My Jarrell Monthly • June 2023

PUBLISHERS

EDITOR'S NOTE | CAMY REYNOLDS

My favorite time of the year (other than Christmas, of course) is June. This is the month exploding with celebrations and I am excited for them all. We (teachers especially) celebrate the end of the school year, the achievements of our children and their futures, and finally we celebrate the start of summer. I personally enjoy late summer nights, days spent at the pool, and making memories with my three children on our summer vacations.

Mike Payne

COMMUNITY EDITOR Camy Reynolds

Camy is a native Texan and mom of three who has lived in Jarrell since 2009. She serves her community as a director on the Sonterra MUD Board, is on the board for the Jarrell Education Foundation, on the District and Igo's Educational Improvement Committees, and founded the local Facebook group Mom Tribe Jarrell that has over 1,400 members.

COMMUNITY LIAISON Janet Hage

Janet Hage has been part of the Jarrell community for almost 30 years. She has been involved in community fundraisers, campaigns, and committees; volunteered with JISD, and worked for the City for more than seven years. She is a development partner of NW Wilco, LLC and serves on the Community Library Board of Directors. Janet focuses her energy on serving, giving back, and uniting the community in positive ways.

SENIOR WRITERS/COPY EDITORS

Ann Marie Kennon • Charlotte Kovalchuk

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Linda A. Thornton

Rachel Strickland

GRAPHICS & DESIGN

Sandra Evans • Zion Eaton

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Christianna Bettis

DISTRIBUTION

• David Schumacher

IT/WEBMASTER • Jesse Payne

CONSULTANT • W. Ben Daniel

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All rights reserved. MyJarrellMonthly is published monthly and mailed USPS, free of charge, to homes and businesses in the 76537 zip code. Mail may be sent to My Jarrell, P.O. Box 213, Jarrell, TX 76537. Email: info@myjarrell.com

Congratulations to the class of 2023! It’s hard to believe Jarrell is large enough to have a class of 185 graduating seniors. All of us here at My Jarrell wish you the best of luck as you begin this next chapter of your life. We will continue to cheer on your successes as you go out into this world and continue to represent the great community of Jarrell. If you were unable to attend the graduation ceremony, we have enough graduation photos to share to make you will feel like you were. We also give special thanks to Al Clawson Disposal for their continued support of this special graduation issue, our children, and Jarrell ISD.

I am thrilled to congratulate the newly elected Commander of the Jarrell American Legion, Mary Simek. With her extensive involvement in Jarrell over the years, Mary is eager to contribute further by leveraging the Legion's existing relationships within and around our town. To learn more about Mary and the Jarrell American Legion, please turn to page 6.

Summer officially kicked off with the opening of Sonterra’s pool and a special guest greeted the families. The joy was obvious on kids’ faces as they registered a real mermaid was swimming in the pool. Christen Killebrew brought true magic to Sonterra and made it a day we will all remember. How many can say they have swum with a mermaid?

Finally, I would like to wish my dad, my husband Blake, and all the dads, stepdads, granddads, and every man who provides care and guidance to the next generation a Happy Father’s Day!

Photo

Mary Simek has a clear vision of how she would like to see the Jarrell American Legion grow

Dianne Johns & Melinda Palousek helping to feed the

by Linda A. Thornton

A VIBRANT VENUE

Jarrell American Legion Working to Promote Community Spirit

WITHIN 24 HOURS OF THE ELECTION, COMMANDER-ELECT MARY SIMEK HAD A CLEAR VISION OF HOW SHE WOULD LIKE TO SEE THE JARRELL AMERICAN LEGION GROW IN THE NEXT YEAR. HER PLAN IS TO GET OUT AND INTERACT MORE WITH THE COMMUNITY AS SOON AS SHE TAKES HER OFFICIAL OATH IN JULY.

ABOUT THE POST

Founded in 1938, the Joe Kott Post 317 was named in honor of a local soldier who served just two weeks in The Great War before being killed in action. Membership is open to any person who has served even one day of active military duty since December 7, 1941, and was honorably discharged. The not-for-profit organization also invites Sons of the Legion and the Women’s Auxiliary — sons and spouses of members, respectively — to participate in programs. Today the Jarrell post’s 189 members assist, honor, and advocate for veterans, support area youth, and work hard to improve their communities, which include the Jarrell, Florence, and Salado school districts.

Situated on two acres, the post is a gathering place for an array of events. With a well-appointed reception area and fully equipped kitchen, their versatile facility hosts statewide American Legion functions and local post events, extending a warm invitation to the public for the latter. The post also offers the building for rent, catering to diverse event needs.

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 7pm, the post comes alive with the sounds of shuffling cards and the thrill of Texas Hold’em Poker. Admission is free, although they gratefully accept a $5 donation, which helps them continue supporting community initiatives. Also, on the third Sunday of each month, Sons of the Legion take center stage with an all-you-can-eat

fish fry. From 11am to 1:30pm, and for just $15, guests can enjoy fish and sides served in a welcoming atmosphere.

COMMUNITY SUPPORT

The American Legion is fueled to continue its efforts by the gratitude received from their many endeavors.

 Attached more than 300 dog tags to flags and placed on veterans’ graves at 11 area cemeteries for Memorial Day.

 Joe Kott Post 317 is the top funding source for the Williamson County Sheriff’s Department Brown Santa program, which distributes toys and clothes to children during the holidays.

 Awarded $1,000-$1,500 to each of 17 area churches to support Christmas programs over the past three years (at right).

 Donated $15,000 to purchase a new forklift for Jarrell High School’s new Future Farmers of America chapter.

 Donated $3,000 to the Jarrell library to provide a library card to every JISD student.

 Holds a semi-annual barbeque cook-off. Open to all, contestants receive points from city and county sanctioned competitions, and top scores allow participants to enter the state cook-off.

DELIVERING CHRISTMAS DONATION TO HOLY LAND CHURCH L-R: MRS. ORTIZ, PASTOR ORTIZ, MARY SIMEK

 Every year, the post awards $2,500 scholarships to three students in Jarrell, Salado, and Florence ISDs who have a veteran in their family. Well-rounded students with good GPAs and a unique vision of their career goals, such as technical schools, qualify for scholarship money. Applications are available from respective school counselors.

 The post also offers assistance to anyone in the community. Veterans are given priority for funding, but American Legion members work creatively to solve individual issues, e.g., money for a past due bill, providing a used appliance, or assistance with cancer care.

Mary is proud of all her post has accomplished but is looking forward to greater engagement with other community and service organizations. She is eager to see which programs might spark even more community involvement, including senior luncheons, youth dances, and family events.

POST OUTREACH

The Jarrell American Legion mission places great importance on veteran-centric programs and, as a retired VA clinical social worker, Mary has extensive experience working with World War II and Vietnam veterans suffering from PTSD. The union of those two things, Mary hopes, will facilitate the creation of a local program for treatment. Since Texas is home to more veterans than any other state, this will mean help and support for many. She also plans to develop strategies and counseling approaches for military women who have been victims of sexual abuse.

Recently Mary was invited to attend an all-woman Honor Flight to Washington DC. She says she was honored to push a fellow veteran around in her wheelchair as they toured the area memorials and commented on

the patch on her jacket, which read “I took an oath that has no end.” After sharing their backgrounds, the woman replied “It seems you took the same oath. You have never stopped serv ing either.” At first, Mary was surprised by the comment, but after some thought realized, ev ery day, she and the American Legion members are emulating her new friend and fellow veteran.

Scan the code for more information on the Jarrell American Legion or call 512-7465445. You can also give them a like on Facebook.

Photos courtesy Jarrell American Legion

STUDENT SCHOLARSHIP WINNERS L-R: FRANK SIMEK, JENNA DOZIER, LUKE PAYNE, KARINA SALAS, MARY SIMEK

50 FUN THINGS FOR KIDS TO DO AT HOME THIS SUMMER

1. Hunt for bugs.

2. Set up a backyard obstacle course and time each other.

3. Leave notes for neighbors in chalk on the sidewalk.

4. Make cookies using an illustrated recipe.

5. Hide “treasure” and then make clues for someone to find it.

6. Make tissue paper art.

7. Tape crepe paper across a hallway to create a“laser maze.”

8. Take turns telling a silly story, each person adding a sentence.

9. Decorate a cardboard box to look like a car. Go for a drive.

10. Build a tent with blankets.

11. Spread butcher paper and draw a city.

12. Glue cardboard boxes together to make buildings. Paint them.

13. Make light sabers.

14. Attach ribbons to a stick and dance with it.

15. Use toothpicks and mini marshmallows to build skyscrapers.

16. Go on a color photo scavenger hunt: try to take pictures of something that is every color of the rainbow.

17. Learn how to fold paper airplanes.

18. Learn how to fold origami jumping frogs.

19. Decorate dollar store t-shirts with puffy paint.

20. Make your own kite and try to fly it.

21. Have a play dough creating contest.

22. Make puppets out of brown paper bags.

23. Learn to make flowers out of tissue paper.

24. Collect leaves to make rubbings.

25. Play two square or four square. Draw squares with chalk.

26. Write letters and mail them.

27. Listen to songs from your favorite movie and sing along.

28. Put hula hoops out in the yard and play Frisbee golf.

29. Make tin can stilts.

30. Set up indoor bowling with water bottles and a ball.

31. Make fingerprint drawings.

32. Have an A-Z scavenger hunt (find things that start with each letter).

33. Practice making shadow puppets.

34. Draw a giant hopscotch on the driveway with chalk.

35. Create your own summer Olympics games.

36. Make your own bubble solution for giant bubbles.

37. Use washable paint to paint each other’s faces.

38. Play Bingo (get printable cards online).

39. Play Charades.

40. Try out some yoga for kids videos.

41. Work on a puzzle (or get out two easy puzzles and race to finish).

42. Have a picnic in the backyard.

43. Try out some easy science experiments.

44. Collect moss, bark, and leaves to make a fairy house.

45. Write and illustrate a comic book.

46. Set up a mini golf course in the house or yard.

47. Learn finger knitting.

48. Make a bird feeder.

49. Play flashlight tag.

50. Look up riddles online to see who can stump each other

My Water Advisor®

Online access to Your World of

Sonterra MUD and Coolwater MUD are excited to announce our partnership with Master Meter, Inc. to bring an advanced technology which is designed to enhance your customer service experience, empower you to better manage your water consumption throughout the month, and proactively identify troublesome leaks.

My Water Advisor® 2.0 easily allows you to access your account via a web-ready device (computer, tablet, smartphone app) in real-time while providing the following benefits:

Visit www.MyWaterAdvisor2.com or Download the App on your phone to Setup Your Account

Sign up using your account number (this can be found on your water bill)

Once logged in to your account, you’ll be able to view your average Monthly Consumption, gain insight into your average household usage, be provided with an of Month Forecast, as well as a comparative Monthly Average based on your current consumption behavior.

Create monthly water budgets

Proactively conserve water

Address high consumption during the monthnot after it’s too late when the bill arrives Be notified of leaks throughout the month to

BRING A FURRY FRIEND HOME THIS SUMMER

When Kristy Morales heard about a kitten fostering program at a Kyle animal shelter booth at Texas State University, she thought, “Wait, I can just play with the kittens and then give them back to you?”

The idea of bringing home "ridiculously cute” kittens on a short-term basis inspired her to foster 37 cats and kittens over the last three years from Pflugerville Pets Alive! and the Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter (WCRAS). Her prolific support is possible because she works from home and is able to socialize them constantly, which prepares the kittens for adoption. While many of them want love and cuddles on the first day, she says, “I love the ones that need extra socialization, because I love seeing them transform.”

She adds, “Fostering kittens is a dream, but it’s a messy dream, I’ll warn everyone of that. Kittens learning to use the litter box and eat is a messy process.” Still, “fostering is a lot of fun. It’s a lot of work, but it is very rewarding.”

FACILITATING CARE AND LOVE

The foster program is also a vital part of WCRAS’ life-saving mission. April Peiffer, WCRAS community programs coordinator says, “We are in the height of kitten season right

now and in great need of foster homes for them. Kitten fosters are one of the main reasons we achieve a save rate of over 90 percent consistently.”

The goal of the program is two-fold: to provide more space for shelter residents and give them a break from shelter life. “Fosters provide a respite from the stress of shelter life to cats and dogs who have been here a while, a safe and comforting place to recover from injuries or other suffering before arriving at the shelter, or just a warm spot in a sunbeam on a living room floor to nap an afternoon away.”

Fostering also gives staff a much-needed break “from what often feels like an insurmountable task. When a favorite goes to foster, staff and volunteers rejoice, knowing that dog (or kitten) is going to be loved while in a temporary home.”

HOW TO HELP

Scan the code to join the shelter in its life-saving mission. No approval process is required for fostering dogs and fosters can come to the shelter as a walk-in to pick up a furry friend. First-time kitten fosters need to go through an orientation and are matched with a mentor to ensure optimal care.

by Charlotte Kovalchuk • photos by April Peiffer & Kristy Morales

Photos by Lori Murr, courtesy JISD

"Go into the world and do well. But more importantly, go into the world and do good."

-Minor Myers, Jr.

Lewis

UPWARDS PRESCHOOL

Ages 1 - 5 Years

JOIN

KIDS

Wednesday Evenings

6pm - 8pm

Fun, Games, Food, Friends Devotional, Worship & more!

KIDS 4 CHRIST

1st - 5th Grade

First Wed. of the Month (Off June & July for VBS & Camp)

YOUTH

6th - 12th Grade

Every Wednesday (Youth off in July for Camp)

Tucked behind Jarrell United Methodist Church is a shed that Dianne Johns and Melinda Palousek call the best-kept secret in town – the Jarrell Community Food Pantry. On a typical weekday the ladies can be found stocking shelves, organizing food drives and, most recently, preparing to open a second pantry they hope will accelerate their mission to feed Jarrell and surrounding communities.

Every second and fourth Sunday from noon to 2pm, residents are welcome to visit the food pantry, which offers everything from canned goods and meat to rice, beans, and pasta. The food pantry, housed in a 12’×20’ shed, has distributed more than 400,000 pounds of food since opening in 2005. “We always say we’re small but we’re mighty,” Dianne says.

That achievement was made possible thanks to ongoing donations from community members, churches, businesses, and organizations like American Legion, Georgetown Rotary, Dell, Jarrell Supermarket, and Brookshire Brothers. Their generosity, and a need for more space, inspired Dianne and Melinda to build a second, larger pantry. “With the budget we were blessed with, we said, ‘Let’s think bigger than just replicating this little building.’ ”

FEEDING JARRELL

JARRELL COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY EXPANDS

The new 16’×32’ shed will feature steel shelves instead of the current wooden ones, and Dianne and Melinda are especially grateful for rolling carts that will give them a break from lugging cases of food. They hope to have the new food pantry location up and running by July, with a grand opening celebration planned with hot dogs and a food drive.

JARRELL COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY DISTRIBUTION DATES

Second and fourth Sundays, from 12pm - 2pm

• June 11 and 25

• July 9 and 23

• August 6 and 20

• September 10 and 24

• October 8 and 22

• November 12 and 26

• December 10 and TBD

LEND A HAND

When it comes to supporting the food pantry, they previously asked for monetary donations to purchase food from the Capital Area Food Bank. But, due to low inventory at the food bank, she says, “We ask for canned goods to be donated directly and we use donations to help buy meat.”

Volunteers of all ages are also needed to help with anything from carrying bags to checking expiration dates. Dianne says, “My grandkids help out and carry bags of food. We have National Honor Society students who carry bags for people to meet their service hours requirement. People from our church also come to check expiration dates on food products.”

After filling out a one-page form, anyone can pick up food from the pantry on regular days of operation. For those who cannot manage until those days, the pantry offers emergency food distributions to ensure no one goes hungry in the meantime.

For more information, visit the Jarrell Community Food Pantry Facebook page.

PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE KOVALCHUK & DIANNE JOHNS

by Charlotte Kovalchuk

TOWNHOME FEATURES CALUMET SUBDIVISION

Located in the beautiful countryside, Calumet offers a variety of homes in the City of Jarrell. The Calumet Subdivision is a master planned community located at 891 W FM 487 near Jarrell High School. It is ideally located with quick access to IH 35. The subdivision offers competitively priced single-family homes, multi-family homes and townhomes to fit a variety of needs.

• Open Concept Floorplans & 2 Car Garage

• City of Jarrell Utilities

• Engineered Foundations

Located in the beautiful Jarrell, Texas countryside, Calumet offers a variety of homes in the City of Jarrell located on IH 35, 40 miles north of Austin, Texas and 12 miles north of the Williamson County seat, Georgetown.

• R13 Walls with R37 Ceiling

• Firewall Between Units

There will be 55 townhomes in the Subdivision with a variety of two and three bedroom units. They will be nicely appointed and will provide a more cost effective entry for the home buyer along with opportunities for the multi-family investor.

• Energy Efficient Features & Appliances

• Granite Counters in Kitchen & Bath

• Landscaped Yards & Sprinkler Systems

The Calumet subdivision is a Master Planned Community located at 891W FM 487 near the Jarrell High School. It is ideally located with quick access to IH 35. The Calumet Subdivision offers competitively priced single-family homes, and multifamily homes, and townhomes to fit a variety of needs.

STARTING IN THE UPPER $240,000 s

There will be 55 townhomes in the Calumet Subdivision with a variety of two and three bedroom units. They will be nicely appointed and will provide a more cost effective entry for the home buyer along with opportunities for the multi family investor.

ME: You know, kids, Miss Leigh loves substitute teaching and putting life experience to good use, but I didn’t realize I was so out of touch. Your phones seem to have become extensions of your very beings, and even George Orwell didn’t foresee newspeak evolving—or regressing?— to conversations consisting entirely of hieroglyphics.

ZOEY: What’s hieroglyphics?

ME: Um... pyramid tagging. With a half-day to draw birds and ankhs, Egyptians could express laughter with a hint of existential dread. Y’all just say .

JAKE: Miss Leigh, check out my retro-futuristic vintage grunge with a hint of ironic minimalism.

ME: You look like you got dressed at a yard sale.

JAKE: No cap1! It's all about mashing contradictory styles while wearing as little as possible. Shows individuality.

ME: I suppose my parents thought layered Izods were senseless too. Okay, so what did you think of “Animal Farm”?

DAVIAN: Hella2 lame. Books are boring.

ME: I realize your attention can only span a dank3 meme, but it's about corruption, and Orwell wanted us to see it coming. Soon, someone will write a pandemic allegory to help future generations recognize government over-reach. By then, maybe books will be your respite from a noisy world.

1 Seriously!

2 extremely

3 impressive

Generational Chat

CADE: Gyatt4 ! Did you see the TikTok with the baddie5 mom dancing on the table, but she was turnt6 and fell off? I mean, she was totally cheugy7, trying to twerk at her age.

ME: My generation had our own slang too, but at least wicked, gnarly, and even tubular were actually words. And don’t even get me started on twerking and thug shake8 .

CADE: Aw, Miss Leigh, do we have time before the bell to show you that dance?

ME: Um, sweetheart, for that, it is definitely no o’clock. But we do have a few minutes and I want to tell you what I’ve learned from you in the past few months.

Every generation has its own personality and yours was sadly shaped quite a bit by a pandemic. Your millennial parents spent their young adulthood watching an unending global war on terror. Maybe some people they knew were deployed and they might have wondered why people on the other side of the world hated us. People my age worried about nuclear war and AIDS. But our stuff was pretty generalized and didn’t come with the reality of our own dads being put out of work, or our own grandma dying alone behind a mask, or the price of food sending our families into near bankruptcy.

So here’s what I see. Even though we roll our eyes that you are overly attached to your devices and never touch grass, you do have a sense of

4 Dang!

5 attractive

6 intoxicated

7 Specific for millennials who are trying too hard to be trendy or fancy

8 A dance performed by a male person. Be careful when Googling

community—even if it’s not rooted in the IRL world. You guys care about people you’ve never met, and donate to obscure GoFundMe pages because someone has a need or wants to do something cool.

You show love to each other without embarrassment and talk about Jesus without hesitation. Five seconds later you call each other names that would make your parents and grandparents pass out from politically correct shame. But your clapbacks9 don’t come from malice or darkness — they’re just part of your oddly-sweet dynamic because you all see each other as "same as me." I think you may be the first generation that lives like equality is just the default state of being.

I also see, when you set your mind to something, it will happen. Sadly, for some of you, that means “I hate school and can’t wait to get out.” I get it you started life with a lot of stuff and permission to do whatever you wanted. Then the world let you down and gave you a perspective that people who govern you don’t value or care about you and they hate each other. There’s not much allowing you to have hope or show you that effort has meaning. But your gifts are real, achievement is important, and success is still possible. I know there’s nothing a substitute can do in a day to fix that, but now that I know you better, I can wrap my head around your smol10 perspectives and figure out some better ways to be lit11. Have a nice summer!

BROOKLYN: Oh, Miss Leigh, you’re so boujee!

9 Clever retorts

10 Small and, typically, adorable

11 a deliberate flip that means 'cool'

by Camy Reynolds

An Enchanting SUMMER Start

Each year, Sonterra kicks off summer by opening the community pool over Memorial Day weekend. Families are always excited to swim and soak up the sun, but this year they received an extra special surprise. Christen Killebrew, a resident of Sonterra, made a whimsical splash at the opening when she arrived as a mermaid.

Certified as a mermaid in January, Christen thought this would not only be a great way to meet more people in town, but also share the magic and happiness she feels when she transforms into a friendly siren. The look on the children’s (and some of the adults’) faces was priceless when they realized there was a mermaid swimming in the pool. Christen spent the day swimming with the kids, had story time in her seashell chair, and made opening day at the pool a one-of-a-kind experience.

ECRWSS POSTAL PATRON JARRELL, TX

We are a full-service veterinary practice that provides comprehensive medical, surgical, and dental care for the furry members of your family. We believe in providing thorough and caring clinical services to every animal we meet and we are proud to enhance this care with upgraded, state-of-the-art equipment and diagnositcs at our new, larger facility. We hope to serve you and your pets soon, and help keep them healthy for years to come.