Terri Rimmer

By Terri Rimmer The 25th Annual Cycle World International Motorcycle Shows presented by Toyota Trucks will be held Nov. 4th-6th at the Fort Worth Convention Center. Touted as being for everyone, the event is held in Fort Worth, TX in Exhibit Halls A-E at 1201 Houston Street. Exhibitors include American Honda Motor Company, American Motorcycle Motorcycle Trading Company, American Suzuki Motor Company, BristishMotorycleGear.com, Central Yamaha, and others. Show hours are Friday, 4-9 p.m., Saturday 9:30 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. There will also be professional racing Friday and Saturday For more information, call 817-392-6338 or go to fortworthgov.org. The event is also held at numerous cities around the U.S. such as Denver, CO Nov. 18-20 at the Colorado Convention Center, Qwest Field & Events Center Dec. 2-4 in Seattle, WA, in Long Beach, CA at the Long Beach Convention Center Dec. 9-11, and at the San Jose McEnery Convention Center in San Jose, CA Dec. 16-18 amon...

By Terri Rimmer The 38th Annual Fort Worth Greek Festival will be held Nov. 11-13 in Texas. Hours are Friday and Saturday, 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church Community Center at Jacksboro Highway and NW 21st Street. Admission is free and will feature culture, food, Greek markets, children’s area, and more. The St. Demetrios Greek Dancers will perform many different folk dances from various islands. According to greek-fest.com Greek Festivals are held all over the country regularly and you can even find listings of Greek radio stations on their site. A Greek Festival is a celebration of culture and entertainment also featuring unique exhibits. Some festivals have raffles for items such as jewelry and other crafts. According to goGreece.about.com, almost every day is a holiday in that country. The Brauronia Festival was dedicated to the cult of the Goddess Artemis, goddess of the hunt and protector of children. Her symbols are the ...

By Terri Rimmer One of the biggest Halloween celebrations in Texas with more than 1,000 partygoers will benefit the Cancer Relief Fund. Held Oct. 31st, The Goth Ball presented at Purgatory, 2208 Main Street in Dallas, will feature a Best Costume Contest prize of $1,500 among other treasures. Admission is $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Doors open at 8 p.m. and contest is at 10:30. Presented by The Arts Fighting Cancer and The Dallas Observer, the event will also feature deejays, dancing, incredible costumes and amazing décor. The Cancer Relief Fund provides monetary help to cancer patients. According to D Magazine, over 1,000 party-goers attend The Goth Ball. Founded in 1999, Arts Fighting Cancer (formerly Deep Ellum Film, Music, Arts and Noise, Inc. (DEFMAN(, is a non-profit, 501© 3 organization promoting filmmaking and the entertainment field while raising money to help the quality of life for those with cancer. To achieve this The Deep Ellum Film Festival also takes place in the...

Check out The Life of Stephen Connelly by Scott Metheney, a book about a dangerous game called The Choking Game that kids are playing resulting in deaths.

By Terri Rimmer Dallas County in Texas has formed a website for Hurricane Rita victims to access agencies and other information. The North Texas Hurricane Rita Shelter Resources Page at dallascounty.org/rita also enables shelters to register their facility online and supplies public health guidance documents for evacuation places. Prevention of and response to gastrointestinal diseases outbreaks for evacuation shelters, plan for prevention of and response to respiratory disease outbreaks at the same areas, and an environmental health division evacuation shelter assessment form is offered available on the site. Public health resources of Tarrant, Dallas, Collin, Denton, and Louisiana Health Departments are also listed as well as the Louisiana Disaster Recovery Foundation. There is also an area to make suggestions for the website and a data collection instruments area for medical services, a Homes/Parkland form, and for ER services provided to victims. They all require authentication. H...

By Terri Rimmer Kinder Harbors Animal Sanctuary Development Fund will be having a second volunteer outing at Black Beauty Ranch Nov. 19th. The world famous ranch in Murchison, TX is run by The Fund For Animals (fundforanimals.org), an animal protection organization founded in 1967. The ranch was started in 1979 by author Cleveland Amory, supplying expertise with animals at its facilities and fighting for protection of the creatures in and out of the U.S. involving unwanted and abused domestic and exotic animals. Amory loved burros and one of the resident ones is named after him. They say most burros are born in a rainstorm. This summer the facility underwent major construction and renovations which included saving three bobcats living at the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch. No longer living their lives as exotic pets, they are said to be having fun in their new home. Primate habitats also got a new look this past summer and work was done on a new chimp area to give the three ranch r...

By Terri Rimmer Traveling is entirely unpredictable. Stuck in layover limbo? Many travelers spend hours sitting in airports due to missed or bumped flights, mechanical problems, weather conditions prohibiting the plan from taking off, or other problems beyond the traveler’s control like the time my plane ticket blew out of my hand in a blustery wind and wound up in a grate. I just learned that some airports have gyms which I never had any idea of. Many airports across America are starting to open gyms right in the terminals for the use of airport staff and travelers stuck in the airport. “It’s an ideal location,” says Bob Schaffner, 24-Hour Fitness Sales Manager. Kevin Gillotti hates wasting time between flights when he travels. A few years ago he started airportgyms.com which now lists more than 50 health clubs in the U.S. and Canada. Some of these airport gyms aren’t just for buff gay flight attendants: The Hilton O’Hare Athletic Club between Terminals 2 and 3 is $11 at Chicago’s O’H...

By Terri Rimmer Numerous volunteer vacation programs let you lend a hand to people with HIV in the developing world. The lengthy problems relating to HIV in the world’s poor countries – the lack of affordable drugs, the crippling of nations’ workforces, the creation of orphan generations – have been on the tips of tongues from Blair to Bono but what can us as travelers do about them? “International solidarity,” says gay South African activist Zackie Achmat, “should not be limited to demonstrations against Bush and (drug) profiteering.” For adventurers seeking heightened intimacy and meaning in the global fight against HIV, short – and long-term volunteer vacations are the answer, combining the idealism of the Peace Corps and the human drama of a reality show. Combating the pandemic ravaging the world is not for the fainthearted, though, as emotional challenges are par for the course – in hospice and health care work, the suffering and death of some patients are to be expected. The auto...

By Terri Rimmer My friend has panic attacks at work sometimes from the stress of her job. Another one has them from working with her boss. I consider myself lucky to have not had one in a few years, from what I can recall. But I still remember what they feel like. Now there is a self-help site dedicated to anxiety and phobias – anxietycoach.com. According to the site everybody experiences anxiety periodically also called “anxiety disorders.” According to Dr. Carbonell these are the most treatable of the psychological problems. “These problems do have solutions,” he said. “On the site you can get basic information about anxiety disorders and identify the particular problems you face, develop a plan and begin working at it.” Once you’ve completed the work suggested in” First Steps” on the website you can read various self-help articles about different disorders there. They consist of practical understandings, suggestions, and techniques that Carbonell and his colleagues, use with clients...

By Terri Rimmer Share Our Strength and Parade Magazine have launched the Third Annual Great American Bake Sale, the national campaign encouraging help to end childhood hunger in America by hosting bakes sales in communities. This year’s event, sponsored by ABC and PAM for Baking No Stick Cooking Spray, will send funds to Share Our Strength and give to organizations across the U.S. to ensure that children at risk of hunger receive nutrition. The organizations have raised nearly $3 million since 2003. Funds are distributed to innovative non profits whose mission is to end childhood hunger. Grants are distributed this year to non profits that promote after and before school meal programs, administer hunger programs in the areas hit hardest by Hurricanes Rita and Katrina, and those who administer Operation Frontline, Share Our Strength’s nutritional program. The event was launched Oct. 16th and ends Jan. 29th. This year’s drive will give a share of the proceeds to Hurricane Katrina victim...

By Terri Rimmer Chase Bank is presenting The Family Place Partners Cards Oct. 29th-Nov. 6th which saves customers 20 percent on all shopping at various venues throughout the DFW metroplex. The Family Place, founded 27 years ago, is a facility that offers a haven for domestic violence victims in Dallas, TX. With the purchase of a $60 Partners Card cardholders participate in a shopping extravaganza and at more than 650 retail stores. All proceeds from card sales benefit The Family Place, the city’s largest family violence agency. The Family Place’s mission is to eliminate family violence through intervention, prevention, and resources. You can also learn to cook like a pro with the Texas Ranger Cookbook which is donating proceeds from each $25 sale of each book to The Family Place and Second Harvest. Donations can also be made online. On The Family Place’s website there are numerous stories from thankful former clients such as Donna who wrote, “Tonight when I go to bed I’ll be thankful” ...

By Terri Rimmer Ronnie used to pay for everything with plastic, get a high off of his weekends in Shreveport, and stroll through life without a care in the world – or so it seemed. Today he has been unemployed for months, is trying to get on disability, and has to sell junk he finds just to put gas in his car. “Most of my money I lost gambling,” he told his friend Elaine recently to which she gasped. Not most of his money – all of it. When one woman dated him briefly she thought he was rich the way he flashed his credit cards around all the time, paying for everything at expensive restaurants, movies; etc. Until she saw his house and how it was falling apart at the seams. “I should be ashamed of myself living like this,” he said and she silently agreed though she knew he was in the throes of a gambling addiction that he was in denial about. Gone are the days when Ronnie would travel to the casinos out of town to gamble and come back a lot of times with a lot of money, excited to the co...

By Terri Rimmer When I worked for Child Advocates of Tarrant County (CATC) as an advocate I got the privilege of participating in the Annual Chi Omega Carousel, now known as the Christmas Market. We raffled off three child-sized playhouses for our non-profit, selling tickets then watching parents and kids observe the intricately-built displays in awe as they fantasized about maybe having one of the winning tickets. On the day the winner to be announced, press and crowds would gather around a central area where the winning ticket would be proclaimed and a different set of little girls and parents would smile and hug each other with excitement they realized they would be taking home a house built by own of our builders. It’s that time of year again. With the theme “A Tradition of Giving,” Chi Omega is celebrating 28 years of charity, a philanthropic project sponsored by area Chi O alumnae that have brought in over $4 million for local organizations. This year’s dates are Nov. 2nd from 7-...

By Terri Rimmer One club has taken a title of a movie and put their own spin on it. First and Last Wives Club in Texas is full of women who were once married and vow never to be again, not because of bitterness or male bashing but for reasons ranging from “switching teams” (lesbianism) or for their own personal quests. “The First Wives Club” was a 1996 movie about Hollywood trophy wives who take husbands away from the original wives. But this organization doesn’t lament what went bad in their marriage, but instead celebrate their life now. “We designed the name because in forming our group we all realized that we had at one time all been married to one loser or another,” said Owner “Miss Lace.” “We are predominantly lesbian, although some of my founding lifers, heterosexual persuasion.” The club participates in activities all over the city like the recent Pride Parade and Dykes On Bikes. Even the straight ones march in the gay pride parades. The club’s motto is “If you’ve ever been a f...

By Terri Rimmer When a report recently released from the Harvard-based Project on Global Working Families found the U.S. to be just four places from dead last on a scale rating governments’ commitment to family-friendly workplace policies, people at Planned Parenthood took notice. The report, The Work, Family, and Equity Index: Where Does the United States Stand Globally? Crunches data from 168 countries to arrive at a scathing conclusion: When it comes to ensuring that employees have the resources they need to both hold a job and care for children, the U.S. is “far behind” the global standard. The U.S. Law family-leave policy is rooted in the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). The law also ensures that upon returning to the workplace the employee is entitled to the same position that she or he held before the leave began, or one equivalent to it. Family-rights advocates see FMLA as a double-edged sword. Debra Ness, president of the National Partnership for Women & Families, said...

By Terri Rimmer The National Foster Parent Association has established a relief fund for hurricane victims. The Association is collecting supplies to give to the families in need who were struck by Hurricane Katrina. Items such as new or used baby clothes, clothing for adults and children, shoes, sleeping bags, and duffle/travel bags among other items are requested as well as shampoo, shaving cream, disposable razors, toothbrushes, and toothpaste. The Association, based in Gig Harbor, Washington is the only national organization supporting foster parents and calls themselves a strong voice for children. Items for Mississippi may be sent to Becky Watkins, 115 Glynn Avenue, Quitman, MS 39355. The Association has a priority list for Louisiana of generators and gas, baby supplies, disinfectants, can openers, food supplies that don’t require preparation, paper plates, and other items. They have also gotten requests from Mississippi for displaced foster families which include diapers, gift c...

By Terri Rimmer Hurricane Rita took a heavy toll on the local community before it ever hit the state’s shoreline much less Dallas-Fort Worth. Concerns about heavy rains, flooding, high winds, overburdened facilities and traffic problems caused coordinators of the Lone Star Ride Fighting AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) to cancel the fifth annual event that was planned recently. Janie Bush, staff coordinator of the 175-mile ride, said city officials essentially made the decision for her when they revoked all special event permits for the weekend because of the hurricane and the evacuees entering the city. Bush said the facilities the 100-plus riders planned to use for pit stops and camping out that Saturday night will be used to take care of the thousands of people fleeing the hurricane. Bush said even though the cancellation was unavoidable, the coordinators and riders are devastated by the turn of events. “It’s a heavy, heavy blow for us,” said Bush who spends all year plann...

By Terri Rimmer It was eight years ago that Madonna Coffman decided to take her loss and give others hope. When she was in her 20s she developed a condition called Alopecia, a hair loss disease after receiving a hepatitis vaccination. A retired cardiac nurse, Coffman decided to start Locks of Love (locksoflove.com) where people could donate ten inches or more of their own hair for financially disadvantaged kids who had lost their hair due to the same condition. For a long time Coffman’s garage was full of mail and donated locks of hair. The number of hairpieces has grown significantly since the organization’s inception in Dec. 1997. Locks of Love is a non-profit organization helping children ten years old and younger who suffer from hair loss conditions who cannot afford wigs or hairpieces. Unlike some pieces, the locks do not require tape or glue but are custom-fitted for each head. Many sponsors have come forward through the years to help, like Fantastic Sam’s Hair Salon and Glamour ...

Chapter 20 1st Birthday August 1, 2001 That night Tara was on top of the world and she didn’t know why. But she felt this tremendous surge of energy and happiness unlike she’d known in her life, she was pretty sure. Maybe it was just the full moon, which always affected her. But she felt actually thrilled about the adoption. She put up new pix of Mackenzie and her apartment looked great. She could actually watch a show about adoption and be unemotional. She wrote a poem for Mackenzie and sent it to her for her 1st birthday with a card: Number One Your laughter they just ache to hear your skin like silk a baby’s breath. Your smile a whisper to our hearts awakening us to your sweet spirit. Your soul a flower opening up Each day a grand experience. Your birthday wishes wrapped in pink blowing kisses waving goodbye I visited the playground today and smiling, remembered our time together. The way your tiny arms flailed about my arms against yours, the sun’s bright hue. Not long ago you we...

By Terri Rimmer Stephen Bradberry, the head organizer of ACORN’s New Orleans chapter will be recognized with an honor on Nov. 16th named after the late Robert F. Kennedy. On Oct. 4th the Robert F. Kennedy Memorial announced that it would give its 2005 Human Rights Award to Bradberry for his hurricane relief efforts following Hurricane Katrina. As head of the New Orleans ACORN (Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now) chapter Bradberry has been instrumental in educating, advocating, and lobbying for citizens in the areas of predatory lending and lead poisoning in children among others. Since the disaster Bradberry and his members have been organizing volunteers in their Baton Rouge office. During relief efforts Bradberry went above and beyond to protect the rights of hurricane victims. The Robert F. Kennedy award was established in 1984 to honor those who fight for justice. On what would have been RFK’s 80th birthday Bradberry will receive the honor in Washington. ACORN wo...

By Terri Rimmer The Writers’ League of Texas will participate in the Tenth Annual Texas Book Festival Oct. 28-30 in Austin at the state capitol. The organization supports the professional endeavors of writers by providing online support, workshops, classes, retreats, monthly meetings, conferences, contests, scholarships, free electronic newsletter, discounts, lending library privileges, and seminars. You can join the league’s free online message board if you are a member by going to writersleague.org and signing up. They also have a Writers Helping Writers program, a critique service, awards, and a membership directory. You can also volunteer with the league which is a non-profit organization. The league has over 1,500 members nationwide who are published and non-published writers as well as book lovers. Fifty percent of members live outside the Central Texas area. The league is partially funded by the City of Austin and the Texas Commission on the Arts. Due to cuts at the state and n...

Well, didn't win the essay contest of Glamour's for the fifth year in a row. Here's to next year.

Rest in peace, T.C.

By Terri Rimmer The Fort Worth Business Center in conjunction with the Business Assistance Center Education Foundation and the City of Fort Worth is presenting “Imagine A Time For Women Only” Oct. 29th. Media sponsors include NBC5, the Fort Worth-Star Telegram, KLUV 98.7, KVIL 103.7, and Diario la estrella among others. The event will be held at the Fort Worth Convention Center from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration starts at 8 at the Reata on the Road Coffee Bar, vendor area/silent auction opens at 9 then dialogue sessions kick off at 10:00 a.m. with a break for a luncheon. At 4 p.m. the lounge opens and an ultimate make-over takes place along with a drawing and door prizes. You can join in on the discussions as the sessions are intimate and interactive. Baylor All Saints Hospital will present a session called “A Back That Doesn’t Ache; “A Natural Alternative to Better Health” will feature speaker Dr. Karen Birdy of Trinity Holistic Family Medicine, and Sleep Connection will conduct a ...

By Terri Rimmer The Dallas News has filtered through a lot of cookie recipes since they started the annual Holiday Cookie Contest in 1996 – close to 4,000 they would say. Their rotating cast of judges has sampled close to 500 recipes over the years to winnow the field down to 15 winners per year. They’ve surveyed mountains of chocolate chips and rivers of caramel. They even made it through the great cinnamon chip shortage of 2002. All that just to get a few more cookie recipes in their files and in yours. On that front the contest has been what they call a splendid success. The cookie contest serves a greater good, helping the homeless and hungry. The paper will accept entries throughout October. The winning recipes will appear in the Taste section Dec. 7th. The contest is open to all amateur cooks. The prizes are gift certificates provided by Central Market: $150 for first place, $100 for second, and $50 for third. Look for the entry form at dallasnews.com/adv/cookiecontest. Here’s ho...

By Terri Rimmer Camp Sister Spirit, the campground ravaged by Hurricane Katrina, has put out another urgent plea for help. “We knew when we began to help the victims of Katrina it would be a long recovery,” said Pat Cobb of the Southern Womyns Festival who has been assisting with relief efforts. “We are asking people to continue to send funds and help to Camp Sister Spirit. We can tell by an email we got from Andie at the camp that the Bush Administration and FEMA are not doing the job. We donate and give money in so many ways, at Publix, Walgreens; etc. But if you send the money directly to Camp Sister Spirit you know you are helping women and their local community.” Cobb said there will be no middle man or CEO getting a cut of the money sent and that donations will go directly to the survival of a women’s campground in Mississippi. Cobb is appealing to all, that if they have an extra $5 or $10 this week to send it to Camp Sister Spirit because it will add up. “They appreciate every d...