Cristina Vetrano is the president and CEO of CanCare, and organization which provides a support group for people fighting cancer (and their caregivers). Megan Vondra is one of their volunteers. She beat Hodgkin's lymphoma which gives her the most powerful tool to help someone going through the same ordeal: she knows just about everything they're going through. Cancare volunteers are like sounding boards and psychologist for those dealing with cancer. Their services also help caregivers: those helping a loved one beat cancer.
Their next training session is in March and you can go to www.cancare.org for info on how to help and how to get help.

Kevin Doffing is the chief operating officer of Combined Arms. They are a once stop shop for veterans transitioning from military to civilian life. They can help find employment and access other social services such as mental health. They're also going to be reopening their facility, including their super gym that is open for free to all veterans. It's all possible thanks to their partnerships with organizations like Goodwill Industries of Houston and many others. They literally give you near instant access to 50+ non-profits. Go to www.combinedarms.us where you can even take an assessment test and get going.

Dirk Van Tuerenhout is the Curator of Anthropology for the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Their new exhibit Stonehenge: Ancient Mysteries and Modern Discoveries presents over 200 artifacts from Great Britain, most of which have never left the Isles. There is also a massive touchscreen table where visitors can do their own research. The stones which are over 5000 years old, are still a mystery. Dirk explores some of the possible explanations for its existence by discussing what we do know and modern science is allowing us to know more than ever. But it still doesn't answer the 2 biggest questions: what was it and how was it built?
Go to www.HMNS.org for information and tickets and don't miss visiting the Gems and Minerals collection – one of the most beautiful exhibits in the world.

Tama Lundquist and Tena Lundquist Faust are co-presidents of Houston Petset. For the second survey in a row, the UTHealth School of Public Health's "Health of Houston Survey" reported that stray animals were the top concern of respondents, outranking crime among other issues. Houston Petset has a "Report Cruelty" link which allows citizens to report any animal they think is being mistreated. They have investigators whose primary job is to educate but they have the power to get mistreated animals out of abusive homes. They also help get stray dogs off our streets. Go to www.houstonpetset.org for information on how they are trying to change local laws dictating what is considered "adequate" shelter for pets. New, fair laws will give law enforcement tools to eliminate a great deal of cruelty.

Danni Dancer is the social studies educator at for the Children's Museum of Houston and Alleigh Stewart is their life science educator. They have a snow machine and that means that every Houstonian can find out what it's like to walk in it, throw it around and marvel at mother nature. That's the Children's Museum is all about. It's one of the best Holliday destinations for kids and parents. We talk about how vast Kidtropolis is. It's a city for kids, run by kids, where kids get ATM cards, spend money, then have to get jobs, demonstrating all those complicated concepts by fun experiences. We also talk the Eco Station which is designed to teach children about their local plants and animals and how they all work best together. Got to www.cmhouston.org for info on all their Holliday events.

John Huckaby is the CEO of AIDS Foundation Houston. They are celebrating World AIDS Day with a luncheon Friday, December 6th and it gives us the opportunity to discuss the state of HIV awareness. The organization has many outreach programs, including one for homeless women. They were able to shelter and serve nearly 300 children and adults in 2018, getting them off the streets and into stable living environments. They also hold Camp Hope every summer for children living with HIV. For info on the luncheon and their services, go to: www.aidshelp.org

Dr. Kelly J. Zúñiga is the CEO of the Holocaust Museum Houston. They just opened the beautiful Mady and Ken Kades Stage inside the Albert and Ethel Herzstein Theater. It's a part of a major reinvention of the museum that includes a complete translation of the exhibits into Spanish. This is a symbol of the museum's purpose: to make the lessons of propaganda and totalitarianism accessible to as many people as possible. They're celebrating the Guardian of the Human Spirit Luncheon honoring the Astros Foundation on November 25th. Got to www.hmh.org for info.

The Nacogdoches Junior Forum’s Holiday in the Pines is their big annual fundraiser which allows the Organization to fund all of its scholarship programs. Katie Rudisill is the Holiday in the Pines Publicity Chair and Carlie Allen is a Holiday in the Pines Chair. They describe the big Holliday market which includes vendors from Houston.
In addition to funding scholarships, Nacogdoches Junior Forum offers grants to other non-profits like
CASA of Deep East Texas (CASA = Court Appointed Special Advocate), Family Crisis Center
Federation of Women's Clubs and PJ Storytime at the Nacogdoches Public Library, just to name a few.
Holiday in the Pines is happening on November 22nd & 23rd. Get tickets & info here: www.nacjrforum.org

Steve Lufburrow is the president and CEO of Goodwill Industries of Houston and with him is Jim Freeze, their vice president of donated goods retail. Goodwill has partnered up with Combined Arms to serve veterans and since Jim served with the US Army in Iraq (2 tours), we spend some times hearing about his experience and then we discuss why sometimes being a veteran is a barrier to employment. Goodwill is making sure veterans get the need they deserve to transition from our armed forces and into civilian life. We also discuss the many other programs Goodwill runs to help our community and how when you donate a dollar, a full 95% goes straight to serving people. Donating makes great holiday gifts, folks! www.Goodwillhouston.org

Dr. Stephen Nesbit is the chief medical officer of HCA Houston Healthcare. The company has spent over $2 Billion on philanthropic causes and they're putting their experts behind Crush the Crisis – Opioid Take Back Days. The National Institute on Drug Abuse states that every day, more than 130 people in the United States die after overdosing on opioids. The majority are abusing legally distributed prescription drugs like those "left over in grandma's medicine cabinet." HCA Houston Healthcare participated in a very successful anonymous drug take-back program a month ago and future events will be a big part of the solution. For more information, go to: https://hcahealthcare.com/campaigns/crush-the-crisis