Linda Box Taylor -- Your Plano, TX Realtor

There are two potential memberships meetings left before applications are due to become a member of the Junior League of Plano(JLP) for the 2009/2010 class.

You are invited to a potential member meeting on either Thursday, April 16 or Thursday, May 7 at 7 p.m. at the League Office in Plano at 5805 Coit Rd. in Plano. I have enjoyed my involvement over the last 5 years and I encourage other women that are interested to attend this informational session. If you read my blogs, you know I am always promoting our events.

JLP membership currently has more than 900 women from cities in Collin County, including Plano, Allen, Frisco and McKinney who are committed to improving family life in Collin County. The Junior League of Plano members have raised more than $2.5 million, implemented more than 200 community service projects and worked more than 100,000 volunteer hours in Collin County since the League was started.

As a JLP member, I am proud of what our organization has done to help this community. I enjoy volunteering and meeting some wonderful friends along the way. I have been involved in the Cookbook committee, Public Affairs Chair and Trinkets to Treasures, our spring rummage sale. So, I hope you will attend this meeting and learn more about our group. You don't have to know anyone to become a member, just attend an orientation and learn what we are about.

For more information, feel free to contact me or visit the website at www.JLPlano.org

It's that time of year again. The Live Green Expo in Plano will be on Saturday, April 18(my birthday) this year. This is the third year for this successful event at the Plano Centre and I think it is getting bigger and bigger. I have been to the last two expos and I am planning on attending again this year. This is a free event that the entire family can learn from.

Ed Begley, Jr will be the key speaker at this event this year. Ed is the star of his own show on HGTV called "Living with Ed" and an environmental activist. He will be speaking on his experiences of living in a self-sufficient home powered by solar energy and many of his ecological causes, from recycling to forest preservation.

The Live Green Expo is designed around ten core values: Transportation, Energy, Yard and Garden, Indoor Air Quality, Food and Agriculture, Waste Reduction, Lifestyle and Recreation, Water Green Building and Remodeling Education. Various vendors from around the area are at the Expo to help residents with any questions on these topics.

Attendees will also have the opportunity to bring items to recycle, including: Gas Powered Lawn Mowers, Clothing, Shoes, Eyeglasses, Cell Phones, electronics and plastic grocery bags.

Hope to see everyone there! For more information, visit http://www.livegreenexpo.net/Expo_09.html

Collin County Association of Realtors(CCAR) has announced its list of endorsed city council candidates in the cities of Plano, Frisco, Allen and McKinney.

Candidates were endorsed based on their responses to questionnaires and interviews that were conducted March 23-25 by the CCAR Government Affairs Committee. As TREPAC Chair, I was involved in all the interviews during this time and it was great to meet so many well qualified candidates. These were not easy decisions. After a few interviews, our committee debated long and hard before we made a choice. I think we have made some great choices for these cities and I encourage you to support these candidates and vote for them on May 9th!

Following is the list of CCAR endorsed candidates:

Plano City Council Candidates
Phil Dyer, Mayor
Lee Dunlap (I), Place 8
Ben Harris, Place 2
Lissa Smith, Place 4

Frisco City Council Candidates
Bob Allen, Place 1
Rhonda Martin, Place 3

Allen City Council Candidates
Joey Herald (I), Place 3 (Realtor)

McKinney City Council Candidates
Don Day, District 1
David Brooks, At Large
Travis Ussery, District 3

So, have you ever wondered what Rotary is? As a member of Plano West Rotary, let me try and explain. I've only been a member for 4 years. I'm still a "newbie" in the club compared to some of our club members have been involved for 20, 30, 40 and even 50 years!! Amazing.

Rotary is the world's first service club organization with 33,000 clubs in over 200 countries. Members form a global network of service oriented leaders who volunteer their time and money to serve their local communities and worldwide. Our motto is, Service above Self.

Each club meets weekly and attendence is mandatory. If you miss a meeting, you are encouraged to make-up at another club or you can go online. As Program Chair for 2007-2008, it was my responsibility to find the speaker for each meeting. This was a challenge but a great job that allowed me to meet a variety of individuals throughout the Dallas area. The club is the cornerstone to Rotary and have 4 key responsibilites: 1) sustain or increase membership 2) participate in service projects that benefit our community and those in other countries 3) support the Rotary Foundation financially and through participation 4) develop leaders capable of serving in Rotary and beyond.

My club is very involved in the Plano Balloon Festival where we sell Funnell Cakes. It is a crowd favorite and we have lines up to 20-30 people. And all the money we raise go back into the community. The Plano Balloon Festival is next month and I can't wait. We also sell Texas Pecans each holiday season. The pecans are excellent and they pretty much sell themselves! Worldwide Rotary has been key is helping to eradicate polio. Now, Rotary has taken up the challenge of providing clean drinking water around the world. There are so many more projects and I've just begun to scratch the surface.

If Rotary sounds interesting to you, I encourage you to get involved. Our club would love to have you visit. Just contact me and I can get you started on a great journey.

I wanted to share with everyone why I love Plano and think it is a great place to live. I have really enjoyed living in Plano,TX for the past 8 years and can't imagine living in any other city locally.

1. Location - Plano is close to Dallas without having to deal directly with big city Dallas problems and politics. Plano is the southernmost city in Collin County so we get to enjoy the best of both worlds. To the south, I'm 25 minutes from downtown Dallas and to the north only 20 minutes to the county seat of Collin County in McKinney.

2. Great Schools - I don't have children but I appreciate an area that has good schools because it keeps my property values up. And when I do have children then I want to be in an area that I'm comfortable sending my kids to public school.

3. Superb City Services - This might sound silly but I love the services that Plano provides to its citizens. Plano picks up my recycling waste bi-weekly and we have big trash containers to hold all my paper and plastics. It makes it so easy to be "GREEN". I've been recycling for the last 8 years before being "green" was the thing to do. And they pick up yard clipping and landscape materials weekly to be recycled. When I call the city with questions about a bill or another issue, the phone is answered quickly by a live person and my problem is handled professionally.

4. Transportation - It is so easy to get around Plano. Most major interior roads running north/south and west/east in Plano are 6 lanes divided roads. No 2 lane FM roads like our neighbors to the north. And 4 major highways, George Bush Turnpike, Dallas Tollway, Central(75) and SH 121, all have access into Plano. Also, we are the only city in Collin County that is serviced by the DART bus lines and DART Light Rail.

5. Shopping - Grocery stores are on almost every corner. I'm spoiled to live less than 2 miles from Central Market! All the retail, restaurant and fast food you can think of is in Plano. We have 2 major malls to serve its residents. I don't have to leave the city to get everything I need. And with current gas prices this is a major plus!

6. Mature Trees - Because Plano started to be developed in the 70's, several neighborhoods have large mature trees. I love a neighborhood that has good shade trees.

7. Downtown Plano - The city of Plano has been trying to revitalize our downtown for a long time but I think in the last 2 years there has been real progress. The establishment of the DART rail stop in Plano has been invaluable. And more retail and restaurants are opening and staying open.

8. Great Parks & Recreation - You can enjoy 3,600 acres of park land in Plano with 30 miles of recreation trails including six recreation centers, three golf courses, 81 public tennis courts, 5 public swimming pools, 93 soccer/football fields and 61 baseball/softball fields.

9. Great House Market - Price values are very stable because of all the reasons I've listed above. It is a great city to be a real estate agent!

If you are interested in learning more about Plano as your next city, give me a call today at 214-532-3823.