Students at Allen ISD’s Olson Elementary School are focusing on the need in their community just before school ends for the summer. Administrators have announced Thursday, May 30 will be “ACO DAY” at Olson, asking all students and faculty to bring in donations that day to benefit Allen Community Outreach.

Allen Community Outreach (ACO) helps to transform lives in the area by providing essential human and social services to families in crisis. Financial assistance with rent and utilities is a service the agency provides, along with food and clothing. The agency has more than 3,000 adult volunteers and countless students who assist with programs and services which also include Meals-On-Wheels delivery, a large school supplies and backpacks drive in August, holiday food program for Thanksgiving and Christmas, and a toy and gift drive for families needing assistance in December. ACO caseworkers and programs offer counseling with job searching, financial planning and budgeting, healthy eating and cooking, and assistance with medical appointments and prescriptions.

“It’s hard to imagine there’s an issue with poverty and hunger in Allen and our area. We have nice neighborhoods, a top rated school system, and wonderful amenities. It’s not a community where you think of poverty stricken houses, boarded up buildings and high crime areas. So it’s hard to recognize the need, but it’s here. We have families who are out of work, have gone through their savings and investments, and now are facing real crisis situations. We have kids who don’t eat 3 meals a day because their parents can’t afford the food,” said Volunteer Services and ACO Food Pantry Director, Marjorie Vaneskahian. “Our kids don’t know what poverty looks like so how can they be sympathetic to it?”

Olson teachers and administrators are using talking points with students prior to ACO Day to discuss how to recognize hunger and poverty. Questions like “How do you know which kids are hungry and how do they look different from you?  How would it feel to live in a cold, dark house if your parent’s couldn’t pay the electric bill?  What if you couldn’t start the school year with new school supplies and a backpack, or new clothes, or even shoes that fit?” This discussion is designed to create empathy for their peers and to provoke ideas as to how they can help others.

One of those ways to help is this day of giving back by supporting ACO with donations of many kinds. Students are being asked to bring in used items of clothing, shoes, backpacks and books. ACO has a local resale store where families can shop for items they need at no charge and the public can shop for bargains that fund programs and services,  so these items donated this day  will go to the ACO Resale Shop. ACO’s Care & Share Closet provides toiletries and household items to families who cannot afford these  things that so many of the students take for granted- such as toothpaste, toilet tissue, laundry detergent and diapers and is in need of these types of donations. The ACO Food Pantry will also be taking donations to stock its shelves for summertime with healthy, kid-friendly foods.

The ACO Resale Shop truck and the ACO Food Pantry van will be parked at Olson on “ACO Day” and once all classes have inventoried the donations they’ve collected, they will bring them out to the trucks for loading. ACO staff and volunteers will be on hand to help load the donations with lots of smiles and “thank yous!” The class in each grade collecting the most items to donate to ACO will win a pizza party.

“I am so excited about what Olson is doing and the example their students are setting in the community. I am proud of these kids and want them to better understand the need  and how they can personally make an impact on the issues of poverty and hunger here where they live. ACO’s motto is ‘Give Where You Live’ and these students and teachers are doing just that!” said Vaneskahian.

For more info go to www.acocares.org and click on the "ACO DAY AT OLSON" button on the top right.

Story and photo courtesy of HPISD

UP City Hall, the Peek Service Center and the UP Public Library will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday. City Hall and the Peek Service Center will reopen Tuesday, May 28 at 8 a.m. The Public Library will reopen Tuesday, May 28 at 10 a.m. 

City Hall and the Peek Service Center will close at 11:30 a.m. Friday, May 24 for the staff's annual Memorial Day Picnic. 

Due to the Employee Picnic, there will not be yard waste collection Friday, May 24. Residents with Monday trash pickup will have their trash picked up on Tuesday.

Highland Park:

HP Town Hall will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday. It will reopen Tuesday, May 28 at 7:30 a.m. The HP Library is closed on Mondays. Residents with Monday trash pickup will have their trash picked up on Tuesday.

HPISD schools will be closed for the Memorial Day holiday. School will resume on Tuesday.

The Park Cities YMCA will be open on Memorial Day from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. 

And Lucky Dog Books and Paperbacks Plus, which had just had an internet-based "Flash Sale" last weekend, and was considering reprising it this weekend since many folks missed the original, decided upon seeing these other events that it would join the book party this weekend with a full blown Re-Flash Sale of their own for everyone.

One consideration for Lucky Dog Books was not to step on the toes, so to speak, of Recycled Books celebration. Owner John Tilton stated, "We respect what they do there and want to honor and support their celebration of this historic event for them and their readers."

It's a great time to stock up for summer reading, watching and listening. Take the tour!

And Lucky Dog Books and Paperbacks Plus, which had just had an internet-based "Flash Sale" last weekend, and was considering reprising it this weekend since many folks missed the original, decided upon seeing these other events that it would join the book party this weekend with a full blown Re-Flash Sale of their own for everyone.

One consideration for Lucky Dog Books was not to step on the toes, so to speak, of Recycled Books celebration. Owner John Tilton stated, "We respect what they do there and want to honor and support their celebration of this historic event for them and their readers."

It's a great time to stock up for summer reading, watching and listening. Take the tour!

Jim was upside down with joy this morning, accepting this award "on behalf of all the faculty at Bishop Dunne."

Story and photos courtesy of Judith E. Porter, Director of Community Outreach at Bishop Dunne Catholic School

Crenshaw said sno-balls is what NOLA residents call them. They are not the same as snow cones that are found in Texas. But, for the sake of avoiding a misunderstanding, the New Orleans native calls them snow cones.

“Sno-balls originated in New Orleans,” Crenshaw said. “Texas ice is too hard and crunchy. My sno-balls are softer.”

Through his mobile stand, Coach SLim’s New Orleans Style Sno-balls, Crenshaw has taken his sno-balls to businesses, schools, and hospital functions throughout Dallas and Collin counties for three years. However, Crenshaw has found a permanent home at the Walgreens location at 5049 Preston Road in Frisco.

Customers stand in line as Crenshaw meticulously handles orders. First, let him know the size of the sno-balls. Second, he’ll fix the ice. Third, request a flavor (there are several to choose from). Fourth, Crenshaw fixes the New Orleans-style sno-balls to the customer’s liking. Fifth, pay for the sno-ball (tip if you like).

This season, Crenshaw’s mobile stand has been open since late April. However, business took a minor hit because of unseasonably cooler temps in early May. Now that the weather is cooperating, Crenshaw said he has experienced a consistent stream of traffic.

Furthermore, Crenshaw said the change in location at the Walgreens store is helping. He was previously located on the Lebanon Road side of the store, somewhat hidden from the high-traffic of Preston.

Word is getting out about Coach SLim’s brand of sno-balls. Frisco Place 4 city councilman John Keating is also a fan of Crenshaw’s sno-balls. He posted on Facebook last month, “Coach SLim rocks.”

“With any business, the longer you are there, the more people will become hooked,” Crenshaw said.

Hooked is what Crenshaw desires from customers. His sno-balls are made with custom flavoring imported from where else – New Orleans.

“The flavors are catered to how we think in New Orleans,” he said. “We get at least three flavors and mix them together.”

Besides the customary cherry, bubble gum, and grape flavors are unique flavors. Some of them are named for famous people and places in New Orleans, including “Who Dat?” (cherry and wedding cake), “French Quarter” (strawberry daiquiri and hurricane), and Drew Brees It. The Saints quarterback is now immortalized in a sour apple and cherry sno-ball. In addition, Starbucket pays homage to Starbucks, and Y’all Ain’t Ready is a favorite that is mixed with spearmint, lemon-lime, and sour apple. Coach SLim’s menu also includes nachos and hot dogs.

Coach SLim is a bit nostalgic in his approach to making his customers feel at home. Customers also have the option of enjoying their snowballs at the bench attached to the stand or in their cars.

“I love selling sno-balls,” said Crenshaw, who has coached youth basketball, baseball and football in Plano and Frisco. “This is for the kids. This is how we used to do when we were kids in New Orleans. We went to the sno-ball stand to hangout. I want that to be the way people think of my establishment.”

Coach SLim’s New Orleans Style Sno-balls is open from 2 to 10 p.m. Sunday through Saturday, except when he has private events to attend.

Since Coach SLim Sno-balls is mobile, Crenshaw said he can do public, private or city events. With summer quickly approaching, Crenshaw said sno-balls are the perfect accent to company picnics, family reunions, or church functions. Call him at 972-822-1760. Just ask for Coach SLim.

Follow Coach SLim on Facebook for specials and updates on new flavors in the works.