Category: Conroe Courier

Conroe ISD school starts on Wednesday, Aug. 14. Watch for school buses and school zones. 
Get ready for school by shopping our local merchants in Conroe. Mod Boutique, Sweet Texas Treasures, Main Street Market, The Collective, Assistance League of Montgomery County, Cartwright’s Western Wear and Conroe Shoe Shop and Conroe Service League. Shop to help local businesses and nonprofits! 
Super Tax Day for those needing tax preparation assistance is offered Friday, Aug. 16 from 11:00am-7:00pm for families in the community at no cost at the Children’s Books on Wheels’ Mulitpurpose Building, 9847 Sleepy Hollow Road in Conroe. 
This coming Saturday, Aug. 17 is the Montgomery County Funky Junque Market at Lone Star Convention Center from 9:00am-5:00pm. Entry fee is $5 and allows shopping by 125 local vendors for holiday items, decor, handcrafted items, Women’s and Children’s Clothing, Home, Holiday and Garden Decor, Gourmet Food Items, and handmade jewelry. Military and First Responders with ID and Children under 15 are free.  
In the evening, Saturday, August 17, make plans to attend the 12th annual Fire Up the Bands charity even to benefit the Conroe Firefighters Association at Pacific Yard House. Taking the stage will be Trent Cowie, Cannon Brand, and Cameron Allbright. The show starts at 7:00pm and tickets are selling in advance at https://bit.ly/4dA4t5D. 
Have a safe first week of school! 
Margie Taylor may be reached at margie@taylorizedpr.com.

A 50-year-old Magnolia woman accused of setting fire to her neighbors’ house and several vehicles apparently had no interaction with them before Tuesday morning, according to the Montgomery County Fire Marshal’s Office.
After a 12-hour standoff with Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office SWAT and the Crisis Negotiation Team, Christine Riley was arrested at the 26000 block of Rhode Island in Magnolia and charged with arson with intent to damage or destroy a habitation or place of worship — a first degree felony.
Around 5:30 a.m., Riley set fire to her neighbors’ home and several vehicles, forcing the family of four to flee their burning home through their back door, according to a release from the county fire marshal’s office. 
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Riley then fled to her house and refused to leave after sheriff’s deputies and county fire marshal investigators tried to apprehend her, the release states.
Responding deputies suspected that Riley had access to a gun and was in the midst of a mental health crisis.
“(Riley) had not had any interaction with the neighbor,” said Fire Marshal Jimmy Williams. “The victims don’t know why she set the trucks on fire and set their house on fire. We’re still investigating to determine the motive.”
Riley is being held at the Montgomery County jail with a $50,000 bond. The county fire marshal’s office is continuing its investigation. 

Earlier this year, a new sign for Sapphire Gas Solutions was placed on the six-story office building at FM 2854 and Interstate 45 in Conroe.
Most long-time Conroe residents know the building with reddish brown brick as the old Louisiana Pacific building or the old “LP” building. 
Louisiana Pacific vacated the office building in March 2011, since then the tower and the one-story annex have been made up of smaller businesses.
Sapphire Gas Solutions started small at the property but now occupies half of the sixth floor and the entire fifth floor of the tower. 
Here’s what to know about the company and its impact locally and across the country:
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Exit of Louisiana Pacific 
Louisiana-Pacific Corp. or LP is an American building materials manufacturer. The company incorporated in January 1973 and is known for pioneering the production of the wood product oriented strand board. 
For the company’s first 33 years, the headquarters was in Portland, Oregon with administrative offices in Hayden Lake, Idaho; Conroe; Charlotte, North Carolina; Montreal, Quebec; Schaumburg, Illinois and Troy, Michigan.
In 2004, the company moved its headquarters to Nashville and in March 2011 closed the Conroe LP office which had about 30 employees remaining. In addition to Sapphire Gas Solutions, a variety of smaller businesses, such as lawyers, CPA firms, insurance agents, financial advisors and marketing firms now occupy the tower and annex. 
A familiar landmark 
Sam Thigpen, the founder and CEO of Sapphire Gas Solutions, grew up in the Victoria area and often traveled past the LP building on I-45 while going to visit his family members in New Waverly and his grandparents in Huntsville. 
“I remember seeing the LP sign on the side all those years ago,” he said. 
Space in the tower now serves as the national headquarters for his business which serves as a natural gas virtual pipeline system that transports liquefied natural gas, compressed natural gas or renewable natural gas across the country via trucks instead of through traditional underground pipelines. 
What does Sapphire Gas do? 
Thigpen was a part of a gas pipeline service company up to 2005 in the service side. There were two divisions, one was manufacturing and the other was service. 
The company dissolved the service aspect of the business to focus on manufacturing. This left a golden opportunity for Thigpen to launch his own pipeline service company in 2005. 
From 2005 to roughly 2012, his company did primarily pipeline service including installing remote communications systems to relay information from the field back to the pipeline company’s headquarters in addition to analyzing and measuring gas and instrumentation.
In 2011, his company had the opportunity to bid on the compressed natural gas station in Conroe. 
“We take gas off the line, compress it and put it into their trash trucks and that’s what they use for fuel instead of diesel,” he said. There was a missing connection though. 
There was the station and the trucks but there were delays in getting the gas to connect the two. Bridging that gap of offering a virtual natural gas pipeline is how they got into their operations today. 
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A shift in natural gas business
He began to see there was a market for compressed natural gas and liquefied natural gas. In roughly 2013 or 2014, his company was delivering natural gas as a fuel instead of diesel to the oilfields. 
“Then we got a call from the Port of Baton Rouge. They had a pipeline that was being shut down. They had this facility at the port where natural gas was needed. When they would offload barges, the vapors from the chemical had to be burned. They couldn’t be without natural gas because they had to use it to burn the vapors off,” he said. 
It was a very quick turnaround for Thigpen’s group to get natural gas to the port within a few days. 
“That was really the catalyst for what we do today,” he said. “We do that all over the country now.” 
Company’s first shop was in Cut and Shoot
He said his first shop was built around 2008 in the Cut and Shoot area and his first few employees were from Conroe.
In 2014, he built a facility on the Hardy Toll Road but moved back to Montgomery County in 2018. Their business offices started in the one-story annex at 100 I-45. 
The company began to occupy more and more space in the annex before moving into the tower where the company now occupies half of the sixth floor and all of the fifth floor. 
There are 135 to 140 in the company total. Eighty percent of the staff work in Conroe with smaller administrative offices in locations such as Southern California, Phoenix and Tennessee.
His main goal for putting the sign on the building earlier this year was for greater visibility for the business. At times people were traveling to his headquarters and would end up at the adjacent central library. 
The sign also solidifies that the company is planning its future in Conroe, he said. Recently the company was named one of Business Fortune’s 30 Best Companies for 2024. In 2021, Thigpen was named the EY Gulf South Entrepreneur of the Year. 
Ties to IndyCar season
For the 2023 IndyCar season, the company partnered with a generator company based in California to offer an alternative compressed natural gas fuel to support power operations at IndyCar races with Steinbrenner Racing and Andretti Racing. They were a part of the Dallas race and several others around the country in 2023. 
Thigpen wants to come back for the 2025 IndyCar season to supply fuel and sees compressed natural gas being an option for many larger events, such as the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo.

As Montgomery County continues to recover from Hurricane Beryl in July, nonprofits are assessing the number of residents assisted in the aftermath of the storm and preparing for the next disaster.
Beryl made landfall near Sargent, Texas on the morning of July 8 then continued across southeast Texas and Montgomery County. Tree damage and power outages were widespread in the county for days after the storm. 
Here’s how several Montgomery County nonprofits served the area during and after the storm:
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Montgomery County Food Bank 
According to information from the Montgomery County Food Bank, in the two weeks following Beryl the food bank served an additional 28,886 client contacts impacted by the storm through its network of more than 80 partner agencies and community partnerships. On average, the agency provides food assistance to approximately 22,500 client contacts per week.
The total number of client contacts served was 73,886 in the two weeks following the storm. For comparison, the food bank served around 80,000 client contacts per month in 2023.
The food bank’s efforts included hosting 13 emergency food and water distributions and supporting 30 additional distributions across the county. 
In total, the group distributed 770,181 pounds of food and water. The food bank also distributed more than 100,000 bottles of water, and through its partnership with the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management, provided an additional 150,000 bottles.
The group’s most urgent post-Beryl need is financial support as recovery efforts continue. Donations help the food bank acquire and distribute food and water. A list of most-needed food items donations can be found on an Amazon wish list for the food bank. 
Visit the food bank’s website to find a food pantry or mobile distribution. 
Interfaith of The Woodlands 
Interfaith hosted a drive-thru food and water distribution for the community in the Interfaith parking lot in The Woodlands July 12. The nonprofit served 181 families and nearly 700 individuals.
A donation of water from Kroger served 190 homebound seniors. Interfaith continues to assess community need and focus on services on disaster assistance for families and seniors impacted. Residents affected can call 281-367-1230 for more information or to make an appointment for assistance.   
The group’s greatest need is food donations and monetary contributions to buy food, water and provide shelter for displaced residents at nearby motels. Financial assistance will be used to provide rent, mortgage and utility assistance.
Non-perishable food items can be donated to the Interfaith Food Pantry at 4242 Interfaith Way in The Woodlands during regular business hours. Monetary donations can also be made online by visiting the Interfaith website. 
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Salvation Army of Montgomery County 
Preparations began for Beryl while new Salvation Army of Montgomery County commanding officers Lt. Cody Johns and Lt. Amanda Johns were still settling in. They came from the Irving, Texas Salvation Army unit and their first official day in Conroe was June 24. 
Amanda Johns said their Center of Hope never lost power and they were able to continue and expand shelter operations there. They began to see an increase in people coming to the shelter Tuesday following the storm and experienced a 15-to-20 percent increase in occupancy. Mid-week they experienced a 30-percent increase until later in the week. 
At the central Salvation Army warehouse in Houston, more than 97,000 meals were cooked. Cody Johns would drive to the Houston warehouse and pick up a large amount of meals and bring them back to distribute in Montgomery County. 
They also worked closely with the Montgomery County Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Management and the Red Cross to distribute meals locally.
For Montgomery County, they served 8,723 meals, 1,893 drinks, 433 snacks, 120 food boxes, 252 cases of water and offered emotional and spiritual support to 591 individuals. 
To prepare for the next event they are seeking shelf-stable items like canned goods and canned meats. Donations may be dropped off at 304 Avenue E in Conroe. For more about the local group call 936-760-2440 or visit the Facebook page. 
Community Assistance Center 
Jennifer Huffine, president and CEO of Community Assistance Center, said in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl, Community Assistance Center has been at the forefront of relief efforts, extending vital support to those affected in the community.  
“So far, we have assisted 208 families, encompassing 612 individuals, by providing essential services to help them recover from the storm’s impact. This is an ongoing effort as we still have many neighbors who are continuing to seek assistance,” she said. 
Support included the distribution of food, gas cards and gift cards to address the immediate needs of those who lost wages or essential household items like food and linens. They have also facilitated emergency shelter accommodations in local hotels and provided rental and utility assistance to help stabilize families as they try to recover. 
The group’s back-to-school event in East County expanded to include a food distribution component where an additional 255 families were helped. 
Those still recovering from Hurricane Beryl, and reside in Montgomery County, are encouraged to contact their appointment line at 936-539-9211, available from 1 to 4 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays or by emailing info@cac-mctx.org with the subject line “Hurricane Beryl.” 
This group also continues to seek food donations and monetary contributions to assist its efforts. 

Conroe businesswoman Lyn Hawthorne-Howard will present a bronze bust she sculpted of Isaac Conroe, the town’s founder, to the city. 
Howard, 82, will present the bust at the Thursday City Council meeting.
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Key part of visitors center
The bust will eventually be on display in the city of Conroe’s visitors center that is being created on the first floor of Conroe Tower in downtown. 
“As Visit Conroe continues its efforts to establish itself as the local story keeper and story teller, there is no more important story than that of the man who founded Conroe — and what better story starter than Issac Conroe’s bronze bust so generously donated by the Hawthorne-Howard Family,” said Sherry Chaney Morgan, manager of Visit Conroe. “We are honored to showcase and share this exquisite piece of art and history and to have its installation as Visit Conroe’s inaugural exhibit and display.”
Isaac Conroe was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, in 1835. 
At the outbreak of the Civil War, he was in the postal service in Chicago and there he enlisted and became part of the 12th Illinois Cavalry. He served with distinction and was promoted to the rank of captain.
At the close of his service, he mustered out in Houston. He became engaged in the wood and freighting business between Lynchburg and Houston.
Conroe went on to establish a sawmill site that would become the town of Conroe. 
He would ride the railroad up from Houston where his family lived and his stop at his mill became known as Conroe’s Switch. The name later was shortened to Conroe. He died at his mill at age 62 on Aug. 2, 1897. 
Champion of Conroe’s legacy
Howard has been a flight attendant, former Kilgore College Rangerette, an educator, pageant title holder, an entrepreneur and an auctioneer. 
She has also long been a champion of keeping Conroe’s legacy alive in the city. 
She and husband, Carl, renovated the Isaac Conroe home on Avenue A in Conroe. She also launched an annual Founder’s Day celebration in honor of Conroe at his home. 
When she took up sculpting, a bust of Conroe was on her wish list to complete. 
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“I’m a Conroeite. I wasn’t born here but just like Isaac, this is where we chose to live our lives and this is where I’ll be when it’s all over,” Howard said. 
She has always had an appreciation for art and received a minor in art at Texas Women’s University. 
“It’s just so neat to me to be able to mold something to resemble someone. It’s kind of a lasting art. They did that in Rome and Italy,” she said. 
She had told her herself “When I get old I’m going to make time to sculpt.” Then she realized a few years ago that time is now. 
Howard gave local sculptor Craig Campobella space to create the Texas Lady Liberty statue. In turn, he gave her pointers to start sculpting. 
She first sculpted a bust of her husband, Carl. Then she did one of Donald Trump. It’s her hope to get Trump’s bust to him eventually. 
Then she began work on Conroe. The busts begin life as clay then the clay form is taken to a foundry in Houston which bronzes the bust. 
On Thursday night, she’ll donate the bust to Conroe. 
“We need to honor those who got us here and this is my way of contributing and giving back,” she said. 
Howard is also the host of the annual Isaac Conroe Founder’s Day celebration. The event was typically held on Aug. 2, Conroe’s death date. Extreme heat in 2023 caused Howard to move the event to a cooler month. 
The celebration will take place on Feb. 11, 2025 in the month of Conroe’s birth. It will be at the Issac Conroe home that is owned by the city at 202 Avenue A.

When Nathalie Annequin first visited downtown Conroe a few years ago, it was just like she envisioned America would be as a girl growing up in France. 
She and her husband, Jérôme, owned restaurants in the Lyon, France area but always dreamed of branching out they just never thought it would be to the U.S., let alone Texas until they discovered Montgomery County while visiting French friends in the Houston suburb of Cypress. 
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They suggested the couple visit Lake Conroe, downtown Conroe and The Woodlands. 
“When we arrived in downtown Conroe, it was a special atmosphere for us. It was the picture of an American city. I said ‘Wow, I’m feeling very well here,'” she said. “In France we had a restaurant by a lake so the lake (Lake Conroe) reminded me of the atmosphere in France.”
They sold their French restaurants and opened up Paulette Cafe, an authentic French restaurant, on the downtown Conroe square in December. It’s at 406 N. Thompson Street on the first floor of the Moreland Professional Building.
Taste of France
The pastries and dishes are authentic to her homeland and ones she grew up watching her mother cook and bake with her father helping. Her parents also owned restaurants and she grew up in an atmosphere where food was special. Paulette is her mother’s name. 
“Lyon is the best place for very good food. It’s very famous for that. I grew up keeping in mind that the food was very good and made with fresh ingredients,” she said. 
The cafe specializes in crêpes, pastries, soups, salads, quiches, coffees, French sandwiches like the Croque Monsieur and Croque Madame. They also serve pizzas baked in the traditional French way and offer catering. 
Annequin said the dough for the pizza is airy and is more bread like than American versions. Her husband Jérôme is the chef and their daughter-in-law Pauline also helps run the cafe. 
She has fallen in love with the atmosphere of downtown. 
‘This is still the American dream’
“The people are very kind, very polite and very respectful,” she said “For us this is still the American dream.” In France, they grew up with strong connections to food and she wanted to share that atmosphere here as well. 
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“I said let’s do it, let’s bring a piece of France to downtown Conroe,” Annequin said. 
While the work at the cafe keeps her from watching the Paris Olympics regularly, she said they have seen more customers during the past few weeks and many mention the Olympics in Paris and French swimmer Léon Marchand who captured four gold medals during the swimming portion. 
One customer in an online reviewed liken the experience to being in a French cafe during the Olympics. There are statues of the Eiffel Tower here and there, the colors of the French flag and pieces of the culture scattered throughout the cafe. 
Annequin is even teaching regular customer George Renneberg a few phrases in French. 
He’s an attorney and business often takes him to the Montgomery County Courthouse across the street. 
“I make a habit of dropping by after court anytime I come downtown,” he said. “Nathalie is a very charming lady and she tries to teach this old dude some French with little success.”
He likes the French-style pizza, the crepes and the French-style breakfast. He also likes the beignets but notes they are not the same as the doughy squares loaded with powdered sugar served in New Orleans. 
He said the bread here is heavier and not quite as drenched in powdered sugar. 
After enjoying a cup of French roast coffee Monday morning, Annequin called out “au revoir” — goodbye in French — from behind the counter bidding Renneberg farewell as he carried on with his day. 

What started as a small pop-up in downtown Conroe for the 2023 holiday season has become a retail space with nearly 70 small-business vendors and a coffee service. 
Conroe Collective in the State Hotel building is under new ownership and has rebranded as The Collective in Downtown Conroe. 
Here’s what to know about the spot and its refresh:
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How it started 
Conroe business owner Farralyn Withrow launched the Holiday Pop Up Shop at 213 North Thompson in November 2023. 
At the start of the new year the space in the old State Hotel building transitioned to Conroe Collective featuring 20-plus small-business vendors from across Montgomery County. 
The former hotel building is owned by Rodney Pool who also owns The Corner Pub in downtown Conroe. The two-story, 37-room State Hotel at the northwest corner of Thompson and Metcalf streets, was constructed in 1932. It operated as a hotel through the 1980s. 
In the 2000s, the property was bought by Pool. Now there is retail space on the bottom floor and apartments on the top floors. 
Justine Frost was one of the retailers with a booth in Conroe Collective.
She started with Mimi’s Mums, her business for homecoming mums and high-school spirit items. She had most recently lived in Florida but when Hurricane Ian hit Florida in 2022 her family came to the Montgomery area where her sister lives. 
In addition to her booth, she began to spruce up the booths around her too. In the spring, she took on full ownership and the collective space for small-business vendors has grown to 68 spots. 
‘Something for everybody’
“There really is something for everybody here,” she said. “We have so many products I am so proud of.” The different rooms of the former hotel feature different themes. 
The space has vintage furniture, colorful Mexican pottery with one-of-a-kind colors, a men’s room with vintage tools, hats, boots, artwork and woodworking, a pantry of local food items, a children’s room with clothing, toys and accessories, bath items, a lady’s boutique room, vintage koozies and a spirit room for local sports teams including Astros gear and university and high-school gear. 
“When people are spending time in here (the game-day room) they’re spending time in here and digging and touching and feeling,” she said. “You can hear them digging through things and to me that’s the best compliment.” 
Frost said nearly all the sellers are from Montgomery County. 
Withrow, owner of the vintage Western wear boutique Small Town Famous, also has a booth in the store. 
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Coffee addition 
Urban Grinds Coffee Company which launched earlier in the year is the coffee vendor for the shop. The coffee stand inside The Collective in Downtown Conroe has a variety of espresso drinks, London Fog, matcha and chai teas and specialty drinks like Brown Sugar Lovers, The Tiger, Rosemary Honey and Butterfly Lemonade. They have six homemade syrups as well. 
Bakery items are coming soon. 
Transition and hours 
The space is currently transitioning from summer themes to fall themes. The Conroe High section of spirit items will expand in the lobby as a part of the fall transition. 
It’s open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday and from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday.

After major renovations this year and in 2023, Montgomery County’s hospital for 40 years will open later this month as the senior-living community Landmark 301. 
The historic building on Conroe’s First Street was redeveloped by Kansas-based Overland Property Group. Efficiency, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units are now available for lease with the first residents scheduled to move in later this month. 
“I’m delighted that the 1938 county hospital has been repurposed as senior apartments to continue its service to Conroe and Montgomery County,” said Larry Foerster, chairman of the Montgomery County Historical Commission. “The preservation of the old hospital helps restore the early legacy of what was the residential center of Conroe 100 years ago. We hope that others will see the value in preserving historic structures rather than demolishing them.”
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Senior-living apartments
The former hospital space has been converted into 47 senior-living units meant for those 55 and older that will take up the entirety of the building according to Overland Property Group Director of Development April Engstrom. 
The units feature a kitchen, living-room area, bedroom, bathroom, washer/dryer hookups and secure entrances. The efficiency space is roughly 573 square foot, the one-bedroom unit is approximately 700 square foot and the two-bedroom unit is around 1,000 square foot. A floor plan is available at the Landmark 301 website. 
Community amenities include a library, community room, fitness center and activity room. 
A grand opening with tours will take place at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 27 at 301 S. First Street. Engstrom said 10 units are pre-leased.
See the Landmark 301 website to fill out an availability form or call 346-595-9555 for leasing information. 
Building’s history as a hospital
Montgomery County Hospital, the first public hospital in the region, opened in 1938.
The 35-bed facility, located on First Street in Conroe, replaced the privately owned Mary Swain Sanitarium that provided health care during the 1920s and into the Depression era.
The hospital was expanded in 1953 to include more beds and again in 1967 when new patient wings, an x-ray center, labs and an emergency room were added. 
The 1970s brought a major change to medicine in Conroe with the opening of Doctor’s Hospital. The 104-bed hospital was attached to Dr. Deane Sadler’s clinic, and opened in 1971 across the street from Conroe High School.
The county hospital closed in the late 1970s and the hospital complex now known as HCA Houston Healthcare Conroe began to take shape on the city’s south side in the early 1980s. 
A long-vacant space 
After its closure, the building sat idle for some time due to the cost of remodeling and the removal of asbestos. In 2013, the nonprofit East Texas Dream Center purchased the old hospital for its headquarters to serve those in need in the community. 
The nonprofit operated there until May 2018 when an electrical fire shuttered the building and city officials deemed it unsafe to occupy. It was vacant from mid-2018 through its renovation in spring 2023. 
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New life for the building
In early 2021, Brett Johnson with Overland Property Group gave a presentation to the Conroe City Council laying out his plans to redevelop the property seeking affordable housing tax credits from the government to complete the project. The project did not get picked up for 2021, but $13.5 million in funding was cleared in 2022. 
She said the $13.5 million represents about 70% of the cost to complete the project. The other 30% is made up from a construction loan and a permanent loan similar to a mortgage. 
The property group has also revamped several structures into affordable living apartments including the Tabor Grand Hotel in Colorado, a historic structure in downtown Wichita Falls, Texas and the H.D. Lee Mercantile Lofts from the old Lee jeans company in Kansas. 
The group is also rehabbing historic buildings in Abilene, Texas and San Angelo, Texas currently. 
Construction began in April 2023.
Preserving some original features
The group also worked with the Texas Historical Commission and the structure has secured a place on the National Register of Historic Places earlier this year. Because of this designation, developers take care to retain some of the building’s original features. 
For example she said, the flooring must remain similar to that of the hospital’s floor so it would not be possible to use hardwood flooring in the apartments. The windows were also of concern. 
“You have to replace the windows with something that his historically accurate or replicate the ones the property was originally built with,” she said. 
Engstrom called this one of their most-involved rehabs due to environmental concerns with asbestos, mold, animal waste and lead-based paint. 
“It was in really rough shape,” she said of the building’s original condition. “There was a lot of water damage so of course there was a lot of mold. On historic buildings especially, the environmental review is a really big piece of the renovation. We put a lot of time and resources into environmental abatement on this one.” 

The “Dog Days of August” are upon us and Hubba! Is it hot and sticky or what? 
The North Shore Animal League America, the world’s largest no-kill animal rescue and adoption organization, has named August 1st of each year “Dogust Day”, as a designated universal birthday for shelter animals whose actual birthdates are unknown.  So what better month to have a party to honor and support those darling and deserving rescue animals? 
On Saturday August 10th our wonderful folks of The 5 O’Clock Phlock Parrot Head Club will host our annual “Dog (and Cat) Days of August” House Party at the beautiful lakeside home of Marie and Dave Underdown. The price of admission is items to stock the supply shelves of  SPCA*PETS*SNAP for their no-kill fostering program, everything from pet food to wipes to feeding bottles. The list of needs is long and we do our best each year to fill the shelves to overflowing. 
Our House Parties, unlike our Happy Hours, are not open to the public. But, if you are a member of any Parrot Head Club you’re included, as are invited guests of any club member. The more the merrier we say, especially when we’re doing good deeds for our community. And if you’re a friend of Marie’s, call her – she’ll add you to her invite list for sure. 
This party is not only a wonderful donation event for SPCA*PETS*SNAP, but a great get-together too. We all bring a dish – the food is spectacular, no exaggeration – and the entertainment is…..shall we say hysterical. There is Karaoke, led by Marie, who always gets to do the first song of the evening, “Brown Eyed Girl”, as Dave cringes in the corner. She follows her number with “come on up – it can’t get any worse” which is such a sweet ice breaker. And it works; there’s a line of people waiting to sing. There’s always some surprising talent too. 
A House Party like this is a perfect blend of the PHIP (Parrot Heads in Paradise) motto of “Party with a Purpose” and Jimmy’s wish that we keep the party, and the community service work, going after his passing. In our world, he hasn’t died; he’s just left the stage and passed the torch. 
Speaking of talent and performing, The 5OCP is excited to be bringing Trop Rock Artist John McDonald to 202 Main on August 9th. Yes, that’s the night before Marie and Dave’s House Party. We don’t sleep much and never miss an opportunity to enjoy some great music. Tehehe.        
John and his lovely Donna live on the East Coast of Florida and he performs a wonderful mix of reggae, rock, calypso and island rhythms, making him a favorite in our Parrot Head world. 
John is always on the top of the TRMA (Trop Rock Music Association) nominee/award list each year. He really loves the intimacy of house concerts and small venues, so he is a perfect fit for the very cool 202 Main venue. There’s no cover charge, and there will be lots of happy hour drink specials and bar bite. He’ll play from 5-8 p.m. Come on out, bring your friends, and join the fun. John will have you grooving and moving. What a great wait to start a weekend, eh? 
Kris is President of The 5 O’Clock Phlock Parrot Head Club, the PHC of the Lake Conroe/Woodlands area. Email  KrisCommService@aol.com or text 713 825-0141. Follow the club on Facebook at www.facebook.com/5OClockPhlock. For more info, visit the website www.5oclockphlock.com.