AACOG Region July 2005 Newsletter


AACOG Announces 2005 Regional Award Winners	Go to webpage

AACOG recently announced the winners of the 2005 AACOG Regional Awards. Leon Thomas is the 2005 Regional Citizen of the Year award winner. He was recognized for improving his community through his work on the Texas Regional Water Senate Bill One Formulation Committee, the Bexar County Countywide Citizens Watershed Master Plan Committee, and the Citizens Forum for the Lower Guadalupe Water Supply Project.

Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners received the 2005 Community Project of the Year award. The Alamo Children's Advocacy Center and CHRISTUS Santa Rose Children's Hospital's Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners partner to provide compassionate medical care to children victimized by child abuse or sexual assault, and provide education designed to proactively prevent instances of child abuse in the Alamo Area.

Two projects received the 2005 Governmental Regional Project of the Year Award. Central Texas Technology Center received the award for the partnership involved to build the first community college in the New Braunfels/Seguin Area. CPS Energy was recognized for its Volunteer in Public Service (VIP) Program, in which CPS employees, retirees, and family members work together to help the community with health, education, the elderly, homelessness, and the environment. CPS was also recognized for its air conditioning rebate program and its Residential Energy Assistance Partnership, which contribute to the betterment of our region.

Regional Awards Point of Contact: Tiffany Pickens

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AACOG sponsors radKIDS Instructor
Certification Training, receives grant

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On June 15-17, AACOG's Juvenile Accountability Block Grant Program sponsored a radKIDS Instructor Certification Training at AACOG. radKIDS provides youth with the knowledge and ability to physically resist violence. rad (Resisting Aggression Defensively) is a national program geared toward battling bullying, sexual violence, and abduction. It is a 10 hour course for youth aged 5-12. radKIDS is built on the foundation of three principles for youth:

No one has the right to hurt you.
You do not have the right to hurt anyone else, including yourself, unless someone is trying to physically hurt you, then you have the right to stop them.
It's not your fault. This is a personal empowerment safety education program geared toward protecting our youth.

Representatives from 10 of the 12 counties within the AACOG region were able to attend. The program will be implemented throughout the region through collaboration with Certified Instructors and volunteers.

In addition, the Regional Youth Education Program was awarded a grant from the Ford Salute to Education Program on June 16, 2005 that will go toward the implementation of the radKIDS program in San Antonio. Instructors from the Regional Youth Program, Criminal Justice Planning Program and the Academy will collaborate with Presa Community Center to provide radKIDS training to 150 youth over the course of the next year.

radKIDS Program Point of Contact: Jennifer Forbes

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Bobbye June Parker: “The Piano Lady”
Written by Carlos Rodriguez, Weatherization Inspector, AACOG

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It’s been an honor and a pleasure having had the opportunity of meeting Bobby June Parker, an AACOG weatherization client. Ms. Parker is a much-celebrated luminary of the jazz scene in San Antonio music history who had a need for our program. In May of 2004, I was assigned her case.

As Weatherization Inspector for AACOG on this particular case, I was also tasked with an additional training assignment. Our funding source, the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs (TDHCA), wanted our agency to help organize a three-day training session covering the use of pressure pans, duct testing and general assessment processes. We immediately went to work setting up conference room time, transportation, refreshments, equipment, and most importantly – finding clients receptive to the idea of allowing nine strangers (TDHCA, AACOG and other WAP agencies staff) into their homes for about two hours. Several clients were called for this purpose and some were, understandably so, reluctant due to the size of the group. The clients who did agree found this as a way to illustrate their appreciation for the weatherization work they had received, so they did not hesitate.

Ms. Parker is one of those grateful and appreciative clients who most graciously allowed and welcomed our training group into her home. As with the other clients who consented, we arrived at her house in a four-vehicle convoy carrying eight inspectors and one trainer.

To read more, click here...

Housing Point of Contact: Rose Jackson

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Public Notice

Notice is hereby given that a Public Hearing will be held by the Alamo Area Council of Governments (AACOG), on July 8, 2005, at 1:30 p.m. to accept comments on the proposed continuation of Rural Public Transportation services within the AACOG region. The region consists of Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Kendall, Kerr, Karnes Medina, and Wilson Counties. Federal and State funding is being sought from Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to continue and expand this service. Service will be for the general public. Written comments are being accepted at AACOG, 8700 Tesoro Drive, Suite 700, San Antonio, Texas 78217, until July 7, 2005, 4:00 p.m. Further information including a full copy of the application may be reviewed at AACOG, 8700 Tesoro Drive, Suite 700, San Antonio, Texas 78217.

Public Notice Point of Contact: Beverly Lutz

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Please Note: AACOG offices will be closed Monday, July 4, 2005, in observance of Independence Day.

Newsletter and calendar submissions are encouraged. Please submit any newsletter ideas to mail@aacog.com.

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