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Challenger baseball time
Challenger Baseball, a baseball program for boys and girls with physical and mental challenges, opened its ninth season, and a retirement celebration was held in honor of longtime administrator Charlie Fox. Under blue skies, there were bleachers full of family and fans, and the West U Rotary staffed the concessions stand. Fox was joined on the mound by West University Little League Board president Stephen Crain, WULL Auxiliary president Michelle Juden and District 16 ADA-Challenger Joni Hruska Fichter, who, with the assistance of former WULL All-Stars (now Strake Jesuit varsity players) Christopher Simon, Kyle Santry, and Will Johnston, presented Fox with a flag that was flown over the state capitol on WULL’s opening day 2013. Fox threw the first pitch, and the Challenger games began. Pictured (from left) are Crain, Simon, Santry, Fox, Johnston, Hruska Fichter and Juden.

Splattered
The family that smears paint on each other sticks together. Ellie, Steve, Ian and Leah Ragiel (pictured, from left) participated in The Color Run, a 5K race downtown at Minute Maid Park where the goal is not to run fast but to get as much paint on yourself as possible. Also participating for the first time in The Color Run were the Corbett family, who have now decided to make it an annual family tradition. The partner charity was Expedition Balance, a nonprofit organization that helps veterans cope with post-traumatic stress disorder. See thecolorrun.com/houston/.

Symphony celebrated
More than 650 symphony supporters, including (pictured) Christina and Mark Hanson, danced the night away at the 2013 Houston Symphony Ball Russian Rhapsody – A White Night Salute to Hans and Margarita Graf. The event, held on the campus of Rice University and chaired by Phoebe and Bobby Tudor, raised almost $1.3 million for the symphony’s education and community-engagement programs. Also there were auction chair Mary Fusillo and symphony after-party chairs Lindley and Jason Arnoldy. (Photo: Michelle Watson)

Desk duties
West University Elementary students recently participated in a service project benefitting school children in Malawi, one of the poorest countries in the world, for Kids In Need of Desks. K.I.N.D. provides locally made desks and benches for students in Malawi schools. West U students learned that children in Malawi often sit on dirt floors for up to seven hours per day and sometimes have no bathrooms, no playgrounds and no school supplies. Typically one teacher instructs more than 100 kids of different ages. Despite these disadvantages, many children walk several miles to get to school to learn. Through various fundraising efforts, including brownie and lemonade stands, the students raised $15,992, which will provide 246 desks for children in five Malawi schools.

A flock of Blue Birds
More than 270 Blue Birds and supporters gathered at the Houston Country Club to celebrate the organization’s 90 years. The luncheon raised more than $49,000 for the Blue Bird Circle Clinic for Pediatric Neurology at Texas Children’s Hospital, one of the country’s largest pediatric-neurology programs. The luncheon included a style show produced by Helen Perry with designs by Elizabeth Anthony-Esther Wolf. Pictured modeling a 1920s Blue Bird uniform is Ellen Vestewig. Also seen in the mix were Mills Toomey, Pat Maass, Anna Mermis, Nancy Hall, Lillie Beth Wilson, Pat McCutcheon, Mary Gannon, Carole Thrower, Nancy Abraham, Ann Elmer, Carole Sharp, Maggie Austin, Billie Selke, Rhonda Jones, Pat Lucas, Gina Saour, Deanna Murphy, Frances Hite and Sharon Baker. (Photo: Kim Coffman)

Hats for Hermann
Hermann Park Conservancy’s annual springtime fundraiser, Hats in the Park, was held at the park’s historic clubhouse. The luncheon brought in nearly $240,000, funds that will go toward maintaining the park. Hermann Park will celebrate its centennial in 2014. All things French were enjoyed in the spirit of the theme “Chapeaux” – French for “Hats”– including a 14-foot Eiffel Tower, champagne, petit macarons, and fine fashion in the form of hats on Houston’s fabulous ladies. Co-chairs Ellie Francisco and Kim Tutcher encouraged guests to wear their spring finest, including hats. Pictured (from left) are Doreen Stoller, executive director of Hermann Park Conservancy, Ann Kennedy, Hermann Park Conservancy board chair, Francisco and Tutcher. Also in attendance were Phoebe Tudor, Franci Crane, Lynn Wyatt, Bobbie Nau, Mayor Annise Parker, Ann Short, Cynthia Petrello and Nidhika Mehta.

Peruvian adventure
A group of St. Agnes Academy students and family members spent nine days in Peru over Spring Break. Highlights included climbing through the early morning mist to the Machu Picchu Citadel (pictured here). After visiting Machu Picchu, the group flew to Puerto Maldonado and traveled by bus and motorized canoes to Posada Amazonas for an authentic jungle experience where their hotel rooms were open, allowing the company of howler monkeys, red and green macaws, tapirs and agoutis. Pictured from left are (front row) Kelsey Siegler, Sarah Montonchaikul, Rose Montonchaikul, Sylvette Bobb, Marie Moore, Shannon Lewis, (back row) Robin Burks, Andrew Bobb, Lisa Morrow, Sydney Morrow, Sara Bobb and Amanda Estrada. Not pictured: Oren Moore.

Hoop dreams
Each year the National Basketball Association hosts its annual All-Star game in a different U.S. city, and this year it was Houston. The NBA also hosted an All-Star Jam Session Invitational tournament for private schools at the George R. Brown. This tournament involved private middle schools from all over Houston. The final four boy’s teams were all from the southwest Houston area, including St. Thomas’ Episcopal, St. Vincent de Paul, Trafton Academy and Westbury Christian. Westbury Christian won first, and Trafton Academy won second place.

Medical mingling
Young professionals met up at Brooklyn Athletic Club for an afternoon of friendly chatter, games, beef sliders and bubbly cocktails at a spring kick-off event for the new young-professionals group called PULSE (Professionals United to Lead St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System) co-chaired by Lindley and Jason Arnoldy (pictured). The event buzzed with bocce ball, badminton, and hospital news. Enjoying the day were Stuart Rosenberg, Elizabeth Weiss, Dan and Lindsay Pearce, Mindy and Travis Bryan, Lee Willeford, Annie and Tyler McQueen, Daniel Arnoldy and Laura Avant. See stlukestexas.org/pulse. (Photo: Daniel Ortiz)

Be seen in Buzz About Town. Send your high-res photos and community news to (info@thebuzzmagazines.com) info (at) thebuzzmagazines (dot) com or 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, TX 77401. Items are published on a space-available basis.

Another pup on the way

Thanks to all of you for the wonderful article (Can-Do Canines, by Cheryl Ursin, March 2013) in The Buzz about SEGD (Southeastern Guide Dogs). The photos were fantastic, and we were happy and surprised to see our photo with Kevin (taken by Nikky LaWell) on the cover! March 6th we drove Kevin back to Florida. On the 9th, there was an SEGD walk-a-thon, which raised $500,000. The organization is a non-profit, no government money or grants, and provides guide dogs to the blind free of charge. After the walk-a-thon we attended a ceremony where 10 Houston puppies and 20 puppies from other locations were returned to SEGD for “college.” This is where the REAL training begins.

We were so inspired by the entire weekend, meeting lots of blind people with their dogs, that we have decided to raise another pup for them. It will probably be a couple of months until we get a pup, but we are looking forward to the next challenge.

Thanks again,
Dan and Barbara Shellist

Editor’s note: The Shellists were featured on the cover of The Tanglewood/River Oaks Buzz. The story about puppy raisers appeared in all four Buzz magazines.

Pet article prompts happy tears

We always enjoy the Neighborhood Tails section of The Buzz when we receive our issue. Six or eight months ago, I decided to send a picture of our dog, Scout, with her “story.” While everyone considers their pet unique, we dearly loved this dog. Rescued from the Angleton SPCA, she was my Mother’s Day surprise in May 1999.

Scout was one of the girls at our house for 14 years. An off-the-chart Alpha-Female, she loved just about everything, except other dogs and possums. Sadly, a tumor inside her thigh crippled her in less than two months. She never recovered from a surgical biopsy, and we had to have her put to sleep on December 7.

I wondered if we should include her passing in the article that would be coming out in the March issue. We chose to just leave it alone – her story was perfect, as is. We had forgotten to look for the arrival of The Buzz, and it sat on our kitchen table for a day or so before I picked it up and it fell open to Page 28. There was our beautiful Scout. Tears flowed as we read the article, remembering the joy she brought into our lives for so many years, and missing her at the same time.

Thank you, West U Buzz, for Neighborhood Tails. We enjoy seeing a new pet every  month.

We still have Dudi, our nearly 18-year-old cat. I may have to send Dudi’s picture and his story (which is unique, of course).

Best regards,
Sue Dailey

Editor’s note: Sweet Scout was featured in The West University Buzz. We run a different pet in each Buzz magazine every month and are on the lookout for neighborhood critters to feature. To see your pet in The Buzz, send 150 words and a high-resolution photo to (info@thebuzzmagazines.com) info (at) thebuzzmagazines (dot) com.

Send letters to (info@thebuzzmagazines.com) info (at) thebuzzmagazines (dot) com. Please include your name, address, phone number and email address for verification purposes. Letters are subject to editing for clarity and space. Views expressed in letters do not necessarily reflect the opinions of The Buzz Magazines, and The Buzz takes no responsibility for the content and opinions expressed in them.

Hi! I spend every day walking with my family and visiting my dog friends. I have 12 dog friends on my street alone, so walks are a busy time for me! Sniff, smell, play and move on. It’s a lot of work socializing so much, but I’m okay with that since that’s my job. My other job is keeping up with my sister, Rosy. Rosy just lives a few streets away with my grandmother. She and I get together every day to play in my big back yard and to run on my mom’s white sofas. It’s fun, especially with the washer and dryer going,  cleaning those sofa cushions while we take our naps. Yes, it’s a busy life. I chase squirrels, birds, you name it.  One time I even brought a bird in to show my mom.  That’s not the best idea I’ve ever had though. I know tricks like sit, shake and lay down, and the best trick of all, coming when my mom calls.

Got a cute critter? Email a picture of your pet with approximately 150 words to (info@thebuzzmagazines.com) info (at) thebuzzmagazines (dot) com or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, TX 77401. Featured pets receive two passes to Rover Oaks Pet Resort. Each pass can be redeemed for one day of lodging in a Bunk House Suite, 25 percent off your next grooming appointment or 25 percent off one obedience training class.

Wedded bliss

A flock of Blue Birds
More than 270 Blue Birds and supporters gathered at the Houston Country Club to celebrate the organization’s 90 years. The luncheon raised more than $49,000 for the Blue Bird Circle Clinic for Pediatric Neurology at Texas Children’s Hospital, one of the country’s largest pediatric neurology services that provides expert evaluation, diagnosis and treatment for a wide range of neurological disorders. The luncheon also included a style show produced by Helen Perry with designs by Elizabeth Anthony-Esther Wolf. Pictured are (from left) Van Smith and Rhonda Jones. Also in the mix were Nancy Abraham, Ann Elmer, Carole Sharp, Maggie Austin, Billie Selke, Rhonda Jones, Pat Lucas, Gina Saour, Deanna Murphy, Frances Hite and Sharon Baker. (Photo: Kim Coffman)

Medical mingling
Young professionals met up at Brooklyn Athletic Club for an afternoon of friendly chatter, games, beef sliders and bubbly cocktails at a spring kick-off event for the new young-professionals group called PULSE (Professionals United to Lead St. Luke’s Episcopal Health System) co-chaired by Lindley and Jason Arnoldy (pictured). The event buzzed with bocce ball, badminton, and hospital news. Enjoying the day were Stuart Rosenberg, Elizabeth Weiss, Dan and Lindsay Pearce, Mindy and Travis Bryan, Lee Willeford, Annie and Tyler McQueen, Daniel Arnoldy and Laura Avant. See stlukestexas.org/pulse. (Photo: Daniel Ortiz)

Texas-sized gala
More than 630 supporters, including (pictured) Candy and Tom Knudson, enjoyed the Covenant House Texas 30th Anniversary Gala at the Hilton Americas-Houston ballroom. The room was glistening in gold, in keeping with the anniversary theme, and guests enjoyed braised beef short rib and shrimp scampi. Bill Balleza, news anchor for Channel 2, was emcee and narrator of the evening and the CHT video. The evening was orchestrated by gala co-chairs Julie and Jay Rogers, along with gala-committee members Mary Eads, Cheryl Boblitt, Aimee Snoots, Jo Ann Petersen, Linda Ligon, Kristen Carlson and guild president Amanda Crump. It generated more than $900,000 for Covenant House Texas, which helps homeless and runaway youth.

Multi-tasking teacher
The Spring Branch Education Foundation hosted a dinner to honor the winners of this year’s Crystal Awards for Outstanding Teachers of Greater Houston. Sandy “Mr. Mac” McLanahan, a middle school math teacher at St. John’s School, was one of four winners selected from 1,000 nominees. In addition to teaching math, he’s the varsity girls’ tennis coach, chess club sponsor, Math Counts director, and middle school girls’ soccer coach. A group of his students were present to honor their beloved teacher. Pictured (from left, with Mr. Mac) are Margaret Trautner, Natasha Gonzalez, Dhillon Lahoti, Mark Trautner, Xavier Gonzalez and Eric Gao. (Photo: Spring Branch Education Foundation)

Symphony celebrated
More than 650 symphony supporters, including (pictured, from left) Cathy Chapman, Jill Jewett, Susie Criner and Ann Stern, attended the 2013 Houston Symphony Ball Russian Rhapsody – A White Night Salute to Hans and Margarita Graf. The event, chaired by Phoebe and Bobby Tudor and held on the Rice University campus, raised almost $1.3 million for the symphony’s education and community-engagement programs. Also there were auction chair Mary Fusillo and symphony after-party chairs Lindley and Jason Arnoldy. (Photo: Michelle Watson)

Expanding minds
A fourth-grade Odyssey of the Mind team at River Oaks Elementary School took first place at regionals. Odyssey is an international creative-thinking and problem-solving competition. The team – (pictured, from left) George Hagle, Gage Hensey, Katharine Britt, Talia Hirsch, Amanda Bloome, Andrew Weiner and Clair Ma – earned the right to compete at state for the second year in a row. For results and info, see txodyssey.org.

Hats for Hermann
Hermann Park Conservancy’s annual springtime fundraiser, Hats in the Park, was held at the park’s historic clubhouse. The luncheon brought in nearly $240,000, funds that will go toward maintaining the park. Hermann Park will celebrate its centennial in 2014. All things French were enjoyed in the spirit of the theme “Chapeaux” – French for “Hats”– including a 14-foot Eiffel Tower, champagne, petit macarons, and fine fashion in the form of hats on Houston’s fabulous ladies. Co-chairs Ellie Francisco and Kim Tutcher encouraged guests to wear their spring finest. Pictured (from left) are Doreen Stoller, executive director of Hermann Park Conservancy, Ann Kennedy, Hermann Park Conservancy board chair, Francisco and Tutcher. Also in attendance were Phoebe Tudor, Franci Crane, Lynn Wyatt, Bobbie Nau, Mayor Annise Parker, Ann Short, Cynthia Petrello and Nidhika Mehta.

Hats off to moms
Easter Seals’ 14th annual Hats Off to Mothers luncheon at River Oaks Country Club was a success, raising $155,000 for the organization and its programs, which help people with disabilities. Around 365 guests came dressed to impress in fabulous haute attire to help Easter Seals honor 10 outstanding Houston mothers who have made significant contributions to their families and the Houston community. Lauren DeLuca and her mother Elizabeth DeLuca (pictured, from left) chaired the luncheon that honored these women: Gina Bhatia, Julie Brown, Gracie Cavnar, Wendy Dawson, Debbie Deutser Greenbaum, Ursaline Hamilton, Robin Klaes, Beth Muecke, Judy Nyquist and Ginny Simmons. See eastersealshouston.org. (Photo: Gary Fountain)

Horsing around
Briargrove Elementary fifth grader Grace Guerriero competed in a Gulf Coast Horse Show Association horse show at Southern Breeze Equestrian Center in Fresno near Pearland. She also competed in a GCHSA show at Whipple Tree Farm in Richmond. English equestrians from Houston and surrounding areas showed in a variety of divisions, including beginner equitation and advanced hunter-jumper. Grace and her younger sister, Quency, train at Southern Breeze.

Be seen in Buzz About Town. Send your high-res photos and community news to (info@thebuzzmagazines.com) info (at) thebuzzmagazines (dot) com or 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, TX 77401. Items are published on a space-available basis.

Play ball

Local gymnast wins big
St. Mark’s Episcopal School fifth grader Michael Artlip was named the 2013 Region 3 Men’s Gymnastics Champion for Level 6 at a meet in Springfield, Missouri. He was also named the 2013 Texas State Men’s Gymnastics Champion for Level 6 at a recent state gymnastics meet in Austin where he won first place on floor exercise, pommel horse and parallel bars and second place on rings. Those scores, combined with solid scores on high bar and vault, earned him first place in the all-around competition. Cheering him on were parents Kathy and Mark Artlip. Michael’s teammate and Bellaire resident Justin Taylor won the gold medal on vault.

New-home tour in May
Community support continues to grow for making Evelyn’s Park an iconic park in Bellaire’s front yard. Community leaders have volunteered to help Evelyn’s Park Conservancy with its fundraising efforts. An anonymous donor has donated manpower and equipment to demolish unused buildings to prepare the site for development. And the Bellaire New Home Showcase has chosen Evelyn’s Park to receive proceeds from its 25th annual home tour. Bellaire residents are encouraged to come to the home tour on May 11-12 and 18-19. Pictured are parks supporters, including (front step, from left) Philip Robbins, Menny Rosenbaum, (middle row, from left) Rachel Crochet, Diane Citek, (back row, from left) Keith Rubenstein, Rusty Rubenstein, Larry Haas and Cindy Siegel. See bellairehomeshow.com.

City slickers
While other kids jetted off to the beach and theme parks, sisters Mary, 15, and Rose Sansone, 12, competed in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in the Ranch Sorting division. Their dedication paid off as Mary’s team placed second among 220 teams in the adult division, even beating out her own father Joe Sansone’s team. Rose came in fourth place out of the 40 teams competing in the junior youth division.

Bless this house
Friends of Vicky Koblenz (pictured, center) gathered in her newly updated kitchen in Bellaire to bake Jewish challah bread. This challah was a particularly special one as it was for the Sabbath following the festival of Passover, and the kitchen smelled oh-so delicious as each guest made her own challah too. Some of the women placed a key inside their bread called shlissel challah, a symbol to bring blessings into a home. They also recited prayers for good health for those in need. Pictured (from left) are Clarice Miller, Annette Kavin, Myrna Ideris, Koblenz, Ingrid Wainstein, Stella Blumenthal and Sheila Kristeller.

Send Jessica to Philly
What would you do if you were diagnosed with a rare cancer and needed to get to Philadelphia for treatment but couldn’t afford it? Jessica Schwausch, 21, is in those shoes, so friends are hosting an open fundraiser May 11, 5-8 p.m., at the home of Sue and Rea Berry at 4910 Palmetto. Jessica is a patient at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center (where Sue’s niece, Kristen Carter, is a physician’s assistant) and needs to try an alternative chemotherapy for her rare sarcoma. The fundraiser needs sponsors and attendees to raise $25,000 for Jessica’s travel and treatment. Pictured are (front row, from left) Schwausch, Carter, (back row, from left) Sue Kelly Berry, John Andrews and Patti Kelly Berkstresser. See TheJessicaFund.com.

Hoop dreams
Each year the National Basketball Association hosts its annual All-Star game in a different U.S. city, and this year it was Houston. The NBA also hosted an All-Star Jam Session Invitational tournament for private schools at the George R. Brown Convention Center. This tournament involved private middle schools from all over Houston. The final four boy’s teams were all from the southwest Houston area, including St. Thomas’ Episcopal, St. Vincent de Paul, Trafton Academy and Westbury Christian. Westbury Christian won first, and Trafton Academy won second place.

Nemo had cake
Animal lover Joy Kimble wanted to make her 8th birthday party at the downtown Aquarium extra special so she asked her friends and family to bring donations for the Houston SPCA in lieu of birthday presents for her. Pictured is Joy with the donated items. Guests included Joy’s sister Katherine, Kylie Carter, Sydney Cricks, Sophie and Lucas Donalson, Kate and Jonny deLeef, Siobhan Donnelly, Blythe Mogil, Elizabeth Newhouse, Alexine Salmons, Maya Sternthal and Kaille Williamson.

Urban campers
Bellaire neighbors and friends packed their camping gear for the fifth annual Tents in Town presented by Patrons for Bellaire Parks and the City of Bellaire Parks and Recreation Department. It was a unique camping experience in town for third-grade Horn Elementary students William Fowler and Garett Haynes (pictured, from left), who were accompanied by William’s mom, Dawn Bloomer. This was the boys’ first time to spend the night in a real tent, not made of sheets.

Next stop, Masters
Congratulations to Horn Academy Dad’s Club 2013 Golf Tournament winners Hugh Forque, Kevin Sisk, Richard Butler and Brady Goodgame. The tournament at SouthWyck Golf Club raised funds for the school. Horn students (pictured, from left) Tyler Sisk (second grade), Garrett Sisk (fifth grade), Parker Forque (fourth grade) and Olivia Forque (second grade), along with Madeline Sisk, displayed the trophies won by their dads. Last year’s tournament raised $12,000, so the hope is to surpass that amount once the final numbers are tallied.

Be seen in Buzz About Town. Send your high-res photos and community news to (info@thebuzzmagazines.com) info (at) thebuzzmagazines (dot) com or 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, TX 77401. Items are published on a space-available basis.

“If I can get there, I can pretty much figure out how to get around,” said Frieden, a disabilities advocate who’s been called a chief architect of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Frieden, a quadriplegic who lost most of his mobility in a car crash in 1967, has received a tribal greeting from Maoris in the jungles of New Zealand, visited Kuwait right after the Iraq War, and explored the Great Wall 20 years ago, before a wheelchair lift was installed.

“Xie Xie. Thanks a lot!” says traveler Lex Frieden to the Chinese military recruits who volunteered to carry him (and his wheelchair) up hundreds of steps onto the Great Wall.

And Sage, who was injured in a skiing accident at the age of 22, has strapped himself – wheelchair and all – onto a zip line and gone sailing through the rainforest canopy. He’s kayaked in Provence, toured Topkapi Palace and the ruins of Ephesus and visited the favelas in Brazil – and he proposed to his wife, Tiffany, on the Greek island of Santorini.

“It’s natural to feel anxious, particularly for individuals who are trying to get accustomed to a disability they haven’t had,” says Frieden, a professor at The University of Texas at Houston and program director at TIRR Memorial Houston. But with the ADA in the United States, and now a United Nations resolution on the rights of disabled people, traveling is more accessible than ever.

Sage, formerly an engineer. eventually became a professional travel advisor, and now he organizes trips for people with disabilities of all kinds, mainly in Europe.

But what Frieden, Sage and others have learned applies to many travelers. Whether you are a person with disabilities, a senior with limited mobility or a family with small children, this advice can make all the difference.

On choosing a destination
Build up practice, confidence and strength at wheelchair-friendly destinations before venturing to the harder ones. “There’s no reason to start with Istanbul, for example, which is really tough,” said Sage. “There are plenty of great options like London, Berlin and Barcelona that you could start with.”

Most U.S. destinations are handicap-accessible thanks to the ADA – but there’s still a lot of variance. Many have webpages discussing services for special-needs travelers.

Look for cities that are flat, offer accessible buses and don’t have a lot of cobblestones.

On planning ahead
“Don’t start with the idea, ‘We’ll figure it out once we get there,’” said Sage. He learned this the hard way when he went to Munich for the first time and was foiled two days in a row in palace tours. The first day, he discovered that a reservation was needed for wheelchair assistance. The second palace offered reservations only on certain days.

Double-check everything you read with a phone call or an e-mail. One example is the frequently cited but now nonexistent stairlifts on five important bridges in Venice. Due to saltwater and high maintenance costs, they were taken out of service. Sage keeps a website with information for disabled travelers – sagetraveling.com – and a reader alerted him to the change.

One of John Sage’s favorite forays was kayaking under the Pont du Gard aqueduct in Provence, France. Sage has been to more than 70 countries since a snow-skiing accident in 2001 left him with limited mobility.

Booking hotels at least four months in advance is important for accessible rooms, which tend to go quickly in the mid-priced hotels.

Accessibility extends beyond the hotel’s lobby. Make sure it’s in a wheelchair-friendly neighborhood. One painful lesson for one of Sage’s clients came, again, in Venice, where the hotel was indeed accessible, but it was surrounded by inaccessible bridges. It ended up costing about 100 euros just to leave the hotel.

For prescriptions, bring a letter from your doctor specifying what you need it for. Frieden almost got left behind on a Caribbean cruise because the transit authorities refused to allow him to take a fluid for a bladder condition. He called the supervisor, who finally decided it didn’t pose a threat.

Pack a tool kit for repairs and bring spares – inner tubes, chargers, etc. Sage spent a week on his own in Normandy when he was 25. He learned two lessons: First, always bring a spare inner tube. And second, in France, pharmacists will come and change your wheelchair flat.

Learn key accessibility phrases. “It’s important to know the basic words for toilet, restaurant, hotel, public transit, in the language of whatever country you are going to,” says Frieden. “You can’t simply say, ‘Is your doorway wide enough for a wheelchair?’ You have to know the width of your chair, and you have to be able to say, ‘Is your doorway 39 centimeters wide?’”

But language conveys more than information. “The more language you try to learn, the more the native people will respect you. That builds relationships.”

Sagetraveling.com has accessibility phrases in French, German, Italian, Portuguese and Czech.

On cruising
Don’t assume a cruise will be accessible just because it’s on a cruise line you know. A lot depends on the ports. In Naples, Sage explains, you can get off the cruise ship and you’re in the middle of the city. But getting to Rome or Florence involves a complicated obstacle course of public transportation to make it from nearby port cities to the destination and back and not miss your ship.

On fellow travelers
For traveling companions, remember it’s their vacation too, said Frieden.  “We don’t need to be protected all the time. Maybe I don’t want to jump on the zip line, but I might enjoy watching and taking photos while they are.”

On favorite destinations
Sage: Santorini in the Greek islands, with its dramatic volcano and legends of Atlantis, is his all-time favorite, which is why he chose to propose to his wife there – but it wasn’t easy. Sage had to go around for the four days leading up to the trip with a diamond ring hidden in his wheelchair pouch. “I said, what’s going to happen if they make me take it out at security? I guess I’ll get engaged at the Houston airport!” Fortunately, they did not, and the spectacular sunset made for a storybook proposal.

For accessibility, he loves Berlin, with the Brandenburg Gate, the remnants of the Berlin Wall and Checkpoint Charlie; and Barcelona, with its gothic quarter, accessible beaches, Picasso museum, Barcelona cathedral and driving tour to Gaudi-architecture sites.

Frieden: Paris is tough, but it’s still one of his favorites. An easier option is Dresden, often compared to Paris. “It has wonderful history, beautiful monuments, and it’s off the beaten tourist track so it’s not as expensive.” Also, because of the terrible bombing during World War II, much of the city had to be rebuilt, so ramps and other accommodations were added.

His picks for the most accessible cities in the U.S.: Washington, D.C., New York and San Francisco, for their transit systems, museums and historic places; San Francisco is challenging because of the hills, but you can make an appointment through its paratransit system and get virtually anywhere. He also loves Honolulu, where you can navigate the bus system all over Oahu.

Australia’s integrated public transit system is like a dream for the disabled, who can easily navigate cities like Sydney and Brisbane but also head out into the countryside or choose from miles of accessible beaches.

On challenges – and kindness
Sage: He spent a week alone in Normandy about three years after his accident, when he was just learning French. “I knew it wouldn’t be comfortable, but I was 25 and ready to conquer the world,” he said. He got to the train station in Bayeux and discovered there was no ramp. Some high school students lifted him down and back up another flight of stairs. The language barrier was tough – he remembers taking the train to Rouen, where Joan of Arc was burned at the stake. He waited for the name to come over the loudspeaker but all he kept hearing was a man making a sound as if he were clearing his throat. Finally he realized – that’s how Rouen is pronounced in France!

Frieden: He got stuck in Amsterdam en route to Sweden at the time of an air controllers strike, which coincided, unfortunately, with the coronation of the new Dutch queen, and there was not a room to be had – much less an accessible one. He pulled out a Dutch phone book and started calling social-service agencies until he found one with an English-speaking social worker. He was lucky; she had parents who owned a bed and breakfast, and they were kind enough to vacate their own room on the ground floor.

Even so, there were six stairs to enter the house. He would park himself in front of the stairs and gaze wistfully upwards until some kind Dutch people would stop and carry him up.

Frieden’s long-term strategy is to help others every chance he gets.

“There’s something to be said for karma,” he says.

Resources

Sage Traveling: John Sage has put together a wealth of information particularly focused on European travel but useful for travel in general. Sign up for his free monthly newsletter and explore by city or topic: www.sagetraveling.com

Trip Advisor’s Traveling with Disabilities Forum: Travelers discus everything from mobility scooters to disabled toilets to specific destinations. Accessible hotel checklist is particularly useful. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowForum-g1-i12336-Traveling_With_Disabilities.html

The Guardian’s Traveling with Disabilities page: News, views and comments on a variety of relevant topics. http://www.guardian.co.uk/travel/travellingwithdisabilities

Independent Living Institute’s resource list: Based in Sweden but applicable worldwide. http://www.independentliving.org/links/links-travel-and-leisure.html

Access-Able Travel Source: The creation of Bill and Carol Randall; Carol has MS and uses a wheelchair. The site began with the couple’s travel experience and grew into a multifaceted resource with tons of information. http://access-able.com/

Rx: Freedom to Travel language series: A series of instructional CDs and phrasebooks in 10 languages designed to prepare travelers with health and/or mobility issues. http://freedom2t.com/

Able to Travel: A program of the United Spinal Association offering travel tips, travelogues and a wide range of services. www.abletotravel.org

ADA Technical Assistance Department: Primarily for service providers who need help becoming ADA Compliant: 1-800-949-4232.

My name is Buffy. I am a Yellow Labrador Retriever. My brother and I were found by the side of a road near Houston when we were 5 weeks old. A nice lady took us to the Harris County Animal Shelter. I was named “Number A370169, Female, Puppy.” They took my picture and advertised me on adoptapet.com. A nice couple who had just lost their Siberian Husky to cancer saw my ad. They came to the shelter, paid the $80 fee, and adopted me. I sure hope they keep me. You see, my owner’s hands and arms are covered with scratches from my sharp puppy teeth. Well, my gums itch, so I chew on everything from arms to toys to shoes left in the kitchen. But I am so cute with my buff coat, my soulful chocolate eyes and my left ear flopped over my head like a comb-over that I am sure they will keep me.

Got a cute critter? Email a picture of your pet with approximately 150 words to (info@thebuzzmagazines.com) info (at) thebuzzmagazines (dot) com or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, TX 77401. Featured pets receive two passes to Rover Oaks Pet Resort. Each pass can be redeemed for one day of lodging in a Bunk House Suite, 25 percent off your next grooming appointment or 25 percent off one obedience training class.

For 40 days she sipped fresh guayaba juice, drank potassium-rich sugarcane water, and savored daily bowls of her Colombian grandmother’s chicken soup. “That soup was mandatory,” said Calderon, 37.

Like many societies, Colombians believe the best safeguard for a new baby is exquisite care for the mother. So for 40 days after giving birth, women are pampered by family. They’re shielded from stress. They abstain from sex, housework and cooking. Above all, they’re coddled with delicious, specialized foods.

Liliana Calderon, who is expecting her second child this summer, assembles ingredients for the Colombian-style chicken soup her grandmother taught her to prepare. A key ingredient is a fresh hen, ideally with fully formed eggs that also go into the soup for extra protein. (Photo: www.lawellphoto.com)

The tradition may sound like six weeks at a spa – a sweet idea, and totally unattainable for most new moms. In fact, women of all economic backgrounds in Latin America enjoy some version of a cuarentena, as it’s called in Spanish. The rural poor take it most seriously of all. With no access to doctors, they don’t see postpartum care as a luxury. It’s the best insurance that mother and baby will live.

In the United States, newcomers observe the ritual as best they can. Often they rely on friends, whom they’ll one day repay with similar help. And in a purely American twist, some husbands take on the housework, determined to give their wives something like the blissful six weeks they’d get at home.

According to medical anthropologist Laurence Kruckman, rituals like the cuarentena help explain why newborns of foreign-born women in the United States have higher life expectancy – and why traditional cultures report less postpartum depression.

“Absolutely,” agrees Dr. Ivonne Escudero Smith, an ob-gyn at The Woman’s Hospital of Texas whose family is from Mexico. “New mothers have support with this tradition. There’s going to be your aunt, your cousin or your friend to tell you: ‘I felt like that too. It’s normal.’”

It helps that all this emotional nourishment comes fortified with good food. That Colombian chicken soup, for example: “It’s wonderful,” Smith said. “It’s full of protein; it naturally gives hydration.”

Herbal tea, another staple, provides the hydration crucial for breastfeeding. Caribbean women are partial to infusions of bay leaf, an anti-inflammatory with calming effects, while Mexicans ply their daughters with atole, a comforting, milk shake-y drink made from toasted corn. Gently warmed and served all day long, it’s an easily absorbed form of iron and complex carbohydrates.

Guadalupe Harper, a Venezuelan-born mother of two, recalled her post-baby weeks in Caracas dreamily.

Every day, she sipped freshly juiced concoctions of raw spinach, orange and beets. She drank chicken soup made from hens, per her grandmother’s instructions – folklore insists hens are more nutritious than roosters – and nibbled platefuls of auyama, a vitamin-rich gourd similar to a pumpkin.

Even women who have spent most of their lives in the United States swear by the cuarentena. Geraldina Interiano Wise, the daughter of Salvadoran diplomats, spent her early childhood in Washington and New York and attended college at Rice University in the late 1970s.

Liliana Calderon’s grandmother, Carmen Irene Gonzalez, puts the finishing touches on her signature hen soup, a traditional meal for new mothers in Colombia.

But when Interiano Wise gave birth to her two children, she asked her mother to come to Houston and take care of her.

For 40 days, the older woman chopped and stirred. Her main dish was beef soup: “It was very important to get that iron,” Interiano Wise said. “Then she put the vegetables and leafy greens into the broth, including a Salvadoran spinach that’s like collard greens, for calcium and iron.”

And every day there was a bowl filled with translucent chunks of güisquil. Refreshing and easy to digest, this tropical squash keeps mothers hydrated and able to breast-feed. It’s also a superb source of folic acid.

Like many Latinas, Interiano Wise believes the cuarentena’s mix of care, company, and good food are the secret for making the first days of motherhood peaceful.

“Even though I question my mother in everything, because that is the kind of person I am, I did exactly what she said. It was such a treat, because I had been taking care of myself for so long.”

Hen Soup, “Sancocho de Gallina valluno”

Ingredients:
1 hen (150 gr.) skin removed and in pieces
1 1/2 liters of water
2 green plantains cut in irregular pieces
1 yuca root small cut in irregular pieces
3 potatoes cut in irregular pieces
1 tomato cut in small pieces
1 onion, finely cut
1 garlic, finely cut
1/2 spoon of saffron coloring (Goya brand Azafran)
1/2 spoon of salt
1/4 spoon of pepper
1 spoon of cilantro, finely cut

Preparation:
Fill big pot with the water. Heat over stovetop until boiling. Add hen. Add tomato and onion. Cook for about 1 1/2 hours until meat of the hen becomes soft and easy to cut. Add vegetables, garlic and Azafran. Cook until vegetables are soft, about 30 minutes (add water if needed). Add salt, pepper and cilantro. It’s ready to enjoy. Hen soup can be eaten with white rice and green salad, avocado and banana.

Sugarcane Water, “Agua de Panela”

Ingredients:
1 liter of water
One chunk of panela, broken into pieces (also called piloncillo; can be found at Fiesta)
Lemon (optional)

Preparation:
Rinse panela pieces, and put then to simmer in water until it boils. That’s it! If desired, add a squeeze of lemon. Serve hot or cold.

Single-Serving Hot Chocolate

Ingredients:
1 cup of milk
1/2 cup of water
1 tablet of chocolate, either unsweetened or sweetened as preferred. Abuelita-brand chocolate is a traditional favorite.
Sugar if you are using unsweetened chocolate
Cloves and cinnamon (optional)

Preparation:
Combine the milk, water and chocolate in a mid-sized cooking pot. Add the cloves or the cinnamon to taste if desired.

Simmer at medium heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture is hot. Do not allow to boil. The chocolate should be mostly dissolved. It’s fine if there are a few small bits intact. Remove from heat.

Beat mixture with a whisk or a molinillo (a traditional Mexican wooden whisk. These can be found at Mexican grocery stores, including many Fiestas). It’s ready when the chocolate is very frothy. If the chocolate is unsweetened, sweetened with one or two tablespoons of sugar, according to taste. Serve immediately.

Claudia Kolker is the author of The Immigrant Advantage: What We Can Learn From Newcomers to America About Health, Happiness, and Hope.

The Wildcats captured the TAPPS 4A state title with a 58-48 victory over Dallas Christian in the championship game.  “We were an extremely young team with only three seniors on the entire roster, so this title was somewhat unexpected,” said Wildcats head coach Russell Carr.

With its victory over Dallas Christian in the TAPPS state final, Westbury Christian captured its 17th state championship in boys basketball.

As for the seniors, guard Arte Turner was a major play maker for the Wildcats, coming back from a knee injury which kept him out of the lineup last season. “This was special, especially with what I went through last season,” said Turner. “I was also really proud of the way the younger guys on the team stepped up this season.”

One of those younger guys was sophomore Kirk Berger, who was a big contributor to the Wildcats’ success. “We started slow but worked our way up by practicing and playing really hard. We stuck it out, and it paid off with a state championship,” said Berger.

With its 17 state championships, Westbury Christian boasts one of the most successful private-school basketball programs in Texas history. “We have a really good school in southwest Houston,” said Carr. “The consistency from our administration all the way through our faculty and coaching staff has been great. That sort of stability and credibility is what’s spear-headed us over the years.”

For the second straight year, the Beren Academy Stars earned a berth to the TAPPS 2A state basketball tournament, where the team dropped a four-overtime heartbreaker to Boerne Geneva 68-67 in the state semifinals.

It was just last year that Beren Academy made international news when the school was forced to forfeit its state semifinal game after refusing to play on the Jewish Sabbath. Beren fought for the right to play the game at an alternate time and won that fight as the team ultimately advanced to the state-championship final.

This season’s battle was strictly on the basketball court, where Beren played one of the longest and more memorable games in the history of the TAPPS state tournament. “It really was an incredible game,” said Beren Academy head coach Chris Cole. “We had a chance to win at the buzzer of the first overtime, and they had the same opportunity in the second overtime.”

In the third overtime, Beren was down by three points in the final seconds when Yoni Schiff connected on a 30-foot running shot at the buzzer that forced a fourth overtime period. “Yoni kind of threw up a prayer, but it was an amazing bucket,” said Cole. In the fourth overtime, Boerne Geneva took the lead for good in the final seconds on a pair of free throws for the ultimate one-point victory.

For the fourth consecutive season, the Lamar Redskins girls soccer team captured the District 20-5A championship.

The game marked another spectacular effort from Beren Academy senior Zach Yoshor, who scored 30 points for the Stars. Yoshor, who poured in 40 points in Beren’s regional-final victory over Northeast Christian Academy, averaged a lofty 30 points a game for the entire season and was selected to the TAPPS 2A All-State Team.

“To get back to state this season was extremely satisfying,” said Cole. “We lost four starters off last year’s team, and so we had several guys who had never played a single minute of varsity ball. You could see the growth and development of this team from beginning to end.”

It was another outstanding season for the Lamar Redskins girls soccer team, which posted a 26-2-1 regular-season record. The Redskins also won the District 20-5A Championship for the fourth consecutive season.

“When this team is clicking, we’re extremely tough to beat,” said Redskins head coach Ryan Holley. “It’s one of the best high school teams I’ve seen and coached.”

Leading the Redskins’ attack again this season was senior forward Natalie Cohen, who scored a remarkable 60 goals. Cohen also added 29 assists for the season. The Redskins’ second leading scorer was junior forward Kelly Andrus, who knocked in 38 goals while accounting for 23 assists. In addition, junior Sarah Gifford scored 25 goals and led the team in assists.

Other top players included freshman goal keeper Meredith Rose, who allowed only seven goals in the regular season. Sophomore midfielder Christiana Sullivan also played a key role in the Redskins’ success this season.

 Editor’s Note: Todd Freed is the Emmy Award-winning co-host and producer of the KUBE SportsZone, which airs Saturday and Sunday at 6 p.m. on Channel 57-KUBE. To submit information for possible inclusion in SportzBuzz, please email (todd@thebuzzmagazines.com) todd (at) thebuzzmagazines (dot) com.

I have traveled to Italy, Greece and India as a People to People student ambassador. This is a national program created by President Eisenhower that trains students as ambassadors and leaders. When the announcement came that a People to People delegation would be going to the U.S. presidential inauguration, I decided I wanted to be one of the people to go. On Jan. 18, my dream became a reality. I was on a plane heading to Washington, D.C. to see President Obama’s inauguration.

Rifqa Sa’aadat, a sophomore at The Emery/Weiner School, saw the Washington Monument when she traveled to D.C. for the presidential inauguration.

We were able to meet Col. Mike Sunstead of Air Force One, who flies the president every day. He said he felt like a failure when he did not get into the Air Force Academy his first try. He kept trying. He told us how the leaders of tomorrow come to these events and hear people like him speak. Another speaker was Mary Jean Eisenhower, President Eisenhower’s granddaughter. She said that, for the longest time, life at the White House was all she knew. Presidents still ask her about what the White House is like for children. We also had the first Jewish chief of staff, Ken Duberstein, and a news writer, Ken Walsh, speak to us.

Another unique experience was that high school youth from China joined our delegation. They told us about their educational experiences. They work harder than we do, with longer school days. One student from China said, “I want to see the day where China and America can come together and be able to talk things out.” I want to see that too.

Most people think that I have done all this traveling for fun. These wonderful trips are fun, but they are also designed to break down cultural differences. I want to become an ambassador or work for a non-government organization in India. Being a student and leadership ambassador is something I am proud of, and it has helped me believe I can do what I want in the future. The other students I have met and become friends with from the United States, China, India, Italy and Greece have helped me understand our world community.

Want to be a Buzz Kid? Email approximately 350 words, a high-resolution photo and caption to (info@thebuzzmagazines.com) info (at) thebuzzmagazines (dot) com. Or mail it to The Buzz Magazines, 5001 Bissonnet, Suite 100, Bellaire, TX 77401.