Valley Women Inspire

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INSPIRE MAGAZINE

EMPOWERING, ENLIGHTENING AND ENTERTAINING

FIRST EDITION Spring 2017 )SSUE s 6OLUME

Harlingen’s

“WOMEN We are

and we are STRONG ...”

An INmUENTIAL WOMAN MA AN IN A MAN S WORLD Health & Wellness

'ET YOUR

JUICE ON Lose weight and be healthy with the latest juicing trends Arts & Crafts

'ET HOOKED ON BEADING Learn how to make your very own chic earrings

FASHION

(OT SPRING STYLES ( STYLES

CONTENTS 16

28

10

20

06

06

10

16

28

Find out what’s hot this spring

Achieving her own ‘American Dream’

Jewelry-making an addictive art form

The answer is juice

Can you wear white yet? What about that hot pink blouse, is that in? Christina Araguz and Laura Salazar, owners of Yaya’s closet in downtown Harlingen, are ready with some tips.

Velma De Los Santos has forged her pathway to success in real estate. Find out how she made it.

Can’t find the perfect earrings to go with that new outfit? Consider making them yourself. It’s not as difficult as you may think. Josie Rodriguez has been beading for 15 years and she will walk you through the process of making a cute pair of earrings and a bracelet.

Want to lose some weight?

Maybe gain some extra energy and improve your health? Juicing is in and Juiceology owners and sisters Melissa Zepeda and Renea Perez are bringing that trend to the Rio Grande Valley and downtown Harlingen

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3PRING s Inspire

20 Cover story Jo Rae Wagner has always been a force. She still is.

H ARLINGEN M EDICAL C ENTER

T he Community’s Choice

Harlingen Medical Center is more than a hospital. It is a place where people come to heal. It is a part of the community that fosters health and represents hope.

Our dedicated physicians, nurses and support staff provide not only treatment, but comfort and compassion. They make the difference in healthcare and are the reason people choose Harlingen Medical Center.

Services at a Glance

Harlingen Medical Center also features: ÒÒÒjÒAll Inpatient Private Suites ÒÒÒjÒComprehensive Clinical Services ÒÒÒjÒ24-Hour j 2424 Hou H r Emergency Room om

5501 S. Expressway 77 Harlingen, TX www.harlingenmedicalcenter.com

(956) 365-1000

ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒBariatric (Surgical Weight Loss) ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒCardiology ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒCritical Care / ICU ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒEmergency Room (Advanced Level IV) Trauma Center ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒEndoscopy ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒGastroenterology ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒInternal Medicine ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒNephrology ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒNeurology ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒObstetric & Gynecology y gy

ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒOperating Room (Surgical Services) ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒOrthopedic ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒRadiology / Imaging ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒRespiratory ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒSleep Study ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒSpeech Pathology ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒThoracic Surgery ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒVascular & Endovascular Surgery ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒWellness Screenings ÒÒÒÒÒÒjÒWound Healing

Celebrating women of the RGV in·spire

verb 1. fill (someone) with the urge or ability to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.

H

er smile was infectious from the moment she opened the door to her San Benito home, and throughout a 90-minute interview she did while sitting comfortably in her living room overlooking the resaca.

She talked about her family, her career and her passions.

It’s clear, Velma De Los Santos loves who she is and what she does.

Jo Rae Wagner looked most comfortable as she walked into her restaurant and posed for a picture with the kitchen in the background.

She claimed to not be very photogenic, but it was clear, that was a different story in the restaurant.

It was easy to see her pride and strength in the way she stood and the perfect tilt of her head.

That strength, intelligence, work ethic and the long journey from where they started is what ties together their stories.

It’s about the trials and tribulations. The successes, the failures and overcoming obstacles to achieve something special.

Velma and Jo Rae have battled obstacles and they have been victorious in their lives.

But you also should know, they are just two of the many successful, influencial, motivating and encouraging women here in the Valley. And we will tell you about as many of these women as we can here in the coming months.

So, welcome to the premier edition of Inspire, a locally-produced magazine aimed at empowering and informing women of the RGV. We couldn’t be happier to produce this quality publication for women of all ages in our area.

Editor

Lisa Seiser

Find us on : https://www.facebook.com/InspireMagazine250727555359202/ @InspireRGV

Meet the

It has been in the works for a few months now and it has been on my mind since the first day I arrived here in the valley in June 2015.

Our goal for this magazine is to bring you closer to your fellow women here in the Valley.

We will have delightful and educational stories about women of the RGV as well as focus on fashion, health, fitness, cuisine, finance, and relationships among many other topics.

The objective is to provide an intriguing collection of stories and pieces that will energize and enlighten any woman of the Valley.

We will be creating this magazine quarterly for those of the Valley to enjoy.

These editions can be found free on stands, in retail stores, salons, hospitals, waiting rooms and more throughout Harlingen, San Benito and beyond.

Don’t miss out on any Inspire magazine as we expect they will just keep getting better and better as the months roll along.

One reason for that – the roles women in this area play.

Just like Velma and Jo Rae, many are business owners.

But we also have school leaders, teachers, those in the health professions, finance and more who make a difference in people’s lives every day.

We can’t wait to tell you all about the women of the Rio Grande Valley.

This is just the beginning.

Enjoy this first edition of Inspire.

Lisa Seiser EDITOR

INSPIRE TEAM Email your story ideas to ...

lseiser@valleystar.com Photography

Ad Director

Sales

Sales

Sales

Digital content

Maricela Rodriguez

Christina Castillo

Emily Anderson

Cashay Engineer

Daffney Wright

Diana Maldonado

To advertise, contact ...

956-430-6200

Inspire is published four times each year by the Valley Morning Star.

4

Writer

Grapic Design

Sales

Sales

Sales

Digital Marketing

Kayleigh Sommer

Victor Cerda

Clarissa Charles

Kristin Appell

Marco Alejandro

Beverly Ticer

3PRING s Inspire

© Copyright 2017 AIM Media Texas

FASHION

Spring ing Styles What does Yaya’s mean?

For boutique owner Christina Araguz, it’s all about being soul sisters. That’s with close friends, but it also means creating an inviting place for everyone to shop and feel comfortable.

Laura Salazar STRAPLESS ROMPER s complete one piece outfit s Light fabric s Year round and versatile ACCESSORIES s Turquoise colors or just contrasting colors to make the outfit pop CHRISTINA’S TIP s Dress this romper up to go out at night with a denim jacket

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Christina says she and Laura Salazar found themselves shopping around at boutiques in other towns.

That’s when they decided to do something about it ... and open their own boutique right here in downtown Harlingen.

“It’s a labor of love, really,” Christina says of Yaya’s Closet. “We give people a good feeling when they come in and help them style and find the perfect outfit.”

Christina admits many women are nervous trying to put together the right outfit. That’s why they need help.

Christina Araguz WHITE COTTON PONCHO s Comfortable and loose fitting s Cool and stretches s Pair with cropped pants or shorts s Can dress it up or just wear with flip flops

Keep this in mind ...

Old school rules don’t apply anymore when it comes to fashion.

Everyone has heard to not wear white before Memorial Day or after Labor Day. Christina says don’t listen to that old adage.

It’s called winter white, so go for it white is in any time of the year.

3PRING s Inspire

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Danielle Stillman Neon colors are totally in, especially in orange and this hot pink.

The off the shoulder look also is popular for women of all ages.

CHRISTINA’S ACCESSORY TIPS s Add pops of color. Even a simple white blouse will look great with bright yellow or turquoise accessories WHAT’S IN STYLE s Larger, chunky pieces of jewelry are the trend s Don’t be afraid to mix long pieces with shorter pieces even if they aren’t the same colors or styles

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FEATURE

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HECTOR LEAL

OF

VALLEY PHOTO

Achieving her own

‘American Dream’ Story

Lisa Seiser

O

n the surface, it seems as though Velma De Los Santos has it all.

She’s a successful realtor who spends her free time pursuing her theatrical passions. Her beautiful and quiet home in San Benito overlooks the resaca giving her a place to relax and refuel.

Velma works hard to help find people their “American Dream” of home ownership. In the evenings, she heads to the theater, where her love for singing and acting take the stage and fill her heart with happiness.

She’s a busy woman, but clearly does it all with an inviting smile and positive attitude.

Velma is even quick to admit, some of her friends suggest life is easy for her.

What they don’t know is Velma’s life hasn’t been easy at all. Tragedies marked her childhood and few would have blamed her if she would have chosen a different, darker path.

But nobody can measure a person’s strength, determination, heart and personality.

“Some people tell me, ‘life is easy for you,’” the lifelong San Benito resident says while sitting on her white sofa in her living room. “It is a perception, but it is about how you live your life. My mother taught me difficult times happen to everyone at different times.”

But when Velma was young, those difficult times seemed to happen more often for her and her family than for others.

Within a two-month span

of time before Velma was even 10 years old, her older sister and father died.

He was only 46. Her handicapped sister had medical issues throughout her 11-year life.

“Difficult times always seemed to happen to us,” she says. “As a child, that was how I looked at it. I thought, who was going to die next.”

“

These people need my help and guidance. I tell them yes you can afford it. You deserve a home and you can have one. That’s what’s important to me.”

Although she didn’t realize it at the time, her family wasn’t exactly well off, either.

She called it a humble life.

“I didn’t realize we were kind of poor – we never went hungry,” she says now. “I thought that’s what poor was.

I just don’t know, you can’t 3PRING s Inspire

11

miss something you never had.”

But, it’s those trials and others she had as a youth that has made her the person she is now.

Instead of the struggles demoralizing her, each one actually made her stronger.

“Life isn’t easy and it wasn’t meant to be easy,” she says.

“Once I wrapped my head around that, everything became so much better because I didn’t feel like a failure.

I think that is what happens to people. They become disillusioned when things don’t go the way they want it.

Immediately, they think it is their fault and they can’t do it.”

Velma is here to tell people they can do it. She is proof of that.

RIGO DAVILA

You probably didn’t know Years ago, when Velma De Los Santos played Eva Peron in the musical “Evita,” her challenge wasn’t just learning 32 songs and being the lead character on stage during a lengthy production.

“I have had some great, great roles that I have really enjoyed,” she says.

Velma, who has been a part of as many as 100 shows in the past 29 years in three different theaters, has been known to throw herself completely into her roles.

However, when she played Eva, she would have preferred it not to mirror life quite as much as it did.

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3PRING s Inspire

At the time of rehearsals and the show, Velma herself was battling cervical cancer. It was the same cancer that killed Peron in real life and portrayed in the production.

“In the last scene, she is dying and there is a sheet over her and then to hear the casket slam shut,” Velma says was emotional, even though she wasn’t in the casket.

It wasn’t easy, but Velma stuck it out through the final three performances after the diagnosis. Everything turned out OK. “Two weeks after the show, I had surgery,” she says. “The show must go on.”

Career path takes turn One way she coped with her youth was through music.

Originally that was the career she intended to pursue.

“Music was always part of my life,” she says. “My father played the guitar and we always did that kind of stuff.”

Also knowing how difficult it is to earn a living in music, she turned to real estate to help pay her college tuition.

“I thought it would be just a job until I got done with my degree,” she admits.

Nearly 35 years later, Velma owns VIP Realty in San Benito and couldn’t be happier with her choice.

“I enjoy helping people attain their American Dream,” she says. “I didn’t think it would be a rewarding thing to help people get into a house. But then I saw how exciting it was for them, even if it was a $35,000 house.”

Now real estate is the biggest part of her life.

“I actually really enjoy my job,” she says. “There’s always something to do. I love what I do. I enjoy my music and it makes me happy, but it doesn’t pay the bills.”

However, had she not been in college playing the flute, she never would have realized her talent for singing.

She had been a flute player for nearly four years in college when she had the opportunity to show off her voice.

“I was told by my professor, you are good flute player, but you are a great singer,” she says. “What are you doing?

This is where you need to be. That’s when I got into the theater.”

So, why not a singing career?

Velma has been a part of as many as 100 productions over the years, many at Brownsville’s Camille Playhouse.

Her singing talent is evident as soon as you hear a few notes, which is why she has played such lead roles as Mama Rose in “Gypsy” and Eva Peron in “Evita.”

When some people hear her and see her passion for theater, they say “this is what you should be doing.”

“But I say I want to do something that makes a difference,” she says. “Real estate really does that. At first I thought it was just a job and it was flexible.”

Even though her first boss said she was too young and cute at the age of 19 to become a realtor, Velma didn’t listen and took the classes needed to attain that title.

“The first thing to make me want to do something is tell me I can’t,” she says with a smile. “Some people are just more stubborn than others.”

Her relationship with real estate has been a love affair ever since.

“People think realtors make a lot of money, but we don’t here,” she says. “We aren’t high end here. These people need my help and guidance. I tell them yes you can afford it. You deserve a home and you can have one. That’s what’s important to me.”

“

I am what I am. I am comfortable in my own skin. You have to be comfortable with yourself, whether you are large, small, whether you are gray or your hair’s thinning or you are bald.

You have to be OK. You can’t expect people to be comfortable with you, if you aren’t comfortable with yourself.”

- Velma De Los Santos RIGO DAVILA

3PRING s Inspire

13

Words of wisdom from Velma De Los Santos “People don’t remember what you say or do, they remember how you made them feel,” Velma says.

That’s exactly how she runs VIP Realty in San Benito.

“Offer yourself, your time, your knowledge,” she says about working in real estate, and just about any business.

The key to success is “meeting your client’s needs first. If you do that, Velma says she is confident, yours will be met.

That’s even led her to answering her phone while she was, in all places, the emergency room.

“I was just waiting for the doctor,” Velma says with a smile.

But, she is quick to point out people need to keep a work-life balance.

“You can’t forget your family,” she says.

“Women by nature are able to juggle it all. I think women are very powerful in this industry.”

Other qualities Velma says are keys to success – knowledge, staying focused, being diligent, informed and multitasking.

“Some people just focus on one thing,” she says. “I can’t do that. I think being able to multitask is very important.”

Another skill women have is listening – an important one to Velma.

“Some realtors get deterred when they can’t find a house for someone,” she says. “It is about listening. Women are more relentless. What went wrong, how do we fix it? That is just women.”

It is one quality that helped her through the tough times. She says three instances during her 34-year career in real estate, the market has “gone upside down.”

There’s only one response to that happening.

“You have to learn how to be resilient,” she says. “I tell people I am like a cat. I will land on my feet. I don’t know where or how, but I will.”

She believes you will, too.

“

I have embraced my age and every aspect of my life. It is all part of who I am. Things you go through and experience in your life, that is what makes you who you are.

It’s not what you go through; it’s how you respond that matters.”

- Velma De Los Santos

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Velma admits she couldn’t be happier with her daily life of real estate and theater.

As she heads to her theater productions, she practices her songs and lines during her drive from San Benito to Brownsville. She is a competitive person who wants to be ready when she arrives at the theater.

“This is the best of both worlds,” she says. “I am blessed to have wonderful opportunities and have done some things that are amazing in the theater. That feeds my soul and the other takes care of my needs.”

She no doubt has talent in both.

She was so good at real estate, Velma sold 31 properties in her first year on her own and years later founded VIP Realty in San Benito.

There, she has two agents and her mother is the secretary.

Mother is inspiration Velma’s mom isn’t just any real estate office secretary.

“I had a mother who told me I could do anything,” Velma says proudly.

Those simple words and belief has driven Velma throughout her life.

“Believe in yourself,” Velma says. “But I know how that can be hard if someone hasn’t told you that.”

That belief, along with her positive nature also has been a guiding star for Velma.

“If you throw positive, you get positive back,” she says.

Being an inspiration When she was younger, Velma had some of those positives thrown at her. It probably changed her life.

Now, she wants to do the same for others.

“I would like to mentor someone to continue my business with my work and ethics,” she says about eventually selling the business. “No one can be me and I can’t be someone else, but I would like one day to say, ‘here’s my baby now you keep going with it.’

We need to raise our replacements. We need to share what we know.”

She’s already started to do

that when it comes to the theater.

“I think because people were so generous to me, I think I am more generous,” she says. “I am competitive and I want to be the best. But we have to raise our replacements in the theater, in our industries.”

Velma speaks proudly about personal letters she writes to “You have to take the time to validate people and not be self-centered. Focus on people who have potential in different aspects of their lives.

I think people get away from that, but I think it changes lives.”

- Velma De Los Santos

those in the shows she is involved in. She says she writes notes like, “I am going to see your name in lights one day,” and “You have potential.”

“I wrote this note to a little kid,” Velma explained about the “Hello Dolly” show she did several years ago. “He is now a teacher, but he still has the note I wrote to him. He studied music and is a band director and he is way more talented than I will ever be.

But, he said ‘you were the lead and I was nobody.’”

Velma admits “we just don’t know” when we will impact someone like that.

“He told me that every time he sees a student with potential, he remembers that note,” Velma says. “He said he just started writing notes, too.”

With Velma, everything seems to come full circle.

She received inspiration and confidence from others despite the trials she faced at such a young age.

Now she is trying to give back with that knowledge.

She has a message to all young people and women.

“Pick yourself up and don’t give up,” she urges. “Anything is possible. Tragedies and stumbling blocks make everything possible. You have it in you. You just have to find it in yourself.”

HECTOR LEAL

OF

VALLEY PHOTO

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ARTS & CRAFTS

Jewelry-making an addictive art form osie Rodriguez giggles when she admits she flunked art in High School.

“I used to say ‘I am not creative,’” Josie says with a smile.

But, anyone who knows her now or walks into Victoria’s Jewelry and Beads store in San Benito can easily see, there’s no way she should have failed art.

J

She has been beading for 15 years and has owned and operated the bead store for more than 10. She loves it and she’s really good at it.

Within a few minutes, she has a set of red and silver earings and a pink bracelet sized perfectly for a child.

There’s a reason why she has 16

3PRING s Inspire

to be so fast. The busy business owner also operates Papi’s, a Mexican restaurant in Harlingen. On a daily basis, she spends time at both, having to open the restaurant in the morning and heads to the bead store in the late afternoon.

However, it is the bead store that keeps her going.

Her family has been in the restaurant business forever. She remembers vividly as a child getting up on weekends and throughout the summer at 4 a.m. to go help her mother at the restaurant. By 14 or 15, Josie was doing the deposits.

“The restaurant business is all business from the moment you get there to when you leave,” she says.

Josie has a business degree from UT-Brownsville with a minor in marketing. She started beading to help pay for books and tuition.

All these years later, it is obviously something she loves and doesn’t plan on giving up anytime soon.

How to make

2

SPARKLING HOT EARRINGS

1

3 Make your design and then string beads in order on head pin

What you need – beads, hooks, spacers, head pins and tools

Use marked pliers to make 90 degree angle

4

Cut off excess wire

5

6 TYPES OF BEADS

Use roundnose pliers to create loop and close it Josie’s Tip – Mark round needle nose pliers so loop is always the same size.

7

Open loop on earring wires and connect to loop you created, close the loop on the earring wires – You are finished

8

- Natural stones - Glass - Acrylic - Crystal - Wood - Shell 3PRING s Inspire

17

THINK SPRING BRACELET

5.

Using a needle nose pliers, flatten the crimp to secure it in place

1.

What you need – beads, spacers, clasp, wire and beading board

6.

Do the same thing on the other end with the connecting piece of the clasp.

2.

Decide on the length of the bracelet using the beading board.

Start laying out the design with beads and spacers, just how you want it to look. This is where you can be creative.

7.

Rethread wire through last two beads and clip off excess wire

3.

Shapes of beads

Take your wire and start stringing the beads. Make sure you create a loop at the end so the beads don’t fall off Bugle

Chatons

Crystal – Swarovski

Delica

Faceted

Flatbacks

Gem

Gemstone chips

Hex-cut

4.

Thread the crimp in the wire and weave that wire through the loop of the clasp and back through the crimp.

18

3PRING s Inspire

YOUR Dream Home

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Success

is loving what you do.

How you treat and Interact with your H cclients and the community deďŹ nes yyour success.

You must always put your clients ďŹ rst.

Y To give real service you must add T ssomething which cannot be bought oor measured with money, that is Sincerity and Integrity.

S

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3PRING s Inspire

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ON THE COVER

20

3PRING s Inspire 3P PRI RING NG NG

s IIn nspire irre

Story Photos

Lisa Seiser Maricela Rodriguez

S

he enters the lobby of The Reese building in downtown Harlingen with a purpose.

Just a couple minutes late, Jo Rae Wagner is quick to apologize.

“I knew you would be waiting,” she says as she lays down her purse.

Her welcoming eyes and kind smile make it easy to forget the minor tardiness.

A handshake and a pleasant greeting, and it’s as if we have known each other for years. Those few minutes earlier of concern, wondering if she remembered our interview, is long gone.

Wearing a perfectly-fitting black dress with the appropriate accessories and her signature high heels, Jo Rae is the epitome of class and elegance. But those aren’t the only words that should be used to describe her.

You would be remissed not to mention several others ... strong, tough, professional, successful, personable and intelligent.

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YOU PROBABLY DIDN’T KNOW Jo Rae Wagner’s Italian restaurant, Colletti’s, located in downtown Harlingen, is named after her mother’s family.

Wagner’s mother also was a restaurant owner in California. That’s when Jo Rae learned about that tough business.

“I think I worked all but four hours out of 24,” she said with a grin.

That’s something she has been used to for years. She still works long hours at Colletti’s as its general manager.

“I love that I get to work with people and love that aspect of it,” she says while sitting at a table at Colletti’s just minutes before opening.

Wagner arrives at Colletti’s at about 10 a.m. daily and goes home at about 1:30 or 2 p.m. following the lunch rush.

Then, she returns at about 4 p.m. and stays until everything is done, typically around midnight. She has been doing this for six years now.

At first, when she purchased The Reese, the plan was for a small restaurant on the ground floor. But, when the architect came in, it wasn’t long before it became a 128-seat restaurant.

22

3PRING s Inspire

Jo Rae Wagner has spent much of her life in what most would consider a man’s world – the plumbing business.

Despite her small stature and the fact that she is a woman, she has been successful and in some ways trend setting in her endeavors.

Along with her husband and stepfather, Jo Rae helped build CTO plumbing business from two employees and one truck more than 40 years ago to a $20 million business today.

Now, she is retired from the day-today operations of CTO Inc., acting as the president of the board of the business she helped build right here in the Valley, back in 1973.

However, like many successful people, retirement the way most of us think of it was not in the cards for Jo Rae. Instead, she can be found daily during lunch and dinner at her Italian restaurant on the ground floor of her 72,000-square-foot building known as The Reese in downtown Harlingen. She greets those who enter her restaurant and constantly walks the floor making sure the front of the house and back of the house are working in perfect harmony.

The purchase, renovation and effort to lease out the rest of the building, too, are part of what she calls a “hobby.”

But there’s a lot more to Jo Rae than just plumbing and Italian food.

“I was raised by a single mom,” Jo Rae says. “She worked extremely hard and that meant that I really grew up bringing myself up.”

Although Jo Rae has since made peace with her mother and situation, it was a difficult time.

She left home when she was a junior in high school in California.

“I told my mother if she married again, I would not stick around,” she says. “That was after her third (marriage).”

Jo Rae never really knew her father.

He was a merchant seaman and she was “lucky” to see him every eight or nine years.

It was Jo Rae’s stepfather, who she calls her father, who led her into the plumbing business.

He was a commercial plumbing contractor and would take her to job estimates on the weekends. Even in high school, she admitted to being fascinat-

ed looking at blueprints and trying to figure out what he was doing.

That was during an era when women were not in the construction and technical workplace.

She later worked for and managed a firm in California that worked plumbing on Navy ships.

“They did all the bulkheads and mess halls,” Jo Rae says.

But, that wasn’t enough to keep her and her husband in the “rat race” in California. They were both ready to leave.

It was the early 1970s. That’s when they found the Rio Grande Valley. Initially, the plan was to go to Corpus Christi, but Jo Rae and her now late husband were told about the RGV. This is where she’s been ever since.

“In a lot of ways, it was more robust than it is now,” she says about the area. “It was the same as far as being a friendly and quiet place to live. Harlingen, Brownsville and McAllen were all about the same size at that time. Harlingen was centrally located, so we decided this was the best place.”

TRENDSETTING “If I had to go out and dig ditches with a trencher, I would go out and

do that,” Jo Rae says about her early career in plumbing. “I crawled into holes nobody else would fit in.”

But, it was still a man’s world.

“When we had 40 or 50 people in a crew when I managed the job, they would look somewhere else when I was giving an order,” she says.

Although she says, she may not have realized it at the time, but that mentality was changing gradually.

In 2001, it changed significantly.

That’s when Jo Rae was appointed to the Plumbing-Heating-Cooling Contractors of Texas Association.

After a year there, she was appointed the state’s national representative.

Jo Rae says she served four years as the only woman on the 39-member national board.

“The dress code was slacks, jacket and a tie,” she says. “If I didn’t wear a tie and follow the attire rule, I had to give $100 to the educational foundation. I wore a tie for four years.”

She had by then garnered plenty of respect, so was asked to run to be the organization’s president.

Jo Rae beat out a pair of men to take the position at the national level.

“

It is wonderful to have a family and I wouldn’t trade my kids for anything. But, have a fallback and be a person in your own right before you can share with someone else.

Life has a way of handing you things you didn’t plan on. You have to have a way to support yourself and do it. I don’t think any woman should be vulnerable.”

- Jo Rae Wagner

She made sure to get even for having to wear a tie for four years. “I had the chance to make the attire rules,� she says with a grin. “Slacks, jacket, skirt is appropriate and you have to wear panty hose.�

At the first meeting, she said proudly, the educational foundation received $3,800.

She admits, her board was able to accomplish a lot during her tenure. That was one thing the men realized – women could get things done.

She also traveled extensively, putting on 150,000 air miles in two years and traveling all over the country, including many trips to Washington D.C. But it was all worth it. Jo Rae believes her tenure as president changed everything, including atmosphere and participation. “Women are involved in the husband’s business without titles and not as stockholders,� she says. “I would tell them, if your wife is doing all your financials –

why isn’t she a stockholder or why doesn’t she have a title?�

PROUD TIMES Jo Rae had the title at CTO and the respect, but it didn’t truly hit her until one day. “When my son announced I had been elected (to the national board), we were having a safety meeting,� she says about CTO. “They stood up and gave me a standing ovation. They got me to tears.�

Another special and similar moment came when she left the national board office at the convention. She was so adored, they called her the Yellow Rose of Texas. “There were people crying and people had given me gifts,� she says. “It was so amazing.�

Those proud moments in her own life now turn to her family.

She beams while talking about her granddaughter Megan, who like her is a reader and has big dreams – to attend Harvard one day.

WHAT YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT JO RAE WAGNER s s

s s s s

Did you know?

Jo Rae Wagner is on Plumbing and Mechanical Magazine’s list of 25 Most Influential contractors of the past quarter century, citing these ‘contractors made a lasting impression.’

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such as hand dexterity and the ability to use both sides of the brain.

But, she also stresses that women who become leaders and powerful need to be careful. “I would tell young girls, first of all, women with power have a problem,� she says. “We do.�

Wagner says fellow women tend to tear each other apart. “Women have to be careful when they have any kind of power to make sure they are using it wisely,� she says. “It’s not what you are saying, it is how you are saying it. That is true most of the time.�

Wagner believes those who can master that, will be successes. “Young girls now have absolutely no barriers,� she says. “Whatever they want to get into, they can.�

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Growing up in a male dominated profession has helped Jo Rae Wagner excel.

That’s one reason why she thinks women should look at every industry when choosing their future careers.

She says there’s no reason why women shouldn’t focus on the professions that are desperate for people – such as construction and technical jobs. “The average age of a plumber is 56 years old and their wages are going up all the time,� she says. “Why should women be afraid of that?

Women feel comfortable having a woman plumber come in and work in their house.�

She also believes women have an advantage in some respects –

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“We are women and we are strong and we can do anything we set our mind to.�

Message Jo Rae Wagner shares with her granddaughter

“Now my grandkids give me the greatest moments,� she says.

Jo Rae is teaching her granddaughter how to be the strong woman she, herself has become and may always have been. “If a girl says I just want to have a husband and kids, I say, ‘oh, can’t you do both?’� she says. “It is wonderful to have a family and I wouldn’t trade my kids for anything. But, have a fallback and be a person in your own right before you can share with someone else. Life has a way of handing you things you didn’t

plan on. You have to have a way to support yourself and do it. I don’t think any woman should be vulnerable.�

That is one word that can’t be used to describe Jo Rae. Comfortable in her life and in who she is, Jo Rae couldn’t be in a better place than she is now. “Along the way, nobody stays the same day-to-day,� she says. “We all grow. The older I get, the more I realize the important people are your family. At the end of the day, money is not the issue, health and family are.�

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BOOK REVIEW

“Never Caught”

By TERRI SCHLICHENMEYER

R

un, run, run.

Some days, it feels like that’s all you do.

Run the kids to school, dash to work, rush with errands, and run yourself ragged before bed.

You’re always on the go, always moving, and in the new book “Never Caught” by Erica Armstrong Dunbar, your breath isn’t the only thing to catch.

Twenty-one-year-old Mulatto Betty must’ve breathed a sigh of relief.

When Martha Custis married George Washington, slaves were shuffled as the mistress moved to Mount Vernon; miraculously and notably, Betty moved and was allowed to keep her baby son with her.

She was pregnant, too, by a white man with an “indenture agreement” and an eye for opportunity; their eldest daughter was born in mid-1773, and given the unusual name of Ona Maria.

At age 10, “Oney” Judge was brought inside the Washington household, in service to Martha Washington. There, the illiterate girl learned to care for Martha’s clothing, to bathe the mistress, tend her grandchildren, and soothe anxieties – one of which was that Martha’s husband had been asked to be the nation’s first president, a post that Martha Washington wasn’t keen on – and neither was Judge.

But, of course, Washington did take the position, which meant a household move from Virginia to Manhattan (the site of the first Executive Mansion) for the family and a handful of slaves, including Judge.

It’s there, says Dunbar, where Judge most certainly tasted freedom through rare autonomy.

She was undoubtedly unhappy, therefore – but couldn’t speak her mind – when the Executive Mansion was relocated to Philadelphia in 1790.

But there was a twist, for Judge and for the Washingtons: laws in

Pennsylvania mandated freedom for any slave living in the state for six continuous months, meaning that the Washingtons would shuttle their slaves between Philadelphia and Virginia, to “reset” their status.

Judge surely knew what was going on, but when she learned that she would be permanently gifted as a wedding present to Martha’s moody granddaughter, she could stand things no longer.

And so, as the Washingtons dined on a Saturday evening in May, 1796, Oney Judge slipped out the door and ran…

It’s been a long time since I’ve read a thriller as heart-pounding as the one I found in this book.

The difference is that “Never Caught” is all true.

But Judge’s astounding, audacious story isn’t the only thing author Erica Armstrong Dunbar brings to vivid life: she also sets the tone by explaining the times in which Judge lived, and what life was like for slaves and whites alike.

Thanks to Dunbar, it’s easy to feel the busyness of Manhattan, to absorb the fear Judge surely felt, and to picture the elegant drawing rooms of the Washington home.

On that note, we learn some not-so-savory things about George Washington, which makes the meat of this story an even bigger reason for gleefulness.

Now you have to find out what happened. If you love biographies, history, stories about remarkable women, or really exciting thrillers, “Never Caught” you need to read this book. Run for it.

By ERICA ARMSTRONG DUNBAR c.2017, Atria $26/$35 Canada 254 pages

t’s been a long time since I’ve read a thriller as heart-pounding as the one I found in this book.

The difference is that “Never Caught” is all true.

I

3PRING s Inspire

27

HEALTH & WELLNESS

28

3PRING s Inspire

D

o you feel a cold coming on?

Juice it out of your body.

Do you feel bloated?

Take a shot of ginger.

When you walk into Juiceology located on sunny Jackson Street in downtown Harlingen, you hear the whirring of high end juicers. In the corner, there are baskets of fresh produce, apples and oranges. This place is all about juicing and being healthy.

Juiceology owners and sisters Melissa Zepeda and Renea Perez have more than eight years of experience in the fitness business.

The avid juicers wanted to bring to the Rio Grande Valley what they saw in the bigger cities, fresh and healthy juice. Both were not big juicers until the trend started blowing up.

For two years, Renea played with the idea. In 2015, she and her sister finally made it a reality, opening the first juice bar in Harlingen.

Everything is juiced and prepared in front of the customer and the produce is grown and purchased locally.

If juices don’t tickle your fancy, there are a plethora of healthy smoothies, superfood bowls, acai bowls, and nutrition infused shots.

The protein shakes contain no syrups and many different protein powders, such as vegan, lactose intolerant and more are available to make sure you stay on track. You can even create your own drink.

THE BIG QUESTION ABOUT JUICING - Cleansing Juicing, it’s become a trendy fad. However, there are some that can take it to the extreme. Juice cleanses have become a new thing in cleansing the body and aid in weight loss.

But does it really do the body good?

Melissa and Renea of Juiceology in Harlingen weigh in.

Both recommend against long-term juice cleanses. If it goes for more than three days, it’s probably not good for you. Both women suggest juicing part-time. Try a juice for breakfast and something healthy and nutritious to eat. Have one good solid meal a day in addition to juicing.

“Sometimes these cleanses are hard on your system,” said Renea. “We developed a three-day and we also tell you how to re-introduce food back into it.”

If you are going to cleanse, make sure it’s a short one. Also, before starting a cleanse, Renea suggests you talk to your doctor if you have health issues.

3PRING s Inspire

29

KAYLEIGH’S JUICING TIPS

INGREDIENTS THAT BENEFIT WOMEN Beets – Contains folic acid, cleanses

the colon, cleanses the blood, immunity booster, great source of iron, protects against heart disease, strengthens gall bladder and liver, and helps fight stress, headaches and menstrual pain.

Ginger – Fights cold and flu symp-

toms, detoxifies the body, can help reduce muscle pain and inflammation, and alleviates nausea and bloating.

Oranges – Protects cardiovascular

system, regulates blood pressure, fights infections, and purifies blood, full of fiber and vitamin C.

Turmeric – Aids in hormonal issues.

Greek yogurt – Great source of protein, aids in weight loss, provides probiotics that aid digestion, alleviates constipation, promotes hair growth and Greek yogurt has less lactose than regular yogurt.

Grapefruit – Aids in weight loss and helps reduce cellulite.

30

3PRING s Inspire

I’ve been juicing part time and here is what I have learned. s You don’t have to juice everyday. I drink about one homemade juice a day, sometimes twice. s Juice while also eating healthy meals. Try not to use it as meal replacement. You can prepare juice and store it in glass bottles for the week. You can find great deals online. s My energy and immune levels have been boosted. s Juicing has led me to make healthier eating decisions.

Everything in moderation. s There are extensive combinations of produce out there to make a tasty and healthy juice.

Beets are surprisingly good. s You don’t have to buy an expensive juicer. Mine cost me $50. s Any juicer you get will be easy to use. Put a plastic grocery bag where the compost exits and clean up is 10 times easier and faster. s Produce remnants from the juicer can be used for planting/composting. I don’t do this but I know some people who do.

COOL RECIPES Unique combos for a super juicing experience Spiked Watermelon s Watermelon s Jalapeños (not too much) s Pineapple Mean Green s Cucumber s Celery s Apple s Kale s Lemon s Ginger (not too much) Your drink too bitter or acidic?

Apples are a great way to give it a splash of sweet.

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Current Trends in Juicing Wheatgrass – A popular health shot amongst Juiceology’s patrons.

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