Mar. 30 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Pet Pawlooza

Join the Irving Animal Care Campus (IACC). Pets are invited to bring their people to join in the fun, which will include contests, activities and entertainment. Pet photos with the Easter Bunny will be available for a $10 donation. Children 12 and younger must be accompanied by an adult. All animals, 3 years and older, are available for free adoption. Proceeds benefit the animals at the IACC. For more information, call (972) 721-2256.

Mar. 30 9-10:30 a.m.

34^th Annual City Wide Easter Egg Hunt

Come out t Heritage Park for a free family event where your kids ages 3-10 can hunt for Easter eggs! Ages 9 & 10 - 9 a.m., Ages 7 & 8 - 9:30 a.m., Ages 5 & 6 - 10 a.m., Ages 3 & 4 - 10:30 a.m.

Mar. 30 11 a.m.

EGGstravaganza

Come to Wagon Wheel Park, 345 Freeport Parkway, Coppell. With fields over flowing with more than 20,000 eggs and candy, your kiddos will not be disappointed! Portions of Freeport Parkway will be CLOSED. Please enter the event from Royal Lane and Creekview Drive, at the Wagon Wheel Tennis Center. For more information, call 972-462-5100.

Apr. 2 11:30 a.m.-1:30pm

Soup, Soap, and Hope Ladies Luncheon

Join the Salvation Army’s Ladies League at the Las Colinas Country Club to hear stories of how lives have been touched and influenced by individuals leaving a legacy of generosity, kindness and love. You are encouraged to bring canned soup for the food closet and/or a bar of soap for the children going to camp this summer. Make reservations with Debby Kruse 972-438-6553.

Apr. 2 7 p.m.

Coppell Town Hall Budget Meeting

The annual budget process is underway and the City needs your input! Coppell will host a Town Hall Meeting in the development of the 2013-2014 budget. The meeting will take place at Town Center in the Council Chambers,

Apr. 3 10 a.m.-2 p.m.

Red Cross Blood Drive

Flowers are blooming, bees are buzzing, and eggs are hatching. It’s spring, a time of renewal. For hospital patients in need of blood, hope for a fresh start comes from generous donors. Spring into action at the Freeport Business Center II, 8710 Freeport Parkway in Irving and give hope by giving blood. To make an appointment or for more information visit redcrossblood.org.

Apr. 3 9 a.m.-1 p.m.

Job Fair

Typically featuring 40 companies, North Lake’s job fair is a free and open to the public with represented industries ranging from banking and customer service to food service and retail. Job seekers will have the opportunity to share their resumes with recruiters and enter hourly Scholarship Drawings. Participants do not have to be present to win. For more information, contact Career Services at 972-273-3140.

Apr. 4 10 a.m.

It’s Time to Rhyme!

Irving Public Library joins the Irving Arts Center to present a lively story time that combines art and children’s literature. Following the story, kids can make an art project to take home. Ages 2 and up. Call 972-858-2787 to pre-register groups of 10 or more. Free.

Herbert Buchanan presents Carol Wood, owner of Joes’ Coffee Shop, with the Masonic Community Builder Award at a ceremony on Mar. 16 at Masonic Lodge 1218 in Irving. John Starkey/Staff Photographer

By Jess Paniszczyn 

Members of the Irving Masonic Lodge 1218 gathered to present Ms. Carol Ann Wood with the Mason’s Community Builder Award on March 16.

“I’m excited about the award, but a little in the dark,” said Wood, who is the owner of Joe’s Coffee Shop. “I didn’t know the Masons did stuff like this. Other than the fact that I have a lot of Masons that come to the restaurant to eat, this is my first time to interact with the Masons. I think it is very nice, and I really appreciate it.

Herbert Buchanan ‘Buck’ Howard, Chairman of the Executive Council of Dallas Scottish Rite, attended the event to present the award.

“Every Masonic Lodge in the state of Texas dating from the 1980s when Past Grand Master Jack Kelly created this award is entitled to make one Community Builder Award per year,” Howard said. “It is not available to a Mason, which means we are looking outside of our walls. It means we are looking into our communities, our families, into people who are silent servants in most cases to helping the cause that we believe in, which is community, citizenship, patriotism and anything of value in this community. You have certainly invocated that."

Click here for the complete story.

Mar. 23 10 a.m.-3 p.m.

Community Fest

Enjoy a free day of fun at Community at Heritage Park, 217 Main St. A variety of food, games, entertainment and children’s activities will be provided. Informational booths from businesses and city departments also will be available. For more information, call (972) 721-2641.

Mar. 23 11 a.m.-3 p.m.

Public Hearing

The Housing and Human Services Department will host a public hearing in the Heritage Park Building, 217 Main St., in conjunction with Community Fest. Public input will be used to help create the 2013-14 Action Plan submitted to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) for the City’s federal funding request. HUD funding helps provide housing and social services for low- and moderate-income Irving families. The next public hearing will be held at 6 p.m. May 15 at City Hall, 825 W. Irving Blvd.

Mar. 25 6:30 p.m.

Town Hall Meetings

There will be a Mayor-Council led Town Hall Meeting at the Georgia Farrow Recreation Center, 530 Davis St.

Mar. 28 6:30 p.m.

Irving Police Banquet

The Irving Police Department, in partnership with the Family Advocacy Center (FAC), is hosting its 17th annual Police Awards Banquet at the Dallas Marriott-Las Colinas Hotel, 223 W. Las Colinas Blvd. A silent auction will kick off the evening at 6:30 p.m. followed by dinner at 7 p.m. The public is invited to attend. Banquet proceeds support the Irving FAC. For more information or to purchase tickets, call (972) 721-2598.

Mar. 25 7 p.m.

League of Women’s Voters: Human Trafficking

Attend the League’s meeting on Human Trafficking where activists and police will speak about its danger both abroad and at home and how you can protect your family. Don’t miss this important dialogue. Irving Public Library Auditorium 801 W. Irving Blvd. Please RSVP to Judy Smith, (972) 251-3161.

Mar. 26 5:30-7:00 p.m.

Hispanic Chamber Mixer

The Spanish Chamber of Commerce’s Quarterly Business Mixer is an informal networking event. Getting to know other Chamber members is one of the most successful tools for your business to obtain new clients. Light appetizers and drinks will be provided. Bring plenty of business cards. This networking event is FREE for Chamber members and first time attendees, and $5.00 for non-members.

Mar. 28 12-1 p.m.

VNA luncheon

Shelly Mathis, an accredited estate planner, will be the featured speaker at bereavement luncheon hosted by the Visiting Nurse Association. Ms. Mathis will speak on “Coping with the Financial Stresses of Bereavement.” The luncheon is free, but please reserve a seat before Mar. 26 by calling 214-689-2633. The Church of the Incarnation on 3966 McKinney Avenue in Dallas.

Mar. 23 10 a.m.-12 p.m.

Fashion Show

Heritage Senior Center is proud to host the annual Yellow Rose Ambucs Fashion Show. Tickets can be purchased at for $15, and will benefit Ambucs programs for children. The event will take place at Heritage Senior Center, 200 S. Jefferson St., Irving. For more information or to purchase tickets contact 972 721-2496.

Mar. 28 10-11:30 a.m.

Heritage Center Easter Celebration

Join the senior center to in Celebration Easter. There will be refreshments, entertainment, and even an Easter Bonnet contest. The event is free for Heritage Senior Center members. Call 972 721-2496 for more information.

McWhorter Elementary will participate in a Skype call to Mount Everest on March 28.

In a promotion by Skype in the Classroom, explorer Mark Wood will be leading an expedition through the Nepalese side of the Himalayas in an attempt to summit Mount Everest. Wood selected one school from ten countries, from over 650 that applied for the opportunity. McWhorter is the only school from the United States that was selected to take part in this call, along with students from schools in Japan, the United Kingdom, Brazil, Thailand, Australia, Switzerland and Finland.s

Source: CFB ISD