Lake Conroe Lions: Club hosts record-breaking Cruisin’ 2026 Car Show
Lake Conroe Lions: Club hosts record-breaking Cruisin’ 2026 Car Show
By Marie Underdown, Your Conroe News, October 23, 2026
Photo courtesy Marie Underdown
Lake Conroe Centennial Lions Club recently held their Cruisin’ 2026 Car Show and what a record-breaking blast it was! Everyone had a great time: the car owners, the folks who came to ooh and ahh over them, the children and all of their activities and (maybe most of all!) the Lion volunteers!
Held adjacent to Breakwater Grill, the parking lot was teaming with over 70 hot rods, classic cars and trucks, setting a new attendance record.
Numerous local businesses supported the event as sponsors, including Culver’s Restaurant, Arthur C. Makarow Foundation, Primerica Insurance, Precision Cuts, Jacque Swanner Realtor, Hwy Barber Shop, eXp Realty, Lake Conroe Vacation Rentals, Kwik Copy, Margaritaville, Discount Tire, Walden Golf Club, Whitewater Car Wash, O’Reilly Auto Parts, Sunshine Inc., and Walden Yacht Club Restaurant.
Besides ogling over the very unique vehicles on display, there were lots of other activities that attendees could enjoy during the day, including delicious food provided by Breakwater Grill, a huge silent auction loaded with 32 fabulous items, and a 50/50 raffle. Not only that, but there was a special area just for children which included a popcorn, cotton candy, face painting and a Hot Wheels racetrack! Fun! Fun! Fun!
Adults enjoyed entertainment by DJ Jason while event photography was captured by Jon Forde. Rus Laundrie, drone photographer, took aerial photographs as well.
Jan Jessen, Car Show Chairman, gave out many prizes to the winning cars including 1st and 2nd Place trophies to cars from years1920-1940, 1941-1960, 1961-1980, 1981-2000 and 2001-2026. In addition, awards were bestowed to the “Best Truck”, “Most Unusual”, “Best in Show” and the very popular “People’s Choice Award.” But this year, there was a new category, the “American Award” which was presented to “Huck the Event Truck”.
Huck the Event Truck is a community and patriotic event vehicle operated by Knowledge Point Network (KPN) in the Lake Conroe and Greater Houston area. KPN is a 5013C, non-profit organization based in Montgomery, Texas which is comprised of specialists with a broad range of life skills and leadership experince. Their core goal is eradication youth self-harm and isolation by restoring purpose, mental health wellness, and emotional bonds for military veterans, first responders, and families. They have Four Key Programs. 1. Dozer Dogz- which involves veterans operating heavy equipment and working on land restoration and erosion control. 2. MotoSport Program – which offers outdoor community experiences for veterans, such as dirt bike riding and off-road trackchair adventures on natural forest trails. 3. Jr. Ambassador Program & Youth Arts – which teaches youth leadership, responsibility in nature, and creative outlets like scrap fabric and 3D art classes. 4. Huck (The Event Truck) which is a deployed M35 Deuce military truck used for celebrations, outreach and community events, like the Lions’ Cruisin’ 2026 Car Show!
Huck is more than a truck! He’s a rolling symbol of purpose, patriotism, and presence. Outfitted by veterans and powered by mission, Huck shows up not just to impress but to make a point, defend what matters, a leave a mark. Huck is a symbol of strength for youth, families, and communities, and a platform of honor for veterans, law enforcement, and first responders.
When the moment calls for courage, conviction, or quiet strength – Huck answers. He’s a reminder that the righteous still stand watch!
In conclusion, the Lake Conroe Centennial Lions Club thanks all sponsors, participants, volunteers, and attendees for helping make this year’s car show a tremendous success! All proceeds from the car show will be returned to the community through the Lions Club’s service projects and charitable support activities.
Lake Conroe Centennial Lions Club meets on the 2nd and 4th Thursday of every month at Walden Yacht Club. Happy Hour is upstairs at 5:30 pm and the meeting begins at 6 pm downstairs.
Exploring Life & Business with Ed Ponikvar of Knowledge Point Network 501c3 charity
Exploring Life & Business with Ed Ponikvar of Knowledge Point Network 501c3 charity
Today we’d like to introduce you to Ed Ponikvar.
Hi Ed, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It began with a calling, not a career plan. During my second semester of college, I returned to my old high school to speak with students. The principal asked, “What are you selling?” I bristled as my objective was pure. The aim was to inspire others that you can change the world—or at least your trajectory. I wasn’t selling in a transactional way, but in reflection, I have come to grips with it. I am selling transformation—change from the inside out. Pruning for new growth. Being a vine dresser through edification.
That understanding became the cornerstone of everything I’ve done since.
That understanding guided a 30-year career contracting with the U.S. Department of Education to address autism, spectrum disorders, and dyslexia. I learned that systems fail when people lose purpose. Out of that realization came Knowledge Point Network (KPN), a Texas 501(c)(3) headquartered in Montgomery. KPN exists to eradicate youth self-harm by restoring purpose to veterans, families, and the sentinels of our society—those who protect and guide others.
Through a structured progression—Friend, Factor, Facilitator, Fellow—we move people from survival to significance. Programs such as Dozer Dogz, Optic Flow, Off-Road Trackchair Adventure, and the Jr. Ambassador Program integrate work, faith, and stewardship. Veterans operate heavy equipment to heal the land; youth learn responsibility in nature; families reconnect through shared purpose. What began as a single question from a principal has grown into a network that measures meaning by action and counts impact in lives restored.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has not been a smooth road. Purpose-based work faces both skepticism and bureaucracy. Convincing institutions that stewardship and service can reduce self-harm required evidence and endurance. Early funding was scarce, and maintaining momentum through health challenges demanded focus. Each obstacle clarified the mission: the cure for despair is purpose, and purpose is proven through measurable work. Today, every completed project and every changed life validates that perseverance.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a product of Appalachia—the son of a Korean War veteran and the brother of a Vietnam-era veteran. Our family made its living as stone masons, pouring and finishing concrete through the rugged seasons of Pennsylvania. From that foundation of labor and grit, I became the first in my family to attend university and, perhaps, the one who dove deepest into the faith-based study of what it means to educate and serve.
I spent three decades inside what I often call the belly of the beast—the public education system—designing and implementing data-driven instructional models for the U.S. Department of Education. I remained unswayed by institutional charm, guided instead by a truth once told to me by a superintendent after hearing how I was saved by a teacher:
“The best and worst things in life will happen at the hands of an educator, next to your family.”
That statement became the cornerstone of my professional life. It taught me that the same system capable of harm can also heal when guided by moral conviction.
At Knowledge Point Network, that discipline and conviction now support social renewal. Our team converts compassion into structure:
Dozer Dogz — erosion control; veteran work (field stewardship + land restoration)
Optic Flow — journaling; donor transparency (narrative + data for accountability)
Off-Road Trackchair Adventure — mobility; field stewardship (dignity in motion for disabled veterans)
Jr. Ambassador Program — youth leadership; service learning (intergenerational mentorship in nature)
Purpose Providing Platform — geo-tagged proof; anti-isolation (cell-based journaling → accomplishment reports)
Each element ties to a single outcome—eradicating self-harm through restored purpose.
Alright, so to wrap up, is there anything else you’d like to share with us?
The essence of Knowledge Point Network is edification—building people through faith-based education and structured accountability. KPN functions much like a university of purpose: participants may contribute tuition or volunteer their time underwriting current projects, but all follow a single creed—execution will eat strategy for lunch.
Our Dream Catcher Collaborative transforms that creed into measurable action by teaching grant authorship and stewardship as applied faith. We eradicate self-harm by eradicating isolation, proving that trust grows through collaborative work. The foundation of everything we do is biblical, disciplined, and brutally simple: you are what people make of you, and that is our brand—trust through collaborative action.
KPN operates as a Purpose Providing Platform that leverages cell-based geo-tagged journaling entries to provide proof positive of measurable impact across the community. Each entry builds the data foundation of accountability—demonstrating stewardship, purpose, and sustained progress that others can both witness and replicate.
Call to Action: Sign up at KPNUSA.com and email ceo@kpnusa.com to receive the KPN Manifesto: The Fire, The Fight, and the Fuel and begin receiving geo-tagged accomplishment updates tied to active projects. Call 936-446-7966 if you have any hesitation in giving locally and giving generously to any charity. You will never regret giving to KNOWLEDGE POINT NETWORK 501C3 KPNUSA.COM. It has worked, it’s working and will work for you.
Pricing:
$8.50 per month
$85.00 annual
$8,500 one time average gift
$25,000 present platium level
$100,000 annual YOY
Contact Info:
Website: https://kpnusa.com/
Youtube: https://youtu.be/eWByCHQ5oWU
KPN: Reklaw Fly-in and More
KPN: Reklaw Fly-in and More
By Ruben Borjas Jr., Woodlands Online, November 4, 2024
KPN team, Veterans and donors gathered at the Reklaw Fly-In. Photo courtesy Woodlands Online
KPN’s truck and equipment on the Reklaw Fly-In grounds. Photo courtesy Woodlands Online
KPN off-road motorcycles on the trails near the Reklaw Fly-In grounds. Photo courtesy Woodlands Online
A biplane on the field at the Reklaw Fly-In. Photo courtesy Woodlands Online
A Veteran in a KPN track chair. Photo courtesy Woodlands Online
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX — The Montgomery County charity dedicated to preventing Combat Veteran suicides, Knowledge Point Network, USA (KPN), has been busy as of late with new initiatives to enhance the quality of life for Veterans and their families, many of whom who have had devastating life changing events as a result of intense combat causing injury and/or post traumatic stress disorder that have altered their lives forever. The organization was also in attendance at the recent Reklaw Fly-In, October 25-27, to bring awareness to the Veteran struggles, as pilots sometimes offer Veterans rides on their planes during the event. It was also an excellent time for the organization’s donors to meet up and resume their friendships through service. In addition, KPN recently announced another initiative to offer service dogs to PTSD Veterans at no charge, and the organization is driving on with its ‘Dream Catcher Collaborative Grant Writing Workshop Series,’ helping Veterans with the dreams to help themselves and others through grant writing projects.
The Reklaw Fly-In, is an event in which pilots and flying enthusiasts descend on the privately owned Flying M Ranch Fly-In and Campout every year in October to celebrate flight. The grounds are located just outside the tiny town of Reklaw, Texas, about two and a half hours northeast of Montgomery County. KPN Founder Ed Ponikvar, and his team recently donated a portable tower to the grounds to enhance the safety of fly-in pilots and flying enthusiasts, since their grounds are not subject to FAA Regulations. KPNs presence on the grounds is part of their ‘Catch a Falling Star Program,’ that was created to blend the principles of Optic Flow with the thrill of their already popular off-roading motorcycle and track chair program. In fact, KPN’s caderie of motorcycles were on site, for Veterans and donors to explore the off-road trails associated with the 150 acre property.
“We are slowly building a tradition where the Reklaw Fly-In will be a gathering place for KPN donors, and the Veterans of the program can come and gather and commune with nature,” said Ponikvar. “It’s an opportunity for our donors to go from the tall timbers to the sky.”
This innovative program offers veterans who seek adrenaline-pumping experiences a low-cost way to engage in all the vital elements of KPN while finding purpose in piloting themselves and others back to wellness. The idea is to capture the therapeutic benefits of movement and adventure by incorporating off-road vehicles, and possible flights, to veterans in a dynamic and exhilarating platform to break free from the confines of their mental and emotional challenges. The KPN program emphasizes the transformative power of movement, transporting participants from feeling stuck in their own abyss to finding salvation and purpose.
KPN’s Optic Flow aspect is a core principle, which motivates individuals with life-affirming activities to help them overcome sedentary lifestyles and mental health struggles. By combining this approach with off-roading activities, veterans can experience the benefits of physical activity and the joy of adventure, fostering a deeper connection to their surroundings and themselves.
The program elements include Skills Development: which allows veterans to train in off-road motorcycles, as well as focus on safety, navigation, and environmental stewardship which involves trail maintenance, and empowers Veterans with new skills and confidence. Community Engagement: Gets Veterans involved in the community to mentor and guide others, which creates teamwork and mutual growth in support of the community. Therapeutic Benefits: Offers the Veteran the idea of movement, the thrill of odd-roading, as well as environmental stewardship, it’s another form of therapy for veterans, with having human interaction with therapists.. And finally, Purpose and Fulfillment: By engaging in meaningful activities Veterans find a renewed sense of purpose and direction, which not only benefit themselves, but their community as well.
At the heart of the issue is KPN’s philosophy of being in the transportation business, not just physically, but metaphorically. They see movement as healing Veterans from being trapped in their own struggles and providing an outlet to a better horizon. At KPN, they foster pathways to personal growth and communal well-being.
Judy Suan of ‘Pawsitively Sharing Aloha Service and Therapy Dog Training,’ has joined KPN under the banner of Health and Wellness. They are currently training labradoodles, to be matched with PTSD Veterans.
“It takes about two years to go through the entire process of training a service dog,” said Suan. “Our goal is now to educate people and find donors to the new program.”
For the time being Suan and her team are training two service dogs, and by next year should be able to train two more. Once a Veteran is matched with a dog, the canine lives with the Vet during the training period to become used to each other. Her team is always looking for more volunteers to raise puppies so the program can proceed at a faster pace.
“I started training labradoodles decades ago,” said Suan. “As soon as they are born, there is human imprinting to get them used to being around people. We get them their shots, and continue human contact, in order to provide an emotional balance to the Veteran.”
One Veteran, Trey Prendergast, under the auspices of Veterans and Patriots United, a Huntsville based Veterans charity, has already received a dog for training. Although his Army service was cut short due to injury in 1997, he worked in the corporate world selling insurance, until another injury aggravated his condition, causing his addiction until he reached out to VPU for help.
“I was incarcerated for drug possession, but they overlooked my Veteran status for years,” said Prendergast. “I would have been treated with different options if they would have noted my military service.”
The pandemic also didn’t help Prendergast’s need to help himself get back his life. He eventually got help, but his time at VPU for about 19 months now has totally changed his life. He swears by VPU Founder Amos Savell, who is happy to work with KPN in getting the help that Veterans need to get right with life. Prendergast’s service dog is now a part of his life, helping him to deal with life stressors, and giving him more reasons to stay alive than attempt any whims at self-harm.
KPN also works with Tri-County Behavioral Healthcare in getting services to Veterans to show self-worth. They have Apps to help track volunteer hours to show progress in setting their lives on the right track.
The Dream Catcher Collaborative, which is KPN’s Grant Writing Workshop, is free for Veterans or a small fee for individuals or organizations that are interested in submitting grants to secure funding for their projects and initiatives. Ed and his team are behind the dreamers in understanding the vision of the project, and assists in firming up their written wishes to grant achievement.
“We take the idea of the Veteran on paper,” said Ponikvar. “Then I use my decades of experience in grant writing and render back a vision using the right terminology to get results for the Veteran.”
For more information about the Knowledge Point Network: KPNUSA.com kpnusa.com/ways-to-give/#donate or knowledgepointnetwork@gmail.com
For the Reklaw Fly-In: reklawflyin.org
For Veterans and Patriots United: veteranspatriotsunited.org
Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net
Read the original at Woodlands Online
Knowledge Point Network: Bringing Value to Veterans and their Childrens Lives
Knowledge Point Network: Bringing Value to Veterans and their Childrens Lives
By Ruben Borjas Jr., Montgomery County News, September 10, 2024
Busy as bee kids working on their projects at the recent KPN Scrap Fabric Art Class, held Labor Day at the School of Live Music in Montgomery
When it comes to improving the lives of Combat Veterans and their children, Knowledge Point Network, a local non-profit charity, is focused on providing purpose to those who have had setbacks in their lives due to circumstances beyond their control. KPN is well known for providing support to Veterans with outdoor events such as dirt biking on local trails, or even maintaining the trails themselves, which provides the Veterans and their children with a purpose to show them that there is much more to life than just cell phones and video games. Other aspects of KPN involve helping Veterans and groups with grant writing efforts to fulfill the needs to improve individual lives of severely Disabled Veterans and groups that support Veterans in the community.
KPN is unique in that they are well versed in sustaining the effectiveness of their charity. They help other charitable organizations in reviving their abilities to increase capacity and maintain their services. All of this is the brainchild of Ed Ponikvar, a man who spent a long career in grant writing, achieving well over a half-billion dollars in grants for his clients, and now uses his charity to help Veterans and their families with his programs to help bring some joy and laughter to his clients.
KPN has a cadre of volunteers, Veteran and otherwise, that will drop everything to help Veterans in need on a moment’s notice, which they happily did during storms earlier this year. When heavy storms damaged eighty-five miles of trails this year that KPN uses for their programs for Veterans and their families, the organization was informed by forest service officials that the trails would be closed until 2026. That’s when Ponikvar and the KPN team went into action, and in a matter of months had restored nearly half of the trails to function, including the replacement of many bridges that had been knocked out along the way. KPN’s relationship and trust with the foresters has brought about a system that effortlessly washes away red tape, so that the job at hand can get completed at the earliest possible point. Ponikvar’s Dozer Dog program, which puts tractor driven machines in the hands of severely Disabled Veterans, allowing them to do meaningful work in repairing the trails that KPN utilizes. Ponikvar started the Dozer Dog program back in 2006, and works with Texas Parks and Wildlife, of which KPN has unique access to their facility to use equipment for the repair of trails.
“We’ve deployed our Veterans and our volunteers in response to the trail closures,” said Ponikvar. “And we now have some hiking and equestrian trails open, and hope to have the trails for dirt bikes open within the next couple of weeks.”
The maintenance and upkeep of the trails allows KPN to offer the use of their dirt bikes for Veterans and their children, and the use of Track Chairs for severely Disabled Veterans. The electric bikes allow for quieter riding so that riders can communicate more easily. Ponikvar and his team are big believers that the deeper riders go in the forest the closer they get in their relationship with God, as well as improving their ties with family members and friends. All of it is intended to bring about worth and satisfaction in lives to replace prior despair.
Another aspect of KPN is what Ponikvar calls his Dreamcatcher Collaborative. It is the grant writing portion of his charity that is geared towards Veterans, and even other charitable organizations. The free service for Veterans allows them to write a short essay of how they want to improve their lives such as changes to their homes, or by helping other Veterans or the community. KPN takes that information and expands on it, using words and phrases that will be favorable to foundations offering grants. One Veteran, Jeff Miles, a U.S. Army Veteran who lost his arm in an accident 17 years ago, is looking to make improvements to his home to assist better with his activities of daily living. He also plans to use a portion of the grant to bring about his idea of starting a co-op growing chickens and vegetables.
“I’m hopeful to receive funds to make much needed repairs to my home,” said Miles. “Ed has been such a help in getting the process started.”
Other KPN sponsored events are specifically geared for the children of Veterans. A ‘Scrap Fabric Art Class,’ was held this past Monday at the School of Live Music in Montgomery, hosted by SofLM owner Moree Simon. Children from ages 2-15 participated in decorating thin canvases with scrap fabric with all sorts of designs from the unplanned to the well thought out. It was all in good fun, as the children used their Labor Day Holiday to enjoy the event, meeting and making new friends, and making some great art, ending with lunch, and receiving door prizes prior to its conclusion.
“It was very fun,” said 10 year old Autumn of her fabric project on mushrooms. “We are redecorating my room, and it is going to be mushroom themed.”
The event organizer, and Navy Veteran Elise Cook, was amazed with the talent the children displayed, with each child having a keepsake to take home in memory of the event. Several kids did patriotic themes with the fabrics available, while others concentrated on fish (one great white shark), mushrooms, hearts, cats, dogs, and other designs.
“I made a big great-white shark,” said Beckett Kragenbrink, 8, dressed in fishing attire. “I love to fish with my family.”
One child named Brenda, 12, drew several designs on white fabric when she couldn’t find the exact representations she was looking for, which showed her talent in art. Combat Veteran, Amos Savell, the founder of Veterans & Patriots United, a Huntsville based non-profit charity dedicated to helping struggling Veterans, brought his young son Malachi, to participate in the art project.
“It was a beautiful event,” said Savell. “And with KPN known for dirt bikes and trails and helping Veterans. To just have an event for kids, with fabric, and glue, and all the designs, It’s just wonderful what Ed and his team are able to put together.”
For more information and to consider donating, go to Knowledge Point Network’s website: KPNUSA.com
School of Live Music: schooloflivemusic.com
Read the original at Montgomery County News
KPN Grant Writing Seminar A Must for Montgomery County Organizations
KPN Grant Writing Seminar A Must for Montgomery County Organizations
By Ruben Borjas Jr., Woodlands Online, May 29, 2024
Knowledge Point Network logo. Image courtesy Woodlands Online
MONTGOMERY COUNTY, TX — Montgomery County has many charitable organizations with worthy missions that require funds to operate successfully. Local donations can only go so far, but being able to apply for grants offers a new way to obtain funding to achieve their mission. A local organization founded by Ed Ponikvar, Knowledge Point Network USA, is designed to help severely disabled veterans and their children with mobility and suicidal concerns.
Ponikvar has been a professional grant writer for decades, and has been successful in obtaining hundreds of millions of dollars in grants for multiple organizations across the United States. The KPN founder is now offering the ‘Dream Catcher Collaborative Grant Writing Workshop Series,’ starting on June 6th, 6:15 pm, at the Lone Star Community Center, located in Montgomery.
The Grant Writing Workshop is for area organizations that are interested in submitting grants to secure funding for their projects and initiatives. The 8 part series is designed to equip organizations with the skills and knowledge needed to navigate the complex world of grant applications and management. Each session will cover essential aspects of grant writing and management with the goal for the participants to be proficient in securing grants for their organizations, as well as ensuring maximum compliance in grant closeout processes.
The proceeds from the workshop series will go to KPN as a tool to raise funds for new equipment, to maintain the trails of Montgomery County for the use of mobility impaired Veterans and their children.
To learn more about the program kpnusa.com/events/grant-writing-101-workshop
Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net
KPN Helps Veteran during Floods; Montgomery County Inundated
KPN Helps Veteran during Floods; Montgomery County Inundated
By Ruben Borjas Jr., Montgomery County News, May 8, 2024
KPN Founder, Ed Ponikvar points to the utility greenbelt where water pooled before racing down toward the home of Sandra Timm, yellow shirt, Thursday morning causing damage. The remains of the trench hurried built by Ponikvar’s team to divert flood waters from Timm’s house
Knowledge Point Network, U.S.A., the local charity dedicated to the suicide prevention of Combat Veterans with PTSD and their children, jumped into action this past Thursday when a Veteran supporter of the organization experienced water coming into her house from bad water drainage situation in her Elkins Lake neighborhood in Huntsville. And it is an important lesson for the new multi-tiered subdivisions coming online in Montgomery County to consider the importance of drainage possibilities when constructing homes in such areas.
KPN Founder, Ed Ponikvar, was called early last Thursday morning, about a friend of KPN who was desperate for help having floodwaters pressing against the exterior walls and doors of her home, and seeping through the walls. Ponikvar immediately called members of his team, who brought shovels and sandbags to deflect the waters away from the house. They were able to dig channels to help divert the waters built up against the house, and lessening the damage already caused.
“This was worse than Harvey,” said homeowner Sandra Timm, a retired U.S. Army nurse, who now works for the prison system. “There have been other homes that flooded due to the same problem.”
It had been noted that on the greenbelt above the property, that a simple ditch could have been cut to allow the excess water to be sent out to a nearby street. Ponikvar also noted the incredible amount of sand sedimentation that was displaced by the floodwaters between Elkins and Azalea Lakes, in some places 3 – 4 feet high, mostly likely sourced from nearby home construction, that overlapped the street to the height of a large speed bump.
Montgomery County was heavily affected by the floodwaters, as well were counties on the East Fork of the San Jacinto River. Many homes experienced flooding, some up to the rooftops or above, and many cars were lost. From below the Lake Conroe Dam, to McDade Estates, down to River Plantation, and areas once thought safe from flooding; officials as well as insurance companies will have to do major rethinks when it comes to flood zones, further complicating the situation when resources are already strained. In addition, cash strapped homeowners will have to compete with potential home buyers moving into areas not affected by the flooding, or consider moving to other parts of the region. Still further, the actions of the San Jacinto River Authority will have to be addressed in the mitigation of flooding downstream of the Lake Conroe Dam.
The flooding not only hit homeowners, but businesses as well, most notably Vernon’s Kuntry Katfish, located on SH 105. With the forced release of water from the Lake Conroe Dam, the overwhelmed West Fork of the San Jacinto River forced water out of its banks, thus flooding the countryside and the catfish restaurant for the second time since 2017.
“My neighborhood of Forest Hills was hit pretty hard from the flood,” said Thad Davis. “In the next couple of weeks we will have a lot of cleanup to do, and could use a lot of help.”
Forest Hills lies east of I-45, and one-half mile west of San Jacinto in a low lying area, while River Plantation borders the river to its south. One resident was critical of the San Jacinto River Authority in not releasing water prior to the recent rain event.
“I want to be clear about the problem in River Plantation. It is not the rainwater that falls that flooded it out,” said homeowner, Jerry O’Neal. “If they would have released water before the storms, nobody would have got flooded in Conroe and surrounding communities.”
Lake Houston was releasing water prior to the last week’s flood event due to previous rains, but Lake Conroe, as of April 30th, at 3pm, was still 1.61 ft. above full pool at 201 ft., releasing at a rate of less than 10,000 cubic feet per second, when the heavy rain event had already been forecast. The SJRA’s Facebook page was filled with resident after resident questioning the river authorities’ lack of action. From accusations of the City of Houston controlling the lake’s water releases, to those above the dam complaining that releasing too little water caused lake flooding and lost and damaged boats, etc.
“We have people coming to check out the fryers and other electronics this week,” said Mary Bowers in speaking on the condition of her restaurant. “And we anticipate getting the dining room back up and running in the next week or two.”
Thankfully the water level wasn’t as bad as during Hurricane Harvey, and the store may be able to open sooner rather than later. Ms Mary’s son Buster set the standard for recovering from the last flood, having had the store gutted and cleaned out just a few days after the waters receded. Thankfully there is talk this time to possibly mitigate flood chances in the future at the restaurant, since being flooded twice in a matter of 7 years is too much.
Vernon’s Go Fund Me Page:
https://www.gofundme.com/f/help-revive-vernons-flooded-restaurant
San Jacinto River Authority: https://www.sjra.net/
Knowledge Point Network: KPNUSA.com
Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net
KPN Secures Grant Funding for Child Suicide Prevention
Knowledge Point Network Obtains Skid-Steer, Secures Grant Funding for Child Suicide Prevention
By: Ruben Borjas, Jr., Columnist, Montgomery County News | Published 04/03/2024
MONTGOMERY, TX — Knowledge Point Network, U.S.A., a local charity dedicated to the suicide prevention of Combat Veterans with PTSD and their children, recently unveiled a new piece of equipment to assistance them in the maintenance of the area trails used in their program. KPN Founder, Ed Ponikvar, unveiled the organization’s new Dozer Dog, at a recent breakfast gathering of the Lone Star Honor Flight Veterans Group this past Wednesday. The skid-steer loader is designed to empower Veterans in engaging in trail maintenance used by participants in the program to build value in their lives and help them heal from self-harm tendencies.
The initiative, also aimed at preserving Montgomery County’s natural beauty with the improvement of trails in and around Montgomery, for the use of PTSD Veterans and their kids, in off-road vehicles such as electric motorcycles, and track chairs. The original experiment started back in 2006 by Pennsylvania campground owner Brenda Fitch and her Veteran husband, in an effort to acquire properties for installing trails for Veteran and family use.
Knowledge Point Network, which started in 2007, concentrates on the use of electric motorcycles and track chairs to allow for participants to talk and heal while on the trails themselves. They offer necessary and challenging work to Veterans with the use of a skid-steer to clean up the trails for program participants to enjoy the use of electric motorcycles and track chairs. Some gas powered vehicles are used, but it’s mostly an electric venture.
“Building on the success of the initial program, KPN is proud to launch our groundbreaking initiative aimed at preserving Our Nation’s natural beauty while fostering a spirit of community and sustainability,” said Ponikvar. “The Dozer Dogz program represents a unique evolution in ecosystem management, turning the act of consumption into a powerful force for positive change.”
KPN really thinks out their program of healing the Veterans and their families. The trails offer a chance to commune with nature, and the farther the participants go into the forest, the closer they are to God and his healing ways. No one goes alone on the trails because the idea is to be chatting and letting your feelings be known. And that goes especially for the children of the Veterans, who are constantly bombarded with cell phone and video game usage which detracts from the relationships with their parents.
Ponikvar loves to give his Veterans a mission purpose, and trail maintenance with the use of the Dozer Dog, is not a walk in the park, and it takes time and a certain amount of skill to make the trails as safe as possible for his program’s participants. Essentially KPN is rebuilding a sense of pride of workmanship in a Disabled Veteran with the skid-steer use. And it makes a difference in the lives of someone who may have lost the use of his legs, or received traumatic brain injury. Despite their condition they can still navigate a skid-steer along a trail making it better for all who trek it.
In January this year KPN secured a grant to tackle suicides of the children of Combat Veterans. The grant from the American Legion Child Welfare Foundation (CWF), is designed to combat the alarming statistics surrounding child suicide, especially in families where a parent has served in a combat zone. The children of those Veterans are three times more likely to die by suicide when a parent has taken his or her own life. So the idea with Ed and his team is save the parent, save the child, and that’s KPN’s goal.
Saving lives is a serious endeavor with KPN, since according to the CDC, suicide is the second leading cause of of death among children ages 10-14; so keeping the children busy in the outdoors rather than chained to in-home technology makes a real difference. The Mayo Clinic has noted that increased physical activity for children helps improve their mental and emotional health. Couple that with recreational ecosystem management learning, with kids brushing up their knowledge of the forest and trails, then performing maintenance with their family members, and you have a shared sense of accomplishment, building self-worth amongst each other.
Another takeaway from the project is the dissemination of survival skills to the children through utilization of an online platform (KPN approved good technology) that measures ongoing achievements. In addition, there are quarterly requirements for physical activity, stewardship of natural spaces (like pick-up trash, or planting trees), and building a toolbox of survival skills, such as with navigation skills and orienteering.
“KPN’s approach is centered around a unique, family orientated tracking service that emphasizes self-growth and self-healing, as well as gaining tools to overcome life’s challenges,” said Ponikvar, upon receiving the grant. “The project focuses on children learning skills about the outdoors, and effectively makes them leaders should a situation arise when that expertise is called for.”
For more information about the Knowledge Point Network: KPNUSA.com or knowledgepointnetwork@gmail.com
Ruben can be reached at: ruben@montgomerycountynews.net
DISRUPT YOUTH SUICIDE AT THE PARENT
DISRUPTIVE APPROACH FOR YOUTH WHO DIE BY SUICIDE RESOLVED WITH THE PARENT
Read the original at Montgomery County News
Vision becoming reality for Combat Veterans
*Featured photo from a KPN ride, winter 2019-2020
Have you thanked combat Veterans or those who support them lately?
Outfitted by KPN, Zach Griffin conducted our first ODV (Outdoor Disabled Veteran Event) last Saturday.
Please donate so we can sponsor more events like this.
https://kpnusa.com/ways-to-give/#donate
Veteran Family Business victim of a smash and grab in Waco Texas
Veteran Family Business victim of a smash and grab in Waco Texas
With a heavy heart, we report that Munn Racing of Waco TX was the victim of a smash and grab. “They loaded an entire horse trailer in minutes,” said owner Chip Munn.
Son of Army Veteran Harry Munn, Harry II (Chip) is deeply saddened by this sign of the times.
The theft happened Thursday, 1.27.23 from his headquarters in Waco, Texas. Chip remains steadfast in giving back to the community. For months Chip and his team have planned an experience to serve the community in conjunction with KPNUSA.com. This Sunday, February 5th, from 10 am-4 pm you can arrive, demo, place pre-orders, and, most importantly, hug Chip.
Where: 3 Palms Action Park 15100 Interstate 45 S. Conroe, TX 77384
Waivers and costs apply to arrive at the Munn Racing Semi but when you do, you will be appreciated especially considering the challenges.
Chip shared the following with Knowlege Point Network: KPNUSA.com
“It’s an awful feeling. A mixture of embarrassment, sadness, and wondering, why us? How could this happen? We took every precaution with security cameras and steel-reinforced barriers. We fortified the weakest entry point but that is the side they broke in. They just ripped the iron gate open, drove a truck through the side of the building, and started loading. It’s awful for anyone, but we are just a small shop. It feels like they came right into our home. I am so glad my Father is not alive to see this. Just 6 short months ago, we laid him to rest. Honorably discharged from the army, my father Harry was instrumental in 1999 as he supported our dream to start a business. It was my Fathers’ love that gave me the courage to turn my love of motorcycles into Munn Racing. We are best known for our Trackside support in the motocross community, equally passionate training our staff to ensure hands-on support when it’s needed most.”
Please aid the effort in pursuit. This may be one of the largest thefts of motorcycles to be taken from a veteran family business in Texas history. Email or call Deputy Mark Mocuta mark.macuta@mclennan,tx.us 254-757-5222 254-757-5095
Local Foundation Awards KPN
KNOWLEDGE POINT NETWORK RECEIVES GRANT
A grant of $2000 has been awarded by the TUFF Foundation to KPN Knowledge Point Network.
“This generous grant moves KPN one step closer to our goal $4500 goal. We appreciate the support from the TUFF Foundation,” said Ed Ponikvar, Founder of KPN.
Knowledge Point Network will use these monies towards funding new batteries for its three “track chairs.” The track chairs are used by disabled veterans to access public and private trails in natural forests. Track chairs allow veterans extended range over rough terrain that a standard wheelchair can not travel.
Make KPN your 2023 charity of choice: https://kpnusa.com/ways-to-give/#donate
Do not hesitate to contact us. The KPN team is available 24/7
The following 10-minute year-end report provides unparalleled transparency into this disruptive approach to PTSD sufferers, their families, and their supporters.