TEAM Abilities, an organization which serves low- to high-functioning special needs adults, recently participated in National Lemonade Day. National Lemonade Day is a nonprofit that teaches children and young adults the powerful impacts of entrepreneurship. TEAM Abilities trained their Team Members according to the Lemonade Day curriculum and held their first Team Member Owned and Operated business event, The TEAM Abilities Lemonade Stand. With the gracious support of businesses in the Old Town Spring area, TEAM Abilities set up their stand and served customers the entire day. 

This weekend Kendra Scott will be hosting Lemonade Day stands at some of their Houston locations in support of Lemonade Day Houston.

Kendra Scott, CEO and Philanthropist, has created a billion-dollar fashion brand loved globally and with a core value system of: Family, Fashion and Philanthropy.

“The Kendra Scott company maintains a focus on its customers and the causes close to their hearts, abiding by the mantra ‘What Matters to You, Matters to Us.,’ Hilary Wetmore said, Houston Marketing & Philanthropic Manager.

Kendra Scott is one of numerous businesses supporting Lemonade Day Houston, namely: H-E-B, Amegy Bank, Telemundo Houston, Houston Business Journal, Cadence Bank, IBC Bank, Frost Bank and others. Schools, businesses and community partners are hosting Lemonade Day stands supporting young entrepreneurs.

“The idea behind Lemonade Day Houston is to empower children to become entrepreneurs one lemonade stand at a time,” Gaye Jackson said, City Director for Lemonade Day Houston. “What is amazing about Lemonade Day is that we have reached over one million kids since 2007 and of those kids, 64 percent walk away expressing that one day they will invent something that will change the world. This why we do what we do. It’s a ‘good for the world’ experience with huge impact.”

National Lemonade Day is a nonprofit organization, the brainchild of founder Michael Holthouse back in 2007, whose goal it was to teach kids the power of entrepreneurship through a fun, experiential program that teaches youth how to start, own and operate their very own business - a lemonade stand.

The Kendra Scott locations participating in Lemonade Day Houston are: Houston Rice Village, Houston City Centre, Woodlands Market Street, Friendswood Baybrook and Sugarland First Colony. Each location is offering certain in-store discounts for those patrons purchasing lemonade.

“We are grateful to add Kendra Scott to our list of sponsors and participants,” Jackson said. “I see very long relationships with our community-minded partners.”

For more information on Kendra Scott philanthropy, go to www.KendraScott.com. For more information about Lemonade Day Houston go to www.lemonadeday.org/Houston.

THE WOODLANDS - Ann Engelbrecht, owner of Sprout Fine Floral Concepts, has been putting smiles on people's faces for years and at last, a nationally recognized magazine returns the favor awarding her the title of Best Reception  in the magazine’s Picture Perfect Wedding Showcase.

For 20 years, Florists' Review Magazine has been the guidebook for operating a successful floral businesses. As the industry's only independent magazine, its goal is to inform and inspire professionals at all levels, including traditional florists, and high-end trend-setters.  The magazine editors look for a wide range of interpretations of design categories, giving their readers a glimpse into recent trends, nuances and creativity in the world of weddings. They awarded Englebrecht’s  opulent black and white winter wedding reception first place of many national applicants.

“I was overjoyed that I won Best Reception! A win like this is the  Academy Awards in the floral industry,” Engelbrecht said. “My designs have been in the publication many times, yet taking home the prize for Best Reception is quite a professional  accomplishment for me.  It's fantastic to see my work on the pages of a publication that inspires floral designers including myself. ”

The venue was as unique as Engelbrecht's floral creations.  George and Linda Turek, residents of The Woodlands and generous donors to many Veterans causes, opened up their West Wing charitable party venue to celebrate their dear friends wedding day.  “This local replica of the world’s most famous house has everything you can thing of including an Oval Office, Rose Garden and a Reflecting Pool with dancing fountains.”

The venue was beautifully transformed with the most opulent wedding florals by lavishly draping a 60 foot long floral garland upon the main dining table where an actual U.S. Navy Blue Angels jet hovered above. Using over 700 hydrangea blossoms, hundreds of roses and dozens of exotic orchids in white gave this space the dignity it deserved.  “The entire event was stately, as if it were in the real White House.” Engelbrecht said.

“The recognition is, of course, fabulous,” Engelbrecht admits. “What has truly touched my heart is the outpouring of calls, texts, cards and letters.  I received a beautiful note from my teacher and mentor Mr. Jim Johnson AIFD  full of so many superlatives I'm going to have to frame it.” Johnson is no ordinary teacher. The recently retired Director of Texas A&M University's Benz School of Floral Design, Johnson is a highly accredited designer and author of two floral industry iconic floral design books. 

Sprout Fine Floral Concepts  specializes in unique floral creations.  Engelbrecht's  award winning designs are picture perfect ‘fine floral concepts’ as the company name suggests. For more information on Sprout Fine Floral Concepts go to www.allaboutsprout.com or call (281) 203-5040.

The Woodlands - TEAM Abilities, an organization serving special needs adults through Day Habilitation programs and Group Home care, has adopted a park within The Woodlands Township.

The project began several years ago when TEAM Abilities’ special needs adult clients, called TEAM Members, began visiting various parks within the Township to assist in maintaining cleanliness. Within a year they had chosen Bear Branch Park as the park they most loved visiting. The organization approached the Township and the commitment became formal with signage at the park entrance designating TEAM Abilities as their Adopt-A-Path partner.

“Everyone loves to feel needed and our Team Members are no different,” Rachel Jelks said, Executive Director for TEAM Abilities. “Our Team Members love being helpful and have a blast wearing their safety vests and utilizing their grabbers for their litter control project. After their work is complete we all enjoy a nice picnic at the park.”

TEAM is an acronym for Together Everyone Achieves More and the agency believes that Team Members with a disability should be able to live, work and play in their community. By doing so, members develop a heightened sense of leadership, empowerment and support.

For more information on TEAM Abilities go to www.MyTeamAbilities.com or call 832-965-5549. TEAM Abilities is an HCS & TxHml Provider. Services offered are Day Habilitation, After-School programs, Group Home Care and Respite Services. The agency has two locations for Day Habilitation and seven group homes in Montgomery County.