The opening awards reception for the Unconditional Love Juried Pet Show on Sep. 9 was well attended by 30 or so artists, family and friends at the Jaycee Park Center for the Arts in Irving. This was the second year the pet show was opened nationally for entry and the exhibit was truly outstanding.

The Juror this year was James R. Spurlock, an outstanding portrait artist, sculptor, muralist and teacher from Granbury. James, a self taught artist, spoke of the fundamentals of drawing, color theory, composition and the overall message that the art work should convey. This show will be on exhibit through Sep. 28. J

This is the second year IAA has participated in the Unconditional Love Art Auction in conjunction with the juried show asking artists if they wish to donate a piece of pet artwork to help raise funds for the Irving Animal Care Campus Animal Assistance Fund, to defray medical costs and help animals to be adopted/rescued. This year we had over $4,260 worth of artwork donated.

Fred Sanderson with the Irving Animal Care Campus was at the Awards reception to present the IACC Award of excellence, provided by IACC. Fred also discussed the Irving Animal Care Campus and partnership with DFW Humane Society and the extraordinary work they are doing there since they opened this new facility over two years ago. They have had an unbelievable amount of visitors come through their doors (3,000+) a month and are finding homes for pets throughout the country. He stated he is especially pleased with this new found alliance with IAA and artists and the outstanding artwork donated. This year’s donations are on exhibit right now at Jaycee Park CFA Galleries and will be moved to IACC at the shows end.

2012 Irving Art Association’s Unconditional Love Juried Pet Show winners are as follows:

Best of Show Barbara Mason, TX Purr-fect Perch

IAA President’s Award Helen Bailey, TX Stalking His First Fish

Gamblin Award Ann Dysinger, OH What Do You Mean YOUR CHAIR?

IACC Award Linda Walke, MN Doggone

OIL / ACRYLIC ON CANVAS

First Place Linda Lucas Hardy, TX Surreptitious Gaze
Second Place Sabine Higgins, TX Are We There Yet?
Third Place Josephine Hodos, OH A Bit Shy
Honorable Mention Debbie Mattison, TX Happiness

WATER & MIXED MEDIA

First Place Sharon Giles, TX Guard Duty
Second Place Stephanie Grimes, SC Ready to Go
Third Place Jane Strong, TX   Best Friends
Honorable Mention Jude Delaney, OK Camo Doxies

DRAWING

First Place Geri Dunn, TX   Morning Shadows (On Spook)
Second Place Stephen Bolen, TX Bandito
Third Place Beth Lowell, NJ   Contented
Honorable Mention Tracy Teeter, KS   Leg Warmer

PHOTOGRAPHY/SCULPTURE

First Place Betsy Perkins, TX Dawn
Second Place Jeffrey Driver, TX Majestic
Third Place Carol Lyon, TX   Self Image
Honorable Mention Ellen Whitten, TX Maximus

The Jaycee Park Center for the Arts has a new address, 1975 Puritan Drive, now accessible from the south 183 service road by turning on Bradford and on Puritan at the next corner. Gallery hours are Monday, Wednesday and Sunday 1-4pm and Tuesday and Thursday 10:30 a.m. – 3 p.m. Visit Irving Art Association’s website for more information on other events, shows, workshops, and classes.

Source: Irving Art Association

In a landslide day of giving in North Texas, this community showed its true stripes by donating $14.4 million in 17 hours to 900+ local nonprofits. North Texas Giving Day donations surpassed last year’s results by 35 percent, or an increase of $3.7 million, while the volume of donations made this year versus last year increased by 180 percent. Additionally, 300 more nonprofits benefited this year than last.

“We are absolutely blown away by the record-breaking generosity and goodwill of North Texans,” said Brent Christopher, Communities Foundation of Texas president and CEO. “This is a testament to the strength of our community and our shared desire to make North Texas the most viable, best place to live. We are humbled to say the least.”

This year’s event was worldwide, with donations coming from 14 countries (U.S., Canada, Austria, Brazil, Australia, China, Mexico, Kazakhstan, Great Britain, Germany, France, Nigeria, New Zealand, Finland.) Donations came from as far as 10,500 miles away, and from every state in the U.S.

At the time of this release, some prize winners are still being determined, but known winners include:

The 1929^th donation - Dallas Symphony Orchestra, $10,000 thanks to The Dallas Foundation

The 2012^th donation - United through Hope, $10,000 thanks to The Dallas Foundation.

$1,000 “Golden Tickets” prizes granted hourly, thanks to Communities Foundation of Texas to Heroes for Children, The Samaritan Inn, Feed by Grace, TAG PTSA, Cornerstone Ranch, The Salvation Army DFW Metroplex Command, Mission Possible Kids, North Texas Food Bank, Girls on the Run, James L West Alzheimer Center, Girl Scouts of Northeast Texas, Arlington ISD Education Foundation, Big Thought, KERA, University of Dallas, Austin Street Center, and Meals on Wheels Inc. of Tarrant County.

"The magnitude of support nonprofits receive on this one day speaks volumes about how much North Texans care about their community," said Center for Nonprofit Management president Cynthia B. Nunn. “Get Up and Give allows us to raise not only much-needed dollars, but also awareness of the important services that nonprofits provide.”
About DonorBridge

Launched in 2009 by Communities Foundation of Texas with ongoing support from Center for Nonprofit Management and The Dallas Foundation, DonorBridge is the most comprehensive and free public resource for connecting North Texas nonprofits and supporters. For supporters, DonorBridge simplifies the process of gathering reliable information about nonprofits and community needs, and making charitable donations. For nonprofits, DonorBridge and its annual North Texas Giving Day serve as another awareness-building and fundraising tool. DonorBridge profiles more than 700 nonprofits, and since its inception, has infused more than $19 million into nonprofits serving the 16-county North Texas community. www.donorbridgetx.org for more information, or www.facebook.com/DonorBridge or twitter.com/DonorBridge.

About Communities Foundation of Texas

Creating DonorBridgeTX.org and presenting North Texas Giving Day are two of the many ways Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT) serves as a hub for philanthropy in our community. As the largest community foundation in Texas and one of the largest in the nation, CFT works with families, companies and nonprofits to strengthen our community through a variety of charitable funds and strategic grantmaking initiatives. The foundation professionally manages nearly 900 charitable funds and has awarded over $1.2 billion in grants since its founding in 1953. www.cftexas.org

North Lake College (NLC) hosted the DREAMers Immigration Workshop on Sep. 17. The event offered free consultations with Badmus Law Firm to assist students applying for the “DREAM Deferred Action” program. Officially known as DACA, the program allows qualified applicants to avoid deportation, obtain a driver’s license and find employment or attend school.

“Immigration rules can be very complex and easily misunderstood,” explained Ann Massey Badmus, Attorney at Law and Founding Member of Badmus Law Firm. “It is important that applicants clearly understand the risks and rewards of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.”

Workshop topics ranged from how to apply for a Social Security card and Texas driver’s license to students’ rights and obligations with a temporary work card. The event also stressed the importance of researching legal counsel through the American Bar Association, as some attorneys are not experienced in Immigration Law.

“With the new Executive Order, there will be a lot of people out there trying to make some extra bucks,” said NLC Business & Training Services Coordinator Carlene Ross. “It’s important for these students not to listen to…false promises."

Separating fact from fiction, NLC’s South Campus will host a second DREAMers Immigration Workshop this October. For details, contact NLC South Campus at 214-891-1342.

The Coppell High School Cowgirl and Cowboy athletic program joined the girls' volleyball team intheir support of Kamryn Rakeshaw during their home games Sep. 7. Kamryn is the 15 month old daughter of Boys Soccer Coach Chad Rakestraw and his wife Shelley.

Kamryn battles a form of cancer known as Neuroblastoma. Kamryn, who has undergone chemotherapy, had surgery Sep. 10.

For Kamryn t-shirt information and to meet Kamryn go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/kamrynrakestraw/mystory or on facebook.com/kamrynfaithkeepingthefaith .

Source: Coppell ISD