Helotes Fall 2018

Helotes Gateway to the Texas Hill Country

FALL 2018

Pumpkins, Pumpkins and more Pumpkins

by Beth Graham

The Brauchle Legacy

by Cynthia Leal Massey

Scrumptious Holiday Meal Options

By Dan R. Goddard

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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M

Howdy Helotes

any of us were anticipating a hot and dry summer this year. There is no doubt we were right about the “hot,” with many days hitting triple digits. But, we certainly missed on the “dry” when we had a little more than 10 inches of rain in July and just over 20 inches of rain during the first three weeks of September. That amount of rain resulted in multiple road closures; fortunately, however, we did not receive any reports of water getting into homes or businesses in the City.

In 2012, Bexar County started a program to alert drivers about dangerous flood conditions around the County. Referred to as the High Water Detection System (HWDS), each location has a sensor installed in the drainage channel or creek bed with flashing lights on poles on both sides of the drainage area.

When water reaches a predetermined depth over the roadway, the sensor sends a signal to the City, activates the flashing lights, and notifies our Public Works and Police Departments to place barricades, as needed. When the program was announced, we submitted several locations that had, through the years, flooded during heavy rains. Those first locations were approved and more were added later, resulting in 10 HWDS locations throughout the City today.

Orange and blue diamond-shaped signs with the message “Bexar County - HALT” have been installed in the area of each sensor and flashing lights. HALT stands for “High Water Alert Lifesaving Technology,” and the overall message is to not drive into areas where water is over the road, especially when the warning lights are flashing. Do not move or go around barricades at low water

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By Mayor Tom Schoolcraft

crossings. Remember the old adage, “Turn around, don’t drown!”

The largest street maintenance project in our City’s history was successfully completed this summer. New surface treatments were applied to streets in Beverly Hills, Helotes Ranch Acres, Helotes Park Estates, and Evans Valley.

An emulsified oil coating was applied to Scenic Loop Road and Leslie Road; both of those roads received new striping.

All of this work was done to improve the streets’ ride quality, as well as rejuvenate their surface and increase their longevity.

All of this street maintenance work was completed because of the revenue produced by the one quarter percent (1/4%) street maintenance sales tax that was approved by our voters in November 2015. This revenue is placed into a restricted fund and can only be used for street and right of way related maintenance projects. Previously, we were only able to allocate an average of $50,000 each year to street and drainage maintenance and improvements; this new source of revenue enabled us to dedicate approximately $750,000 for much needed street work this year. Some of the completed streets had not been improved in decades and needed the upgrade. We are anticipating completing more street maintenance next year as the fund is replenished.

The street maintenance sales tax must be approved by the voters every four years, so it will be placed on the May 2019 ballot. More information and related pictures of the work completed this year can be found in a companion article in this issue.

September brought to a close the 11th successful season of our Movie Nights at the Park series. Each movie was enjoyed by hundreds of movie goers who were treated to free hot dogs, a variety of food vendors, free door prizes, a concert by the Helotes Area Community Band, and, of course, cartoons and the movie. In July, we celebrated the Band’s 10th anniversary with free cupcakes for the movie goers and a nice cake and certificates of appreciation for the Band members.

Be sure to check out our calendar of events and mark your calendars for our annual Veterans Day Concert at the fire station on Sunday, November 11 at 3 p.m. Also, plan to join us at our annual Lighting of the Lights at City Hall, the Cowboy Christmas Parade in Old Town Helotes, and our two Christmas concerts with the Helotes Area Community Band. Check the events page in this issue for the dates, times, and locations of each event.

It’s always nice to be able to enjoy the cool fall weather and get ready for the excitement that comes with the holiday season. I wish you all a Happy Thanksgiving, a very Merry Christmas, and a safe and prosperous New Year.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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Table of Contents Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country

Howdy Helotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

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Pumpkins, Pumpkins, and more Pumpkins! . 14 Keeping the Faith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18 The Brauchle Legacy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Scrumptious Holiday Meal Options . . . . . . 26 Bricks & Minifigs: Helotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 27 Shop Small, Shop Local, Shop Helotes . . . . 28 Celebrate the Holidays Helotes-Style . . . . . 30 Helotes House of Neighborly Service . . . . . 32 Happy Trails . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 34 Events . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 36 Helotes Employee Spotlight . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Helotes Streets Get Major Makeover . . . . . 40 Advertiser Coupons . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Advertiser Index . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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Magazine Credits Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country

Publisher Louis Doucette | Traveling Blender, LLC louis@travelingblender.com

Editor Andrea Wazir | editor@helotesmagazine.com

Advertising Sales Janet Sandbach | janet@travelingblender.com

Contributing Writers Claudia Alarcon Dan Goddard Beth Graham Cynthia Leal Massey Bob McCullough Mayor Tom Schoolcraft Helotes City Staff

Graphic Designer Jennifer Nelson

Contributing Photographers Dave Scepanski Jack Smith Tony Wazir

Editorial Committee Members Ken Dempsey Louis Doucette Glenn Goolsby Cynthia Leal Massey Janet Sandbach Tom Schoolcraft Rick Schroder Andrea Wazir

Helotes City Council Mayor Tom Schoolcraft Mayor Pro Tem Cynthia Leal Massey Councilmember Alex Blue Councilmember Paul Friedrichs Councilmember Bert Buys Councilmember Jim Meadows Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country magazine is published by Traveling Blender, LLC (Publisher) on behalf of the City of Helotes. Reproduction in any manner, in whole or in part, is prohibited without the express written consent of the City of Helotes. Editorial and advertising material contained herein does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the City of Helotes, elected and appointed officials, or its staff. Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country magazine, the Publisher, and the City of Helotes reserve the right to edit all material for clarity and space and assume no responsibility for accuracy, errors, or omissions.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country magazine does not knowingly accept false or misleading advertisements or editorial, nor does the Publisher or the City of Helotes assume responsibility should such advertising or editorial appear in the magazine. Articles and photos are welcome and may be submitted to our office to be used in the magazine, subject to the discretion and review of the Publisher, Editor, or the City of Helotes. All submissions become the property of Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country magazine and the City of Helotes, and the submitter confirms that all submissions, including photography, is either the submitter’s own work or the writer / photographer has provided permission to the submitter to use the content within the magazine. All Real Estate advertising is subject to the Federal Fair Housing Act of 1968, which makes it illegal to advertise “any preference limitation or discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, handicap, familial status, or national origin, or an intention to make such a preference limitation or discrimination.”

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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Pumpkins, Pumpkins, and more Pumpkins!

Time for the Helotes Hills United Methodist Church Pumpkin Patch

By Beth Gr aham

W

hat would you like to know about pumpkins?

Which are the sweetest? Which are best for baking? Which ones will last longest as fall décor on your front porch? Head over to Helotes Hills United Methodist Church (HHUMC), 13222 Bandera Road, for their annual Pumpkin Patch, where fun turns into learning and learning turns back into fun!

The Church’s annual fundraiser runs from Sept. 30 through Halloween, Oct. 31, with activities and special presentations throughout the month. The Pumpkin Patch will take over the grounds with several hundred pounds of pumpkins in all sizes, from the tiny “minis,” small enough to fit into a child’s hand, to giants that are almost big enough to hold a child. It’s coordinated by the “Pumpkin Lady,” Rhonda Fay. She is a Church member who, for the past five years, joyfully spends countless hours making sure that everything runs smoothly in the Pumpkin Patch. Rhonda originally began as a volunteer who read stories to visiting children at the event. The Pumpkin Patch began in 2003, so this year the event celebrates its 15th anniversary.

The fun starts with the arrival of the pumpkins on Sept.

30. A team of volunteers will assemble at the Church to help unload the pumpkins from the delivery truck – high school students, Church members, and community residents who love the Pumpkin Patch are happy to help. In 2017, the youngest volunteer was

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2 years old and the oldest was 88. As soon as the pumpkins are unloaded and arranged on the grounds, then the festivities begin.

Saturdays are always busy. Saturday, Oct. 6, clowns Sunshine and Sweetpea will provide balloon art for the children. The second shipment of pumpkins will arrive on Oct. 20 and there will be face painting for children, along with a funnel cake food truck. A craft sale will be held Oct. 27, and there will be fajita tacos for sale, as well. The Doodle Train will also be on-site entertaining young visitors with a train ride.

There are a few Sunday activities planned. One highlight is Worship in the Pumpkin Patch, a special Church service held outdoors. The service usually takes place on the third Sunday in October, which will be Oct. 21 this year. Save the date, Oct. 28, on your calendar because children won’t want to miss Trunk-or-Treat hosted by the HHUMC and their neighbors at Forest Hills Presbyterian Church.

Weekday afternoons, children from local daycares and schools meet at the Pumpkin Patch for stories and activities with Pumpkin Lady Rhonda.

They learn how pumpkins grow, use string to find the biggest and smallest pumpkins, and find out why you should never pick your pumpkin up by the stem. In 2017, it is estimated that more than 3,000 children visited the Pumpkin Patch.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

Of course, all day, every day, children have their pictures taken by doting parents and grandparents. Aside from the picturesque setting of the Pumpkin Patch itself, there are photo cut-out boards, including scarecrows, ghosts, cowboys, and a little red barn where children (or adults) can put their faces in the picture. There have even been engagement photos taken at the Pumpkin Patch, and at least one marriage proposal has taken place (She said yes!).

The Pumpkin Patch is one of the Church’s major annual fundraisers.

Funds are used to support everything from charitable activities to meeting unusual Church needs. In 2018, for Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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example, part of the proceeds will be used to help save two heritage trees suffering from oak wilt.

All of this couldn’t take place without a tremendous amount of planning and coordination, all under the supervision of the Pumpkin Lady herself. The pumpkins are provided by Pumpkin Patch Fundraisers, a family-owned business that began in 1974 in North Carolina with a few pumpkins and a local church.

The pumpkins are provided to churches and nonprofit organizations on an honor system. After the sale is over, the organizations report their revenues and pay the business its share. In the decades since that first small pumpkin patch, demand has grown so much – an estimated 4,000 groups host events nationally – that pumpkin farming has expanded to the western U.S., near Farmington, New Mexico, where over 1,200 acres are planted. Much of the work at the New Mexico farm is done by residents of the nearby Navajo Reservation, a fact Pumpkin Lady Rhonda was proud to share.

Rhonda is also proud that the Helotes community has come to embrace the Pumpkin Patch. Some volunteers clear their calendars to make sure they are available to work. It’s a family tradition, and many families return year after year. Some visitors even have photos of their children from each year that the Pumpkin Patch has been in operation. One such family moved to Dallas this year for the mother’s job. When Rhonda said how much they’d be missed, the mom said, “Oh, we’ll be back for the Pumpkin Patch. We have to get our pictures!” It’s that kind of loyalty from the community that keeps the Pumpkin Patch coming back each year.

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

Know Before You Go • Dates: Sept. 30 – Oct. 31 • Hours: Sunday – Friday, noon to 8 p.m. and Saturdays, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

• Every pumpkin you see is for sale. Want to know which kind to buy for a special purpose?

Ask the volunteers.

• Admission is free.

• Costumes are ENCOURAGED. • Free parking is available, but space can be limited on busy days.

• To confirm activities, visit the Helotes Hills United Methodist Church website at www. hhumc.com or find them on Facebook @ HHUMC.Helotes.Hills.

Pumpkin Patch 2017 by the Numbers • A lot of pumpkins: 4,649 “regular” pumpkins, along with 72 cases of other kinds of pumpkins.

• $18,029 raised for the Church.

• 78 volunteers worked 356 shifts and another 100 youth volunteers participated with 218 service hours earned.

• 518 loaves of pumpkin bread sold.

• 9,875 pounds of pumpkins donated to a food bank after the sale.

Pumpkin Facts • Pumpkins are gourds, kin to squash, melons and cucumbers.

• The first Jack-o-lanterns weren’t made from pumpkins – they were carved out of turnips!

• Never pick up a pumpkin by the stem. It loosens the seed core, and the pumpkin can begin to rot.

• To help your carved pumpkin last longer, soak it briefly in a bleach-and-water solution after cutting and allow it to dry thoroughly, or rub petroleum jelly on the cut surfaces.

• If you decorate with pumpkins, uncut ones will last longer. Keep them dry and relatively cool, and they will be around for months.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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Keeping Faith THE

T

By Bob McCullough

hanksgiving and Christmas celebrations generate excitement aplenty. Midway between the two major holidays comes another muchanticipated celebration for the parishioners of Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the Helotes congregation’s observation of the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Dec. 12. No matter which day of the week Dec. 12 occurs, that’s when the faithful come together for an entire day of special activities.

“Our Lady of Guadalupe is the Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary that was given after her appearance in 1531 to St. Juan Diego Cuauhtlatoatzin at Tepeyac Hill in Mexico City,” says Kathy Tragos, pastoral associate. “Although her appearance in the New World took place in Mexico, and Hispanic Catholics have a special devotion to her, Our Lady of Guadalupe is the patroness not only of Mexico, but also of the United States and all of the Americas and the unborn.”

Tragos further explains that Catholic parishes may be named after Christ or after a patron saint or intercessor.

“He or she can be a model for the community since we all seek to become saints,” she adds. “With the idea that the patron or patroness is the one that watches over you, this is also the person we choose to be the one to pray to for the parish and for ourselves.”

The Feast Day begins at 6 a.m. with a serenade featuring “Las Mananitas” – how beautiful this morning is that I come to greet you – and other songs, followed by a mass at 7 a.m. After an 8 a.m. breakfast, parishioners embark at 9 a.m. upon a 17-mile pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church on

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El Paso Street in West San Antonio.

“Each year’s pilgrimage alternates between the two church communities,” Tragos says. “This year, the pilgrimage starts in Helotes and ends in San Antonio. People may walk together or on their own. Some start earlier as part of their daily routines. Some may walk part of the way and others the whole route. We have volunteers along the route with water and fruit. These rest stations move along through the day as the pilgrimage progresses.” Between 3 and 5 p.m., dinner is served at the end of the walk, and, usually, around 6 p.m., priests from both churches celebrate mass

to conclude the Feast Day. One of them making the trek usually carries the offerings of bread and wine to be used during the mass.

What has become an important tradition at Our Lady of Guadalupe began with parishioner Frank Tovar.

As a young boy in Mexico, he and

his family would hike 200 miles from his hometown to Mexico City every December for the Feast Day of the Virgin of Guadalupe. He wanted to continue that practice in Helotes, so he and a friend, Nina Garza, made the first pilgrimage to Our Lady of Guadalupe downtown. The following year, five people participated, and, now, approximately 100 take part.

In preparation for the Feast Day, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church holds a novena, or nine-day vigil from Dec. 3 through Dec. 11, with activities on various days, including a living rosary said in English and Spanish, a dramatization of the appearance of Our Lady before Juan Diego and a celebratory serenade.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church traces its history in Helotes to 1896. In 1908, a wooden chapel

was constructed on the grounds of what is now the Helotes Catholic Cemetery on Bandera Road, and, in 1943, a church was built on the site of the present chapel. The cornerstone was blessed and laid on Sunday, Sept. 26, 1943, and the first mass was celebrated Dec. 12, 1943, the Feast Day of Our Lady of Guadalupe, even though the building was unfinished.

The Parish’s steady growth to almost a thousand families prompted construction of a new church in 1989 that was dedicated the following Oct. 14. Today, under the leadership of Father Carlos Davalos and his assistants, Father Anthony Male and Father Danny Nyang’au, the Parish serves more than 7,000 households in Helotes and surrounding areas.

Our Lady of Guadalupe Church is located at 13715 Riggs Road. For more information about the Church or Feast Day, call (210) 695-8791 or visit www. olghelotes.org.

The faithfulness and example set by a humble man has blessed the Church with a revered annual celebration that’s all about keeping the faith.

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The Brauchle Legacy

By Cynthia Leal Massey

Henry T. and Eleanora Brauchle family in front of their farmhouse, circa 1916. L to R, standing: Roy (19051993), Henry (1901-1992), Emmy [Charles Kuentz] (1900-1987), George (1898-1972), and Hugh (1903-1993).

Middle row: Henry T. (1870-1958), Eleanora (1878-1953), and Robert “Bob” (1915-2003), sitting on his mother’s lap. Otelia “Tillie” [King Fuller] (1909-1952) and Ellen [Henry Volz] (1907-1995) are seated on the ground.

Courtesy of Ruth Lampman.

H

enry Theodore Brauchle, one of Helotes’ most renowned teachers, has an elementary school named after him, as does one of his grandsons—Charles Kuentz. But, what many people don’t know is that, for the majority of his life, H. T. Brauchle was a farmer, and his farm encompassed 171.95 acres in Helotes, roughly a rectangular area bordered by Bandera Road, Leslie Road, F.M. 1560, and a line from the NISD bus facility on Leslie to F.M. 1560, now Vulcan Materials property. Within this rectangle are the Helotes Municipal Complex, O’Connor High School, Charles Kuentz Elementary School, a residence, and a few commercial businesses.

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It’s hard to imagine Helotes as rural anymore. But for decades after the early pioneers began to settle here, expanses of farm and ranch land were the rule, not the exception. When Henry Brauchle arrived in Helotes in 1895, it didn’t take him long to see that a schoolteacher’s salary was not adequate for what he wanted in life—a wife, children, and a way to support them properly.

He himself came from a large family.

Born February 2, 1870 in Guadalupe County in the Santa Clara settlement, a community of German immigrants, Henry was the eldest of nine

children born to Xavier (also known as George) and Louisa Brauchle.

Xavier immigrated to Texas from Bad Wurzach, Germany, in 1863, and he was drafted into the Union Army, serving as a bugler. In 1868, Xavier, then employed as a carpenter, married Louisa Weil, whose family had immigrated to New Braunfels.

During Henry’s early school years, German was spoken in the classroom. In fact, Henry spoke only German until his family moved to Atascosa County, where he was enrolled in a school where English was spoken.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

By 1890, Henry had moved to San Antonio to work as a clerk in Mumme’s General Store for a monthly salary of $10. He also attended Alamo Business College where he studied bookkeeping and penmanship, completing the threemonth course in one month. For a few years, he worked at retail stores in San Antonio, Schertz, and New Braunfels.

After moving in with his married sister in the settlement of Oak Island in Chambers County, Texas, he focused on his education. He asked the local teacher if he could audit classes in exchange for teaching penmanship to the students, and his offer was accepted. After finishing the term, he took the teacher’s examination successfully and received a certificate to teach.

His first teaching position was at Agua Dulce School in Ditto, Texas, where he taught 56 students for a $40 monthly salary. He taught there one term and then came to Helotes. During the summer, he attended a normal school in Kerrville. Normal schools, now called teachers’ colleges, were established to teach standards or “norms.” During his eight years at the Helotes School, he also attended the Peacock and Brackenridge Normal Schools in San Antonio during the summers. At the end of his schooling, he became certified by Bexar County.

on the family farm in what was then considered Helotes. The farm was to the southwest of Zion Lutheran Church fronting today’s Loop 1604.

Eleanora’s father, Robert E. Robinson, an attorney from Allegheny City, Pennsylvania, emigrated as a child from Ireland. According to the couples’ Bexar County marriage certificate, Robinson married Augusta Specht Green, widow of John Green, on February 5, 1878. Nine months later, on November 23, 1878, Eleanora was born. Robert died before his daughter was two.

Eleanora’s mother married her third husband, Julius, on May 9, 1882, and he raised Eleanora as his own. Along with her mother and stepfather, Eleanora grew up with four half-siblings: William, John, and Mary Green, and Emmy Ballscheit, who was born in 1883.

Henry was smitten by the pretty Eleanora, whom he affectionately called “Schatzie,” a German nickname meaning “treasure” or “little sweetheart.”

He courted her for a year. As an engagement present, he presented her with a piano, paid for on an installment

plan. They married on July 29, 1897, and Eleanora made her home with Henry in a room adjacent to the Helotes classroom where he taught. The Helotes School, then a one-room rock schoolhouse, was located about a thousand yards southwest of the future Brauchle farmhouse (where today’s Helotes Police Station is located).

According to land records, Brauchle purchased the first 20 acres of his farmland in 1906 and another 151.95 acres in 1907, but he had continuously leased the Bandera Road property since 1898, having “placed a substantial fence” around the land. A 1930 affidavit indicates that livestock were pastured on the land, and a field of about 25 acres was under cultivation.

The Brauchle Farm In 1902, Henry accepted a position at the Los Reyes School, and he and Eleanor moved there with their growing family: George, Emmy, and Henry, joined in 1903 by Hugh and, in 1905, by Roy. By 1907, their second daughter, Ellen, was born, and Henry was back teaching at the Helotes School. The family moved

Henry likely felt a sense of déjà vu at the Helotes School since the majority of his students spoke only German. In a newspaper interview in 1948, Brauchle said he had “twenty to forty [students], depending on the season of the year.

During planting or harvesting, the number decreased, as the neighboring farmers and ranchers used their children in the fields.”

Romance and Marriage While at a dance at the Hermann Sons [Braun] Hall in Helotes, Henry met Eleanora Jane Robinson who was eight years his junior. Eleanora, who lived with her mother Augusta and stepfather, Julius Ballscheit, was born and raised Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

Eleanora Brauchle feeding chickens, circa 1940s.

Courtesy of Charlie Kuentz and Henry and Becky Brauchle.

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Henry T. Brauchle in the pasture with sheep, circa 1940s.

Courtesy of Charlie Kuentz and Henry and Becky Brauchle. to the newly purchased Brauchle farm into their own family homestead. Four more children were born: Tillie in 1909; Howard, born in 1913 and who died in 1914; Robert born in 1915; and Adolph, who died in infancy in 1917.

The family of ten lived in a single story homestead of simple pier and beam wood construction with cedar posts on the porch. It had a master bedroom on one side, a parlor in the middle, and a kitchen, dining room and two bedrooms on the other side. The farmhouse, according to grandson Charlie Kuentz, had no electricity or running water, and, therefore, no bathroom - just an outhouse. Kerosene lamps hung from the ceiling and wood stoves heated the house. Water was collected from the cypress wood cistern connected to the windmill that pumped water from the well. The original cistern fronts Bandera Road on the municipal grounds, but it was formerly by the well on the back of the property, behind the house. The windmill on the municipal grounds is not the original.

The Brauchles farmed, ran a dairy (the building today is used as a storage shed for the City), and raised cattle, horses, sheep, hogs, and chickens. Henry also

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Henry T. Brauchle and son Hugh working at the apiary, circa 1915. Courtesy of Charlie Kuentz and Henry and Becky Brauchle.

maintained an apiary, which housed a colony of more than two million bees.

According to Kuentz, his grandfather had a large pecan grove–well over 100 trees–about where the fence line is separating the City and O’Connor properties. NISD destroyed all of the trees, and now the land lies idle with nothing on it. “The pecans, along with the honey he harvested from the bee colony, and the dairy were their only sources of income,” says Kuentz.

During WWII, Brauchle was able to purchase sugar, which was rationed and unavailable in stores, because he needed it to feed his bees. Kuentz says, “It was very granular and course, but we managed to use some of it in our iced tea.”

Brauchle played the violin and made musical instruments by hand, according to his family. Granddaughter Faye Haby says that Henry’s love of music extended to singing. His grandchildren gathered around the piano and sang church songs at his home during Christmas. A pillar of the community, the Helotes teacher helped found Zion Lutheran Church of Helotes, served as a Helotes school trustee, election judge, and owner/ operator of the Helotes telephone system.

The Moonlight Tavern In 1941, the Brauchles sold a small parcel of land, just over half an acre fronting 300 feet on Bandera Road, to C. A. “John” Holman, who built the Moonlight Tavern dance hall. Holman sold the property in 1957, but the dance hall continued to operate until about 1974 under different owners. According to Charlie Kuentz, his mother Emmy loved to dance, and so, as a small child, he spent many Saturday nights asleep under one of the tables at the dance hall while his parents “cut a rug.” After the building was torn down, a new owner erected the small strip center that is there today.

Eleanora Brauchle died on January 16, 1953 after a short illness. Henry died five years later in a fire that destroyed the family homestead on February 22, 1958. Recovering from a broken hip and bedbound at age 88, Brauchle was trapped when the roof of the flaming house collapsed. It was believed a kerosene stove next to the bed caused the fire. At the time of Brauchle’s death, his son Roy and his family were living with him. Roy and his family escaped the fire and were left homeless. The Helotes School

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

PTA had a benefit sausage supper for his family, which had lost everything in the fire.

In 1960, the estate of Henry T. Brauchle sold a parcel of land next to the Moonlight Tavern property to the Helotes Area Volunteer Fire Department.

After the City “annexed” the HAVFD Department as an official Municipal Department in 2003, the old HAVFD building and property was deeded to the City of Helotes.

NISD After their father’s death, Brauchle’s descendants received shares of the farmland; some sold their shares to other family members. The farm continued operating for a couple of decades, but as property taxes began to soar with the onslaught of

newcomers in the area, it became apparent that the farm was not sustainable. On January 4, 1990, the Northside Independent School District purchased the Brauchle land in anticipation of building a new high school in the growing area.

Helotes Municipal Complex After the City of Helotes was incorporated in 1981, it held its City Council meetings in the reception hall of the Helotes Hills United Methodist Church and other civic sites. It soon became apparent that a permanent venue was needed. In July 1991, after a year of negotiations, the Northside Independent School District sold the City 8.06 acres—part of the Brauchle property for the sum of $10—to build a municipal facility. With the deed

contract stipulating a three-yeardeadline, the City voted to have a special election on September 23, 1992, asking Helotes voters to approve a bond issue of $350,000. The bond passed by a vote of 256 to 88.

Five months later, pastors from Helotes Hills United Methodist Church, Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, and Forest Hills Presbyterian Church blessed the site. On Sunday, November 17, 1993, more than 170 citizens attended the dedication ceremony of the 5,184-square foot municipal complex, consisting of a council chambers, offices, and a police station, on the eight-acre site, once a dairy farm owned by Henry T. Brauchle.

Cynthia Leal Massey is the author of two books on the history of Helotes. Visit her website at www.cynthialealmassey.com.

First phase of the Helotes Municipal Complex. Dedication Day, November 7, 1993. Courtesy of the City of Helotes.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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B-Daddy BBQ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14436 Old Bandera Rd. Babe’s Old Fashioned Food. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12415 Bandera Rd. Bad Dogz Beer & Bites. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12952 Bandera Rd. Bandera Road Cafe. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12540 Bandera Rd. #303 Bill Miller BBQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12705 Bandera Rd. Bobby J’s. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13247 Bandera Rd. Dairy Queen . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12902 Bandera Rd. El Chaparral. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15103 Bandera Rd. Golden Chick . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12550 Bandera Rd. Helotes Café & Bakery & Helotes Creek Bed & Breakfast. . . . . . . 14359 Old Bandera Rd. Helotes Country Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14687 Old Bandera Rd. Helotes Creek Winery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14359 Old Bandera Rd. #6 John T. Floore’s Country Store. . . . . . . . . 14492 Old Bandera Rd. KFC. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12474 Bandera Rd. Las Palpas. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8342 N. Loop 1604 W.

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Little Caesars Pizza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12800 Bandera Rd. Marco’s Pizza. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9708 Business Pkwy.

3 Oolong Chinese Restaurant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12411 Bandera Rd. 55 Pete’s Place Spirits & More. . . . . . . . . . 14743 Old Bandera Rd. #9 21 PHO AN . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12916 Bandera Rd. 17 Pizza Hut. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12730 Bandera Rd. 4 Rome’s Pizza . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12411 Bandera Rd. 12 Slim Chickens. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12530 Bandera Rd. 2 Sonic Drive-In. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12405 Bandera Rd. 8 Starbucks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12577 Bandera Rd. 26 Subway. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12952 Bandera Rd. #110 10 Taco Bell . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12360 Leslie Rd. 52 The Cracked Mug. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14743 Old Bandera Rd. #1 51 Wine 101 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14743 Old Bandera Rd. 22 Advance Auto Parts . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12929 Bandera Rd. 16 AutoZone . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12733 Bandera Rd. 5 Bricks and Minifigs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12415 Bandera Rd. #212 80 Cheetahlish . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14837 Old Bandera Rd. 36 Country Elegance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14391 Old Bandera Rd. 28 CVS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12980 Bandera Rd. 23 Dollar Tree. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12928 Bandera Rd. 47 Elf Hardware. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14546 Old Bandera Rd. 25 Fincks Cigar. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12950 Bandera Rd. 42 GG’s House . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14433 Old Bandera Rd. 41 Harvest Cottage. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14398 Old Bandera Rd. 45 Helotes Bicycle Shop. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14464 Old Bandera Rd. 48 Helotes Tactical Firearms. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14546 Old Bandera Rd. 32 Jupe Mills. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14096 Bandera Rd. 116 Mexico Lindo Artesanias Pottery . . . . . . . . . . 14398 Bandera Rd. 56 MimiDae Market. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14743 Old Bandera Rd. 39 Old Town Depot Antiques. . . . . . . . . . . . . 14392 Old Bandera Rd. 20 One Vapor Place . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12908 Bandera Rd. 1 Pipe’s Dreams. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12340 Bandera Rd. 53 Simply Raw Nutrition . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14743 Old Bandera Rd. #5 34 Simply Yours Gifts & More . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14357 Riggs Rd. 38 Three Sisters Home. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14391 Old Bandera Rd. 11 Tractor Supply . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11946 Leslie Rd. 7 Walmart, Subway & FedEx. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12550 Leslie Rd. 31 Wild Birds Unlimited. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9910 W. Loop 1604 N 49 Wilson Landscape Nursery & Florist. . 14650 Old Bandera Rd. 33 City Public Parking Lot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14399 Riggs Rd. 40 City Public Parking Lot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14392 Bandera Rd. 57 City Public Parking Lot. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14889 Old Bandera Rd. 9

businesses in Helotes

visit www.shophelotes.com

Fitness Park and Disc Golf Course. . . . . . . . . 10505 Parrigin Rd. Helotes City Park & Playground . . . . . . . . . . . 12951 Bandera Rd. 98 AHNEW Physical Therapy. . . . . . . . . . . . 14418 Old Bandera Rd. 71 Alamo Karate Academy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12540 Bandera Rd. #210 68 Amor Nails. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12415 Bandera Rd. #214 73 Ann’s Nails. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9708 Business Pkwy. #108 90 Apple Pest Control . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17317 Bandera Rd. 102 Casa Helotes Senior Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12070 Leslie Rd. 99 Carlos Miranda – St. Farm Ins. Agent. . 12415 Bandera Rd.#108 66 Cindy’s Nail Spa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12411 Bandera Rd. #101 91 College Nannies and Tutors. . . . 9110 North Loop 1604 W #110 67 D’Anthony Salon & Spa. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12415 Bandera Rd. #104 100 Dermatology San Antonio. . . . . . . . . . . . 12415 Bandera Rd. #114 74 Ella’s Barber & Beauty . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12914 Bandera Rd. 64 Evolution Hair Studio . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11820 Bandera Rd. #110 120 EZ Printing. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12540 Bandera Rd. #208 92 Frost Bank. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11555 Bandera Rd. 70 Gals Nails. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12540 Bandera Rd. 79 Gardens at Old Town Helotes . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15060 Antonio Dr. 72 Great Clips. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9708 Business Pkwy. #106 63 Helotes Barber Shop . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12274 Bandera Rd. 93 Helotes Collission Center . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11634 Rainbow Ridge 60 Helotes Crossfit . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12266 Bandera Rd. #301 1220 Helotes Gentle Family Dentistry. . . . . . . . . . . . 15876 Bandera Rd. 94 Helotes Hill Country Ziplines . . . . . . . . . 18026 Frank Madla Rd. 112 Helotes Overhead Garage Door . . . . . 12682 FM Rd. 1560 # 205 65 Helotes Nails. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12340 Bandera Rd. # 107 105 Hunter Electrical Services. . . . . . . . . . . 11844 Bandera Rd. #485 77 J Gibson Salon. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14359 Old Bandera Rd. #2 83 Josabi’s Event Center. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17200 Bandera Rd. 114 Kennedy Paint & Body Repair. . . . . 14922 Scenic Loop Road, Unit A 96 Kinard Family Dental. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12740 Bandera Rd. #100 118 Maid Affordable. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12274 Bandera Rd. 75 Marr’s Traditional Tae Kwon-Do Academy. 12918 Bandera Rd. 89 Momentum Physical Therapy . . . . . . . . 12952 Bandera Rd. #107 88 NSSA – National Sporting Clays Association . . . 5931 Roft Rd. 111 Pool Concepts. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13318 Western Oak Dr. 87 Pope Cleaners. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12682 FM Rd. 1560 #104 122 Prestige Emergency. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2810 North Loop # 1604 78 Rosie’s Hill Country Beauty & Barber . . 14749 Bandera Rd. #10 69 Southtown Yoga Loft . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12540 Bandera Rd. 115 Ten Oaks Storage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16304 Bandera Rd. 61 UNI Tae Kwon-Do Club . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12266 Bandera Rd. #302 113 Doris Young Realty. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14239 Old Bandera Rd. 117 Wash Tub . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12462 Bandera Rd. 76 Your Destination Fit. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12682 FM Rd. 1560 #204 59

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Scrumptious Holiday Meal Options

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B-Daddy’s BBQ

By Dan R. Goddard

ith the holidays fast approaching, home cooks may be looking for alternatives to the stress of preparing a big, traditional family meal with all the trimmings, sides, and desserts. One Helotes restaurant has the solution.

Roasting a turkey in the oven may provide the crisp, shiny skin depicted in the famous Norman Rockwell painting of a Thanksgiving feast, but barbecue fans know that a smoked bird tastes a lot better and is more evenly cooked. Besides, the pilgrims didn’t have electric or gas ovens!

B.R. Anderson, owner of B-Daddy’s Barbeque in Old Town Helotes, said he discovered smoked turkey late in his barbecuing career, but, now, he makes some of the best in Texas.

“We take the same amount of pride and effort in every item we prepare,” Anderson said. “Most popular is always brisket, but our turkey has been recognized by Texas Monthly as some of the best in the State.

For Thanksgiving, we will have package meals for families, and we will also offer a limited number of smoked turkeys. I do all of that cooking myself with the help of a friend, and I’ll give the staff the holiday off.”

brine. I throw it in the smoker for three to four hours, and then I’ll wrap it or put it in a covered pan until it is fully cooked. Let it rest for an hour and enjoy.”

Of course, not everyone has a smoker in their backyard, which makes B-Daddy’s smoked turkey an easy choice. For an added kick, pair it with B-Daddy’s Jalapeno Cheddar Cream Corn, with chopped jalapeno and cheddar cheese, and Chipotle Slaw, featuring a lively blend of cabbage, carrots, onion, cilantro, and spicy chipotle cream sauce.

26

“When I was a kid, my dad would always host big parties and barbecue. I just always associated barbecue with friends and family get-togethers,” Anderson said. “I started cooking myself at a young age, but I didn’t start barbecuing until I had a house of my own in my late 20s. It took hard work and long hours building a following and perfecting our food. Our business grew to the point where a truck just wasn’t big enough to cook all the food and fill the requests we were getting.”

“Helotes is as close to a small town in the city as you can get. I grew up in the area and have lived most of my adult life here. People take a lot of pride in the community and support local businesses.”

Patience, salty brine, and wood smoke are the key ingredients for a tasty smoked turkey.

“I’m not much of an expert on typical holiday turkeys, but I know how to smoke one,” Anderson said. “The first thing to do is to brine it for 24 hours before smoking one. I use a simple salt, pepper, and garlic

Beginning in 2012 as a food truck, B-Daddy’s opened its brick-and-mortar location in 2016 in a renovated military barracks that was part of an old general store in the heart of Old Town Helotes, just two doors south of John T. Floore Country Store.

Other old-school sides include mac and cheese, traditional cream corn, pinto beans, green beans, potato salad, or a vinegar slaw.

“We buy premium meats. Everything else is house-made and nothing is pre-bought,” Anderson said. “We cook the oldfashioned way, with wood and no gas or electricity.

Our pits run nonstop starting Monday afternoon until Sunday evening. There is someone here watching them 24/7. There are no shortcuts to making good barbecue.”

B-Daddy’s Barbeque, 14436 Old Bandera Road, is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m., Sundays and Tuesdays through Thursdays, and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays. Closed Mondays. For more information, call (210) 275-9995 or visit www.bdaddysbbq.com.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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fter years of working in retail for a national jewelry chain, Chris and his wife decided to strike out on their own with a unique franchise, Bricks and Minifigs, a one-of-a-kind toy shop for buying, selling, and trading LEGO products, both new and used.

“I have three children who love LEGO, and I like the aspect of collecting stuff,” Chris, 38, said. “I went online and found this franchise out of Oregon called Bricks and Minifigs. It seemed like a business our whole family could enjoy.”

A longtime Helotes resident, Chris opened the 2,000-square-foot Bricks and Minifigs Helotes in July 2014 in the strip center at the intersection of Bandera Road and Cedar Trail. The concept proved so successful that he opened a 3,200 square-foot Bricks and Minifigs San Antonio in September 2016 at Bulverde Road and Ridgeway Drive, outside Loop 1604 in Northwood Hills near Stone Oak. “Our customers include everyone from 10-year-old children to older adults,” Chris said. “Families make up most of our customers. And, we have a lot of parents telling us that they would rather have their children playing with LEGO rather than playing video games or looking at a screen all the time.”

While “Bricks” is self-explanatory, “Minifigs” refers to “minifigures,” which range from superheroes to the Spurs.

The miniature yellow characters with dotty eyes, permanent grins, hooks for hands and pegs for legs now outnumber humans. LEGO sells more than 75 billion bricks annually.

movies, and a racetrack to build and race cars against their friends. We also have themed-build parties, such as Star Wars, Super Hero City, and Minecraft.

The participants can build things to take home.”

HELOTES

By Dan R. Goddard

The bestselling LEGO sets of 2018 are devoted to robotic models, the Boost Creative Toolkit and Mindstorms EV3, along with a high-speed passenger train, a tracked racer and a Porsche 911. Other popular sets are inspired by Star Wars, Batman, and Harry Potter movies, as well as a rollercoaster, a downtown diner, and a ship in a bottle. “This year, we’ve been doing really well with ‘Avengers: Infinity War’ merchandise,” he said.

Bricks and Minifigs Helotes offers an extraordinary selection of new and used authentic LEGO sets, minifigs, bricks, and custom accessories. “We will also buy your old sets, bricks, minifigures, or anything LEGO for cash or store credit,” Chris said.

“Our inventory is constantly changing, so you never know what pieces you will find. Both stores have a huge selection of loose LEGO parts and minifigures. We get many hard-to-find and retired pieces and sets. We prefer people to bring in their old sets already built so we can assess what’s missing or incomplete.”

While Bricks and Minifigs is not directly affiliated with LEGO, Chris says his stores benefit when there are LEGO movies, TV shows, or exhibits. Through Dec. 31, the San Antonio Botanical Garden is featuring “Nature Connects,” an award-winning sculpture exhibition by Brooklyn-based artist Sean Kenney. Using nearly half a million LEGO bricks, he created 13 nature-inspired displays, including a larger-than-life monarch butterfly and a six-foot hummingbird on a trumpet flower.

“We’re really excited about the second Lego movie coming out next February,” he noted. “The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part” picks up five years since everything was awesome in the first “Lego Movie.”

The citizens of Bricksburg are facing a huge new threat: LEGO Duplo invaders from outer space, wrecking everything faster than they can rebuild. It’s up to Emmet, Lucy, Batman, and their friends to defeat the giant marauders and restore harmony to the Lego universe.

Bricks and Minifigs Helotes, 12415 Bandera Road, Suite 212, is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. For more information, call (210) 437-2985 or visit www. bricksandminifigs.com/store/sanantonio-Texas.

Customers have their pick of various sets, can create their own bag of bricks, or build a custom minifig at the Build-A-Fig table. But Bricks and Minifigs doesn’t just sell LEGO sets and parts. The stores also have LEGO-themed classes, camps, and host birthday parties.

“Birthday parties in the stores are really popular, and we offer a variety of packages for different kinds of parties,” Chris said. “Party goers have thousands of LEGO bricks to play with, a gaming system to play LEGO games and/or

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

27

Shop Shop small local A

By Claudia Alarcon

long with pumpkin-spiced lattes and décor in hues of orange, another sign of the season is upon us – holiday shopping! Just in time for the shopping season, two new businesses have opened in Helotes that will give shoppers more options when searching for that perfect gift. These local shops are owned by two entrepreneurial women who are determined to make their dreams come true. We invite you to see why, in Helotes, these business owners have found what they were looking for and then some.

“I grew up in Helotes and took for granted all that it offers,” says Lenette Flores, owner of Lenette’s Sip + Shop Boutique.

“It wasn’t until I moved away and had a

family, that I missed its small-town feel.”

After a morning visit with a friend, Flores quickly fell in love with the area all over again and began spending more time enjoying Old Town Helotes. “It became my go-to destination for my morning latte. It is one of those spots where you can really feel in the moment. It was everything I wanted for my store.”

Flores is at her happiest when searching for the perfect outfit to compliment the weekend, while sipping a glass of wine or a cup of coffee and walking around Old Town. “My vision was to turn retail therapy into a reality,” she says. “My shop is not only about the ‘sip,’ it’s more about a place where you can shop in a relaxed environment. You can walk-in with your wine from Wine 101 or cup of coffee from the Cracked Mug and receive 10 percent off your total purchase.

We also have VIP Nights, which are free to book and include two bottles of wine, flatbread, private boutique access, and a style session.”

The idea for the boutique sprouted 14 years ago

when Flores was pregnant with her first daughter. It was then that she became concerned about chemicals consumed around her family, and she started living a clean, organic, and well-balanced life. As she began planning for her first brick and mortar store, she found what she thought would be a perfect clothes supplier, only to learn that their clothes had so many chemicals that one store had to burn their whole inventory. “The next week, I read an article about employees from an airline breaking out in rashes due to the amount of chemicals in their new uniforms. This got me thinking about how I cared so much about what I put inside my body, but never thought about what I put on the outside. I wanted to give people options.

This is how The Lenette Collection was born.” The collection has been very well received, and Flores is working on expanding it.

Before opening the store, Flores knew she wanted to help the community. “I believe every small business should give back, even if it’s just volunteering your time. The smallest acts can make a huge impact,” she says. Currently, she partners with Hello Gorgeous, a salon that provides complimentary professional makeovers for women battling cancer and hosts many events throughout the year benefiting different charities. “We will be hosting a fashion show for December’s Ladies Night Out, benefiting the Battered Women’s and Children’s Shelter.” Ladies Night Out is held the second Wednesday of every month in Old Town Helotes.

“We wanted to have a night of women empowerment. Our models are women who are doing some amazing things, from raising children to running companies.

We wanted to showcase minds, not bodies.”

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

Shop Down the street, on Bandera Road, Whimsical Annie’s Garden & Gifts is the product of Linda Reyes’ love and hard work.

“I love beautiful things,” says Reyes. “I wanted to create a beautiful, quaint gift shop that gives the community another choice when shopping for that special gift for that special person, and most importantly, create a wonderful shopping experience. Once I wrote the idea down, it became my goal and I started working toward it. I didn’t know when or where it would become a reality; I just knew one day it would!”

After retiring as a Vice Principal of an elementary school in Northside ISD, Reyes visited small gift shops, spoke to owners, researched products, collected antique furnishings for product displays, and spoke about her ideas to anyone who would listen. She took as many business workshops offered by the UTSA Small Business Development Office as she could.

Reyes chose the name of her shop to honor her mother, Annie. “My mother was a beautiful person, devoted to her family and always my source of inspiration,” she says. “I loved being in her presence because of her positive spirit and kind heart. It will be 10 years this December that she lost her battle with cancer.

Reyes hopes that one day Whimsical Annie’s Garden & Gifts will be known as a business that gives back to the community supporting children and cancer support organizations.

Whimsical Annie’s is a convenient onestop shopping destination. Reyes searches for quality products for the home and garden that are made or designed in the USA by various artists. Not only does she sell greeting cards, she packages customer purchases in beautiful bags that can be

Helotes

given as a gift. She also carries locallymade chocolates from the Schakolad Chocolate Factory, ready to go in lovely gift boxes. Reyes encourages customers to tell her what they would like to see at the shop. This helps when ordering merchandise and is more specific to her customers’ interest. Not only can you shop at the physical location, Whimsical Annie’s Garden & Gifts offers shopping online at www.whimsicalannies.com for added convenience.

Whimsical Annie’s hosts monthly themed events for their customers. The “Whimsical Afternoons” take place once a month, usually on the second Saturday of the month, and have included wine and chocolate tasting and pairing featuring a local winery and a local chocolate factory.

The next event, taking place on Oct. 13, will be a Whimsical Afternoon meeting a local artisan. The artist’s work will be displayed and sold at the shop. “It is very exciting to help promote local artist and I hope many people will come out to support them,” shared Reyes. November and December will be combined into one event when Whimsical Annie’s will host a Holiday Open House. Visit the shop’s website for more details or follow Whimsical Annie’s Garden & Gifts on Facebook or Instagram. Reyes hopes to make Oct. 18 a yearly customer appreciation day. “This is my mother’s birthday, and I think it would be wonderful to celebrate it by showing appreciation for my customers.”

Annie’s Garden & Gifts will be the shop you go to not only to find a unique gift, but also a place you come for the feeling you get when you walk through our doors, a sense that you are appreciated for choosing to shop with us,” says Reyes. Her favorite thing about owning and operating Whimsical Annie’s is meeting and getting to know her customers. “They are gracious in their compliments and say they love our products and enjoy the atmosphere.

That is exactly the feeling I was hoping to accomplish when creating Whimsical Annie’s Garden & Gifts. After all, one of my favorite quotes is ‘A garden is a friend you visit anytime.’ ” Visit Whimsical Annie’s Garden & Gifts at 12411 Bandera Road #104 or shop online at www.whimsicalannies.com.

“It is my hope that Whimsical

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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Celebrate the Holidays Lighting of the Lights Lighting of the Lights is a beloved family event that will take place at the Helotes Municipal Complex on Friday, Nov. 30. Attendees are treated to a live performance of everyone’s favorite holiday hits by the Helotes Area Community Band, and the concert is accented by talented student choirs from Helotes, Kuentz, and Los Reyes Elementary Schools. One highlight of the evening is a visit from – the big man himself – Santa Claus. Mr. Claus and his helpers arrive in Helotes by sleigh and police escort, and he graciously takes a couple of hours out of his busy schedule to visit with children and their families. Attendees will experience the lighting of the official City Christmas Tree to compliment the lights decorating City Hall during this very special celebration.

You’re invited to join us from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 30 for Lighting of the Lights 2018. The event is free and open to the public. Many of the festivities take place outdoors, so plan accordingly. Learn more about Lighting of the Lights on the City’s website at www.visithelotes.com or call (210) 695- 5916.

Helotes Area Community Band Christmas Concerts Christmas concerts will be performed by the Helotes Area Community Band twice in December. These concerts feature Band Director Chuck Kuentz and a band of volunteer musicians of all ages. The first concert takes place at Northminster Presbyterian Church located at 6800 Tezel Road in San Antonio on Saturday, Dec. 15, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. The second is Monday, Dec. 17, from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Forest Hills Presbyterian Church, located at 13200 Bandera Road in Helotes. The concerts are free and open to the public.

This year marks the 10th anniversary of the Helotes Area Community Band making music in Helotes. The original seven member Band was organized in 2008, and it now boasts over 60 talented members who donate their time to the enjoyment of the community. The community is invited to honor this dedicated team by attending the Helotes Area Community Band’s Christmas performances featuring beautiful sounds of the season.

For more information about the Band, visit www.helotesband.com or call (210) 695-5916.

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

Helotes-Style Cowboy Christmas Parade Kick up your heels at the 2018 Helotes Cowboy Christmas Parade sponsored by the Helotes Burger King. This nighttime Parade takes place in Old Town Helotes on Saturday, Dec. 8! The Parade features local businesses, organizations, and nonprofits that want to share the merriment of the season with the community. The 2018 Parade theme is “Songs of Christmas.” Attendees can expect to see and hear the sounds of the season; special guests include the Helotes City Council and Santa, with his crew of helpers. Public parking is available for this free community event. The Parade starts at 7:30 p.m.

Applications for Parade entries are being accepted now. It’s free to participate, but entrants must register online at www. visithelotes.com. Parade entries will be judged during the lineup, and winners will be announced at the Parade. Contact us at (210) 695-5916 for more information.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

31

Neighbors Helping Neighbors

Helotes House of Neighborly Service Answers the Call

By Dan R. Goddard

F

or 26 years, the Helotes House of Neighborly Service has been helping those in need. In addition to being a community food pantry, the small nonprofit — primarily sponsored by the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church in Helotes — provides assistance with high utility and medical bills, clothing, rent, and other requests from families needing assistance.

“We help anyone in need,” Mike Schill, President, said. “You don’t have to be a member of the church. You don’t even have to be a Christian. You don’t have to live in Helotes. We try to help everybody we can. And, if we can’t help someone, then we try to refer them to other agencies and social services that can.”

Located in Old Town Helotes, in the “small gray building with the big parking

lot” at 14427 Old Bandera Road across from John T. Floore Country Store, the Helotes House of Neighborly Service relies on about 20 volunteers to operate.

“Our volunteers are mostly retired, but we are always looking for people who want to work with us,” Schill said. “Our building isn’t that big, but we try to do big things for the community. We mainly use the space to interview people and for our food pantry. We help about 20 to 30 families a month. We give out a lot of food, but we’re separate from the San Antonio Food Bank, so we don’t get food from them. We get regular food donations, and, through financial support, we are able to buy our food.”

The Helotes House of Neighborly Service is the only ecumenical house of its kind.

Besides Our Lady of Guadalupe Church, the service is also supported by the Zion

Lutheran Church of Helotes, Helotes Hills United Methodist Church, Forest Hills Presbyterian Church, and the First Baptist Church of Helotes.

“The Society of St. Vincent de Paul began in the 1830s in Paris when young Catholic university students decided to help the poor,” Schill said. By 1845, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul reached the United States. San Antonio was one of the early foundations, beginning at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in 1871. Today, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul of the Archdiocese of San Antonio has more than 2,000 members and volunteers, who serve in 68 conferences located in or near Catholic parishes throughout the community. One-on-one assistance is at the core of the Society. The main office of San Antonio’s St. Vincent de Paul Society is located at the Haven for Hope campus.

The Helotes House of Neighborly Service hosts several fundraising activities throughout the year. In August, at the beginning of the school year, they collect gift card donations to be used for school supplies. “We never just hand out cash,” Schill said. “Mostly, we give out gift cards.”

Collections for the annual Thanksgiving Food Drive begin in early November.

H-E-B provides bags that are distributed after each mass at Our Lady of Guadalupe Church during the first two weekends in November. Parishioners are asked to fill the bags with boxes of cereal, mashed potatoes, oatmeal, stuffing, macaroni and cheese, cornbread mix, Jell-O, pasta, gravy, a cake mix, and a $20 H-E-B gift card. Last year, more than 600 bags were collected and distributed to needy families in the Helotes-area, as well as in the sister parishes of Holy Rosary and Our Lady of Guadalupe in

32

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

San Antonio. “The $20 H-E-B gift card is important because it gives people the opportunity to purchase the fresh meat and vegetables they like,” Schill said.

The Giving Tree benefits people at Christmas by providing wrapped gifts, typically clothing, with gift tags detailing the contents.

During Lent, the Knights of Columbus conducts a “40 cans for 40 days of Lent” food drive, an idea that began in 2011 with the Knights Council 8306 at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Helotes. Members either donate cans of food or make cash donations. Last spring, Green Giant matched the donations with 6,000 cans of Green Giant products.

“The ‘40 cans for Lent’ has been a huge benefit to our food pantry,” Schill said.

“But we’re looking for food donations year-round. We’re not just a holiday service. We sometimes receive gifts from school groups or other organizations that are doing charity drives. Occasionally, people send us donations out of the blue.

The churches have special collections that provide our regular operating budget. Of course, cash donations are the best. To quote Yogi Berra, ‘Cash is as good as money.’”

HELOTES HOUSE OF NEIGHBORLY SERVICE “A lot of people are living paycheck to paycheck and one little thing – a big medical bill, for example – can really be a blow.

A lot of people are living on food stamps, have disabilities, or have lost jobs. We try to help as much as we can.”

Schill said that the churches often refer people, but anyone can walk into the Helotes House of Neighborly Service and ask for help. “We interview people and do some screening,” Schill said. “Everything they tell us is kept confidential. And, we don’t make restrictions on requests. One time, we had a family with a child who really wanted a bicycle, and we helped with a gift card for that. We give gift cards so people can buy diapers. We know that when you have four or five family members and the whole family is living on less than $1,200 a month, then it’s going to be hard for them.

The service is open from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Mondays, 10 a.m. to noon on Wednesdays, and 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. on Fridays. Call (210) 695-5683 for more information.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

33

HAPPY TRAILS

By Bob McCullough

H

elotes’ sustained growth attests to its desirability as a prime location for homebuyers. One highly-visible example sits on the west side of Bandera Road, approximately a half-mile north of Old Town Helotes. Construction at the Trails at Helotes gated community continues at a brisk pace, so much so that the development, with 72 homesites should, be fully built out within a year.

Trails at Helotes broke ground in January 2015 on a tree-studded site encompassing 28 acres, says Jaclyn Calhoun, Vice President of sales and marking for the builder, M/I Homes.

Now, multiple single-family dwellings ranging from 1,932 to 3,409 square feet and starting at $320,000 have sprung up on large lots. All Trails at Helotes homes feature granite countertops, stainlesssteel appliances, tankless water heaters, walk-in closets, crown molding, and installations aimed at maximizing energy efficiency. In addition, prospective buyers can customize M/I-created house plans at the builder’s design center.

In the world of real estate, the generallyaccepted key to success is the proverbial “location, location, location.” That

34

appears to be true for Trails at Helotes, as well as other housing developments in the Helotes vicinity.

“Helotes is truly an ideal location for homebuyers at every stage of their lives,” Calhoun contends. “It offers great community events, entertainment, dining, and schools nearby. It’s only 25 minutes from downtown San Antonio in one direction, and, if you take State Highway 16 the other direction for 25 minutes, you’re in Bandera, the ‘Cowboy Capital of the World.’ As the ‘Gateway to the Hill Country,’ Helotes is perfect for those who enjoy all the things San Antonio has to offer. And, you have the added benefit of being only a short drive from some of the most charming towns in this part of Texas.”

More specifically, Trails at Helotes occupies prime space near Old Town Helotes’ shopping outlets, restaurants, and wine shops. Calhoun places special emphasis on an Old Town Helotes treasure – John T. Floore Country Store.

“Country music lovers are only a stone’s throw from Floore’s,” she says. “This concert venue, restaurant, and bar attract

top country music artists to its intimate outdoor stage.”

Calhoun notes that the development also lies just 3.5 miles from Loop 1604 and offers easy access to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, SeaWorld San Antonio, and other entertainment venues, in addition to many stores along Loop 1604. For outdoor enthusiasts like bicyclists, hikers, and bird watchers, the options include meandering Scenic Loop Road to the north and the 12,000-acre Government Canyon State Natural Area to the west.

Families with school-age youngsters can find Northside Independent School District campuses within easy reach.

They include Los Reyes Elementary School, Hector Garcia Middle School, and Sandra Day O’Connor High School.

For additional information about the Trails at Helotes at 16099 Bandera Road, visit www.mihomes.com or call (210) 333-2244.

Thanks to an appealing suburban environment, it’s easily understandable why prospective homebuyers will continue happily pursuing their dreams at Trails of Helotes and other desirable neighborhoods in the Helotes area.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

FROM AWARD-WINNING AUTHOR

CYNTHIA LEAL MASSEY

Learn about the history of our unique town in three thoroughly researched and fascinating accounts of a town populated by hardworking pioneers, renegade Indians, elusive bandits, stalwart lawmen, and impassioned citizens.

Will Rogers Silver Medallion Award Winner for Western Nonfiction

San Antonio Conservation Society Publication Award Winner

AUTOGRAPHED COPIES AVAILABLE AT: Simply Yours Gifts & More 14357 Riggs Road

Picoso’s Peanut Company 18620 Bandera Rd.

Also available from your favorite online booksellers.

Visit www.cynthialealmassey.com for more information about the author and the books.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

35

Community Recurring Events

Mon. – Fri. | 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Casa Helotes Senior Citizens Center Congregate Meals & Activities 12070 Leslie Rd. | casahelotes.com Every Monday | 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Helotes Area Community Band Rehearsal | Location Varies helotesband.com 1st Monday | 7 p.m.

Helotes Festival Association General Meeting | 14690 Bandera Rd. cornyval.org 3rd Monday | 7 p.m.

Helotes Ag Booster Club General Meeting | 12132 Leslie Rd. helotes4h.org 1st Tuesday | 7 p.m.

Helotes Planning & Zoning Comm.

Regular Meeting | 12951 Bandera Rd. visithelotes.com 1st Tuesday (Feb., May, Sept. & Nov.) 7 p.m.

Historical Society of Helotes General Meeting | TBA historicalsocietyofhelotes.org 1st & 3rd Tuesday (Aug. – June) | 6 p.m.

Mothers of Preschoolers (MOPs) Group General Meeting | 13222 Bandera Rd. hhumc.com 1st Tuesday | 7 p.m.

Helotes Lions Club General Meeting | 14690 Bandera Rd. lionsclubs.org 4th Tuesday | 7 p.m.

Helotes Humane Society Board Meeting | 10672 Shaenfield Rd. hhsanimals.org 1st Wednesday | 7 p.m.

Knights of Columbus General Meeting | 13715 Riggs Rd. kofcknights.org

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2nd & 4th Thursday | 7 p.m.

Helotes City Council Regular Meeting | 12951 Bandera Rd. visithelotes.com 3rd Thursday | 7 p.m.

Helotes Masonic Lodge General Meeting | 11740 F.M. 1560 helotesmasonicfamily.org 4th Thursday | 6 p.m.

Puppy Hour Community Event | Shops at Old Town wine101tx.com 2nd Friday | 6 p.m.

Casa Helotes Senior Center Food Truck Friday | 12070 Leslie Rd. casahelotes.com 1st Saturday | 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

MarketPlace @ Old Town Helotes Arts & Crafts Fair | 14391 Riggs Rd. helotesmarketplace.com 2nd Saturday | 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Family Game Night Community. Event | 14743 Old Bandera Rd. 1st Sunday | 2 p.m.

Helotes Lions Club Bingo | 14690 Bandera Rd.

October Events

Oct. 6, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The MarketPlace @ OTH Arts & Crafts Fair | 14391 Riggs Rd. helotesmarketplace.com Oct. 6, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Amateur (HAM) Radio Technician Training Public Training Event | 12951 Bandera Rd. visithelotes.com Oct. 6, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Casa Helotes Senior Center Golf Tournament Fundraiser | 18632 Bandera Road casahelotes.org

2nd Wednesday | 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ladies Night Out in Old Town Helotes The Bluffs at OTH | 14391 Riggs Rd

Oct. 6, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Sweetpea & Sunshine the Clowns The Pumpkin Patch Community Event | 13222 Bandera Rd. hhumc.com

3rd Wednesday | 7 p.m.

Helotes Economic Development Corp.

Regular Meeting | 12951 Bandera Rd. helotesedc.com

Oct. 7, 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Helotes Lions Club Bingo | 14690 Bandera Rd. lionsclubs.org

Oct. 8 | City Offices Closed Columbus Day Oct. 10, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ladies Night Out in Old Town Helotes Community Event | 14391 Riggs Rd. Oct. 10, 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

God Knows Us – Kids Party Community Event | 13222 Bandera Rd. hhumc.com Oct. 12, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Casa Helotes Food Truck Friday Community Event | 12070 Leslie Rd. casahelotes.org Oct. 13, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Snow Cone Saturday The Pumpkin Patch Community Event | 13222 Bandera Rd. hhumc.com Oct. 13, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Family Game Night Community Event | 14743 Old Bandera Rd. Oct. 13, 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.

Helotes Humane Society A Night for Rescues Fundraiser | 12132 Leslie Rd. hhsanimals.org Oct. 20, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

TPWA South Central Branch Chili Cook Off Fundraiser | 14687 Old Bandera Rd. visithelotes.com Oct. 20, 4 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Superhero Soiree Youth Event | 13222 Bandera Rd. hhumc.com Oct. 23, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Helotes Area Chamber of Commerce Chamber After Hours Networking Event | 8910 Bandera Rd. #205 heloteschamber.com Oct. 25, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Puppy Hour Community Event | Shops at Old Town wine101tx.com Oct. 27, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Fajita Sale & The Doodle Train The Pumpkin Patch Community Event | 13222 Bandera Rd. hhumc.com Oct. 27, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Trunk-or-Treat Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Community Event | 13153 Iron Horse Way

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

Events November Events

Nov. 3, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The MarketPlace @ OTH Arts & Crafts Fair | 14391 Riggs Rd. helotesmarketplace.com Nov. 4, 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Helotes Lions Club Bingo | 14690 Bandera Rd. lionsclubs.org Nov. 6, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Historical Society of Helotes General Meeting | TBA historicalsocietyofhelotes.org Nov. 9, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.

Casa Helotes Food Truck Friday Community Event | 12070 Leslie Rd. casahelotes.com Nov. 10, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Family Game Night Community Event | 14743 Old Bandera Rd. Nov. 11, 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Helotes Area Community Band Veterans Day Concert Community Concert | 12951 Bandera Rd. helotesband.com Nov. 14, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ladies Night Out in Old Town Helotes Community Event | 14391 Riggs Rd. Nov. 15, 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Community Thanksgiving Service Worship Service | 14889 Old Bandera Rd. fbchelotes.org Nov. 17, 1 p.m. to 6 p.m.

Teen Operation Gratitude Youth Event | 13222 Bandera Rd. hhumc.com

Nov. 30, 7 p.m.

San Antonio Messiah, Multi-Faith Production Community Event 6240 UTSA Blvd., San Antonio SAmessiah.com

December Events Dec. 1, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The MarketPlace @ OTH Arts & Crafts Fair | 14391 Riggs Rd. helotesmarketplace.com Dec. 1, 3 p.m.

San Antonio Messiah, Multi-Faith Production Community Event 6240 UTSA Blvd., San Antonio SAmessiah.com Dec. 1, 6 p.m.

San Antonio Messiah, Multi-Faith Production Community Event 6240 UTSA Blvd., San Antonio SAmessiah.com Dec. 2, 12:30 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Helotes Lions Club Bingo | 14690 Bandera Rd. lionsclubs.org Dec. 8, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Cowboy Christmas Parade Parade | Old Town Helotes visithelotes.com Dec. 8, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Family Game Night Community Event | 14743 Old Bandera Rd.

Dec. 11, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Helotes Area Chamber of Commerce Annual Meeting | TBD heloteschamber.com Dec. 12, 4 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Ladies Night Out Community Event | 14391 Riggs Rd. Dec. 14, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Casa Helotes Food Truck Friday Community Event | 12070 Leslie Rd. casahelotes.org Dec. 15, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Helotes Community Living Nativity Community Event | Old Town Helotes fbchelotes.org Dec. 15, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Helotes Area Community Band Christmas Concert | 6800 Tezel Rd. San Antonio helotesband.com Dec. 16, 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

Back to the Manger: A Caroling Through Time Adventure Community Event | 14889 Old Bandera Rd. fbchelotes.org Dec. 17, 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Helotes Area Community Band Christmas Concert | 13200 Bandera Rd. helotesband.com Dec. 24 – Dec. 26 | City Offices Closed Christmas Holiday Break Dec. 27, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Puppy Hour Community Event | Shops at Old Town wine101tx.com

Nov. 18, 6 p.m.

Special Devotional with Russell M. Nelson Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Community Event 100 Montana St., San Antonio Nov. 21 – Nov. 23 | City Offices Closed Thanksgiving Holiday Break Nov. 22, 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Puppy Hour Community Event | Shops at Old Town wine101tx.com Nov. 30, 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

Lighting of the Lights @ City Hall Community Event | 12951 Bandera Rd. visithelotes.com Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

37

City of Helotes Employee

By Helotes Public Relations

“L

eadership is practiced, not so much in words, as in attitude and in actions.” This quote, credited to American businessman Harold S. Geneen, exemplifies Public Works Supervisor Josh Mair. A friendly guy, with a big heart and dedication to his work, Josh leads a team responsible for maintaining all City-owned property and infrastructure. This includes over 100 miles of streets and rights of way, City buildings and grounds, parks and park equipment, street signs, traffic signals, and the storm drainage system.

Josh began his tenure at the City of Helotes in October 2010 as the sole member of the Public Works Department.

Today, he manages a team of five crew members. Josh serves as the City’s Arborist, Stormwater Inspector, and represents the City and the Greater Bexar County Council of Cities on the Bexar Regional Watershed Management Committee. A graduate of the Public Works Institute of Texas (PWITX), Josh’s list of credentials includes a Certified Arborist designation from the International Society of Arboriculture (ISA); certifications in stormwater and erosion by the National Pollutant

h s o J r i a M

t h g i l t o p S

Discharge Elimination System (NPDES) program; a State of Texas applicator license from the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA); National Incident Management System (NIMS) certifications; and an Animal Control Officer license through the Texas Department of State Health Services.

No two days are the same when you work in a high-demand role, such as Public Works, but it’s one reason Josh loves his job. He credits his colleagues with making the City of Helotes a great place to work. “I like working with other people that I respect.

We have so many talented individuals with unique expertise coming into work each day — it’s inspiring,” Josh shared. The Public Works team loves seeing the results of their hard work. “Helotes citizens are our customers, and their approval gives our team satisfaction. I like to see them out enjoying a City park after our team completes enhancements or maintenance.”

The team frequently receives praise from residents for a job well done. Josh doesn’t take those comments for granted. “The best compliment I can receive is a note from a citizen thanking our team for doing a good job,” explained Josh.

Proud Helotians, Josh and his wife, Jennifer, enjoy the small town atmosphere of the community. “Helotes is a very personable community. We like

38

living in a place where people truly care for each other,” said Josh. Outside of the office, he can be found watching college football on Saturdays and barbecuing on Sundays.

Josh’s barbecue skills are no joke; he’s been competing in cook-offs for nearly 15 years with plenty of awards to his credit.

Helotes staff had the opportunity to see Josh in action when the City hosted an Appreciation BBQ Cook-Off and Family Picnic in June 2018. Josh and his team took home first prize in two of three categories! The always humble cook-off champion claims that good ole’ trial and error are the keys to his achievements.

He credits the wisdom of Johnny Trigg, a well-known celebrity chef and barbecue competitor, for his success.

Looking ahead, Josh and the Public Works team will finalize their work plan for the coming year, including the continuation of City-street maintenance projects. With Josh leading the way, we can be confident that the Department will continue to achieve its goals. “You reap what you sow,” states Josh. “To be successful ‘you show up and just do the best you can each day.’”

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

39

Helotes Streets Get Major Makeover

M

By Mayor Tom Schoolcr aft

any streets in Helotes have recently received much needed surface treatments thanks to the one quarter percent (1/4%) street maintenance sales tax that was voted on and approved by Helotes voters on the November 2015 ballot. This special tax is collected, along with the other sales tax, when retail sales are made or services are provided to shoppers within the City of Helotes. The street maintenance sales tax, however, goes into a restricted account that can only be used for street repairs and right of way maintenance. The tax must be approved by our voters every four years, so the City Council will have to take action to place the matter on the May 2019 ballot for renewal until 2023.

Historically, the amount of money budgeted for street repairs and right of way maintenance in Helotes has been $50,000 or less annually. Since its approval, our new street maintenance sales tax has enabled us to accumulate enough revenue to complete the single largest street repair and maintenance project since we incorporated as a City in 1981. Our City Council approved an expenditure of approximately $750,000 for this project after recognizing the need for widespread improvements to many of our streets. Preparation for the project included repairing pavement edges, patching pot holes, replacing asphalt that had failed, leveling up rough spots, filling

40

cracks with hot asphalt, and sweeping the streets before beginning the surface treatments.

The goal of this overall project was to improve the riding surface quality and to increase the longevity of streets included in the project. The work on Scenic Loop and Leslie Roads and all of the streets in the Beverly Hills Subdivision included spraying emulsified oil onto the street to seal and rejuvenate the existing surface. The streets in Helotes Parks Estates, Helotes Ranch Acres, and Evans Valley were sprayed with oil, which was immediately covered with small aggregate and rolled with pneumatic tire rollers to imbed the aggregate into the oil. After a short curing period, the new aggregate

was then sprayed with multiple coats of emulsified oil to secure the rock surface, give additional protection to the existing street, and increase the life of the project.

The project also included removing existing asphalt on Rainbow Ridge and portions of Leslie Road and, then, installing new asphalt at those locations.

At different phases, new striping was applied to Scenic Loop Road, Leslie Road, Parrigin Road, and on Iron Horse Way at its intersection with Antonio Road.

We are already compiling a list of streets in need of similar treatments in 2019 in anticipation of the street maintenance sales tax being reapproved by our voters on the May 2019 ballot.

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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41

Advertiser Index Author

Garage Doors

Preschool

Cynthia Leal Massey cynthialealmassey.com

Helotes Overhead Garage Doors 210-695-8983 | helotesoverheaddoors.com

Primrose Schools 210-372-1488 | primrosesonomaranch.com

Birds

Garden & Gifts

Printing Services

Wild Birds Unlimited 210-375-3611 | westsanantonio.wbu.com

Whimsical Annie’s 210-560-2029 | whimsicalannies.com

Dental Services

Home Builders

EZ Printing 210-240-8858 https://www.facebook.com/ezprintingllc

Blue Pediatric Dentistry 210-614-3334 | blumedentistry.com

Janus Custom Builders 210-560-2029 | whimsicalannies.com

Helotes Gentle Family Dentistry 210-695-2888 | drkeepers.com

Insurance Agents

Kinard Family Dental 210-695-1200 | kinarddental.com

Electrical Services Bandera Electric 830-331-4500 | banderaelectric.com

Financial Institutions Frost Bank 210-220-6603 | frostbank.com

Real Estate & Realtor Services Re/Max Real Estate - Stevie Seitz 210-382-2923 | justcallstevie.com Doris Young & Co. Realtors 210-695-2861 | dorisyoung.com

State Farm - Carlos H. Miranda 210-695-2880 | sfmiranda.com UnitedHealthcare - Joni Reyna 210-422-5272 | myuhcagent.com/joni.reyna

Medical Services AHNEW Physical Therapy - Ann H. Newstead 210-833-8336 | ahnewphysicaltherapy.com Healing Hands Family Care 210-839-1860 | healinghandsfamilycare.com Prestige Emergency Room 210-504-4837 | PrestigeER.com

Restaurants Las Palapas 210-696-6543 | mylaspalapas.com

Services Maid Affordable 210-372-9970 | maidaffordable.com Pope’s Cleaners 210-695-4343 | popecleaners.com

Want to advertise your business in the next issue of HELOTES? Please email: Janet Sandbach janet@travelingblender.com

Call or visit our website to schedule an appointment or email us if you have any questions. We are here to help you and your family.

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Family Nurse Practitioner

Over her 30 years of nursing experience, Inez King has been in different health care settings including hospital, specialty care and home health. Serving in her local community for the last 15 years, she is trained in diagnosing and treating the entire family from infants to geriatrics. Her desire is to bring genuine care to the whole family with convenient and affordable options to our community.

12274 Bandera Rd.; Suite #108 (210) 839-1860 • healinghandsfamilycare.com 42

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

Helotes: Gateway to the Texas Hill Country – Fall 2018

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