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Home My WebLink About2010-06-04 Euless Articles DISTRIBTED TO: PAGE U 1I,4 YOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRL11 1ICK4:bfIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR 1IcDOV4LD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMLV LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED (i^ / /i DATE OF.ARTICLE /9/ e NEWSPAPER//, gt1-1 J l From The Local Leadership uring Me- Money spent in Euless morial Day goes directly back to weekend, you. You not only sup- Texas shoppers will port our economy, you get a break from state can help to improve and local sales and use the quality of lifer. taxes on purchases of Portions of our sales certain energy ef- tax are devoted to ficient products. The improving our parks, 2010 Energy Star sales library and economic tax holiday begins on development, the Saturday, May 29, and Crime Control and .._lk fes ends on Monday, May Prevention District and 31, Memorial Day. lowering your property } t The products quali- taxes. Keep your sales ! fying for the exemp- tax dollars at home. Mayor Saleh tion are: Don't forget about our Euless air conditioners priced great Euless restau- under$6,000 (room rants! I 14 t r and central units) Together we are all ELJLESS clothes washers (but working to make our not clothes dryers*) city the FABEULESS ceiling fans community we live dehumidifiers and work in. Thank dishwashers you to all our volun- light bulbs (incandes- teers. cent and fluorescent) programmable thermo- stats refrigerators priced under $2,000. Support your local Euless retailers during the sales tax holiday. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF 1 ,v I MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY A TTNY GRIM MCKAMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLIAS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ARVIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL 1 DATE DISTRIBUTED 6 /ji i/C DATE OF ARTICLE S �4- 4 /-; //L: NEWSPAPER7?, ,, V /1' e (� 1 Marchant Presents Overdue 1 Medals for Mayors Husband x European Theater of of courage, sacrifice, Operations for sixteen and love of country, ry„ � � �� 7 ;- � months which was said Marchant. "It -------"-'----- ---'t responsible for Allied is an honor to recog- ` �---- victories north of Italy nize your husband's and the Mediterranean service, and a distinct '! Coast. privilege to be able to '44 Raymond passed present you the med- livAaway in October 2006. als your husband so • Since then, Congress- deservedly earned." ‘ ,:, .10 -------11111 man Marchant has Upon receiving the q worked to retrieve medals, Mayor Saleh % the medals Raymond and her family were never received from amazed of how deco- World War II. rated and distinguished x Mayor Saleh was Raymond was. ti ,r • accompanied by her "Ray never shared family to receive her his experiences of war husband's overdue with us," said Mayor U.S. Congress- the Congressman's medals. Congressman Saleh. "Looking at all man Kennydistrict office on Fri- Marchant presented these medals reminds Marchant day,April 30. a framed shadow- of how wonderful he (TX-24) presented Staff Sergeant Ray- box with a total of was. He was just so .. Mayor Mary Lib Saleh mond L. Saleh served ten medals displayed neat." of Euless military in the United States within it. If you are a vet- medals her husband, infantry in World War "Each medal is rep- eran or know of one in Raymond L. Saleh, II from 1944 to 1946. resentative of a story Congressional District 7 had never received at He was involved in the 24 who has earned awards for their mili- 7 tary service but notY et received recognition, — please contact John Hayes at Rep. March- ant's district office at (972) 556-0162. DISTRIBUTED TO: P.4 GE / OF f-I FOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTVY GRIM .SICK MIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CVT McDO.AALD COLLINS C BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY.4 DMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL / DATE DISTRIBUTED ,,L / � c' DATE OF.4RTICLE � " 4 // ,VEWSPAPER FAST Woman imprisoned for ramming Euless officer's car May 24, 2010 By DOMINGO RAMIREZ JR. ramirez@star-telegram.com FORT WORTH -- A woman who twice rammed her car into a Euless police car in _ September because she allegedly hates police officers has been sentenced to three years in prison. Rosemarie Adams, 28, of Euless, entered a plea agreement with prosecutors on May 10 on a charge of attempted aggravated assault of public servant with a deadly weapon. Adams' plea came just over a month after she was found competent to stand trial on the charge. In October, she was found incompetent and was taken to a state mental hospital for treatment, court officials said. Doctors later determine that she was competent, according to Tarrant County criminal court records. The Euless police officer involved in the incident reported that at about 2 p.m. Sept. 26, he was taking an exit ramp off Airport Freeway in Euless when he heard a car retying its engine behind him and then he felt the back of his car rise. The car was then hit again, he said. The unidentified officer was taken to a hospital and treated for whiplash. Adams was not intoxicated and did not know the officer, investigators reported. She hit the officer's patrol car because she disliked the police, according to police reports. If , DISTRIBTED TO: PAGE / UOF MAYOR CITY CACL CITY ATTN.Y CRLtl MCKAMIE BROW'.A YOL.AG 4.AiMAL CA'T J1cDO.NALD COLLI:A'S C. /BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ARVIN' LIBRARY REF H,ARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED "S7 I i CDATE OF ARTICLE �D / 13 C I / 0 ,NEWSPAPER FUST The city stands to save and the region as a whole," big by using treated he said. wastewater at half-price. Euless, which uses an average of 120 million gal- By TERRY EVANS ions of water annually to ir- tevans@star-telegram.com rigate the recreational facil- EULESS—City leaders have ities, stands to save big by • a, approved spending$1.6 mil- buying treated wastewater — lion to install a pipeline that at roughly half the price, •06‘. +� Se will provide treated waste- Barker said. 4O �..0 water for the Texas Star Golf And doing so not only en- �55 e *c D Course and the adjacent sures a drought-proof Oti �_,t ® Parks at Texas Star. source but also keeps the ci- 1, VV The pipe will run through ty from being hypocritical 2t‘��5, the golf course and move when asking residents not to ♦ water from Fort Worth's Vil- water their lawns. �� S lage Creek Treatment Plant Though the treated 1� to an on-site irrigation reser- wastewater contains a resi- voir. dual amount of chlorine, it _ Installation will begin isn't as chlorinated as pota- within 45 days and should ble water, said Mary Gugli- be complete by the time Fort uzza,public education coor- Worth is ready to deliver the dinator for the Fort Worth — water early next year, said Water Department, said the Chris Barker, director of pump station at the treat- planning and development ment plant probably won't for Euless. be ready until February.- The city will make every Arlington and Dallas/ effort not to disrupt play at Fort Worth Airport have also the golf course,Barker said. signed on to use the water. "A large portion of the line Arlington's director of wa- — will be bored versus open- ter utilities, Julie Hunt, said trench,"he said. "It's on golf the projects represent one of course property but pushed the strategies in the state to the edge. There is not a water plan. place where the line crosses "Long-term water supply a fairway. We're sticking to comes not only from new the border." supplies but also in figuring _ The 185-acre golf course out how to conserve and re- and The Parks at Texas Star use the water we have," she will use the water to irrigate said. fairways and greens,softball In early April, Arlington — and soccer fields, and the began construction on a ' landscaping at Dr Pepper $2.1 million system of pipes StarCenter,Barker said. that begins at the city limits The city's public works near the treatment plant, — director,Ron Young,said the Hunt said. water is the same as what "We're going to irrigate Fort Worth pours into the Dunlop sports complex,Dit- _ Trinity River at 100 million to Golf Course and Arlington gallons a day. landfill,"she said. "They have to treat it to Fort Worth received a$22 state and federal standards million grant from the feder- _ j before releasing it into the al stimulus program to in- 1 Trinity River," Young said. stall the roughly 9-mile wa- "It's very good water." ter line.It's expected to carry The water is not drink- 429 million gallons in the able. first year,and the rate could And that's the beauty of it, increase to 1 billion by 2019. Barker said. "Whatever effluent water This report includes material from the — we use to irrigate,we offset Star-Telegram archives. [that amount ofl potable DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF l MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY A TTVY CRIM MCK4MIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CVT McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBR4RY.4DMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATEDISTRIBG'TED ( / l i�-- DATE OF ARTICLE 5/-36) / 1C) NEWSPAPER FBST . IN MY OPINION IN BUDGET CRISIS, POLITICOS COULD LAs the company added BECOME REVOLUTIONARIES and Get,chii aid tree eade • L ,„,--- - ,, tate taxes(although it does pay In that light, this all Iooks ers and city officials hatched the headquarters idea.The city a much smaller tax bill on busi- like some civic race to the bot- - q * ' t ness property).Local taxes on a tori.But the reality is that if Eu takes on added risk,but for Re- L � ,,./ ., �� di-Mix it's essentially the same $4.9 million commercial build- less didn't pony up for Redi z _ .;'.% � �`�' � in in Euless would topdeal with a few wrinkles. r m i g 6,000—more thatuwould �, the company could go a If it doesn't generate$2 mil- Yfew miles down Texas 183 and lion in local sales tax, it has to - _ be helpful to city government, put the touch on Bedford, Ir- the Hurst-Euless-Bedford paycity . ' y �:��,. a rent to the at market MITCHELL SCHNURMAN school district,Tarrant Conn meg' Fort Worth andatthothers. rates.In 2008,Redi Mi�w. ou• ty Most cities would jumpat the ' have met the threshold; •in mschnurman@star-telegram.com and more. chance to land an employer 2009,it would have been short To recap: Redi-Mix gets a with 250 workers and local This is the right time for strapped new headquarters, pays no ! sales tax over seven figures. by at least half. cities to stopthe corporate rent, Getchell figures that Eulessm ' ' rpora pays no property taxes � "This is the game we all have will bank enough sales tax from giveaways. and gets back a good chunk of to play,"Getchell says."It's the concrete to recoup the head- its sales tax. business environment." If budget problems get bad' enough One more thing: The deal- There are worse deals out quarters' costs in three to five years, depending on the eco - a—and last long enough, maybe politi- lasts 25 years. there.Last week,I wrote about clans will do something revolutionary: "This is a crucial business RadioShack holding up Fort nomic recovery. Stop giving taxpayer money to private partner for our city, and we But this is a ro sum game, Worth for $10.7 million in tax and somebodyis getting Lcompanies. know they have other options, breaks in exchange for signing g g skinned. Ending corporate welfare wouldn't Deputy City Manager Loretta a five-year lease: RadioShack Getchell says. Redi Mix isn't pouring$100 close the fundinga .for most cities, y has almost $1 billion in cash, gap Like manyin this business million of concrete into Euless while Fort Worth has to fi e but it would represent progress-forannually;thats what it di 13 - oth public finances and tax policy.Big —euphemistically called eco out how to close a$77 million P P cY uted around' the North Texas business throws so much weight nomrc development—Getch gap•in next year's budget ell sounds almost apo lo etic. region in 2008, extrapolating around city halls in North Texas that it's The Fort Worth City Council from its Euless tax rebate.The Lonly a Great Reset could reverse things. In these tough times, its hard is expected to approve that bills simply flowed through the To get an idea of the bubble in gov- to explain to regular folks that deal on June 8.How? Euless office, and that's where eminent giveaways, consider the they have to pay their share for As much as it stinks,the po sales tax was collected. Lsweetheart deal that Euless created for public services,while some big liticos believe that the alterna So concrete poured in tedi-Mix Concrete.' companies get big breaks. five is worse. RadioShack has Weatherford generates taxes And it's not like Euless built threatened to move out of Fort The city built a regional headquar- a piece of infrastructure that for Euless.And Euless is giving ers on North Main Street, spending also benefits the residents. Worth,which would eliminate a tax break to Redi Mix with LE, ;4.9 million for a 27,551-square-foot Only one constituent, Redi- 1,100 jobs in the city and the what's really house money (or wilding on 2.2 acres. Redi Mix occu- Mix,reaps the rewards. marketing cachet that comes Weatherford's). Hied the space at the beginning of the At the same time,Euless has with a Fortune 500 company. The tough econsider h these Lear,and it pays zero rent,as long as it been struggling with its bud RadioShack even asked other force us to reconsider these enerates a certain level of sales tax. get. In the past two years, the cities, including Charlotte, schemes, and state leaders It also gets a rebate for one-quarter general fund has fallen by sev N.C.,and Albuquerque,to sub should weigh in,too.Local offi of the local sales tax it collects—for eral million dollars, property mit relocation bids. say don't have the strength to es Loncrete delivered throughout the re- tax assessments are down,and Redi Mix was never so say no—not when companies sales tax is projected to decline ` heavy-handed, Getchell says, threaten to move the whole op- gion,not just in Euless.In 2008,Euless but Euless wanted to pre-empt eration—but cities need all the _18 percent. Through layoffs, returned $567,000 to Redi-Mix under any possibility. Euless had re- tax revenue they're entitled to. early retirtythent and attrition, Lis agreement,but that amount fell by cruited the .company, then RadioShacks new deal cap ore than half after the recession the city has eliminated 32 post known as Beall Concrete,at the tures this conundrum in full. •'tions, one-twelfth14 its work stalled the construction industry last force. start of the decade, and both The company proposes to shift ear. had grown up together. Redi- some sales and purchases to its Another corporate perk: Because Mix occupied a vacant fire- Fort Worth address, because e city owns the headquarters and is house — again, rent-free — that paperwork alone will gen- tax-exempt,Redi-Mix pays no real es- and got the sales tax rebate. erate an extra $1.5 million in L sales tax for the city. The catch: RadioShack wants half of it. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE / OF � MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM 11CK4MIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR ,11cDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYAD,IIIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED (Y 11 /1 0 DATE OF ARTICLE J- /3 / / NEWSPAPER DMN _ i irj 1..---1 mmV., mmx * ' 0 i ler s nlev. L 1,..,'? Sip : , , l' ' i' . A / ..- '1'. 1 ‘.j \° `.' , By TASHA HAYTON h — ,:'''..:.„'',::.::47,14, a Staff writer '4''< � thayton®Staff z i kms'' 4 - �. ,0k In 59!years of marriage,Raymond — ; , Saleh rarely discussed his World War A 0 ,� II service with his wife. '` She had no idea that he'd earned — but never claimed — one of the military's top honors. a �` FLY YOUR FLAG Now, nearly four years after her fs Today is Memorial Day. husband's death,Mary Lib Saleh has On the last Monday in been presented with his medals — j- May each year, thanks to the efforts of a local con ::, '- Americans pause to pay gressman. � tribute to the men and But she still has no clue what Ray =, women who have given did to earn the Bronze Star. their lives in our nation's defense. On Memorial 'hy did you die without telling , Day, the U.S.flag should me all of this?"she said."Why didn't ,,.." — be flown at half-staff You tell me...so I could've shared it until noon.At noon, the better with the children and grand- flag should be raised to children?" full-staff. Flag etiquette Like many veterans, especially A 1944 photo shows Sgt. requires that the ensign those who served in WWII,Ray Sa- Raymond Saleh,who first be raised to full- leh was a young man eager to get served as a heavy mortar staff and then lowered to half-staff. man in the Army. DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF — MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM MCKIMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLLNS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ARVIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED ' �y � " DATE OF ARTICLE -5 131 /1 C NEWSPAPER DMN ing with Mary Lib Saleh,may- mated 1,000 die every day. L or of Euless since 1993. She As part of the project,Mar- home and move on with his mentioned that Ray was in the chant's staff started recording life after the war and never service but didn't know much veterans telling their stories, L sought his awards. about what.her husband had In the process; the congress Rep. Kenny Marchant's done. man learned that many had staff has spent the past few "I didn't learn much about not received the recognition years searching old military my husband's service until my they had earned. Modesty L records and requesting medals grandsons came along," -she seems to be the top reason histories is a personal one. that veterans never received. said. 'They started asking why. His father served in WWII, Often, it's the families that questions. Enough time had "They're just so unselfish and his grandfather served in want to know more. elapsed that he was willing to and modest," Patrick said. the first World War.Hayes was L "It's the first time many of talk about it." 'They'll tell you, I didn't do able to hunt down some med- the people in the family have Even though Ray Saleh anything everybody else didn't ahs for Marchant's family as ever heard the story of their fa- started talking more about his do.'" well. L this being in the war,' said service before he died in 2006, John Hayes, military and "I sure wish I had my Marchant,whose district coy- Mary Lib Saleh still doesn't veteran affairs liaison for Mar- grandfather's history" Mar- ers parts of Dallas,Denton and know the story behind the chant,understands. chant said. Tarrant counties. Bronze Star. She knows very "I've got the Distinguished Tears came to Mary Lib Sa- L little about what her husband Flying Cross,". the Vietnam leh's eyes while she. talked 98 veterans did to earn six medals and four War vet said."I don't feel like a about her husband and the badges and pins. hero.I was doing my job." legacy he left behind in their L So far,Marchant's stall has That story isn't unusual Hayes spends several children and grandchildren. found medals and awards for among veterans.Many WWII months tracking down veter- "We made a pact that who- 98 veterans,including Ray Sae vets, especially, don't discuss ans'service records to find out ever wanted to leave had to ?eh, who served as a heavy their experiences, which medals they deserve. take all five children," she L mortar man in the Army from Mary Lib Saleh said her joked about their long-lasting 1944 to 1946.He was involved a husband seldom talked about union. in the European theater for 16Yli 111't()1'1�.5 his service because it"brought The family wonders wheth- L months under Gen. George In 2000, Congress unani- back too many harsh, harsh er Ray even knew that he had Patton. tnously approved legislation to memories." earned the medals, especially Marchant presented Mary create the Veterans History "My husband was probably the Bronze Star. Lib Saleh with her husband's Project,a nationwide effort to 19 when he got out of the ser- "T think he probably would L medals on April 30. collect oral histories from vet- vice after serving in Gen. Pat- have told us what the Bronze "Most of the WWII veter- erans. So far, more than ton's Army marching across meant," said Penny Stephen- ans, when they got through 68,000 collections have been Europe in the slop and the rain son,Saleh's daughter. L with their service, didn't sit cataloged in the project's ar- and whatever else," she said. The Bronze Star is given to around and worry about what chives at the Library of Con- "So he wasn't interested in rib- members of the military who medals they got or not,"Mar- gross. bons.And he rarely ever talked performed meritorious service chant said. "We're talking The, project focused on about it." in combat. Labout people who have earned WWII veterans first,said Bob . "I still don't know what ex- Purple Hearts, people who Patrick, director of the Veter- Personal quest actly he did to earn the Bronze have earned Bronze Stars." ans His-tory Project. Only medal," Stephenson said. "I L Marchaut grew interested about 2 million WWII veter- Marchant's quest to help guess I'll just have to ask him in Ray Saleh's story after talk- ans are still alive,and an esti- families find their loved ones' when I get to heaven." L L L DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE OF MAYOR CITY CNCL CITYATTN}' CRIM NCKAa11E BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL C,VTR — 11cDONALD COLLINS G BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARYADMIN LIBR9RYREF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED Q / 41 I I(-1 DATE OF ARTICLE 5/..3 / / /C NEWSPAPER D;1/N �. ATAGLANCE - R ... ' Finding records � , ax � � Veterans or veterans'families ix::�� zr ,, .' � �� x"�� ; � seeking military records or � � medals and decorations that z 1 `'' '" were lost or never awarded y _ ��` can get more information by if,...-_,...,,‘,, ax calling the National Archives 1 if �... , � -,- - at 1-866-272 6272 or visiting +„ the agency's website, www.archives.gov(click on 1 .-,:z,..,iis..itt': ,,,,,,,i" ,,,,,,,,,,4,,,,,.,,,,,:e:::,?, , _.. , ic.,. ,,,,,,,,, , - : -,, 3ayor Mary Lib "Veterans and Their Families"). Saiehf Mess , fi f , r � > Military records:On the mentioned to ^ 4 2 ' - �� '.„74:;•: .,. website, ou can request a i Rep. Kenny g7 ti y q N copy of military records by Marchant that � � 1 submitting a form to the she didn't know National Personnel Records R • g ' J �{ much abaut her �• a E v� � �, '~.,.ate, � f": �� °� Center.You'll need the late husbands ` 4 ;; veteran's dates of service, Array service. z � � service number or Social Now, nearly four , Security number,birth date i a -rte years after •ti �� '" ' ,`," and branch of service. Raymond v Requesting medals:The aloh`s death, "' Ni. ., = method to request medals is she has been ,"� �• similar,though the request presented with '� v must be submitted to the his medals— ' veteran's branch of service. � � �� 1973 fire:Some records,many thanks to the r,' i _ effors of �_ of them from World War II, Marchant and ` were destroyed in a fire at the his staffr " records center in St.Louis in #a• ,,,• 1973.If your veteran's records _ MONA F:EEDER;"Starf Photographer were affected,you must also know the last unit of assignment,where the veteran — entered the service and where the veteran was discharged. Oral histories:Anyone can send in a recorded history to the Veterans History Project. 7 For more information,go to ww•w.loc.gov/vets. , DISTRIBUTED TO: PAGE I OF `tel MAYOR CITY CNCL CITY ATTNY CRIM MCKAMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBRARY ADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED DATE OF ARTICLE S /31 - (o /Cc 1 I C'' .YEWSPAPEIJ,�)•i u%/,)f 5% press ..., Gym offers workouts L foreo 1disabilitiesp pe with L BY ELIZABETH BASSETT ` l iii . 1044 ebasett@bizpress.net xq, • € k L ..,. . , �. e i, ......, ,,, , ,, _, A gym is more than a space filled with tt. ; , .- ., 0 +N- , . exercise equipment. It's a place to release ± " ' ' energy or stress, a place to become health- - . --- ._ "` L .. incorporate tint>at otutinPeople,a place to �+i �El t 'r '` For some people with disabilities, - *be 1. though, finding a gym that can provide all 1" =' _ l ...' of those benefits can be difficult. Equip- .�;,, ment may not be accessible for someone t •- Lwith a wheelchair or walker or crutches. Staff may not be prepared to provide sup- � port for special needs. 1 .1Ik ' ,'Ni _ t" S. fa-?± While the Neuro Fitness Foundation's E ii Lgyms across the area, it does offer what i ' - those gyms cannot. It is a place made ' / � specifically for people who are neurologi- g cally impaired, and it serves the same role '� '� as a traditional gym in addition to the k , sense of confidence and independence `- t =,;.;—......- i craved by individuals who sometimes rely rte,: ` = § on others. ` T.J. Griffin broke his neck in 1990 as a Bill Gardner of Hurst, works out at the Euless-based Neuro Fitness Foundation with workout specialist senior at Trinity Valley High School during Shelby Lauderdale. , a football game. He'd spent time working heiH out as an athlete, and now he spends time' Shelby Lauderdale, who spent several what they want to do." working out to strengthen his body and cut years working in a physical therapy clinic For individuals who have neurological down on health risks that can affect quad- and also has some background in the per- disorders—whether it be a condition that 4 riplegics as well as other able-bodied peo- sonal training world, assists the gym pa- worsens over time, like MS or Lou Gehrig's 6. pie, like cardiovascular disease or being trons and supervises the workouts in his disease (ALS), or something that is more overweight. role as fitness director. He's also the only permanent,like paralysis or spina bifida— "It's actually a gym mentality here, person on payroll for the foundation, exercise is as important for maintaining Lwhich is nice,"Griffin said of the Neuro Fit- which will spend about $25,000 in 2010 health as it is for the general public, said ness Foundation. on the new facility's rent and utilities, ac- Dr. Kurt Voss, medical director of rehabili- The organization moved into a new fa- cording to its budget. tation and wellness services at Baylor All Lcility in Euless in September 2009, and the Lauderdale said those who visit the Saints Medical Center at Fort Worth. space looks like many other independ- Neuro Fitness Foundation gym usually "For all the populations who are dealing ently-owned gyms. Largely run by volun- have participated in clinical physical reha- with neurological disorders, it's extremely teers, the equipment is more accessible for bilitation and therapy already and are fa- important for them to have the opportu- Lpeople who have various conditions, from miliar with what to do for their bodies or nity and guidance in making the best of the paralysis to spina bifida or multiple sclero- what not to do. faculties that they do have and to gain and sis to those recovering from a stroke or Like other gyms, the individual patrons maintain what they do have,"he said. brain injury. are the ones who really decide what they Making the Neuro Fitness Foundation "You think'disability,'you automatically want to work on. and its facility open to anyone who needs L think'chair,'but there larej so many differ- "You just adapt everything to what they it is the goal of Connie Stauffer, the presi- ent kinds,"Griffin said. can do,"Lauderdale said. "And a lot of it is dent of the nonprofit organization.She has .,r DISTRIBUTED TO: P.4 GE OF MAYOR CITYC\CL CITY.4TT.NY GRIM MCKAMIE BROWN YOUNG ANIMAL CNTR .. McDONALD COLLINS C. BARKER GETCHELL LIBR4RYADMIN LIBRARY REF HARTSELL DATE DISTRIBUTED 6( /q l /` DATE OF ARTICLE `.) /3'- 4 / //0 NEWSPAPER,". LL' �r css been the president for about a year, due in part to her experience with people with dis- abilities(she and Griffin work for Lift-Aids Inc.,a company that adapts and equips ve- hicles for individuals with disabilities). A year ago, the organization was facing steeply-rising rents in addition to a had economy.The board met in order to decide what to do with organization, which would run out of money if something didn't change, she said. 'They needed help or it needed to be shut down,"she said. 01114 Gym members are encouraged to do- nate$25 per month, but no one is turned away, she said, and donations and two fund-raising events each year help keep the place running.The board decided to shut down the organization until the late fall of 2009,but then an outcry from the patrons prompted the move and re-opening to occur more quickly, she said. The total number of patrons hovers between 120 and 150 people, but a core group of about _ 60 or so are dedicated regulars. Griffin,who has been involved with the organization since it started about 10 years ago, said the patrons see the facility not only as a gym but also as a community of individuals who are facing similar chal- lenges and support each other. It's not just a place to work out. "I think it helps more emotionally and mentally than anything,"he said. "And I think that's what people need most,"added Iauderdale. At the new location, there is room to host a once-weekly yoga class and there are plans to utilize more of the space as time — goes on, Stauffer said. A casino-style Denim and Dice fund-raiser will be in the fall, and a golf tournament in the spring, to benefit the foundation,and there are al- ways plans to continue growing. However, having the capability to pay for the facility and have experienced people on hand to assist patrons is tied to finances. 'That's my goal, to keep this place self- sufficient,"she said.■