Posts from — December 2009

Santa’s elves brought snow on December 24 to deliver Lakewood Heights first “White Christmas” in more than eighty (80!) years. Stories and photos from the Dallas Morning News website:

Dallas Area Snow a Record for Christmas Eve (Dallas Morning News)
Many North Texans take advantage of a rare white Christmas (Dallas Morning News)

Recycle your Christmas tree and get free mulch! Remove all ornaments, lights, tinsel, stands and drop off at one of five convenient City of Dallas locations.  Christmas tree recycling program from December 28, 2009 to January  15, 2010 (9am to 4pm). For Lakewood Heights residents, the closest location is Flag Pole Hill (map link) at Northwest Highway and Buckner.

Free mulch can be picked up at the McCommas Bluff Landfill and the Bachman Transfer station. Bring your shovel and container (more details here).

Don’t forget to recycle your Christmas greetings cards, wrapping paper, gift bags, cardboard boxes (no styrofoam) tissue paper and your holiday party items such as aluminum cans, plastic and glass bottles.

A Christmas Coffeehouse benefiting the Interfaith Housing Coalition will be December 20 at 4:00 p.m. at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church.  Performers include blues and jazz ensemble Next Level, cellist Francesco Matromatteo, and SMU vocalists Madelyn Fortner, Damon Clark and John Campione.

Interfaith Housing is an East Dallas organization that helps families with children transform their lives from poverty and homelessness to self sufficiency.  Bring any new kitchen or household goods such as dishtowels, serving utensils, silverware, cups, plates, pans, small appliances, linens, towels, and pillows.

St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church is located at 3204 Skillman at Monticello. For more information, call 214 821-9989 or go to www.standrewsdallas.org.

This Sunday, December 13, 2009, the White Rock Marathon makes its annual run right through our Lakewood Heights Neighborhood. In fact, we actually received a door hanger notice trumpeting the fact that the 40th Annual Dallas White Rock Marathon “will be held in your neighborhood.”

The flyer includes a turn-by-turn narrative of the course description. For our neighborhood, that would be:

10:30 am – 2:30 pm across Abrams onto Belmont, Belmont between Abrams and Alderson, Alderson between Belmont and Richmond, Richmond between Alderson and Empire, Empire between Richmond and Swiss Avenue…whew. Being more of a visual guy, I found it easier to look at the map – here.

The marathon runners will be on mile 20 and 21 when they come through Lakewood Heights. At Mile 21, there is an aid station, sponsored by Mary Kay and at 6252 Richmond, live entertainment provided by Guitars 4 Cadillacs. The fastest (elite) runners will blaze through well before 10:00. The bulk of the group an hour or two later.

Oh, and the course travels first several blocks north of Lakewood Heights (just south of Mockingbird), so you can do the math that you’ll basically be boxed in for most of Sunday morning. As the flyer says, “if there are any delays they will be only momentary.”

As an East Dallas resident, I’ve lived inside “The Rock” course for almost half of the 40 years of racing, and I’ll give you some advice for Sunday morning. Don’t bother trying to leave. Go cheer on the runners or volunteer at the race. Lots easier. Lots more fun.