FYI

Woodlands Resort hosting  Santa events

The Woodlands Resort will hold breakfast with Santa and a Christmas brunch on various days in December.   From 8:30-11:30 a.m. Saturdays, Dec. 8 and Dec. 15, children can eat breakfast and visit with Santa and the Ice Princess. The meal will feature a buffet of homemade pastries, an omelet and waffle station, scrambled eggs, blintzes and more.   Tickets are $21.95 for adults and $16.95 for children under 12. Pricing does not include tax and gratuity.   And at 11 a.m. and 12:45 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 25, a Christmas Day brunch will be held that includes live music and dining with views of a lake. Menu options will include rotisserie turkey, roasted prime rib, bone-in Southern cured ham, white cheddar au gratin potatoes, maple butternut squash, omelets, Belgian waffles, eggs Benedict and traditional breakfast favorites.   Pricing is $52 for adults, $22 for children ages 6-12 and $15 for children ages 2-5. Seatings will be at 11 a.m. and 12:45 p.m.   The Woodlands Resort is located at 2301 N. Millbend Drive, The Woodlands. Reservations for both events are required by calling 281-364-6292.     Pottery Barn offering holiday party tips class    The free class “How to Throw the Perfect Holiday Party” will be held at 10 a.m. Sundays, Nov. 25 and Dec. 2, at Pottery Barn at The Woodlands Mall.   Experts will offer advice on hosting a memorable holiday gathering, from setting the perfect table to creating unique centerpieces.   Class size is limited and reservations can be made by phone. Pottery Barn at The Woodlands Mall is at 1201 Lake Woodlands Drive.   For more information, call 281-419-0517 or visit www.thewoodlandsmall.com     Ministry gala to feature music by local pianist   The annual Emergency Ministries Gala will be held at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Nov. 29 at America’s on The Woodlands Waterway.   The event includes a silent and live auction. Live music will be provided by local pianist Daniel Blanchard. America’s on The Woodlands Waterway is at 21 Waterway Ave.   For more information, call 713-510-4911 or visit emergencychaplain.com     Hubbell and Hudson assists Interfaith   Hubbell and Hudson recently raised more than $1,000 for Interfaith of the Woodlands’ holiday programs during a wine-and-cheese event.   Attendees were allowed to make donations to Interfaith of The Woodlands, a nonprofit agency that provides programs and services to needy individuals in The Woodlands and the surrounding area.   “We sincerely appreciate the wonderful things that Hubbell and Hudson has done and continues to do for Interfaith,” said Ann Snyder, president and CEO of Interfaith of The Woodlands, in a press release. “We are honored to be associated with such a generous organization.”   Interfaith of The Woodlands is at 4242 Interfaith Way. For more information, call 281-367-1230 or visit www.woodlandsinterfaith.org     Run/Walk for Arthritis to be held Dec. 15   The Jingle Bell Run/Walk for Arthritis, sponsored by the Arthritis Foundation, will be held Saturday, Dec. 15.   The event seeks to raise funds for a cure and create awareness of the debilitating disease. Registration for the event will start at 7 a.m at Northshore Park, 2505 Lake Woodlands Drive, The Woodlands.     Lone Star noted for graduation, persistence rates   The Lone Star College System was recently recognized as a leader in the national student completion movement by Achieving the Dream.   According to a press release, Achieving the Dream, a nonprofit organization devoted to helping community college students earn a degree, honored the college system as a 2012 Leader College for demonstrating sustained improvement and raising persistence and graduation rates.    “This is a great achievement for Lone Star College System to be recognized as a Leader College, especially since the selection is so closely aligned with our Number 1 goal of student success and completion,” Richard Carpenter, LSCS chancellor, said in the release.  Lone Star College System’s persistence rates increased for all student categories from 2006 to 2011.   The persistence rate increased from 64 to 72 percent for black students, 69 to 73 percent for hispanic students and 67 to 69 percent for white students.   For more information about Leader Colleges and Achieving the Dream, visit www.achievingthedream.org   For more information about the Lone Star College System, visit www.lonestar.edu