Twenty Peaceful Minutes

Welcome to Twenty Peaceful Minutes (20PM) - a community website for Forney, Texas. In addition to this blog, 20PM is home to the Forney discussion forums, which you may reach by clicking the Forney discussion forum link or going to http://20pm.net/forums; also, considering signing up for email or newsreader (RSS feed) notifications of new posts to the 20PM blog!

The Richardson Jaycees will be hosting a Kid’s Fun Day this Friday, July 4th, from 11AM to 4PM at the Forney Brookshire’s located at 427 Pinson Road. The event will include kid friendly games, face painting and more. Raffle tickets will be sold with prizes including an iPod Shuffle, a Nintendo DS, a DVD player and much more!

Proceeds from the event will go towards the Hannah Kessner fund, the fund that has been setup at a bank here in Forney to help with the medical costs involved with the operation that 4 year old Hannah needs to correct a congential defect in the area where her spinal cord and brain connects. Read more about Hannah’s condition in this story about the fundraiser that was held at Chick-Fil-A for the Kessner family.

A flyer with details about the Kid’s Fun Day is available to download as a PDF; feel free to print it out and distribute it in your office, to your neighbors, etc!

• Help Hannah - Fund Raiser at Chick-Fil-A For 4 Year Old With Chiari Malformation

  I wanted to pass this information on, which was recently posted to the Forney discussion forum here...

• Bake Sale and Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser for Hannah Kessner Saturday May 31st

  Just a quick reminder that the bake sale to benefit Hannah Kessner, the 4 year old suffering...

• Help Hannah Bake Sale A Huge Success Thanks To You!

  I just wanted to take a second to thank everyone involved in the Help Hannah Bake Sale...

The Girl Scouts of the United States has long been an organization devoted to empowering girls to become the best they can be - one of the ways girls in Scouts can grow and achieve their goals and dreams is through service to the community.

Forney’s local Girl Scout Service Unit is in the process of planning for their upcoming year. The theme for the year is “Change the World” and the Scouts plan to begin by changing the world right here in Forney. With over 150 girls and dozens of adults eager to get started, they are are looking forward to helping as many organizations and people in Forney as possible, however, they need our help!

They have asked me to put out a request to the Forney community to help them find ways to serve - if you know of any service projects they can get involved with in our community this year, please contact Melanie Davis (mdavis@feccommunications.net) or Jill Culmo (jculmo@flash.net).

Feel free to brainstorm potential projects to recommend to them in this thread in the Forney discussion forum, as well!

According to a recent update to the City of Forney website, the annual Independence Day Firework display will be on Thursday, July 3, at approximately 9:15 PM from the undeveloped property in the Villages of Fox Hollow. Parking is allowed at Forney High School and in the rear parking lot of the First Baptist Church.

We’ve attended this display in the past - it’s a lot of fun, but I do encourage you to get there early - we parked in the parking lot at Forney High School and by the time the show started, it was packed! It was a great atmosphere, though, with some people watching the show from their vehicle while others brought lawn chairs and a few enterprising teens were even selling glow sticks and other items. The annual Independence Day Fireworks are a great way to get out, meet some of your fellow Forney residents and enjoy a great fireworks display without the risk that comes with shooting off fireworks yourself. (Read on …)

• New School Names Announced; Dallas Morning News Article on Forney

  I just noticed that the FISD Board of Trustees selected the names of 2 elementary schools to...

Christy recently posted some information in the Forney discussion forums here on 20PM that I want to share with everyone - there will be a car show on Sunday, June 29th to benefit Laurren Smith, a 12 year old from Forney who was diagnosed with bone cancer (osteosarcoma) in August of 2007 and has undergone chemotherapy, several operations and continues to fight hard against this difficult cancer.

Read on for more about Laurren as well as the car show!

(Read on …)

• Overtime Sports Cafe & Stepping For a Cure Holding a Silent Auction to Benefit Breast Cancer Research & Awareness

  Today, Tuesday, September 18th from 8PM to 10PM, Overtime Sports Cafe and the Stepping For A Cure...

• Help Hannah - Fund Raiser at Chick-Fil-A For 4 Year Old With Chiari Malformation

  I wanted to pass this information on, which was recently posted to the Forney discussion forum here...

• Jaycees Hosting Kid’s Fun Day July 4th to Benefit Hannah Kessner

  The Richardson Jaycees will be hosting a Kid's Fun Day this Friday, July 4th, from 11AM to...

I just wanted to take a second to thank everyone involved in the Help Hannah Bake Sale - from the individuals who organized the bake sale to the people who attended the Celebration of Youth Sports on May 31st and stopped by the bake sale booth to purchase some of the delicious baked goods as well as our Forney Brookshire’s, who graciously donated many of the dry goods used in the bake sale.

Thanks to everyone involved, this bake sale - which was organized by some very dedicated volunteers in less than 10 days - raised over $1,100 to support Hannah’s family as they work to find a way to pay for the surgery this precious four year old girl needs to correct a painful, debilitating congenital birth defect.

(Read on …)

• Bake Sale and Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser for Hannah Kessner Saturday May 31st

  Just a quick reminder that the bake sale to benefit Hannah Kessner, the 4 year old suffering...

• Help Hannah - Fund Raiser at Chick-Fil-A For 4 Year Old With Chiari Malformation

  I wanted to pass this information on, which was recently posted to the Forney discussion forum here...

• Jaycees Hosting Kid’s Fun Day July 4th to Benefit Hannah Kessner

  The Richardson Jaycees will be hosting a Kid's Fun Day this Friday, July 4th, from 11AM to...

We originally broke the news of the 2.2 million square foot regional shopping center planned for Forney back on May 5th, with an update, including a video of the bridge that will be built over Highway 80 between CR-212 and Windmill Farms Blvd to connect to this shopping center, on May 6th.

There’s a number of exciting updates about this project to share, but first, our research has uncovered a new map of the planned shopping center, which is shown below. Click the map to a view a (much) larger version. This map gives us, via the diagram at the bottom left, a better idea of which portions of the shopping center will be in each of the three phases.

This map makes it clear that Endeavor wants to make a bold statement with the first phase of the center, with two of the four department stores being built in phase 1, which is scheduled to open in 2010. In addition to the two department stores and numerous other buildings, phase 1 also includes a 130,000 square foot building for a major anchor. 130,000 square feet is big - roughly the size of a Lowe’s, Home Depot or Target, to name a few major retailers that could occupy a building that large. Of course, with groundbreaking set to occur in 2009 and grand openings in 2010, it’s too soon to know for sure what retailers might occupy any of these spaces, but stay tuned to 20PM, where we’ll keep you up to date with the latest news about this and all the other new developments in Forney. For more information and news about this shopping center and the offices and hotels that are proposed for the area surrounding it, click ‘Read On’, below.

(Read on …)

• 2.2 Million Square Foot Regional Shopping Center Announced in Forney

  Today, Endeavor Real Estate Group, along with the City of Forney, have announced that Endeavor is now...

• New Video and Maps Regarding Regional Shopping Center Planned for Forney

  I've uploaded a video from Monday's City Council meeting where Pate Transportation detailed plans for a new...

• Terrell Market Center Updates

  Oakridge Investments, the owner/developer of what will become Terrell Market Center, the development that is the current...

Just a quick reminder that the bake sale to benefit Hannah Kessner, the 4 year old suffering from Chari malformation, a congenital birth defect, will be tomorrow, Saturday, May 31st from 2PM to 8PM. The bake sale booth will be at the Celebration of Youth Sports, which will be in the parking lot east of Lowe’s, behind NTB and AutoZone.

In addition, make sure to stop by Chick-Fil-A in Forney all day Saturday and ask that your receipt be marked for the Hannah Kessner fundraiser as Chick-Fil-A will be donating a portion from all of the receipts marked for Hannah on Saturday.

I hope to see many of you at the bake sale, which many 20PM/Forney discussion forum members and their friends and family have been working very hard to put together. There’s going to be a lot of great baked goods in addition to raffles (I believe I’ve seen mention of a Coach purse as well as a couple of iPods, in addition to other items as potential raffle prizes!), cake walks and more - it should be a lot of fun!

• Help Hannah Bake Sale A Huge Success Thanks To You!

  I just wanted to take a second to thank everyone involved in the Help Hannah Bake Sale...

• Help Hannah - Fund Raiser at Chick-Fil-A For 4 Year Old With Chiari Malformation

  I wanted to pass this information on, which was recently posted to the Forney discussion forum here...

• Jaycees Hosting Kid’s Fun Day July 4th to Benefit Hannah Kessner

  The Richardson Jaycees will be hosting a Kid's Fun Day this Friday, July 4th, from 11AM to...

I wanted to pass this information on, which was recently posted to the Forney discussion forum here at 20PM.

Hannah Kessner, daughter of Danny & Michelle Kessner of Forney is a beautiful 4 year old that has been diagnosed with Chiari Malformation, a congenital defect (present at birth) in the area of the back of the head where the brain and spinal cord connect. Basically, what is happening is her brain is sinking into her spinal cord. The family just found out last week after an MRI. Hannah had been complaining of headaches and vomiting, which are symptoms; and now the family is overwhelmed emotionally and financially to say the least. They have also learned that medical insurance will only cover a portion of the brain surgery required to repair the defect, and they have an estimated $7000 out of pocket expense so far.

Please help Hannah and her family by stopping by the Forney Chick-fil-A on Saturday, May 31st and ask that your receipt go to the fund raiser for Hannah. For direct donations, an account has been established for the Kessner Family at First National Bank of Forney, which is located a quarter mile behind Starplex & Wal-Mart near FM-548 & Ridgecrest.

Members of the Forney discussion forum here at 20PM have been discussing plans for a bake sale and other fund raisers, as well, to help this family out during this challenging time. Make sure to drop by that thread for the latest about this situation and any planned fund raisers.

• Jaycees Hosting Kid’s Fun Day July 4th to Benefit Hannah Kessner

  The Richardson Jaycees will be hosting a Kid's Fun Day this Friday, July 4th, from 11AM to...

• Bake Sale and Chick-Fil-A Fundraiser for Hannah Kessner Saturday May 31st

  Just a quick reminder that the bake sale to benefit Hannah Kessner, the 4 year old suffering...

• Help Hannah Bake Sale A Huge Success Thanks To You!

  I just wanted to take a second to thank everyone involved in the Help Hannah Bake Sale...

This Saturday, May 17th, the Windmill Farms Community Watch is sponsoring a Family Safety Fair from 2-4PM. This event, which all of Forney, Terrell and the surrounding areas are invited to attend, will feature booths, information, games and characters from over 25 different organizations, including the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office, the North Texas Poison Center, the Kaufman County Master Gardener, the YMCA and the Department of Public Safety (complete list of participating organizations).

Kids will have an opportunity to meet McGruff the crime dog, Smokey Bear, Vince & Larry (the crash test dummies), Sparky the fire dog and the Chick Fil A cow! In addition, the Sheriff’s Office plans to bring several police cars as well as K-9 units, the Forney Volunteer Fire Department will be bringing a fire truck and the local ambulance service will have an ambulance – all for the kids to tour.

In addition to information and brochures about various safety related topics, free child identification kits, sponsored by Capital One, will be available (quantities limited). There will be a bounce house for the kids and the first 250 children to attend will be able to participate in the Safety Scavenger Hunt to win prizes sponsored by T-Mobile. Additionally, other prizes, including 8 free passes to the Forney Starplex movie theater will be given away to adults who register at the event.

Click ‘Read On’, below, for directions and more details about this fun event!
(Read on …)

• Sheriff David Byrnes Meeting With Windmill Farms Residents This Thursday

  The Windmill Farms Neighborhood Watch Association will be hosting Kaufman County Sherriff David Byrnes at their next...

• This Saturday: Register to Vote & 10,000 Easter Egg Hunt!

  Have you registered to vote since moving to Kaufman County? Or, are you a long-time Forney resident...

• County Commissioner Holding Town Hall Meeting This Saturday in Forney

  This Saturday, August 9, 2008 at 9AM Commissioner Ray Clark will be holding a Town Hall meeting...

The Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office is inviting the public to a Peace Officer’s Memorial Day ceremony to be held this Thursday, May 15th at 10:00AM at the Kaufman County Law Enforcement Center. Students from Forney will perform the National Anthem, Kaufman County District Attorney Rick Harrison and Assistant Chief Deputy Troy Graham will speak and the names of Texas Peace Officers who have died in the line of duty since January 2007 will be read, after which there will be a 21 gun salute by the Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office Honor Guard.

I greatly encourage you to attend this event; I recently completed the Citizen’s Police Academy that the Sheriff’s Office routinely holds for citizens of Kaufman County to learn more about the various departments within the Sheriff’s Office and it was an eye-opening experience. The men and women of the KCSO and other law enforcement agencies throughout the state routinely put their lives on the line for us many more times a day than we ever realize, so I encourage you to take a moment out of your day on Thursday to show them that we appreciate their sacrifice as well as honor and respect those officers who have made the ultimate sacrifice.

The Kaufman County Law Enforcement Center is located at 1900 E Hwy 175, Kaufman TX 75142.

Discuss this post in this thread in the Forney discussion forums.

• Sheriff David Byrnes Meeting With Windmill Farms Residents This Thursday

  The Windmill Farms Neighborhood Watch Association will be hosting Kaufman County Sherriff David Byrnes at their next...

• Kaufman County Sheriff’s Office Recovers Nearly $150,000 in Stolen Property

  On February 4th, investigators from the Kaufman County sheriff's office were attempting to locate Brian Edward...

• Sheriff’s Office Shuts Down Vehicle Burglary Ring

  Reminds Citizens Not to Leave Valuables in Automobiles Thirteen victims suffered losses totaling $20,000 when their vehicles...