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Nunsense! Tickets on Sale Now

Don’t miss Fort Bend Theatre’s performance of the hilariously outrageous production Nunsense at 2815 Main Street, Stafford, January 27 – February 5, Fridays and Saturdays at 8 pm and Sundays at 3 pm. Sister Julia, Child of God, has accidently poisoned the fifty-two bingo-playing nuns that help run a leper colony on an island south of France. With no funds for the burials, five of the nineteen surviving nuns must find a way to overcome this disaster. What follows is a sidesplitting story that will have you begging for more! Tickets are $12 for children, $14 for students and seniors and $15 for adults. Visit www.fortbendtheatre.com or call 281-208-3333. .

Rose-Rich Helping Hands’ Hearts and Hands Gala

Join an evening of fun, music and dining at Safari Texas in Richmond. Helping Hands’ fundraiser of the year will be held on Saturday, March 3, 2012, beginning at 6:00 PM. The Gala will feature a sit down dinner and dance, silent auction, live auction and raffle. Funds from this event are used to supplement the food and clothing donations received from the community.

Returning as Mistress of Ceremonies will be Miss Laura Reynolds of KILT radio. Music will be provided by Ken Mondshind and Brotherhood. Judge Jim Richards will serve as auctioneer. Tickets are $75 per person or $750 per table of ten. Sponsorships are available and include priority seating and program acknowledgement. Chair persons are Donna Hyde and Karen Davenport. For more information, call 281.232.4904, e-mail hhfoodnb@comcast.net, or visit www.roserichhelpinghands.org.

Vangellow Recognized as U.S. Kids Golf Top 50 Kids Teacher

Deb Vangellow of Sugar Land is among the class of the Top 50 Kids Teachers for 2011, as announced by U.S. Kids Golf.

Vangellow has been a junior golf instructor for 22 years and is currently an LPGA Master Professional at Sweetwater Country Club, where she has been for 17 years. This is the third time that she has been named a Top 50 Kids Teacher by U.S. Kids Golf.

“I am so pleased to be listed among such fine junior golf leaders across the country and am grateful to U.S. Kids Golf not only for the recognition, but for the longtime relationship with a terrific product line,” Vangellow said. “I feel fortunate to do what I do every day, and junior golfers continue to inspire me and remind me of this daily.”

The award, in its eighth year, recognizes golf professionals across North America who focus much of their time and energy on developing young golfers in their communities. The instructors are judged on several criteria, including percentage of time devoted to kids programs, creativity, communication and efforts to grow the game.

“The Top 50 Kids Teachers represent a group of professionals who are dedicated to helping kids develop their skills and their love of the game,” said Dan Van Horn, founder and president of U.S. Kids Golf. “We are pleased to recognize their talents and commitment.”

The 2011 Top 50 Kids Teachers were recognized Friday, January 27, at the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando.!

Atlantic League MVP Josh Pressley Named Skeeters First Player

The Sugar Land Skeeters have announced that they have signed former Atlantic League MVP Josh Pressley as the organization’s first player. Pressley comes to the Skeeters from the Five-Time Atlantic League Champion Somerset Patriots.

“We’re excited to have a player of Pressley’s caliber,” said Gary Gaetti, Manager of the Sugar Land Skeeters. “Josh with his experience and leadership is the kind of guy that we are looking to build our organization around. He brings a strong bat to the middle of our lineup, which we’re glad to have.”

Pressley, a designated hitter and first baseman, comes to the Skeeters with career stats in the Atlantic League of .308 batting average, 310 runs scored, 594 hits, 121 doubles, 96 home runs and 378 RBIs in 545 games played from 2007 through 2011. He is a five-time Atlantic League All-Star.

Pressley, who has family in the nearby Houston community The Woodlands, wanted the opportunity to play the 2012 season with family in the crowd.

“Playing in Sugar Land will provide me a chance to spend time with family while also enabling them to be a part of my journey as a professional player,” said Pressley. “To be part of organization like the Skeeters is something that I am excited about.” For more information, visit www.SugarLandSkeeters.com.

Join the Skeeters Family - Skeeters Launch Host Family Program

The Sugar Land Skeeters are currently seeking community members that are interested in becoming a host family for a Skeeters player during the Inaugural 2012 baseball season.

“Our host family program is extremely important to the entire baseball operation,” said Michael Kirk, Director of Baseball Operations. “By hosting a player, you give that player, who is otherwise many miles away from their home environment and loved ones, a sense of home during the course of a long season.”

Hosting a player gives fans the rare opportunity to get involved with the Sugar Land Skeeters on a personal level, as one of the players will be an “adopted member of the family” during his time here in Sugar Land. All that is required to be a host family is a private bedroom and use of a bathroom, washer/dryer and kitchen for a Skeeters player. Any other amenities provided will be greatly appreciated by the player.

“Many players have become like an extended member of our family,” said Linda Davidson, a Host Family member of the York Revolution. “We have stayed in touch with many of the players. Year in and year out, hosting a player in the Atlantic League has been a positive experience for everyone involved.”

For information about the Sugar Land Skeeters Host Family Program, please contact Michael Kirk at 281.240.4565. Interested families can also send an email to hostfamily@SugarLandSkeeters.com.

Fort Bend Empty Bowls Event To Benefit East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry

East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry (EFBHNM) will be hosting the 3rd Annual Fort Bend Empty Bowls event on Friday, March 23, 2012 from 6:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m. at Safari Texas Ranch. Guests will be served a meal of soup and bread as a reminder of families in Fort Bend County who don’t have enough food to eat. The soups will be provided by some of the best restaurants in the area. Hand-designed soup bowls which have been donated by local professional and amateur artists will be on display. The evening will also include live entertainment, silent and live auctions, along with a special style show featuring fashions from Tri-City Churches Resale Shop.

All proceeds from the Fort Bend Empty Bowls event will benefit East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry. Services provided by EFBHNM have been helping families in crisis for 21 years. The Food Pantry and other Emergency Assistance Programs at EFBHNM assist over 3,000 Fort Bend residents each month who are struggling to make ends meet.

Tickets to the event are $25 per person. Sponsorship opportunities are available. To purchase tickets or to find out more about Fort Bend Empty Bowls, contact Connie Esposito at Connie@HumanNeeds.org or 281.261.4902.

Men Who Cook Slated for February 18th

Who is Fort Bend County’s “top chef?”  Find out at the Lamar Educational Award Foundation’s (L.E.A.F.) annual Men Who Cook presented this year by Andy Sanford, Ryan O’Hara and Diana Alexander of RBC Wealth Management.   Men Who Cook will feature the culinary treats of 49 “celebrity” cooks along with dancing and auctions.

The event will be held February 18 at 6:30 p.m. in the Texas Ballroom at Safari Texas Ranch. Jeff Council will be the auctioneer for the evening, and the Billie Ledbetter Orchestra will provide the evening’s musical entertainment. Proceeds from the evening are used to support the creative ideas and classroom projects by Lamar CISD teachers that would otherwise go unfunded. L.E.A.F. also offers scholarship to graduating Lamar CISD students and to paraprofessionals working on their teaching certificates. In eleven years of existence, L.E.A.F. has invested more than $1.42 million into LCISD schools.

Tickets for the gala are $60. For more information regarding L.E.A.F. or to purchase tickets, contact Janice Knight at 832.223.0334.

Texana Gala Committee Is Hard At Work For “Reaching For The Stars 2012”

Prepare for launch, as we set off for another galaxy at Texana Center’s Reaching for the Stars 2012 Gala. Legacy Ford is in full command as the Presenting Sponsor for the event to take place on Friday, April 13 at Safari Texas Ranch.

Franco Albarran is returning for a second year as the Gala Chair. He has a great committee that is already hard at work preparing an evening of great food, fabulous entertainment and superb company. But, as if that is not enough, there will be a chance to bid on unique items in the live and silent auctions.

The event will benefit the Texana Center’s behavioral healthcare and intellectual and developmental disabilities services and programs.

This year’s Honorary Chairs are Commissioner James and Mary Jo Patterson who have worked tirelessly to improve the lives of people in Fort Bend County with intellectual disabilities. They are supported by a group of distinguished community leaders who have agreed to serve on the Honorary Committee: Farha Ahmed and Zubair Ashraf, Don and Darla Farmer, Don and Celia Olson, Randy and Gail Parker and Larry and Lucia Street.

Commissioner James Patterson, one of Fort Bend County’s outstanding auctioneers, has also agreed to lend his persuasive skills as he guides guests through the live auction. Back by popular request is Yvonne Washington who will entertain guests with a fabulous mix of music to dance the night away. As always, Texana is also planning a surprise for the audience – so don’t miss out!

Table sponsorships begin at $1,500 and individual tickets are $100 each. For information about sponsorship or tickets, contact 281.239.1311. To purchase tickets online, visit www.texanacenter.com.

Hope for Three to Benefit from 2012 Golf for Greater Houston Charity Tournament

Hope for Three has been named a recipient of the 2012 Golf for Greater Houston charity tournament to be held at the Sweetwater Country Club in Sugar Land on March 26. Hope for Three, a non-profit focused on assisting families with autistic children, is one of four organizations to benefit from the annual fundraiser. Other non-profits include the ARC of Fort Bend, Casa de Esperanza and The Children’s Assessment Center. Golf for Greater Houston, formerly known as Golf for Fort Bend, is organized by employees of Fluor Corporation. Since the tournament’s inception in 2008, it has given more than $340,000 to the local community. For more information on Golf for Greater Houston, log onto www.golfforgreaterhouston.org.

For information on Hope for Three and how you can provide help and create hope for families battling autism, call 800-317-0787 or visit www.hopeforthree.org.

Fort Bend Aggie Mom’s Club to Raffle Off 2012 Chevy Malibu From Classic Chevrolet

The Fort Bend Aggie Mom’s Club is selling raffle tickets for a 2012 Chevy Malibu LT furnished by Classic Chevrolet-Don Kerstetter. The tickets are $100 each, and only 500 (maximum) will be sold.

The drawing will be held on March 31, 2012 during Parent’s Weekend at Texas A&M University, and the winner does not need to be present to win.

There is a 2nd place prize: a guided fishing trip for 2 in Rockport; and, a 3rd place prize: Sugar Land Skeeters baseball tickets (11 games total) which include the inaugural season opening day.

The proceeds from the raffle will be used to help fund scholarships awarded to Fort Bend Aggie students. For information regarding purchasing raffle tickets, please contact Stephanie Rammrath at srammrath@comcast.net.

FBJSL “Difference in a Day” Summer Project with Lunches of Love

Members of the Fort Bend Junior Service League (FBJSL) volunteered with Lunches of Love this summer as one of their “Difference in a Day” projects. By participating in this project, FBJSL members had the opportunity to make and deliver sack lunches to underprivileged children in the Rosenberg community.

FBJSL’s “Difference in a Day” program was created as a means to provide FBJSL volunteers an opportunity to assist other organizations with one-day projects that help address needs in the community.

Applications are currently being accepted for Spring 2012 projects. Charitable organizations interested in partnering with FBJSL through the “Difference in a Day” program should contact committee chair Erinn Webber at erinnwebber@yahoo.com. Organizations will be asked to complete a brief application for consideration by the committee. The application is also available online at www.fbjsl.com.

FBJSL is an organization of women committed to promoting volunteerism, to developing the potential of women and to improving the Fort Bend County community through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Its purpose is exclusively educational and charitable, as well as providing an atmosphere of friendliness, goodwill and camaraderie for all members.

Fort Bend Regional Council Holds Third Annual Helen Cordes Award Luncheon

The Fluor Corporation, Roberta K. Randall Charitable Foundation and Marion and David Young present the Third Annual Helen Cordes Award Luncheon on February 23, 2012 at the Safari Ranch in Richmond, Texas.

The award luncheon is held in honor of an individual who has given their time, experience and expertise to Fort Bend Regional Council (FBRC).  The Honoree for 2012 is Linda Schoonmaker, a partner in the labor and employment department of Seyfarth Shaw LLP.  Schoonmaker is a dedicated community volunteer who served on FBRC’s Board of Directors from 2004 to 2010 and as the Board President from 2006 to 2008.  She is steadfast in her devotion to FBRC’s mission, programs and projects and is a trusted partner in substance abuse prevention in our community.

The Helen Cordes Award Luncheon was founded on the community achievements of Helen Cordes who served on the Board of Directors of Fort Bend Regional Council from 1991-1997 and was the President of the Board from 1992-1995.  During that time and long afterward, Cordes served FBRC with a passion for its mission and inspired that same passion in so many who were privileged to work with her.  In recognition of Cordes’ leadership and long years of dedicated service to FBRC, the Helen Cordes Award was established.

Your sponsorship of this event would provide immeasurable support as the FBRC fights the debilitating effects of substance abuse in our schools and community. For more information, contact Irene Wisner at iwisner@fortbendcouncil.org or 281-207-2409.

Community Garage Sale at Sugar Land Methodist Church on March 24th

Spring cleaning might be more fun if there’s a monetary reward. Market your gently-used ‘wares’ at Sugar Land Methodist’s annual Community Garage Sale. The sale will be held from 8:00 am until 1:00 pm on Saturday, March 24th in the Great Hall and the Great Hall parking lot. Proceeds from the sale of booths benefit the ministry and missions of the church’s youth choir, One Voice. Booths must be purchased ahead of time through the church office.

Don’t like the merchant end of the garage sale business? Donate your items and help a great cause. Profits from the sale of donated items also benefit One Voice. You may bring your donated items to the Great Hall beginning Thursday, March 22nd. Pick-up of large items can be arranged.

For more information contact, Kip Johnson at 281-491-6041 or visit www.sugarlandmethodist.org/music/students.

Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels Teams Up with Gillman Subaru for “Most Meals” Contest

Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels recently joined forces with the local Subaru dealership, Gillman Subaru of Houston Southwest, to compete in Meals On Wheels Association of America (MOWAA)’s “Most Meals” Contest as part of Subaru of America, Inc.’s “Share The Love” Holiday Event.  MOWAA plans to award $150,000 in “Most Meals” grants to Meals On Wheels programs throughout the country that recruit dealership employees to volunteer, deliver meals in Subaru vehicles, and engage community members in the fight to end senior hunger.

As part of the competition, Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels partnered with Gillman Subaru of Houston Southwest during the holiday season to help load up the volunteers’ cars with meals that were delivered to home-bound senior adults.

“We are excited to partner with the Gillman Subaru group again for the Subaru ‘Share the Love’ Program,” said Manuela Arroyos, Chief Executive Officer of Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels. “Over the past two years, we have been awarded over $3,000 from this program through the Meals on Wheels Association of America and look forward to future partnerships with Gillman Subaru in an effort to raise much needed funds to help feed the many senior adults in our community who look to us for a daily meal.”

“The employees of Gillman Subaru of Southwest Houston are always happy to be a part of the “Share the Love” Program,” said Wally Elostaz, General Manager of Gillman Subaru of Southwest Houston. “It is always fun to come out and help Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels with the meal distribution in Sugar Land. Working alongside the agency’s volunteers and staff gives us an opportunity to give back to the community while also promoting Subaru and the ‘Share the Love’ Program.”

“Most Meals” grants awarded by MOWAA to select participating Meals On Wheels programs will range between $500 to $5,000.  The country’s economic downturn has made it more difficult to raise money to continue feeding the community’s homebound seniors adults.  If awarded funds, Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels will use the monies to continue to provide daily nutritious meals to the senior adults in Fort Bend and Waller counties.  

For more information on or to donate to Fort Bend Seniors Meals on Wheels, please contact Kristin Weiss, Director of Development at FBS, at 281-633-7057 or kweiss@fortbendseniors.org. To volunteer, please contact Susan Whitacre, Director of Volunteers at 281-633-7063 or susan@fortbendseniors.org.

Skeeters Release Inaugural 2012 Schedule

The Sugar Land Skeeters will throw the first pitch on Thursday, April 26, 2012, as minor league baseball comes to Houston.  The Skeeters will open its inaugural season by playing host to the two-time defending Atlantic League champion York (Pa.) Revolution in a four-game series spanning April 26-29, according to the AL schedule released this week.

Sugar Land will reside in the Freedom Division along with the Somerset (N.J.) Patriots, Lancaster (Pa.) Barnstormers as well as York.  The last four AL champions (2010-11, York; 2008-09, Somerset) reside in the Skeeters division.  The Bridgeport (Conn.) Bluefish, the Long Island (N.Y.) Ducks, Southern Maryland Blue Crabs and Camden (N.J.) River Sharks make up the Liberty Division.

The Skeeters balanced schedule includes 70 home games at StarTex Power Field, and 70 road games at the other seven members of the Atlantic League.  After opening the season at home against the Revolution, the Skeeters hit the road for the first time the following week, traveling to Southern Maryland, Lancaster and Somerset for 10 games in 10 days.  

The All-Star Game, scheduled for Campbell’s Field in Camden, serves as the mid-point of the season. Sugar Land will conclude its first season the same way it started:  hosting York for a six-game series on Sept. 18-23.  

The full 2012 schedule can be seen online at www.SugarLandSkeeters.com by clicking the schedule tab on the home page.  Game time for home and road games will be released at a later date.  

Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital Presents “Road Trip To Rio!”

cutline: Jim Brown, Chief Executive Officer of Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital; Jill Curtis, Executive Director of Fort Bend Cares and Dr. Scott Breeze, Chairman of the Board, Fort Bend Cares, toast to their upcoming event.  Picture by Mary Favre.

Fort Bend Cares, a charitable foundation, has announced that Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital will be the presenting sponsor for its February 11, 2012 dinner dance fundraiser – Road Trip to RIO: The Ultimate Lounge Experience.

Fluor’s large cafeteria will be transformed into a Carnivale-themed paradise with a delectable array of food from local restaurants, music for dancing, silent and live auctions and casino style games to add to the fun.

Sponsorships are available at the following levels: $7500, $5000 and $2500. Individual tickets are priced at $75.

Fort Bend Cares supports organizations and programs that serve disadvantaged children and youth. For more information or to become a sponsor, call 832-392-1983 or visit www.FortBendCares.org.

About Memorial Hermann Sugar Land:
Memorial Hermann Sugar Land is a full-service acute care facility that brings the latest medical technology and expertise to our community. Recently named as one of the Top 100 Hospitals in the Nation by Thomson Reuters, Memorial Hermann Sugar Land is the only hospital in Fort Bend County to achieve this distinction. Visit www.memorialhermann.org or call 713.222.CARE.

Fort Bend Cares Gives to 29 Charities

The excitement was palpable at the Fort Bend Chamber of Commerce when Fort Bend Cares gathered to present grants totaling $140,000. Now entering its seventh year, Fort Bend Cares is making a powerful impact on the charities of Fort Bend County. Twenty-nine worthy organizations that serve disadvantaged children and youth of Fort Bend received a check.

To date, Fort Bend Cares has distributed approximately $720,000 in designated grants. The grant applications are evaluated and put through rigorous analysis by a group of 30 local citizens who serve on the grant committee.

Jill Curtis, Executive Director, said, “We are thrilled to be able to support so many committed organizations that are doing such valuable work. The people in Fort Bend continue to recognize the needs in our community, and they react by contributing generously.”

This year’s recipients are Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Boy Scouts of America, Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Houston, Breath of Life Children’s Center, Casa de Esperanza de Los Ninos, Catholic Charities/Mamie George Community Center, Cinderella-Cinderfella Project, Communities in Schools, CSTEM Teacher and Student Services, Inc., DePelchin Childrens Center, East Fort Bend Human Needs Ministry, ESCAPE Family Resouce Center, Fort Bend Community Partners Rainbow Room, Fort Bend County Child Advocates, Fort Bend County Womens Center, Fort Bend Family Health Center, Fort Bend Family Promise, Fort Bend Lawyers Care, Fort Bend Regional Council on Substance Abuse, Girl Scouts of San Jacinto Council, Houston Museum of Natural Science of Sugar Land, Men For Change, Parks Youth Ranch, Pooh’s Panda Special Needs Academy, S.I.R.E. , Soaring Eagles Ministries, Texana Center and YMCA.

Mark your calendars now for the 2012 “Road Trip to Rio – The Ultimate Lounge Experience” on Feb. 11, 2012 at Fluor in Sugar Land.
More information on Fort Bend Cares can be found at www.fortbendcares.org.

Troop 2 Troop

Tens of thousands of American service members are deployed in hostile and remote regions of the world, including the Middle East, Afghanistan, and on ships throughout international waters. The physical conditions they must endure are difficult, and they may be separated from loved ones for long periods of time.

Rainbow Stars Service Unit Girl Scout Troop 147, consisting of 13 girls in the 10th and 11th grade, wanted to do something special for the men and women who are serving overseas. They wanted to lift morale and put smiles on faces by sending care packages. By way of a friendship with Command Sergeant Major John Ivy of 204th TAOG, they found the opportunity. The Girl Scout Troop gathered two boxes worth of goodies and added a healthy dose of morale support in the form of personal written and typed letters for the troops to read. Included in the boxes were wipes, beef jerky, soup mixes, floss, drink mix packets, cheese crackers, cookies and more.

Lisa Rickert, assistant leader of Troop 147, said, “Sending the packets to the men and woman overseas seemed like a small thing, but the girls realized what a tremendous impact it had on the soldiers, especially the handwritten notes and messages.”

Scouts of San Jacinto and the Rainbow Stars Service Unit serve nearly 800 registered girls and adults in New Territory- Sugar Land, Texas. Girl Scouts is a United Way Agency. If you are interested in joining the fun in Girl Scouting in New Territory, please contact Lisa Rickert at lisa@rickert.com.

Immunization Questions and Answers
by Dr. Julie Hung, board certified Internist and Pediatrician

Why immunize? Aren’t most of the diseases we vaccinate against gone in this country?
While it is true that most diseases prevented by vaccines are becoming very rare in the U.S., the reason they are no longer common is that we have been vaccinating against them. Even the few cases we have in the U.S. could quickly become hundreds or thousands of cases if we stop vaccinating. When vaccination rates drop, we have seen outbreaks of whooping cough, chicken pox and even measles.

Isn’t natural immunity better than vaccinations?
A natural infection usually provides more complete immunity than vaccinations. However, the natural infection can lead to serious complications. For example, a natural polio infection could lead to permanent paralysis. A natural mumps infection could lead to deafness. By preventing diseases with vaccinations, you are protecting your child from these potentially serious complications.

Why are vaccines given so early?
The illnesses that childhood vaccines protect against are most likely to occur when a child is very young and at greatest risk for complications. For this reason, early vaccination is essential. Newborns, babies, and toddlers can all be exposed to diseases from parents, brothers and sisters, child care facilities and even at the park or grocery store. Don’t wait to protect your baby and risk these diseases when he or she needs the most protection now.

Is it safe for my baby to get so many vaccines at once?
There are a lot more vaccines now than even a few years ago.  As medicine advances, we are able to protect our children against many more diseases.  Studies have shown that the bodies of children, and even infants, can handle many vaccines at once. Receiving several vaccines at once is safe, even in a newborn. 

Are there dangerous side effects to vaccines?Any vaccine may cause side effects, but most of these side effects are minor. Common side effects are a low-grade fever and redness, swelling and tenderness at the injection site. Some vaccines may cause a mild headache, dizziness or fatigue. Very rarely, a child may have a severe allergic reaction to a vaccine. Although these side effects are a concern, the vaccines themselves are much safer than the diseases they prevent. 

Why are there chemical additives in vaccines?To ensure that vaccines are potent, sterile and safe, minute amounts of chemical additives are required. These are added to vaccines to inactivate a virus or bacteria and stabilize the vaccine, keeping it sterile and preventing it from losing its potency over time. The amount of chemical additives found in vaccines is very small and has been found to be safe.

Is it true that some vaccines can cause autism?No, vaccines do not cause autism. Despite much controversy on this subject, scientific studies and reviews have found no relationship between vaccines and autism. Signs of autism may occur at about the same time that children receive certain vaccines, such as the measles-mumps-rubella vaccine, but this is merely a coincidence.

Why do preteens and teens need additional vaccines after getting their childhood vaccines?The protection from some childhood vaccinations wears off with time, so your preteen and teenage child needs booster shots. Also, as kids get older, they develop a higher risk for other serious diseases, such as meningococcal meningitis and human papillomavirus.

Who should get the flu vaccine?Vaccine experts now agree that everyone 6 months of age and older should get the flu vaccine each year. While everyone should get the flu vaccine, it’s especially important that those individuals who are at high risk of developing serious flu-related complications and the people who live with or care for these individuals are immunized. These high risk groups include:
1. Pregnant women
2. Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old
3. People 50 years of age and older
4. People of any age with certain chronic medical conditions
5. People who live in nursing homes and other long-term care facilities
6. People who live with or care for those at high risk for complications from flu, including:
    a. Health care workers
    b. Household contacts of persons at high risk for complications from the flu
    c. Household contacts and out of home caregivers of children less than 6 months of age (these children are too young to be vaccinated)

When is the best time to get the flu vaccine?The best time to get your yearly flu vaccine is in the fall, beginning in September or as soon as the flu vaccine is available. Flu vaccination continues throughout the flu season and into December, January, and beyond, as the timing and duration of the flu season varies from year to year. Most years, flu activity peaks in January or later. This fall, Methodist Sugar Land Hospital will again be offering free flu shots in exchange for a toy at its annual flu shot/toy drive on October 29, 2011 from 8:00am to 12:00pm. Call 281-274-8085 or email KStolhand@tmhs.org for more information.

Who should get the pneumonia vaccine?1. All adults 65 years of age and older.
2. Anyone 2 through 64 years of age who has a long-term health problem such as: heart disease, lung disease, sickle cell disease, diabetes, alcoholism, cirrhosis, leaks of cerebrospinal fluid or cochlear implant.
3. Anyone 2 through 64 years of age who has a disease or condition that lowers the body’s resistance to infection, such as: Hodgkin’s disease; lymphoma or leukemia; kidney failure; multiple myeloma; nephrotic syndrome; HIV infection or AIDS; damaged spleen or no spleen; organ transplant.
4. Anyone 2 through 64 years of age who is taking a drug or treatment that lowers the body’s resistance to infection, such as: long-term steroids, certain cancer drugs or radiation therapy.
5. Any adult 19 through 64 years of age who is a smoker or has asthma
6. Residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities.

To schedule an appointment with Dr. Julie Hung, please call 281-275-0800 or email, FamilyMedicine@tmhs.org or visit www.MethodistFMG.com. 16605 Southwest Freeway, Suite 400, Sugar Land, Texas 77479, 281-275-0800 • FamilyMedicine@tmhs.org, www.MethodistFMG.com.

References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Vaccines & Immunizations.- http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines
American Academy of Pediatrics - http://www.aap.org
Immunization Action Coalition (IAC) - http://www.immunize.org
Mayo Clinic - http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vaccine Read more...