Taxis Fiesta and Yellow Cab donate $10,000 to
SPARK projects at McReynolds and Spring Woods Middle Schools

Houston, TX (May 17, 2009) – Taxis Fiesta and Yellow Cab jointly presented a $5,000 donation to fund the SPARK project at McReynolds Middle School and another $5,000 donation to fund the SPARK project at Spring Woods Middle School.

The SPARK School Park Program is a non-profit organization operating out of the City of Houston Mayor's office.  It was developed in 1983 as a way to increase park space in Houston by developing public school grounds into neighborhood parks that are open to the public after school hours and on the weekends. The SPARK projects are funded in part by the middle schools’ respective school districts, as well as the City of Houston Community Development Department and Harris County. More than 200 area schools have SPARK facilities.

Taxis Fiesta and Yellow Cab are major underwriters of other SPARK projects. “We appreciate all that Yellow Cab and Taxis Fiesta do for Houston. They are very good corporate citizens and make Houston's communities a better place to live,” said SPARK executive director Kathleen Ownby.

Taxis Fiesta and Yellow Cab have a longstanding relationship with McReynolds Middle School. The company employees serve as mentors to McReynolds students. "We are pleased with all the support that Taxis Fiesta and Yellow Cab have provided us in the last five years,” said Jorge Arredondo, principal of McReynolds Middle School. “We are especially thankful of the most recent donation that will help provide enhancement to our field space and give our students and community a great outlet to improve their team building skills and health.  The park will provide space for recreational soccer games, a seating area for parents and spectators, and a walking trail."

“Taxis Fiesta and Yellow Cab were the driving force behind the Spring Woods Middle School SPARK Park,” said Cynthia Chai, principal of Spring Woods Middle School. “We had never realized a middle school could have a SPARK Park until they worked in partnership with us.  Now thanks to their help and their donation, the school will have an area with two outdoor classrooms for student use.”

 Construction on both projects will begin this summer. The Spring Woods SPARK project will begin with the outdoor classrooms.. The second phase of the Spring Woods SPARK project includes soccer fields and a track, funded by Spring Branch ISD bond money.

Taxis Fiesta director of marketing and special programs Rosario Spinoso, McReynolds' Middle School principal Jorge Arredondo, SPARK executive director Kathleen Ownby and Yellow Cab president Raymond Turner.

Back row, left to right: Yellow Cab president Raymond Turner, SPARK executive director Kathleen Ownby and Taxis Fiesta director of marketing and special programs Rosario Spinoso. Second row, left to right: Spring Woods staff and faculty members Brenda Jo Seitz, Eddie Kelley, Cheryl Laucher, Nina Fanning and Principal Cynthia Chai. Front row: Spring Woods Middle School students.

 

About Taxis Fiesta

Serving Houston for 20 years, Taxis Fiesta is Houston’s only bilingual computer dispatched fleet.  With more than 200 independent contractor operated cabs, Taxis Fiesta’s taxi service is available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.  All cabs are equipped with digital cameras as well as Global Positioning Systems.  For more information, visit www.taxisfiesta.com

About Yellow Cab

Yellow Cab Company is Houston’s largest computer dispatched taxi fleet. With more than 1,200 independent contractor-operated cabs in the Houston area, Yellow Cab’s taxi service is available 24-hours a day, 365 days a year. All cabs are equipped with digital cameras as well as Global Positioning Systems. For more information, visit yellowcabhouston.com. 

About SPARK

The SPARK School Park Program combines the resources of the Department of Housing and Community Development, eight local school districts, Harris County, the private sector, neighborhood groups, PTA/PTO groups and concerned citizens to expand park facilities in Houston by making improvements to public school facilities. For more information about SPARK, visit SPARKpark.org.

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