Celebrate Janie Barrera and Accion Texas, Inc. on Wednesday, November 19th

Join Accion on Wednesday, November 19th from 6 – 9 p.m. at Aldaco’s Mexican Restaurant at Sunset Station to celebrate Janie Barrera’s Sweet 60th Birthday and Accion’s Celebration of 20 Years Funding Dreams. More info and details below:
Barrera60thEMAILfin

 

Be a Spur for the day at the Spurs Family Fantasy Event!

TicketAdvantageJoin us to be a Spur for the day! Through the Spurs Family Fantasy Event, you and your family or kids from your favorite nonprofit organization can join the entire San Antonio Spurs squad for an exclusive experience. Kids ages 5-18 will learn DSC_2146from, interact with and play with the Spurs players, get scouted by the coaching staff, and leave with incredible memories.

Participants will have unprecedented access to the Spurs Practice Facility where they will have the opportunity to learn from the reigning NBA Champions.  Food, drinks and treats will be provided throughout the day, and photographers will be on hand to capture the memories as you focus on the experience. In addition to running drills with Spurs players and coaches, you will take a tour of the facility and the weight room, take a photo with all five NBA Championship trophies, receive a signed contract from Spurs General Manager RC Buford, and get interviewed by studio host and sideline reporter Andrew Monaco.

DSC_2117This year’s Spurs Family Fantasy event is set for Sunday, Nov. 2 at the Spurs Practice Facility and costs $5,000 for a family four pack. All proceeds benefit Silver & Black Give Back youth sports programs like the Spurs Youth Basketball DSC_2158League, which is celebrating its 25th anniversary this season.

For footage of last year’s event, go to www.sbgb.org or click here. All participants are required to be accompanied by a chaperone. Only one chaperone is required for groups or families. To register for the 2014 Spurs Family Fantasy Event or for more information, please contact Loretta Kerner at lkerner@attcenter.com.

About Spurs Youth Basketball League The Spurs Youth Basketball League (formerly the Spurs Drug-Free League) was founded by Spurs head coach Gregg Popovich and Kids Sports Network president/founder Frank Martin as a way of promoting recreational youth basketball and teaching students to make positive choices and have respect for all.  The SYBL is a recipient of President George H. W. Bush’s Point of Light Award for its innovative programming and anti-drug efforts.

Over the past two-and-a-half decades, more than 275,000 children and coaches have benefited from the SYBL.  The league offers 12,000 young people the opportunity to play basketball and improve their athletic skills while learning teamwork, cooperation and discipline in a positive and safe environment.

About Silver & Black Give Back Silver & Black Give Back is a 501(c)(3) public charity that invests in the community in partnership with the entire Spurs Sports & Entertainment family of teams. For more than 25 years our players, coaches and staff have focused on fostering young talent and enriching the community by encouraging local youth to become responsible adults and give back through programs like Spurs Youth Basketball League and Team Up Challenge. Together, our community has the power to empower and create lasting change throughout San Antonio. More information on Silver & Black Give Back can be found at www.sbgb.org. Fantasy - SYBL

La Cantera Hill Country Resort prepares for major transformation

180x150-LaCanteraSince La Cantera Hill Country Resort first opened its doors 15 years ago, it has served hundreds of thousands of visitors from nearly every corner of the world. From one of the highest vantage points in San Antonio, the resort’s breathtaking views have provided a relaxing year-round retreat from the city’s hustle and bustle, and the staff has had the distinct privilege of helping guests turn milestone moments, corporate retreats and even quick getaways into lasting memories.

To continue providing the best guest experience possible, La Cantera is embarking on a comprehensive transformation in the coming months. The resort’s front entrance, lobby and lobby bar will undergo an extensive reconfiguration, along with a complete redesign of the San Saba Courtyard at the resort’s core. A new event lawn will provide a gathering spot for those who want to soak in the unparalleled Hill Country oasis.

A new junior ballroom will be developed, along with expanded meeting and convention space. Foodies and casual diners alike will enjoy new restaurant, bar and lounge concepts, as well as redesigned, contemporary pools and family areas. An entirely new, freestanding destination spa will be erected to help guests lose themselves in tranquility. Each element of the comprehensive renovation strategy has been specifically designed to relax, inspire and meet the needs of business and leisure visitors to San Antonio with an unrivaled blend of relaxed sophistication and never-ending discovery.

Although the resort will temporarily suspend overnight stays and restaurant operations beginning November 3, many staff will still be on site, involved in ongoing operations and preparations. Full-time associates who won’t be involved in day-to-day transformation activities will be more visible within the community as they enjoy paid leave through early April 2015. This ongoing commitment to the resort’s valued associates is reflected in the quality of service guests receive.

The La Cantera championship Resort and Palmer 18-hole golf courses, featuring the newly opened Dave Pelz Scoring Game School, will remain open throughout the transformation – as will their respective clubhouses and adjacent event venues. Officially launched on October 15, the Dave Pelz golf school will help professional students and weekend players alike master their short game and putting. La Cantera is the first Texas resort to offer Pelz’s full array of instructional offerings. A schedule of one-day clinics and three-day game schools is available at www.pelzgolf.com

In these final weeks before the transformation begins, the staff at La Cantera hopes to see many guests taking one last stroll through the resort –for the special “Last Taste of Francesca’s” menu, featuring favorite recipes from the past 15 years, or a final dip in the resort’s sparkling pools before they are transformed.

The La Cantera Hill Country Resort has enjoyed strong support the San Antonio community for the past 15 years, and the team looks forward to serving the community in the spring of 2015 when it unveils a world-class destination resort – setting a new standard in hospitality for business and leisure travelers in San Antonio and beyond.

Returning Veterans to be saluted May 17, Armed Forces Day, at Morgan’s Wonderland

MorgansWonderland_logoMore than 1,000 military veterans and members of their immediate families will be saluted at Welcome Home, an Armed Forces Day celebration from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 17, at Morgan’s Wonderland.

“We look forward to welcoming those who served in Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation New Dawn,” said Marie Weldon, director of the South Texas Veterans Health Care System (STVHCS), “however any veteran of the U. S. armed forces is invited to participate.”

Morgans WonderlandFor the third consecutive year, STVHCS and Morgan’s Wonderland, the world’s first theme park designed with special-needs individuals in mind and built for everyone’s enjoyment, will team up to offer returning veterans a day of fun at the park plus special musical entertainment, food, games and prizes.

Information Fair _ Morgan's WonderlandIn addition to the family fun, veterans will have access to an information fair in the Morgan’s Wonderland Event Center on a wide variety of services available to them.  The 11 o’clock opening ceremonies will include remarks by Dr. Julianne Flynn, STVHCS chief of staff.

Many returning veterans with physical disabilities are taking advantage of STRAPS (South Texas Regional Adaptive and Paralympic Sports) at Morgan’s Wonderland.

Thanks to support from the San Antonio Scorpions pro soccer team and generous gifts from aerospace titan The Boeing Co., and Warm Springs, a leading provider of comprehensive rehabilitation services, STRAPS offers physically challenged athletes competition in sports such as wheelchair soccer, powerchair soccer, goalball (a sport similar to soccer for visually impaired athletes), wheelchair basketball and wheelchair softball.

For more information about Welcome Home, visit www.southtexas.va.gov.  Additional information can be found at www.MorgansWonderland.com and www.STRAPSsoccer.com.

Completely wheelchair-accessible, Morgan’s Wonderland is located at 5223 David Edwards Drive at the intersection of Wurzbach Parkway and Thousand Oaks Drive just west of IH 35 in Northeast San Antonio.

Special Halloween and Christmas events to wrap up successful 2013 season at Morgan’s Wonderland

MorgansWonderland_logoSpecial events in celebration of Halloween and Christmas at Morgan’s Wonderland will cap a successful 2013 season, the fourth for the world’s first ultra-accessible, family-fun theme park specifically designed with special-needs individuals of all ages in mind but built for everyone to enjoy.

From 5 to 8 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 31, the “More Delightful Than Frightful” observance of Halloween will collect food and funds to help the San Antonio Food Bank fight hunger. Children age 12 and younger and special-needs individuals of all ages can wear their more delightful-than-frightful Halloween costumes and go trick-or-treating while they enjoy the unique 25-acre park and all its attractions that are accessible to everyone.

Through Oct. 30, each person who brings three non-perishable food items to Morgan’s Wonderland will receive a coupon good for free admission to More Delightful Than Frightful. On the day of Halloween, admission will be free for those with special needs and $5 for everyone else.  All food donations and More Delightful Than Frightful admissions revenue will go directly to the Food Bank.

District 5840 Rotary Clubs are partnering with Morgan’s Wonderland in staging the safe and colorful Halloween event.

On Friday, Nov. 29, Morgan’s Wonderland will begin its second year of hosting “A Wonderland Christmas,” special holiday entertainment for the entire family on weekend evenings leading up to Christmas. For information on operating days, hours of operation and admissions, visit www.MorgansWonderland.com

In addition to the park’s regular attractions, “A Wonderland Christmas” will feature a new twinkling lights-and-music show at Sanctuary Garden, plus Santa Claus visits, carolers, a petting zoo and Christmas decorations galore.

Morgan’s Wonderland has become the anchor for a family-fun destination now known as Wonderland, Texas. The former Longhorn Quarry also is now home to Toyota Field, home of the San Antonio Scorpions pro soccer team; the STAR (South Texas Area Regional) Soccer Complex, with 13 first-class fields for tournament and league play; and Monarch Academy, a school for students with special needs next door to Morgan’s Wonderland.  Net profits from the Scorpions, Toyota Field and STAR Soccer have been earmarked for helping non-profit Morgan’s Wonderland meet its financial obligations as well as expand services and programs for the special-needs community.

The inspiration for Morgan’s Wonderland came from philanthropists Gordon and Maggie Hartman’s 20-year-old daughter Morgan. Her soaring spirit despite personal challenges sparked within the Hartmans a deep desire to create a haven not only for those with special needs but also for their families, caregivers,  invited friends and the general public.

“Inclusion is the overarching objective for Morgan’s Wonderland,” Gordon Hartman explained. “Our vision is to play an instrumental role in helping establish more ultra-accessible family fun parks throughout the nation and the world.  Morgan’s Wonderland is a truly beautiful place, and it takes on a special ambience at night for special events such as the ones we have planned for Halloween and Christmas.”

Morgan’s Wonderland is located just west of IH 35 at the intersection of Wurzbach Parkway and Thousand Oaks Drive. For more information, visit www.MorgansWonderland.com.

San Antonio Express-News’ mySA.com has new look

mysa logoThe San Antonio Express-News is proud to unveil the new look of mySA.com, a colorful, vibrant website that reflects the personality and culture of the city through words and photos.

If it’s being talked about in San Antonio, readers will find it on mySA.com.  The engaging and easy-to-navigate website keeps everyone up-to-date on the latest happenings, places to go and things to do in San Antonio.

Features on mySA.com include entertainment offerings, event listings, photo galleries and slideshows from activities around the city, lifestyle stories from a San Antonio perspective, local restaurant reviews, and staff blogs on topics ranging from entertainment and the arts to sports and politics.

“The new design reflects the personality of San Antonio and strives to capture what San Antonio is talking about today,” said Karen-Lee Ryan, Executive Producer of Digital Media for the San Antonio Express-News.

San Antonio Express-News
Founded in 1865, the San Antonio Express-News is a division of the Hearst Newspapers Partnership, L.P. The Express-News is San Antonio’s daily newspaper, which also produces a variety of diverse publications, including the bilingual publication Conexión, as well as community newspapers reaching broad audiences throughout San Antonio and its surrounding areas. With its fast-growing web audience, the Express-News also reaches the community with San Antonio’s home page – www.mySA.com.