Lake Cities Living Magazine January 2021

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2021 THE BALANCE & BLISS ISSUE

LOW-COST

COMPASSIONATE

SOLUTIONS FOR

Animal Welfare

Corinth - Hickory Creek - Shady Shores - Lake Dallas

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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID LEWISVILLE, TX PERMIT NO. 977

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JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 3

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TABLE OF

Contents BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT 15 Denton Hearing Health Care: Dr. Katie Bessent Audiologist Knows How To Listen

ARTICLES 03 Winter Cocktail Recipe: Spiked Peanut Butter Hot Coco

08 10 Hot Places To Find Your Balance & Bliss

10 Sheriff’s Corner With Sheriff Tracy Murphree

12 Inside Community and Education 14 5 Things To Do 18 Foodie Friday DFW: Southern Drawl BBQ

20 Why Testosterone Replacement?

21 Lake Dallas Program Building Careers

22 Bob’s House of Hope Igniting Hope For Healing

24 National Signing Day 2020 25 City of Corinth Welcomes Steve Holzwarth

26 Lake Dallas Hardware 28 Great Taste In Every Bite 30 The Light At The End Of The Tunnel

PAGE

16

LOW-COST

COMPASSIONATE

SOLUTIONS FOR

Animal Welfare

Cover Image Texas Coalition for Animal Protection (TCAP) staff member

31 Winter Cocktail Recipe: Spiked Apple Cider www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 5

Publisher of Murray Media Group, kelly@murray-media.com

Publisher & Editor Scott & Kelly Murray

Administration

Following Through On RESOLUTIONS

T

he holiday season is long gone, and hopefully, that means no more cake, candy, and tables loaded with food we shouldn’t be eating. I mean, don’t get me wrong, just the sound of all that is making me hungry. But now is the time to start thinking about what we can do to better ourselves — and start anew.

Naturally, a great place to start is by recapturing your fitness goals and being healthy. But it also goes beyond that. Typical resolutions that we should all follow through with this time of year include spending less time on work and more with family and friends, living life to the fullest, getting organized, and learning a new skill or hobby. Many people use the flip to the new year as a chance to clean the slate financially — get out of debt, save money, etc.

These are all great ideas, and it can be easy for many of us to simply say, “Yeah, I’m going to focus on all of that.” My answer is that instead of biting off more than you can chew, pick one — maybe two — New Year’s resolutions and put all of your time and energy into meeting those goals. You’ll be a lot better off and more likely to follow through.

Our family here at Murray Media Group only wants the best for you, your family, and your friends. We are coming off the worst year of our lifetime, and it’s easy to carry all of that yuck into the next year. But don’t!

This is our opportunity to start anew — to create the best year yet! I believe we will.

Managing Editor Jana Melton Sub-Editors Bobbi Byrne Alisha Tran

Writers & Editor

Steve Gamel, Brooke Ezzo, Diane Ciarloni, Jean Eisenmann, Jade Kensington, Caylie Howard

Advertising Inquiries

sales@murray-media.com

Production

Graphic Designers Caroline Brock Alyson Modene Cayla Thompson

Photography

Miranda Longoria Photography Your Candid Memories Photography What’s That Guy’s Name? Guy T Photography

Letters

Lake Cities Living invites reader feedback, story suggestions and general comments.

Email artwork@murray-media.com.

All submissions become the sole property of Murray Media Group.

Editorial Inquiries Call 972.899.3637 or email editor@murray-media.com www.Murray-Media.com Address: 3513 Yucca Dr., Ste. 200 Flower Mound, TX 75028 Lake Cities Living is published monthly by Murray Media Group. Some articles and/or content may be sponsored by advertisers. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Lake Cities Livings is not responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Advertisers and its agencies assume all liability for advertising content. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the permission in writing from the publisher. © 2021 Murray Media Group

Thank you for picking up a copy of this month’s magazine.

We hope you enjoy it.

Sincerely, Kelly Murray 6 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

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HOT

Places To Find Your

BALANCE & BLISS

1. SPAVELA Taking care of your mental health is a surefire way to bring balance and bliss to your life.

At SpaVela, you can enjoy an array of high-quality services, such as massages, waxing, microdermaplane, peels, and injections. You don’t have to travel far for a luxurious pampering experience. 2800 Lakeside Pkwy., Ste. 100 • Flower Mound, TX 75022 2. THE WOODHOUSE DAY SPA When finding your bliss, it helps to surround yourself with the right environment.

The Woodhouse Day Spa offers a blissful experience from the moment you step through the door. They offer a variety of relaxing massages, facials, and other rejuvenating services that are sure to leave you with a memorable and healthful experience. 4081 Waller Creek, Ste. R120 • Highland Village, TX 75077 8 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

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3. ARGYLE MED SPA & WELLNESS CENTER It’s easy to find bliss when your overall health is a priority. Argyle Med Spa & Wellness Center is operated by Nurse Practitioners in collaboration with a Physician to assist in the overall health and wellness of all of their clients. They offer amazing services such as laser treatments, hormone/testosterone therapy, and skin rejuvenation procedures. Here, you’re sure to find the best for your wellbeing inside and out.

1490 Commons Cr. • Argyle, TX 76226 4. IMPACT MEDICAL & CHIROPRACTIC When your health is aligned, your life will follow. Impact Medical & Chiropractic offers a comfortable, caring, and positive environment for each and every one of their clients. They offer a variety of different options and services such as chiropractic specialties, general, physical, and regenerative medicine, along with message therapy and physical rehabilitation. It’s easy to find overall balance when walking out of their door. 112 W 4th St. • Justin, TX 76247

8. FRISCO YOGA & NUTRITION

5. HOT SPRING FOOT MASSAGE

Finding balance in your overall health is

Relaxation and rejuvenation are a must when looking for complete bliss. Hot Spring Foot Massage will ease your sore muscles, stiff necks, and any other aches you may be experiencing to leave you in peace and tranquility. They offer a range of affordable services that are sure to erase any stresses you may be experiencing. You’ll leave feeling like a new person every time. 1224 US-377, Ste. 207 • Roanoke, TX 76262 6. INSPIRE YOGA Yoga is the perfect way to find balance in your everyday life. Inspire Yoga offers a wide variety of classes and options to choose from that fit your wants and needs the absolute best. You can enjoy Yoga Teacher Training, Beginner classes, heated and non-heated yoga classes, and even workshops. You’ll be sure to find your center with each and every visit. 321 W Hickory St., Ste. 104 • Denton, TX 76201

essential to living a blissful lifestyle. Frisco Yoga & Nutrition is committed to helping you reach your goals on your journey to a blissfully healthy life. They offer services such as nutrition training, meditation, and FatBurn yoga. You’ll find total support in your journey to balance and bliss with each and every visit.

4040 Legacy Dr., Ste. 106 Frisco, TX 75034 9. REFORM & RIDE You’re not just a number at Reform & Ride.

You’ll find camaraderie and support while you conquer your challenges. At Reform & Ride, they will meet you at whatever your fitness level may be. They offer Pilates apparatus, and spin classes along with barre and yoga workouts. A healthy lifestyle and continued support will be sure to help bring balance to your life.

1125 Legacy Dr., Ste. 100 Frisco, TX 75034 10. YOGI KIDS & FIT FAMILY

7. ABSOLUTELY FABULOUS SPA You’ll find bliss with every visit at Absolutely Fabulous Spa. They aim to nurture and relax each and every guest with their variety of luxurious services. They offer a wide range of facial services, massage therapy, and waxing services to cater to each individual guest.

Their individualized and innovative therapeutic techniques will be sure to leave you blissfully relaxed. 8765 Stockard Dr., Ste. 903 • Frisco, TX 75034

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When your entire family finds balance, your home will find bliss. Yogi Kids & Fit Family offers classes for the whole family.

They offer a variety of classes for all age groups such as yoga, Pilates, dance fitness, and more. Your family will be sure to find a release from the stress and anxiety of everyday life when coming here.

3051 Churchill Dr., Ste. 250 Flower Mound, TX 75022 JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 9

SHERIFF’S W I T H

S H E R I F F

K

-9 Nilo was born on December 15, 2011, in the Netherlands and was named “Daffe.” He was purchased and imported to the United States in August of 2013. In the fall of 2013, the Denton County Sheriff’s Office committed to building a K-9 program to help serve Denton County citizens. K-9 Nilo was the first K-9 selected to join our agency, and he and his handler began training in Louisiana. After Nilo and his handler completed training in March of 2014, he hit the streets working. Nilo continued to work with his original handler until the fall of 2017 when he was assigned a new handler. Nilo’s new handler, Deputy Corey Halfmann, was his partner until his end of watch on December 14, 2020, due to a terminal illness. K-9 Nilo’s end of watch was just one day shy of his birthday.

Nilo’s spent his entire career working Criminal Interdiction. Hunting illegal contraband smugglers was his passion.

In doing so, Nilo assisted in the seizure of thousands of pounds of narcotics and millions in assets seized from narcotics smugglers, drug dealers, and other criminals. His largest single narcotics seizure was 445 pounds on a traffic stop. K-9 Nilo was known throughout the North Texas K-9 World as one of the best narcotic sniffing K-9s around. His reputation in the criminal interdiction world was so good that state and federal agencies across North Texas called for his

T R A C Y

assistance numerous times. Officers from other agencies respected Nilo and were always happy to have him assist.

Nilo’s handler, Deputy Corey Halfmann, shares these sentiments: “On every traffic stop I would make, K-9 Nilo would become fully alert and would always stand up and watch every move I made from the vehicle through the front kennel door. On one traffic stop, he was able to get through his kennel door and was in my front seat. What was great was that he had his paw on the light bar and siren buttons and was hitting them. So there I was, trying to get through this stop, and my sirens and lights are on and off and changing constantly because Nilo keeps hitting the buttons with his paws.

I can say with certainty that on numerous occasions when dealing with violent criminals, the sound of Nilo’s bark always deterred the aggressive behavior of the person I was dealing with. There is no telling how many times his bark saved my life. I have never had a criminal attempt to violently confront me once they heard Nilo barking.

Nilo was one of the most kind and gentle K-9s around. He was very sociable and loved kids. Sometimes, I think he loved them more than me. He loved going up to kids and pushing all his weight on them so they would have to wrap their arms around him to stay balanced.

M U R P H R E E

WE ARE

HIRING

If you are interested in a career in Law Enforcement, join our family and be a part of a great organization.

Detention Officer I positions start at $38,752.00 per year.

Visit our website to apply. www.governmentjobs.com/ careers/dentoncounty

All the way up until the end, K-9 Nilo loved to work. I would go outside in the morning and start my unit only to hear K-9 Nilo start his excited yelping because he knew it was time to go to work. That boy would race out of the house and sit at the door of my unit, waiting for me to open it. There was nothing he loved more than going to work.

Most people have no idea the bond a handler has with his K-9 partner. I did not really even know how tight our bond was until the loss of him. It one of the hardest things I have ever had to deal with.”

K-9 Nilo spent his last days with his handler and family at home, celebrating his birthday with cake and treats. DCSO was honored by Nilo’s service, and he will be greatly missed. Rest in Peace, K-9 Nilo!

940.349.1600 | 127 N. WOODROW LN., STE. 300 • DENTON, TX 76205 | DENTONCOUNTY.COM/DEPARTMENTS/SHERIFF.ASPX 10 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

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JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 11

INSIDE COMMUNITY

THE FRENCH BAKERY The French Barkery is an all-natural pet bakery that local resident, Jennifer Mayo, opened in early December. It all started after Jennifer quickly became obsessed with making her three French Bulldogs all of their food and treats. Jennifer only uses quality, healthy, human-grade foods free of preservatives. She's hoping to open a storefront in the Lake Dallas area within the next 18 months. You can purchase these dog treats off her website www.thefrenchbarkery.com. photo courtesy of The French Barkery's Facebook page

LAKE DALLAS POLICE DEPARTMENT Lake Dallas Officer Brad Nelson, along with officers from the DPS, Dallas PD, and Frisco PD volunteered their time to shop with the children of an officer who passed away after a fight with cancer.

Everybody had a good time and made some new friends.

INSIDE EDUCATION

LDISD EDUCATORS AWARD $36,000 IN GRANTS FROM LAKE CITIES EDUCATION FOUNDATION The Lake Cities Education Foundation awarded almost $36,000 in grants to Lake Dallas ISD educators to fund creative projects to further enhance classroom experiences for students. This year’s “prize patrol” was held virtually where campus administrators presented teachers with oversized checks and explained the goals of their projects. To see a full list of projects funded by the Lake Cities Education Foundation go to www.ldisd.net and scroll down to Falcon News. photo courtesy of LDISD 12 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

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CORINTH ELEMENTARY SCHOOL RECEIVES NEW PAINT Thanks to CoServ, students at Corinth Elementary School will have newly painted basketball, hopscotch and four square areas on the playground when they return to school this week. It's the latest in a series of Adopt-A-School Initiatives CoServ has participated in over the years. Having separate play areas has become important during the COVID-19 pandemic to encourage social distancing between students. Our students will appreciate CoServ for giving back to their community! photo courtesy of coserv.com

LAKE DALLAS TREE PRESERVATION Lake Dallas City Council has approved the creation of a "Tree Preservation" article that will be added to the City of Lake Dallas Municipal Code. The purpose of this article is to encourage the protection of healthy trees and vegetation, and to provide for the replacement and replanting of trees that have been necessarily removed during construction or development.

STUDENTS EAT FREE REMAINDER OF 20-21 SCHOOL YEAR Lake Dallas ISD students may now eat free for the remainder of the 2020-21 school year. This extended free meal program allows students to receive breakfast and lunch meals for both in-person and virtual learners. In-person learners can receive their meals through the cafeteria and virtual learners can receive them through curbside pickup.

This service must be pre-ordered through this form https://docs.google.com/forms/ d/e/1FAIpQLSfr4AOKqOU_FZCkZMJcmyTUG1RLz-dgs3CKPS6vR3zIdeYVsw/ viewform to receive these no-cost meals.

LD MIDDLE SCHOOL EARNS SUPERIOR SERVICE AWARD Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service awarded Lake Dallas Middle School’s 4-H program with its Superior Service Award for the team category. The Superior Service Award recognizes the faculty and staff who have surpassed and excelled in educational initiatives related to local needs. To win, a program or staff member has to be nominated and then winners are selected by the Extension Honor Awards Committee and Service Administration.

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JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 13

5

Things TO DO

3. AROMATHERAPY MASSAGE cloud9salon.com Aromatherapy massage provides a number of health and emotional benefits. Essential oils such as lavender, orange blossom, & peppermint offer unique effects to the senses. It offers healing & stress relief by stimulating the lymphatic, circulatory, nervous, & musculoskeletal systems.

1. SLEEP TREATMENT

2. AERIAL YOGA | urbanvybe.com

highlandvillage.woodhousespas.com

Aerial yoga, also referred to as anti-gravity yoga, originated in New York and moves yoga from the ground to the air. Aerial yoga may at first have seemed like a fad, but the concept has caught on and is practiced in several countries. Hailed for its many benefits, aerial yoga frees your body from the restraint of the flat, hard floor allowing for more fluid movements.

It combines anti-gravity asana (yoga poses), acrobatics, Pilates, and dance, and is favored for safe alignment, because it provides more length in your spine. photo courtesy of Urban Vybe Social Media Page

In a busy world filled with technology, kids’ soccer games, and stressful work deadlines, sleep can be considered a luxury experience. Essential to overall health and well-being, a good night’s sleep does wonders for your body. The Woodhouse Day Spa recently introduced a collection of sleep treatments designed to provide you with much-needed rest.

4. SALTFACIAL | medspafm.com The SaltFacial™ is a medical-grade treatment that exfoliates the skin with all-natural sea salt—essentially, it’s the ultimate answer to picture-perfect skin.

The three-in-one skin renewal restores, replenishes, and rejuvenates skin through a three-step process.

14 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

5. ORACLE CARD READING puresynergydfw.com Ask the universe for a little direction!

Oracle readings are tools to help learn more about yourself, your goals, and the areas of your life. Robyn is a professional oracle card reader and intuitive that uses her connection with spirit to help connect to your higher self. photo courtesy of Pure Synergy DFW Social Media Page www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

D R . K AT I E B E S S E N T

Business Spotlight

AUDIOLOGIST

KNOWS HOW TO

LISTEN

by Diane Ciarloni | photo of doctors courtesy of Denton Hearing Health Care

D

id you know there’s been an increase in the awareness of hearing loss since the outset of

COVID-19 and the mandatory use of face

masks? Dr. Katie Bessent knows it, and she also knows why.

“People often rely on visual cues to help fill in the blanks of what they are not hearing. With face masks covering mouths, people do not have those cues and are not able to fully

understand what

is being said.” The

from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center. She joined the Denton Hearing Health Care medical team in 2013, which was her first year of practice. Dr. Bessent became the sole owner in February 2020.

“Everything went very smoothly,” said Dr. Bessent. “Our patients stayed with us during the transition and we made certain they knew we continue to have the same values and quality service that the practice was founded on.”

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“I’m truly passionate about what I do,” says Dr. Bessent. “I love the variety of patients, the different ages, and the challenges they present. It’s impossible for me to think of anything I’d rather be doing.”

940.387.0550 www.DentonHearing.com

Dr. Lori A. Roby, also with a Doctorate brought that to in audiology as 2540 Lillian Miller Pkwy., STE. 100 light and people are well as a degree Denton, TX 76210 realizing how much in Communication they have relied on visual Sciences and Disorders, cues and that they are having joined the practice in 2019. difficulties hearing.

The practice offers a broad range of Denton Hearing Health Care has been services, including hearing assessments in place since the 1980s. It’s where Dr. and rehabilitation, vestibular testing, hearing aid evaluations and fittings, Bessent fulfilled her externship for her auditory processing screening and Doctorate of Audiology which she earned pandemic has

Veteran’s evaluations. There is an especially broad list of pediatric services, beginning with newborns and tracking their hearing development throughout the different stages of that critical first year.

Dr. Katie L. Bessent, Au.D., CCC-A & Dr. Lori A. Roby, Au.D.

JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 15

LOW-COST, COMPASSIONATE

SOLUTIONS

For Animal Welfare

by Steve Gamel | photography by Your Candid Memories (YourCandidMemories.com)

16 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

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I

t’s no secret we live in a pet-loving culture. Everywhere you turn, that bond between humans and animals is unmistakable, whether it’s the little girl parading her new puppy through the neighborhood, a businessman taking time from his crowded schedule to play fetch in the park with his golden retriever, or the elderly lady at the bus stop with two kittens curled up patiently inside her oversized purse.

Even when we take that long-awaited family portrait, the pets are always included – because they’re family, too.

same time filling a void for animals who deserve quality care at a price their owners can afford.

We love our pets; they are an extension Stacey said that in 2020 alone, TCAP of us. But all too often, good and wellspayed and neutered more than 62,000 intentioned pet owners simply cannot animals. Since being founded, TCAP has afford the most basic veterinary sterilized more than 550,000 North care such as spay and neuter Texas animals and vaccinated “It’s not our goal to take services, vaccinations, more than 1 million against business from veterinary and even dental care. the deadly rabies virus. clinics,” Stacey said. “We see it It’s a scenario Stacey “We started as one night as a partnership because we’re Schumacher has a week in one location coming alongside them and seen play out once in 2002 and have grown offering the basic stuff everyone too many times over so much since then,” said needs. And if need be, we refer the years, which has Stacey, who as TCAP’s out for specialized care.” led to euthanasia and founder and Executive Director overpopulation at animal has proudly watched her nonprofit shelters. So she created a non-profit grow to include eight locations. “What we called the Texas Coalition for Animal do in terms of services is very limited, but Protection. TCAP is a low-cost alternative we do a lot of it, and the vets we employ that partners with full-service veterinary are subject matter experts. clinics and animal shelters while at the “What overwhelms most pet owners is the cost factor. They love their animals, but the cost is sometimes unattainable.”

TCAP, which is heading into its 19th year, is upfront that they aren’t trying to replace full-service clinics. They specialize only in spay and neuter services, vaccinations, heartworm testing and prevention, microchipping services, and dental work such as routine cleanings, tooth extraction, and antibiotics. The level of care is equal to what you can find at vet centers but at a fraction of the price. For example, a full set of vaccines could cost a pet owner as little as $25. Spay and neuter services can range between $35-$65, which is roughly 70-80 percent cheaper than a full-service vet clinic.

940.566.5551 | TexasForThem.org 713 Sunset St. • Denton, TX 76201 www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

They offer wellness kits for puppies where customers can have all shots, microchipping, and spay and neuter services for as little as $150. For a kitten,

the same wellness kit can run as low as $130. Both kits essentially cover everything a puppy or kitten would need in its first year of life. TCAP also works with several animal shelters in the area to provide spay and neuter services onsite to help service pets owned by customers who are unable to transport their pets to a TCAP location.

Beyond that, if TCAP veterinarians notice anything that concerns them about a pet – old or young – from a health standpoint, they will always refer a customer to a local veterinarian’s office for a more detailed evaluation.

“It’s not our goal to take business from veterinary clinics,” Stacey said. “We see it as a partnership because we’re coming alongside them and offering the basic stuff everyone needs. And if need be, we refer out for specialized care.”

A visit to TCAP makes it clear that the entire team goes to great lengths to make sure everyone who walks through their doors – on two legs or four – has a great experience.

“Our focus is to provide services at the lowest cost and with the best care. We focus on customer service from a very compassionate, caring veterinary team,” Stacey said.

JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 17

Foodie Friday DFW: Southern Drawl BBQ

SOUTHERN Drawl BBQ

by Jay Marks | photos courtesy of Foodie Friday DFW

W

hen we last visited with Phillip Smithwick, Owner of Seven Loaves Catering in Lewisville, we talked with him about a dream he had to get back to his BBQ roots and open a BBQ food truck to serve the local community.

Fast forward to 2020 - private and corporate events slowed down allowing Phillip to pursue that dream of opening his food truck - now known as Southern Drawl BBQ.

They’ve got everything you could possibly

Located in the same parking lot as their Seven Loaves Catering kitchen off Business 121 in Lewisville, Southern Drawl BBQ allows Phillip to show off both his love for barbecue and his culinary prowess.

tacos on the menu and they’re all delicious

want on the truck including sandwiches,

loaded potatoes, BBQ plates, meat by the pound, delicious sides, and our personal favorite - their tacos! Phillip has three

but our absolute favorite has to be the

Rib Taco made with rib meat, grilled corn, cilantro, candied jalapeno, and pickled red onion.

In addition to being open WednesdayFriday from 10:30am-2:00pm in their

permanent spot, the Southern Drawl BBQ truck is also available for private events and they also have the ability to cater

events including corporate events, parties, and weddings.

Speaking of catering, Seven Loaves

Catering is still open, ready, and willing

to cater for you too! If you’re looking for

food for your event outside of barbecue, check out the Seven Loaves Catering

menu to see what they can bring to your event. They’ve also gotten creative with corporate events recently, pre-packaging plates for employees to come pick up from the office and take home or eat outdoors together so companies can still host and enjoy team-building events.

Every time we visit with Phillip, we leave inspired. We love that they’re a familyowned, local-focused company who are truly here to be servants of our community. And we love his passion.

So, stop by the Southern Drawl BBQ food truck for lunch Wednesday-Friday, or contact either Southern Drawl BBQ or Seven Loaves Catering for your private event and catering needs!

972.724.2540 | JayMarksRealEstate.com jay@jaymarksrealestate.com 1013 Long Prairie Rd., Ste. 102 | Flower Mound, TX 75022 18 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

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JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 19

WHY TESTOSTERONE

REPLACEMENT?

S

by Ashley Wagner | photo courtesy of Ashley Wagner

ince this issue is focused on health and fitness, we felt it was the perfect time to give you the inside scoop on testosterone therapy and dispel a few myths surrounding this topic. There has been an explosion of popularity surrounding this curious little hormone, and most of the individuals in the 40-and-over age group who have tried it won’t ever go back to life without it. Let’s start with the basics though: what is testosterone?

Testosterone is a hormone produced normally by both men and women. Among other things, it plays an important role in bone mass, sex drive, maintaining lean

muscle mass, mental well-being, and energy. In men, it is produced in the testicles.

In women, it is produced mostly in the ovaries and adrenal glands. As you probably suspected, women produce much less than men, but it does not mean it is less important to women. Let me say that again for emphasis — it is not less important to women! As we age, like everything else, our testosterone levels decline. As a result, maintaining lean muscle becomes much harder, and our energy levels and libido often decline. In other words, if you are over 40 and do not like maintaining lean muscle, you don’t like energy, and you don’t enjoy sex, then you should probably stay away from testosterone.

How do we increase testosterone levels? There are several options that I would love to discuss with you in further detail when you come in for a visit, but you can use creams, injections, or pellets to bring your testosterone to a high-normal value. The goal is to optimize your levels. Normal levels in women range from 15 to 70ng/dL. In men, the normal range is from 300 to 1,000ng/dL. What if your level is 15 for a woman or 300 for a man, but you would feel better, think better, and stay leaner at 70-90 for a woman or 1,000-1,100 for a man? Does it not make sense to supplement what your own body makes?

Women often ask if it will make them look masculine, and men worry it may turn them into a muscle-bound freak. The short answer to both of these worries is no. Remember that we are optimizing your levels, not taking you to four, five, or ten times over what is considered normal.

Does insurance cover it? First, we do not accept insurance because we believe insurance does not allow us to spend the necessary time to really focus on you and your hormone goals. We check labs regularly and do things insurance won’t pay for and frankly won’t understand. In the interest of full disclosure, there are places that will accept your insurance if your levels are low enough. However, we provide a higher level of care than insurance allows. We also offer hormone replacement therapy memberships that provide consistent, affordable treatment to our patients.

Ashley Wagner, Nurse Practitioner Ashley developed a passion for helping people early in life and elected to pursue a Bachelor’s of Science degree in Nursing and a Master’s Degree as a Family Nurse Practitioner. She has served as an Emergency Room Nurse at Baylor University Medical Center Level 1 Trauma Center, worked in the Parkland Hospital Emergency Room Level 1 Trauma Center and successfully completed her Critical Care Residency, and excelled into leadership positions including Charge Nurse and became a preceptor for new graduate nurses before pursuing her career as a Nurse Practitioner in Plastic Surgery and Aesthetics. At Live Young Wellness Spa, Ashley now performs injectables and specializes in the medical management for our Bioidentical Hormone Replacement Therapy patients.

Playwright George Bernard Shaw said, “Youth is wasted on the young,” and undoubtedly meant it to be humorous. But I firmly believe you can maintain some of that youthful energy by replacing the hormones your body cannot quite produce at the same levels anymore. We see a limited number of clients for hormone replacement therapy and have had a waiting list for this high demand treatment. Give us a call and schedule your appointment today. We would love to meet you and help you optimize your hormones!

20 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

2931 Long Prairie Rd, Ste.100 Flower Mound, TX 75022 972.691.7900 liveyoungspa.com www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

LAKE DALLAS PROGRAM

BUILDING CAREERS

by Jean Eisenmann

A

ccording to the Bureau of Labor The dual-credit program is open by Statistics, the employment of application to Lake Dallas students at the firefighters is projected to grow beginning of their junior year and concludes seven percent by 2026. In fact, the demand at the end of senior year. Students receive a for firefighters is expected to increase faster comprehensive education in preparation for than the average of most occupations. a career in fire service.

A study conducted by FireRescue1 with data Associate Principal Mollie Avelino helps collected from the Bureau of Labor Statistics drive the instructional programs. Her and job board postings listed family has a long history in fire service, Texas as the top state for which inspires her special hiring firefighters to fulfill STUDENTS interest in the program. today’s needs.

RECEIVE A “By completing the program, Denton County is COMPREHENSIVE graduates will earn 18 so fortunate to have college-credit hours from the EDUCATION IN a program that was firefighter program, and six PREPARATION developed for firefighter college-credit hours for the training, and it’s right here FOR A CAREER IN EMS program through NCTC,” at Lake Dallas High School Mollie explained.

FIRE SERVICE in Corinth. The Lake Dallas Students graduating from the two-year Independent School District partnered with program for a professional career in North Central Texas College (NCTC) and firefighting sit for the Basic Firefighter the Lake Cities Fire Department (LCFD) to Certification Exam in accordance with establish a Fire Academy. the Texas Commission on Fire Protection The two-year certification program (TCFP), and those who pass are eligible to provides students with the firefighting become firefighters in the state of Texas. and emergency medical services training “The Emergency Medical Services program they need to begin their careers right is offered in the fourth semester of the out of high school. From their first class student’s senior year,” explains Anthony in August 2016 to now, the program has Tosie, LDHS’s Director of Communications. been generating firefighters and EMTs “Once the program is completed, students with great success. www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

are qualified to take the National Registry Emergency Medical Technician exam and become EMTs. Others might attend college, and some grads enter the military.”

All Fire Academy classes are taught by NCTC instructors who are licensed, practicing firefighters. Lead instructor John Bryant has been an LCFD firefighter/paramedic since 2006 and serves on the faculty of NCTC. “Classes are capped at 20, with the average number of students being at 12 to 14.

Numbers could increase by a few more when the EMT students join training in the fourth semester,” Bryant said. “Students learn a mix of classroom and physical training every other day. We have a fully functional fire truck and full structural firefighting gear donated

by LCFD. Training includes handling hoses, going through obstacles and entanglements, and even live fire training at Denton’s Station 7. Students learn first-hand the safety protocols of firefighting.”

Due to the Fire Academy's popularity, LDHS has assisted Denton, Little Elm, and Lewisville ISDs with developing their programs.

At Lake Dallas ISD, it’s possible to graduate from high school and begin an exciting career as a certified firefighter — all by the age of 18!

JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 21

BOB’S HOUSE OF

Igniting Ho

FOR HEAL

by Jean Eisenmann | photo courtesy of Helen’s Photography

B

y Presidential Proclamation, January is known as National Slavery and Human Trafficking Prevention Month. The goal is to raise awareness of heinous crimes against humanity, including children. Human traffickers generate billions of dollars by enslaving individuals through coercion, violence, blackmail, and other manipulative tactics, forcing victims to provide labor or services against their will, including commercial sex. This degradation of human dignity is prevalent throughout the world, including communities across America. And Texas is no exception.

According to the U.S. Department of State, there are 300,000 children lured into the commercial sex trade each year in the United States. Surprisingly, roughly 150,000 of them are boys.

Enter Bob Williams, founder and CEO of Ranch Hands Rescue Counseling Center and Animal Sanctuary in Argyle.

Bob initiated the nonprofit more than a decade ago to pair abused and neglected animals (the worst-ofthe-worst) with individuals suffering from complex trauma, resulting in unconventional and hugely successful therapy for both man and beast. Bob had always planned to add a safe house to the center as a separate facility, possibly for treating veterans. But after learning of the alarming lack of support and aid for male sex trafficking victims, he had to get involved.

“I refer to these boys as the unseen survivors, because of the stigma associated with sex trafficking,” Bob said.

THE UNSEEN SURVIVORS 22 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

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HOPE

ope

LING Bob’s House of Hope will be the country’s first nonprofit long-term safe house exclusively for male survivors of commercial sexual exploitation between the ages of 18-24. Why that age range?

“We believe younger victims are better off in a secure foster home rather than an institutional home, where they might still receive love in a family environment toward their recovery,” Bob explained. “Older victims, those 18 and into their 20s, are considered adults. But after multiple years of being victimized by abuse, emotionally they’re maybe 14 or 15 and need help and love, too, but in a more structured treatment environment.”

The house is being converted from what used to be Ranch Hands Rescue’s headquarters (on Hwy 77 between Denton and Argyle) into Bob’s House of Hope. Residents will be part of a twoyear, long-term trauma care program, providing six young men with 24-hour care seven days a week in a safe environment.

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BOB’S HOUSE OF HOPE IS SCHEDULED TO OPEN IN MID-FEBRUARY

“These kids have been through intense trauma,” Bob said. “We’re trying to take what might require years of therapy and compress it into two.”

In addition, residents will be offered a mentoring program led by male and female veterans, vocational training such as woodworking, and furthering their education.

By employing the same animal-assisted therapy as the counselors at Ranch Hands Rescue, working with the animals will be an integral part of therapy and recovery for these young men.

Law officers and government agencies phone Bob weekly with requests to take in young sexual exploitation survivors. The majority of residents selected for the safe house will be referred by law enforcement.

Bob’s House of Hope is scheduled to open in mid-February. Hopefully, it

will serve as a model for other cities so that young victims everywhere

might have a place of healing they can turn to.

“We need people to get involved

and join our fight,” Bob implored.

“If we build it, I just know people will support it.”

JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 23

NATIONAL SIGNING DAY

20 20

A

by Steve Gamel

nother signing day is in the books for Dallas-Fort Worth area high schools, and that includes some of your favorite studentathletes right here in Denton County. Sixteen athletes at six schools signed their National Letter of Intent on December 16, the first day of the early national signing period for football.

Of those 16 total signings, 14 were to Football Bowl Subdivision programs that included the likes of TCU, UNT, Texas A&M, Florida State, LSU, and Baylor.

Some of the names to sign on the dotted line included Guyer quarterback Eli Stowers (Texas A&M), Marcus quarterback Garrett Nussmeier (LSU), Flower Mound defensive end Stone Ebby (SMU), Liberty Christian quarterback Daniel Greek (Mississippi State), and Argyle tight end Jasper Lott (TCU). All of those players guided their teams to successful seasons in 2020.

From our family here at Murray Media Group, congratulations to everyone who signed. Below is a complete list of signings.

GUYER HIGH SCHOOL

• Eli Stowers, Texas A&M • Deuce Harmon, Texas A&M • Cooper Lanz, Baylor • Gabe Blair, UNT • Knox Boyd, Charlotte • Jordan Eubanks, Florida State • Darious Goodloe, Long Island

FLOWER MOUND HIGH SCHOOL

• Stone Ebby, SMU

LIBERTY CHRISTIAN SCHOOL

• Daniel Greek, Mississippi State

24 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

MARCUS HIGH SCHOOL

• Garrett Nussmeier, LSU • J. Michael Sturdivant, California

ARGYLE HIGH SCHOOL • Jasper Lott, TCU

• Jack Tucker, Texas Tech • Blake Spence, Texas Tech • Darren Chapa, Hardin-Simmons

NORTHWEST HIGH SCHOOL • Caden Barnett, Wyoming

City of Corinth

WELCOMES

STEVE HOLZWARTH

by Jade Kensington | photo courtesy of Steve Holzwarth

T

here is a new face on the Corinth City Council. Steve Holzwarth is the newest elected official in Place 3, where he secured 59.2% of the votes in the November election. While Steve is new to the City Council, he is a familiar face and active member of the Lake Cities community.

As a resident of Corinth for the past five years, Steve wears many hats. He is a realtor and has helped individuals and families buy and sell homes in the area since 1996. Steve is also an active member of the Lake Cities Chamber of Commerce, where he served as Chairman in 2019 and 2020. While this was his first time running for an elected position, public service is not a foreign task to Steve. As a public servant, he has served on Corinth’s Planning and Zoning Commission and Economic Development Corporation, and is still serving on the Corinth Police Chief Advisory Board.

Steve states that there are many positive signs of growth for the city. The development of the site where the old police station was located, in addition to purchasing an additional acreage for mixed-use development, was a big www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

step taken by the City’s leadership.

Furthermore, the new Lake Cities Fire Department Station 3 is another key indicator that the City is moving in the right direction for growth and sustainability.

Development of I-35E and the Teasley, Swisher, and FM 2181 corridors are

Steve’s top priorities while he is on the City Council.

“DEVELOPING BUSINESSES IN THESE AREAS WILL INCREASE CITY TAX REVENUE, THUS ALLOWING RESIDENTIAL TAXES TO REMAIN LOW,” STEVE SAYS. “Bringing restaurants and retail to the area will keep tax dollars from going to other cities and provide a better quality of life for our citizens.”

Steve’s experience with the city’s Planning and Zoning Commission and Economic Development Corporation will help his new role on the city council.

“I have enjoyed being involved with the planning process, so seeing the

plans actually come to fruition is my goal,” he said.

Steve’s longtime involvement in the

community and well-roundedness will surely be an asset for Corinth’s future and growth.

At the end of Steve’s term on the

City Council, he hopes to have seen significant growth.

“Continued planning and implementing will make Corinth a better place for

everyone to live, work, and play,” he said.

Steve maintains a very busy schedule.

When he’s not showing homes,

volunteering on different boards,

helping with various chamber initiatives, or serving on the council, he enjoys the great outdoors.

JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 25

LAKE DALLAS

HARDWARE

by Diane Ciarloni | photos courtesy of Diane Ciarloni

L

ake Dallas shares several common denominators with other Texas time-warp towns, but the most prominent one is the prevalence of old buildings. Most have a minimum of five layers of paint. Each new color is brighter than its predecessor to distract from the chips and cracks running through the once-upon-a-time smooth wood.

Use Lake Dallas Hardware (Do It Best) as an illustration. A bold, forward-moving coating of truly bright, bright green, clipped off at all the edges by crisp, spotless white. A front porch running the length of the building. Benches and wheelbarrows and garden carts outside, waiting for a permanent home. Faded stickers on the windows. They’re all elements of the store’s personality.

Lake Dallas Hardware launched as a simple general store, sort of like the old farmer's mercantile. Then, as more coats of fresh paint were added, it morphed into a hardware store. Norman Beaty began filling out his timecard as an employee when he was just 16 years old. He met his wife Marilyn there when he was 17 and required parental consent when they decided to get married because they were still so young.

photographed above is Norman Beaty

HE WAS JUST 16 YEARS OLD. 26 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

Norman aged in place at Lake Dallas Hardware, standing solid through name changes, through one set of difficult owners, through a couple of recessions, and one armed robbery with the barrel of a Glock punched into the back of his neck as he opened the safe. He bloomed as the store’s centerpiece. He trained current owners, Bill and Dru McDonald, as well as their sons Curtis and Troy. He’s been there nearly five decades, so

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long that a lot of the town’s folks forget about all the name changes and just say they’re going to “Norman’s place.”

“A lot of things have changed over the past 50 years,” said Norman, “and a lot of things haven’t. We still sell nails and screws by the pound. We’ve added a few services such as sharpening chain saws and repairing/making screens.

“Mr. and Mrs. McDonald are up in years, but they still come into the store a few hours every week. Bill makes most of the decisions, and the rest of us respect that. That’s why we all call him the Boss Man. There have been four family generations of McDonalds working here.

on you. We’ll call you by name the third time you’re here.”

Does it bother the McDonald clan that Norman’s name is the one most frequently connected with Lake Dallas Hardware? No, it doesn’t. Norman is part of the family and, besides, he’s the best business card they could have.

His word is golden. His work ethic is legendary. And he can take you straight to the bin holding the tiniest screw in the store.

Just ask for Norman if you want the fullflavor experience of Lake Dallas Hardware.

HIS WORD IS GOLDEN. HIS WORK ETHIC IS LEGENDARY.

“We’re still open seven days a week because Bill feels that’s part of giving quality customer service. Of course, our winter hours are shorter; closing at 6:00 p.m. instead of 6:30! There was a time when we knew every face coming through that door. That’s changed some in the past five years, especially with the Little Elm Bridge. It’s made it a lot easier to get here and has increased our volume of business as well as the amount of customer traffic. We may not know you the first time you come in but just give us a couple of times to wait www.LakeCitiesLiving.com

JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 27

Every G R E A T

IN

T A S T E

Bite

W

ho doesn’t love a good baked good during the holiday season? After all, isn’t it true that calories don’t count during the holidays? To help out with your baked goods browsing, we’ve composed a list of our top ten bakeries in Denton County.

THE FLOUR SHOP BAKERY

This cozy local bakery, located at 6100 Long Prairie Road in Flower Mound,

offers a variety of cupcakes, cakes, pies, brownies, cookies, and more. They also have several gluten-free options! Their

quick breads and cookie bars are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

CANDY HAVEN & CAKES This family owned bakery has been in business for over 34 years. They are

known for their fresh, never frozen, custom

28 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

cakes that they make for any occasion.

They are located at 301 N. Interstate 35 E.

by Caylie Howard

scratch, custom cakes and desserts for

all occasions. They offer everything from breads, cupcakes, brownies, cookies,

custom cakes, and more! They also offer

gluten-free and vegan options! They are located at 360 Parker Square Road.

in Denton.

THE COOKIE CRAVE

RAVELIN BAKERY

The Cookie Crave is a Denton local

Ravelin Bakery is a neighborhood

bakeshop located in Denton at 416 S Elm

bakeshop located at 519 Locust Street.

This family-oriented bakery is famous

Street. They are known for their European-

for their gluten, dairy, soy and nut free

desserts. If you are wanting an out of

where you can try out multiple flavors.

style breads, pastries, and specialty

country experience, this is the perfect place for you!

HIVE BAKERY Hive Bakery is a local Flower Mound

bakery that specializes in their made from

cookies. They also offer bundle packs,

IRENE’S BAKERY Irene’s Bakery is famous for their amazing and creative wedding and special

occasion cakes. They also offer spectacular cupcakes in a wide variety of flavors such

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velvet, white chocolate and more! Irene’s

H E AV E N LY TAY LO R E D SW E E TS

is known for it’s stunning customizable

Town Lewisville.

Heavenly Taylored Sweets offers a

sure to impress.

MIKE’S BAKERY

chocolates, cinnamon rolls, cupcakes, pies,

as Italian crème, key lime, carrot cake, red is located at 116 W Main Street in Old

Mike’s is a bakery located in Corinth at

4251 FM 2181 in Ste. 216. Mike’s Bakery is famous for providing top of the line, New-

York style baked goods and desserts. Their

wide range of custom cakes, cookies,

cake pops, and more. They even offer a variety of gluten free options! They are

located at 260 S Interstate 35 E in Denton.

specialties include danishes, cheesecakes,

THIRSTY CUPCAKE CUSTOM CAKES

out of the Big Apple, Mike’s Bakery is the

This Custom Cake shop located at 502 S

and cakes. If you’re wanting to take a bite place for you!

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Old Orchard Lane, Ste. 134 in Lewisville

cakes. From weddings to birthdays and

everywhere in between, these cakes are

LINNYBIRD BAKESHOP Linnybird Bakeshop is located in Lake

Dallas at 204 W Hundley Drive. They offer unique flavors and use all high quality

ingredients. Their baked goods range

from cakes to pies and even more. But the

thing that they are most famous for is their out of this world cupcakes!

JANUARY 2021 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 29

Light

The

AT THE END

TUNNEL OF THE

by Denton County Commissioner Precinct 3 Bobbie Mitchell photo courtesy by Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell

A

fter more than 10 months of dealing with a pandemic and all that entails, a brighter tomorrow nears.

With the New Year comes new hope as two vaccines wind their way across the U.S. to healthcare workers, essential employees, long-term care residents, and first responders.

As we start 2021, let us thank these

Blessed are we to have such people willing to do their jobs to ensure all of us have what we need to get through this pandemic.

emergency medical technician who

LET 2021 ALSO BE THE YEAR FOR HELPING ONE ANOTHER.

people at every opportunity.

Thank the grocery clerk who rings up

your groceries, the USPS delivery person who drops off your packages, or the

on our backs. We go to work whether at home or the office. We have transportation. We have families who support us.

Not everyone is that fortunate. Some are facing homelessness, and others have empty cupboards. Another is lonely and in need of someone to reach out. People amongst us are suffering.

Let 2021 also be the year for helping one another.

Spare an extra few dollars for your favorite charity, and donate those clothes that no longer fit. Buy a few extra cans and packages of food at the grocery store and drop them off at a food pantry.

Volunteer your time to hand out food or relieve another volunteer who has been working non-stop. If you see a neighbor in need, offer a helping hand or just give someone a call to let him or her know you care.

Together we can make a difference.

People will need help for a long time, so please continue to donate to keep people in their homes; put groceries in their cabinets, and make sure they have enough to pay the utility bills to stay warm through the winter.

answers your call for help. Thank the

Finally, let 2021 be one of health and safety.

classroom, the staff attending to your

The vaccine will certainly help us along the road to recovery, but we should continue safe practices for a while longer.

teacher at the front of your children’s

parent or grandparent at the long-term care facility, and the healthcare staff

working seven days a week to administer tests and, now, vaccines.

The year 2021 should be one of thankfulness.

We have so much for which to be thankful.

Thanks that we have a roof over our

heads, food in our pantries, and clothing

Protect yourselves, your families, neighbors, and those with whom you meet. As the saying goes, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

I wish everyone a thankful, helpful, healthy, and safe 2021.

CONNECT WITH US

If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you.

972.434.4780 | bobbie.mitchell@dentoncounty.com | www.facebook.com/DentonCountyTX | Twitter @DentonCountyTX 30 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JANUARY 2021

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