in 1776, when he was sent to France as a diplomat. He left a vastly improved mail system, with routes from Florida to Maine and regular service between the colonies and Britain.
President George
Washington appointed Samuel Osgood, a former
July is Herbal/Prescription Awareness Month:
So far this month we have covered UV Safety, Group B Strep Awareness, and Hemochromatosis Awareness…
St. John's Wort, echinacea, ginseng. These may sound like foreign words or strange medical conditions, but they are actually a few of the natural herbs that are becoming increasingly popular with patients around the country. More and more people in the United States are choosing Eastern medicine and alternative treatments, and the business of selling herbal supplements for health conditions is growing rapidly.
Herbal supplements are classified by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as part of a general group of "dietary supplements." In 1994, the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) was created. Under this act, a dietary supplement is defined as "a product (other than tobacco) intended to supplement the diet that bears or contains any of the following dietary ingredients: a vitamin, mineral, amino acid, herb, or other botanical."
These days there seem to be herbal remedies for almost every medical ailment, including some types of depression. Although available over the counter, these supplements should be treated with the same seriousness as prescription medications since they can interact with other medications. You should therefore inform your doctor of any herbal supplements you are taking. This is especially important because the FDA does not review or regulate herbal supplements before they are marketed to the public. In addition, manufacturers producing herbal remedies classified as dietary supplements are not required to perform studies on effectiveness, dosage, or safety.
Be an informed consumer. Ask the manufacturer and your doctor questions before taking any herbal supplements. This will help ensure that the herbs you ingest are safe and can help to improve your physical health and mental well-being instead of making them worse.
Just a reminder - this newsletter is put together with information from many different sources. You can also view this newsletter and past newsletters in the News section of my web site at www.mattlafatamarketing.com. If you do not receive your emailed newsletter for some reason, please visit www.mattlafatamarketing.com each week as some mail servers block emails that are sent to multiple recipients. Just remember that if you don’t get it by each Friday, you can read it on the web site.
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:
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 and Organizations in and Frisco:
Frisco is home to a very diverse and numerous set of clubs 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. Alcoholics Anonymous Frisco – 972-708-5086 American Cancer Society of Collin County – 214-819-1221 American Red Cross of North Texas – 972-542-5642 Boy Scouts of America – 214-902-6754 CASA of Collin County – 972-529-2272 Christian Community Action – 972-436-4357 City of Frisco – 972-292-5000 Collin County – 972-424-1460 Collin County Association of Realtors – 214-618-3800 Collin County Gay and Lesbian Alliance – 214-521-5342 Collin County Genealogy Association – 972-231-4190 Daughters of the American Revolution Downtown Merchants Association Frisco A&M Club – 214-618-5079 Frisco Al-Anon Family Group – 972-978-8757 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 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 – 972-731-6244 Frisco Family YMCA – 972-335-3222 Frisco Fire Department – 972-335-5525 Frisco Football League – 972-712-0558 Frisco Garden Club – 972-377-4024 Frisco Humane Society – 972-498-8980 Frisco Independent School District – 469-633-6000 Frisco Music Teachers Association Frisco Police Department – 972-292-6000 Frisco Post Office – 972-335-7453 Frisco Republicans – 972-335-9176 Frisco Rotary Club – 972-701-2801 Frisco Soccer Association – 972-712-4625 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 KittiCo Cat Rescue – 214-826-6903 Labrador Retriever Rescue of North Texas Meals on Wheels – 972-562-6996 North Texas Tollway Authority – 214-461-2000 Senior Center at Frisco Square – 972-335-5515 SPCA of Texas – 972-562-7387 Toastmasters Club of Frisco – 972-712-4611 Volunteer Center of North Texas Young Life Frisco – 972-424-6339
About Matt Lafata:
Matt Lafata is the proud parent of three children and moved to Frisco from Gloucester, MA in January, 1999. 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…
Since 2001, Matt and his marketing company have produced this very popular e-newsletter that goes out every week to over 40,000 people and businesses which keeps the Frisco community in touch with local events and businesses.
Earlier this year, Matt became engaged to Erika Howe of Frisco, who also has three children, and they will be getting married in late 2007.
How to “Whitelist” this Frisco Community Newsletter in Your Spam Filter:
With the advent of outrageous volumes of unwanted email these days, of which I get a ton, it's unfortunate that legitimate email publications like this are not being seen by some of the readers who enjoy those publications. There is much fear today that the email publishing/marketing industry is in serious trouble, due to mistakes in filtering when legitimate email is erroneously tagged as unwanted email.
While we applaud the anti-spam industry for removing the plethora of unwanted email from many of our mailboxes, from time to time, some legitimate email publications are mistaken as unwanted.
Sometimes, this results in our mailings bouncing back, with requests for us to respond to challenge/response messages to prevent future filtering. However, due to the size of our list, it's nearly impossible for us handle the volume of such requests.
To that end, please realize that we want our readers to always anticipate and enjoy the valuable information that this community newsletter delivers.
If you currently use an anti-spam program or service, we ask that you take just a minute or two to add this newsletter to your "safe" or permitted email sender list. This usually involves simply adding our sending address (From:) to your whitelist, safelist, or list of privileged senders. This is commonly known as whitelisting a publication. Simply add the email addresses of matt@mattlafata.com and matt@mattlafatamarketing.com.
If you wish to be removed from this list, please send an email to matt@mattlafata.com.
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Dear Friends,
This week’s newsletter is proudly sponsored by the Frisco Farmers Market. Come out this Friday or Saturday morning to Frisco Square to support this exciting new weekly event. Also check out the Spotlight on this year’s National Night Out event, which takes place August 7. A lot of work goes into putting this Newsletter together and I greatly appreciate the support of our sponsors so please patronize them wherever possible.
I’d like to interrupt this newsletter with a very special announcement. With my City Council term expiring in May of 2008, so many of you have been asking what my future plans will be. First of all, my company will continue to produce this Frisco Community Newsletter. It’s become such an important informational resource tool for Frisco that I can’t imagine it ever ending. As for political aspirations, I certainly have those, and will be running for Mayor in 2008. I have spent months talking with a lot of different people to get their feedback and advice. Most importantly, I consulted with my family, my employer, and through prayer, I looked to God. The balance that I have achieved in my life over the past year between my faith, family, friends, work, and public life has put me in the best place I have ever been in my life. I am very grateful for the opportunities that continue to come my way, and that I am surrounded by so many people who are such positive influences in my life. All of that has made this decision possible.
I am so grateful and humbled by the wonderful citizens of Frisco who re-elected me to the City Council in May of 2005 with 92% of the vote. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time serving the City of Frisco over the past five years and look forward to continuing to do so well into the future. You can also be assured that I will continue to work hard and fulfill my duties as a council member throughout this process as well.
Together, we have accomplished a great deal for the people of Frisco, and there is so much more that I want to do to continue to increase the quality of life we enjoy here in this incredible city. I’m always open and happy to talk with people about anything pertaining to our great city. Just send me an email at matt@mattlafata.com or call me at 214-336-3355. Also, if you’d like to play a role in our campaign and help make a difference in Frisco, please let me know.
Thank you to everybody who responded to last week’s “Issue of the Week:” Does Frisco Need a Municipal Golf Course?” I really appreciate everybody’s input and if I haven’t emailed you back personally, please know that I will. Every person’s response is important to me. This week’s issue, “How do you feel about our city property tax rate in relation to the level of services you feel the city supplies to its citizens?” is now posted in the left hand column. If you have an opinion on this, please write in.
FC Dallas has two exciting games coming up over the next few days here at Pizza Hut Park. The match this Saturday is against Pachuca and Tuesday’s game is against the L.A. Galaxy. Both games are at 7pm and more information and tickets can be found at www.fcdallas.net. Tuesday’s game is sold out but there are some standing room only tickets left.
If you have a business, restaurant or a service and are interested in advertising and reaching more than 40,000 individuals and businesses in Frisco and the surrounding areas, please email us at sales@mattlafatamarketing.com for more details on the various options available to you. The newsletter is also included on the web site www.mattlafatamarketing.com and www.frisco-online.com for additional exposure. It’s a great way to promote your business, promote an event at your place of business and is the most cost effective and efficient way to reach a large segment of the Frisco population. You may want to also consider providing a special offer to newsletter readers only.
Newsletter Sponsor – Frisco Square and the Frisco Farmer’s Market:
Frisco Square, a master-planned lifestyle community in the heart of Frisco, in conjunction with the Frisco Noon Lions Club, is hosting the Frisco Farmer’s Market this Friday, July 27. The Farmer’s Market will be held on Fridays from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to sellout beginning this weekend and running through October 20. The official Grand Opening of the Farmer’s Market will kick off at 10:00 a.m. Friday with a celebratory cider christening by Frisco’s first lady, wife of Mayor Mike, Sandy Simpson.
The market will be located on the corner of Coleman Boulevard and Frisco Square Boulevard across from City Hall and the Library. Local growers will offer such items as juicy melons and peaches, vine-ripened tomatoes and fresh corn on the cob. Baked breads, honey and other products will be offered as the market grows.
“We have been hearing from the community for quite some time that Frisco Square would be an ideal location for a Farmer’s Market,” noted Jim Leslie, managing partner of Frisco Square. “We are thrilled that we have a committed group of local individuals that have come to together to make it happen and provide this experience for Frisco families.”
More complete information on the Farmer’s Market for both shoppers and vendors can be found at www.friscofarmersmarket.com. Interested Farmer’s Market Participants will have access to all required forms and rules online.
Frisco Square is a pedestrian-friendly urban development that features a unique blend of shopping, dining, office space, apartment living, town homes, park space and Frisco's new city hall and library. When complete, the 147-acre project will include 4.4 million square foot project, showcasing approximately 1.5 million square feet of office space, 500,000 square feet of retail space, 1400 apartments, 500 town homes/stacked-flats/condominiums, and 144,000 square feet of municipal facilities. Originally designed by nationally renowned architect, David M. Schwarz, and recently re-designed by RTKL, Frisco Square is located in the heart of Frisco at the southeast corner of the Dallas North Tollway and Main Street, directly across from Pizza Hut Park, the world’s largest soccer complex and home to FC Dallas. Additional information on Frisco Square is available at www.friscosquare.com or through the Frisco Square information center at 469-633-1721.
Spotlight on National Night Out – August 7:
National Night Out is one of my favorite community events. Residents have block parties |
