Kim Everett | December 27, 2010

I could say that my new year’s resolutions are the same as everyone else’s – eat right, exercise, lose weight, save money, and any other boring thing that people come up with to improve their lives.

I could say that, but it wouldn’t be true.  I like burgers and fries and chocolate shakes way too much to ever commit to something so drastic.  The taste of Snickers bars, doughnuts, and chocolate cake makes me really happy, too.  A resolution that would deprive me of the food I enjoy would simply never work.  I guess I won’t be losing weight any time soon either, since I’m not willing to give up great tasting food!

And exercise?  I could say I was going to do that, too.  But again – it wouldn’t be the truth.  It’s no fun, and to be honest, I don’t like to sweat.  By the time I change my clothes and shoes and do the necessary stretching and warming up, a 30-minute walk has become a major production, and I’m too tired to go through with it.  Besides the fact that it is a hassle, it causes pain, and I don’t understand why anyone would resolve to do anything that causes pain!  I believe that my time is better spent reading a book or sitting in front of the television where I can enjoy a constant, pleasant temperature of 73 degrees.

Saving money is not the most fun thing I can think of either.  I’ve never been one to worry much about money, or my personal lack of it, and I can’t think of a good reason to start now.  Things have always worked out OK, so why start fretting about it at this late date?  If I have more money than I need, it’s just going to give my kids something to fight about when I’m gone, so I like to think of it as spending my money now to save my kids from future heartbreak.

On a more serious note, if forced to put my philosophy of life into “resolution” terms, I would explain it as follows:
 

·         Find as much enjoyment as possible in every day.

·         Savor the little things.

·         Be grateful for what I’ve got, and don’t spend my time trying to get more than I need. 

·         In all dealings with others, remember that what goes around comes around. 

·         Let go of all anger and resentment.

·         Love more, pray more, and laugh more.

Though it is easy to spend the majority of the Christmas season preparing for the holiday itself - shopping for gifts, decorating your home and scheduling family time together - I hope you will find time to dwell on the “reason for the season” and to count your blessings.  Between Veterans’ Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas I always reflect upon how grateful I am for family, friends, faith, and freedom.  As a 29-year Air Force veteran, I know how difficult it is not being able to share this time of the year with loved ones, and I pray a special blessing of peace and safety upon those in harm’s way and their families.

When you gather with your loved ones this Christmas, I hope you’ll remember our military heroes who are far from theirs while defending our freedoms in Iraq, Afghanistan, and all corners of the globe.  Their safe and swift homecoming deserves to be at the forefront of our thoughts and prayers. 

During my nearly seven years as a Prisoner of War in Vietnam, I spent several Christmas holidays in solitary confinement.  That isolation meant no letters from home and no contact with anyone but my captors who tortured me mercilessly.

In fact, it was a dark and lonely night sometime around Christmas when my captors tried to break me during one of their routine torture sessions.  I mused how my excruciatingly painful experience during the time of Christ’s birth gave a whole new meaning to long-time popular Christmas lyrics, “Fall on your knees” in the classic O Holy Night. 

Consumed with longing for my wife and kids, for several years Christmas sadly came and went with only a few surreptitious “Merry Christmas” wishes shared between fellow prisoners by tapping on the wall and the faint sound of carols playing on a radio within the dank prison compound. 

A few years later, I received my first package from home during Christmas.  My wife had sent me a package filled with vitamins, toothpaste and “magic” gumdrops bearing top-secret messages about the San Tay raid and other inspirational information.  What a delight! 

That same Christmas, a group of POWs gathered for a church service, marking the first time we had been able to worship together in our nearly 7 years of captivity.  I will never forget the sense of hope filling my heart as we prayed together out loud and sang, “Silent night, holy night, all is calm, all is bright.”  That day, I was overwhelmed with thanks and consumed with gratitude knowing the Lord had intervened in our hostile environment. 

This holiday season, I would encourage you to consider sharing your blessings with those in need.  Whether it’s reaching out to a military family or donating food to a local food bank, there are many ways to give back to the community and help others. 

Operation Once in a Lifetime, a 501c-3 non-profit organization, accepts gently used clothing, electronics and furniture to help the men and women of the U.S. Armed forces.  Owned and operated by former U.S. soldiers, Operation Once in a Lifetime strives to ease the financial concerns of those serving our country.  Learn more at www.operationonceinalifetime.com.  Items are accepted at the resale center, located at 2540 K Ave. in Plano.

I also encourage you to listen to this song and video of local singer/song-writer, Helene Cronin, of Plano, performing “Lucky Me,” by going to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HnQmgx6y9-g.  The song is based on a true story, written after a conversation she had with a soldier at the Nashville airport.  You’ll find moving lyrics that spotlight the sacrifices of our men and women in uniform, and our bounty back home.

As we prepare to celebrate the good news of great joy, and the birth of Jesus Christ, may God bless you, and may He bless the United States of America.

Grand Hall, the maker of the D-Cleater sports conditioning equipment and the Eternal hybrid water heater, celebrates the holiday season by supporting local athletes.  Grand Hall donated $47, 960 worth of  D-Cleater resistance training equipment to Garland Independent School District high schools.  The units and equipment value being delivered to Garland high schools are below:                                                                                        

Garland High School                                (1) 48"         $5995

North Garland High School                       (2) 48"         $11,990

Rowlett High School                                (1) 48"         $5995

Sachse High School                                (2) 48"         $11,990

South Garland High School                      (2) 48"         $11,990

The equipment offers year-round strength and conditioning training for a variety of sports such as football, track, wrestling, and basketball.  The units are available in two sizes (48" and 72") and can be used indoors and outdoors to improve performance.

“In 1985, Grand Hall opened the U.S. office in Dallas, Texas. Since then, we introduced several products that were well received by the U.S. market. Now, we want to show our gratitude by giving back to the community and donating equipment that promotes a healthy lifestyle and regular fitness,” said Paul Home, Grand Hall’s Vice President of Products and Marketing.

High schools and universities across the nation use the D-Cleater in their athletic departments. The University of Texas at Austin, Plano West High School, Coppell ISD, Decatur High School, and Duncanville High School make up some of the locations where the D-Cleater can be found in Texas.

“The D-Cleater is a very valuable and functional resistance tool for off-season training.  It allows athletes to work on fit and proper drive technique while improving their conditioning level for football,” said Jeff Madden, Strength and Conditioning Coach for The University of Texas at Austin.

While Grand Hall has received praise for its sports equipment, it also has gained recognition for its Eternal hybrid water heater.  Eternal, the advanced water heating system, was voted the “#1 Cool Product” at the 2010 Pacific Coast Builders Conference, won the EcoHome Magazine Editor’s Choice Award, and made the Top 50 Innovative Products list by Professional Remodeler Magazine. The environmentally friendly product offers 98% energy efficiency and saves consumers money.  Eternal hybrid exceeds Energy Star standards and qualifies for Tax and LEED credits.  The hybrid delivers a constant supply of hot water even while multiple appliances are used simultaneously.  Additional benefits of the Eternal hybrid include:

• Stainless steel heat exchanger with built in 2 gallon reserve tank
• Easy and flexible installation – indoors or outdoors, floor or wall mount, 2” or 3” PVC venting
• Ultra low emissions (1ppm CO) leaves almost no carbon footprint and is safe
• Natural gas or propane convertible on the same unit
• Patented self-cleaning eliminates costly annual heat exchanger flushing
• 20 year residential and 10 year commercial heat exchanger warranty
• Available in two sizes GU145 (145,000 BTUs) or GU195 (199,000 BTUs)

Grand Hall USA, Inc. is located at 3838 West Miller Road in Garland.  For more information on the Eternal call 866-946-1096 or visit www.eternalwaterheater.com. 

Posted December 13, 2010

Habitat for Humanity of Greater Garland will raise funds by raffling playhouses this holiday season.  The playhouses will be on display at Firewheel Town Center Nov. 22 - Dec. 17, and the drawing will be Dec. 17. 

Raffle tickets for the houses will be sold for $5 each or 5 tickets for $20. They will be sold at the display,  at the Coldwell Banker Apex office at Firewheel Town Center (second floor across from Zales), and at our office at 1110 Main Street in Garland.

Call 972-272-8530 or email info@garlandhfh.org for more information.

Posted December 10, 2010

Three Garland High School graduates received Distinguished Alumni awards at the recent all school reunion at the school on South Garland Avenue. One, for William H. "Bill" Bradfield, Jr., class of 1943, was posthumous. Charles W. Smith, class of 1959, and Cathy Stricklin Krendl, class of 1963, were also honored.

Michael Hayslip, himself a Garland High graduate and author of two books of local history, briefed the lives of the honorees. Clay Bradfield received his late father's award, representing his mother, Clare Bradfield, a professional communicator through radio stations in Grand Prairie and co-author with her husband of four published books.

Bill Bradfield was exposed to news gathering early as his parents bought The Garland News in 1931 and sold it in 1958. At The Daily Texan at the University of Texas, he was reporter and columnist. The Air Force interrupted his college years, but even in the service he edited Air Force copy in New York, Washington and Greensboro, N.C.

Following discharge, he completed his degree at SMU. After graduation he worked fulltime for The News, which published three times a week in 1950 and five times a week in 1952. These were times of Garland's fastest growth, Hayslip said. Bradfield helped charter the Kiwanis Club and served as its first president. He married Clare Sargent after she joined the News staff as a reporter and feature writer.

After The News was sold, Bradfield edited The Texas Mesquiter and in 1970 started Financial Trend: The Newsweekly of Southwestern Industry and Investments. He planned retirement in 1985.

The books he and Clare wrote included Texas Towns from 'A' to 'Z': A Pronunciation Guide; Muleshoe and More and Tandem Towns of Texas. He also compiled Books and reading: A Book of Quotations; On Reading the Bible: Thoughts and Reflections of over 500 Men and Women from St. Augustine to Oprah Winfrey, and A Book of Ancient Wisdom: Over 500 Inspiring Quotations from the Greeks and Romans.

"Bill was a 'gentleman and a scholar' with a refined wit," Hayslip said. "He cultivated countless friendships, even before email, with clippings and notes of interest and encouragement. He was a deacon in his church, and in his last years, he periodically emailed groups of quotations from its library. From those I've saved comes a Will Rogers observation that Bill might've associated with this award: 'We elevate ourselves, but we should never reach so high that we would forget those who helped us get there.”

Charles Smith graduated from Dallas Institute of Mortuary Science in 1964 after finishing Garland High School. He worked 30 years for Restland Funeral Home, where he became a vice president. "Driving one of his 14 vintage cars and funeral vehicles, he's hard to miss," Hayslip said. Smith owns and operates four funeral homes: Eastgate in Garland and Charles W. Smith & Sons in Sachse, McKinney and Princeton. He also owns and operates his own cremation center.

He served 10 years as chairman of the advisory board for the mortuary college and is a past president of both the Dallas County and the North Texas Funeral Directors Associations. “It’s even rumored that Charles's golf clubs include a putter with a head shaped like a casket to distract his opponents," Hayslip added.

A 32nd degree Mason with the Garland Masonic Lodge and a member of the Garland Scottish Rite, he's also a member of First Baptist Church in Garland as well as being a former member and past president of Garland Optimist Club.

He belongs to the Sachse Cemetery Association, the Sachse Historical Society and is president of Lakeview Cemetery in Lavon. He is a member and past president of both the Sachse Lions Club and the Sachse Chamber of Commerce, which named him a "Person of the Year."            He is currently in his third term as a Sachse city councilman where he's served as mayor pro tem as well as chairman of Region 13 of the Texas Municipal League.

In 1961, Smith married Loretta Spurlock, GHS 1960, daughter of Bill Spurlock, class of 1938. The Smiths have two GHS-graduate sons, Scott, 1985, and Brian, 1987. Smith's brother, Glenn, is also a GHS grad, class of 1962.

Cathy Stricklin Krendl, class of 1963, is a corporate attorney practicing in Denver.

She came to Garland from the town of Glory, near Paris, Texas. She came from a long line of schoolteachers that continues today. Her late mother taught at Watson Elementary and at the old Memorial Junior High School. Her sister, Ellen Stricklin Fuller, class of 1965, is a retired Denton teacher and principal. Cathy's sister-in-law is a teacher.

"Anyone from Cathy's era recalls that her presence was ominous in any class graded on the curve, for even if A's were limited, Cathy seemed to have one reserved. She thrived on math and science, even contemplated pre-med, but also excelled in public speaking and won prizes in debate," Hayslip said. She was class valedictorian.

At North Texas State University, now the University of North Texas, Cathy abandoned the pre-med plans but continued debating and graduated summa cum laude. From here she entered Harvard Law School, where she finished with cum laude honors and her husband, Jim Krendl, a law classmate.

While her children were younger, Cathy taught for a decade at the Denver College of Law but eventually joined her husband in the business and commercial law practice of Krendl Krendl Sachnoff & Way. She has presided over the Denver Bar Association. On the firm's website, her many awards, as well as publications ranging from an eight-volume work on Colorado law to articles for legal journals in several states are listed.

This alumnae shares pride in the dozen lawyers of her firm, now among only a few in Colorado that US News & World Report considers top-tier counselors for mergers and acquisitions as well as corporate matters.

Surprising none of her Garland friends, Cathy still says, "I work really hard." Her daughters Peggy, Susan and Ann have earned multiple degrees and established themselves in professions from business management to cognitive neuroscience. "She also mentions two new grandsons, at least one of whom she probably plans to lure into the law, provided that he 'works really hard,'" Hayslip said.

The Special Ones Network held its third annual Christmas party for special needs individuals at the Hella Shrine Temple on Sunday, December 5.  More than 600 attended to have their photos taken with Santa, play games, explore a fire truck, ambulance and police car, and enjoy lots of activities and good food. 

Kristal and Dean Davis, along with help from family and friends, organize this free event each year.  The Davis’ have four children, and their youngest son, 17-year-old Evan, has autism.  According to Kristal, there are not many activities for special needs individuals, especially those over 18-years-old, and the Special Ones Network is determined to change that. 

“All our events are for ages 0-100.  Nothing is sadder than the few things available to the kids, then you find out once they hit 18 or 21 there is basically nothing for them at all.  They are too old,” Kristal said.  “Evan is close to ‘aging out’ too, so we are in this for the long haul!”

Kristal, who was not happy in her job in the insurance industry, had been praying for something more fulfilling to do when the idea for the first event, the 2008 Christmas party came to her.  She had thought about it before, but didn’t pursue it.  She said that when the idea came to her a second time, she couldn’t ignore it again.  “On, Sept. 9, 2008, that idea and strong feeling hit me again. I knew I could not say no or turn my back this time,” she said.

On Dec. 13, 2008, they had the first Christmas party in the gym at Orchard Hills Baptist Church.  The next morning, they began planning the first Easter egg hunt.  Dean, who is an umpire for the Garland Softball League, knew who to talk to about using the Carter Softball Complex for the hunt, and the first one was held in the spring of 2009 with more than 10,000 donated Easter eggs.  The Easter bunny made an appearance, and the Garland Softball Association gave each special needs child a free hot dog, chips, and drink.

Both events have grown each year.  Between the first and second years, the Christmas party attendance grew by 400 percent.  The second Easter egg hunt drew more than 450 people.

In addition to these events, the organization also hosts a Surf & Swim night for special needs individuals as well as vacation Bible school.

The Special Ones Network receives help from Orchard Hills Baptist Church and its members through cash and food donations as well as volunteer hours.  According to Kristal, most of the volunteers were from the church.  Jan Davis, Dean’s sister-in-law, enjoys helping with the events.  “When Kristal calls, we all come running,” she said.

The Davis’ children and other family members help out as well, and the Special Ones Network provides opportunities to students who need volunteer hours for school organizations.

Brad Wesberry, an Orchard Hills Baptist Church member who helps with the event, believes in the cause and supports the work that Dean and Kristal are doing.  “They started this thing with a prayer,” he said.

District 3 Councilman Preston Edwards, who was on-hand to help with the cakewalk at the party, has known the Davis’ for many years and was glad to have the opportunity to volunteer at the event.   

“They [Kristal and Dean Davis] have a heartfelt passion for these special children/adults.  I know they both feel God has called them to this special ministry,” Edwards said. They each have God given gifts and have worked tirelessly and will continue to work tirelessly to give these children/adults and their families a little happiness and fun as they deal with the challenges they have been given.”

Taco Casa donated the makings for nachos for the party so that each family was able to have a free meal.  A church member secured a donation from Frito-Lay for chips, crackers, and cookies for the attendees’ gift bags. According to Kristal, some of the families are only able to have one meal a day, and it meant a lot to have the opportunity to provide a meal and send snacks home with them.

Kim Everett | December 3, 2010

The owners and employees of Truly Noble Services, Inc. feel fortunate to have been able to keep their doors open in today’s tough economy and will be paying it forward this holiday season. 

They will offer free photos with Santa at their showroom location at 2909 Broadway Boulevard in Garland on Dec. 20, 21, and 22, from 5 p.m. – 7 p.m.  There will also be refreshments, door prizes, and fun activities.

Additionally, the Truly Noble Services, Inc. showroom is a drop-off sponsor location for the Toys for Tots Foundation.

“It’s not just a charity to us.  It is a moral obligation,” said Brandie Glover, the company’s marketing director.  “Without people paying it forward, there would not be an American spirit left.”

This is Truly Noble Services’ first year to provide pictures with Santa, but it is not the first time that the company has given back to the community.  In the past, they have provided items and services for individuals that were unable to afford what they needed.  Most recently, they installed sub-flooring at no cost for a wheelchair-bound customer.

The company is also working out details with Habitat for Humanity on how they can help them by providing products and community service hours.

Truly Noble Services, Inc. was started in 1989, and since then, the company has expanded to several other states.  It is family owned and operated and was built around sound values and morals. 

They offer cost effective services and remodels, and they work on jobs with individual homeowners, brokers, banks, investment and management companies, in every category of both residential and commercial.  The owners’ original goal was to provide a “one stop shop” for consumers, and they offer service on everything from the foundation to the roof.  Their slogan is “From the foundation to the roof, we’ve got you covered.”

The company’s coverage areas are the DFW Metroplex, Houston, Oklahoma, Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana.  In addition to the Garland showroom, they have one in Oklahoma City.  They employee local contractors and sub-contractors, as well as office staff for both locations. 

According to Glover, they are hoping for a big turnout at the photos with Santa event.  “It is amazing that such a thing as pictures with Santa Claus can lift the spirits of a child and family. So if we can pick up the tab, we are more than happy to do it,” she said. “Plus, we get to experience and enjoy the Christmas spirit on each and every child’s face that is in the pictures. That is definitely enough for us.”

Samantha Garcia | December 3, 2010

During the 2010 Catholic Foundation Fall Grant Ceremony, Garland’s St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church received a grant from the foundation in the amount of $42,152 for the renovation of their Curran Hall, the heart of the St. Michael community.

The grant ceremony took place in November at Mary Immaculate Catholic Parish where more than $638,000 were given to 15 local organizations, including St. Michael’s, which serve the physical and spiritual needs of the Catholic community. 

Minerva Moreno of St. Michael the Archangel Catholic Church said that the “blessed grant” will help fulfill several years of hard work in the renovation of Curran Hall.  Funds will help pay for the hall’s stage, furniture and appliances.

Kim Everett | December 1, 2010

The unstable economy has touched almost everyone, and the area charitable organizations are no exception.  Charities are often the first to feel the effects of tough economic times, with donation amounts decreasing, and the need for help increasing.

Even though Christmas is almost here, several Garland area organizations can still use the community’s help in providing food, toys, clothing, coats, and more to people in need.  Anyone who can help is encouraged to check the lists below and make donations as soon as possible.

Good Samaritans, located at 214 North 12^th Street, provides year-round assistance with utility bills, food, clothing, and more.  Their needs this year include:

• Wal-Mart gift cards so that the parents can receive a gift
• Non-perishable food items
• Coats, hats, and gloves for all ages
• Blankets for the homeless. 

Call 972-276-2263 for more information.

Joseph Ministry Food Pantry at Abundant Life Church provided meals for 35 Garland area families for Thanksgiving, and they hope to help at least that many for Christmas.  Take non-perishable food donations to the church at 1717 Castle Drive.

Call 972-272-8838 for information.

New Beginning Center, an agency that serves victims of domestic violence in its emergency shelter, has needs for its shelter and office. 

General agency needs

• Toner cartridges for printers

• Copy paper

• Paper towels and toilet paper

• Cleaning service

• Trash bags

• Storage shelving

• Oscillating fans

• Cleaning supplies

• Basic hygiene items

• Non-perishable food items

Emergency shelter needs

• Whole milk
• Women’s and children’s clothing including casual, business casual, sweaters, undergarments, sleepwear, coats, gloves, hats, socks, shoes
• Personal hygiene products including soap, lotion, dental items, deodorant, shave cream, razors, cotton balls, hair dryers, brushes, straightener, shampoo, conditioner, tweezers, nail clippers, tissues, Q-tips, body powder
• Video cameras mounted in playroom, activity room, two counseling offices, and all wired to a monitor with recording capability
• Household items including white twin sheets, pillow cases, bath and hand towels, washcloths, first aid supplies, dish towels, plates, mixing bowls, can opener, coffee pot, waffle iron, hand mixer, toasters, microwave, cookware, kitchen knives, baking sheets, carpet cleaner, air fresheners, cleaning supplies, grill, computer, fax machine
• Baby items including strollers, cribs, car seats, fold-up beds, play pens, diapers, pull-ups
• Storage building behind shelter

There is also a need for raffle items for fundraisers including restaurant gift cards, wine, jewelry, event tickets, movie passes, spa packet items, golfing items and green and cart fees, electronics, home decorative items, autographed items.  Call 972-276-0423 to help.

Hope Clinic provides healthcare services to residents who do not have insurance and are not eligible for other programs.  The clinic is located at 808 West Avenue A.  Their needs include:

• Office supplies
• Copy paper
• Toner cartridges for Dell 2335 printer
• English and Spanish Bibles
• New or gently used children’s books
• Cash donations for diabetes test strips and glucometers.

The phone number at the clinic is 972-485-9292.

Habitat for Humanity, located at 1110 Main Street, is a non-profit organization that partners with local individuals and organizations to provide safe, affordable, energy-efficient homes for qualified low-income families in the Garland area.  The agency’s needs include:

• Two computers
• Hammers
• Framing squares
• Heavy duty extension cords 50 feet or longer
• Rigid or DeWalt saw – 12” double bevel sliding compound miter, and table that it sits on
• Cash donations
• Land on which to build homes
• People to provide lunch to workers occasionally
• Mentors to teach new home owners about home maintenance

Call 972-272-8530 for information on donations and volunteering

Friendship House, located at 620 Avenue B, was organized in 1977 to help meet the needs of people who are out of work, physically disabled, or low income.  Their needs include: 

• New toys for children’s Christmas gifts
• Toiletry items
• Toilet paper
• Blankets
• Winter clothing, socks, underwear
• Coats, hats, gloves
• Non-perishable food items

Call 972-272-1010 for more information.

Jonathan’s Place, located at 6065 Duck Creek is a non-profit organization that takes care of children who have suffered abuse.  It serves as a temporary home for abused, abandoned, neglected children ages newborn – 17.  The agency’s needs include:

• Paper towels

• Toilet paper

• Paper plates

• Plastic eating utensils

• Children’s Tylenol and ibuprofen

• Children’s vitamins

• Canned food

• Duffle bags

Call 972-303-5303 for information.

McCall Avery, Office of Congressman Sam Johnson | October 25, 2010

Today U.S. Congressman Sam Johnson congratulated the members of the 2010-11 Congressional Youth Advisory Council after the first meeting in Plano. Johnson welcomed 46 students to the high caliber group comprised of freshmen to seniors residing in the Third District.

In an effort to inspire students from across the Third District to learn more about the United States government and generate interest in public service, Congressman Johnson formed the council in 2004.  CYAC students learn about government and the processes involved with shaping public policy as well as advise Congressman Johnson on issues important to the youth of the Third District when he meets with the students four times throughout the school year. 

“I firmly believe it is imperative to get our young people involved in their government and to allow them to see how government functions,” Johnson said. “My hope is the CYAC will create more interest among our teens to learn about how Congress works and how they can make a difference through public service.” 

To weave in the thread of public service, this year the members of the CYAC each will volunteer five hours to improve the quality of life within their community on behalf of the group.  

“We kicked off this year with one of the best meetings to date,” Johnson said, referring to the lively conversation on NASA, the healthcare law, and the national debt among other topics.

“The reality is that this generation will pay the price for today’s decisions in Washington.  It’s key that young people get active and get involved as their future is on the line,” said Johnson, who represents portions of Dallas and Collin Counties.

Kim Everett | October 22, 2010

Garland firefighters David Gott, Ivan Brooks, and John Perez will be boxing in the Ninth Annual Guns and Hoses Boxing Tournament tonight at Mesquite’s Resistol Arena.  This will be Perez’s first time to compete, Brooks’ fourth time in the competition, and Gott’s third.

According to Brooks, the event being for a good cause gets people who are not usually boxing fans involved in the fun.

Police officers Andrew Howe and Steven Antommarchi of Richardson will both be boxing for the first time this year, and they are happy to participate for the cause.   The officers’ wives, Lindsay Howe and Stephanie Antommarchi said that they are all for it.  “It’s a great cause,” they agreed.

“My brothers in blue would do the same for me if something happened to me or my family,” said Richardson Officer Eric Willadsen, who has boxed in the event in past years.

There is one female bout on this year’s card.  Candice Tjaden, a Lavon police officer will fight for the first time.  “It just seemed right to support the families of fallen officers,’ Tjaden said.

Firefighters and police officers from more than 20 North Texas communities are on the card for this year’s event.  Currently, the police officers have won four of the past eight tournaments, and the firefighters have won four.  This year’s event will break the tie. 

In addition to the group’s commitment of giving support and financial assistance to the families of fallen officers, the Guns and Hoses Foundation also provides financial assistance to benefit at-risk youth programs and various children’s charities.

The foundation was founded in 2002 and is managed by a seven-member board of directors.  Visit www.gunsandhosesnorthtx.org for more information.

Posted October 10, 2010

DALLAS – Half Price Books, the nation’s largest family-owned new and used bookstore chain, is inviting customers and other friends of the environment to determine how monies set aside from its current “B(eco)me Bagless” campaign will be earmarked.

Five environmental organizations have been selected from several dozen nominated by Half Price Books employees, including The Arbor Day Foundation, The Land Institute, The National Wildlife Federation, The Natural Resources Defense Council, and The Trust for Public Land. Visitors to www.halfpricebooks.com can cast a vote for their favorite charity once each day through Sunday, Oct.31.

The organization with the most votes will receive the $25,000 donation, and the remaining four organizations will each receive a $1,000 donation.

“We are truly grateful to Dallas-area customers, who are taking steps to preserve the environment,” said Kathy Doyle Thomas, executive vice president for Half Price Books. “Nearly 284,000 plastic bags have been declined this year through the ‘B(eco)me Bagless’ campaign.

[NOTE:  According to Rebekah Gannaway in the Half Price Books Public Relations Department, the Garland location at 3085 North George Bush Freeway had 20,441 customers decline bags during the campaign.  This translates into $1,022.05 from Garland area shoppers.]

The “B(eco)me Bagless” campaign is a key component of BecomeGreen.org, the Half Price Books environmental education initiative. “B(eco)me Bagless” encourages shoppers to decline plastic bags for their purchases or to bring their own reusable bags. During the campaign, the company is setting aside five cents for every shopping bag refused in its 110 stores nationwide and is earmarking the proceeds for BecomeGreen.org.  This is the second time Half Price Books has implemented its “B(eco)me Bagless” campaign; The Natural Resources Defense Council was the recipient of $25,000 through the project in 2008.

“The ‘B(eco)me Bagless’ program asks customers to reconsider their shopping habits,” Thomas said.  “Each year, 12 million barrels of oil are used to make plastic bags for American shoppers. It takes as much petroleum to make a dozen plastic bags as it does to drive a car one mile.  We want our customers to realize that by refusing a plastic bag at the checkout counter, they are positively affecting our environment.”

Earlier in 2010 through the “B(eco)me Bagless” campaign, Half Price Books made a donation of $20,000 to the National Audubon Society to aid in their cleanup efforts in the Gulf Coast region.

Half Price Books has long been a supporter of the environment, a commitment begun by founders Pat Anderson and Ken Gjemre more than 38 years ago. 

Garland resident helps students at nation’s newest university

David Porter, UNT Dallas | October 19, 2010

Posted October 13, 2010

GIVE FIVE TO END DOMESTIC VIOLENCE is an initiative to create awareness, educate, and lead the way to prevention of domestic violence in our community.  Beginning in October, the agency will launch GIVE FIVE with the support of local churches and organizations. 

This initiative is to bring to light the seven domestically violent related murders that have already occurred in the agency’s service sector and what can be done to stop the violence.  Compared to the 2009 murder rate for victims of domestic violence in northeastern Dallas and Rockwall counties, this represents an escalation of more than 150 percent.

As the costs rise for shelter, food, utilities, counseling, and transitional housing, New Beginning Center needs help to make sure no one falls through the cracks.  The support and awareness that can be generated will go a long way to ensuring that a mother and her children will sleep safely without fear of harm.  They’ll have clothes on their backs, a warm meal, and know they’ve come to a place that will do everything they can to help keep them safe.

Realtors knock down pins for domestic violence victims

Submitted by Shelia Brenner | October 11, 2010

Lakes Cities Association of Realtors recently held its annual charity event at Shenanigan’s in Rockwall, which benefited the programs and services provided by New Beginning Center.  Proceeds from the event will be presented to the agency at a check presentation, Thursday, Oct. 14.  Rhonda Crawley with Reunion Title, event chair and member of the Lake Cities Association of Realtors Affiliate Committee, helped organize the bowling tournament with sub-chair Susan Holt.

The event was a “knock the pins down kind of fun for the members of the association and certainly will help out an agency that does so much to help our community,” said Crawley.

Lake Cities Association Realtors incorporates Dallas, Richardson, Garland, Rockwall, Rowlett, Mesquite and other cities around Lake Ray Hubbard.  It provides members with the necessary tools to make their real estate businesses more successful by offering classes to further real estate careers and competitiveness, specific computer training for the industry, networking, links for real estate related resources, news and contract forms, and accessories designed specifically for the industry.

Posted September 29, 2010

Coldwater Creek, national retailer of quality fashion for women, is gearing up to host the fall segment of their semi-annual, nationwide "Try It On for the Cure®" initiative.  The one-day event, hosted on Sunday, Oct. 3, in every Coldwater Creek store, encourages women to stop in and try on clothes as a fun and easy way to join the fight against breast cancer.  Donations will benefit Susan G. Komen for the Cure® and its local affiliates.

"Try It On for the Cure®" is a simple program that has far reaching benefits, and no purchase is necessary to take part.  For everyone who enters a dressing room and tries on any item from their collection, Coldwater Creek will donate $1 to Komen for the Cure and its affiliates.

For those who make an in-store purchase during the fundraiser, the retailer will also donate 10 percent of the day’s sales to Komen. Coldwater Creek has guaranteed a minimum donation of $50,000 up to a maximum $100,000.

“I’m so proud to be leading a program that is all about women helping women, right here in our own community,” said Terry White, store manager of Coldwater Creek in New York City.  “Try It On for the Cure allows us to connect with local women who share the same passion we have for this cause in a united effort.  They do the trying on, which allows us to do the giving.  It’s a perfect partnership for a great cause.”

 “With one in eight U.S. women affected by breast cancer in her lifetime, it is immensely important that we continue to create awareness for this disease,” said Katrina McGhee, executive vice- president and chief marketing officer of Komen for the Cure. “We’re grateful for the longstanding and constant support of our friends at Coldwater Creek, who have done so much to advance Komen’s promise to save lives and end breast cancer forever.”

Supporting Susan G. Komen for the Cure® has become a passion for Coldwater Creek.  In all of the company’s 300 plus stores across the country, they execute multiple programs that focus on raising funds that stay within each local community.  During the company’s last national “Try It On for the Cure®” event in September 2009, Coldwater Creek donated more than $100,000 to Komen for the Cure and its affiliates throughout the U.S.

Garland’s Coldwater Creek location at 240 Cedar Sage Drive, Firewheel Town Center, will participate in this event Sunday, Oct. 3 from 12 p.m. – 6 p.m.

According to Yolanda McKnight, assistant store manager, they will start selling breast cancer awareness keepsake bracelets that day as well.

Kim Everett | September 27, 2010

The Garland Police Department Traffic Unit held its 10^th Annual Ronnie Lerma Car and Motorcycle Show on Saturday, September 25.  Cars and motorcycles, both classic and new, were entered in the show with 18 car/truck classes and seven classes for motorcycles.

Officer Ronnie Lerma was killed in a traffic accident in the line of duty September 21, 1998, and in his honor, all proceeds from the show will be donated to his favorite charity, Special Olympics.

Traffic officers spent time in a dunking booth, and children got a kick out of watching them fall into the water.  To add to the fun, little ones that couldn’t dunk the officers by throwing the ball simply walked up and pushed the button.  The kids also enjoyed playing in the bounce house and visiting with the firefighters and police officers. 

Several U.S. Marines were there with a pull-up bar and helped kids see how long they could hang on and how many chin-ups they could do.

In addition to looking at the motorcycles and cars, adults could take part in a silent auction and 50/50 raffle.

The event was held in front of Best Buy, one of the sponsors, located on North George Bush Freeway.  Other sponsors included Hyatt Place, Bass Pro Shops, Dallas Harley Davidson, and Randall Reed’s Park Cities Ford.

Kim Everett | September 14, 2010

The Achievement Center of Texas, located at 2950 North Shiloh Road in Garland, offers programs for special needs people of all ages; but most important, the clients receive love and respect.

Marilynne Serie, the center’s director, said that people with disabilities often do not receive the recognition and respect that they should.  “When people see someone with a disability, they shouldn’t automatically assume that there is nothing they can do, because they can do all kinds of things,” Serie said.  “Sometimes they are so underestimated.”

One example Serie shared was that of ACT’s receptionist, Laura.  Before she was hired as the center’s receptionist, Laura had been placed in a job where she called people to remind them to place donations on their porches for pickup.  She was being yelled at, cursed at, and told not to call again, and was unhappy with her job. 

Since Serie offered her the position 11 years ago, Laura has become an indispensable asset to the center.  She does computer work, signs students in and out, gives facility tours, answers the phones, and performs other tasks as needed. 

Laura works part-time at ACT, but she’s happy to come in extra days when she’s needed.  She also volunteers at Scottish Rite Hospital one day per week. 

Serie can’t imagine how she would get by without Laura’s help. “She wows everybody.  There were people that didn’t think she could do all these things.  She’s an inspiration to everyone,” Serie said.

Clients are encouraged to become as independent as possible by learning new skills through programs at the center.  In the Day Habilitation program, students learn functional living skills such as how to make beds, loading and unloading the dishwasher, laundry, setting the table, and light cooking.  ACT has a fully furnished apartment at the center where students are able to learn these skills, along with a library where they can read, be read to, or work on computer skills.

In the Arts Exploration Program, students are encouraged to pursue art of any kind.  Painting, drawing, singing, and dancing are just a few of the clients’ artistic pursuits.  These activities help them discover hidden talents as well as provide a means of self-expression. 

ACT even has its own in-house Elvis who performs in fancy costumes and throws scarves into the audience.  Although “Elvis” does not communicate verbally, he mouths the words, dances, and delights everyone.

ACT, along with the Garland Independent School District, hosts an annual Special Arts Festival that draws performers and artists from all over.  They also have an annual talent show.

Allison, a student in the arts program, has discovered that she has a talent for singing and dancing.  An outgoing young lady, who seems wise beyond her years, attended last year’s city budget hearings to ask the City Council to continue supporting ACT through the Community Development Block Grant program.

She told Mayor Ron Jones and council that ACT helps make people’s dreams come true and that she remembered people telling her she would never be able to learn things.  Then she told them how, for the last three years, she’s been singing and dancing in ACT’s festivals and talent shows. 

She ended her talk with a warning that she might have their jobs one of these days, to which Mayor Jones replied, “You have my vote.”

Serie has been at ACT for 24 years.  “I don’t ever want to miss work because of the kids and the smiles and the high fives, all of the warm fuzzies that make life worthwhile,” she said.  “The students are so important.  They just want to be respected and loved, and sometimes they don’t get that.”

Kim Everett | September 7, 2010

The Garland Jaycees hosted their 65th Annual Labor Day Parade on Monday, September 6.  Local politicians and hopefuls, high school cheerleaders, drill teams, and bands, pee-wee football teams and cheerleaders, boy scouts, and many more rode in the parade as onlookers enjoyed the show.
 

 

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New World area blessed with great neighbor

Submitted by Truett Welborn | September 1, 2010

Mr. Marty Bossman has lived in Garland’s New World area for at least 30 years and is a member of our Citizens on Patrol group.  He knows nearly everyone by first name because he walks a lot and talks a lot.  He has a big heart and loves everyone. Every neighborhood should be fortunate enough to have a Marty Bossman.

About two years ago his sister started growing her hair out for Locks of Love and encouraged Marty to do the same. For the last two years as Marty attended the Neighborhood Crime Watch Meetings, we’ve all had something to say about his long hair and asked when he was going to get it cut. “It’s growing for Locks of Love, and it is not quite long enough yet,” he always said.

Two weeks ago he quietly made a phone call to neighbor Carole George and asked if he could visit her. Carole had no idea what Marty had on his mind when he arrived, but he told her that he had made an appointment to get his hair cut and wanted her to do the honors.  He would then donate it to Locks of Love in her honor. Carole had chemotherapy about a year ago, and he sent her cards nearly every week and stayed in contact with her through the ordeal. 

The gesture was very special to Carole, and we want to let him know how much she appreciated him.  We also want to encourage others to do the same for people who are undergoing cancer treatment.

Posted September 2, 2010

Congressman Jeb Hensarling (Texas-05) announced that Thomas Ohlgren of Garland has joined his Dallas office as an intern.  Ohlgren’s responsibilities have included assisting the Congressman with administrative and legislative needs as well as providing constituent services.

“I am very excited about Thomas’s service in Dallas this summer.  Dallas County can be pleased about the high level of service he is providing to 5^th District residents.  He’s got a unique opportunity to learn valuable lessons about Congress through hands-on experience,” Congressman Hensarling said. 

Ohlgren attended Richland Community College last semester and plans to attend Hillsdale College and major in economics. He enjoys playing soccer in his free time and works at BJ’s restaurant in Mesquite.

He said that the internship has allowed him to gain “knowledge about the work of a congressional office, observe the role of the Congressman in relation to his constituents, and nurture his conservative views.”

Visit www.hensarling.house.gov for more information on internships.

Kim Everett | August 25, 2010

Mexicali Café and Cantina at Belt Line and North Garland Avenue hosted a fundraiser for Good Samaritans Thursday, August 19.  A portion of all receipts was donated to the Garland charitable organization, and additional donations were made as diners registered for the door prizes that were given every half hour.

Founded by the Ministerial Alliance of Garland in 1982, the mission of Good Samaritans of Garland, Inc. is to prevent homelessness and hunger in the city of Garland and the Garland Independent School District.  They work toward their mission in several ways. 

They provide utility assistance for both TXU and Garland Power & Light customers who meet the requirements. In addition, they give rental assistance to eligible Garland residents through a Community Development Block Grant.

Their food assistance program is funded by and receives donations from various sources.  Corporate sponsors, along with civic organizations, Boy Scouts, U.S. Postal Service, churches, and individuals, give generously throughout the year to help Good Samaritans keep their food pantries, refrigerators, and freezers stocked. 

Located at 214 North 12^th Street, Good Samaritans has various volunteer opportunities and appreciates the community’s help.  Just a few of the tasks they need help with are:  performing general office duties; researching and writing grant proposals; running errands; greeting clients; fundraising and event planning; language translation; helping in the pantry; and yard work.  Call 972-276-2263 for volunteer information.

Posted August 22, 2010

Century 21 Judge Fite Company is announcing the launch of the 21st Century Child: Picture the Future photo-sharing contest. By participating, families throughout Garland can help raise money to benefit children and families living with autism.

Nationally, the Century 21(r) System and its partner, Easter Seals, are asking families in the United States - whether personally affected by autism or not - to visit 21Centurychild.com and share a favorite photo of their child (ages five and younger) and an inspirational message. After the photo is uploaded, participants are encouraged to share their photo and fundraising campaign profile with family, friends and others through their social network. For every photo uploaded, the Century 21 System will make a donation to the cause.

Beginning August 1 and running through September 30, this photo-sharing campaign unites families to support, inspire, and empower those affected by autism. The contestant that generates the highest amount of financial contributions will win a $2,100 Apple gift card. The next six highest fundraisers will win an Apple iPad.

All money raised by the contest will help Easter Seals and Act for Autism provide families affected by autism with the assistance they need, including emotional support, equal access to treatment and innovative coping strategies.

"Century 21 Judge Fite Company is proud to support the Easter Seals' Act for Autism campaign and we hope our local families will do the same," said James Fite.

Complete rules and regulations are available at www.21Centurychild.com.

The cast and crew of “Chase,” a new NBC series that premieres Monday, September 20 at 9 p.m., were filming in downtown Garland today.

The drama is centered around a team of U.S. marshals, led by Annie Frost (portrayed by Kelli Giddish), who pursue America’s most dangerous fugitives.  The NBC website describes the main character as a “cowboy boot-wearing deputy whose sharp mind and unique Texas upbringing help her track down violent criminals on the run.”

The series also stars Cole Hauser, Amaury Nolasco, Rose Rollins, and Jesse Metcalfe.

Posted August 15, 2010

The Achievement Center of Texas is looking for golfers, teams, and sponsors for its Fourth Annual Golf Tournament on October 11.  The tournament is presented by Berry Family Services, and once again, Ira Terrell, NBA and SMU basketball great, will serve as the celebrity host. 

The tournament, which will be held at the Prestonwood Country Club, Hills Course, at 6600 Columbine Way in Plano, will feature a 1:30 p.m. shotgun start, a buffet dinner, door prizes, a silent auction, and awards.

Tournament golfers and their spouses are invited to a complementary “Get Acquainted with ACT” dinner featuring enchiladas from Agave Azul Mexican restaurant and margaritas at the ACT campus on Saturday, October 9.  The dinner will feature tours of ACT and live entertainment by James "Elvis" Wages, Champion Elvis. 

All proceeds from the tournament will benefit the students of ACT.  For additional information and to sign up to play or help sponsor the event, contact Pat Nichols at 972 484-8227 or 214 477-2852 or sidekickfan_1@netzero.net.

Visit the ACT website at www.achievementcenteroftexas.org.

Local church helps feed those in need

Submitted by Kathy West / August 10, 2010

A group of members from First Presbyterian Church of Garland took the initiative to do something that has been discussed by various church groups and organizations for the past few years.  They hosted a community dinner and invited those who are in need, homeless, or just hungry. 

Although 350 people were registered to attend, only a handful made it to the church on West Avenue B on August 2.  These few people enjoyed a full course spaghetti dinner prepared by Louis Gold and his fellow volunteers from First Presbyterian.  For dessert Good Samaritans of Garland donated ice cream, and there were door prizes for everyone who attended donated by Good Samaritans. 

“We are hoping,” stated Louis Gold organizer and cook, “that this will catch on, that other churches will take hold of this idea and do something of their own.  There are a lot of people out there who can benefit from a meal and some socializing and networking.”

As a result of this dinner and volunteers from the church socializing with the invitees, it was discovered there was a great need for bi-lingual Bibles for students taking ESL classes at the church.  First Presbyterian Church has now ordered Bibles to give to these class members upon graduation.  

SGHS graduate has busy summer
on ExxonMobil Green Team

Posted August 2, 2010

South Garland High School 2010 graduate Akedio Sharp is busy this summer with the ExxonMobil Green Team where he works, attends classes, and performs community service.  He is working as a paid intern at the Dallas Arboretum, where he participates in staff meetings, assists in the maintenance of the Arboretum’s premier horticulture displays, and observes coordination of work crews.  He has participated in all phases of the gardening process.

On Wednesdays, Sharp attends instruction from the Maguire Energy Institute at Southern Methodist University and attends classes in career exploration, leadership development and environmental engineering.  On Fridays, he takes part in educational field trips and activities, which include community service projects.   He works with  the Service Learning Adventures in North Texas program and is helping with the renovation of the West Dallas Community Center.

One of his favorite things about the program is the community service.  “I really like giving back,” he said.  “We are agents for change.”

Sharp will attend Miles College in Birmingham, Ala. this fall and plans to be a math teacher and football coach.

He is wise in a way that few young people are, and he takes none of the credit for the success that he has already achieved.  “Without God I wouldn’t be able to do it,” he said.  About his parents, he said, “They keep me going the right way and help me keep my head on straight.”

Sharp’s advice for other young men and women is:  “Strive for your goals and don’t ever give up."

Sachse girl scouts make Walt Disney World their classroom

Posted July 31, 2010

Students from Girl Scout Troop #2287 of Sachse traveled to the Walt Disney World Resort in June to take part in the Disney Youth Education Series Program, "Magic Behind the Show: Improv and Teamwork."

Each year, groups from around the world travel to Walt Disney World to take part in one of the several Disney Y.E.S. programs offered throughout the resort.  Most of the programs take place in and behind the scenes of the world-famous theme parks.

Areas of study include career discovery, life management, physical science, natural science, history, and art and humanities. The programs use varied resources onstage and backstage to bring real world examples to the learning experience. These two- to three-hour interactive educational experiences are available at both the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida and Disneyland Resort in California. They are led by professional Disney facilitators who help guide the students and assist them in understanding the key lessons.

For information, visit www.DisneyYES.com or call 800-603-0552.

Garland's first Hispanic family holds reunion

Posted July 27, 2010

The first Hispanic family of Garland, descendents of Maria and Manuel Valle, had a reunion last weekend to celebrate 82 years of being members of the Garland community.

A welcome party for the out of town guests was held in Fort Worth on Friday, July 23rd at Eugenia Greenleaf's home.  The California guests honored were Hanna, Pete, and Joe Carlson, children of Eugenia's sister, Lupe Valle Carlson.

The big reunion was Saturday, July 24 at the Granger Recreation Center at Central Park, and 127 members of the Valle family attended.  Mayor Ron Jones came by to welcome all the attendees.   

On Sunday, July 25, a swimming party was held in Arlington at the house of Michael Greenleaf and James Foster.  The celebration continued with fellowship and lots of good food and reminiscing.

Mike Hayslip publishes family memoir detailing 19th century life in N. Texas

Kim Everett / July 25, 2010

Three-year-old Kate James arrived in what is now called Garland, in 1855. Along with her family, she lived through trials and hardships such as the loss of her mother at an early age, natural disasters that included severe cold and drought, and the Civil War. In 1927, at the request of W. A. Holford, “The Garland News” publisher at the time, she shared her memories of pioneer life.

She was 76-years-old when she wrote her memoirs, but her memory was sharp, and she possessed a talent for writing vivid and descriptive accounts of historical information. She even remembered the names of the horses that pulled their wagon from Tennessee to Texas along with the names of the dogs that made the trip with the family.

With amazing clarity, James wrote detailed descriptions of what life was like in those early days—she told how houses were built, how household chores were carried out, and how cotton was cleaned, and the processes they went through to transform it into the cloth from which they made their clothing.  She wrote about how the schools and churches were run and the games the children played.

She described the heat during a drought in a way that a majority of Texans cannot fully understand, as most everyone nowadays can escape into their air-conditioned homes. 

“The air on hot afternoons was almost unbearable. One could see heat waves rolling across the prairies like thin smoke.  No one starved, though there was great hardship,” she wrote. 

James lived during a time that people today cannot even imagine, a time when a round trip to Dallas was an all day undertaking. They began the journey by sun-up and arrived in Dallas at approximately 10 a.m.  

Store-bought toys were unheard of, and the kids played with balls made from the raveling tops of discarded socks and rag dolls made of whatever material they could find.

The beginning of the Civil War marked even harder times. They carded, spun, and wove cotton to make clothing for the soldiers and made buttons from gourds. James’ three brothers who fought in the war returned home safely, but all were not so fortunate.

“Fathers, husbands, and sons bade farewell to loved ones to never return,” she wrote.

A wise observer of human nature, James wrote that people were more forthcoming with their emotions when she was a child. “The bereaved would weep and wail and tell the world of their sorrow. Now every emotion is suppressed. I wonder sometimes if our hearts are turning to stone, and in time will not feel at all,” she wrote.

James’ memoirs, along with some other works, have been edited and assembled by her great-great grandson, Michael R. Hayslip, into a fascinating historical account of pioneer life in Dallas County. The book, complete with photos and drawings, is called “Sketches of Kate James: Dallas County Pioneer.”

“Grateful as I am to have fallen heir to such a comprehensive collection of memoirs from early Garland, I'm even more relieved to have completed this edition for distribution,” Hayslip said.

“My great-great grandmother's life ended more than a decade before mine began, but anyone who samples her writings realizes that she intended her perspectives to be widely shared. I think she would be pleased with the book.”

Hayslip will participate in the “New Writers Event and Reception” at Barnes & Noble at Firewheel Town Center on Saturday, July 31.  The event will be held from 10:30 a.m. to noon.  Books will be offered for sale, and the authors will sign books from 11:45 a.m. to noon.

The book is published by the Garland Landmark Society Inc. Visit www.garlandhistorical.org for more information.

Habitat for Humanity helps families realize American dream

Kim Everett / July 19, 2010

Gale Dunn and her colleagues from Lake Cities Association of Realtors are making a positive difference in the lives of others through their work with Habitat for Humanity.  As a past president and current board member, Dunn asked her co-workers for help three years ago, and they’ve been volunteering ever since.

Dunn is involved in the entire process – from serving on the family selection committee, to helping with the actual construction of the home, to the party when the homeowners are given the keys. 

“I have been so blessed working with the families who qualify for a home...I love the dedication day when the homeowners are given gifts such as bread (that they may always have food on their table), flowers (for renewing of life), a tool box with tools (so they can maintain their homes) and most of all the keys to their own home,” she said.  “There are many tears shed on those days…  It is so heartwarming.  I wish everyone could qualify for a home and realize the American dream of homeownership, but that is not possible.”

Rodney Rowan, president of Lake Cities Association of Realtors, finds the work to be a positive experience for several reasons.  “I look forward to this event every year.  You get to meet the family when you are there working.  They have to work so many hours in order to fully qualify for the home,” he said. “I like the physical part of it, since being a realtor is not really a physical job.  I learn something new every time from the supervisors.  It is all about giving back to the community where I have been raised.”

Along with Dunn and Rowan, Masoud Amini, Rosalinda Vazquez, Ivan Delgado, Susan Holt, Pat Standfier, Randy & Ricky Wiley, Kim Smith, Bob Huskerson, Robin Croley, Rhonda Cowley, Lori Bass, Lisa Spears, Mike Sarnacki, Rosanne Fett, and Jennifer Beaty, along with her daughters and a friend, are currently working on the construction of a Habitat home at 128 E. Taylor in Garland.

Anyone wanting to volunteer is welcome.  Businesses with several volunteers should coordinate with Sally Muhl at pmuhl@garlandhfh.org or 972-839-3046.  Everyone is welcome, but to keep groups busy, the organization needs to schedule volunteer dates and times.

How it works

Families attend a meeting to learn the requirements for participation in the program.  “The organization is a helping hand, not a ‘give me’ program, “Dunn said.  They provide the same information as everyone does when applying for a home.  There are credit checks and rental and employment history verifications.  The organization tries to help the most needy obtain a home.  They are careful, however, not to put someone into a home that may not be able to make the payment, which would only serve to set them up for failure. 

Habitat homeowners who partner with the organization must put in 250 sweat equity hours if they are a single or single parent, 350 sweat equity hours are required for couples.  They must save $1,000 for the first year’s insurance, and they make regular payments to Habitat, who acts as the mortgage company.  They pay their own insurance and taxes, but they are not charged interest.  The home payments are currently running between $450 and $500.

“Obtaining lots is our biggest worry.  We have a lot of volunteers to help with the build, but the lots are very hard to come by.  A number of companies will send out their employees to work on a home to help the employees work together in a team building effort.  We so appreciate the help,” Dunn said. 

GHS graduate excels at Duke

Submitted by Stuart Wells and Janet Thompkins / July 14, 2010

On June 9 Cameron Allan Thompkins of Garland was one of 2,018 students named to the dean’s list at Duke University for the spring semester.  Thompkins major is in music composition, with possible minors in Spanish and comparative international studies.  He’s active in the marching and pep bands and also performs with the jazz ensemble. 

He is also a frequent performer on Wednesday nights at the Mary Lou Center on Duke’s west campus.  The once-a-week open mic night at the MLC was created for young jazz artists and musicians by John Brown, Duke’s director of the jazz program, to honor the memory of music legend and former Duke artist-in-residence, Mary Lou Williams.

During his first semester, Thompkins had an opportunity to perform with Branford Marsalis (www.dukenews.duke.edu/2009/10/marsalis.html) in Pegram Hall.  Since joining the jazz ensemble, he has played with legendary musicians such as Vince Gardner (trombone), Ray Codrington (trumpet), and Monty Alexander (piano) (www.dukejazz.org).

During a campus-wide competition called “Froshlife,” Thompkins co-scored a short film entitled Skew that won first place (http://web.duke.edu/froshlife/movies_10.html).  He performed saxophone on the film soundtrack as well.  He also wrote the score for a YouTube film entitled A Day with DUPK & Friends (Duke Parkour) that depicts Duke and North Carolina State University students performing major feats on Duke’s campus (www.youtube.com/watch?v=DYqSuAaHeqk).  He will continue to work closely with the film department to prepare for a career in film scoring, but jazz will always be his number one passion.

Thompkins was a 2009 honor graduate from Garland High School.  His parents, Carter and Janet Thompkins, and sister, Samantha, a junior at GHS, are proud of his achievements.

Author keeps family stories alive

Kim Everett / July 14, 2010

Kay Wheeler Moore, a Pulitzer Prize-nominated reporter and Garland resident has published two family history/recipe books, Way Back in the Country and Way Back in the Country Garden.

In the books, Moore chronicles her relationship with her close knit family by weaving anecdotes and family recipes together to describe her Texas upbringing to her readers.

Moore says that her mother and aunts wanted to bring their own histories to life by taking her to the places where they grew up and experienced the milestones in their lives—the house where they lived in Cooper, Texas, the site of their baptisms, and even the location of the hospital where they had their tonsils removed. “They worked very hard to re-create that for me; they wanted to make that come alive for me.” 

The use of storytelling that Moore learned from her mother and aunts is applied in her recipe books that are filled with her family’s stories about home cooked meals assembled by using fresh ingredients from the family garden. “They wanted me to know that it hadn’t always been a matter of running down to Safeway or Kroger when you wanted something for dinner. They used to just go out back and pick their food from the garden. They wanted me to know how they lived,” she said. 

These skills she first learned as a child also helped her in the newsroom during her career as a journalist for publications including the Houston Chronicle, where she was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize for a series of articles she wrote that detailed her experiences when she found her birth mother in 1979. Moore explained that at that time, adopted children rarely searched for their birth parents, because it was difficult to find information. “Adoptions were handled differently then, everything was a secret,” she said.

Moore believes that being a curious reporter contributed to her desire to document her family’s stories. “We have to be good stewards of what we know and preserve it,” she said. “As a newspaper, I feel like we did the community a real service—just to walk through one person’s experience and show how it turned out.”

Homecoming—back to Garland

When she married her husband, Louis Moore, in 1969, Moore moved away from Garland, but returned in 2000 and said she feels privileged to have been able to do so. “My mom and her sister, aunt Frances, were both in their 90s, so we moved back to take care of them,” she said. Both have since died, but the family stories and recipes Moore learned from them and their sister, Bonnie, live on in her books. 

Moore said she has had a relationship with her birth mother for more than 30 years, but explained that every situation is different. “Having a relationship with a birth mother may not be right for everyone,” she said. But for her, it has been a blessing. “The more we know about people who’ve gone before helps us understand more about ourselves. “Garland was just the most precious town in the world to grow up in,” she added. “I was adopted, and I feel blessed that my birth mother was here when I was born. In a sense, it’s like she picked Garland for me.”

In regard to the city’s transformation during her lifetime, Moore said there’s a vast difference in today’s Garland and the one she left in 1969. “I wish my parents were here to see Firewheel [Town Center] because they always felt like Garland should have a mall. All that land out where it is was in the country back then,” Moore said.  “But even with the way it has grown, Garland still has a small town feel.”

Moore’s book, Way Back in the Country Garden, can be purchased at the Generator Coffee Shop at 107 N. Sixth St. (located on the square) in downtown Garland.

You can print coupons for the Generator (50% off second item purchased) and other local restaurants here: http://www.thegarlandtexan.com/downtown%20section.htm

Moore has also authored a book about adoption, Gathering the Missing Pieces in an Adoptive Life, which along with the newspaper series, personal conversations, and lectures she has given, has helped many people. 

Heather Miller:  An all-star among us

Kim Everett / June 28, 2010

Heather Miller, Garland resident and busy mom of four sons, was one of the three finalists for the Texas Rangers in the “People All-Stars Among Us” competition sponsored by People Magazine and Major League Baseball. 

Words like amazing and remarkable come to mind when considering ways to describe Miller, who took a negative situation and transformed it into something wonderful.  It all started when she and her husband, Curt, were told that their special needs son, Ben, could no longer play baseball on the team with his twin brothers, Sean and Chase. 

Ben had played on the team with his older brother, Nicholas, for a while, but as the other kids grew, he remained smaller and was developmentally behind this age group.  So he moved to the age group of his younger twin brothers, and everything worked out for a while. 

He loved playing baseball, and it made him feel good about himself.  It provided much needed time when he wasn’t in speech or occupational therapy, or special schools, or at a doctor’s appointment.  He was just a kid playing a game he loved.

Letting him bat first and run the bases without it counting as a run or an out accommodated Ben’s disability.  When on defense, he was in the outfield where the ball was never hit, and the outcome of the game was never affected. 

That changed later to where officials wanted to give the team an out every time Ben got up to bat.  Miller has no idea why anyone would have considered that to be fair, but that is what the league came up with.  “If Ben is on your team, when it’s his turn to bat, it’s an out.  Then you have his own team not liking him,” Miller said.

“As he got older, it became more detrimental.  The kids wouldn’t want Ben on their team.  Then you’d hear things like ‘Don’t throw it to Ben, he can’t catch.’”  Hearing another child say that was one of the most heartbreaking things that ever happened to Miller.  “He was just a kid,” she said.

When Ben was about 10- or 11-years-old, his parents got the phone call from the league informing them that they could not let him play anymore because they could no longer make modifications for him.  They suggested that Ben play in a league for special needs children in Allen.  But Miller grew up in Garland, and it is their hometown.  She wanted him to play here.

“People in Garland help each other.  We all stick together.  I’ve had lots of people call and ask me how they can help.  What a great town this is.  What great people we have here” she said.

Being told that he couldn’t play anymore took away one of Ben’s only opportunities to have fun, and his parents were upset and angry.  “You have all these dreams for your kids, and one by one they were systematically taken away.”  The one thing that made Ben feel like the other kids was being taken away.

Within minutes, the anger transformed into determination to correct the situation. “I’ve always been stubborn.  If you tell me it can’t be done, I’m going to find a way for it to be done,” she said.  “Don’t tell a mom no.”

And the Buddy League was born.  It started with Ben and 10 other kids in 2002 and has grown to more than 100 kids.  Non-disabled young volunteers are paired with special needs children to help them bat and run the bases.  Lasting friendships are formed, and the volunteers are certain that they learn more from the experience than the kids with disabilities.  The league plays both spring and fall baseball at Bradfield Park on Saturday mornings and is funded through donations.  Guns & Hoses, the Naaman Forest Student Council, and Garland Sports Hall of Fame have all contributed to the cause.  In addition, parents of volunteers often make donations, and the league has even received a donation from Emmitt Smith.

Miller knew that Buddy League was going to be about more than baseball.  It was also going to give parents an opportunity to help and support each other and help siblings realize that there are other families like theirs.  Miller also hoped to find a way to help kids understand and appreciate differences in people in a way that was not preachy.

Sadly, it isn’t just children that need more understanding about differences.  Miller recalled a time when she overheard a mother jokingly tell her daughter that she looked retarded.  She remembers thinking, “What does retarded look like?  Does it look like that beautiful child I have at home?”

Parents of kids with special needs just want them to be able to have fun like other kids and make friends, and Miller has made that possible through Buddy League.

 “It’s a huge honor to be a finalist in this contest, and a big win for all the kids in Buddy League,” Miller said.  “And even if we don’t win, we did win.  Everybody wins in Buddy League, the players, their families, and the volunteers.  We are one big family – a very big supportive family.”

Miller is proud of all her volunteers and predicts, “Keep watching them…They are going to do some big things for this world – just watch.”  She’s also happy and grateful that her other sons and her husband are committed to the success of Buddy League and freely give their time and energy.

When he was about 15-years-old, her oldest son Nicholas said, “Mom, now I know why God gave Ben to our family.  It’s because there needed to be a Buddy League.”

Car enthusiasts show off vehicles

Kim Everett / June 23, 2010

Gasoline Alley Car Shows held its regular third Saturday of the month show at Mexicali’s Mexican Restaurant on Belt Line Road in Garland on Saturday, June 19.  The show, which was open to cars, trucks, and bikes, lasted all day and drew numerous owners from around the area.  Classes included muscle cars, street rods and roadsters, import cars, open cars, convertibles, trucks, and open trucks from the 1930s to the present.

For additional information on shows and dates, visit www.gasolinealleycarshows.com.