Dripping Springs, TX June 2023

GENTLEMEN’S ISSUE

Gentlemen Matter

Welcome to our Gentlemen’s issue!

As a father of three boys, I look forward to the month of June when we celebrate the dad. Do you ever wonder, “How much do fathers really matter? What differences do they make in their homes?” Let’s start with the simple answer — the importance of a father is tremendous. It’s immeasurable and impossible to assess the true value of the roles fathers and father figures have on the lives of their children. The impact you decide to make as a dad or a male influence is entirely up to you, gentlemen. You are needed, you are appreciated, and you are valued more than you may know.

My dad worked as a pipe fitter in refineries all over the country and the Caribbean. When he wasn’t working locally in the Houston area on 14-hour shifts, he would be gone for months in other states or on an island somewhere. The man worked hard. He was tired. He was old school in his style of discipline — the belt was never too far away — but, one night when I was in middle school he showed a different side. He allowed himself to be vulnerable. He cried and told me that he wished I don’t turn out like him. He wanted something more for me and my sisters, and he didn’t want me to have the hard life he lived to provide for our family. I felt honored at that moment to be his son. My journey would still have its ups and downs — but I was dead set that I would bring honor to his name.

As we reflect on fatherhood this month, here are a few ways dads can build up their homes:

• Ensure your children often hear that you love them.

• Inspire and encourage them to challenge themselves.

• Hugs from a dad can be deeply comforting.

• A dad’s guidance is life-changing and foundational.

• A father’s correction is life-saving and life-giving.

• Adventures with a dad are exciting and memorable.

To my sons, Isaac, Cruz and Zane: there is nothing I won't do to keep you safe, and I will always strive to make you proud. To my dad: I am honored to be your son.

“The father of a wise child has great joy; a man who fathers a wise son rejoices in him.” Prov 23:24

Happy Father’s Day!

WILL RIVERA, PUBLISHER @DRIPPINGSPRINGSCITYLIFESTYLE

June 2023

PUBLISHER

Will Rivera | will.rivera@citylifestyle.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Karen Rivera | karen.rivera@citylifestyle.com

EDITOR

Kristen Hafner | kristen.hafner@citylifestyle.com

ADMINISTRATIVE DIRECTOR

Laney Bedwell | laney.bedwell@citylifestyle.com

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Krystal Thomson | krystal.thomson@citylifestyle.com

EDITORIAL COORDINATOR

Micah Wiener | micah.wiener@citylifestyle.com

COPY EDITOR

Christina Thompson christina.thompson@citylifestyle.com

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Nicole Burns Ascue, Kristen Hafner, Dr. Jeremy Kethley, Michael Kinney, Paul Lyngso, Marcus McNac, Christina Thompson, Micah Wiener

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Kristen Hafner, Knox Photographics, Keilani K Photography

Corporate Team

CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER Steven Schowengerdt

CHIEF SALES OFFICER Matthew Perry

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER DeLand Shore

DIRECTOR OF SOCIAL MEDIA Mindy Hargesheimer

ART DIRECTOR Sara Minor

OPERATIONS DIRECTOR Janeane Thompson

WEB APPLICATIONS Michael O’Connell

AD DESIGNER Josh Govero

LAYOUT DESIGNER Kelsi Southard

Building must run thick through the blood of the Alkire Family since we are the third generation of home builders, general contractors, architects, and developers.

We won’t be the last generation either.

This is why we make conscious efforts to design and build in an efficient yet beautiful manner that minimally disturbs our native surroundings.

Welcome home, Th e Alkires

512.777.9311 | INFO@ALKIRECONSTRUCTION.COM www.alkireconstruction.com

Amazing gated estate in the heart of Dripping Springs Hill Country

Amazing gated estate with agriculture exemption in the heart of Dripping Springs Hill Country. The main house’s square footage is 4,725 and has extensive custom design features including a chef kitchen, dedicated pool bath and double sliders onto the pool. This home offers three bedrooms on the main floor, and a fourth bedroom located upstairs with a large game room and every bedroom has en suite baths. Project desk areas and large pantry are a bonus for any family. The barn’s square footage is 582 and features a living space, kitchenette, bedroom and bath located on the second floor of the barn and has a private drive and entrance.

PRICE: $3,500,000

city scene

Where neighbors can see and be seen.

Want to be seen in the magazine? Tag your Instagram photos with @drippingspringscitylifestyle

1: The ladies of Vintage Soul 2: New mascot at SSES 3: Families gather for the Rooster Springs Elementary School carnival 4: Thin Blue Smokery serving the community 5: Ducks Unlimited fundraiser at Hog Heaven Ranch 6: Food truck Friday at Highpointe 7: Varsity Tiger tennis team at their season-end banquet

ASHLEY GOTTA

RONNIE ADAIR

We feel it is important to not only focus on the dental aspect of our practice, but to also make patients feel comfortable and treat them as family. We provide many comprehensive dental services and enjoy treating people of all ages. We look forward to the opportunity to meet you and build a lasting relationship.

Dripping Springs Family Smiles

Dentists, Dr. Gianna Quintana and Dr. Christopher DeMarco, are excited and honored to be serving the Dripping Springs community by providing comprehensive dental care.

Dr. Heather Bobb, the former dentist of this office, recently moved to Georgia and selected them to continue serving her patients. (512)

business monthly

A round-up of exciting news from local businesses.

Camp Hideaway is Hiring

We are looking for an experienced and energetic Venue Manager with an ownership mindset to help manage operations for our thriving venue. A successful Venue Operations Manager will be well-versed in the events industry and have a solid understanding of event management, venue operations and facilities management. Please send your resumé and cover letter to info@camphideaway.com with Venue Manager in the subject line.

Edelwise Christian School is Hiring for the 2023-2024 School Year

We are looking forward to adding to our staff family and can’t wait to hear from you. Please email your interest and resume to cassidyesullivan@gmail.com.

Regenerate Dripping Springs Looks to Grow Team

Regenerate is growing and looking for new people to join our team. Our passion is helping others with regenerative medicine, aesthetics, and vitamin/mineral therapies to improve and potentially eliminate pain. We are currently looking to fill LVN and Reception Concierge Experience roles. Please send resume to ask@naturalhealingtx.com.

Photography by Lauren Clark

Texas Roof Repair Seeks Management Talent

We are looking for an Integrator who will operate as the “COO” working, building and fighting forward as a key leadership team member. Your role will include monitoring and sustaining our financial picture, logistics and growth metrics. Our company is at a pivotal point, and we are poised for tremendous growth over the coming years with the right team.  Please

F U S E W O R K S P A C E

ABOUT

Our passion at FUSE is helping others DO MORE®. FUSE is much more than renting an office space. We want to be the launching pad that helps you DO MORE® with your business, community and the world. Our locations (Dripping Springs, Bee Cave, Houston & 4 Points) offer a clean, professional, and fun place to work.

LET'S COVER THE BASICS

Here at FUSE, we’ll provide the tools, space, and service you need to help your organization thrive. Private offices come furnished with 24-7 access and mail delivery included. Our café includes free barista-styled drinks and a grab-and-go market. Our full-time staff members are on-site during business hours, ready to assist our members and guests.

LET'S BUILD COMMUNITY

This is where the beauty of flexible office space comes in. Our workspaces are designed to help you build connections with people, and our in-house events will help you sharpen your business skills.

LET'S CHANGE THE WORLD

This is our personal favorite part of the #DOMORE® philosophy at FUSE. We’ll connect you with ways to give back both locally and globally through our non-profit partners and local advocate

“SPEED TRAINER”— KEVIN GARRETT

Former Professional Athlete Turned Entrepreneur and Author

Born and raised in Brazoria, TX, Kevin Garrett overcame health challenges as a child to become a track and field star and earn a football scholarship at Southern Methodist University. In 2003, Garrett ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the National Football League combine in just 4.31 seconds. He was subsequently drafted into the NFL where he played for the St. Louis Rams, the Houston Texans, and the Carolina Panthers. Garrett went on to play for NFL Europa and then finished his career in the Canadian Football League.

After retiring from football, Garrett moved back to Brazoria to help his siblings care for their ailing parents. After their passing, Garrett and his family moved to Dripping Springs six years ago.

“Dripping Springs is perfect for young families with kids. It has a great school district, beautiful Hill Country views, and Austin is easily accessible,” he says.

“Whenever someone or something tries to knock you down, you’ve got to keep going. You have to persevere.”

ARTICLE BY CHRISTINA THOMPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN HAFNER

His wife, Carly Garrett, is the owner of Hill Country Hands, an eco-friendly cleaning service. She is also a personal trainer specializing in fitness for female clients. Kevin’s oldest daughter, Trinity, is 12 years old and lives in Canada with her mom. The Garretts also have three children — Kaiden, 8, who plays soccer; Carter, 6, who is a performer; and Kolt, nearly 18 months, who the Garretts describe as full of joy.

Garrett works as a senior energy consultant for SunPower Corporation and is also an entrepreneur. Known as a “speed trainer,” he started his own fitness company called Swift Sessions, which helps young athletes work on their strength, conditioning, and agility. He is also the owner of Austin Sprint Club, a track and field club for youth and master athletes, and A+ Multimedia Designs, a multimedia company specializing in marketing, web design, and videography.

He also loves to write. Garrett has written two books. While he encourages his children to embrace their heritage and love who they are, he also wants them to understand that being different is okay. Scoops of Life is a children’s book that playfully touches on diversity and self-love through the universal love of ice cream. “Everybody's favorite type of ice cream is different, but ice cream, in general, is amazing, and that’s the same with people,” says Garrett. “We're all different, but we’re all equal and awesome inside.”

Keep Pressing is a motivational book that encourages individuals who may doubt themselves. Garrett feels that sometimes a little bit of encouragement can go a long way. He was fortunate to have had a great support system that encouraged him to be anything he wanted to be despite all the medical setbacks he faced.

“Whenever someone or something tries to knock you down, you’ve got to keep going,” says Garrett. “You have to persevere.”

Kethley Physical Therapy is owned and operated by physical therapists

Jeremy and Erin Kethley. Jeremy and Erin have been residents of the Dripping Springs community for over 22 years. KPT strives to provide the highest quality of outpatient physical therapy services to the Dripping Springs, Driftwood, Wimberley, Blanco, Johnson City, and Southwest Austin areas.

Only Locally Owned Physical Therapy Practice in Dripping Scan here to connect with us!

OUR CENTRAL FOCUS IS ALWAYS OUR PATIENTS

Our goal is to create a positive impact in our patients’ lives by providing extraordinary care and results. We want to ensure that each patient is comforted and feels like they are treated like family from the moment they step through our doors.

GARRISON BROTHERS

A BULL IN THE CHINA SHOP PRODUCES TEXAS' FIRST WHISKEY

ARTICLE BY MICHAEL KINNEY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN HAFNER

It seemed like an impossible task. When Dan Garrison decided he was going to become the first person to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey in Texas, there was no shortage of people who told him he was out of his mind.

But now, almost two decades after Garrison and his wife Nancy founded Garrison Brothers Distillery, he is definitely having the last laugh.

“For most of my life I've been described as a bull in a china shop,” Garrison said. “I don't follow the rules. I don't do what society tells me to do. I just do whatever I want to do. In this case, it turned out pretty darn good.”

Founded in 2006, Garrison Brothers is the first legal bourbon distillery in Texas history and is one of the first distilleries in America — outside of Kentucky — to produce authentic, handmade bourbon whiskey. Located in the Texas Hill Country, Garrison Brothers’ has become what Garrison always

thought it could be, which is a distillery that produces the finest bourbon in the country. That includes the iconic drinks that come out of the heart of Kentucky.

“Those types of bourbons were rich in Kentucky history, but they weren't massively distributed outside the state of Kentucky. So, you had to go to Kentucky to find them. The first time I tasted George T. Stagg from Buffalo Trace Distillery, I said, ‘I'm not going to go to market with my bourbon until it tastes better than George T. Stagg.’ It's taken us several years. But we beat George T. Stagg last year at the San Francisco Spirit competition. We won best in show of all the spirits with our Garrison Brothers Balmorhea Straight Batch Whiskey.”

The path Garrison and his company had to take to get to where they are was not easy. Along with those who thought he could never do it, he had to withstand economic turmoil, industry downturns and bad luck.

Dan Garrison

“One reason is swagger,” Garrison said. “We always believe we're going to get the job done even when the job is daunting,” Garrison said. “We have a lot of Texas swagger. That's been our mentality from the get-go. We never shut down and we never believed those who considered it couldn't be done.”

Born and raised in Houston and Dallas, Garrison graduated from the University of Texas in 1989 before moving to New York. There he started working in advertising by day and bartending at night. It was in New York where Garrison met his future wife, Nancy, who also went to UT. The newlyweds soon moved back to Texas where Garrison began working with a technology company. Because of the stock Garrison had purchased in the company, he was on the verge of selling the options and being financially set.

Master Distiller, Donnis Todd and the Copper Cowgirl

“I was going to sail off into the sunset on my new sailboat because I had 17,000 stock options in the company,” Garrison said. “And the very next week after we were acquired by Commerce One, Enron collapsed. Enron was the largest collaborative trading exchange in the world. And 12,000 Texans lost their jobs. And about another 10,000 Texans lost their jobs that didn't even work for Enron but ran comparable industries.”

Garrison was 40-years-old and had no idea what the next phase of his life was going to look like. It was during that time that Garrison had his eureka moment.

“I didn’t know what I was going to do for the rest of my life, so I decided to go to Kentucky and get drunk for a week,” Garrison said. “I went on the Kentucky Bourbon Tour and I thought to myself, this is doable. Every single operation that I walked into whether it was Maker's Mark, Jim Beam or Wild Turkey, I had the same thought. I get this, I can do this. I understand how this works. I understand how to make beer. I understand how to ferment beer. I understand the cooking process. I understand the grain grinding process. This is like working on a farm. And I can do this kind of work and I like it.”

The light switch had been flipped on for Garrison. He told his wife of his plan to build a distillery in their home state. According to Garrison, she responded by telling him he wasn’t allowed to make bourbon in Texas. Garrison decided to find out.

“I wrote a letter to the Tax Trade Bureau and I said, ‘If I want to make bourbon whiskey in Texas, can I? Or is this like France where all the champagne has to come from France? Does all bourbon have to come from Kentucky? Can they come from Texas?’” Garrison recalled. “And they said, of course, you can make bourbon in Texas. Why would you think otherwise? And I thought to myself, ‘Am I the only American who knows this information?’”

While Garrison already knew how to drink bourbon, he had to go to Kentucky to learn how to make it.

However, he had arrived at a time when bourbon was considered your granddad’s drink by the younger generation. The market was shrinking and the companies were cutting back on what products they were pushing out. Garrison’s idea started to seem ill-conceived and destined for failure.

“I talked to folks and they’d seriously question why I was getting into bourbon,” Garrison said. “Bourbon wasn’t hot. What was hot was vodka at the time.”

Yet, Garrison didn’t let any of it dissuade him. He soaked up as much knowledge and trade secrets as he possibly could during his trips to the state. His biggest issue in those early days was just trying to raise the capital needed for his implausible venture.

“During the process of building the business I underestimated the amount of money that would be required,” Garrison said. “Fortunately, I am married to a beautiful and fifth-generation Texan who believed in this dream as well. And she's my co-founder in the business. My dreams were financed by her money and her friend's money. And my friend's money. We went out and raised some cash. And that part of the process was always the most daunting — the capital required to build the property. And it still is today.”

The Garrisons were able to purchase 68 acres of land in Hye Texas. The family lived in a cabin and a travel trailer for the kids when they got older. The property has since expanded to a barrelhouse, stillhouse, mash room and a whiskey shack.

“My mother-in-law was kind enough to buy this little piece of property out here in Hye Texas. She traded it to me a couple of years later and we built the bourbon distillery starting in 2003,” Garrison said. “We had the whole operation up and running by 2007. Got a federal permit to still alcohol in 2007 and a state permit in 2008. The next thing you know, we're making bourbon.”

One of the first lessons Garrison and his team learned about the differences in distilling in Texas came early in the process. The first Copper Cowgirl batch of White Dog that they made and barreled popped when it was stored in the summer heat.

Garrison and his master distiller, Donnis Todd, quickly regrouped and made the necessary changes to not only combat the high Texas heat, but also make use of it. That would help Garrison Brothers stand apart from their Kentucky counterparts.

According to Garrison Brothers, “The extreme heat creates multiple aging seasons in a year, resulting in a darker, richer and fuller bourbon; bolder than almost any other bourbon on the market.”

With Todd and Rob Cordes, who is Head Marketing Dude, by his side, Garrison Brothers’ first delivery was made to the Republic National Distributing Company in early 2010. According to the company, it was the first bourbon to ever be delivered from the state of Texas.

“It was crazy. It was so fun. Those are the best times of my life,” Garrison said. “Because everything was

creative and everything was new and fresh and young. It was just a determination period. Everything was a new experience every single day. Nobody believed it. But today they do.”

The Garrison Brothers’ foray into the whiskey market seemed to have come at the perfect time. After decades of bourbon being deemed out of style, craft distilling was creating a buzz around the spirit industry.

Garrison drove from California to Florida spreading the word of the Garrison Brothers distillery to anyone who would listen. He says he was on the road more than 300 days a year while Todd ran the distillery.

The business turned its first profit in 2015. But that quickly gave way to a downturn in 2016 when the liquor market was oversaturated with source brands, which sold for a cheaper price than Garrison Brothers.

“We were right on the verge of collapsing,” Garrison said. “It was bad — the verge of bankruptcy bad. 2016 was just a horrible year.”  CONTINUED >

However, Garrison and his distillery persevered through the tough times and were able to find the capital needed to keep the operation running. Just as important, they were able to keep majority ownership of the business and full creative control of their product and the brand. This allowed Garrison to bring in new faces to run the business so they could grow from a regional product into a national brand.

While Garrison already believed his distillery was producing the best bourbon in the country, his beliefs started to get back up in 2014 when Jim Murray’s Whisky Bible named Garrison Brothers Cowboy Bourbon “American Micro Whiskey of the Year.” They won the same award again in 2017.

The awards have continued to roll in since then. That includes Garrison Brothers earning a pair of Double Golds at the 39th annual San Diego International Wine & Spirits Challenge for its Small Batch 2020 and Balmorhea 2020.

“We don’t want to make run-of-the-mill bourbon,” Garrison said. “We want to make exotic bourbon. We want to make bourbon that is sexy. So we’re constantly trying to ride the edge of the envelope and do something new and different.”

Like most things in Texas, Garrison has plans to become bigger and better in the future. From continuing to produce high-quality bourbon to a multi-million dollar distillery expansion, Garrison’s vision seems to have no boundaries.

“I told you I'm the bull in a china shop. So, when I wrote my business plan, the first section of the business plan is our mission statement and our core values,” Garrison said. “Our mission statement is to make the highest quality, finest tasting bourbon in the world. Few thought I could ever raise enough money to go international, but today we're selling in 64 countries and 42 states. So, we're getting there.”

ARTICLE BY PAUL LYNGSO PHOTOGRAPHY BY KNOX PHOTOGRAPHICS

RISE AND THRIVE

Essential Morning Habits for Men to Maximize Success

Success doesn’t happen by setting goals; it requires putting systems in place to stay consistent. A morning routine is one system that helps with consistency in all areas of life.

1/ Plan your food intake.

When and what will you eat? Are you going out, eating at home or bringing lunch? You don’t have to be super rigid in your plan, but having a plan makes you proactive instead of reactive, which leads to less decision fatigue and less reliance on willpower.

2/ Review scheduled appointments, including your scheduled workout time.

Meetings and time-sensitive appointments inform the flow of your day. Include your workout in your meeting calendar. The difference between a meeting and a to-do list is this: meetings get rescheduled when life gets crazy; to-do items get pushed into the void of “later.” To stay consistent with workouts, treat them like meetings.

3/ Fill in big rocks for selfimprovement, relationships and business projects.

Make time in between meetings to move the needle forward in key areas of life. How can you spend time in a way that helps you grow yourself, your relationships and your business? Making time to read a book, take your kids to the park or move a business project forward has a compounding effect on the quality of life.  A little investment done consistently yields outsized returns.

For more health and wellness tips and inspiration, tune into Paul’s podcast, The Missing Piece, hosted by Paul Lyngso on Apple Podcasts.

Paul Lyngso

Hometown Missions

Helping Our Unseen Neighbors

“Hop in the truck, let’s go for a ride,” says Chuck Lemmond.

This is the best way to see the work that Hometown Missions does in Dripping Springs. We buckle into his white GMC and head north of RR 12. He soon turns left on Cortaro Dr.

Halfway up a hill, nestled between a neighborhood of high-end homes, Lemmond points out the remnants of a decrepit road. Previously the site of an old asphalt plant and trailer park, this is where the Hometown Missions story begins.

Lemmond, a home builder, was working with his church to help those in need with small home maintenance projects — things like adding a wheelchair ramp, fixing broken pipes and general clean-up jobs.

One day in October 2008, Lemmond and his seven-year-old daughter drove up to a trailer home at the top of the hill. He came to fix a broken pipe. They walked inside the dilapidated mobile home. Inside lived a recently widowed mother of five. The scope of the damage was far worse than expected.

“It was bad. I could see daylight coming through the walls,” Lemmond says. “I said, ‘This home is too far gone. But how about I get you a new home?’”

Lemmond instantly wondered to himself, “How did that come out of my mouth?”

“What I saw, I can’t unsee,” he recalls. “Half a mile from my church, in my hometown, I can’t believe people live like this.”

Lemmond shared his experience and asked the community for help. Quickly, dozens of Dripping Springs neighbors snapped into action, and within three months, the group had removed the old home and moved her family into a new one.

Although she wasn’t born here, the widow wasn’t new to the area. She’d lived near Dripping Springs since she was two years old.

“I realized that she was hiding in plain sight,” Lemmond says. “These people are all around us. We pump our gas next to them. We shop for the same tools at Home Depot. But they are invisible to us.”

The process was enlightening for Lemmond. He decided to make it his mission to help those hiding in plain sight. Since then, Hometown Missions has assisted dozens of families in the Dripping Springs area.

The volunteer non-profit allows locals to perform missionary work without leaving the area. Hometown believes safe, healthy housing is a basic need and the launching point for education and success.

We pull away from the hill and turn back onto RR 12. Lemmond takes a quick left. He tells me this neighborhood is called “The North 40.”

“Not much later, we learned about an elderly couple,” Lemmond recounts as we come to a stop. He points at a mobile home. “It doesn’t look like much, but it was so much worse. There were holes in the floor.”

It wasn’t as big of a job as the first one, but it was equally impactful. The older residents of the home were reclusive, but after the group helped them, they came back into the community and back to church.

“It reinforced what we were doing. These people had lived here for 40 years, and they came out of hiding,” Lemmond says.

As we ride through the neighborhood, he points at several weathered homes and shares stories about each one. There’s the house where they remodeled the bathroom for a neighbor who needed alterations to take care of himself. He tells a story about how the city reached out to the organization to help clean up a yard full of junk left behind by a hoarder with mental illness.

Chuck Lemmond

Chickens, stray cats and small dogs run by. We sit less than two miles from downtown Dripping Springs, yet this neighborhood feels like a different world.

With help from the community, Hometown Missions has grown. There are eight board members and one full-time employee serving to manage Hometown’s efforts and mission. The budget has grown as well, from $15,000 to more than $400,000. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of neighbors in need.

ARTICLE BY MICAH WIENER

Chuck Lemmond

We’re back in the truck, cruising down Creek Rd. Lemmond turns right onto an unassuming road. He explains that these lots were sold in the 1940s, and almost every piece of land remains with the same family who originally bought it. Many homes house three generations today.

“It’s pretty simple, either we walk away or we do the hard work,” he says. “We’re just trying to help people who have lived here for generations.”

He stops the truck and points to a small white house on the left side of the road. Lemmond explains that the home that sat there had so much mold he couldn’t send volunteers in to fix it. They had to tear down the house and start fresh. So Hometown Missions did just that.

They built this cottage in one month. But they didn’t do it alone. A local architect designed the home, and more than 300 neighbors pitched in to make it happen.

“It was during COVID. We’re all mad, sitting in our houses and what happened in this lot was almost a miracle,” he says. “People came together. Strangers became friends. The community stepped up. That inspired us.”

Hometown is now partnering with other non-profits, including Habitat for Humanity, to create a new template for helping those in need. The group has big plans to create a tiny home development with truly affordable housing for our working neighbors. The organization also plans to document its process so that it can be repeated in other towns.

We turn back onto Creek Rd. and pull into a construction site. It’s here that Hometown is replacing a 54-year-old mobile home with a new home.

On the other side of the property, Lemmond points to a new mint green-painted house. The story is similar to the others. Three generations under one roof. Previously a home in unfixable condition. Holes in the floor with animals wandering through.

The residents included a boy in middle school who was always sick. “You would be sick if you walked in there for five minutes. The mold attacks your respiratory system,” Lemmond tells me. “Since we built this new home, he is healthy and captained his football team. That’s transformational.”

Throughout our morning, Lemmond constantly reminds me that the story isn’t about him. It’s about the people of Dripping Springs. “Whenever we’ve asked, from the

beginning, the community shows up,” he says. “With their hands, feet and wallets.”

The organization needs funding and also volunteers. “Obviously, we don’t get anything done without financial help,” he says. “But it’s more special when people bring their kids to a construction site to drag stuff to a dumpster. It brings the community together.”

The conversation circles back to our first stop. Eventually, the land where Lemmond and his daughter met the young widow sold for development. But Hometown didn’t give up. The organization moved the home, and the family, to a spot just west of town.

“We’ve seen this family grow. Kids go to high school, jobs and beyond,” Lemmond says. “We appreciate the gifts we’ve been given and we want to help our neighbors with a hand up, not a handout.”

Hometownmissions.org

Award Winning Texas Landscape Architects

“At Ecoland, our team provides creative solutions to promote spaces that drive community, connection, and excitement. We love partnering with developers, builders, and design professionals delivering new adventures to our community.”

- Bradley (BJ) Jones - Founder / CEO

11183 Circle Dr Suite A Austin, TX 512.344.204 www.ecolanddesigngroup.com team@ecolanddesigngroup.com

If you’re looking to get your commercial project off the ground, get in touch. Let’s design something amazing, together.

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY

BY KRISTEN HAFNER

Russell Cunningham

FROM RANCH LIFE TO ORAL SURGERY

Born in Austin, Russell Cunningham spent his childhood on a small ranch in Round Rock until the age of 10. Rapid growth wasn’t conducive to the ranching lifestyle his family desired, so they moved southwest to a ranch in Dripping Springs.

Growing up, Cunningham and his brother had limited supervision on the ranch. They spent time riding horses, roping cattle, hunting, fishing, and exploring the great outdoors. “Our parents gave us a lot of autonomy, which I feel is a big part of why I am the person I am today,” says Cunningham.

Cunningham’s professional journey stems from his father, Barry, who joined Austin Oral Surgery in 1974. Working summers and school holidays at his father’s office, Cunningham knew from an early age that he wanted to follow in his father's footsteps. His father instilled a love of the outdoors, hunting, fishing, music, all things wild, and faith in Jesus. Growing up on a ranch comes with a lot of responsibility and hard work. Cunningham feels the work ethic his dad taught him is the most important thing he can pass along to his own daughters.

“Our parents gave us a lot of autonomy, which I feel is a big part of why I am the person I am today.”

“I feel so blessed to be able to raise my children in this amazing community that had a hand in raising me.”

Cunningham graduated from DSHS and then attended Texas Tech where he was a member of the rodeo team, competing in team roping across the Southwest. This served as a much-needed break from his rigorous pre-dental studies. Cunningham enrolled in the four-year program at Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas. During his time there, Cunningham met his future wife, Carly, who is an orthodontist. Cunningham pursued an oral and maxillofacial surgery residency, while Carly completed her orthodontic residency. Cunningham returned to Lubbock to attend Texas Tech medical school and completed a year of general surgery internship and did the remainder of his surgery training in Dallas. After six years of residency, Cunningham joined his father's group, Austin Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery, while Carly started Cunningham Orthodontics in their hometown of Dripping Springs.

Apart from their work, the Cunningham’s biggest joy is raising their two daughters, Cami, 13, and Stormy, 11. The girls are actively involved in ranch life, including 4H stock showing, team roping, hunting, fishing and creek swimming. The girls' music has gained popularity as they showcase their abilities at local venues. They play various instruments including the guitar, mandolin, piano, harmonica, banjo and drums.

The Cunninghams value their faith and share a strong belief in the values of resilience, independence, and Texas culture in their daughters. They teach their children to use strong eye contact, offering firm handshakes, and to not shy away from hard work or play, even if it results in getting dirt or blisters on their hands.

The Cunninghams consider it a privilege to serve both the community and their patients' orthodontic and oral surgical needs. Cunningham Orthodontics is opening a second location near Belterra to serve both the East and West sides of Dripping Springs.

“I feel so blessed to be able to raise my children in this amazing community that had a hand in raising me,” he says.

Swing Better

Up Your Game with Physical Therapy

ARTICLE BY DR. JEREMY KETHLEY, PT, DPT PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN HAFNER

Regardless of whether you're a frequent golfer or just play on weekends, it's common to experience some level of discomfort or restriction during or after playing a full 18 holes. While experiencing muscle soreness for a few days after playing is normal, feeling pain while playing or having lingering discomfort two days later is not. When the body isn't moving correctly or when you play through pain, it's likely that your golf swing will be affected and lead to poor performance on the course, and could even result in further injury.

The golf swing involves numerous intricate joint and muscular movements, and golfers who have inadequate body mechanics, joint limitations, muscle tightness, muscle weakness, or pain-related constraints may not execute the correct range of motion and form required during the backswing, ball address, or follow-through, resulting in swing errors. A physical therapist can address all of these concerns by designing a customized program that includes targeted stretching, strengthening, and joint mobilization techniques, leading to proper biomechanics essential for an accurate golf swing while minimizing discomfort.

A physical therapist can help form an individualized golf rehabilitation program to include:

1. Balance training: Dynamic weight transfer and distribution during the golf swing is essential for adequate ball striking

2. Hip, back, shoulder joint mobility: Manual therapy and muscle stretching to achieve the range of motion necessary for full backswing and follow through

3. Hip and core strengthening: Address muscle imbalances and weakness to gain more stability and power during the swing

4. Reduce pain: All of the above will reduce pain along with possible modalities necessary which can be recommended by your therapist

A comprehensive assessment of your golf swing by a physical therapist can enhance your body’s potential for more powerful and stable swings, while also minimizing pain and restricted mobility. Although a golf professional may be the go-to expert for swing-related problems, a physical therapist can assist you in addressing any body mechanics concerns that may be causing physical limitations or discomfort.

ONE-on-ONE COACHING PROGRAM personal results

With this program you have a designated support team to help you build & execute your personal health & fitness plan.

Lifestyle INTEGRATION APPROACH

Based on your goals, preferences, demands and lifestyle, we build your customized plan for you. We work together to integrate it seamlessly into your life, making results easy to achieve and enjoyably sustainable.

Customized NUTRITION PLAN

There is no “one size fits all” plan. Every individual comes with different health goals, health history, food and drink preferences. You and your one-on-one Personal Results Coach get clear as to what you want out of your nutrition and build a strategy with that in mind. We teach you how to eat and drink what you want most of the time while still getting results.

Customized WORKOUT PLAN

Programs are built around your goals, level of training and your life. You work one-on-one with your fitness consultant to build and execute this workout plan.

A Transformative Journey

So many things had to go wrong for Judson Sutherland to be standing here today. “It's incredible to think of where we are now, and I feel both undeserving and deeply blessed,” says Sutherland. He started building family-focused hospitality businesses after God transformed his life and marriage. For a considerable part of his adult life, he was consumed by work, alcohol and selfishness. Sutherland meticulously crafted a facade that suggested he had everything under

control. This inner turmoil manifested itself in his insatiable desire for more.

Growing up in Dallas, Sutherland became consumed with achieving beyond his limits. He was taught that success equated to constantly surpassing himself. He strived to excel in athletics and play all sports, achieve perfect grades and enroll in the most advanced courses. This toxic mentality was incredibly detrimental to his well-being and contributed to his fall later in life.

FROM DARKNESS TO LIGHT: JUDSON SUTHERLAND

Sutherland attended Davidson College, where he received a partial tennis scholarship, an academic grant, a loan and worked to cover the remaining cost of his education. Alongside double majoring in political science and Spanish, he served as the co-captain of the tennis team and was an active member of a fraternity. Sutherland also interned at a local immigration law firm in Charlotte. Despite all his accomplishments, he couldn't shake the feeling that it wasn't sufficient — that he wasn't sufficient.

During his time at UT Law school, Sutherland’s mother died suddenly during a routine hysterectomy. Despite being a chance for him to seek comfort from God, he instead poured himself into work and drinking.

Sutherland’s obsession with recognition and a desire to fill a hole grew worse in his professional life. He sought money, trips, alcohol, lust and control while battling fear and inner demons. As a partner at a law firm and bar/ restaurant owner, he often came home late and intoxicated, causing marital problems. Feeling the void in his heart could never be filled, he had built a wall around himself to hide what he didn't want others to discover. “If you could have peered inside my soul, you would have seen that I did not believe I was worthy of love, not even God’s love,” shares Sutherland.

In April 2014, Sutherland won the Austin Under 40 Award but the limelight was quickly shut down when his actions collided with the consequences of hitting rock bottom as an alcoholic. Sutherland reached a point of despair, to the point of losing the will to live.

Sutherland says the Holy Spirit took over next. “For three days I heard a voice saying ‘This is it. This is it.’ I knew it was God telling me that I was

either going to die drunk in a ditch somewhere, or I could give up and let Him take over. I chose to surrender to Him.” Then with the help of several men, Sutherland developed a relationship with Jesus. Those men have remained his accountability partners in his lifelong recovery.

“Through all of this, my wife, Wendy, stayed. That in itself is a miracle. It’s not human. It’s supernatural. She credits her staying to a decision to trust God in the middle of the storm.”

Prioritizing Jesus’ sacrificial love, the Sutherlands aim to extend it to their two daughters and the many people they serve. The purpose of Sutherland’s work now is to love people through hospitality. Their restaurant, TLC, offers Texas comfort food and seafood boils, while their micro-resort, Camp Hideaway, provides a retreat for families in the Texas Hill Country. In partnership with NOOK Tiny Homes, they offer more families access to explore God’s creation. Oakwood Public Market in Dripping Springs is the latest in the works, with plans of opening in summer 2024. Oakwood — located in front of Headwaters off Highway 290 — will create community and showcase Texas-grown food and goods. It will include a market, soda shop, large outdoor patio and retail space for local purveyors.

“We moved from Austin to Dripping Springs in 2020. We’ve encountered genuine kindness from the community and also appreciate the schools’ emphasis on teaching our children how to think rather than what to think,” said Sutherland. “I’m fortunate to be in a men’s group focused on helping each other stay tethered to Jesus, allowing us to better love our families and teammates at work. I want to be an open book. I look forward to getting to know more of the amazing people who live in this community.”

“Through all of this, my wife, Wendy, stayed. That in itself is a miracle.”

Photo Credit: Kristen Hafner

The Graphic Guitar Guys

Crafting Custom Guitars for the Stars

ARTICLE BY MICAH WIENER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN HAFNER

Scott Friedeck used to live on the road, working as a tour manager for some of Texas’ biggest musical acts. One day he had an idea and decided to take a shot to make it come alive.

“I was on the road selling merchandise for Robert Earl Keen and he was asked to sign a guitar. An idea sparked,” he said. “The next weekend while out touring, the idea came up in conversation. Somewhere on the roads of West Texas it started to materialize.”

Friedeck’s company, The Graphic Guitar Guys, makes custom art instruments for music’s biggest stars. His Dripping Springs shop employs nine staff members, including local musicians, a military veteran, DSISD employees, and even members of the high school wrestling team.

“Our staff is strong, dedicated, and show attention to detail,” he says.

His wife, Thalia, is a DSHS graduate, and the couple has two kids.

“My work is special because I get to work close to home, help contribute to our community, be around music, and go to work each day not knowing who we may be working on that day,” he says. “You never know who might call.”

Clients include country heavyweights like George Strait, Taylor Swift, Luke Combs and Kacey Musgraves as well as rockers like the Foo Fighters and Counting Crows. More than a decade later, Friedeck is thankful for the local musicians who gave him his start.

“The music family, especially the Texas music family, is strong,” he says.

Thegraphicguitarguys.com | @graphicguitars

Scott Friedeck

Dr. Carly Cunningham

GENERAL : COSMETIC : IMPLANT

As an Austin-based jewelry designer, I’ve always loved the active lifestyle and laid-back atmosphere of our city. Each collection is designed to speak to the beauty and elegance of a versatile woman. Whether you’re wearing a t-shirt or ballgown, in the boardroom or at the baseball fields, we want you to revel in the simple, easy grace of our handcrafted pieces that flow with the momentum of everyday life. For more than 14 years now, the Liz James studio has been nestled in the hills of Westlake, just minutes outside of downtown Austin. Starting with a piece of wire, we design and create jewelry to be worn everyday, everywhere you go. We welcome you to stop by our studio as we love getting to know, and draw inspiration from, the women who wear our designs.

“I

want to welcome you to Gatlin Creek Dentistry. If you are a patient, I hope it is abundantly apparent how much you and your family mean to me and our team. Providing compassionate care

SHANE W. WHISENANT, DDS

ARTICLE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN HAFNER

COACH MICHAEL KANE

Leaving a Volleyball Legacy

Dripping Springs High School women’s volleyball head coach Michael Kane has acquired many accolades throughout his 26 years of coaching. Most recently winning the 6A state championship — being just the first season Dripping Springs competed in the higher division — takes his total state titles to six. He holds the title of the winningest coach in DSHS history. With more than 800 high school career wins, this makes Kane one of the winningest coaches in Texas volleyball history.

A motivational speaker with no shortage of words of wisdom, it will take effort for you to get him to talk about himself and his impressive resume without attributing his success to the amazing female athletes he’s coached.

A military brat living all over the world, Kane was born in Madrid, Spain. His family was located in bases in Oklahoma, Iceland, Greece and Lubbock until his dad retired and planted roots in Austin. Kane was part of the first graduating class at Bowie High School. Seeking the need for

direction, Kane joined the military himself. He attributes his adaptable personality and strong work ethic to his military upbringing.

Setting Coach Kane apart is the culture he creates with the student-athletes. They feed off Kane’s investment and love of the game. Less than five percent of students go on to the next level after high school, and only one percent will play division one. The Dripping Springs volleyball program is averaging 35 percent going on to the next level. There is no shortage of elite athletes.

With a team so deep in talent, the question had to be asked — where are these girls coming from? Are they moving here just to play for you? Kane said all but one has been in the DSISD system since they were young, and the one who wasn’t transferred from a local private school.

Coach Kane has transformed the game of volleyball, and most importantly shaped the lives and futures of countless young women, sending them into the real world with a resilient work ethic and strong moral compass.

BrockStar Pest

REVOLUTIONIZING PEST CONTROL WITH A CUSTOMER-CENTRIC APPROACH

ARTICLE BY NICOLE BURNS ASCUE

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN HAFNER

From small town to big city, Brock Anderson of BrockStar Pest Services continues his father’s tradition of hard work, passion for community and an expert-level knowledge of the insects that call Texas home. The Dripping Springs-based entrepreneur, who went to Texas Tech, spent his childhood learning from his father, Dr. Ron Anderson, a revered Ph.D. entomologist. Over a decades-long career in crop consulting, his father became known in the Texas panhandle as an agricultural oracle whose know-how helped guide generations of farmers in their hometown of Farwell and throughout the region.

Relationships formed the foundation of his dad’s career, a quality Anderson maintains in his own pest control business to this day. The trust built between Dr. Anderson and the grandfathers, fathers and sons who managed the areas’ farms went beyond consultant and clients: they were family. “My father taught me to treat every client like they are family. To take any issue and really lean into it and give it your all, no matter what service you are providing.”

Anderson’s dad also taught him the ins and outs of business ownership. A deep familiarity with the region’s bugs was only one of the skills Dr. Anderson required to run a successful company. Client relations, inventory, invoicing, accounting and scheduling were all managed by Dr. Anderson. The hard work wasn’t lost on his young son. “I witnessed firsthand that when you’re doing it for your own company and reputation, it’s a labor of love. And that love is fruitful.”

During his time at Texas Tech and in the years that followed, their bond and the respect Anderson has for his dad kept a classic piece of his advice running through his mind: “You ain’t gonna get rich working for someone else.”

“So, after years of dead-end jobs and unfulfilled dreams, I started to dissect what ‘rich’ was to me, and I found that it wasn't a dollar amount. It was the relationships I had experienced with my father’s clients. That feeling of family and lending a helping hand,” Anderson said. In 2012, while still working as a commercial construction project manager, he filed for a state pest control license and brought on his first consultant: Dr. Anderson, his on-staff Ph.D. entomologist.

After two long years working both jobs, Anderson was able to run his pest control company full-time. He credits his ability to do so to his father’s example of hard work and relationship building, values that he and his wife plan to pass on to their two kids. “I take great pride in knowing that a large portion of my client list are OGs. I'm talking 10+ years of providing the best service I possibly can. It’s really an amazing feeling to have created something similar to what I grew up with.”

With BrockStar Pest Services’ exceptional customer care — Anderson’s clients even have his direct line — and countless success stories, it’s easy to see why his clients stick around, and just like his dad’s, will undoubtedly do so for generations to come.

“My father taught me to treat every client like they are family. To take any issue and really lean into it."

ROOFING SOLUTIONS, DELIVERED RESPONSIVELY

Family man Tyler Taunton co-owns Texas Roof Repair with his longtime colleague and friend Joseph Robertson. Their company has been serving Dripping Springs, Austin and surrounding areas since 2017.

ARTICLE BY CHRISTINA THOMPSON

PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN HAFNER

Texas Roof Repair services both residential and commercial roofing needs, offering repairs and replacements. Their company’s motto is “Respond. Deliver.”

TEXAS ROOF REPAIR

“In the customer service world, sometimes it’s difficult to find someone to respond to your needs. We not only want to excel at responding, but we want to go above and beyond on delivering what was promised in our proposed solution,” said Taunton. “We want our customers to feel taken care of. We know that getting a roof done is not nearly as exciting as buying a car, but we want to make it as pain-free as possible.”

Taunton has lived in Dripping Springs for 10 years.

“When our realtor first took us down Hamilton Pool Road, she assured us that one day people would not complain about visiting us ‘way out here’ in Deer Creek Ranch.” Taunton and his family have been amazed by the community’s growth over the last decade.

“My drive to succeed is my family. I want my girls to know how much I love and care about them, and maybe help pay for all the weddings,” said Taunton. He is the proud father of four girls, Landin Nicole, Grace Ann (late), Andi Grace, and Austin Tyler. “I am beyond blessed to call Stormi Taunton my wife. She is a rock in our home and keeps the train on the tracks,” he says. “She is the most supportive and encouraging woman I’ve ever met.”

When asked how he keeps family at the center of his life while also keeping the business on track, Taunton says, "It’s about doing the right thing, even when it hurts. Then, I feel, we will have a sturdy ship in Texas Roof Repair for years to come.”

texasroofrepair.com

Grawlix Cocktail Lounge

Take a Sip and Unwind

Living in Dripping since it was a one-stoplight town, Jerome Bollom and a friend realized there was no liquor bar within the city limits. Tired of driving to Austin just to have a drink, they opened Grawlix Cocktail Lounge in December 2019.

“When we first opened, we just had the pre-prohibition lounge side with no TVs or games,” said Bollom. “It’s something we believe Dripping Springs was missing. Eighteen months after we opened, we expanded and doubled our size. This side has two pool tables, arcade games, pinballs, TVs and other fun things. It’s interesting to see how some people stick to their side; but this is the exact reason we designed the bar the way it is. You can start the night smooth and jazzy on the

lounge side, and then end the night playing pool and having a ball.”

When asked why the name Grawlix, Bollom explained, “It was actually a dictionary.com word of the day that my fianc é , Morgane Xenos, who painted and designed the whole bar, showed me. We thought it would be a good name for some kind of fun establishment. A few weeks later the idea of the bar came about. Grawlix is actually a string of typographical symbols (such as %@$#*!) used in place of an obscenity, especially in comic strips. The slur is replaced with a grawlix.”

Open Tuesday through Saturday, Grawlix serves small plates until 9pm and craft cocktails until 11pm during the week and midnight on Friday and Saturday.

“Just like any good watering hole, I think Grawlix has helped the community be its true self,” said Bollom.

330 W Mercer St

SLEEPY BEE

• 1.5oz mezcal

• .75oz elderflower liquer

• .25ox lavender simple syrup

• .5oz lemon juice

Chop fresh rosemary and light it on fire to create a smoked effect inside the glass. Pour ingredients to the smoked rosemary glass and enjoy.

ARTICLE BY CHRISTINA THOMPSON | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KRISTEN HAFNER

Al Gonzalez

EMPOWERING OUR COMMUNITY THROUGH FINANCIAL PLANNING

Al Gonzalez moved to Texas from Boston in 1987. Along the way, he and his wife of 42 years, Jackie, built their own careers and raised three children. A love for the Hill Country and a desire to be closer to their kids brought the couple to Dripping Springs three years ago.

“I love that the local community of business owners is open to network and help me grow my business,” he says.

After a successful corporate career, Gonzalez wanted to reduce his travel to be around his growing family. He noticed many people were not financially ready for retirement, and decided to help others with education and retirement planning.

He earned his securities license and has been creating financial plans for the past 13 years. Because of his experience raising a family and working for major corporations, Gonzalez

knows his way around benefits and options — helping clients take full advantage of their available resources.

“I help clients align their goals for a lifestyle they’ve established and want to live into,” he says.

Family lifestyle is important to the Gonzalezes, as is helping others. Jackie is a management consultant, who helps organizations optimize performance through corporate culture. Their daughter, Caroline, is a media strategist for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital in Memphis. Sons Greg and Michael help businesses through their work in commercial real estate in Austin.

If you want to see Gonzalez get interested, ask him about his business. If you want to see him smile, ask about his grandson.

agwealthadvisors.com | 512-765-6767

ARTICLE BY MICAH WIENER | PHOTOGRAPHY BY KEILANI K PHOTOGRAPHY

ARTICLE BY MICAH WIENER

Ferrari of Austin

START YOUR ENGINE AND EXPERIENCE THE THRILL

Ferrari of Austin opened its doors in 2010 as Austin's first and only authorized Ferrari dealership. Since then, they have created tailored experiences that bring life to the Ferrari community in Central Texas.

Keith Humpherys is the general manager and devotes his professional life to creating the perfect atmosphere for all Ferrari owners and enthusiasts in the showroom. He is a long-time Ferrari fanatic turned Ferrari owner with true passion and knowledge of everything about the prancing horse.

Ferrari of Austin invites you to join the Ferrari lifestyle.  6201 S I-35 Frontage Rd., Austin austin.ferraridealers.com

Photo credit: Joneil Gutierrez

Photo credit: Martin Katler

Photo credit: Robin LE MEE

FERRARI OF AUSTIN

No automobile expresses Italian excellence like Ferrari, and at Ferrari of Austin, our greatest mission is to make every visit as memorable as it is exceptional. Our spectacular facility brings the spirit of Maranello to life, with a professional team dedicated to providing the finest sales, service and support in the industry.

We invite you to visit our new dealership, experience the SF90 Stradale and our collection of Certified Pre-Owned Ferrari's. Immerse yourself in the world of the Prancing Horse and explore our showroom today.

6201 S IH 35 Frontage Rd

Austin, TX 78744 512-380-0231

khumphreys@ferrariofaustin.com

austin.ferraridealers.com