THE WOODLANDS, TEXAS (April 10, 2020) – The Woodlands Township Board of Directors held a special meeting via videoconference at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 9, 2020 to discuss the Township’s community response to COVID-19.

The Township Board received a briefing from Dr. Charles Sims, a board-certified infectious disease specialist at CHI St Luke’s Health, who spoke in length about COVID-19, its impact on The Woodlands and future thoughts. Additionally, he encouraged residents to check out his podcast titled “Wash Your Hands, Don’t Touch Your Face.”

Chairman Gordy Bunch stated that Stay-at-Home Orders at the state level continue to remain in effect through April 30, 2020. Playgrounds remain closed and pathways remain open for walking, jogging and biking.

“This is an unprecedented time, and we urge Township residents and visitors to abide by the closures for their own safety and the safety of our area,” said Township Chairman Gordy Bunch. “We understand the importance of Easter Sunday to many of our families in The Woodlands and that it is a time for religious and family gatherings, but we must all be especially vigilant in practicing social distancing and not congregating in public areas. We cannot let our guard down in this endeavor.”

Director Bob Milner wanted to dispel a rumor going around in social media, primarily through teenagers stating there are “Safe Corona Free Social Circles.”

“There is no safe corona virus social circle program,” said Director Milner. “And it’s certainly not safe for teenagers to be out socially interacting with each other and our community. Their ability to transfer this disease to people that might be more susceptible to it needs to be taken into consideration.”

Director Dr. Ann K. Snyder provided an update on various non-profits including Interfaith of The Woodlands, Montgomery County Food Bank, Crisis Assistance Center, Meals on Wheels, YMCA, United Way Montgomery County and Mosaics of Mercy.

Mosaics of Mercy is a non-profit that serves as a hub for resources for mental well-being. Help is available Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 346-703-0051 for personal assistance navigating during this critical time.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) has a statewide mental health support line to help Texans experiencing anxiety, stress or other emotional challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This resource offers support for all Texans and can be reached any time day or night at 833-986-1919.

Director Dr. Shelley Sekula-Gibbs provided an update on the Township’s Help Our Heroes medical supplies drive. Since the program began on Monday, April 6, 2020, the Township has received 420 shoe/hair covers, 3,900 gloves, 35 face shields, 818 masks, 21 packages/wipes, 6 sanitizer bottles, 2 large liquid hand soaps, 23 isolation gowns, 263 safety goggles, 46 paper towel rolls and 3 Lysol cleaners.

Blood donations are highly needed. There are a few upcoming blood drives in The Woodlands, including one hosted by the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center at Entergy on Thursday, April 23, 2020 from 11 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Appointments can also be made to donate at The Woodlands Neighborhood Donor Center on College Park Drive. For more information and to schedule an appointment, please visit giveblood.org or call 936-321-8440.

Also at the meeting, Director Brian Boniface announced he was stepping down from The Woodlands Township Board of Directors due to being called to serve in the U.S. Army Reserve full time. Director Boniface was recently called into action for six months by the U.S. Army Reserves to provide aide to areas heavily affected by COVID-19.

Director Boniface said, “While this is a challenging time for our community and our nation as a whole, I believe the board needs to be fully staffed to handle the upcoming challenges. It has been an honor and privilege to serve what I consider the greatest community in the world. I want to thank all of our residents for confidence in me and allowing me to serve them for two terms. I would also like to thank the staff, our first responders, and fellow directors. You are at the center of what makes this community great and may God bless you and keep you safe.”

After the announcement, Chairman Bunch said, “God bless you and keep you safe as you deploy, certainly honorable to be in the reserves and be a nurse, you pull double duty for hero award this year. I know your family will miss you and we will miss you. We can’t thank you enough for your service to our community and our country.”

Please stay connected to The Woodlands Township through many communications channels. Learn more and sign up at www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov/stayinformed. Follow the Township’s official Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/thewoodlandstownship.

For meeting dates and more information about The Woodlands Township, or to view the meeting in its entirety, please visit www.thewoodlandstownship-tx.gov, or call 281-210-3800.

PHOTO: The Woodlands Township Board of Directors held a special meeting via videoconference at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 9, 2020 to discuss the Township’s community response to COVID-19.