Making it happen!
No ifs, ants or bugs about it, 45 north Houston businesses partners show creativity while lighting the way for education
 
This August, 45 area businesses along I-45 North, FM 1960 and Louetta Road are displaying immense imagination while showing support for higher education and workforce development through one of North Harris College’s community outreach projects.

“Through the donation of their prime marquee space, community business partners continue an advocacy program for higher education that began in 1996,” says C.C. Sutphen, NHC’s manager of media relations and special projects.  

According to Sutphen the project keeps expanding each year.

“One of the reasons I believe the project is so successful is that NHC touches the lives of almost everyone in the community at one time or another. Many business owners have family members or employees who attend or have attended the college. And, these businesses also hire NHC graduates,” says Sutphen.

North Harris College, part of the North Harris Montgomery Community College District, will serve approximately 11,000 credit and 5,000 community education students this fall semester.

By contributing valuable prime marquee space along north Houston’s major thoroughfares, area businesses and North Harris College continue to build partnerships that strengthen the economy and help promote education in north Houston. A conservative estimate of the value of these tax-deductible, in-kind contributions is more than $30,000. The marquees support the college’s marketing campaign and outreach effort, which helps North Harris College-a non-profit institution-to reach thousands of area residents without additional cost.

“All of the signs show creativity, enthusiasm and sincere support for the college,” Sutphen says. “Many chose to use the college’s current tagline ‘Make It Happen!’, and other businesses created unique phrases incorporating their companies’ service or product such as the Champions Pest Control marquee which displayed ‘No ifs, ants or bugs. Enroll now at NHC’ and The Wallpaper Store marquee ‘Roll on down and register at North Harris College.’”
 
The 45 businesses agreeing to participate in the marquee project for August 2002 are: Steve Toman All-State Insurance; Atchafalaya River Café; Barney’s Bar-B-Q; Basel’s All-Star Gymnastics and Cheer Academy; Brookside Equipment Sales; Bubbles Car Wash Inc.; Burney G’s; Cajun Stuff; Carport Automotive; Champions Cruises-Ahoy; Champions Lodge; Champions Pest Control; Cliff’s Old Fashioned Hamburgers; College Bookstore; Copy Club; Cornelius Nurseries Inc.; and Duffy and LaRoe Realtors.
 
Also: Front Porch Quilts, Fuddruckers (3301 FM 1960W); Hoffer Furniture; House of Creole (formerly Huey’s), J.K. Auto Center Inc.; Joe’s Crab Shack; Just Oil and Filters; La Cabana; Lone Star Quickprint; Paradigm Bank; ParkandSell.net; Pawn One 1960; Plants For All Seasons; Precision Automotive Services; Ripley’s Muffler & Brakes; Sleep-n-Aire; Sonic Drive-In (710 FM 1960 E); Sports Express; Strack Farms Restaurant; Taco Bell (3140 FM 1960 E); Texas Apartment Locators, The Wallpaper Store; Vacuums of America; Victor’s Delicatessen; Walgreens (1403 FM 1960 W, 3833 FM 1960 W, 5003 FM 1960 W); and Wildflower Florist.

For more information about becoming a community partner with North Harris College, call C.C. Sutphen at 281-618-5425. The commitment is a one-week marquee donation, which entitles the business to a tax-deductible, in-kind contribution receipt and their businesses being listed in a wide variety of the college’s publications.