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Blizzards to sweep North Texas
Thursday, Aug. 10
Special to The Monitor
DALLAS–Dairy Queens in Gun Barrel City, Seven Points, Mabank and all of
North Texas are predicting a blizzard of funds being raised for “Miracle
Treat Day,” Thursday, Aug. 10, for the Children’s Miracle Network.
Proceeds from every Blizzard® sold that day in participating DQ
locations will be donated to the organization that supports the two
local pediatric hospitals – Cook Children’s Medical Center in Fort Worth
and Children’s Medical Center Dallas.
“We encourage all of our customers to visit our DQ locations in North
Texas, order a Blizzard® Treat or two and help hospitalized kids,”
President of Texas Dairy Queen Operators’ Council Larry Newell said.
“With more than 150 Dairy Queen locations throughout North Texas, we
expect an avalanche of sales resulting in a blizzard of benefits to
Children’s Miracle Network.
“I know that our loyal customers want to be prepared for the blizzard
that’s coming, so I recommend they begin planning their trip to one of
our locations on Miracle Treat Day,” Newell said.
Instead of snow-filled blizzards on Miracle Treat Day, the Dairy Queens
will serve up a variety of Blizzard flavor treats, including Oreo®, the
August Blizzard of the Month. The Oreo Blizzard® debuted in 1985, the
Blizzard’s inaugural year, and to this day remains the most popular
flavor.
North Texan and Grammy-winning superstar LeAnn Rimes, the international
spokesperson for Children’s Miracle Network, will serve as honorary
chairperson for Dairy Queen’s Miracle Treat Day.
Dairy Queen has been a supporter of Children’s Miracle Network since
1984, raising more than $59 million during that time.
“Dairy Queen is a great partner and Miracle Treat Day offers their
customers an opportunity to treat themselves to a delicious Blizzard®
and at the same time help North Texas children whose well-being depends
on our two children’s hospitals,” said Rachel Garton, director of
Children’s Miracle Network in North Texas.
300 area residents looking for new insurance carriers
Special to The Monitor
ATHENS–About 300 area residents must find a new home insurance carrier
after regulators started shutting down Texas Select Lloyds.
Texas Select does not have the ability to protect its policyholders so
their policies will be canceled by Aug. 23, according to the Texas
Department of Insurance (TDI).
The Texas Department of Insurance confirmed that 324 Henderson County
residents were among the estimated 154,000 Texas Select Lloyds
policyholders.
Texas Select Lloyds, the state’s sixth largest home insurer, is a
subsidiary of Vesta Insurance Group of Birmingham, Ala.
“My primary goal in this action is to ensure policyholders have
insurance that is able to pay their claims should a loss occur,” state
insurance commissioner Mike Geeslin said.
“We simply could not allow policyholders and ultimately Texas taxpayers
to be at risk given the financial condition of these companies,” he
added.
Affected policyholders should contact their insurance agents as soon as
possible to begin securing new insurance coverage.
TDI is also assisting Texas policyholders to obtain new insurance
immediately.
Consumer Assistance specialists may be reached at the Texas Department’s
toll-free number, 1-800-252-3439.
TDI’s web sites, www.tdi.state.tx.us and www.helpinsure.com, have been
updated with information to assist consumers during this transition.
Other TDI resources on the Internet include homeowners price comparison
and company and agent “look up” pages to verify that insurance
companies, agencies and agents are licensed.
Geeslin noted that concerns with Vesta and its subsidiaries extend
group-wide and were not limited to Texas Select and its underlying
insurance contracts.
Vesta is a Texas-domiciled insurer and the parent company of four other
Texas-domiciled insurers: Texas Select Lloyds Insurance Company, Vesta
insurance Corporation, Shelby Casualty Company and the Shelby Insurance
Company.
Texas Select is the only insurer with active Texas policyholders.
Vesta’s problems include a series of losses from hurricanes that drove a
long-term need for additional capital.
Similar to the Texas actions, regulators in Hawaii have taken control of
another Vesta subsidiary, Hawaiian Insurance and Guaranty Co. Ltd., and
Florida regulators have taken control of another affiliate, Florida
Select Insurance Company.
Rainbow Girls attend state conference
Special to The Monitor
GUN BARREL CITY–The Gun Barrel City Assembly of the International Order
of the Rainbow Girls (IORG) recently attended their state conference in
Waco.
Diana Carter served as Grand Choir Director.
Following are a list of recognitions they received:
• Diana Carter and Ashlee Lanning earned proficiency certificates
• The assembly scrapbook earned the “Days of our Lives” award.
• Outstanding Vanguard Assembly.
• Participation in boxtops and labels for education and pop tabs for the
Ronald Mcdonald House and Take Time to Read programs.
• Recycling old pantyhose for the Shrine Hospitals and supporting the
Dallas Shrine Hospital Bazaar.
• Donating stuffed animals to police stations.
• Competing in ritualistic competition.
• Alexandra Murry received her three-year membership charm.
• Ashlee Lanning and Kayla Glidewell each received a charm for four
years, and Diana Carter one for six years
Additional progrmas they are looking forward to supporting this year are
the Knights Templar Eye Foundation, Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer
Research and recycling ink cartridges, cell phones and old laptops.
While in Waco, they enjoyed a tour of the Texas Ranger Hall of Fame and
Museum.
The IORG is a service-oriented, leadership organizaiton for girls
between the ages of 11 and 20.
Rainbow Girls participate in a wide array of activities, including
leadership training, service projects, cheer competitions and annual
retreats.
For more information about the Rainbow Girls contact Mae Glidewell at
(903) 469-4251 or visit www.txiorg.org.
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