VOLUME 1, ISSUE 5
A.J. Fidelman holds up a portion of the 2020 lavender harvest on the farm he owns and operates with his wife Lenda Fidelman. The two have worked tirelessly for several years to build and operate their farm east of Anna as well as holding full-time jobs and raising their two sons.
CONTENTS 3 7 16 18 22
Anna resident honored at State Fair of Texas Nick Burt’s Fried Frito Pie selected as Big Tex Choice
VOLUME 1, ISSUE 5
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Anna’s new police chief reports for duty Dean Habel leaves Farmers Branch for Anna
Golf Tournament supports the ALEA
Recently formed Anna Law Enforcement Association gets support from area golfers
Local student sign with A&M for baseball
Rawley Hector to decide between Major League Baseball and a life at A&M
Sports Scrapbook
Action shots from Junior Varsity football games. A view from the sidelines
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IN EVERY ISSUE 4
A BIT OF ANNA HISTORY
25 MOVIE REVIEWS
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SERVING WHERE IT MATTERS
24 WORDS OF INSPIRATION
11 BUSINESS DIRECTORY
10 UNCLE SPIDER’S ADVENTURES
14 ALL ABOUT THE YARD
26 JAMIE’S KITCHEN
ABOUT THE COVER Photo by Joyce Godwin Anna Law Enforcement Association members take a moment for the camera while at Heritage Park. From left are Officer Wesley Davis, Sgt. Cole Dotson, ALEA Vice President and ALEA President Officer Seth McDaniel.
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from the
EDITOR
PUBLISHER
Joyce Godwin
It’s a great time of year now as we are getting ready for Santa and celebrating the birth of Jesus. I love to see the excitement in my grandchildren — all children actually — as they think about gifts coming their way, Santa Claus and the Elf on the Shelf.
EDITOR
Joyce Godwin AD SALES
Amy Jukes, Jamie Roubinek, Joyce Godwin
But there’s another side of Christmas and that’s the people who want to but can’t provide those gifts for their children and can’t afford to buy food. The stress that comes along with those heartbreaks is a very real issue.
PHOTOGRAPHERS
Xaviar Jukes, Joyce Godwin DESIGNER
My husband and I have decided to donate more this year than usual because of the havoc from COVID-19. Normally, we donate gifts for children through the Angel Trees and other programs. We’ll increase the amount of toys and gifts we donate, but we want to donate more food. In this time of a Covid pandemic, people need help. I’m impressed with the giving spirit of the people who live in Anna; not only in monetary values but the way people are willing to donate their time to worthy projects. More than one church is involved in giving away food and providing for people in trouble. It’s inspiring. Regardless of your position and how you choose to donate during this season, we at Anna Living Magazine are wishing you the merriest of Christmas seasons and the happiest of New Years. Like everyone else, we have a strong wish to see COVID-19 come to an end. On another issue about Christmas, I don’t know what to get for my husband. He thinks I love my dog more than him, but he’s wrong. I love them both the same. And besides, I already have her gift. So any suggestions will be welcome. Lastly, our family is serious about celebrating the birth of Jesus on Christmas Day. Then, after lunch, the house will be filled with such joy and excitement as children (all grown now) and grandchildren and one great-grand will be opening gifts, wrapping paper and ribbons flying amid squeals of excitement. Merry Christmas to all!!!
Open Look Business Solutions DIRECTOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT AND SPECIAL EVENTS
Amy Jukes 469-389-2636 amy@annalivingmagazine.com CONTRIBUTORS
Claude Webb, Lafe Angell, Don Eldredge, Jamie Roubinek, Jimmie Gibson, Jennifer Sexton SPECIAL THANKS
Anna Area Historical Preservation Society, Director of Public Works for the city of Anna, Greg Peters, Kimberly Winarski, President and CEO of the Greater Anna Chamber of Commerce Kevin Hall FOR ADVERTISING QUESTIONS OR EDITORIAL REQUESTS
Please email joyce@annalivingmagazine.com MANAGING OWNER
Joyce Godwin 903-815-0044
P. O. Box 341, Anna TX 75409
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Anna Living Magazine
Meet the Neighbors
Local Man Receives Food Awards at State Fair of Texas By Joyce Godwin
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or some it’s no surprise that Nick Bert’s Fried Frito Pie was selected at the State Fair of Texas for the Ultimate Big Tex Choice Award of the foods offered during the fair each year. He’s been involved in it since he was really young and is his family’s third generation to operate the food booth of Bert’s Burgers and Fries at the fair grounds. “This is the one and only, the best of the best award,” Bert said. “It’s from all the past winners. All the ones who’ve won through the years were put together in a bracket and we won. So it’s really exciting.” The Big Tex Choice Awards started in 2005 for the fair’s concessionaires. “We entered almost every year, and I still sell most of what I’ve entered,” Bert said. Bert and his family have been Anna residents since 2002, and every year, he takes his four weeks of vacation from his job and spends it at the Texas State Fair to run the family’s vendor booth. He said his grandfather started in 1919 selling mini-match books, and in 1936 he started Bert’s Burgers and Fries at the fair grounds. “He had the big roller coaster, little roller coaster the Wild Mouse and the Flash rides at the State Fair,” Bert said of his grandfather. He invented the snow cone machine and Bert says it’s patented under the name of Samuel Bert. Nick Bert said his grandfather started out scraping the ice by hand and he decided “This is for the birds.” So he designed a machine that allowed him to drop a block of ice in the machine. “An arm would push the ice down to the blades and then another arm would turn it off when it finished,” Bert said. “I’ve just grown up out there and it’s just in my blood,” he added. “I used to butter buns for the hamburgers and take the money and I’ve done all sorts of jobs.” He added that his grandfather used to have a roller rink out there, and a taco cafe was in the next building.” That was basically his only income except the income he earned through running a farm in the Trumble area. “He grew crops down there so there was another income, but most came from the state fair,” Bert said.
The fried cheesecake came along in 1999. “When we started selling it out there, it took off like gang busters,” Bert said. Spurlock’s Malt Shop in Anna has just this year started selling it. Bert said, if it does well then he wants to see about providing some of the other products he sells at the fair. Currently, the concession booth at the fair sells fried cheesecake, Mexican fire crackers which is really good, fried Frito pie and fried pecan pie. “I’ve had people, who don’t even like pecan pie, say its wonderful,” Bert said. The fried Frito pie wasn’t easy to develop. The first year they sold it, the process was labor intensive and it was frustrating. “Over the years, we’ve redeveloped it,” Bert said. “It’s still Chile cheese and Frito but it’s wrapped in masa dough, and it’s still good.” Keeping the price down is important to Bert. He wants people to be able to afford the product he sells but it’s also important to him to sell a solid product. “I don’t want to just sell a gimmick,” Bert said. “What we use is pecan pie, cheese cake and Frito pie. Nothing is artificial.” It’s a family effort, Bert says. When his grandparents passed away his dad ran the business. He passed away. and then Bert’s mom and uncle took over. The only time one can get the Bert’s Burgers product is at the state fair once a year; unless one goes to Spurlock’s. Like his grandfather, Bert’s Burgers and Fries is not his only income. He is a deputy sheriff for Dallas County and has been there for 37 years. He hopes to retire soon. In 2002, Bert and his wife Kimberly, realized they didn’t want to continue living in their aging neighborhood in Dallas so they looked north and discovered Anna. Bert said the small numbers in the classrooms were attractive to them. So their second of three children, Noah, started kindergarten in Anna. Their third child, Marianna, was last year’s valedictorian at Anna High School. She is on scholarship at Austin College in Sherman and a member of the Roo’s basketball team. The older of their three children, Nicholas, has graduated from the University of North Anna Living Magazine
Texas where he majored in Information Technologies and is now searching for employment. Noah is in his senior year at Texas A&M University in the Corps of Cadets and the band. He is majoring in electrical engineering. Bert says all three of his children have done well in Anna, each finishing in the top ten of their graduation classes. Of the process for developing products to sell at the fair, he says it’s an art. “But there are some good vendors down there that give me some good competition.” He says he is working on some new things to offer that he will come out with soon. He uses the kitchen in his house in Anna. “We will see what we come up with. It’s a lot of trial and error.”
Nick Bert stands in front of the Big Tex statue at the Texas State Fair grounds with his Big Tex Choice award for the Fried Frito Pie served at the Bert’s Burgers and Fries concession building.
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They Called Him
Yank By Bert Wetherill, MA, RPA October 9, 2018
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arly historic records of Anna, Texas list numerous black people with a postal address in Anna. Virtually all of them lived in the rural areas surrounding Anna and most made their living primarily as farmers or farm hands Only one black citizen was living within the city limits of Anna from the late eighteen hundreds through the mid nineteen thirties. His name was Henry Clay Washington, but the people of Anna called him “Yank.” There is some question as to just when and where Yank was born, and when he came to Anna. In his book A Town Named Anna, Chester Howell says that Yank came to Anna from Parsons, Kansas as a young man. The Federal Census for 1920 lists Yank’s age as 60, born in Tennessee, and the 1930 Federal Census lists his age as 65, born in Texas. These records taken together suggest he was born between 1856 and 1865, most likely in Texas. Howell lists Yank’s age as 17 at his arrival in Anna. This information, combined with the calculated dates based on the census reads, places his arrival between 1873 and 1882. Yank’s death certificate states he was born in Navasota, Texas, was about 80 years old when he died in 1936 and had lived in Anna for about 40 years. The Death Certificate information suggests an arrival date of about 1896. Thus, we may never know just when he actually arrived. Our story about Yank’s arrival says that when he first came, some of the citizens of Anna wanted to run him out of town. As the story goes, Yank had an injured leg but it’s not clear if the leg was injured before Yank arrived or was injured as a result of the effort to evict him. In any event, the people of Anna relented and Yank stayed. Through the years, Yank worked at various odd jobs for the residents of Anna. He also worked as janitor at the Houston and Texas Central Railroad Depot, at the Interurban Railroad Station, at the bank, post office, and at some of the stores in town. One of his main jobs was to haul the mail to and from the depot 4
ILLUSTRATION COPIED FROM “THE SPARK THAT IGNITED THE
Town of Anna”. This is an illustration of Yank drawn by Chester Howell and found on page 424 of the book.
and the post office. He had a small, ironwheeled pushcart that he used to carry mail and other small items for delivery. Yank’s… “feet always hurt, and his shoes, which appeared to be about size 13 had many slits cut into them to relieve the pressure on his feet.” Several incidents reflect the relationship between Yank and the town’s people of Anna. Howell recorded the following incident: The only relative that Yank had any contact with during his many years in Anna was either a sister or a niece who lived in St. Louis, Missouri. Yank was illiterate, but someone Anna Living Magazine
would read to him the letters which he received from this relative and write answers to them for him. Some of the merchants and other townspeople conceived the idea of raising funds to pay Yank’s way on the train to St. Louis and back so that he could visit his relative. It was known by many people in town that Yank would return to Anna on a certain day. When he returned a large crowd was waiting to greet him at the depot. I have wondered what the other passengers, viewing this scene from their train windows, must have thought when they saw this crowd of white people giving such a
friendly welcome to this old, ungainly black man. Later as Yank was slowly lumbering along on the short walk from the depot to his home in the back of Morgan’s Market, with most of the crowd walking along with him, one of the men jokingly asked, “Yank, is St. Louis as big as Anna?” His quick reply was, “huh, it’s twice as big.” Another Yank story passed on by Bart Morgan is as follows: “My dad ( John Eldred Morgan, Jr.) had a great deal of respect and fondness for Yank. My Granddad ( John Eldred Morgan, Sr.) was a strict disciplinarian. One day he was giving my dad a whipping in the presence of Yank. The whipping was apparently severe. At some point Yank very forcefully said “Mr. Eldred you have whipped that boy enough. It’s time to stop now.” Daddy said Granddad Eldred stopped, put his belt back on and went back to work.” Obviously, John Eldred, Sr. respected Yank’s opinion or he would not have so readily stopped the whipping. A Yank story provided by John Rutherford” “This old hand carved rolling pin was carved for my great grandmother, Laura Clarissa Ellis Greer, wife of John Flavel Greer, about 1888 by Henry Clay Washington, better known as Yank. In the sad days of segregation, he was the town of Anna’s only black citizen. Yank came to Anna from his farm home in Kansas (he called it “Possom”) in 1872 at the age of 17. He first worked at the farm of Western Green Strother who gave him a home for many years. Yank later worked for a number of others, including my great grandfather, John F. Greer, doing odd jobs and janitor work at the train depot, post office and bank. He remained in Anna until he died as an old man. In his later life, the town took up a collection to send him to St. Louis to see his sister, whom he had not seen since he was 17. The rolling pin is now well over 100 years old and was used by the Greer women; passed down to my grandmother, Harriet Gradie
CERTIFICATE DOWNLOADED FROM WWW.ANCESTRY.COM.
PHOTO COPIED FROM “THE SPARK THAT IGNITED THE TOWN OF ANNA”
Residents of Anna took up a collection and bought a railroad watch for Yank so he would always know the time to expect the mail train. At Yank’s death, the watch was passed to John E. Morgan, Jr. and at John’s death his son Bart Morgan inherited it. The watch is a 21-jewel gold Elgin Railroad Pocket Watch made in 1926. It has a gold chain and a shark’s tooth fob.
Greer Rutherford, then to my aunt, Laura Grace Ruthrford James, and then given to me by Aunt Laura. Juanita ( John Rutherford’s late wife) would sometimes use it just to keep the spirit alive. Don’t y’all just love the names?” Sometime in the late 1920s the citizens of Anna took up a collection and bought a railroad watch for Yank so he would always know the time to expect the mail train. At Yank’s death, the watch was passed to John E. Morgan, Jr. and at John’s death his son Bart Morgan inherited it. The watch is a 21-jewel gold Elgin Railroad Pocket Watch made in 1926. It has a gold chain and a shark’s tooth fob. Was Yank well liked in Anna? Collections of money were made for Yank, and he was certainly liked by Cylis A. Morgan, and later by his son John Eldred Morgan, Sr., and his grandson John E. Morgan, Jr. who each provided Yank a sleeping place in the back room of Morgan’s Market. As previously mentioned, just when and where Yank was born is not known for certain. It is known, however, that he died in Anna on February 3, 1936 of pneumonia and was also suffering symptoms of senility. At the time of his death Yank was living in a small building behind the home of Hattie Morgan, widow of John E. Morgan, Sr., where he was moved when he became unable to work and care for himself. Again, we see the concern the Morgan Anna Living Magazine
family, and most likely other citizens of Anna, had by taking good care of an aging black man when much of the rest of society tended to push blacks aside. Yank had been under the care of Dr. S.D. Moore, M.D. of Van Alstyne from January 25, 1936 until his death. Fred Sherley was the informant of record on Yank’s death certificate. Yank was buried on February 3, 1936 at the Saint Paul Cemetery in Melissa, Texas with Wayne Sherley as undertaker. Yank’s grave is unmarked as are many others in this, a Black Cemetery. This was one of the few places in northeast Collin County, Texas where a non-white person could be lain down for their final rest at that time in our history. This story is reprinted here with permission from the Anna Area Historical Preservation Society. “The Spark that Ignited the Town of Anna” is a wonderful effort on behalf of the historical society that includes the stories of Anna’s leading families and efforts through the years. Anyone who may have had a curiosity about how things have happened in Anna, will likely find answers in this book. Families and descendants have shared their stories and pictures of early Anna and the result is spellbinding. The book may be found online at www. amazon.com or by contacting the historical society whose website is http://aahps.org. 5
To find regular updates about Anna’s government, visit the website at www.annatexas.gov.
Residents Stop Robbery and Help Police The city of Anna Facebook page told the story of neighbors assisting the police to stop a robbery to say “thank you” to the men involved. The Anna City Council recognized Anna neighbors in its October 27 meeting. Sgt. Chris Reeves and Josh Hahn encountered a suspect who was attempting to burglarize vehicles and successfully detained the suspect until police could arrive and take the suspect into custody. The suspect was implicated
in other crimes in the area and was charged accordingly. Thank you gentleman for your acts in the name of serving the community! Reeves is a sergeant for the Prosper ISD Police Department. Anna PD Officer Ken Stoy, Sergeant Tim Thomas, Officer Joshua Yates, and Officer Brandon Blair (not pictured) also received certificates of recognition at the Council meeting for their roles in the arrest.
Two Anna EDC projects win international recognition
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he City of Anna’s efforts at increasing economic development opportunities have been recognized by the International Economic Development Council, which conferred a Silver Award and a Bronze Award to a pair of Anna EDC projects this month. Presented as part of the organization’s 2020 Excellence in Economic Development Awards Program, the Silver Award highlighted the “Opportunity Anna TX” website, and the Bronze Award recognized the “Anna Business Park” video. “We are honored to be recognized for these prestigious awards and appreciate everyone who was involved in making them happen,” said Joey Grisham, Director of Economic Development. “Anna is creating something very special and our job at the EDC is to make sure we communicate what we offer to the world.” The “Opportunity Anna, TX” website encapsulates the forward-thinking and development-friendly attitude within the City of Anna, the Anna Community Development Corporation, and the Anna Economic Development Corporation. Working with an outside web design team, Anna EDC staff created an easyto-use and mobile-friendly site that combines data with creativity and local photographs. The real time demographic, permit, and financial information allows both current and future neighbors and businesses the ability to better understand the growth of the city and the region, aiding them in making sound investments in locating or expanding in Anna. 6
As the sixth-fastest growing city in the North Texas region, the EDC website now shows visitors that there are opportunities to live, invest, build, buy, sell, work, learn, play, and more in Anna. The “Anna Business Park” video was created to showcase the 85acre Anna Business Park property for sale by the Anna EDC as well as to highlight the City’s business and development-friendly political climate. The video essentially introduced the site to commercial real estate professionals, having been premiered at the most recent North Texas Commercial Association of Realtors Expo. The video’s expo debut allowed City Council members, EDC Board members, and EDC staff to showcase the property as well as other economic development opportunities in the City. The Excellence in Economic Development Awards recognize the world’s best economic development programs and partnerships, honoring organizations and individuals for their efforts in creating positive change in urban, suburban, and rural communities. Awards are judged by a diverse panel of economic and community developers from around the world. Anna Living Magazine
Chief Dean Habel Reports for Duty in Anna By Joyce Godwin
There was discernible excitement in the voice of Anna’s new police chief Dean Habel when he spoke about his then impending move to the Anna Police Department from Farmers Branch. Chief Habel reported to the new position November 16 and was officially sworn in with his department looking on. And with that, a new chapter begins for the Anna Police Department and the city oF Anna. In an early November interview, Habel said he had never been interested in leaving his place in Farmers Branch. But a friend of his confirmed what he had already been thinking about growth opportunities and the prospect of a change was exciting. “I’m here because of Anna and its opportunity of growth,” he said. “And if it didn’t work out with Anna, I would be completely happy going back to finish up [my career] with Farmers Branch. Leaving had never before captivated my attention.” As one might expect, during the time Habel was waiting to take his place in Anna, lots of ideas came his way about how he would handle the transition. He said his number one priority would be to fill the assistant-chief position quickly. Then he will turn his attention to filling other openings in the PD to fill out the staff. “I was in recruiting before, and I know how hard it is to find quality candidates,” Habel explained. “North Texas is a competitive landscape so we have to come up with creative ways to recruit to fill positions as Anna continues its growth.” Habel said it’s important to build relationships to get off on the right foot in his new department. “After a couple of weeks on the job I hope to meet with officers one on one to get their thoughts on the current state of affairs. Any time things are growing as quickly as Anna is, you have to have public safety staying ahead of the demands for the department.” Leaving Farmers Branch after 25 years is hard for him. He’s leaving life-long friends. “But there is no way to put into words how excited I am to get started in Anna,” he said. Anna’s city leadership has made the position even more attractive for Habel because of the “unbelievable momentum already in place,” Habel said. “To join that is an honor.” Habel explained that getting the “offer of
this position was a tremendous honor that I don’t take lightly. I will do everything in my power to make sure the city manager and people of Anna know I was the right choice.” When asked about Habel’s law-enforcement career, he said it’s hard to pinpoint a single incident or achievement to name as meaningful. “There have been a number of achievements. I was involved in major cases that I was proud of. Looking back it’s hard to point to one particular case. But I’m most proud of how I I did the job. I feel I did it the way The new police chief for Anna, Chief Dean Habel, is being sworn in by City Secretary Carrie Land. it was supposed to be done.” Looking forward again, Habel said he likes the Coffee with Cops program and hopes to National Academy and the Bill Blackwood see it active again. “It’s a great way to interact Law Enforcement Management Institute. He with the public in a non-traditional way,” he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree In Criminal said. It’s astrictly positive activity and the casual Justice from the University of Texas at San Anatmosphere is important and helps to humantonio, and a Master of Liberal Studies degree in ize the officers. Behavioral Sciences from Southern Methodist Habel reflected a bit on the current situation University. He authored “Mexico: The Methfor police departments across the country. “This amphetamine Superpower,” published in the is probably the most difficult time in 25 years Texas Police Journal. to be a police officer, just from the standpoint He’s been recognized as Farmers Branch of social media,” he said. There is a lot of Supervisor of the Year and has been awarded negativity in the portrayals of police. Some the Meritorious Conduct Medal by the FBPD. is warranted and some is not, in my opinion. “Chief Habel has been an outstanding leader Whenever something happens, every officer in and friend for the past 25 years and has served the country is painted with that same brush. our great City with honor and distinction,” said “To see all the comments on social media is Farmers Branch Police Chief David Hale in a so disheartening. statement on the Farmers Branch website. “He “While in Farmers Branch, we had two has certainly contributed greatly to the success officers involved in a major assault incident and of our department. While it is bittersweet to that really hit home for me realizing things can see him go, I am very proud of his new position change in a moment’s notice. By the grace of as Police Chief of Anna but will miss him God and their quick-thinking reactions, they tremendously and wish him the best of luck!” were able to handle things well and they are Habel and his wife have been married good now. It’s hard to see the folks you work 21 years and have one daughter, 17, who is with under attack.” currently looking at colleges and going through In his background and education for police the application process. work, Habel has earned a Master Peace Officer Habel says he has been part of a great agency license and is a licensed instructor for the Texas and is joining a new, great agency. He said he Commission on Law Enforcement. He is admires the folks in the city who are willing certified in Advanced Interview and Interrogato go all out for the future of the community. tion and has attained certification in the FBI’s “That’s a group I want to be a part of,” he said. Interviewing Strategies Through Statement “That’s another part of the allure for this posiAnalysis program. He is a graduate of the FBI tion — community support. Anna Living Magazine
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Meet Greg Peters, Director of Public Works for the city of Anna By Joyce Godwin
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he public works department takes care of maintenance and manages construction and design for all public infrastructure for the city. That also includes overseeing what is put in for new developments while overseeing all the construction that takes place. One of the projects that is exciting for the staff is the construction of a new city hall and fire station. The latter is scheduled to be open first, said Director of Public Works Greg Peters. It’s planned to be open in April. The structure for the new city hall is slightly behind the fire station and the slab has been poured. Peters says it should be open next summer. “We have had some weather delays and Covid has caused a big impact and put us behind. We couldn’t get the materials to the site that we really needed. We buy as much American steel as we can, and those industries got thrown for a loop for a while, but all is back now.” During this time of concern because of a pandemic, daily activities for city personnel have taken a different look. Meetings are conducted virtually through computers. “For the most part, our department is back to normal but we take specific precautions, like staggering lunches and posting maximum occupancy on the different rooms in the offices,” Peters said. “For larger meetings with 26 people, we meet in the shop [on Highway 5] to allow us to spread out. We are growing so fast that we don’t always have the luxury to
work remotely.” Peters is also a professional engineer which works to Anna’s benefit. “So instead of a separate city engineer in a different department, I do a lot of those duties as well,” Peters said. He worked in Sachse six-and-a-half years coming to Anna. He said Sachse was close to being built out and the long-term growth in Anna’s future was alluring for him. “We did almost 700 building permits last year and by year end, we will have 1,000 this year,” Peters said. The infrastructure related to that is a lot to oversee, but I love that. We have 60 square miles of jurisdiction.” The Council of Governments projects we will swell to a population of 200,000, but Peter believes it will be more like 80-90,000 people in10 years and maybe sooner. With this kind of growth, ancillary programs are more and more important to take care of the needs of Anna’s residents as they increase in numbers. One of those important issues is water. Peters says there are seven wells and with all the growth, the city won’t be able to rely on the well system alone. The Greater Texoma Utility Authority is working hard to identify potential new partners to work with Anna for its water needs. He said there are folks who have brought concerns about Anna’s water and that instigated extensive testing. In spite of all the data collected from water sampling and third party testing, it remains that nothing has been discovered in the water that suggests it could cause
PHOTO BY TREY BELEW/ ANNA LIVING MAGAZINE
This photo is an aerial view of the new fire station (on the far left) and new Municipal building currently under construction.
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Anna Living Magazine
GREG PETERS
problems. “To date, we have found nothing that is wrong,” Peters said. “One thing I have seen is, water does taste different depending on where you live and where you come from.” Peters explains that in January 2020 a significant project to treat Anna water was undertaken to match the way North Texas Municipal Water District treats their water. “We blend and we want to mix flawlessly together,” Peters said. He said he believes the new process will make a big difference. In the almost seven years Peters has been with the city of Anna, he says his biggest surprise has been how open the City Council is with the desire for good, high quality development for the city. “A lot of people expect a council in a small town to be uninformed,” Peters said. “But here they want high quality and are willing to do what is necessary to get that.” One of the realities in a property right state in Texas is development is going to come whether you want it or not he explained. “it’s been really nice to be on the same page with this Council. It is a very big benefit and so important that all are on the same page.” Peters says he loves his job and loves Anna. He attended Texas Tech University and stayed a really long time. He said he didn’t want to leave. He now has three college degrees and stayed in school seven years. He is married with two daughters and coaches girls soccer. Serving Where it Matters is a series in Anna Living Magazine to tell the stories of city of Anna personnel in each issue.
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store, maybe Christmas perhaps, means a little bit more.” — Dr. Seuss “What is Christmas? It is tenderness for the past, courage for the present, hope for the future.” — Agnes M. Pahro “The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” — Socrates
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ike many things in 2020, the holidays will look a bit different this year. Typically a time of excitement, stress, joy, and chaos this year may bring more anxiety, uncertainty and depression. Travel is limited and depending on where one lives, restrictions are being imposed that disallow typical gatherings with friends and family. People who look forward to the reunions that typically occur this time of year may face the challenge of seeking new ways of connecting and making new traditions. How do we manage the logistics and the emotions faced during this holiday season in 2020? Here are some ideas to help you manage and make choices to benefit you and your loved ones this year. 1. Acknowledge your emotions. Take the time to journal and express your sadness, frustration, fear, and anxiety. Ignoring these emotions typically makes things worse and can manifest in unhealthy and painful physical and emotional consequences. Allowing yourself to express these genuine feelings in a healthy manner will allow you to regroup and make a shift toward planning. Children and teens are especially impacted by the uncertainty and stress of our present environment. Encourage them to draw, write and express their feelings. Be prepared for the likely questions in terms of how the adults are going to manage the holiday and if the things they look forward to will be the same or different. Remember that children look to the adults in their lives for their stability and security. 2. Create new traditions. Things will look different this year. Many will not be able to travel and many senior family members who
reside in assisted living and nursing facilities may not be able to join celebrations or have face to face visits. These changes ultimately require that new traditions be created. By focusing on what matters most we can get creative in our planning to celebrate and connect. If weather allows, plan outdoor adventures and get togethers to minimize health concerns and allow the ability to see one another. For those separated by distance, plan family game time over zoom or let the kids create family caroling videos with everyone recording their separate parts. Prioritize time with family who cannot be together by reading books or watching holiday movies together via FaceTime . While family gatherings may be smaller than usual, make them fun! Let the kids plan the menu some nights. Make theme nights around your favorite movies. Make hot chocolate and cookies and drive around to see lights. Hold your own church services at home if your church is not gathering or gather outdoors with friends and neighbors. Find ways to celebrate and honor your traditions and the true reason for the season. 3. Be the light. It is hard to know what the future holds. In this ever changing world we need to do all we can to live the spirit of the season. The best way to typically feel better in our own circumstances is to reach out and help others. While volunteering can be a challenge in our current climate, there are opportunities within our communities and neighborhoods to bring others hope. Check on a single person or elderly neighbor who may not be traveling to be with others. Many have been financially impacted in Anna Living Magazine
negative ways this year and are struggling on a daily basis. Choose a charity as a family to support, or if you are personally aware of a family in need, plan a holiday surprise and bless them with food and or surprises. Plan socially distant caroling as a family at a nursing home or for first responders. Contact a local hospital or charity and ask what they need and will allow as far as lending a hand. Viktor Frankel was a Nazi concentration camp survivor who said, “The last of the human freedoms is to choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances.” In the holiday season of 2020 let us choose hope. Let us plan for the future. Let us choose to connect in the ways we can, if not in the ways we choose. Let us care for one another and step out of our own comfort zones in ways that maintain our safety yet impacts others for the good. Let us find joy in new traditions and in creative and intimate ways focused on connection and relationships. Most of all let us celebrate the true reason for the season and experience the joy inherent in the promises of our faith that anchors our souls and endures forever. JENNIFER SEXTON, MSW, LCSW is a Yale Medical School trained clinician devoted to her work in mental and behavioral health for 25 years. She was chosen for a competitive fellowship program at Yale Medical School. Currently Jennifer is an individual therapist in Frisco and also acts as the Executive Director of Clinical Services for Anam Cara of North Texas, a 501c3 non profit devoted to supporting families with special needs.
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I
t’s only been a few weeks since musical icon Jerry Jeff Walker passed away. After writing the classic, “Mr. Bojangles,” the self-proclaimed “Scamp” migrated to Texas and helped foment the revolution that produced what we now call Texas Music. His passing stirred this memory: The call came one morning as I was working in my office. It was my old college buddy, Butch Worley. We had lived together in a rickety, frame house in Sherman. I was in grad school and he was teaching history and coaching football at Sherman High. Later that year Butch married Angie, went to law school, then worked for the NCAA. For the past twenty years he has been the assistant athletic director at the University of Texas at Austin. For years the Worleys hosted a group of old college friends for a UT game and after-party at their home on the Pedernales. Butch asked, “Does Jackson have a football game Friday night?” I answered in the affirmative. He asked if there was any way I could miss his game. I reminded Butch that I had never missed my kids’ games. Butch responded, “You may want to miss this one. I have a surprise for everyone Friday night, a private show … with Jerry Jeff Walker.” Butch knew I was a huge Jerry Jeff fan, and I knew the Worleys and Walkers had become friends. Jerry Jeff played basketball in high school and was passionate about the sport.
COURTESY PHOTO
“Sink it Ron, sink it!” was the headline over this newspaper photo of unknown date. The description states “Ron Crosby drives through Carbondale defense to score a layup. OHS (Oneonta High School, New York) won its Classic opener, 59-49, largely because of a strong fourth quarter.” Jerry Jeff Walker was born Ronald Clyde Crosby in Oneonta, New York, on March 16, 1942. Jerry Jeff Walker was his stage name and he legal changed it to that in the late 1960s according to a Wikipedia article on the Internet.
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JERRY JEFF WALKER COURTESY PHOTO
Jerry Jeff Waker entertains a private group in the Texas Hill Country.
Butch often invited Jerry Jeff to UT games. We gathered that weekend at a beautiful getaway in the hill country. Around 9:00 a car pulled up and two men walked in. When our group of about a dozen couples saw it was Jerry Jeff, collective jaws began dropping. Butch introduced Jerry Jeff and told us we were to be entertained for about an hour, as he needed to get back to Austin by 11:00. Jerry Jeff pulled up a chair in front of the fireplace and everyone else piled onto couches and grabbed chairs, trying to sit as close as possible. Jerry Jeff sat down and began to play, telling stories between each song, and we all sang along. After playing for an hour, Jerry Jeff’s driver mentioned that he needed to wrap it up. Butch took the opportunity to get up and thank Jerry Jeff, and tell us about Jerry Jeff’s basketball career, which included playing on a state championship team. Turning, he asked Jerry Jeff if he remembered what number he wore in high school. Jerry Jeff said, “Of course I do. I was number 44.” Butch reached down and pulled out an official Longhorns game jersey with number 44 on the front, and the name, Jerry Jeff, stitched on the back. Overwhelmed, Jerry Jeff stood and gave Butch a hug, and much to his driver’s chagrin, announced, “If someone will get me a diet coke I’ll play a little longer.” I immediately raced to the back of the room where a half-dozen coolers were lined up, and searched for a diet coke. I looked up and said, “I’m so sorry, there are no diet cokes. All we have is beer.” Jerry Jeff paused, then answered, “If you’ll bring me a Coors Light I’ll play for another hour.” I walked up to him, a can of Coors Light in each hand, and pleaded, “Here you go. Play an hour for each.” And he did. And he drank way more than two beers. Afterward he sat around the pool, told stories, Anna Living Magazine
and seemed genuinely interested in each of us. When I told him that I had once critiqued his songs for a project in a poetry class, convincing my professor that his lyrics were poetry, Jerry Jeff asked me what I had written. He seemed pleased with my response, so I asked, “Why don’t you make music videos?” He caught me off guard by immediately asking, “What color do you think Mr. Bojangles was?” I thought to myself, that’s a no-brainer, and said, “He was an old, black man.” “Nope”, said Jerry Jeff, “He was white. Jail cells in New Orleans were segregated back then. The old man, dancing around, told me his name was Bojangles, and he’s who I wrote the song about.” Jerry Jeff went on to tell me that was why he didn’t make music videos. He wanted to leave his songs up to the individual’s imagination. It was well after midnight when Jerry Jeff’s driver finally convinced him that they had better head home. Jerry Jeff hugged and kissed all the ladies, shook the men’s hands, and thanked us for a great time. I was still on cloud nine when I climbed into bed, recounting the evening. There were no visions of sugar plums dancing around my head, just an old, white man with a dog nipping at his heels. Before falling asleep, Susie rolled over and said, “Oh by the way, Jackson texted that they won their game.” How crazy! I hadn’t given one thought to his game. I had been mesmerized for hours. That’s the magic of Jerry Jeff Walker. UNCLE SPIDER calls North Texas home, but has traveled all over the world, seeking adventures that might make for a good story. He’s also one of the owner/ operators of the GARHOLE in Westminster. Stop by and see him there, or email him at spider@garhole.net.
BUSINESS DIRECTORY
Your business card can be on this page in our next issue. For more information, email joyce@annalivingmagazine.com or call 903-815-0044.
Fall weather is just perfect for planting!
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risp, cool mornings. Perfect “sleeping weather” at night. Pumpkin everything everywhere! Plant catalogs and landscaping “how to” books piling up on the coffee table. It must be Fall! Fall is my favorite time of the year for so many reasons, not just the wonderful weather. This is that special time of year when we prepare and plant now, anticipating a wonderful spring and summer a few months in the future. Let’s take a look at four areas that coincide to the season: pruning, weed control, budgeting and tree selection.
PRUNING The end of summer and the very beginning of fall is a good time for some gentle pruning. But note the emphasis on the word “gentle.” Careful shaping of trees and shrubs can be tackled right now, but this isn’t the time to do an “Edward Scissorhands” with those pruning shears! In a useful online article originated by the Office of Agricultural Communications at Mississippi State University, Norman Winter, horticulture specialist with the University’s Extension Service, says, “Extensive [fall] pruning could generate too much succulent growth and an early freeze could then damage the plant. It 12
is better to do major pruning just before spring while the plants are still dormant.” I totally agree, this gives plants the entire growing season to recover!
of course use a small gardening fork or trowel and carefully remove all the offending weeds by hand.
WEED CONTROL
It’s a good idea to devote some thought to how much you can comfortably invest in your landscape this season. And yes, it is an investment that will pay off next spring and probably for years ahead. Do some comparison shopping to find a good balance between price and quality. Your landscaping professional can always help with some great ideas that fit your lifestyle as well as your budget! As a general rule of thumb, a great landscape around your property is about 10% of the home’s value. You will most likely exceed that number in return on investment if you decide to sell down the road. (Well, that and all good things this city has to offer!)
A friend of mine told me that he doesn’t believe in getting rid of weeds. “If I killed off all weeds and broadleaf,” he said, “I wouldn’t have anything green at all to look at!” If you said “amen” then maybe you can skip this section, but for the rest of us, this is a good time to apply a systemic weed killer such as Roundup, the chemical name for which is glyphosate. Actively-growing weeds absorb the glyphosate through their leaves and suck it down to the roots. It can take a couple of weeks to totally kill the weeds, as the absorption process is relatively slow. Avoid the temptation to cut back weeds before the process is complete or you’ll prevent the glyphosate reaching the roots. Products like Roundup work best when the temperature is still fairly warm, so don’t wait too long to attack your weeds. Check the weather forecast, too, and avoid applying just before a rain shower or your sprinklers running which would wash it off or highly dilute the chemical. If you prefer not to use chemicals, you can Anna Living Magazine
BUDGET
TREES As you make your fall selections, don’t forget about trees! Truly, trees are an investment in so many ways. They can shade your home from summer sun and protect it from icy winter winds. They reduce soil erosion and help to lower your utility bills. When it comes time to move, carefully chosen trees create “curb appeal”
for would-be buyers, and increase the value of your property. Summer blooming trees like crape myrtles and Vitex respond well to a deadhead-type pruning. Removing spent flowers and seed heads often generates new growth and another round of blossoms. If you’d like some of my personal recommendations for trees that could work for you, send me an e-mail with a few basic details about your location, etc, and I’ll get back to you with some ideas.
OTHER FALL TIPS Despite the warm temperatures, now is an ideal time to plant many flowers. It is not too late to enjoy one more round of summer annuals, such as marigolds and zinnias, before planting cool season plants like pansies, violas, kale, cabbage, cyclamen, primrose and snapdragons for winter. The fall is when perennials such as irises, daylilies, amaryllises, shasta daisies and purple coneflowers should be dug and divided. Winter said the general rule of thumb is to divide
plants in the season opposite their bloom. Dividing serves at least two purposes: it will provide you with more plants to enjoy and it will increase the plants’ blooming ability. Winter recommended sowing wildflower seeds, such as larkspur, purple coneflower, black-eyed Susan and liatris, now for next year’s bloom. They will germinate this fall and bloom next spring. Most of all enjoy this beautiful season! (2020 has been tough for lots of folks, however I’m trying to promote positivity whenever and wherever I possibly can.) Mother Nature is one thing that can bring joy to all of us! Question: Jimmie, I recently installed a swimming pool in our backyard and am going to attempt to landscape it myself (It’s my first landscaping project so don’t be surprised if I’m calling you for help soon when I screw it up!) I want to include a few Palm trees but I’m not sure what types are considered hearty here? Please help! Pamela T. in Anna Answer: Hi Pamela, I’m sure you will do a great job! If not, we are always here to help
Anna Living Magazine
you if need be. Probably a few of the heartiest Palms for our climate zone are; Windmill Palm, Sabal Palm (Texas and Florida Varieties) Pindo Palm and Mediterranean Palm, depending on your personal preference of the different types of foliage, are best to use in our climate zone. Until next time…Happy Gardening Jimmie Send your landscaping and gardening questions to Jimmie Gibson Jr. at http://www.absolutelybushedlandscaping.com or jimmie@absolutelybushed.com.
JIMMIE GIBSON is a Prosper resident and the owner of Absolutely Bushed Landscaping Company, an award winning, family and veteran owned and operated business created in 1980 to provide the highest quality custom Outdoor Renovation available to homeowners in the Dallas Ft. Worth area.
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GOLF TOURNAMENT HELD TO Story and photos by Joyce Godwin
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he newly created Anna Law Enforcement Association got a boost last month from its first annual golf tournament at Hurricane Creek County Club. Sixteen teams came together to help support the new ALEA which was created just a few months ago to give police officers an avenue to voice their opinions and interact with the public outside of the work environment. This organization will work to improve the conditions for law enforcement officers and the safety of those they serve through education, legislation, information, community involvement and employee representation. Kimberly Ann Christiansen of Exp Realty in Anna saw that the ALEA was in need of establishing a budget and she went to work. She recruited friends Trina Warrick and Kelly Patterson-Herndon to help with the mission, and in the matter of a few months, the first annual golf tournament was a reality. Officer Seth McDaniel is the organization’s president. “Law enforcement associations have been a part of policing for quite some time,” McDaniel said. “Most professional police departments have an avenue to interact with the public and assist on a volunteer level, which is what we want our association to be. It took a couple years to get this association ready for debut, and while we have had a great start, we want to 14
Anna Living Magazine
Celebrity golfer Burton Gilliam was on hand for photo and meeting and greeting people and also spoke to the crowd before the festivities were finished. Gilliam is a celebrated actor who’s career was boosted by the film “Blazing Saddles.” Gilliam is always glad to meet fans and help support good causes when he can.
SUPPORT ALEA
CELEBRITY PLAYER BURTON GILLIAM VOLUNTEERED HIS TIME TO SUPPORT THE ALEA.
During an early planning session for the ALEA golf tournament these folks took a few minutes or pictures at the old train depot. From left are Clark Miller (member of Anna ISD School Board), Trina Warrick, Anna Police Officer Wesley Davis, celebrity guest for the golf tournament Burton Gilliam of the “Blazing Saddles� movie, Anna Police Officer Seth McDaniel, Kelly Patterson-Herndon and chief organizer for the golf tournament Kim Chistiansen.
Anna Living Magazine
Officer Seth McDaniel, president of the Anna Law Enforcement Association addressed the group gathered after the tournament was finished and express gratitude for the support shown by Anna residents and others.
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Golf pro Brad Ott from the Tournament Players Club Craig Ranch golf club conducted a swing clinic for players before the tournament began its shotgun start.
Jason McDonald of Premier Pawn in Anna on State Highway 5 registers for the golf tournament to show support for local police officers.
continue polishing until we have the perfect final product.” It’s important to the officers to have good relationships with the community. McDaniel said, “The association allows us to be more informal with the public so we may be seen as people just like them.” McDaniel expressed his thanks to Christiansen for doing all of the planning and leg work for the first annual golf tournament, and for being a great supporter of the association. “Covid prevented us from having as many teams as we would have liked, but there will be many more
opportunities to come out and meet your local police officers in an informal setting.” Several of the officers were on hand during the tournament to shake hands and show gratitude for the support. Among them was the association’s Vice-President Cole Dotson. He said being a part of the Anna Law Enforcement Association gives him an additional opportunity to help the community and that means a great deal to him. “I can not wait to start working with the people and building an even stronger relationship,” Dotson said.
K-9 Officer Cory Goodman looks on as the gold tournament gets ready to start.
Burton with Trina and Kelly
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Anna Living Magazine
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ANNA HIGH SCHOOL PLAYER
SIGNS WITH A&M Story and photos by Joyce Godwin
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hile 2020 has been a difficult year for many, the Hector family is experiencing a few accolades. The most excitement for them surrounds their only son Rawley, a high school senior. Rawley has recently committed to play baseball at Texas A&M University. During the spring of 2020, Head baseball Coach Joey Hector was named Teacher of the Year, the result of a vote from fellow teachers. He teaches Professional Communications and was really surprised to get the award. He calls it an honor. But back to Rawley. Hector says Rawley is a very good baseball player but he’s a better person. “He’s been on the field with me since the time he could walk and around the game for a very long ltime,” Hector said. “He’s easy to coach. Even if he wasn’t mine I would say the best thing about him is he’s an exceptional teammate. He’s just wired a little different. “For some playing on that level, they are usually not focused on being a good teammate, but he is very focused on being a good teammate.” There were several schools interested in Rawley and he narrowed it down making his choice based on the coaches. Rawley is inter-
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Pictured at Rawley Hector’s signing ceremony committing to the Texas A&M baseball program. Standing are parents Amy and Joey Hector and seated with Rawley is his sister Maddie.
Anna Living Magazine
DOWNLOADED FROM ANNA HIGH SCHOOL FACEBOOK
We are extremely proud of our very own, Coach Joey Hector! He was chosen as the Anna High School Teacher of the Year! He was also selected as the Anna ISD Secondary Teacher of the Year! Thank you for everything you do, Coach Hector! Our faculty and students appreciate and admire you! #proudtobeAnnaISD #CoyoteNation
Rawley Hector showing is new A&M pride.
ested in whatever will help him develop and improve his baseball skills. As a member of the USA team, he’s already travelled to distant lands to play baseball. Hector says Rawley has been to Panama, Columbia and this past summer he was in Taiwan and South Korea. He’s also played around the U.S. and knows there are a lot of great players out there. His dad says Rawley has a chance to make it in the pros. “He has the intangibles I think they look for,” Hector said. In fact, Rawley is currently scheduling Zoom meetings with several of the professional teams because he will probably be a part of the major league draft in July. Hector said some teams want him as a pitcher and others want him as a hitter. When asked about Rawley’s interest, his dad says the Texas Rangers would be Rawley’s dream world, but he’s more into which one can help him develop. But for Rawley, to go to the majors after high school, there would have to be a really strong offer because he is committed to going to A&M. “So, if something happens in the draft, it will really have to knock his socks off,” Hector said. “It would have to be a no brainer.” For Rawley’s parents, Amy and Joey Hector, they will be happy with the choices Rawley makes. “Either way, for us, it’s what fits for him,” Joey Hector said. “It’s all icing on the cake.” The Hectors came to Anna nine years ago to take over the high school baseball program. They were comfortable in Longview in a successful program and knew the move would be a huge undertaking. Amy Hector was supportive
of the move and the two made the decision together. So they brought their two children, Rawley and his older sister Maddie. They took on the baseball program in Anna as a family. Maddie Hector is currently the social media director at Grayson College in Denison. When asked what Hector likes the most about coaching the Anna Coyotes, he said he likes the way the kids compete. “They are hungry for success and work really hard.” It’s been a really fun journey, Hector said of his time in Anna.
SCENES FROM FRIDAY NIGHTS IN ANNA Story and photos by Joyce Godwin
Anna Living Magazine
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Anna Tennis Built with Sharp Care By Joyce Godwin
The Anna High School tennis team shows off its regional trophy.
T
he Anna tennis team finished its season with a regional trophy this season. They have been to the regional semi-finals for three years in a row and the regional quarter finals once. Every year has been a little better than the last,” said Head Tennis Coach Vince Sharp. “Next year we will have the best team.” The team’s biggest competition in the district this year came from Melissa High School. “But we beat them 17-2,” Sharp said. The regional trophy is not the only thing Anna tennis is celebrating. Coach Sharp was named 4A State Coach of the Year by the Texas Tennis Coaches Association. For Sharp it was an affirmation of what he’s doing right. He took the team from five members six years ago to today’s group that numbers more than 20
40 and is bringing home trophies. “It’s been fun to see the program grow from nothing,” Sharp said. “Growing the sport from 5 kids to 45 kids with 35 in the middle school. That’s been the coolest part about being here. I got to start it and do it the way I wanted to.” Sharp says he believes a positive atmosphere is the key to helping his students grow. “The first year we were terrible; the second we won our district, and the third year we made it to regionals.” Every year Sharp has been in Anna, the team has improved. “To me, I think it’s a situation where kids come to the court and feel accepted; a place of belonging,” Sharp said. “I think, today, kids don’t get that, and when they find it, they stay.” The kids love practice and when Sharp has Anna Living Magazine
to cancel practice for one reason or another, he cab hear the kids groan. “School is stressful and they get to just let it go on the court,” Sharp said. “We value caring, loving, accepting and a place of belonging ahead of winning and awards and trophies.” Sharp came from Whitesboro High School where he coached the team to the state tournament. His two daughters play USTA Tennis. Morgan, a sophomore, is a USTA Super Champion and Ella, an eighth grader, is a USTA Champion. Morgan was the district MVP and is ranked No. 1 in the district. Sharp is excited to see the spring tennis season start up. “I love the city of Anna and don’t want to leave any time soon,” Sharp said. “My love for this community continues to grow every day.”
Anna High School Makerspace Shares Hope By Joyce Godwin Photos submitted from AISD
Barbara Coleman said the Hope Project is just something students are doing to spread hope throughout the school. “I wanted to challenge my students to think outside the box to inspire hope among others,” Barbara Coleman said of the students’ project. “We are trying to meet our students’ social needs. We are teaching in the middle of a pandemic. Emily Burk and I feel hope is needed on our campus for students in the middle of a pandemic.” The pandemic has not been easy on our students. Coleman says there is fear in the middle of a pandemic. Students need to have hope, bring hope, and inspire hope in others. And that’s how the project came about. The challenge was to make something for another student or group of people that will inspire hope. Students came up with some fantastic and creative projects. They worked in groups to develop items to inspire others. Flags were made on the sewing machine with inspirational sayings. Banners were made and so were pillows all displaying words of hope and encouragements. “These kids just amazed me with how much they grew as people,” Coleman said. On this page are photos depicting some of the hope projects in their finished state and some being created. The photos were submitted by the school.
Anna Living Magazine
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ANNA FOOTBALL PHOTO BY SHAWN PINA
In our last issue for Anna Living Magazine we highlighted football action caught on Friday nights. Here you will see junior varsity players’ action caught on Thursday nights.
Individuals identified by Jessica Slaughter At this year’s final varsity football game for Anna High School, senior players grouped together joined by their coaches for a photo they will likely treasure for a lifetime. From left on the front row are Coach Brandon Powell, Avery Beltram, Caleb Artrip, Micaiah Ross, Brandon Adams, Zachareus Gentry, Head Coach Jason Heath, Coach Joey Hector, Coach Charles Leslie. Standing are: Hayden Underwood, Coach Josh Hill, Ladarren Woods, Stanley Bardere, Coach Jeremy Patton, Jaden Adams, Coach Shawn Smith, Josh Packard, Coach James Lane, Joey Slaughter, Ethan Harrison, Coach Brad Walker, Tyler Lang, Coach Chris Anderson, Jose Perez, Arthur Nwokorie, Coach Sean Cox.
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Unity
T
his is both a sweet and sour moment in the history of our planet. I heard someone recently say that they miss “precedented” times because all we ever seem to hear about right now are “unprecedented times.” There’s trouble on so many fronts at the moment, from COVID-19, to division and strife on seemingly every possible fault line, to the economy and the effects of the shutdown, to the ugliest election season I’ve ever witnessed. And yet, it also seems that there are more pockets of good news, from peace in the middle east unlike anything in my lifetime, to unexpected opportunities to reach people for God’s Kingdom. Every valley holds a lesson we are meant to learn. So, the question we need to ask ourselves is, have we learned the lesson of this season? We can see on every side what division looks like, so I believe one of the lessons of this season is the need for and the power of unity. We as the Church are the hope of the world. We have an opportunity to comfort those who are hurting, to bring peace to those who are afraid, and help those in need. All for one purpose: that they might come to know God’s love and mercy for themselves. What will this moment require of us? That we embrace the mission God has put before us, and that we do it in unity. 1 Corinthians 1:10 (NLT) 10 I appeal to you, dear brothers and sisters, by the authority of our Lord Jesus Christ, to live in harmony with each other. Let there be no divisions in the church. Rather, be of one mind, united in thought and purpose. Unity can’t be based just on our preferences. It can’t be based just on shared political agendas. It can’t be based just on ethnic traits. It has to be based on God’s word. 1 John 4:19-20 (NLT) 19 We love each other because he loved us first. 20 If someone says, “I love God,” but hates a fellow believer, that person is a liar; for if we 24
don’t love people we can see, how can we love God, whom we cannot see? Why does unity matter so much? Unity is Jesus’ desire for us as His followers. The single longest prayer that Jesus prayed in the Bible is found in John 17. In this prayer, Jesus asked His father for the unity of His followers. That’s you and me, so we have the opportunity to be that answer to Jesus’ prayer. John 17:9-11, 20-23 (NLT) 9 “My prayer is not for the world, but for those you have given me, because they belong to you. 10 All who are mine belong to you, and you have given them to me, so they bring me glory. 20 “I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. 21 I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one—as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me. 22 “I have given them the glory you gave me, so they may be one as we are one. 23 I am in them and you are in me. May they experience such perfect unity that the world will know that you sent me and that you love them as much as you love me. There is tremendous power in unity according to Matthew 18:19-20. 19 “I also tell you this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, my Father in heaven will do it for you. 20 For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.” So how do we walk in unity? John 13:34-35 (NLT) 34 So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.” So what does Unity demand of us? Grace and love! It demands that I look at you with the Anna Living Magazine
kind of grace and love Jesus showed me. Romans 5:8 (KJV) 8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. What does “commend” mean? According to the Oxford dictionary, it means “present as suitable for approval or acceptance; recommend.” While I was still actively sinning, before I got my life right or cleaned myself up, while I was still covered by the stench and shame of my living in the wrong direction, God looked at me with grace and love and sent His son so I could be presented as suitable for approval and acceptance. If we see people the way Jesus does, then we see His creation that He LONGS to bring to Himself. We are supposed to love them right where they are and bring them in, not judge them and push them away. Unity has been described as embracing despite our differences and walking hand in hand. THAT is the picture of the Church Jesus longs to see. And by THIS, they will know we are Christians. Lafe Angell graduated from Oral Roberts University in 1993. He and wife, Hope, have three children Callie, Caleb, and Noelle and live in Anna. The couple served at Elevate Life Church in McKinney over a 20-year period in different capacities moving to Pastor of Servant Leadership in 2014. In August 2019, the Angells launched a new church and began services at Grace Point Family Church in January 2020. LAFE ANGELL graduated from Oral Roberts University in 1993. He and wife, Hope, have three children Callie, Caleb, and Noelle and live in Anna. The couple served at Elevate Life Church in McKinney over 20-year period in different capacities moving to Pastor of Servant Leadership in 2014. In august 2019, The Angells launched a new church and began services at Grace Point Family Church in January 2020.
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t can cause pause when perusing lists of Christmas theme movie favorites to find among them “Die Hard,” the first of five Bruce Willis thrillers focusing on the explosive exploits of police detective John McClane. That original 1988 film certainly unfolds on Christmas Eve, but c’mon now, it’s really quite a stretch to call it a Christmas movie. Still, the series that concluded in 2013 remains popular among the loud bang and fast action crowd. And there still are more in the genre associated with the season, such as the “Lethal Weapon” franchise. Christmas film lists seem almost endless, including horror fantasies (“The Nightmare Before Christmas”), thriller-dramas (“Silent Night, Deadly Night”), and animated classics, most notably the TV specials “Frosty the Snowman,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer,” and “A Charle Brown Christmas.” The Dr. Seuss story “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” was a TV perennial long before two feature-length adaptations, the Jim Carrey vehicle in 2000 and more popular “The Grinch” in 2018. Comedy-dramas such as “The Apartment” (1960) and “The Family Stone” (2005) are strongly associated with the date. And so many romantic comedies, including “Miracle
on 34th Street” (1947 and remade in 1994), “The Holiday” and “Last Holiday,” both from 2006, are well remembered. There is even a Western, “3 Godfathers” (1948) starring John Wayne, that carries a strong Christmas theme. In fact, the John Ford-directed Western, much like the original “We’re No Angels,” a 1955 crime-comedy-romance, alludes to the biblical roots of Christmas. Other revered religious-based holiday pictures include “The Bells of St. Mary’s” (1945), “The Bishop’s Wife” (1947), remade in 1996 as “The Preacher’s Wife,” and “The Nativity Story” (2008). “Little Women,” often associated with Christmas, has been filmed for theater distribution six times, including two silents and the most recent that was one of 2019’s most popular pictures. There have also been numerous television adaptations of the Louisa May Alcott story, including an animated version. Likewise, Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” has been filmed more times than can hardly be imagined, both for television and theaters. Among the most enduring is the 1951 version starring Alastair Sim as Ebenezer Scrooge, but George C. Scott’s 1984 TV version gets its share of air time as well. The story was animated with Mickey Mouse in 1983 and filled with Muppets in 1992. There is the musical “Scrooge” (1970) starring Albert Finney as the old miser, and the spoof “Scrooged” (1988) starring Bill Murray. Cable, network and subscription television are filled each year with many more highly popular films, including “Home Alone” (1990), “White Christmas” (1954), “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989), “Elf ” (2003), “The Polar Express” (2009), and, of course, “It’s a Wonderful Life” (1946). And then there is “A Christmas Story” (1983); enough said. All this hardly even taps the output, and certainly many favorites of readers and viewers are missing here. But this is enough to make the point. So to wrap up, here are a couple of oldies that should be considered, unless stagnated by the wellworn bias, “We don’t like old black-and-white movies from Anna Living Magazine
70 years ago.” That’s OK. One of the recommendations is actually from 80 years ago. That would be “Remember the Night,” a 1940 romantic comedy starring Fred McMurray and Barbara Stanwyck. The script is from the fertile mind of Preston Sturges, who would go on to become one of moviedom’s most popular writer-directors during the 1940s and whose movies such as “The Lady Eve” and “Sullivan’s Travels,” both from 1941, are well appreciated today. ‘Night’ stars Stanwyck as a down-on-her-luck gal whose theft trial is postponed during the Christmas holidays. McMurray, an assistant district attorney and prosecutor of the case, feels guilty about her spending Christmas in jail and secretly provides for her bail. A shady bail bondsman mistakenly believes McMurray is doing so for sexual reasons and delivers Stanwyck to the attorney’s apartment. From that point, the entanglement leads to love in bloom, unfolding in writer Sturges’ always admirable way of story telling. This film usually shows up on Turner Classic Movies around Christmas, but it’s also available on DVD and Blu-ray. Stanwyck stars in another holiday romance from 1945, “Christmas in Connecticut,” a light-hearted romp that also features Dennis Morgan and Sydney Greenstreet. It was remade in 1992 by Turner Network Television with Dyan Cannon, Kris Kristofferson and Tony Curtis in the lead roles, but most critics agreed the original was far more entertaining. The story is that of a magazine feature writer who fools both her reading public and her boss into believing she is a farm wife with an infant child and is an excellent cook. She is none of the above but simply a talented writer who is cornered when her boss invites himself to Christmas dinner at her phony Connecticut home. It’s a wild trip the rest of the way and also available on home video. The 1945 original shows up quite often on TCM television. Take a look at one or all, and have a Merry Christmas and blessed New Year. DON ELDREDGE is the retired editor of the Herald Democrat newspaper (Sherman-Denison, TX) and resides in Sherman. E-mail him at eldredgedon@gmail.com.
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Consider these great recipes for the holiday season
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ne of my most prized possessions in my kitchen used to belong to my grandmother. She passed away during my teenage years but my love for her creations in the kitchen is still alive and well. She and my aunt found great joy in cooking whatever our hearts desired while we were in their home. My brothers and I each had our special dinner dishes and each one would be cooked for us while we were there. Like typical grandchildren we were royally spoiled during our visits and we never went hungry! Fortunately, her collection of recipes were passed to me. I’ve made many of the dishes over the years but the dessert options have always been my favorites. Around the holidays, I’m always looking for something delicious to make for friends and neighbors. Whether on a budget or not, we all have friends we want to gift, and both these recipes are not only fun to make, but they make wonderful gifts for friends and neighbors. Put these goodies in a pretty tin and they make a wonderful gift for those you love!
Old Fashioned Fudge
Ingredients: • ¾ c Cocoa • 3 c granulated sugar • ½ tsp salt • 1 ½ c milk • ½ stick of butter • 1 tsp vanilla • ½ c chopped walnuts or pecans, optional
Instructions: 1. Add cocoa, sugar, salt, and milk to a heavy saucepan and stir constantly over medium heat until it comes to a boil. 2. Once the mixture comes to a boil, stop stirring and clip a candy thermometer onto the side of the pan. Continue cooking until the mixture reaches 238 degrees Fahrenheit, which may take about 10 minutes, depending on your 26
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stove. The candy will be thin. This is normal. Remove the candy from the heat. Once the candy is removed from the heat, place the pan in a sink of very cold water. While the pan is in the sink of cold water, cut the butter into pieces and add to the mixture, along with the vanilla. Do not stir or mix in the butter. Once the candy thermometer shows the mixture has returned to almost room temperature, you can remove the pan from the water. You can expect the candy will still be thin, dark, and shiny. Now it’s time to put a little elbow grease into the fudge. I recommend a good wooden spoon. I like to beat it for 30 seconds and then let it rest for Anna Living Magazine
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30 seconds. You’ll want to do this until it gradually changes from a shiny gloss to a less glossy look and then more of a satin look. The fudge will start to lighten in color a little. Add nuts, if using, and immediately spread fudge into prepared 8 in. by 8 in. dish. Give the fudge at least one hour to set up before cutting into pieces. ENJOY!
During my middle school years, we moved to the Anna area and I had no idea how lucky I was to be planted next door to Jessie and Joy Savage. In many ways they filled in as grandparents for me. They went to my volleyball games and entertained us in their home more times than I can remember. Joy was the ultimate hostess, a great cook and I learned much from the examples she set for me. I still miss her today. She passed away during my Senior year of high school, but I have carried her memory through one of my family’s favorite dishes. Excitement fills my home the minute each of my family members learn her chicken spaghetti is hitting our dinner table. It’s a crowd pleaser, for sure. It’s also my “go to” meal to gift a new mom, or even those who may have experienced a death in the family. Even if you’re not a great cook but you want to look like one, this is a great recipe to have in your back pocket!
Joy’s Chicken Spaghetti • 1 (8 oz) pkg cheddar cheese, grated • 1 cup bell pepper, chopped • 1 (16 oz) pkg thin spaghetti
Ingredients: • 2 to 3 c cooked, cut up chicken (I love to use a grocery store rotisserie chicken) • 1 can cream of mushroom soup • 1 can chicken broth (use soup can to measure) • 1 cup onion, chopped • 1 Tbsp butter • Salt and pepper to taste • 1 (4 oz) jar pimentos
Instructions: 1. Break spaghetti into thirds, cook, rinse, and drain. 2. In a large bowl, combine pimento, soup, broth, chicken, spaghetti, salt and pepper. 3. In skillet, melt butter and saute bell pepper and onion. 4. Add to spaghetti mixture. 5. Grease casserole dish and pour ½ mixture in pan. Layer with cheese, reserving 1 cup of cheese for the top. 6. Pour remaining spaghetti mixture on top of cheese and top with remaining cheese. 7. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for thirty minutes or until bubbly.
Dee Dee’s Divinity Ingredients: • 2 ½ c granulated sugar • ½ c water • ½ c light corn syrup • ⅛ tsp salt • 2 egg whites, at room temperature • 1 c chopped pecans • 1 tsp vanilla Instructions: 1. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 2. In a large saucepan over medium heat, combine sugar, water, corn syrup, and salt. Cook, while stirring occasionally, just until the mixture starts to boil. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan and continue cooking without stirring until the temperature reaches 265 degrees Fahrenheit. This will take about 8 to 10 minutes. 3. While the sugar mixture is cooking, beat the egg whites on high speed until stiff peaks form.
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Once the sugar mixture has reached 265 degrees, you can remove from heat and very SLOWLY pour it in a thin, steady stream, over the egg whites, while mixing on high speed. This process should take about two minutes. Don’t rush this. Continue to beat the mixture at a high speed for about 5 to 8 minutes until the candy starts to hold its shape. You can test the consistency by placing a small spoonful on the parchment paper to see if it holds its shape in a nice mound or melts into a puddle. If it doesn’t hold its shape, continue to beat the mixture for another minute or two, before testing again. When the candy stays in a mound, you can mix in the vanilla and the chopped pecans. Drop tablespoon size scoops of divinity onto the baking sheet. You will want to move quickly to set each of the mounds while the candy is still hot. Give the candy time to set and then you can store it in an airtight container. Anna Living Magazine
I’m JAMIE ROUBINEK and I’m the girl behind this little corner of kitchen inspiration. I find great pleasure in always learning something new. I was never confident in the kitchen but I love learning new things and trying them out. Doing that experimenting has led to a lot of happiness around the kitchen table at my house. Fortunately, the key to my husband of 13 year’s heart is through his stomach and he is easy to please. With our five kids, on the other hand, that hasn’t always been the case. I love fine-tuning recipes and making adjustments to make everyone smile. I hope that I can help you see how easy it can be to bring that same happiness to your kitchen table! Submissions and suggestions from readers are welcome. Send to jroubinek@yahoo.com.
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Wishing All of You
A Very Merry Christmas and a
Happy New Year!
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