Bellaire To Honor 'Harvey Heroes And Helpers' Monday

BELLAIRE, TX — No one cares to celebrate Hurricane Harvey, especially those of us in the Greater Houston region, or anywhere on the Texas Coast for that matter. On Monday night, however, the City of Bellaire will celebrate the first responders and all others who helped with heroic efforts in the aftermath of the storm that devastated the city. Not only is there recognition, but also tokens of appreciation.

Bellaire Mayor Andrew Friedberg will give his annual State of the City Address during Monday's regular city council meeting. Everyone is invited to attend and cheer on the "Harvey Heroes and Helpers" portion of the State of the City Speech. Of course, folks can stick around to find out the actual state of Bellaire and what's in store for the future.

Schedule of Events:
6 p.m. – Harvey Response Recognition Ceremony
7 p.m. – State of the City as presented by Mayor Andrew S. Friedberg

The Bellaire City Council meeting and State of the City will both be in the council chambers, located at 7008 S. Rice Avenue.

Friedberg often writes in his city blog and blasts it out to the residents. Here's what he wrote regarding Monday's speech and celebration.

"Bellaire’s first responders and emergency operations personnel were truly heroic in getting us through the worst disaster we’ve ever experienced. Given the enormity of the situation, and that we were temporarily cut off from external resources until the waters receded, they couldn’t have done it without a little help from the community. Folks all over town pitched in where they could, in ways big and small, and working together got everyone to safety. To say that their efforts literally saved lives is not an exaggeration.

Our annual State of the City this Monday evening will very appropriately begin with a special ceremony to recognize those citizens and area agencies who played a crucial role in the rescue and response effort. Each will be presented a certificate and a small gift in token of our appreciation. To commemorate the event and their selfless service to others, the honorees will be invited to pose for group photos and sign their names on a poster mat that will frame an image from Harvey for public display.

Following the ceremony and a brief reception, we’ll continue with the State of the City. Our citizen Boards and Commissions will present their annual reports to City Council and the public, and I will give my 2018 State of the City Address. (Spoiler alert: Considering all we’ve been through the State of the City is pretty good, but there are tremendous challenges and uncertainty ahead, and we’re going to have to make some tough decisions in maintaining service levels post-Harvey.) Looking forward to the coming year we’ll also take a look back, at all the positive things we’ve got going for us and which will play a big part in our recovery.

Come on out Monday night and join us as we celebrate Bellaire and all that makes our wonderful community so special."

The Bellaire City Council meeting and State of the City will both be in the council chambers, located at 7008 S. Rice Avenue.

IMAGE: In this Sunday, Sept. 3, 2017, photo, volunteer Hashir Ayubi, of the the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association helps clean out a flood-damaged home in Houston. Harvey that dumped an epic 52 inches of rain affected residents of all income levels. It's becoming apparent that the working poor who struggled before the storm will have an especially difficult time bouncing back. Those workers often don't get paid if they take time off to clean up and recover. (AP Photo/Gregory Bull)