The Lubbock Area Client Council and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas co-sponsored a community education workshop, “Getting Clients Involved”, on Saturday, October 15, 2005, at the Parkway Neighborhood Center, Lubbock, Texas. It has long been the desire of the Lubbock Area Client Council to reach out to the community in an effort to increase both membership and participation in its activities. In 2004, the Client Council co-sponsored a community workshop with the Texas Tech School of Law and Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas. That workshop inspired Ms. Rose Wilson, the President of the Lubbock Area Client Council, to make this attempt to reach out to the community at large.

It was decided to host this event in one of the predominately client populated neighborhoods in Lubbock in an effort to attract greater participation by clients. Rose Wilson worked tirelessly with Leticia Anaya, the Administrative Secretary for the Lubbock office of LANWT, to make the preparations and arrangements for this meeting. They contacted leaders in the Legal Services community throughout the state and invited them to come to Lubbock to reach out to the clients in Lubbock to provide them with pertinent and relevant information on a variety of subjects.

The welcome and introduction was given by Jesse Gaines, Chief Executive Officer of Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas from Arlington, Texas. The speakers included: Randall Chapman, Executive Director of Texas Legal Services Center in Austin, Texas, who spoke about utility assistance; Bruce Bower of the Texas Legal Services Center, Director of Advocacy & Client Services in Austin, Texas, who spoke about Social Security and Medicare/Medicaid Benefits; Dwayne Bilton, Chief Operating Officer of Lone Star Legal Aid in Houston, Texas, who spoke about Legal Services since the merger of the Texas programs; Wendy Ross, Associate Professor at Texas Tech Law School in Lubbock, Texas, who talked about getting clients involved; Amy McCormick and Janie Gonzales from the Low-Income Tax Clinic in Lubbock, Texas, who spoke about taxpayers’ rights; and Joel Howard, City Prosecutor with the City of Lubbock in Lubbock, Texas, who spoke about miscellaneous legislative changes dealing with traffic and financial responsibility violations. Maria Luisa Mercado, originally from Lubbock, but now from Galveston, Texas, was the keynote speaker at the luncheon, which was catered by Honey Child and sponsored by Jarvis Metal & Recycling, Inc. Refreshments were provided by United Supermarket.

The audience consisted of clients, community members and representatives of community agencies in Lubbock, Texas, and staff from Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas.

Aside from presenting Certificates of Appreciation to all the speakers, two staff attorneys from Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas, Tamara Slosser-Duncan and Rebecca Crump were honored with plaques of appreciation for their hard work and dedication to the Lubbock Area Client Council throughout the year.

Rose Wilson, President of the Lubbock Area Client Council said, “This was a very successful meeting and I hope that next year’s workshop will be even bigger and better. Thanks to all who participated”.