Lantana Living Magazine February 2017

FEBRUARY 2017 GOLDEN TRIANGLE MALL

PRIDE IN A JOB WELL DONE

NEW GUYER VOLLEYBALL

HEAD COACH

THERE ARE

ANGELS AMONG US

Charla Bradshaw Talks

DIVORCE

in the LONE STAR

STATE

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 3

A O

ngels In Lantana,

THERE ARE

AMONG US

by Susan Neuhalfen

nce in a while you meet people and you can’t help but think to yourself, is this person Superman?

How does he balance work, family and all that he does in the community?

“When you gift a hurting child they know someone loves them, and it will inspire him or her to follow their dreams.” said Kevin

told him he wanted to plan a fundraiser. They

put together a motorcycle ride and other folks

got involved in fundraising events that were so successful, they paid off the family’s bills and even established a college fund for the 9 year-old boy.

This was the beginning of Kevin’s passion

for gifting kids in need that launched his first

non-profit charity. At one event, over 700 bikes and helmets were gifted to the needy

kids at the Carey Francis Thomas School in North Richland Hills.

Kevin became a member of the board at the

Children’s Advocacy Center in Denton County

(CACDC) after working with their Director, Dan Leal, and supporting their kids for the previous nine years. Because he could no longer

directly help the children while serving on the

board, he resigned his position to start 444 Angel.

CACDC helps kids who have been sexually

abused, not only to get them to safety but to bring their predator to justice. Kevin and 444 Angel

help these children graduating from counseling to pursue positive outlets such as sports club

participation, music lessons, and other activities, so that the children may achieve their dreams and goals. 444 Angel contacts the guardians and

photos courtesy of 444 Angel

4 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

Kevin Howell is that guy.

He’s your average suburbanite who works hard, supports his family, takes care of his home and rides his motorcycle…with one exception: when it comes to helping kids, he has a heart as big as Texas.

“You’ll have to excuse me,” he said during his phone interview. “You get me talking about the kids and I just can’t stop.”

Kevin’s latest project is 444 Angel. He is of the belief that there is someone in our past, an angel, who is watching over us.

Together with that angel, and a little help from his friends, Kevin does all he can to help kids in need.

“I’m a 5th generation Fort Worth Texan,” Kevin expressed proudly. “My grandmother, Velma Chapman, has always been my angel. I believe everyone has guardian angels.”

It all started on a sunny afternoon while Kevin was riding his bike. He saw a Southlake police officer pulling people over for tickets. He didn’t know what came over him, but he felt compelled to pull over and talk to the officer.

The officer was having a bad day. He had found out that his partner was diagnosed with brain cancer and he didn’t know how his wife and 9 year-old son would survive. Kevin went home, wrote him a check out of his own pocket and

finds out what help, if any, is needed, financially or otherwise. They help not only the child in counseling, but his or her siblings as well.

Another way 444 Angel helps the CACDC kids is by working with a group called BACA (Bikers Against Child Abuse). BACA is a worldwide organization that exists to give abused children their power and self-esteem back. With the permission of an abused child’s parent or guardian, Kevin and his BACA brothers and sisters, who are all motorcycle riders, come to the child’s house to ask the child to accept BACA into his or her family. They give him or her a “cut” (the vest they wear), a blanket and a teddy bear full of love and hugs. 2 BACA brothers or sisters are then assigned to go to every court hearing to support the child.

Kevin feels blessed to have the help of so many volunteers including some right here in the neighborhood.

“I’m so lucky to have found two angels right here in Lantana,” said Kevin. “Heather Shimala and Pamela Fenner are pulling the troops together, working to help these kids. They know a lot of people in the community and they feel as passionately about the cause as I do.”

In the short time that 444 Angel has been in existence, they have donated money to not only the CACDC but to several charity organizations including the Burn Center at LSU. In conjunction with Brother’s Keepers, a motorcycle riding group made up of hundreds of north Texas firefighters, 444 Angel provides gifts for the campers at ‘Camp I’m Still Me”, a camp for burn victims. They’ve donated sports equipment for the camp as well.

The 444 Angel inaugural event was in partnership with the Lifting Lives Foundation and the Academy of Country Music. They put together an ACM 50th Anniversary event ride featuring country music stars Dirks Bentley, Lee Brice, Montgomery Gentry and Kelsea Ballerini.

“With this inaugural event 444 Angel was able to bless the CACDC,Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children and BACA with donations,” said Kevin. “100% of 444 Angel donations go directly to the kids.”

So with everything he sees and the tireless effort he puts in, what keeps him going?

“When you gift hurting children they know someone loves them, and it will inspire them to follow their dreams,” said Kevin. “We may think because we live in a beautiful community like Lantana abuse doesn’t happen, but abuse can happen in any community.”

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 5

Lantana Community Events Guyer High

Bolt for the Band

Contents Table of

Featured Stories and News

5k/Fun Run

04

There are Angels Among Us

More info at

08

Adventures for Spring Break

13

It’s Time to Man Up

14

World of Difference Jonas Meuleman

17

Makeover of the Month

March 4th at 8:30am www.guyerband.org DISD Spring Break March 13th- 17th

6th Annual Glenn

Pg 32 19

Garcelon Foundation Golf Classic April 2nd

GlennGarcelonFoundation.org Lantana Garage Sale April 8th

8am - 3pm

Surrounding Area fun things to do!

Cinnamon Creek Events Center

Grand Opening

March 18th, 12pm-5pm

Special guest Dude Perfect Bartonville

Farmer’s Market

Starts at 8 a.m. every

On the Cover (left to right): Annika, Cade, OnMeredith, the Cover: Charla Bradshaw Jack, Bradley Park and Devon

Ask the Experts 07

From the Editor

10

Fitness

20

Sidelines

22

Gardening

24

Women’s Wellness

35

Nutrition

51

Dr. Matt

61

Real Estate

6 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

from Lantana

PHOTOS

Want to feature your school’s or organization’s event? Contact us at artwork@murray-media.com

16

26

Children’s Advocacy Center

29

Chocolate Mint Cheesecake Bars

30

Troop 99 Eagles

Local Lawyer, Statewide Reputation

Wednesday and Saturday Bartonville Town Center

Inside Education

You Submit We Print

36

Van Noy - New Guyer Volleyball Head Coach

41

TEA Accountability System

42

Golden Triangle Mall Taking Pride in a Job Well Done

47

Guyer National Signing Day

52

Military Diet

55

Painting the Town

57

Hay Fever

58

Inside Community

59

Blanton Fun Run Needs Sponsors

K

“A Heart Energized by

indness

“

A Message from The Community Editor

“Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see.”

– Mark Twain

but my sarcastic banter with the doctors, made

indness of the heart is the universal

I see those around me that have allowed

K

language that is comprehended

beyond the boundaries. In today’s

hustle and bustle, it is too easy

to move through the day disconnected from our capacity as humans to be kind and caring

towards the hearts of others. In the month

my father roar with laughter and enlightened

an inner joy in his heart that I argue is just as remedying.

people and circumstances to remove kindness

from their loving hearts. It’s physically painful

of focusing on negative behavior is apparent. our own faults, undervalue

other and kindness to self !

our personal worth at times,

I try to tell our boys that

underestimate our value

in this world where they are

to others and have trouble

raised and taught they can

receiving

be anything, to be kind is

compliments,

everything. We live in a time

compassion and kindness.

for who we are and how we

who possess an innate need

In reality, we are people

that doesn’t always accept us

for one another. We were

look. I want to encourage my

to self-kindness no matter

what. Being kind to self is

Kathryn Flores,

Community Relations and Advertising Consultant Argyle Living & Lantana Living Kathryn@murray-media.com 214.734.5783

equally important as being kind to others.

In the past month, I’ve spent a significant

amount of time worrying and thinking about

the human heart due to my father’s heart condition. From a medical perspective, the doctors rely on research, medicine and science

Bobbi Byrne

Contributors Steve Gamel Susan Neuhalfen

Advertising Kathryn Flores kathryn@murray-media.com Kelly Murray kelly@murray-media.com

Production Art Director Liz Wallace

Stephanie Hansen Caroline Brock

It is one reason many of us are so clear about

lessons, and stay committed

Jana Melton

Sub-Editor

hardened heart dulls a person’s ability to

before the heart hardens and atrophies. A

me, these are summed up by kindness to each

embrace their mistakes as

Administration Managing Editor

Graphic Designers

perceive and understand.The long-term impact

boys to accept themselves,

Publisher & Editor Scott & Kelly Murray

for me to witness as it’s only a matter of time

of February, we are reminded of Valentine’s Day and American Heart Health month. To

LantanaLiving.com

intended for human words, touch, And

and

this

compassion.

isn’t

a

call

for grand, overwhelming gestures

and

sacrifice.

It’s simple kindness, extending hospitality

and a warm welcome. As we give to others, we strengthen ourselves. As we receive from others, we allow them to grow. Being

kind to someone can be simply saying,

to “fix” his heart. As his daughter, I take great

‘no worries, take care next time’, and will

laughter, stories and memories that energize

You never know. You might have hit the

arteries which allow the blood to flow at ease,

weakened heart.

pride in tending to his heart with kindness,

always be remembered by that person.

his spirits. The medicines may open my Dad’s

jackpot. At the very least, it just may warm a

Photography Scott Young • 972.899.3536 www.scottyoungphoto.com

Letters Lantana 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 and Advertising inquiries call 972.899.3637 or email artwork@murray-media.com Address: 1011 Surrey Lane Building 100 Ste. 101 Flower Mound, TX 75022 Lantana Living is published monthly by Murray Media Group.

Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher.

Lantana Living 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. © 2017 Murray Media Group

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 7

Nearby Family Fun

Adventures for Spring Break

by Susan Neuhalfen

F

or those planning on staying in the area for Spring Break or if you you’re just looking for some weekend adventure options, here are some great family fun ideas that keep you close to home: of codes, locks and puzzles that reveal clues to enable the escape. This is especially good for older kids and fun for the whole family.

ADVENTURE ALTITUDE PARK altitudedenton.com This is incredible for kids of all ages. 30,000 square feet of foam pits, gymnastics tumble tracks, a kid zone, basketball dunking lanes, dodge ball and more. It’s right across from Golden Triangle Mall so if you’re kids are a certain age, you may drop them and go shopping.

WINKIDS winkids.net During Spring Break there are outrageously fun camps for children ages 2 1/2 and up for 3 hours or all day. Kids will have fun making friends, getting exercise and learning new skills in this super kid-friendly sport center.

CINNAMON CREEK RANCH cinnamoncreekranch.com It’s the new bowling! Bring the kids for a fun-filled day of archery. There is so much to do

here and the great instructors are happy to help

the newcomers get the feel of the bow and arrow.

It’s perfect for the whole family whether they are new to archery or practiced veterans.

ESCAPE ROOMS HQ escaperoomshq.com Escape Rooms HQ is a one-of-a-kind

fantasy

entertainment facility where

players race against the clock

to solve all of the clues to escape

their mystery room. Your team

8 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

will be charged with solving a series

LEGOLAND Grapevine Mills Mall dallasfw.legolanddiscoverycenter.com For kids who love Legos, it’s a no-brainer. There are three rides, 10 Lego build and play zones, a 4D cinema and a mini-city all to explore. It’s geared toward younger kids but is enjoyable to parents, too. Tickets online can be cheaper and they have group discounts as well.

SIX FLAGS OVER TEXAS ARLINGTON sixflags.com/overtexas Since we never know what the weather will be like that would be the first thing to check to before heading to Six Flags, but this park is huge and has a happiness factor to suit both young and old. There are lots of rides to please everyone from kiddie rides to serious roller coasters.

ZERO GRAVITY THRILL PARK gojump.com For the older kids looking for some serious thrills, there’s this: bungee jumping, a 16-story free fall, a sky-coaster that glides 100 feet off the ground, a rocket ride that sends you straight into the air at 70mph and being strapped to a 165-foot propeller with speeds up to 60 mph in just seconds. We’re talking 4Gs of force. Talk about your wild rides…

ZONE ACTION PARK Zoneactionparkdallas.com There are go-karts and putt-putt golf as well as two floors of games and fun inside. It’s nothing fancy, but it is fun. Groupons are sometimes available.

FORT WORTH STOCKYARDS fortworthstockyards.org Take a trip back in time. The Fort Worth herd cattle drive comes through twice an hour and there are lots of shops, dining, museums and history to be seen. For extra fun, take the Grapevine Vintage Railroad there and back.

TRINITY FOREST ADVENTURE PARK trinitytreetops.com This is a seven-acre combination obstacle course and zip line park for people 6+ that has over twenty zip-lines as well as cargo nets, rope bridges, and other obstacles spread out over six courses. Go at your own pace, as long as you don’t take longer than the three-hour time limit.

SANDY LAKE AMUSEMENT PARK sandylake.com Though not as big as Six Flags, Sandy Lake Amusement Park has something for everyone including thrill rides as well as kiddie rides and paddle boats. You can picnic with the family and bring a friend or two to enjoy the day while staying pretty close to home.

COYOTE DRIVE IN LEWISVILLE coyotedrive-in.com/lewisville Take the kids and experience the drive-in movie theater at the Coyote Drive-In in Lewisville.

ANIMALS AND AQUATICS DALLAS ZOO dallaszoo.com The zoo is always fun and there’s plenty for the kids to see and do. The Keeper Encounters and Training Demonstrations are always interesting for a behind the scenes look. There’s even a guide to Pokemon Go on their website. You can save with CityPass if you’re planning on going to the Perot and other locations as well.

FORT WORTH ZOO fortworthzoo.org The oldest zoo in Texas, this is so much more than just a zoo. There’s the Yellow Rose Express Train, a carousel, a petting zoo, the Play Barn playground and climbing area, a shooting gallery for kids, rock climbing and much more. This is an all-day adventure.

DALLAS WORLD AQUARIUM dwazoo.com Much like the zoo, it’s hard to go wrong with a trip to the aquarium. It’s educational, it’s fun and it’s cool to see sharks.

CHILDREN’S AQUARIUM AT FAIR PARK childrensaquariumfairpark.com Specifically designed for children, it

has eye level interactive exhibits and

is very educational for the young ones.

MUSEUM FUN PEROT MUSEUM perotmuseum.org When you think of museums you think quiet

and sometimes boring, but NOT the Perot Museum. This is anything but boring and the

kids will love it. There are lots of interactive

things to do and it’s great learning for everyone.

Even the building is radical.

THE DALLAS ARBORETUM AND BOTANICAL GARDENS dallasarboretum.org The Arboretum is beautiful in and of itself with breathtaking gardens at every turn. For

the kids there is the Rory Meyers Adventure Garden for Children overlooking White Rock Lake. There are over 150 individual kid friendly activities, and the children’s garden features The

Texas Skywalk, The Moody Oasis, a Walk in the Clouds, and more.

MUSEUMS OF HISTORICAL IMPORTANCE THE SIXTH FLOOR MUSEUM AT DEALEY PLAZA jfk.org If there’s one thing we’ve learned from social

media, it’s that people don’t know their history, so let’s change that with our kids. Teach them about what happened on that fateful November day before social media does. In addition

to historical information, there are special exhibits as well.

DALLAS HOLOCAUST MUSEUM AND CENTER FOR EDUCATION AND TOLERANCE

dallasholocaustmuseum.org This is truly a moving experience featuring

displays such as an actual boxcar used to transport Jews during WWI. There are also other exhibits regarding the history of life before and after the war for the Jewish people.

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 9

Fitness

Did You

KNOW… D

id you know that heart disease is the leading cause of death for men and women in the United States? Every year, one in four deaths are caused by heart disease. The good news is heart disease can often be prevented when people make healthy choices.

One healthy choice is a healthy and fit

lifestyle. But getting fit and healthy is not always as easy as it sounds. Distractions, and

sometimes fears, get in the way. Work pass the distractions and fears by coming up with a plan for your new lifestyle.

Set a goal.

The first step to achieving

anything in life is to have a goal. Without goals, it’s easy to wander aimlessly through life, and

when it comes to your health, “aimless” is not a

good place to be. Maybe you want to lower your blood pressure, lose weight, lower cholesterol

levels, or tone and strengthen your muscles.

Whatever the goal, aim for it. A healthy life is a healthy heart.

Set a start date. Sounds silly? Not really.

where you laugh together, sweat together and

reach for that next level together. Regardless, when you enjoy something, you’re more likely to stick with it. So maybe try both and make it part of your plan.

Surround yourself with encouragement.

It’s easy to get discouraged. That’s why it’s so

important to surround yourself with positive,

encouraging people. There will ups and downs, celebrations and disappointments. But when

20-pound dumbbell. The fact is, you did 10

those disappointments become fewer and fewer,

it to five. And maybe you didn’t lift 20-pound

you surround yourself with encouragement, while the celebrations become greater and more

frequent. So whether it’s your family, coworkers, friends at the gym or trainer, make sure you have your own cheerleading squad there to cheer

you on and lift you up as you work toward a

There is a specific start date for a job, a vacation,

healthier lifestyle.

health? Commit to yourself that you will start

and everyone fails. But don’t let that turn

date. February is American Heart Month, so

accomplishing your goals. Forgive yourself.

a family reunion. Why not a start date for your living a healthy and fit lifestyle on a specific what better day to start than February 14 – the ultimate “love your heart” day.

Find a workout that you enjoy. Do you prefer

Forgive yourself. Everyone has a bad day,

the back. Congratulate yourself.

Big life changes don’t come easy. They start

with small steps. But with every workout, you’ll get stronger, and with every step on the treadmill, your heart will pump stronger.

At Jesse James Fit and Outlaw Bootcamp, we

It can be difficult, but it’s a must. Then

fitness journey is different. Our goal is to be a

get refocused and keep pushing forward.

Remember, the ultimate goal is a healthy and

of individualized training to encourage and

how important it is to take a pause and say

the social aspect of exercise in a group workout

winded after 10 burpees or if you can’t lift a

10 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

with 10-pound dumbbells. It’s time for a pat on

work with clients of all ages and fitness levels to

individualized training or group workouts? Or

push you to achieve your goals. Or you may like

dumbbells, but you completed three repetitions

into a negativity that will distract you from

fit lifestyle.

both? You may enjoy the one-on-one guidance

burpees. Yesterday, you may have only made

Congratulate yourself. So often we forget

Good Job to ourselves. It’s okay if you get

help them reach their fitness goals. Everyone’s

positive influence as you transform your life and begin working toward a healthier lifestyle.

by Jesse J. Leyva, Outlaw Bootcamp & Jesse James Fit www.OutlawBootcamp.com www.JesseJamesFit.com

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 11

12 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

IT’S TIME TO

MAN UP

M

en have always been told to “man up” and “soldier up”, when, in reality, they need to take care of themselves first. When you don’t feel well, physically or mentally, you aren’t doing your best. Your job suffers, your family suffers and you suffer.

eating right and exercising, and now, in his early

Hormones are not just an issue for women.

unhealthy eating and little exercise. It could be a

Believe it or not, men have the same 50 plus hormones that women do and they have many of the same issues.

It happens over time with

everyone. With age comes normal

hormonal changes and oftentimes abnormal hormonal changes, both of which can be aggravated by

complacency and some not-so-

healthy choices. Changes in muscle

50s, found he wasn’t seeing the results from his workouts that he used to. Blood tests revealed hormones that were suboptimal.”

Sometimes the issue is low testosterone.

Testosterone levels go down for men starting in

their 30s, 1% per year. However, it could just as

easily be a hormone imbalance caused by years of thyroid issue causing the extra belly fat.

Testosterone levels go down for men starting in their 30s, 1% per year.

to fat ratio, fatigue, low libido, mood swings, and insomnia are just some the symptoms men see after their 20’s and 30s, and even

those making healthy choices may experience these symptoms.

Diet and exercise are important, but often

there’s more to it.

Dr. Bradley Axline has helped many men to

regain balance in their mental and physical well being, leading to an overall healthier lifestyle.

“I have one client who is a competitive

bodybuilder,” said Dr. Axline. “He’s spent his life

“The simple fact is the body

changes with time,” said Dr. Axline.

“It’s best to know exactly where the problems lie before trying to treat them.”

Men, it’s time to take care of

yourselves for a change. If you feel like your time at the gym is not

producing the results you expect, or you suffer from any of the

symptoms mentioned, you owe it to yourselves and your families to look at additional options.

If you’re ready to feel well

again and look your best, call Dr. Axline and ask for the Men’s Wellness Package.

He’ll do a consultation and full lab work with a recommended treatment plan that is tailored to your needs.

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Ready To Make A

WORLD Of Difference

by Susan Neuhalfen

J

onas Meuleman moved from Belgium to Texas only three years ago to start an entirely new adventure with his family. Born and raised in Belgium, he left the only friends he knew, his band, his studies and his extended family to become a stranger in a strange land.

14 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

His father’s job brought them to Texas and to Lantana, where Jonas started high school at Guyer. He had had only two years of English but his educational background in Belgium was so extensive he tested out of many classes and graduated early at 17. He was a quick study, teaching himself to read at 3.

“We didn’t know he could read so young,” said his mother Katleen Speelman. “We would be in the car and he started reading street signs out loud. Sometimes I think he’s never been a kid; he was always exploring things on a quest to learn.”

and U.S. Government classes at Guyer. One of the most influential teachers from Guyer High School was Jonas’ political science teacher, Kate Gengo. According to Jonas she gave him the strength and perseverance to pursue a career in diplomacy, a dream he has had for many years.

“I’ll be very surprised and disappointed if you aren’t UN Secretary General one day,” Mrs. Gengo wrote in his yearbook.

American delegation. The students are charged

with goals, just like the United Nations. These youth delegations broke into small discussion

groups working around issues such as gender, discrimination and racism in order to work toward peaceful societies all over the world.

In his never ending quest to learn, Jonas

finished his semester at UNT with a 4.0 GPA

and even made the President’s List. He decided to return to Belgium to study and experience the university system there. Because of his age

class

held a job. He decided

find from newspapers of

media.

as

activities, he hadn’t yet

everything he could

forms

continual

workload

well as extracurricular

He began reading

to books to other

and

Maleakhi Misael Sutanto, Jonas Meuleman and Dirk Seo • photo courtesy of Dirk Seo

passion and that is a

trait that has stayed with him.

“I must specifically thank my parents for

providing me with such an inquisitive attitude,” Jonas writes from Belgium where he is currently

working. “It opened my mind extremely. This skill is something I have always cherished and kept close to my heart.”

Jonas is the oldest of three. His

and European history in a room

she has turned into a classroom in their Lantana home. The

his

beginning

semester

in

Belgium to work at a

Learning became his

mother teaches French, Dutch

before

After graduation, Jonas began taking classes at UNT. His favorite was his Arabic class as he places great value on cultural diversity. He became involved in the United Nations club and UNICEF. While studying there he was selected to represent the U.S. at the WFUNA youth seminar in Kuala Lumpur. He described the event as life-changing.

factory there.

“I wanted to achieve some real work

experience,” said Jonas. “A chance of living on my own will provide me with the necessary skills to be independent.”

He is also learning now, as an adult, the

differences between living in the U.S. and living

in Belgium. In February, he will begin his studies

at the famous Catholic University

“I must specifically thank my parents for providing me with such an inquisitive attitude. It opened my mind extremely. This skill is something I have always cherished and kept close to my heart.”

works for Kimberly-Clark. Jonas speaks Dutch, French and German and has also studied ancient Greek and Latin. Before moving to the U.S. they

traveled extensively over Europe, exposing their

children to new cultures and countries. Though

moving to another country can sometimes cause

culture shock, Jonas came in with an open mind.

His interest in politics really grew when he got to Texas and he began taking AP World History

1425. He has joined the Belgian WFUNA and will major in International Studies. His only

disappointment is that he cannot

name of her business is European

Academy of Bright Stars, LLC. His father

of Leuven (KUL) founded in

“By seeing how a globally diverse group of young people coming from all over the world can come together, I am now more certain than ever what I want to be in my life and do for others,” said Jonas. “It was an honor to be part of a group who are united for global progress.”

This was the 5th WFUNA youth seminar.

30 of the students were from Malaysia and 30 from other countries. Jonas was the youngest student in attendance and represented the

continue his studies in Arabic though he does keep in touch with the Arabic teacher at UNT.

As he continues to study at KUL, he has his

dreams set on one day being a diplomat. He hopes to one day attend Georgetown University.

“I’m convinced that the Edmund A. Walsh

School of Foreign Service is the next logical step

in my life,” said Jonas. “It is the best place for me to focus on my ultimate goal to serve the world as a diplomat.”

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 15

100th Day at E.P. Rayzor

Daddy Daughter Dance

Photos were submitted by area residents. If you’d like to submit your photos for publication or if you have any questions please email us at artwork@murray-media.com.

16 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

OF THE MONTH LYNN MOON FREE MAKEOVER

program for them and served on numerous

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boards helping spouses of those serving overseas,

Lynn is a warrior in her own right. A selfless

Argyle Chamber of Commerce and an active

April used beige and copper tones for the hair

color to create a cohesive look with her skin tone and eye color. With the cut she did something short and sassy to fit her fun personality.

collecting items for care boxes over the holidays.

She has since been a dedicated volunteer

for Wounded Warriors, She serves on the

board of 9 charities, is a Rotarian, a member of

woman, she has spent much of her adult life

member of her church. Lynn’s heart and home

program development. As a young Army wife,

Now that she is starting a new business,

helping our soldiers through fundraising and

are always open.

she worked tirelessly to raise money for young

we felt she deserved a new look for 2017.

soldiers and their families. She created a dental

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She is truly a beautiful woman, inside and out.

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After photography by Caroline’s Creative Captures

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FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 17

18 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

Guyer Students Represent In TMEA Choir, Orchestra And Band

of the race but without guarantee of a t-shirt.

To register go to www.guyerband.org, go to the booster club tab and click on fun run registration in the drop down menu.

Students from Guyer High School were recently named to the Texas Music Educators Association’s all-state choir, all-state orchestra and all-state band.

Each of these students went through a rigorous process to earn their musical group’s top honor.

They will perform with their top-ranked peers across Texas at the TMEA State Convention in San Antonio.

STEAM Book Challenge At Adkins Elementary

Choir Guyer High School: Kate Gillman, senior, alto 2.

The Guyer choir director is Stephen Evans.

Band Guyer High School: Connor Wooley, junior, trombone. The Guyer band director is Amy Woody.

Orchestra Guyer High School: Ethan Nguyn, sophomore, bass; Abhishek Shah, senior, violin. The Guyer orchestra director is Michelle Hanlon.

First Annual Guyer Band 5k March 4 Come support the Guyer High School Band at the first annual Bolt for Band 5k Run on Saturday, March 4 at Southlakes Park on Hobson Lane in Denton. Race starts at 8:30am but runners may arrive as early as 7. Register by February 20 to guarantee a t-shirt for only $25.

Late registrations are accepted up until the day

The February/March Steam Book Challenge for Adkins Elementary is based on the book Jack and the Beanstalk. The design challenge revolves around designing a parachute to help Jack escape the giant.

The goal is to keep Jack in the air the longest.

Parachute design submissions are due March 6-10. The designs will be tested on the 10th.

Participation is optional, and not required.

Next Year’s School Calendar And Schedule Change The new Denton ISD calendar is out and school will be starting about a week earlier than usual.

August 16 marks the start of the 2017-2018 school year. There will also be changes in the start and end times at schools to the following: Elementary schools 7:40 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Middle schools 8:15 a.m. – 3:35 p.m.

High schools 8:50 a.m. – 4:10 p.m.

For more information go to http://www.dentonisd.org

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 19

Sidelines

by Steve Gamel

EDITING, COPY EDITING, PROOFREADING:

DO YOU KNOW THE DIFFERENCE?

W

riters should cherish the relationship we have with editors.

Editors shape our writing. They make our articles look the way we meant them to be. They cover us from all angles by not only editing our work, but also through proofreading and copy editing.

Now contrary to what you may think,

giving them free rein, if need be, to rework

out a number or leave it as a numeral, a copy

mean the same thing. There is plenty of overlap

flow, clarity and readability. They’ll also do

and fix them. They are pros at AP Style. They’ll

editing, copy editing and proofreading do not

between these three terms, and someone who is

proficient at one will likely be just as good at the other two. But they are different.

So if you are going to hire someone – or even

ask a friend from down the street – to help clean up your next article, manuscript or book, you

better be able to explain where you’re at in the process and what you need from them.

After all, it pays to be on the same page.

Below is a brief summary of each term:

EDITING When you ask someone to edit your work,

you’re asking them to improve its overall

quality and prepare it for publication. You’re 20 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

entire sentences or paragraphs for improved

you a favor by catching pesky typos, style inconsistencies and other obvious errors, but overall, an editor reads objectively to point out potential issues.

COPY EDITING Think of a copy editor as quality control.

They are just as proficient at editing and

proofreading, but their primary job is to ensure the document they are looking at is factually

editor is going to be able to catch these issues also eliminate clichés and even watch out for word repetition.

PROOFREADING Proofreading is taking an article that has been

edited and considered “final” and providing a

last-minute sweep for grammar and spelling errors. When I am proofreading documents for

clients, I’m ensuring all punctuation is perfect

accurate and stylistically consistent with

and there are no misuses of words (did you mean

publication you are writing for. If you didn’t

I’m making sure formatting is correct and there

reference, or you weren’t sure whether to spell

as with numbers or key statistics.

the way certain things are done at whatever

Flyer or Flier?) or extra spaces between words.

spell out University of North Texas on first

is consistency throughout the document, such

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 21

Gardening

Groundhog, Forget The

Spring Is Coming To Texas

P

Is it go time already?

unxsutawney Phil saw his shadow but you’d better go ahead and get those 2017 patio and landscape plans started. Spring-like weather gets the patio builders busy drawing up plans and the landscape designers busy designing. Although it will be another month or so until spring flowers start to arrive in masses, getting a jump on things is always a good idea. Cut the beds in, get that stone work going and the larger bucket sizes planted now so you can be ahead of the curve and have a better idea on that spring color (how much, what kind and where) when it gets here.

22 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

by PJ Kratohvil of Complete Solutions completesolutionsdfw.com We definitely consider ourselves "small

business" and with contracting 10-12 patios in

January, it's a for sure sign everyone is off and running into 2017. When looking at the outdoor

project list it's always a good idea to start with

the BIG stuff (i.e. patio extension, outdoor living

space, pool, etc.). Getting a great looking multifunctional outdoor space put together that you

can enjoy year round is where you need to begin.

You should ensure that it looks great from the inside or out whether using it or not. To keep all

your fields of view open from the house is also key. Paying those lot premiums then cutting off

the view is too often something we come across.

Determine whether you want a place to sit and watch the game with friends, a place to cook

and entertain, or both. Hire a designer that can provide you with an impressive portfolio, patios

that look functional and that you could see your

family enjoying. Letting designers know things

like the typical size group you entertain, whether

you want to enjoy the space rain or shine, etc.,

photos courtesy of PJ Kratohvil

will help give them direction when putting a custom plan together for you.Â

Once you've got the BIG stuff knocked

out you can focus on then smaller items like accenting the space with accessories or pots to bring in color, balancing the backyard with added

landscape. Beds, raised gardens and individual sitting areas are all great ideas and can help you create your own oasis...

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 23

Women’s Wellness

T

he fourth most common cancer among women is uterine cancer which accounts for 6% of female cancers. This includes cancer of the lining of the uterus (endometrial cancer) or cancer of the uterine muscle and supportive tissue (uterine sarcoma). One in 41 women is diagnosed with uterine cancer with most occurrences in women over 50, and an average age of 60. Endometrial cancer constitutes approximately 95% of these diagnoses, while uterine sarcoma is rare, constituting only 1-5% of uterine cancers.

the risk of endometrial cancer 2-4 times

The cause of uterine cancer is unknown; however, estrogen has an apparent role due to the action of estrogen in the buildup of the endometrial lining. Risk factors for uterine cancer include the use of estrogen therapy, having a higher than normal number of menstrual cycles (starting menses before the age of 12 or entering menopause after the age of 51), never having a pregnancy, the use of tamoxifen for breast cancer, certain ovarian tumors, polycystic ovarian syndrome, age, diabetes, a family history of non-polyposis colon cancer, a personal history of breast or ovarian cancer, or obesity with a high fat diet. Being overweight or obese increases

uterine cancer; therefore, it is important to

24 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

over women of normal weight.

There is no routine screening test

for uterine cancer; however, an annual well-woman exam provides an opportunity

for a medical professional to examine the

uterus for irregularities in size and shape, discuss

menstrual

history, and

review

medications including the use of hormones.

Changes in the size, shape or consistency

of the uterus or its surrounding supporting structures may occur in more advanced cases. A pap smear does not check for continue physical exams even when a pap smear is not indicated.

Estrogen unopposed by progesterone is

one of the leading causes of a thickened

endometrium which can increase the risk

of endometrial cancer. Women who have a uterus must not use estrogen therapy

without also using progesterone. Likewise, it is also important to note that

UTERINE BLEEDING AFTER MENOPAUSE IS NOT CONSIDERED A MENSTRUAL CYCLE, IS NOT NORMAL, AND SHOULD BE INVESTIGATED.

The use of oral birth control pills, having multiple pregnancies and maintaining a healthy body mass index (BMI) can reduce the risk of uterine cancer.

The use of genetic testing has improved the prevention rates of uterine cancer by identifying women who carry genes for non-polyposis colon cancer. Women with a family history of hereditary non-polyposis colon cancer should be offered an annual endometrial biopsy by age 35. This includes women with an identified gene mutation and women with a family history who have not yet had genetic testing. Genetic testing of one patient can help determine the relative risk of family members, thereby determining the need for additional prevention strategies for a group of related people.

Make an appointment with your provider today for a physical exam, to identify risk factors for uterine cancer and to devise a personalized cancer prevention plan for you and your family.

by Cheryl Smitherman DNP, CNM

Women’s Wellness at Flower Mound

972.355.9436 womenswellnessfm.com

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 25

Children’s Advocacy Center

OPEN HOUSE Huge Success

by Susan Neuhalfen

T

he Children’s Advocacy Center for Denton County (CACDC) recently held an open house to show guests in the community their facilities and explain the role of CACDC as well as their most recent need.

CACDC is a non-profit organization that exists to empower abused children, their families, and the community through education, justice and healing. The agency partners with law enforcement, the District Attorney’s Office, Child Protective Services, medical professionals, and volunteers to investigate and treat crimes against children.

CACDC is part of Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas. Currently there are 70 children’s advocacy centers in the state of Texas serving more than 43,000 children each year. Services to children include a videotaped forensic interviews

part of police officers over cases such as these

was common. Prior to CAC in the area, the conviction rate among child predators was

8-10%. Today, with the CAC, the conviction rate is 93%, getting these criminals away from our children and behind bars where they belong.

“It used to be that children would have to tell

their story to several officers and have to relive

their nightmare over and over,” said Detective

Scott Salazar of the Denton Police Department.

“Now, with all of us working together, we can start the healing process for children faster.”

Living in suburbia, it’s easier to think that it

doesn’t happen here. The truth is, sexual abuse

in children knows no socio-economic bounds.

CACDC in Lewisville serves 1800 victims per

26 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

8-10%

Prior to CAC in the area

93%

Today, with the CAC

The CAC is getting these criminals away from our children and behind bars where they belong.

year alone. The facility has reached its maximum capacity and they desperately need to expand.

CAC has not only helped the families and the community with their counseling and educational services, it has helped law enforcement tremendously. in a child friendly place, victim support services for the family, and trauma informed counseling for the child and non-offending caregivers.

CAC has not only helped the families and the community with their counseling and educational services, it has helped law enforcement tremendously. Burn out on the

THE CONVICTION RATE Among Child Predators

“I don’t want to have to tell a counselor that

he or she will have to postpone a child’s session

because we don’t have enough therapy rooms

available,” said CACDC Director Dan Leal.

“But that is the reality. We need to double the

space we are in to keep up with the demand for all of our services.”

The CACDC started raising capital two years

ago and has raised $1.8 million toward their goal of $4 million. The money raised will double the size of their current facility which means they

will be able to handle the impending workload.

CACDC is not a shelter. They have interview rooms, counseling rooms and medical offices as well as a pantry and “wish list” room for things that displaced families might need right away.

To volunteer, donate or just to find out

more information, visit their website at http://cacdc.org.

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 27

28 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

Murray Media’s St. Patrick’s Day

CHOCOLATE MINT CHEESECAKE BARS INGREDIENTS: 1 (18.25 ounce) package chocolate cake mix with pudding 1/2 cup butter - softened 3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese - softened 1 (16 ounce) container cream cheese flavored frosting 3 eggs 6 drops green food coloring, or as needed 3 drops Torani creme de menthe flavor syrup 1 (10 ounce) package dark chocolate and mint chips

DIRECTIONS: Preheat oven to 325 degrees Beat cake mix and butter with an electric mixer on low speed in a bowl until crumbly, 3 to 5 minutes. Set aside 1 cup for topping

Press remaining crumb mixture into bottom of an ungreased 9x13 inch pan.

Place in preheated oven and bake until edges begin to crisp, about 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly.

Beat cream cheese and frosting with an electric mixer on medium speed in a bowl until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes.

Drop eggs one at a time into the cream cheese mixture and beat until blended, 2 to 3 minutes.

Pour in 6 drops green food coloring, or more for a darker color; beat until color is blended, about 2 minutes.

Beat in Torani creme de menthe flavor syrup until thoroughly blended. Taste and add more flavoring if needed.

Pour batter over the chocolate crust in the 9x13 pan.

Sprinkle 1 cup reserved crumb mixture over cheesecake batter.

Top with 1 cup chocolate and mint morsels; reserve remaining morsels for finishing touches.

Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake until set, 42 to 45 minutes.

Remove pan from oven and cool completely.

Cover and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours.

Pour reserved chocolate and mint morsels into a small microwave-safe bowl.

Microwave morsels in 45 second intervals; stir until completely melted and smooth.

Pour melted chocolate into a resealable plastic bag.

Clip a small bottom corner of the bag.

Gently squeezing the bag, drizzle melted chocolate over the cooled cake through the clipped corner.

Cut cake into bars to serve.

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 29

FOUR EAGLES All in a Row

by Susan Neuhalfen

I

t’s hard to believe that Lantana’s Boy Scout Troop 99 only formed in 2010 for two simple reasons: this is now one of the largest troops in the area; and the troop is now 16 Eagle Scouts strong and counting.

The Eagle Scout award is scouting’s highest honor that only 5% of all Boy Scouts achieve.

“My greatest joy is watching a young scout grow and develop into a young man,” said Scoutmaster Nick DiSibio. “I am proud to have been part of their lives.”

Sponsored by Rock Point Church, the scouts meet every week at E.P. Rayzor Elementary. The troop is truly boy-lead, meaning the adult leaders are there to guide them, but the boys lead and encourage each other through example. According to DiSibio, the leaders promote the Scout Spirit among their individual scouts to prepare them to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetime by following the Scout Oath and Scout Law as well as to understand what teamwork really means.

Over the months of November and December, four scouts from Troop 99 were awarded the rank of Eagle: Connor Hubert, Dylan Linnabary, Dakota Linnabary, and Harrison Long.

Connor Hubert, age 17 • Guyer High School senior Connor took on the very ambitious Eagle project of cleaning, clearing and rebuilding the Outdoor Learning Center at E.P. Rayzor Elementary. He began by repairing the classroom benches and putting new pressure-treated wood as bench seats. He then crafted two picnic tables to be used as desks. Then the hot and heavy work began. He had to clear the project area of tall grass and low hanging branches and prepare the main ground in the sitting area by bringing in

Dylan Linnabary, Age 17 • Guyer High School senior Dylan built a much-needed sound cabinet for the Harpool Theatre Department. Theatre Director Erin Turek knew exactly what she wanted and was helping with the project every step of the way. The cabinet took three days to build with the help of several scouts from Troop 99. They also had many generous donors including Home Depot.

“It was great having everyone there to help,” said Dylan when asked what he loved the most about the project. “Everybody was willing to pitch in. “

Dakota Linnabary, Age 15 • Guyer High School sophomore Like his older brother, Dakota Linnabary

designed his Eagle project for the Theatre Department at Harpool Middle School.

He

constructed a vanity, giving the actors a dedicated space to apply makeup and style their hair for

shows and productions. Before the table was

constructed, the actors had to use a portable table

under a wall-mounted mirror to prepare for shows.

The two-part vanity that Dakota constructed was

designed to go under that mirror and next to the

costume storage. He measured it specifically to fit

Connor Hubert

from left to right: Dakota Linnabary, Nick DiSibio, Harrison Long, Dylan Linnabary

The way Troop 99 finished 2016 will reflect the beginning of 2017 as well. Two more Scouts are slated to earn the rank of Eagle by February and there are several more to come. At a time when there is so much more competition for a boy’s time such as team sports and other clubs, it’s great to know that there is a place right here in Lantana where they are still using tried and true methods to grow young men into tomorrow’s leaders.

30 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

MISSION STATEMENT Our purpose is to prepare young men to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law.

Harrison Long, Age 15 • Guyer High School freshman Harrison built two halter houses for New Hope Therapy Equine Assisted Facility in Argyle.

The facility uses horse riding as a therapy to help people with mental and physical disabilities.

They have horses in two major areas on the property, so they were constantly leaving halters around. According to Sharla Kershen, founder and executive director of New Hope Therapy Equine Assisted Facility, it was frustrating to get all the way to one area to find that there was not a halter. Kershen found a design at another

mulch—five truckloads of mulch—donated by 1-2-Tree and spreading it in the Texas August heat. His 5th grade science teacher, Becky Williams, was thrilled with the result.

“I’m grateful to be able to use it again,” said Williams. “My kids love going into ‘our forest’ as we call it. They would tell you we don’t go often enough.”

Williams loves taking her kids out to Outdoor Learning Center to introduce the concept of ecosystems. She looks forward to going more often now, thanks to Connor and his crew.

photos courtesy of Troup 99

Turek was ecstatic.

“Dylan built a fantastic sound cabinet where

our microphones, cords, packs, and other supplies could be stored and locked away. The

functionality is spectacular,” said Turek. “This was

truly a blessing, as most of our sound equipment was stored previously in a crate, causing our cords

to jumble and kink, despite our best efforts to separate them.

Turek went on to say that she was honored to

have had Dylan choose this for his Eagle project and the HMS Theatre Department will be, in her words, “forever grateful.”

the mirror and made the vanity collapsible to ensure

that the staff could still bring things in and out of

storage without dealing with a massive obstacle, while still being able to access the electrical outlets.

“We use them constantly! This is the right

depth for actors to be able to lean in for makeup

details, but deep enough to store exactly what

we need,” said Erin Turek, Director of the

Harpool Theatre Department. “Both Linnabary boys have spoiled me by centering their Eagle

Scout projects around some needs that we had in our theatre department. Truly I am blessed beyond belief.”

therapy center and asked Harrison to duplicate it. The structure holds the halters with hooks on both sides, keeping them from being tangled and damaged. They are covered so they keep the halters dry. Harrison also put the horses’ names on them, so halters are easily found. The project took three months to plan and develop and three days to construct. Long said his favorite part was presenting the halter house to the new owners.

“The halter houses work great!” said Kershen.

“Harrison and his team did a wonderful job, and I say a quiet 'thank you' to Harrison each time I use them.”

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 31

LOCAL LAWYER,

Statewide Reputation

by Steve Gamel

You could go to any court in Texas and find a judge, competing counsel or client who has worked with Charla Bradshaw.

O

r at least knows someone who has. Bradshaw has been a trusted family law attorney for more than 24 years, and the demand for her services — not just in Denton, but across Texas — has literally taken her all over the state.

In fact, simply trying to recall all the Texas counties she’s worked cases in has become quite the challenge for the Denton native.

“Oh gosh, I’ve been to Lubbock County, Potter, Medina, Montague … you name it,” Bradshaw said. “Some attorneys may prefer to stay in their own territories, but with me it’s like — have file, will travel.”

Sponsored Content

photography by Kent Barker

Make no mistake that Bradshaw, the without batting an eye. And unlike some legal managing shareholder of KoonsFuller Family offices that may not have that same experience Law’s Denton office, is a Dentonite to the core. working in different areas, KoonsFuller has Both her parents graduated from Denton High the ability to expand that reach even into School, as did her grandparents. They were all different states. plugged into the community, and Charla is very Bradshaw said she’s happy to lead that charge, much that little girl from down the street who but sees it all as just doing her job. followed in their footsteps.

In her latest interview with Lantana Living, Needless to say, practicing law in her Bradshaw said “The ironic thing is that there are hometown continues to be a dream come true. still too many people out there who need help But it’s Bradshaw’s willingness to work with from an experienced lawyer but feel as if they are clients in and beyond Denton County, all the limited to working with attorneys in their area. while adapting to whatever setting she’s in, That simply just isn’t the case.” that has helped both Bradshaw and her team at Lawyers have zero limitations on where they KoonsFuller stand out in a state where clients can go to take on a case. So just because Bradshaw have plenty of legal options.

Simply put, Bradshaw is a local lawyer offices in Denton, that doesn’t mean she can’t whose statewide reputation only scratches help someone in Lantana, El Paso, Houston — or for that matter — even California. the surface.

“I honestly don’t think a lot of people realize Bradshaw’s reputation has grown exponentially over the years. We’ve written before that she is it’s possible … that they have that option,” Bradshaw said. “Sometimes known for summarizing you have someone who is some of the most difficult “...there are still too from a really small town cases, locally, statewide and even internationally. many people out there where everyone knows each Her vast experience in other, and they don’t feel who need help from family law has made comfortable working with an experienced lawyer a local attorney for that her a popular choice as an expert for speeches, but feel as if they are very reason. So they seek television, and radio out someone from outside limited to working stations looking to discuss to help. There’s no rule with attorneys in divorce-related matters. against it.” their area.”

The many accolades she’s At the same time, received along the way Bradshaw said she is are proof of that success. constantly doing her homework to make sure she She recently made the Top 50: Women Texas is the right fit — especially in those situations Super Lawyers List. The annual list has been in where she is taking on a case outside her existence since 2002, and Bradshaw has made it immediate area. every year without fail. Locally, she was named “I would never take a case if it would be to the Best Divorce Lawyer in the 2016 Best of Denton detriment of the client. It’s all about putting the County awards.

That’s a huge advantage for clients who want client in the best possible light,” Bradshaw said. the right legal representation. Bradshaw has

“Every court in every county, in every state, has

cases as well as those unfortunate ones where

are many things I need to look at.”

In each case, Bradshaw was just as much a

another county has jurisdiction over a child in

in the courtroom, but slow things down enough

Bradshaw would need to file in the court with

calming fears.

All of that has clearly caught the eye of potential clients. KoonsFuller, the largest family law firm in the Southwest, is unique in that all its attorneys — not just Bradshaw — have the necessary reach to cover a huge swath of Texas

meantime, that original court may want to hear

worked her share of bitterly contested divorce

different rules. I do my research, because there

only one spouse wanted the marriage to end.

For example, there could be a case where

confidant who could not only defend the client

a case, but now that child has moved up here.

to be compassionate in answering questions and

jurisdiction and ask for a transfer. But in the temporary orders.

“One thing I know is that you can’t walk

into any court thinking everything works the

same, and sometimes you can’t even dress the

same way. I would never walk into a court in

Montague County dressed like I just stepped

out of a courtroom in Dallas. Clients will ask

me if I know judges in their area, or if I’ve ever been there. To do a case, you have to fit into that

area … do things their way in their community.

That, to me, is serving the client.”

Even though Bradshaw may take a case

from out of her immediate area, that doesn’t

mean she always has to travel. Sometimes the

clients come to her first. If there ends up being a court case, Bradshaw could end up traveling

or working substantively with another lawyer from the client’s area, essentially creating a

legal team to give the client a better chance at winning the case.

“Either way, I love to meet new judges and

experience different courtrooms,” Bradshaw said.

“Sometimes I know the judge, or they know me.

But I still try to find out everything I can ahead of time. After you do it a few times, you get pretty comfortable with it. It’s just part of what I do.”

And that’s proof that despite all the successes

and accolades, Bradshaw’s eyes are firmly

set on her clients’ needs — no matter where they may be.

“My roots go way back in Denton County,

and I’m a Dentonite through and through,” Bradshaw said. “But I also believe clients should be able to hire a lawyer by choice. If that means

I need to travel, that’s what I’ll do. It’s a fun part of my job.”

Charla Bradshaw has been practicing family law for more than 24 years and is co-author of the book Protecting Your Assets from a Texas Divorce.

To learn more, visit her page at www.koonsfuller.com.

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 33

34 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

Dear

Annette,

Nutrition

I see ads for super greens. What are they and why are they important?

Dear Reader:

What a great question. There are many ads for special nutrient foods. There is also a lot of misinformation about them. First super foods in general are foods that have the highest nutrient density. We know that plants and seeds are usually the most nutrient-dense foods. Kale and wheatgrass, for example, are usually rated the highest for nutrient-dense foods.

There are many super greens that are not included in these ratings as they are not usually a part of our food supply. These greens are from various sources such as the ocean. In health food isles there are many protein powders and mixtures labeled super greens. You can get these greens usually in supplement form. It is important to use a product free of mercury and other toxins. Stores like Whole Foods and Sprouts do a good job with finding organic sources.

These super greens are extremely dense in nutrients and can be a great part of a spring “tune up�.

An example of such amazing green foods are:

SPIRULINA

CHLORELLA

MORINGA

A blue-green algae freshwater plant.

To date, there are over 1,200 peer reviewed studies on its health benefits.

Chlorella is another blue green algae with high concentration of chlorophyll

Known as horseradish tree.

Helps remove heavy metals from the body Eliminates Candida Lowers blood pressure Reduces cholesterol Boosts energy Promotes weight loss Boosts immune system

High in protein Detox Immune support Promotes weight loss Slows oxidation of aging process Energy-boosting

Super greens are yet another example of super nutrients the earth provides. Adding super foods to your diet can offer a great boost in energy and overall health. It is important to consult your primary care physician about all supplements before taking them.

Promotes healthy blood sugar levels Fights inflammation High antioxidant Supports brain health Promotes healthy liver enzymes

Sincerely Yours, Annette Doody

Savory Bistro Owner & Wellness Coach

www.thesavoryteam.com

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 35

LAKE DALLAS’ VAN NOY NAMED

at Guyer

by Steve Gamel

Van Noy was approved as Guyer’s new

head coach at the Denton school district’s

Van Noy is the fourth head coach in Guyer

those girls, the parents and the staff. Everyone

struggled mightily last season under first-year

that it was like it could run itself. Things would

volleyball history and takes over a program that coach Erin Harden. Harden was the the head coach for the 2016 season when former coach Addie Mack resigned just before the season started.

Mack originally took over

for the school’s first coach,

record while leading the Lady Falcons to the

worked under as an assistant.

playoffs four times. Van Noy spent the first six seasons of her coaching career as an assistant at Guyer before leaving for Lake Dallas in 2011.

Leaving those relationships is the hardest part.”

Anyone who knows Van

Noy will agree that she doesn’t waste any time. She

said there are big plans in

store for the Lady Wildcats,

who despite last year’s struggles,

Bramlett and Van Noy led Guyer on

need to be reminded that they were in

several successful playoff runs, including a trip

the third round of the playoffs two seasons

When Van Noy got her first

program that knows how to win, and Van Noy

to the third round in 2007.

head coaching opportunity

at Lake Dallas in 2011, she

come true, she said.

made the most of it. A once

“That’s the most exciting

downtrodden

part. Six years flew by, and

Lake

so much has changed,”

Dallas

program,

advanced

to the third round of the

Van Noy said. “Guyer was a

playoffs in Van Noy’s first

small Class 5A school when

it’s a 6A school. I went by to visit the

Big plans in store for the Lady Wildcats

Jennifer Bramlett, who Van Noy

Being back is a dream

we opened it [in 2005], and now

get done before I even had to ask.

team’s assistant coach but became

board meeting on January 24, putting an end

to a stretch in which she compiled a 143-91

is awesome and things were running so well

season at the helm. The 2015

ago in the state’s largest classification. This is a won’t hesitate to do what she needs to do to make her team successful.

“The main goal for me right now is to focus on

building relationships with these girls, because they know how to play this game,” Van Noy

said. “I think they are craving the relationship, and I want to be available to them as much as

team matched that third-round run

possible. I’m committed to this program, and I

“It’s 100 percent tough to leave Lake Dallas,”

and move forward. Once that is done, I know

girls, and just going into the gym and walking

in Class 5A.

think all the girls want to hit the reset button

positive memories.”

Van Noy said. “The hardest part is leaving

these girls will buy in. They know volleyball.”

down the hallways again brought back so many 36 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

photo courtesy of LDISD

H

eather Van Noy turned the Lake Dallas volleyball program into a consistent playoff contender in her six years as head coach. She now hopes to take that success down the road to Guyer, which incidentally, is where she began her career.

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 37

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40 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

GETS AN The New TEA Accountability System for Schools

by Susan Neuhalfen

L

antana’s schools as well as many schools in Texas got their first taste of the new school accountability rating system recently which grades schools on a scale of A-F. This new system, which was touted to simplify the process, has caused an uproar across the state by schools that feel the grades simply don’t reflect an accurate overall score for their school.

The

84th

Legislature

passed

HB2804,

changing the Texas school accountability system

so that each campus would be graded on five “subjects” known as domains. Those grades are

then combined for an overall GPA of the school.

The domains are as follows:

Domain 1: Student Achievement In alignment with the 60X30TX plan, 60% of

Domain 3: Closing the Gaps This domain examines how well each campus is doing in terms of student achievement for their

economically

disadvantaged

students.

E.P. Rayzor and Blanton aren’t affected by this because they don’t have any of these students.

Adkins, on the other hand, does have a very

Texans aged 25-34 should possess some form of

small percentage. That doesn’t stop the state

this plan, an “A” rating in Domain I requires that

students.

at a Postsecondary ready level or higher.

there is a greater chance for a better grade simply by

post-secondary credential. In order to keep with

from leveraging 20% of the grade on those few

60% of students taking the STAAR exam score

Advantage: If your school is primarily low income,

Advantage: This rates all of the students on the same level with the STARR exam.

Disadvantage: This only accounts for one test and not the overall school experience.

Domain 2: Student Progress Domain II measures each student’s scale score

on STARR this year versus last year. Students

who maintain the same level of proficiency as the

year before are designated as having met expected growth. Those who gain a proficiency level are designated as having accelerated growth. Schools

get one point for expected growth and two points for accelerated growth with zero points for below

expected. Scores for this domain are then tallied for each student.

Advantage: This rates all the students on the same level with the STARR exam.

virtue of the number of students.

F

Advantage: It gives schools more incentive to work toward less absenteeism and dropout rates.

Disadvantage:

For

schools

(elementary,

intermediate and middle) that allow students a week off for vacations or mission trips, it works to

their disadvantage. Schools have to have a 98% attendance to get an A.

Domain 5: Parent and Student Engagement This section will rate community and student

engagement but final measures have not been

determined by TEA. It was not used for the preliminary test.

Schools in the area were given a preliminary

look at what their scores would be. Because of

the problems with the STARR test this year, schools were not able to get an accurate overall

rating. These ratings are not counted against the school district.

Here are the Denton ISD scores: Domain 1: Student Achievement

B

income, 20% of your grade is based on a performance

Domain 2: Student Progress

B

of a very small percentage of students. i.e. At one

Domain 3: Closing Performance Gaps

D

local school 20% of their grade will be based on the

Domain 4: Postsecondary Readiness

C

scores on 43 students out of a possible 600. So the

Domain 5: (not used for current test)

Disadvantage: If your school is not primarily low

state is telling them that they need to focus roughly 20% of their resources on 43 students?

Domain 4: Postsecondary Readiness 35% of the school’s grade is dependent upon this domain, which is basically the attendance and dropout rates. At the elementary and middle school levels this will take into account chronic absenteeism. At the high schools, it will take into account attendance, dropout rates

Disadvantage: Again this doesn’t take into account

and graduation rate. It will also examine the

and reading exams because they are the only ones

college, industry credential or appropriate CTE

overall progress - just one test. It also only rates math

percentage of students who graduate ready for

that are tested every year.

course or the military.

The Denton ISD School Board has issued

a resolution calling on the Texas legislature to repeal the A-F rating system. According to the Texas Association of School Administrators, over 150 school districts across the state have asked

the legislature to repeal this new accountability rating system.

A-F ratings systems can also negatively impact

neighborhoods and property values, affecting residents whether or not they have children in schools. Though this was only a preliminary

rating, educators are hoping the system is

revamped before the ratings count beginning in August of 2018.

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 41

in aJob Taking PRIDE

WELL DONE

by Susan Neuhalfen

I

“They have helped us tremendously,” said storeowner Anthony Bearden.

“We sell a lot of Lego parts online so they help us sort so we can find pieces easily. They also helped build the stands for the display cases.”

42 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

f you’ve been to the Golden Triangle Mall during the day, chances are you’ve run into an amazing group of high school students in a work-study program.

These aren’t your typical teenagers. These kids face challenges every day that many cannot comprehend. They not only face these challenges here at their jobs, they have proven to overcome them with time and a little help from their job coaches as well as the incredible merchants and staff at Golden Triangle Mall.

These are the special education students at the four Denton high schools. Every weekday for one hour, they come to the Golden Triangle Mall to practice honing their occupational skills. While the special education classes at the Denton ISD high schools focus on curriculum that has work-based goals, Mark Scott, DISD Post-Secondary Transition Specialist, believed that nothing could duplicate a real world environment. That is why he and Keri Castillo, Life Skills Teacher and Vocational Adjustment Coordinator at Denton High School, approached Golden Triangle Mall to set up a work-based program.

“Everyone here was open to our ideas and brought in ideas of their own,” said Scott. “The biggest part of the operation is the relationships that are built with the kids, teachers and other merchants.”

Golden Triangle Mall General Manager Matt Ludemann, Marketing Director Carrie Carter and Director of Business Development Teresa Sanders helped create a program for students to job shadow staff and merchants at the mall as

well as participate in special events like Mall-OWeen, Christmas and Easter celebrations.

“These students have taken advantage of this opportunity. They want to learn and they want to be here,” said Ludemann. “They have developed a sense of pride in their assigned tasks that will stay with them in the future.”

The students arrive each day by bus and are met by their job coach. Carrie Carter is also there to greet them with their tasks for the day.

19 year-old Matthew is a senior. Four years ago, making eye contact and completing a sentence for him was difficult. Today, he greets the merchants and staff at Golden Triangle Mall with his trademark pat on the shoulder saying, “Good Job!” to the people he knows.

“When he first came here he wouldn’t shake hands or look me in the eye,” said Carter.

“Today, he comes in, gets right to work, speaks in complete sentences and can even exchange money and buy his own food.”

One of his favorite places to get a treat is at Great American Cookies, one of the merchants that works directly with the students. The students help with stacking inventory, washing trays, measuring dough and some even assist in baking brownies and decorating cookies.

Robyn Johnson, the manager at Great American Cookies, told a story about the day a new employee was opening the store and the students came to her rescue when she arrived late.

“When he first came here he wouldn’t shake hands or look me in the eye,” said Carter. “Today, he comes in, gets right to work, speaks in complete sentences and can even exchange money and buy his own food.”

“She was running behind so the students all

The program has worked so well that

rallied to set up the entire counter for her,” said

this year Rebecca Persons, Supervisor over

Another merchant who is involved in the

“enterprise” businesses at each high school,

Johnson. “They’re really come a long way.”

program is Mini-Figs, a family-owned store that buys, sells and trades Legos. The store has the

students helping with inventory and they love it. us

“They

have

tremendously,”

storeowner

helped said

Anthony

Bearden. “We sell a lot of Lego parts online so they

help us sort so we can find pieces

easily.

They

also

helped build the stands for the display cases.”

In addition, the students

job shadow those in security and custodial work. They are

Transition Programs for Denton ISD, developed

including both 18-21-age programs. Golden Triangle Mall agreed to allow the students to merchandise a variety of items at a kiosk

entitled “World of Work”.

“They have such a sense of pride about working here and the job skills training they receive,” said Carter.

“We’re proud to have them here.”

given a checklist to look for

The students came up with a logo and were provided business guidelines by the mall. After a successful trial

run, all Denton high schools plus the 18-21 transition programs now hand produce and market a variety of items

including organic dog treats, recycled paper gift cards

and bookmarks, gift tags,

any areas where maintenance may be needed.

themed buttons and organic sugar scrubs. The

work to do around the holidays.

themselves sell the products from the kiosk. Just

those Easter eggs,” laughed Castillo. “The kids

treats gets to post their pooch’s picture on the

There is also office work and certainly plenty of

merchandise changes seasonally and the students

“I thought we’d never finish stuffing all of

FYI: anyone who purchases $15 worth of dog

loved it, though.”

wall next to the kiosk.

“We want all our students in the Denton community showcasing their talents and skills to the public,” said Scott. “Students with disabilities should be seen everywhere.”

This program also helps the students looking for permanent employment after high school.

Together with Denton ISD, Golden Triangle Mall held mock interviews with seniors last year, taking them through some questions they would get during an interview and many have been hired as a result of the work.

“We’ve formed a great relationship with these kids so they check in during the summer,” said Carter. “After they graduate, they come back and tell us of their successes.”

Both Golden Triangle Mall and Denton ISD has set the standard for what a program like this should be. Though there are similar programs in other areas in the country, finding a partner like Golden Triangle Mall that is willing to go above and beyond for these kids is unfortunately not common. They are hands on with the students, teaching them about problem solving, social skills and confidence building.

“They have such a sense of pride about working here and the job skills training they receive,” said Carter. “We’re proud to have them here.”

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 43

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NATIONAL SIGNING DAY A

by Steve Gamel

nother national signing day is in the books for Guyer High School, and once again a slew of prospects in multiple sports are moving on to the next level.

The Wildcats had 14 signees representing

two sports take part in its annual recruitment

ceremony on Feb. 1, which is the first day

college football teams can officially sign 2017

freshmen. Many athletes from around Denton County, including those from Guyer, made their

commitments well in advance – but this was a chance to officially sign on the dotted line.

“It’s my favorite time of the year,” Guyer

football coach John Walsh said. “Any time you can get kids from Guyer moving on to play at the next level, it’s a good thing.”

Of Guyer’s 14 recruits, 10 were from the

football team. Included in that big recruiting class were two Football Bowl Subdivision signees

in Brian Polendey and Bryce Jackson. Polendey, a tight end, signed early and is already enrolled at Miami. Jackson, a defensive back, signed with Northwestern. He’s one of two Denton-area players heading to Northwestern, as Earnest Brown IV from Denton Ryan also signed with the Division I powerhouse.

The football class was also highlighted by Thabo Mwaniki, who signed with Oklahoma State, and brothers Dio and Gio Williams, who are heading to Arkansas Tech.

Guyer had one female soccer player and three male soccer stars sign. Morgan Wessling signed with Oklahoma State, continuing a trend of solid Guyer soccer players who move on to the next level each year.

Brian Polendey, Miami Bryce Jackson, Northwestern Thabo Mwaniki, Oklahoma State Jalen Sutton, Illinois State Myron Mason, Missouri State

GUYER 2017 SIGNEES

2017GUYER

FOOTBALL:

Dio Williams, Arkansas Tech Gio Williams, Arkansas Tech Christian Moore, Midwestern State Coleton Kubicek, Midwestern State Blake Watson, Northwestern Oklahoma State

GIRLS SOCCER: Morgan Wessling, Oklahoma State

BOYS SOCCER: Caleb Strange, University of Dallas Greg Petreas, Centenary College Nick Au, Wayland Baptist University

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 47

50 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

Dr. Matt

The Era of

DIGITAL DENTISTRY W e all know kids have an enigmatic fascination with video games. It is an ongoing encounter of countless hours of precious youth spent within a digital universe. When I used to teach, it was the popular response that my students wanted to “invent video games” when they grew up. As an adult, even I often wish I could replace those formative years of gaming with productive pastimes like learning another language or studying market trends, for example. However, I recently attended a continuing education course to train on equipment currently employed in our office. As I learned the processes for operating this machine to take digital impressions, digitally design crowns, and then fabricate them in the office within half an hour, I thought to myself, I am so glad I played video games.

by Dr. Matt who is a practicing dentist and owner of Country Lakes Family Dental www.CountryLakesDental.com

You see, the digital age of dentistry is upon

us. As a dentist, I am capable of taking our 3D CBCT x-rays to measure the precise amount of

space needed to place an implant, digitally plan that implant to engage optimum bone while avoiding anatomical structures, integrate it with

a digital impression to design a crown only to fabricate the crown and seamlessly restore the

implant in a way that would allow, in some

circumstances, to replace a tooth in a single day.

This type of technology is just short of beaming a tooth into the mouth.

With digital impression, we are capable of

digital designing orthodontic and Invisalign treatments so that the final proposal of a

patient’s smile can be predicted before beginning treatment while allowing progress tracking throughout.

Digital bite scans can be used

to determine areas of offset occlusion or bite patterns. Functional 3D x-rays can determine

abnormal jaw opening and closing patterns, or evaluate restricted airways. Intraoral cameras

are capable of using decay detection to discover decay within the tooth before an actual cavitation occurs.

With these advances in dental technology

and more, only time will tell what is in store for

making dental care more predictable and more comfortable. Who knows? Your child’s hours of

video games may pay off with a future as bright as their smile.

Happy gaming and happy smiling!

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 51

DRINK AS MUCH WATER AS YOU WANT/CAN

Free Diet Plan the Government Trusts

Y

ou have been in layers of clothing during the winter. Peel off the layers of clothing and OMG, there sits a nice and plump muffin top, as a result of indulging yourself in wonderful Thanksgiving turkey, Christmas cookies, or dare I say... too many Pumpkin Spice Lattes. Before you know it, summer is here.

case. You may still eat ice cream, peanut butter,

Now we all know that it’s best to change

Now, let’s take a look at the calendar. There

your eating habits and live a healthy lifestyle that supports steady and effective weight loss during a longer period of time. Eating less carbs

after lunch, increasing your vegetable intake

and cutting out the majority of the sweets you

eat will do the trick when paired with exercise.

However, if you’re looking to shed just a few pounds, there is a diet plan the U.S. military uses... and it's free!

You may think because it’s a military

diet you’ll only be allowed one carrot, one energy bar and one slice of cheese

for each meal for 8 months but that’s not the

hot dogs and any kind of meat while still losing weight—as much as 10 pounds in a week (it’s

not a longterm diet so it’s not recommended for

not more than a month and not for a significant

DAY 1 Breakfast 1 cup coffee or tea with caffeine / 1 slice of toast (whole wheat is best) with 2 table spoons peanut butter / 1/2 grape fruits Lunch 1 cup coffee or tea with caffeine / 1/2 cup of tuna / 1 slice of toast Dinner 3 ounces of any type of meat / 1 cup of green beans / 1/2 banana / 1 small apple / 1 cup of vanilla ice cream

amount of weight loss).

DAY 2

might be a wedding, pool party, or maybe a

Breakfast 1 egg / 1 slice of toast / 1/2 banana

seaside vacation coming up and you’re looking

a little plump around the edges. Then, the

Military Diet Plan might be for you. Here's how

it works. The Military Diet Plan is designed to help you lose weight fast by combining low

calorie foods which are chemically compatible.

They work together to kick your body into the weight loss process, just like a drill sergeant.

The difference between a drill sergeant and

the military diet plan is that it gives you four

days off after you follow the plan for three days. That’s good news for the weekend! This

way your metabolism isn’t negatively affected (so long as you don’t binge on sweets and fat rich

foods). Most importantly, you are your own drill

sergeant! You need to be determined and if you stick to the plan, you will see results. Sounds good? Then read on, soldier.

Lunch 1 cup of cottage cheese / 1 hard-boiled egg / 5 saltine crackers Dinner 2 hot dogs (without bun) / 1 cup of broccoli / 1/2 cup of carrots / 1/2 banana / 1/2 cup of vanilla ice cream

DAY 3 Breakfast 5 saltine crackers / 1 slice of cheddar cheese / 1 small apple Lunch 1 hard-boiled egg (or cooked however you like) / 1 slice of toast Dinner 1 cup of tuna / 1/2 banana / 1 cup of vanilla ice cream

Not bad at all, right? You can eat pretty much what you are eating, just less. And the combination of the foods is the key to burn fat. Your determination will be rewarded!

Pool Party - Here we come!!

52 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 53

54 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

PAINTING The

by Susan Neuhalfen

TOWN

Spring is well on its way in north Texas and it’s time to give the house a fresh coat of paint…literally.

THE STORE IS

CONSUMER-FRIENDLY

DESIGNER-FRIENDLY

CONTRACTOR-FRIENDLY

Flower Mound Paint 972.325.1555 2628 Long Prairie Rd., #109 Flower Mound, TX 75022

B

efore you go shopping around for paint at the hardware store, Flower Mound Paint, which carries Benjamin Moore Paint, is ready to help with fresh ideas.

Not only will you get the highest quality paint available on the market. You’ll get exceptional customer service as well.

“We view ourselves as a concierge service,” said owner Robert Marshall. “It’s not about selling paint, it’s about selling the right paint for the right project and seeing it through with the client.”

After spending his life in the restaurant business, Marshall knows a thing or two about hospitality. So when he drives across Dallas to deliver a quart of stain, it’s just another day at the office for him.

“I had a client tell me the other day that I’m old school hospitality,” said Marshall. “I expect the same out of everyone I hire here.”

Store manager Sharhonda Glover agrees.

“I can teach paint, but I can’t teach someone to care,” said Glover. “Some companies get too big and spend too much time on the big jobs.

We make sure we have plenty of people to take the time and give each customer the care they deserve.”

The store is consumer-friendly, designerfriendly and contractor-friendly. There is a private area for designers to meet with their clients.

Customers have a beverage while perusing idea books and samples together. Marshall also makes sure the client remains with the same employee throughout the experience in order to see the project through from start to finish.

“We’ll sit with the customer and make the process easier,” said Marshall. “We have so many colors and products and that it can be overwhelming. We know the questions to ask and we can get the customer exactly what he or she is looking for.”

The Benjamin Moore product is extraordinary.

They have the best chemists in the industry developing premium paint and stain products so if you’re looking for the lowest price, this probably isn’t your store. Don’t misunderstand, their paint is reasonably priced and you will save money and time by not having to put several coats of paint on the same wall. Also, the color will last so you won’t be painting again next year.

Marshall is most proud of the team they have built. They look for people with a high aptitude, to absorb all of the information that’s thrown at them. They also have to have a creative mindset— concept thinkers, not linear thinkers. Every day they play with different textures and techniques to feed their creative side, while Marshall teaches them the business side.

“My commitment to my employees is this: if you are all in, I’ll teach you how to run a business,” said Marshall.

Marshall has spent his life building enterprises on creativity and customer service so the transition from restaurants to a paint store, is not a stretch.

“I love this business because I get to scratch both of those itches, so to speak,” said Marshall.

“Customer service and creativity don’t change, as long as you believe in the product. And I really believe in the product.”

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 55

56 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

Hay Fever

S

L Re anta sid na en t

pring has sprung and allergy medications and tissue boxes are filling your shelves. I am sure you are tired of hearing about and suffering from one of the most common ailments, hay fever.

It may be hard to distinguish colds, seasonal allergies, and more serious infections.

Hay fever symptoms are usually cold symptoms such as:

Congestion or sinus pressure • Runny nose • Itchy, watery eyes Scratchy or sore throat • Cough • Swollen, bluish-colored skin beneath the eyes Reduced sense of taste or smell One way to tell the difference in a common cold and seasonal allergies is the duration of symptoms. Cold symptoms typically last 7-10 days and then gradually resolve completely. We may get several different cold viruses in a row that can prolong symptoms and confuse the picture even more. Seasonal allergy/hay fever symptoms persist for months and can sometimes be complicated by sinus infections and contribute to poor quality of life. With cold viruses your child may experience fevers, body aches and pains that are more characteristic of a viral infection.

How do we help our children who may suffer??

The best way to combat hay fever is to avoid the particular allergen but, at certain times of year, that may be impossible. Having allergy testing done to determine specific triggers can be helpful in avoidance therapy.

This is not always possible so here are a few things you may do if you know your child is allergic:

Prevention

• Keep your child indoors on days that are both dry and windy • Don’t ask your child do yard work or other outside chores during peak allergy seasons • Remove and wash clothing that your child has worn outside • Have your child shower or bathe when coming in from outside • Keep doors and windows closed when pollen counts are high (check your local weather) and use air conditioning to keep your car and home cool • Change air filters regularly • Avoid opening windows and keep the humidity low (<50%) • Invest in a HEPA filter Vacuum and use it often • Use a damp mop once weekly on all hard floors and a damp cloth on all hard surfaces

Sponsored Content

Medications

Because hay fever is so common, there are plenty of medications available to treat its symptoms. If high pollen counts are in the forecast, start giving your child allergy medications before symptoms begin. Medications to treat hay fever symptoms include: • Antihistamines - Benadryl, Claritin, Zyrtec, Allegra • Decongestants - Afrin and Sudafed (age specific) • Nasal steroids - Nasocort, Flonase, and Nasonex • Nasal irrigation - a squeeze bottle or neti pot can help flush pollens from your child’s nose as well

NEW EXPANDED HOURS

Mon-Thurs: 7:30am-6:30pm Friday: 7:30am - 5pm • Saturdays: 9am - 12pm

Dr. Rebecca Butler is Board Certified in Pediatrics by the American Board of Pediatrics and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is proud to be a resident of Lantana and the owner of Lantana Pediatrics. Lantana Pediatrics is very excited to welcome Melanie Bitzer, RN, MSN, CPNP. For more information on Dr. Butler or to schedule an appointment, call 940.455.7200.

940.455.7200 www.LantanaPediatrics.com

74 McMakin Road, Ste. 100 • Bartonville, TX 76226

Tutor.com Service Available Through Flower Mound Library

Get Creative!

Live online tutoring and career assistance is now available to the patrons of the Flower Mound Public Library through Tutor.com.

Tutor.com gives Flower Mound Public Library cardholders access to live, online tutoring and resume help, as well as thousands of academic and career resources. Students ranging from kindergarten to college, can get help with homework, studying tips, projects, essay writing, and test prep in every subject. Adults have access to job search resources, GED preparation and academic support.

All sessions are live online with professional academic or career tutors. Patrons can work with an online tutor from 3 to 10 p.m. seven days a week, by simply going to www.tutor.com/fmpl and entering their Library card number. Another way to access the service, simply visit the Library’s website, www.fmlibrary.net, and click on the Tutor.com icon on the right side of the page. The link is also available under Research Tools / Homework help on the Library website.

Patrons can connect to Tutor.com from any computer or mobile device (smartphones and tablets) with Internet access. To access any of the resources other than live tutoring, patrons must create an account on the Tutor.com website. The live tutoring service does not require creating an account, but is recommended as this allows users of the service to rate and request specific tutors.

For more information, contact the Library’s Information Desk at 972.874.6167.

on Thursday, February 23 in the North Group

Household Hazardous Waste Disposal Available On Earth Day Lantana will once again be celebrating Earth Day with its annual celebration. Residents are encouraged to bring any household hazardous waste products for proper disposal. This includes paint products, electronics, garden chemicals like pesticides, automotive products, batteries and swimming pool chemicals. They’ll have an area set up during the Earth Day celebration where those will be collected.

58 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

Enjoy wine and dessert while you create your

own custom sign at Board and Brush Night

Lantana Garage Sale Set For April 8 It’s time to start cleaning out those

Fitness Room. These are great for your home or

drawers, closets and, of course, the garage! The

monogram board and $55 for a custom serving

scheduled for Saturday, April 8 from 8am until

as gifts to your loved ones. The cost is $45 for a tray. Email aslovak@insightam.com to register.

DCFOF Cyclegiving Event Join the Denton County Friends of the Family

at for a fun workout at CycleBar on Friday, February 24 at 7 p.m.

Registration is $20 per ride and all proceeds

from the event will be used to provide direct services such as emergency shelter and counseling to DCFOF clients and their families.

For more information about the event, please

email kshields@dcfof.org or check out the Facebook event at bit.ly/friendscyclebar.

semi-annual Lantana Garage Sale has been 3pm. If you are interested in participating, call the Lantana Community Association office by April 5th. All advertising for the event is handled by the Association.

Story Time On February 24 Grab the kids and get out of the house for Story Time! Join us for a great hour of stories and fun. Open to kids 18 months to 5 years old on Friday, February 24 in the North Group Fitness Center.

Presenting Sponsor ($750) All benefits of Signature Sponsor plus:

SPONSORSHIP’S ARE NEEDED

2017 Blanton Elementary 9th Annual

Fun Run APRIL 7, 2017

LANTANA RESIDENTS AND BUSINESS OWNERS, WE NEED YOUR HELP! Sponsorship options & benefit details on the right. If interested in sponsoring please contact Nicole Hofley at nicolehofley@me.com or call 808.772.2483.

(Everything is 100% tax deductible)

• Top line logo placement on event t-shirt • Logo on Student Sponsorship envelope sent home with each student and passed around to neighbors/workplaces, etc.

• Ability to start on the grade level Fun Runs on site the day of the Fun Run

Signature Sponsor ($500) All benefits of Supporting Sponsor plus: • Mid-line logo placement on event t-shirt • Logo and link on PTA Fun Run splash page, where supporters will go to enter on-line donations and find event information • Ability to have signage at the front of our school on the day of the event, which you provide, identifying you as a Signature Sponsor • We will be more than happy to pick your banner up and return it to your place of business

Supporting Sponsor ($250)

Sponsor logo listed on event t-shirt.

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 59

60 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017

What to EXPECT

When You’re Expecting

YOUR HOME TO SELL QUICK With so few homes on the market and only 4 months of inventory, buyers make offers very quickly.

by Brock Thompson • The Homer Group 940.584.0800 • TheHomerGroupTX.com

Real Estate

I

n today’s housing market, the good ones go quick - VERY quick. This is not because there are a lot of unfavorable on the market, it is because there

aren’t enough homes for buyers to choose

from. Inventory is very low, with February inventory levels being down 20% from last year (KeepingCurrentMatters.com). This opens up

a great opportunity for sellers and here is what

to expect when you’re expecting your home to sell quick:

SHOWINGS: As soon as the listing agreement is signed and

the house is listed as active in the multiple listing service (MLS), expect showing appointments to be made. If you are occupying your home while

it is being shown, we recommend you leave to allow privacy for the potential buyer. It may bug

you to have to leave your home, but it shows that your home is getting interest and your real estate

professional is doing his or her job right. Plus, since homes should be clean for showings, you’ll always have a clean and tidy home.

OFFERS: With so few homes on the market and only 4 months of inventory, buyers make offers very quickly. The market is very competitive and depending on the price and condition of your home, you could go into a multiple offers situation.

This allows your real estate professional to negotiate the best deal to get you the most money for your home.

A FAIR PRICE: We are in a seller’s market. Home prices in the region are up 9.2% and homeowners are seeing close to 100% of their asking price on the offers sent their way. This opens up a lot of opportunity for sellers looking to get the most out of the sale of their home.

As you can tell, there are a lot of great things to expect when you are expecting your home to sell fast. With the help and knowledge of your real estate professional, selling fast is very possible in today’s market. Whenever you are ready to sell, or have questions, contact a RE/MAX Elite agent to find out how your real estate dreams can be made a reality!

FEBRUARY 2017 | LANTANA LIVING | 61

62 | LANTANA LIVING | FEBRUARY 2017