WUSA began in 1979 and has grown to involve more than 500 girls from ages 4 to 15. There are six age divisions, which start at Pixie level and ends at the Junior level. Spring player registration is available online at wusa.org and will close on January 7, 2014. Players are encouraged to register early. Tryouts will be held on January 11, 2014, and the drafts will be held on January 12-13, 2014.

WUSA will kick the season off with its annual Father/Daughter Dance on February 7, 2014 followed by the Opening Day Parade and Carnival on February 15, 2014. Player registration and event details can be found at wusa.org.

The club elected Carol Lester as Vice President, Vernon Tyger as Club Secretary, John Gomez as Board Secretary, Stacy Speier as Treasurer.  The club also elected John Thornton to serve a three-year term as a Club Director.  While the officers serve one-year terms, Carol will move on to be President Elect in 2015-16 and President in 2016-17.

Festivities begin at 5:30 p.m. outside the West U Community Building, 6104 Auden. Corner Bakery Café is donating hot drinks and sweets. Crafty children will be aided by Harper Street Treats at the cookie decorating station and Abrakadoodle Houston at the craft table. In the Community Building courtyard, Frost Bank has coaxed Santa’s reindeer Comet and Dancer to come and meet with visitors.
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The official tree-lighting ceremony will commence at 6 p.m. with performances by West U Recreation Center children’s programs and sing along with the St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church choirs. Coloring contest winners also will be announced. Contest forms are available at the Rec Center, 4210 Bellaire Blvd.

After the tree is lit, fire truck sirens will signal Santa’s arrival. Children will have a chance to sit on Santa’s lap and tell him their Christmas wishes. Residents are reminded to bring a camera and take their memories home!

Residents are forewarned that Auden Street will be closed from Amherst to Rice starting at 3:30 p.m. and will reopen at 9 p.m. on Dec. 2. Also, Milton Street will be open for parking, but there will be no access to Auden. For additional information, contact the West University Recreation Center at 713-662-7420.

Priority Registration is available beginning Tuesday, December 3 through Monday, December 9, 2013. Participants who are eligible to register during priority registration are those that are currently enrolled in the same type class within the past 30 days. Priority Registration is available in-person at the West University Recreation Center located at 4210 Bellaire Blvd. during normal business hours. The Recreation Center hours are Monday through Friday from 5:00 am to 9:00 pm, Saturday from 7:00 am to 7:00 pm, and Sunday from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm. Please note that online registration is unavailable for priority registration.

If you are interested in enrolling in a new class or program, and you are a resident of West University Place then registration begins on Tuesday, December 10, 2013 at the Recreation Center or online at www.westutx.gov/reg. For Non-Residents, registration begins on Thursday, December 12, 2013 both at the Recreation Center and online.

For online registration, follow these instructions:

1. Visit the West U website at www.westutx.gov/reg
2. To register online, a user name and password is necessary. If you do not already have a user name and password, please allow 3 – 5 business days to receive this information once the account has been created.
3. Choose your activity and click to register.
4. Complete registration, pay with a credit card and receive an instant e-mail confirmation of your enrollment.

Register now for the West University Little League Spring 2014 Season.

West University Little League is one of the largest little leagues in the country with approximately 1300 players. WULL offers baseball from our Tadpole division (5 years old) up through our Senior division (15 and 16-year olds).

WULL Little League was started in the 1950s as part of Houston Little League. In 1954, WULL separated from Houston Little League and became West University Little League.

Registration is open until January 1st.

Registration is open to all boys and girls who are ages 5-16 on or before April 30, 2014, and live within the WULL boundaries. View the boundary map to see if your child is eligible, and get more information at westull.org.

One of the ways the  Rotary Club of West U funds its many international and local community service and educational projects is through  its Holiday Flag Program.

With an annual contribution of $50, the Rotary Club of West U places an American flag in front of your home or business for Independence Day, President’s Day, Veterans Day, and Memorial Day.

The flags are made in the USA and each flag measures 3 x 5 ft. They mounted on an 8 ft. high pole. Installation, removal, storage, and maintenance are provided by the Rotary Club of West U. Currently more than 1800 flags fly proudly over West University and selected near-by areas four times a year.

Download Sign-Up Form

Give your family and neighborhood a gift of Patriotism with a Holiday Flag from the Rotary Club of West U.

The parks and recreation department is partnering with Oceanic Ventures to hold an underwater photo shoot with Santa in November.

West U families can take a photo underwater with Santa on Nov. 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Rec. Center pool, 4210 Bellaire Blvd.

Pictures cost $10 per photo if you register at the Rec. Center by Friday, Nov. 1. Otherwise pictures will cost $35 the day of the event. The cost includes the underwater photo session with Santa, one photo and gift bag.

For more information, contact the Recreation Center 713-662-7420 or visit www.westutx.gov/events.

The West U Parks and Recreation Department will host a Health & Wellness Fair at the Recreation Center, 4210 Bellaire, on Nov. 2 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

The purpose of the fair is to reach out to residents, motivate them to be fit and healthy, and showcase the programs available at the Recreation Center.

There will be presentations, class demonstrations, and informational booths. Prizes will be given out throughout the event. The kickoff to the second annual Biggest User Contest will also take place on Nov. 2.

Vendors currently scheduled to be at the event are Moya Varner, Nutrition Specialist from MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Neda Dodig of West U Dental, Nicole and Dave Wilkenfeld, Personal Trainers, and many others.

For more information, contact the Recreation Center at 7163.662.7420.

Saturday, Oct. 26 kicks off the 2013-2014 season with WITR’s annual Sock Hop fundraiser.

West U residents are encouraged to come out and attend the event from 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. There will be dancing to the music of Dr. Rockit and Ronnie Levine and a cash bar by Ovations.

Tickets are $15 in advance, $10 for seniors, $5 for WITR students and $20 at the door. To purchase tickets, call the Main Street Theater Box Office at 713-524-6706.

WITR is a community sponsored, not-for-profit, tax-exempt corporation that was formed to nurture, support, encourage and preserve cultural diversity and heritage of all creative writers from all countries and cultures, to provide a nurturing atmosphere for writers and musicians from around the world, to gather together to perform original music and to inspire the creation of new works.

Michael L. Barrow, a lieutenant with the Houston Police Department, will receive the Community Builder Award from West U and Bellaire Masons on Tuesday, Oct. 29.

The public is invited to attend a potluck dinner at 6 p.m. followed by a program at 7 p.m. There is no cost to attend.

The Community Builder Award was designed to recognize outstanding non-Masons who have distinguished themselves through their service to the community, to local, state or national government, to their church, synagogue, or to humanity.

“Lodges are encouraged to seek out the men and women who, year in and year out, quietly and without fanfare, show their devotion to their community and its people without the expectation of awards or honors,” according to Lodge definitions for the award.

The event will be held at Colonial Park, 4130 Byron St., at 5:30 p.m.

Enjoy tasty treats such as roasted corn, turkey legs, hotdogs, and nachos. The event includes a a pumpkin decorating station, a face painting station, and other haunted activities for you and your kids to enjoy. There will also be costume contests for different age groups, so the whole family is encouraged to dress up in their best Halloween attire.

Following the event, the last showing in the Movies in the Park series will start at 7 p.m. The city will show “OZ: The Great and Powerful,” on a large inflatable screen. The movie is about a small-time circus magician with dubious ethics is hurled away to the vibrant Land of Oz, where he must find out who is good and who is evil to be able to resolve the epic problems facing the Land of Oz and its inhabitants.

For more information, contact the Recreation Center 713-662-7420 or visit www.westutx.gov.events.

Event Chairs Judy Cheng, Dee Gilder, Friends Executive Director, Donna LaMond and Event Chair, Ashley Gumbert.

The seventh annual urban campout was held on Saturday, Oct. 5 and Sunday, Oct. 6. The gross amount raised from the event was $117,152.

Through the new online registration this year, Fathers and Flashlights sold out in a record three minutes.  Fathers and Flashlights had 498 children and 257 dads who took part in the community event.

The event was chaired by Judy and Comfort Cheng, Dee Dee and Jamie Gilder and Ashley and Sam Gumbert.

The hot Saturday temperatures did not slow down the fun for anyone.  Tents were pitched and the wide-range of activities began at 4 p.m.  Big hits for the campers were the popular Catch-and-Release fishing, Tie-Dye, Rock Climbing, Giant Slide, Jacob’s ladder and an Inflatable Obstacle Course. Camp Russo was once again a must do for the little campers, this year offering Camel rides, a petting zoo and a pumpkin maze.

Dinner was donated by Eldoe Street Café & Catering, Chick-fil-A (Holcombe and Buffalo Speedway) and Papa John’s Pizza.  Desserts by Harper Street Treats, Potbelly and Tiny’s No. 5 were enjoyed while dancing to music provided by Tommy Blaze.  The Houston Astronomical Society provided telescopes and viewing assistance for the campers to stargaze before lights out.

Before the rain arrived on Sunday morning, the campers were treated to breakfast donated by Goode Company Restaurants, Shipley Do-Nuts and Kolache Factory.

The chairs and their families enjoyed the urban campout as much as the almost 750 attendees. This was their first year to chair this event. They along with all the campers were glad that the weather held out for all of the activities on Saturday.

“Fathers & Flashlights was a great success,” said event Chair Dee Dee Gilder.  “As one father told me, ‘there are not times anymore where kids can just play free and run around with their friends.’ When we grew up we had that freedom but not much today.  It is always a treat to see kids having so much fun.”

The Chengs, Gilders and Gumberts would also like to recognize that the night would not have been possible without the help of the volunteers (257 Moms), the City of West U Parks & Recreation Department, West U Elementary, Tri-Sports and Friends of West U Parks underwriters and sponsors.

Direct Energy was once again the Title sponsor of the event.  Other donors include Frost Bank, Oppenheimer & Co., Inc., Tudor, Pickering, Holt & Co., Maggie Garza, Keller Williams/Old Republic Title, Cadence Bank and Cammarata Pediatric Dentistry.  Many other businesses and families donated generously to Fathers & Flashlights 2013 and with the combined generosity from all, the tireless hours of preparation and planning from the Chairs and the commitment from the Event Committee, Fathers & Flashlights was a great success.

The first showing will be “Rise of the Guardians.” It is the story of five immortal guardians who must join forces for the first time to protect the hopes, beliefs and imagination of children all over the world, from an evil spirit named Pitch.

The movie will start at 7 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 18 and will be showed on a large inflatable screen by the Colonial Park Pavilion, located at 4130 Byron Street. Admission to the event is complimentary.

Movie snacks and drinks will be available for purchase on site.

The second presentation of Movies in the Park will feature “OZ: The Great and Powerful” on Friday, Oct. 25 after the second annual Full Moon Fest.

For more information, contact the West U Recreation Center at 713-662-7420.

The eighth year of Challenger Football kicked off at Rice University on September 22 with St. Agnes Academy student Mia Simon singing the National Anthem, invocation by Challenger Football founder and board chair Joni Hruska Fichter, and coin toss by Coach David Bailiff.

The Rice Owls provided assistance as buddies to the Challenger Football players.

For week two, the Challengers took the field at Strake Jesuit College as Jesuit student Christopher Auchter sang the National Anthem and Coach Bill McDonald gave the invocation.

Just as the players and cheerleaders enter the field through the run through, a downpour became.

Used to adversity and being flexible, the Challengers and their buddies headed to the competition gym where they ran football and basketball drills prior to the Booster Club hosting a hot dog lunch.

For both games, the Strake Jesuit Cheerleaders taught the Challenger cheerleaders dances, stunts, and cheers from the sidelines and National Charity League volunteers provide assistance, posters, and goody bags.

Upcoming Challenger Football games included: Wednesday, October 2 at 6:00 pm at Episcopal High School, Thursday, October 10 at halftime of their 5:30 JV game so roughly 6:00 p.m. at St. Thomas High School, and Sunday, October 27, at 2:00 p.m. at Southwest Football League.

For more information, please contact Joni at cptemps@aol.com.

Megan Morris

Megan Morris and Mark Prescott were appointed to the board at the Aug. 12 city council meeting and attended their first Friends board meeting on Sept. 11.

Megan and her husband Drew have lived in West University Place for 12 years. They have two daughters, Taylor (6) and Emery (2.5). Megan was a member of the Junior League of Houston for 12 years and also spent more than nine years volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House.

Megan and her family use West U parks on a daily basis.

“We are lucky enough to live within walking distance of 2 or 3 parks. I think that outdoor play is vital to the health and happiness of children. Since we use the parks so frequently, I am always quick to notice the improvements,” she says. “After learning that all of the improvements were done by Friends, I thought I should get involved.”

Mark Prescott

Mark’s reasons for wanting to get involved with the Friends Board are very similar.

“My family lives less than a block from Wier Park and we use the parks constantly,” he says. “We feel compelled to give back because we are benefiting from the many years of hard work done by other Friends board members and donors.”

Mark and his wife Nancy Kate have lived in West U for almost three years. They have two children, Ford (2) and Frances (7 months). Mark is a Breakthrough Houston Mentor and also serves on the Board of The General Counsel Forum.

Megan and Mark have both accepted a very active role with the Friends Board, as part of the Park Lovers’ Ball 2014 Co-Chair team. Megan and Drew Morris, Nancy Kate and Mark Prescott and Kara and Dax Sanders have been hard at work planning the Feb. 8, 2014 Park Lovers’ Ball at the Royal Sonesta. Cece McCann will be the Honorary Chair.

“It is wonderful to have two such energetic people willing to share their talents with Friends” says Donna LaMond, Friends Executive Director. “Both Megan and Mark are PLB2014 Co-Chairs along with their spouses and they are really go getters. It never fails to amaze me about how passionately these volunteers approach Friends projects and events. I am very proud of our Board and Friends in general. Such a great group of volunteers!”