From 4 to 5 p.m. today at the Allen City Hall parking lot, 305 Century Parkway, park operations supervisor Gary Edwards will be collecting used or new bikes and parts. This is part of a push to gather bikes to give away during the holidays.

Edwards has been helping out the Bonham-based Northeast Texas Bicycle Association with its efforts to collect, repair and distribute bikes to disadvantaged and needy children.

Currently, the organization only has 39 bikes. Normally, they'd have 300 by now. 

If you'd like to help out, dust off that bike your child has grown out of and stop by City Hall. A few players from the Allen Americans will be there to deliver some bikes, as well.

If today's not a good day for you, Edwards will collect bikes Nov. 7 and Nov. 13. 

For my story about the program and Allen's impact on it, click here.

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Safety first

CurtisMiddle School students team up against drugs at Red Ribbon Week on Team Jersey Day.

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>>ALLEN
Ladies’ Night Out at Watters Creek
Vaughan Viking Shipmates & Captains
Big D Opry with Ty Herndon
Coffee N Cream featured on Fox 4 Good Day
Americans defeat Mudbugs 2-1
Chandler Elementary to host bazaar, chili cook-off
Registered sex offenders in Allen

>>ALLENBLOG.DALLASNEWS.COM
County creates polling place options for Nov. 3 election
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The Allen Americans remain undefeated in their inaugural  season. Most recently, they beat Laredo in overtime 5-4. Mind you, they had played together for about two weeks before they embarked on a lengthy season on the road. Read Lindsey Perkins' full story here.

This weekend will be the team's last game on the road before its home opener Nov. 7. But it isn't going far -- Allen will play the Texas Brahmas 7:05 p.m. Saturday in North Richland Hills.

Hockey is kind of a new sport to me. Actually, it scares the heck out of me. You can read about my first encounter with the Allen Americans here.

Folks, here are the links you need to stay on top of your neighborhood news. Thanks for posting; thanks for reading. Look for these in print next week!

>>GO BLOGS!
Faybles: Off to the races
Technically Speaking: There’s an app for that, Part 1
neighborsGHOSTS: Dressing the part in McKinney

KO101 Boxing Club adds another victory to list of accomplishments
Red Mango to open in Allen
Vaughan Viking Shipmates & Captains

>>DALLASNEWS.COM
Allen HeritageVillage slow to complete restorations

But everyone celebrates fall.

I'm mostly a summer person but after so many 100-degree Texas summer days, I do crave the warm fall colors, sweaters (among boots, scarves, gloves, cardigans, coats etc.) and pumpkin desserts. Especially pumpkin desserts.

How does your family celebrate fall? Is Halloween a part of it? If not, what is?

Luckily, Allen has plenty to offer when it comes to fall festivities:

Saturday
Pumpkin Fest at The Village at Allen
Chili Cook-Off at The Village at Allen
Fall Bazaar at the First United Methodist Church of Allen

Sunday
Trunk of Treat at FUMC

Monday
Ghost Stories of Allen at the Allen Senior Recreation Center

Oct. 31
Celebrate Halloween at Allen Premium Outlets
KID-MANIA at Grace Church

-UPDATE-

I tweeted this post and got some twee-ponses about how a couple Allen tweeps celebrate tw-autumn.

From @lupin_bebop (Don Mason): @Allen_GO My family doesn't. I go to my best friend's house and have candy. Re: how we celebrate Halloween.

From @road_fun (Ron Guest): @Allen_GO Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church put on an AWESOME fall festival last year & plans to again this year. Big slides, train ride, etc.

Any more responses? Comment here or follow me at @Allen_GO.

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Aye, aye, Captain

Photo submitted by Cheryl Rothbauer

Each week, s student from every sixth-grade homeroom class at Vaughan Elementary is chosen to represent his or her class as a “Captain” as recognition for his or her good citizenship and character. Class Captains for this week are, from left, Joanna Nguyen, Hannah Azimi, Faith Buskirk, Catherine Oustalet and Agustin Garcia.

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My Playlist: U2 rocks, empowers fans at Cowboys Stadium

neighborsGHOSTS: Get into the spirit: ‘Paranormal Activity’

Allen Noteworthy: Faces of the Military: Gary Schutza

Game On: This week’s minor league hockey games

>>ALLEN

Americans single game tickets on sale Oct. 19

AHS Theatre updates Shakespeare’s “Much Ado About Nothing”

Market Street expands services this cold, flu season

Village at Allen to celebrate fall with pumpkin fest

Space available at Boon Elementary's november garage sale

Eddie Coker to perform at LoweryFreshmanCenter

>>Allenblog.dallasnews.com
AISD posts maps, other info about proposed attendance zones
Judge Greg Willis of Allen declares for countyD.A.
Child with Down syndrome goes missing from CurtisMiddle School

Meet Gary Schutza, a Korean War veteran of Allen. He recently contacted me in response to a story I wrote about Bob Cash, a World War II veteran of Heritage Ranch in Fairview.

Since then, we've exchanged several e-mails and phone calls, and it turns out that he writes stories about his experience. We will collaborate to enrich our Faces of the Military coverage with the help of his experience and writing skills, so keep your eyes out for his work in future issues.

Here's a sneak preview of what he has to share:

You'll read about my first experience with the Allen Americans in my editor's note this week. I'll give you a hint: I didn't do so well with all the high-tension action.

But you can read editor Robert Tracy's version of the story with photos here.

Meet-and-Greet
Tonight, the Allen Americans will host a meet-and-greet from 6 to 8 at Boston's Gourmet Pizza in McKinney.

Team send-off
Tomorrow, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., you can join fellow hockey fans in front of the Allen Event Center to send the team off for its first season game in Arizona. ESPN 103.3 FM will be on site giving out prizes. One lucky fan could win a limo ride and 4 tickets to the Stars game that night.

Final roster
Thursday afternoon is the deadline for the team to finalize its roster. Keep posted on neighborsgo.com, allenamericans.com, or follow me or the team on Twitter. 

Open House and Select-A-Seat Oct. 17, 24 and 31
On the next three Fridays, the Americans will host an open house and select-a-seat event from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m. Tours will leave every half hour from the lounge area of Dodie’s Place Sports Grill and last for 30 minutes. All tour participants will be required to sign a waiver of liability and must wear long pants and closed-toed shoes. Open seats will be tagged and available for on-the-spot purchase for the season.

Single tickets
The Allen Americans single tickets go on sale Oct. 19. Here's a post with the price details. They go for as low as $7, so the games should be a pretty fun community event.

Looking out at the sky right now, the Watters Creek Fine Arts Festival might not seem like the most fun idea. But we are in Texas, and the weather does tend to turn 180 degrees at times.

Shawn Yujuico, director of marketing at Watters Creek, said the festival is still on for the entire weekend, including this evening.

"Setup is just a bit delayed but we have the resources to ensure that the event will commence on time," she said. "The hourly weather forecast shows clearing skies this afternoon and a beautiful day for tomorrow and Sunday – perfect for the festival and the Duck Derby."

The fun begins this evening with artists booths opening up at 4 p.m., and live jazz from The Rob Holbert Group starting at 6:30 p.m.

Details of the weekend festivities are available in today's issue of Allen neighborsgo. Otherwise, check it out here.

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Ride ‘em,  Cowgirl!
Neighborsgo media mavens were invited to compete in the celebrity portion of last weekend's Cowgirl Roundup at Bar S Arena in RoyseCity. See the cowgirls in action at neighborsgo.com/video/2049.

>>GO BLOGS!

Allen Noteworthy: LHS principal: Cultivate students' imagination

Let’s Eat: Cupcake Car for kids at Neiman Marcus

My Playlist: New releases for Oct. 6

>>ALLEN

Allen gymnast places in district qualifier

Olson Elementary students learn sustainable living

Bolin PTA to hold holiday bazaar Nov. 10

>>ALLENBLOG.DALLASNEWS.COM
AISD investigates disappearance of student with Down syndrome
Allen middle schools go `all-electronic' for grade reporting
AHS Wind Ensemble wins national recognition