Bell County Living Fall 2018

SUMMER 2017

Pick of the Patch

FALL 2018

UN-INCLUDED FROM NEGATIVITY Un-Included Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational and mentoring opportunities for young children and teenagers.

FIRE STREET PIZZA: SAVING THE WORLD FROM BORING PIZZA Robinson Family Farms shares their sprawling 200-acre property, bringing family fun to entertain the entire community!

Hometown Li v ing At Its Best

From its humble start as a food truck to its current success, the reality of Fire Street Pizza has come to fruition and is better than was ever anticipated!

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B EL L CO U NTY L IVI N G

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CONTENTS HOME & GARDEN

10

PICK O F THE PATCH

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PRE PA RING YOUR YARD FOR W IN TER

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C H INESE MAN SION —CIRCL E OF L IFE

Located in Temple, Robinson Family Farm started their first pumpkin patch 5 years ago….and have grown to entertain thousands of families from surrounding communities on their sprawling 200-acre property, including pumpkin- and treethemed activities to entertain guests of all ages.

As the leaves begin to change you might think that you're done with yard work, but if you want to ensure that your lawn comes back pristine in the spring, you're not quite done yet.

Brought to life in 1916, lost to another bidder in an auction in 1972, Dr. Gosney was finally able to purchase his 18,500 square foot, thirty-three room dream home, The Chinese Mansion, in 2004; filling it with life, love and laughter.

FA I T H A N D C O M M U N I T Y

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FIR E ST R E E T P I Z Z A : SAV I N G T H E WO R LD FR OM B OR IN G P I Z Z A

A destination location in Central Texas, Fire Street Pizza offers one-of-a-kind wood-fired pizzas, live music, and much, much more…..from it’s humble start as a food truck to its current success, the reality of Fire Street Pizza has come to fruition and is better than was ever anticipated!

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UN - IN CLUD E D F R O M N EGAT I V I T Y

Tired of watching Temple teens make the same bad choices as their older peers, longtime Temple residents set a plan into action. Un-Included Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational and mentoring opportunities for young children and teenagers.

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T H E CR E AT IV E H EA L I N G J O U R N EY

As a student, Trish Alger wasn’t looking for a job…..but when she found the perfect opportunity to use her her background in art and serving people, she found that there is never a boring day working with the veteran community.

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B E IN G AWA R E

Aware of your fears, aware of your problems, and aware of your needs, AWARE Central Texas offers hope to abused women and children in the Bell County area.

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B EL L CO UNTY L IV I N G

ABOUT THE COVER Cover photo was taken at Robinson Family Farms. Read more about their unique property on page 10!

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H O MET O W N L I V I NG A T I TS B EST

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CONTENTS

94

HOMETOWN HAPPENINGS

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84

BLO O MIN’ F ESTIVAL

SANTA PAWS IN JU LY

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10 2

ST. MARY’S CATHO LIC SCHO O L

WO MEN IN THE O U TD O O RS

H O L I D AY

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A N ATTITUDE OF GRATITUDE

The half-hearted "thanks" we frequently mumble as we shuffle through our daily lives carries little or no meaning, while our focus on what is lacking in our lives interferes with our ability to recognize the good.

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TO P TE N HOL IDAY HAPPEN INGS

Ten events going on in and around Bell County to check out!

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RE VIVING FAMILY HOL IDAY TRA D ITIO NS FOR YOUR KIDS

Creating memories and capturing special photos that don’t involve everyone sitting in their respective spots on the couch with the latest electronics in hand is almost impossible.

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O ’ C H RISTMAS TREE KID’S EDITION

These ornament tutorials are simple, cute, and a wonderful way to enjoy some stress-free holiday fun.

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TE N TIPS TO MAKE YOUR HOL IDAY TRAVE LS EASIER

Ten tips & tricks to help you keep your cool when traveling with your family this holiday season.

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PLAYING IT SAFE

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HEALTHY RECIPE

There has been a strong push in recent years for school sports programs to place more focus on testing young players for concussions, obtaining a pre-participation physical exam, and overall injury prevention. Still, the question lingers: should we worry about our kids playing sports—specifically football?

Here’s the traditional holiday recipe with less calories thanks to your choice of sugar substitute! No one will ever miss those calories!

A GIFT TO YOURSEL F - A BUDGET

Give yourself a budget and start the new year right.

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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

B EL L CO U NTY L IV I N G

T R AV E L A N D O U T D O O R S

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KUSTOM K9 ELITE DOG TRAINING

Karen Thorn and Linda Williams opened Kustom K9 Elite Dog Training to provide the best quality training available for Bell County.

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CHASING THE STORM

While you seek shelter and take cover, they are the ones that race out to meet Mother Nature’s fury; they are the storm chasers.

Truth THAT Transforms TEACHING

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WWW.CTCSLIONS.COM H O MET O W N L I V I NG A T ITS B EST

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FROM THE PUBLISHER

PUBLISHER

Red Fin Publishing

Justin & Hayley Six Kyle & Halsey Clark

Justin Six

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Justin.RedFin@gmail.com

T

he holidays are finally here and we feel the love! We are definitely excited to celebrate the holidays with our family and church family, friends and community. More importantly we are happy to celebrate the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ and to love on one another. Love comes from God. We encourage you friends to love those who need it this season and every season after. This world, our community, our families, could all use a little extra dose of love right now.

Fortunately for us, we get to meet and share the stories of individuals who are actively loving people where they are. Bell County is a little merrier and a little brighter because of them.

In this edition, you can find quite a few ideas to help make your holiday run a little smoother with tips on traveling, rekindling traditions, and setting—and sticking to—a budget! You can also read about the lovely family who has opened their farm to the entire community providing an option for pumpkins in the fall and Christmas trees to brighten your home and welcome Santa as he visits your house on Christmas Eve! The Un-Included Club is a place our kids can go to escape negativity and find acceptance. Read more about how our community is offering a place for kids to fit in.

Pizza on the brain? Find out how Fire Street Pizza developed from a dream and years of sacrifice and hard work, to bring fire-grilled pies to your plate. Another member of the community is training our canine friends to work as service animals as well as training our own pampered pooches in obedience at Kustom K9 Elite Training Center.

We want to thank our advertisers for making this publication possible and free to the community! Help us express our gratitude this holiday season by shopping local and visiting their establishments to pick up your complimentary copy.

This publication is about you! Please feel free to email us photos of your events to add to our Hometown Happenings or any stories you would like to read in the next issue. We would love to hear from you!

Don’t forget to follow us on Facebook for events, announcements, and important information about Bell County that you don’t want to miss!

We give thanks to God for our many blessings and look forward to great year to come!

Until the next edition, wishing you many blessings,

J u sti n an d Hay l e y Six Kyle an d Hal se y C l a r k “Above all, love each other deeply, because love covers over a multitude of sins.” 1 Peter 4:8

BE L L CO U N TY L I V I N G M AG A Z I N E R E D F IN P UB L I S HI N G

W W W. B E L LC O U N T Y L I V I N G . C O M 8

B EL L CO U NTY L IVI N G

CREATIVE | DESIGN

GreenFox Marketing

CONTENT COORDINATOR Jennifer Cabbage Jennifer.RedFin@gmail.com

Jordan Finley Jordan.Redfin@gmail.com

PROOF READER Jennifer Cabbage

Hayley Six

PHOTOGRAPHERS Becky Stinehour of Candid Images Photography

Emily B Photography

JohnJohns Digital Art

Kay’s Photography & Design

Rendez Photography

Sweet Southern Peaches Photography

COVER PHOTO

Photo by EmilyB Photography

SALES

Bruce Racioppa Nikki Garrett Justin Six

Kyle Clark

CONTRIBUTING

WRITERS

Peggy Purser Freeman Martha Helton Cassidy Horn Connie Lewis Leonard Jessa McClure

TC McKeown Heather Regula Johnna Thomasson

CONTRIBUTORS Seton Medical Center Harker Heights St. Mary’s Catholic School Ameristor Storage

Bell County Living© is published quarterly by Red Fin Publishing.

WWW.REDFINPUBLISH IN G .COM P.O. Box 1239 | Weatherford, TX 76086 (817) 301-3828

All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written authorization from the publisher.

Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein.

Advertising is subject to omission, errors, and other changes without notice.

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HOME & GARDEN

Pick of the Patch Robinson Family Farm Provides Quality Products, Fun for Everyone

By Jessa McClure Photos by EmilyB Photography and provided by Robinson Family Farm

W

ith a cool, blue sky overhead and a slight chill in the air, patrons of the Robinson Family Farm’s annual Pumpkin Patch festivities dot the sprawling 200-acre property as they participate in fall and pumpkin-themed activities created to entertain people of all ages.

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Every weekend in October, thousands of families from surrounding communities clamored to Temple, TX, to see what this autumn oasis had to offer.

Owners Brian and Helen Robinson first started hosting their yearly pumpkin patch five years ago when they realized there weren’t many options for Central Texas residents who were looking for quality, jack-o-lanternworthy crops. But supplying the perfect pumpkins wasn’t an easy task.

“The first year we were somewhat naïve about what it took to grow pumpkins,” Helen Robinson said.

“So, after a lot of hard work and effort, we found out that pumpkins don’t grow very well in this part of Texas. They need a sandier soil, cooler temperatures and more rain.”

So, the Robinsons set out to find a supplier that would give them the fresh, good-quality gourds they were looking for. They stumbled upon a pumpkin provider from Floydada, Texas, a city that boasts the title of “the

pumpkin capital of the US.” The family now receives five shipments a season from this pumpkin-obsessed community.

“The supplier picks the pumpkins, puts them on a truck and delivers them to us the next day,” Helen said.

“We want them to be the freshest pumpkins you can get next to picking them off the vine.”

Although these fall icons are superior specimens, they might not look like the traditional round, orange pumpkins patrons are used to seeing at other locations.

“When you go to a big box store you’re going to find basketball-sized pumpkins. They all look the same,” she said. “Our pumpkins can be tall and skinny or short and fat.

They could even be green, black-looking or blue.”

Helen believes having a variety of sizes, shapes and colors gives kids (and adults) the chance to really look for their perfect pumpkin and enjoy the experience even more.

We want them to be the freshest pumpkins you can get next to picking them off the vine.

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But the Robinson Family Farm doesn’t just provide a field of more than 15,000 pumpkins each year. They also offer a laundry list of activities that are meant to appeal to everyone from ages two to 99. Some of these attractions include hay rides, corn cannons, horseshoes, washers, calf-roping, a hamster wheel, a Gaga pit, barrel trains, a critter corral with various livestock, rubber duck races, archery, a corn pit, and a sand art station. By purchasing a $10 wristband, each patron can participate in these activities as many times as they want.

The farm also includes a sweet shop, a place to buy homemade gifts, and a snack bar that includes Texas favorites like sausage wraps, BBQ sliders, nachos and Frito pie and more. However, pumpkins and food are not included in the wristband price.

With so many activities and places to shop, the farm requires 40 to 50 employees a season. Many of these workers are part of the Robinson family.

“My mother-in-law runs the sweet shop, my sister-inlaw does the snack bar, and Brian and our children run the stations,” Helen said. The Robinsons have five sons, aged nine to 21, and they all get in on the family business.

“They’ll run our archery station, the corn maze or the barrel trains,” she said. “Our 21-year-old son is in college and has another job, but when he’s available he helps with pumpkin sales and giving other employees breaks. They all earn their keep.”

The pumpkin patch has been such a popular attraction in Central Texas that they have seen an 80 percent growth of new customers over the last year. And

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these customers were the inspiration for the Robinson’s next adventure—a Christmas tree business.

“We try to listen to our customer’s feedback and what they want from us,” she said. “We wanted to look into [selling Christmas trees], but it just happened a lot sooner than we though it would.”

Just like with their pumpkins, the Robinsons wanted their product to be of the highest quality. They found the heartiest Christmas trees from a supplier in the Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, and now they receive two shipments of Fraser Firs each year.

“They are cut down from the mountain, they’re loaded onto a truck, and they’re brought to us,” Helen said. “Then we give them a fresh cut, unbale them, fully display them, and put them in water. Once the customer chooses a tree, we give it another fresh cut and help them load it up.”

Helen said the key to a long-lasting Christmas tree is giving it fresh cuts and watering it regularly.

“A lot of people don’t realize that if you don’t have that fresh cut on the bottom of your tree, the tree’s going to sap over and it’s not going to absorb the water.”

The couple does such a good job caring for their trees that their personal tree lasted until February of this year.

“It could have lasted longer, but Valentine’s Day is

“The support of the community has been overwhelming, and we want them to know that we really appreciate them.” enough,” she said. “So, don’t be afraid to get a tree from us early in the season because it’s going to last into the New Year if you keep it watered.”

Christmas trees are available for purchase Nov. 17 through Dec. 10, or until the last tree is sold. The farm is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., and children are welcome to play on the farm’s playground and say hello to the animals in the corral.

But, these ambitious entrepreneurs aren’t finished yet.

They are already planning for the spring and summer and are anxious to see how the community will respond.

“We’re going to offer an Easter Extravaganza on Good Friday and the Saturday after from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.,” she said. “We’ll have the Easter Bunny out and offer a whole new set of activities, including an Easter egg hunt.”

The family farm is also planning to open its grounds four to five weeks in May and June to allow patrons to pick their own berries and buy wares from local farmers at their very own farmer’s market.

“It has been a fun and educational journey along the way, and it is truly because of the [encouragement] of our customers that we’re able to grow,” Helen said. “The support of the community has been overwhelming, and we want them to know that we really appreciate them.”

The Robinson Family Farm is located east of Temple, off Loop 363, at 3780 White Owl Lane.

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HOME & GARDEN

Preparing Your Yard f o r Wi n t e r

By Cassidy Horn

As the leaves begin to change you might think that you're done with yard work, but if you want to ensure that your lawn comes back pristine in the spring, you're not quite done yet.

D

epending on the types of trees, flowers, bushes, grass, and other plants in your yard, how you winterize may vary. Double check with your local nursery, greenhouse, of

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B EL L CO UNTY L I V I N G

research online for specific winterizing technics best suited for your lawn.

Tip 1: Don't stop mowing the grass just because it's cold out. Continue mowing your lawn until the grass stops growing. This will help make fall and winter maintenance easier. Maintaining short grass as the temperature drops decreases the chance for fungus or mold to overtake your yard. Be cautious with your mowing schedule, you don't want to mow your lawn right before a frost, doing so makes your yard more susceptible to frost damage.

Tip 2: Remove dead leaves and limbs. Raking is crucial

for your yard because you don't want to deprive the grass of the limited sunlight during the fall. Same goes for your trees and bushes. In your flower beds and gardens, also remove any plant waste from the beds to decrease the opportunities for mold and mildew to form. When eliminating ugly or dead plants from your garden leave the roots in the ground so they can decompose and provide nutrients to the other plants in the spring.

Tip 3: After the first freeze, apply mulch around your plants to protect them from the cold weather. Depending on the type of trees and plants, you'll want to mulch differently because incorrect mulching could result in mold or mildew build up. A quick Google search will point you in the right direction.

Tip 4:

Start your weed control now. Most common weeds germinate in the fall so removing them now is most effective. If you're looking for a natural weed killer, mix a gallon of vinegar, 1 cup of salt, and a squeeze of dish soap in a jug, then spray directly on the plant. Apply during the warmest part of the day.

Tip 5:

Fertilizing your lawn in the fall is a great step to take. Depending on the type of grass you have (cold season or warm season grass) the date to fertilize will vary. A good rule of thumb for any lawn is to fertilize before the first freeze while the ground is still somewhat soft. Fertilizing can also help keep your yard green during the winter.

If you have a vegetable garden, you might want to take an extra precautionary step. Planting crop covers in the fall prevent soil erosion, add nutrients to the soil, slim the chances of weeds growing in your garden, and, best of all, they are easy to grow. You'll want to plant crop covers a month before the first freeze. Black-eyed peas, buckwheat, and sorghum are suggested for Texas.

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Here’s to being a know-it-all.

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B EL L CO UNTY L I V I N G

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H O MET O W N L I V I NG A T ITS B EST

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HOME & GARDEN

Chinese Mansion

Circle of

Life

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BEL L CO UNTY L I V I N G

BY CO N N I E L E W I S L E O N A R D P H OTO S BY B E C KY ST I N E H O U R O F C A N D I D I M AG E S P H OTO G R A P H Y

R

ecognized as a landmark by the Temple Historical Preservation Committee in 2005, “The Chinese Mansion” is Dr. Gary Gosney’s home—a great place for family, friends, Christmas celebrations, cookouts, parties and fundraisers.

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The fountain and pond inside the North 11th Street entrance is one of Dr. Gosney’s favorite features. The shape of the fountain is a mandala which represents the Circle of Life. The Circle of Life symbolizes the continuous loop of life, the end of one existence leading to rebirth of a better life.

The 18,500 square foot, thirty three-room Japanese Mansion came to life in 1916 following a three-year birthing process led by architect Olof Cervin under the direction of the original owner, Anna Burbank Woodson. She was an heiress to a sugar fortune, while her husband, James, was an ear, nose and throat physician. Mrs. Woodson traveled the world, incorporating her favorite English, Danish, French, German, Spanish and Egyptian Revival styles throughout the mansion. World War II brought the death of the Japanese Mansion name and the christening of the Chinese Mansion. After falling into disrepair, it was sold by auction in 1972.

Dr. Gosney lost the bid to another bidder. Later, the present president of Scott and White bought the house. He and his wife afforded many updates and renovations bringing the house back to life. In 2004, Dr. Gosney purchased his dream home, filling it with life, love and laughter. His one single daughter, three married daughters and their spouses, three grandsons and one granddaughter enjoy the home with him.

In the atrium, he created a lily pond, but Frank, Dean, Joey, Sammy and Peter, the “Rat Pack” coy fish, devoured the water lilies, ending one cycle of life and swimming contentedly in their Circle of Life pond. Red Chinese lanterns hang on the pristine, white columns above the red brick floor.

The shape of the fountain is a mandala which represents the Circle of Life. The Circle of Life symbolizes the continuous loop of life, the end of one existence leading to rebirth of a better life.

The library sits to the left of the pond. Silver metalwork forms the shape of lilies in the leaded glass doors of the bookcases. Powdered silver rubbed into the wood creates a soft, glittery effect.

An imported Italian marble fireplace, once coal burning, sits between two bookcases. Dr. Gosney’s personal library fills the shelves. Videos of the Red Skelton Show, original oils and a porcelain figurine of Freddy the Freeloader sitting in a claw-foot tub grace the top of one bookcase. On the adjacent wall hang signed paintings by Red Skelton and an autographed poster of Red Skelton at Carnegie Hall.

Dr. Gosney actually met his idol in Reno, NV, where Mr. Skelton honored him during his show.

The side entrance facing West Nugent originally functioned as the front entry. Stepping onto that

porch is like entering a jungle of bamboo trees surrounding a large Cyprus tree imported from Egypt. Metal bars support the expansive Cyprus limbs. The original four-acre property encompassed the area from West Lamar Avenue to West Nugent, between North 13th Street and North 11th Street, including a horse stable, carriage house and an outdoor amphitheater.

The side foyer leads to the living room. Intricately carved wood adorns the ceiling, creating great acoustics for the music room. The elegant chandelier creates an ambiance of sophistication and grace. A baby grand piano fills one corner, and a chess table fills another. The National Rotary Club held their convention at the home in 1928.

On the right side of the Circle of Life pond, is the dining room. Designed to look like a dining room from a Japanese galley ship, narrow wooden beams cover the arched ceiling. High windows supplement the light of the original candlestick chandelier.

Upholstered chairs with elaborate carved backs surround the long, rich wooden table, which seats twelve.

Beyond the dining room, the barroom contains memorabilia of Dr. Gosney’s circle of life. A 2004 framed proclamation of Bell County “Gary L. Gosney Day” along with personal letters from his daughters celebrating his sixtieth birthday hang on the brick wall. Another treasure on that wall is an autographed Russell print, a gift to his father, Gooseneck Gosney. Playbills and posters of plays Dr. Gosney appeared in add insight into his rich life as well a number of plays he wrote or co-wrote with Marjie Rynearson.

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Behind the bar hangs a picture of Dr. Gosney and his brother while serving in Viet Nam. His brother arrived in country the day Neil Armstrong walked on the moon.

Six months later, the brothers attended a USO show starring Bob Hope and honored guest, Neil Armstrong.

His brother, a helicopter pilot, once rescued him and saved his life.

Dr. Gosney recounted many touching stories of life in Viet Nam, where he served as a veterinarian caring for war dogs. Dr. Gosney met Sister Rose, whom he likened to Mother Theresa because of her compassion and care for people in a leper colony. The lepers, isolated from human contact, had pets: dogs, cats, rabbits, monkeys.

Witnessing the unconditional love of these animals inspired him to write the book No Strings Attached. After his tour in Viet Nam, Dr. Gosney, seized the opportunity to purchase a new veterinary hospital in Temple, starting the next journey of his life.

Located at the back of the house, the updated kitchen boasts modern appliances. Cabinets extend to the full height of the ceiling. Beneath them, open shelves make dishes and serving pieces easily accessible. The original wood burning stove and chimney are hidden in the wall behind the stainless-steel gas stove. Dr. Gosney loves to cook and hosts many parties and fund raisers.

Occasionally, the “Hooters,� a breakfast club, meets on Friday at his home where he serves his fluffy, beer biscuits.

Through its circle of life, the basement apartment is a spacious 4800 square foot living space. Mrs.Woodson once lived there while her son and family lived upstairs.

Now a resident guitarist/singer makes the space come alive. The apartment holds a complete kitchen, laundry room, living area, bedroom, and the boiler that heats the entire house. The powder room includes an original 1913 toilet in the water closet, the original pedestal sink, a tub with a side pipes for the round, above-tub shower beside a wall radiator heater. The high windows in the apartment

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Although Mrs. Woodson’s gardens no longer exist, the lush, manicured grounds testify to the care and continuing life of Dr. Gosney’s unique home. sit at ground level. The eighteen-inch walls keep the space a comfortable 72 degrees year-round.

Being a horticulturist, Mrs. Woodson included a conservatory in the house design. Windows provided light for indoor plants. Outdoors she created a cactus garden, English tea garden, and Oriental garden with a Buddha statue.

Continuing the circle of life, the second story contains bedrooms and a living area for one of Dr. Gosney’s daughters. The open arches on the second floor provide a breath-taking view of the fountain in the foyer below. Portraits of Dr. Gosney’s four daughters cover the walls of the spacious landing.

One daughter won many trophies and crowns in beauty pageants. On one side of the landing his study offers a clear view of 11th Street. On the opposite end of the landing, an Italian marble fireplace sits in the spacious master bedroom and sitting area. The large bath includes a whirlpool tub and glass-enclosed shower. The walkway Mrs. Woodson had built from the master bedroom to the nursery now serves as a closet.

The ballroom occupies the top floor. Carved wooden windows surround the room providing an amazing view of the Japanese pagoda-style roof, treetops, tennis court and the Temple water tower in the background. Built-in wooden seats line the walls. A disco ball sheds light on the smooth, wood dance floor.

Winding back down to the foyer, the exit leads to the white, tiered steps, past the canine patrol and the carriage house. The garage apartment provides living space for a lady tenant and her son.

Although Mrs. Woodson’s gardens no longer exist, the lush, manicured grounds testify to the care and continuing life of Dr. Gosney’s unique home.

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H OMETOWN H APPENINGS

BLOOMIN’ TEMPLE FESTIVAL Held the last weekend of April each year, the Bloomin’ Festival in Temple is considered one of Central Texas’s most popular events for family fun in historic downtown Temple, drawing over 12,000 attendees each year. This 2-day festival has featured a wide variety of music, arts and crafts, food, and childrens’ activities for the past 13 years.

PHOTOS BY JOHNJOHNS DIGITAL ART

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FA I T H & C O M M U N I T Y

Fire Street Pizza

Saving the World from Boring Pizza

A destination location in Central Texas, Fire Street Pizza offers oneof-a-kind wood-fired pizzas, live music, and much, much more‌..from its humble start as a food truck to its current success, the reality of Fire Street Pizza has come to fruition and is better than was ever anticipated!

BY HEATHER REGULA PHOTOS BY RENDEZ PHOTOGRAPHY

F

ire Street Pizza, a Central Texas destination location for one-of-kind wood-fired pizzas, local craft beer and wine, yard games, a relaxing indoor and outdoor seating area, live music and more, delights hundreds of pizza enthusiasts weekly. The establishment got its humble start as a food truck and to understand the concept and success of Fire Street Pizza, we must first delve into a story that began many years ago.

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and had full ownership of the property. Owning a Fire Street Pizza owner, Jason Brumbalow, was restaurant was in our blood, so began the dream. We born and raised in Killeen, graduated from Killeen saved every penny we had, to build a restaurant from High School in 1993, graduated from Texas State the ground up. We learned to weld, pour concrete, Technical College in 1997, and married his soul mate, Alis, in 1998. landscape, cut metal, "I started off in carpentry, and we restaurants at just 15 learned to sweat!"

There were many stumbling blocks years old, then went Jason worked his along the way as we tested, failed, to school in 1995 to way up to IT Director, all the while he and be a 3D animator after retried, failed and then failed more.

Alis were building seeing 'Toy Story' and Failing spectacularly has a way of the Fire Street Pizza 'Jurassic Park,' but business in the apparently everyone making you better. background.

Life had that same idea, graced the couple with so the job market two children, and while the restaurant dream wasn't was saturated when I got out of school. I had a rich abandoned, life plans deferred slightly. graphic design and art background, so I went to work "I was at a technology conference in Las Vegas, for a convenience store chain doing 3D models of and my wife called and told me we were expecting a stores in 1997," explained Brumbalow. "During this baby.

The first thing I thought was that I wanted to time, Alis and I started building the building of our be the coolest dad at a show and tell! I walked into a restaurant. We created it out of our back pockets, to that when the day came to open, we didn't have a lease magic shop in Vegas and told them that I wanted to

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learn magic! Over time, I learned some tricks, and one of the most important things I learned was that some of the prominent magicians don’t create their magic tricks—they have creative teams who develop the tricks for them. This launched a new career for me, and I worked in the magic industry for nine years—working with the creative teams for David Blaine and other magicians," stated Brumbalow.

The Brumbalows focused on raising their children, however, the concept of owning a restaurant was never far from their minds. They purchased a wood-burning oven and Friday night pizza parties at the Brumbalows' home elevated Jason and Alis to neighborhood celebrity status.

What started out as small pizza parties for their friends, where they could test the recipes for the dough and pizzas, grew over the years and at times Jason and Alis would be cooking for 30 people in their backyard wood-fired oven. The success and experience of the pizza parties readied Jason and Alis for the transition to public tastings, which were wildly successful. The pizza wrangling duo researched food trucks and prepared themselves for the next step in their dream of restaurant ownership—the acquisition of a food truck.

"The response from the public was simple; they wanted more. Fire is a communal element. It speaks to our hardwiring as humans. I designed the food truck so that the oven faced outside, allowing customers to see the pizza, and we purchased it in 2015, paving the way for Fire Street Pizza to become a brand.

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We made all our mistakes on a small scale, built Beers served are all brewed within a onea brand and menu with the truck. There were many hour radius. Ingredients are as fresh as humanly stumbling blocks along the way as we tested, failed, possible—either ordered from local vendors or retried, failed and then failed some more," remarked grown in the Fire Street Pizza greenhouse as much Brumbalow. "Failing spectacularly has a way of as possible. making you better. A trip to Naples, Italy solidified "Most of the food names on our menu have to my training, and we finally understood how to craft a do with pop culture, with a slant towards music.

Neapolitan wood-fired pizza dough that was unlike Our pizza names reference books, characters, anything in the area. We consistently sold out at singers, song titles, and so on. The Margheritaville venues, and after almost two years of professionally has tarragon-garlic olive oil, 3-cheese blend topped testing our with fresh sliced pizza food truck cherry tomatoes, Alis and I have truly bled to get this place with the public, garden basil, we were ready and a sprinkle of open. We know every square inch of this to bring what asiago. The Barry place, and it’s amazing to look back on the started in our White features backyard to the ga rl ic-t a r r a gon sketches and then look at the reality that is big world. Now olive oil, 3-cheese Fire Street Pizza - it came to fruition, and it’s blend, gorgonzola here we are!"

Jason and Alis cheese, artichoke better than we ever anticipated it could be. attribute some of hearts, fresh Fire Street Pizza's baby spinach and success to the slow and methodical manner in fresh-grated garlic, topped with a lemon wedge," which the business was built. The couple has done stated Brumbalow. "The most talked about pizza everything possible to stack the deck in their favor, is The Roman—it has a pinot-grigio candied pear, one card at a time. Jason did all of the branding, aged prosciutto, caramelized onion, crumbled goat design, and artwork for just about everything in the cheese over a light bed of roasted garlic-tarragon restaurant; hand-making all of the furniture and oil and our three-cheese blend. The most popular wall decor with his son, Blue. Fire has remained an pizza, however, is My Sharoni—a timeless classic integral part of the establishment and the fire in the pepperoni pizza." wood-burning oven is the first thing you see when The menu features foods that are all cooked in you walk in the doors. the wood-fired oven—from salads and starters to

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pizzas to desserts. Jason and Alis motivate their crew of 30 employees with dough stretching, chopping and topping contests. Their children, 11year old Maya and 14-year-old Blue, contribute to the family-run business and hold records of their own.

"Maya is one of the fastest dough-stretchers we have, and while Blue is one of the fastest dish washers out here, he likes the hustle and bustle of working the floor," said Brumbalow.

No smoke and mirrors are going on at Fire Street—this is the real deal. The authenticity and humbleness of Jason and Alis Brumbalow lend to the credibility of the business. Patrons aren't treated only as customers, they are welcomed as family and friends. The Brumbalows have built a place from the ground up, where people not only want to eat but want to be—they have created a desirable space where community exists.

"The vision for this place is more of a feeling than anything I can put into words. I look at what isn’t here in this area, and when I see enough things that aren’t here, I put them all together and try to make it awesome," said Brumbalow.

Fire Street Pizza is located at 10310 FM 439 in Belton and is open Thursday-Friday 5 p.m. - 9 p.m., Saturday 12 p.m.- 9 p.m., and Sunday 11 a.m.

- 3 p.m.

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Flooring • Cabinets • Countertops • Remodeling Services • and so much more

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675 W. Hwy 190 • Belton, TX 76513 254.939.6464 fax 254.939.6646 www.surfacesource.net

H OMETOWN H APPENINGS

ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL Lots of fun stuff going on at St. Mary’s Catholic School to kick off the 2018-2019 school year!

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL Our 1st PTC Social event of the year

Grandparent’s Day Luncheon

Smokey the Bear with 3rd grade students

1st pep rally of the year

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FA I T H & C O M M U N I T Y

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Un-Included from

Negativity

BY HEATHER REGULA PHOTOS BY RENDEZ PHOTOGRAPHY

Tired of watching Temple teens make the same bad choices as their older peers, longtime Temple residents set a plan into action. Un-Included Club is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational and mentoring opportunities for young children and teenagers.

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ur options are simple when it comes to negative things going on around us - we can sit back and ignore what's happening, or we can take action to improve the situation.

Long-time Temple resident Garfield Hawk, who was tired of watching younger kids on the east side of Temple make the same bad choices that older kids were making, decided to take action! He set out to change things for the better and created the UnIncluded Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing educational and mentoring opportunities for young children and teenagers.Â

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The definition of the word "un-included" closely relates to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary definition for "exclude: to bar from participation, consideration, or inclusions." Hawk's play on the word "included" was intentional, and the term "un-included" became the fundamental basis of the Un-Included Club.

Hawk turned over the reins of leadership to educator Doree Collins, who came on board as the Un-Included Club's Executive Director about three years ago.

"I spent seven years teaching in public school, and one year as an administrator. During that time, my kids were involved in the Un-Included Club, and I felt called to do something more. I started homeschooling my children and focused on creating a space where the elements of kindness and positivity were the focal points," explained Collins. "The opportunity to take over as Executive Director of the Un-Included Club presented itself, and it was a natural transition for me."

The Un-Included Club has stayed true to the motto "Un-Included from negativity" while focusing on three main principles.

1. Value-add - Club members strive always to add value to their environment. To merely show up does not mean value is added.

2. We opic - Our actions affect everyone else. Kids are

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encouraged to be mindful of the fact that their actions are going to affect others.

3. Symbiotic relationships - Anything the Club gets involved in needs to help them stay true to the motto of being un-included from negativity.

"Our plan isn't laid out in stone - we go in the direction that we feel called. It's all truly organic - letting things with the Club happen and flow. There is always a purpose behind our efforts. At first, we had a lot of things that we were trying to be un-included from, and it was overwhelming. We have streamlined our mission and decided to focus on these three things - illiteracy, obesity and giving up," remarked Collins.

Illiteracy

"Illiteracy is near and dear to my heart. I grew up middle class, here in Temple. Most of my friends growing up were from what would be considered the ‘hood’.

Many of them were just as bright, if not more intelligent than I was," stated Collins. "I had a lot of support from my mom - she had a handle on education and stressed the importance of it -and I was in an exceptional place growing up. I had more opportunities than my friends who were growing up in a different part of town, even though they were just as capable. The ability to read is

the anchor of everything - it sets successful people apart from others - the importance of reading can't be stressed enough."

The Un-Included Club's main project in regard to illiteracy is "Kids Read" - a quarterly event where the Un-Included Club invites the public to join them at different locations for hands-on reading experiences. Books have been donated to the UnIncluded Club by organizations such as Give More Hugs and McLane's Children's Hospital.

ObesityÂ

"When I was teaching, I could see how difficult for our kids to pay attention in class. There's a big difference in the child who scarfs down a bag of chips in the morning, versus the child who eats a good breakfast," said Collins. "There are plenty of corner stores in Temple where you can purchase processed, convenient food, but you don't have access to whole foods. Sadly, there are areas of Temple that are 'food deserts' where families can't easily access wholesome food," stated Collins.

USDA defines food deserts as "parts of the country vapid of fresh fruit, vegetables, and other healthful whole foods, usually found in impoverished areas. This is largely due to a lack of grocery stores, farmers’ markets, and healthy food providers."

My kids were involved in the UnIncluded Club, and I felt called to do something more. I started homeschooling my children and focused on creating a space where the elements of kindness and positivity were the focal points.

- Doree Collins

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"This has become a big problem because while food deserts are often short on whole food providers, they are heavy on local quickie marts that provide a wealth of processed, sugar, and fat laden foods that are known contributors to our nation’s obesity epidemic. To combat the obesity issue, we are involved in several different projects. Our kids grow microgreens indoors, and they take care of everything - they plant, water, harvest, clean and eat them! Our research garden at Blackland Research Center features squash, zucchini, tomatoes, jalapenos, bell peppers, cucumbers, and watermelon," stated Collins. "We are learning as we grow here! We are in the process of building another community garden, funded by two grants - Seeds of Change and a Community Enhancement grant through the City of Temple. It will be a memorial garden featuring above ground planters, a seating area, music area, compost collection, rain barrels, and other things. It will be fully functional and purposeful."

Giving up

''Giving up'' is an all-encompassing term. The UnIncluded Club's leadership program helps the kids build skills that will deter them from giving up - giving up on themselves, each other, or anyone. Club members are

learning that what you do the most is what you do the best and the term ''2T2L2'', which stands for 'to teach is to learn twice' exemplifies that lesson. The Junior Leadership group, comprised of middle and high school-aged kids, is empowered to teach the younger children while maintaining a positive and collaborative environment. "We want kids to join our club with a purpose - so that the club relationship is positive and purposeful. We understand that as life changes, the mission changes as well. We realize that people don't always have a mission set, or they are off course from the mission," remarked Collins. "As humans, we get distracted from our mission for a variety of reasons, and we can all benefit from a reminder to get back on track. As a club, that means we strive to identify the mission and stick to it. We aim to remain focused on the mission - no matter what it might be."

The youth involved in the Un-Included Club will benefit tremendously from learning a missionfocused mindset early on in life as this is a powerful way of thinking. Many of us have been delayed in the accomplishment of our goals in life simply because we haven't identified a clear mission, and a plan to complete the task, for ourselves. Â "For some people, success means making money. For

For some people, success means making money. For others, success means having a great job. For me, success is setting goals - however big or small they may be - working towards them and achieving them.

others, success means having a great job. For me, success is setting goals - however big or small they may be - working towards them and achieving them. Setting clear goals, having a clear mission, helps us stay focused and on track. We constantly reflect and evaluate our actions to ensure we stay on track and focused," said Collins.

The Un-Included Club remains rooted in their humble beginnings and seeks ways to grow while spreading their message of positivity. A stint with Mother Earth News Fair in April 2018 took the group to Asheville, North Carolina. The grant and donation-funded organization has an immediate need for a 15-passenger van that could transport the youth to various activities. Any individuals or businesses interested in partnering with, donating to, or getting involved with the Un-Included Club can contact Doree Collins at dcollins@ un-includedclub.org or by calling (254)2172635. Contact can also be made via Facebook @ unincludedclub.

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Now Carrying

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MEET LAUREN BROWN!

She has been chosen from several applicants in the area to represent Bell county in the 2019 Mrs. Texas America pageant!

Lauren is a proud military spouse to her husband, Jon, a mother to 5 children, a certified personal trainer and has a big passion for family health and overall wellness.

Lauren’s focus is on social media use, screen time, and how it impacts mental health, relationships, and kids. She is working with the community and the organization Save the Kids to plan a free parent education night in February. The education night will feature internet crusader Collin Katchener, the creator of Save the Kids and Ted talk speaker.

We are honored to have Lauren represent Bell County, bringing her unique talents, enthusiasm, and servant heart to help better our community.

To learn about the save the kids nonprofit visit www.savethekids.us For sponsorship opportunities call 210-560-7871 or email justcallmeLB@ gmail.com

SPONSORED BY:

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FA I T H & C O M M U N I T Y

BY CONNIE LEWIS LEONARD PHOTOS BY JOHNJOHNS DIGITAL ART

As a student, Trish Alger wasn ’ t looking for a job..but when she found the perfect opportunity to use her her background in art and serving people, she found that there is never a boring day working with the veteran community.

A

ll gave some. Some gave all. Men and women who served our country on battle grounds returned forever changed. The horrors of war haunt them: memories of fallen comrades, images of blood and death, survivor’s guilt. Many suffered serious physical injuries. The wounds of others are internal, not visible to strangers, but observed by loved ones in painful ways.

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The National Help Heal Veterans organization has provided free therapeutic arts and crafts kits to nearly 31 million veterans. These kits, provided free of charge, give veterans a creative outlet along with tangible therapeutic and rehabilitative benefits. Craft kits have enhanced the lives of thousands of veterans and help improve fine motor skills, cognitive functioning, memory improvement, anger issues and dexterity.

Three Craft Care Specialists and twenty volunteers welcome veterans at 3508 S. 5th St., in Temple, across from Temple College. The therapeutic craft kits are a great basis for veterans to begin their creative healing journey.

As they gain in confidence and skill, they are encouraged to join Clinics (classes) that increase skills and connect them to the creative community at large. In the past the center has used ceramics, scrapbooking, quilting, knitting, crocheting, and jewelry from Bell County and the surrounding area. Painting and illustrating are scheduled for the future.

As a full-time art history student, Trish Alger wasn’t looking for a job. When a friend texted her a job advertisement, Trish applied and found a perfect fit for her personal and professional interests, her background

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in art and serving people. She said, “There is never a boring day working with the veteran community. My own personal reward in working with the veteran community is seeing the small, yet mighty, victories. A veteran on 13+ medications each day, who began by assembling a small wooden FA-18 Hornet, months later has tackled a complex large Westminster clock with painted embellishment. Or those moments when a veteran tells a painful story, when it is just the two of you, and then shares how much the craft kits have helped them through. I love the Monthly Challenges we have in the Center; they have fostered a healthy competitiveness and created camaraderie among all branches of the military. We have seen an upsurge in creativity and self-satisfaction since instituting these Challenges. I look forward to coming in to work each day and see the excitement on their faces.”

Man has used art and creative expression throughout history. In the early 1900’s, physicians realized that medicine can’t heal the entire person. Adding arts and crafts to traditional treatments provided many positive benefits. Working on arts and crafts can also help alleviate anger issues and the severity of post-traumatic

stress syndrome (PTSS) and traumatic brian injury (TBI) triggers such as anxiety, intrusive thoughts, sadness, frustration and isolation.

Of all the kits Heal Vets manufactures and distributes—leather, wood, jewelry, painting, needlecrafts, poster art and scrapbooks—Trish said the most popular kits at their center are the wooden pen, clocks, purse and messenger bags.

Curtis Smith, another Craft Care Specialist said, “I like working with the vets because I am one, a Vietnam era vet. I like to see someone who has done the crafts and the outcome they get and their response to completing it. Serving them gives me peace of mind as well.”

The third Craft Care specialist, Patti Kaufman, said, “It is satisfying to witness a Veteran who may be struggling with a variety of issues, either physical or psychological or both, find a new passion in arts and crafts. I have heard several Veterans speak about how Help Heal Veterans has saved their life. Many Veterans struggle with sleep problems, so when they have a craft kit available they can focus their energy on that project. This has been extremely rewarding to hear these stories where Veterans actually attribute craft kits saving their lives. Just today I had a Veteran say that she gets so much joy sharing her craft kits with either pen pals she has made through HHV or just sharing projects with family and friends.

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She enjoys helping other Veterans with their projects, too, and has become a wonderful resource. She is a real blessing.

“A new couple came in today, they have wanted to come in several times but the husband was struggling with health issues. He was so delighted to see all the different crafts he will be able to make with his grandkids and by himself. He was already planning on what craft kit to get next. There is nothing more satisfying than seeing someone acknowledge their talents and skills maybe for the first time, to see their self-esteem improve, and then assist other veterans with their projects in a full circle moment. Every day is a new adventure and it is never boring. Sometimes it isn't about craft kits. We work hard at creating a fun, creative environment, so if a veteran just wants to come and visit and share a cup of coffee and conversation, that's a blessing, too! Many Veterans have forged new friendships by coming to HHV daily, weekly. This socialization is every bit as important as working on crafts, especially when they have just come from a VA appointment and need to process and regroup.

Laughter helps and there is a lot of laughter on a daily basis.”

Help Heal Vets often receives notes of appreciation, like this one: Mrs. Patricia, A year ago, I learned about your program from Ms. Eula at an allergy appointment. When I actually found the store, I took on making a messenger bag. It relaxed me and gave me a sense of accomplishment, which I haven’t felt in over eight years. This program really gave me my life back. Helps with my PTSD, DEPRESSION, ANXIETY, and isolation. Every chance I get, I'm telling a veteran about this program.

Thanks a lot for caring.

Sincerely, Westeen

Help Heal Veterans (Heal Vets) is a national, non-profit organization whose mission is to enrich the lives of veterans and military personnel. As a 501(c)(3) organization, they are dependent on the support of generous donors. In addition to monetary donations, which are tax deductible, they can also utilize materials and supplies to supplement and embellish their craft kits. For example, they can use scrapbooking paper, acrylic paints, beads, and leather working tools.

People who have a heart for helping veterans, are always welcome to donate their time and talents. The Center is full most days with veterans crafting and socializing, with ongoing Clinics and group sessions. Trish said, “Our immediate local need is space. Events fill us to capacity and our parking is limited.�

If you would like to help in any way, pleases visit their website at healvets.org. Or call the center at 254-773-8900.

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BEING

“Aware”

BY STE PHA N I E A N D PEGGY FR EEMA N P H OTOS P ROVID E D BY AWA R E CEN TR A L TEXAS A N D KAY’ S PHOTOGR A PHY

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ooking back, I see one bad decision after another. At the time it seemed the right thing to do, at all cost make the marriage work. Once I had friends. How could I have pushed all those people further and further out of my life? I’m so ashamed.

“Your friends are bad for our marriage. I don’t want you around those sluts.” His words grew uglier with each fight. “How stupid are you?” His jabs tore down my confidence “Why don't you go on a diet or workout.”

If I worked harder, tried more, lost weight and toned up, maybe, just maybe, he wouldn't get so mad.

“If you didn’t make me mad, I wouldn’t have to hit you.” His cold, callused hands snaked around

my neck and I passed out. Hearing him yell at the kids, seeing him walk towards my daughter's room, I know we have to leave or die.

“The kids are throwing up,” I say. He curses and turns to the kitchen. The cash for an escape was in the kitchen. Get the kids! Get the keys! Get away.

Cold, hungry, desperate—my children and I shiver in the pre-dawn darkness. With each sound I jerk awake, hitting my knees on the steering wheel.

Hidden behind a row of trees in a dark roadside park may not be the safest place but then nowhere is safe.

What do I do?

Dear young mom, AWARE Central Texas is aware of your fears, aware of your problems, and aware of your needs

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This is just one of the many types of life scenarios where AWARE Central Texas helps families by making them aware of the help in Bell County. Misty Biddick, the current Executive Director of Aware Central Texas, shared its history.

“The agency began as Family Outreach of Bell County, a volunteer arm of Child Protective Services, with the mission of assisting CPS in the prevention of child abuse and neglect in high-risk families. The agency was one of thirty-four similar centers across the state of Texas. In 2003 funding cuts for these Family Outreach Centers left Bell County’s Family Outreach Center the last of its kind. In 2006, Aware Central Texas was formed and currently remains the only Child Abuse Prevention center in Central Texas and serves Bell, Lampasas, Coryell and Milam counties. Aware Central Texas offers three programs to the communities that are strengthbased and family-centered.”

The Family Violence Unit, Education Program and Parent Aide Program offer help to families struggling with any volatile issues and offers help to prevent violence.

Biddick explains, “The Family Violence Unit aides individuals with crime victims' compensation packets, processes protective orders applications (which enables the victim to do it themselves instead of costly lawyer fees), court accompaniment, danger assessments,

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community resource referrals and a support group. There is also a 24-hour hotline within The Family Violence program.”

She goes on to describe how two other programs provide the communities with prevention-based aide.

The Education Program provides aide in areas such as adult and juvenile anger management classes and the Parent Aide program offers supportive and educational in-home services with trained and professionally supervised individuals (volunteer or paid). These programs all work together to provide families at-risk of child abuse and neglect with children 0-12 years of age the help they need to prevent and recover from abusive situations. Aware Central Texas doesn't just stop when the survivors are out of danger, the agency goes on to provide advocacy, continual safety planning and peer support groups.

With an impressive background, beginning with her B.S. in Criminal Justice from Texas A&M Central Texas and an M.S. in Applied Criminology from Lamar University, Misty Biddick has actively worked in the Family Violence field for eighteen years. She served six years in the United States Army where she established the her first caseload in Bell County as the Family Violence Specialized Caseload Officer for Bell/Lampasas Counties Community Supervision and Corrections Department.

AWARE Central Texas is always ready to answer your call for those that find themselves in an abusive situation of any kind.

Biddick's passion for serving is evident in her current roles as not only the Executive Director of AWARE Central Texas and training students as an instructor at the Central Texas Police Academy at Central Texas College, but she also serves as the Chair of Central Texas Family Violence Task Force and The Co-Chair of the Central Texas Domestic Minor Sex Trafficking Minor Roundtable.

Biddick praises the staff and volunteers. “We currently have eight full-time in employees and over 100 volunteers who volunteer in providing direct services or aid in our special events. The assistance these volunteers provide allows staff to focus solely on clients by completing clerical work and assisting with fundraisers. This positively impacts our clients lives by giving staff the opportunity to work with clients without the stress of taking on additional duties in the agency.”

AWARE Central Texas is a non-profit agency that relies on local businesses and fundraising to support their financial services throughout the year. These fundraisers vary from Motorcycle Rallies to Walk for Prevention with their largest fundraiser, Christmas on the Farm, coming up on December 1, 2018, from 9am to 5pm at Bell County Expo Center.

In its twelfth year, Christmas on the Farm brings local community organizations together to provide a

unique holiday experience for all children and families in our area. This low-cost event offers over forty familyfun filled activities including crafts, hayrides, mazes, mini tractor races, a variety of performances, pony rides and pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Santa Clause. With over 5,000 in attendance last year, this year is bound to be even bigger and better time for all those involved in any aspect of the fundraiser. To get involved in the Christmas on the Farm fundraiser or if you have questions about the event, please call 254-939-7582.

A passion reflects in Misty Biddick’s words—a passion to help, to be aware and a passion for Bell County to stay aware. “AWARE Central Texas is always ready to answer your call for those that find themselves in an abusive situation of any kind. The agency is open for families that reach out in self-referred situations, families that are referred by a partner agency due to family violence or for families that have been identified as at-risk for child abuse and neglect.”

AWARE Central Texas is prepared to provide help in every way to protect and transition families into a future of security and happiness. You can find out more information on their website at http://awarecentraltexas. org or in person at 903 N Main Street Belton, TX 76513.

The 24-hour hotline is 254-813-0968 where you will be met with compassion and confidentiality by a trained professional.

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Alton D. Thiele, P.C.

The Dog Spot.... and cats too!!!!

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H O L I D AY

AN ATTITUDE OF

By Heather Regula

The half-hearted "thanks" we frequently mumble as we shuffle through our daily lives carries little or no meaning, while our focus on what is lacking in our lives interferes with our ability to recognize the good. As a result, our practice of gratitude is stunted.Â

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Gratitude, a derivation from the Latin term 'gratia' meaning thankfulness or appreciation, doesn't come naturally to most of us. The half-hearted "thanks" we frequently mumble as we shuffle through our daily lives carries little or no meaning, while our focus on what is lacking in our lives interferes with our ability to recognize the good. As a result, our practice of gratitude is stunted.

The tradition-filled holiday season is usually just as stressful as it is enjoyable. The 40 days between Thanksgiving and New Years Day are filled with traveling, visiting relatives and traditions. One of my favorite Thanksgiving traditions is something my Dad started years ago—before we eat, we all take turns sharing something for which we are thankful.

This open expression of thanks was awkward in the beginning as gratitude is a muscle that we don't exercise very often, so it is weak. Over the years we have all gotten better at sharing what we are thankful for, and I find myself looking forward to this time.

An attitude of gratitude enables us to see past ourselves and opens our eyes to the marvels of life.

Our lives are intended to be celebrated, reveled in, loved and appreciated, but how often do we stop and give thanks? How regularly do we thank God for the miracle of life? How often do we stop and express our sincere gratitude to our loved ones for their presence in our lives? Why am I waiting until Thanksgiving to openly express my gratitude? Lastly, can you imagine the ripple effect that the regular expression of gratitude could have on our communities?

The change starts now, my friends, with you and me. Gratitude is a multitude of things - an attitude, an emotion, a mood, and a personality trait, and like many things worth having, it requires intentionality and practice. The fear center of our brain is quieted during active appreciation. It is well-known that faith and fear cannot exist simultaneously, and theories suggest that gratitude shields us from sadness. Gratitude isn't the magical cure to the problems of the world, but it sure is a great start. I'm choosing to grow my gratitude practice slowly and purposefully, and I'd like you to join me. I'm finding peace within the pause—slowing down long enough to take in my surroundings and remember all that I have to be thankful for.

Life demands, worries and struggles in the midst of busyness keep us from acknowledging that we have so much to be grateful for every day.

God has done and continues to do amazing things in our lives, and with a heart of thanksgiving, we are strengthened by His peace and joy. We are not in control of our lives, but we serve a mighty God who is, and giving thanks back to Him opens the door for continued blessings.

Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18

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H O L I D AY

Holiday Happenings Top ten holiday events going on around the community!

Holiday Around Town Bell County Expo Center, Assembly Hall 301 W. Loop 121, Belton, TX 76513

www.bellcountyexpo.com/events/2018/holidayaround-town---templebelton-chamber

November 15th, 5:00p-8:00p Members of both the Temple and Belton Chambers of Commerce will be set up under booths for shoppers to enjoy networking, delicious food, door prizes, shopping and more. Free food and beverages will be provided by the Bell County Expo Catering Service.

Christmas Tree Farm The Robinson Family Farm, 3780 White Owl Lane, Temple, TX 76501

www.therobinsonfamilyfarm.com / (254) 931-9564

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November 17th—December 9th, Saturday/ Sunday 10:00a-6:00p; Monday - Friday 3:00p-6:00p; November 22nd, 3:00p-6:00p; November 23rd, 10:00a-6:00p Premium Precut Fraser Firs, ranging in size from 6 feet to 15 feet, grown in the Appalachian Mountains in North Carolina are available to purchase. Fresh wreaths will also be for sale.

A Christmas Carol Tablerock Amphitheatre, Royal St., Salado, TX www.tablerock.org / (254) 947-9205

November 30th, December 1st, 7th, 8th; 7:00p, Adults: $10.00, Students: $5.00, Under 12: $3.00 The 26th Annual Performance of A Christmas Carol will guide you into the right spirit for the Lord’s birthday. Concessions open at 6:30p

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Salado Christmas Stroll Begins on Main Street and ends at Salado Civic Center, 601 N. Main St., Salado, TX 76571 w w w.Tourtexas.com/all-events/72679/SaladoChristmas-Stroll / (254) 947-5040 November 30th-December 9th Features a holiday parade, home tours, a live nativity scene, live entertainment and late-night shopping.

December 3rd at 4:00p the Christmas Parade kicks off the Stroll on Main Street, ending at Salado Civic Center. Each Friday and Saturday night during Stroll weekends, holiday carolers will serenade the late evening shoppers along Main Street. Children will be enchanted with the live nativity scene, sponsored by the First Baptist Church, in the evenings on both weekends. Beautifully decorated historic and contemporary homes will open their doors to visitors during the Salado Historical Society Home Tour, December 4th from 5:00-8:00p, December 5th from 10:00a-5:00p and December 6th from 1:00p-4:00p. Tickets can be purchased at the Salado Visitors Center (831 N. Main Street) or at each stop on the days of the events.

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Irish Rogues Holiday Music

Christmas on the Chisholm Trail

W. K. Gordon Center, 65258 I-20, Mingus www.tarleton.edu/gordoncenter (254) 968-1886 December 8th, 6:30p-8:30p Back by popular demand, we’re excited to welcome the Irish Rogues for our 2018 Holiday Music program! Join the Gordon Center for an evening of food, music, and fellowship. Free admission.

Yettie Polk Park, 101 S. Davis St., Belton, TX 76513 For more information, call the City of Belton: (254) 933-5860 December 1st, 12:00p-7:00p This event is an annual, family fun-filled event packed with seasonal vendors and food. Area children await the arrival of Santa while local musical entertainment fills the air. A 30-foot Christmas tree and the lighted Hike and Bike Trail add to the festive atmosphere.

Timber Ridge's Rockin' Christmas 72nd Annual City of Temple Timber Ridge Church, 253 FM 8, Stephenville Christmas Parade Service www.timberridgechurch.com / (254) 434-2507 December 8th, 5:30p & 7:30p December 9th, 9:30a, 11a, & 6p Rockin’ Christmas music, pictures with Santa & Mrs. Claus, carriage rides, s’mores around the campfire, hot cocoa bar, Christmas carols, and 100% chance of SNOW!

Jingle Bell Dash 5K Killeen Community Center, 2201 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd, Killeen, TX 76543

Register at www.killeentexas.gov/files/Jingle-Bell-DashReg-Form.pdf

Saturday, December 1st, 8:00a Entry fee on or before November 28th at 5:00p: $20.00; On race day December 1st: $25.00

A W A R E Central Texas Christmas on the Farm Bell County Expo Center, 301 W. Loop 121, Belton, TX 76513 www.awarecentraltexas.org/christmas-on-the-farm/ December 1st, 9:00a-5:00p Christmas on the Farm offers over 40 activities that include crafts, hayrides, mazes, mini tractor races, a variety of performances, pony rides and pictures with Mr. and Mrs. Claus! Proceeds benefit AWARE. (Child Abuse Prevention Center)

120 W. Central Ave., Temple, TX 76501 December 3rd, 6:15p It’s a Temple tradition. Dozens of floats, marching bands and decorated rides make their way through downtown Temple and each is covered with hundreds of lights.

Holiday Fest!

Bell County Museum, 201 N. Main St., Belton, TX 76513

www.bellcountymuseum.org/events/2018/holiday-fest/

(254) 933-5243 December 8th, 11:00a-2:00p The public is invited to learn about different winter holidays and Christmas traditions from around the world. They will be making Christmas ornaments, Diwali candles and brooms for La Befana from 11:00a-12:30p, followed by the movie, The Grinch, with hot cocoa and cookies for kids. Pajamas optional. This event is completely free.

Jingle Jam 2018 Vista Community Church, 7051 Stonehollow, Temple, TX 76502 www.thevista.tv/ (254) 774-7992 December 19th, 6:00p-8:00p Join in for the most fun, biggest Christmas party of the year for the whole family!

There will be games, Christmas songs, Christmas cookies and cocoa and the Christmas story will be told in a way kids can understand! Free event.

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Soggy Doggies

Grooming, Rooming & Daycare Too 301 W Bus 190, Copperas Cove | 254-547-9663

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H O L I D AY

A BUDGET

BY PEGGY PURSER FREEMAN AND MARY LOU CONDIKE

Give yourself a budget and start the new year right. Create your roadmap toward financial security.

S

anta loves to fulfill our Christmas wishes, but if you listen carefully when he soars out of sight, you might hear his New Year’s quote.

Twas the night after Christmas when all through the town, most creatures were smiling—but one wore a frown.

A new year lay silent waiting for fun— But an out-of-control budget made this one feel glum.

A financial hangover tap-danced in his head, While bills and overdrafts filled him dread.

Then he heard me exclaim as I drove out of sight, “Give yourself a budget and start the new year right.”

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Creating a budget is easy, however living within the boundaries of that budget can be difficult. When you understand where your money is going, you can do things you’ve always wanted to do, buy things you need and live the lifestyle you crave.

Before you start your budget—take an inventory.

Spend a month writing down every penny spent. This is a family must-do to make any headway in the budget.

• Make a plan and don’t spend what you don’t have.

Determine the amount you need for all areas of your life.

Then add in the extras. Use a bank card or cash. Avoid using a credit card unless you are confident you can stay within budget.

• Set goals by using a decision-making process versus reactionary spending. This automatically puts in place an early warning system, a tool to help with expected and unexpected costs.

• Budgets can help everyone. People on fixed incomes might be able to enjoy a few planned luxuries, retire early or buy a new car without a car payment. Plan and allocate a portion of your income to a retirement fund. Create a car fund and avoid insidious loan interest that gobbles up your hard-earned income. People with poor spending habits can learn to manage their lives and move out of crisis mode.

• Some budgets monitor all items each month and record spending. This forces the budget maker to constantly be aware of how much they are spending in all areas. However, Forbes’ advice-blog recommends

monitoring only on all non-changeable items. This makes it easy to concentrate on the items you can cut back on, like food, entertainment and more.

Each season of life has its own challenges and each brings its own successes. Different ages mean different budgets. Makayla, a twenty-one-year-old that is in her third year working with a large publishing company in the Hill County, offers a few tips that have helped her get in her own apartment, buy a new car and save up enough to sustain the cost of her living for three months. “I over budget. It seems to help me add a little more than I had planned for savings each month. If my car payment is $275, I budget $300. If I plan on spending $100 for medical charges, I budget $125. I keep $20 in my wallet, but I don’t use it. When you use cash instead of your bank card, you don’t have a record of your spending.”

Makayla’s mom is in midlife and her budget must include a larger sum for retirement. For senior citizens, like Makayla’s grandparents, a larger budget is set apart for medical cost. However, all ages must expect the unexpected and build a rainy-day account.

Free apps and other budgeting tools are available for most electronic devices. If you’re not a device junky, set your goals and record expenditures the old fashion way with pencil and paper. Even more basic, determine recurring fixed expenses and create envelopes to stash away cash with every paycheck. Mint is a popular app and it’s free.

Budgets made simple—make a plan, set goals, and stay the course. Create your roadmap toward financial security.

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H O L I D AY

BY C AS S I D Y HORN

I

n an age of electronic distractions, connecting with your family and children during the holidays is tougher than ever. Creating memories and capturing special photos that don’t involve everyone sitting in their respective spots on the couch with the latest electronics in hand is almost impossible.

Being creative can bring life back to your family holidays and create memories for your kids that will last for generations. The beauty of these suggested traditions is that they can evolve and be altered to fit your family. Be creative and make these traditions your own!

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TH A NK SGI V ING • Have everyone write something they’re thankful for on a pumpkin. This could be a real pumpkin or a plastic alternative that you can add to every year. Want to let the kids get real creative? Give them each their own little pumpkin and an assortment of colored markers.

Just make sure you’ve taken the group family portrait first. Their hands will likely be messy.

• Go back to the basics and bake a pie. Teach the kids that pies don’t come from the grocery store. Get down and dirty in the kitchen with the kiddos, they’ll love it and have something to be proud of.

• Sign the dinnerware. If you use a permanent marker on a glass plate, then bake it at 350° for 30 minutes the marker will become permanent on the glass.

Depending on the size of your family, purchase a white plate or a larger serving plate and as your family grows add signatures to the plate each year. (Give this idea a Google for more information and do a test run before the big day!)

• Thanksgiving Day Bingo. There are tons of templates online for every stage of the day. Adults and kids can play for cute prizes, rights to the seat at the head of the table, TV privileges, and more!

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CHR ISTM AS • If you have kids or grandkids, purchase a book for the 12 or 25 days leading up to Christmas, wrap the books, and put them under the tree. Reading is a phenomenal habit to form and it will give the kiddos the satisfaction of “opening a present.”

The greatest part? When the kids outgrow the books, you can donate last years’ books to a family in need. Foster giving and reading all in the Christmas spirit.

• Add to the cookies and milk for Santa. Leave carrots outside for his reindeer. Enlist the help of a fun aunt or uncle, open and close the door in the middle of the night and ring jingle bells outside their window and sprinkle powdered sugar footprints from the door or chimney to the tree. Let your kids enjoy every second of the few years they have to believe in Santa. They’ll look back when they have kids of their own and realize how much effort you put into keeping their imagination alive.

• Bake a meal for a family in need. Contact a local church to see if they can deliver the meal for you or point you in the right direction. Setting an example of giving instead of receiving is an invaluable lesson and a great tradition to start.

• Visit a nursing home on Christmas Eve and spend time with those who might not have a family to visit them. Your local nursing homes and hospitals will have more information about activities you can do with kids like coloring or reading. When elderly people are around kids it does amazing things for their attitude and health. Don’t want to take the kids? That’s okay too. They’ll enjoy your company just as much.

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NEW Y E A R S • Watch a movie from the year everyone in your family was born. Enjoy movie night at its finest with snacks, comfy blankets, hot chocolate, and maybe some fun board games. Netflix has you covered.

• Time capsules questionnaire. Have each person in your family fill out a sheet with cute questions.

Have your kids help decorate a shoe box to store them in and then next year you can look back at what you wanted to do this year.

Example questions…

• Favorite memory this year was…

• What are you excited to do next year?

• This year I’m going to be kind by doing • If you had one wish what would you wish for?

• What makes you smile?

• Decorate your own ball to drop! Get really creative with this one. This could be a round piñata that’s filled with goodies, a painted basketball, or large balloon full of confetti to pop at the stroke of midnight. And, of course… let the kids stand up on a chair and drop the piñata for a literal ball drop.

No matter what creative, out of the ordinary traditions you come up with, the beauty of a tradition is that they are meaningful to your loved ones and you’ll make memories.

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H O L I D AY

Christmas tree, O Christmas tree, How lovely are thy branches…It’s that time of year where all the crafting supplies come out so our littles can help add a little magic to our Christmas trees. Whether it be a classroom craft, mommy & me event, church gathering, or you’re just looking to have a little fun without the huge mess, Bell County Living has you covered. These ornament tutorials are simple, cute and a wonderful way to enjoy some stress-free holiday fun.

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H O L I D AY

TEN TIPS

By Johnna Thomasson

Ten tricks and tips to help you keep your cool when traveling with your family this holiday Season.

1. Leave earlier.

No one likes hitting Dallas in the middle of rush hour, especially a parent with an ideal scheduled arrival time and one kid in the back with one finger half an inch from their sibling singing “I’m not touchinggg you.” There are not many things that will make a mom come unglued, but being 3 hours into standstill traffic and a non-stop continuation of the “What did your brother do to you now?” saga, might just do it. Avoid looking like the crazy mom in front of 30 surrounding cars, skip rush hour.

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2. Invest in prior planning.

I’m just saying, most horror movies begin with a stranded traveler completely unaware that the nearest gas station was 50 miles back. Do a little research, know where the cheapest gas stations are, the best places to stop for food, and the places that Yelp strongly advises against. Again, the victim of every horror movie was NEVER been the individual that checked reviews of an establishment before-hand.

3. Always have backup.

According to Murphy’s law, if something can go wrong, it will. Never mind the fact that those are brand-new tires on your vehicle, one will without a doubt find the sharpest nail 353 miles away from your nearest relative or friend. Pack a spare tire, have some extra cash on hand, etc. *Bonus Tip: It helps if you also know how to change a tire.

4. Keep all travel documents easily accessible.

This is highly important if your family is traveling via airlines. Not that I checked statistics or anything, but it is pretty much fact that most airline travel disasters are due to the fact that someone might have left the plane tickets on the kitchen counter at home.

Just watch every season of “The Amazing Race” for proof, because about 5 rounds in there is always the couple who loses their chance at a million dollars because someone forgot their passport.

5. Do not forget to pack the “undercover essentials”.

As a girl who once, on a family vacation--in the middle of Dallas rush hour--was gifted with the stomach flu, I am well-aware that there are essentials needed on a moment’s notice that most individuals often overlook.

I am speaking of plastic bags, wipes, an accessible change of clothes, and an easy to reach fly swatter.

This is because your child WILL spill their milk, or if it does happen make it to their mouth and not poured on your floorboard, it will be after 3 hours of it sitting in the heat resulting in an upset stomach and a mess all its own. The fly swatter however, is typically used to wave around all crazy like behind your back while your eyes stay focused on the road and you’re giving your kids the “If you give your sister one more wet willy!” speech. *Bonus Tip: It doesn’t have to be a fly swatter. My mom used a paint stick. Same effect.

6. Pack a medical kit.

Speaking of essentials, although you never hope you will have to use it, it is always wise to have a safety kit tucked under a car seat. Children do not usually choose to injure themselves, they often tend to do it in a situation that leaves your head cocked to one side like a Labrador, asking yourself “How did that even happen?�

7. Bring the entertainment.

It is natural for any human, especially children to become restless and bored during a long trip. Use this time for bonding, teaching, or simply pure entertainment. There are many travel games that can be found online. Not only are they quite entertaining, they are often time consuming as well, resulting in the feeling of a much faster overall trip. Many other options are also available, including books, movies, small toys, etc. It should be no large task finding a variety of activities to keep one’s family entertained.

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8. Take breaks.

Along with entertainment, one suggested tip with defeating restlessness would be taking breaks every few hours. Give your family or pets a chance to stretch their legs and move around for a bit. It is much easier on the body after so many hours of being cooped up.

This might honestly also be a huge benefit for mood boosting morale. The less discomfort a family is in, the less likely they are to contemplate killing each other before the trip is over.

9. Bring snacks.

As a child, I could not understand why my mother could not afford to feed us through a restaurant daily, but as an adult with a “maybe I can afford just this one donut” per week budget, I am beginning to understand. Just pack the snacks and divert your child’s attention every time you see a “McDonalds ahead in 1 mile” sign. Save your money. Besides, if that second tire decides to find the next nearest nail, you might need that cash when calling a tow-truck.

10. Dress comfy.

Avoid pants that buckle really cute when you’re standing up, but stab you in the abdomen squeezing you like a can of biscuits when you sit down. Avoid shorts that ride up while sitting causing chafed thighs. Avoid allowing the one family member with the grossest smelling feet the opportunity to wear shoes that require socks at anytime during the ride because they WILL choose to take them off and that is just torture. Avoid putting your child in their Sunday best, because like I said, they WILL spill their milk. Honestly, just yoga pants and over size sweater the entire ride. Who’s going to judge you? The other mom in the gas station halfway through her family trip trying to figure out if her son is covered in melted chocolate he found somewhere in the car in the middle of winter or stuck his hand down his diaper?

Just be comfy, or you’ll go crazy.

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4505 FM 439, Belton 254-563-1101

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254-947-5239 H O MET O W N L I VI NG A T I TS B EST

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Santa Paws in July Photos provided by Owen Duffy and Becky Stinehour of Candid Images Photography

H

osted by AmeriStor Self Storage and benefiting Emancipet Killeen, “Santa Paws in July� was held on July 14. Featuring a carnival theme, event attendees enjoyed a dunking booth, food, music, vendors, and Kona Ice frozen treats, as well as Doxie Derby Weiner Dog races and a doggie wash.

Emancipet Killeen has a non-profit mission to raise awareness of the importance of preventive care for pets, including annual health exams, vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries and preventive medications as a route to healthy canine and feline lives.

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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

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PLAYING IT SAFE

By TC McKeown Photos by EmilyB Photography

There has been a strong push in recent years for school sports programs to place more focus on testing young players for concussions, obtaining a preparticipation physical exam, and overall injury prevention. Still, the question lingers: should we worry about our kids playing sports—specifically football?

I

f you’ve ever seen the movie Concussion, you’ll likely remember the scene in which Dr. Omalu (played by Will Smith) tells the other doctors in the room that Mike Webster, a center who played for the Pittsburgh Steelers and Kansas City Chiefs, had likely sustained over 70,000 blows to his head over the course of his 18-year professional football career. Will Smith’s character goes on to give arguably the quintessential line of the film: “I don’t know football—I’ve never played—but I am telling you: playing football killed Mike Webster.”

For many, this movie was a wake-up call to the dangers of playing football, especially for those who sustain injury after injury and never receive proper

medical attention. For others, including many parents, this was a film that made them fear football.

Thankfully, there has been a strong push in recent years for school sports programs to place more focus on testing young players for concussions, obtaining a pre-participation physical exam, and overall injury prevention. Still, the question lingers: should we worry about our kids playing sports—specifically football?

Jeremy Calahan is a former NFL St. Louis Rams defensive lineman and the current Athletic Director and Head Football Coach at Central Texas Christian School in Belton. He states that concussions are not as prevalent as some might think.

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“I played football for seventeen years,” Calahan said.

“And concussions just didn’t happen as much as you would think.”

In the past four years of Calahan coaching football at Central Texas Christian School, he said he can only recall two instances of a player receiving a concussion.

“So not to say that it’s not happening,” said Calahan.

“I know it’s out there, but I think [football] gets a lot of bad press when it happens, and in my own life experience [suffering a concussion] doesn’t happen all that often.”

Joy Custer, a registered nurse and the Trauma Program Manager at Seton Hospital in Harker Heights, seemed to echo Calahan’s sentiments: that sports injuries aren’t as common as one might think.

“From a student athlete angle, we really don’t see that many [injuries] to be honest. We see more kids that fall off a trampoline or their bicycle,” said Custer. However, she did admit that, at least in her experience, the most prevalent of student athlete injuries are injuries caused by playing football – and many of them are concussions.

“Again, we don’t see that many but when we do see a player who has suffered a concussion, we warn them that they cannot play again until they are cleared by their physician.”

Custer went on to say, “Once a player receives a concussion, if they go right back into playing again they have a higher chance of re-concussion with possible serious and life-long repercussions. This is the reason we stress they must be cleared by their physician before they return to play, and it is why so many sports programs have concussion policies and protocols to prevent reinjury.”

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However, football isn’t the only sport in which a concussion can occur. It’s a little known statistic that women playing college soccer have a higher likelihood of being concussed than men playing soccer or football.

Yet sometimes there are injuries beyond the obvious.

Perhaps the sneakiest and one of the more dangerous threats to student athletes, especially in Texas, is that of dehydration.

“There’s a lot more risk for dehydration than a regular injury, because a lot of times you don’t even realize it’s happening. When you start to cramp, you need to stop for the day and go home and hydrate,” said Custer.

However, Custer did stress that dehydration isn’t as common as one might think, and that in her experience she has seen many more dehydration cases from people who work outside for a profession, like construction workers.

“The precautions that everyone is taking these days, the certification of proper tackling and the advancement of the equipment with the helmets and the mouthpieces and being properly fitted with protective gear – all of that stuff has made a big improvement in keeping the players safe,” Calahan said.

One other element of that precaution is the implementation by most schools to require a preparticipation physical exam by all student athletes prior to playing a sport.

Some would argue that the most important thing that a student can do to prevent an injury is to receive a preparticipation physical exam before going out to play a sport. In fact, in nearly all private and public schools throughout the nation, it is required that a student receive one of these physical exams before playing in an organized sport.

Faith Losiewicz, the clinical manager at Wellstone Family Medicine in Harker Heights, says that most parents elect to get a physical for their children interested in playing sports at their annual wellness visit.

“We offer [the preparticipation physical exam] as part of the wellness visit because it’s so comprehensive: you’re getting your vision screening, you’re getting your spine checked out, your joints looked at, ear, nose, throat, everything.” Losiewicz said.

Physicians are also checking blood pressure, heart rate, lung function and respiration rate. A physical is meant to catch anything out of the ordinary: hernias, tenderness, swollenness, and any sort of internal or external abnormality that may cause distress or harm to someone during a strenuous activity like playing sports.

Losiewicz touched upon some examples on what might prevent someone from playing a sport, or something that might arouse suspicious during a wellness exam or physical.

“If the doctor hears a murmur in the heart, for instance, we’ll need to send that kid to a cardiologist, and they need to be cleared by cardiology before playing any type of sports.”

A murmur, typically discussed in relation to the heart, is the sound of blood flowing, and when a physician hears an abnormal heart murmur, it could be a sign of congenital heart disease or a higher risk of heart failure.

Physicians are also checking certain regions of a person’s body, like the abdomen, for any pain or discomfort. Pain in the abdomen could mean there is a serious underlying problem, like appendicitis.

“Another thing a doctor wants to be on the look out for is any previous injury that someone has suffered,” Losiewicz said. “You just always want to make sure a student is fully cleared before going to play.”

“It’s wild to think about that there are underlying issues that a student may have that a normal person may never be able to tell just by looking at the kid, and that’s why you need that physician who has dedicated his or her life to finding those heart issues or those spine issues; I’m grateful for that,” Calahan said.

Ultimately, it is up to the parent, player, and physician to decide what is safe for student athletes and students who want to sign up for sports. However, if the doctor has cleared a child to play a sport, and fear of a potential injury is the only thing stopping that parent or child from playing, let me leave you with another movie quote from Will Smith: “Fear is not real. The only place that fear can exist is in our thoughts of the future. It is a product of our imagination, causing us to fear things that do not at present and may not ever exist. That is near insanity…

Do not misunderstand me, danger is very real, but fear is a choice.”

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H E A LT H & W E L L N E S S

In the Kitchen with About Carey Stites MS, RD, LD, CPT Carey Stites is a Registered and Licensed Dietitian working for Wellstone Health Partners in Harker Heights. Carey has been a practicing Dietitian since 2001 with experience in both outpatient and inpatient medical nutrition therapy and sports nutrition. She is also an AFAA certified group fitness instructor and personal trainer. She has promoted health and wellness through presentations, classes and cooking demonstrations all over Texas.

Photos by Jenny Lloyd Photography

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Guiltless Pumpkin Pie Ingredients: • One graham cracker pie crust • 1 can (16 ounces) canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie mix) • 1 can (12 ounces) evaporated non-fat milk • 3 eggs • ¾ cup Splenda or sweetener of choice • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon • ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice • ¼ teaspoon salt • Light whipped cream, optional

Directions: 1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

2. Beat pumpkin, evaporated milk and eggs in mixing bowl on medium speed until well combined. Blend in remaining ingredients and pour into pie crust.

3. Bake 15 minutes at 425 degrees; reduce temperature to 350 degrees and bake for about 40 minutes until knife inserted near center comes out clean.

Cool on wire rack for about 4 hours.

NUTRITION INFORMATION: (1/8 of pie, plain): Calories: 190; Total Fat: 4 gm; Carbs: 23 gm; Protein: 8 gm; Sodium 286 mg

Kickin Cream Cheese Dip Ingredients:

Directions:

• 1 pound mild low-fat turkey or pork sausage • 1 (8 ounce) package low-fat Neufchatel cheese, cubed • *OPTION: 15 fresh jalapeno peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded

NUTRITION INFORMATION: (Keep in mind nutrition will vary with the product you choose to use) Serving Size: ¼ cup Calories: 200 Total Fat: 10 grams Total Carbohydrate: 2 grams Sodium: 300 mg Protein: 18 grams

1. Place a skillet over mediumhigh heat; add sausage and cook until brown; drain and return pan to heat.

2. Stir the cream cheese into the sausage and cook until completely melted; remove from heat.

3. Place in bowl and serve with your favorite healthy cracker or chip! Best enjoyed warm. *Option: Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a baking sheet.

Spoon equal portions of the sausage mixture into the jalapeno halves and arrange onto the prepared baking sheet; bake in the preheated oven until the peppers are soft and the tops are lightly browned, about 30 minutes.

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T R AV E L & O U T D O O R

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Kustom K9 ELITE DOG

TRAINING

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A well-trained dog is a happy dog and a happy owner.

K

aren Thorn and Linda Williams opened Kustom K9 Elite Dog Training on July 7, 2015 to provide the best quality training available for Bell County and the surrounding region with comfortable indoor and outdoor facilities.

Kustom K9 employs experienced, certified trainers who are patient and humane, yet firm and consistent. All of the trainers have a passion and love for training dogs. They receive great fulfillment at the pride and gratitude owners feel when their dogs are socialized, behave and learn manners.

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Karen Thorn has over 47 years of experience as a dog trainer. She began training dogs in junior high as 4H projects. In 1981, she graduated from Texas A&M with a degree in Biomedical Science.

Her love for animals paved the way for her current career.

Tony Williams has about 44 years of experience working with dogs. He began training dogs as a kid when his dad said he had to train his dog if he wanted to keep it. After reading everything he could about dog training, he advanced to training friendsâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; dogs and receiving payment for it. His natural talent with animals of all kinds opened doors for him to work on ranches with livestock and working dogs. After retiring from the Air Force, his disability has given him the opportunity to train service dogs to assist others with disabilities.

Another trainer, Adrianna Torres, has been training dogs for about four years. While working at a different facility, Karen noticed Adriannaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s natural talent with dogs and began teaching her to be a dog trainer.

Kustom K9 Elite Dog Training is more like a college for dogs than a grade school. They go beyond basic training to help dogs develop their full potential.

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Kustom K9 Elite Dog Training offers a variety of services and courses. Puppy Assessment evaluates current skills and needs. The six-week AKC S.TA.R. Puppy program focuses on everything puppies and owners need for a great start together. S.T.A.R. stands for Socialization, Training, Activity and a Responsible owner.

Obedience Training from Basic to Advanced provides owners the skills needed to train their dogs and become a great Dog and Handler Team. This often establishes the groundwork for service dog training.

Canine Good Citizen (CGC) program started in 1989. It is designed to reward dogs who have good manners at home and in the community. CGC is a two-part program that stresses responsible pet ownership for people and basic good manners for dogs. All dogs who pass the 10-step CGC test may receive a certificate from the American Kennel Club.

Many dog owners choose CGC training as the first step in training their dogs. The CGC Program lays the foundation for other AKC activities such as obedience, agility, tracking and performance events. Owners discover many benefits and joys of

training their dogs as they walk through the CGC skills. Training also enhances the bond between owner and dog. Dogs who have a solid obedience education are a joy to live with because they respond well to household routines, have good manners in the presence of people and other dogs and they fully enjoy the company of their owner, who took the time to provide training, intellectual stimulation and a high quality life.

Community Canine (CC) is the advanced level of AKC’s Canine Good Citizen program. As with CGC, CC has a 10-step test of skills that dogs must pass to earn the official AKC Community Canine title, which appears on the dog’s title record at AKC. While CGC tests are simulations of real world skills, such as the dog and handler walking through a crowd of evaluators in a ring, the goal of AKC Community Canine is to test the dog’s skill in a natural setting. For example, rather than the dog being tested in a ring, in AKC CC the “walks through a crowd” test item will involve the dog walking through a real crowd at a dog show, on a busy sidewalk, in a therapy dog setting or at a training club.

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Pet Tech First Aid CPR is a five-hour course that provides instruction similar to Red Cross CPR for humans. The mission of Pet Tech is “Improving the quality of pets’ lives, one pet parent and one pet care professional at a time!” This premier training, which is part of Pet Tech Productions, Inc., co-founded by President Thom Somes, helps owners learn how to better care for their pets in emergency and in health, so they can have a healthier, happier and longer relationship with their furry four-legged family members.

Kustom K9 also trains Canines for Christ, founded

by Chaplain Larry Randolph in Tampa, Florida. His vision, as set forth by God, was to start a therapy dog ministry using family pets to be a vessel to share the wonderful saving message of God’s love, hope, kindness and compassion to people in need. From that humble beginning in 2007, the ministry has grown with hundreds of teams and volunteers all over the world.

Tony Williams said, “Chaplain Steve Kesler, VicePresident of Canines for Christ, came to visit on March 29th of this year. We have one of the larger groups, and

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he was very impressed with the dogs we have in our program. He stated that our dogs were better trained than his own dog, which has over 900 visits.”

Kustom K9 trains service animals, going above and beyond to ensure the service dog effectively helps the handler function in daily life. Some confusion exists in the general public about the distinction between service dogs and therapy animals. As defined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), service dogs are individually trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Service dogs are working animals, not pets.

The work or task a dog has been trained to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Service dogs are allowed to accompany the handler in any public facility. However, the service dog must be under control at all times, and therefore must be well trained.

According to the ADA, animals whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional support do not qualify as service animals. Emotional or Comfort Animals may provide companionship, relieve loneliness and help with depression, anxiety and certain phobias,

but they do not have special training to perform tasks that assist people with disabilities. Because therapy animals are not limited to working with people with disabilities, they are not covered by federal laws protecting service animals. Therapy animals provide people with therapeutic contact to improve their physical, social, emotional and/ or cognitive functioning. They are trained to help people other than their handlers.

Occasionally, Kustom K9 participates in drives to help provide needed supplies for local shelters.

They also help people select dogs from a shelter if they want assistance in choosing their new family member.

Kustom K9 Elite Dog Training is more like a college for dogs than a grade school. They go beyond basic training to help dogs develop their full potential. In addition to training, they also offer kennel services for their clients, who enjoy short or long stays in a controlled environment with over an acre of shaded space to run and play.

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H OMETOWN H APPENINGS

WOMEN IN THE OUTDOORS In the past decade, the number of women owning firearms and participating in target shooting and hunting has escalated. Locally, outdoor enthusiast Monica Sobotka and her dedicated team of volunteers reach out to Bell County area women to help them learn firearm skills-- and much more--through a Women in the Outdoors event held annually on the second Saturday in June.

PHOTOS BY JOHNJOHNS DIGITAL ART

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T R AV E L & O U T D O O R

CHASING THE STORM

BY T.C. MCKEOWN PHOTOS BY JOHNJOHNS DIGITAL ART

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While you seek shelter and take cover, they are the ones that race out to meet Mother Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s fury; they are the storm chasers.

F

ounded by Kevin Ramirez in 2015, the South Central Storm Chasers are certified storm chasers and storm spotters consisting of a sixteen-person crew with backgrounds ranging from videography, social media expertise, photography, meteorology, civil

service, and public safety.

In order to become certified as a storm chaser, one must attend a SKYWARN training class as offered by the National Weather Service, which offers these classes by region. Ramirez and nearly everyone on his crew are certified.

H O MET O W N L I V I NG A T I TS B EST

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“I’ve always had a love for storms since I was little.”

– KEVIN RAMIREZ

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“I’ve always had a love for storms since I was little,” Ramirez said. “What really got me into storm chasing was the Jarrell tornado back in in 1997. I remember being in school and we had to get under the desk because it was going straight down I-35. And when I got home that day and after seeing the devastation on the news and the look on people’s faces – it’s just something that’s always stuck with me. And you try to figure out how you can help.”

That desire to help out in a bad situation stuck with Ramirez, and as he got older that desire manifested into service. When he was a senior in high school, Ramirez volunteered at the fire department when he was a senior in high school.

But still, in the back of his mind, he found himself drawn to freak weather. When it came time to go to college, he chose to go to school in Kansas, partly because of a track scholarship—but mostly because of that region’s reputation for tornados.

Ramirez has been running after storms ever since.

After college, Ramirez ended up in the east Texas area working full time, but chasing storms in his free time.

“One night I found myself chasing the Van, Texas tornado, and the closest I got to it was about a hundred yards away from it,” Ramirez recalled. “I ended up having to take shelter, but that was a turning point for me. Things just kind of blew up after that. It basically went from a hobby to something really big.”

Ramirez had created a Facebook page to share updates on his storm chasing and to showcase videos, and after the Van Tornado, Ramirez said his page “exploded with followers”.

“The community really started to trust me and the updates I could provide,” Ramirez said. “That’s when I knew I needed more help.”

Ramirez enlisted his brother, who was also SKYWARN certified, and living in Temple. The brothers would be on the lookout for storms between Central and East Texas.

In 2016, Ramirez was on the road when the Lindale tornado touched down. Camera in tow, Ramirez said that’s when storm chasing took another turn form him.

He was one of the few individuals out and about capturing the storm on film, and the footage he captured garnered national media attention. Ramirez said that he was fielding

calls from USA Today and ABC News wanting to use his work.

“People back home starting calling me and saying, ‘hey, I’ve seen you on the Weather Channel,’” Ramirez said. “And that was just a turning point because I realized I could get to things that sometimes not even the local weather channel could get to.”

Nowadays, Ramirez says that is his primary purpose for what he does. “We don’t get paid for this, we do this because we want to get the warning out faster. That’s what it’s always been about: public safety. And the public puts their trust in us.”

Since the Lindale tornado, Ramirez has moved back to the Central Texas area, but he and his brother have expanded their team. Today they operate all throughout Texas and have amassed followers and supporters worldwide.

“Bell County has been pretty quiet lately in terms of really bad storms,” Ramirez stated. “We get a lot of flooding, though and we always cover that.”

Many Bell County residents will remember when Nolan Creek flooded in Belton in February of 2017, and Ramirez stated they captured a video of that with their drone that garnered over fifty thousand views.

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Ramirez said that each member of the team pays very close attention to the weather in their respective region, often checking the storm prediction center once or twice a day.

“We’ll also look at different forecast models, because it changes daily,” Ramirez said. “But once we know that a storm is coming, and we typically know about three days out, we start coming up with a game plan of where we’re going to go, what’s a good target, how many people we’re going to send out there, and how we can prepare for that particular storm.”

The day of a storm, the team will check the weather again, load up the cars with the various equipment like drones, cameras, laptops, handheld wind instruments and weather meters, and other related gear.

“We all have our roles as far as driver, navigator, someone looking at the weather information all day on the laptop, and we just go,” Ramirez said.

Sometimes no matter how much preparation goes into tracking a storm, Ramirez says there is always that unpredictability factor. When asked if there was ever a storm he felt he “missed out” on, he pointed to the most recent twisters that struck Rowlett and the Eastern Dallas area.

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“We want to help people get information faster.”

“I wasn’t really thinking about the metroplex; most of the models showed [the storm] going a little bit more east,” Ramirez recalled. “I ended up chasing a smaller tornado out in Emory, Texas. I was watching that one, waiting for it to drop, and finally it did; so, I snapped a few pictures, and on my way home, that’s when I started hearing about the tornadoes in Rowlett. We definitely missed that one. It was just one of those days where you had to pick and choose and I chose the wrong spot.”

It’s also hard sometimes to coordinate everyone’s schedules. Everyone has a day job.

“I try to work around the storms,” Ramirez said. “I work a lot of night shifts since a lot of storms roll in during the day.”

“Sometimes it’s pretty crazy, I feel like I’m just a local guy and I’ve got a worldwide following, and you know I don’t want anything out of it; we want to help people get information faster.”

Today, the South Central Storm Chasers group consists of Ryan Darr, Billy Williams, Matthew Hanusch, Kaylynn Wells, John Montelongo, Jason Zachman, Jim Davis, Steven Ramirez, Nickolas Buck, Patrick Garcia, Chris Murphy, Shay Van Raalte, Jason Degal, Ian McKay, Jeffrey Jennings and Todd Peters.

You can find some of the crazy footage that Ramirez and his team have captured on the South Central Storm Chasers YouTube page or on Facebook @EtxCtxSTORMCHASERS. For a full list of social media presences, and to learn more about the organization, visit www. southcentralstormchasers.weebly.com.

H O MET O W N L I VI NG A T I TS B EST

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INDEX OF ADVERTISERS

All In Poker Club................................................................... 112

KayTaylor Photography..................................................... 82

Alton D. Thiele, P.C............................................................... 54

Killeen Civic Center.............................................................. 18

AmeriStor Self Storage...................................................... 63

Kustom K9 Elite Dog Training......................................... 62

Becky Stinehour of Candid Images Photography....73

Metroplex Center for Wound Care

Belton Lake Outdoor Recreation Area......................... 19

& Hyperbaric Medicine..........................................................3

Big John's Paint and Body of Belton.......................... 100

Metroplex Health System................................................... 18

Bingham Marine.................................................................... 82

Nature in Lights.................................................................... 63

BJ's Flower Shop, Inc....................................................... 100

Omega Builders.......................................................................9

Budget Blinds.........................................................................72

Rendez Photography.......................................................... 34

Callie’s Boutique................................................................... 63

Sente Mortgage.................................................................... 112

Celebrations Event Center & Design Shoppe............101

Service Max............................................................................90

Central Texas Christian School........................................... 7

Seton Medical Center Harker Heights........ Back Cover

Central Texas Marble........................................................... 83

Shilo Inn...................................................................................110

Cochran, Blair & Potts........................................................ 42

Small Cakes.......................................................................... 100

Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home..................................... 91

Smile Doctors............................................................................1

Deane Electric & Air Conditioning..................................2

Soggy Doggies Grooming................................................ 62

Edward Jones........................................................................101

Sudden Changes Salon...................................................... 62

EmilyB Photography........................................................... 43

Surface Source Design Center........................................ 34

First Community Title Co.................................................. 55

Susan Marie’s......................................................................... 83

First Texas Brokerage Co..................................................101

Target Restoration................................................................72

Gallery Design Center........................................................ 42

Texas Farm Bureau Insurance........................................ 100

Germania................................................................................. 62

The Courses at Clear Creek............................................... 19

Greater Central Texas Federal

The Dog Spot........................................................................ 54

Credit Union........................................... Inside Front Cover

The Portico at Friars Creek.................................................5

HB Sheppard........................................... Inside Back Cover

The Shade Shop................................................................... 82

Heights Home Health.......................................................... 91

The Shoppes on Main in Salado.....................................101

Height Lumber & Supply................................................... 55

Tightlines Premium Fishing Tackle................................ 54

Hewett-Arney Funeral Home........................................... 83

United Way of Central Texas............................................ 54

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