Everything Nac

     The Nacogdoches County Fire Fighters Association hosted a Medical Helicopter Landing Zone Safety Seminar Saturday, May 26, at A.L. Mangham Jr. Regional Airport. The safety seminar was conducted by PHI Air Medical (Lufkin) – Chad LeBlanc, Flight Paramedic; Trent Cameron, Flight Nurse; and, Jason Trent, Pilot.

     The training was attended by 28 Nacogdoches County Fire Fighters Association members, representing 6 different county volunteer fire departments. “We appreciate PHI and the opportunity to learn more about the helicopters and their use in an emergency,” stated Cindy Doucet, President of the association. “It’s important for our fire departments to know when to call and when not to call them in an emergency. We are just so thankful that they are there to help us when we need them.”

     The classroom portion of the safety training was held in the Pilots/Passenger Lounge via DVD and the helicopter demonstration was held on the ramp. “The City welcomes public use of the airport facilities for aviation-related training purposes,” said Airport Manager Mary Uresti. “It demonstrates another way in which the airport serves the community as a whole and not just the flying public.”

     Have you registered for NAC 101, if not perhaps you need to! What started out as a small lecture series to allow citizens to get an up close look behind the workings of our city has become a very popular program offered by the City of Nacogdoches. NAC 101 is a free program and each session promises to offer a unique experience that helps bridge the gap between citizens and city employees. The NAC 101 classes will begin on July 26th and will run until November 8th. There will be 8 classes and each class is held from 6:00 pm – 8:15 pm in the City Council Chambers. The sessions will cover how to become more involved in the city government- whether through volunteerism or becoming a member of one of the City boards such as the Planning and Zoning Commission or the Historic Landmark Preservation Committee. Classes are open to all citizens over the age of 18. Each class will cater to different departments such as Inspections, Public Works or Historic Sites and will allow you to gain a more in depth understanding of how your city operates on a day-to-day basis. If you have not already taken advantage of this wonderful experience, we would like to encourage you to do so. Applications for the 2012 session of NAC 101 are due July 9th at 5:00 pm. NAC 101 graduate Councilman David Norton and wife Anne gave the program high praises. “We absolutely enjoyed it; it was great to meet the different people who run the various departments and see how dedicated they are to our city”. For more information or an application visit the City website at www.nacogdoches.tx.us or contact the Director of Community Services Brian W. Bray at 936-560-4441 or by e-mail at brayb@ci.nacogdoches.tx.us.

     In September, 2010, the City of Nacogdoches joined a network of communities from across the nation committed to engage citizens to address critical city needs through impact volunteerism. The Cities of Service program, founded in New York City in 2009, grew out of support for the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act in 2009. This coalition of communities, driven by public and private partnerships, aims to leverage citizen service as a reliable, viable tool to achieve measurable impact on pressing local challenges by developing a high-impact service plan. “Give Back, Nac!” is the City of Nacogdoches’ service plan.

     The focus of the initiative, the “Color Me READ” Readers’ Club, aimed at improving literacy in grades Kindergarten through Third Grade, with emphasis on reading, parent education, and bullying, starts Thursday, June 14 and ends August 9. City leaders will host a weekly story time featuring selections that are geared to promote reading proficiency, interaction, and incorporate the concept of bullying in an age-appropriate setting. A mentoring session, for parents of the participants, will be conducted simultaneously during the children’s story time. These sessions will be conducted by trained volunteers who will offer ideas and information on how to help their children with reading readiness, social skills, and to understand the concept of bullying, its forms, and recourse. The City of Nacogdoches “Color Me READ” summer reading club pilot program has become a realization due to partnerships with the Nacogdoches Independent School District, the dedication of private citizens, and the volunteer Chief Service Officer.

     The high-impact service plan, “Give Back, Nac!” was developed with the support of the Cities of Service coalition and its member networks.

     On Thursday, June 7, 2012, Mayor Roger Van Horn will formally announce the community initiative to the public during the Launch Event, from 5:30 – 7 P.M., at the Judy B. McDonald Public Library. There will be light refreshments and an Obstacle Challenge bounce toy set up in front of the library. The participants in the “Color Me “READ” Readers Club will receive awards at the end of the summer session. The summer reading club is free to all children, Kindergarten through third grade.

     For additional information on the summer program contact Linda Flores, Chief Service Officer at 559-2577 or visit www.citiesofservice.org for information on Cities of Service.

     Every year, the Nacogdoches Historic Landmark

Preservation Committee honors a local preservationist who has helped to preserve historic Nacogdoches. By examining restoration efforts from the previous year, the committee chooses a project with exceptional preservation merit. This year, Ken Lucas was awarded for his work at 723 Virginia Street, which included a new roof, brick driveway, restoration of original doors and windows and a new front porch. Before restoring the property, the house was uninhabitable and close to being torn down. Mayor Roger Van Horn had the pleasure of delivering the award to Mr. Lucas and thanking him for his part in preserving the community for future generations.