By Jess Paniszczyn

Inside, dinner was served with a choice of entrees including lasagna, meatloaf and chicken. However, the number of volunteers waiting to serve the meals and offer support at the Irving Point in Time Homeless Count and Survey event hosted in part at The Irving Salvation Army outnumbered the expected guests on Jan. 24.

The annual count which mobilizes the efforts of numerous agencies such as Brighter Tomorrows, Housing & Human Services, Urban League, the Islamic Center of Irving and various churches is required by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to determine the need for services.

“A lot of our homeless population is hard to find, so we know we will probably not see all of our homeless people at this event,” said Vicki Ebner, assistant director of community resources for the City of Irving. “I’m not sure whether the warm weather will help or harm us.

“Across the nation, the count is done in the last 10 days of January. The theory being that people come in from the outdoors, because it is so cold, and they are easier to count. We have found that when it gets really cold, our homeless population goes to Dallas, and they are counted there.

“I thought it might work in our benefit that it is 75 degrees. But what I think we are seeing is that it is nice, warm and pretty, and they are not coming in. I won’t know until the teams come back, and we see what we have.”

Teddie Story, executive director of Irving Cares, has participated in the count for several years.

“The Homeless Persons Count is always very unpredictable,” Story said. “You never know if there will be two or 20 people. So we have gathered this great group of volunteers to greet the people who do come and serve them a nice dinner. Hopefully the people who come will be able to access some services and find out what is available that might fit their needs.”

People representing a variety of community resources joined in a panel discussion designed to answer peoples’ questions about homelessness in the community.

“We felt tonight was an opportunity to start to educate the community on the needs of the homeless within Irving,” said Wendy Burton, outreach director for St. Mark’s Episcopal Church. “We also wanted to teach citizens what they can do to better understand and support homeless people within our community.”

Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie announced Jan. 25 that the main racetrack is being completely renovated along with major grandstand improvements to be in place in time for the upcoming 13-week, 2013 Spring Thoroughbred Season beginning April 11.

The main track reconditioning is currently underway and will feature a new base and mixture to ensure track safety and consistency:

“During the course of the previous Fall Meeting of Champions for American Quarter Horses, we noticed inconsistencies in the main dirt track that caused some bias during races. A complete investigation by independent, top track and soil experts, found that remnants of the previously used cushion material remained in broad areas of the track. This material caused difficulties grooming the track each day in order to achieve a uniform distribution of cushion from the inner rail to the outside of the racetrack,” said Drew Shubeck, Lone Star Park President & General Manager.

The renovation project includes:

1) Removal of all cushion material in order to fully inspect the limestone base.

2) Reapplication of the cushion, allowing sub-cushion material to blend with saved cushion material.

3) Washed sand, clay and organics will be blended to achieve optimum blend of cushion materials.

“Our first and foremost objective is to have a safe and consistent racetrack surface and we believe these renovations will do just that for our horsemen,” said Shubeck.

The changes to the main racetrack are not the only improvements being made at Lone Star Park. Returning customers will notice a significant change on the fourth floor of the 280,000 square foot, glass-enclosed, climate controlled grandstand. The main 1,200 seat Silks Dining Terraces are undergoing a dramatic renovation including new tables and chairs and a completely redesigned television presentation

Also, the track recently announced its 2013 Stakes Schedule consisting of 11 stakes races totaling over $1.1 million. The schedule is highlighted by the $300,000 Lone Star Park Handicap (Grade III) for three year olds and up at 1-1/16 miles on May 27 and the $200,000 Texas Mile (Grade III) for three year olds and up at one mile on April 27. Check out www.lonestarpark.com for a complete stakes schedule listing.

Source: Lone Star Park 

Irving ISD has been invited to participate in the Texas Capitol Schoolhouse on Feb. 4 at the Capitol building in Austin. The Texas Capitol Schoolhouse is a legislative event that provides students and teachers from across Texas with the opportunity to demonstrate how technology is being used to improve the way teachers teach and students learn. For legislators, they are able to see how the funding they provide for technology is helping prepare the children of Texas for the future.

Students and teachers from Ladybird Johnson Middle School will represent Irving ISD this year. Johnson Middle School is the largest net-zero middle school in the nation. With wind turbines, solar panels, geothermal heating and rainwater harvesting capabilities, the school produces as much energy as it consumes. During the schoolhouse session, the students will share technology projects or other assignments, work on research, meet their state representatives, and attend a special ceremony in the Texas House and Senate recognizing the students, teachers and schools.

Irving ISD has been invited to participate in the Texas Capitol Schoolhouse in 2005, 2011 and 2013.

Source: Irving ISD

By Amanda Casanova

Orange Conference founder Reggie Joiner talks with Jeff Henderson at the Orange Tour stop on Jan. 24 at Calvary Church.

More than 500 church leaders gathered at Calvary Church on Jan. 24 for the Orange Tour, a one-day event for family ministry teachers and pastors. The stop in Irving was the last of a 12-city national tour where Orange Conference/Tour founder Reggie Joiner talked to church leaders about “Leading Change” and “Leading Small” in churches.

Reggie Joiner talks about family ministry at the Orange Tour stop on Jan. 24 at Calvary Church.

“What you do for a few will always have more potential than what you do for many," Joiner said to an auditorium of church leaders in Irving.

Joiner was discussing a transition in ministry - that from trying to fill the pews on Sunday morning to trying instead to build relationships with a handful of people.

“The content this year is about change and how is happening in churches,” Kevin Benson, marketing director, said. “We can let it take us where it will, or we can change the things we do to reach the community.

“Things are always changing around us and people and churches are looking for ways to deal with that.”

The tour is a more personal and relaxed event for Orange, which sponsors the annual Orange Conference in Georgia. For local ministry leaders, the tour is a chance to hear the Orange strategy in their own area.

The Orange strategy, which includes embracing change, also pushes developing personal relationships with people in the church.

“Real change happens in circles, not rows,” Benson said. “Twenty five percent of the US population goes to church, and a lot of the time the church is so focused on that 25 percent because they don’t want to lose that 25 percent, whereas if we changed, we could attract the other 75 percent.

“We have this fear of change and we don’t reach those other people who need answers.”

Even as churches struggle with a transitioning world, Joiner said it is important that ministries stay focused on staying connected to “circles.”

“God hasn’t called us to do ministry in the most convenient way,” Joiner said. “We are supposed to be in the mess with people.”