April 2024 WAN

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Mela Sarajane Dailey

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WAYA COMMUNITY

Family Day Hits New Records, Making a Difference for Austin Youth, Families

The WAYA Community came together on Friday, April 5 to celebrate Family Day, WAYA’s biggest annual fundraiser. Thanks to the support of the community, a record-breaking $632,000 was raised. Proceeds from Family Day directly impact the youth of Austin by providing much needed funds for WAYA’s youth sports leagues, preschool, programs and facility. The evening was spent with bouncy houses, face painters, laser tag, dunk tanks, delicious food, and signature adult beverages. Family Day 2024 had a record turn out with over 1,200 in attendance including WAYA kids, parents, grandparents and friends.

WAYA has a lot to celebrate this year serving over 16,000 kids from 50 different zip codes through WAYA sports, WAYA Preschool, camps and after-school programs. WAYA offers over 30 sports programs including baseball, basketball, flag football, soccer, volleyball, lacrosse, gymnastics and more for the recreational player through the skilled athlete. The WAYA Preschool serves over 100 families through a play-based curriculum.

WAYA has served the Austin community for over 44 years. WAYA’s mission is to provide the best athletic, recreational, and educational experiences for all children to reach their highest potential. For more information, visit www.waya.org.

openingexpandingcelebrating Around the Neighborhood:

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Estilo is hosting a Mother’s Day party at Estilo, 2727 Exposition, on May 9 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. Enjoy drinks, food, giveaways, flower crowns, hair styling, and poems by Typewriter Poet. Sponsored by Stroll Highland Park West, and email Emily.eyob@n2co.com to reserve your spot

An Nyeong K-Tofu and BBQ opened this month on Burnet Road in the old Citizen Eatery location. Open Monday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and 5 p.m. to 9 p.m., the menu features a variety of tofu soups, Korean bbq, mixed rice, and appetizers. At 5011 Burnet Road and annyeongktofu.com

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Mac Knights May 18th Scramble at Morris Williams Golf Course on Manor Road east of Airport benefits McCallum golf teams. Your $150 entry fee helps buy training equipment and gets you breakfast and lunch, greens fees, and a cart. $500 sponsorships available. Email Clifford. Stanchos@austinisd.org for details or to sign up or help sponsor the tournament.

3 Trojan Belles Spring Show is April 25-27 at Anderson High School Performing Arts Center, celebrating 50 years of Trojan Belles. Tickets at trojanbelles. com, and shows at 7 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with a matinee at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Performances at 8403 Mesa Drive, or see trojanbelles.com for info

Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center is hosting Twilight Tuesdays from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. through May 14. Betty Soo provides entertainment on Tuesday, April 30, with food available from Konfusedesi and Garbo’s Lobster. Regular admission fees for Twilight Tuesdays on April 30, May 7, and May 14. Info at wildflower.org. The Wildflower Center is at 4801 La Crosse Ave. off South Mopac

Around the Neighborhood:

Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Schoenstatt, located at 225 Addie Roy Road in Westlake, is open daily from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. for personal reflection and prayer. Mass is in Spanish every second and fourth Sunday of the month at 1:00 p.m. and in English on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 7:00 a.m. Visit www.schoenstatt-austin.us for more information.

Sunset Valley SFC Farmers’ Market, located at the Toney Burger Center, 3200 Jones Rd, now provides a recycling drop-off location for Styrofoam on the first Saturday of each month. The collected Styrofoam is taken to Austin’s Recycle and Reuse Drop-off Center, where it is safely processed into materials used in park benches, insulation, picture frames, and other useful products. The SFC Farmers Market is open rain or shine on Saturdays from 9:00-1:00 year round.

Admirals Spring Party welcomes new members for 2024

The Admirals Club of Austin recently welcomed its new members for 2024 with a Spring Party at the Headliners Club. The evening was hosted by Leigh and Ben Richards, chief of Naval Operations; Delaine and Bryan Teeple, first vice chief of Naval Operations, and Catherine and Kyle Parks, second vice chief of Naval Operations.

New members for 2024 are Parker Abblitt, Ben Browder, Blake Browder, Chris Ford, Tucker Hughes, John Keller, Kent McNeil, Matt Morris, Bill Netherton, Gardner Pate, Weston Payne, John Romano, Tom Schulze, Ben Stratmann, Austin Trantham, and John Turner.

The 63rd Admirals Club Coronation weekend will be held Aug. 2-4 and will include various festivities leading up to the annual debutante ball.

Head Market

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1111 Hwy 290 West

Mela Sarajane Dailey

MBY FORREST PREECE

any West Austin News readers have heard Mela Sarajane Dailey sing and are aware of her presence in the arts community. But there is a lot of her story that many don’t know about.

For Mela, a middle school student in Jacksonville, Texas, population 10,000, her first big break came when she won a singing competition, and a representative from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts in Dallas came through town and heard her. (This Dallas high school is one of the most important learning institutions in the country for artistically talented students.) The official asked Mela to come try out for acceptance into this prestigious school, but she thought it would be a wasted effort. “There would be no way I could enroll someplace 200 miles from home,” Mela says. Fate smiled on her, though. She aced her tryout, and her family packed up and moved to Dallas, where she had classmates like Norah Jones and Erykah Badu.

Fifteen-year-old Mela was intimidated at first, but soon she was playing Billie Holiday and Glinda Good Witch in theater performances, and singing in a gospel choir with people like Kirk Franklin, who went on to be a multiple Grammy winner. She notes that because she was one of three white kids in the music department, “I found out what it’s like to be

‘the other,’ a valuable experience.”

And speaking of breaks — one day, Nelda Cain, an aspiring country singer and the fourth wife of T. Boone Pickens, came to the school and held auditions for her backup group. Mela was one of her picks, and soon this girl who’d never been on an airplane before was flying to sing at almost every state fair in the country. Suddenly, she was making more money than her parents!

ON TO THE NEXT STAGE

After graduating first in her class and a year early (yes, she’s competitive), Mela went to New York University for orientation, but soon realized that she could not afford to live there — and graduating with $80,000 in student loan debt was not an option. She returned to Texas, and enrolled at Southwest Texas (now Texas State) to major in musical theater. She was recruited into the opera program, learned the requisite languages, and was given roles that would prove critical in the next phase of her journey.

After graduating from Southwest Texas, she applied

at UT. She went through auditions, and she says she was ranked dead last in her incoming class. But she plowed through and earned her master’s degree anyway. Mela gives special thanks to a generous woman named Bonnie Fielder, who took ten students under her wing, and helped them with expenses for auditions, outfits for tryouts, and plane flights. “I couldn’t have made it through this phase in my life without her.”

After that, on her third try (the last one possible), she got into Juilliard in New York City on scholarship and spent a year there building relationships and honing her craft. Returning to Southwest Texas at age 24, she spent a year doing “three normal people’s jobs,” including running the honors program, and by the end of that semester, she had landed enough work in the performing world to leave academia.

So how did she meet her husband Peter Bay, conductor of the Austin Symphony Orchestra? She had first seen him in Tower Records on Guadalupe when she was an undergraduate at Southwest Texas. She was “kind of star struck” and she knew then that she wanted to marry him – but that wouldn’t be possible if he only bought classical records. She did some stalking, and when she saw him picking out Bill Evans and Sting CDs, she knew things would work out. Five years later, her agent asked her why she hadn’t been trying out for Peter Bay, and forced the issue. Mela arranged for an audition, Peter was impressed, and gave her the nod to sing the solos in Handel’s Messiah that season. “I had an even bigger crush on him then!”

The next day, she hired

get serious, and they have been together for 20 years now.

AMERICAN ARTISTS

PROJECT

During the first part of her career, Mela realized that the performance experiences she had had ranged from great to terrible. There would be times when she would agree to do something and then had to perform several more shows than the agreement stated for the same money, and so on. She started thinking that she could be a producer and that she would treat performers the way they wanted to be treated. Furthermore, she could hire people who were “ridiculously talented,” but they were people of color or had just been overlooked. It seemed like the same people were getting hired for everything. She also saw that there were people who had enormous raw talent, but

arts professionals into places like Navarro, LBJ or The Ann Richards School to give young students instruction and guidance. Master classes were another option. “Band, choir, and orchestra directors want to give individual guidance to their students, but if they have 200 of them to deal with, that’s impossible.”

In 2019, to better this situation, Mela decided to start a non-profit called American Artists Project, and she began fundraising. The goal was to

Peter to conduct the University-wide symposium on Hate at Southwest Texas. They wound up having six-hour-long talks about the program and there were sparks in the air. It didn’t take long for them to

needed lessons and there was no educational pipeline for students who couldn’t afford private lessons.

Those experiences gave her ideas. She felt that if she could raise the funds, she could send

implement affordability and workforce development for kids. “After we gained traction, students who won state competitions and had received other honors were now getting scholarships, grants, and the

support that they needed,” Mela says.

Another thing – she saw that many of the arts donors in Austin did not have opportunities to mingle with the up-andcomers on a social basis. So she started Broadway Brunches that people could host in their homes with students and professional artists in attendance — and the performers are paid for their efforts.

American Artists Project has taken off and tripled in size each year. In 2024, they raised $198,000 during Amplify Austin, the largest of any arts organization, and the fifth largest overall. Now they are having Broadway Brunches in Santa Fe, Houston, and even Hawaii, and are starting groups in Puerto Vallarta and Galveston.

The relationships built at these events pay dividends. They have had situations where a young artist may be entering a program at an expensive place of higher learning, is $10,000 short, and they are able to contact someone who has met them, make an ask, and funding is provided. Mela is proud that they have expanded their donor base from the original handful of large-scale patrons to having hundreds of contributors –even some in other countries.

On another front, Mela says that it took four years for them to find the right director, but now they are starting a program for artists who are autistic or have disabilities. Many families don’t get to participate in the arts when their children have these issues and American Artists Project is working to change that.  “We are using the arts to create equity. People want to build relationships with artists and to know the performers,” Mela says. “Everybody wins.”

Troop 410 honors nine new Eagle Scouts

By Alana Moehring Mallard

Capitol Area Council Troop 410 recently celebrated an Eagle Scout Court of Honor with nine new Eagle Scouts – an honor achieved by only 4 percent of Scouts nationwide.

Troop 410’s new Eagle Scouts are Charles Keith Presnell, Jack Anthony Presnell, and Collin Patrick Horwedel of Scorpion Patrol; Edward Santiago Bomba, Finnegan Guy Griffith, John Roland Dietz, and Henry Grant Snyder of Griffin Patrol; and Finian David Kressin and Jackson Alan Whipple of Comanche Patrol. Troop 410 has been chartered by The Church at Highland Park on Balcones since 1956.

JACK WHIPPLE

Jack Whipple crossed over to Troop 410 after his time as a Cub Scout and Webelo, joining his older brother and two older cousins. He is a freshman at Austin Community College, and will soon transfer to Embry-Riddle in Flagstaff, Arizona, to pursue an education and career in aviation.

Jack’s Eagle Project benefitted his family church where he grew up and was a member of the youth group. He built a dais for the outdoor sanctuary, which included excavating a hillside and installing a retaining wall, as well as building a communion table and pews for clergy, and general clean up and repair of the rest of the outdoor sanctuary space.

FINN KRESSIN

Finn Kressin has served as Patrol Leader, Quartermaster, and Webmaster for Troop 410, which he crossed over into in 2016 after joining Pack 55 in 2013 when he moved to Austin. He is a freshman at Brandeis University studying biochemistry and following a pre-med path.

Finn’s Eagle Project benefitted the Vireo Preserve north of Wild Basin Wilderness Preserve, where he renovated and improved trails and planted pioneer species to encourage plant growth in barren areas.

HENRY SNYDER

Henry Snyder joined Troop 410 in

1917 and has attended scout summer camps at Tomahawk Scout Ranch in Wisconsin, Gorham Scout Ranch in Colorado, and Buffalo Trails in West Texas. At Philmont in 2021 he earned his 50-miler and hopes to work at Philmont as a ranger. He is a senior at McCallum, and plants to study Civil Engineering in college.

Henry’s Eagle project benefitted University United Methodist Church by refurbishing the courtyard with mulch and sand, building two benches, and repainting the playground equipment.

FINN GRIFFIN

Finn Griffin’s Eagle Project added another purple martin birdhouse at Gullett Elementary School. For the project he coordinated fundraising, obtaining school and city approval and permits, recruiting scout volunteers to construct the birdhouse, as well as setting the pole and installing the birdhouse.

Finn is a senior at McCallum High School and Fine Arts Academy, and he enjoys acting, hiking, water polo, and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. In a gap year he hope to become a trek guide for a Boy Scout camp and audition for film acting opportunies to build his resume for film school.

JOHN DIETZ

John Dietz, a senior at McCallum High School, joined Troop 410 as a sixth grader when his friend, and now fellow Eagle, Edward Bomba invited him to a troop meeting. He has played varsity baseball at McCallum for three years and is a tutor through McCallum’s National Honor Society chapter.

John’s Eagle Project was a renovation of the North Austin Optimist baseball fields bullpen.

EDWARD BOMBA

Edward Bomba is a senior at

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McCallum High School where he plays football, and he plans to study business in college. During his scouting career he has attended summer camps at Camp Tomahawk in Wisconsin, Camp Skymont in Tennessee, Gorham Scout Ranch in New Mexico, Buffalo Trail Scout Ranch in West Texas, and Camp Alexander in Colorado, as well as camps at Philmont and St. Thomas Sea Base.

Edward’s Eagle Project benefitted the Austin Retirement and Nursing Center where he planned and led adaptive garden improvements, including the installation of raised planters.

CHARLIE PRESNELL

Charlie Presnell came to Troop 410 in 2017 from Hyde Park Baptist’s Pack 459, specifically for adventurous campouts and bush craft skills, and he has traveled the country with his troop to summer camps and high

adventure camps, including one summer as a camp counselor at Camp Alexander near Pikes Peak in Colorado to teach fishing and aquatics. Charlie is a senior at Hyde Park High School, and will attend Colorado Christian University to study business and get into the real estate investment business.

Charlie’s Eagle Project benefitted Cerebral Palsy Awareness Transition Hope, where he built therapy benches for the local nonprofit.

JACK PRESNELL

Jack Presnell, Charlie’s twin, also came to Troop 410 in 2017 from Hyde Park Baptist’s Pack 459. He earned a 50-Miler sailing award at Sea Base St. Thomas in the Caribbean and trekked more than 60 days during a 12-day backpacking trip through the Sangre de Christo Mountains at Philmont, New Mexico. Jack, a senior at Hyde Park High School, plans to study business at Texas A&M or the University of Oklahoma.

Jack’s Eagle Project was to improve the safety and use of a b ackyard area at Brady’s Bridge, a special needs after-school program in Leander, including repairing plumbing, removing a large stump, and leveling terrain.

COLIN HORWEDEL

Colin Horwedel began scouting in Galveston with Pack 120, and move d to Pack 55 in 2016 when his family moved to Austin. In Troop 410 since 2017, Colin served as the troop’s Senior Patrol Leader, as district camporee scout coordinator, and as crew leader for his sailing expedition at Sea Base St. Thomas. He is a senior at LASA High School where he was a member of the LASA robotics team, making State two years in a row, and pitched for the LASA Raptor baseball team. He is a camp staffer at Camp Olympia in Trinity, Texas. He will attend Texas A&M to study Engineering Colin’s Eagle Project benefitted Grace Gardens Preschool at St. John’s United Methodist Church, where he built an outdoor shed for the preschool.

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Third Annual Imagine Muny Gala Raises Over $1 Million

By Forrest Preece

The Muny Conservancy’s third annual fundraising event, the Imagine Muny Gala, hosted a star-studded crowd at the ACL Live at the Moody Theater on Sunday, March 24. The event delighted guests with informative programming about Muny’s history, a live auction, and a concert by Texas all-star acts. At the end of the night, the event had raised more than $1 million for The Muny Conservancy.

Muny Conservancy cochairs Ben Crenshaw and Scotty Sayers kicked off the evening by hosting a ‘green carpet’ media event alongside Muny Board Members Ed Clements and Angela Akins Garcia, joined by her PGA Golfer husband and Muny supporter, Sergio Garcia, as well as Asleep at the Wheel front man and Muny Conservancy Board Member Ray Benson, Larry and Rudy Gatlin, sports commentator Verne Lundquist, Austin NAACP President Nelson Linder, actors Turk Pipkin and Kyle Chandler, TV personalities Chris Harrison and wife Lauren Zima, First Lady of Texas Cecilia Abbott, Mayor Kirk Watson, Austin City Council member Alison Alter, and Save Muny supporter and champion of 50+ years, Mary Arnold.

After the seated dinner and live auction, spirited performances by Asleep at the Wheel, Larry and Rudy Gatlin, Jimmie Vaughan, and Gary P. Nunn entertained the crowd, which clapped, danced, and sang along with the tunes.

Sayers said, “Once the course is preserved, we have plans to restore and improve

it. Our aim is to keep public golf affordable, and create an even more dynamic public facility, where everyone can play and enjoy community activities. We’re staying optimistic and working on a daily basis to make all of our goals a reality, and a win-win for all stakeholders.”

ABOUT THE MUNY CONSERVANCY

The Muny Conservancy was created to help preserve and improve one of Austin’s iconic recreational green spaces, Lions Municipal Golf Course. Its mission is to help make sure that all 141 acres at the course are saved for future generations to enjoy, with affordable golf and public accessibility. The site is also significant because of its Civil Rights history. Its wildlife, heritage oaks, and 18 holes of golf have been an important part of Austin’s parkland since 1924. Learn more by visiting themunyconservancy.com and by following @savemuny on Instagram and Facebook.

PHOTOS BY AMY E. PRICE

GO REDFOR WOMEN Luncheon

Raises Awareness and Critical Funds

More than 400 people dressed in red attended the annual Austin Go Red for Women Luncheon to honor survivors, celebrate advancements in heart health and chart a new course toward a world free of cardiovascular disease, which claims the lives of 1 in 3 women.

During the event, keynote speaker Jennie Garth vulnerably shared her own connection with heart disease and stroke. She shared memories of her time in the hospital after her father’s heart attack at just 37 and the procedures that followed over the next 30 years. She also shared her health journey while also supporting her mom as her health begins to deteriorate.

The luncheon was also an opportunity to share recent accomplishments in Central Texas such as the Screen, Educate & Refer self-measured blood pressure management programs with pregnancy resource centers that is addressing the maternal health mortality epidemic. Heart disease is the No. 1 killer of new moms and a staggering 90 percent of those deaths were preventable. Cardiovascular disease during pregnancy can leave women and their children at a higher risk of facing a lifetime of heart-related issues.

“I am thrilled to be a part of celebrating the progress Go Red for Women has made over the past 20 years,” said Austin Go Red for Women Centennial Chairperson Virginia Visser. “But we can’t do it alone. It’s time to make bold moves and support innovative solutions for women’s cardiovascular health. Because when we come together, we can motivate, educate, support and help save each other.”

This year, Austin Go Red for Women Luncheon guests rallied at the heart-healthy event and raised over $450,000 to save and improve women’s lives by advancing equitable research and care, advocating for inclusive health policies and raising awareness of women’s number one health threat, cardiovascular disease (CVD). For more information, visit heart.org.

National Charity League Celebrates Mother-Daughter Achievements

The Capital of Texas chapter of the National Charity League is celebrating mothers and daughters who have completed a six-year program centered around philanthropy, leadership, and culture. During their six-year commitment to NCL, the class of 2024 and their mothers volunteered 2,076 hours in the Austin community.

Other outstanding achievements within the senior class include:

▲ Anderson senior Emily Fletcher completed the most service hours, totaling 229 hours over her six-year term.

▲ Vandergriff senior Lily Burnett served as class president this year.

▲ Emily Fletcher and Lily Burnett earned the Moth-

er-Daughter Award for serving over 30 philanthropy hours this year.

▲ Emily Fletcher, St. Stephens senior Ava Sadasivan, and Griffin School senior Laurel Larrew served as con-

fidence mentors this year. Congratulations to the entire NCL Capital of Texas class of 2023 NCL on completing a rigorous six-year program and serving as volunteers in various area philanthropies.

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Good Friday Pilgrimage Records Record Turnout

By Anne DeVries

On March 29th, Good Friday, the Schoenstatt Movement of Austin held its annual Pilgrimage to commemorate the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.

The 9-mile walk began at St. Mary’s Catholic Cathedral at 203 E 10th Street and culminated at the Marian Shrine of Our Lady of Schoenstatt, 225 Addie Roy Road in Westlake. Over 1,000 people attended the event.

Schoenstatt is an international Catholic movement of education and spiritual formation. Their mission is to nurture the growth of individuals as free, dedicated, and active witnesses of Christ in modern life by uniting faith with everyday life. The Schoenstatt Shrine is the movement’s spiritual home.

The Good Friday tradition in Austin was started over ten years ago by a small group of students from the University of Texas. The number of pilgrims has grown yearly, and for many individuals and families, it has become a traditional way to spend Good Friday. During the 9-mile walk, numerous stops are made to recognize the Catholic devotions called the Stations of the Cross, which commemorate specific events of Jesus Christ’s last day on Earth as a man. UT students still play an active role in the day, playing the roles of Jesus, his mother, Mary, priests, and Roman soldiers.

Francisco Carrillo and his wife, Marisabel, served as co-directors for the event. Both are active members of the Schoenstatt Movement of Austin. Together, they helped coordinate the sharing of the day’s needs between the different branches of the Schoenstatt community, including a family branch, a university branch, and a mothers and young professional men’s branch. Each sector was responsible for different contributions, including snacks and water, role portrayals for the station stops, transportation, first aid, and safety.

Nicholas McCann was the MC for the event. He took great care to help orchestrate each stop during the pilgrimage, including conducting the live station of the cross re-enactments portrayed by the UT students. Regarding the event’s significance, he stated, “It means a lot to me because it is an opportunity to bear witness to the faith and to participate in a very ancient tradition.”

The Good Friday Pilgrimage was a profoundly moving event on one of the most solemn days in Christian Theology. The Schoenstatt Movement of Austin strives to provide opportunities for the church and community to engage with modern-day culture as a testimony of God’s Kingdom in the world.

Easter Egg Stories

— Compiled by Forrest Preece

Easter happened a few weeks ago, and it inspired us to collect and share some memories of this holiday.

Ihave fond memories of Easter Egg hunts at the “old” Austin Country Club on Riverside Drive with nothing but green grass sprinkled with colorful eggs, unending draped picnic tables and beautiful blue skies (no skyscrapers or buildings in the distance!). We would arrive, meet other families, and gather friends for a grand hunt on the rolling grasses (not the golf greens). The eggs were visible in the grass as they let the “little ones” go first (for the easy ones) in a designated amount of time after which we could all run for the eggs along the greens and into the tree-lined dips in the area before the putting green! There was always a golden egg to be won, and, after the hunt we all dined in the area with aged trees along the golf course at those tables until dusk and stayed until the “lightning bugs” came out when we would run again! It was a celebration, a tradition, and a real family event for multi generations!

—

WHERE I’M

Austinite, professional illustrator

FORREST PREECE

Tim Staley Executive Director, The Library Foundation

1. What’s something about you that not many people know?

Dare I say it – I’m from Oklahoma.

T he only Easter egg hunt story that comes to mind happened when our four children were very young. Since I am not a morning person, I decided to have our Easter egg hunt after church when we could leisurely hunt for eggs. Being very efficient, the Easter Bunny came early and hid all the brightly colored plastic eggs in the front yard before we left for church. We chose the front yard because our dogs were in the backyard, and we were afraid they would crunch the eggs. Unfortunately, a flock of aggressive and hungry grackles found the Easter eggs and pecked holes in almost every one.

Grackles are also very efficient!

— Anna Marie Speir, Civic Volunteer

2. What was your first job?

Tennis instructor

6. Most powerful movie you have seen.

Amores Perros

7. Favorite place in Austin?

Austin Central Library — of course!

One of Lynn Remadna’s most memorable experiences was the time Debbie Kitchen got her to dress up in her large yellow bird outfit for an Easter egg party Big Brothers and Big Sisters were having at River Place. “I’m deathly afraid of heights,” Lynn said. “But they wanted me to go up in this helicopter and make an entrance. Let me tell you, once you get that head on, you can’t see beans — and that little helicopter was just big enough for me and the pilot. In fact, my rear end was hanging out of the side. I was already feeling kind of sick that day and barely being able to breathe inside the head wasn’t helping anything. They finally put the helicopter down and I was so glad to be on the ground that I climbed out and started kissing the pavement. I was about to get my composure back, when I raised my head and saw about 500 kids running towards me. Honestly, I thought that I was hallucinating!”

3. If you could have dinner with three people — dead or alive, at any time in history — who would they be?

I would be hesitant to bring back, say, Catherine the Great, Sequoyah or Arthur Ashe from their respective graves, as each of them would likely be bitterly disappointed to discover that the sole purpose of their temporary revival is to dine with me. I’m more comfortable inviting people who would presumably be happy to have dinner with me such as my wife and kids - I said presumably. (Sorry, that’s a total of four.)

8. Favorite restaurant and watering hole

Loro

9. What did you want to be when you were growing up?

A fireman?

10. Which living person do you most admire?

Salman Rushdie, who is the embodiment of the freedom of expression.

11. What makes you happy?

d get y I 003)

— The late Lynn Remadna, beloved West Austinite (from a story I wrote about her in March 2003)

I grew up as the first grandchild in the arms of my extended Italian-American family. Holidays involve highly symbolic food preparations. Easter is no exception. My Easter memories involve gathering around my grandmother’s Formica table to make “the cookies’’ and “the Easter Pizza.” These were long sessions of kneading and chopping. My aunts would talk a lot. Sometimes, when there was something untoward, they would lapse into “Italianish,” which I associated with scandalous, adult things, so I tried to remember what was said until I, too, could wheeze with laughter like my grandmother and her sisters. It was around this table I learned the symbolism of the Easter bread. The egg? Religious rebirth. The Dough? Faith. (You have to believe the dough will rise). The sprinkles? Winter is long, and sprinkles are festive. Anise-flavoring because that’s what tastes best with coffee. Anyhow, I later learned these foods had actual names like, pane di Pascua (Easter Bread), calzone (Easter pizza) and anginietti (the anise knots). I also later learned that there’s nothing more delicious than knowing five ways to insult a woman’s reputation for how she rolls the dough.

Shannon Murray, Educator

4. If you had to pick three musicians for a playlist, who would they be?

Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, Terry Allen.

5. Favorite book and TV show?

Finding that long sought after first edition for a quarter at a garage sale.

12. Best advice you ever received?

“Take it easy but take it.”

Woody Guthrie

Missy Harris, native

A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man by James Joyce; Deadwood

SPRING FOR THE WATER 2024 Brings Hope, Love & Clean Water to Burundi

With smiles from ear to ear, Gazelle Foundation Co-Founder and award-winning professional runner Gilbert Tuhabonye shared from the stage, “When [clean] water comes to a village, it’s a celebration of life.” A sold-out crowd gathered on February 23, 2024, at the W Hotel for the Gazelle Foundation’s Spring For The Water Gala.

Organized by Spring For The Water Gala Committee Chairs Natalie Brown and Paula McCaul, who have coordinated the event for many years, the fundraiser exceeded its goal and raised more than $200K to fund, design, and build more sustainable, clean water systems in Burundi. Through the generosity of sponsors and attendees, a new massive water system will be constructed to serve more than 3,100 individuals and two schools.

Dr. Tom Byrd and Gilbert Tuhabonye shared a conversation on stage with Radio Personality Ed Clements

about the progress and need for clean water in rural Burundi. Dr. Byrd shared that it was not unusual for patients at the health clinics he works with to have walked 4-5 hours for care. Gilbert Tuhabonye shared a story about caring for his mother as a middle schooler when she became sick. He and a group of friends carried her across Burundi’s lush hills and valleys to a health clinic miles away. He stayed with his mom, and continued fetching water miles away for her care as she recovered. Gilbert wondered aloud on stage, “I must have been super dehydrated. How did I do this?”

A genocide survivor, Gilbert’s indomitable spirit, infectious joy, and dedication to bringing hope and peace to his birth country resulted in the foundation’s creation. “Everybody deserves clean water,” he says. Since 2006, the Gazelle Foundation has given permanent access to clean water to 128,760 Burundians. Learn more at GazelleFoundation.org.

“Everybody deserves clean water.”

—Gilbert Tuhabonye

Inspired by Gilbert’s story of forgiveness and hope?

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PHOTOS BY ELIZABETH KREUTZ

Austin Opera’s annual fundraising gala, Serenata: El Encanto de México, took place at the Four Seasons Hotel Austin and honored initial investors in the company’s groundbreaking Opera ATX series, Judy and Patrick Cantilo, and Lead Education and Community Engagement sponsor for over 35 years, H-E-B.

Austin Opera Board Chair Susanne Tetzlaff Co-Chaired the event with Trustee Bruno Brunner. Wife of the General Consul of Mexico in Austin Patricia Lerdo de Tejada served as Honorary Chair. Serenata: El Encanto de Mexico celebrated Mexican culture and opera and featured performances by mezzo-soprano Vanessa Alonzo and Steinway pianist Esteban Alvarez, Mariachi Paredes de Tejastitlán University of Texas, and Selena tribute band Bidi Bidi Banda.

Thanks to the generosity of 350 guests, Serenata: El Encanto de México, was the company’s best-attended and highest-grossing Serenata Gala to date, raising over $560,000 during the evening

through sponsorships, ticket purchases, live and silent auctions, and a live appeal for donations. Kandace and Dennis Eakin and Eva Womack and ElenaGoyanes were presenting sponsors with lead sponsor support provided by Judy and Patrick Cantilo. Funds raised at the event will be used to support world-class opera programming and arts education programs for the city of Austin.

Serving Central Texas since 1986, Austin Opera inspires audiences with its trademark blend of innovation and artistic excellence. Austin Opera presents a curated season of grand opera productions at the Long Center. Combining the finest American and international stars with the outstanding local talent of Austin Opera’s Orchestra and Chorus, Austin Opera’s productions include accessible takes on classic operas as well as challenging new works that reinforce the continuing relevance of opera. To learn more about Austin Opera, visit austinopera.org.

Long Center Award Luncheon Spotlights Support for Austin Arts

HONORS 2024 RECIPIENTS H-E-B AND “THE THREE J’S”

Long Center for the Performing Arts held the 2024 Icon Awards on Wednesday, March 27. This special luncheon honored H-E-B and “The Three J’s” — Jo Anne Christian, Jane Sibley, and Jare Smith – the three women who made the dream of the Long Center a reality. The event was attended by over 200 individuals and raised $100,000 for the organization.

Taking place from the Meredith Family Stage in the Long Center’s 2,442-seat theatre, Dell Hall, the fundraising luncheon not only honored recipients with the Icon Award, it also celebrated the strength of partnerships and the artistic spirit of Austin that has made the Long Center what it is today. The luncheon included special performances from Austin Symphony Orchestra Assistant Principal Cellist Anna Park and tenured cellist Frank Jenkins, Mezzo-Soprano and Austin Opera’s Curator of Hispanic & Latinx Programming Claudia Chapa, Heller Awards for Young Artists’ Best Lead Female nominee, Sophie Gwaldo, Austin singer-songwriter Betty Soo, and a special tribute from Ballet Austin, presided over by Master of Ceremonies Mayor Kirk Watson

The Long Center Icon Award honors individuals, corporations, and organizations in the community for their outstanding commitment to the arts in Austin. Proceeds from the Icon Awards support the Long Center’s mission to serve and uplift Austin’s creatives while being a catalyst for creative discovery in our community.

The 2024 Event Committee included Event Chairs: Lisa Lucero, Board Chair, Jane Webre, Membership Committee Chair and Committee Members: Jeff Bidstrup, Edna Butts, Elizabeth Christian, John Crow, Jay Fox, Teresa Villaseñor Harris, Craig Hester, Emmy Alcocer-Hill, Liz Howard, Blaine Legere, Emily Moreland, Brian Oaks, Brian Powell, David Schiff, Tom Sellers, and Lynn Yeldell. The Long Center is an iconic cultural hub and community gathering place. Built in 2008 and with a local history that spans many more generations, the Long Center is dedicated to fueling community through creativity, elevating Austin’s creative sector, and connecting communities near and far through creative discovery. For more information, visit www. thelongcenter.org.

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Hyde Park High School Welcomes New Principal

On April 9th, Hyde Park High School (HPHS) welcomed a new principal into its leadership ranks. Following an extensive search, Mrs. Adora Matangira was chosen to lead their Upper School serving grades 9-12 at the Hyde Park Quarries Campus.

Mrs. Matangira, a familiar face to the Hyde Park Community, brings a wealth of experience and dedication. She has previously served as a Biology Teacher, Science Department Chair, Instructional Technology Specialist, and Director of Curriculum and Instruction at Hyde Park. After a successful stint as the Elementary Principal at Round Rock Christian Academy in Round Rock, TX, she returned to Hyde Park in 2023, ready to take on new challenges.

Mrs. Matangira’s educational journey began over a decade ago as a Middle School science teacher in

North Carolina. Her dedication to education led to her receiving several fellowships. In 2008, she was named a North Carolina Teaching Fellow and Charlotte Teacher Institute (CTI) Fellow. During this fellowship, she collaborated with professors at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) and Davidson College to design innovative science curriculum and unit plans for middle school educators.

and mission make her the ideal candidate to lead the Upper School.

Regarding her new role, she stated, “I am blessed by this opportunity to serve as Upper School Principal. I am grateful to be a part of the plan that God has for the school. We will continue to foster an environment that empowers students to achieve success academically, personally, and eternally in Christ. It will take all of us working together in order for our students to be all that God has called them to be. ”

In her new role, Mrs. Matangira is deeply committed to creating an environment that prioritizes transforming students’ lives for Christ while empowering them to achieve academic and personal excellence. Her leadership, deep understanding, and alignment with Hyde Park’s values

QI AM BLESSED BY THIS OPPORTUNITY.”

—ADORA MATANGIRA, SPEAKING TO STUDENTS AT A QUESTIONAND-ANSWER SESSION

In addition to her impressive work experience, Mrs. Matangira holds a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Secondary Education from Queens University of Charlotte and a master’s in Educational Leadership from Concordia University-Portland. She completed her Principal Preparation Program in Educational Administration through Lamar University.

The Hyde Park Community is thrilled that Mrs. Matangira has accepted the position of upper school principal, and they look forward to her transformational contributions to their students for years to come.

Heritage Title Company prides itself as an industry leader in title and escrow services in Texas and across the country. We recognize that the women behind Heritage Title Company greatly contribute to the success of the company. Two-

demonstrate unparalleled attention to detail, industry knowledge, and a commitment to excellence. We are honored to celebrate this team of extraordinary women.

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Kacy Dolce is leaving her mark on the real estate industry.

Kacy Dolce has made significant strides in the real estate industry in her almost 16 years in the industry. She has broken through barriers and made her mark on Austin, Texas. She is known to go above and beyond for her clients while also taking on leadership roles in order to serve other agents in the Austin area.

Kacy was drawn to join the Austin Board of Directors to advocate for brokerage services and enhance professional development opportunities and has served on the Texas Association of Realtors Professional Development & Member Benefits Committees, as well as with the National Association of Realtors on the Leading Edge Advisory Board. By using her strengths of thinking strategically and working collaboratively she leads and navigates these waters in collaboration with her colleagues.

Overall, Kacy continues to show her love for real estate and is someone who is highly skilled, motivated, and dedicated to not only helping her clients succeed but also leaving a positive mark on the real estate industry along the way.

Wonders & Worries hosted its annual Envision Gala on Friday, March 1st at the JW Marriott in Downtown Austin. Through the incredible support of over 700 Central Texas community members, the gala raised $909,000 to provide free support to families with serious parental illness or injury. The committee for the Envision Gala includes committee co-chairs Meaghan Mooney and Karen Norrod and committee members Meredith Bagan, Chielsey Barber, Savanna Bogardus, Courtney Boss, Marwa Gelil, Gigi Gomel, Caroline Kabiri, Cindy Leavings, Katharine Lord, Cynthia Ramirez-McConnell, Emily McDonald, Amanda Moore, Veronica Morrison, Jessica Wyatt and Genesis Zuniga. For more information about child life services for children and families with parental illness offered at Wonders & Worries, visit www. wondersandworries.org.