Around the State: BCFS serves homeless vets; Tyler church collects for flood victims

Health care professionals used a BCFS mobile medical unit to provide health services for homeless veterans. Health care professionals used a mobile medical unit operated by BCFS (formerly Baptist Child & Family Services) Health and Human Services to serve homeless veterans at a Sept. 20 community event in Laredo. Twenty-three veterans received physical assessments, preventive-care injections, health screenings and other services at the mobile medical unit during the Stand Down For Homeless Veterans event, sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Southern Oaks Baptist Church in Tyler is collecting items to help families affected by flooding in Louisiana. Specific items requested are cleaning supplies, preferably products with bleach; Shockwave for mold remediation; building materials such as sheetrock, screws and insulation; hammers, crowbars and cat claws to remove damaged drywall and flooring; new underwear and socks for children and adults; paper towels, plates, cups and plastic eating utensils; toiletries, including shampoo, soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, deodorant and toilet paper; baby products such as diapers, wipes and formula; bottled water and sports drinks; easy-open nonperishable food; and gift cards to national discount centers or home-improvement centers. The church’s family life center at 601 E. Amherst in Tyler will serve as a donation drop-off site Oct. 10-28. Donations will be accepted from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To make donations on weekends, call Trey Greer at (903) 245-6005 to arrange a date and time. For more information, call the church office at (903) 561-8025.

This work by artist Barbara Fontaine White is among the pieces on exhibit in the Baugh Center for Visual Arts at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor.The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor College of Visual and Performing Arts and the UMHB art department are presenting an exhibition titled A Square Foot of Peace: An Invitational Exhibition Celebrating International Day of Peace. Helen Kwiatkowski, a UMHB art professor, curated the exhibition in support of International Day of Peace. Artists were invited to create a 12-inch x 12-inch work that reflects their thoughts about peace. Artists include Wynona Alexander, Aubrey Carroll, Bonnie Chapa, Gabrielle De La Cruz, Nan Dickson, Amy Flinn, Barbara Fontaine-White, Alyssa Geiger, Hannah Goheen, John Hancock, Melanie Hickerson, Tom Hicks, Dave Hill, Ellen Huffman, Nancy Isett, Helen Kwiatkowski, Lori Lamb, Don McNeish, Robin McLauren, Lynn Millsap Clark, Donna Mullhollan, Hershall Seals, Pat Seals, Hugo Shi, Barbara Sorge, Sharron Stephenson and Ellen Van Truren. The show, in the gallery of the Baugh Center for Visual Arts on the UMHB campus, continues through Oct. 21. The gallery is open 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Friday. For more information, contact Hershall Seals at [email protected].

East Texas Baptist University, in conjunction with both the Baptist General Convention of Texas and the Southern Baptists of Texas Convention, will present a Worship Summit Oct. 27 from 8:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. in the Ornelas Student Center. This event is open to full- and part-time ministers of music and worship, as well as students preparing to enter worship leadership. The fee to attend is $20, which covers the conference, a continental breakfast and lunch. To register for the 2016 Worship Summit, click here.  For more information, call (903) 923-2158 or email [email protected].

At the Phi Beta Lambda National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Ga., Jody Loudamy (center), chapter president of the Howard Payne University chapter of the organization for college students interested in business careers, placed fourth in the business presentation category during national competition. Others from HPU who attended the conference are (left to right) Hannah Ball, Rachel Mahagan, Mike Daub and Jessica Harris. Four members of Howard Payne University’s chapter of Phi Beta Lambda, national organization for college or university students interested in business-related careers, competed at the group’s National Leadership Conference in Atlanta, Ga. The HPU students who competed are Hannah Ball, a junior from Justin and chapter secretary; Jessica Harris, a junior from Brownwood and chapter vice president; Jody Loudamy, a senior from Goldthwaite and chapter president; and Rachel Mahagan, a senior from Georgetown and chapter historian. Mike Daub, associate professor of accounting at HPU and the chapter’s adviser, also attended. Loudamy placed fourth in the business presentation category at the national competition.

Cole Franklin (left, back row), director of the East Texas Baptist University debate team, took students to the Lee College Mendoza Debate Tournament in Baytown. Team members are (left to right, back) Shayne Davis, Andrew Franklin, Brandon Hancock, (left to right, front) Tele’ma Blackman, Jessica Alvarado and Markevia Holmes.The East Texas Baptist University debate team competed in the Lee College Mendoza Debate Tournament Sept.17-18 in Baytown. The ETBU team returned home with a third-place team finish, placing ahead of Stephen F. Austin State University, Southern Methodist University and Northwestern State University.