Events

Step Forward to Cure TSC Houston Walk: April 14 in Stude Park /  by Lori Bigler

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Everyone is invited to be a part of the “Step Forward to Cure TSC Houston Walk” on April 18, 2018,  in Stude Park. Registration starts at 8:30 AM, next to the Stude Community Center. The walk will begin at 9:30 AM. Stude Park Community Center is located at 1031 Stude Street.

The walk brings together individuals and families impacted by a rare genetic disorder called tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC), and people who join the fight against the devastating condition. TSC is the leading genetic cause of epilepsy and autism.

For more information about the walk, to form a team or to register as an individual participant, email Rachael Jackson at Rachyjack@gmail.com.

Lights in the Heights: Tribute to Jan Greer and Call for Volunteers /  by Lori Bigler

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This past December was the 30th anniversary of Lights in the Heights, a Woodland Heights tradition. This memorable neighborhood event has been made possible by the hard work of volunteers right here in our community. 

The most recent Chairperson of the Lights in the Heights Committee was Jan Greer, who served from 2015 to 2017. Jan first served on the committee from 2011 to 2014 under the leadership of Terri Guerra, Glen Sementelli, and Tim McConn.  During that time she gained experience as Captain of the House Decorating Contest, T-Shirt Captain, and Secretary.  Jan has been hard-working, energetic, and eager to help in all of her roles.

Committee members recall her loaning personal décor items for the Gala, coordinating with local businesses, responding to countless e-mails and phone calls, and handling difficult situations with grace, even in the last few days before her second child was born! During her years as Chairperson she has worked to maintain the neighborhood and family-centered nature of Lights in the Heights by seeing to operations and logistics and maintaining appropriately-sized attendance.

L-to-R: Katie McCafferty (FNL Chair), Mrs Claus, Mr Claus, Jan Green (LITH Chair, 2015-17)

She oversaw three successful fundraising Galas and neighborhood-only Friday Night Lights events. Despite challenges in the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey, Jan and the Committee held a fantastic 30th Lights in the Heights celebration and organized additional neighborhood-only gatherings in the week leading up to the main event. Jan’s passion for the Woodland Heights and willingness to serve is clear, and we are so grateful for her leadership. Thank you, Jan!

After serving for three successful years as Chair, Jan has decided to step down for 2018. Our very own Beth Allen-Brock and Melissa McKee (with the blessing of the WHCA board) are searching for people willing to serve as Co-Chairs for the Lights in the Heights Committee.

This year the plan is to have multiple Co-Chairs to spread the load of the Chair position and welcome more volunteers to the committee. Jan has kindly consented to be a “consultant” for this year to help with the transition and provide valuable history and background on Lights in the Heights.

If you are interested in serving as a Co-Chair or in another role, please contact Melissa McKee and Beth Allen-Brock at lith-chair@woodland-heights.org.
 

WHCA General Meeting Tonight! /  by Lori Bigler

The March General Meeting of the WHCA will take place tonight! That's Tuesday, March 20th at 7pm in the cafeteria at Hogg Middle School, 1100 Merrill. 

The focus of this meeting will be the election of a new board of directors for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Over the past seven weeks the nominating committee has sought out candidates to run for the board. Now that nominations are closed, the final list of candidates is as follows:

  • President: Matt Reynolds (current President-Elect)
  • President-Elect: Harry McMahon
  • Deed Restrictions: Melissa Sternfels
  • Communications: Michael Graves (Incumbent)
  • Membership: Jay Francis, Kelly Hare
  • Treasurer: Sharon Greiff
  • Beautification: Stephanie Riceman
  • Security: Cody McGregor
  • Infrastructure: Matt Johnson (Incumbent)
  • Secretary: Debbie Hall

This meeting is your once a year opportunity to meet the candidates and cast your vote for who you think should help steer WHCA for the coming year. Come let your voice be heard!

Nominations from the floor of the meeting are not allowed. All WHCA Board members must be current homeowner members of the WHCA, and the VP of Deed Restrictions must also be a licensed attorney.

WHCA General Meeting Tuesday, March 20th at 7pm /  by Lori Bigler

The March General Meeting of the WHCA will take place on Tuesday, March 20th at 7pm in the cafeteria at Hogg Middle School, 1100 Merrill. 

The focus of this meeting will be the election of a new board of directors for the 2018-19 fiscal year. Matt Reynolds, President-Elect in 2017-18, will transition into the role of President for the coming year. All other board positions are up for election.

For the past six weeks the nominating committee has been seeking candidates to run for the board. Those who wish to run for a position must be WHCA members in good standing and submit a completed application form to the nominating committee no later than Monday, March 19th. Completed application forms can be emailed to nominations@woodland-heights.org.

Nominations from the floor of the meeting are not allowed. All WHCA Board members must be current homeowner members of the WHCA, and the VP of Deed Restrictions must also be a licensed attorney.

This meeting is your once a year opportunity to meet the candidates and cast your vote for who you think should help steer WHCA for the coming year. Come let your voice be heard!

Lights-In-The-Heights Toy Drive Revisited /  by Lori Bigler


As you may know, this past year the LITH Gala committee added a toy drive to the event, in support of local families impacted by Hurricane Harvey. Everyone attending the sold out gala brought a toy. The toys collected were contributed to the Houston Fire Department’s Operation Stocking Stuffer.

Further, event sponsor Big Blue Whale Toys & Curiosities on 19th street bested their original offer to match every toy purchased there by people attending the gala, more than doubling-up on the good cheer!

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Late in January we received a summary of the results of Operation Stocking Stuffer in 2017. Over forty pages long, it documents everything that went into producing the biggest and most successful toy drive in their history. It includes a specific call-out to the Woodland Heights for the truckload of toys donated as a result of the LITH Gala.

Little League teams will parade In neighborhood March 24th /  by Lori Bigler

Norhill and Michaux will be the main streets for the opening day parade of the Heights-Norhill Little League season. The parade, which will start at 10 a.m. on Saturday, March 24, features an entry for each team. Players will be wearing their complete uniforms. Traditionally, bands, cheering squads and HPD units are part of the pageantry. 

The parade route starts at the corner of Forester and Usener, adjacent to Stude Park (where the league teams compete). The parade will head north on Norhill, turning east on Woodland, before making a turn onto Michaux and heading south, back to Stude Park. 

For more information, email Heights.Norhill@gmail.com.  

 

2018 Woodland Heights Home Tour /  by Lori Bigler

Fresh Traditions - plus 3 Bonus - “Teardown Turnarounds.”

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Woodland Heights will once again welcome visitors into some of its most charming historic homes during its “Fresh Traditions” biannual home tour March 24-25, from noon to 6 p.m. In addition to five original homes ranging in size and style, the tour will showcase three “teardown turnaround” bonus homes. Once considered unsalvageable, these houses are testament to how a homeowner’s vision and commitment, combined with creative architects and experienced contractors, can rescue even the most neglected house and turn it into a showplace.

Tickets $25 in advance, $30 starting March 23. Purchase today online. Tickets will also be available at a variety of local merchants beginning March 1st. 

WHCA January General Meeting Cancelled! /  by Lori Bigler

This most recent bout of cold, freezy weather has resulted in HISD closing all their facilities today. As a consequence, we are forced to cancel the WHCA January General Meeting that had been planned for this evening at Hogg Middle School.

The next General Meeting will be Tuesday, March 20th. That will be the Annual General meeting, which includes the election of a new board of directors for 2018-19.

Be on the lookout for announcements about the Nominating Committee that will shortly be formed to seek candidates for the board. Also, for news about the WHCA Home Tour, which is coming up in March.

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Lights in the Heights 2017 Winning Homes Gallery /  by Lori Bigler

Neighbors have once again stepped up, decorating in preparation for Lights in the Heights. As a result, Woodland Heights has once again appeared on numerous lists of best places to see holiday lights in Houston.

The gallery below contains images from all of the winning homes. Judging occurred the evening of Thursday, December 7th, under the direction of Head Judge Robyn Klepper.

Clicking on the large image cycles to the next, or navigate using the strip of images below.

Lights-in-the-Heights Winning Houses /  by Lori Bigler

The following are the judges results. Pictures to follow.

BEST SINGLE COLOR
419 EUCLID

MOST COLORFUL
808 BAYLAND

HO-H0-HO
620 BAYLAND

MOST FESTIVE
405 WOODLAND

MOST CREATIVE
3216 BEAUCHAMP

MOST RELIGIOUS
1108 7th ST

MOST TRADITIONAL
804 EUCLID

MOST WATTAGE
1020 7th ST

BEST THEME
402 BYRNE

PICK OF THE NIGHT
903 HIGHLAND

BEST PORCH
308 WOODLAND

PEACE,LOVE,LIGHTS
927 MERRIL

MOST LUMINOUS
412 EUCLID

#HOUSTONSTRONG
803 OMAR

MOST HOMETOWN NEAR DOWNTOWN
719 RIDGE

JURASSIC LIGHTS
PENNEBAKER ESPLANADE

MOST NOSTALGIC
1105 BAYLAND

BEST NOD TO TEXAN TRADITION
1016 BAYLAND

MOST YEE-HAW
1127 BAYLAND

Coming Soon: Lights in the Heights T-Shirts! /  by Lori Bigler

The recent newsletter hinted at the possible return of LITH T-Shirts. We're happy to report that they are being made!

The LITH merchandise, including the T-Shirts, will be available for sale at LITH events this week. They're also available at "It's a Houston Thing" a pop-up store located at Christian's Tailgate on White Oak Drive starting on Thursday, December 7th.

Community Meeting for Neighborhood Entrance Improvement Project /  by Lori Bigler

Plans have been in the works for several years to make the southeast entrance to the Woodland Heights neighborhood (Houston Ave, White Oak Dr., Quitman) more attractive and to make the connection between the White Oak Bayou Hike and Bike Trail to Woodland Park safer for pedestrians and cyclists. We are proud to say that the proposed project has received city (specifically the Dept. of Public Works) approval, and a public community meeting will be held to present the design early next month.

In partnership with the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ-5, Houston Parks and Recreation Department (HPARD), Houston Parks Board (HPB) the Woodland Heights Civic Association (WHCA ), and the Greater Northside Management District (GNMD); the Friends of Woodland Park (FWP) are sponsoring a community meeting for a presentation and discussion of the preliminary design plan. This project is part of the Memorial Heights Redevelopment Authority/TIRZ 5 Capital Improvement Plan.

The meeting is scheduled for Monday, December 4, 2017 at the Woodland Park Community Center at 7:00 PM:  212 Parkview St. one block north of the Houston Avenue and White Oak Dr. intersection.

Won’t you join us to learn about this exciting and significant improvement for the neighborhood?

WHCA November General Meeting /  by Lori Bigler

Want to know what's going on around Woodland Heights? The November General Meeting will be Tuesday, Nov 14th at 7pm in the cafeteria at Hogg Middle School at 1100 Merill.

The major focus of the meeting will be a presentation by Steph McDougal and David Jordan, previewing the City of Houston project to develop historic district guidelines for Woodland Heights. Note that this project is separate and distinct from the prior effort, which focused on Houston Heights.

Steph McDougal from COH will outline the process, which is just getting underway. David Jordan, a WH resident, has been tracking the Historic District Guidelines Project on behalf of WHCA. Together, they will provide valuable insight about the significance of the Design Guidelines, and your ability to have input into their creation.

Only a portion of Woodland Heights is within the designated Historic District. Need to know if your home is included? See the city Historic preservation web site.

The agenda also includes updates from each of the WHCA board members. 

The general meetings are your opportunity to hear what's happening, and have your voice heard. We look forward to seeing you there!

More Toys For Houston Kids! /  by Lori Bigler

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By now you know that this year's Lights-in-the-Heights Gala features a toy drive. We've partnered with the City of Houston Fire Department's Operation Stocking Stuffer to collect toys for families in need across Houston.

The LITH Gala & Toy Drive is presented by Boulevard Realty, on November 4th, at the fabulous new Elan Heights building at 825 Usener.

Tickets to the Gala are just $75 and an new unwrapped toy.

Your support of the Gala sustains Lights-in-the-Heights, the cities' premier holiday festival, and helps put smiles on children's faces all across the city.

Want to do even more good?

Big Blue Whale Toys & Curiosities on 19th street have offered to match any toys purchased for contribution to the Gala. Visit their shop and choose from their excellent selection of toys and games. Tell them that you're buying them for the LITH Gala and they'll match your purchase! That's two smiles for the price of one! It's a chance to do twice a much good.

What are you waiting for!

Gala tickets are available from the Woodland Heights web site at: https://www.woodland-heights.org/

State of the District Breakfast with Rep. Carol Alvarado /  by Lori Bigler

State Representative Carol Alvarado will be holding a State of the District breakfast on Saturday, October 14th, 2017 at 9:30 am. The event will be held at:

Houston Community College Southeast
Learning Hub Auditorium
6815 Rustic, Bldg D
Houston, TX 77087

Topics to be discussed include:

  • The 85th Legislative Session
  • Special SessionUpdate
  • Transportation Updates
  • Crime & Safety Updates

For more information call 713-649-6563 or email district145.alvarado@house.state.tx.us.

The 4th Annual LITH Gala & Toy Drive /  by Lori Bigler

In these extraordinary times of Houston’s recovery, Woodland Heights Civic Association hopes to promote the strength of Houstonians and help get everyone’s life back to normal. Therefore the Lights-in-the-Heights Gala, the event that funds Lights-in-the-Heights, will still go on!

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Mindful of the devastation thousands of Houstonians have suffered, we had reservations about diverting fundraising dollars away from Hurricane Relief. So, the LITH Gala will be abbreviated, this year.

Gala tickets have been reduced to $75, and all who attend are asked to bring a new, unwrapped toy. Toys collected will be distributed to families in need through the City of Houston Fire Department’s “Operation: Stocking Stuffer”.  

Hoping to reduce the burden on already stressed businesses, we are eliminating the raffle and silent auction, and limiting our requests for in-kind donations. 
 
The Gala and Toy Drive is presented by Boulevard Realty. We are deeply grateful for their continued support. Other returning sponsors will include Sonoma Wine Bar & Restaurant, Kagan Cellars, Eureka Heights Brewing Co, and Pennebaker, Inc. All of our sponsors are more than just monetary or in-kind donors; each has shown genuine love for our community. We are profoundly thankful for their support.
 
The 2017 LITH Gala and Toy Drive will be a gathering of good company, wonderful food and drink, and a joyful celebration of the holiday season!  Please join us on Saturday, November 4th, from 7:00 until 11:00, at Elan Heights—825 Usener Street at Watson. Valet parking included in ticket price, gratuity greatly appreciated

Tickets can be purchased in the store at the Woodland Heights web site.

 

Two Neighborhood Families Approach to Disaster Relief /  by Lori Bigler

It's been heartening to see communities across the city rise up to help those in need. Here's just one little example, copied from a post on Next Door.

"Hey neighbors! The Craigs and the McConns are having a lemonade and brownie stand this afternoon starting at 2:30. We'll be in front of the Craigs' house at 943 Omar. All proceeds will go to benefit victims of Hurricane Harvey. Please stop by, say hi and get some treats. See you soon!"

Pictured above (left-to-right) are; Mila Craig, Arianna Espana, Hollis McConn & Kellen McConn.

According to neighbor Beth Allen-Brock,"The brownies were delicious!"

Everyone helps in their own way, and every little bit helps.