AYSA Website

The Anna Youth Sports Association has started a website, annasports.org, to help keep parents informed of upcoming sign-ups, schedules and scores.

Food Pantry Supplies Needed

Anna Food Pantry supplies are low and burdened to meet the needs of summer lunches. We need macaroni and cheese box dinners, sugar and flour, canned and packaged pasta, 1-pound boxes of crackers and pancake mixes. Drop off donations at the pantry from 4 to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, Anna UMC, 100 W. Second St.

AUMC Cookbooks for Sale

"Favorite Recipes of Anna United Methodist Church: A Collection of Recipes from Friends & Family" is on sale for $15 by Anna United Methodist Women. Includes a free cookie cookbook, "Capital Cookies", that has many unusual recipes. There are several tables in the main cookbook, such as ingredients substitutions, cooking and food terms, hints, etc. For sale between services (8:45 a.m., 11 a.m.) and Sunday School (9:45 a.m.) on Sundays at the church, 120 E. Second St., www.annatxumc.org, annaunitedmeth@sbcglobal.net. Or call Bea Gillespie, 972-924-4785.

Volunteer McKinney Center Opportunities

* Free to Be is a non-profit organization whose purpose is to inspire young people to not take their freedom for granted and to become active and involved citizens interested in preserving our freedoms and great way of life. The local office is seeking a volunteer to put together mail-outs, do online research, enter data in spreadsheets and perform other simple office duties. Knowledge of Word, Excel, and basic computer use is required. For additional information, look for "In Office Assistance under New Listings on the VMC website.

* Distribute School Supplies. Frisco Square will be hosting two Back to School supplies distribution events. The first event is scheduled for July 24 and is sponsored by Taking It To The Streets Ministries. Volunteers are needed from 10 a.m to 2 p.m. to help with registration, assist with set up and tear down, and distribute school supplies. If you can help, please contact Bennie Jennings at jennbs54@yahoo.com or 469-633-1721 x114. The second school supplies distribution event will be held August 9 by Frisco Family Services Center. To volunteer for this event, please contact Myrna Martinez at myrna@friscocenter.org.

* Chess Club Coaches. Students at several MISD schools are interested in participating in an after-school chess club, but volunteers are needed to assist with these clubs. Regardless of your chess proficiency, an hour or so of your time each week will make a big difference to these students. Contact Jerry Isaacs at isaacs.jerry@gmail.com or 972-540-9239.

For information on these and other volunteer opportunities, contact Volunteer McKinney Center at 972-542-0679 or by e-mail at volunteermck@sbcglobal.net or Web Site www.volunteermckinney.org.

Medical Center of McKinney Support Groups

Medical Center of McKinney offers a variety of health-related support groups year round. A complete listing of dates and times is available at www.medicalcenterofmckinney.com. Medical Center of McKinney's support groups include:

NEW! Alzheimer's Disease Support Group and Lunch and Learn. Thursday, July 8th, 12 p.m., Medical Center of McKinney's Wysong Campus, 130 S. Central Expressway. The Alzheimer's Disease Support Group provides emotional support and information sharing for family members and caregivers. In addition, the groups often become a time and place for caregivers to share caregiving tips and ideas. Please RSVP to Julie Wilson at 214-454-0855

NEW! Breast Cancer Support Group for Women. Thursday, July 1st, 12 p.m., Medical Center of McKinney, 4500 Medical Center Drive, Classroom 4. A diagnosis of cancer brings with it confusion and fear. Cancer threatens and changes lives in unimaginable ways. Come to a place for support, information and understanding. The group is open to all women and their caregivers who have been touched by cancer. This month's guest speaker is Denise Nowlin of the American Cancer Society speaking about the program Reach to Recovery® A light lunch will be served.

Grief Support Group: H.U.G.S. (Helping Us Grow Stronger). Wednesdays at 7 pm, 6 week sessions, held quarterly next session begins Sept.1st, Medical Center of McKinney's Wysong Campus, 130 S. Central Expressway, Radiology Waiting Area. The support group, supported by Samaritan Care Hospice, is led by a professional Bereavement Coordinator and is for anyone experiencing loss or is working through the grief process. Please RSVP to Debra Brannon at 972-690-6632.

NEW! Laux of Love Bereavement Support Group - Wednesday, July 28th

7 p.m., Medical Center of McKinney, 4500 Medical Center Drive, Classroom 3 & 4. Support and guidance for those who have experienced a loss from conception to 1 year. RTS trained personnel are available to provide guidance and support in your time of loss. Parents and Grandparents welcome to attend, separate sessions available for siblings. Please call 972-547-8659 to RSVP or to obtain more information.

Over Eaters Anonymous. Every Sunday, 5 p.m., and every Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., Medical Center of McKinney's Wysong Campus, 130 S. Central Expressway. The program uses the 12 Steps and 12 Traditions of AA to stop compulsive eating. It is committed to addressing not only the obesity and weight loss aspects, but also the physical, emotional and spiritual well-being of an individual.

VA Public Library Summer Schedule

June 7 to July 16

Bilingual Storytime- Tuesdays 3pm ages 6-9- don't have to speak Spanish to enjoy this storytime

Craft Day- Wednesdays 10:15am-11:30am ages 6-13 limited to 24 people

Photography is Fun! July 8 & 15th 2pm ages 10-14, work with Jeffrey Speight from 3D Event Studios, limited to 12

PreSchool Story Time- Weds 10:15am ages 2-kindergarten

Reading Program- read 25 books and receive a prize and a free circus ticket.

Family Night at the Library- 6:30-8 p.m. July 16 and Aug. 20. Families join us for an evening of great fun!

GCC Dance Classes

Salsa, July 12-Aug. 9, Mondays

7 to 8:30 p.m.

$40/person, $60/couple

For more information, contact Kim Weber at weberkim@grayson.edu or 903-415-2503.

Anna Freedom Fest and 5K

The Greater Anna Chamber of Commerce and the Anna Youth Sports Association are coming together for the first time to put on a 5K and festival for the citizens of Anna and the surrounding area Saturday, July 10. We are bringing our businesses together with our youth to celebrate our country, community and citizens!

Join us bright and early for the 5K and 1M Family Fun Run. Registration will begin at 7 a.m. and the race will begin promptly at 8 followed by the 1-Mile Family Fun Run at 9. The race will start at Slayter Creek Park, 425 Rosamond Parkway, and will benefit AYSA.

The 5K course will start on Rosamond to West Crossing Boulevard, across Hackberry Boulevard to the Slayter Creek Trail through the curvy, wooded path and then back to Rosamond. The 5K will be chip-timed by Race Chip Timing. Timing chips and bib numbers will be available on race day only.

The 1K is a non-competitive fun run/walk.

The celebration will continue that morning with area contestants setting up their barbecue pits. From backyard barbecue experts to those who compete often, the GACC invites all to come out and compete. Winners in the categories of brisket, ribs and half-chicken will receive trophies and cash prizes with one person named as the overall grand champion.

The main Freedom Fest activities will begin at 5 p.m. with kids' games, a kid tattoo shop, bounce houses and a waterslide. Vendors will be set up for browsing and shopping. There will be a horseshoe and washers tournament, watermelon seed spitting contest and a Brain Freeze-Off (ice cream eating contest). There will be something for everyone.

2nd Hand Smoke, a local band from Anna, will provide live music for the evening. A designated area will be set up for lawn chairs and blankets, and the area under the pavilion will be available for dancing. Fireworks will start at dusk, and 2nd Hand Smoke will close out the evening's festivities.

Visit www.GreaterAnnaChamber.com for registration forms and additional information or call Deana Mink at 972-924-8533.

Garage Sale Benefit

The Unbiological Sisterhood will host a garage sale from 6:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. July 10 at Ron and Vicki Ferguson's home at 507 W. White St. (F.M. 455) in Anna. All profits will go directly to the Community Lifeline Center. The garage sale will include clothing, accessories, children's items, household items and much more!

The Unbiological Sisterhood is a diverse women's social group commited to promoting sisterhood, friendship and fun. While some groups focus on one age group or life stage, the sisterhood's goal is to create a community where all women come together. The group does lunches, yoga, crafts, book club, spa events, coffees, karaoke and much more!

The Unbiological Sisterhood has primarily been social, but is now growing and starting to give back to the community.

Community Lifeline is a nonprofit that offers emergency financial assistance, as well as employment assistance, to families in temporary crisis situations. Support is provided mainly by local churches and individual donations. The service area includes McKinney, Melissa, Anna, Altoga, Blue Ridge, Celina, Copeville, Farmersville, Josephine, Lavon, Lowry Crossing, Nevada, New Hope, Princeton, Prosper, Westminster, and Weston.

If you or someone you know needs emergency assistance, or if you or your church would like to donate, Community Lifeline can be reached at 972-542-0020 or http://communitylifelinecenter.wordpress.com/about/.

Westminster Baptist Church VBS

Westminster Baptist Church will host a Vacation Bible School registration celebration Saturday, July 10, in the church parking lot at 100 Public Road. The event will include hot dogs, watermelon, a waterslide, games and contests and a fireworks show.

VA First Christian Church VBS

First Christian Church Van Alstyne will start Vacation Bible School with a dinner at 6 p.m. Sunday, July 11. VBS will continue from 6 to 8 p.m. July 12-15.

For more information, contact Kathy Richardson, 903-482-5515.

Cannon Baptist Church VBS

Cannon Baptist Church will host Vacation Bible School from 5 to 8 p.m. July 12-14. All are welcome. For more information, contact Heather Howard at 903-486-4470.

Cannon Baptist Church is located at 6498 F.M. 121 east of Van Alstyne.

MACC Ribbon Cutting

The Melissa Area Chamber of Commerce will host a ribbon cutting for Firehouse Roofing, Inc. at 9 a.m. Tuesday, July 13, at the Scott-Barker House, 1501 W. Harrison St. in Melissa. Refreshments will be served.

Texoma Patriots Town Hall Meeting

7 to 9 p.m. Tuesday, July 13

Our speaker is Sherry Sylvester, an award-winning communications specialist whose career includes national political reporting, political campaign management and public policy advocacy. She currently coordinates media relations for Texans for Lawsuit Reform.

Texans for Lawsuit Reform (TLR) is working to restore balance to the Texas civil justice system. It's a volunteer-led organization working to restore fairness and balance to our civil justice system through political action; legal, academic, and market research; and grassroots initiatives. The TLR website is www.tortreform.com.

Join us at GOP Headquarters in Sherman, 225 N. Travis Suite 101 (corner of Travis and Pecan).

For more information, contact kaarent@verizon.net or jwhite@neto.com.

Become a member of Texoma Patriots at http://texomapatriots.ning.com.

GACC Ribbon Cutting

The Greater Anna Chamber of Commerce will have a ribbon cutting at noon Thursday, July 15, for Braddock Chiropractic and Family Wellness in Van Alstyne.

Rainwater Harvesting Workshop

Do you want to keep your plants healthy and conserve precious water resources? A Rainwater Harvesting workshop aimed at water conservation will be offered to the public Thursday, July 15, from 6 to 8 p.m. in the second floor Assembly Room at the Grayson County Courthouse in Sherman.

The workshop will be taught by, Dotty Woodson, Ph.D., Program Specialist-Water Resources, Texas AgriLife Extension Service, Dallas Research & Extension Center. As part of the presentation Dr. Woodson will demonstrate the assembly of a 55-gallon rainwater collection barrel designed to capture water for gardens and household plants. At the end of the session, the demonstration rain barrel will be given away as a door prize to one lucky participant.

Participants should enter through the south doors of the courthouse. The workshop is free and no reservations are required. The workshop is sponsored by the Grayson County Master Gardeners and the Texas AgriLife Extension office. For more information on the class as well as for other home lawn and garden information, call the Grayson County Master Gardeners at 903-813-4204.

Eldercare Friends Volunteer Training

The Visiting Nurse Association's Eldercare Friends program is looking for volunteers in Collin County to visit the homebound elderly and provide assistance with shopping, escorted transportation, errands and other activities.

Volunteer training will be from noon to 1 p.m. July 21 at the Visiting Nurse Association's headquarters, the Patrick and Beatrice Haggerty Center, located at 1440 W. Mockingbird Lane in Dallas. Volunteer training also can be scheduled by appointment. There is no cost to attend a volunteer training class, but registration is requested. Contact Nancy Jellinek, VNA Eldercare Friends manager, at 214-689-2209 or jellinekn@vnatexas.org.

Melissa Blood Drive

The American Red Cross will sponsor a blood drive from 2:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 27, in the First Baptist Church Melissa Fellowship Hall.

The sun is beating down on us, the thermometer is stuck at 90+ degrees and there's not a breath of fresh air. The dog days of summer are here!

Ancient astronomers in Mediterranean countries came up with the phrase "dog days" for the hottest period of the summer. The dog days arrive around July 4 and are here to stay through August 11.

The astronomers defined the dog days as extending from 20 days before to 20 days after the conjunction of Sirius (the Dog Star) and our sun. This conjunction happened to coincide with the worst days of summer, when folks were especially plagued by disease and discomfort.

The blood supply typically teeters at low levels during the summer months due to travel schedules and the closure of schools and colleges--the source of 20 percent of blood donations.

We want you to know the air conditioning is on at American Red Cross blood donation centers and blood drives throughout the region. So make plans to escape the heat by scheduling your blood donation appointment today!

How to Donate Blood:

Simply call 1-800-RED CROSS (773-2767) or visit redcrossblood.org to make an appointment today. All blood types are needed to ensure the Red Cross maintains an adequate blood supply. A blood donor card or driver's license or two other forms of identification are required at check-in. Donors must be in general good health, weigh at least 110 pounds and be at least 17 years old. New height and weight restrictions apply to donors younger than 19. Visit redcrossblood.org to learn more.

Anna Program Seeks Mentors

The Anna Mentor Program provides support to Anna ISD students in sixth grade through high school. Each mentor is asked to meet with his or her student once a month and help the student in making healthy life decisions. The program was established in 2004 and continues today with more than 20 local adults that are assisting Anna students in completing their education and learning life skills that will assist them in being contributors to the community. The Mentor Program will have a professional training event Tuesday morning, Aug. 3. Anyone interested in being a mentor volunteer can learn more about the program by contacting Debbie Reutelhuber at Anna ISD, 972-924-1000, or Jim Rountree at 972-924-3202.

Anna Football Media Day

The Anna ISD Athletic Department will host a football media day for the 2010 season at 4 p.m. Friday, Aug. 20.