Preston Hollow People March 2024

OUR REMARKABLE WOMEN EDITION

Welcome to our Remarkable Women issue! In honor of Women’s History Month, this paper includes seven features (including two pairs) about inspiring women in our communities. You can find them marked with the Remarkable Women logo.

In our second-annual Remarkable Women edition, we share with you the stories of an Alzheimer’s researcher, a professional runner, two piano teachers, an entrepreneurial duo, a Baptist church’s first female reverend, a philanthropist who recently started in a new role, and a nonprofit founder supporting adults with intellectual disabilities.

Quite the group of trailblazers. These women were selected by People Newspapers staff.

Last year, Remarkable Women was a separate section, but this year, we’ve integrated it into the main paper, demonstrating their influence in each facet of our community.

Learning their stories has been inspiring, and it’s encouraging to see the change one woman can spark, regardless of the industry.

Each woman also told us about a woman who has contributed to her life. These included role models, family members, colleagues, and friends who have shaped the honorees into who they are today.

We hope you enjoy meeting some of our remarkable neighbors who do good in our community every day.

Sudie L. Williams rankings

Sudie L. Williams Talented and Gifted Academy earned top spots in Children at Risk’s school rankings in two categories.

The school was named number one in the elementary school category and number two in the middle school category.

Children at Risk is a research and advocacy organization addressing the root causes of poor public policies affecting children and ranks all Texas elementary, middle, and high schools in the following categories: Student Achievement, Campus Performance, Student Growth, and College Readiness.

Free care for stray cats

Dallas Animal Services and Spay Neuter Network have partnered to provide free spay or neuter services for free-roaming cats in Dallas.

This service will also include rabies vaccination, FVRCP vaccination, microchipping,

and ear clipping, which is a painless process where the tip of the left ear is clipped so future trappers know the cat has been fixed and vaccinated.

To participate in the program, the applicant must get a service request number from the city of Dallas 311. Once the applicant has an SR number, they may bring cats in a humane trap to Spay Neuter Network’s Dallas clinic.

Love Field car rental shooting

A woman was shot in the back behind Avis Car Rental on the south side of Love Field Airport and the suspect was brought into custody.

Officers responded to the incident around 9:15 a.m. Jan. 19 in the 4800 block of Ansley Avenue.

The preliminary investigation determined that when officers arrived, the victim had been shot at the location. The victim was transported to a local hospital.

Children at Risk, a research and advocacy organization addressing public policies affecting children, issued high ranks for Sudie L. Williams Talented and Gifted Academy. COURTESY DALLAS ISD

MARIA LAWSON

As the most recognized name in local real estate with the most-trusted agents, Ebby Halliday is a brand you can get behind with confidence.

NEWS: Seven Presidential Leadership Scholars from Dallas

Crime Reports Jan. 8 – Feb. 4

Jan. 8

Before 6:40 a.m., a reckless driver fled the scene of a wreck without leaving information in the 6900 block of Walnut Hill Lane

Jan. 9

Stolen at an unlisted time: a man’s vehicle from a parking lot in the 6600 block of Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway

Jan. 10

Construction conundrum: A thief stole a water meter from a construction site in the 4300 block of Park Lane at an unprovided time.

Jan. 11

A burglar went through the bed of a man’s truck, opened the door, and removed items at an unlisted time in the parking lot of Bluffs at Midway Hollow

Jan. 12

How easy was it for a burglar to steal property from a woman’s vehicle parked at the Pavilion on Lovers Lane before 3:31 p.m.? Her car was left unlocked.

An aggressor threatened to “knock (a man’s) teeth in” before 3:35 p.m. at a restaurant at The Market at Preston Forest

Jan. 13

A shoplifter gave a fake name to the police while being arrested around 3:53 p.m. at NorthPark Center

Jan. 14

A man ran away from officers and pulled away as they tried to handcuff him around 6:43 p.m. at Preston Center

Jan. 15

An unwanted visitor received a criminal trespass warning before 5:07 p.m. at Embassy Suites by Hilton Dallas Love Field

A burglar entered a man’s car and stole stuff before 6:22 p.m. at Preston Center

Jan. 16

Reported around 12:57 a.m.: A vehicle was left abandoned in the right lane of the 6200 block of West Northwest Highway with no lights on.

Before 9:38 a.m., burglars jumped over the fence, entered a mail room, and stole property in the 7700 block of West Greenway Boulevard

Jan. 17

A financial fraudster tried to cash a fake check before 3:23 p.m. at Regions Bank in the 5800 block of West Northwest Highway

An aggressor punched a woman in the face and head and caused pain before 6:26 p.m. in the 7200 block of Inwood Road

Jan. 18

An aggressor threatened a man while holding a firearm at an unlisted time in the 4900 block of Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway

Jan. 19

A man’s vehicle was stolen at an unlisted time from Inwood Village

Jan. 20

A burglar damaged a woman’s vehicle and stole property before 9:48 a.m. in the parking lot of Black Swan Yoga

An unwelcome guest received a criminal trespass warning before 10:20 a.m. at a restaurant in the 5400 block of West Lovers Lane

Jan. 21

A burglar entered a woman’s car using force and stole property at Preston Forest Square at an unlisted time.

Jan. 22

A fraudster was found in possession of a woman’s ID before 7:33 p.m. at Preston Forest Village. The offender also had an active criminal trespass warning at the location.

Stolen at an unlisted time: the rear license plate off of a man’s car in the 4200 block of Valley Ridge Road

Jan. 23

A burglar stole property from a medical facility before 11:27 a.m. in the 12900 block of Preston Road

A fraudster used a woman’s information and credit card before 4:55 p.m. at a financial

SCHOOLS: Hockaday Sophomore Wins Congressional App Challenge COURTESY THE

institution. The woman reported from a home in the 5900 block of Royal Crest Drive

Jan. 24

A drunk driver was reported as having a handgun accessible around 1:23 a.m. in the 7900 block of Briarwood Lane

Reported around 7:45 p.m.: “aggressive panhandling” at NorthPark Center

Jan. 25

An abandoned stolen truck was recovered before 5:21 p.m. in the parking lot of The Citadel at Preston

Jan. 26

Reported around 7:13 a.m.: A burglar entered a man’s locked vehicle without damage and stole property in the 6300 block of Norway Road

Jan. 27

A man reported harassment at an unlisted time at a home in the 6700 block of Walnut Hill Lane

A thief stole property from a woman’s driveway at an unprovided time in the 10800 block of Crooked Creek Drive

Jan. 28

Stolen at an unlisted time: a man’s car from the 5400 block of Druid Lane

Jan. 29

A shady shoplifter stole $1,634.20 worth of merchandise from Macy’s before 9:44 p.m. at NorthPark Center

A burglar pried open a window, entered, and rummaged through belongings in a man’s vehicle at an unlisted time in the 8600 block of Edgemere Road

Jan. 30

At an unlisted time, a thief stole from a woman in the 4300 block of Merrell Road

Jan. 31

A drunk driver was found in possession of 0.7 grams of crack cocaine around 12:22 a.m. in the 5900 block of West Northwest Highway

An unwelcome guest was criminally trespassed from a NorthPark Center retail

store before 7:51 p.m.

Feb. 1

Reported around 4 p.m.: A cyberbully sent text messages and a video to a woman in the 6500 block of Woodland Drive. She became afraid.

A burglar entered a man’s tailgate and stole property before 4:37 p.m. in the 11000 block of Eastview Circle

Feb. 2

A reckless driver hit a woman’s car before 8:27 a.m. and fled the scene without leaving information in the 6600 block of Lyndon B. Johnson Freeway

Feb. 3

Reported at 7:23 a.m.: A destructor slashed one tire of a man’s vehicle parked at the Market at Preston Forest

Feb. 4

Reported at 5:17 p.m.: A burglar broke the window of a man’s truck and stole property in the parking lot of NorthPark Center. The burglar ran from uniformed police after being commanded to stop.

of the MONTH: DOUBLE TROUBLE

A man was found to be in possession of two stolen vehicles around 12:18 p.m. Jan. 20 in the NorthPark Center parking lot.

For more crimes, visit peoplenewspapers.com/ category/crime/

ERIN MATHEWS

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Geriatrics Specialist Seeks Alzheimer’s Research Breakthroughs Dr. Diana Kerwin

By Claire Collins Special Contributor

Dr. Diana Kerwin has led the team at Kerwin Medical Center since 2018, focusing on clinical studies and research regarding the prevention of and cure for the most well-known cognitive disorder: Alzheimer’s disease.

The Chicago native earned her bachelor’s degree at Boston College and attended medical school at Northwestern University. She completed her residency at Northwestern and worked as an assistant professor in geriatrics and a faculty member at the university’s Cognitive Neurology and Alzheimer’s Disease Center before moving to Dallas in 2013.

“With recent breakthroughs around new medication to treat early Alzheimer’s, a tidal wave of development is coming.”

Diana Kerwin

Kerwin’s professional career spans more than 20 years, but as a child, she saw her mom

work as a nurse in a long-term care facility.

“(My mom) thinks it’s why I do what I do today,” Kerwin said. “I do think going to work with her instilled a sense of compassion in me at an early age.”

Growing up, Kerwin and her brother would go with their mom to work on Christmases.

“I’d take my new doll and show them off to the patients,” Kerwin said. “I remember how much they enjoyed that.”

Kerwin says patients can expect an “extremely patient-focused experience” at Kerwin Medical Center.

“Patients who choose to participate in clinical trials are extremely altruistic because they recognize this may not be of benefit to them at all, but it might save their children or grand-

children,” Kerwin said. “There is a burden placed on these patients and their caregivers to participate, so let’s improve quality of life. I really enjoy that aspect, and our staff is really attuned to that goal.”

Kerwin oversees the center’s research and development and says she and her team constantly evaluate potential clinical trials. Some of the daily study visits Kerwin leads include evaluating participants for entry into clinical trials and reviewing MRIs and amyloid PET scans to confirm Alzheimer’s diagnoses.

The center also has an on-site research pharmacy that prepares study drugs or compounds investigational drugs for administration, which can be oral, injectible, or IV. The on-site laboratory collects and processes patient blood samples to compile data.

INSPIRED BY

Dr. Mary McDermott is a remarkable woman in Kerwin’s life, as she was one of her mentors at Northwestern.

“She was phenomenal; she was a full professor, had young kids, ran marathons, had all the research grants,” Kerwin said. “At that time, I had a young child. I was in awe of her. I have carried her commitment to mentoring staff and students throughout my entire career and into the center.”

From start to finish, Kerwin develops, implements, and evaluates the efficacy and safety of drugs that could one day end Alzheimer’s.

In 2018, Kerwin also founded the Dementia Studies Foundation, a nonprofit committed to removing barriers to clinical trial participation and increasing the diversity of participants.

She says while access to treatment and clinical trials has primarily gone to traditionally privileged groups, the foundation works with community partners and faith-based groups to raise awareness about brain health and Alzheimer’s development.

Additionally, the center has an internship program with UT Dallas and is working with Dallas ISD to develop an internship program for high school students interested in its work.

“A diagnosis of Alzheimer’s today is not the same as 10 or even five years ago,” Kerwin said. “With recent breakthroughs around new medication to treat early Alzheimer’s, a tidal wave of development is coming. We don’t know the answers yet, but we could in as little as six to 12 months.”

Community

FORMER NEWS ANCHOR SERVES PARKS, NONPROFITS

Calvert Collins-Bratton

By Maria Lawson maria.lawson@peoplenewspapers.com

Calvert Collins-Bratton is passionate about improving life in Dallas through her professional and volunteer work.

She recently started a new full-time position as chief relationship officer at Communities Foundation of Texas (CFT).

In this role, she’s responsible for working with her team to bring in gifts and funds that the organization’s philanthropy team then distributes to nonprofits supported by the foundation.

“In my personal and professional life, I want to help make Dallas and North Texas a thriving community for all.”

Calvert CollinsBratton

“I had seen the impact that CFT has had on our city for a long time,” Collins-Bratton said, describing what brought her to her new role. “Almost … no organization has had the

kind of impact over its duration that Communities Foundation has. It’s really the gold standard for philanthropy.”

The seventh-generation Texan’s career has also included working as vice president of strategic events and relationships for the Methodist Health System Foundation and as a news reporter/anchor in Omaha, in Las Vegas, and for FOX 4 here in Dallas.

She also is in her last term on the Dallas Park and Recreation Board, which she was appointed to in 2017 by then-Councilwoman Jennifer Staubach Gates. Collins-Bratton was board president when ground broke in 2021 on the new Northaven Trail bridge over U.S. 75, which celebrated its grand opening in December.

“Having young children, certainly I was a user of our parks and partnerships, and I saw the value that parks provided not only from a quality of life standpoint but also from an infrastructure standpoint to the city,” Collins-Bratton said.

She says the parks are valuable for recreation, wellness, infrastructure, and commerce.

Her family lives off the Northaven Trail, and her children use it to walk to Good Shepherd Episcopal School: “In my lifetime, I would have never thought that would be possible in an urban environment like Dallas.”

Collins-Bratton also serves on the

boards of Resource Center, the SMU Simmons School of Education and Human Development, Hunger Busters, and Christ’s Family Clinic.

Growing up, her dad taught that their family helps people without asking questions.

“I come from a family of philanthropists, and they have always cared,” Collins-Bratton said. “They’ve wanted to do something.”

She plans to pass that along.

“I want (my children) to learn that they need to have a zest for life, and they need to care about the city that they live in, wherever they live,” Collins-Bratton said.

The legacy Collins-Bratton hopes to leave the city: “She gave a damn, and she encouraged others to do the same, whatever that looks like.”

“In my personal and professional life, I

INSPIRED BY

A remarkable woman in Collins-Bratton’s life is her grandmother and namesake, Calvert K. Collins.

“She was the first woman elected to the Dallas City Council in 1957 and was dedicated to representing all of Dallas for the betterment of citizens,” she said. “She did not intend to be a trailblazer, but her quiet leadership and steadfast pragmatism was a model for civil success. I am grateful for her love, wisdom, and thoughtfulness.”

want to help make Dallas and North Texas a thriving community for all, so if I can contribute, whether that’s through philanthropy, through parks, health, advocacy for underserved communities, then that is what I want my legacy to be,” she said.

Parish Junior Inspired by Visit to Juanita Craft Civil Rights House

The Crossroads Academy Teen Board visited the Juanita Craft Civil Rights House last fall.

The museum, located in Craft’s former home, honors the civil rights leader’s life and accomplishments. Craft, who started 182 Dallas chapters of the NAACP, befriended Eleanor Roosevelt while working as a bell maid at the Adolphus Hotel and worked with her to remove a postcard of Allen Brooks’ lynching. She also started a Youth Council for young African American men and women, treating them like adults and encouraging them to help their community.

So why had I never heard of her before? Following my visit with the Crossroads Academy Teen Board, I spoke with Patricia Perez, a frequent volunteer at the museum and former member of Craft’s Youth Council, to learn more about the Dallas civil rights pioneer and her legacy.

Craft faced many challenges, both in her childhood and later in

life. When she was 16, her mother was denied treatment for tuberculosis at a hospital. Despite Craft going to the hospital every day and requesting help again and again, her mother died in 1918.

In response to African Americans moving into the neighborhood, people bombed 10 houses surrounding Craft’s on Warren Avenue. When Craft became a major civil rights leader, rising above the

skepticism of men and the hatred of her White neighbors, the government started to surveil her and tap her house.

One of Craft’s core principles was, “If it’s wrong, you do something — you talk about it,” Perez said.

Despite the challenges and potential dangers she encountered, Craft continued to fight against discrimination in Dallas and encouraged youth to do the same. With

teenagers like Perez, Craft protested the fact that African American people were only allowed to go to the fair one day a year, contributing to the fair’s desegregation. They also raised money for the NAACP, cleaned up litter, and more.

At the height of her activism, the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. met with Craft at her South Dallas house, where the museum is today.

“She made us feel powerful, in

WANT TO HELP?

Visit portal.cftexas.org/ oacjuanitacrafthousemuseum to learn more and support the museum.

an era when we were made to feel powerless,” Perez said.

Ultimately, Craft believed in justice, persistence, and, more than anything, that all people are humans, and all humans are equal. In an increasingly convoluted world, it’s more critical than ever to hold on to that principle.

Candace Thompson, the museum committee’s community outreach manager, stated that the museum and board sustain Craft’s legacy “through robust programming, fundraising, and building up new leaders in the community.”

Meredith Walker, a junior at Parish Episcopal School, urges those looking to support the Dallas community while having a steady source of service hours to join her on the Crossroads Academy Teen Board. Those interested can contact kristi@cornerstonecrossroads.com or reach Meredith directly at meredith.wal37@gmail.com.

MEREDITH WALKER

FROM LEFT: Charlie Bernstein, Brooks Loukas, Britt Rumpler, Will Loukas, Jack Benavides, Benjamin Martin, Patricia Perez, Meredith Walker, and Lilli Cunningham. COURTESY MEREDITH WALKER

‘Preston Hollow People’ Applauds

• Randy Bowman, a Preston Hollow businessman and philanthropist selected to receive VolunteerNow’s Lifetime Achievement Award at the Hearts of Texas Luncheon on April 18. In 2021, he launched the nonprofit AT LAST! (atlastboarding.com). The weekday boarding experience gives children in poverty the resources they need outside school hours to succeed academically.

• Scott Kline, a retired attorney who completed his quest to run a marathon in all 50 states last fall in Hartford, Connecticut. Next up: three international races needed to complete all six world marathon majors. He plans to run Boston again this spring, followed by London in April, Berlin in September, and Tokyo in March 2025. Only the early arrival of a grandchild could interfere. “Boston and London might have to be deferred, but that’s the plan.”

• Senée Seale, a legally blind former Preston Hollow resident and author, recently crowned Ms. U.S. Ambassador Queen during the 2024 Ms. U.S. Pageant in Long Beach, California.

Woman of Achievement presents the pageant to celebrate modern women’s beauty in service, self-development, and education. Before relocating to Uptown, Seale lived in Preston Tower while earning her psychology degree at the University of Texas at Dallas. Find her books at becomingpublishing.com.

North Dallas

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• Dr. Klyne Smith, clinical associate professor of computer science and data center systems expert at SMU, and business partner SENTRIQS have been awarded a $110,000 grant from the U.S. Air Force to address cybersecurity challenges posed by quantum computers. SENTRIQS has created an ultra-secure messaging and collaboration platform that delivers quantum-safe communications for businesses and government organizations. Smith will research and identify potential military use cases for the technology.

– Compiled by William Taylor

LAWLAR HOPES TO BUILD ON WORLD SERIES EXPERIENCE

Diamondbacks called up ex-Jesuit shortstop two years into pro career

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

After the most important phone call of his baseball career, Jordan Lawlar suddenly needed his breakfast order from Panera in Albuquerque to go.

A few hours later, the shortstop was in Chicago, meeting his new Arizona Diamondbacks teammates just before a pivotal game against the Cubs at historic Wrigley Field.

“I wouldn’t change these experiences for the world.”

Jordan Lawlar

That early September day kicked off a two-month whirlwind that culminated in Lawlar playing in his first World Series just two years after the former Jesuit Dallas standout turned pro.

“It doesn’t get much better than getting the call and knowing your next month or so really

means something,” Lawlar said. “That whole run was just picture-perfect. A month in, and you’re in the World Series.”

Lawlar, 21, was drafted by Arizona with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2021 draft. Despite shoulder surgery later that year, his ascent

through the Diamondbacks’ system was quick.

“It really challenges you and forces you to get better every single day,” he said. “That’s allowed me to get to where I am right now.”

By the start of 2023, he was flashing elite power, bat control,

speed, and defensive proficiency at Double-A Amarillo. That earned him a call-up to Triple-A Reno and eventually to that fateful road trip in New Mexico.

When the team summoned him, he had only a couple of hours to finish eating, say his goodbyes,

pack his things, call family, and head to the airport.

“To be able to go in there and see the commitment and focus and chemistry in the clubhouse taught me more than anything,” Lawlar said. “Those will be big stepping stones for the future.”

Lawlar played in 14 games at the big-league level in 2023, plus another three off the bench in the playoffs. He walked and scored a run during Game 4 of the World Series against the Texas Rangers.

He has split his offseason between Phoenix and Dallas, working on every aspect of his game in anticipation of a more significant role with the Diamondbacks this year.

Lawlar is one of the expected future cornerstones on a young roster that has already spearheaded a dramatic turnaround for the Diamondbacks, who lost 110 games in 2021 and two years later were surprising National League champions.

“It’s awesome. I wouldn’t change these experiences for the world,” Lawlar said. “As a kid, you have an idea of the life in professional baseball. Once you’re in it, it’s everything you dreamed of and more.”

No Dramatic Changes for Rangers, Longhorns, Panthers in Realignment District pairings for next two years will renew rivalries while creating new matchups

By Todd Jorgenson People Newspapers

As other schools brace for dramatic changes in every biennial UIL realignment cycle, Jesuit Dallas and its rivals have embraced stability.

The Rangers learned on Feb. 1 that they will remain part of roughly the same Class 6A district alignment for the next two years.

Their opponents in District 7-6A will include three Irving ISD schools (Irving, MacArthur, and Nimitz) along with four from Richardson ISD — Lake Highlands, Richardson, Berkner, and Pearce.

That’s identical to each of the past four seasons with the exception of Highland Park, which formed a nine-team district in 2022 and 2023 but dropped back to Class 5A for next year. Jesuit has made the playoffs every year with this grouping.

The Rangers are back in Region I, with potential postseason matchups again looming with a district comprised of schools from

Arlington and Grand Prairie in District 8-6A.

The alignment will be the same for basketball and baseball. Alignment for other sports such as soccer, tennis, wrestling, and swimming will be revealed in the coming weeks.

In Class 5A, W.T. White will look to continue its forward momentum in football as part of District 6-5A Div. I, which appears to give the Longhorns a favorable path to postseason play.

The Longhorns are paired for the next two years in District

6-5A with Bryan Adams, Molina, Sunset, Carrollton Creekview, Carrollton Newman Smith, Carrollton R.L. Turner, North Mesquite, and West Mesquite. WTW has made three consecutive postseason appearances. Meanwhile, Hillcrest will remain

in 5A Div. II in District 5-5A in a league comprised entirely of Dallas ISD rivals. District opponents for the Panthers will include Adamson, Thomas Jefferson, Samuell, Seagoville, Spruce, Woodrow Wilson, and perennial powerhouse South Oak Cliff.

Shifting from a 10-team alignment to an eight-team league should provide some relief for Hillcrest, which has narrowly missed postseason play during each of the past two seasons.

Since there are no divisional splits in other sports, the 5A alignment is different for other sports including basketball, volleyball, baseball, and softball.

WTW and Hillcrest will be part of District 13-5A in those sports, which should be especially challenging in boys basketball. The group includes Adamson, Thomas Jefferson, Molina, South Oak Cliff, Sunset, and Dallas charter school Faith Family Academy — which has won backto-back state championships at the 4A level and is opting up to 5A for this next alignment cycle.

Former Jesuit Dallas shortstop Jordan Lawlar played in the World Series just a few weeks after his debut last season with the Arizona Diamondbacks. JESUIT DALLAS SPORTS INFORMATION AND ANNA JEFFERSON

W.T. White will look to continue its forward momentum in football next season as part of the new District 6-5A Div. I. ROB GRAHAM

Professional Runner Trains Local Youths Through SpeedKIDZ

Dawn Grunnagle

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

When Dawn Grunnagle got her first job at a yogurt shop, her goal was to earn $125 to replace her imitation Keds with a pair of Nike Air Max. But she had forgotten about taxes, and when she got her paycheck after two weeks of work, it wasn’t enough.

“It’s ironic,” she said, “because I ended up being sponsored by Nike how many years later.”

Today, Grunnagle’s running resume includes three Olympic Trials qualifying times — the most recent in 2020 at the Berlin Marathon when she was 42 — and two gold medals at the 2019 USA Masters National Championships in Torun, Poland.

But Grunnagle is proudest of the work she’s done with young athletes as the founder of SpeedKIDZ, where she aims to bring out the best in each athlete and teach proper running form and technique. SpeedKIDZ has been training in Germany Park since 2011, when Grunnagle began the

program with five athletes.

Grunnagle now has 30 to 40 boys and girls in SpeedKIDZ, her program for younger kids,

and the same number in APEX TC, which is geared toward high schoolers. Her athletes have gone on to run for schools around the

INSPIRED BY

Two remarkable women in Grunnagle’s life are her big sister from Big Brothers/Big Sisters, Linda Goebel, and her high school cross country and track coach, Terri Gilles.

“She showed me what it means to truly give to someone that could never give back to you,” she said of Goebel.

“Mrs. Gilles was the first coach who ever believed in me and showed me if I pave the way to my goals, anything is possible no matter where you come from,” she continued, referring to her high school coach.

country, including Yale, Texas Tech, UT, MIT, and Indiana University.

“One of the things I always tell the SpeedKIDZ is, ‘I want you to come every day and I just want you to be better than last time you were here,’” Grunnagle said. “So maybe that means that you do one extra interval, or maybe that means that you show more encouragement to your teammate. Maybe that means that you work on your mental toughness. … We’re building the overall athlete and not just runners.”

Grunnagle’s athletes also make contributions in the community. SpeedKIDZ projects have included raising more than $10,000 for The Cure Starts Now Foundation, which supports pediatric cancer research,

and creating more than 200 personalized activity books for dialysis and chemotherapy patients at Children’s Medical Center Dallas.

Giving back is important to Grunnagle, who grew up as one of six children in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Her father was a factory worker, and her mother took on multiple cleaning jobs to help support the family. As a child, Grunnagle, who is 5’1’’, played “scrappy basketball” with her five brothers.

Grunnagle, the first in her family to go to college, came to Texas on a full athletic scholarship at Texas Tech. She taught at Merriman Park Elementary and Good Shepherd Episcopal School before deciding in 2011 to focus on running.

Recently, Grunnagle has put helping her pigtailed 1-year-old, Levi, toddle down the track ahead of working on her speed. However, her future ambitions include writing a children’s book series, creating a nonprofit for children’s health and fitness, hosting a SpeedKIDZ mile race, and competing in the 2024 World Masters Athletics Championships in Gothensburg, Sweden.

“If you have the right people in your life and the right motivation and determination to do something, you can do it,” she said. “I always take to heart that I am a role model to young girls.”

GEORGE RICO VASQUEZ

Home & Business

GARDENUITY BRINGS HORTICULTURE TO CUSTOMERS

Donna Letier and Julie Eggers

By Maria Lawson maria.lawson@peoplenewspapers.com

Donna Letier and Julie Eggers are the co-founders of Gardenuity, a brand focused on making gardens and garden experiences accessible to anyone.

“When we see my youngest daughter, who’s in a wheelchair, … roll her wheelchair out to the patio and pick a tomato, it actually is a reminder of what real joy looks like, and we wanted people … to be able to reap the benefits that come from the act of gardening,” Letier said.

The pair — Letier from the Park Cities and Eggers from Preston Hollow — have been friends for almost 20 years and were set on becoming co-entrepreneurs. They played around with a few ideas before landing on Gardenuity about five years ago.

“That’s what I think differentiates us. Our team really really cares.”

Julie Eggers

The name comes from a compound of garden and intuity.

“We recognized that it was an opportunity to update the ‘how’ and the success rate when people try to grow things,” Letier said.

The pair also wanted to bring people closer to the benefits that come from gardening.

“(We’re) bringing technology together

Real Talk: Nicole McAdams Groth

with horticultural sciences, creating an opportunity in the marketplace to define and create a new category,” Letier said. “It’s not new that gardening is good for you; we’re just making it accessible.”

Their offerings, described as an “invitation to try gardening,” include outdoor patio gardens, indoor desktops, and soon-to-come microgreens. Letier says each item comes with an opportunity for the consumer to be part of the experience.

Gardenuity’s three pillars of business:

food is medicine, mental health, and the health of the planet.

“Every one of our products has to fit into one of those categories and deliver on those promises,” Letier said.

One of the company’s offerings is weather alerts that are automatically sent to customers to know how to best care for their Gardenuity plants depending on their location’s climate.

“From our ‘grow pro’ support to our team who’s packing the boxes to our team

Nicole McAdams Groth identifies herself as a wife, a mom of three, an artist, and an interior designer.

“I grew up in Little Rock, Arkansas, and graduated from the University of Arkansas Fayetteville,” she said. “Shortly after, I came to Dallas to attend SMU and studied studio art with an emphasis in painting.”

How long have you been in interior design, and what led you to this career?

I’ve been doing interior design for almost nine years. Lindley was our interior designer first, and then, to my surprise, she offered me a job. I have loved working alongside Lindley as a close friend and a boss (she’ll hate me for saying this!). While at SMU, I studied color theory, which has really influenced my use of color in my design.

Now that you’ve been a design professional for a while if you could go back in time and give yourself any advice, what would it be?

The advice I would give myself would be not to be afraid, to take a leap of faith, and

INSPIRED BY

Eggers shared that two remarkable women in her life are her business partner, Letier, and her daughter Amanda.

Letier also noted Eggers as a remarkable woman in her life, along with three others: Arianna Huffington, who Letier said always finds time to mentor others while building businesses, and her two daughters, Madison and Jillian.

members who are answering the phone, they care,” Eggers said. “That’s what I think differentiates us. Our team really really cares.”

Letier comes from a retail background, and Eggers’ employment history is in corporate systems.

“We recognized that it was an opportunity to update the ‘how’ and the success rate when people try to grow things.”

Donna Letier

Seventy percent of Gardenuity’s business comes from corporate clients and wellness platforms, and the rest is through e-commerce and their retail showroom in the Design District. Some of their largest markets are in San Francisco, New York, Boston, Virginia, and Florida.

The team also puts on digital programs to bring in international consumers and virtual workshops with corporate partners to bring the wellness benefits of gardening into their workforce.

“I love the idea of growing something, no pun intended, that’s good for people and the planet and that feels good to share,” Letier said.

let God guide the process.

What is the best thing about being an interior designer?

I love our clients, and so many turn out to be friends when the project is over. All the women in our firm have worked together for a long time, and we really have become like a family.

What is your outlook on the Dallas market?

Our business was so busy during the pandemic and the years after because people really focused on their homes, and it’s definitely gone back to a normal pace now. Our clients subscribe less to trends and gravitate toward traditional design and warmer finishes.

Give us a fun fact about yourself.

I have a slight pillow problem — I am constantly switching out our decorative pillows, much to my husband’s dismay!

– Compiled by Maria Lawson

Nicole McAdams Groth of Lindley Arthur Interiors. COURTESY PHOTO

FROM LEFT: Julie Eggers and Donna Letier. COURTESY GARDENUITY

When your care gets complicated, you want a team that’s seen it all. Take it from Rebecca, whose scoliosis pain resurfaced after a surgery decades earlier. Thanks to innovations in spine procedures and a skilled medical team, she gave her surgeon the go-ahead to replace her previous hardware so she could regain a pain-free life. No matter what you need, find a fix at 833.46.BUMCD

Comings and Goings

NOW OPEN

JingHe Japanese Restaurant

Mockingbird Station

The restaurant, which brings a blend of traditional Izakaya-inspired cuisine within its modern interior, opened Jan. 6. The menu include grilled items, sashimi, cold and hot appetizers, noodles, desserts, and an extensive Sake list.

Domino’s

5040 Lemmon Ave.

The pizza chain’s new franchise, which is locally owned, is hiring daytime, evening, and weekend delivery drivers.

COMING

SESSION Pilates

Preston Royal Village

The reformer Pilates studio, which opened its first location in the Knox/Henderson area in 2016 and expanded to Lakewood the following year, will open its newest location this spring.

Starbucks

Hillcrest & McFarlin

The coffee company recently signed a lease to take over the former McCartney’s space.

MOVING

American Girl

The Shops at Park Lane

The brand will open its new, 14,720-squarefoot store on March 2. American Girl’s previous Dallas retail location opened at the Galleria in 2007.

— Compiled by Maria Lawson

SESSION Pilates COURTESY PHOTOS

Domino’s

JingHe Japanese Restaurant

American Girl Starbucks

Juli Harrison’s Market Insight

2024 is off to a great start! 50% of contracts for my clients have been offmarket private sales, and with more inventory hitting the market, I am optimistic for a great spring season.

Juli Harrison 214.207.1001 juli.harrison@alliebeth.com

Tim Schutze | 214.507.6699 tim.schutze@alliebeth.com

4548 Arcady - SOLD Represented Buyer

$1,995,000

4 Bed / 3 Bath / 2,878 Sq. Ft.

Susan Shannon | 214.796.8744 susan.shannon@alliebeth.com

5122 Purdue Avenue - SOLD $2,495,000

4 Bed / 4.2 Bath / 5,565 Sq. Ft.

Freshen Your Home for Spring (and Beyond) with These Designer Tips

Spring is the perfect time to declutter, tackle home improvement projects, and breathe new life into your rooms with seasonal colors and accessories.

By starting the process now, you have the rest of the year to enjoy the fruits of your hard work. Here are some of my tips for getting your home ready for spring.

Decluttering is a no-cost way to give your home a fresh start. Now is also the time to rotate your heavy linens and winter clothing into storage. Wash your windows, too, so you can take full advantage of the spring sunshine.

Many Texas homeowners worry about leaks this time of year. If you’re one of them, consider getting leak detectors. They’re a quick way to solve a problem before it happens. Place detectors underneath sinks and water heaters and behind toilets and washing machines.

If you don’t want to renovate but still think your home could use a facelift, consider repainting your front door or interior walls. A new paint color will instantly change the energy of a space. Don’t forget about your fifth wall — your ceiling. Painting the ceiling a different color or adding wallpaper has become a

trend in recent years.

You can prepare your bedroom for the season by swapping out your comforter with a thinner coverlet. Replace dark sheets with ones in lighter colors (like crisp white) with bordering or monogramming, depending on the style of the room. Bedding with botanical prints would complete the theme.

Small design elements such as hand towels, lampshades, accent pillows, and blankets can be easily switched out for items in seasonally appropriate colors, like pastel yellow, pink, orange, or green. And nothing says “spring” like fresh flowers or Easter-themed accessories. Flowers associated with the spring season include

daffodils, tulips, and hyacinths. Freshening your home for spring can be as simple as swapping out decorative pillows or cleaning your closet. But if you’ve got bigger plans — like renovating your house or changing the entire color scheme — consider tapping into an interior designer’s expertise. I love helping transform dark or dated spaces into

classically beautiful homes that look gorgeous in any season.

Margaret Chambers, a registered interior designer (RID) and American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) member, leads Chambers Interiors and Associates. Her colleague Caitlin Crowley helped edit this column. Visit chambersinteriors.com/blog for more design advice.

MARGARET CHAMBERS

CLOCKWISE: Filter in more spring sunshine by replacing dark drapes and shades with light and sheer curtains. Crisp white bedding with bordering and monogramming is a popular look. This bedroom feels like spring all year round with beautiful linens plus pink on the lampshade and wallpaper. MICHAEL HUNTER, WITH DESIGN BY MARGARET CHAMBERS The garden theme for this table setting featuring china with hand-painted botanical and butterfly motifs is perfect for spring. JEAN ALLSOPP, WITH DESIGN BY MARGARET CHAMBERS

Welcome to this stunning yet understated custom quality new construction jewel by Koonsman & Co., a name synonymous with excellence in homebuilding. Nestled on a 0.367-acre private lot, this is the sophisticated Preston Hollow haven you’ve been searching for. Thoughtfully designed with an array of features, including pier and beam foundation with ventilated crawl space, Class 4 impact resistant roof and foam encapsulation, Lutron lighting, Wolf

and loaded with amenities, including 12-foot ceilings, extensive AV pre-wiring, high-efficiency HVAC, and tankless water heaters, this beautiful home blends luxury, comfort, and function with a casual feel. The back patio includes drop-down screens, ideal for enjoying the spacious yard. Downstairs owner’s retreat with unbelievable spa bath, second laundry, office or exercise, open kitchen and great room, dining, and second living bathed with light and wet bar. Upstairs are four bed-

Schools

AWARD-WINNING PIANISTS INSPIRE THEIR STUDENTS AT SMU

Hyae-jin Hwang

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

She’s won the top prizes at national and international piano competitions, but for this music educator at SMU, nothing is more exciting and rewarding than being in the classroom with her students.

Hyae-jin Hwang, lecturer in piano pedagogy and the director of SMU’s piano preparatory department, was born and raised in South Korea, where she found joy in singing with her music-loving family.

She chose piano as an instrument because her family had an old upright.

“I started just for fun, not knowing that piano would become my lifelong devotion and commitment,” she said.

Hwang first came to the United States to study music in high school as an exchange student. She returned to South Korea for a year before traveling back to the United States to study with Michael Baron at Florida Gulf Coast University. After graduation, Hwang continued to the University of Michigan to study piano pedagogy and performance, where she trained with her mentor Joanne Smith and earned master’s and doctoral degrees.

While a student, Hwang won top prizes at the Los Angeles Liszt International Competition and Music Teachers National Association Competitions. She performed in the Royal Palace of Caserta, Italy, with the Ars

Catharine Lysinger

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

As a 9-year-old growing up in Preston Hollow, Catharine Lysinger remembers performing on a piano in the basement at SMU’s Meadows School of the Arts. Years later, the room where she performed became one of her first offices.

“Coming back here and being hired and working here was just really an amazing full circle for me,” she said. “I never in my wild est dreams would have thought I’d get to teach here.”

Flores Symphony, and in Carnegie Hall as a winner of the American Protégé International Piano and Strings Competition. Hwang also made a recording of William Horne’s Bagatelles for Alto Saxophone and Piano, which was released after a long delay in 2021.

Hwang has focused her energies since graduation on the education of young musicians.

“Once I started studying pedagogy at the University of Michigan, I started to see this

SARAH HODGES

whole new world of teaching, the art of teaching,” she said. “I immediately felt the connection with children. … Ever since then, my heart is always set on working with children.”

At SMU, Hwang works with gifted young teachers pursuing their master’s degrees, graduate and undergraduate students, and grade-schoolers in the piano preparatory program, who she endeavors to teach more than how to become better musicians.

INSPIRED BY

Two remarkable women in Hwang’s life are Joanne Smith, a professor emerita of piano and piano pedagogy from the University of Michigan who died in 2021, and her mother.

“(Smith) demonstrated what a true teacher was like and changed so many people’s lives throughout her life, including mine. I just will never forget her mentorship, leadership and encouragement that led me to where I am now.”

She says of her mother, “She’s just amazingly humble, selfless, loving, and a very thoughtful person.”

“We ask them to demonstrate a sense of time manage skills and discipline, perseverance, and responsibility, which are very important life lessons to learn,” she said. “(Performing publicly) requires a lot of preparation and self-knowledge and mind control.”

Hwang explained that she’s prouder of her students and their achievements than of her own. The list of her students’ accolades includes top prizes at the Carmel Klavier International Competition, Dallas Piano Solo Competition, University of Texas Arlington Fall Piano Contest, Youth Piano Duo Competition, Charleston International Music Competition, Settenote Online Piano International Competition, and American Protégé International Piano and String Competition.

“I miss performing,” Hwang said. “I miss my audience. However, it’s just such a huge joy to work with my students. My long-term goal is to be remembered as a teacher who really cared and helped my students, just like how I remember my own teachers.”

“You can do it all, and your children will be OK.”

Catharine Lysinger SARAH HODGES

Now in her 20th year at SMU, Lysinger is a professor of practice at the Meadows School. Her colleagues at the Texas Music Teachers Association named her pre-collegiate teacher of the year in 2014, and she was nominated for the SMU Provost’s Teaching Recognition Award in both 2013 and 2017 in recognition of her commitment

Lysinger is grateful for the performance opportunities that have come with her position at SMU. Highlights are the Brancaleoni Festival in Italy, where she was on the inaugural faculty and has taught since 2016, as well as masterclasses and a recital at the Tianjin Conservatory and East China Normal University in Shanghai, China.

for her piano performances, including first prizes in the Music Teachers National Association National Young Artist Competition and the Wideman International Piano Competition. She credits those wins largely to instruction she received from her mentor, University of Houston professor Nancy Weems.

INSPIRED BY

Two remarkable women in Lysinger’s life are her mother, Mary Ellen Degnan, and Nancy Weems, a piano professor at the University of Houston.

“My mother … was a real leader in Dallas for a long time,” Lysinger said. “She did a ton of civic work in those years when she was also raising four kids.”

“Nancy was my professor through my master’s and my doctorate, and she’s a huge inspiration to me,” she said of Weems. “Not only is she a beautiful pianist, but just a super effective teacher. She totally changed my life, because she had way more vision for the possibilities of me than I did.”

“(Without her guidance,) I didn’t have the vision to even enter it or prepare for something like that or how to refine that performance,” Lysinger said.

Lysinger reimagined the education of young pianists in the piano preparatory department at SMU when she came to the university in 2004. She “reversed everything,” so students who had moved as a group through material were freed to learn at their own pace.

Many of Lysinger’s graduates have built studios, and some families have stayed in the program for as long as a decade.

But the achievements Lysinger is proudest of are those of her own children, Abby and Zach, both of whom plan to pursue careers in music.

“You can do it all, and your children will be OK,” she said.

Mom Grows Connecting Point of Park Cities To Help Adults Like Her Son

JoAnn Ryan

By Josh Hickman Special Contributor

In 2005, JoAnn Ryan’s youngest son, Ryan Albers, incurred a traumatic brain injury during a ski trip at the age of 17.

Students in Texas can attend public school through the age of 21 if they are disabled or have cognitive differences. When Albers aged out of the Highland Park High School transition class, Ryan went looking for a new program for her son — and was surprised to not find anything.

“It’s been pretty incredible how welcomed Ryan has been in settings that I was very cautious about.”

JoAnn Ryan

“At a Special Education Parent Action Committee conference, I passed around a piece of paper that read, ‘This is my situation: There’s no place for my son with this type of disability. Would anyone be interested in helping me start an option?’” Ryan said.

That’s when Ryan started Connecting Point of Park Cities. Founding board members included a doctor, HPISD’s head of special services, and others who signed Ryan’s interest form. Ryan also got teachers on board to develop curriculum.

“We had about three years of putting together a model that could be supported financially and had the components we wanted,” she said. “We opened in 2014, so this is our 10-year anniversary.”

As Connecting Point of Park Cities grew, so did the volunteer presence and programming such as adaptive yoga, adaptive tennis, martial arts, art, and music.

“They participate at whatever level they can, from observing and listening to fully

participating,” Ryan said. “We try to make every day purposeful and meaningful in these lives because it’s a very easily forgotten population. They have a lot to give and a lot for us to learn from.”

Connecting Point of Park Cities is located at University Park United Methodist Church and partners with Hyer Elementary and businesses in Preston Center. Celebrity athletes such as Clayton Kershaw, Roger Staubach, Jason Garrett, and Michael Young have also worked with the program.

There are about 50 enrolled in the Monday through Friday program, which takes place from 9 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. The age range is generally 21 to late 40s.

INSPIRED BY

Ryan notes Janet Salazar as a remarkable woman in her life. Salazar serves on the Connecting Point of Park Cities board, has a child with special needs, and is described as the nonprofit’s “secret weapon.”

“She has such a deep compassion and a deep love of people that you just know it when you meet her,” Ryan said. “I’ve watched her and her husband grow through their son’s challenges, and they just have a way of loving through it all and keep their own positive spirit, which isn’t easy.”

“We’ll probably age along with that and learn how to handle the next stage of life,” Ryan said, noting that her son is now 35 and plans to continue participating.

The nonprofit hosts a large fundraiser each April known as Hope Fest. The team partners with the Harwood Group, which has given them a venue for the last four years.

This April will mark their third Hope Fest held at Happiest Hour. Funds raised contribute to operating costs for the nonprofit and its enrollment.

“Our fees are very low, and we wouldn’t make that a barrier,” Ryan said, describing tuition costs. “If you receive funds from the state, as my son does, then we wouldn’t charge in addition to that fee.”

Ryan says she got a late entry to the special needs experience in Highland Park and has learned through her journey.

“It’s been pretty incredible how welcomed Ryan has been in settings that I was very cautious about,” she said. “It’s been a good learning curve for me.”

Ursuline Academy, Dallas’ Oldest School, Celebrates 150 Years of Sisterhood

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

In the winter of 1874, six nuns from Galveston with $146 between them arrived in the frontier town of Dallas to establish a school. Their first building was a frozen, empty cottage, but they managed to open its doors to seven students just five days later.

Today, Ursuline Academy is Dallas’ oldest continuously operating school. The schoolhouse established by the Sisters of the Order of St. Ursula has transformed into a campus that spans almost 28 acres and educates more than 880 young women in grades 9-12.

Ursuline celebrated its 150th birthday on Feb. 2 with party hats, songs, several birthday cakes, games, including family feud between the classes, and a fashion show that showcased the evolution of its uniforms from long, black dresses and bonnets to today’s button-downs, plaid skirts, and Ursuline sweatshirts.

revealed the contents of a time capsule which students placed inside a large, sealed PVC pipe and buried 50 years ago near a small apple tree outside the primary classrooms.

Inside was an elementary school yearbook and handbook, student reports on the Beatles, who had recently broken up, and the energy crisis, and uniform clothing, including a romper that was worn during PE classes and signed by 1974’s seventh graders.

“We’ve never wavered from the ultimate goal, which is the fullest possible development of these young women, development that leads to action, and action especially suffused with the spirit and presence of Jesus Christ.”

Gretchen Kane

The school has experienced revolutionary change, moves and expansions in the past 150 years, including the relocation to its current campus at the corner of Walnut Hill Lane and Inwood Road, which the sisters went into debt to purchase. But students and faculty said that Ursuline’s core values have never shifted from those the nuns brought with them to the frontier.

“We’ve never wavered from the ultimate goal, which is the fullest possible development of these young women, development that leads to action, and action especially suffused with the spirit and presence of Jesus Christ,” Ursuline president Gretchen Kane said. “That’s who we are. That’s who the nuns have always been since they came from Galveston 150 years ago.”

“The outfits might change, but in the end our legacy is still the same,” sophomore Tula Charalambopoulos said. “We still want to serve. We still want to just be there for all of our sisters. It’s just lovely.”

Ursuline’s sesquicentennial festivities began during a Founders Day broadcast when school head librarian and archivist Renee Chevallier

“There are some items that do need a little more explanation,” Chevallier told students, holding up a Greater Dallas telephone directory and disposable camera flash cube. She also showed students audio cassettes provided by first and fifth graders, remarking “we’ll need a cassette player to play those.”

She unsealed a letter written to today’s students by 1974 elementary school principal Betty Bourgeois, who was present at the broadcast.

“We are glad your life is given you and are honored that you are spending some of that life at Ursuline. It is a place we know and love, a place where the Lord lives among us,” the letter read.

Ursuline students placed their own items into a time capsule to be unsealed in another 50 years. The students chose to add a Stanley water bottle, worn saddle shoes, a uniform, schedules, a copy of The Dallas Morning News, lanyards, an edition of Ursuline’s school newspaper The Bear Facts, blazer pins, and Taylor Swift posters and bracelets.

In addition to the Feb. 2 festivities, Ursuline invited the community to join in its celebration during a sesquicentennial Mass on Jan. 27. The Dallas skyline was lit red and blue that evening to kick off the school’s Founders Week.

Student body president Victoria Arce, a senior, said she plans to return to Ursuline in another 50 years, when it will celebrate its bicentennial.

“It’s been really impactful to go to a school that has such a rich history,” she said. “It’s been such a beautiful experience to get to be a part of this.”

Students and faculty wrote UA150 on Ursuline’s soccer field. Students celebrate 150 years of Ursuline Academy.

BRANDON WADE AND STRONG A/V PRODUCTIONS

Camps

MOVIEMAKER BECOMES CAMP OPERATOR

Keith Randal Duncan aims to teach children life skills with film

By William Taylor william.taylor@peoplenewspapers.com

Camp operator Keith Randal Duncan recalls his father pausing him one Saturday as the then teen was leaving in a Star Wars uniform with blasters.

“He was like, ‘I can’t get you up for school at 7 a.m. during the week. What are you up to at 7 a.m. today?’”

“I’m making a movie,” answered the self-described weirdo, geek, nerd, who would go on to spend four-plus decades in the film and video industry.

“We started this thing out looking for those weirdos like us who had normal parents but wanted one week with not normal people.”

Keith Randal Duncan

“I love you, Keith, but I don’t understand you,” his father added, earning a “Ditto, Dad.”

Today, Duncan leads The Movie Institute, a North Texas nonprofit he founded with his wife, Martha, in 2000 to provide area youngsters opportunities in filmmaking.

“We started this thing out looking for those weirdos like us, who had normal parents but wanted one week with not normal people,” he told members of the Rotary Club of Park Cities during a meeting in the second half of 2023. “I thought, ‘What did I not have when I was a crazy movie kid in the ’70s with my Super Eight camera?’”

However, they quickly realized the institute’s work extended well beyond fun moviemaking activities.

“We actually are a youth development nonprofit,” Duncan explained, comparing youth filmmaking activities to dance.

“Dance kids usually don’t stay in dance,” he said. “They do dance up to, you know, when they get to a certain point, and they decide they want to be veterinarians or something, right?

But the dance school gave them a lot of poise and self-confidence and taught them a lot of things that they use in their everyday life.”

The institute, which is building a new 6,500-square-foot movie studio at The Shops at Willow Bend in Plano, works with schools in Dallas and Collin counties, offers workshops in various aspects of filmmaking, and runs its annual Kamp Hollywood in the summer.

Duncan estimated the nonprofit has worked with 2,000 youths in the past 23 years.

For Kamp Hollywood, youths spend a week making short films using professional equipment.

“They learn how to do it. We put them through all the paces. They write their own

Here’s Where it Gets GOOD!

Since 1959, from their first day of prekindergarten through eighth grade graduation, Good Shepherd Episcopal School has provided an environment where children realize the best versions of themselves. Our students develop independence through structured intellectual exploration, practice empathy and grow spiritually by serving others, and leave Good Shepherd equipped and emboldened to make a meaningful impact on the world around them!

script. They choose their own director, and they make the movie,” Duncan said. A professional editor completes the final cuts, and the films get shown in a red-carpet evening event at Studio Movie Grill. Outside professionals do the judging.

The staff prioritizes mentorship, making it the responsibility of every production tech, administrator, and office person to ensure every camper gets plugged into a team and finds a place in the moviemaking process.

“They learn team building. They learn how not to be so within themselves, how to work with other people, critical thinking skills,” Duncan said. “They learn those are skills that we all want them to have when they come to work for us.”

CAMP CHAMPIONS

KAMP HOLLYWOOD

What: Children ages 8-17 spend a week learning about moviemaking and collaborating on short films.

When: July 29-Aug. 2

Where: Frisco School of Music & Performing Arts, 9255 Preston Road, Frisco.

Tuition: $799 ($100 discount if registered by Feb. 29)

Information/registration: movieinstitute.org

Camp Champions has created a tradition of excellence since 1967. This beautiful camp on Lake LBJ offers the fantastic activities and best-trained counselors that you expect from a top overnight summer camp. However, it is our developmental focus on building strong kids that most differentiates Camp Champions from other top camps in Texas. Camp Champions specializes in two and three-week sessions where we create a loving community and encourage every camper to discover the best versions of themselves. Camp Champions also operates tech-free, which creates an important break from phones and screens. Learn more at www.campchampions.com.

GOOD SHEPHERD EPISCOPAL

Campers learn team building and critical thinking while spending a week making a movie. COURTESY THE MOVIE INSTITUTE

Through the Eyes of a Camp Counselor: Summer at Glen Lake Camp

It’s a strange full-circle moment when you become a camp counselor after spending years as a camper.

Though Glen Lake wasn’t the camp I grew up in, I knew the excitement and nerves that filled the girls on the first day.

Having 13 girls in a tight space for the next five nights was going to be fun – and maybe a bit stressful.

Daily reminders included:

“Don’t forget your water bottle!”

“Did you put on sunscreen?”

Mealtimes involved a battle over whether my elementary school girls were going to eat the home cooked meal served or get a plate of croutons and cheese.

The hike up the mountain was always something to look forward to, but without fail, there was a camper who didn’t have a water bottle, even though they brought one at the beginning of the week.

Despite these frustrations, I loved getting to know the new set of girls I had in my cabin each week.

I enjoyed seeing how they laughed and made new friends and experiencing their energy whenever they got to explore the camp, swim, or craft lanyards and friendship bracelets.

One girl surprised me with a beaded duck she made, which I attached to my backpack.

My favorite part of Glen Lake was evening worship, where we would sing songs and I would urge my campers to dance and have fun.

It astonished me when, by the end of the week, the girls weren’t nervous to dance, even leaving the pews to dance in the walkway or join

me and the other camp counselors at the front of the chapel.

The summer’s theme was “names of God,” and each day included a Bible story that revealed a new name of God. The mornings were led by camp staff, featuring musical talents from counselors and a small sermon to talk about the scriptures of the day.

The night before it was time for

Do you struggle with sleep?

campers to go home, I sat around a picnic table with my middle school girls as they shared emotions about camp and what was happening in their personal lives back home.

It warmed my heart to see how much love and kindness these girls gave to one another after a week of knowing each other.

When it was time to go to our next event, we couldn’t leave

AT A GLANCE

What: Glen Lake Camp, affiliated with the United Methodist Church, provides a fun environment dedicated to creating disciples of Christ for the transformation of the world.

Where: 1102 NE Barnard St., Glen Rose, Texas 76043

Amenities: a lake for swimming, a pool with a lazy river, a rock wall, a zipline, and a chapel used for morning and evening worship.

Other activities: hiking, archery, gaga ball, basketball, teambuilding games, and volleyball.

Online: glenlake.org

that moment, creating a circle for a group hug while some girls sobbed and conveyed their love for one another.

Though the week was hot, and the sun was brutal, the campers enjoyed activities like archery, gaga ball, hiking, ziplining, and swimming.

More importantly though, they understood the importance of community and made memories that would help them through the outside world, and hopefully bring them back to camp next summer.

Heather Aldridge, a senior majoring in journalism at the University of North Texas, worked at Glen Lake Camp during the summer of 2022 and interned with People Newspapers in the fall of 2023.

HEATHER ALDRIDGE

Glen Lake Camp counselors lead their charges through such traditional summer activities as fishing, hiking, and swimming. The faithbased camp also includes evening worship. COURTESY GLEN LAKE CAMP AND HEATHER ALDRIDGE

Living

ROYAL LANE BAPTIST CHURCH’S FIRST FEMALE REVEREND

Victoria Robb Powers

By Daniel Lalley Special Contributor

The Rev. Victoria Robb Powers, senior pastor at Royal Lane Baptist Church, says God put the right people in her path to pioneer a position and inspire the women around her.

The church’s first female senior pastor, Powers grew up in Southern Baptist churches. She was raised in Lubbock and is the daughter of a Mexican immigrant. While she often admired those at the head of the church, she didn’t see herself advancing past a supporting role.

“I often tell people, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see.’”

Victoria Robb Powers

“Southern Baptist is a very particular type of Baptist, which leans much more

evangelical and conservative,” Powers said. “I had a wonderful upbringing in the church and am so thankful for how formative growing up in that environment was for me but didn’t know where my role was.”

Powers attended Baylor University to pursue vocational ministry. Her perspective on what she could achieve changed during her undergraduate years.

“In one of my classes, I was introduced to a young female Hispanic senior pastor from a Baptist church in North Carolina,” Powers

said. “At the time, I didn’t know that women could be pastors in my tradition. I didn’t know women could be pastors in any tradition. I was really sort of disoriented by that.”

That encounter was enough to pique Powers’ curiosity. Immediately after, she learned of another female senior pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in Waco and went to see her preach.

From there, she felt her own calling open before her.

“I often tell people, ‘You can’t be what you can’t see,’” Powers said.

SMU Perkins’ Grad Adam Hamilton Tackles

By William Taylor william.taylor@peoplenewspapers.com

When Paul Rasmussen began pursuing his Master of Divinity in 2000, a pastor who graduated a dozen years earlier already had legendary status at SMU’s Perkins School of Theology.

“There was always this guy out in front of us named Adam Hamilton who we looked to for everything I did at that time,” the now Rev. Rasmussen recalled recently.

“Every time I was in his company, I learned, and I learned a whole lot,” Rasmussen said. “He was what we aspired to be back in the day in seminary.”

After graduating from Perkins, Hamilton returned to the Kansas City area to start a church for the non-religious or nominally religious.

Founded in 1990, the Church of the Resurrection in Leawood, Kansas, now has five locations and is the largest United Methodist church in the United States.

Rasmussen also leads one of the denomination’s most prominent congregations, the historic Highland Park United Church.

But differences between the two pastors go beyond age and geography, a fact mentioned when Hamilton visited the Park Cities in late January to speak and sign copies of his latest book, Wrestling with

Doubt, Finding Faith

“This is the 37th book that he has written, which means he has written 37 more than I have,” Rasmussen said, introducing Hamilton to the several hundred members and guests who turned out on a Tuesday night at HPUMC.

“I want to begin by recognizing that doubt is not the enemy of faith – that the doubt is normal,” Hamilton said. “In fact, I wish some Christians would doubt a little bit more.”

He said some Christians seem too gullible, too ready to believe unhealthy versions of the faith.

“Whatever their preacher said, they believe it without asking questions,” Hamilton said. “You’re not

INSPIRED BY

As far as her own remarkable woman role model, Powers credits her mother.

“My mom moved to this country as an immigrant,” Powers said. “She’s so strong and perseverant, but also modeled for me how faith can help us make our way through the world. That’s something that has truly motivated and inspired me in my own path.”

To further pursue her path, Powers attended Brite Divinity School at TCU and became ordained at Wilshire Baptist Church. She worked as chaplain for Baylor Scott & White, an associate minister at Highland Park Methodist Church, and an executive pastor at University Park United Methodist Church.

She says that while her career excelled in many aspects, God’s plan for her hadn’t yet fully played out.

“In the fall of 2022, I got a call from Royal Lane Baptist Church asking if I was interested in applying for the senior pastor role,” Powers said.

The congregation, which describes itself as a progressive and autonomous Baptist church, is not affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention.

“Long story short, I did and got the role in January of last year,” Powers said. “It’s been a real gift to be here because I waited so long to serve in my own tradition.”

Doubt, Faith, Hope

doubting comes when people walk away from faith without searching for answers to their questions, answers that could prove helpful.

He noted that when Church of the Resurrection started, about 50% of Americans didn’t go to church. It’s 62% now, with many of those identifying as spiritual but unsure what to think about God, he added.

meant to check your brain at the door of the church. God gave you that as a gift.”

The pastor said the trouble with

“A lot of folks’ doubts come from the fact that they’ve known Christians and churches that didn’t reflect the love of Christ very well,” Hamilton said. “I want to invite us to be the kinds of churches where the outcasts feel like they’re welcomed and loved. And when we do that, I think we have a future with hope.”

The Rev. Adam Hamilton uses a colandar to illustrate how Jesus can help Christians sort through difficult Scriptures, filtering such passages with the truth of Christ’s love.

WILLIAM TAYLOR

High Tail it to Denver for a Rocky Mountain High

“Rocky Mountain High” means different things to different people.

Henry John Deutschendorf Jr. aka John Denver, penned the song after an inspiring camping trip in Colorado.

Colorado has long been considered Texans’ playground, the mountain part anyway. In the past few years, Denver has become the darling of Gen Z’s live-where-they-

want, work-from-home movement, and after a recent long weekend there, I can see why.

Denver is an easy flight from Dallas Love or DFW, making a long weekend exploring the city a breeze, but there’s so much to do in the area you might want a few more days.

DO

The Denver Art Museum is a striking architectural complex that’s an attraction on its own. The Hamilton Building, covered in 9,000 titanium panels, is an engineering marvel engaging at every angle,

with serious and whimsical sculptures around it. The collections vary from Western art to textiles, plus a revolving lineup of exhibitions.

If you’re into a different kind of art, you can join a two-hour walking tour of Denver’s murals and graffiti, which ends up at the Denver Central Market, a lively food hall.

Even if you’re not outdoorsy, consider visiting REI’s Denver flagship store in a majestically transformed historic 1901 Denver Tramway Power Company Building alongside rapids where you can watch kayakers navigate the water.

Union Station is a functioning

transportation hub updated in Western opulence with restaurants, retail, and bars nearby.

“I can see why John changed Deutschendorf to Denver. Besides the obvious, it’s a great town to be associated with and well worth a visit.”

EAT

Denver’s impressive food scene includes three Michelin-starred restaurants and award-winning casual joints. One of the most influential people in American fine dining today is Bobby Stuckey, whose Tavernetta and Sunday Vinyl flank Union Station are must-go restaurants. Tocabe: An American Indian Eatery is great for a quick lunch and an introduction to Native American food, which is still a rarity on menus. The Cherry Cricket offers a sunny patio and an unforgettable green chile relleno burger.

STAY

Denver’s hotel accommodations lack an ultra-luxury brand.

Still, Hotel Clio and Halcyon, both in Cherry Creek, are gorgeous, full-service hotels in a walkable district filled with retail and restaurants.

VENTURE

You can do Denver without renting a car, but there are fabulous places to visit within an hour’s drive. Boulder is a college town with a granola-chic vibe. Pearl Street Mall is a four-block stretch of downtown with unique retail, outfitters aplenty, and a cool vintage vinyl store called Paradise Found, whose owner is a delightful Neil Diamond savant. Restaurants in Boulder are creative and elevated, with SALT and Oak two standout restaurants. I ate one of the best meals of my life last year at Frasca Food & Wine, which has since earned a Michelin Star.

Southwest of Denver lies Golden, a historic gold rush town, where you can tour Coor’s Brewery and Stranahan’s Distillery or take in a concert at Red Rocks.

Denver’s great. I can see why John changed Deutschendorf to Denver. Besides the obvious, it’s a great town to be associated with and well worth a visit.

Kersten Rettig, a freelance writer with leadership experience in the food and travel industries, lives in the Park Cities, where she is known as “the restaurant sherpa” for her recommendations. Follow her on Instagram @KerstenEats.

JOIN US FOR THE INAUGURAL

Wounded Warrior Project® (WWP) is bringing Benefit for the Brave™ to Dallas, TX for the first time! Please join us for an evening of celebration and giving in support of wounded warriors and their families.

Your attendance will help ensure that warriors have access to WWP’s life-changing programs and services – all at no cost to them.

THURSDAY, APRIL 25, 2024 • 6 pm

WOUNDED WARRIOR

SAL GONZALEZ

Find beauty inside and out at the Denver Art Museum. JAMES FLORIO

KERSTEN RETTIG

Dish Up a Bowl of Louisiana Gumbo – Talk About Good!

When I think of Louisiana, I think of New Orleans, Mardi Gras, trees draped in sphagnum moss, beignets coated in powdered sugar, and gumbo. In 2004, Louisiana declared gumbo the official state dish.

CHRISTY ROST

So, is gumbo Creole or Cajun?

The answer is – both. The Creole version generally features shellfish and okra with tomatoes, while the Cajun version is typically made with chicken and andouille sausage and no tomatoes. This spicy dish is thought to have originated in Louisiana in the early 18th century and is named after the West African word for okra, but the heart of every gumbo is its roux – a blend of butter or oil and flour. It’s used as both a thickener and for flavor, which is enhanced the longer it cooks. When gently whisked over low heat until its color resembles melted milk chocolate or even mahogany, the earthy, toasty flavor it imparts to gumbo makes this dish so delectable.

Celery, green bell peppers, and

plays a role in gumbo’s flavor and texture. Because achieving its characteristic depth of flavor takes time, my Louisiana chicken and andouille gumbo recipe includes make-ahead elements such as chicken broth.

A blend of onion and garlic powders, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and paprika, plus several dashes of Tabasco, ensures plenty of spicy flavors. Celery, bell peppers, onion, and sliced okra cradle the spicy andouille sausage and shredded chicken.

CHRISTY ROST

LOUISIANA CHICKEN AND ANDOUILLE GUMBO

Initial ingredients:

2 skinless, bone-in chicken thighs

1 skinless chicken breast

8 cups water

1 bay leaf

½ large onion, peeled and halved

1 stalk celery with leaves

1 carrot, peeled, trimmed, and cut in half crosswise

Directions: Place ingredients in a large stockpot, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat, skimming foam from the top of the liquid. Reduce heat to low, simmer 30 minutes, remove chicken, and reserve broth.

Shred chicken into bite-size pieces and discard bones. Strain broth and set it aside, discarding cooked vegetables.

rice, this gumbo makes you sit up and take notice. As my college roommate liked to say, “Talk About Good!”

Christy Rost is a cookbook author, host of Celebrating Home cooking videos, and longtime Park Cities and Preston Hollow resident. Her ‘At Home with Christy Rost’ cooking series for Eat This TV Network airs on AmazonFire, AppleTV+, Roku, Samsung TV, and YouTube. Please visit christyrost.com for details and recipes.

1 teaspoon garlic powder

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

½ teaspoon paprika

12 ounces andouille sausage, sliced and sauteed

12-ounce package frozen okra, thawed

Directions: In a small bowl, stir together salt, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, black pepper, and paprika, and set aside. In a medium skillet, whisk 1 cup oil and flour until smooth. Cook over mediumlow heat, whisking constantly, until the roux turns the color of milk chocolate, about 20 to 25 minutes. Take care the roux doesn’t burn.

Gumbo ingredients:

1 cup canola oil, for roux

1 cup flour

2 tablespoons canola oil, for sauteing

2 large stalks celery, rinsed and sliced

2 large green bell peppers, rinsed, seeded, and coarsely chopped

1 cup sweet onion, peeled and coarsely chopped

2 teaspoons coarse kosher or sea salt

2 teaspoons onion powder

Preheat a Dutch oven over medium heat, add 2 tablespoons oil, celery, peppers, and onion. Saute 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Stir in chicken. Sprinkle seasoning mix over the vegetables and chicken, toss well, and cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Stir in 6 cups chicken broth and the roux. Raise heat to medium-high and cook, uncovered, 15 to 20 minutes.

Stir in sausage and okra and several drops of Tabasco, if desired. Cover and simmer 30 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the gumbo thickens. If it’s too thick, add reserved broth a little at a time. Serve in large bowls over cooked rice.

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Hillcrest Teacher, Students on ‘Mission of Philanthropy’ for Moroccan School

By Grace Chandler

ADallas teacher and her students are on a mission to support a girls school in Morocco, where an earthquake destroyed the dormitories last fall.

Hillcrest High School history teacher Anna Sifford began a nonprofit, Action Allies United (AAU), to develop future international leaders, and The Lunar Accords, a junior diplomacy model and peace simulation organization.

“We are the next generation who are going to solve world affairs and world issues.”

Allie Schnitzer

“We are trying to innovate the way peace and conflict negotiation is done,” she said, by using “a structured academic environment.”

AAU students want to raise $40,000 for rebuilding the dormitories and present the money in person over spring break in Marrakech.

Fundraising efforts include the

inaugural Lunar Accords Gala, chaired by International Baccalaureate student Allie Schnitzer, a junior.

“I happen to be Jewish, and it was a great opportunity for me to help in the near East to bring awareness to these situations and how Jewish people can be part of the solution,” Schnitzer said. Sifford and her students, including Sepeid Goudarzi and Caden Roseman, learned about the dormitory situation at a fundraising dinner at Darna Mediterranean Eatery in Plano. They were raising money for Education for All, the same nongovernmental

organization supported by the gala.

At the dinner, they learned about the damaged dormitories and wanted to help through their nonprofit.

The Moroccan girls live in rural areas in the High Atlas Mountains, so the dorms let them attend secondary school and go home on weekends.

Sifford said the short-term goal of providing earthquake relief “is reflective and indicative of the importance we place on ‘Education for All,’ and we’ve linked that to our public diplomacy which is an effort to show how education is linked to peace reconciliation if

Edgemere Voted

there was conflict, and establishing a more academic and objective way to solve crises.”

Sifford “handpicked” students she thought were “consistent and authentic,” and would “understand what their own altruism might actually look like in action.”

In the case of the Lunar Accords name, an accord is “a written promise” to pursue this mission of peace until there’s “a sustainable solution.” Sifford and her students also have used the peace simulation organization to explore the Israeli-Palestinian conflict by making their own model.

LUNAR ACCORDS GALA

What: An Action Allies United fundraiser held to rebuild girls’ dormitories destroyed by an earthquake near Marrakech, Morocco.

When: 6 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 24

Where: Dallas Holocaust and Human Rights Museum, 300 N. Houston St.

Tickets: $55, actionalliesunited.org.

Keynote speaker: State Rep. Salman Bhojani, D-Euless, who immigrated as a teen with his family to the United States from Pakistan.

“Even though it’s a simulation, the peace and conflict negotiating skills that these students will learn in the process of these accords is what’s so invaluable,” Sifford said.

Other plans include partnering with an IB school in Casablanca and expanding their “mission of philanthropy” to other countries.

Schnitzer described what it means to the students. “We are the next generation who are going to solve world affairs and world issues – to imitate what future scholars will do when a call to action is needed.”

America’s Best Retirement Community

Edgemere was voted the No. 1 continuing care retirement community in all of Texas in 2024, and ranked No. 2 in the nation. This distinguished recognition by Newsweek and Statista places Edgemere on top among over 2,000 communities evaluated for this year’s “America’s Best Continuing Care Retirement Communities.”

The Plaza at Edgemere was also recognized in the top 3% of healthcare centers by U.S. News & World Report and earned a five-star rating for 2023.

It’s powerful evidence of Edgemere’s enduring dedication to

each resident.

Anna Sifford

FROM LEFT: Sepeid Goudarzi, Caroline Carter, Joseph Suchala, Caden Roseman, Alexia Stine, Claire Gunter, and Alba del Rio. IAN MCCLOSKEY AND COURTESY ACTION ALLIES UNITED Allie Schnitzer

Trending on TikTok – #SMURush

By Sarah Hodges sarah.hodges@peoplenewspapers.com

Her top with the oversized pink bows in the back is from Nana Jacqueline, her jeans are Hauser, her hot pink heels are EGO, her dangling silver earrings are from Dillard’s, and the video featuring her Outfit of the Day has been viewed on TikTok more than 5 million times.

Videos documenting the SMU sorority rush experience were trending on TikTok in January. Most #SMURush videos feature students’ Outfit of the Day (OOTD). How ever, there are also choreographed dance videos and at least one video, with 8.8 million views, that tearfully documents sorority rejection.

Then, there are videos made about the students’ videos. Some use shopping web sites to price the OOTDs, which — if you believe TikTok content creators — can cost in excess of $25,000. And there are yet more videos explaining sorority rush or criticizing the rush system itself.

you have all of these little pieces of puzzle that tell a larger story.”

Sorority rush videos first made a splash in 2021 at the University of Alabama. Hit #BamaRush videos sparked a TikTok trend, especially at southern schools with an active Greek life. Viewers unfamiliar with rush may not comprehend “the cost and the investment in the process,” Boffone explained. “People are tuned in, they want to watch, because it sort of gives transpar ency to a thing that a lot of people often

So why did clips about the sorority rush experiences of SMU undergrads get more views than the Emmys? (To be fair, the Emmys did have a record-low year.)

“At the end of the day, TikTok is a storytelling platform,” explained Trevor Boffone, author of Renegades: Digital Dance Cultures from Dubsmash to TikTok and editor of TikTok Cultures in the United States. “It’s telling a story in a nuanced way, where

the school’s Greek organizations. In May 2023, new member fees at the seven sororities ranged from $2,525 to $3,878, according to the Guidebook.

SMU undergrads are aware of the interest in sorority rush, Boffone explained, and understand how to make their TikTok content a hit.

“Going viral gets you followers, and with followers comes opportunity,” he said. “The opportunity might not exist right now for these young women, but when they graduate college, and they have these platforms, it opens them up to a whole new world of possibility.”

WOW! 15 Years of Mission Work for Guatemalan Children

COURTESY WOW

In 2008, 12 eighth-grade girls from such Preston Hollow schools as St. Monica Catholic, Parish Episcopal, and St. Rita Catholic and their mothers took a mission trip to Guatemala to serve orphaned and vulnerable children.

They returned wanting to do more and founded Women for Orphans Worldwide (WOW), now a national auxiliary of Orphan Outreach.

In the years since, WOW has raised more than $3.5 million and taken more than 50 mission trips involving more than 1,500 WOW members and friends.

All of that was celebrated during the 15th WOW Luncheon on Dec. 4 at the Westin Dallas Galleria.

– Compiled by staff

11/03/1948-12/12/2023

Clayton Lynn Sawyers, age 75, of Kemp, Texas, passed away on December 12, 2023, after a yearlong battle with bile duct cancer.

Clayton was born on November 3, 1948, to Ralph and Daisy Sawyers in Dallas, Texas. After graduating from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1967, he went to college at Tyler Junior College.

Clayton went on to work at the Texas Body Shop in Oak Cliff with

his father. Clayton later owned Texas Body Shop and had the privilege of working on many cars for friends and clients.

In 1967, Clayton met Martha Womack at Tyler Junior College. Clayton and Martha went on to have 4 daughters, Jacque Sawyers, Emilie Sawyers, Aimee Rado, and Elizabeth Sawyers. Clayton lived in the Park Cities for 35 years before moving to Cedar Creek Country Club.

In 2023, Clayton retired and spent most of his time being Santa Claus to hundreds, if not more, of children and adults. Clayton was a professional Santa Claus for over 20 years and played Santa for friends and family for 48 years.

Clayton was predeceased by his father, Ralph Sawyers, and his mother, Daisy Sawyers. He is survived by his spouse Martha Sawyers, his children, Jacque Sawyers, Emilie Sawyers, Aimee and Kiel Rado, Elizabeth Sawyers, his sister Denise Bunch, and nephews James Bunch and Sean Bunch.

Let your loved one’s memory live on.

BACK: Amy Bowers, Stephanie Phillips, Margo Isbell, Susan Piot, and Tamara Robinson

FRONT: Liz Williamson, Cata Cooper, Lisa Madden, and Amy Mentgen

Amy Norton, Cheryl Nelson, Margo Isbell, and Tiffany Taylor Wines

BACK: Ursuline Academy seniors and their mothers, Amy Coke, Julie Wolf, Lisa Madden, Amy Mentgen, Liz Williamson, Margo Isbell, and Sally Goebel.

FRONT: Rankin Holman, Angelina DeVita, Zoe Coke, Faith Hill, Claire Madden, Addison Mentgen, Georgia Williamson, Olivia Isbell, and Sarah Goebel

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Choose the Leader When Listing Your Home

Allie Beth Allman & Associates sells more luxury homes than any other competitor, according to MLS.

A search for the right home is a search for the right relationship – a strategy that has delivered success to the clients of Allie Beth Allman & Associates, the leading luxury brokerage

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Prospective Homebuyers Head to Preston Hollow

Allie Beth Allman & Associates offers luxury in Preston Hollow, from new builds to estates.

For 2024, the experts at Allie Beth Allman & Associates are predicting it will be another strong year for home sales

EBBY HALLIDAY

Carolyn Rosson Named RISMedia Real Estate Newsmaker

Carolyn Rosson, President & CEO of the Ebby Halliday Companies, has been selected as a RISMedia 2024 Real Estate Newsmaker—a dynamic group of key influencers making

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Your Park Cities Home is Calling…

Allie Beth Allman & Associates announces several significant new listings in the Park Cities.

In 2023, average sales price grew steadily in Highland

in Dallas, for decades.

The Allie Beth Allman & Associates team of entrepreneurs has the market knowledge to adapt their marketing and sales strategy for each home based on the neighborhood, street and block.

And, while most homes are sold to local neighbors, the brokerage boasts the strongest global partners through its partnership with the invitation-only Leading Real Estate Companies of the World.

Local knowledge combined with global connections equals the best in service for Allie Beth Allman & Associates clients.

That’s why these homeowners chose to list with the leaders.

Pristine at 6541 Stichter Ave., the 5,472-square-foot home is dressed in stone and welcomes you with grand warmth, including a fountain in the manicured front yard.

Add in the five-bedroom abode’s media room and it undoubtedly feels like a Preston Hollow paradise.

An eye-catching Highland Park property has forever-home potential. It’s all about the details at this transitional stunner.

When touring 4572 Arcady Ave., be sure to take in the beautiful woodwork, fashionable light fixtures, and careful marble selections.

in Preston Hollow.

Looking at the previous year, 542 homes sold in this prestigious neighborhood, for a total sales volume of $675,872,224, according to the Multiple Listing Service. That number does not include private sales.

Here are five exceptional homes available in Preston Hollow.

On more than an acre in sought-after Mayflower Estates, a mid-century modern home at 5207 Kelsey Road features a floor plan with split bedrooms. The exterior has lovely fountains and gas lighting.

At 6414 Waggoner Drive, well-designed landscaping ensures privacy. A pool with a cooling waterfall is the centerpiece of the yard. Entertain guests on the large patio, which has both a fireplace and a grill.

The French-style estate at 5100 Brookview Drive features a private guest cabana, pool and pickleball court. The downstairs primary suite includes a sitting room and gym.

The custom-built, five-bedroom home at 4407 Gloster Road in Old Preston Hollow is looking for only its second owner in its 30-year history. Take a swim in the remodeled pool and spa, or relax with friends and family around a gaspowered fire pit.

headlines as a result of their newsworthy contributions to the real estate industry, and their efforts to positively affect the consumers and communities they serve.

RISMedia’s 2024 Real Estate Newsmakers were nominated by RISMedia readers and editors and are showcased in the following categories: Influencers, Trailblazers, Futurists, Achievers, Crusaders, Inspirations, Luminaries and Trendsetters. Rosson was honored in the Luminaries category.

“While this award may have my name on it, it’s each of our more than 2,000 agents and employees who really deserve this honor,” says Rosson. “They go above and beyond each and every day to serve our valued clients with the utmost professionalism. am so honored and humbled to be part of our amazing team at the Ebby Halliday Companies.”

Adds Rosson, “Relationships are the foundation of our success, and together, we work tirelessly to serve our clients with unwavering integrity and a commitment to excellence. In this journey, it’s the people and the genuine connections we create that truly make my role as President and CEO profoundly rewarding.”

Visit ebby.com.

Park, from $3,304,341 in 2022 to $3,764,955. The same goes for University Park, where average sales price jumped from $2,000,353 to $2,439,688.

If a new home in the Park Cities is on your to-do list, these are available from Allie Beth Allman & Associates.

In Volk Estates, 4021 Glenwick Lane offers luxury and comfort. Perfect for living and entertaining, this family friendly residence has been meticulously updated. A screened porch next to the kitchen overlooks the pool.

In the good old days, mansions often featured a designated card room with a bar for playing games with friends and family. The French-inspired masterpiece at 4408 Arcady Ave. in Highland Park still does.

If you’re looking for privacy, tour the seven-bedroom mansion at 3500 Dartmouth Ave., where a tall hedge and stately stone fence line the 99-foot frontage. This almost 9,000-square-foot home features vaulted ceilings and a beautiful library.

A traditional, five-bedroom home in the heart of University Park’s fairway, 3704 Marquette St., is designed for sophisticated entertaining, with a well-equipped kitchen and butler’s pantry, two dishwashers and an outside patio with automatic screens.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Feast Your Eyes on These Dazzling Dallas Estates

Allie Beth Allman & Associates leads DFW’s real estate market in estates listed at $6 million+.

Start your 2024 adventure in an exquisite new residence, with the help of the experts at Allie Beth Allman & Associates.

DAVE PERRY-MILLER REAL ESTATE Designer Details Define This Hockaday-Area Home

Experience a seamless blend of work, play, and exquisite family living in this 4-bedroom, 4.5-bath home at 4815 Allencrest Lane (4815allencrest.daveperrymiller. com) in the prestigious Forestcrest neighborhood. The light and bright 2021 home is listed by Debbie Sherrington for $1,950,000.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN

Must-See Luxury Estates for Discerning Buyers in 2024

The luxury leaders at Allie Beth Allman & Associates offer estates for sale across the region.

Allie Beth Allman & Associates has brought mesmerizing residences to market that will delight the most discerning buyers and perhaps make someone’s new year dreams come true.

These three homes are just a glimpse at the

The brokerage assures confidentiality, privacy and deep understanding of the luxury market.

A Louisiana aesthetic inspired the magnificent home at 3825 Potomac Ave. A picturesque front porch and second-level balcony run the length of the façade, creating instant possibilities for outdoor living. The possibilities for fun in the sun continue in the lushly landscaped back yard, counting a covered porch with a grill station, a pool and spa, and a detached guest house with a full gym.

In Preston Hollow’s Mayflower Estates neighborhood, the custom home at 5315 Meaders Lane sits on 1.2 acres and has a larger-than-life presence. It offers pristine perks like a two-story great room, a wet bar and wine room, a kitchen with double islands, and an oversized patio with heaters and motorized shades.

Another Highland Park gem is available at 4408 Arcady Ave. The six-bedroom masterpiece features a unique, large spa parallel to the pool. From the grand foyer with a dramatic, curving staircase to the wood-paneled study to stately fireplaces, French-inspired elegance is around every corner.

It boasts a spacious interior with four distinct living areas, an additional covered space in the rear, and a refreshing pool on a nearly half-acre lot. Highlights include luxurious Onyx France tile in the primary suite bath, a striking tile mural from Ann Sacks in the downstairs guest bath, and impeccable tile from Texasbased Pratt and Larson adorning the kitchen backsplash and wood-burning fireplace.

The kitchen is equipped with a service pantry, beverage fridge, Quartzite countertops, and Sub-Zero/ Wolf appliances. Additional enhancements include a built-in speaker system and two tankless water heaters. Thoughtfully designed spaces abound, from the office and ample storage to the second living area upstairs with charming farm sink.

For questions, contact Sherrington at 214-762-6957 or debbiesherrington@dpmre.com.

Dave Perry-Miller Real Estate (dpmre.com) is a division of the Ebby Halliday Companies, a Berkshire Hathaway affiliate, with four locations that specialize in Preston Hollow, Park Cities, North Dallas, Lakewood, East Dallas, Uptown, Kessler Park and Farm & Ranch properties.

properties Allie Beth Allman & Associates’ agents represent that are priced above $7 million. Be sure to reach out to an agent to get the details on all their current offerings.

In Highland Park, the French-inspired masterpiece at 3518 Armstrong Ave. impresses with more than 12,200 square feet of living space, eight fireplaces and six bedrooms.

A spa-like primary suite, gourmet kitchen and great room with wood-vaulted ceilings are just a few more perks inside to look forward to. Outside, the backyard elevates the luxury experience further with a pool, spa, outdoor kitchen and manicured landscaping.

Nearby in University Park, an architectural gem designed by Oglesby Greene awaits at 6625 Golf Drive, brimming with high-end finishes and sleek allure.

The heart of the home is the two-story living room with a fireplace, which breezily leads out to a cantilevered deck overlooking the pool and babbling creek.

List your home with the luxury leaders at Allie Beth Allman & Associates. Call to connect with an expert agent: https://www.alliebeth.com/roster/Agents

walls along with limestone flooring. The gourmet kitchen, designed by Christopher Peacock, features hand-crafted cabinetry and custom hardware that compliments the hand cut Ann Sachs tile backsplash. Cambria Borgini marble and Stone Smith countertops.The spacious primary suite has custom his and her bathrooms, featuring Zanger tile. A large, covered terrace accessible by hideaway sliding doors from the living area and is landscaped with custom faux plants, to remain. Three additional terraces are accessible from one of two studies as well as the guest suite & her master bath. Residence 8BC includes a private three-car garage adjacent two additional parking spaces, all located in a controlled access underground parking garage. Truly a one-of-a-kind, stunning home.

ALLIE BETH ALLMAN URBAN