Casa Olé blog

During the month of April, eight Casa Ole East stores partnered with Buckner to “Bear the Burden.” “Bear the Burden” is an effort by Buckner Children and Family Services to draw attention to the plight of abused and neglected children. Buckner Children’s Village has been caring for the needs of abused and neglected children of Southeast Texas for over 35 years, providing healing and restoration for boys and girls ages 5-18. A non-profit multi-service organization, Buckner is devoted to protecting children, promoting independence and building strong families. Casa Ole Restaurants collected over 1500 stuffed animals. Buckner gave the new stuffed toys to the children they serve, as well as shared them with other agencies to include Garth House, CASA, Girls Haven, Boys Haven, Child Protective Services and Family Services: Women & Children's Shelter. 

Pink Phurree (pronounced “fury”), Houston’s only dragon boat racing team comprised exclusively of breast cancer survivors, will participate in the 8th Annual Houston Dragon Boat Festival, the first race of the 2008 season, on Saturday, May 3, at Allen’s Landing on Buffalo Bayou.

Team Pink Phurree was honored on March 28 with a kick off party, “Pink Fiesta Friday,” to celebrate the beginning of the team’s 2008 racing season. The party was hosted by Bob Domec, Jr., owner of the Casa Olé restaurant on the Northwest Freeway. Fox 26 reporter Ned Hibberd covered Pink Fiesta Friday on the 10 p.m. newscast. During the evening, Pink Phurree received donations of nearly $4,000 from Angels Among Us Director, Brenda Chapman, and Bob Domec, Sr., as well as proceeds from the sale of calendars picturing individual team members. Donations are slated for purchase of a dragon boat, life vests and pink paddles. The team is currently using equipment generously provided by the Texas Dragon Boat Association.

The women of Pink Phurree have issued an open invitation to breast cancer survivors to get involved in dragon boat racing by joining the team. For more information about Pink Phurree, visit their web-site at: www.pinkphurree.org

Casa Ole proudly hosted the 7th Annual Casa Olé Caliente 5K Run and 1 mile Fun Run. The race took place on Saturday April 12, 2008 at Casa Ole' in Lafayette, Louisiana. There were over 350 participants and the winning runner was KEVIN CASTILLE with an astonishing time of 14:40. The Caliente 5K Run helped raise over $20,000 for the Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency (LOPA). LOPA is the only federally-designated organ procurement organization for the State of Louisiana. The agency focuses on educating the medical community and the general public about organ and tissue donation issues, working with families through the donation process, recovering donated organs and tissue, and placing the organs and tissue for transplant. Since our partnership with LOPA Casa Olé has helped raise over $50,000.

For the 4th year in a row, Casa Ole was a proud corporate sponsor of the KHOU Channel 11 and the Salvation Army 2007 Spirit of Texas Toy Drive to help make the holidays brighter for thousands of Houston area children. From November 22nd through December 20th local Houstonians dropped-off new, unwrapped toys to area Randalls, Casa Ole Restaurants, and Keller Williams Realty locations.

We look forward to participating again in 2008!

Casa Olé joined with 89.3 KSBJ radio station in February to raise money for Shaohannah’s Hope, a non-profit ministry that assists families in overcoming the financial barriers of child adoption.

KSBJ collection buckets were placed in 18 Houston-area Casa Olé restaurants. KSBJ listeners, Casa Olé customers and our employees all donated money for this worthy effort which raised over $3,500.

A Houston family received a $4,000 grant from Shaohannah’s Hope at the Steven Curtis Chapman concert in Houston, Texas on Valentines Day. This family will use the money towards the cost of adoption. At the concert, over $16,000 was donated, which means other Houston-area families who are trying to adopt will now receive grants through Shaohannah’s Hope.

We would like to thank everyone who donated their “change” for this great cause!