Friendswood ISD’s two intermediate cafeterias will be recognized on April 8, when Galveston County Health District will observe National Public Health Week and National Immunization Week by recognizing Public Health Partners. The county will present Gold Ribbon Awards to exemplary food service establishments.

        At 6:30 p.m., Gold Ribbon awards for excellent food service operators will be presented during a ceremony at the Wayne Johnson Community Center in La Marque. Galveston County Commissioners Stephen Holmes and Brian Lamb will be on hand to congratulate 66 recipients.
         Zue Bales Intermediate and Windsong Intermediate cafeteria staffs will be recognized and honored with the awards.
            Bales is receiving this award for the eighth consecutive year. This means that the cafeteria staff have been awarded the Gold Ribbon which means they have had no demerits on any health inspection for eight years.
            Bales’ staff consists of Manager Jeremy Arrowood, Barbara Curley, Eun-kyung (Rebecca) Lapp, Helen Jacobs, and Josephine (Jo) Castillo.
            This is the third consecutive year Windsong has been awarded the Gold Ribbon. They too have had no demerits on any health inspection during that period. Staff includes Manager Debbie Bayus, Lillian Davis, Silvia Reyes, Mandy Hayes, Sandra St. John, Cheryl Pickard, and Rosie Lujan.           
         "Bales and Windsong do an exceptional job of helping students flourish by the great food they prepare.  Both schools provide safe food by maintaining two of the cleanest kitchens in Galveston County.  The Gold Ribbon is a great accomplishment as the two schools are the only full service kitchens in Friendswood to receive the award!" FISD Food Director Joseph Fitzgerald said.
         The awards were initiated 14 years ago to identify food service establishments that show exemplary compliance with the Texas Food Establishment Rules as enforced by the Galveston County Health District.
Gold Ribbon award criteria includes the following:  the establishment must actually prepare food, maintain a record of satisfactory food temperatures, must have no confirmed food borne illness complaints, must have at least one certified food service manager employed, must have no significant number of demerits from inspections, must have a good cleaning and maintenance program, have evidence of staff discussions or training, and show special effort to comply with the rules by the use of food safety aids. 
         Health District sanitarians inspect more than 1,500 licensed food service operations in Galveston County to assure food safety and protect the health of consumers. Food Service inspection scores and a complete list of 2010 Gold Ribbon Award winners can be found on the District’s web site at www.gchd.org.