Brazos 360

WINTER 2016

360 PROFILES

Scott Medlin William Schanning Brenda Sims

AGGIE HISTORY

The Texas A&M campus was once home to a zoo

FIVE FUN FOOD FINDS THE WATSON FAMILY

Desserts that will sweeten up the holidays

FAITH AND FAMILY How one local household finds strength in prayer and each other

307 University Drive • College Station, TX Since 1974

Good Burgers Cold Beer Mixed Drinks

EEXPERIENCE THE TRADITION

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

GEORGE BUSH

LIBRARY’S

newest exhibits

D

rive over to the Bush Presidential Library to see the final phase of our current exhibit, “Driven to Drive: Defining our Identity”. This exhibit tells the story of the automobile through historical objects, interactive media and handson displays, highlighting cars from the 1970s and beyond. The exhibit will run through October 16.

The Bush Presidential Library’s newest exhibit, Pearl Harbor Remembered, is dedicated to many facets of the

Pearl Harbor attack, including digital images and documents on loan from each of the presidential libraries dating back to FDR. One of the centerpieces of the exhibit will be the specially restored video and audio of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s hallowed “Day

of Infamy” speech. The exhibit will be open through December 31, 2016. For more information visit bush41.org.

For more information about these and other great events call (979) 691-4014, email reservations.bush@nara.gov, or register online at bush41.org.

bush41.org 979.691.4000 @Bush41 @Bush41Library

ON EXHIBIT MAY 16, 2016 - JAN 8, 2017

Exhibit Dates: Aug.THROUGH 8 - Oct. 16, 2016 1970S 1960s AND BEYOND: NOW JAN. 8, 2017 1970s and Beyond: Oct. 24, 2016 - Jan. 8, 2017

1000 GEORGE BUSH DRIVE WEST COLLEGE STATION, TEXAS 77845

Pearl Harbor 75th Anniversary Commemoration Exhibit now through December 31, 2016

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Inside

EVENT CALENDAR

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Holiday events, dance showcases and big-time musicals are on the horizon.

BY THE NUMBERS

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Figures on Aggie bowl games, Christmas songs and the priciest items in the Neiman Marcus holiday catalog.

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PERSONALITY PERSONIFIED 14

Brenda Sims looks back at her KBTX career, family and sense of humor.

COVER STORY

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Molly and Davis Watson share how faith has helped their family of five.

LIGHTING UP CHRISTMAS 20

Scott Medlin of Santa’s Wonderland discusses the work and fun behind the enormous Christmas theme park in south College Station.

SERVICE WITH A SMILE

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A&M’S ZOO CREW

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William Schanning, a friendly face at Caffe Capri in Downtown Bryan, talks about his passions for service, charity and the community.

A flashback to a historical oddity: when there was a zoo on the Texas A&M campus, complete with lions, tigers and other beasts.

FIVE FUN FOOD FINDS

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It’s our dessert edition, including the Red-Neck Shortcake at Proudest Monkey, Spanish Almond Basque Cake at Veritas.

PARTY PICS

Photos from events around town.

WHAT’S IN YOUR OFFICE? 48

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An ode to Nat “King” Cole’s The Christmas Song, one of the all-time classics, despite some of its lyrical quirks.

Crystal Dupré PUBLISHER

Kelly Brown EDITOR

Sean Lewis

SALES DIRECTOR

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Take a peek at the treasures and trinkets in Glen Vigus’ office at Texas A&M’s Department of Visualization.

THE LAST WORD

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STAFF

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Rob Clark

SPECIAL PROJECTS EDITOR

Linda Brinkman

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ADVERTISING MANAGER

Joshua Siegel DESIGNER

Timothy Hurst

PHOTOGRAPHER

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SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

Meet Our Medical Director at MatureWell Lifestyle Center, Dr. Leena Kodali

C

HI St. Joseph Health is pleased to welcome Dr. Leena Kodali, a boardcertified internal medicine physician specializing in care for adults 55 and older. Dr. Kodali will serve as medical director for the new CHI St. Joseph Health MatureWell Lifestyle Center, in partnership with Texas A&M Health Science Center College of Medicine.

Dr. Kodali is passionate about caring for seniors in a manner that is compassionate, understanding and respectful. Her primary focus in caring for her patients is to provide specialized care that improves their health and quality of life. “I believe in the power of guiding my patients through the complex health care system, while also encouraging them to take ownership of their health,” says Dr. Kodali. “Seniors who lead an active lifestyle are more likely to lead a healthy lifestyle. So, I encourage my patients to engage in healthy behaviors such as wellness doctor visits, a nutritious diet, increased physical activity and stress reduction. When addressed together, these steps can positively impact the aging process.”

Dr. Kodali brings nearly two decades of experience in internal medicine to her new

GE T TO A HEALTHIER

position at CHI St. Joseph Health. After completing a Geriatric Fellowship at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center in Baltimore, Maryland, Dr. Kodali worked in geriatrics, internal medicine and palliative care at Calvert Memorial Hospital in Prince Fredrick, Maryland.

“The MatureWell Lifestyle Center is truly an innovative concept that will be a great resource for adults 55 and older in our community.

Whether you are simply looking for a place where you can exercise and stay fit, or looking for providers who understand your complex health issues and can take the time to answer your questions, MatureWell will offer that,” said Dr. Kodali. “In my role, I will be working very closely with a patient’s other physician providers – whether that be their specialist or primary care doctor.”

Patients interested in meeting Dr. Kodali or becoming a patient at MatureWell Lifestyle Center can see her now at our W. Villa Maria Primary Care clinic in Bryan, just minutes away from the new center.

To make an appointment with Dr. Kodali, please call 979.690.4836.

Place

Introducing the MatureWell Lifestyle Center

A one-of-a-kind new health complex for adults 55 and older Opening Spring 2017

With a gym and indoor heated pool, fitness coaching and nutritional counseling, educational classes, physical therapy, and a board-certified Internal Medicine Physician who specializes in the treatment of adults 55 and older on site, you’ll find all the essential health resources you need under one roof.

MatureWell Lifestyle Center 6

BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

I N

A F F I L I A T I O N

W I T H

Located on the campus of Traditions Club at 4121 Lake Atlas Drive Bryan, TX 77807

Learn more at MatureWell.CHIStJosephHealth.org

WINTER 2016

Local Events

CHRISTMAS IN COLLEGE STATION The City of College Station presents its annual festivities, including 47 acres of Christmas lights and decorations available for public viewing.

Details: Open from 6 to 10 p.m. daily through New Year’s Day at Stephen C. Beachy Central Park, 1000 Krenek Tap Road. cstx.gov.

Central Park stats: A few numbers of note from the Christmas display in College Station.

The large tower “tree” that kids love to run under and around is 90 feet high. It has 24 strands of lights and 14,400 light bulbs in total. The star on top is 6 feet, 10 inches tall.

There are 36 snowflakes in the “Snowflake Forest,” and 60 strands of light on Santa’s Lane (which equals 6,000 bulbs). There are 3,500 bulbs per decorated tree.

CHRISTMAS IN BRYAN Downtown Bryan and Sue Haswell Park off William Joel Bryan Parkway are loaded with holiday lights and decorations through early January.

Breakfast with Santa at Neal Rec Center is from 9 to 11 a.m. Dec. 17. bryantx.gov

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SANTA’S WONDERLAND The Christmas theme park features hay and carriage rides through elaborately decorated and lighted holiday scenes. Also live music, food, shopping, falling snow, a petting zoo and train rides.

Details: Open through Jan. 1, Monday-Thursday from 6 to 11 p.m., Friday from 6 p.m. to midnight, Saturday from 3 p.m. to midnight, and Sunday from 3 to 11 p.m. 18898 Texas 6. Tickets $24.95-$29.95 for children, $29.95-$34.95 for adults.

Carriage rides and petting zoo have additional charges. santas-wonderland.com.

Eagle file photo

STATELY CEILING FAN

The Stately fan is a stunning and timeless fixture. A cool breeze emanates from this traditional, five-blade design.

Come See us for Holiday Savings dealers lighting an employee owned company Corner of S. College @ Koenig • Bryan

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

HOLIDAY POPS The Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra will perform holiday favorites such as White Christmas and Silent Night, then lead the audience in an interactive sing-along. A cookie reception will follow the performance.

Details: Dec. 11 at 5 p.m. at Christ United Methodist Church, 4201 Texas 6 South. $10 for children, $25 for adults. bvso.org/events.

NEW YEAR’S EVE IN DOWNTOWN BRYAN

THE AHN TRIO Sisters Angella, Maria and Lucia Ahn are Julliard graduates who blend classical music with other artistic styles, including painting and electronic music. The performance is part of MSC OPAS’ Intimate Gatherings series.

Details: Jan. 26 at 7:30 p.m. at Rudder Theatre. $35-$55. mscopas.org.

Ring in the new year with live music and festivities at various downtown venues.

Blackwater Draw features the inaugural Queen’s Ball, including live music, dancing, casino games and drinks. Proceeds will benefit the Queen restoration project.

Details: Dec. 31, Downtown Bryan. downtownbryan.com.

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RUSSIAN NATIONAL BALLET THEATRE

LOCALLY GROWN PREMIUM PECANS

The ballet company from Moscow features more than 50 dancers performing Don Quixote, presented by MSC OPAS. Details: Feb. 1 at 7 p.m. at Rudder Auditorium. $13 to $65. mscopas.org.

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ERTH’S DINOSAUR ZOO LIVE

This family event features a tour through prehistoric Australia, featuring lifelike replicas of dinosaurs and other creatures, brought to life by a team of puppeteers.

Details: Feb. 12 at 1 p.m. at Rudder Auditorium. $25 to $40. mscopas.org.

Photos courtesy of MSC OPAS

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

‘JERSEY BOYS’ MSC OPAS presents the hit musical that chronicles the story of how four guys from New Jersey became the smash pop group The Four Seasons.

Details: Feb. 22-26 at 7:30 p.m. at Rudder Auditorium. Matinees at 1 p.m. on Feb. 25-26. $20-$105. mscopas.org.

‘FIDDLER ON THE ROOF’ The Theatre Company of Bryan-College Station presents the classic musical.

Details: Feb. 17 through March 5. Shows at 7 p.m. on Fridays, 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturdays, 2 p.m. on Sundays. $7-$20. theatrecompany.com.

CROSSING MUSICAL BORDERS The Brazos Valley Symphony Orchestra will feature guest artists for a performance that will include music from Schindler’s List and The White Peacock by impressionistic composer Charles Griffes. The event includes the debut of Pathos for Orchestra by Matt Ulery, commissioned by the BVSO. Details: Feb. 19 at 5 p.m. at Rudder Theatre. $13-$39. bvso.org.

UNIVERSITY BANDS IN CONCERT Texas A&M University’s various bands will perform in two concerts.

Details: Feb. 26 at 4:30 p.m. (Symphonic Band, Concert Band and Philharmonic Orchestra), and 7:30 p.m. (jazz bands). boxoffice.tamu.edu.

‘THE CLOTHESLINE MUSE’ Jazz vocalist Nnenna Freelon and Maya Freelon Asante lead this multidisciplinary performance that blends dance, music, spoken word, video and interactive art. The performance shares the history of the union strike organized by Atlanta washerwomen in 1881.

Details: March 1 at 7 p.m. at Rudder Auditorium. $7-$12. boxoffice.tamu. edu.

‘BAREFOOT IN THE PARK’ The Montana Repertory Theatre performs Neil Simon’s comical exploration of love, relationships and family.

Details: March 2 at 7:30 p.m. at Rudder Theatre. $35-$55. mscopas.org.

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

By the Numbers

17-20 Texas A&M has a losing record in bowl games, but there have been many memorable moments from those bowls. Start with the most important: The 1940 Sugar Bowl, a 14-13 win over Tulane, which gave A&M its lone national championship. Most influential: 1922’s Dixie Classic, when E. King Gill became the 12th Man. Best postgame scene: The 1968 Cotton Bowl, when Paul “Bear” Bryant hoisted A&M coach Gene Stallings after the Aggies topped the Tide.

Best star takedowns: 1986 (Bo Jackson and Auburn in the Cotton Bowl), 1988 (Tim Brown and Notre Dame in the Cotton Bowl) and 1990 (Ty Detmer and BYU in the Holiday Bowl). And for flat-out thrills: Johnny Manziel’s masterful performance over Oklahoma in the 2013 Cotton Bowl.

39 ½ feet $1.5 million That’s the price tag for the most expensive item in the Neiman Marcus Christmas Book catalog. It belongs to the Cobalt Valkyrie-X private plane, colored in “rose gold,” which will be “one of the fastest piston aircraft in the world,” according to the description. If that price just escapes your budget, there’s always a week of “luxe living” at three English estates ($700,000), an 18-karat white gold Chanel watch with diamonds and rubies ($93,000) and the Infiniti Q60 Neiman Marcus Limited Edition car ($63,000).

How despicable was the mean old Grinch?

So much so that the singer of You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch in Dr. Seuss’ animated holiday classic How the Grinch Stole Christmas wouldn’t touch him with a pole of that length. Seuss had fun with numbers throughout his career, including One Fish Two Fish Red Fish Blue Fish, The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins and his 1953 film The 5,000 Fingers of Dr. T. That singer in the Grinch cartoon, incidentally, was Thurl Ravenscroft, who was also the longtime voice of Tony the Tiger in commercials for Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes (“They’re grrreat!”).

Check local listings for airings of the 1966 Grinch cartoon, still infinitely better than the Jim Carrey movie version in 2000.

$700 50 million The best-selling single of all time is Bing Crosby’s White Christmas, which tops the 50 million mark, according to the Guinness Book of World Records.

The song was written

by Irving Berlin and featured in the 1942 film Holiday Inn, which starred Crosby, Fred Astaire and Marjorie Reynolds. As for the other best-selling singles of all time, Elton John’s Candle in the Wind, his 1997 tribute to Princess Diana, is second with 33 million copies sold, according to Guinness.

Wikipedia’s list of the best-sellers includes another Crosby entry at No. 3 (Silent Night) and a curious detour at No. 4: Mungo Jerry’s 1970 hit In the Summertime.

That’s the amount that Jessie Williams and Grace Koplan paid for 11 acres outside of LaGrange in 1915, which would eventually become the final home of the Chicken Ranch. The legendary brothel, which was shut down in 1973 after television reports

by Houston’s Marvin Zindler, is the subject of a new book, written by Texas A&M graduate Jayme Lynn Blaschke. Inside the Texas Chicken Ranch: The Definitive Account of the Best Little Whorehouse, was published by The History Press this fall and is available at Amazon. com.

— ROB CLARK

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360 Profile

Know an interesting nominee for a future Brazos 360 proďŹ le? Email us at brazos360@theeagle.com.

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

BRENDA SIMS

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Personality Personified Story KELLY BROWN | Photo TIMOTHY HURST

renda Sims is as comfortable talking with a group of just-out-of-college reporters as she is with lunching with longtime friends. And she’s just as popular in both groups.

The self-deprecating 77-year-old television personality has spent much of the past quarter of a century interviewing newsmakers in the Brazos Valley, but inform her that she’s a show-stopper herself and she balks at the suggestion.

“She’s smart, funny and really cares about people,” said Mike Barger, former news director at KBTX. “Everyone wants to be around her because she makes you feel good. Did I mention she’s funny?”

She used that sense of humor as a stewardess with Braniff Airlines, the job she was in when a friend asked her to go on a blind date with an Aggie football player, Randy Sims.

“I’ll say it went rather well. I got my engagement ring five dates later,” she said. “We were 20 years old and in love.”

The Dallas native has been in Bryan-College Station 57 years now, early on helping out her husband’s barbecue business before he closed the doors to enter politics. Along the way they had two children who gave them eight grandchildren, and so far there is one great-grandchild.

Randy served as a county commissioner and eventually was the top elected official as the Brazos County judge, making her the First Lady of Brazos County. Another title bestowed upon the couple: Citizens of the Year, awarded by the Bryan-College Station Chamber of Commerce in 2014.

But to many residents in the Brazos Valley, the serial volunteer with a dazzling smile and striking white, short-cropped hair is associated with KBTX. She hosted a noon show for 16 years and now does in-depth interviews for a segment called “Names and Faces,” which airs every other Thursday at noon.

Q&A What drew you in to work at KBTX in 1992?: I honestly had no skills, but I do think that raising children is the best God-given skill you can have. KBTX was developing a noon news and weather show. They needed someone around 50 to host it.

Yep, I was 50.

What have you liked about the job?: My God-given gift of nurturing has been my joy. I love watching the “kids” at the station grow, learn and then take their talent all over the U.S. Since I was the woman behind the man, I left the politics up to Randy.

I’m so flattered when someone wants to talk with me. I always make time for them. Nowadays, people say that their

grandmother loved to watch me. That’s a huge compliment.

Everyone who knows you comments about your sense of humor.

Where’d it come from?: Humor is a gift and it’s also a reminder to think before you speak. The older I get, the less filter I have on my mouth. Maybe funny stuff comes out, but I hope it’s appropriate. My scripture that I cling to is Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing!”

Judge Sims was diagnosed with dementia a few years back and passed away last year. I know you miss him.: I miss Randy terribly, but the Lord prepared both of us. His work on earth

was done. I’ve still got some time to laugh, nurture, befriend and eat good barbecue. Even in memory care, Randy talked to the residents and staff about respect and responsibility. It opened up a new door for me to reach out. We now have a group of women who meet once a month, not to mourn, but to lift each other up.

What might someone be surprised to learn about you?: There are no surprises about my life. I talk way too much and tell everything I know. Yes, it’s hard for me to keep a secret. I’m not saying I’m nosy, but I sure love to hear a good story about someone’s life.

I’ll just say that being inquisitive has helped my career!

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Family FIRST

Meet the Watsons

Story KELLY BROWN | Photos TIMOTHY HURST

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wo years ago, Bryan residents Molly and Davis Watson remodeled a house in an old neighborhood. Instantly, one of their favorite features became what they call “our family wall.”

“It has photographs of Davis’ and my parents, grandparents and great-grandparents,” Molly said. “I love reminding the boys of their legacy — their roots, and the hard-working people from which they came.

It gives them foundation — just like their faith.”

On that wall in their family room – not far from an outside world that Molly described 16

BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

as filled with division and strife — they find peace looking into the eyes of their ancestors.

That merging of faith and family can be seen in the names they gave their boys: ( John) Davis, 14; Cross, 12; and Raines, 9, are maiden names from their mother and grandmothers. John is Molly’s great-grandfather’s name.

Knowing where you came from, and never forgetting that faith and family will help get you to where you want to be, are silent mantras for the Watsons — a family that strives to live those words rather than just discuss.

Some background Davis and Molly — both are 43; Molly is five days older — emerged from somewhat similar backgrounds: doting parents.

They both grew up Baptist.

Molly lived for 18 years in the same Beaumont home her parents brought her to after she was born.

Born in Houston, Davis was raised in Bryan for 18 years.

Their upbringing diverges when it comes to sharing, however: Molly had two older brothers and a younger brother, while Davis was an only child.

Both had family connections to Baylor that influenced their decision to attend, even though Molly grew up wanting to go to Texas A&M, where her uncle, Todd Christopher, played for Gene Stallings and was the football team captain in 1974.

The game also was a big part of Davis’ life: His father — Jay Don, a future Bryan mayor — played football for Baylor.

The lives of Molly and Davis converged the first week of their sophomore year when Davis tagged along on a visit with his roommate, who was dating Molly’s roommate. While that relationship eventually ended, Molly and Davis fell in love and married after four years of dating.

Not long after graduating

from the Waco campus — Davis with a finance degree and Molly, speech communication — both returned to the classroom. Baylor law school for Davis and a master’s degree in organizational communication for Molly.

Family ties Throughout the next nearly 20 years, both confronted time-consuming work-related situations — including spending a lot of time at the office — by deciding to step back, not take promotions and instead spend more time with family.

Davis ended up leaving a large international law firm after five years in Austin, joining his father’s firm in Bryan-College Station once Molly became pregnant with John Davis.

Molly, whose resume included teaching, serving as a recruiter for MBAs and working for a successful PR firm, started her own small company in 2006 that produces products for teen girls; she holds two U.S. patents and sells the items on Amazon and other web sites.

She was working for the Mosbacher Institute at the Bush School in College Station when

the vice president of development at Baylor called her in January 2013 and asked her to interview for the assistant vice president of major gifts position.

She was hired and the family moved to Waco.

“It proved difficult for our family,” she recalled, adding that she stepped down and continued to work for university development. “Family first.”

The Watsons returned to Brazos County and enrolled the boys in Brazos Christian School in Bryan, while joining Grace Bible Church’s Anderson campus in College Station.

Q&A As the holiday season settled in, Brazos 360 talked to the Watson crew about family, faith, holiday traditions and what they’d ask God if they could.

How important is it to find a church that’s relatable to a family?

Molly: To our family, church is central to family life. It serves as a place of worship and learning the word. We want our boys to learn more about the Bible

and feel confident in their faith. For the last year, Davis and I have taught Aggie seniors from our church. We have loved having them in our home and the boys enjoy their company. We see one of our gifts as hospitality. We love opening our home to those in need …We hope the boys see the example of sharing and loving on anyone who enters our home.

Christmas is right around

the corner. What does your family do for the big day?

Molly: We always go to our church on Christmas Eve and join extended family for dinner afterward. The boys wake us up very early to see Santa’s gifts. We give each boy three wrapped gifts under the tree — like the Christ child — and then they enjoy their stockings. I always fix brunch to enjoy in the dining room, and around noon, we join extended family for

Christmas lunch.

What’s your favorite family tradition at Christmas?

Davis: I love watching the excitement of the boys on Christmas morning and Molly preparing a great brunch. We then go to my parents’ house and spend the day with cousins, aunts and uncles and then have pizza Christmas night.

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Did either of you bring into your relationship a tradition from your childhood?

Molly: When I was young, my grandfather took all of the grandchildren on Christmas Eve morning to buy one present.

We would go to whatever store each child wanted to get their present. It was a wonderful tradition — all the mothers and my grandmother would have the morning to get their last-minute duties finished and join us for lunch. We did our cousin shopping trip for all of my childhood. I hope to bring this tradition to enjoy with my own grandchildren.

Davis: We always did Christmas morning with immediate family and extended family at lunch. Molly and my Christmas traditions were very similar.

Have you had to ever have a talk with your kids about Christmas — that it isn’t all about what’s wrapped under a tree?

Molly: We all try to stay focused on the reason we celebrate Christmas — the birth of Christ. We have tried to instill in them at an early age the meaning of the celebration of Christmas. Each year, one of

them reads the Christmas story to us as a reminder.

How much does prayer factor into decision-making at the Watson house?

Molly: Prayer is primary. Consulting our loved ones is secondary. Contemplation comes next. We are daily praying for our boys and their futures.

Go back to your own childhoods: If you could relive one day, when would it be and why? (Oprah told me to ask that.)

Davis: It is hard to identify a specific day, but when I was in college I would bring as many friends as I could gather and we would work (vaccinate, ear tag, cut) the calves at

our ranch. It was highly entertaining. My mom would bring barbecue for lunch for a welcomed break. We finish up late in the afternoon and then spend the weekend at my parents’ home recovering and healing.

Once my friends got older, they quit coming and we wised up, and now have real cowboys that help us.

Molly: I have lost two of my brothers. For me, having one day with my three brothers and parents around the dinner table, laughing and eating my mother’s amazing cooking, would be a day I would love to have back.

Three boys is a lot to handle. Do you think raising kids is easier today or more difficult than when you were a child?

Davis: I’m sure there were just as many challenges as to raising children when I was growing up as there are today. But they are different. My generation did not grow up with cell phones, computers and social media. But my guess is that growing their character, disciplining them and making sure you spend quality time with them is the same.

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

What’s the biggest challenge in raising kids in this social-media rich world?

Molly: We have really only dealt with phones and video game challenges. The older boys received cell phones this past summer after making good grades all year. We wrote a contract that they signed to keep them accountable and responsible. They are not allowed to play video games during the school week, until Friday. This allows them to be creative and play outside four days a week.

Questions for the kids: What’s your favorite thing about school, other than homework and tests?

John Davis: Most of the teachers care about you and mix in fun with learning — which helps me pay attention … especially in math.

Cross: History, because I like to

learn about the people of the past.

Raines: Science, history and lunch.

Can you think of three things you’re grateful for and why?

John Davis: Loving parents, good friends and a roof over my head.

Cross: Family because they feed me and clothe me; friends because they are fun, and also, my bed.

Raines: Food, family and friends.

What’s your favorite thing about the holidays?

John Davis: Hunting is my favorite thing to do during the holidays.

Cross: All of the good food and seeing my family; I also love my presents.

Raines: Christmas is my favorite.

I love parties.

If you could ask God one question, what would it be and why?

Cross: How is eternal life forever?

Raines: Will dogs be in heaven?

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SCOTT MEDLIN

Lighting up Christmas Story ROB CLARK | Photo TIMOTHY HURST

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cott Medlin calls it “the happy place.” It’s not too hard to see why. Take a stroll around the expansive Santa’s Wonderland at the south end of College Station, and you’ll see dozens of elaborate holiday scenes lighting up old-fashioned hayrides, and Old West-style buildings with other festive fun. There’s live music, falling snow and an assortment of food ranging from full meals to peach cobbler, s’mores, cocoa and other goodies.

The park was founded by Medlin and his parents, Phil and Ann, and has grown from a drive-through lights attraction to a 71-acre Christmas theme park. The fascination with lights began in Medlin’s youth, when the family would dress up their home in Lindale. While attending Texas A&M, Medlin would go home for the holidays and try to one-up the neighbors’ light displays in a Clark Griswold-esque kind of way.

The first steps toward Santa’s Wonderland began in 1998, when the location was “out in the middle of nowhere,” Ann Medlin says. “I remember saying to him, ‘Scott, who’s gonna come out here?’”

All these years later, the location isn’t so remote, and the park attracts visitors from all around the state. Despite the growth, Scott Medlin emphasizes that it has stayed true to how it started: a family business.

“It’s not a corporate theme park,” he says. “That’s not what we are. I’ve been to Six Flags 10,000 times. But you go into those gift shops, and even from the employees and stuff, you can see a difference. From a large corporate conglomerate that has multiple locations to just a family business that has grown in the community — it’s two completely different things.”

MORE WITH MEDLIN On spreading the Wonderland word: One of the things we realized about this business, as with so many other attractions, is word of mouth is your primary tool to basically build families that have made this into a tradition. That takes time, to get word on the street from one family to another.

So by the time social media came along … that was not that many years ago. We probably got involved in social media five years ago, roughly. And it wasn’t headfirst, we just got involved in it. Then it was not long after that we realized that social media has redefined so much in getting the word out.

Now that’s probably our No. 1 tool of how we do what we do.

On the best food items at the park: The burger. We only serve a half-pound burger. The reason is that it’s Texas. You don’t come to Texas and get a small

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

hamburger or cheeseburger. Two people can share that and be just fine. Our funnel cakes are Texas-sized also, and a family of four can easily share that deal. … A lot of people have the expectation when they get here that it’s gonna be carnival-style. On the whole, the food is probably the thing I’m the most proud of because I think it exceeds people’s expectations. It really does.

And almost everything here is fresh daily. We don’t like frozen, and we don’t think people like it. We want fresh.

On old and new Christmas traditions: In general, the Christmas holidays should be the happiest time of the year, and for many people it truly is. I also think that family tradition … people get excited about Christmas. They just do. We see all cultures in here. All cultures. There’s something magical about the Christmas spirit, spreading

the Christmas cheer, dressing up like elves or even playing the Grinch.

Those are all fun things. One of the things with Christmas is, everybody loves their technology … you want to microwave your food, you want that fast, get it in a timely manner. I think the Christmas holidays are the one time that it’s OK to slow it all down.

Maybe even throw it back in time a little bit, get Grandma’s recipe out of the recipe book, cook it the way she cooked the pie, the turkey, whatever.

And I think coming here, we’ve got two large campfires and hayrides and everything. And I think a lot of folks come out of the city, and man, you don’t see campfires and marshmallow roasts and hayrides. I do believe the holidays, slowing it down a bit, is a really significant thing, and I think people connect to that. They do. They connect to family.

360 Profile

Know an interesting nominee for a future Brazos 360 proďŹ le? Email us at brazos360@theeagle.com.

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360 Profile

Know an interesting nominee for a future Brazos 360 proďŹ le? Email us at brazos360@theeagle.com.

22

BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

WILLIAM SCHANNING

Service with a smile H

Story ROB CLARK | Photo TIMOTHY HURST

e’s a recognizable face in Downtown Bryan, often sporting new and wild hair colors, travels by bicycle and dresses as a leprechaun on St. Patrick’s Day. He’s even been called “the most interesting man in the world” on a local TV commercial for Furniture Shack.

William Schanning certainly has a colorful life’s work. He was born in Glasgow, Scotland, and spent his childhood there until a move to California for his teenage years. He made his way to Texas in the ’90s, and says he’ll never leave it.

Schanning has worked at Rami Cerone’s Italian restaurant Caffe Capri since 1998, greeting diners with his friendly manner and good humor. The longtime employee now helps Cerone manage the place. “I just love my job,” he says. “I wish I had done this all my life.”

He’s also focused on raising awareness for breast cancer, donating a chunk of his income to the Pink Alliance each October (hence the pink hair and shirt from when this interview took place). He has done the same for Voices for Children, raising money in April and dyeing his hair blue.

Here’s more from the 65-year-old Schanning on his passion for his work and his causes.

Q&A To what do you attribute this kind of job longevity?: I’m proud to work here.

I love my job. Rami pays me to be here, the guests pay me to make a living, and I get to fill people up in many different ways — not only their stomachs but through happiness. A long time ago I read a book called Service That Sells. It said you can go to most restaurants and get decent service, decent food for a decent price. The X-factor is entertainment. If I can make people leave feeling happier than when they came in, on more than one level, then I’m doing my job. I love serving people. I’m not a waiter. I’m a server. Waiting implies a really bad thing, you’re making the people wait for something. No, you’re serving them. I’ve developed many good relationships with my customers over the years.

How did you get involved in breast cancer awareness?: A lady I know here in town went through the whole thing — chemo, radiation, double mastectomy. The way she carried herself throughout that entire episode made me realize I wanted to do something.

And I didn’t want to necessarily do it in a totally organized fashion … so I did it the first year on my own. I had pink

hair and I had a pink shirt. A friend of Rami’s, Sheree Boegner, took a picture of me out in front of the restaurant, and posted it on Facebook. People would come in and say, “Thank you for doing what you’re doing.” I explained I was going to be donating 15 percent of my gratuity. I bumped that up to 20 percent. This year it’s a bit more. I’ve more than doubled what I raised last year. And everything goes to the Pink Alliance, because they’re an organization that keeps everything in the Brazos Valley.

What are some of your other interests?: Reading. I like biographies, I like historical novels. I love learning about history. I study war, because I want to understand why people do what they do. … Growing up in the ’60s was a wonderful experience. I got to see democracy in real action for better and for worse. It was a turbulent, wonderful time if you love history. You got to see this country change in major ways. … I love football. I’m a huge Aggie fan now.

I never had been to a college game until I moved here. Went to Kyle Field for a game, and said “This is better than professional football.” The spirit in this town, I’ve never seen anything like it in

my life. You walk down the street and people you don’t know say, “Howdy.”

People help each other whether they know you or not.

How did the leprechaun thing originate?: Joe Carney knew I was originally from Britain. He asked me, “I know you can do Scottish, can you do an Irish accent?” I said, “Yeah.”

He said, “Would you mind doing the [Carney’s Pub] answering machine for me for St. Patrick’s Day?” … One of their employees made me a leprechaun outfit. … I would dye my hair green one year, and orange the next, to be faithful to the Catholics and the Protestants. I would dye my beard and my mustache to get into the spirit. It became kind of an annual thing with Carney’s. … I rode around downtown on St. Patrick’s Day — visited Murphy’s Law. I rode around on my bicycle, in my leprechaun outfit, which I realize was probably not the smartest idea, because people were stopping and honking, and could’ve caused an accident. But it’s fun. It’s just fun. If you don’t enjoy life, what’s the point?

That’s why we’re here — it’s to do something constructive, but it’s to have fun doing it.

THE EAGLE | BRAZOS360.COM

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WHEN LIONS ROARED ON CAMPUS

Bizzell’s passion briefly brought a zoo to Aggieland

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

Photos courtesy of Cushing Memorial Library and Archives, Texas A&M University

Story STEVE KUHLMANN

T

exas A&M was once home to a zoo, though there are relatively few people who know the details of this odd piece of Aggie history.

William Bennett Bizzell, who served as the ninth university president from 1914 to 1925, was the man behind the short-lived zoo. It opened in 1920, across the train tracks from the west gate of the campus, which was then still known as the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas.

The zoo makes a brief appearance in Henry C. Dethloff ’s 1975 book, A Centennial History of Texas A&M University, 1876-1976. Ernest Langford, former head of the architecture department, recalled in the book that Bizzell “thought an institution like this needed a zoo.”

The Eagle reported in January 1920 that the “zoological park” was established “for the pleasure of College people, College visitors and also for educational purposes in connection with the regular college work.” The story went on to highlight Bizzell’s passion for the project, as arrangements were being

made for the zoo to stake out its permanent place on campus: “President Bizzell is very enthusiastic in the promotion of plans to make this the best collection of rare animals in this section of the country and has done a great deal of hard work in securing these [animals].”

While little is known about the operation or popularity of the zoo, the college took in captured or donated animals from around the state and beyond for the next five years.

The collection eventually included lions, tigers, elk, buffalo, timberwolves, deer, alligators, snakes, black bears and an elephant.

However, it was not long before the university leadership was faced with rethinking the exotic addition. According to Dethloff, “the animals had become a time-consuming, expensive, and noisy factor.”

Despite his early championing of the zoo, “Bizzell himself had become disenchanted with his project before he left A&M,” Dethloff wrote. Bizzell became president at the University of Oklahoma in 1925, and the zoo was closed under his successor,

Thomas Otto Walton, and the A&M Board of Directors.

The zoo’s animals were sold off, with the exception of the deer and the elk, Dethloff wrote. No record of the profits from selling the collection was kept, a fact that Dethloff wrote “suggests that it must have been a meager amount.”

Larry Boleman, who serves as A&M System’s AgriLife associate vice chancellor for outreach and strategic initiatives, said he had never heard of the zoo in his 52 years with the university. He said it would not be out of the realm of possibility to see a zoo once again created on campus, but he noted the challenges involved would make it an unlikely project. He added that a hypothetical zoo would have to be located far enough away from any of the university’s food production animals so that disease transmission wouldn’t be a concern.

“Unless there would be a teaching and research component supporting a zoo program, supporting a zoo facility financially would be difficult,” Boleman said.

THE EAGLE | BRAZOS360.COM

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DOWNLOAD THE THEEAGLE.COM APP FOR iOS & ANDROID • Breaking news • Sports highlights • Photo galleries • Latest headlines • Weather

Mattress Sleepcenters NEXT TO THE ENTRANCE TO POST OAK MALL

1402 Harvey road • 979-696-3900 WWW.MATTRESSSLEEPCENTERS.NET 28

BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

SPANISH ALMOND BASQUE CAKE Veritas The recipe behind the top-selling dessert at Veritas Wine & Bistro took years to perfect, according to Rob Tountas, executive sous chef. The dense, not-too-sweet Spanish Almond Basque Cake was worth the wait.

It’s similar to a pound cake, Tountas said, with a base of fine flour and almond paste from a specialty purveyor. The cake, served warm, is filled with a rum pastry cream, topped with whipped cream and a caramel-and-roasted-almond garnish.

There’s a slight crunch to the top of the cake, the result of a sugar-like crust that forms during baking.

The simple-yet-elegant dessert is a take on a traditional homemade cake from the Basque region of Spain, near France’s southern border. The recipe can be temperamental, he said, and is affected by the humidity. But it’s delicious. He recommends enjoying it with a nutty liqueur.

While the portion isn’t huge, it’s still a good amount to share. For hungrier stomachs, add a scoop of salted caramel gelato. At $10, it’s an affordable end to a nice meal or an excuse to go in for a glass of wine.

Fun Food

— Amanda Brandt Details: Veritas Wine & Bistro, 830 University Dr. E, Suite 400. veritaswineandbistro.com. Cake price: $10.

THE EAGLE | BRAZOS360.COM

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RED-NECK SHORTCAKE Proudest Monkey One bite of the most popular dessert at the Proudest Monkey just might send you on a trip down memory lane. A twist on an American classic, the Red-Neck Shortcake features a simple display of two Twinkies doused in whipped cream and adorned with strawberries. According to Chelsea Workman, the dive bar’s chef, the treat was created to channel the environment of the Downtown Bryan venue.

“We wanted to do something that was simple, that definitely wouldn’t overpower our menu or be too complicated, since we’re very limited with space,” Workman said. “Something that would appeal to everyone.”

I was unsure of what to expect from a dessert with a main ingredient that fueled children’s after-school cravings for decades. The doubt faded with the first bite of the classic spongy cake: soft but firm with the added whipped cream. The fresh sliced strawberry on top is the product of another local company, Bryan-based Scarmardo Food Service. The partnership between the businesses resonates with the bar’s theme of old-fashioned and friendly relationships and service, Workman said.

The dessert kept its structure through the fork jabs and plate-sliding around the table. According to Workman, this is the most popular way to enjoy the treat.

“That’s one of the benefits of a dive bar,” she said.

“You get to hang out with old friends and eat good food. Twinkies just really bring you back to your childhood.”

— Elizabeth Kamenicky Details: Proudest Monkey, 108 S. Main St., Downtown Bryan. proudestmonkey.com. Red-Neck Shortcake price: $6.95.

CHOCOLATE CHIP WOOKIE Harvey Washbangers Michael Lair had a quandary not long after taking over the family business five years ago: He wanted to serve dessert, but the kitchen at his bar and grill off Texas Avenue near Harvey Road doesn’t have an oven.

It does, however, have a laundromat with 80 high-efficiency washers and dryers. More on that shortly.

Back to the sugary delight: Without the necessary equipment to bake a cake, brownies or lemon bars, the folks at Harvey Washbangers decided to get creative.

“We played with our food and came up with the Chocolate Chip Wookie using my wife Stephanie’s recipe and trying different things,” Lair said. “We wanted to avoid the deep-fried dessert, so basically the Wookie is the birth-child of necessity.”

And so began the tasty — and filling — off-the-menu dessert: chocolate-chip cookie dough is mixed to make a Belgian waffle, which is baked at home and heated up at the restaurant. It’s served with homemade vanilla ice cream, highlighted by a light drizzle of chocolate sauce.

Homemade ice cream?

“Yes, absolutely — we love dessert,” said Lair, who was trained at the Culinary Institute of America.

While the dessert alone has lured customers into the almost 20-year-old popular laundrobar, word-of-mouth reviews also rave about the hamburgers.

The bonus is that customers can do their laundry while they dine, play trivia (Tuesdays only) and drink one (or two) from their many craft beer options.

The business that jokes “you can eat and drink till your lights go out” even offers a light board that alerts diners when their laundry is done, so they can walk into the other room and take care of business.

— Kelly Brown Details: Harvey Washbangers, 1802 S. Texas Ave., College Station. washbangers.com. Wookie price: $4.79.

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

STRAWBERRY TART Cafe Eccell

NEW YORK STYLE CHEESECAKE 1541 Pastries and Coffee It may not be the first thing that comes to mind when walking into the small coffee shop, but 1541 Pastries and Coffee makes a killer cheesecake.

Pastry chef and 1541 owner Anel Olmedo said it has become one of the shop’s most popular desserts.

What sets it apart from other cheesecake variations is the ranger cookie crust, she said, which gives the dish a hint of coconut and an added crunchy texture.

“We make ranger cookies — which are made with coconut, walnuts, corn flakes and oats — then we just blend it like a regular cheesecake crust,” Olmedo said. “It’s my favorite part about the cheesecake.”

The cheesecake is served plain, but guests can include a topping to add a little something extra to the dish. Among the choices is a just-sweet-enough raspberry jam, made in-house and spread over the cheesecake’s caramelized top, along with a dollop of whipped cream and a fresh raspberry.

The extra touch of sweetness paired particularly well with the salty ranger cookie crust and the creamy filling.

Needless to say, the modestly sized slice never stood a chance after the first bite.

Here we have arguably the most popular dessert in Bryan-College Station. Well, you could argue against it, but you’d probably lose. As Café Eccell owner Costa Dallis says, “We probably sell in the realm of 35-40,000 tarts a year.”

What makes it so special? Dallis explains the ingredients like this: The shells are “almond-laced,” and made from scratch each day. The dough for the shells “look like ice cream scoops when they go in, but then they flatten in the oven when they bake. And when they come out, they’re soft, and we shape them into a bowl, and then they harden.”

Next is a light coating of Belgian chocolate at the bottom of the shell, and then fresh pastry cream that is made in-house. The strawberry slices top it off, covered in an apricot glaze.

The tart has always been a popular item, going back to Eccell’s roots at Northgate. When the restaurant moved in 2014 to the old Luby’s location on Texas Avenue — which now includes a drive-through — the numbers have skyrocketed, Dallis says: “In the old location we were selling 15-16,000 [a year], but when we went to the new location it’s 2, 2 ½ times that.”

Dallis says it’s a signature item that has a sort of “cult following.” There is now a variety of tart flavors, including grilled peach and blueberry with caramelized banana.

But the original is still the champ.

“It’s not my favorite dessert,” he says. “I like it. But I do understand the cult status. I have a couple of other desserts on the menu that I like a little bit better. But obviously, I’m in the minority.”

— Rob Clark

Details: Cafe Eccell, 4401 S. Texas Ave. cafeeccellbryantx.com. Strawberry Tart price: $8.50.

— Steve Kuhlmann Details: 1541 Pastries and Coffee, 1808 Brothers Blvd. 1541coffee.com. Cheesecake price: $3.75.

THE EAGLE | BRAZOS360.COM

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e t u n i last m A DV E R

TI SE M

ATU E N T FE

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s a e d i t gif

JIM.N.I.: Eight Sixty - $108

WITT’S END: Ugg Ansley Slipper in Leopard Visit Store for Pricing

WITT’S END: Fifteentwenty Lace Top Visit Store for Pricing

WITT’S END: Ugg Barton Boot in Black Visit Store for Pricing

TEXAS ROSE BOUTIQUE: Ivy Jane Scarf Sleeve Top with velvet embroidery - $158 Paired with Pink Panache Jewelry

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

SHERILYN GILMORE: Diamonds and Garnet Bracelet by Vahan Vahan event happening now 40% off retired styles

JIM.N.I. Oliver & Otis Hat - $25 TX Label with Cactus Pattern

J & L BOUTIQUE Beluva blouse $153 Tart wide-leg trousers $126

TEXAS ROSE BOUTIQUE: Ivy Jane Plaid Dress with Fringe - $198 Paired with Pink Panache Jewelry - prices vary

SHERILYN GILMORE: Beautiful Green Onyx and Pearl Earrings Call for Pricing

SHERILYN GILMORE: Signature design by Dian Malouf Call for Pricing

THE EAGLE | BRAZOS360.COM

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e t u n i m last A DV E R

TI SE M

ATU E N T FE

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s a e d i gift JIM.N.I.: Entro Green Blouse - $45.99

JIM.N.I.: Entro Maroon Blouse - $45.99

WITT’S END: Ugg Nash boot in Chocolate Visit Store for Pricing

TEXAS ROSE BOUTIQUE: Ivy Jane Charcoal Grey Embroidered Dress- $138 paired with Pink Panache Jewelry

WITT’S END: Ugg Aira Slipper in Lonely Hearts Visit Store for Pricing

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

BURDETT & SON: The North Face® Women’s TKA Glacier Microvelour 1/4-Zip Pullover extra comfort.

J & L BOUTIQUE True North stainless steel items, prices vary

BURDETT & SON: Men’s Incipient ¼ zip fleece jacket - Visit store for prices

BURDETT & SON: Smartwool, Men’s Urban Hiker Socks - Visit store for prices

BURDETT & SON: Glock model 42 pocket pistol.

Visit store for prices

BURDETT & SON: Benchmade knife Visit store for prices BURDETT & SON: Liberty “Fatboy” safe Visit store for prices

THE EAGLE | BRAZOS360.COM

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Robert and Sandra Willis.

Sarah Wilkinson and Marca Ewers.

Junction 505 Oct. 20th

College Station Hilton

L

ocals came out to Junction 505’s Harvest Moon fundraiser. The money raised went to Junction 505, which is dedicated to improving the lives of adults with disabilities and helping them find employment.

Anita Watson, Donna Pohl and Cathy Godfrey.

Photos SPECIAL TO THE EAGLE

Julie Paprock, John and Cindy Delulio.

Jessica Hubnik and Penny Woodcock.

Shantina and Nkrumah Dixon.

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

Tina Evans and Linda Harvell.

Letty Benning and Chris Field.

Julie Paprock, Pam Smits and Carol Nichols.

Louie and Terri Rogers.

Barry and Ann Satterwhite.

Andy Mitchell and Ed Euceek.

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Lucille Young and Beverly Walker.

Eleanor Schuler and Mildred Davis.

Open Hearts Open Purses Aug. 24th

Miramont Country Club

T

he Salvation Army Women’s Auxiliary recently hosted their annual “Open Your Heart and Your Purse” Luncheon. All funds raised by the event will be put towards The Salvation Army Bryan.

Photos DAVE McDERMAND

Keith Halsell and Carol Wagner.

Janie McDougal and Diana Watson.

Linda Prock, Lu Scarmardo, Ann Sultan and Helen Phillips.

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

Ellie Chesnik, Jeanne Beckman and Capt. Analese Ryerson.

Charmen Caitlin addresses the crowd.

Debra Garrett and Karen Thomas.

Peggy Ragsdale and Joyce Perkins.

Salvation Army Captains Analese and Paul Ryerson.

THE EAGLE | BRAZOS360.COM

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Aggie Moms Tea

Sept. 19th

Texas A&M campus

The 2016 Brazos County Aggie Moms Club Howdy Tea hosted not just Aggie moms, but also yell leaders, members of the Ross Volunteers, student government officers.

Bobby Brooks, A&M student body president Hannah Wimberly and Landon Wood.

Ross Volunteer Ian Greehalgh (left) joins fellow RV Jack Beer for a picture with Aggie mom Laura Mooney.

Julie Proctor and Robin Jajac.

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

Daughter Grace Dusek with Aggie Mom (and real mom) Roxanne Moody.

Julie Wilke, Kim Acker and Janell Crum.

Norma Flores and Dana Hosea.

Carrie Bruch and Susan Gibson.

Melissa Hussey and Angie Kruger.

Ross Volunteer Will Alders, Ann Lovett and yell leader Chris Wilder.

Cindy Morris, Debbie Wentling and Anita Feigenbaum.

Roxanne Moody and Dakota Plesa.

THE EAGLE | BRAZOS360.COM

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Surviving and Thriving Oct. 3rd

College Station Hilton

K

endra Scott, a Texas jewelry designer, delivered the keynote address at Pink Alliance’s Surviving and Thriving Breast Cancer Awareness Luncheon. The past 13 luncheons have raised more than $570,000 collectively.

Photos DAVE McDERMAND

Kendra Scott.

Meredith McAuliffe and Janis Stancik.

Sheran Riley, David Gardner and Betsy Rowland.

Laura Atkinson-Wagner and Amanda Harmon.

Kim Zemanek, Vernon Tesh and Pat Mayland.

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

Marsha Hirsch and Susan Strawser.

Dr. John Williams.

Ann Wiatt, Doug Pederson and Arnold Falmer.

Maj. James Johnson, Gen. Joe Ramirez Jr., and Meredith Simpson.

Danielle Hinman, Wendy Fredrickson and Dawn Crawford.

Shelly Nelson, Andrew Nelson, Debbie Dunlap, Vickie and Ron Schmidt.

Leeann Ford and Amanda Martin.

Abbie Krolczyk, Leslie Donaway and Cindy Donaway.

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Fun for All fundraiser Oct. 10th

Miramont Country Club

Hundreds turned out for a benefit dinner to raise money to build the Carolyn and John David Crow Field and Fun For All Playground which will be built in College Station’s Central Park.

Former A&M head football coach R.C. Slocum and wife Nel.

Photos DAVE McDERMAND

Edd and Shirley Hargett and Olin Buchanan.

Tracy and Marvin Tate.

Jimmy and Millie Wright.

Charlie Milstead and Jim Uptmore.

Carolyn and Joe West.

Bookman Peters greets friends upon his arrival to the benefit.

Susan Mohr, Jackie Sherrill and Marilyn Fulbright.

Buck and Linda Prewitt.

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BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

Dennis Goehring, John Mayfield and Ted Lowe Paul Carroll, Carolyn Carroll and Craig Griffith.

Jill and Charlie Milstead.

Mitch and Phyllis Robertson.

Jean and Larry Ringer.

Gene Stallings and Mark Spillers.

Bee Gossett and Susan Goins.

Terry Gossett, Don Hellriegel and Eldrige Goins.

David and Debbie Schmitz.

Gina and Jim Jett.

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Worship Assembly of God Abundant Life Assembly of God 105 W. 32nd St • (979)822-4508 Bethel Temple Assembly of God 2608 Villa Maria Road • 979-776-4835 College Heights Assembly of God 4100 Old College Rd • (979)846-2777 bAptist Baptist Student Ministry 203 College Main • (979) 846-7722 Beacon Baptist Church 2001 E. Villa Maria Rd. • 979-776-1337 Bethel Baptist Church 9900 State Hwy 30 • (979)776-8818 Calvary Baptist Church 2009 Cavitt Ave • (979)822-3579 Central Baptist Church 1991 FM 158 • (979)776-9977 Christ's Holy Missionary 1119 Arizona St • (979)764-1090 Christ's Way Baptist Church 3885 Copperfield Dr • (979)776-5000 Clayton Baptist Church 7664 Old Jones Rd • 979)846-4947 College Hill Baptist Church 712 Churchill St • (979) 696-5959 College Station Baptist Church 2555 Texas Ave S • (979)693-8564

Living Hope Baptist Church 4170 State Hwy 6 S • (979)690-1911 New Life Baptist Church 700 University Dr E Ste 115 • 268-8900 North Bryan Baptist Church 4605 N Hwy 6 • (979)778-3310 Northview Baptist Church 1809 Tabor Rd • (979) 778-0014 Parkway Baptist Church 1501 Southwest Pkwy • (979)693-4701 Parkway Baptist 1501 Southwest Parkway • (979) 693-4701 Pleasant Grove Baptist Church 1216 Detroit St • (979)693-3568 Primera Iglesia Bautista 3809 Kelli Lane • 260-9610 Roans Chapel Baptist Church 4200 Roans Chapel Rd • (979)774-7331 Rock Prairie Baptist Church 5000 Rock Prairie Rd • (979)690-8412 Southern Oaks Baptist Church 9301 Grassbur Rd • (979)589-17320 St Mark Baptist Church 6906 Raymond Stotzer Pkwy • (979)693-4701

bible Grace Bible Church 700 Anderson St • (979)693-2911 Grace Bible Church 1901 Harvey Mitchell Pkwy • (979)695-2000 brethren Brethren Church of Bryan - CS 2650 Earl Rudder Fwy S • (979)693-3606 CAtholiC St Anthony’s Catholic Church 401 S Parker Ave • (979) 823-8145 St Joseph Catholic Church 507 E 26th St • (979) 822-2721 St Mary's Catholic Center 603 Church Ave • (979)846-5717 St Thomas Episcopal Church 902 George Bush Dr • (979)696-0774 Santa Theresa Catholic Church 1212 Lucky St • (979) 822-2932 St Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church 2541 Earl Rudder Fwy • (979)693-6994 Chinese College Station Chinese Church 708 Eisenhower St • (979)696-2317

St Matthews Baptist Church 409 Holleman Dr • (979)696-8468

ChristiAn

Steep Hollow Baptist Church FM 1179 & Steep Hollow Rd. • (979)776-7849

First Christian Church Disciples of Christ 900 S. Ennis • (979)823-5451

Texas Avenue Baptist Church 3400 State Hwy 6 S • (979)696-6000

ChristiAn sCienCe Christian Science Society & Reading Room 201 Boyett St • (979)846-4082

Fellowship Freewill Baptist Church 1228 W. Villa Maria Rd. • 979-779-2297

Trinity Baptist Church 1070 N. Harvey Mitchell • (979)822-4897

First Baptist Bryan 3100 Cambridge Dr • 776-1400

Washington Chapel Baptist Church State Hwy 6 S • (979)693-5145

A & M Church of Christ 2475 Earl Rudder Fwy • (979)693-0400

First Baptist Church of College Station 2300 Welsh Avenue • (979)696-7000

Wellborn Baptist Church 3768 McCullough Rd • (979)690-2360

Brazos Valley Church of Christ 625 Graham Rd • (979)776-5487

Hillcrest Baptist Church 4220 Boonville Rd • (979)776-5731

West Oak Baptist Church 1901 W. Villa Maria Road • (979)823-3559

Bryan - College Station Church of Christ 11914 State Hwy 30 • (979)774-7470

ChurCh of Christ

Listings Central Church of Christ 1600 E. 29th St • (979)822-3010

Bethel Lutheran Church 4221 Boonville Rd • (979)822-2742

Twin City Church of Christ 810 Southwest Pkwy • (979)693-1758

Holy Cross Lutheran 1200 Foxfire Dr • (979)764-3992

United Campus Ministry 315 Tauber St • (979)846-1221 Cowboy ChurCh Cowboy Church 4119 Greens Prairie Rd • (979)777-8109

Our Savior's Lutheran Church 1001 Woodcreek Dr • (979)764-9095 Peace Lutheran Church 2201 Rio Grande Blvd • (979)693-4403

Brazos Valley Cowboy Church 7300 East State Hwy 21 • 979-778-9400

University Lutheran Chapel & Student Center 315 College Main • (979)846-6687

EpisCopal

mEthodist

Episcopal Student Center 902 George Bush Dr • (979)693-4245

A & M United Methodist Church 417 University Dr • (979)846-8731

St. Andrew's Episcopal Church 217 W. 26th St • (979)822-5176

Aldersgate Church 2201 Earl Rudder Fwy • (979)696-1376

St Francis Episcopal Church 1101 Rock Prairie Rd • (979)696-1491

Christ United Methodist Church 4203 State Hwy 6 S • (979)690-4673

St Thomas Episcopal Church 906 George Bush Dr • (979)696-1726 EvangEliCal Hope Evangelical Free Church 5376 Raymond Stotzer Pkwy • (979)846-2382 indEpEndEnt Central Christian Church 8125 Turkey Creek Rd • (979)260-1217 islam Islamic Community Of Bryan 417 Stasney St • (979) 846-4222 JEwish Congregation Beth Shalom 101 N. Coulter Dr • (979) 822-2738 Hillel Foundation-B’NAI B’RITH 800 George Bush Dr. • 979-696-7313

First United Methodist Church 1201 Skyline Ct • (979)690-3399 First United Methodist Church 1125 Wellborn Rd • (979)690-8415 St Lukes United Methodist 315 Tauber St • (979)691-5400 Wesley Foundation Methodist 201 Tauber St • (979) 846-4701 West District the United Methodist Church 526 University Dr • (979)696-8962 mormon The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 2500 Barak Ln • (979) 846-7514

nondEnominational Brazos Fellowship 226 Southwest Pwky • (979)680-8888 Calvery Chapel 900 Rock Prairie Rd • (979)324-3972 Covenant Family Skybreak Church 4010 Harvey Rd • (979)774-1269 orthodox St. Silouan the Athonite Orthodox Church 4544 Gloria Allen Dr • (979) 774-9080 pEntECostal Victory United Pentecostal 13107 State Hwy 30 • (979)774-9690 prEsbytErian Bryan United Penecostal Church Hwy 21 & Tabor Rd. • (979) 778-1806 Covenant Presbyterian Church 220 Rock Prairie Rd • (979)694-7700 First Presbyterian Church 1100 Carter Creek Pkwy • (979)823-8073 Westminster Presbyterian Church 3333 Oak Ridge Dr • (979)776-1185 sEvEnth day advEntist 7th Day Adventist Church 1350 Earl Rudder Fwy • (979)595-1115 unitarian Unitarian Fellowship 305 Wellborn Rd • (979)696-5285

luthEran

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 2814 Welsh Ave • (979)693-4567

unitEd ChurCh of Christ

Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church 1007 Krenek Tap Rd • (979)693-4514

Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints 100 Dexter Dr • (979)696-8202

Friends Congregational Church UCC 2200 Southwest Dr • (979)693-7021

They sent this [Finding Nemo poster] to me for my birthday one year, all the former students I worked with that worked on that film. And Andrew Stanton, the guy who directed it, came in to the room and said, “Hey, what are you doing?” So he signed the very center.

The center with the fish drawn on the side, that’s the director. I’ll have [former students] sign things they worked on. The cool thing is they’ll actually show me hidden things in the film.

I do drink Dr Pepper. [Students] knew I drank Dr Pepper all the time, it was kind of a joke: “If you want Glen to help, bring him a Dr Pepper.” … I never bought any of the Dr Pepper stuff. … Students and people keep bringing me Dr Pepper stuff and I’m like, “I didn’t buy any of that!” It started when a student gave me a Dr Pepper belt buckle. … One time, watching Forrest Gump, they did a good job in keeping the right bottles to the right decade, but there was one scene where they didn’t have the right bottle from the right era, and I noticed it. Only a real, diehard Dr Pepper fan would notice that.

What’s in your

OFFICE? GLEN VIGUS Senior visualization production specialist and lecturer, Texas A&M Department of Visualization

G

len Vigus has one of the more entertaining offices we’ve encountered.

It’s loaded with treasures and trinkets, from his Dr Pepper wall to rows of antique-but-operational cameras to a subtle cutout of “HAL” from 2001: A Space Odyssey keeping constant watch in the corner.

Vigus is senior visualization production specialist for Texas A&M’s Department of Visualization. Better known as the Viz Lab, it’s the training ground that vaults many students to the top animation houses in the film industry. He oversees production facilities and studios, along with cameras of all kinds — “anything with a lens,” he says — and he teaches photography courses.

Some of the items have great back stories and some are just for fun, like his Starship Enterprise from Star Trek.

“I’m a Star Wars and Star Trek fan,” he says. “So I’m bilingual. I love both. I believe in coexistence.”

Here’s a closer look at some of Vigus’ goodies.

Photos by TIMOTHY HURST 48

BRAZOS 360 | WINTER 2016

[The Victrola] is actually a reproduction. I have a real cabinet model at home. Just the fact that it’s analog audio … that’s one thing I like doing is combining old technology with new. I’ll take old Hasselblad lenses and put them on modern-day digital cameras. The record that is on there is John Philip Sousa’s Liberty Bell march. So people in the Corps might actually get that. The theme song to Monty Python, that’s it. Which I think was ironic, since it was an American classic tune, but here it was the theme song.

All the cameras still have to work. It’s just an eclectic mix … they’re mainly old Kodak cameras and some of the original video cameras that I worked with when I started in television production. … I let students use them, those who want to play with film again or experiment with film.

This is probably one of the first Kodak cameras that you could load yourself. [The camera is marked Jan. 21, 1902.] When Kodak first came out, you would send the camera back to them, they would develop your prints, reload the camera and send you the developed prints and your camera, ready to go for another round of shots. To me, what is so neat about it is the detail on the inside, the mechanisms. Why did they finish the wood out like that? What was the point of making it pretty on the inside? … They’re cool little teaching tools, and it’s neat to see the history of how far photography has come.

This is one of the first SLRs [single lens reflex] made in the ’40s. I still use it to do tintype photography. The crazy thing is most people don’t realize that this [flash gun] should look familiar. This is what they made light sabers out of. Back in the ’70s, the prop masters went to a camera store and raided these, and pretty much got rid of the cameras. What’s funny is at the end of Star Wars: The Force Awakens, at the very end when [Rey] is holding it out, I’m like, “Oh, it’s a flash gun!” So this is it. This is what they made it out of.

One of my students got the “Photo Student Ken Doll” for me, since I teach photography. I used to wear plaid shirts all the time, so they threatened to get a plaid shirt for it as well.

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The Last Word

Do You Hear

WHAT I HEAR? I

Some of the greatest Christmas songs have curious lyrical moments

f there’s one form of music in which lyrics are secondary, it’s Christmas.

Bells jingle, sleigh bells ring, snow is fun, fa-la-la-la-la. We generally don’t notice the lyrical content of secular Christmas songs, unless they’re sad (the wistful I’ll Be Home for Christmas, Joni Mitchell’s River) or a novelty (preposterous reindeer-grandmother incidents).

But there are some lyrical quirks in Christmas classics, including the one that ranks as my all-time favorite: The Christmas Song by Nat “King” Cole. Family tradition has a lot to do with my appreciation for it. My grandfather loved it and my father does, too. So it’s only natural that it tops my list.

The dramatic opening gets me every time — offering this simple phrase to kids from 1 to 92/ the gorgeous string section that gives way to Although it’s been said many times, many ways, Cole’s elegant voice. He had a unique style of Merry Christmas to you.” vocal phrasing, taking great care with each word.

The second line seems an unnecessary disIt’s a warm and soothing sound. claimer. There’s no need to jazz up “Merry Fellow crooner Mel Torme and Christmas to you.” And the age range is songwriter Robert Wells came peculiar. No Christmas greetings if you’re up with the lyrics, and they did a 6 months old or 93? Bah humbug. wonderful job of describing the Granted, this is over-analysis, and wide-eyed wonder of children on these things have no negative effect on Christmas Eve, eagerly anticipating the song’s overall greatness.

Santa’s arrival.

Another of Cole’s classic Christmas There are a few odd moments in songs is his light and bouncy take on the ROB CLARK the song’s 111 words. It starts with old English carol I Saw Three Ships. But rob.clark@ the iconic opening line: “Chestnuts talk about puzzling lyrics: What are these theeagle.com roasting on an open fire.” The words ships doing on Christmas morning and paint a lovely picture, and some where did they come from? identify them as the song’s actual title. But I’ve Most versions include references to the ships never seen, smelled or tasted roasted chestnuts. sailing into Bethlehem, with Mary and Jesus on Are people roasting them left and right at board. Bethlehem, however, isn’t directly conChristmastime? nected to a major body of water. Cole skips the The American Chestnut Foundation webBethlehem reference, which leaves the listener site shows that chestnut trees were plentiful in with even less information. states from Maine down to Florida, but were hit Some theorize online that the song is conwith “a lethal fungus infestation, known as the nected to the three wise men, but that turns out chestnut blight, during the first half of the 20th to be a perplexing turn for a chipper Christmas century.” Perhaps that’s why I missed out on the carol. chestnut craze.

To clear up the confusion on the three ships, I Next up: “And every mother’s child is gonna turned to my father several years ago. The history spy/To see if reindeer really know how to fly.” buff took a long pause before offering his answer, Every mother’s child? So in other words … which still makes me chuckle. everyone.

“Well,” he deadpanned, “there was the Nina, One more curious couplet: “And so I’m the Pinta and the Santa Maria.”

AP photos

THE TOP TEN You can’t beat the classics.

Here is a highly subjective list of the best traditional Christmas tunes. No current pop stars, no jazzed-up reinterpretations. Note that Bing Crosby and Nat “King” Cole could fill all of these 10 spots, so we tried to spread it around just a bit.

The Christmas Song by Nat “King” Cole Silent Night

by Bing Crosby White Christmas

by Crosby Joy to the World by Cole It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas by Perry Como It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year by Andy Williams Sleigh Ride

by Ella Fitzgerald I’ll Be Home for Christmas

by Crosby Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas by Judy Garland Winter Wonderland by Tony Bennett

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