Biz Buzz

The Denton Hispanic and Black Chambers along with the City of Denton will host a workshop featuring resources and certification information for woman and/or minority owned small businesses. The event is free and open to the public. Registration is requested at www.alabasterweb.com.

Denton's DoubleDave's Pizzaworks will host a fundraiser for TWU's Child Abuse Prevention Society tonight.

Ten percent of the proceeds from all sales - dining in, carry out or delivery - from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. will be given to the organization.

The restaurant is located is located at 220 W. University Drive.

For more information call 940-243-3283.

The Denton Convention & Visitor Bureau will present a trade show offering information about the convention's facilities, supplies and Denton area attractions.

The trade show entitled, "The Planner's Zone" will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 20 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the University of North Texas Gateway Center located at 801 N. Texas Blvd.

"This year's Planner's Zone will provide helpful tips and information to meeting planners of all levels, whether it's for a family reunion or an organization's regional or national conference," said Dana Lodge, Denton CVB sales and servicing manager in a news release.

Door prizes and food samples will be provided. General public invited; free admission.

For more information contact Dana Lodge at 940-382-7895 or e-mail dcvb@discoverdenton.com.

Cycle Center of Denton is hosting their 3rd Customer Appreciation Event tonight from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. by offering huge discounts, a $500 shopping free, and catered bar-b-cue from Rudy's.

"All bikes and atv's [will be] sold at invoice that night only. Discounts on all merchandise in the store as well as special orders," Manager Kenny Martin said about the event created to thank customers for supporting a local and family-owned business.

Cycle Center is located at 516 S. I-35 East. For more information, call 940-387-3885.

The Denton Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will host the 14th Annual Demin & Diamonds Gala on Friday, Oct. 9 from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Moved from the Spring, this year's membership appreciation and award gala will be held at the Center for the Visual Arts located at 400 East Hickory Street in Denton.

A social and dinner will be hosted by Jimmy Meredith of Sweetwater's Bar & Grill starting at 6 p.m. Entertainment will be provided by DJ Marquez beginning 8:30 p.m.

Tickets are $40 per person, $70 for couples and $300 for a table of eight.

For more information contact Jorge Urbina, president of the DHCC at 940-565-1919 or e-mail jorge@texstar.us.

The Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce will host the 2009 Denton County Women in Business Conference and Expo on Friday, September 25, 2009 at the Lewisville Convention Center inside the Hilton Garden Inn, 785 State Highway 121 Bypass in Lewisville. Registration will begin at 8:00 a.m.

According to a news release, the inaugural event is a professional development conference and business expo designed to provide the businesswomen of Denton County an affordable opportunity to attend a professional development conference and participate in a marketing expo promoting Denton County businesses.

The keynote address will be presented by Ebby Halliday, owner of Ebby Halliday REALTORS during a plated lunch.Other speakers include Deborah King AICI CIP, president of Final Touch Finishing School, Inc., Damian Skinner, a filmmaker and consultant, and Marketing Chef Andrew Szabo creator of Irresistible Marketing.

Event tickets are $49 and vendor packages begin at $99. For more information visit www.lewisvillechamber.org or call the Lewisville Area Chamber of Commerce at 972-436-9571.

The Denton Chamber of Commerce and the city of Denton will host a Start Something Green Expo on Saturday, September 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The event is open to all residents of Denton.

Businesses that will like to participate need to meet the Start Something Criteria which includes having a product, service or educational approach that has environmental sustainability, degree of innovation, usefulness and uniqueness, potential widespread use and educational value.

Prices for a participating businesses range from $150 for area chambers and non-profits to $800 for premier space inside the Civic Center. For more information, contact Alicia Brosey or Pam Marrufo at 940-382-9693.

Registration is available at http://www.denton-chamber.org/. Click under Upcoming Events and type Start Something Green Expo.

Texas Woman's University will be hosting a part-time job fair on Wednesday, September 2, 2009 from 10:30 a.m. until 1:30 p.m. The event is sponsored by the Texas Woman's University Career Services Department. Registration fee is $25.

For more information and to register, visit: http://www.twu.edu/o-cs/cdEmployers.htm.

Susan Rudd Bailey, MD, Texas Medical Association (TMA) president-elect; John G. Flores, MD, Denton County Medical Society (DCMS) vice president/programs chair; other local physician leaders; members of Congress or key staff; members of the Texas Legislature or key staff; and local business leaders will lead a discussion to learn patient's opinions regarding the present national health care reform debate.

According to a press release, doctors want patients to share one thing they like most about today's health care system, one thing they would change about the current health care system, and what patients want and do not want from health system reform.

The event will be held at the Denton County Courthouse on the Square located at 110 W. Hickory from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

We learned McAlister's Deli declared July 23 as "Free Tea Day," in the Dallas-Fort Worth Area.

Customers are asked to visit any location to get a free, 32 oz. cup of McAllister's Sweet Tea. No purchase is necessary.

"'Free Tea Day' has become even more exciting due to the overwhelming interest the public has shown," said Matt Saxton, spokesperson for Saxton Pierce Restaurant Corp., the franchisee for McAlister's Deli via a press release. "We're glad to share our famous sweet tea with them for an entire day, free of charge."

The company not only wants to promote their sweet tea, but also gives back to loyal customers; often refer to themselves as "Tea Freaks."

McAlister's counts with locations 10 locations in the Metroplex including one in Denton at 1931 South Loop 288, Ste. 100. Their phone number is 940-320-7722.

I'm sure you have heard already, but stop by any Starbucks today and get a free pastry. Of course, you have to buy a beverage. The offer ends at 10:30 a.m.

http://www.starbucks.com/retail/free_pastry.html

A new Allstate office open last week at Unicorn Lake. Today they are hosting an ribbon cutting from Noon to 1 p.m.

The new Sandelin Allstate Insurance office, owned by Karen Sandelin is located at 2717 Wind River Lane in Suite 133 in Denton.

Lunch will be provided by Sandelin.

Click here for map

Cumberland Presbyterian Children's Home (CPCH) will host a campus tour on Tuesday, July 21 from 4:30-5:30 p.m. The tour will begin at CPCH's Parr Family Resource Building at 909 Greenlee St. in Denton.

According to a news release, the tour will showcases how CPCH helps kids, teens and families in North Texas and includes information on how people can get involved with the agency. CPCH staff also will share details about the agency's community parenting and pre-marital classes and counseling clinic.

The tours are free and open to the public. Children may attend.

More information about CPCH or directions to the campus is available at www.cpch.org or call (940) 382-5112 x270.

Local artisans, vendors, musicians, growers and interested individuals are invited to attend a meeting to discuss the development of a local community market.

The meeting sponsored by Denton Main Street Association and the City of Denton will take place on Wednesday, July 8, 2009 at 6:00 p.m. in the Conference Room at City Hall, 215 E. McKinney, in Denton.

"The purpose of the meeting is to discuss the development of a Community Market in Downtown Denton that may provide art, handcrafted items, produce and other wares unique to the North Texas region," said Erica Sullivan, City of Denton's Economic Development Analyst via a press release. "The project will help to promote the diversity of the area and stimulate economic growth in the central business district of Denton."

For more information please contact Julie Glover, Economic Development Officer, at 940-349-7732.

Contributed photo

Last Thursday, June 18, Travelers Insurance Company brought their mobile claims unit to Denton and gave several local agencies a tour.

"This is an impressive thing in the insurance industry," said Jason HeLal, president of the company about the RV which featured four workstations, mobile Wi-Fi, satellite telephone and television as well as computers and printers.

"It allows Travelers' adjusters to roll into a neighborhood and handle dozens of claims per day, and thus hundreds in a week. It also enables them to roll into a tornado or hurricane affected area even when electricity, internet, and plumbing are unavailable," HeLal said about the unit that can provide customers with advances on a claim so they can find temporary housing, food and clothing.

For more information, please visit www.ciaauto.com.

The Denton Hispanic and Black Chambers of Commerce will host a local agency workshop and exposition on July 9. Entitled, "People Helping People Help Themselves," the event wants to share information about the many services in the Denton community including social services, businesses and organizations. The event will take place at the Quality Inn & Suites located at 1500 Dallas Drive. A reception will start at 5 p.m. with a presentation following at 6 p.m.

Some of the participating organizations include: the American Red Cross, Barbara Gailey, Bookkeeper Girl, 2010 Census, City of Denton Community Development, Denton Community Food Center, Denton County VOAD, Denton County Housing, DCTA, Denton Information Network, Denton Police Department, Family Resource Center, Interfaith Ministries, Kiwanis, Our Daily Bread, Workforce Solutions, Visions Ministries many more.

Registration is available at www.alabasterweb.com.

To sign up as a participating agency or business, please contact Barbara Gailey at 940-390-4848 or via e-mail at Barbara@barbaragailey.com and Cara Leising at 214-507-1677 or via e-mail at cahensley@sbcglobal.net.

Download available:PeopleHelpingPeopleFlyer.pdf

The Denton County Master Gardeners Association (DCMGA), the Texas Cooperative Extension Office and the City of Denton will host the 2009 Denton County Fruit, Vegetable, Herb and Flower Show on Saturday, June 20 at the Denton County Fire Fighters Memorial Park located on the corner of Carroll Boulevard and Mulberry Street in Denton.

"The show will feature fruits, vegetables, herbs and flowers, and is open to anyone interested in gardening in Denton County," said Erica Sullivan, economic development analyst for the City of Denton, "The show also promotes the Denton County Farmers Market, which is open every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday from 7 a.m. to noon or sell-out, June through September."

There will not be an entry fee for the show and entries will be accepted from 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. Saturday morning with awards announced at noon or following judging.

For more information on the show and entry rules, please contact the Texas Cooperative Extension Office at (940) 349-2883 or visit the DCMGA website at www.dcmga.com.

The city of Denton, the University of North Texas, the Department of Commerce Minority Business Development Agency and the three local chambers will take part in a Stimulus Act Summit.

The free event to be held June 11 will feature speakers from many agencies which will provide information on the contracting opportunities known to date since the passage of the stimulus act.

Information on items regularly purchased or under bid will also be available from eight agencies including the University of North Texas and the city of Denton as well as traditional and non-traditional financing, construction law, and business resources.

The summit will take place at the UNT Gateway Center located at 801 North Texas Blvd. Registration is available by visiting the Web site www.alabasterweb.com before the event date and in person from 7:30 a.m. to 8:30 a.m.

The SBDC will open up a discussion for business owners on the current state of the recession. It will answer questions on how business owners can protect themselves during the economic downturn and the suggestions for those pondering a new start-up.

The session entitled, "Economic Indicators: How These Affect Me... How?" will take place next Tuesday at the Denton Chamber Building at 414 Parkway.

Registration begins at 7:15 a.m. with the meeting following at 7:30 a.m.

For questions, please contact, 940-380-1849.

The new Courtyard Marriott will host a grand opening and ribbon cutting on Thursday, June 18, 2009. The event entitled, "A Courtyard Ribbon Cutting Shine with the Stars," will take place from 4:00 to 6:30 p.m.

Host partners include Texas Roadhouse, Olive Garden, On the Border and Red Lobster. There will be music, refreshments, door prizes and just plain ole fun.

Courtyard by Marriott
2800 Colorado Blvd
Denton Texas 76210
940-382-4600

Click here to view invitation

Don't forget to stop by Elements of Design this afternoon.

Join local lawyers at a benefit concert to support children placed in foster care families. The concert will be held next Friday, May 29 at 5:30 p.m. at Giuseppe's Italian Restaurant located at 821 N. Locust St. in Denton.

The concert helps support the efforts of the Kinship Fair, an annual fall event that helps kinship families - a foster program where a child is placed with relatives and close family friends - receive necessities such as clothing, school supplies, car seats, winter coats, etc.

Amie S. Peace, a lawyer with Coffey, Stout & Peace said the proceeds of the event will help support the children in the program. Kinship families are not licensed foster placements and are therefore ineligible for state sponsored funding.

The Kinship Fair Program, is a joint project of the Greater Denton County Young Lawyer's Association (GDCYLA), the Denton County Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) and the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (TDFPS) which helps children removed from their homes because of abuse or neglect.

Concert tickets are available for $15.

For more information, please call Amie Peace at 940-591-6006 or send an e-mail to apeace@csplaw.net.

The Women Business Owners of Denton County (WBODC) will hold their monthly luncheon on Tuesday, June 2 at the Oakmont Country Club in Corinth.

The guest speaker will be Wendy Guess, Ph.D., an award-winning educator who uses the power of dancing to encourage and motivate others to enhance their lives. Her presentation is entitled, "Life is a Dance - Is Yours Choreographed?"

Registration and networking starts at 11:30 a.m., with a luncheon and speaker to follow, Noon - 1:00 p.m. Register online at www.wbodc.org by Thursday, May 28, 2009. With timely reservations, the luncheon and program cost is $15 for WBODC members and $20 for guests. After May 28th, the cost is $20 for WBODC members and $25 for guests.

The Aubrey Area of Commerce will be hosting a mixer and ribbon cutting for Sunset Sports Grill. The event will take place at 2 p.m. at the restaurant located at 5246 Hwy 377 in Krugerville on Saturday, May 9. (Remember it's election day).

Entertainment will be provided by the country band, Eleven Hundred Springs.

A fundraiser will also be held the same day for HopeWorks which provides assistance to uninsured or underinsured breast cancer patients in North Texas.

More information is available by calling 940-365-3331 or you may visit the Web site at http://sunsetsportsgrilltx.com/index.html.

Curtis Rippee and Samuel J. Wornom, III, principals with StratiFi Partners will provide information on accounting and financial management for businesses at the next Small Business Development Center (SBDC) monthly breakfast meeting on Tuesday, May 12.

The presentation entitled, "Managing Finances for Success in a Recession: It may be small, but it is my business, and it's big to me," will take place at the Denton Chamber building located at 414 Parkway in Denton.

Registration begins at 7:15 a.m. with meeting following at 7:30 a.m. For more information, please call 940-380-1849.

As the soft opening for Hot Box Pizza comes and goes, the owner, Lonnie Lindner, said he is hoping for big crowds this Saturday at the store's grand opening celebration.
"We've had a lot of calls from UNT and TWU students about the free pizza," he said.
The first 100 people to line up outside Hot Box Pizza on Hickory Street and Industrial will receive free pizza for a year, or one free large pizza once a month, he said.
The college student population and the proximity to Denton's music venues made Denton the ideal location to set up shop for the first Hot Box Pizza location outside of Indianapolis, he said.
The Hickory Street location will likely be the first of 10 to 15 Hot Box Pizza locations over the next three or four years in the North Texas area, he said.
"I think its [Denton] a very good fit, both from a demographic and a geographic standpoint," Lindner said.

The community is invited to the next Semi-annual Business to Business Expo at the Denton Civic Center at McKinney & Bell. The event will take place tomorrow, April 30 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Local companies will emphasize green initiatives and promote their products and services. More than 50 exhibitors will be present.

For more information, please contact Cara Hensley, volunteer in charge at 214-507-1677.

Habitat for Humanity of Denton County will be training volunteers for its Women Build's program. The training will take place next Saturday, April 25, at St. Andrews Presbyterian Church located at 300 W. Oak in Denton beginning at 9:00 a.m. The training will last close to two and half-hours.

"It is a the same weekend as the Jazz Festival, so you can get your training and then go party," Christine E. Thomason, vice president of Metro Environmental Services Co. and a board member with Habitat for Humanity of Denton County and Women Build.

Since 1998, the International Women's Build program has constructed more than 1,000 homes around the world. In Denton County, Habitat for Humanity began in 2003 and since then built close to 80 homes for families in need. In a national partnership with Lowes, the program provides women with the opportunity to demonstrate their abilities in a traditionally male dominated field.

"I've seen women, who previously never picked up a hammer, become empowered and more confident after learning how to use a saw or other construction skills. The Women Build will provide opportunities for women to learn about building a home and to learn about themselves in the process," Thomason said.

To attend the volunteer training, please RSVP to christine@metroenv.com.

Stop at Pizza Inn on University tomorrow (Wednesday) and help the students of Youth Speak get to Houston to present their storytelling project.

Dine in from 5 p.m. to 10 p.m. and 20 percent of the proceeds will help the students acquire needed travel funds.

Four students from Youth Speak (a collaborate program between the University of North Texas and Denton High School) will be presenting their storytelling projects at the Education for Liberation Network Conference on June 25-28 in Houston.

On Tuesday, Cartridge World - Denton announced their new campaign in honor of Earth Day.

The company launched their, "Recycle it @ Cartridge World" campaign to encourage customers to recycle their cell phones and printer cartridges at their participating stores.

"Recycling programs for cans, bottles and papers are mainstream, but few people realize the additional impact they can make by reusing and refilling printer cartridges," Sheri Dewet, owner of the Cartridge World -Denton said in a press release, "This proactive solution to waste reduction is a win-win situation for consumers, business owners and the environment."

Earth Day is celebrated worldwide April 22.

Information about Cartridge World - Denton is available online at http://cartridgeworldusa.com/store188

The next Women Business Owners of Denton County (WBODC) meeting will be held Tuesday, April 7. The meeting will feature guest speaker Lucia Bone, the founder of The Sue Weaver C.A.U.S.E., an organization which promotes consumer awareness about the importance of providing criminal background checks to all service employees, contractors and subcontractors and promoting safety in the work environment.

Registration and networking will begin at 11:30 a.m., with a luncheon and speaker to follow at 12 noon - 1:00 p.m. Register online at www.wbodc.org or send an e-mail to rsvp@wbodc.org by Thursday, April 2, 2009. With timely reservations, the luncheon and program cost is $15 for WBODC members and $20 for guests. After April 2nd, the cost is $20 for WBODC members and $25 for guests.

Visit the speakers, Web site at http://www.sueweavercause.net/

The Greater Denton/Wise County Assocation of REALTORS, Inc. (GDWCAR) will host an Easter Basket Contest during their next networking luncheon on Thursday, March 26th. The deadline to rsvp for the luncheon is tomorrow, Friday, March 20th.

Mark Burroughs, Mayor of Denton, will be the guest speaker. He will also judge and give a prize for the best Easter Basket.

If you provide a basket, please make sure your name or Company name is on the bottom of the basket so the judge can be impartial. All Easter Baskets will be auctioned off to TREPAC during the luncheon.

For more information, please contact, Brandie Kitchens at brandie@denton-wiserealtors.com.

Brad Chism with Computer Crusher will host the next computer recycling event March 14, 2009 from 8 a.m to 2 p.m. at the Cupboard Natural Foods, 200 W Congress St. in Denton.
For more information call 940-380-0091 or see the Web site at www.computercrusher.com

The Denton Black Chamber will host their 12th Annual Banquet, "United, We Can" on March 28. The event will take place at the UNT Gateway Center on 801 North Texas Blvd. in Denton.

The keynote speaker will be Tina Howell, CEO of the Homecare Network, Inc. Tickets are $45.00 per person or $360.00 for a table of eight. Tickets may be purchased by calling any of the locations below:

The WBODC's March luncheon topic will deal with how companies can maximize their Internet presence. Speaker Bill Hartzer, founder of the Dallas/Fort Worth Search Engine Marketing Association will present, "Promoting Your Business on the Internet: Search Engine Optimization and Social Media Marketing" at the next luncheon on Tuesday, March 3.

Registration and networking will begin at 11:30, with a luncheon and speaker to follow, 12 noon-1:00 p.m. Register online at www.wbodc.org or send an e-mail to rsvp@wbodc.org by Thursday, February 26, 2009. With timely reservations, the luncheon and program cost is $15 for WBODC members and $20 for guests. After February 26th, the cost is $20 for WBODC members and $25 for guests.

For the second year, Golden Triangle Mall will support Girl Scouts Cookie Sales in its effort to raise funds that support the program. Beginning Friday, February 27 to Sunday, March 8, a local Girl Scout Troop will be in the Sears wing selling their cookies.

"Golden Triangle Mall is proud to partner with Girl Scout Troops to help support them in their cause," said Golden Triangle Mall General Manager Matt Ludemann in a press release. "We continue our ongoing support of any local charitable organizations focusing on any variety of activities aimed at giving back to the local community."

Proceeds from the sale will go directly to each local Girl Scout council's cookie activities fund.

The Greater Denton Family of the Year program held its 11th annual luncheon recognizing outstanding area families at Metropolitan Catering on Wednesday.

The Seastrunk family, which includes wife Deliah, sons Jeremy Mack, 29; Micah Mack 26; and Joshua, 16; and daughters Mariah, 12; and Taylor, 10, was selected as the 2009 Greater Denton Family of the Year from 20 nominations.

The family of local businessman Fred Hill received this year's Legacy Award which specifically honors great families with multi-generational roots in the community.

In addition, three other families were finalists:

Robert and SusanLee Torrey and children Philip, 9, Annamarie, 8 and Alexander 5 - Family of Charity

Arthur and Rhonda Rodriguez and children Veronica 23, Corbin 15, Christian 12, Chase 8 - Family of Unity

Scott and Carisa Armey, Avery, 11 and Alix & Abbi (5) - Family of Integrity

Sponsored by City of Denton Parks and Recreation, the Kiwanis Noon Club and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the mission of the program is to recognize and honor families in the Denton area who exemplify the values of love, respect, harmony, service and who actively support their schools, churches, and communities.

Seastrunk Family

Hill Family

Torrey Family

Armey Family

Rodriguez Family

Women Business Owners of Denton County (WBODC) will host a wine social and fundraiser evening to benefit Habitat for Humanity of Denton County's Women Build Program. The event will be held next Tuesday, January 27, 2009, at Giuseppe's Italian Restaurant, 821 N. Locust St., in Denton from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

WBODC will match donations up to $500 and Giuseppe's will donate a portion of the evening proceeds to the program. The $20 ticket includes hors d'oeuvres and a glass of wine. A wine pull raffle will also be held. Those who wish to stay for dinner at the restaurant may request their reservations by calling 940-381-2712.

To RSVP for the benefit, pay in advance, make a donation, or purchase a cork online for $25 (which can later be exchanged for bottle of wine), go to http://wbodc.org/meetings/rsvp.html. Guests will also be able to pay at the door.

Roll Up Your Sleeves!

Carter BloodCare will host their next blooddrive at the DATCU main branch on Thursday, December 4 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will take place at 225 West Mulberry Street.

Those interested in donating their time can schedule select their time slot on-line by visiting http://iwebb.carterbloodcare.org/pls/iwebb/adrv?pdz=75038&pdr=DRV0333137.

The Denton Industrial Port off of Worthington Drive off of N. Interstate 35 and Texas 380, will have a ribbon cutting event at the new National TruckPorts Facility.
The truck port facility will help secure, maintain and house truckers running goods up and down the interstate.
The ribbon cutting ceremony will also have burgers, hotdogs and a free property tour offered to those in the community on Tuesday, Nov. 18. from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Please R.S.V.P. to info@nationaltruckports.com or call Tevian Prohl at 214-987-6399.
For more information about this business visit www.nationaltruckports.com.

DoubleDave's Pizzaworks in Denton will host a fundraiser for the Texas Woman's University's Child Abuse Prevention Society. The event will take place on Monday, Nov. 3. Ten percent of all sales made between 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. will go toward the organization.

"We support the Denton community and that means supporting the Denton-area organizations that do good work for others," Ali Kohandani, one of the franchise restaurant's owners, said via a press release.

Dine-in, carry out and delivery orders will all count towards the net sales.

The restaurant is located at 220 W. University Drive, just minutes from the TWU campus.

For more information, call 940-243-DAVE (3283).

Charter Communications, the third largest publicly traded cable operator in the U.S., headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, will host the grand opening of its new sales and service center in Denton on Saturday, November 1.

The event will take place from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Southridge Village at 2340 I-35 E South, Suite 180, the company's new location. It will include family-friendly activities and giveaways for children as well as a special guest appearance from the famous Boomerang character, Scooby Doo.

"We look forward to offering Denton residents a better customer experience through the upgraded amenities available to us at our new location," said Dan Hebert, vice president and general manager for Charter markets in Texas via a press release.

To learn more about this event, please call 817-298-3510.

Some local area businesses will gather this weekend to orchestrate the second annual Fall Festival Pumpkin Patch this weekend.
The pumpkin patch includes face painting, a bounce house, maze and wagon rides among many other activities.
Admission is $5 per child and children under the age of two are admitted free of charge. All proceeds from the event benefit CASA of Denton County.
The event runs Saturday, Oct. 18 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Sunday, Oct. 19 from noon to 5 p.m. at 3300 Unicorn Lake Blvd. in Denton.
For more information call (940) 536-1151.

Lorin Beller Blake, an entrepreneur, business coach and motivational speaker will be the guest presenter at the the next Women's Business Owners of Denton County luncheon. The event will take place Tuesday, November 11 at the Oakmont Country Club in Corinth.

Blake's topic will be "Wrap Up 2008 Like a Big Fish: 7 Must-Do's for Swimming with the Big Fish."

Blake founded Big Fish Nation, a yearlong program that provides guidance to business owners. She was also the author of "From Entrepreneur to Big Fish: 7 Principles to Wild Success," a book that assists entrepreneurs in thinking about the big picture for their business, according to a press release.

Register online at www.wbodc.org or send an e-mail to rsvp@wbodc.org by Thursday, November 6, 2008. With timely reservations, the luncheon and program cost is $15 for WBODC members and $20 for guests. After November 6th, the cost is $20 for WBODC members and $25 for guests.

More information about Big Fish Nation is available online at bigfishnation.com.

The Leadership Denton Alumni Association will be hosting a networking event and collecting donations for the Denton Humane Society.

The Dallas-based company will open its new prototype at the corner of Carroll and University this Saturday, October 18.

Starting at 11:30 a.m. Pizza Inn will host their ribbon cutting with the help of JoJo, the company's icon. The event will also include fun activities for families including "pizza bingo"; free food sampling; face painting and balloon animals for children, according to the news release.

"This prototype is the future of Pizza Inn," President and Chief Executive Officer Charlie Morrison said, "It showcases our commitment to quality and family, as we reconnect to the best parts of our 50-year history."

For more information contact Germaine A. Williams at 214-741-.2100 x223.

Shanna Hardesty, a math teacher at Billy Ryan High School and Anita Reeves, one of the physical education teachers at Sam Houston Elementary will be treated to a reception in their honor tonight including a fashion show and a makeover courtesy of Christopher & Banks.

Hardesty and Reeves were recently named Denton ISD's 2008 Teacher of the Year at their respective schools.

In addition to the fashion show, the store will provide refreshments and conduct a door prize - the lucky winner will get a free outfit from the store. The event will begin at 7 p.m.

For more information, contact the store at 940-323-1200.

The University of North Texas will host their next Graduate and Professional School Day next Monday, October 6.

Dana Mordecai, Student Services Coordinator with the Toulouse School of Graduate Studies informed us that more than 70 graduate and professional schools have been invited to share information about their programs. Scheduled to attend are also several area law schools and many health science institutions. The event is open to the public.

UNT Graduate and Professional School Day
Monday, October 6, 2008
10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Silver Eagle Suite - University Union
Denton campus
Cost: $125 (registration, lunch and parking for one recruiter)
Include an extra $10 for each additional recruiter (lunch fee)

For more information, please contact Dana Mordecai at 940-369-7387.

For a complete list of attendees, including the recruiter registration form visit their website: www.tsgs.unt.edu

Photo provided by the GD/WCAR
GD/WCAR members Kaki Lybbert, Chris Rosprim, Myra Oliver and Rebecca Arnold (front)

The Greater Denton/Wise County Association of REALTORS® held their first Wine Tasting Fundraiser last Thursday, September 18th at Bushwackers Wine Safari.

Brandie Kitchens, member and coordinator for the public relations committee said the association raised approximately $1500. The funds will be provided to the Texas Real Estate Political Action Committee (TREPAC) that advocates for private property rights and home ownership among another important areas of the real estate industry.

GD/WCAR members described the fundraiser as a success and look forward to having more in the future.

The 7th Annual Fiesta on the Square will take place this Friday, September 26 at the Courthouse from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. The festival is the celebration of the Hispanic Heritage in the greater Denton area and includes exhibits, art shows with traditional Hispanic music and dancing at the courthouse lawn.

This year event organizers expect 2,250 to 2,500 people to attend the popular fiesta.

The event is free to the public.

Fiesta on the Square is held annually around this month in celebration of Hispanic Heritage month, which is celebrated Sept. 15 through Oct. 15.

A weeklong celebration started in 1968 under President Lyndon B. Johnson and it was later expanded to a month celebration in 1988.

According to the U.S. Census Facts for Feature publication, Hispanic Heritage Month celebrates the culture and traditions of those who trace their roots to Spain, Mexico and the Spanish-speaking nations of Central America, South America and the Caribbean. September 15 was chosen as the starting point of the event because it is the anniversary of independence of five Latin American countries: Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua. In addition, Mexico and Chile celebrate their independence days on Sept. 16 and Sept. 18, respectively.

The American Diabetes Association of Dallas invites the business community to attend its 2nd Annual DFW Diabetes Conference and Luncheon on World Diabetes Day, Nov. 14, 2008, at the Omni Dallas Park West Hotel at 1590 LBJ Freeway, Dallas, Texas.

Special guest speakers include Dallas Mayor Tom Leppert and Mrs. Laura Leppert as well as Dr. Kenneth Cooper, founder of The Cooper Institute. The conference will begin at 7:30 a.m. and end at 1 p.m.

For tickets, sponsorships, or tables, please contact Frankie Andres at 972-392-1181 ext. 6102 or fandres@diabetes.org.

The UNT accounting is hosting an accounting alumni reception on Sept. 18 from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. at the Petroleum Club in Dallas. For more information about this event please contact Ivy Naude at ivy.naude@unt.edu or call (940) 565-3084.
Dallas Petroleum Club
2200 Ross Ave
Dallas, TX 75201

This Business Networking Group will be hosting a meet and greet for businesses on Friday, Sept. 19 at 11:30 a.m.
Holiday Inn Denton
1434 Centre Place Drive
Full Buffet - $10.00
Soup & Salad - $7.00

The Business to Business Expo will be held Thursday, Sept. 25 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Denton Civic Center
321 E. McKinney
Denton 76201

Information provided by Arlinda Arriaga, aarriaga@dentonrc.com.

Computer Crusher will host their next computer-recycling program this Saturday, Sept. 13 starting at 8 a.m. until 12 Noon. It will be held at the Cupboard on 200 W Congress.

The company will charge a $15 drop off fee per computer which includes the monitor, keyboard and mouse.

It's Blues time!

The Denton Black Chamber of Commerce will host their 10th Annual Blues Festival Saturday, September 20 at Quakertown Park. The event will start at Noon until 11:30 p.m.

The event will feature the musical talents of the Up All Night Blues Band, Pops Carter, Joe Jonas Band and Guitar Shorty. Additionally, there will be a kids' talent show with prizes awarded for 1st through 3rd place.

The City of Denton, The Denton Black Chamber of Commerce and the University of North Texas will sponsor the event. Additional sponsors include: Denton Record- Chronicle, GDAC - TX Commission on the Arts, Fun-Time RV, Northstar Bank, TWU, Classic Lincoln-Mercury-Mazda, Access First Capital, DATCU, Denton Municipal Electric, Presbyterian Hospital of Denton, and Wal- Mart Stores.

No Outside food or drinks will be allowed during the event.

View the event flyer - DBCC_2008_Blues_Fest.doc

For more information, please visit, the Denton Black Chamber website at www.dentonblackchamber.org.

Joe Fritz, volunteer and member of the Denton Main Street Association (DMSA), joined Rivers West performing Elvis tributes during a free concert on the downtown Denton square Saturday, August 16. The concert wrapped up a week of activities celebrating National Elvis Week. The 5th Annual "Elvis is Rockin' Downtown Denton" promotion presented by the DMSA included a scavenger hunt among downtown businesses, a Blue Hawaiian luau dinner and movie. More than 150 Elvis fans and downtown visitors enjoyed the concert.

The Denton Field Office of the Texas Department of Insurance, Division of Workers' Compensation (TDI-DWC) will host a brown bag educational session for health care providers, employers, human resource managers, claims adjusters, case managers and employee organizations on Friday, August 22, 2008.

The topic is the Designated Doctor: What They Do and What Is New. This free session will be held from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the Denton Field Office, 625 Dallas Drive, Suite 475. Following a presentation the session is an open forum in which participants can ask questions.

Due to limited space, registration is required. To register, participants must e-mail their name and telephone number to June Mitchell, Denton Field Office Manager at June.Mitchell@tdi.state.tx.us or to Bobby.Gonzalez@tdi.state.tx.us

For more information, contact the TDI Public Information Office or June Mitchell via e-mail or by calling 940-380-1400 extension 500.

Keeping you informed,
Karina Ramirez
940-566-6878
kramirez@dentonrc.com

Just wanted to pass the word around about a couple of events.

Civil Service Exam
Registration deadline for the City of Denton Police Civil Service Exam is next Friday, July 18. The test will take place on Saturday, July 26 at 9 a.m. (please arrive on time) at the University of North Texas Gateway Center, 801 North Texas Blvd.
Salary for a non-civil service recruit is of $3,900.52 a month, after one-year it increases to $4,161.73 a month.
For more information, please contact the Denton Police Department Officer Cleo Birckbichler at 940-349-7978 or Sgt. David Hildebrand at 940-349-7987.

HUB Certification Workshop
There will be a Women and Minority Owned Social followed by a HUB certification Workshop on Thursday, July 24 at the Quality Inn, 1500 Dallas Dr.
You may network with the other Denton area businesses, start and complete the HUB certification process and learn about doing business with the State of Texas and other local entities.

Participants include:
UNT Purchasing Dept.
TWU Procurement Dept.
State of Texas HUB Officials
NCTC SBDC
Denton County Purchasing

The event is sponsored by the Denton Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (DHCC), the Denton Black Chamber of Commerce, Texas Women's University, the City of Denton, Fuzzy's Taco Shop, North Central Texas Workforce Solutions, Alabaster Web Solutions, LLC and the North Texas Small Business Development Center Network (SBDC).

Register for the event at www.alabasterweb.com.

Keeping you informed,

Karina Ramírez
940-566-6878
kramirez@dentonrc.com

The Lake Cities 4th of July Celebration will take place at the City Park of Lake Dallas on Friday, July 4th.

Shannon Fields from the Special Events Department informed us that the event will kick off with the Bill Utter Ford Parade at 9 am that will travel through downtown Lake Dallas. Trophies will be given to winners in each division and overall winners will receive cash prizes of $500 for 1st place, $300 for 2nd place and $200 for 3rd. Immediately following the parade will be a Patriotic Presentation led by Cub Scout Pack 424 at the City Park Veteran's Memorial.

Event festivities include kid's activities, contests, food, art, and craft booths and live entertainment. Vendors will offer face painting, chair massage, art pieces, clothing, jewelry and more. The 2nd annual Lake Cities Idol Competition will take place from 3-5 pm and Eleven Hundred Springs will take the stage as the headliner band for the 2nd consecutive year that evening according to the news release.

Inflatables will be provided by Crosspointe Community Church. Games, food and drinks will be available for children of all ages at no charge. Game Central of Corinth will sponsor a Nintendo Wii Deluxe package give-away. Entries can be obtained from the 4th of July door hangers distributed to homes in the Lake Cities area or can be purchased at the event for just $2. The drawing will take place just before the fireworks show and you must be present to win. Other new additions to the event include a free throw contest, pony rides, and a petting zoo and horse-drawn carriage rides.

More information is available online at http://lakecitiesfourth.com/Welcome.html.

Keeping you informed,

Karina Ramírez
940-566-6878
kramirez@dentonrc.com

The Texas Parks & Wildlife Department will give a fish population demonstration this upcoming Wednesday, May 14.

The demonstration will take place during lunch at the 29th Annual Farm and Ranch Tour at Lake Ray Roberts.

According to Jennifer Rosenbaum, communications assistant with the Denton Chamber of Commerce the purpose of the tour is to feature some of the more successful and unique agri-business operations that brought in over $140 million into Denton County in 2007.

Tickets, which include transportation, lunch and refreshments, are $25 per person. A bus will depart from Stonehill Center at 8 a.m. and will return at approximately 4:30 p.m.

To reserve your seat please contact the chamber office, 940-382-9693.

Keeping you informed,

Karina Ramirez
940-566-6878
kramirez@dentonrc.com

Denton will be celebrating Cinco de Mayo this Saturday, May 3rd, at Quakertown Park on 321 E. McKinney.

This year organizers expect more than 12,000 people to attend, so make sure you grab your chair early.

The event will begin at 10 a.m. and it will end at 6 p.m.

Parade Route - http://www.dentoncinco.org/events2.shtml
Parade Categories - http://www.dentoncinco.org/parade_categories.shtml

If you take photos, please send them my way.

Keeping you informed,

Karina Ramírez
940-566-6878
kramirez@dentonrc.com

North Central Texas College will host their second annual conference on American Leadership on Saturday, April 12, from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Corinth campus.

The conference, made possible by an NTCT Go-For-It Grant and the Social Sciences Department, will focus on the following topics: the State of the Iraq War, issues with proportional representation and democracy; personal vs. national security and energy issues facing the America.

Speakers include Congressman Burgess, U.S. House of Representatives, Dr. Mike Campbell, UNT Regents Professor, Dr. Thomas Brunell, UTD Professor, Charles Williams, retired F.B.I. Special Agent and Bruce Bullock, Director of the Maguire Energy Institute from SMU.

The conference is open to the public and registration is required. To put your name on the list, please contact Lisa Morales, Social Sciences Instructor (NCTC-Corinth) at lmorales@nctc.edu.

Keeping you informed,

Karina Ramírez
940-566-6878
kramirez@dentonrc.com

Sorry to post so late...

DoubleDave’s Pizzaworks in Denton and the Student Association of Social Work at Texas Woman’s University have teamed up to raise money for TWU Food Pantry today.

DoubleDave’s will donate 10 percent of the net sales from 5-9 p.m. tonight (Wednesday, March 26) to aid the TWU Food Pantry, which provides food and personal hygiene items to students in need and also will collect nonperishable pantry items from customers.

Dine-in, carry out and delivery orders will all count towards the net sales. The restaurant is located at 220 W. University Drive, just minutes from the TWU campus.

The TWU Food Pantry is a project of TWU’s Department of Sociology and Social Work and serves 25-30 students each month, according to a press release. The pantry is housed in the Old Main Building in the Social Work Program office.

Items often needed by TWU Food Pantry include cereal, tuna salad packages, baby food, baby formula, canned vegetables, soups, diapers, soap and toilet paper.

For information, contact Stephanie Patrick at 940-387-4545 or 214-385-0297.

More information about TWU Food Pantry is available at http://www.twu.edu/o-ll/food_pantry.htm.

Keeping you informed,

Karina Ramírez
940-566-6878
kramirez@dentonrc.com