Keep Carrollton Beautiful

Immediate Release:
March 31, 2008

Contact:
Sharon Goddard, Founder and Executive Director
972.466.2121, sharonsdivinenature@yahoo.com

Media Photography Opportunity: Sat, April 19th, 12:00 – 1:00, City Hall parking lot

Photos – 1. Last year, Boy Scout Troop 114 did a great job.
2. Girl Scout Troop 1348 has helped every year.

Texas Trash-Off Countdown in Carrollton

Dallas/Carrollton –

Dallas County welcomed many special visitors to the Commissioners’ Court this month, and they all had one common purpose: to Keep Dallas County Clean & Beautiful. Welcoming the delegation, Commissioner Ken Mayfield noted, “By focusing on beautification, litter prevention, and waste minimization, we will continue to encourage the public, Keep Texas Beautiful affiliates, and other grassroots organizations to continue their important work.”

Ruthe Jackson, Grand Prairie Mayor Pro Tem, has led the “beautiful” delegation for 33 years of continuous recognition. March 1st through May 31st is a time to think about beautification. Keep America Beautiful sponsors the “Great American Clean-Up” and Keep Texas Beautiful has the “Don’t Mess With Texas Trash Off”, Earth Day and Arbor Day tree plantings.

Last year during the Great American Cleanup, 1069 Keep Carrollton Beautiful volunteers spent 4,840 hours collecting 16,850 pounds of litter and debris from green belts, streets, parks, rivers and shorelines in Carrollton. They are planning their fifth annual participation now.
“We all have a civic responsibility to participate in the education of our children, neighbors and the general public to nip climate change in the bud. Each act of community service shows each individual can make a difference in their own community,” said Sharon Goddard, Keep Carrollton Beautiful.

Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup is the nation's largest community improvement program. In 2007, the hardworking volunteers donated more than 7.7 million hours to clean, beautify and improve more than 17,000 communities during more than 30,000 events in all 50 states and beyond. Last year’s program netted 200 million pounds of litter and debris; planted 4.6 million trees, flowers and bulbs; cleaned 178,000 miles or roads, streets and highways; and diverted more than 70.6 million plastic (PET) bottles and more than 2.2 million scrap tires from the waste stream.

Trash-Off is a partnership between the Texas Department of Transportation and Keep Texas Beautiful. It was created to encourage Texans to refrain from littering and clean up roadsides. The 22nd annual Don’t Mess with Texas Trash-Off is the state’s largest one-day cleanup event. City-by-city across the state, the Texas Department of Transportation hopes Texans hear the call to action to volunteer for the annual Don’t Mess With Texas Trash-Off.

Locally, Keep Carrollton Beautiful is holding it’s Great American Cleanup/Don’t Mess With Texas Trash-Off on Saturday, April 19th. Go to www.KeepCarrolltonBeautiful.org to register your family, your group, your troop or your business. All Adopt-A-Spots will be cleaning; most of the schools; neighborhood groups, too. Get your group together and cleanup Carrollton with them!
***END***

Thanks for all you do for Carrollton,
Sharon Goddard
Founder and Executive Director
Keep Carrollton Beautiful,
a Gold Star Keep Texas Beautiful Affiliate
972.466.2121 phone and fax
1014 Noble Avenue, Carrollton, Texas 75006
www.keepcarrolltonbeautiful.org
Thanks for being part of Carrollton's Community Connection.

Great American Clean up

Great American Cleanup 2008
Keep Carrollton Beautiful

GREAT AMERICAN CLEANUP 2008 Saturday, April 19th from 9:00 am to 1:00 pm, City Hall parking lot, 1945 E. Jackson Road, Carrollton, Texas 75006

Keep America Beautiful's Great American Cleanup, the nation's largest community improvement program, takes place annually from March 1 through May 31, involving an estimated 2.8 million volunteers and attendees. The hardworking volunteers donated more than 7.7 million hours in 2007 to clean, beautify and improve more than 17,000 communities during more than 30,000 events in all 50 states and beyond.

Nationally, last year’s Great American Cleanup netted 200 million pounds of litter and debris; planted 4.6 million trees, flowers and bulbs; cleaned 178,000 miles or roads, streets and highways; and diverted more than 70.6 million plastic (PET) bottles and more than 2.2 million scrap tires from the waste stream. Last year, 1069 Keep Carrollton Beautiful volunteers spent 4,840 hours collecting 16,850 pounds of litter and debris from green belts, streets, parks, rivers and shorelines in Carrollton. We are planning to add a great deal to that total this year.
Keep Carrollton Beautiful educates citizens about their responsibility in litter prevention; ways to reduce, reuse, recycle and rebuy; and properly manage waste materials. Keep Carrollton Beautiful also forms strategic partnerships with businesses, organizations and individuals to beautify and improve our community.
Join us!

Plan for a morning of community service on Saturday, April 19th
Register your group HEREand get registration and volunteer release forms
Fax or email registration before April 4th

Fill out volunteer release form for each participant and bring the day of the event

Come to the back parking lot of City Hall - 1945 E. Jackson, 75006 - at 9:00 am

Get your trash bags, gloves, t-shirts and assigned area map or tell us where you want to clean
Clean your assigned area and bring your trash back to City Hall to be counted –
unless it is too large to move (get specific location for City to pick up)
Give us your trash, get freebies from our sponsors, play an environmental game, have lunch and celebrate ! If you want to order a Great American Cleanup patch, bring $2.00 per patch Look for final wrap up in Dallas Morning News’ Carrollton Neighbor, Carrollton Leader and on our website
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Great American Cleanup 2007 Wrap-up

Keep Carrollton Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup was a smashing success – counting only the reported events, Adopt-A-Spot, HOA and school cleanups – they collected almost 16,000 pounds of trash and debris and recycled 4,100 pounds of newspaper and drink containers! During the Great American Cleanup, 1013 volunteers spent 4669 hours cleaning Carrollton – volunteers really make a difference!

More than 500 participants at Kent Elementary’s Earth Day celebration stated the roll. Their PTA and Keep Carrollton Beautiful won State Farm Good Neighbor Service-Learning Award grant to fund planting 600 flowers and a tree. Keep Carrollton Beautiful gave their contest winners t-shirts and prizes for their efforts.


The Great American Cleanup event netted 4000 pounds of litter and debris collected by 250 volunteers. The volunteers all received praise, t-shirts and lunch. A good morning spent working in the community for a great cause!

Adopt-A-Spot, Home Owners’ Associations and other schools held cleanups as well. Kent Elementary even had a Multi-Cultural Night to learn about different cultures, geography and environmental issues affecting other countries.

Intuit Inc. and Exponent HR brought Keep Carrollton Beautiful’s Great American Cleanup to a dramatic close by collecting 1600 gushy pounds of trash out of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River and surrounding McInnish Park. Intuit’s “We Care and Give Back” team have been partnering with Keep Carrollton Beautiful to clean the river for four years now. “These guys are so enthusiastic, we love helping them. And they spent 238 hours helping Carrollton. We really appreciate them,” said Sharon Goddard, founder of Keep Carrollton Beautiful.

Public input on Grants

City Seeks Public Input on Federal Grant Funding

On October 1, 2008, the City of Carrollton will receive approximately $799,275 in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). According to Federal law, these funds must be utilized for the principal benefit of persons of low- and moderate-income in Carrollton. In addition, the city will utilize $59,764 of CDBG program income received in Program Year 2007.

In an effort to solicit increased community participation and involvement in identifying community development needs, the Neighborhood Advisory Commission (NAC) will conduct a public hearing to receive citizen input.The Neighborhood Advisory Commission (NAC) cordially invites your comments, concerns and/or ideas on the potential use of these funds.

Last year’s accomplishments include: reconstruction of streets and sidewalks in the Carrollton Highlands neighborhood, successful completion of eight People Helping People minor home repair projects and a total of 1,130 code enforcement actions in the CDBG target area. The city expended 100 percent of its CDBG funds for activities that principally benefit low and moderate income persons. Activities eligible for funding under the CDBG regulations include: the enhancement or rehabilitation of community facilities; reconstruction of streets and sidewalks; replacement of water mains and sewer lines; improvements to public parks; housing rehabilitation; first-time homebuyers’ assistance; etc.

If you are unable to attend, you may submit written comments, concerns and/or ideas to the following address:
Neighborhood Advisory Commission,
c/o Mr. Scott Hudson,
City of Carrollton,
Environmental Services,
1945 E Jackson Road,
Carrollton, Texas 75006,
PHONE: (972) 466-4299, Fax: (972) 466-3175,
Email: community.development@cityofcarrollton.com

Honoring Cesar Chavez

Honoring Cesar Chavez
Dinner ProgramMonday,

March 315:30 to 7:00 PM

Cuquita's Restaurant

Farmers Branch

I am pleased to invite you to a dinner event, If you can make it, please let me know. It is $35/person. Funds will go to Dallas Peace Center.

The Dallas Peace Center will be honoring Cesar Chavez, this Monday, March 31 at Cuquita's Restaurant in Farmers Branch.

Dinner will be from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. followed by a short program. State Representatives Rafael Anchia and Roberto Alonzo are scheduled to attend. Rebeca Aguilar, former Fox News reporter is scheduled to speak as well.

Mariachi Los Reyes de Dallas will be performing from 6:00 to 7:00 during the dinner hour.Please contact the Dallas Peace Center directly to purchase your tickets. You may call them at 214-823-7793 or link onto their website.Don't miss out on this wonderful evening that will surely be fun for all.The message is ready to be sent with the following file or link attachments:

Shortcut to: http://dallaspeacecenter.org/Chavez

Mike Ghouse, DirectorDallas Peace Center.

Mayor Becky Miller honored

Congratulations to our Mayor Becky Miller, the newly elected President of Association of Mayors. This puts us prominently on the state map.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008
Carrollton Mayor Becky Miller elected president of state association
BY PEGASUS NEWS WIRE

Carrollton Mayor Becky Miller

CARROLLTON — Carrollton Mayor Becky Miller was recently elected President of the Association of Mayors, Councilmembers and Commissioners (AMCC) in Texas. The group is an affiliate of the Texas Municipal League, and serves to keep elected officials up-to-date on emerging municipal issues. Mayor Miller served as AMCC Vice-President for the past year, and is also the current President of the Metroplex Mayor’s Association.

Mayor Miller, in recognition of her commitment to continuing education as an elected public servant, was also recently a recipient of the AMCC/Texas Municipal League Award of Excellence. The honor is presented to officials who have received a Texas Municipal League Institute (TMLI) continuing education certificate for five consecutive years. Only five Texas elected officials currently hold this designation.

The TMLI program is designed to enhance the leadership and problem-solving capabilities of Texas’ elected officials. Participants are offered educational sessions regarding legal issues, budgeting, governance, personnel, open meetings and more.

The City of Carrollton was also honored with the Award of Leadership for Miller’s involvement in the continuing education program.

Source: City of Carrollton

Becky Miller for Mayor

Becky Miller for Mayor

Mike Ghouse, March 07, 2008

I am pleased to announce that Mayor Becky Miller is running for the 2nd term as a Mayor. In the last few years I have grown to understand and respect her leadership in taking Carrollton forward. She has what it takes to pull different resource and people together to make it happen.

At this juncture of City’s growth, DART coming to town, H-Mart taking off and a lot of retail and restaurant development in the offing, her resources will come handy to put a nice touch to the growth of Carrollton.

Please register to vote before April 10th, as soon as the early voting dates are announced, I urge you to support her. May 10th is the day for final voting.

If you wish to volunteer, please look up her website http://www.votebecky.com/

Carrollton Interfaith group

Carrollton Interfaith group

Monthly Meeting on Wednesday, March 12

We are a group of about 25 Members from different faith backgrounds and meet once a month for about 9 times a year. Each month a place of worship sponsors the event and those interested are invited for fellowship on lunch.

Metrocrest Ministers Fellowship Meeting

Wednesday, March 12, 11:45 – 1:00 p.m.
Location: Farmers Branch Church of Christ, 3035 Valley View Lane (at Webb Chapel) in Farmers Branch
Host: Eddy Ketchersid, Farmers Branch Church of Christ, 3035 Valley View Lane.
Lunch will be provided

PLEASE RSVP BY RETURN EMAIL to: mss@metrocrestsocialservices.org

REMAINDING MEETINGS FOR THIS YEAR:
Wednesday, April 9, 2008, hosted by Tim Clowers, Grace Church, USA, 4020 Nazarene Drive between Hebron and Hwy 121 Bypass

Wednesday, May, 2008, to be confirmed,

Bunny Summerlin,
Executive Director
(972) 446-2100 ext. 16 / (972) 446-2102 FAX

Prayers in City Hall

ALL INCLUSIVE PLURALISM PRAYERS

City of Carrollton, March 4, 2008

.

Hon. Becky Miller, Mayor of City of Carrollton introduced Mike Ghouse to do deliver the invocation at the Carrollton City council - 7:00 PM, Tuesday, March 4, 2008.

Good evening;

Greetings, I am pleased to share the various, but not all the Carrolltonian greetings in alphabetical order, I will pause after each one, and you are welcome to repeat after me.

Bahai Greetings; Allah Abho

Buddhist: Buddha Namo

Christian: Peace be upon you

Hindu : Namaste

Muslim : Salaam

Jainism: Jai Jinendra

Judaism : Shalom

Sikhism: Satsri Akaal

Zoroastrianism: Hamazor Hamo Asho bed

And a big Hi for All others;

I am Mike Ghouse, with the Foundation for Pluralism and our mission is to open our hearts and minds towards our fellow beings, we believe, if we can learn to accept and respect the God given uniqueness of each one of us, then conflicts fade and solutions emerge.

AND NOW, THE PRAYERS:

Dear God, Please accept our prayers in every name we call upon you, we love to call you Father God, Ahura Mazda, Allah, Jehovah, Brahma, Vishnu, Wahe Guru, Mahavir, Buddha, Jesus Christ and every name that we are not aware.

Dear God, help us keep the purity of our hearts, and help us achieve humility.

Dear God, help us learn to overcome our prejudices, anger, and our jealousies

Dear God, help us overcome our ignorance about others.

Dear God, help us honor other ways of worshipping you.

Dear God, help us recognize that arrogance is the root cause of all evil and keep us away from it.

Dear God, help us live a life of following your guidance.

Dear God, help us believe in the supremacy of you and the oneness of humankind.

Dear God, thank you for allowing us to reach this season, for sustaining us, and for bringing together this evening for this event.

Dear God, bless our men and women who are protecting our freedom for us.

Dear God, help us in upholding Justice and liberty for every American.

Dear God, bless our Mayor, this august council and the staff for serving our City.

Dear God, to night, our Fire Department men and women are being honored for their exemplary service to our City, please bless them with your grace.

Dear God, in your name we begin tonight’s meeting and seek your blessings and guidance to do the right and Just thing.

Amen

Write your comments to: MikeGhouse@Gmail.com
In the subject line please write :: Pluralism Prayers in Carrollton

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Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker, Writer and a Moderator. He is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television network discussing Pluralism, politics, Islam, Religion, Terrorism, India and civic issues. His comments, news analysis, opinions and columns can be found on the Websites and Blogs listed at his personal website www.MikeGhouse.net. He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com or (214) 325-1916

© MIKE GHOUSE 2001- 2008

Obama, the Shepherd

OBAMA, THE SHEPHERD
Mike Ghouse, February 27, 2008
Obama Party in Carrollton, Sunday, March 2 - details below
.

This is the first time in our nation's history that some one is speaking the needs, wants and voices of a majority of the people. He is neither a right winger extremist, nor a leftist but a moderate right down the middle embracing and bringing every American together to participate and contribute towards the success, safety and security of America.

An overwhelming majority of us are moderates, people who want to get along with everyone and focus on living the American dream; education, employment, family, children, car, home and a secure retirement. Thank God for Obama, he mirrors the aspirations of millions of Americans and is our new shepherd on the political spectrum. He will lead us to a safe, secure, strong, and respectable and a healthy America.

Obama is for a strong America, where our economic and military strength is leveraged to persuade nations to follow the policy of live and let live and imbibe the democratic principles of honoring the voices and acknowledging the validity of every member of the society. It is in our interest to have peace around us, it is in our interest to create a just world, when others are at peace, and we reap the dividends as well. It is economical to pursue peace than bully around and frighten others. When others are frightened, our peace and safety is on the line as well.

Barak believes in talking with enemy, rather than frustrating the enemy to a point where we have to guard our selves every moment of the day and watch out for the destruction of our own peace, safety and security. Mother Teresa had once said "If you want to make peace, you don't talk to your friends. You talk to your enemies."

A healthy America is not a social medicine, as my fellow Republicans are brainwashed to believe. Our investment in the health of our people ensures that we have a reliable and productive work force, the healthier we are, the lesser the loss of time on job, more income produces more revenue. Where as an unhealthy America makes us lose on productivity and the costs that go with it. A healthy America is a productive America and it is in our national interest to preserve and strengthen it, this is the other side of coin of a strong America. It is not a charity; it is the best investment a nation can make in her people. The money we blew in Iraq could have done so much better for us at home.

Not all, but the core of the Republican Party is focused on manufacturing fear, building empires and relentlessly making enemies. We don’t need their nightmares. Neither of one of us in the world would live in peace with those attitudes. Their approach to Iraq has given birth to Al-Qaeda that was not there before and our presence in Iraq will produce more of them. It is time to respectfully give them their land and come back home with dignity and respect for the Iraqi’s to manage their own affairs. We are worse off today than we were in 2002. The few extremists in Republican Party frighten the public and then create false security, it is time for the majority of Republicans to speak up or lose in the elections. Barak has the inclination to remove the causes for such fears and his administration will restore our respect in the community of nations. That would be the best thing that can happen. It will make us morally strong again.

The Chinese philosopher Fo-Sho-Hing-Tsan-King meant to pass the following wisdom to our War mongers, “Conquer your foe by force, you increase his enmity; conquer by love, and you will reap no after-sorrow.” Until the hard core Republicans come down from their high horses and believe in humility, compassion, peace and respect for humanity, the Americans will keep them frustrated. The frighteners cannot be saviors.

A strong, safe, prosperous and healthy America should be our goal and Barak is the one who will deliver it.

Please register your attendance at: http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=43583

Two part event: 1) Learn and share about Obama and 2) Make phone calls from your cell.


Sunday, March 2, 2008 - 4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Banquet hall next door to Barbeque Tonite Restaurant
2540 Old Denton road, suite 173 - Old Denton at Trinity Mills (Bush Frwy)/ (972) 877-9133

Mike Ghouse
A Republican for Obama
(214) 325-1916

Write your comments to: CommentstoMike@Gmail.com
In the subject line please write :: Obama the Shepherd.

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Mike Ghouse is a Speaker, Thinker, Writer and a Moderator. He is a frequent guest on talk radio and local television network discussing Pluralism, politics, Islam, Religion, Terrorism, India and civic issues. His comments, news analysis, opinions and columns can be found on the Websites and Blogs listed at his personal website www.MikeGhouse.net. He can be reached at MikeGhouse@gmail.com or (214) 325-1916

Obama Rally

Obama - Rally in Carrollton

Register to attend "Yes we can Obama Rally" on Sunday, March 2
between 4 PM and 6:30 PM

http://pol.moveon.org/event/events/event.html?event_id=43583

Sunday, March 2, 2008
4:00 PM to 6:30 PM
Barbeque tonite Restaurant
2540 Old Denton road, suite 173
Old Denton at Trinity Mills (Bush Frwy)
http://www.mikeghouse.net/

For the first time in our history, we have a candidate who is representing you, me and every American; he is an all inclusive candidate.

“as the son of an immigrant, his experience can affirm that the American dream is still intact for everyone, regardless of where one's parents were born. His dedication to his family, strong work ethic, opposition to the war in Iraq and deep faith are all qualities that are important to Latino voters." Indeed, he represents the hopes of every American; born, naturalized, white, Black, brown or yellow, Atheist, Bahai, Buddhist, Christian, Hindu, Jain, Jewish, Muslim, Native Indian, Sikh, Shinto, Wicca, Zoroastrian and every American. Obama has become a powerful symbol of pluralism and inclusiveness.

Join us between 4 and 6 PM on Sunday, March 2 at Barbeque tonite, in Carrollton at the SE Corner of Old Denton and Trinity Mills (Bush Frwy or I-90). Be a part of the change to put American on the path of peace, progress and co-existence.

Mike Ghouse (214) 325-1916
http://www.mikeghouse.net/