Parker County LIfeStyle Vol. III

DUT Y & SACRIFICE Roy Knight III recounts a life spent as the child of a missing Vietnam Airman, and tells the story of bringing his dad, Colonel Roy Knight, Jr., home as his remains were recently identified.

WCS LIONS — ONE CAMPUS Through God’s will and many peoples’ vision, students at Weatherford Christian School have come together on one campus for the first time since 2009.

Celebrating Heritage Each October the sight of green foliage turning red to gold, and the sounds of old-time music lure families to the Doss Heritage and Culture Center for a day of family educational fun.

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Contents

32 Faith & Community

10 20 24

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DUT Y AN D SACR I F ICE Woken up in the middle of a camping trip to find his dad’s plane had been shot down and he was MIA, Roy Knight III recounts a life spent as the child of a missing Vietnam Airman, and tells the story of bringing his dad, Colonel Roy Knight, Jr., home as his remains were recently identified.

STARTI NG OVE R : A BABY ON TH E WAY At 37 and bringing a new life into my home, God whispered a different version of the family I had planned. As we sit and wait for God to orchestrate all the moving pieces, I count my blessings—past, present and future.

THE CASTLE THAT LOVE BUILT The Texas Pythian Home for Children in Weatherford is known as the “Castle on the Hill.” Established in 1909, the home is licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as a basic child care facility.

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Local Living

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CE LE B R ATI NG H E R ITAG E

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PL AY THAT JA ZZ

Each October the sight of green foliage turning red to gold, and the sounds of old-time music lure families to the Doss Heritage and Culture Center for a day of family educational fun.

An illustrious career that includes 44 years of education at Weatherford College as the current Dean of Fine Arts, the creation of the WC Jazz Band and its direction for 15 years, and playing drums with some pretty big names in the music industry, Duane Durrett isn’t finished yet!

About the Cover The Cover is a local home on South Bowie Street, staged with a fall setting using items available for purchase at the Weatherford Farmer’s Market.

DUT Y & SACRI FICE

Roy Knight III recounts a life child of a missing Vietnam spent as the tells the story of bringing Airman, and his dad, Colonel Roy Knight, Jr., home as his remains were recently identified.

WCS LIONS — ONE CAMPU S

Through God’s will and many peoples’ vision, students at Weatherford Christian School have come together on one campus for the first time since 2009.

Celebrating Heritage Each October the sight of green foliage turning red to gold, and the sounds of old-time music lure families to the Doss Heritage and Culture Center for a day of family educational fun.

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Contents Education

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TH E SU PE R H E RO B E H I N D BAT WOR LD SANC TUARY: SAVI NG TH E WOR LD ON E BAT AT A TI M E A passionate animal lover and rescuer, Amanda Lollar’s destiny began in 1998 when she found an injured bat on the sidewalk on a hot summer day. Five years later, Bat World Sanctuary was born and now protects over 30,000 bats from extinction.

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WC S LION S — ON E CAM PUS Through God’s will and many peoples’ vision, students at Weatherford Christian School have come together on one campus for the first time since 2009.

KE E PI NG AN E YE ON TH E M : HOW TO WATCH OU R KI DS I N A CYB E R WOR LD The days of Encyclopedia Brittanica on the bookshelves of our living room are gone, and now our kids have the most up to date information on any topic right at their fingerstips. But how do we KNOW what our kids are looking at? Check out a few apps that will help Mama and Papa keep an eye on Baby Bear’s media.

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Holiday

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G IVI NG YOU R ALL I N TH E S E ASON OF THAN KS As you prepare to host, or be a guest, this holiday season, there are several décor, etiquette and additional steps to consider as you prepare to gather around the table with your loved ones and give thanks this season.

HOW TO B E A VIC TOR TH IS HOLI DAY S E ASON From shopping to cooking to prepping to giving, this season is full of opportunities!

With all the hustle and bustle you can still come out on top and enjoy the true meaning of the season.

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In Every Issue 38 62 72

WHAT’S U P, PARKE R COU NT Y? Calendar of Local Events

BUSINESS SPOTLIG HT Brent Gough, Edward Jones

VET SPOTLIG HT Riverstone Veterinary Hospital

We are saving

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Hello!

A

s we reach the end of summer and all this stifling heat starts to make way for those warm fall evenings (this is Texas, after all!), we look forward to all things fall! Football, Halloween, hoodies, and all things pumpkin spice…..leaving behind our beach towels and sunblock and starting to venture out of doors without melting!

Every season change brings desire for something new and fall gears us into thinking about the upcoming holiday season! No part of the year is more exciting than planning for family gatherings, holiday parties with friends and co-workers, and the joy on the faces of our children as we reach those special days. In this edition, we have included some ideas to make the season roll a little smoother, with ideas to plan ahead while there is still time to plan!

Our publication is based on bringing you all the best local, hometown living Parker County has to offer. Turn to those green edged pages in the middle and take the opportunity to honor our advertisers by shopping right here at home this year! These local businesses are owned and operated by your friends and neighbors, people just like you, living and working in the community, making our county the best in the state! Shop local and support small businesses this year.

And while you’re there, say thank you from us for taking part in our publication!

Other locals featured in this edition include Duane Durrett, who has been a staple at Weatherford College for over 45 years, and can tell you a thing or two about jazz…..including some impressive drumming skills! Animal lovers will enjoy learning about the only accredited bat sanctuary on Earth!

Does your teen or tween spend too much time staring at that little box that is never far from their reach? Whether is in their hands, backpacks or back pockets, those phones are here to stay! We have a few tips to help you be better able to monitor and control what is going on when you aren’t looking.

Lastly, we want to thank each and every one of our advertisers and contributors. Without local business to support our magazine and local writers and photographers willing to share their talents with us, this publication would not be in your hands at this moment. Thank you to each and every one of you who have a part in making this dream come true! Please know that every contribution is appreciated and you are part of the team, bringing joy to Parker County residents, one edition at a time.

Wishing you all many blessings,

Justin and Hayley Six

Kyle and Halsey Clark

And he said unto them, it is not for you to know the times of the seasons, which the Father hath put in his own power. Acts 1:7

PUBLISHER

RedFin Publishing

Justin & Hayley Six

Kyle & Halsey Clark

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Hayley Six

CREATIVE | DESIGN

GreenFox Marketing & Design

CONTENT COORDINATOR Jennifer Cabbage

Jennifer.RedFin@gmail.com

Jordan Murdock

Jordan.RedFin@gmail.com

SOCIAL MEDIA CHAIR Garilea Thrash

PROOF READER

Lead PHOTOGRAPHER PHOTOGRAPHERS

Jennifer Cabbage Lindsey Sullivan Photography Eric Priddy Photography

HLanoue Photography

Jami Scull Photography

Thad Brown Photography

COVER PHOTO

SALES

Lindsey Sullivan Photography Nikki Garrett

Garilea Thrash

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lindsay L. Allen

Thad Brown

Jim Carroll

Peggy Purser Freeman

Martha Helton

Rick Mauch

Allegra Schroeder

Erica Willis

Parker County LifeStyle© is published quarterly by RedFin Publishing.

www.redfinpublishing.com P.O. Box 1239 | Weatherford, TX 76086

PARKER COUNTY LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

817-618-9465 All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part

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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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DUTY & SACRIFICE

By Jim Carroll Photos Provided by Roy Knight III

Woken up in the middle of a camping trip to find his dad’s plane had been shot down and he was MIA, Roy Knight III recounts a life spent as the child of a missing Vietnam Airman, and tells the story of bringing his dad, Colonel Roy Knight, Jr., home as his remains were recently identified.

I

n May 1967, eleven-year-old Roy Knight III said he distinctly remembers the last day of school at Millsap. “I felt free, summer was here,” he said. That same day he went on an overnight fishing trip with several men in his family. Sometime during the

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night Roy was awakened and told to “get dressed, he had to go home”.

“I was a little confused at first, I didn’t know what was going on,” Roy said. “They told me not to go in the room and disturb my grandfather, so I suspected that he may have passed away in the night.”

Major KnightJr & A-1E Udorn RTAFB 1967

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As he neared his home, he noticed that all the lights were on at the house and there were cars everywhere.

The Air Force Chaplin and Casualty Affairs Officer had already come and gone, and now the small town of Millsap was doing what small towns do in a crisis, coming together. Once home, Roy was informed that his father’s, Colonel (then Major) Roy A. Knight Jr.’s, airplane had been ‘shot down’ and that he was ‘Missing in Action’.”

“In my mind, my dad was superman so I guess I just thought this would be fine.

Dad will be okay; he can get out of this.”

At eleven, Roy was the oldest of the three Knight children. There was also nine-year-old daughter Gayann and six-year-old son Bryan, all of whom had just moved to Millsap six months earlier when their father, Colonel

Roy Knight Jr., a fighter pilot with the U.S. Air Force, deployed to South East Asia.

“Until this point, I had only been told of this mystical, magical place of Millsap, which was our family’s home.” Typical of military children, the Knight children had spent much of their lives moving around, often outside the United States. Roy was born in Japan, and even though Gayann was born in Texas, the family moved shortly thereafter to Germany, and then France, where Bryan was born. They had spent a couple of years at Laughlin Air Force Base in Del Rio, Texas, and a short time in Florida. When their father got the assignment to South East Asia, he moved his family back home to be near their extended family in his absence.

“In my mind, my dad was superman so I guess I just thought this would be fine. Dad will be okay; he can get out of this.”

- Roy Knight III

Roy Knight Family Fall 1966

Maj Roy A. Knight, Jr. April 1966

Knight Family 1966

Bryan had been the last of the children to see their father. “On the day he flew out, Roy and Gayann had to go to school, but I went with my mother to Love Field in Dallas to see my father off. Some of the memories from that day are fuzzy, but I recall the tension of the occasion and my mother crying as we walked back to the car.�

About 30 years later, Bryan Knight would be walking through that the airport for a job interview when it dawned on him that this was the same airport at which he had said goodbye to his father.

Col. Knight was a courageous and dedicated officer and pilot. While deployed, he flew sorties almost every day if not twice a day. The conflict in Vietnam was at its height and ground attack aircraft such as the A1 Sky Raider Col. Knight flew, were in high demand.

In May of 1967, Col. Knight was conducting an attack on the Ho Chi Minh Trail, inside Laos. The aircraft flown

by Col. Knight was hit by antiaircraft fire as he was diving on his target. His wingman stated that no parachute was observed prior to the aircraft crashing. Initially, Col. Knight was listed as Missing in Action, leaving his family in a limbo of sorts.

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“It was our duty to be hopeful, and we were,” Bryan said.

This special hell would torment the family for years with a false sense of hope lingering, along with a certainty you do not want to accept. For Gayann, “Not knowing what happened to him, not having a place to honor him, not having him at home on American ground, these things eat at you.”

Her younger brother, Bryan, echoed the sentiment, saying, “I had been to the Vietnam War Memorial a few times, and would rub my fingers across his name. It was, until now, the closest thing we had a memorial to him.”

All of the children would try to find their own ways to connect with their father. Roy and Bryan would both become pilots, and much to their mother’s disapproval, Bryan would go on to join the Air Force. At one time, flying the A-10 “Warthog”, the very aircraft that would replace the A1 Skyraider his father had flown.

Col. Knight was awarded the Air Force Cross (the nation’s second highest award for valor) for his actions the day he was shot down, as well as a Silver Star and Distinguished

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Flying Cross, for earlier actions, but his fate would remain unknown until 2019.

Even though the Air Force would declare Col. Knight as Killed in Action, Body Not Recovered in 1974, his family could not be sure. The North Vietnamese routinely did not report the names of Prisoners of War, and well into the early 1980s, reports of American POWs still held in Vietnam were surfacing.

“On several occasions, my mother had to go the Federal Building in Dallas to look at pictures of POWs, to see if she could identify her husband,” Roy III stated. In the end, the loss of her husband would take its toll. “In a way, she became as much a casualty of war as our father.”

Col. Knight’s citation for his Air Force Cross speaks of his courage under fire, noting, “Against overwhelming odds, Major Knight pressed his attack on the target, in spite of being cautioned by other pilots that a devastating barrage of anti-aircraft fire was directed at his aircraft. Major Knight acknowledged awareness of the situation but continued his attack.”

Roy Knight Jr briefing senior officers Udorn RTAFB 1967

It was a terrible thing to lose him at such a young age, but he was not just doing what he loved, he was doing what he was meant to do.

Gayann described her father as being good with his hands and having a particular fondness for electronics.

As well as letters, the family would send audio tapes back and forth during her father’s deployment. Col. Knight was a big man both physically and personality wise. His deep voice and slow Texas draw seem appropriate when compared to his photos. Though the content of the tapes is private, just listening to his voice and tone you come to understand a man that could be soft, tender and that missed and dearly loved his family.

His fate, long suspected, is now known. To his family, not being able to bring him home was an open wound, an unresolved issue that they could not get closure on. Col. Knight would remain unrecovered for over a half century, when in early 2019, the Defense POW/MIA Accounting Agency (DPAA) found and identified his remains.

Col. Knight’s younger brother, Dr. Bill Knight, said that he had always felt his brother was killed in the plane crash, but had given up hope that they would every find Roy and bring him home. “I was elated when I was told they had recovered him.”

RC Knight 1945

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All of Col. Knight’s children told similar stories of excitement and happiness, but also those of sadness and emotional exhaustion. “This is what we wanted, but it hurts as well because it brings up all the emotions you have repressed for so long. We had never really had a time to mourn,” said Gayann.

For Bryan Knight, the ending of this story is particularly bittersweet. Bryan would be the captain of the plane that finally brought his father home to Texas, landing at the same Love Field where Bryan had last seen his father over 52 years before.

“I’m not sure how Southwest Airlines was able to do it,” said Bryan, “but they made it happen. I did pretty good flying in, not emotional, but I did feel connected with my father. However, as I was taxiing the jet, I saw the welcome that was awaiting my father. The people

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lined up on the taxiway and the firetrucks, it really struck me that this was a big deal to a lot of people beyond my family and I was overcome with emotion at that point.”

All members of the family would express gratitude to the DPAA and their teams that worked tirelessly in hazardous condition, trying to recover and bring our troops home. They are the unsung heroes of this story and the team that recovered Col. Knight holds a special place in his family’s heart.

Roy sums it up this way “It was a terrible thing to lose him at such a young age, but he was not just doing what he loved, he was doing what he was meant to do.”

On 10 Aug 2019, Col. Roy Knight was laid to rest with full military honor, near his boyhood home in Parker County, Texas, in the presence of his children as well as his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. PCLS

Hershel Knight 1945

The Knight Kids 1930s

Lloyd Knight 1945

1Lt Jack L. Knight 1944

1Sgt Curtis Knight 1947 Roy Sr and Martha Knight wedding photo

About the Knight Family Researching the story of Colonel Roy Knight Jr., I discovered not only an amazing story of duty and sacrifice by the Colonel, his wife and children, but also of Colonel Knight’s siblings.

Roy Knight Jr. was the sixth of eight children, seven boys followed by one girl, and all of them served our great nation.

According to the youngest son, Dr. Bill Knight, the oldest three were known as “The Boys.”

Times were hard for small farm families during the Great Depression and “The Boys”, consisting of Jack, Curtis and Loyd, had joined Troop F of the 124 Calvary Regiment, Texas National Guard largely to just help out their family. The 124th was the last horse cavalry regiment in the Army, and they would ride patrols on the Texas/ Mexico border.

Jack would become a First Lieutenant in F Troop and Curtis would serve as the First Sergeant. While serving with the MARS Task Force in Burma, in the overland campaign against the Japanese, Jack would be fatally wounded while rallying his troops. He posthumously receive the Medal of Honor for his actions.

His brother Curtis would be by his side during the battle. For his effort, he would be awarded the Silver Star and a near fatal wound, being shot through both lungs.

While being treated the doctors actually believed he was not going to make it.

According to family lore, he claimed to have survived just to “show them”. Curtis would live to be 90.

Loyd would also receive a commission as an officer and was transferred to another unit. He was involved in the Battle of Peleliu and would later serve in the Korean War, retiring from the Army as a Lieutenant Colonel.

The next brother was Herschel, who served as a Signalman in the Navy onboard the USS Maryland. The USS Maryland would be engaged in most of the major battles in the South Pacific during the Second World War. Herschel would have a couple of close calls, including an incident with a Kamikaze attack, but would come

home to Millsap without a scratch, despite probably being involved in more direct combat that his older siblings.

His brother, Bill, said, “Herschel had been the smallest of the brothers. At about 5’9”, he was the only one that was not 6 foot or more. However, he had the nickname Tuffy because what he lacked in size, he made up for in attitude.”

RC was the fifth son. Bill said that after Jack was killed, RC was “mad as hell”, and promptly joined the Army. The war would end before RC finished basic training, and he would serve with the Occupation Force in Japan.

Col. Roy Knight Jr. was the next son.

He would be killed Vietnam, but not before earning a Service Cross, a Silver Star and a Distinguished Flying Cross.

The youngest and only surviving son, Dr. Bill Knight, would serve in the Army during the Cold War, stationed in Germany in the 1950’s. Dedicated to serving, he would later become a teacher and school administrator. He is also the author of a book, “My Brother Jack”, detailing his brothers wartime exploits.

Not to be left out, June, the only daughter would serve as a civilian employee of the US Air Force for 40 years.

While speaking with Dr. Bill Knight, I asked him what his mother was putting in the biscuits and gravy at their house to inspire such dedication and self-sacrifice.

He said he did not think it was anything in particular.

“Our father was a farmer, so we all knew what work was. Our home was also a very loving one.”

Everyone did their part and several of them had been above average athletes, emphasizing that Curtis, in particular, had excelled at baseball and at one time may have had a chance at the pros.

The one thing Dr. Knight did stress of importance about their upbringing was that they had grown up in a very religious home. “We were close. We loved each other and we loved God, our mother saw to that.”

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Believe Boldly

Starting Over: A Baby On the Way

BY ERICA WILLIS

|

B E L I E V E B O L D LY. C O M

AT 37 AND BRINGING A NEW LIFE INTO MY HOME, GOD WHISPERED A DIFFERENT VERSION OF THE FAMILY I HAD PLANNED. AS WE SIT AND WAIT FOR GOD TO ORCHESTRATE ALL THE MOVING PIECES, I COUNT MY BLESSINGS—PAST, PRESENT AND FUTURE.

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I am 37 years old and I am starting over.

No, I’m not returning to college or moving to a new area. My husband Joey and I made the terrifying decision to add another baby to our family.

“Terrifying? How can you say that, Erica? A baby is a blessing!” You may think such things on your best kidfree days, but me? My friend, you are better than I. I had my first child 11 years ago when baby-fever hit hard while working at a boutique that boasted $75 infant jeans, “Mommy and Me” matching outfits, and lotions that promised dreamy nights alongside your new human. (No sane person can resist the smell of a newborn baby’s skin after bath time, amiright?)

With dreams of cuddles and kisses, we joined the “We’re expecting!!” world without second-guessing our choice. Only, when our son was born, I had an adverse reaction to motherhood. All my dreams disappeared and I felt hopeless and helpless beneath a pile of spit-up covered clothing.

“What was I thinking?!” I would repeat in my mind (and sometimes out loud) during the hours, days, and months of colicky crying and sleeplessness. No, becoming a mom didn’t measure up to my expectations. My grand plans to have another child right away were crushed. No WAY would I have another baby! No siree-bob. It took two very long years for me to finally love being a mom.

My sweet daughter was born next and proved to be all the cuddles and kisses I expected with my first. She was, dare I say, easy. I was content to wrap up our happy, healthy, family of four as that: Easy.

That is, until God whispered a different version of my family than I planned.

“Would you adopt?” I heard in my quiet time with God. Adoption had not been on my radar! A baby would mean a new family dynamic and a delayed empty nest.

Adoption meant doing it all over again-- the good, the bad, and the 3 a.m. It meant raising $40,000. It meant finding a way to fit another kid into a home with three bedrooms and one bathroom. God’s question filled my journals with tear-stained entries. I feared what saying “yes” may mean for us in the long run and what saying “no” may mean for my walk with God. After two years of praying and searching, we said “Yes.” It was a shaky “yes” that grew into a roar from this mama who is no longer afraid of what the future holds.

I am called and equipped by God to care for orphans, as we are all called. God that is in the business of adopting.

None of us join the family of God without a very costly adoption fee: Jesus. Our baby will be no different.

So here I am with two kids, 9 years at home, my first gray hairs beginning to frame my face, and we are well into our journey of inviting a newborn baby into our family. Our paperwork is finished and approved. Our finances have been raised. All we need now is a mama who is looking for a happy life for her baby, picking us as a “match.”

As we wait for God to orchestrate all the moving pieces, I count my blessings. The ones of my past and my mom, who modeled sacrificial love. The current ones of grace-filled children with a mom who has learned hard lessons about selflessness, hard work, and compassion.

And the blessing of my future child I have yet to meet but will soon enough.

Take chance to count your own blessings, for in them God may reveal blessings you have never considered.

- Erica

**If you are a woman researching options concerning your pregnancy or are interested in placing your child with the Willis family, please contact the Gladney Adoption Agency at AdoptionsByGladney.com.

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That Love Built The Texas Pythian Home for Children in Weatherford is known as the “Castle on the Hill.” Established in 1909, the home is licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as a basic child care facility.

By Thad M Brown Photos by Thad Brown Photography

S

o, what is this castle, of all places in the heart of Parker County, doing in Weatherford, Texas? Since 1907, when the cornerstone was laid, the Texas Pythian Home has been doing just that – “pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father…”

There is a rich history dating back to 1864, before the end of the Civil War, when the Knights of Pythias, a faith based fraternal order and secret society was founded in Washington, D.C., and chartered by Abraham Lincoln himself, shortly before his assassination.

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A Colgate University graduate, musician and actor, Justus H. Rathbone, originated the Knights of Pythias based on the Greek legend of the friendship of Damon and Pythias. Such was a friendship in which one was willing to give up their life to save another. Shakespear's "Hamlet," Louisa M. Alcott's "Little Men" and Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" all reference the unconditional friendship story of “Damon and Pythias.”

President Abraham Lincoln was so impressed that he wrote “The purposes of your organization are most wonderful…It breathes the spirit of Friendship, Charity and Benevolence…It is one of the best agencies conceived for upholding of government, honoring the flag, for the reuniting of our brethren of the North and of the South, for teaching the people to love one another, and portraying the sanctity of the home and loved ones.”

He went on to propose that a Charter be solicited from Congress with Lincoln’s promise of doing “…all in my power to assist you…”

Rathbone’s application was approved and the Order of the Knights of Pythias was the very first American

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Order ever chartered by an Act of the Congress of the United States.

But, that was only the beginning.

The Texas Pythian Home for Children in Weatherford is known as the “Castle on the Hill.” Established in 1909, the home is licensed by the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services as a basic child care facility.

Children aged three through fourteen are accepted and remain as residents of the home while in school. The children can come from anywhere in Texas and all of the children placed in the care of the home have families that remain a part of their lives with the goal of returning home.

Starting with 300 acres, the Home is now situated on 164 acres of farmland on the east side of Weatherford and its campus include the main building, two dorms, playgrounds, a softball field, tennis and volleyball courts and a swimming pool. Children live in the dorm while attending Weatherford schools and churches. Many of the quality facilities and extra curricular activities help give the children both educational opportunities and positive lifestyle experiences.

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“Pure and undefiled religion in the sight of our God and Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their distress…” James 1:27

The home is a truly a family affair. Administrator Lisa Watson has been involved with the Home for over 29 years and has served as its Administrator for 12 years now. Lisa, along with her husband Chris, as Maintenance Supervisor, daughter Kristin, as Marketing Coordinator, along with numerous volunteers and a full time staff of 16, devote all their attention and dedication to the needs of the children, as well as the upkeep and repair of an over 110 year old castle.

Originally a home for widows and orphans of the Knights of Pythias members, the home was designated as an independent school district in 1910, which continued until 1972. In 1937, the last High School graduating class walked across the Pythian auditorium stadium. Thereafter, grades 6-12 were sent to Weatherford schools, while grades 1 through 5 continued to have classes at the home until 1972.

Historically, the Home had a large dairy operation, and farm animals were raised to provide food for the residents. Additionally, the grounds supported gardens and fruit orchards, with any abundance sold

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for additional financial support. The responsibilities of maintaining all the agricultural endeavors were given to the staff and children living in the home. In 1972 however, government regulations limiting the amount of child labor curtailed the various self-supporting activities and today only cattle are maintained for sale and the home’s freezer.

Throughout the year, several events are held to help raise funds to continue the operations of the home.

Such events include the 5K Run and the Garage Sale which is held in the spring. Christmas at the Castle is always held on the 2nd Saturday in December as an open house. Also, don’t miss the Christmas lights, as the castle is illuminated during Christmas with thousands of holiday lights.

The Auditorium is available for weddings, showers, parties, dances, banquets, etc. Inquiring readers are requested to call Darla Balogh, Business Manager at (817) 594-4465. Additionally, tours are available and those interested are encouraged to support the home through the various fundraising events, by individual contributions and even volunteering.

Architecturally, the Texas Pythian Home can be characterized as Medieval, which was common to the Middle Ages and included religious, civil and military buildings. Seen in churches throughout Europe, this architectural style is evident in manor houses, town halls and even residential homes. In fact, the Bodiam Castle in England, built in the fourteenth century, has striking similarities to the Texas Pythian Home in Weatherford.

The order was prolific however and didn’t stop with the Weatherford Castle on the Hill. The Pythians constructed at least twenty-five other homes, lodges, halls, theatres, opera houses and castles in the late 19th and early 20th centuries throughout the United States.

Some of these architectural structures include the Pythian Castle in Arcata, California, built in 1885, and Opera House in Boothbay Harbor, Maine; both are along the line of Queen Anne architecture. The Pythian Castles in Toledo, Ohio and Portsmouth, Virginia, were built along a Romanesque architectural style, and the Pythian Home of Missouri, was built in 1913 of “Carthage Stone.” There’s even a Pythian Castle Lodge built in 1927 in Circleville, Ohio, which has a similar Medieval architecture style to that of the Texas Home.

Texas is also home of another Pythian Castle – the

Knights of Pythias Building in Fort Worth, Texas. Located at 108 E, 3rd Street, the Medieval architecture castle was started in 1881, completed in 1920 and restored in 1981.

This structure was the first Pythian Temple constructed in the world and the only one with a cornerstone laid by Justus H. Rathbone himself, the order’s founder.

All of these approximately twenty-five architectural creations, were developed for philanthropic purposes and have gone through the trials and turbulence of the social and economic ups and downs of America’s history over the last 130+ years. Many are still in operation, some are now privately owned, and almost all have obtained historical recognition. A few were acquired and used by the U.S. Military; while one was even used to house German and Italian prisoners-of-war during World War II. All in all, Justus H. Rathbone created a movement that began around the Civil War and continues today.

His ideals of Friendship, Charity and Benevolence are evident throughout the order and will, I’m sure, receive a praise of ‘well done, good and faithful servant”.

Parker County is fortunate to possess the Crown Jewel of Texas Pythianism, the Texas Pythian Home, which is truly the “Castle that Love Built.” PCLS

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877-536-2626

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CALL NOW TO SCHEDULE HOLIDAY CATERING!

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888-340-8200 | 208 North Main Street, Suite 200, Weatherford, Texas 76086 | www.HuttonFinancial.com Paul Hutton offers securities and investment advisory services through Woodbury Financial Services, Inc., member FINRA/SIPC. Fixed and traditional insurance offered through Hutton Financial Advisors, which is not affiliated with Woodbury Financial Services, Inc.

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Celebrating Heritage

By Peggy Purser Freeman Photos Provided by Doss Heritage Center

The Pioneer Heritage Festival provides future generations a fun-filled opportunity to fall in love with history.

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C

ool weather and the scent of wood smoke drifting through sunshine beckons families to explore the annual Pioneer Heritage Festival. Each October the sight of green foliage turning red to gold, and the sounds of old-time music lure families to the Doss Heritage and Culture Center for a day of family educational fun.

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Amanda Edwards, Director of Museum Affairs, recently shared her excitement about the annual event.

"When I was a child, my mom would take my brothers and me to our local county museum's annual celebration.

It brought history to life in a way that no book ever could, and I fell in love with history. When we started conceptualizing the idea for the Pioneer Heritage Festival, I wanted to bring history to life as I experienced it as a child. Watching kids come to the festival the first year and learn to stamp leather, weave baskets, and play pioneer games was rewarding. Now we are hosting an annual event. By having this free festival, I hope our future generations will fall in love with history too.”

In 2019, the Doss partnered with Weatherford College to have the festival kick off Pioneer Week during the college’s 150th Anniversary. The festival is a oneday event that invites people to come to the Doss and celebrate the community's pioneer heritage.

The festival is made possible through the hard work and dedication of a talented committee of volunteers.

Kathy Harvel, Volunteer Event Chair, shared her reasons for volunteering. “I enjoy working with community volunteers and members of the Doss Center board and staff to help bring to life the history of Texas and Parker County through a fun and interactive heritage festival.

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This event allows people to experience pioneer life and play pioneer games with their kids and grandkids in a family-friendly atmosphere.”

Festival visitors are invited to explore Pioneer Cabin Park at the 'Digging Up History' exhibit that highlights archaeological finds from the Newberry Cabin Site.

Perhaps the most exciting addition to the festival is the McDonald Education Cabin, where visitors can experience the daily life of our pioneer forefathers.

Maureen Kenney, a Doss Board and festival committee member, serves as the co-chair for the festival children's areas. “The Pioneer Heritage Festival takes place both inside and around the Doss Heritage and Culture Center, with a good mixture of musical entertainment, arts and crafts, folk dancing, kids’ activities, including rope throwing demonstrations, and an artists’ marketplace.

Demonstrations include leather-working, flint mapping, and a historic encampment, in addition to the folk dancing. The children’s area includes a petting zoo, games and crafts, demonstrations, vendors with handmade goods, reenactments, and food.” A native American tipi provides the background for the native crafts for kids.

Pioneer games create fun in our log cabin area. Food trucks are available for lunch."

Laura Anderson, Entertainment Chair for 2019,

planned live entertainment at the festival that showcases pioneer musical heritage with groups like Buttermilk Junction, an old-time and Anglo-Celtic band. This group plays and sings historical "roots music", tunes and songs from frontier Texas of the mid to late 1800s. Danica Lee, an award-winning artist and flute player, performs a fusion of Native American style and world music.

Anderson's Good Medicine has toured as an ‘artist-inresidence’ and promotes the education and preservation of folk traditions through music, song, storytelling, and conducting workshops and seminars. The Uka Ladies perform both professionally and as a service and share their love of music playing joyful, positive songs. The Neverwere Brothers bring a style and repertoire that ranges from early traditional to hard-driving bluegrass and newer contemporary pieces. Carol Livingston dancers add their sparkle to the entertainment. The Doss Center galleries feature the Spirit of the West art show by the Weatherford Art Association in addition to the Doss permanent exhibits.

Chasity Walsh is the Doss Education and Program Manager and an integral part of bringing history to life at the Doss through education programs. “The Doss opened in 2006. The mission of the Doss Heritage and Culture Center is to collect, preserve, and interpret the history of Parker County through cultural and educational events that raise community awareness and pride in the western heritage. The Pioneer Heritage Festival seeks to highlight the Doss mission. The objective of the Education Department at the Doss is to provide year-round educational and recreational learning opportunities for our community.”

Each October the sight of green foliage turning red to gold, and the sounds of old-time music lure families to the Doss Heritage and Culture Center for a day of family educational fun.

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Walsh comes from a public library setting. “After spending a decade designing and implementing programming in a public library setting, I have come to love being a content specialist. Being able to help children make connections to their history is so valuable. To successfully navigate their future, it is essential that people first understand their past. Cultivating relationships with families, exploring with them, and then watching the “light bulb moment” has been quite rewarding.”

In addition to weekly Preschool Storytime sessions, the Heritage Center offers monthly programming that includes STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) Labs, Hands-On History Homeschool Days, History Alive, and other seasonal activities.

Preschool Storytime includes songs, rhymes, a read-aloud, and a related craft project for preschoolers

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and parents each Tuesday morning. Doss STEAM Labs provide participants with supplies and information to perform a focused experiment and learn from trial and error. Past labs have included ice excavation and slime making.”

Homeschool Days give students and parents a field trip opportunity with hands-on history lessons that include touch-and-feel items as well as take-away materials.

History Alive programs introduce a historical activity or concept, often with a modern twist, for museumgoers to explore.

“Previous seasonal activities have included a Ghost Story Campfire around Halloween, Heritage Christmas with Santa, and Egg Decorating at Easter, among other fun happenings,” Walsh explained. “These programs are offered to the public at no cost thanks to grant funding and support from businesses within the community.”

Pioneer Camp, Native American Camp, and Trail Drivers’ Camp returned to the Doss in 2019. During the summer months, the Doss provides three-day summer camps for a small fee. In coming years, the Education Department hopes to expand programming offerings for all ages.

Traveling Trunk - One great addition that will be implemented this fall is the Doss Traveling Trunk program.

Schools and other educational entities can request themed trunk programs (example: Native American Tribes of Texas) to travel to their location. PCLS

Pioneer Heritage Festival Schedule The 2nd annual Pioneer Heritage Festival, open from 10 am to 5 pm, is free to the public on October 5, 2019, at the Doss Heritage and Culture Center.

10:00 – 12:00

BUTTER MILK JUNCTION Period Costumed Musical Entertainment

11:00 – 11:30

CAROL LIVINGSTON Folk Dancing for Children in the children’s area 12:15 – 1:00 DANICA LEE Native Flute player

1:00 – 1:30

CAROL LIVINGSTON Folk Dancing for Children in the children’s area

1:15 – 2:00

ANDERSON’S GOOD MEDICINE Michael Anderson Musical Storyteller, Songwriter

2:15 – 3:00

UKA LADIES Ukulele Musical Group and Entertainment

3:15 – 5:00

NEVERWERE BROTHERS Festival Bluegrass Music All-day wandering PIONEER KATELYN Fiddle Playing Pioneer Woman

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What’s

Par ke r Up, County?

Calendar of Events

SEPTEMBER

Walk to End Alzheimer’s @ Heritage Park Amphitheater Weatherford 8am

24TH Fall Equinox Sacred Breathwork Circle @ Indra’s Grace Yoga 7pm

Weatherford Christian School Faith Promise Dinner @ Canyon West Golf Club 6:30pm

26TH

29TH

Jeep Night Ft. the North Texas Jeep Club @ Downton Cantina 6pm

Mutton Busting Buckle Series @ Silverado Cowboy Church 5 pm

Fall Food Park Lounge Night @ Weatherford Food Park 6pm

27TH Home School Open Swim @ The Swim Lesson People 10 am

28TH Texas Pythian Home Fundraiser @ Painting with a Twist 11am

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OCTOBER 1ST Weatherford Chamber 99th Annual Awards Banquet @ Dove Ridge Vineyard 6:30 pm

3RD Sending Flores Presents: A Time to Grow @ Trickle Creek 6pm

PARKER COUNTY LIF ESTY LE

5TH Pioneer Heritage Festival @ Doss Heritage Center 10am

8TH Fall Food Park Lounge Night @ Weatherford Food Park 6pm

12TH Murder Mystery Dinner @ Pythian Home 6pm Fall Festival 2019 @ First United Methodist Church of Weatherford 10am Crazy Water Festival Craft & Cork Hudson Oaks 7PM A Night in Venice Masked Ball @ Chandor Gardens 7pm

11th Annual WHS Fall Craft Sale @ Weatherford High School 10am

18TH 2019 Men’s Legacy Conference @ Oak Ridge Church of Christ 8:30am

18TH - 20TH 3-day Intermediate Precision Rifle Class @ Consolidated Training Group

19TH Kickapoo Festival @ Lipan Tabernacle 8am North Side Baptist Church Craft Fair & Bake Sale 9am A Taste for Education @ Jerry Durant Parking Garage

4th Annual Harvest Festival @ Historic Downtown Weatherford 12pm

24TH Fall Food Park Lounge Night @ Weatherford Food Park 6pm Badges, Bags & Bingo @ The Springs Event Venue 5pm Brazos Chamber Orchestra Fall Concert 2019 @ Weatherford College 7:30pm Social Security Optimization Course @ Weatherford College 6:30pm

31ST November 2019 Scrapbook Retreat Weekend @ Covered Bridge Inn

NOVEMBER 1ST Weatherford First Monday Trade Days @ Heritage Park 9 am

2ND 8th Annual Women UNITE now @ North Side Baptist Church 6pm TCA Gift Market @ Trinity Christian Academy 9am

Bearded Beatdown 2019 @ Quanah Hill MTB Trail 9 am

7TH Health Café @ Center of Hope Parker County 10 am

9TH Veteran’s Day Parade @ South Main Street 9 am 3rd Annual Joseph Thomas Foundation Biathlon @ Film Alley 10:30 am

15TH Downtown Night Out @ Weatherford Downtown Historic District 4 pm

19TH Needlework Group @ Weatherford Public Library 6 pm Dementia Support Group @ Dementia in Perspective 5 pm

@ Weatherford Public Library 6 pm

@ Heritage Park 9 am

7TH Cowboy Santa at Christmas on the Track @ Peacock’s Feed & Boutique 11:30 am

13TH Holiday in the Park 2019 @ Heritage Park 6 pm

14TH Christmas at the Castle @ Texas Pythian Home 11 am Wreaths Across America @ Daughters of the American Revolution 11 am

20TH Downtown Night Out @ Weatherford Downtown Historic District 4 pm

21TH Weatherford Mobile Food Pantry @ South Main Church of Christ 9 am

26TH Jeep Night @ Downtown Cantina 6 pm

28TH

17TH Needlework Group @ Weatherford Public Library 6 pm Dementia Support Group @ Dementia in Perspective 5 pm

19TH

Open Mic Night @ R&K Café 7 pm

31TH Hippie New Year @ Harmony Hill Event Venue 6 pm

Book Club

30TH 7th Annual Celebration of Lights @ Weatherford Historic Downtown 5pm

DECEMBER

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more upcoming events!

Parker County LifeStyle Magazine

1ST Weatherford First Monday Trade Days

pclifestyle

Events: 817-694-7040 Museum info: 817-550-6550 Vintageweatherford.com

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HOLIDAY RETAIL GUIDE

Happy Holidays FR O M

SUPPORT OUR ADVERTISERS

BY SHOPPING LOCAL

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HOLIDAY RETAIL GUIDE

T

hat is the tagline at Red Horse Boutique, and the entire staff takes pride in helping every woman find what that means for them. Whether your “everyday” is in an office, classroom, or your living room, they want to help empower you to feel comfortable and confident in your own personal style. That is why they welcome style questions!

They can help you put an outfit together with pieces already in your wardrobe, help you transition to a new wardrobe, or help you in those in between stages like right after having a baby.

With families of their own, owners Cassady Kirk and Laura McIntosh understand the busy mom lifestyle and are happy to accommodate. Call ahead to run in quickly on your way home or order online and have your items shipped to you at your convenience.

If you have been to the new location in The Shops at Willow Park, you’ve probably seen their “Kingdom Business” sign. The way that is modeled at RHB is by giving back.

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HOLIDAY RETAIL GUIDE

One way they do that is through vendors like Bridgewater Candles, who help feed orphans around the world by providing 3 meals for every candle sold, and Roma Boots, who provide rain boots to children in impoverished countries with their buy one/give one campaign. Another way they give back is a little closer to home.

Whether it’s for an athletic booster club or theatre production, you can find the Red Horse Logo on all things Aledo, marking their support for the district.

This year through a partnership with AEF and Fort Worth jewelry maker, Lola + Lina, you can even pick up a pair of earrings in the shape of the signature Aledo “A”, with a portion of the proceeds going to the Aledo Education Foundation.

The store’s atmosphere has been compared to shopping your friends’ closet. With mimosas every Saturday and the regular Ladies Night Out events, you are sure to have an enjoyable time and find your own piece of fashion to love.

Be sure to follow Red Horse Boutique on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on all the in-store happenings as we head into our favorite time of year, shopping season!

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HOLIDAY RETAIL GUIDE

Unique Collection of locally owned Shoppes just off the Square

817.757.7503 | 125 N Elm St. Weatherford, TX

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PA RKER COUNTY LIF ESTY LE

HOLIDAY RETAIL GUIDE

Tuesday – Saturday 10am-6pm 940-226-8701 100 South Oak Ave., Mineral Wells, TX 76067

Over 100 vendors under one roof, providing a one of a kind shopping experience.

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HOLIDAY RETAIL GUIDE

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December 7, 2019 11:30am to 4pm

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Santa Pics $10 to benefit Kowboy Krewe Foundation includes One 4x6 Print

by Tribe Photography & A Free T-Shirt (while supplies last)

Bounce House Peacock’s Train Face Painting & Balloon Art

122 West Water St. H Weatherford, Texas (817) 594-5424 @peacocksfeed

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Compare Shipping Rates Your Package. Your Choice.

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Your Package. Your Choice.

Weatherford Ridge (817) 599-6607 Additional Services Shopping Center

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HOLIDAY RETAIL GUIDE

817-757-7772 f byrdmilltx P byrdmilltx

Shops at Willow Park 333 Shops Blvd., Suite 101

Unique Gifts • Home Decor & Design• Wine Baskets • Shipping

The Weatherford Chamber of Commerce Reminds you

SHOP

LY COLA LHO IS H IDA

ON THE

T

SEASON

Mark your calendar for Christmas On The Square Saturday, December 7th from 10AM - 4PM 48

PA RKER COUNTY LIF ESTY LE

HOLIDAY RETAIL GUIDE

November 2, 2019 9:00am - 5:00pm

Trinity Christian Academy 4954 E. I-20 Service Road South Willow Park

holiday shopping . Candy Cane Concessions . Door prizes . FREe admission

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PLAY THAT

Jazz

by Rick Mauch Photos provided by Duane Durrett

D

uane Durrett remembers the exact moment he fell in love with music.

"I was riding in the car with my mom in the ‘50s, when there was just AM radio, and I heard Ray Charles singing 'What'd I say?'," Duane recalled. Ever since, Duane has made music almost the largest part of his life - almost. His biggest love is his family, but any time they get a chance to hear him play, that's a double bonus.

At age 73, Duane is still going strong. He regularly plays drums every chance he gets with the Duane Durrett Quartet (though sometimes it's a trio if someone can't make it), and he's in 44th year at Weatherford College, now as the Dean of Community Education.

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PA RKER COUNTY LIF ESTY LE

An illustrious career that includes 44 years of education at Weatherford College as the current Dean of Fine Arts, the creation of the WC Jazz Band and its direction for 15 years, and playing drums with some pretty big names in the music industry, Duane Durrett isn’t finished yet!

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Duane, in fact, founded the Weatherford College Jazz Band in his first year at the school, 1975. He was the director through 1990 and the program is still going strong today under the direction of Cal Lewiston.

Among the band's most memorable moments under Duane, they were invited to play in the Montreux Jazz Festival in Switzerland in 1987.

"We were the first community college ever to be invited to Big Band Night," he said.

Duane said when he last checked, the WC Jazz Band had turned out 23 musicians who have been connected in some form to artists who have been part of a Grammy winning creation.

"It may even be more than that now," he said. "Thing is, we have had some extremely talented people come through here - and they are still coming through."

Duane understands talent. After all, when you have an abundance of it, it's not hard to recognize it in others.

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"Duane has really advanced our entire fine arts program," said Brent Baker, WC Vice President of Institutional Advancement. "As an accomplished musician and former jazz band director, he understands the tools our programs need, the importance of recruiting, the connection to the community, and many other aspects of that world. Having him in that role has been a home run for the college."

In his career Duane has played drums for some very big names in the music industry. Among the greatest of those is Stevie Wonder. He played in Wonder’s band for nine months back in both of their younger days.

"That was a great time. Stevie was very creative and open to what you were doing," Duane said, adding with a smile, "I know he's known for his piano playing but he's also a very good drummer, and that was a little threatening at times. But he was always supportive and he was always a lot of fun to play with. I was doing what I loved to do with other very good musicians."

Duane has done what he loves with a lot of great musicians, which makes him great also.

Duane has done what he loves with a lot of great musicians, which makes him great also. They didn't become stars by playing with just anybody. Among the legends with whom Duane has played are Chuck Berry, Ray Price, The Temptations, jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman, jazz pianist Red Garland, and big band great Les Elgart, known largely for "Bandstand Boogie".

Duane has played in large venues and small venues. If he has his druthers, he'd choose the smaller ones every time for the intimacy. "I'd rather play a club, the music is right there.

The people are right there," he said.

Duane first started performing as a teenager, playing with the likes of the late Raymond George and his brother Clyde, also known as Little Eddie and the Rays. Through them he met folks such as the late great David "Fathead" Newman, jazz and R&B saxophonist.

"I met some great people and learned a lot about life," he said. "Some of the places we played in were like barns, but then they'd be packed. I've played in joints on the Jacksboro Highway behind chicken wire."

And not all the things he learned about life were fun.

Last year's Academy Award-winning movie "Greenbook" was spot-on, Duane said. The film was about a famous black pianist who, when he toured the south, was not allowed to stay in hotels or eat in restaurants with white people.

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Duane, a white person, has often played in bands featuring African-American artists.

"That movie was very accurate, and it was a great movie," Duane said. "I could stay in all the hotels, but they couldn't. Of course, I wasn't about to if they couldn't. They were my friends and bandmates. It was brutal."

And though he never faced any physical confrontations, he said, "They never got around to it, but I did face some threats."

Duane came from a musical family. His father played piano by ear, and Duane was always around music. Then one day, his dad brought home a surprise for him that changed Duane's life.

"My dad was a truck driver, and one night he brought home a $50 set of drums," Duane said. "I set them up in my bedroom. I don't know how my parents did it, but they never complained when I played up in my room and I know it was noisy."

Duane's first band was with his friend, Jim Shannon.

Though they were still in high school, they played in honky tonks regularly.

"We played all around Weatherford, beer joints, sneaking out, all through high school," he said. "I was working three or four nights a week. Through Jim, I met Raymond and Clyde. They were playing at such a high level, and I'd sit in when I could. Eventually I became their drummer."

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Music changed my life, and I've seen it change a lot of lives here. Music led me to all the great things in my life.

But Duane said that life is not one for a family man.

When he married his wife Anita and they had daughters Stephanie (Hooks) and Rebecca (Moore), he relaxed his road schedule to be home more.

"I've got a great wife and two wonderful daughters. I've had such a wonderful time with my daughters growing up," he said. "I loved playing, but I also love being home."

And yes, both daughters are good musicians, though neither play professionally. Stephanie plays clarinet and piano, while Rebecca plays oboe and piano. Duane and Anita also have four grandsons, two from each daughter.

Duane does not sing and he has never fancied himself as a songwriter. However, he did pen a song on a CD by pianist Johnny Case that he's proud of.

"I'm more interested in playing, but that song turned out pretty well," he said.

Nowadays, Duane still practices about three hours a day, about half of what he would in his younger days.

He still performs three or four times a month, allowing himself to be more selective.

"I'm okay with that. I'm at a point where it either pays really well or I'm loving who I'm playing with," he said.

And he loves helping young musicians on their career path through his position at Weatherford College. It reminds him of when he was young and eager.

"Music changed my life, and I've seen it change a lot of lives here," he said. "Music led me to all the great things in my life." PCLS

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The Superhero Behind Bat World Sanctuary Saving the World One Bat at a Time

By Martha Helton Photos provided by Bat World Bat Sanctuary

A passionate animal lover and rescuer, Amanda Lollar’s destiny began in 1998 when she found an injured bat on the sidewalk on a hot summer day. Five years later, Bat World Sanctuary was born and now protects over 30,000 bats from extinction.

T

his “batgirl” is not the comic book action figure, but she is an internationally recognized “superhero” who rescues and ensures the safety of bats. A passionate animal lover and rescuer, in 1988, Amanda Lollar’s destiny began when she was walking to the bank in Mineral Wells on a hot summer day. She found an injured bat on the sidewalk, scooped it up with a newspaper and took it back to the furniture store that she and her mother owned where it could die in peace.

“However, I could not stop thinking about the bat that day–how soft it appeared and the intelligence I had seen in its eyes–so I went to our local library and checked out a book on bats,” recalls Amanda. “I decided to take the bat home and try to heal its wing and then set it free, but it turned out that the bat (a female) was permanently injured and would never fly again. I named her Sunshine because she was the opposite of everything I believed about bats. She lived with me for the next year-and-a half, and during

that time she taught me the enchanting language of bats, sparking my indelible love for their remarkable species.”

In 1993, Amanda’s mother passed away. The next year she liquidated their furniture business and converted the building into Bat World Sanctuary. She also bought a deserted building in downtown Mineral Wells in order to protect a wild colony of 30,000 Mexican free-tail bats that were in jeopardy of extermination. The building had served as a habitat for the colony since 1930.

In recent years, increased renovations of deserted buildings in downtown Mineral Wells threatened the bat population. In 2014, Amanda purchased 13 acres of land in Weatherford and built the Bat Castle, a 7,200 square foot building, to rehome the bats. Over the course of three years, the Bat World crew carefully evicted the bat colony from the building, releasing them in the Bat Castle, which is capable of housing 100,000 or more bats. To further entice bats to the castle, bat houses were mounted to the sides of the bat castle.

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Today, Bat World has grown into a world-wide rescue organization, rehabilitating and releasing around 1000 bats each year out of their facility and are credited with helping rescue over 500 more bats worldwide. They also are a sanctuary for nearly 400 bats that are orphaned, injured, or retired or rescued from zoos, research facilities and the exotic pet trade. In 2015, Bat World Sanctuary became the only accredited sanctuary on earth.

In the beginning, however, she found it difficult to raise funds for the non-profit entity because bats are “one of the most misunderstood and disliked animals on the planet,” she explains. “The internet has made it much easier to educate the public on why these animals need to be saved as well as facts about bats that they may not realize, such as the fact that bats rarely contract rabies, they have excellent eyesight, they are not related to mice, they don’t get caught in your hair and they are exceptionally clean animals.”

In addition, most people automatically think of bloodsucking vampire bats when they think of bats.

Amanda explains that there are only three species, out of about 1200, that consume a small amount of the blood of other animals--but not humans, because they are scared of people.

Besides rescuing the bats, Amanda’s passion is to educate people on how important they are to our environment. “Most people don’t realize that

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we are dependent on bats for our own survival on earth. Bats bring us over 400 different commercial products and 80 medicines through seed dispersal and pollination. Insect-eating bats are literal vacuum cleaners of the night sky, saving us billions of dollars annually on pesticide use. Additionally, bats are key players in the rainforest. Up to 98 % of all rain-forest regrowth comes from seeds that have been spread by fruit bats.”

Amanda also shares her extensive knowledge with others internationally, having trained over 400 zoologists, veterinarians, and other animal care professionals from every bat-inhabited continent in the world.

Being a superhero can mean long hours and personal sacrifice. Amanda has worked—without drawing a salary—a minimum of 14 hours per day, seven days per week, 365 days per year as the executive director and lead animal caretaker for over 30 years.

Fortunately, she has a supportive husband who also shares her love for rescuing animals. While she has no children, she says, “All my children have paws or wings.”

Amanda is not alone in her mission. Two of Bat World’s staff who live on-site—as well as a team of volunteers—keep this bat universe humming. Each day at 7:00 a.m., both staff and volunteers come to the kitchen and help prepare an assortment of fruit to

feed the 400 bats in captivity. The bats also consume 80,000 mealworms a month. Full-sized sheets that line the indoor flight area are collected and washed and clean ones put out.

Babies and bats too weak or frightened to feed themselves are handfed with dropperfuls of a special formula (the first nutritionally sound diet for recovering insectivorous bats) created by Amanda, with the help of a PhD nutritional scientist.

Also from Bat World’s kitchen, Amanda wrote “Bats in the Pantry,” a cookbook filled with recipes made from ingredients that bats love. Ingredients include apples and peanuts (which bats protect in the wild by eating insects that destroy the crop), cocoa and mangos (bats help disperse the seeds), and avocados and bananas (bats pollinate these plants).

Even though no tours are allowed (because the bats can easily be stressed), live bat cams are available on Bat World Sanctuary’s website. “People can tune in and look at the bats any time they want,” Amanda says.

“If someone gets insomnia, they can watch the bats at night play with their toys, groom, fly and play with each other. Bats are very animated and intelligent.

They have an intelligence level equivalent to dolphins, so they’re extremely comical.”

Ground-breaking research has been conducted for the benefit of those who work with the bat population.

Amanda discovered the song of the Brazilian free-

tailed bats; they have over 25 different vocalizations they use to communicate. She also published “Captive Care and Medical Reference for the Rehabilitation of Insectivorous Bats” (with Barbara Schmidt-French of Bat Conservation International) and “Diagnostic and Treatment Update for the Rehabilitation of Insectivorous Bats.” “Before the first book, there was nothing--no guidelines for research,” she says.

“Now the books are used globally for treatment of bat diseases and injuries,” Amanda says.

She also has a book that she wrote in 1991 chronicling her relationship with Sunshine called, “There’s a Bat in My Pocket: A Memorable Friendship.”

Her dedication has been recognized. In 2016 Amanda won The Carol Noon Award for Sanctuary Excellence; other nominations and media exposure has brought more attention and credibility to the sanctuary and the plight of bats.

Going to the sanctuary every day to help save those in her Bat World, Amanda says, “makes me feel happy because we strive to make the bats who live here, live in bliss. It’s a happy environment.” PCLS

For more information, log onto www.batworld.org.

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Combined Forces

Father/Son Duo Join Together in Financial Planning Photos by HLanoue Photography

Brent Gough always knew his son would grow up to follow in his footsteps‌.and that day has finally come! Slaten is side by side with his dad, helping clients establish and reach goals, not only in Aledo, but in all of Parker County and around the country!

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Take an hour or so to learn how we work with millions of individual investors.

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investment strategy designed inan order to gain the experience of serving customers,to help knowing that it would help prepare him to establish his you achieve your long-term financial own Edward Jones business.

WorkingWe together has helped better understand goals. tailor ourthem recommendations the ever-changing needs of clients and their families.

Slaten has also helped teach his dad.current His fresh perspective based on you: your situation, has shed new light on the needs of the younger generation objectives risk and their needs forand planning for tolerance. the future. “We learn from each other every day,” Gough said.

Their businesses are very similar, as they both work visit today tomost schedule your toCall betteror understand what matters to clients and prospective clients, and through their process help personal financial review. establish goals and assist their clients in staying on track to reach those goals. “Whether it is helping someone plan for retirement, save for sending a child to college, or helping a business owner plan for selling a business, we can help them.” Slaten added. “When my dad started in this business in 1998, he was an Investment Representative. Today we are Financial Advisors. Our business is no longer just a transactional business, as it was when my dad started, but has evolved into a clientcentric business.”

In addition to helping with existing clients, Slaten is out prospecting every day in order to establish his own clients and build those long-term relationships as his father has. Gough reflects on those friendships, “I have had the pleasure of not only helping my clients with their financial goals, but also developing lasting friendships with so many of them as well. Over the years, my wife and I have been to birthday celebrations, retirement celebrations, weddings, and unfortunately, your financial review. funeralspersonal as well.”

Slaten looks toward the future saying, “I look forward to the day when I, too, can look back at all of the clients I have had the opportunity to serve and share www.edwardjones.com in their lives.”

BMake Your Financial Future a Priority rent Gough knew early on that his son would come back to Aledo and work with him after finishing college. That day has come! Slaten is back in town and has partnered with his dad to help serve his clients and help deliver the ideal client experience that they promise.

Brent has spent the lasttoday 21 years with Jones Call or visit to Edward schedule helping clients in Aledo, Parker County and around the country establish and reach goals through an established process that includes identifying their goals and establishing strategies for not onlyAdvisor their portfolio, Financial but also an ongoing discussion about risk. “We want to . know what matters most to our clients and put ourselves 205 N Broadway in their shoes” Gough said.

Joshua, TXhis76058 “My dad needed help supporting clients and providing them the value they deserve.

He 817-556-3303 wanted someone he could trust,” Slaten said. “From an early age I knew I wanted to be a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones and I wanted to work with my dad. The timing was perfect.”

MKD-8821-A-AD “Who else would I ask to help me?” Brent asked.

“Someone in our family, who I know has the same principles and values that I do, and I knew would do a great job helping our clients. Slaten has been around this business and Edward Jones his entire life, and I am so blessed to have him working with me."

Slaten worked at Dollar Western Wear while attending The Rawls School of Business at Texas Tech University

David L Layman

Member SIPC

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ONE CAMPUS

#WCSUnited

By Courtney McKeown Photos provided by Weatherford Christian School

I

n August of 2001, 59 eager PreKindergarten-5th grade students stepped foot onto the tiny campus of Weatherford Christian School. Eager to learn reading, writing, and math, but even more excited knowing they would get to learn about God and praise Him through Bible class and chapel.

No one could have been more excited than Mr. Jerry Ponder and Mr. Jim Bob Measures. Mr. Ponder felt a calling from God to retire from Lockheed Martin and open a Christian school in Weatherford.

Mr. Measures, a longtime local businessman and entrepreneur who had also recently retired, joined alongside him to bring this vision to reality. With the gifting of a few vacant buildings from the South Main Church of Christ (SMCOC), WCS began to take shape. As the years passed, walls were built, buildings added, and there were even times when students would walk across to SMCOC to have class or walk over to the old bank building owned by SMCOC to use open space for a class.Â

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Through God’s will and many peoples’ vision, students at Weatherford Christian School have come together on one campus for the first time since 2009.

In early 2007, WCS was gifted a section of land in town across from Bill Wright Elementary School, but over time it was realized that this location was not the most optimal location for the school. After selling that land, WCS purchased 80 acres west of town at 2300 Ranger Highway.

The long-term goal was to one day build a school at that location. Soon after purchasing the land, a capital campaign began and plans for the first building were underway.

Shortly after construction began, the economic crisis of 2008 hit and donations for the project came to a halt.

WCS never gave up - Dr. hope and continued on with the help of many family members and friends working together to fulfill the mission. In God’s faithfulness, this project was completed.

In December of 2008, the first set of 6th-12th grade students moved to their new location. The class of 2009 was determined to be not only the first graduating class

but the first class to go to school at the new campus.

Moving forward, WCS continued to grow each year adding a new grade, followed by a section or two at a time. In 2013, several large donations made it possible to finish out the second building’s education space whose outer structure and gymnasium had been sitting vacant for several years.

The completion of this 10,000 square foot space allowed the 3rd-5th grade to join the older students. This space also allowed for relief from overcrowding in the upper grades.

As all this new and exciting growth continued to happen Riley the Pre-Kindergarten through 2nd grade students were still enjoying the sweetness and blessing of the “downtown” campus. As much as this campus was the true beginning of WCS and dearly loved, it was beginning to show its age. The administration began to put together a plan to bring the students together once again.

Thursday, August 15th, was a historic day for our WCS school family. I am blessed to have been a small part of this dream. We are looking forward once again to being United as One.

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In September 2018, temporary classrooms were researched and purchased in order to bring the WCS students back together for the start of the 2019-2020 school year for the first time since 2009.

From that moment the entire WCS school family has worked diligently to make this come to fruition. As in true WCS fashion, the work is done by all members of Weatherford and surrounding communities. Every student had a hand in this process, as well as the majority of the parents and dedicated board of directors.

“What a joy it is to witness our school family working together for a common goal. In many schools, it is highly unusual to see a Board of Directors responding to a work weekend where they lead teams of volunteers to complete difficult tasks, like welding fence and installing play structures, in 100 plus degree heat. That is the purest form of sacrificial giving. We are truly blessed to have a Board, Administrative team, faculty, staff, and families that truly believe that getting your hands dirty is part of the calling and the fun. Staying true to our mission of “raising Christ-centered leaders who will lead lives of Christian leadership and service” starts with having adults willing to live this out as an example to our students, and they do that from the top down,” said Director of Missions & Advancement, Courtney McKeown.

“There is such an excitement present on campus knowing our little guys and girls will be joining us once again. The pure joy, laughter, and energy they bring will be a breath of fresh air. We are eager to reinstate all our leadership programs like, Bible buddies, which were such a blessing to all students, but were logistically impossible with two campuses so far apart. This will be the biggest blessing.” Said secondary principal, Karen Mooney.

Though temporary classrooms have been added WCS is already out of space. With enrollment at an all-time

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high WCS kicked off the “ONE Campaign” last fall to look forward to building permanent classrooms on the second story of the Greg Welch Gymnasium and Education space.

In late fall WCS received a lead gift of $100,000 from the Amon G. Carter Foundation of Fort Worth. This brought a challenge to our families to match the gift and that they did. Within a 6- week span, $100,000 was given

by WCS friends and families. These two gifts were a huge step toward starting the second story education space they so desperately need, and as the spring progressed more donations have come through getting them one step closer to starting the second story of the “ONE Campaign”.

“Our first goal is reaching the $500,000 mark. With some portion of the second story being completed during construction of the lower level, the end goal is only 1.1 million dollars. Due to a donation from an anonymous foundation, a land gift of $500,000 has been promised to WCS and when this donation is received it will go to the completion of the second story. So, for now, our immediate task is closing the $150,000 gap. That will allow us to begin construction on our second story,” said Dr. Beth Riley, Head of School.

What a joy it is to witness our school family working together for a common goal.

“Though this number is large, nothing is too big for our God. He never ceases to amaze us, by gifting more than we could possibly imagine. A perfect example of this was the donation of $150,000 by an anonymous donor who was so pleased to see the plans for a new chapel as a separate building on campus because they believe that all children need to hear about Jesus and this will be a dedicated space just for that. This donation was followed by an anonymous $100,000 donation for the same project. We know as a body of believers that God will provide exactly what we need in His time, and again immeasurably more than we could ever imagine,” said McKeown.

“Thursday, August 15th, was a historic day for our WCS school family. I am blessed to have been a small part of this dream. We are looking forward once again to being United as One.” said Dr. Riley WCS will be holding its annual Faith Promise Dinner, a major fundraising event, on September 28th at Canyon West Golf Club. A portion of the proceeds from the evening will go directly to phase one of the ONE Campaign. For tickets and information, please contact marketing@wcslions.org. PCLS

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Vet Spotlight

An Exam Before Vaccines: Does My Pet Really Need This?

Photos by Lindsey Sullivan Photography

Y

ou get a reminder email, text, or postcard— your dog or cat is due for a vaccine or two.

Time to make an appointment! You arrive for a simple visit with your healthy pet, and then a Licensed Technician or even the doctor begins a full, thorough exam. Your appointment is going to take a bit longer than you anticipated, and you’re now wondering, “If my pet is healthy, is this full examination really necessary?”

A pre-vaccination exam is helpful in three different areas.

Peace of Mind The best case is that the vet or tech confirms your pet’s good health in order to avoid adverse reactions.

We don’t want to give a vaccine if your dog’s or cat's health is too compromised to handle that vaccine, and conditions like a fever, heart murmur, irregular lung sounds, or others will give us something to consider that may be higher priority than a vaccination.

Oftentimes, signs like these are not apparent to the naked eye.

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Veterinarians look at it this way: “A new problem can crop up at any time, and while a pet may seem perfectly healthy to a pet owner, pets are notoriously good at hiding health issues Exams mean peace of mind and early detection! from their families (it’s a hardwired instinct that plays out routinely in companion animals). There isn’t a veterinarian at our hospital who hasn’t at one time or another delayed vaccinating a pet that a pet owner thought was perfectly healthy but in fact wasn’t healthy enough to receive a vaccine.”

Early Detection If we don’t find that your pet is in tip-top shape, at least we’ve worked to uncover any health issues as early as possible. A chance for us to see your pet is a chance for us to check in. Of course, we absolutely believe that Fido or Fluffy has been perfectly happy at home, but we don’t want to bypass the opportunity for an exam. During a checkup, we might catch conditions before your dog or cat shows any signs of illness, which can vastly improve prognosis.

Plainly speaking, the American Veterinary Medical Association says, “Veterinarians recommend regular wellness exams for the same reason your physician and dentist recommend them – if you can detect a problem in its early stages, it's more likely to be treated and resolved with less expense, less difficulty and better success.”

A new problem can crop up at any time, and while a pet may seem perfectly healthy to a pet owner, pets are notoriously good at hiding health issues

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A conversation with you, along with a physical checkup, can be an incredible asset in your pet’s overall healthcare plan.

Even if an uncovered illness does not delay the vaccine schedule, you and your pet will be happier if we can start treatment before an illness becomes severe. And if we happen to find a chronic condition, we can help you and your pet on the road to successful management for a healthier, longer life.

Everyday Life In addition, now is your chance to alert our veterinary team to any lifestyle changes. Have you decided to take up regular camping with your dog? Has your cat transitioned to an indoor-only routine? Changes like these can affect the vaccines, tests, and preventives we could recommend—sometimes we make additional recommendations, and sometimes we scale back. A conversation with you, along with a physical checkup, can be an incredible asset in your pet’s overall healthcare plan.

Use your pet's exam as a chance to talk about lifestyle with your vet.

The familiar saying, “First, do no harm” applies here. Our staff keeps each pet’s health top of mind at all times. We would never want to knowingly put your pet in danger, and a physical exam provides a great deal of information ahead of performing other treatments and services. The bottom line is that it takes a lot of heart to become a veterinary professional, and we want you to know that, above all else, we truly care!

Finally, we do need to look at technicalities. Across the country, State Veterinary Boards and other governing bodies have established guidelines that veterinary clinics must follow. In particular, there are strict requirements surrounding the Rabies vaccine. So in some instances it comes down to the fact that we have to examine your pet; there are situations in which we’re bound by law.

Exams are ways to show how much we care!

Ultimately your pet can’t speak, and a physical exam is the best form of communication our veterinary team has with your beloved furry friend. This chance to check in let’s all of us keep tabs on your pets’ best health. If it’s time for your dog’s or cat's next visit, please be sure to contact us!

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Keeping an Eye on Them

By Allegra Schroeder

How to Watch Our Kids in a Cyber World

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The days of Encyclopedia Brittanica on the bookshelves of our living room are gone, and now our kids have the most up to date information on any topic right at their fingerstips. But how do we KNOW what our kids are looking at? Check out a few apps that will help Mama and Papa keep an eye on Baby Bear’s media.

Raising kids today in an internet savvy world presents challenges parents of bygone eras never had to deal with. The internet has allowed a world of knowledge at our fingertips and limitless learning potential for our children. Gone are the days of the Encyclopedia Brittanica and Webster’s Dictionary on the living room bookshelves, now are the days of the most up to date information on any subject one’s heart desires to research. The flip side of this is that in today’s world, instead of riding bikes all day and visiting one another’s homes, kids today spend quite a lot of time socializing in the cyber world and that leaves the door open for all sorts of dangers previous generations never experienced.

According to Tom’s Guide,(www.tomsguide.com) there are a number of Parental Control Apps that can take some of the fear of the unknown away from parents and offer a measure of control and peace of mind. As parents we will never fully have peace of mind, but some of these apps go a long way towards easing some of the anxiety.

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Net Nanny

Net Nanny pairs with both Android and iOS and can track your child’s location, display their location history and set time allowances. The one thing Net Nanny cannot do is monitor your child’s calls and texts. The cost for Net Nanny is $54.99 per year.

Norton Family Premier

Ideal for Android, iOS and Windows users, and for households with many children. Some of the features include location tracking, time scheduling and web filtering. Although with iOS the app management and text monitoring at all. While Free with the Norton Security Premium Antivirus Software, it will cost other users $49.99 per year.

Kapersky Safe Kids

Allows monitoring on PCs, Macs and Smartphones.

This one cannot monitor calls or texts with the iOS app. It offers location tracking, web monitoring, device scheduling and geofencing. The cost for this one is $14.99.

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Qustudio

Offers software for Macs, PCs, iOS, Androids and Amazon Fire Tablets. Limited location tracking on iOS and Android with no geofencing option. Only manages a few dozen apps on iOS, but all apps on Androids. Powerful web filtering on iOS, but text and call monitoring only works with Androids. Qustudio ranges in price for $39.95-$96.95 per year.

OurPact

After being hobbled by an Apple rule in late 2018 and removed from the app store, Apple eased up on its restrictions and reinstated OurPact in the App store. It can block or manage any app on Android, but not on iOS. It also hs the ability to manage screen time and helps get kids involved in daily scheduling. This one does not monitor texts or calls on either iOS or Androids, though it is great for blocking pornography.

Screentime

Screentime does a great job of scheduling and monitoring of kids’ devices. However, there are upcharges for location filters and web filters. With this app, you can dole out additional screen time for good deeds and chores, but no call or text monitoring.

These are just a few of the parental controls available to help our children navigate life in a cyber world, but the most important parental control applications are personal vigilance and constant communication. Let your child know the rules, stick to them and make common sense decisions.

Communicate with your child and let them know there will be consequences for any infractions to the rules. Explain to them it’s for their safety and out in the cyber world, things are not always as they seem.

That fourteen-year-old girl or boy they think they are talking to may very well be a predator with the worst of intentions.

Parenting your child is obviously your choice, but I thought I would include some of the most dangerous apps for kids as well. Look on your child’s device, check for these following apps and monitor them closely. It’s always a good idea for you to have your child’s passcode.

A few of the apps are: • Twitter • Facebook • ASKfm • Tinder • Tumblr

• • • • • • • •

Snapchat Yik Yak BYF Comvo Social Media Freedom Look 9GAG TikTok

Look up these apps, research them. Remember most apps have a minimum user age and have it for a reason. It is so hard raising kids in the world today and the thought of the what they can be exposed to on these apps is even more terrifying. In my house we have a twelve-year-old with zero social media and we are fine and firm with it.

Don’t let other parents or peer pressure make you think you have to allow these apps in your kids’ lives.

Stand your ground, you know your children better than anyone else and remember, they need protection. I would say I’m sorry for this Mama Bear article, but I’m really not, our children’s safety is paramount and takes priority over anything else, even if we have to be the “bad guys”. PCLS

As parents we will never fully have peace of mind, but some of these apps go a long way towards easing some of the anxiety.

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Galbreaith Pickard Hilltop Chapel & Event Center 4941 I-20 Frontage Road | Willow Park, TX 76087

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H O M E TOWN LI V I N G AT I TS BEST

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Giving Your All in the Season of Thanks

By Lindsay Allen

As you prepare to host, or be a guest, this holiday season, there are several dĂŠcor, etiquette and additional steps to consider as you prepare to gather around the table with your loved ones and give thanks this season.

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Creating a Presence

A beautiful centerpiece at the Thanksgiving dinner table doesn’t have to cost a fortune or take hours to do.

Cut the top off a pumpkin and hollow it out and use it as a vase for a pretty fall floral arrangement! Pumpkins can also be filled with ice and serve as a wine bottle chiller as well.

Another idea is to stagger varying size pumpkins and candles across a beautiful table runner. Leaves, Indian corn and pinecones can also be added to the table to enhance the aesthetics.

Need another easy and quick idea? Fill clear vases with water and fresh cranberries and add a floating candle to the top for a beautiful maroon color at your table. For an added touch, search for free printable downloads that allow you to insert your guest’s names and have the seating area predetermined and every guest placed around the table.

Etiquette coach and event planner, Diane Johnson, reminds hosts and hostesses that they should sit at the

ends of the table. “If there are two hosts (spouses, etc.) they should sit at each end of the table and not together.

The person to the right of the host is considered the "guest of honor", but in family settings that may not be an issue,” she said, adding that if you are a guest but there are no name cards, the host may still have a seat designated for you, so wait for the cue of a host before sitting.

Expanding the Room It’s funny how your home suddenly feels like it shrinks in size once family and friends start pouring in. To help keep the space feeling open, space out the appetizers amongst coffee tables, the kitchen and the dining room. People congregate at the food tables, so spacing out the food stations will help space out your crowd as well.

On the same topic, grouping seating areas will also help traffic flow within your home and prevent one area from being the central location for everyone to gather.

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What and When to Clean Spend your energy cleaning on what will be seen and focus on the other rooms after the guests depart and you have rested from the holiday! As you host your guests, ensure the bathrooms are clean, candle lit and plenty of tissue paper is available.

If your dinner includes children, designate an area for them to have fun in and ensure the host child is aware of the “kid approved” space.

It is also wise to have the dishwasher empty before the day begins so that as you prepare and cook, you can hide all the dirty dishes in the washer!

Don’t Forget Your Manners As for the table setting, silverware is set with the forks on the left and the knife right next to the plate with the blade facing toward the plate, then the spoon(s).

“It's nice to have a salad fork, but it is also okay to have just one fork,” Diane stated, “A bread plate would be set on above the forks and the glasses go above the knife/ spoon. One way to remember is "B-M-W" which is for bread, meal, water looking at the place setting from left to right.”

She went on to acknowledge that there are some foods that we tend to only have at special holidays (i.e. cranberry sauce), but it is polite to sample the food none the less. “When you are passing food, be sure to pass it counterclockwise and make it go all the way around the table. This ensures everyone has had a chance to take it.

Also try and serve the items in order. For instance, don't send the gravy before the mashed potatoes. You may also want to have a separate plate for the salads, too, especially if you have sweet salads or salads that don't mesh well with the gravy,” she pointed out.

And if you or your children are really interested in making a splash with table manners this year, be sure and attend one of Diane’s etiquette classes, both for adults and children by visiting detailsbydesign.net.

The Small Things After working all week to prepare and decorate your home for company, the last thing you need is for your guest’s personal items to clutter the space. Designate an area for purses and coats to keep the seating area open and free. Don’t forget to hit play on some background music.

As for scented candles, Diane warns against them.

“You would hate for your guest to try to enjoy a delicious meal with vanilla and lavender wafting under their nose, it just isn’t a good combination,” she stated.

Additionally, with the oven on and guests flowing in, your home is sure to be warmer, which is why it is a good idea to turn the air down prior to everyone’s arrival.

Conversation Pieces

The table setting isn’t always the center of attention. By downloading and printing (or making your own) a variety of conversation questions to set at each plate, the attention will quickly turn to your guests!

The fun and memories begin when each person around the table has had the opportunity to answer the question on their plate.

Examples Conversation Questions: What was the best Christmas gift you ever received or gave?

What is your dream vacation?

What is your favorite childhood memory?

Do you have any habits you wish you could erase?

If you had an extra $100 to spend on yourself each week, how would you spend it?

If you could sit down with your 15-year-old self, what would you tell him or her?

Napkins A cloth napkin can add a whole new level to your table setting. A cloth napkin also gives you the opportunity to have some fun and add some decor to your table. By watching videos online, you can quickly train yourself into turning napkins into themed shapes- a Christmas tree, fall leaves, turkeys, poinsettias and more! If you have children who enjoy being creative, the learning and executing of napkin folding for holiday dinners quickly becomes a bonding experience too!

For the Young…and the Young at Heart

Hosting a large group during the holidays usually means food is the center of attention, but the experience of the family gathering can be heightened with a few fun games.

Fill a jar or clear vase with Indian corn or candy corn and ask guests to take a guess at how many there are. At another point pass a bag of M&Ms or skittles around to play the gratitude game. As each person takes turns grabbing one piece of candy from the bag, have them respond with what they are grateful for based on the color of the candy (yellow- a person, blue- a thing, green-an event, red- something about yourself, orange-a place).

While appetizers are exciting for the adults, kids need more than platters of food to keep them occupied as everyone awaits the beautiful turkey to emerge from the oven. A simple online search will result in free printable downloads for placemats, complete with holiday themed cross words, coloring and word searches. Another internet search can quickly lead you to holiday themed charades and mad lib games- sure to keep all ages entertained.

At the end of the day, it’s about giving thanks and not about being perfect. If the rolls burn or the wine spills it won’t be anything but a memory to look back on! Enjoy the day with family and don’t forget to take advantage of the opportunity of having everyone gathered for a family photo (which can be printed and given to Grandma at Christmas next month). PCLS

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Photos: ©Jami Scull Photography 2018

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How to Be a Victor this Holiday Season

By Lindsay Allen

F

rom shopping to cooking to prepping to giving, this season is full of opportunities!

With all the hustle and bustle you can still come out on top and enjoy the true meaning of the season.

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Making a List and Checking it Twice

Thanksgiving is the start of many family and friend gatherings this season. Take advantage of the opportunity of having everyone together and provide preprinted wish lists that everyone can fill in after the pumpkin pie has been finished.

With everyone writing down their gift desires and/or providing their wish lists already saved at their favorite stores (i.e. Amazon, Walmart, etc.), the guess work is taken out of shopping and your list is already made!

The next trick is to remember to actually pack these lists with you when you head out the next morning. Try setting an alarm on your phone to remind you to pack them the next morning or take pictures of each person’s list as they turn it in to you so that you can reference it from your phone as you hit store after store.

Scan the list as your loved one hands it back to you and ensure that if the item can come in different sizes, styles, colors or models, you know exactly what it is they are hoping to find under the tree.

Four Gift Rule

As you shop for your loved ones consider the “Four Gift Rule”—something they want, something they need, something they wear and something they need. These four simple questions can be asked of anyone on your list and help narrow down your shopping efforts.

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Black Friday, Oh My

You wouldn’t go on a road trip without a map and you certainly should not attempt a Black Friday outing without a plan. If you are brave enough to face the crowds on Friday, you should be kind enough to yourself to review the sales ahead of time and develop a game plan.

Stores like to advertise in advanced their specials, which gives you, Black Friday Victor, time to plan! Money saving/coupon sites will release comparison sheets that allow you to see the best deal and location of that must have electronic or item. But don’t forget to take advantage of price matching as you are out shopping, which can save you multiple trips, i.e. TIME in this busy season!

A plus one is always a good idea on Black Friday, this way you can utilize your friend and shopping partner when items you want are limited to “one per person.”

Part of your research should also involve narrowing down which stores have a reputation of providing the best sales on the items you are buying this season. Best Buy is known for electronics sales, CVS and Walgreens offer the best stocking stuffer prices, Target and Amazon know how to discount toys and so on. The bottom line is that no successful shopper heads out in the wee early hours on Friday without a plan in place. PCLS

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Index

OF ADVERTISERS

1st Revelation Tattoo....................................................................... 71

Olive Jane Photography...............................................................70

AIM Mail Center............................................................................... 47

Optimum Healthcare........................................................................5

AK Custom Homes.......................................................................... 18

Parker County LifeStyle ................................................................ 41

BellStone Masonry Supply..............................................................3

Peacock’s Feed & Supply.............................................................46

Byrd Mill..............................................................................................48

PlainsCapital Bank.......................................................................... 88

Champion Fabrication..................................................................... 9

Platinum Group—Jake Link.........................................................89

Clear Fork Assisted Living........................................................... 82

Psychotherapy & Associates....................................................... 77

Comfort Kitchen To Go.................................................................89

RedFin Pools........................................................................................2

East Parker County Chamber of Commerce........................ 56

Red Horse Boutique.......................................................................42

Edward Jones—Brent Gough..................................................... 83

Rio Mambo......................................................................................... 31

Eric Priddy Photography.............................................................. 83

Riverstone Veterinary Hospital.................................................. 72

Ernie’s Tire & Automotive.............................Inside Back Cover

Texas Health Willow Park............................................................. 23

Facial Cosmetic and Surgical Center......................................94

Thad Brown Photography............................................................ 77

First National Bank....................................................... Back Cover

The Junktion.....................................................................................44

Galbreaith Pickard Funeral Home............................................. 82

The Market at 76067......................................................................45

Gilbert Pecan.................................................................................... 47

The Play Space.................................................................................49

Goodwin Dental................................................................................ 19

The Popcorn Corner....................................................................... 47

Grote Veterinary Clinic.................................................................. 72

The Resurge Clinic.......................................................................... 76

Hutton Financial............................................................................... 31

The Schoolhouse............................................................................. 22

Jake Link.............................................................................................89

Trinity Bible Church...........................................................................7

Jami Scull Photography................................................................ 88

Trinity Christian Academy...........................................................49

Kirkpatrick Realty...............................................................................1

Vintage Car Museum & Event Center..................................... 40

Lindsey Sullivan Photography.................................................... 57

Weatherford Chamber of Commerce.....................................48

M&B Water Treatment...................................................................89

Weatherford Christian School....................................................30

MK Custom Homes......................................................................... 76

Weatherford OB/Gyn....................................................................89

National Cutting Horse Association........Inside Front Cover

White’s Funeral Home.................................................................... 71

October Hill Farm........................................................................... 88

Willow Park Baptist Church........................................................96

PLEASE THANK THESE ADVERTISERS FOR MAKING THIS PUBLICATION POSSIBLE! H O M E TOW N LI V I N G AT I T S BEST

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