Amarillo area Our Town briefs for the week of Aug. 28, 2022

Cactus Cares raises more than $55,000 to help fight food insecurity at 2nd Annual Cactus Cares Golf Tournament

On Thursday, Aug. 18, Cactus Cares hosted its 2nd Annual Golf Tournament to help fight food insecurity in the local community. The tournament attracted 100 golfers and more than 30 corporate sponsors to raise more than $55,000, according to a news release.

Title Sponsors for this year’s tournament include Tyson Foods, Cargill-Sweet Bran, and Scoular. Funds raised benefit Cactus Cares, a public charity that is committed to feeding a hungry world, starting with family, friends, and neighbors in communities across the United States. Proceeds from this tournament will go to expand and continue the Cactus Cares P.O.W.E.R. (Protein Outreach with Educational Resources) program. This program focuses on building a sustainable protein supply for local food pantries through partnerships with university meat labs in the area. In the Texas Panhandle, Cactus Cares has strong partnerships with Doc’s Prime Cuts at West Texas A&M University and Raider Red Meats at Texas Tech University.

“We are extremely appreciative for the continued generosity of our sponsors and participants,” said Wayne Craig, Executive Director of Cactus Cares in the release. “The food insecure in the Texas Panhandle will directly benefit from their generous support.”

After the tournament, players attended a delicious steak lunch reception. The reception began with announcing the total dollars raised, followed by the announcement of tournament winners. Winners received a meat box containing sausage, steaks, fajita meat, and seasoning from Raider Red Meats. For more information, visit cactusfeederscares.com.

MNS Foundation set to open first Women's Sober Living, host fundraiser

The Making New Solutions Foundation (MNS Foundation) has signed contracts for its first Sober Living Facility, The Mustard Seed to take ownership on Sept. 1. According to a news release, the MNS Foundation has the mission of providing addiction and recovery support services in the Top 26 Counties of the Texas Panhandle. As a 501(c )3, the MNS Foundation provides intensive outpatient services (IOP), peer support, open meetings of Celebration of Recovery, and sober living. The new facility will be able to provide structured living opportunities for up 22 women.

On Oct. 21 at the Amarillo Country Club, the MNS Foundation will be holding its 2nd Annual Luncheon: Moving Mountains to fundraise. The speaker for the luncheon will be Dr. George Comiskey of Texas Tech University. Dr. Comiskey focuses his research on prevention, family issues related to addiction and early intervention. For more information on how to sponsor a table, naming opportunities at the new facility, event sponsorships, or how to donate to support the efforts of The Making New Solution Foundation, visit their website at http://mns.foundation. There is also a live donation site at http://donorbox.org/moving-mountains.

BSA Hospice of the Southwest to host 2022 Garden Walk Sunday

BSA Hospice of the Southwest will host its annual Garden Walk on Sunday, Aug. 28, from 6 to 8 pm. The event is open to anyone who would like to attend and will be held at the Amarillo Botanical Gardens, 1400 Streit.

This is the fourth year for the Garden Walk, which has become a special time for people grieving the death of a loved one to find support from others walking the same journey. Participants will be able to engage their mind, body, and spirit with a healing stroll through the gardens. Stations featuring meaningful meditations and healing exercises will be set up along the path. There will also be live music and refreshments.

People who would like to participate should call 806-356-0026 and ask for Alyssa.

WT art faculty to step out of comfort zones for new exhibition

CANYON — West Texas A&M University art faculty members will use an exhibition of their own works to welcome students back to campus.

An opening reception for the WT Art Program’s “How We Spent Our Summer” exhibition is set for 5 to 7 p.m. Sept. 1 in the Dord Fitz Formal Gallery in Mary Moody Northen Hall. The show will hang through Sept. 27.

Faculty members in the Sybil B. Harrington College of Fine Arts and Humanities will display a wide variety of boundary-pushing media, from experimental video art to ephemeral sculpture and painting, drawing and printmaking on non traditional grounds. Participating artists are Ann Callen, instructor of graphic design; Gamble, assistant professor of 3D art; Anna Lemnitzer, assistant professor of art and design; Michael Longhofer, instructor of art; Marcus Melton, associate professor of art; Revett; and Rob Weingart, instructor of art and gallery director.

Fitz Gallery hours are 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Thursdays and by appointment Fridays and Saturdays. Email jrevett@wtamu.edu .

Veterans organization launches online platform providing free event tickets to past, present military

In an additional effort to improve the mental health of veterans and prevent veteran suicides, Veteran Forces, a Texas-based non-profit organization providing resources and aid to veterans with a focus on PTSD and preventing suicide in the military community, announced Friday the official launch of Vet X, an online platform providing free event tickets and experiences for former and current members of the military.

The announcement comes during Veteran Forces’ participation at the American Legion’s 103rd National Convention, the largest fraternal veterans conference in the country, taking place Aug. 26 - Sept. 1 at the Wisconsin Center. All veterans and active-duty military are eligible to receive free tickets through Vet X, including the Super Bowl. Those who are eligible can create a profile through the Vet X website and register for upcoming giveaways and events of their choosing.

To register for upcoming giveaways, to become a donor, or for more information, visit www.VetX.net.

Panhandle Community Services offering water assistance program

Panhandle Community Services is working with the city of Amarillo to pay water bills with a federal grant of $588,000. The low-income household water assistance program will pay for the water bills of Amarillo families in unstable situations, according to reports.

The program is geared toward getting families reconnected or to keep them from the disconnection of their water. To apply for water aide, go to https://www.pcsvcs.org/services/water-assistance/

Katie Paul to speak about history of Pantex Plant at next monthly lecture/seminar

The first Saturday of each month, the Texas Panhandle War Memorial hosts a one-hour lecture/seminar on topics related to military history. These lecture/seminars are free and open to the public and are held at the Texas Panhandle War Memorial Center, 4111 S. Georgia, at 1:30 p.m. Snacks are available for the attendees. The lecture/seminar series is made possible by a grant from the Mary E. Bivins Foundation.

The next lecture/seminar on Saturday, Sept. 3, will be presented by Katie Paul, historian at the Pantex Plant. Paul will talk about the history of the Pantex Plant, from its beginnings in 1942 during World War II, through the Cold War and PostCold War. Admission to the seminar is free.

Museum hours are Monday through Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is free for veterans; adults are $5, children and students $2. For more information, call 806-350-8387, follow them on Facebook and/or visit their website, www.TexasPanhandleWarMemorial.com .

Amarillo League of Women Voters holding voter registration events

The Amarillo League of Women Voters will be registering voters for the November general election, starting this month and continuing through the voter registration deadline of Oct. 11. On Tuesday, Sept. 20, members will be on hand at all Palace Coffee locations for National Voters Registration Day.

There will be many more opportunities to register to vote in September, as well. If your organization, business, nonprofit, or church, is interested in having the Amarillo League of Women Voters, register your employees or members, please contact them at amarillolwv@gmail.com or 806-337-2148.

AAMW holding 'Clear the Shelters' adoption special

The city of Amarillo's Animal Management and Welfare department is running a "Clear the Shelters" adoption special through the month of August, to help as many animals as possible find their "furever" homes.

Adoption cost is $25 for dogs and $5 for cats, and the fee includes spay/neuter, vaccinations and microchips. To schedule an appointment, visit amw.amarillo.gov or call 806-378-9032.

Panhandle Rides is a new resident resource tool to find free rides within the Texas Panhandle

Panhandle Rides is a transit collaborative between the City of Amarillo and Panhandle Community Services, which provides rides to citizens in the upper Texas Panhandle 26 counties. Riders can use these services for Amarillo fixed routes, free rides to COVID testing, antibody treatment, and vaccination clinics, in addition to rides to medical or other appointments in outlying areas. Senior citizens who need rides to doctor’s appointments or other important events can even schedule a curb-to-curb ride within the upper 26 Texas panhandle counties.

Panhandle Rides has announced it has launched its new website, where residents can find rides to nearly anywhere they want to go within the top 26 Texas panhandle counties. This valuable tool is powered by PROMPT (The Panhandle Regional Organization to Maximize Public Transportation), Panhandle Rides brings together two regional transportation agencies (Panhandle Community Services and Amarillo City Transit) to increase mobility options within the top 26 counties and 63 cities in the Texas Panhandle.

Transportation includes fixed routes, demand service, and rides for ADA riders needing additional mobility assistance. To schedule a ride, visit PanhandleRides.com at least 24 hours in advance. Trips can be booked up to 30 days in advance.

This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Amarillo area Our Town briefs for the week of Aug. 28, 2022