Blog entries - July 2009

Giesinger Elementary Students to Benefit from School Supply Drive

daphne — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

This school year, nine Conroe I.S.D. schools will benefit from Operation School Supplies, a program that has raised over $1.607 million since 1990 to provide school supplies for elementary students in need.

Sponsored by the Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company and the University of Houston Alumni Association, and H-E-B, Operation School Supplies will be in full force through August 5th.

How can Graystone Hills residents help?

Shop H-E-B and pick up an Operation School Supplies coupon at the checkout counter, donate, or purchase and donate prepackaged school suppliesBuy Coca-Cola products at H-E-B. Each time a Coca-Cola product is purchased at H-E-B, the Houston Coca-Cola Bottling Company will donate a portion of the proceeds to the campaign.Drop off donations at the Houston Astros' July 26 game!Graystone Hills residents can sponsor a Giesinger Elementary for $25 or Conroe I.S.D. for $100.If you personally know a student in need of assistance with school supplies, call the United Way of Greater Houston Help Line at 2-1-1Also, visit here to learn more.

So, go out and support those in need; Graystone Hills can provide a big help in a big way!

Back to School in Conroe I.S.D.

daphne — Wed, 15 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Graystone Hills parents will soon have school on their mind, as the Conroe I.S.D. 2009-2010 school year kicks off on August 24th. We hope to bring our community a bundle of resources for the new school year.

New Students/Enrollment

If your child is new to Graystone Hills and Conroe I.S.D., registration is an easy process. Simply assess which school your child will attend (Graystone Hills students attend Giesinger Elementary K-4, Cryar Intermediate School 5-6, Peet Junior High 7-8, and Conroe High School 9-12), and register on location.

Giesinger Elementary: 936-539-6100
Cryar Intermediate School: 936-709-3700
Peet Junior High School: 936-709-7300
Conroe High School: 936-709-5700

New registrants must have proof of residency (a sales agreement or utility bill), a birth certificate or other legal proof of identity, a Social Security Card, Immunization records, and an Identification document of the parent/guardian enrolling the student.

Students who attended Conroe I.S.D. previously are not required to register.

More info information on PreK and Kindergarten Round Up.

Bus Schedules

Graystone Hills residents are serviced by Conroe I.S.D. bus transportation. To find your child's bus stop and time, Conroe I.S.D. provides an easy-to-use Bus Finder.

School Supplies

Giesinger Elementary School Supply List

Cryar Intermediate School Supply List

Junior high and high school students do not have a required list, as their study habits and preferences should be developing. They are expected to be prepared, and it is suggested that they wait until after the first day of school to make an assessment on what each teacher will need.

School Calendar

Most importantly, parents need to know when students will be in and out of school. View the Conroe I.S.D. 2009-2010 school year calendar.

Good luck to all Graystone Hills students and parents; our community wishes you a productive, fun-filled year!

Great Texas Music and Great Texas Wine, Sunday at Bernhardt Winery

Cheryl Boe — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Singer/songwriter Kyle Hutton will perform at The Bernhardt Winery in Plantersville just north of Houston this Sunday, July 19, from 7:00-9:00.

Bernhardt's "On the Porch Concert Series" features the best in live singer songwriters select Sunday evenings throughout the year. Hutton’s Real Life, Real Music series is generously sponsored by Graystone Hills and Friendswood Development Company. Hutton has performed previously at events in Graystone Hills, Conroe’s only master-planned community.

New homes in Graystone Hills are priced from the $190,000s to the $600,000s by D.R. Horton, Lennar, Trendmaker Homes, Village Builders and Meritage Homes.

This weekend’s event will feature award winning wine and award winning music – all just north of Houston. Tickets are just $5 and guests are encourage to bring chairs or blankets.

There's not a better place in the North Houston area to see the sunset!!! Tickets are just $5. For more information on the event, visit www.bernhardtwinery.com.

Lennar Summer Promotion

Cheryl Boe — Mon, 13 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Lennar is making summer home buying a little bit more exciting with a special incentive that enables buyers to choose between three generous options when purchasing their new home.

For a limited time, Lennar is offering buyers th e opportunity to choose one of the following:

$3,000 in closing costs paid by Lennar;A Rainbow Play System in their backyard, or A front load washer and dryer

A part of the summer promotion, “There’s No Place Like Lennar” the builder is offering this in all of its Houston area communities including master-planned Graystone Hills.

The offer applies to Lennar homes that sell between July 6, 2009 and July 19, 2009 and close by August 31, 2009. Lennar New Home Consultants have complete details on the promotion. Visit any Lennar model and sales office in any Friendswood Development Company or Trailwood community. Model homes and sales offices are open daily.

Village Builders Offers Good Life Promotion

Cheryl Boe — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

In many Friendswood Development Company communities, new-home buyers can take advantage of a special incentive that will add what many consider a very important feature to their new home. For a limited time, Village Builders is offering buyers a unique incentive: a free built-in natural gas generator in addition to free Design Studio options.

The offer applies to contracts written on homes until July 19, 2009 and homes must close by a specified contract date. Now more than ever, a permanent standby generator has become a feature that many people have chosen to add to their home, often spending as much as $10,000. The natural gas generator is designed to power a home during a loss of electrical power, something many Houstonians experienced for weeks in the aftermath of hurricane Ike. The popularity of this feature has grown significantly since the hurricane hit Houston last year and now, new-home buyers who take advantage of this special incentive from Village Builders can experience the benefits of having this feature in their own home.

Village Builders New Home Consultants have complete details on the offer, and sales offices are open daily.

Conroe Puppies Provide Care Service for Residents

Melissa Burnham — Wed, 08 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Allie Keaton of Conroe always had a passion for helping others, as well as a talent for training dogs. So, after years of caring for her ailing mother, Allie decided to do both. She is now the founder of My Service Dog, Inc., a nonprofit organization that trains and provides service dogs for disabled residents who need the extra care.

The organization is currently being operated by ten individuals who harbor the same supportive personalities and has placed and trained about 25 service dogs around the greater Houston area. Because Allie understands the economic and emotional turmoil that each one of her clients has gone through, she often forgoes immediate payment and instead promotes more case sensitive recompense.

“We figure we’ve put about $20,000 of work and time into raising them, but we never get that back,” she said. “Most of the people who need these dogs can’t afford them, but we always find a way.”

She was able to find a way for Betty Swindle and her daughter Sherry Martin of Conroe. Betty is wheelchair-bound, and after her daughter’s miraculous recovery from a gunshot wound to the head, leaving her also bound to a wheelchair, Betty grew concerned that she was unable to take care of both herself and Sherry. But help was not far away. Betty contacted My Service Dogs, Inc. and Allie matched her and her daughter with Chance, a Labra-doodle that has already been trained to open doors, and bring the phone, TV remote and clothes on command. Allie says that Chance still has a lot of training to complete, but she has pledged to continue work despite Betty’s inability to pay, while always putting in time to help her clients raise money.

Allie Keaton understands the sacrifices people have recently had to make to maintain a decent cost of living, and she strives to alleviate any further monetary worries her clients face. She has made many of the same sacrifices to keep her business running, all to continue to help those in need of care and generosity.

My Service Dogs, Inc. frequently holds fundraisers for donations that many of their own volunteers provide. Private dog training classes are also available, and Keaton plans to develop a DVD dog-training series, all to help boost the business’ income and profits. One of her biggest goals is to find a permanent building for the organization, which currently operates out of about a dozen volunteer homes. But her main drive will always be to find ways she can help those in need.

“I wanted to do something with my life that made more of a difference,” she said. “This is my purpose, to help people, and I am going to find ways to do that.”

To learn more about Allie Keaton and her mission of care service, please visit www.myservicedog.com and make a donation today!

Source: Houston Chronicle

Summertime Fishing on the Lake

Melissa Burnham — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 05:00:00 +0100

What better way to enjoy the summer than to spend a relaxing day fishing on the lake. Well, the residents of Graystone Hills are in luck because a new retailer has just opened its doors to offer family-fun recreational activities that are not to be ignored.

Basson Specialty Tackle is not your ordinary, everyday bait shop. Not only do they offer professional fishing equipment and services, but customers also have the opportunity to rent a fishing boat or kayak, lounge in the neighboring gazebo and picnic areas, even pitch an overnight tent within the camping facilities. Professional guides and a public boat launch are also available.

“There aren’t many places to do shore fishing unless you own property,” said store owner Gary New. “It’s a nice alternative for those who want a different fishing experience.”

The Lewis Creek Cove area where Basson Specialty Tackle is located is a prime place for catfish and bass fishing, according to New, and is a good spawning area that attracts fish throughout the year. Basson Specialty Tackle is located at 13260 FM 1097, west of I-45 past Cude Cemetary Road.

In conjunction with the Independence Day festivities on Lake Conroe, Basson Specialty Tackle will host its grand opening this Saturday. Stop by anytime from 8am to7pm Monday through Thursday, 6am to 9pm on Saturdays, and 6am to 7pm on Sundays. You can also visit www.bassontackle.com or call 281-732-1571 for more information.

Whether you are a pro, amateur or casual fisher looking for some summer fun, check out Basson Specialty Tackle for all your fishing needs.

Source: Montgomery County Courier