With Black Friday and Cyber Monday behind us, let’s take some time to focus on others with an attitude of giving. Giving Tuesday is a globally recognized day dedicated to giving back to the city, community, coworkers and all others who have made an impact on our lives. With this holiday in its fourth year of celebrating generosity, I want to encourage you to give back during this charitable giving season.
Feel like you have nothing to give? Not all giving comes in the form of monetary donations. Check out how one window washing company in Philadelphia made an impact in their community when their wallets weren’t able to. Click here for the full story. If you feel it in your heart to give, maybe not today but in the weeks to come, and are unsure as to what immediate needs are around your community use this helpful resource as a starting point. What’s Happening Near Me? is an online database of schools, nonprofits, organizations and foundations complete with contact information and links to help connect you. Make sure to spread the attitude of giving through social media and tag #GivingTuesday.
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Looking for more fun and festive things to do in the area? San Antonio has a few things coming up! November 25: Ford Holiday River Parade & Lighting Festival This celebration is held downtown, the day after Thanksgiving. Join in on the fun of lighting up the streets and river of downtown San Antonio while watching the incredibly decorated floats glide by. December 2-18: Ford Fiesta de las Luminarias Head downtown on the Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between December 2nd and 18th around dusk to be guided down the river by over 6,000 luminarias. November 27- January 2: VIA’s Holiday Special on the Blue Route Take advantage of this inexpensive way to get from Southtown to the Pearl during the holiday season and check out the different stops, attractions and shops. For only $1.20, you can experience the various holiday events going on through downtown San Antonio. For more information, visit their website here. December 3: Tamales at Pearl Yep, you read right: TAMALES! Tamales! Holiday Festival at the Pearl has been a hit ever since it started and it’s not dying down anytime soon. On December 3rd from 12-6PM, check out the various 40 tamale vendors, live music and more. November 30- December 18: Ford Holiday Boat Caroling More than 185 school, church, company and civic choral groups will float down the river each night, from 6-9PM singing live Christmas carols to passing pedestrians. What’s better than a free show? Celebrate locally and have a Happy Thanksgiving, my fellow San Antonians! What’s your motivation? What stirs you into action?
If you’re anything like me, there are long imaginary lists floating in your head that include a ton of fun and exciting things to do. For example, I want to ride a bike throughout downtown San Antonio, be in the River Parade waiving at the crowds; I want to have dessert at the Tower of Americas and sketch the skyline. Personally, sometimes it takes a whole lot of deep breaths and convincing that I can actually do those things. But when I shake off the fear of failure/disappointment and let my body catch up with my imaginary list… it is then that my mind is really blown and joy replaces the negative emotion. Motivational speaker Jim Rohn once said, “Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.” For me that quote means that I can really do anything that I put my mind to. Keeping that positive thinking then becomes a habit which in turn creates no room for fear. For you, that quote may encourage you to get stirred back into eating healthy to boost your confidence, or maybe it means caring more for others because you know how it feels to be cared for. Either way it is my hope that however you find your motivation, that you are stirred back into action. Check out these 5 ways to get motivated by the Inspirational Lady. They are quick, easy and hopefully they encourage you to get a jump start on your motivation. Let’s end the year on a high note, stir up some adventure and love this one life that we get to live. ‘Tis the season for gathering around and breathing in the deep aroma of pumpkin pies, ham, turkey and evergreen pine needles. Every gathering seems to have one or two traditions that are either universal or unique to their family. Community Education, although one family, is composed of many families, each with their unique take on the holidays. Here are just a few traditions that take place within our larger Community Education family. Brittany, KIN Training Coordinator, “On Christmas Eve my family and I typically have a party at my aunt’s house. On Christmas day we spend time at my grandmother’s home. The two days after Christmas are spent doing one adult family event like bowling and one child event like going to the movies. Holidays are always best when spent with family.” Amanda, Community Education Programmer, “After our Thanksgiving turkey-coma we rest up for a night spent standing outside the nearest Target. My mom, brother, sister-in-law and I are usually the ones brave enough to bear the cold desert night playing cards and waiting patiently. We are always up for a good deal, and a good rush of adrenaline.” Olga, Community Education Registration Specialist, “This is one of our December holiday traditions. First, we pick up Starbucks, our favorite holiday drinks. Then we slowly drive through the Windcrest Light Up event, enjoying the homes with displays of thousands of holiday lights and decorations. They are beautiful! Just to think about all the work that goes into decorating these homes for others to enjoy. Looking at all the lights and decorations on ordinary homes and trees is just a beautiful sight to ME!” Ann, Administrative Assistant to the Executive Director, “When our children were little, we would go to Mass on Christmas Eve and on the way home we would drive around the different neighborhoods and enjoy the outdoor light displays. The children were also looking up at the sky hoping to catch a glimpse of Santa. When we got home and Santa had already dropped off their gifts, everyone was allowed to open one present that evening. The rest were left to be opened on Christmas morning – after Santa made a second trip to deposit gifts he had left over in his sleigh.” Whether you continue your own family traditions, or are looking to start new ones of your own, we hope that this season you find yourself making joyful memories that will last a life-time.
Happy Holidays, NEISD Community Education
We have a very special event coming up in a couple of weeks! Get your calendars out because on November 29, 2016, you will find our NEISD Community Choir singing the National Anthem at the Spurs game. The Spurs will take on the Orlando Magic at 7:30PM on this chilly night and our choir will be there to cheer them on as well as perform.
The NEISD Community Choir has been around for almost 10 years now and it’s our fall tradition to perform at a Spurs game. If you haven’t heard these talented guys and gals before, check out their final concert this past spring: If you are interested in joining the NEISD Community Choir for the spring, keep a look out for our spring 2017 catalog coming out in mid-January. The Veterans Day National Ceremony is held each year on November 11th at Arlington National Cemetery and is intended to honor and thank all who served in the United States Armed Forces. I bet you don’t know why Veterans Day is celebrated on November 11th! Find out the historical significance and get the whole story here. Veterans Day is important to me. My dad, Chief Petty Officer Howard A. “Buddy” Smith, Jr. is a Vietnam veteran who served in the U.S. Navy in the Mobile Construction Battalion Eleven (Seabees MCB-11). In 1968, he was part of the Quang Tri Combat Base deployment and traveled to Da Nang before returning home in 1969. I am proud of the work he did, the sacrifices he made and the example he has set for me. Veterans Day is important to us. In the Adult & Community Education department, we are honored to work alongside veterans Joanne Doll, Dolores Lozano and Larry Zimmermann. Joanne Doll was a specialist who served eight years in the U.S. Army Military Police Corps stationed at Hunter Army Airfield. First Lieutenant Mary Dolores Lozano served eleven years in the Army National Guard Signal Corps Battalion. She was the first female Hispanic woman to become an officer in her unit. Retired Captain Larry Zimmerman served ten years in the U.S. Army Medical Corp as a combat medic and laboratory technician. Dolores, Larry & Joanne – we HONOR you. Veterans Day is important to you. Honoring our veterans by hearing their stories and paying tribute helps preserve the freedoms we enjoy today. These men and women, throughout our history, gave freely and unselfishly in defense of our democratic principles.
How can we honor our veterans?
It’s Election Day! The day is finally here. Have you voted yet? The United States has a long history of voting:
Making sure everyone in the United States had the right to vote was a long, tedious process, so don’t take advantage of it. Go out and vote!
Don’t know where your voting location is? If you live in Bexar County, use this handy precinct finder to find your election day polling location. What better to get you excited about voting than good ‘ol Schoolhouse Rock!? Happiness can come in all shapes and sizes. It can come in the form of seeing your child take their first steps, cuddling a puppy, watching an elderly couple hold hands on their evening walk or even in the form of a giant ice cream sundae. Whether your happiness comes from observations, interactions or partaking in a delicious treat, I want to encourage you to breathe in happiness this week in celebration of National Pursuit of Happiness Week (Nov. 7 – 13). Hopefully the next few days start a healthy habit of seeing all that is happy (and beautiful) around you. Daylight Saving Time ends this Sunday, November 6th as clocks fall back one hour at 2:00 am.
… extra sleep … extra hour of being out on the town … early wake-up call (for those parents and pet-owners out there). While this doesn’t apply to those living in Hawaii or Arizona, it definitely applies to those of us in the grand ol’ state of Texas. With one “extra” hour added to our schedule, what will you do with it? Pumpkin Spiced Latte Season began nationwide early in September and now that the weather is a tad bit cooler in San Antonio, natives may begin to feel like drinking their favorite hot Pumpkin Spice beverage – the Pumpkin Spice Latte (PSL). No Starbucks in your neighborhood? Never fear – Dunkin’ Donuts and McDonalds have also jumped on the PSL bandwagon. According to the Dunkin’ Donuts web site, “Guests can savor the season with Dunkin’ Donuts’ delicious pumpkin flavored coffee and lattes, served hot or iced. Dunkin’ Donuts’ Pumpkin Macchiato, also served hot or iced, is a handcrafted, layered espresso beverage made with steamed milk and pumpkin flavored swirl, then topped with a double shot of Dunkin’ Donuts’ rich, freshly-brewed espresso. Dunkin’ Donuts will also bring back baked goods perfect for a fall treat any time of day, including the Pumpkin Donut, a glazed pumpkin cake donut that can also be enjoyed as bite-size MUNCHKINS® donut hole treats. Dunkin’ Donuts’ Pumpkin Muffin is a pumpkin spiced autumn delight topped with white icing and sweet streusel crumbs. For fall brew-at-home options, Dunkin’ Donuts Pumpkin flavored K-Cup® pods are available in a box of 14 individually-sized portions, and Dunkin’ Donuts’ packaged Pumpkin flavored coffee is available in a 16 oz. size. Both are available at participating Dunkin’ Donuts restaurants as well as online at http://shop.dunkindonuts.com. For a new fall treat, Dunkin’ Donuts has introduced new Pumpkin Spice packaged coffee and K-Cup® pods (in both 10-count and 16-count boxes), available at grocery stores nationwide for a limited time only.” If you find yourself in the McDonald’s drive thru try ordering a McCafé Pumpkin Spice Latte, “freshly brewed and spiced to perfection with hints of pumpkin and cinnamon flavors”, it’s sure to please. If you prefer the classic Pumpkin Spice Latte from Starbucks, there’s nothing wrong with that either! Did you know the spicy drink originated at Starbucks in 2003? That’s right, it turned 13 years old this year! Interested to learn its origins? Check out this article from the Washington Post. I’ve been ordering this addictive beverage for a few years and I’m ready to try something a little more adventurous. I think I will keep this pinned to my phone for a quick reference next time I’m in line. 8 Starbucks secret menu pumpkin spice drinks you need to order! Pumpkin spice isn’t just for lattes though there are tons of ready-made (& ready to make) food items found on store shelves this season. If you’re a Trader Joe’s fan check out this post about their pumpkin spice foods, ranked from best to worst. A few of my favorite things they left off the list? Trader Joe’s Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancake Mix and TJ’s Pumpkin Spice Coffee. Mmmm….. If baking or cooking is your thing there are PLENTY of pumpkin spice recipes to make your heart sing. From Pumpkin Spice French Toast and Fluffy Pumpkin Pancakes to sweet treats like Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes and Soft & Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles (Yum!) And because pumpkin is not just about lattes and sweets, check out these 39 savory recipes containing pumpkin. Finally, if you’re looking for a super cute & unique mug from which to drink your PSL at home, check out Etsy’s selection of popular items. Cheers & bon appétit! |
AuthorNEISD Community Education Archives
August 2017
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