Janna Schulze is the winner of the“Share Your Green Pictures” onThe Woodlands’ Facebook page and will receive a $100 gift card to Lowe’s Home Improvement.  Schulze took a photo of a doe and her fawn in the Village of Alden Bridge.

The Woodlands posted this message on its Facebook page: Spring is very green in The Woodlands this year — what a difference from 2011! And we’re just going to get greener. Like what is happening in other parts of Houston, The Woodlands Township has allocated $1.89 million for the removal and replacement of trees decaying because of last year’s severe drought. This process will help speed up the repair of the forests we know and love. This is in addition to the hundreds of thousands of dollars spent each year by The Woodlands Development Company (TWDC) to plant new trees in newer areas of The Woodlands. The combined effect of the natural regeneration and the efforts of The Township and TWDC should keep our signature forests beautiful and thriving into perpetuity.

Visit The Woodlands’ Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/TheWoodlandsTexas.

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The Interfaith of The Woodlands Directory received five Gold Book awards at the Annual Convention and Partners Trade Show including the ad submitted for local retailer R Salon in College Park Plaza on Highway 242.  The Directory has won numerous awards through the years from theAssociation of Directory Publishers.

The Interfaith Publications and Residential Services team received a 2012 Gold Book 1st Place: Excellence in Cover Design & Art – Product Branding award;a 2012 Gold Book 1st Place: Excellence in Ad Design & Art – Print award for the full page ad for R Salon; a 2012 Gold Book 1st Place: Excellence in Marketing: Direct Mail Advertising award; 2nd Place: Excellence in Marketing: Sales Support Collateral award; and 2nd Place in Excellence in Marketing: Event award.

“It is truly amazing to win in each category,” said Bonni Horan, Director of Publications and Residential Services at Interfaith. “The Directory staff is phenomenal. Everyone worked very hard to produce the best and most complete directory in print, online and mobile.”

For the complete story, click here. For more information on Interfaith, visitwww.woodlandsinterfaith.org. Pictured are Raymond Haley, Owner/Stylist of R Salon and Shirley Santangelo, Senior Account Executive for the Interfaith Directory.

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Celebrate the grand opening of theLEGO Store at The Woodlands Mall with a huge LEGO building event.  Help a real LEGO Master Builder construct an 8-foot tall model of Buzz Lightyear™completely out of LEGO bricks!  The building event will be at The Woodlands Mall on Friday, May 18 through Sunday, May 20.

Throughout the weekend, there will be exclusive in-store offers, free LEGO giveaways, raffles and the opportunity to work on a huge LEGO model with hundreds of other builders! Everyone who participates will receive a free LEGO Certificate of Achievement!

LEGO ® stores include an assortment of products covering nearly every square inch of space, and each store features three key design components.  The “Pick-A-Brick Wall”, by far the most popular store feature, offers the option to hand pick and purchase specific LEGO® bricks and elements in a variety of colors and shapes in bulk.  The“Living Room” is an interactive play area prominently positioned in the center of the store, giving consumers a chance to get “hands-on, minds-on” with LEGO® products. Finally, a“Brand Ribbon” runs the circumference of the store, featuring LEGO® model displays, company history and fun facts to entertain guests.

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Kendra P. Clough has joined The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center as Director of Conference Services where she will lead six conference planning managers and the entire conference services team.  Clough was most recently employed by Océ Business Servicesas a meeting and event planner for ExxonMobil.

Clough’s 18-year conference planning career includes eight years as Conference Planning Manager at The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center. She also has planned meetings forPricewaterhouseCoopers.

“We are pleased to welcome Kendra back to The Woodlands Resort & Conference Center,” said General Manager Kent Johnson. “Her significant knowledge of the property and experience in convention services make her a wonderful asset to the team.”

For more information on The Woodlands Resort and group planning needs, visit www.woodlandsresort.com and call 866-554-8118.

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The Memorial Hermann Ironman® Texas is scheduled for Saturday, May 19 with a pro start scheduled for 6:50 am, followed by an age group start at 7:00 am at Northshore Park.  The Ironman will begin with a 2.4-mile swim in Lake Woodlands, followed by a 112-mile bike course that will take athletes west. The finale is a 26.2-mile run course set entirely in The Woodlands.  The race officially ends at Waterway Squarein Town Center.

For more information on the Ironman and a complete list of roads impacted by the race, visit www.ironmantexas.com.

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Demonstrating its mission of enriching lives through the act of giving,Woodforest Charitable Foundation(WCF) distributed a total of $245,000 in donations to 27 charities it currently supports during a Charity Partnership Luncheon held on April 12 at Amerigo’s Grille.

United States Congressman Kevin Brady from the 8th Congressional District of Texas, was present to personally hand each charity’s representative a donation. Congressman Brady commended each charity for their work and the contributions they have made to the community, and recognized the partnership and support that the Foundation has made to help the charities attain their missions.

The recipient charities included Interfaith Community Clinic, Interfaith of The Woodlands, Montgomery County Emergency Assistance, Montgomery CountyFood Bank, Montgomery County Women’s Center, Montgomery County Youth Services, Texas New Community Alliance (dba New Danville) and 20 additional organizations.

For the complete story, click here.  Pictured from left to right are Jeremy Horton, Assistant Director of WCF; Kim Marling, Vice President & Executive Director of WCF; Vicki Richmond, Secretary/Treasurer of WCF; U.S. Congressman Kevin Brady; and Dr. David Gottlieb, Director/Board of Directors of WCF. For more information on The Foundation, visit www.woodforestfoundation.org.

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To raise awareness of the impact of child abuse, Lone Star College (LSC) – Montgomery’s Human Services Student Organization, along with other supporting students, staff, and faculty, released 71 blue balloons in honor of the 71 children who have died as a result of child abuse and/or neglect in the greater Houston area in the past year.

The balloons were released from the front steps of the college’s General Academic Center (Building G) on Wednesday, April 25, and again on Thursday, April 26. Held in partnership with CASA, Court Appointed Special Advocates for children in Montgomery County, the balloon release events were part of campaign to bring attention to child abuse awareness month in April.

For information on LSC – Montgomery, visit www.LoneStar.edu/montgomery.

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In celebration of the Feast of Artisans Farmers’ Market that has sprouted in The Courtyard at The Woodlands Mall, the center is hosting a Grand Opening Party on Wednesday, May 23 from 3 – 7 pm. The afternoon will feature live performances from popular musician Mike Amabile and his bandRun Over Twice, plus there will be special activities for the kids.

The Feast of Artisans Farmers’ Market, held every Wednesday at The Woodlands Mall, features area farmers and artisans selling seasonal local fruits and vegetables (conventional and sustainably grown), local honey, free-range chicken eggs, meats, artisan baked goods, goat milk & cheeses, Texas wines, olive oil and balsamic vinegars, tie-dyed products, Indian food, bath sundries, ceramics, filigree sterling silver jewelry, hot sauces and more.

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Two magnificent custom homes will be featured during The Woodlands Custom Homes’Open House on Saturday and Sunday, May 19 and 20 from 1 – 4 pm each day. The homes are located in the Village of Sterling Ridge near the Gary Player Signature golf course. Details are as follows:

	39 Player Oaks Gracepoint Homes $791,900
	11 N. Player Crest Tommy Bailey Custom Homes $999,000

For more information about these homes and other custom homes in The Woodlands, visitwww.thewoodlandscustomhome.com or call 281-367-4550.

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• Corporate Housing Associates, LP/ Woodlands Interim Housing was recently recognized as a Winner of Distinction from the Houston Better Business Bureau (BBB). The award was presented during this year’s BBB Awards of Excellence Luncheon held on Wednesday, May 2 to benefit BBB Education Foundation.  Corporate Housing Associates, LP/ Woodlands Interim Housing is a three time winner of this award. For more information on Corporate Housing, visit www.CHAHomeNow.com.
• Montgomery County Crime Stoppers Coordinator Brandy Bice from theMontgomery County Sheriff’s Office will present How Does Montgomery County Crime Stoppers Work? at Watch Talk Wednesday on May 23 from 12 noon – 1 pm at The Woodlands Township Town Hall, Rooms 150/152, located at 2801 Technology Forest Boulevard. Residents should enter at the Board Chambers entrance. For more information on Watch Talk Wednesdays and The Woodlands Watch program, contact The Woodlands Township at 281-210-3800 or e-mail neighbor@thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov.
• The Woodlands Young Learners Academy recently hosted their 5th annual Alex’s Lemonade Stand at Market Street, raising $850 for Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation (ALSF). ALSF emerged from the front yard lemonade stand of cancer patient Alexandra “Alex” Scott (1996-2004). In 2000, 4-year-old Alex announced that she wanted to hold a lemonade stand to raise money to help find a cure for allchildren with cancer. For more details on the Foundation, visit www.alexslemonade.org. For information on The Woodlands Young Learners Academy, visit www.twyounglearners.com.