My recent weekend at TAMU also included a visit to the TAMU Hillel and an unexpected Tefillin…read moredonning by Chabad at the MSC. The last time I was here was for Torah Study with Rabbi Tarlow. Since that time many years ago, Hillel has a brand new building that would outclass some synagogues. I really enjoyed the visit and tour (Friday Day) and the confirmation that my annual contributions are really making a difference.

Both my undergraduate and graduate experiences would not have been the same without Texas A&M…read moreHillel! The programming has flourished with the completion of the new building, and it is a wonderful space that several organizations within the Jewish community here utilize. Everyone at Hillel is very welcoming, and there are a variety of options for those who are interested in being involved in Jewish life on campus. There are social, religious, and learning opportunities, and students are encouraged to explore Judaism in ways that are the most comfortable to them! Shabbat dinners are great, and the staff are very open to feedback from students. Hillel also has connections to many opportunities through Hillel International, AIPAC, Birthright, etc., and many students (including myself) have been able to go on heavily subsidized trips. I met some of my best friends here, so if you are new to College Station you should definitely stop by on Friday night!

Gig 'em Garden! This is a fantastic spot to relax in the…read moremiddle of Aggieland. This is such a nice place to hang out, check out some plants, and learn how agriculture works! Of course, in the middle of an agricultural university, they've got to have a good way to show off their works! These gardens aren't like any other gardens I've ever been to. Usually, they try to teach about plants, and the local horticulture, but this is more agricultural themed. You can go up to one of those circle crop sprayer / irrigators, and kick the tires and see how they grow cotton on an industrial scale. They have a vineyard where you can scope out how wine is produced in Texas. Of course, they have a wide variety of plants from across the Lone Star State and beyond, but it's how they're growing the stuff that's really cool. The whole gardens seem to be run by students of the university. They're working on adding art and other cool outdoors effects to make the place more welcoming and relaxing. The best part about these gardens is that they're free! Feeling stressed after class? These gardens are a great place to unwind. There's a pavilion in the center of the gardens that looked closed when I went. I suspect there's restrooms in there.

From the owner: The Gardens are 27 acres of beautiful public gardens and green space on the Texas A&M University…read moreWest Campus. Our first seven acres, the Leach Teaching Gardens, opened in 2018 and feature 21 demonstration gardens and a climate-controlled pavilion. Students and visitors can relax and learn simultaneously in a peaceful sanctuary on campus.

To a certain extent, this review has haunted me. By that, I mean I've written it in my head…read moremultiple times in the middle of the night, I've started it over several times because it was not possible to include the names of each and every wonderful person and the service each of them provided and how they profoundly impacted the life of my family. There just aren't enough characters available in a review to tell you how important this service is or how each of us was changed by it. So for months it's been sitting in my drafts, but I finally decided to rewrite this review and try to make it as informational as possible. It started back in the hospital when the hospital arranged for us to talk to representatives from several hospices. Hospice Brazos Valley sent out a woman from the Bryan office who was lovely and respectful to my father and answered all my family's questions. She provided us with their book that ended up being a very useful guide that I read through several times, got our contact information and arrangements were made very quickly to have my father transferred back home by ambulance the next day. I was contacted by Wilbea Medical Equipment (through hospice), who came out and set up everything we needed before my father was discharged and trained me on how to use all the medical equipment. They were also patient as I took notes and repeated things so I could also train my other family members in how to operate the equipment as well. Honestly, they thought of everything. Several hours after my father was home, an intake nurse came and explained the process to us, made sure we had contact information, signs to post outside for having certain equipment and oxygen on site, another copy of their guide and literally went through every service and every question we could possibly have. My mother and I were also trained in how to administer medications we hadn't seen outside of the hospital before. We were given a schedule for nurses and home health aides to come out and care for my father and train us how to care for him between visits. As he rapidly declined, they quickly adapted to a more frequent schedule without us having to ask or advocate for his needs. They brought everything we needed as we needed it, including ways to administer medications when my father could no longer swallow. They were gentle with both my father and my family, and I do believe a community based organization like Hospice Brazos Valley has to be the definition of angels walking among us. This entire process didn't cost my family anything, which was hard to wrap my head around as everything had cost so much the prior 9 months. So it was fascinating to suddenly have supplies being provided if we ran low and not having to argue with offices over bills or coverage or make another run to Walgreens. The guide had so much information, I was glad to have my own copy to read in the middle of the night by my father's hospital bed. It included contact information for all their locations, a thorough breakdown of all the stages of hospice, how your loved one transitions and what each one means. It also contained a list of tasks to help get your loved one's affairs in orders, a page of local contacts for funeral homes, contact and explanations of home health aides and what they do, contacts for volunteers who could sit with your loved one if you had an appointment to attend, bereavement counselling and so much more. It was the most useful, tangible thing I held during the entirety of 2022 and I can't even explain to you how many resources I researched during that year once my father was diagnosed in early January. Their contact phone number handled everything, they even had stickers to put around the house so nobody would panic and not know who to call. When we had to first administer morphine, when we needed a message sent to a nurse, when we had a question about a service, it was the same number for all of it and the staff on the phone was equally as amazing as the staff that I dealt with in person. This included a middle of the night emergency we had, if we had needed a doctor or ambulance dispatched, and the first call when my father passed away. They did an excellent job preparing my family and I for each step as my father rapidly declined, and handled each of us very differently. I will never forget how kind they were to my mother or how many of my questions they answered privately because they could see the different needs each of us had. They really serviced my entire family, not just my father, in ways you cannot attach a cost to. The simple fact is, this was the most traumatic 9 days of my life. However, I can't think of a single thing Hospice Brazos Valley could have done differently to make it better, but I can definitely think of many, many ways they could have made it worse if they weren't so prepared and so compassionate. They earn every bit of these 5 stars and more.

Hospice Brazos Valley will always hold a very special place in my heart. I recently lost my father…read moreafter a long battle with cancer. During his last months of life, Hospice Brazos Valley tended to him at our home (Thank you, Kelly and Kalyn!). The care he received was excellent. The nurses were always respectful, efficient, kind, and prepared. They communicated well with each other, so nothing ever fell through the cracks. Hospitals could learn a lot from them. The day of my father's death, Kelly guided us through all that was necessary. I can't imagine what we would've done without her. I will forever be grateful for the care they gave my father and our family.

As victims of bullying themselves the staff are very knowledgeable in the effects bullying has on a…read morepersons mental and emotional state, which allows them to truly relate to their clients. We are one offers a safe place to address the bullying you are facing and can help you find healthy ways to cope. They also can offer you other resources if needed. If you or someone you know is being bullied I highly recommend reaching out to We Are One.

From the owner: Former victims of bullying who spoke up about it got in trouble for doing so. We got tired of that…read morehappening to others so we joined forces and formed this group.

Such a professional and sweet staff. Couldn't recommend enough if you are uninsured/ low income.read more

In house, everything was good: provider relation, treatment plan, etc. I got a call back and was…read moretold tests were negative with no other consult. They didn't try even try to explain what else it could've been or to schedule another appointment. It was like, "well it wasn't what we thought it was, youre stuck with whatever you have, good bye".

We browsed the selections after dropping off our donation. Helpful staff. Eclectic jewelry…read moreofferings along with lots of clothing and some interesting household items.

A thrift store not like any other I've been too. Looks like a STORE and not an unorganized garage…read moresale. Because of a recent move, probably 1/2 the stuff in the store is ours And the volunteers truly appreciate your contributions!