 Make a difference for women Veterans! |
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Melissa McKennon (210) 887-8608
Roberta Castaneda (210) 744-0642
Houston Table Talk-Color Me Camo Flyer
For More information about Color Me Camo Table Talk email: tabletalk@graceafterfire.org
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Independence Day
July 4, 2016
Variously known as the Fourth of July and Independence Day, July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941, but the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution (1775-83). In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies then fighting in the revolutionary struggle weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, and two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American independence, with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.
When the initial battles in the Revolutionary War broke out in April 1775, few colonists desired complete independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radical. By the middle of the following year, however, many more colonists had come to favor independence, thanks to growing hostility against Britain and the spread of revolutionary sentiments such as those expressed in Thomas Paine's bestselling pamphlet "Common Sense," published in early 1776. On June 7, when the Continental Congress met at the Pennsylvania State House (later Independence Hall) in Philadelphia, the Virginia delegate Richard Henry Lee introduced a motion calling for the colonies' independence. Amid heated debate, Congress postponed the vote on Lee's resolution, but appointed a five-man committee-including Thomas Jefferson of Virginia, John Adams of Massachusetts, Roger Sherman of Connecticut, Benjamin Franklin of Pennsylvania and Robert R. Livingston of New York-to draft a formal statement justifying the break with Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of Lee's resolution for independence in a near-unanimous vote (the New York delegation abstained, but later voted affirmatively). On that day, John Adams wrote to his wife Abigail that July 2 "will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival" and that the celebration should include "Pomp and Parade...Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other." On July 4th, the Congress formally adopted the Declaration of Independence, which had been written largely by Jefferson. Though the vote for actual independence took place on July 2nd, from then on the 4th became the day that was celebrated as the birth of American independence.
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Hepatitis Day
July 28, 2016
Hepatitis B is a significant global health threat and common in many parts of the world, with approximately 240 million worldwide infected, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). Chronic hepatitis B infection causes an estimated 780,000 deaths worldwide each year. Many people with chronic hepatitis B were infected at birth or during early childhood, which increases the chance of a chronic, or lifelong, illness. Over time, chronic hepatitis B can cause serious health problems including liver cancer and liver failure.
Hepatitis B is spread when blood or other body fluids from an infected person enters the body of another person. A pregnant woman who has hepatitis B can pass the virus to her infant at birth without timely intervention. In fact, 90% of infected infants develop a lifelong infection, and an estimated one-fourth of them will die prematurely. To address this public health concern, all pregnant women in the United States and many other countries are now routinely screened for hepatitis B. If a pregnant woman has hepatitis B, health care providers take extra effort to make sure her newborn gets timely vaccination to prevent this deadly disease. Completing the vaccine series can prevent transmission of the virus in over 90% of infants born to infected women. To protect every infant from potential infection, CDC recommends all babies get the first shot in the hepatitis B vaccine series before leaving the hospital, and completing the vaccine series as recommended.
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Grace In The Community
2016
Grace After Fire Team at Rice University on day of Capstone Presentation
RICE Capstone Team
Student Veterans of American Leadership Summit
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Training
Facilitator Training will be conducted in Bexar County, July 21, 2016
9am-4pm by RSVP or referral only. Please contact Roberta Castaneda at 210-744-0642 or
roberta@graceafterfire.org
to reserve your spot.
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These Resources May Interest You!
If you or a Veteran you know is in crisis or in need of immediate assistance please contact the Veteran Crisis Line at
800-273-8255 and Press 1
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Welcome to the July edition of Grace After Fire's newsletter. As an organization we are committed to keeping you up-to-date and informed about what we are planning for the future. Our mission of Grace After Fire is to provide the means for women Veterans to gain knowledge, insight and self-renewal. We are dedicated to helping women Veterans help themselves.
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A WORD FROM THE CEO:
On July 4th, years ago, thirteen colonies claimed their independence from England, an event which eventually led to the formation of the United States-what I believe to be the greatest Country in the world. Each year on Independence Day, as we know it, thousands of Americans will celebrate with typical festivities ranging from fireworks, parades and concerts to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.
As I sit and reminisce on how I spent past holidays, I came across these words by Erma Bombeck .
"You have to love a nation that celebrates its independence every July 4, not with a parade of guns, tanks, and soldiers who file by the White House in a show of strength and muscle, but with family picnics where kids throw Frisbees, the potato salad gets iffy, and the flies die from happiness. You may think you have overeaten, but it is patriotism."
You and I are able to indulge in the joys that come with this day all because Continental Congress voted in favor of independence, Thomas Jefferson drafted a historic document and men and women bravely dawn the uniform and stand guard for our country.
"This nation will remain the land of the free only so long as it is the home of the brave". -Elmer Davis
As the booming of fireworks echo and sounds of laughter fill the air' allow the choruses of these words fill your heart and mind.
"I'm proud to be an American, where at least I know I'm free. And I won't forget the men who died who gave that right to me; so I proudly stand up next to you and defend her still today."-Lee Greenwood
As you proudly stand this month- remember you are truly blessed to be who you and live in a land where our brothers and sisters in arms fought and still fight today- to ensure we enjoy the simple pleasures of America. Wishing you a safe and memorable 4th of July!
Cheers,
Mea Williams
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Garden Blog
Back Up at the Crack of Dawn
Growing Good Food
by Dawn Olson
IT'S ALIVE!! No, not Frankenstein silly, the soil. Let's learn about the wonderful underworld of this planet's greatest resource (beside women). Topsoil, dirt, loam, ground, and Earth (Wind and Fire, I couldn't resist) are the medians in which plants live and thrive. It's in this deep dark space where lurking just below the earth's surface we discover the secrets of growing good food. Besides the usual worms, bugs, insects, and bees, (yes, bees live underground, we'll explore them later), living soil contains microorganisms. Translation-teeny tiny creatures that live on other living or decomposing matter. Important point of order here, even dead matter supports life. So let's get this straight, soil is alive for plant growth and when it's rotting, how can that be? Read on Alice!
Fungi called mycorrhizae (my-cor-rhi-zee) or (my crow rises) and plants enter into a "friends with benefits" relationship. Plants agreed to let these fungi hang-out on its roots, the fungi agreed to act as hair extensions, improving roots' reach 100-fold. If your mind is not blow yet, check this out. These filaments called fungus roots actually help plants communicate with one another faster than twitter.
SAY WHAT!! Plants talk? That's like asking if women gossip...we deny it, but you know we do. Alright, before I go all Avatar on you, plants actually release chemicals when they are under stress (can you say, "B.O."). Then these chemicals get detected by other plants and this warning allows them to put up defensive shields for incoming diseases and pests alike. Why is this important you ask...because, if given a chance most plants (like women) are designed to fend for themselves. They do not need our chemicals to live and thrive. If you want to grow good food, most of your effort should be in the building of healthy soil.
Like the Fifty Shades trilogy, healthy soil is comprised of three things: air, organic matter, and rock minerals. Plants need air because roots actually breathe, hence why plants die when overwatered, they basically drown. First safety tip, overwatering is bad. The ground goes anaerobic, (no oxygen), roots rot then die, followed closely by the plant. I digress. Back to the trilogy of soil, since you can't buy bag-o-air, how does one put air into the soil? Why, you just work the soil with lots of organic matter and rock minerals. See how easy this is? Pssst, that's how Mother Nature does it. Through erosion, rocks get ground down to minerals and debris decomposes into organic matter. Then, ta-da dark, rich soil forms in which new flora and fauna spring forth. There you have it, the circle of life!
Well, we are not getting any younger here so we can't wait for rocks and debris to decompose. I get that, so you can either make or buy compost, there is your bag-o-organic matter. And you can also buy bag-o-minerals such as lava or green sand. Now, these two get mixed into the existing soil and it will not only aerate the soil, but jump start the "friends with benefits," arrangement. However, always a however, if using store bought compost, it is probably sterile, so you'll need something to stimulate and excite the fungi, they are easily excited. Like most kids today, fungi and bacteria love sugar. They feed on the kind of sugar found in dry molasses or diluted liquid molasses, yes like the one that goes in pecan pie. Iver makes the best pecan pie, yum...I digress, again.
Here is an award-winning, life-giving, good-food grow'n recipe for luscious (like that word) soil:
Open a bottle of wine and let it breathe.
For every 100 sq. feet (10'x10') of existing soil add:
5 cups of mineral rock
5 bags of compost
Get your man or some young kid to mix and stir, a lot. Yes, he can fire up the tiller and go like crazy, but only do this once when you first start a garden. Otherwise, you will pulverize all those micros that you have worked so hard to establish. Then pour yourself a nice tall glass of wine, swirl gently as you water the mixture thoroughly. With a garden hose in one hand and your drink in the other, strike a pose and toast the brilliance of Mother Nature and yourself. You, sister, have just created soil.
So, let's review for those of you who have slept since the last blog. I convinced you by wit and dazzling blogging to grow or seek out good food. In this writing, you were wowed by the "Oh, so easy" way of making soil. Next month we shall "Release the Kraken!" This feat is achieved by the magic of transforming garbage into compost, compost into tea, and tea into organic fertilizer. How exciting!!!
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GAF Happenings: Why NOT Join Us?
Dallas/Fort Worth Camp Buffalo Soldier Youth Camp & Archery Program-Family Fun Day July 16, 2016 12-4pm The National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum 3534 East Berry Fort Worth, Texas 76105
Open House Breakfast, & Tour July 7, 2016 9-10am Dress for Success 600 N. Frio San Antonio, Texas 78207
Veterans Centers by PTSD Foundation July 8, 2016 12-2pm Warm Springs Rehabilitation Hospital Thousand Oaks 14747 Jones Maltsberger San Antonio, Texas 78247 (210) 402-0663
Goodwill Job Fair June 13, 2016 8:30am-1:00pm Knights of Columbus Hall 509 Schertz Parkway Schertz, Texas 78154
The Mission Continues Buddy Check 22 July 22, 2016 Contact: George & Eva Davila 210-473-3349/6106
Goodwill Interview Skills Workshop July 27, 2016 1-4pm 3730 N. Loop 1604 East (Bulverde & 1604) San Antonio, Texas 78247
Career Fair
June 7, 2016
Four Seasons Hotel Houston
1300 Lamar Street Houston, Texas 77010 (713) 650-1300 Must apply at:
Houston Military Job Fair
June 14, 2016 10am-2:00pm
Houston Marriot South at Lobby Airport
9100 Gulf Freeway
Houston, Texas 77017
Chamber of Commerce Hiring Event Northwest Houston Armed Forces Reserve Center July 16, 2016 8:30am-1:30pm 900 W. Rankin Road Houston, Texas 77067 |
Contact our Grace After Fire Team
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