Issuu

VOLUME 6

ISSUE 36

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CONTENTS

4 Rodents, Rabbits, & Rats, Oh My! 6 Easy Ways to Add a Cozy Fall Ambiance Inside Your Home

24 Wilson PTA Awarded Grant for COVID-19 Relief Efforts 26 What Is An Annuity? Front cover by and TOC photo by: Jessica Wedge

20 The Canyon Creek Chronicle

BUSINESS OF THE MONTH

FAMILY OF THE MONTH

STUDENT OF THE MONTH

PETS OF THE MONTH

www.CanyonCreekLife.com

Letter from

the PUBLISHER

Publisher Kyla Obert Ad Sales Mike Obert Designer Open Look Business Solutions Contributors Lisa Parelli-Monoghan, Ryan Amerson, Warren Caldwell, Wilson Allen, Angela Green and Jessica Wedge Photographer Jessica Wedge Special Thanks Jeff & Tyler Overstreet, Kauffman Family, Sarah English & Ashley Leftwich, and Milano Family. For Advertising Questions, please email mobert@hylogroup.com

Nine Things To Do This Fall, During The Pandemic 1. Create a scavenger hunt through the neighborhood. You can even make it educational, learning about our local trees and plants. Thanks to our resident Eagle Scout, it’s now much easier to learn about the trees that make up our beautiful neighborhood. 2. Have a bike or scooter parade with friends. Make it a Macy’s day parade theme for an elevated fall experience. Invite neighbors to watch the parade from their front yards. 3. Backyard movie night. Amazon Prime yourself a small movie projector, hang a white sheet, bring out comfy chairs, blankets and popcorn, for a perfect fall night on the lawn. You’ll want to recreate this night several times throughout the fall! 4. Bake your fall favorites. Pick a day to bake some of your favorite fall recipes. You can even create a virtual meet up so you can bake with friends! 5. Try out a new family game. Our family enjoys playing several card games that are fun for all ages! 6. Surprise a friend with their favorite coffee or dessert delivered to their doorstep. 7. Go camping! You don’t even have to leave your backyard for a fun camping experience. However, there are some great places within a short driving distance that you might enjoy exploring. 8. Phone a friend. Grab a cup of coffee, retreat to your favorite outdoor spot, and catch up with a good friend or family member. 9. Plan a puppy play date. Our furry friends need to socialize too! Plan to meet up at a local dog park or a friend’s backyard. You’ll see how much our Pet of the Month pair loves a day at the dog park!

www.CanyonCreekLife.com

For Editoral Requests, please email kobert@hylogroup.com HyperLocal Media 224 W Campbell Rd, STE 428 Richardson, TX 75080

Managing Partners Mike and Kyla Obert

Rodents, Rabbits and Rats, Oh My! by Jeff and Tyler Overstreet

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock

s we move into the fall season it’s a good time to take a look around the outside of the house and prepare for unwanted visitors. The trees and shrubs around your house have been growing all summer creating both hiding places and access to your roof, so that’s a good place to start. Roof rats with their lean bodies and long tails are great climbers and jumpers so you want to have at least a three to fourfoot gap between your trees and your roof to discourage them from jumping over. Once they make it to the roof, they will look for small gaps around the structure. A few nibbles later they have a comfortable place to stay the winter. An adult rat only needs a space a little smaller than a quarter to get in. The shrubs should also get a good trimming, dense foliage creates places to hide. Rodents are attracted to these areas because they are instinctively looking for places to escape predators. Additionally, look for any other structural gaps around the house like a/c lines coming into the house, missing trim damaged during storms, or gaps around your garage door. Be sure and take a look around for signs of burrowing under the a/c pad, pool pump pad and, any storage building. Norway rats have a shorter tail and prefer to live in burrows or lower structures. The other thing to look for are food sources. Rats are scavengers and will eat just about anything, so look for fruit and nut trees and clean up anything on the ground. Rake up any leaves to help eliminate insects and snails, make sure your rain gutters are clean, if you have pets don’t leave their food on the porch overnight. Clean your BBQ regularly to eliminate grease and food that has dropped through the grates, make sure any outdoor trash cans have firmly fitting lids, and finally don’t overfill your bird feeders. You may find signs of rodent activity around you’re a/c or pool pump, both provide moisture and the pool pump runs on cold nights producing warmth. Roof rat droppings are black long and tend to have pointy ends while Norway rat droppings are shorter thicker and have blunt ends. Lizard droppings are very similar in shape and size but are not solid and will crush when squeezed. Droppings may also be found on window ledges, fence rails, and around the

a/c unit in your attic. It’s a good idea to take a quick look around the attic for signs of activity whenever you change your a/c filter. You may be wondering where these pests come from and why don’t they stay there. Rodents are constant breeders and have a short gestation period about 22 days. Litter’s can consist of 1 to 22 pups and are weaned in 3-4 weeks. So, populations can spike quickly and when this happens food and harborage availability is limited so the weaker animals move on. They can come from parks and creeks, but the neighborhood storm water system tends to be the biggest source. Urban sprawl has lowered the number of natural predators, so the populations grow. If you have activity they can be eliminated with bait or traps and this is something you can do on your own but using a professional will be faster and safer. Snaps traps need to be the proper size for rats, and proper attractant and location are key. Remember if its strong enough to catch a rat its strong enough to break a finger. Baits need to be placed in heavy plastic rodent bait stations that are designed to secure the bait inside and placed near active areas of infestation. There are many types of bait but in general professionals use anticoagulants (has an antidote) while the bait you purchase at the store will be a nerve toxin (no antidote). Proper station and bait selection are important to prevent non target animal poisonings. Rabbits can be another nuisance around the house. They have a range of about 5 acres, and like rodents they are continual www.CanyonCreekLife.com

breeders, giving birth to 8 to 12 young in about 30 days. Rabbits do not hibernate instead they just feed on available seasonal foliage and supplement their diet by eating their own droppings. Control is difficult, they are hard to trap and cannot be baited so making your yard unattractive to them is the best solution. Like rodents, they want to hide and nest undetected by predators so proper plant spacing and pruning are important. You can also start incorporating plants they don’t like to eat, apply repellants in the areas you are trying to protect from damage or install barriers around flower beds and fences to prevent entry. I hope the information in this article has been helpful.

Bug Zone Inc. is a family owned pest control business that has been serving Collin county and surrounding areas for over twenty years, please give us a call if you need help or additional information. Jeff Overstreet Owner bugzonepest.com bugzoneweb@hotmail.com (972) 867-9800

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock

Easy Ways to Add a

Cozy Fall Ambiance

Inside Your Home

Delicious Aromas It's hard to think about fall days without the traditional aromas that typically fill the air. Pumpkin-spiced coffee, freshly baked cinnamon rolls, warm apple pie, and aromatic apple cider are popular reminders that autumn has arrived. Deliciously scented candles and air fresheners can also fill the inside of your home with fall-inspired aromas.

t's time to give your home's interior spaces a cozy ambiance as autumn approaches and the air turns chilly outside. From cuddly throws to earthy colors, a variety of fall-inspired decor can warm up your home's aesthetic interest with seasonal appeal. Read the chic decorating ideas below to cozy up your home's interior spaces this autumn

Comfy Area Rugs It's easy to add a touch of autumn to your home with comfy area rugs. Choose rugs woven with fall-inspired patterns to ramp up the feel of a fall day inside your home. Select warm-toned rugs, such as brick red, golden yellow, mossy green, or earthy brown for an extra dose of autumn-like ambiance. Attractive braided rugs in cozy warm tones also offer a seasonal alternative with a different texture.

Cozy Bedding Ensembles Outfit your beds with cozy comfort this fall as the nights become a bit chilly. Snuggle between cozy flannel sheets topped with a soft fleece blanket and lightweight comforter. Add some warm colors and patterns to your bedding ensemble to amplify the autumn ambiance. For example, choose cozy throws, pillow shams, and throw pillows with fall-inspired motifs, such as colorful leaves, orange pumpkins, or earthy-toned plaids.

Distinctive Fall Decor Display a few decorative items throughout your home to ramp up the autumn-filled atmosphere. For example, whimsical scarecrows in a variety of sizes and wooden table-top sayings depicting harvest blessings and thanksgiving add an instant fall vibe. Simple grapevine wreaths dotted with silk flowers, such as sunflowers, chrysanthemums, and asters make ideal decorations for your entry doors, both indoors and outdoors.

by Lisa Parelli-Monaghan

www.CanyonCreekLife.com

Autumn-Themed Toss Pillows Decorative pillows are a quick way to inject instant fall-inspired images into almost any room in your home. You can choose autumn-inspired pillow casings to fit over your existing toss pillows and save yourself some money. Pillow casings also take up much less storage space than lots of individual toss pillows. Place the decorative pillows on beds, chairs, sofas, and benches throughout your house to create a welcoming vibe. Seasonal Garden Produce Nothing invokes the feel of a fall day like seasonal garden produce. Display a few fresh seasonal items throughout your home. For example, place a trio of pumpkins in various sizes in a bare corner of your entryway or beside a bench or freestanding coatrack. Use miniature pumpkins and gourds to decorate your dining table, kitchen buffet, or console tables. Tie a bundle of ornamental Indian corn together to adorn your fireplace mantel or front door. Adding cozy textures, seasonal decorations, or scents of autumn throughout your home is a great way to enjoy the fall season indoors. Whether you're wanting a few dashes of autumn-inspired fashion on your walls, furniture, or floors, revisit the information you just read and pick out your favorite ideas. Your home will convey a cozy, warm vibe when filled with touches of fall-themed decor.

Business of the Month

What is your name and the name of your business? Ever Atelier is a wallcovering/wallpaper + art studio based in Richardson, Texas founded with intention by Sarah English and Ashley Leftwich. How long have you been in business? We officially founded Ever Atelier in the summer of 2019. We are super proud to have just celebrated Ever’s 1st birthday, during this pandemic. We spent a great deal of time collaborating and designing the first collection prior to our launch. We are both artists and meticulous about the quality of our work. We provide art for walls -- we weren’t ready to launch Ever Atelier until the designs were elevated to create special spaces that clients live with and love. Tell us about your business. We hand draw, hand paint and design wallpaper and wallcoverings that are digitally printed. Our designs tend to have both a sweet and edgy subject matter -- we’ve been told we have a flair for the dramatic! We never run out of ideas for our collection. We also incorporate artistic experimentation in all of our designs-there is a story to (ever)y pattern! Another side to our business is developing custom patterns and custom colors for clients. If you can dream it-- we can make it! Additionally, we are vigorously growing our business into other facets; ie: fabrics and art prints. We partner with the interior design and architectural community in their residential and commercial projects. Our wallpaper/ 8

wallcoverings are also available through our online website (www.everatelier.com) to all consumers. We are unprecedented in the bespoke design industry for being able to ship orders in 2-3 weeks. We accomplish this by working with a local art printer that also supports the Dallas economy. We are passionate about our business and share inspiration and our creative process through social media outlets like instagram (@everatelier). What inspired you to do what you do? There were several events that inspired us to start our Ever Atelier journey. Sarah has a background in fine art and textile design; Ashley has a background in textiles and interior design. We knew that the culmination of our creative, yet, different backgrounds and talents would be successful together. We each pull from an open range of varying inspiration-- both of us having different perspectives elevates our art and wallcovering. We both had to believe in each other and built on each other’s passions that drove us to create our own studio. Sarah went to trade shows in New York with her surface design career; Ashley knew the potential of the interior design world-- and knew what was not out in the market currently. We look at our art from both a creative and commercial perspective to achieve successful patterns. We recently launched our second collection-it was important for the second collection patterns to show our range as artists and designers. We never have a shortage of original ideas! With this second collection www.CanyonCreekLife.com

launch, we have had to change how we get our art/wallcovering out into the world during COVID. We started shooting online videos of each pattern and added them to our ‘Virtual Portfolio’ link on our website to share with clients. We also recently were interviewed by a local Interior Design podcast, called ‘The Hue’ by: PholioCo. Our second collection launch was also shared as a virtual video with clients-- we collaborated with Canyon Creek resident, Stacey Jemison, of Stacey Jemison Photography, to create a launch video that was extremely successful. We are both inspired by all the different ways we have had to change our business model to survive during COVID times. Tells us a favorite story or two about your business. Our kids often inspire us, and we make them a part of our process. For our ‘Razel Baselisk’ pattern, we asked each of them- “If you could put different animals together, what would you combine?” Each of the (4) kiddos had wild ideas and combos-- we had so much fun drawing them and bringing them to life.

How long have you lived in Canyon Creek? AL: My family moved to Canyon Creek the spring of 2011; so 9 years-- how time flies! SE: We moved here in the Summer of 2014. I remember unpacking boxes on the 4th of July and taking a break for the neighborhood parade. We knew we were in the right place! That was 6 years ago. What brought you to Canyon Creek? AL: My husband and I lived in a very contemporary townhome in the McKinney Ave/Knox area, and after we had our first child, we knew we needed a family home. We are passionate about architecturally cool homes, mature trees/larger lots and parks. We wanted a community/neighborhood feel also. We looked in tons of other areas of Dallas and just could not find the sense of community that we dreamed about for our family. Canyon Creek checked-off all the boxes-- and when we discovered the neighborhood, we both knew immediately that it was a perfect fit for our family. SE: We were living in a townhome in West Plano which had served us well as a young couple. When I was pregnant with our youngest daughter, we started looking for more space and a neighborhood for our kids to grow up in. We knew we wanted to move to the Richardson area. We loved the older homes and mature neighborhoods. Felt unique in a metroplex that can sometimes feel “cookie cutter.” Every time after being out around town with our realtor, my husband and I would find ourselves at Shady’s discussing what we saw. So when a house came on the market literally down the street from Shady’s I knew it was ours. I called my husband and said, I found our house...and we can walk to Shadys! Good burgers wasn’t the only reason we bought our home, but it was an excellent bonus!

in our golfcart at night to enjoy the natural beauty. I love the lifelong friends that we have made in Canyon Creek. I love that I can trust my kids to explore our neighborhood and creeks safely... I obviously can’t give you what I love most because there are just too many to list! We will n(ever) leave! SE: We love this neighborhood! We were drawn here by the creek and outdoor spaces as well as the feel of the neighborhood. What we didn’t anticipate was the most wonderful friends that we’ve made! And the same goes for our kids. I found a deeper appreciation for this neighborhood while we sheltered in place and our biggest adventure of the day was sitting on the front porch. I realized just how grateful I am for this neighborhood.. Talking to someone as they walked down the street or waving at someone else in their yard. I thought my world had gotten smaller, but it helped me see how big what we have here actually is. Tell us about your family. AL: My husband’s name is Charles. He is a sales territory manager for Anderson/ Tuftex- a division of Shaw flooring. He is also a great soccer coach and singer/ song-writer- fab musician. We have a son named Smith that is a 5th grader (10) at Aldridge, and we have a daughter named Greer that is a 2nd grader (8) at Aldridge. Smith enjoys soccer, playing piano taught by Canyon Creek Music, and hanging-out with his friends. Greer likes basketball, singing taught by Canyon Creek Music, and bossing our family around:) Both kiddos dote on our (2) Shih Tzu puppies,

What do you love most about living in Canyon Creek? AL: I love (ever)ything I mentioned above! I love seeing people out walking and enjoying our beautiful neighborhood. Our park is an amazing gem. I love that Canyon Creek does not look like a typical Dallas neighborhood-- there are different architectural styles of homes that make it eclectic and interesting. My husband and I’s date nights consist of cruising around

Ophelia, and Vox Lou. If I am not designing or creating, I enjoy going to music concerts with friends, reading in the park, cooking, yoga @ FitYoga, and boxing at I Love Kickboxing Richardson. SE: My husband’s name is Ryan. He is a Physician Assistant with the hospitalist group at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas. When he’s not working you’ll usually find him in our garage busy with a new wood working project...you can never have enough power tools! We have a son named Evan who is 10 and a 5th grader at Aldridge Elementary. He’s very active in our local cub scout pack, and loves taking guitar lessons at Archie’s Guitars. We also have a daughter named Mae who is 6 and in kindergarten at Aldridge Elementary. She loves to dance! And when I’m not creating and designing, I’m here for a recommendation on the best new shows to binge on TV. Share with us a funny or awesome story of living in Canyon Creek. We were truly brought together by our neighborhood. We met at a kindergarten round-up before our boys started school at Aldridge. We were immediately drawn to each other, and our boys were too! We discovered that we lived across the street from each other because of our boys. We are beyond grateful for our Ever Atelier adventure together that all began because of geography-- and Canyon Creek. Anything else you’d love for your neighbors to know about your business or you? We were meant to meet and create together. We figured out that we attended the same High School, but never met until living in Canyon Creek.

www.CanyonCreekLife.com

Student of the Month Tell us your name, what school you currently attend (or recently attended), and what year you are in school. My name is Morgan Austin, and I’m a 17 year old senior at Plano Academy High School. What other schools have you attended? I started school at Aldridge Elementary, and went to Wilson Middle School.

Morgan Austin

Tell us what sports or activities you were involved in and why you enjoy it. I am extremely active in my boy scout troop 295 and I love hiking and nature. One of my favorite experiences was in July of 2019 when I visited Canada to canoe at northern tier, a boy scout high adventure camp. I love taking breaks from society and technology and I think BSA gives me the opportunity to do that. My school doesn’t have an official basketball team, but I love to meet up with my friends from school to play basketball at the Aldridge basketball court. I’m tall so I mainly play defense but I get the most fun out of shooting and layups. Tell us your honors and awards in school. In middle school I played the Bass Clarinet where I competed in All State Texas, a music and arts competition that highlights skilled musicians in Texas. I got into the symphonic band where I performed in front of a huge crowd of people with my friends and fellow musicians. What’s your favorite subject in school? My favorite subject is easily English, followed closely by history. I greatly appreciate all of my classes and subjects including the effort my teachers put into the work. I love English because of the analysis and discussion that takes place in the class. I also really enjoy taking Spanish and Art. I take Spanish 4 and hopefully the future lets me visit a Spanish speaking country where I can use and apply my knowledge. I love art for the same reasons as English. The philosophy and meaning that art can have is so beautiful to me and I admire the commentary and value that art can have on society. Tell us about your plans after graduation. I want to go to college where I will graduate 10

in English Literature where I can then go on to become a teacher. I love learning and talking about learning, and I think teaching would be a great outlet to achieve this, but I also think that I can positively influence the world since teachers arguably influence the upcoming generations more than any other career. I’m looking at applying to Angelo State University, the University of North Texas, and the University of Texas at Dallas. Outside of schools and sports, what do you do for fun, hobbies, work, etc.? Some of my favorite things to do in my free time include (mostly obvious stuff) like playing video games and skateboarding with my friends, but I think the most relaxing thing I do is reading. I love to read and I always think about new books to get. Some of my favorites include Dune by Frank www.CanyonCreekLife.com

Herbert, The Stranger by Albert Camus, and The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. I like to go skateboarding at the Allen and Carpenter skateparks, and I will use my longboard to go down the path on Renner Road. Another of my biggest hobbies is playing the guitar. I am in an unofficial band with my friends called Blubonic Groove, where we make and perform jazz songs as well as rock. I can play the acoustic and electric guitar, as well as the bass guitar. Some of my favorite bands and influences are The Grateful Dead, Pink Floyd, Rage Against the Machine, and American Football. How long have you lived in Canyon Creek? I have lived in canyon creek for about 12 and a half years- I moved here from Fresno California with my family when I was very young.

What do you love most about living in Canyon Creek? I love the suburban aesthetic and cozy feeling the neighborhood has. I like how one minute I can be skateboarding down a street of houses, and the next I can be in the forest. I think all of my neighbors are incredibly friendly, and I’ve never felt unsafe. Tells us a favorite story or two about a big moment or fun moment playing your sport. I remember a few years ago, I went to Alaska with my boy scout troop and after a few days of kayaking and camping in the forest, we had to go across this bay to get back to the cars where we could go back to base camp from there. That day was incredibly windy, and waves were very tall so we had to be careful. As we were kayaking, one of the waves tipped my Dad's boat over, and we had to get to shore fast so we could warm my dad and his kayak partner up. This was intense in the moment but looking back I think it was an incredible experience and I

had a lot of fun setting up a tent fast and getting everybody back together. A fun memory I have of skateboarding is when I went to the skatepark with my friends a few months ago and we recorded ourselves doing tricks and carving in the bowl. Once we were done, we edited it into a big compilation and made a skating music video over our favorite songs. I actually got my first ever ‘ollie’ on video when we were recording. Share with us a funny or awesome story of living in Canyon Creek. I don’t think I have a singular memory that stands out but I love walking up the Renner path in the evening and you can see the sunset. Walking my dog in the early morning or evening can be so peaceful. Anything else you would love for your neighbors to know about you? I was responsible for installing a large nature sign at the Prairie Creek Bridge and placing 10 signs along Huck Finn Trail identifying different trees. This was my project for my

www.CanyonCreekLife.com

Scout Eagle Rank. This project taught me a lot about leadership, communication and working with my peers. I initially worked closely with Mr Rodgers from Richardson Parks and Recreation Department to create signs that would have minimal impact on the trees and the trail and then Mr Church from Arborlogical helped me identify the trees. I found an illustrator, Mr O’Brien and he allowed me to use his excellent drawings and Mr Hardwood from Minuteman Press produced the signs. I then had a lot of help from the scouts at Troop 295 to install the signs. Once the signs were all installed, I organized a trash pickup where we walked around the park and the creek picking up litter. I am very happy with how the signs turned out, and after seeing the reception on facebook, I’m glad that people feel the same. I hope everyone in the neighbourhood enjoys learning a little more about the trees in our area. Each sign also has a QR code which goes to our Troop website and has more information on the tree.

Family of the Month

You Can Go Home Again

by Jessica Wedge

“I never really fit,” Anthony Milano told me over a Zoom call from his home in Canyon Creek. “My grandpa has been a member of the country club since 1981…When I got into high school the fashion was long skater hair and these big, baggy blue jean pants. I’ d go into the country club to find my grandfather and I’ d walk in and everyone would look at me like ‘where is this kid going?’”

Photo Courtesy of Jessica Wedge

nthony grew up in Canyon Creek. His grandparents moved here in 1978 and his parents moved here in 1991. He attended North Junior High and was seated next to Allison in Mrs. Aguilar’s Spanish 1 class. Anthony was the troublemaker of the school. He was grounded for most of junior high and some of high school and was not allowed to go to any of the school dances. Allison was the rule-follower, “the social one”, as Anthony called her. She went to every dance with a big group of friends, and was very attentive in each class. Anthony askexd a buddy to introduce them and they became really good friends. “She friendzoned me in a heart-beat!” Anthony mentioned with a strong laugh from Allison. They floated through the rest of high school like all the main characters do in the good “coming-of-age” movies, being the best of friends with Anthony secretly admiring her the whole way through. They hung out every day and talked on the phone every night. One night, after spending the afternoon together, Anthony left a voicemail on Allison’s answering machine to let her know that he made it back home safely. At the very end of the call, right before hanging up, he frantically spouted “I love you!” Click. The next day with slight embarrassment and dread, Anthony asked if she heard the last part of his voicemail, to which Allison replied, “Yeah, but it’s ok, we’re good friends! I know that’s what you meant.” They shared a dance at prom and then quickly drifted apart after graduation. A few years later in 2005, they ran into each other and the script flipped. Allison was now interested. “I saw him and I was like whew!

He grew up! He’s not Tony anymore, he’s Anthony.” With a great friendship already at the foundation, a relationship quickly blossomed. Anthony and Allison married on St. Patrick’s Day in 2010. Allison went to the University of Texas and studied education with a minor in Spanish. She always knew she wanted to teach and became a Spanish teacher at Richardson High School following college graduation. She taught there for eleven years, loving every minute of it working with the kids and all the teachers. A majority of their friends, of course, were many of the teachers Allison worked with every day. So, with Anthony constantly surrounded by teachers and his love for history, they decided he should go back to school to become a teacher as well. During graduate school, Anthony tutored many kids in a variety of subjects. He was approached by a woman who saw his tutoring style and asked him if he considered tutoring more often, specifically for students preparing for college entrance exams. With www.CanyonCreekLife.com

the thought of it helping him improve as an educator and practice more, he accepted the job and also went on to teach AP US History at Richardson High School. Allison and Anthony had two boys, Alastaire and Alden, and after welcoming their youngest girl, Ashby Maeve, Allison decided to step away from teaching and focus more on the kids.

Photo Provided by Allison Milano

A few years ago, the tutoring company owner was spending more and more time with her new grand-baby on the East Coast, so Anthony asked her if she was thinking about selling the business. At the same time, she asked him “would you buy it?” In February of 2019, the Milano’s officially bought Academic Solutions. With a widerange of students, spanning from 4th grade all the way up to seniors in high school and sometimes even freshmen in college, Anthony and Allison spend a majority of their free time helping students from all over improve in any subject in school. “I like telling stories and having the students go ‘Oh, I didn’t know that!’” Anthony explained about being an AP US History teacher. He explained that a lot of the material he teaches is about the people who were left out of most narratives. He takes this approach to give the students a voice that they can recognize and to draw the parallels between what happened then and what happens now. Telling stories is in his blood - both of his grandfathers could control the room with a story and that is a style of teaching he has found that works best. “I was never a school kid, I still struggle with school. I don’t like the ‘fit-in-the-box’ thing.” Now, teaching in the age of COVID, it’s more difficult to incorporate this story-telling style of teaching while keeping the student’s attention through a screen. But Anthony is able to recognize when the student is exhausted after taking an hour-long math test on the computer, or maybe just overwhelmed with virtual learning. “They’re just sitting in the same room for the 5th class in a row begging for the day to be over. You just have to remember what

it’s like to be on their side a lot of times. But, this is still the best job I’ve ever had - being able to help people, and especially people who were like me in school. It’s nice to be in a position to help them.” Anthony and Allison’s life has come full circle. Five years ago, the Milano’s moved into Canyon Creek, right down the road from Anthony’s parents, who live in the same house Anthony grew up in many years ago when he was just the kid that “never really fit”. “After moving into the neighborhood we definitely had that feeling of ‘ok do we fit? Do we not fit?’” Allison explained. “And…our street is awesome. We have 18 different kids on the street. All of us come outside and have fun and we’re all very different from each other, but everyone is very respectful and helps look out after all the kids” she said, smiling at Anthony. “It’s kind of like a bunch of different people suddenly found themselves on the same street under the bubble” Anthony responded. The parents on the street have a group text that is frequently used to offer carpooling, kid-watching, and the occasional street party. With their family near them, friends all around them, and a bright future ahead of them, Anthony and Allison have found a place where they belong and they can call home.

www.CanyonCreekLife.com

Pet of the Month

Rebel & Raider Photo Courtesy of Abbie Kauffman

Tell us your names and your pet’s name. Hi! We’re the Kauffmans- Our human family consists of Abbie, Cade and our 14-month old daughter EB (short for Elisabeth Baines). Our furry family includes our two rescue dogs, Raider and Rebel.

What breed is your pet? Rebel is a yellow English Labrador Retriever. As for Raider- your guess is as good as mine! He’s a Heinz 57 special, with what we believe are heavy doses of Basenji and Red Shepherd. How did you get your pet and how long have you had him or her? Both of our dogs are rescues. Rebel joined our family first. Cade was working for the Municipal Court for the City of Norman while completing law school at the University of Oklahoma College of Law (BOOMER!), and I was working on my graduate degree at OU. Through his position, he heard of an animal cruelty case where a large number of dogs had been owner-surrendered to Oklahoma City Animal Welfare (aka the pound). We took time off to head over there one afternoon and looked at a range of dogs. Rebel was severely under socialized and was incredibly awkward, but he was the most handsome guy, and we could tell his personality would shine through with lots of TLC. We adopted him on the spot in July 2012, just a few days before my birthday. Turns out he was a lease violation for our current apartment, so we spent my birthday moving into a rent house. He was around 2 when we adopted him, so he’s now in double digits, but still acts like a big puppy at times. Raider was our “oops baby.” We had relocated to Midland, Texas, Cade’s hometown, in spring 2013 to begin our careers. We were heading out of town for the weekend, so I had stopped into PetSmart after work to load up on dog food. That day happened to be the kickoff for national adoption weekend, 14

so there were animal rescues from across the Permian Basin setup with adorable animals in the parking lot and throughout the building. As I was walking into the store, I heard the sound of a chair being dragged, and turned to look. There was Raider tied to an empty folding chair, dragging it behind him to come say hello. Apparently, he had been in the puppy pen, but refused to stay put. The person working the tent had gotten up to speak with another couple, and he took his opportunity to meet new people. I filled out the adoption paperwork without even talking to Cade…better to ask for forgiveness than permission, right?! He’ll turn 8 years old in January 2021. Tell us about your pet: fun tricks, unique talents, quirky personality, etc. Our dogs are collectively known as the Terrible R’s. Their pack leader, and the most terrible of Rs, Remi, passed away last October. Apparently, she discouraged quite a bit of their bad behavior because under her leadership, they would follow her out any open gate or door. We’ve had no jail breaks since her passing, which means I’ve had to post a lot less lost dog notices on the Residents of Canyon Creek Facebook page. Rebel is an incredible hunter. Cade grew up www.CanyonCreekLife.com

training English Pointers and competing in field trials across the United States, so he trained Rebel in our rent house backyard in Norman and hunted him for the first time on Oklahoma public land. We laugh that he would have had better grades in law school if it were not for the dog… He adores bird hunting, and still goes out on every trip with Cade- mostly dove, duck, and pheasant hunting. When we adopted him, he did not know how to sit, but he did know how to shake. He still shakes frequently. Raider can jump higher than any dog I’ve ever seen- he must be part cat! I have found him on the kitchen counters, tables, you name it. If I had time and patience, I would train him

on an obstacle course because he has the raw potential to be State Fair trick worthy. They are both big loveable lumps of fur. How long have you lived in Canyon Creek? We moved into Canyon Creek in April 2018. We actually bought our house because it has an attached sunporch that includes a window unit and dog door to our backyard. I will shamelessly admit I bought my house for my dogs.

What do you love most about living in the Canyon Creek? The community is incredible for so many reasons! We selected the neighborhood to start our family because of the incredible schools, number of young families, walkability, and general beauty of the area. After we had our daughter, the Canyon Creeks Moms Club organized a meal train for me, and we were fed for like four weeks straight! I now am a board member, and love getting to meet other moms in our community. I don’t know of any other community that level or generosity of care would happen for a complete stranger. We also love our neighbors! Everyone we have met have become amazing friends. We were fortunate when the house next door sold in March 2020, we got the most amazing nextdoor neighbors. They have become some of our closest friends, and you can often find our family and theirs at Canyon Creek Country Club on Friday nights enjoying live music, a cocktail, and dinner! And of course…all of the pets and pet lovers! The day we were moving into our house, a very elderly chihuahua wandered in through our open front door. We called his owners, but we knew we were in the right place at that time. We have met

so many wonderful neighborhood pets and people who are dog crazy as we are. Share with us a funny or awesome story of living in Canyon Creek? We don’t have too many funny or awesome stories, which I guess makes us pretty boring. I’m always amazed by how giving this community is. I work for CitySquare, the largest poverty fighting nonprofit in North Texas, and responded to a post about plastic bags. I ended up with hundreds on my doorstep in 24 hours! We’ve met amazing people, reconnected with some longtime friends who we didn’t even know lived in the neighborhood, done our fair share of walking around Canyon Creek Park, and have eaten more than our fair share of burgers from Shady’s, ice cream from Sweet Firefly, and chicken salad from Festive Kitchen. Anything else you would love for your neighbors to know about your pet? If you ever walk down our alley or street, you’ve likely been barked at! Apologies in advance…they’re sweet old men who just want to say hi!

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The Canyon Creek Chronicle

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

Echoes From The Canyon

t is now but a distant memory the thought of “God, I hope this mask thing doesn’t last into the Summer”. And now, the Summer of our discontent has passed and we have turned the corner to Fall. It seems reasonable to state that only the most introverted have truly thrived during this time of pandemic and the power of proximity has never been so self-evident. A world devoid of handshakes, hugs and high fives is akin to traveling on a dusty highway passing faded billboards with a nostalgic eye on the rearview mirror framing the former world of expression, joy and camaraderie. Faith is necessary. After yet another Zoom meeting this week, I pro-actively sought the world as viewed from the afore-mentioned rearview mirror and visited the Heritage Farmstead in Plano. Many moons ago, I was married on the front porch of the main house by the late, great Rev Robert Price who founded Hamilton Park New Mount Zion Baptist Church. They even named the local post office after him. What a man. But what I mainly sought that day was the smell of cut grass, a glance into the past and a respite from all things electronic. The elderly docent’s eyes sparkled as I donated the $5 entry fee. Passing through the gates is akin to stepping into a daguerreotype, except one that is in color. The grounds and buildings date back to 1891 and it’s a living example of a Blackland Prairie working farm. It was a cleansing experience and quite paradoxical that something so old could make one feel so young. Depending on the mailing date of this fine publication, you will either be eagerly anticipating our own Richardson Symphony Concert’s Mobile Performance through the mean streets of Canyon Creek or you will have already richly enjoyed the performance. We will be emailing those who are on our membership rolls more information about this not-to-be-missed event. (Membership to the Canyon Creek HOA is $50/year with flags on Patriotic Holidays placed by uniformed Boy Scouts or $15/year sans Flags. https://canyoncreekhomeowners.com/membership/.) FYI – with flags is better. Like many of our businesses and institutions, our own Richardson Symphony is also navigating some turbulent waters. We will be

publishing a link in the email to contribute if you are able and feel so inclined but if you miss the email or are not yet an HOA Member: richardsonsymphony.org/donation/. Canyon Creek and your HOA will again host a Food and Toy Drive of epic proportion to benefit The Network on November 14th. Beyond the obvious and primal needs that the resultant food satisfied our neighbors after last Spring’s Drive, it united us in a fundamental way and laid the groundwork for “In This Together”. With all the need that exists, let’s help the children experience the normalcy of a Holiday Season with gifts, laughter and fun. Canyon Creek stepped up to the plate like Mike Trout for North Texas Giving Day and helped Network shatter its goal. If you can, please give. https://thenetwork.org/donate-today/. If you need, please let us serve you. https://thenetwork.org/get-help/#food. Many will have noticed the Officer David Sherrard Memorial signs placed along 75. Thank you to all who contributed to this fine cause and honoring one of our own who gave the last full measure of devotion. Mentally tip your cap the next time you drive past. TI is constructing the new chip fabrication facility on Renner and you may have noticed the more permanent West Coast University sign at 2323 North Central. Even during these uncertain times, people are betting on Richardson and Canyon Creek. And for good reason. Much as we are collectively ready to get past the madness of 2020, we were born to conquer it. To steal from Social Media, as the world fights to figure everything out, I’ll be holding doors for strangers, letting people cut in front of me in traffic, saying good morning, keeping babies entertained in grocery lines, stopping to talk to someone who is lonely, tipping generously, waving at police, sharing food, giving children a thumbs-up, being patient with sales clerks, smiling at passersby, and buying a stranger a cup of coffee. WHY? Because I will not stand to live in a world where love is invisible. Join me in showing kindness, understanding, and judging less. Be kind to a stranger, give grace to friends who are having a bad day, be forgiving with yourself. If you can’t find kindness, BE kindness.

www.CanyonCreekLife.com

The Canyon Creek Chronicle CHOCOLATE DROP EVENT - RICHARDSON CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

Photo Courtesy of Shutterstock

Hi! I’m reaching out to all of my friends at the II Creeks shopping center. Rachel Boelter is a commercial real estate broker and a member of the Richardson Chamber Young Professionals Association (RYP). Every year, the RYP does a “Chocolate Drop” candy drive where they collect candy for Methodist Richardson cancer patients. This year, they would like to team up with the II Creeks shopping center so that they can collect chocolate outdoors while encouraging the patrons to shop locally. Below you will find some more detailed information about this. Rachel Boelter is leading the effort and would love to work with you all if you would like to participate in any way. (FYI they strategically set the date of this event for after Halloween to encourage people to donate any left over candy, so I think you could get a lot of people joining.) Here’s the info - please reach out to Rachel if you would like to participate. Also - I know there are a lot of folks that I left out since I don’t have the emails, so feel free to send along to any other tenants in the area. On November 5 th from 5:30 to 7:30pm the members of Richardson Young Professionals are facilitating their annual chocolate collection to support the Richardson Methodist Cancer Center. During the 2 hour window RYP members, RCC Members and the community are encouraged to bring bags of individually wrapped chocolates to donate. Then we will encourage these folks to stay around the area to help support the local Richardson businesses either by dine in or take out drinks/food and hang in the park. We would encourage your company’s involvement at whatever level you can assist. We hope to bring more people to your business that evening and would recommend if there is a promo card or a small taster sampler station or any creative idea you have to help make our event attract more people. Additionally, if you are agreeable, we would like to hang a flyer about our event in your place of business. Again, this is to help more people be aware of RYP and a small act of kindness to help give back to their community to make a difference. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to Rachel Boelter at rachel@hudsonpeters.com

Network of Community Ministries based right here in Richardson continues to look to our Canyon Creek HOA for support during the holiday season. As the Thanksgiving holiday approaches they continue to be tasked with low inventory of canned fruits & vegetables. The entire inventory of needs can be found at: https://thenetwork.org/network-wish-list/ Canyon Creek HOA will be a hosting a food drive on Saturday, November 14 from 9 – 11AM. We will be set up in II Creeks Plaza with a drive by station set up near Shady’s. Richardson Strong yard signs will also be available for a $10 donation. Alternatively, you may drop food directly at Network at 741 S. Sherman St. in Richardson. As always, you may donate directly to Network: https://thenetwork.org/donate.

HALLOWEEN FRONT PORCH CONTEST Canyon Creek HOA will be sponsoring a porch-decorating contest for Halloween! Get those spooky front porches ready! Submissions will be due by October 23. CCHOA Residents will get to vote on your favorite porches by Quadrant with the winners being announced on HALLOWEEN (which is even a Saturday this morning!). Winners will receive fun prizes! Make sure to follow CCHOA on Facebook for more details: https:// www.facebook.com/CCHOA75080

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YARD OF THE MONTH NE Quadrant

SW Quadrant

August 427 Pleasant Valley Ln

August 2107 Custer Pkwy

NW Quadrant

SE Quadrant

September 2901 Whitemarsh Cir

September 331 Ridgehaven Pl

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BUSINESS DIRECTORY

Community News

Wilson PTA Awarded Grant for COVID-19 Relief Efforts

lano, Texas - National PTA has awar ded Wilson Middle School PTA with a $5,000 grant to help meet critical needs of students, families and teachers in their school community due to COVID-19. The funding is made possible by TikTok, a short-form video app and PTA Proud National Sponsor. “COVID-19 has presented many challenges for families and schools. Now more than ever, PTAs nationwide are working hard to ensure our students, families and educators are safe, healthy and have what they need— focusing on social and emotional wellbeing, resources for distance teaching and learning, bridging the digital divide and addressing food insecurity,” said Leslie Boggs, president of National PTA. “Wilson Middle School PTA is committed to supporting and advocating for their students, families and teachers during this challenging time. With the grant, Wilson Middle School PTA will be able to make even more of a difference for their school community.” With the grant, Wilson PTA will be partnering with the Wilson Administration and the Microsoft Minecraft Education team to create a virtual space for instruction and student socializing. Funding will cover the cost of quality teacher masks and Wilson PTA will partner with local restaurants to launch a student motivational campaign to celebrate a student of the week, each week, with a lunch. “In a time of such uncertainty, families are looking to schools to provide a sense of normalcy and stability for students to continue to grow and flourish in their development. As a school community, this grant allows the Wilson Staff to partner with our PTA to provide students with opportunities to connect and learn in a more enriched environment. We are so grateful to the Wilson PTA for showing the power and importance of a dedicated school community. Mark Letterer, Principal” Wilson PTA’s grant is part of $1.5M in funding that National PTA is providing to PTAs across the country for COVID-19 relief efforts. In addition to providing the 24

funding, National PTA launched a comprehensive webpage at PTA.org/COVID-19 with resources, tools and information to support families and educators amid the COVID- 19 pandemic. The association has also focused several episodes of its Notes from the Backpack podcast on topics of concern for families due to COVID-19. As part of National PTA’s Back-to-School Week (Sept. 14-18), the association will be sharing information and resources at PTA.org/BackToSchool and on social media to help PTA leaders, parents, students and teachers navigate the new school year. Further, National PTA continues to advocate for access and support for families and schools for online learning, access to school meals, funding for family

ational Night Out Richardson looked a little different this year as we prepared for the 33rd National Night Out on Tuesday, October 6th, 2020 as RPD requested no Block Parties this year. With our residents’ safety in mind, this annual community-building campaign between the city’s First Responders and our neighborhoods was been “modified” by the Richardson Police Department's Crime Prevention Unit, which coordinates this event. The NNO focus remains the same as before: to heighten crime prevention awareness, to improve police-community partnerships while making our neighborhoods safer, and to promote neighborhood spirit with enjoyable events for its residents. In keeping with Richardson’s National Night Out tradition, a pre-NNO food drive www.CanyonCreekLife.com

engagement, and fiscal and policy relief for state and local education agencies. About PTA PTA® comprises millions of families, students, teachers, administrators and business and community leaders devoted to the educational success of children and the promotion of family engagement in schools. PTA is a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit association that prides itself on being a powerful voice for all children, a relevant resource for families and communities, and a strong advocate for public education. Membership in PTA is open to anyone who wants to be involved and make a difference for the education, health and welfare of children and youth. For more information, visit PTA.org. was held on September 19 to benefit Network of Community Ministries, a nonprofit charitable organization that provides health and emergency services to children, low-income families, and senior citizens in need. On October 6th, police officers, accompanied by firefighters or members of our City Government, drove through registered NNO neighborhoods where residents were encouraged to come outside. Drive-by visits were also planned for the neighborhoods that won visits by McGruff the Crime Dog or Richardson’s NNO Knight at RPD’s preNNO virtual event in August. As times change and many of the NNO activities we once took for granted in Canyon Creek take on different forms, each of us should thank the Richardson Police Department for its thoughtful planning and creative suggestions so our residents could participate in our 2020 National Night Out while behaving responsibly and taking steps to stay safe. Congratulations to Lisa & Craig Rees for Receiving Honorable Mention for their blocks on Eastwood, Fall Creek, and East Prairie Creek!

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What Is An Annuity?

ealthier lifestyles and better medical care are extending life spans for many people these days. Living a longer life may also mean enjoying a longer retirement, so it’s important to consider in advance how you’ll fund your golden years. One option is an annuity: a contract between you and your insurer that can be used to provide income during retirement. When you invest in an annuity through a lump sum or by making periodic payments over several years, your insurer in return agrees to make regular payments to you that can last the entirety of your retirement.

Types of Annuities

Before choosing an annuity, it’s important to understand the different types and how they might affect your financial picture. The main categories of annuities include: Fixed Annuities: A fixed annuity offers a specified interest rate during the accumulation phase, or the period during which your value is growing in the annuity. When you are ready for your stream of payments to begin, the value of your funds is turned into a steady stream of payments that provide a specified payment for either a certain period of time — say, 20 years — or for an indefinite period, such as your lifetime or the lifetime of you and your spouse, the SEC says.* Variable Annuities: In a variable annuity, you direct funds accumulating in your annuity to investments of your choice that are offered by the insurance company — typically mutual funds, according to the SEC. Your income stream in retirement is dependent upon how well your investments performed during the annuity’s accumulation phase, the SEC says. Indexed Annuities: An indexed annuity provides you with a return that is tied to a major stock market index, such as the Standard & Poor’s 500 Composite Index, says the SEC. During the accumulation phase, your investment’s rate of return reflects the performance of the selected

index. However, these annuities typically also offer returns that are no less than a specified minimum, no matter the index’s performance.

Advantages of Annuities for Retirees

Annuities can be an attractive retirement income choice for a number of reasons, including: Tax Deferral: You don’t pay taxes on the income and investment gains from your annuity until you begin receiving payments. *Like many other investments, the earlier in life you purchase an annuity, the better, since your money has longer to grow, according to Time. Lifetime Income Stream: If you choose to receive annuity payments with a lifetime contingency (10 years plus life, for example), an annuity can provide an income stream for the duration of your retirement. Death Benefit: Should you pass away before you begin receiving payments, the person you name as a beneficiary will receive a specified payment. Canyon Creek Insurance Agency offers many annuity plans from Lincoln Financial, Prudential, Protective, and AXA. Call Canyon Creek Insurance to discuss your options or if you would like a second opinion.

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