Welcome to this week's "Gish Picks", where I highlight family-oriented cultural events, products or services. Please note that I "highlight" these events, but I don't know if they are appropriate for your particular children, so choose wisely based on age, maturity and interests.

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Now, GO FIND FUN!

COME ON DOWN TO THE 11TH ANNUAL “RACING FOR CHILDREN GRAND PRIX AND FAMILY FUN FEST".

This free family event benefits the Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Greater Houston/Galveston, Inc. and is scheduled for this weekend on Saturday, September 15 and Sunday, September 16 at Reliant Park. On Saturday, teams will be racing to qualify and on Sunday the teams will be competing for the first place trophy. The race will be officiated by USA Charity Racing, America’s only sanctioned racing organization dedicated to supporting charity style-race car events.

The "Family Fest" will include these fun activity zones:

• A "Racer’s Village" where racing teams meet and prepare for the race including a place where kids can race in their own pedal cars.

• A "Kids Area" filled with games, lots of fun inflatables and moonbounces.

• A "Creative Arts Village" which will includes activities such as spin art, balloon making and face painting by Bootsie the Clown, and other art projects.

• A "Health and Safety Zone" which will recognize all of the important programs available for the health and well being of children, which is the focus of RMHC of Houston/Galveston.

• Photo opportunities in front of the famous Ronald McDonald Shoe Car®, and appearances by Ronald McDonald, Grimace, and the Hamburglar.

For more information please call 713.208.2130 or log onto www.racingforchildrengrandprix.com.

JOIN NATURALISTS AND VOLUNTEERS AT JESSE H. JONES PARK AND NATURE CENTER TO HELP BIRDS AND ENJOY WILDFLOWERS.

This weekend, Jesse H. Jones Park at 20634 Kenswick Drive is hosting two nature events:

• Build a Bluebird Box
  Saturday, September 15 at 10am
  Once a common bird, the Eastern Bluebird population is in decline due to pesticides, predation, habitat destruction, and loss of nesting sites. Join a naturalist to learn how to help these beautiful insect-eating birds and build a nest box to place in your yard. Bluebird boxes are limited to one per household; reservations are required.

• Wildflower Walk
  Sunday, September 16 at 2pm
  Many people believe that spring is the only time of year to view colorful wildflowers, but fall is also a wonderful time of year to view them. Park visitors will join volunteer Paul Roling on a walk to view some of the common and not-so-common wildflowers in bloom at the park during the fall season.

For more information, call 281.446.8588 or log onto www.hcp4.net/jones.

ALUMNI AND FRIENDS OF BELLAIRE HIGH SCHOOL ANNOUNCE THE 2007 “BELLAIRE FALL FEVER 5K FUN RUN”.

The run will be held this Saturday, September 15, starting with a children’s race at 7:45am. Medals will be given to the first fifteen girls and first fifteen boys to cross the finish line and all finishers will receive an award ribbon for participation. The 5K run/walk will begin at 8:05am and at the conclusion of that event, the lowest times of the top 3 men and top 3 women from each age group will be awarded gift certificates provided by Finish Strong Sports. The event will begin and end at Bellaire City Hall, 7008 South Rice Avenue. After the race there will be a party with live music, great food and drinks, awards, and door prize drawings at the Bellaire Civic Center Gazebo.

Late registration is going on now at Finish Strong Sports, 6426 Washington Avenue tomorrow, September 13, from 4pm until 7pm and at the Bellaire City Hall, 7008 S. Rice Avenue on Friday, September 14, from 4pm until 7pm and on-site on race day, Saturday, September 14, from 6am until 7:30am.

For more information, call 713.661.6559.

MAIN STREET THEATER IS LAUNCHING THREE TOURING PRODUCTIONS FOR SCHOOLS AND COMMUNITIES.

This Monday, September 17, Main Street Theater’s Youth Theater Program will launch 3 productions which will tour to schools and communities: “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie”, “If You Give a Moose a Muffin”, and Main Street’s original piece about bullying, “Zero Tolerance?”.

All tours run through December 7 and then “If You Give a Mouse a Cookie” and “If You Give a Moose a Muffin” will go back on the road in January and February, April and May, 2008.

For more information, call 713.524.9196, ext 101 or log onto www.mainstreettheater.com.

Sarah Gish
Gish Creative
1940-A Fountainview, PMB 116
Houston, Texas 77057
phone/fax: 713.532.1173

email: sarah@gishcreative.com
web: www.gishcreative.com
and: www.thesummerbook.com

© 2007 Sarah Gish

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