Bell County Living - Summer 2017

SUMMER 2017

Living

Summer Safety with Seton Medical Center In Texas we take our summer fun pretty seriously. Keep activities fun and healthy by approaching them with safety in mind.

Best Kept Secrets: Vol. 3 For over forty years the Mikeska family has offered all-you-can-eat smoked barbeque plus good old-fashioned fixins in a unique Texas setting that never disappoints.

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Contents

12 Home & Garden

Health & Wellness

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Green Fields Farm Healing the Land, Body and Spirit After 100 years of farming history and a deep passion for the calling placed on their lives as stewards of the land, the Cobb family searched for a new approach to produce nutrient dense food. In 2013 they created Green Fields Farm, using the practices of Regenerative Agriculture, a global movement guided by a set of principles and practices that make the soil healthier, year after year.

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Travis Moore, co-owner of John’s Gym, explains the benefits of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, the every person’s sport.

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Fine Art – Decorating the Heart and the Home Ronnie and Patricia Wells of Wells Gallery sit down to discuss the passion behind their 22 years of success in the art industry.

John’s Gym and the Phenomena of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

Special Olympics Texas Special Olympics Texas shines a spotlight on local athletes and their abilities rather than their disabilities.

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The Last Dipping Vat in Texas

Yogurt Parfaits and Chili Lime Fruit

The dipping vat in Salado is the only known vat left in Texas, a symbol that endures the changing times and reminds us of the persistence of

Cups, delicious and nutritious.

the Texas cowboy.

Summer Safety with Seton Medical Center

seriously.

Putting a Twist on Health Food Newly opened Eden Cultures Café creates healthy entrées with a side of good vibes.

4 Bell County Living

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In the Kitchen with Dietician Carey Stites

Injuries during the summer tend to be related to more outdoor activities. After all, this is Texas, and we take our summer fun pretty

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Faith & Community

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Bringing Home a New Pet Injuries during the summer tend to be related to more outdoor activities. After all, this is Texas, and we take our summer fun pretty seriously. From kids’ sporting events to horseback riding to swimming the lakes and pools: these activities are fun and healthy, but can be risky if not approached safely.

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Hometown Living At Its Best

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Contents Education

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About the Cover The cover photo is the essence of Summertime in Bell County. To learn about a few family friendly events happening around town, turn to

Celebrating 120 Years of Faith, Education, and Fun: St. Mary’s Catholic School St. Mary’s Catholic School celebrates its 120th year of teaching and growing the hearts and minds of the youth of Temple, Texas.

page 126.

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Trends come and go, here are the top 6 trends to consider for your upcoming nuptials.

Travel &Outdoor

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Community Spotlight: Teachers Sara Burt & Maria Reed The motto of Central Texas Christian School in Temple states: “At Central Texas Christian School we believe education is a lifelong journey and every person has a vital role to play. By ‘teaching truth that transforms’ CTCS provides ‘Quality Education for Life’.

disappoints.

114

things usually are.

128 Hometown Happenings

6 Bell County Living

20 St. Mary’s

Catholic School

21 St. Joseph’s Catholic School

Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program Officer Tammy Jo McCleney and the Belton Police Department want every last child in Bell County to remain safe when it comes to firearms, so they’re starting a new program to promote gun safety for

Love Through the Ages: Married With Kids Lindsey and Billy Bridges always knew they wanted a home full of children.

Today they have six kids, though the journey to the present was full and often unexpected. The best

Bell County’s Best Kept Secrets Volume 3: Cyclone Corral BBQ — A Long History of Deliciousness For over forty years the Mikeska family has offered all-you-can-eat smoked barbeque, plus, good oldfashioned fixins in a unique Texas setting that never

Wedding

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6 Wedding Trends Worth Watching

young children.

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The Great Outdoors: Experiences on Nolan Creek The completed Nolan Creek Project near downtown Belton provides ideal summer activities for Bell County residents and visitors.

72 Central Texas

Christian School

From the Publisher

PUBLISHER

Red Fin Publishing

Justin & Hayley Six Kyle & Halsey Clark

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Justin Six

CREATIVE | DESIGN

enVision Creative Services

CONTENT DIRECTOR Hayley Six Hayley.RedFin@gmail.com CONTENT COORDINATOR Noel Betush

Noel.RedFin@gmail.com

F

inally, our short, but sweet season of fair weather living is over. Our community never feels more alive than now. Mimicking nature, we flourish, saturate in color, and follow the sun. We hustle and bustle to and fro baseball games, take in movies in the park or dinner on the patio.

We get outside and dig in the dirt, fish on our waters, and chalk the sidewalk.

There is no other season that makes us fall more in love with Bell County than summer!

We hope you are enjoying Bell County in the summertime and we are excited to release a new issue that will make you sit back, kick up your heels, and turn the pages. For our outdoor enthusiasts, you won’t want to miss reading about the Nolan Creek Project and all that this new area has to offer. Your summer days will be well spent picnicking, hiking, or tubing on the Nolan Creek. We also tell the story of Green Fields Farm, a family owned business that is using the practices of Regenerative Agriculture, a global movement guided by a set of principles and practices that make the soil healthier, year after year. What they are doing in the Bell County area for agriculture is groundbreaking. Finally, learn about this issue’s “Best Kept Secret”, Cyclone BBQ, and what keeps people coming back for more.

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

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

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

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

Until the next edition, wishing you many blessings-

Ju st in and Hayley Six Kyle and Hal sey Clark Justin.RedFin@gmail.com (817) 301-3828

Kyle.RedFin@gmail.com (817) 304-1044

“Mightier than the waves of the sea, is His love for you.” Psalms 93:4

SOCIAL MEDIA CHAIR Halsey Clark

Bell County Living Magazine Red Fin Publishing

www.BellCountyLiving.com 8 Bell County Living

PROOF READER

Hayley Six

PHOTOGRAPHERS Amy Bickel Photography

Ashton Steele Photography

Becky Stinehour of Candid Images Photography

Emily B Photography

Jenny Lloyd Photography Kay’s Photography & Design

Ortiz Photography Yvonne Overstreet Photography

COVER PHOTO Jenny Lloyd Photography

SALES

Jackie Hanke Justin Six Kyle Clark

CONTRIBUTING Carey Stites WRITERS Cassidy Horn Connie Lewis Leonard

Dr. Kuczek Jessa McClure

Leah Edwards

Peggy Purser Freeman Sally Grace Holtgrieve T.C. McKeown

CONTRIBUTORS Carey Stites, Dietitian with Wellstone Health Partners Central Texas Christian School Dr. Kuczek with Aztec Pet Hospital St. Joseph’s Catholic School St. Mary’s Catholic School

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

www..redfinpublishing.com P.O. Box 1239 | Weatherford, TX 76086 (817) 301-3828 All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written authorization from the publisher.

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

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

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12 Bell County Living

Green Fields Farm

Healing the Land, Body and Spirit

By Martha Helton Photos by Amy Bickel Photography

A

fter over 100 years of farming the Blackland Prairie near Rogers, Texas, the Cobb family faced a sobering decision‌whether or not they could continue operating the family farm.

Rising input costs, health concerns

and a disconnect between their faith and farming methodology all pointed to the need for change. Thankfully, hope blossomed when they learned about Regenerative Agriculture, a farming method that produces nutrient-rich food in a way that they

Hometown Living At Its Best

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feel honors God and heals the land, body and spirit.

Green Fields Farm is owned by Jonathan & Kaylyn Cobb and John & Jennifer Brasher. Jonathan and Jennifer are siblings and grew up on the family farm. Their parents, Leonard and Inez Cobb, are an integral part of the mission as well. The family stewards 450-acres that include Leonard and Inez’s land that has been in the family for four generations (their great-grandfather first farmed the land as a sharecropper). They farm it along with their own land and their neighbors’ land, Andy and Pam Gulick.

When Leonard was a child, the farm was an integrated system of grain crop rotations and multispecies animals. As time went on, farmers were sold on the promises of industrial agriculture. The farm became like many other farms, using large equipment and many inputs to harvest monocultures of corn, cotton, wheat and sorghum. Jennifer and Jonathan grew up and moved off the farm, obtained degrees, and worked other jobs. They moved back to the farm out of their desire to continue the family farm, but after five years, they realized something was very wrong and needed to change. The

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BELL County Living

industrial method of farming wasn’t yielding nutrientdense produce, like they once believed and they weren’t managing the land like they believe God intended.

Undergirding their personal health concerns, faith in God was their main foundation for change. “Becoming more aware that our belief as Christians--that God created this earth and made a covenant with creation--means we should steward it and promote abundant life,” said Kaylyn. “We can partner with Him in the regeneration of His creation. Much of this awareness came from listening to a podcast called ‘Can Faith be Green?’ by Dr. Timothy Keller.”

Shortly after hearing that podcast, Jonathan and Leonard attended a presentation from NRCS soil specialists Ray Archuleta and Willie Durham. “We felt hope for the first time…that we could farm this land in line with our passion and beliefs. Our paradigm shifted dramatically. We began going down the path of regenerative agriculture in late 2011,” shared Jonathan.

They officially formed Green Fields Farm in 2013 as both couples grew a passion for the land and nutrient-dense food. In 2015, they decided to focus primarily on animal-

based, regenerative farming.

For those not privy to the term, Regenerative Agriculture is a global movement and is guided by a set of principles and practices that make the soil healthier, year after year. Soil health is the key to healthy forages, healthy animals, and healthy people. Farmers implement practices that promote life in the soil and build carbon.

They plant diverse species of plants, minimally disturbing the soil. They follow the principle that “the needs of the present must be met without compromising the needs of the future.”

The family now raises a diverse mix of animals— pasture-raised pork and eggs and grass-finished lamb and beef. The pigs and chickens are supplemented with a non-GMO, soy-free feed to give them the variety their diets require as omnivores. As ruminants, the cattle and sheep are not supplemented with grains or other fillers and are completely raised and finished on grass. No added

hormones or antibiotics are used. They move the animals frequently and don’t overgraze so they leave the ground covered; the goal is to have living roots all year long.

Eating the bounty of their labor cleared up many of the family’s health problems. “We saw improvement in things we just took for granted as ‘part of life’ or ‘getting older,’ such as seasonal allergies, fatigue, headaches and general achiness,” said Kaylyn. “We began focusing on our whole health and our gut health, one component of which is consuming foods that are clean and nutrientdense. This has led to decreased symptoms from autoimmune disorders, digestive issues or IBS. We no longer have migraines and have experienced weight loss and increased energy.”

These results also buoyed their conviction to share healthy food with their community, resulting in financial blessings as well. They serve customers all around Central Texas from Austin to Waco, and some Houstonians even Hometown Living At Its Best

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BELL County Living

make the trek to Green Fields Farm.

Growing their own food has had other benefits. “It has given us a greater appreciation for the animals and the work that is required to sustain our own lives,” said John.”There is a fundamental health in spirit and mind that is hard to explain until you’ve either raised your own food or connected with the farm or other farmers,” continued Kaylyn.

“Regenerative agriculture is really more of a journey than a process,” explained Jennifer. “We don’t know the limit for the potential improvement in our soil. There are people that have been using regenerative farming practices for much longer than us--all around the world-that haven’t reached plateaus yet.”

Kaylyn continued painting a beautiful, almost poetic, picture of their journey: “Regenerative agriculture and holistic management require observation and responding thoughtfully to what you observe. We try to mimic nature as much as possible. God has a beautiful creation that works quite well when we don’t try to manipulate it too much. So we steward. We help it along. We observe.

We slow down, walk the fields and pastures, listen,

“Becoming more aware that our belief as Christians--that God created this earth and made a covenant with creation--means we should steward it and promote abundant life.”

- Kaylyn Cobb

smell, watch... then we make a decision. Once we make a decision and put it into practice we do the same thing all over again. Observe. And adjust as needed. We can’t be afraid to be ‘wrong.’ We learn from our decision and how the whole system reacts, and we adjust... and observe some more.”

The farmers have been fortunate to have great mentors and friends that they’ve met through conferences like The Grass-fed Exchange and through Holistic Management International. Also, the Stockman Grass Farmer is a valuable resource, said Kaylyn. The couples have also hosted several larger events on their farm for other farmer/ranchers and “eaters.” In addition, they do farm tours and field trips. “And informally, we answer lots of questions, emails and get to return the knowledge we’ve been blessed to receive from so many others who have responded to our own endless questions!” said Kaylyn.

For the family, the farm is more than just providing nutritious food for themselves and their community. As their website states: “The calling of bringing food to your table is more than just a business, it is also a personal ministry and responsibility that we do not take lightly!”

For more information, log onto www.gfftexas.com.

Hometown Living At Its Best

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JUNE 1 - AUGUST 12, From Swords to Plowshares: Metal Trench Art from World War I, exhibit includes examples of trench art from World War I. AUGUST 26-OCTOBER 28, Bell County and WWI OCTOBER 21-NOVEMBER 30, Work, Fight, Give: Relief SEPTEMBER 2-NOVEMBER 11, Posters from WWII Quilts of Valor Tours of the Gault Archaeological Site in JUNE, JULY & AUGUST call the museum to sign up.

DON’T FORGET ON THE THIRD SATURDAY OF THE MONTH join us for Discovery Day at Charley Chisholm’s Corral, a fun, craft filled day of activities for children, from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm, free of charge.

Become a Friend of the Museum today!

Enjoy gift shop discounts, Friend’s only events/openings, museum newsletter, and more! Call or come by for more information!

www.bellcountymuseum.org 201 N. Main Street Belton TX 76513 | 254-933-5243 Hometown Living At Its Best

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Hometown Happenings w w w.BellCount yLiving.com

ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL St. Joseph Catholic School was proud to present Disney’s The Lion King Kids this spring. Over 300 people joined the students to witness their production over a seven-show run. The cast was comprised of 28 students ranging from Kindergarten to 6th grade. Multiple teachers and parents volunteered to make this show a success. The students learned so much during this process and are excited to begin work on their next show as we move forward to making this a spring tradition.

During opening weekend, St. Joseph Catholic School hosted its first Scholarship Golf Tournament. The school was hosted by Stonetree Golf Course in Killeen and had 18 teams come out for a wonderful event. A large thank you is due to all of our sponsors, but especially SouthStar Bank and Martinka Construction. And congratulations to Father David Berger and his team, from St. Michael’s Catholic Church and School in Cuero, TX on winning the tournament.

We hope to see even more teams out next spring! ​

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ST. JOSEPH’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL

20 Bell County Living

Hometown Happenings

w w w.BellCount yLiving.com

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ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL St. Mary’s Catholic School finished out the school year Kate Boone bowling at Spare Time.

Math Teacher, Ms. Reed, and Technology Teacher, Ms. Hassell show their enthusiasm as they cross the finish line.

providing excellence in education through creative learning, hands on experience, and dedicated and hardworking staff.

Here are some of the wonderful things that recently took place.​

PHOTOS PROVIDED BY ST. MARY’S CATHOLIC SCHOOL S​ MCS 4th and 5th graders smiled for a picture while enjoying their last full day of school.

Mrs. Guleria and Josie Ogunmuyiwa walk at our annual event Walking for Education.

Joseph Jolly finishes strong in the 1K

Victoria Lucksinger and Barrett Burdine at Spare Time.

SMCS children get started in the 1K

SMCS 8th grade Graduates

Rocio Avila, Julianna Jolly, and Coach Bigon are looking good as they approach the finish.

SMCS graduates Abby Rockwood and Jencie Tomasek walk at our annual event Walking for Education.

Hometown Living At Its Best

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Fine Art Decorating the Heart & the Home

Ronnie and Patricia Wells of Wells Gallery sit down to discuss the passion behind their 22 years of success in the art industry.

By Peggy Purser Freeman Photos by Becky Stinehour of Candid Images Photography

R

onnie Wells’ love for nature began as a boy wandering rural Louisiana. Then he found an expression of that love in art. When the two interests swirled into a magical mix of talent and passion, Ronnie’s future came into focus—a future in fine art.

Art that is enjoyed and is proudly passed along to other generations, is fine art; it is eternal. This art of the heart is also the art that can change a space into a statement. Some of the most enjoyable and productive spaces are inspired by nature. Few artists do nature like Ronnie Wells.

24 Bell County Living

Hometown Living At Its Best

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“As a kid my family allowed me to roam the countryside of our homestead, developing a love and appreciation of nature and wildlife. I soon realized I had the ability to sketch and draw the environment.” With that, in his formative years, Wells Gallery in Salado became a seed planted in the fertile dreams of a boy.

On his way to life as an award-winning artist, Wells graduated from Louisiana Tech University in 1968 with a Fine Arts Degree. Then he and his wife/ business partner, Patricia, moved to Houston where he created medical illustrations for four years at MD Anderson Hospital. However, in 1972 he resigned and began his life’s passion—wildlife art —as a painter and sculptor.

They have owned the Wells Gallery in Salado for the past 22 years. Internationally recognized for his sculptures, Ronnie Wells captures movement and emotion in metal, and paints the heart of nature in both oil and watercolor.

He explains his stumble into sculpture like this: “While working as a medical illustrator, I began showing my watercolor paintings with a gallery in Houston and teaching a watercolor workshop on weekends. A sculptor

26 Bell County Living

who attended one of my classes asked if I had ever done any sculpting, to which I replied, ‘no, but I always wanted to try it.’ The next day the man brought me a block of wax.

I later began to work with it and realized I had an eye for the three-dimensional and was probably a better sculptor than a painter. I soon became known as a painter who sculpts more than paints.”

Talent and dedication define Wells. However, the success of Wells Gallery also lies in his connection with the world around him—nature, relaxation, and home. His art seems to be created for a place, painted to find their future in your favorite space or the perfect place in your collection.

“Art is such a personal thing,” Ronnie said. “The artist, first and foremost, has to paint and sculpt what they are truly interested in and the subject has to be one the artist has studied and studied intimately.”

The large bronze sculptures at Wells Gallery have become an icon of prestige with a soul, perfect for making a statement in any home and yard. Choosing fine art to decorate the business, home, or garden makes sense when you apply Ronnie’s guidelines to creating art. Interest and intimate knowledge are great ways to choose art. The collector feels the connection between the work created and the one who created it and, hopefully, will translate to the collector who ultimately owns the piece.

Many top decorators express the same tips. Know the art piece, choose it for what the artist had to say in the art. Choose the art and decorate around a quality piece you truly love. A great piece of art will feel at home in any decor.

“I’m just the creator of the art, but ultimately it will live forever in someone else’s home,” Ronnie explains.

“Art can be an investment, but I would encourage the collector to go with one’s heart and seek an emotional bond with each and every piece of art in their collection.

Art will become like a member of the family that won’t leave home after graduation.” With two children and four grandchildren, Ronnie and Patricia laugh as they speak from experience on this subject.

“My wife Patricia and I are usually in the gallery. We both will happily assist anyone interested in purchasing art, be it large or small. We work with the collector and the designer.”

Owning a gallery for so many years speaks volumes about the talents of both artist and wife. Patricia shared their secrets to success. “We have operated a gallery for over 40 years and the one thing we have learned is the art business changes daily. In order to be successful, you must keep reinventing yourself along with the changing art market.”

Ronnie added, “It has never been easy and the struggle will continue, but the privilege of doing something you truly love is a blessing.”

Wells’ art has received numerous awards and his work has been exhibited in museums and fine art shows across the nation. Mr. Wells’ monumental sculptures have been prominently installed from California to New York.

Ronnie has remained active in church and community service all his adult life. He served on the Board of the Tarkington School District in Cleveland, Texas, the Central Texas Area Museum Board in Salado, Texas, and

Hometown Living At Its Best

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BELL County Living

“When I get up every morning, I look forward to going to the studio and doing something that would be my hobby if it wasn’t my profession.”

- Ronnie Wells of Wells Gallery

as a Trustee and Vice President for the Robertson ColonySalado College Foundation.

Not only a sculptor and artist, Wells is also a gifted writer. His articles have appeared in both magazines and newspapers. As a published children’s book author, Ronnie finds time to continue his stories. The Legend of Catfish and Little Bream will soon be on its fourth printing. In the spring of 2018, a book for all ages, Calvin and the Great Tensas River Bottom, will be released.

“When I get up every morning, I look forward to going to the studio and doing something that would be my hobby if it wasn’t my profession. As the old adage says, find something you truly love to do and figure out a way to make a living doing it.”

Visit Salado’s Wells Gallery. Celebrate art, nature, and the stories of Ronnie Wells. The gallery opens daily Monday through Saturday, 10:30 to 5:00, and Sunday, 1:00 to 5:00. Visit their website, www.RonnieWells.com and find the list of major art shows. Drop by a show and say hello or visit the gallery at 302 N. Main Street, Salado, Texas.

“You can also arrange an appointment by calling 254-497-0311,” Patricia Wells invites. “There’s always new paintings and sculptures being created.”

Hometown Living At Its Best

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JOHN’S GYM AND THE PHENOMENA OF BRAZILIAN JIU-JITSU

By T.C. McKeown Photos by Ortiz Photography

F

or some, there’s Yoga or Pilates or the treadmill or even the exercise ball; yet others prefer to exercise by putting other people into choke-holds and jointlocks. Such is the case with the men, women, boys, and girls at John’s Gym in downtown Temple.

“If you were to tell me 10 years ago that I was going to open up a gym, that would have blown my mind,” Travis Moore, co-owner of John’s Gym said, “10 years ago I had barely started training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu.”

Hometown Living At Its Best

33

For the uninitiated, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is a form or Japanese Jiu-Jitsu, which is a form of martial arts focused on close-combat fighting with lots of throws, take-downs, and joint-locks—where the two diverge is that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu takes the fight to the ground.

Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu originated in Brazil, of course, in the early 1900s when a circus owner’s son saw a performance by a famous Japanese Judo fighter named Mitsuyo Maeda. Maeda eventually went on to train the circus owner’s son, Carlos Gracie, who in turn, trained his brothers. One of Carlos’ brothers, Hélio, modified Jiu-Jitsu to his size and weight-class by employing maneuvers to get his opponent on the ground and grappling with them until they submitted.

However, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu really rose to the forefront of today’s culture when Royce Grace (son of Hélio Gracie) won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship in 1993, then won it again the next year, and again two years after

34

BELL County Living

that. Like his father before him, Royce took on opponents, often times much bigger than himself, by employing and popularizing ground-grappling fighting techniques that Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is known for today.

“So many people ask, ‘am I too old to do this?’ or ‘am I this or that’—but Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is designed so that anyone can do it as long as you’re dedicated,” Travis Moore said. “It seems to be for almost every one. The only thing you can’t have is a negative attitude and a closed mind.”

Unlike Carlos or Hélio Gracie, Travis didn’t immediately love his first experience with martial arts.

When Travis was in college, a professor suggested he try out a mixed-martial arts (MMA) gym. “The first time I tried it, I really didn’t like it, to be honest. All the guys were interested in was beating up on you—and not really learning anything,” Travis said. “You either learned stuff by getting beat up, or if you didn’t like it you quit.”

“IT SEEMS TO BE FOR ALMOST EVERY ONE. THE ONLY THING YOU CAN’T HAVE IS A NEGATIVE ATTITUDE AND A CLOSED MIND.”

who were out, and he eventually started teaching full-time at a gym called John’s Gym in Round Rock.

Soon, however, Travis foresaw the drive and the distance (from Killeen) being an issue; his wife, Martha, was pregnant and soon the couple would have their first child. “I told [John] once the baby comes, I don’t think I can make this drive anymore,” Travis said. “John asked me, ‘well, what do you think about opening up a gym in Temple?’ So, he financed everything, he took a chance on me and here we are.”

Travis admits he loves what he does. He gets to play and coach a sport he’s passionate about. And while BJJ may not have originated as a sport, it certainly has become one today.

“It’s a workout. The first few months will be very difficult. You’ll sweat a lot. You probably won’t win any of the sparring matches, but the more you do it the more you realize ‘ah, ok, this is what I got to do,’—it’s a mental chess match, that’s what they call it,” Travis said. “It’s totally a mental and physical chess match.”

Not only is BJJ a great way to stay in shape and stay sharp, it’s important to remember the original purpose of the art-form: to protect oneself. “Recently, a navy seal came out and said something to the effect of ‘besides

But then someone suggested he try another gym, one that was more focused on Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. He loved it. Three weeks into taking classes, Travis was already competing in events. Soon, he was travelling all over Texas to ‘grapple’ in matches. “Grappling is basically anything you do that involves wrestling without punching,” Travis said. “Sometimes in grappling matches, you’ll have two different martial-arts go at it, you can have one guy on the ground doing judo and another guy doing jiu-jitsu; so, just to keep the lingo simple, we say ‘grapple’.”

In November, Travis was invited to participate in UFC Fight Pass, a streaming service akin to Netflix that brings audiences nothing but mixed-martial arts fights, promotional videos, and extras.

Early in April, Travis won a match in Austin. Before that he was featured on another streaming MMA streaming service called Flo-Grappling. Travis has even put a guy to sleep, so he tells me.

Through competing and practicing, Travis eventually became a go-to substitute to fill in for gym instructors Hometown Living At Its Best

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BELL County Living

having a gun, BJJ is the most effective thing on the planet to train for hand-to-hand combat,’” Travis said, following up with: “…think about how fights or attacks happen: some one comes up on you, you’re probably going to get taken to the ground—so BJJ teaches you to do things even if your opponent is stronger than you. You don’t have to be the strongest, but you do have to learn the techniques, and you have to put in the time to learn.”

Something that most people will appreciate—even if they aren’t mixed-martial-arts people—is the character, courage, and resilience that the sport can teach a person.

“What’s so impressive is that there are guys who have served overseas, and unfortunately lost limbs, and they come in and they do this and they succeed at it,” Travis said.

“IT’S TOTALLY A MENTAL AND PHYSICAL CHESS MATCH.” Travis also relayed a story about a young man with autism who struggled with immersion and specifically being approached or touched by strangers, but joined a class anyways. “Well, BJJ is totally hands-on. There’s no way you can come to class and not get hands-on. People have to touch you and you have to partner up and do takedowns,” Travis said. “But he stuck it out and his parents have been amazed; they say he’s made more progress in here in the gym than in multiple years of therapy.”

Some might call Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu an every man’s sport, but Travis would be quick to correct you. “Well, it’s an every persons sport: a lot of ladies really get into Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu,” Travis said. “There’s a 14-year-old girl in my class that takes on big guys, 60 to 70lbs heavier than her, and she can submit them. I can’t tell you how cool it is as a coach when you think ‘man, I hope she doesn’t get hurt,’—then all of a sudden you start thinking, ‘man, I hope she doesn’t hurt him!’”

The old slogan size doesn’t matter really applies to BJJ. It’s a sport that calls on people with all backgrounds, shapes, and sizes and entices them to simply have the willingness to learn. And it’s not just for kids. If you’re looking for a fun, different way to get fit, gain confidence, and learn how to protect yourself in a scrap—look no further than John’s Gym. Enroll online at www.johnsgymtemple.com.

Hometown Living At Its Best

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Health and Wellness w w w.BellCount yLiving.com

In the Kitchen with

Dietitian Carey Stites About Carey Stites MS, RD, LD, CPT

Photos by Jenny Lloyd Photography

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

Chili Lime Fruit Cups Ingredients:

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Directions:

• Wash and peel all fruit. Cut

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into thick strips. Arrange

• 1 cantaloupe

in an even mixture of

• 1 small seedless

various fruit strips into

watermelon

each cup. Cut the limes

• 1 pineapple

into quarters and garnish

• 4 limes

each cup with wedge.

• Chili powder

Sprinkle chili powder over each cup to taste.

40 Bell County Living

Yogurt Parfaits Ingredients:

• 2 cups vanilla Greek yogurt • 1 cup blueberries,

Directions:

• Set out the granola, yogurt and berries so everyone can make their own breakfast!

Health benefits: The Yogurt Parfaits combine healthy non-fat yogurt, fresh fruit and nuts and the Chili Lime Fruit Cups offer a fun twist on seasonal fruits. Your family will love the colors and the variety of textures in both recipes while consuming ample amounts of vitamins and minerals making these the easiest, coolest, and wholesome summer treats ever!

raspberries and/or sliced

Use measuring cups for

strawberries

scooping the granola and

Jicama: Jicama contains important B vitamins

• 1 cup breakfast granola

fruit to encourage portion

• Fun glasses

control. Spoon 1/4 cup

like folate, riboflavin, B6 (pyridoxine), pantothenic acid and thiamin and the minerals magnesium, copper, iron and manganese. Jicama is also a rich source of fiber.

yogurt into each of the glasses. Top each with 1/4 cup berries, and ¼ cup breakfast granola.

Nutritional Information (Per serving: ¼ cup granola, 1/4

Cantaloupe: Cantaloupe is an excellent source of vitamin C and vitamin A and also contains potassium, vitamin K, magnesium and fiber.

cup berries, 1/4 cup yogurt): Calories: 211, Total Fat: 8.1 gm,

Watermelon: Watermelon is a very good source

Protein: 12.6 gm; Carbs: 27 gm; Sodium: 39 mg

of vitamin C, copper, biotin, potassium, vitamin A and magnesium. Each bite of watermelon contains about 92 percent water and 6 percent sugar.

Pineapple: Pineapple is a source of important vitamins and minerals, including: thiamin, riboflavin, vitamin B6 (pyridoxine), folate, pantothenic acid, magnesium, manganese and potassium.

Blueberries: Blueberries contain the unique antioxidant resveratrol and are plentiful in vitamin K, vitamin C and manganese. Blueberries are also a good source of fiber and copper.

Raspberries: Raspberries are an excellent source of vitamin C, manganese and dietary fiber. In addition, they provide copper, vitamin K, pantothenic acid, biotin, magnesium, folate and potassium.

Strawberries: Strawberries are rich in vitamin C, manganese, fiber, iodine, and folate; furthermore they provide copper, potassium, biotin, phosphorus, magnesium and vitamin B6 (pyridoxine).

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Summer Safety with

Seton Medical Center

By Cassidy Horn Photos by Jenny Lloyd Photogr aphy

W

ith the kiddos out of school, jumping on the trampolines, climbing on monkey bars, and spending time in the water, taking extra precaution is necessary for kids, as well as adults, during these hot Texas months.

44 Bell County Living

Hometown Living At Its Best

45

“The most common injuries that we see in the summer are related to things that people do outdoors,” Trauma Manager Joy Custer said. “We see a lot of accidents from ATV, motorcycles, dirt bikes, bicycles, skateboards, and scooters. We see more near drownings or drownings. May through September would be the peak times for these injuries.”

Activities like horseback riding, boating, fishing, running, hiking, climbing, mowing the lawn, and even jumping on the trampoline can lead to serious injury when precautionary measures aren’t taken.

“More people perform these activities during the late spring and summer months, which lands more injuries in the ER,” ER Doctor, Dr. Jared Kennedy said. “Our common injury patterns that have already started to increase are teenagers with broken clavicles, wrists, or ankles, head injuries and concussions, and lacerations from lawn equipment.”

Because grownups and kids are outdoors more during the summer there are more opportunities for both to

get hurt. Falling down is the number one cause of injury across the nation. “Summer brings out the best in kids and adults, usually resulting in broken ankles (adults) and wrists or elbows (kids). The best defense against the adult injuries is proper footwear,” Dr. Kennedy said.

“Most of the broken ankles we see aren’t wearing hiking shoes or even tennis shoes for fishing - they’ve got on flip flops. Then they walk out onto algae-covered rocks near the water, and are shocked when their flat sandal goes sliding away with their leg attached.” Wearing proper shoes while hiking is another aspect of footwear that can prevent injury.

Custer suggests never going hiking or boating alone and Dr. Kennedy says no matter what you do during the summer stay hydrated. “A common injury I haven’t mentioned yet, but occurs frequently in our area and specific population, is related to summer heat, dehydration, and physical exertion: Rhabdomyolysis,” Dr. Kennedy said “This is a condition where a large number of muscle cells have been injured, either intentionally

by intense exercise or secondarily by normal activities.

Combine injured muscle cells with dehydration, and you’ve got a condition ripe for acute kidney failure. Your kidneys normally filter out the protein creatine kinase, but your body is always breaking down muscle and rebuilding it.”

Keeping cool and drinking lots of water when it’s hot outside can keep your kidneys healthy. But, water isn’t the only preventative resource when it comes to being out in the sun.

“In central Texas specifically, the high summer temperatures can cause injury by itself,” Dr. Kennedy said. “Sunburns, dehydration, and heat stroke all will start to occur by mid-May. Staying hydrated is absolutely essential to survival in our area.”

Custer suggests, “First thing, make sure when you are outside to wear sun screen, hats, and protective clothing those kinds of things and learn how to swim, that is the best defense against drowning.”

Wearing life jackets and keeping at home pools, hot tubs, and spa’s surrounded by a fence with a locked entry is another way to prevent kids from drowning during the summer months. Even if homeowners don’t have kids, it’s Hometown Living At Its Best

47

a good investment just in case a little one finds their way into a backyard that isn’t their own.

Custer’s job as Trauma Manager consists of her making sure patients receive the best care possible when they enter Seton Medical Center Harker Heights. One way she does that is by teaching. “Teaching runs through my head immediately [when a patient comes in], especially when it comes to the ER,” Custer said. “I’ve been an ER nurse my entire career and teaching begins from the moment patients come in. We are talking to them about how important it is to wear helmets and pads, what resources they have to prevent these injuries, and I’m thinking, ‘what can I do to prevent this in the future?

Who do I need to talk to, where do I need to go to educate people?’”

One example, among many, of an injury that could be prevented is kids owning bicycles but who cannot not afford helmets. “I do a lot of community education, injury prevention, and health promotion. I do water prevention programs at schools when I am asked and at the Harker Heights Farmers Market,” Custer said.

48 Bell County Living

“I’ve been an ER nurse my entire career and teaching begins from the moment patients come in.

We are talking to them about how important it is to wear helmets and pads, what resources they have to prevent these injuries, and I’m thinking, ‘what can I do to prevent this in the future? Who do I need to talk to, where do I need to go to educate people?’”

- Dr. Kennedy

But, Seton Medical Center Harker Heights also serves as a resources to the first responders that will be called out for summer safety emergencies. “Our hospital provides educational opportunities for local EMS and trauma related care,” Custer said. “We also serve as a resource for the paramedics and EMTs if they have questions or if they want to learn more about something.”

For more information about summer safety visit local health fairs and community events. From helping senior citizens adjust mirrors and seats in their cars to teaching bystanders how to properly tourniquet wounds in an accident, Seton Medical Center Harker Heights and local fire stations are ready to help.

Custer also suggests nationalwatersafetymonth. org, safekids.org, nsc.org, and the Seton Medical Center Harker Heights Facebook page for more safety information. To request Joy Custer for a safety speaking engagement or for questions email Joy.Custer2@SMCHH. org or call 254-618-1170.

Hometown Living At Its Best

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g n i tt u P a Twist O N H E A LT H

FO O D

Newly opened Eden Cult ures Café creates healt hy entrées wit h a side of good vibes.

BY CASSIDY HORN PHOTOGRAPHY BY EMILY B PHOTOGRAPHY

B

urgers, Lasagna, and pizza are considered healthy at Eden Cultures Café. That’s because owner, Heather Davis, knows it’s not the food, but what’s in the ingredients.

“If it wouldn’t be in the Garden of Eden it wouldn’t be in this restaurant,” Davis said. “Maybe they have packaged it and put it in a bottle, but if its chemicals or made by man I do my best to keep it out and that makes a difference.”

Hometown Living At Its Best

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Davis opened the café on West Rancier Avenue this March and started by serving coffee and burgers. Because Davis is allergic to corn and grew up in a gluten free house because of her stepfather’s celiac disease, Eden Cultures Café is organic, gluten free, and non-gmo.

She went to college at Florida State University where she gained a degree in pre-med Exercise Science and Florida School of the Arts for a musical theatre degree.

“I have always had two passions: music and health.

I have a musical theatre degree [along with a pre-med degree and prerequisites to earn a masters to become a registered dietitian] so I’m a performer and an entertainer, but then I’m also into healthy food and supplements. I always went back and forth asking myself, ‘what should I focus on? Should I have a health food restaurant or a vitamin and supplement store?’” Davis said.

54 Bell County Living

After a genetic test that showed Davis her body doesn’t process vitamins well, Davis knew a restaurant was in her exciting future. Her experience working from a carhop to a waitress in fine dining restaurants came in handy along with a life time of cooking healthy meals from scratch.

As an army wife, Davis decided to homeschool her kids and has been a stay at home mom for a few years, but her entrepreneur spirit broke free with the opening of Eden Cultures Café, even though her passion for health has been thriving since college. Her own struggles with her corn allergy, her mother’s struggle with cancer and her extensive education helped shape the restaurant.

She shifted her degree to pre-med after her mom was diagnosed to learn as much as possible about the human body.

“A food desert is when you are in a certain city

Hometown Living At Its Best

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and you want to get access to a certain kind of food, but it’s just not there,” Davis said. “Sometimes it’s poor neighborhoods and sometimes it’s rural areas, but when you have special food challenges it’s stressful for them. I want a place where people can eat food that is delicious, but it is still good for them. In this area there is a huge need for something like this.”

The menu includes items like chicken tenders, fettuccine alfredo, fried chicken sandwiches, turkey bacon, roast beef, and fries along with burgers, lasagna, and pizza. But, let’s not forget the deserts like chocolate chip crust cheesecake and brownies. Hummus and falafel also grace the menu. Following the biblically clean dietary laws, Eden Cultures Café serves no pork or shellfish.

They are completely gluten free and there is no cross contamination of gluten or pork.

“People love cheeseburgers, pizza, lasagna and French fries, but there is no reason why those foods have to make us feel sick, bloated, and give us heart disease,” Davis said. “It’s a matter of what we put in the food and how we cook it. So a guy came in the other day and ordered a cheeseburger and he told my husband later that it was a really good cheeseburger, but it was weird because for the first time he wasn’t sleepy after he ate a burger. To me it is obvious why because I know what is in the cheeseburger.”

“My definition of health food is different than a lot of people. I changed my description from health food restaurant to Mediterranean, Italian, and American Cuisine because most people don’t think lasagna is healthy,” Davis said. “But to me it is about what is in the lasagna, it’s organic brown rice, organic brown rice noodles so you aren’t getting that wheat belly bloat, grass fed beef, organic tomatoes, spices that are full of antioxidants, and organic cheese. I feel like the view of health food has been so messed up and that is the reason it is Eden Cultures, like the Garden of Eden is because it 56 Bell County Living

is more important to stay close to the natural state of the food and eat a balanced diet opposed to adding a bunch of chemicals.”

The food is made from scratch with organic, quality ingredients and the atmosphere is made of art, music, and good vibes.

Davis’s vision for the restaurant is to create a space where customers and young adults can eat good food that is great for their bodies and enjoy a thoroughly positive atmosphere. Poetry readings, open mic nights, talent contests, and many more events are on Eden Cultures Café’s calendar. She wants the restaurant to be a safe space for artists to express themselves and for young artistic teens to stay out of trouble. Davis has four artist’s work hanging on the walls and also sells one musician’s CDs at the café. Davis is willing to showcase local art as long as it promotes the positive atmosphere.

“It’s about healthy food, but it’s not just healthy food it’s about creating a healthy environment,” Davis said.

To keep up with all of the events, the upcoming hour changes, and for more information about Eden Cultures Café visit their Facebook page. Current hours are from 11:00 am – 2:00 pm and 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm. Take and bake casseroles are coming soon!

“It ’s about healt hy food, but it ’s not just healt hy food it ’s about creat ing a healt hy environment.”

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Helping Hands that Feed the Homeless hosts an event each year to recognize the people behind the scenes that volunteer their time to help those in need.

SAVE THE DATE: 7th annual celebration November 4, 2017 | 5pm - 7pm 1721 E. Central Expressway Killeen, TX 76541 For more information call 360-481-9206 or Chairperson, Mrs. Ramirez 254-289-4065

100 vounteers from sixteen organizations were honored at the 6th annual celebration this past November If you’d like to get involved or make a donation, visit www.helpingthehandsthatfeedthehomeless.com

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Faith and Community w w w.BellCount yLiving.com

Special Olympics Texas

O

By Jessa McClure Photos by Ashton Steele Photography

minous-looking rain clouds fill the sky above the running track at Connally High School a day before more than 300 athletes will compete to be the best in their sport. Special Olympics Texas Area 12 Director, Tommy Smith, agonizes over whether or not to cancel the annual Spring Games.

He eventually makes the decision to go ahead with the athletic event and give these dedicated competitors the chance to prove themselves.

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“I waited until Friday afternoon to make the call after looking at the forecast,” Smith said. “I had so many coaches of teams that told me, our kids were so looking forward to this. They were hoping it wasn’t going to rain.”

To the relief of Smith and the Special Olympics coaches, the rain held off the weekend of April 29, and allowed almost 400 athletes from 23 teams in 12 counties the chance to compete in track and field events.

Even though these events weren’t broadcast on a major news network with millions of TV viewers, the team behind Special Olympics of Texas makes sure the games feel just as prestigious to those who participate in them. Each set of games begins with opening ceremonies where the athletes walk in a ceremonial processional into the stadium. The morning’s events are complete with a “torch run” where select competitors are asked to carry the torch on behalf of their teams.

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“It’s very rewarding watching the athletes do their best and getting their medals,” Smith said. “They get so excited, and their faces light up. The rest of the day, they want to show off their awards.” But, even though Smith and his team work year-round to make sure these competitions take place, he said the games wouldn’t happen without volunteers. One of Smith’s “key” volunteers is Susan Huey of Waco. She has been helping with the games since 1973 when she became a special education teacher for WISD. “Throughout my teaching career I was primarily a coach for the athletes that I worked with,” Huey said. “I also served on some area and state committees for over 20 years helping to plan the events, make policies, and to make things better for all involved.” And when Huey moved out of the area, she was able to take her Special Olympics experience with her and help grow a program

“When I took students to state competitions, it was often the first time they were away from home. They had to learn how to order meals at restaurants, how to use spending money, how to pack clothes, and how to get dressed and ready on their own,” she said. “We teach them these skills in the school setting, but we don’t always get the chance to follow through with them. The Special Olympics helps us do that.”

The skills these games offer physically and mentallydisabled people was part of the reason Nancy Holle brought the Special Olympics to the Bell County area in the 1980s when she became a special education teacher with Belton ISD. She was inspired to learn more about the games after noticing the athleticism of a young student with Down’s syndrome.

in Fort Worth ISD. She took the district’s Olympic participation from four athletes to over 500. Today, she is back in Central Texas and helping in a volunteer role.

“I helped with the Spring Games in Connally and at the state games in Arlington,” she said. “It was my job to make sure that things ran smoothly on the running track and that the athletes had the chance to cool off and make it to the presentation of the awards.” Huey said Special Olympics have been such a big part of her life and she can’t imagine not being involved in some capacity.

“It’s so inspiring how everyone comes together to make these events happen,” she said. The former school teacher said the Special Olympics is more than just an athletic competition a few weekends of the year.

“These games help showcase the [athletes’] abilities, rather than always focusing on their disabilities,” she said. “The pride they get from their accomplishments is amazing.”Huey said these special individuals often see their siblings playing sports and they realize they are different. “[The games] allow their families to support them and make them feel special,” she said. Participating in these athletic events also teaches those who participate how to stay healthy and work towards a goal. Huey calls this “training for life.”

“It’s very rewarding watching the athletes do their best and getting their medals,” Tommy Smith, Special Olympics Texas Area 12 Director

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64 Bell County Living

“This little girl had friends who loved doing acrobatics,” she said. “We had a hill outside of our school, and she’d watch them do cartwheels and back handsprings and those kinds of things. When they noticed her interest, they started teaching her how to do it.” The girl’s mother looked around for facilities that would teach her daughter more about the gymnastics she loved, but she couldn’t find anything local. That’s when Holle decided she’d start a Special Olympics team called the Belton Blazers.

“As the program grew, we had athletes who graduated and said, now we don’t have anything to do. There isn’t another organization,” Holle said. “So, I went to the ISD and I asked for permission to create another organization for adults who wanted to participate.” That second group was named the ARC of Bell County Buccaneers, and has athletes anywhere from 18 to 75-years-old competing in monthly and annual events. Keith Maxwell, who works for Central County Services, said that people are always surprised at the athletic abilities of those who compete in the Special Olympics games.

“Any time you can educate the general public about individuals with intellectual disabilities and clear up misconceptions about Special Olympics athletes, that’s what it’s really about.”

Keith Maxwell, Buccaneers Basketball Coach

“There are very highly-skilled athletes who participate in the Special Olympics,” he said. “Some of them are at the varsity level.” Maxwell, who volunteers with the Buccaneers as a basketball coach, said that he’ll never forget a game where he saw spectators get a taste of the athletic prowess of the Special Olympics athletes.

“We had a very good basketball team and we were competing against another highly-skilled team at Baylor University,” he said. “Some of the students, in order to get volunteer hours, came to help. If there wasn’t enough for them to do, they would sit in the stands. I saw all of these Baylor students on their phones, texting or on Facebook.

But when one of our athletes went up in the air from the free-throw line and dunked the basketball, they stopped what they were doing and started watching the game.”

The college student spectators were in awe of these skilled athletes, and continued to clap and cheer throughout the rest of the game.

“Any time you can educate the general public about individuals with intellectual disabilities and clear up misconceptions about Special Olympics athletes, that’s what it’s really about.”

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THE L AST DIPPING VAT IN TEX AS

By Peggy Purser Freeman Photos by Amy Bickel Photography

I

n the mid-1860s, the ranching lands of Texas called to Southerners devastated by the War Between the States. To increase the lure to come west, the Lone Star State offered land to those who served in the battle for States Rights. The cattle industry grew Texas in the late 1800s and birthed the cowboy.

Tejanos, Texans and the new arrivals from the war-ravaged South produced large herds of cattle.

By 1890 the cattle industry grew to be the leading industry in Texas. Soon the herds had grown so large that beef sold for $1.50 a head. In the overpopulated cities in the east and west, the beef sold for thirty to forty dollars a head. Texas ranchers

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recognized the profit to be made by moving their cattle north toward the railroad. Thus cattle and cowboy carved out trails from far south Texas to Kansas, dotting the land with communities like Salado. In twenty years, cowboys herded over ten million cattle to market.

About the same time, northern cattle producers suffered large numbers of losses in northern herds from a disease variously called Spanish Fever, Bovine Malaria, Yellow Murrain, and Texas Fever.

They soon realized it was connected to the Texas cattle. The herds in the north had no resistance to Texas â&#x20AC;&#x153;Tick Fever.â&#x20AC;? Affected animals ran a fever, lost their appetite and ninety percent died three to seven

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days later. However, the Texas longhorns and other native southwestern cattle were immune. They did, however, carry the tick which could infect other animals.

During warm-weather months, northern beef producers banned Texas cattle from their states.

The quarantines devastated the cattle industry. Once again, the grit of the Texans was tested. Tenacity and ingenuity won. Officials from Texas A & M College and the U.S. Bureau of Animal Industry went to work with the manager of the King Ranch, R. J. Kleberg. In 1894 dipping vats were built to stop the spread of tick fever. In October 1898 the eradication program not only introduced a new weapon for controlling cattle diseases, but also freed the industry from restrictive quarantines on cattle treated by dipping A 1903 discovery proved that crude petroleum from the Beaumont, Texas area worked better than any other formula. Some states allowed Texas cattle to be shipped into their state if they were dipped in Beaumont Crude.

By 1917 mandatory testing for ticks began in certain areas of Texas. Even with the Texas economy in the cellar, there were those who opposed dipping cattle. They protested

and destroyed at least fifty dipping vats. Texas Rangers traveled with livestock inspectors to prevent violence.

Mandatory testing continued until 1945. Today “Tick Riders” still continue to patrol the Texas/Mexico border to prevent stray Mexican cattle from swimming the Rio Grande and entering Texas, bringing the dreaded ticks.

Today, dipping has been replaced with other forms of preventing tick infestation. The dipping vat in Salado is the only known vat left in Texas.

Tablerock’s Trail dipping vat received a Salado Landmark Award. It’s featured on the Trail and highlighted in Salado Legends. Written and produced by Jackie Mills, Salado Legends come to life at Tablerock’s Goodnight Amphitheater July 22nd, 29th and August 5th – 25th. A fan favorite at Tablerock’s Fright Trail, the dipping vat will once again be included on October 14th, 21st, and 28th, 2017.

Other Tablerock’s events feature the arts, a historical tour, Shakespeare, music and a Christmas time performance of “A Christmas Carol.”

FOR MOR E INFOR M ATION C A LL 254-947-9205.

TA BLEROCK .ORG OR S A L A DOHISTOR IC A LSOCIET Y.COM Hometown Living At Its Best

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HH

Hometown Happenings w w w.BellCount yLiving.com

CTCS HAPPENINGS Central Texas Christian School had a fantastic 2016-2017 school year! They excelled in showing their “Lion Pride”

both in the classroom and out. Students of all ages and across all grades participated in numerous activities, some of which are highlighted below.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF CTCS

6th grade retreat Volleyball

6th grade retreat

6th grade retreat

6th grade retreat

1st Grade Play

72 Bell County Living

Mascot - Lion

Annual Walk-A-Thon

Dr Brian Littlefield

CTCS Speech Meet

Ashley Thompson

1st Grade Play

School Spirit

Bye Bye Birdie - Theater Production

Track

School Spirit

Elementary School Easter Program

Graduation

College Decision Day

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74 Bell County Living

Bringing Home a

New Pet

By Dr. Kuczek with A z tec Pe t Hospital

Becoming a new pet owner can be a very trying, as well as rewarding experience. Weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve detailed some thinking points to consider before coming home with your new family member.

H

aving a pet can be a very rewarding yet trying experience. Not every pet experience can be like Lassie, some end up like a Marley. Either way, we find a joy in pet ownership that cannot be replicated.

The decision to join the ranks of pet ownership cannot be taken lightly, it is a long term commitment to a living creature who is totally dependent upon you.

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Once you decide to take the plunge, there are some things to consider. Dog, cat or non-traditional pet? Do you travel and move often? Do you rent? Do you have children in the home? All of these things can factor into what pet is ideal for you. If you live in an apartment, a large dog may not be right. Some leasing companies have weight limits and breed restrictions. Small children need a dog that can tolerate the things kids do. If you work late hours and are rarely home, maybe a cat might be your choice. Military families should especially be aware of their pet choice. Large dogs are harder to move overseas.

Some countries and on post housing have breed bans.

Once you find your ideal pet, there are options on where to find your pet soulmate. Pounds, rescues and breeders all offer many wonderful pets. Wherever you go, make sure to ask questions and do your research.

Many older rescue pets may need some sort of medical care for life. Some breeds have medical conditions that are genetic. Make sure you find a reputable breeder. No matter where you get your pet, all pets need medical care especially as they age.

76 Bell County Living

Before you bring your new pet home, make sure your home is ready. Pet proofing your home is much like childproofing. Chemicals, electrical hazards, poisonous plants can cause harm. Something as simple as a misplaced trash can or laundry hamper can cause issues. Some dogs love to eat dirty socks or scraps in the trash. These can cause medical emergencies. Large dogs can pull the cookies off the counter you just baked and if they have chocolate in them you will be off to the vet.

Make sure your yard is safe and that the fencing is suitable for your pet. Pets love to have their own place to relax, especially if you have a busy household. A well placed bed, house or crate may help in this.

Some pets come with a name already, you should make all attempts to keep this name. If you get to choose your new petâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s name, here are some things to consider.

One or two syllable names work best. Make sure it is something that you will not be embarrassed to say in public. Another suggestion is to make sure the name does not rhyme with â&#x20AC;&#x153;no.â&#x20AC;? After every movie with a pet in it, there is a huge population of new pets with that

name. I have seen many paint horses named “Hidalgo” or “Seabiscuit.” Dalmatians named “Pongo” or labs named “Marley.” Try yelling “Marley” at the dog park and see how many dogs start running your direction.

Diet is very important. There are so many options. I recommend feeding a quality reputable brand. You do not necessarily have to buy the most expensive food, but make sure you do not feed the cheapest. Many food fads can be found on the internet. Many of these to include the raw meat diet can cause some serious medical issues because they are not nutritionally balanced. Some pets may need a special diet due to medical conditions, your veterinarian will help you find the ideal diet for your pet. Table scraps should never be fed as they can cause gastrointestinal upset or pancreatitis. Also remember treats need to be of good quality and that they should be calculated into the daily caloric intake.

Training is crucial. More pets end up in the pound because of behavioral issues than anything else. There are many things you can do at home. Touch your pet’s paws daily, reward them for good behavior. Do not let them run all over you, there is a balance between love and respect that helps develop a healthy well behaved companion. The more time and energy you spend with your pet, the better they turn out. Do not be afraid to seek out a qualified trainer to help you with the basics. A well behaved pet that knows a few tricks is always cool.

Find a veterinarian you love. There are many options

from low cost parking lot clinics to full service hospitals.

I recommend finding a clinic you like and staying with them. Continuity is key. Many of the parking lot vaccine clinics are not local and if you have an emergency, they are not there for you. I also see where military families have trouble moving with their pets because they cannot get the full vaccine history for health certificates. If you work with one clinic, they have a history to work with and they can make sure there are not gaps in your pet’s healthcare. It is ideal to see the vet as soon as you get your new pet so your vet can make sure you are covered for the many diseases that can affect your pet. Too often, people put off seeing the vet and their new puppy or kitten come down with severe debilitating diseases that could have been prevented. Another suggestion would be to start a health fund. There are many insurance companies for pets. If you would take the monthly premium that the insurance would charge and put it in an interest earning account, you could have the money to save your pet’s life when it is needed.

Pet ownership is a huge responsibility that will bring joy into your life. Everyone can remember their pet.

Ultimately, pets cannot take care of themselves and it is our responsibility to do the right thing by them. Tonight go home and throw the ball for your dog or grab your cat’s favorite toy and enjoy what they bring into your life.

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Celebrating 120 Years of Faith, Education, and Fun: St. Mary’s Catholic School

By Rebecca Parvaresh | Photos provided by St. Mary’s Catholic School 80 Bell County Living

The whole school making 120

N

estled in the heart of Temple, stands a testament to the pursuit of excellence, love of children, and development of the Catholic faith in young hearts. St. Mary’s Catholic School was founded in 1987 by Father Heckmann, who was the pastor for St. Mary’s Church. The school was originally named, St. Mary’s Academy. Along with supportive parishioners, and the Divine Providence Sisters, Father Heckmann taught and led children. In 1912, the Divine Providence Sisters withdrew from the school and in 1919, the Sisters of the Congregation of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament from Houston, Texas, joined the mission of St. Mary’s Catholic School. Through the years, the lay teachers, clergy, parents, and students have changed, but the message of the school is celebrated to this day.

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“Heaven first and Harvard second,” declared Lana Shadburn, Director of Development for St. Mary’s Catholic School. “The Mission of St. Mary’s Catholic School is the commitment to academic excellence and the spiritual development of our students toward a life of prayer, service, and love. St. Mary’s Catholic School teaches the whole child - mind, body, and soul. It is a great honor to be a part of this long-standing tradition of quality catholic education. St. Mary’s Catholic School has stood the test of time and will continue to be here serving the community, and giving its students the best in academic and religious education, for years to come.”

The school has celebrated its educational accomplishments through several events this year that involved current students and even St. Mary’s Catholic School alumni. One such alumni, Judy Morales, is thankful the school continues to play a role in molding the children in the community. “St. Mary’s Catholic

School environment embraces each child, shows that they are important, provides a sense of worth in each child, encourages each child to do their best, challenges their abilities, loves each child, and all the while expects discipline and respect. Above all else, it teaches strong moral and religious foundation, and builds character and self-confidence. It prepares each child in becoming a responsible adult with a positive attitude. By building a solid foundation within a person, he/she will someday become our civic and city leaders who take responsibility and become involved in the growth of our city and nation.”

On March 4th, 2017, the school held an Alumni Luncheon to celebrate and bring together alumni of all ages to witness the continued success of St. Mary’s Catholic School. Judy attested to the difficulty in locating people for the luncheon as so many of the schools’ pupils go on to take their education across the country Bishop Joe Vasquez and Fr. Steve visited 1st grade after 120 mass.

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and across the globe. Seeing the alumni return with the stories of how the principles learned at St. Mary’s Catholic School have helped them excel in life, proves to be one of the joys for Judy as she participated with the Alumni Luncheon. “This is history in more ways than one. St. Mary’s Catholic School leaves a legacy and a trail of people who have lived and are living the basic principles that they learned while at the school. They continue to live as Christians, compassionate community leaders, and serve as role models for their own families. As for my family, I am proud to say we now have 3 generations in our family who have and are attending St. Mary’s Catholic School. Education has always been very important to me. We learn everyday something about life, people, and ourselves. I believe God made each one of us for a purpose. With that in mind, supporting St. Mary’s Catholic School offers children the principles of living a life that is spirited filled. This teaching molds young

“To me 120 years means that this school has been so successful in creating excellent alumni and sending them off to high school that more and more people have flocked to this school to give their kids a quality Catholic education and a chance at a bright and beautiful future.”

–Cathryn Barkis

Kindergartner Scarlett Simcik enjoys a snow cone treat.

Kinder showing off their 120 years of fashion.

minds to learn their importance, God’s teachings, and to how to practice them.”

Current students have enjoyed the fun events that have filled the last semester of the school year, such as the “120 Years of Fashion Day”, where students dressed in clothes from every decade for the past 120 years. The school also had “120 Minutes of Dance” on the 120th day of school, instructed by Lisa Shed from Lisa’s Dance Connection. Graduated 8th grader, Cathryn Barkis, explained, “One of the 120 years celebrations that I enjoyed the most was the 120 years decade dress down.

It was fun to see everyone dressed up from a different decade and we were able to let loose with our school dress code a little bit.” Though any student in the history of school has longed for the fun activities to break up a school day, the gravity of 120 years has not been lost on the students of St. Mary’s Catholic School. Cathryn, explained, “To me 120 years means that this school has been so successful in creating excellent alumni and sending them off to high school that more and more people have flocked to this school to give their kids a quality Catholic education and a chance at a bright and Hometown Living At Its Best

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Alumni Luncheon celebrating 120 years.

school, the continued message of reaching out to the community played a role in teaching the students for 120 years, service before self. “We are very active in our community serving and donating our time and talents. From raising money, to making food to serving at Feed My Sheep, to donating stuffed animals to the Temple Police Department, and giving to our local Maternity shelter,” Lana described activities they take part in each year. “My hope is that others see what we are all about, from the academic excellence, and strong community service, to our family atmosphere. I would love to see more families come and experience Catholic Education. We are a place where all are welcome, and I would love to see families of all faiths come to St. Mary’s Catholic School to experience the tremendous learning environment.”

For Lana, the community inside the walls of St. Mary’s Catholic School touched her own life, as her

Alumni Betty Engbrock and Husband Gene Engbrock.

beautiful future. At this school, you are given the chance to embrace yourself and your faith. You don’t have to be Catholic to be welcomed into this school family. This is our school. We learn here, we love here and we shall go onto the next years of our life carrying the education that this amazing school has given us.”

As the students participated, the staff and parents joined in the fun along the way. Lana recalled many happy faces of present and past students at each celebration.

“I think the whole school had a really fun time dancing for 120 minutes. I saw so many smiles that day! It was also a great honor when Bishop Joe Vasquez came and celebrated Mass with us. It’s not every day that the Bishop visits your school. It’s been a lot of fun, and very exciting planning each event and then seeing the thrilled faces of all the children. Overall, this has been an amazing experience for me both as a mom, and as an employee.”

Along with the fun events taking place within the 84 Bell County Living

Our Drama Department did an Outstanding Job in their performance of The Almost Totally True Story of Hansel and Gretel.

8th graders received Leadership Award.

Pre-K trough 1st grade at 120 mins of dancing.

children received their educational building blocks in the place she works every day to promote and prosper. “I have been blessed to work where I can live out my faith and share the teachings of Jesus with others. It has been an amazing experience to be here with my two daughters who have been here since Pre-K, and are now in the 7th grade at St. Mary’s Catholic School, and 10th grade at Holy Trinity Catholic High School. St. Mary’s Catholic School is a beautiful place to work and go to school. It has a wonderful environment that has been a great source of happiness for our family.”

Even at such a young age, Cathyrn, who has since graduated from St. Mary’s Catholic School, has high expectations for the future and the next 120 years the school shall encounter. “Within the next 120 years I hope that the school grows and that kids are able to take away with the most valuable thing they can ever be given by this school, their education. “ For more information on St. Mary’s Catholic School, their services offered, their tuition assistance, and much more, you may contact them directly at (254) 778-8141 or visit their school website at www.stmarys-temple.org.

“I have been blessed to work where I can live out my faith and share the teachings of Jesus with others.”

–Lana Shadburn, Director of Development

8th graders participated in May Crowning.

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88 Bell County Living

Community Spotlight:

Teachers Sara Burt & Maria Reed

By Connie Lewis Leonard Photos by Yvonne Overstreet Photography

T

he motto of Central Texas Christian School in Temple states: “At Central Texas Christian School we believe education is a lifelong journey and every person has a vital role to play. By ‘teaching truth that transforms’ CTCS provides ‘Quality Education for Life’.

“What greater joy could I ask for in my professional life than to invest in the growth of virtues in the next generation through music?”— Sara Burt “The teachers and administration rely on one another as a team to encourage and congratulate

excellence in our students. I feel we are truly shaping the whole student, soul and intellect.”— Sara Burt “I love my students and the flexibility I have as a teacher to create ‘project based learning’ assignments for them.”—Maria Reed This year Maria earned a grant for three 3D printers in the lab. The students love creating objects in CAD and then seeing their ideas made into a tangible item, such as 3D wearable fashion. They hosted a fashion show to showcase the pieces.

Quality education begins with quality teachers.

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Sara Burt and Maria Reed transcend teaching beyond the basic requirements of the classroom to transform the motto into reality. Sara serves CTCS as choral director.

She teaches all-level music and choir and manages a private voice and piano studio. Next to her family, Sara believes her greatest accomplishment is “the daily gift and privilege of experiencing the beauty of music unfold in the voices and faces of my students. As I believe Plato once said, ‘Music is the movement of sound to reach the soul for the education of its virtue.’ What greater joy could I ask for in my professional life than to invest in the growth of virtues in the next generation through music?”

Sara loves teaching alongside fellow staff members who are dedicated to investing in the lives of students.

“The teachers and administration rely on one another as a team to encourage and congratulate excellence in our students. I feel we are truly shaping the whole student, soul and intellect. Such an atmosphere changes

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how students approach education, and that difference is visible inside and outside of the classroom. I consider my teaching position at CTCS a great blessing!”

As a young girl, Sara played school with her friends.

Her desire to use her gifts and talents deepened as she matured. “I hope to model for students how full and rewarding life can be when you strive for excellence.

Education and discipleship are lifelong pursuits, and future generations will catch a passion for learning when they see such pursuits modeled among teachers.”

After graduating with honors from Little CypressMauriceville High School in Orange, TX, Sara pursued a Bachelor of Music (All-Level Music Education) at East Texas Baptist University in Marshall, TX. She began working on a Master of Music at Stephen F. Austin prior to completing a Master of Theology degree from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. She has served as the Assistant MS/HS Choral Director for Gilmer

ISD, the MS Choral Director for Henderson ISD, taught Grammar Level Latin for PACES Paideia Classical School in Houston, TX, and is currently the All-Level Music/ Choral Director for CTCS. Sara has been married for 15 years to her husband Jared, who serves as Senior Pastor at Taylor’s Valley Baptist Church in Temple. “Over the years, I have worn many hats including homeschooling my four children.

First and foremost, I am teacher to my children. If I pour myself into the children of my school and my community and neglect my own, I have missed the greatest calling over my life. My most treasured roles include growing in my role as a pastor’s wife and leading worship at various retreats and events. I also enjoy writing for Lifeway’s Monthly Devotional Magazine for Women, Journey, and writing Bible studies for The Study of Series, a series designed to guide readers through books of the Bible.” More information about Sara, her family, and her

ministry, A Pastor’s Glory Ministries, can be found at www.saraburt.com.

Maria Reed teaches technology class, 3D printing and Design, Photography, Graphic Arts, Film Production, Web Design and Yearbook. She enjoys teaching at CTCS because she can integrate biblical views into her teaching and speak with the students about God. She said, “I love my students and the flexibility I have as a teacher to create ‘project based learning’ assignments for them. They are the reason I teach. When they get a concept in computer science it is amazing to hear them say, ‘I did it.’”

This year Maria earned a grant for three 3D printers in the lab. The students love creating objects in CAD and then seeing their ideas made into a tangible item, such as 3D wearable fashion. They hosted a fashion show to showcase the pieces.

Her past accomplishments, while at Brookstone School, include taking five film students to New York in 2015 for the All American High School Film Invitational to produce a short film “Unconscious Skies.” The film was Hometown Living At Its Best

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screened at the AMC 25 in Time Square and the Carmike Theaters in Columbus, GA. All the money raised from the screen at the Carmike Theater was donated to charity. In the 2015-16 school year, Maria won Teacher of the Year and was the First Runner-up of the Ledger Enquirer–Page 1 Teacher of the Year.

Maria received her Bachelor’s degree from Barry University in Miami, FL. After having two children, she decided to become a teacher. “As a filmmaker of 18 years, I ran a production company, Romeo Cowboy Films, and I was always on the road. It was tough and my children and my family were my priority. Since I was always teaching on set, it felt very natural to move into teaching.” She earned her 3D Printing and Design Certificate from the University of Illinois. Prior to coming to CTCS, she taught at First Presbyterian Christian Academy in Hinesville, GA, and Brookstone School in Columbus, GA. “My husband SSG Patrick Reed is an active duty Army soldier stationed at Fort Hood. He is an amazing husband and father who loves his country. I am very

proud of everything he does every day. We are fortunate to have an incredible group of friends who are always there to help us. I am the 2017 Armed Forces Insurance Fort Hood Military Spouse of the Year, and I created a home improvement show for Military families: Moving with the Military. I love that my two children are able to work with me on the show, and my 13 year old daughter helps me have a cool factor. At least I think so.”

Watch their latest living room makeover episode (This is part 2 of episode 1): https://youtu.be/U76j5Riv-sQ See more at the website: www.movingwiththemilitary.tv Quality education and a love for life-long learning cannot be taught—it must be modeled. Sara Burt and Maria Reed are two teachers who embrace life changes as challenging adventures. They adapt and thrive in new situations by actively using their gifts and talents to bring joy into the world. They shine the spotlight on their students’ achievements, encouraging them to carry the torch of creativity as they embark on their own individual journeys.

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BELL County Living

Love Through the Ages: MARRIED WITH KIDS

By Sally Gr ace Holtrieve Photos by Jenny Lloyd Photogr aphy

L

indsey and Billy Bridges grew up in South Texas, Lindsey lived in McAllen and Billy lived in nearby San Juan. During the summer between junior and senior year of high school, Lindsey went to a Bible study with a friend and met Billy. When his strong faith showed through a powerful prayer, she became interested in getting to know the young man better.

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“I met her right after my dad passed away,” Billy explained. “I had become really close to God, and when I prayed she said, ‘wow, this guy is really on fire for God,’ and I was.”

Lindsey decided she needed to see Billy again and went to his church, where they exchanged phone numbers. They dated all through senior year before making the decision to break up when it was time to leave for separate colleges.

“We still talked though,” Billy said. “In February she had a friend with this attractive voice call me and say, “We’re taking a survey, what did you do for your significant other on Valentine’s Day?’ Well I had just started seeing this girl, so I said, ‘Oh we went on a date, I got her a rose and some chocolate and we kissed,’ and then suddenly Lindsey got on the phone and yelled, ‘what?’ Now it’s hilarious, but it wasn’t for either of us at the time.”

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After freshmen year, Billy left college and started selling cars back in the McAllen area and Lindsey started attending school closer to home, though they’d fallen out of touch with each other.

“When we were about twenty, we passed each other on the road one day in McAllen,” Lindsey said. “We pulled over and said hello. That’s when we started talking again.”

The couple got engaged in January and set a date for March 2000.

“I always knew I was going to marry him,” Lindsey said. “He just wasn’t ready to settle down until he was ready, and I knew that.”

Billy had gotten into a fight his first semester of college a few years prior and was told his record would stay clean if he didn’t get in any more trouble. He admits he grew up a lot during this experience and began taking responsibility for his choices.

Right before the wedding, Billy’s grandmother passed

“It ’s not that the road is easy, but it seems easy when you’re doing the right thing and doing what God wants you to do.”

- Lindsey Bridges

away, so Billy and Lindsey drove north for the wedding.

On the way a policeman pulled them over at a speed trap and asked Billy if he’d ever been arrested.

“I said no and they got the cuffs out and arrested me,” he said. “I was in that jail for 21 days.”

Lindsey’s family and friends continuously asked her if she wanted to postpone the wedding, but she insisted on keeping the March date. Billy was released the day before the ceremony.

He has since had the charge expunged, become an officer in the Army and earned his degree.

“It happened the way it was supposed to happen,” Lindsey said. “We became stronger through that, it was our first hurdle.”

“It wasn’t that picturesque type of setting to start,” Billy agreed. “But we both knew we were meant for one another and stayed loyal.”

Billy wanted to go back to working on his degree and saw joining the military as the best way to achieve that goal. He received Hawaii as his first duty station, which was where Lindsey’s parents were at the time.

The couple had several miscarriages after getting married, then, right after they got to Hawaii in 2004, Lindsey found out she was pregnant. It was Mother’s Day.

“Then I had to deploy to Afghanistan,” Billy said. “I was like ‘oh man, I’m leaving my wife, leaving my baby, and going to war.’ It was crazy how things had changed.”

At the last minute Billy was permitted to return home from his deployment for his daughter Ashlynn’s birth.

Two weeks later he had to go back to Afghanistan.

“Her mom and dad were there for support,” Billy remembered. “But it was still really hard.”

After returning to the country, Billy attended the “Green to Gold” program, where he went from an enlisted military member to an officer and attended college. In 2006 Aubrynn was born, then the family of four moved from Hawaii to Georgia. Billy went to the infantry basic officer leadership course, ranger school and other programs. During that time Lindsey got pregnant with Carsynn.

“If he didn’t pass this one phase of ranger school he was going to miss her birth and have to go through it again,” Lindsey said. “But he did it, graduated, and we had her. A week or two later he started airborne school.”

In 2009 they moved to Killeen. When Carsynn was five months old Billy received orders to deploy to Iraq.

Lindsey and Billy didn’t realize they were pregnant again, and when Lindsey found out Billy was already abroad.

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Once again, Billy made it home for the birth of his son, Billy Austin. Now Ashlynn is twelve, Aubrynn is ten, Carsynn is eight and Billy Austin is seven. Billy medically retired from the military last year and opened a real estate business called God is Awesome. He is the president, Lindsey is the vice president and the couple is grateful for a successful first year.

“Last year Billy Austin had just accepted Christ,” Billy said. “We were kind of like, ‘high five, we’re done.’ Then God said, ‘nope.’” A five year old and two year old son would join the Bridges family within the year.

It started with a young man seeking a mentor through the family’s church, First Baptist, in Killeen.

“I started taking him out and talking about life and how to get on track,” Billy said. “We kind of took him under our wing and developed a relationship.”

The young man lived with his mother, brother and his sister’s two sons. One day he called Lindsey and said his

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mom had taken one of his nephews to the doctor and he didn’t have any milk for the younger boy.

“So I brought my son milk,” Lindsey said.

One Sunday morning Billy received a call from his mentee around 4 a.m. He said an ambulance had picked up his mom because she wasn’t breathing and he was left alone with his nephews. Lindsey and Billy checked in on the way to church, then told a friend who worked for CPS about the situation.

“The church said ‘we need to do something to help those boys,’” Lindsey said, adding that their grandmother, who was in the hospital, had custody of the children. “So we got them that Sunday. We went to see their grandma and told her we weren’t trying to take them away, but she kept saying she didn’t know what her daughter was going to do and she was happy we had them.”

The boys have been with the Bridges ever since. Billy and Lindsey immediately began the process to become

“People say, ‘how did you do that?’” Lindsey replies, “It’s not that the road is easy, but it seems easy when you’re doing the right thing and doing what God wants you to do. Billy and I help each other out, too. If one is up one day and the other is down, we lift the other.”

Billy agreed and said the trials they went through at the beginning of the relationship allowed them to handle the adoption situation with faith that God had everything under control.

“Yeah we have spats and whatever,” Billy said. “But we always know that we have each others’ back and ultimately love each other and want what’s best for our family.”

“…we always know that we have each other’s back and ultimately love each other and want what ’s best for our family.”

- Billy Bridges

licensed foster parents and after conflict-free legal approval from the birth mother, in March of 2017 they officially adopted Luke and Ethan.

Everyone from the church came together to supply the family with high chairs, toys and other baby products, as Lindsey had gotten rid of hers when she and Billy decided they were done having kids.

“Our church had also just been contacted by the 700 Club looking for a military family to help,” Billy said.

“Our pastor and life group knew about our situation and suggested us. So they came and did a story about us and gave us five thousand dollars toward a new vehicle, because our current one wasn’t large enough for a family of eight.”

Luke started calling Lindsey mom within a few weeks and kept asking when he was going to be Luke Bridges. The four oldest children embraced their new little brothers, helped them adjust and welcomed them into the family.

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102 Bell County Living

6 Wedding Trends Worth Watching

By Tori Mortenson

A

festival of all things floral and fancy, family

still as great as the day we met him, but what’s not so great

and friends celebrating two people coming

is that French twist topped with that rhinestone tiara or

together to build one life. An event every twirly

that wedding dress with the cutouts. Maybe we should have

dress-wearing little girl dreams of from the moment she

thought twice about those brown bridesmaids dresses and the

instinctually performs the first spin in that department

artificial flowers. Perhaps we should have listened to the ones

store dressing room three-way mirror. Be it on trend

that came before us. The ones who told us, “You are going to

or totally traditional, one doesn’t have to be planning

be looking at these pictures for the rest of your life.” Some

upcoming nuptials to be low-key obsessed with wedding

trends of the moment were simply not worth following.

season.

I have never been to a wedding I didn't like. Being a

So as a wedding obsessed, former blushing bride and future nuptials guests, we have sorted through the volumes of

guest for what is thus far the happiest day in a couple’s life

info attached to #dreamwedding2017. We’ve picked through

is simply put… perfectly delightful.

the weeds, those trends that fill us with “what in the worlds”

And just ask any bride, how SHE’S enjoying the day in

and harvested only the bridal best. Enjoy the following tidbits

the midst of her magical moment and she will surely shout

of savvy wedding trend wisdom offered up to you, on a

its complete and utter perfection from ALL the rooftops

beautiful, silver platter.

as well. But fast-forward a few years, to a time when the

If, by chance, you happen to be a 2017 bride, you may

confetti has settled and the baby’s breath has withered

thank Bell County Living later. Like, for instance, when you

in the shadow box. So many of us are left with wedding

don't have to explain that deep plunging v neckline to your

regret. No, not with the amazing spouse we chose. He’s

future thirteen year old daughter.

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skittles. To top it off, print photographs beautifully. A fantastic floral dress makes the wearer feel young, feminine and fresh and is markedly more fun to wear than those solid colored satin mermaid gowns of ole. Perhaps best of all, it is figure flattering, meaning the bride’s gal pals can leave the spanks at home for the night. #CanWeGetAnAmen

3. Local Yocal Taking note of both the Shop Local campaign and the farm to table trend, many couples this season will be keeping it close to home. Choosing reception menus that boast regional dishes, including locally grown produce and meats from area farms.

And when it comes to gifting for the wedding party, this year thoughtful brides will be opting for locally designed jewelry, art or tees and even makeup and skincare from home-based businesses in hopes of supporting the small businesses being run by their friends and family.

1. Modest is Hottest We believe that 2017 is the year that modesty returns to the wedding wardrobe. Taking a nod from the family of impeccably dressed Trump women at this year’s presidential inauguration, we speculate wedding dress designers have already taken the Trump factor into account. Following the first family on social media gives us another glimpse into their timeless conservative style. We believe this influence will help brides resist the temptation to choose, for instance, a backless dress with a sheer midsection. Which, while super on trend in 2016, may leave you with a “why didn't someone tell me” moment in the near future much like the headpieces of the 80’s and puffy sleeves of the 90’s. In terms of wedding wear, we think we will be seeing some focus on simple glamour, higher necklines, sleek silhouettes, and even gowns with, shocker… sleeves. Wouldn't our great-grandmothers be proud?

2. BFFs in Fresh Florals Floral prints aren’t going anywhere this spring. They look sensational on everyone… including bridesmaids of all shapes, sizes and shades! No longer does a bride have to consider what one color dress might look good on all of her squad’s skin tones. Plus, choosing a floral print dress allows a bride to incorporate an eclectic color pallet without having her bridesmaids in front of the church look like a fun size bag of 104 Bell County Living

Food provided by Vintage Grill & Car Museum Photo by Lindsey Sullivan Photography

4. Memories of the Merriment

If there is no picture, did it even really happen? In terms of wedding photography the advances just keep on coming.

Photographers have literally taken wedding pics to the next level with the creative use of drones allowing clients a bird’s eye view of the days events. We are seeing packages including everything from a full length indie style documentary of the day, to a custom movie trailer or music video both available virtually immediately for social sharing. We love that we are seeing a continuation of photo booths for documenting the crazies at the reception. But with the popularity of the new slow motion video booths, we are anticipating even wackier antics from wedding guests this year. And we are still digging guests hashtaging the pics they post throughout the celebration. It makes it so fantastically simple for the special couple to see what was happening outside of the bride bubble that day.

However, as a guest, resist the urge to take pictures with your phone during the ceremony and never post a pic of a bride before she first posts a pic of herself. These are new rules of wedding etiquette.

5. Captivating Colors Pantone’s 2017 color of the year is literally named ‘Greenery.’ Green signifies all things new, perfectly honoring the magnitude of the day. Because it is a pure and natural color, it is less likely to “date” your wedding in the way the blush and bashfuls of the past may have. While we do take delightful note of Ivanka Trump’s green hued inauguration dress, we aren’t limiting the color to wedding fashion. Simple, rich greenery, green sea glass and fruit like green apples, pears and limes, in place of busy, expensive arrangements and fussy tablescapes. Pass on large bouquets of big bold flowers in favor of a more sophisticated “enchanted forest” vibe. Even wedding

cakes taking on a hint of the color. But sometimes at the end of her wedding dream day, more daring colors speak to a bride.

Luckily for her, the other shade of the moment is Canary Yellow. Being seen everywhere from accessories like bags and shoes, to the engagement ring itself. Now if a couple isn’t quite up for swapping a classic diamond ring for a canary diamond one, what about incorporating the color by offering guests something as simple as a gourmet lemonade bar?

6. The Gift of Giving While the time honored tradition of dragging your fiancé to register for a gaggle of home goods gifts will likely be around for decades to come, I feel inspired by the compassionate couples giving the wedding registry an even greater purpose.

The purpose of charity and mission. Some generous newlyweds are making a statement by starting their lives together with a donation or commitment to service to the causes closest to their hearts. The bride and groom are also inviting guests to consider a gift to the couple’s charitable pursuits and passions rather than a bath towel from their registry. We happen to believe this is perhaps the best wedding trend of all.

And to our beautiful Bell County soon-to-be brides, be you—completely classic, ultra-modern, a little bit country or wildly bohemian… remember that the YOU eleven years from now, may not jive with the trends that filled the fanciest blog in the blogosphere back in the year 2017.

Enjoy googling all of the latest and greatest in the wonderful world of weddings. Buy all the glossy magazines and watch all the You Tube videos, but pick YOUR idea of a few of the best and get rid of the overly trendy rest. Ultimately, your guests don't RSVP to the perfect execution of a live Pinterest page. We, your friends and family, hope to be on the front row for a moment in time that truly represents you, the love of your life and your elation about the future. Now, what could be more on trend than that?

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BELL COUNTY’S BEST KEPT SECRETS:

By T.C. McKeown Photos by Becky Stinehour of Candid Images Photography

A Long History of Deliciousness “And where exactly are you taking me?” is a question that people often ask their friends who bring them to Cyclone Corral BBQ for the first time.

J

ust 15 minutes east of Temple on Highway 53, veering onto FM 485, most folks don’t expect to find an endless supply of ready-to-consume,

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mouthwatering delicious BBQ—much less in between farms, creeks, and cow pastures. Yet low and behold, for over forty years the Mikeska family has offered just that: all-you-can-eat smoked barbeque, plus, good old-fashioned fixins. It’s like finding a hidden gem in an already beautiful Texas country landscape. More accurately, it’s a hungry person’s oasis in the midst of… well, not much else. Be ye forewarned though, if you come at certain times throughout the year, you may find yourself only seeing a mirage.

“We’re a limited time offer,” says Janell MikeskaKasberg, who opened up the restaurant with her late husband, Reuben, back in 1976. You see, the restaurant is only open from April through October and only on Fridays and Saturdays from 5:30 p.m. until, well, “until the food runs out,”—as the Mikeska’s say.

It’s actually a really old-school way of doing the restaurant business, and it’s a pretty brilliant spin on how most operate today. Cyclone is only open in the good weather months and on the days that most people go out to dinner. “We’ve got prime time,” as Janell put it.

“People usually go out to eat more on the weekends and everything in town is open all the time, but not us. We’re

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a limited time offer. People say, ‘we’re just gunna have to go out there one more time, they’re about to close up!’ or ‘they’re not going to be open forever!’”

However, long before it became known as this hidden gem of an eatery that it is today, Cyclone was just the name of an old country store (that store now serves as the restaurant’s main entrance).

“On the left hand side of the store were your groceries—canned goods, milk, and bread—and on the right hand side were domino tables,” Janell stated. “And when people came into the store, the women stayed to the left side and the men drank beer over on the right side.

I’m not kidding,” she emphasized. “That’s really how it was!”

Janell said that the property, which was owned by her great-uncle, went up for sell in 1976, and that she and Reuben were immediately interested.

“The [cotton] gin had been our business for so long, but it had recently burned down,” Janell recalled. So, Janell and Reuben bought the store and made Cyclone their new business. “Now, people still gathered here to play dominoes and drink beer, but naturally on a Friday or a Saturday evening, Reuben was going to start cooking

some food.” And Reuben loved to cook barbeque. In fact, the only thing to survive (and maybe even what caused) the burning of the old cotton gin was a cotton dryer. So, Reuben drug that cotton dryer down to the old Cyclone store and made a BBQ pit out of it and started grilling up meats. A lot of meat. Reuben said “I’ll burn that cotton gin dryer for a lifetime,”—which he did.

The old-school way of serving family-style, all-youcan-eat BBQ and sides originated with Reuben back in 1976 and that tradition continues today. In fact, there is no menu – so don’t even ask – but if there were a menu it would be the same as it always has been: smoked barbeque brisket, ribs, and sausage served with homemade barbeque sauce, pickles, onions, and homemade bread.

Don’t forget the fixins: coleslaw, corn-on-the-cob, beans, potato salad, and last but not least a delicious old fashioned, made-from-scratch peach cobbler … and yes, you can get it with a scoop of Blue Bell ice cream.

Besides the gut-busting good food, there is this beautifully nuanced character and charm that purveys the

entire place like only a restaurant has been around for 41 years can do.

There are pictures on the wall of then-governor George W. Bush and football legends Mike Ditka and Tom Landry all stopping in to chow down. There’s an old jukebox that blares out everybody’s favorite tunes; old fashioned antique cash registers, tables both round and square, all covered with red and white checkered picnicstyle tablecloths decorating the dining hall; sections of the restaurant are separated by farm-inspired wooden fences, and a tin roof covers the eatery—which is essentially just the outside area behind the old country store. Janell even stated that developing the restaurant has simply been a Hometown Living At Its Best

111

series of concrete pours…but you know there’s much, much more than that to make it what it is.

“So many people drive up and they say, oh my, I’m not sure about this place,” Janell said. “But when they walk in they are pleasantly surprised.”

However, when I pulled up to Cyclone, I found the whole place mesmerizing. Positioned perfectly in the peaceful Texas countryside amidst trees and barns and sprinkled creeks sits this rustic store complete on the outside with decorative wagon wheels, wild flowers, a windmill, and a screen door to welcome you inside.

Immediately upon entering, if you’re anything like me, you’re entranced by the authentic aura still lingering around from when the property was just an old country store. The interior is adorned with antique lit-up beer signs, random country-style décor, and tons of quirky taxidermy and woodcarvings. Plus, it’s hard not to fall in love with the small bar area and quaint café-style seating,

complete with a pool table off to the side. The smell of delicious BBQ, service, friendly atmosphere, and the flair for the nostalgic is what keeps people coming back year after year.

“We never advertise. In fact, the only thing we do is we put a little notice in the paper, in the Temple Daily Telegram, saying that we’ll be open the first weekend in April, Fridays and Saturdays. But other than that, our advertising is totally word of mouth,” Janell said.

In 2015, Janell sold ownership of Cyclone to her son, Rick and his wife, Brenda. When I asked if Rick and Brenda had any plans to mix things up or do things different, such as expanding hours, Rick simply laughed and said he didn’t have any plans of working that hard.

But the Mikeska’s do work hard. Brenda works fulltime, in addition to working at the restaurant. Rick works construction, and even their children work at the restaurant in addition to going to school.

112 Bell County Living

“I love the people. That’s the reason we do it,” Brenda said. “We have locals that have come in for years and years and then we have new people that come in, and it’s just nice meeting and talking to new people. We have a Facebook page, so that’s a great form of communication we like to utilize now, too.”

When asked about the future, Brenda’s goal is to show customers they are something different and to keep that image going. To echo what Janell said earlier: “Cyclone is a limited time offer.” So, get out there while the getting’s good, ya’ll. And anytime the old Cyclone country store doors are open—it’s good.

Word to the wise: bring cash or check. Credit/debit cards not accepted. Bring your appetite, and as Nacho Libre would say, wear your stretchy pants.

Hometown Living At Its Best

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O/T

Outdoor / Travel w w w.BellCount yLiving.com

Eddie Eagle Gun Safety Program

By Sally Grace Holtgrieve Photography by Becky Stinehour of Candid Images Photography

O

fficer Tammy Jo McCleney and the Belton Police Department want every last child in Bell County to remain safe when it comes to firearms, so they’re starting a new program to promote gun safety for young children.

The program, Eddie Eagle, was developed by the National Rifle Association to help reduce the number of firearm-related deaths in children.

114 Bell County Living

“The numbers are dramatically down,” McCleney said. “However, one is still too many.”

Eddie Eagle is not a new program, though it was revamped in 2015.

“There is a new video with rich, animated characters,” McCleney said. “It relates to kids five and younger, who aren’t old enough to understand firearm handling safety rules.”

Hometown Living At Its Best

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The service is free, and McCleney said the police department also hopes to host child safety days in the future, where anyone can bring their kids to watch the Eddie Eagle video, enjoy some refreshments and discuss the importance of gun safety.

She said the program instructs young children how to respond if they ever come across a firearm. They know “don’t touch, run away, tell an adult.”

The clear, simple instructions are presented in a nonfrightening, engaging way that will help kids remember the three steps.

“Kids are curious,” McCleney said. “They’ve watched movies and videos and a gun is something curious to them at that age. Unfortunately, that’s how accidents happen. If you can take that out of the equation and let them know this is very serious and dangerous, and you can get the three step mantra ingrained in them, then we’re hoping that will reduce those accidents.”

She said the intention is for the program to be fun.

“If it’s not fun, you’re not going to hold their attention very long,” she said. “It’s also an opportunity for them to see police officers in a positive situation.”

McCleney, who has been a police officer for 25 years, said Belton Police Chief Gene Ellis is an advocate of community policing and was all for the Eddie Eagle program when she approached him about it.

“He authorized us to have our mascot, the big blue dog Badge, to go with us to the presentations to engage the kids that way, too,” she said.

The department is planning to provide crayons and Eddie Eagle coloring books so kids can continue to think about and remember the lessons they learned at the video presentation.

The department also is hoping to get into the school system and hopefully give a presentation every year to each new set of students.

“We’re going to go with what the community wants,” McCleney said. “If they receive this well and feel it’s needed, then of course we’ll keep doing it. I’ve also contacted local daycares and they’re excited about having us come and do it for them.”

The service is free, and McCleney said the police department also hopes to host child safety days in the future, where anyone can bring their kids to watch the Eddie Eagle video, enjoy some refreshments and discuss the importance of gun safety.

“It’s everyone’s responsibility – if you have a firearm in your home – to make sure that anyone who shouldn’t have access to a firearm doesn’t get it,” McCleney said. “When parents think, ‘my child is eighteen months old, they’re never going to be able to climb up to that top shelf in the closet and retrieve that gun,’ unfortunately they can end up being wrong.”

She said the implementation of the program in Bell County will bring awareness to the home and educate adults and kids alike about the importance of firearm safety.

Hometown Living At Its Best

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The Great Outdoors:

Experiences on Nolan Creek

By Leah Edwards Photos by Kays Photography & Design

A

s an avid outdoor adventurist, the Nolan Creek Project is a pretty exciting addition to local Bell County. The Nolan Creek Project expansion was completed September 2016 after construction originally began in 2014. Outdoor adventurists in Bell County now have something to look forward to this summer season.

The Nolan Creek area of Belton has always been a popular social spot in Belton for many generations, especially during 4th of July festivities. The modern project was conceptualized by Belton City Council, and the first leg of the Nolan Creek Hike & Bike Trail through the downtown area was a catalyst. This project brought more people downtown, and with the completion of the Gin complex, momentum picked up.

This venture was prepped for completion after help from donors such as Texas Parks & Wildlife, CGI Group, HEB and several other small donors. Even the former Belton Mayor, Jim Covington, was excited when the state grant was awarded to the project. With several phases to finalize the project, the end result cost $521,000. The cascades, which provide rolling water behind The Gin, now called Creekside Park, were put into place by January 2015. Once these features were completed, the city saw tubing and kayaking activity increase along the creek with more waders taking advantage of spending time on the river. The second phase included a put-in location, complete with parking, near Chisholm Trail Senior Village on Martin Luther King, Jr. Avenue. That particular area of the project could not begin until the new MLK Bridge over Nolan Creek was finished in July 2016. By 122 Bell County Living

mid-September, the put-in location was completed around the same time as the new Nolan Creek Nature Trail.

The project’s completion in September 2016 was celebrated with a day of festivities that included tubing down the river with both local citizens and current Belton Mayor, Marion Grayson. She creatively coined the term, the Mayor’s Floatilla, for the experience. The unique ribbon-cutting event made history with Mayor Grayson lifting her “golf club paddle” into the air and slicing it through the ribbon strung across the creek by the Belton Area Chamber of Commerce. Once the Mayor and her floating crew arrived on land, inner tubes were passed out to the public for their own tubing experience. The city spent a couple of taking people through the drops, and families enjoyed their time spent on the water.

Experiences along Nolan Creek There are now various activities visitors can experience along Nolan Creek since the expansion project has been completed. These include wading, tubing, kayaking, picnicking, bird watching, fishing, hiking, and biking.

Fishing​: Twice a year, the creek is stocked with trout, and families are invited to come fish them out. “Family, Fishin’, Fun” is one of the best events of the year. Many residents and visitors gather at the creek in hopes of catching a big trout.

Hiking, tubing and kayaking​: Most people are aware of the Hike & Bike Trail with its fabulous 10-

foot sidewalks. The new Nolan Creek Nature Trail is one of the best-kept secrets in Belton. Located on the UMHB side of the MLK Bridge over Nolan Creek, it provides an ideal location for a picnic as well as a quarter-mile nature trail. To unload tubes and kayaks, visitors can use the small parking lot there as well. From this spot on Nolan Creek, it takes about two hours to float to the cascades downtown in Creekside Park, which is behind the Gin.

Picnicking: Picnic tables are located in Harris Park and Yeti Polk Park and both offer access to the creek.

Swimming: Some people prefer not to swim, while others are totally comfortable with it. It is recommended not to ingest the water as it is rated for kayaking, wading and tubing. If people want to make an informed decision Hometown Living At Its Best

123

124 Bell County Living

about recreating in Nolan Creek, it is recommended to begin with visiting www.beltontexas.gov/creek​.

Dining and Shopping​: Not only are there outdoor activities in Belton in this area, but for those who aren’t so in love with nature can definitely spend the day having their own version of fun. Visitors can eat at The Gin at Nolan Creek, grab some coffee at Amor Ciego coffee company, browse to their heart’s content at The Mercantile or My Giving Tree Gift Shop and Gallery, book a spa day at Woodhouse Spa and even have dinner at Coronas de Oro. I personally enjoy my own walks along the Hike and Bike Trail which feeds into the campus of the University of Mary Hardin Baylor. For families looking for summer fun, there’s also a Splash pad along the Hike & Bike trail located across from the Harris Community Center. Picnic tables, restroom facilities, fishing spots, playgrounds, basketball courts and horseshoe pits provide some great Saturday activities.

For more information, please feel free to contact Matt Bates, Director of Parks and Recreation for the City of Belton at mbates@beltontexas.gov or call at 254-933-4862.

Hometown Living At Its Best

125

What’s Up,

Bel l County?

Calendar of Events

JULY

AUGUST

Killeen Chamber of

Bell County Museum

killeenchamber.com

www.bellcountymuseum.org

1. 9th Annual Flavors of

26. Gault Site Tour @ Gault

Central Texas @ Killeen

Site in Southwestern Bell

Civic & Conference Center

County (8:30am – all day)

(5:30pm – 8:30pm)

Eden Cultures Café

SEPTEMBER

15. Discovery Day

edenculturescafe.com

(10:00am – 4:00pm)

1, 8, 15, 22, 29. Kids Eat

Bo’s Barn Dancehall Live

18-21. Bell County Museum

Free Every Tuesday Family

Performances

Summer Camp for 7-9 year

Trivia @ Eden Cultures

www.bosbarndancehall.com

olds (9:00am – 12:00pm)

Café in Killeen (6:00pm)

7. Branded Heart ($8) 8. Bret Mullins ($8) 14. Kenny Orts and No

25-28. Bell County

2, 9, 16, 23, 30. Family

Museum Summer Camp

Karaoke Every Wednesday

for 10-12 year olds

@ Eden Cultures Café in

(9:00am – 12:00pm)

Killeen

Chance Band ($10)

15. Billy Holt ($8) 21. Scooter Dubec and

Eden Cultures Café

Every Thursday @ Eden

Sterling Country ($8)

edenculturescafe.com

Cultures Café in Killeen

22. Debonairs ($10.00) 28. Mark Richey ($8) 29. Fireside ($8)

3, 10, 17, 24, 31. Open Mic 11, 18, 25. Kid’s Eat Free Every Tuesday Night Family Trivia (6:00pm)

12, 19, 26. Family Karaoke Bell County Living

Every Wednesday

Museum

13, 20, 27. Open Mic Every

www.bellcountymuseum.org

Thursday

11-14 . Bell County Museum Summer Camp for 5&6 year olds (9:00am – 12:00pm) 126 Bell County Living

Commerce

Eden Cultures Cafe edenculturescafe.com

5, 12, 19, 26. Kid’s Eat Free Every Tuesday Night Family Trivia @ Eden Cultures Café in Killeen (6:00pm)

6, 13, 20, 27. Family Karaoke Every Wednesday @ Eden Cultures Café in Killeen

Index of Advertisers AAMCO Transmissions & Total Car Care............... 43

Hoffpauir Auto................................................................... .1

Ameristor Self Storage Climate Controlled...........31

Holy Trinity Catholic School........................................87

Amos Electrical................................................................23

Hope Pregnancy Centers, Inc......................................51

Amy Bickel Photography.............................................79

Jenny Lloyd Photography..........................................106

Arnold Builders............................................................10-11

J. Philip Davis Jr. DDS....................................................42

Ashton Steele Photography....................................... 86

Kay’s Photography & Design......................................58

Automax............................................................................ 118

Land Exchange Abstract Title....................................23

Aztec Pet Hospital...........................................................51

The Salon & Spa at Greenbriar................Inside Front

Bell County Living........................................... 30, 66, 118

Linnemann Realty............................................................19

Bell County Museum.......................................................19 Belton Feed & Supply................................................... 119

Metroplex Center for Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine………………………….…………………9

Bo’s Barn and Dancehall............................................. 66

Metroplex Health System............................................ 50

Budget Blinds.................................................................. 86

Ocean Quest Pools........................................................... 7

Candid Images Photography..................................... 94

Ortiz Photography........................................................ 128

Central Texas Christian School...................................78

Premier ER.........................................................................38

Cinderella Couture Bridals...........................................95 Cloud Real Estate.............................................................. 3

Rodney Dunn Real Estate/ Brook Fowler.....................................Inside Back Cover

Cochran Blair & Potts....................................................67

Senior Care Western Hills............................................39

Crawford-Bowers Funeral Home...............................39

Seton Medical Center Harker Heights...Back Cover

Deane Electric & Air Conditioning.............................18

Shiloh Inn.............................................................................. 2

Eden Culture’s Café....................................................... 43

Smile Doctors..................................................................... 5

Elite Therapy Center..................................................... 43

Soujourn Real Estate................................................... 107

Emily B Photography.................................................... 50

St. Joseph Catholic School..........................................87

First Community Title Co..............................................31

St. Mary’s Catholic School...........................................87

Ft. Hood Marketing & Advertising............................58

Summers Mill Retreat & Conference Center.........95

Gallery Design Center.................................................. 30

Surface Source Design Center...................................22

Geico....................................................................................95

SWBC Mortgage..............................................................67

Germania Insurance – Larry Weiss Agency......... .118

Target Restoration...........................................................31

Gold Financial Services................................................ 119

Texas Farm Bureau Insurance.................................... 50

Grand Avenue Theaters................................................59

The Attic Self Storage...................................................22

Heights Home Health.....................................................51

United Way of Central Texas...................................... 119

Helping the Hands that Feed the Homeless.........59

Visiting Angels.................................................................42

Hewett-Arney Funeral Home......................................42

Webers Guns................................................................... 107

Hidden Falls Nursery & Garden Center...................23

Please thank these advertisers for making this publication possible!

Hometown Living At Its Best

127

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