The Right at HOME magazine May 2020 Issue

WE ARE OPEN TO SEE ALL DENTAL EMERGENCIES! To reduce the burden on hospitals and emergency rooms during the COVID-19 outbreak, 7 to 7 Dental will remain open 7 days a week for all dental emergencies.

When the city shelter at home restrictions have been lifted, 7 to 7 Dental & Orthodontics will start accepting appointments for cleanings and restorative dentistry. For updates, visit our website and/or social media pages.

DENTAL

& ORTHODONTICS 210-495-2000

www.7to7Dental.com

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Financial Survival in the time of COVID-19

By Kate Crosby, Vice President, Frost

W

hen 2020 began, few, if any, of us could have expected that in just weeks our lives would be turned upside down by a mysterious virus that causes a dangerous disease called COVID-19. Now, like the rest of the world, we are facing down a viral threat, not only to our physical health but also to our economic wellbeing.

Our ability to survive now and thrive later will depend on how well we take care of ourselves physically and financially.

Keeping yourself healthy and safe is your first priority, but maintaining your financial health during the COVID-19 outbreak is also vital to ensure you stay prepared for whatever happens in the coming weeks. What can you do to protect your finances now and emerge from the pandemic ready to move forward?

• Expect the unexpected. With so many unanswered questions about the disease and the economy, financial experts caution to be more careful than usual with your household finances. Look for ways to cut expenses, even if only temporarily.

• Manage stress appropriately. Resist the temptation to soothe anxiety or boredom by indulging in online retail therapy or a big splurge, such as a new car.

• If you’re still working, consider boosting your emergency fund; if you’re not working, use your emergency fund as you need it, and thank yourself for having the discipline to save for a time like this.

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• Seek help when you need it. If the pandemic has affected your income, many lenders, utility companies, landlords and others are willing to help you through this unusual time. Best approach: Proactively reach out for help before you miss payments and damage your credit score.

• If you own a small business, look for special lending solutions from the state of Texas, your lender, and if additional funds are made available, from the Small Business Administration through its Paycheck Protection Program (PPP).

• Stay calm. If you are an investor, the current volatile stock market may have you on edge, but investment decisions made out of negative emotions, such as fear and confusion, can actually hurt you financially. Take a deep breath, think about your goals and talk to your financial or wealth advisor for guidance.

• Take care of yourself emotionally. Purposely look for ways, even if they are small, to put some “normal” back in your life.

Would you like to talk to a financial professional? Contact Kate at 210.220.5118 or kcrosby@frostbank.com.

Investment and insurance products are not FDIC insured, are not bank guaranteed, and may lose value.

Brokerage services offered through Frost Brokerage Services, Inc., Member FINRA/SIPC, and investment advisory services offered through Frost Investment Services, LLC, a registered investment adviser. Both companies are subsidiaries of Frost Bank.

Additionally, insurance products are offered through Frost Insurance.

Deposit and loan products are offered through Frost Bank, Member FDIC. Frost does not provide legal or tax advice. Please seek legal or tax advice from legal and/or tax professionals.

MOBILE BANKING. ONLINE BANKING. A N D G O O D O L’ F A C E -T O - F A C E B A N K I N G .

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Your Debt is Paid Lifehouse Church Cancels $3.1 Million of Unpaid Medical Debt as Easter Gift to Neighbors message titled, “My Debt is Paid.” Lifehouse Church livestreams services at 9:15 and 11:00 a.m., Sundays.

“Medical debt is one of the leading causes of personal bankruptcy and contributes significantly to the likelihood of a person experiencing homelessness. By improving the person’s credit, it will help them get back on their feet after their illness, while making it easier to get a job, get an apartment, and pay fewer fees and lower loan rates.”

The impacted households will receive a letter letting them know that Lifehouse Church has paid their medical debt as a way to love their neighbors well – no strings attached.

By Amy Morgan

T

his Easter, congregations of churches all over the city will be celebrating the holiday much differently than usual.

Instead of gathering together to hunt eggs, worship and share a special meal, people are looking for meaningful ways to commemorate the season as they comply with the Stay at Home order.

Long before the word Covid-19 was in anybody’s vocabulary, Lifehouse Church in Stone Oak had quietly put a plan in motion to share the love of Christ this Easter with members of their community. They connected with RIP Medical Debt to cancel $3.1 million of debt for individuals living in 78258.

Lifehouse church is located near Wilderness Oak and Blanco Roads within this zip code.

The church spent $31,000 out of its own congregational giving fund to erase $3.1 million in debt owed by their neighbors.

The church paid a penny for every dollar of debt to wipe out the entirety of medical debt owed by qualified recipients, said Ryan Coffey, who has served as Lead Pastor of Lifehouse Church for more than 13 years.

Persons were identified as those whose medical debt had gone to collections, who make less than twice the federal poverty level, have medical debt that is more than 5% of their annual income or have debts greater than their assets. RIP Medical Debt also will work with credit agencies to restore the credit impact from this previously unpaid debt for those whose debt was paid.

“We wanted to do something practical for those who are struggling to facilitate the idea that ultimately our eternal debt is paid,” Coffey said. “A majority of those who qualify might be veterans or elderly.”

The debt forgiveness program and its parallel to the forgiveness of the debt of sin offered by Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection will be the highlight of Coffey’s Easter 8

“All of this is being done in Jesus’ name because of the generosity of our God and the compassion and mercy He has shown us,” Coffey added.

Go to Lifehousesa.com or follow them on social media @ Lifehousesa for upcoming “social distance events” being planned to commemorate Holy Week and to offer prayer and encouragement in this trying time.

MEET YOUR NEIGHBORS Pinch A Penny Pool Patio Spa made its debut in San Antonio in 2018, with the Fossil Creek location on Bulverde Road; locally owned and operated by Aaron Thompson and Madison Johnson.

Aaron was raised in Van Ormy, and Madison is from Montana.

They have worked in the pool industry for seven years and have owned their own business for four years. Their daughter attends Cornerstone School, and they have attended Community Bible Church for ten years. They support their local community through donations to Johnson High School and a local nonprofit that supports breast cancer patients, survivors, and their families called Overcomers Daughters of the King of Kings. In addition to the one-stop pool and spa supply retail store on Bulverde Road, Aaron offers pool/spa cleaning & maintenance, and is licensed to repair and install all major pool equipment brands.

In July 2019, the second Pinch A Penny location opened in San Antonio, at The Vineyard, on Blanco Road. This location is locally owned and operated by Philip & Valerie Ott. They have lived in the Stone Oak area of San Antonio for sixteen years.

Their oldest son plays tennis at Reagan High School, while their two younger children are year-round competitive swimmers for Alamo Area Aquatics Association. Valerie is a certified Pilates Instructor, teaching at studios in Stone Oak & San Antonio; while Philip worked for the local YMCA before becoming the owner of your local Pinch A Penny store, offering retail, pool/spa cleaning & maintenance, and is licensed to repair and install all major pool equipment brands.

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Offers valid through 12/31/20. Pool Service Offer: Minimum 3 month contract. New customers only. Pool must be clean and all equipment in working order. In-Store Offer: Max $20 Savings.

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SENIOR MOMENT

A Winning Team Couple Celebrates 65th Wedding Anniversary, Cheer St. Louis Cardinals Together

By Amy Morgan

R

uby and Jimmie Norman look forward to celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary this summer almost as eagerly as they anticipate the opening day of baseball season. The dedicated St. Louis Cardinals fans held spring training season tickets right behind the home dugout for more than 20 years, relinquishing them only upon leaving Florida in 2019 to join the Independence Hill Retirement Community. The couple moved to be closer to their daughter, Shela, who lives in Spring Branch.

Jimmie grew up listening to Cardinals’ games on the radio. KMOX’s broadcast across the Midwest was a mainstay of the Northeastern Arkansas farming community where he spent his boyhood.

“I remember picking cotton one time when the Cardinals were playing in the World Series,” Jimmie said. “My dad let me go into the barn and listen to the game with my grandpa.” Jimmie returned home after a four-year stint in the Navy, and the Normans met at Beebe Junior College, where Ruby was a friend of Jimmie’s sister.

Ruby and Jimmie Norman look forward

The couple moved to the St. Louis area and spent decades working in separate to celebrating their 65th wedding careers. Ruby taught elementary school, and Jimmie was a manufacturing anniversary this summer almost as eagerly as they anticipate the opening day engineer at McDonnell Douglas. When they left St. Louis for the warmer of baseball season. climate of Jupiter, Florida in 1999, the Normans’ first stop was the Cardinals’ ticket booth. They hit the ballpark before getting a bite to eat or find a place to live, Ruby emphasized. They remember happy times with fellow fans, many also from the St. Louis area, who met before the game to “help out the manager,” Jimmie said.

“I told the people at the ticket booth the Cardinals would come down in full steam,” Jimmie said. Of the 8000 seats in the stadium, three-fourths would be filled with fans from St. Louis, earning the team the fourth largest attendance in both leagues.

After their children, Shela, and their son, Brent, left home, the Normans began investing in and managing real estate. At one point, they owned 27 properties. Ruby just deactivated her realtor license this summer at the age of 84. The couple worked synergistically to manage their business.

“You have to be a team, especially when you are doing something collective like buying and selling houses,” Jimmie said.

They fondly remember their most lucrative deal — the purchase of a high-rise apartment in Florida that was converting to condos right when prices started to skyrocket. They sold it the next year at great profit.

Their advice to those interested in investing in real estate, “Have a good tax accountant, because if you make a penny, you want to keep it.”

The couple is planning a Disney cruise this fall with their family —including the four great-grandchildren — to commemorate their milestone anniversary.

But they jumped at the opportunity this Valentine’s Day to renew their vows along with 15 other couples at a special ceremony planned by Independence Hill. The event was held in the Ivy Room, beautifully decorated with wedding portraits and dresses, and included photography and cake cutting.

The Normans enjoy their Sunday School and Young at Heart fellowship group at Parkhills Baptist Church. The two remain a committed team – in baseball and life.

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The Normans are dedicated St. Louis Cardinals fans and held spring training season tickets right behind the home dugout for more than 20 years.

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PET TIP

Deadly Disease

Keep Fido Far from Killer Algae Toxins

The problem begins with blue-green algae, which can be found in every local waterway and excretes a substance toxic to dogs. Due to several factors, the algae have begun to multiply and spread. One catalyst — nonnative Zebra Mussels have changed the aquatic environment, allowing more sunlight to penetrate bodies of water and fostering algae growth. The greater the presence of algae, the greater the opportunity it affects a waterloving dog. Unfortunately, scientists are still searching for an effective way to eradicate this infestation.

By Courtney Crowley

ast summer, pet parents became alarmed when several precious pups L lost their lives after contact with algae

growing in local bodies of water. As things begin to warm up this spring and summer, a dip in one of our area lakes or rivers sounds attractive. But with the potential proliferation of the toxic algae, is it safe for our canine companions to return to their favorite swimming holes?

Another concern, you cannot discern by sight whether the water into which Fido is yearning to leap is safe or contains potentially deadly algae blooms. The algae thrive in clear, warm water with little flow, like Lake Travis, where multiple pups were affected last year. City officials reopened the lake to dogs in November, but they warned the toxins can return at any time.

Skip the risk and still enjoy a delightful splash for those whose pups crave a watery dip. Many local dog-training facilities in the San Antonio area offer open dock diving pools, where they monitor safe water quality. Their small fee ensures you and your furry family members can enjoy your swim —worry free.

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STUDENT SPOTLIGHT

Home Away from Home Senior Class Officer Enjoys Reagan’s Opportunities

By Amy Morgan

R

onald Reagan High School Senior Michelle Phillips is a living representation of the best parts of both of her American and Mexican heritage. Her grandfather was born in New York City and conferred his American citizenship to Michelle’s father, who, although living most of his life in Mexico, embraces his two nationalities.

Michelle and her older sister Zyanya, a 2019 Reagan graduate, also remain dual citizens of the United States and Mexico. The girls were raised in Monterrey until their junior years of high school, when their father brought them to San Antonio to take advantage of the educational opportunities afforded in America. Michelle’s mother and younger sister plan to join them in San Antonio this summer.

Michelle Phillips was encouraged to serve as a senior class officer at Reagan High School this year where the officers embraced the unifying goal, #wearereagan.

Despite the new culture and necessity of absorbing lessons in her second language, Michelle has not just survived at Reagan, she has thrived. At the suggestion of her Algebra teacher, Wayne Becken, she sought a position as senior class officer. As a senior representative she is a bridge between student groups on campus and helps plan school-wide events. “I like giving everyone a voice,” she said. The organization’s goal for Reagan this year was to unify the school rather than emphasizing competition and created a #WeareReagan hashtag to remind everyone of their strength as a whole.

Although she did have the security of her sister’s presence her first year at Reagan, Michelle found fellow students very welcoming.

“When I moved here from Mexico, it wasn’t hard for me to get involved. I met my best friend in Organic Chemistry when we started talking in Spanish together. It helps you feel at home.”

Michelle appreciates that at Reagan, unlike in Mexico, she is free to select the elective classes she desires. She also praised the assistance afforded by counselors like Miss Tanner, who she describes as “very wise.” Michelle enjoyed classes like Principles of Applied Engineering where students learn how to design stress bridges and a CO2powered automobile, She plans to attend Purdue University in the fall to prepare to pursue a career in aerospace engineering.

Michelle also is secretary of the SkillsUSA Club, where students compete in Animation, Architecture and Engineering using an AutoCAD 2D Inventor animated drawing program to create 3D sketches.

The most difficult aspect of leaving Mexico for Michelle is feeling homesick for her relatives who all live in close proximity, she said. She returns in the summers and volunteers with her cousins at Mexico Unidos - a camp that promotes inclusion of people with disabilities.

As a group leader, she interacts with school-age children, supervising recreation and outings including a visit to the professional league’s soccer stadium and a water park. “The kids are amazing,” Michelle added. They ground her in her heritage as she moves forward toward her bright future.

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