May 2024 WAN

SHOAL CREEK CONSERVANCY

CELEBRATING 10 YEARS OF STEWARDSHIP

By Alana Moehring Mallard

Shoal Creek Conservancy

celebrated 10 years of advocacy for Shoal Creek with a State of Shoal Creek breakfast earlier this month. Speakers were Shoal Creek Conservancy founder Ted Siff and City of Austin council members Leslie Pool and Alison Alter.

Shoal Creek Conservancy executive director Ivey Kaiser said this anniversary celebration highlighted the organization’s focus on championing the entire Shoal Creek watershed to improve the water quality for wildlife and human visitors to Shoal Creek. The conservancy is within a handful of miles of completing a 30-mile loop of hike and bike trails running through the 13-square-mile area of Shoal Creek watershed.

The State of Shoal Creek breakfast surpassed the conservancy’s goal of raising $5,000 to fund an intern for the organization, which will allow a semester of training and development under the guidance of Shoal Creek Conservancy staff Board members of Shoal Creek Conservancy are Felicia Garcia, Michelle Slattery,

PHOTOS BY NICHOLAS J. CARROLL

Ulf Habermann, Shannon Stagner, Clinton Sayers, Steve Davis, RJ Endsley, Brian Greig, Perry Horton, Sara Koeninger, Hector Leiva Jr, Jeffrey Richard, Lauren Taylor, and Ana Wanamaker; Ted Siff is founder and former board member. Go to shoalcreekconservancy.org to volunteer to help remove litter and recyclables from Shoal Creek on June 14 and June 29. The conservancy along with Yellow Bike, Ghisallo, and Austin Watershed Protection Department will sponsor a Shoal Creek Bike Tour on June 8.

Troops 5 & 50 Award Eagle Scout Rank to Eleven

Eleven Scouts

– 6 girls and 5 boys – from sister/brother Scout Troops 50 and 5 were awarded the rank of Eagle Scout in a ceremony on Sunday, April 28 at First United Methodist Church.

This is the first dual ceremony of boys and girls for the two troops, which are closely linked by families, troop leaders, and the host church, First United Methodist Church. The new Eagle Scouts include:

▲ Zack Ellington, son of Andy Ellington and Heather Deiderick

▲ Hudson Hawes, son of David and Jeanne Hawes

▲ Farrah Kleeman, daughter of John and Michele Kleeman

▲ Fiona Kleeman, daughter of John and Michele Kleeman

▲ Lyla Macon, daughter of Randall and Veronica Macon

▲ Griffin Meroney, son of Mike and Shannon Meroney

▲ Owen Miller, son of Kenny and Melissa Miller

▲ Griffin Moore, son of Susan Moore

▲ Skylar Moore, daughter of Susan Moore

Scouts

▲ Ali Reichenberg, daughter of Jason and Michelle Reichenberg

▲ Rylie Shieh, daughter of James and Sue Shieh

Since the inception of the Eagle Scout award in 1912, only about 2 percent of eligible Scouts have earned Scouting’s highest honor. Although the percentage has trended upward, this award is still incredibly rare.

Troop 5 was founded in 1911, one year after Boy Scouts of America was established.

Troop 5 was the second troop to be formed in Austin, and is one of the oldest continuously operating troops in the United States.

Troop 50 was established

in 2019, making it one of the very first BSA Scout troops in the country that welcomed girls in Scouting. In 2018, a small group of central Austin families saw the upcoming opportunities that were being made available for girls in Scouting, and took advantage the next year.

Troop 5 and 50’s Eagle Scout ceremony opened with a bagpiper, followed by a brass band of Scouts who played our National Anthem, and a dozen Scouts and leaders who led Scouts through the Scout Oath and Law, Trail to Eagle advancement, presentation of candidates, the Eagle promise and finally, the Eagle charge.

At the Eagle Court of Honor, each family pinned the coveted Eagle Badge on their Scout’s uniform and presented the Eagle neckerchief. In turn, Scouts presented their parents with Eagle “Mom” or “Dad” lapel pins to commemorate the occasion.

Troop 5 Committee Chair Brian Wilson said, “Our ceremony was a first with Eagle Scouts from both Troop 5 and Troop 50. It both honors our heritage and looks to the future. We celebrate these Eagle Scouts, and anticipate future Eagle Scouts from Troop 5, Troop 50, and other troops around the world. We place great hope and expectation in each of them.”

National Merit scholarship winners were announced May 8 and included local students from six schools. Each winner will receive a $2,500 college scholarship.

Austin winners include:

From St. Stephens Episcopal School, Jorik Damman who will study in college for a career in mathematics.

From Anderson High School, Tula David who will study for a career in neuroscience, and Alexa Meachum.

From Alpha Academy, Kate Liemandt who plans to pursue a career in writing.

From Veritas Academy, Carson Ferris who will attend Texas A&M as a Brown Scholar in the field of medicine.

From Westlake High

Our PATRON SPONSORS/SUBSCRIBERS

School, Patrick Flaherty who plans to study computer engineering, Joshua Kou who will study mathematics, Nasser Romman who plans to enter the field of banking, Julia Ward-Mulligan who will study astrophysics, and Cedric Xia who will also study mathematics.

From Phillips Exeter Academy in Exeter, New Hampshire, William Newby who will study Economics. The 2,500 scholarship winners nationwide were chosen from 15,000 finalists in the National Merit Scholarship Program on the basis of their academic record, PSAT and SAT scores, leadership in school and community, an essay, and a recommendation from their high school.

Around the Neighborhood:

openingexpandingcelebrating

ACE Academy will relocate to The Church at Highland Park next month, at 5206 Balcones Drive, moving from its longtime location on Shoalcreek. Established in 2005, ACE Academy provides gifted programming from kinder through eighth grade. See austingifted. org for summer and fall sessions or call 512-2064070 Movie in the Park at Deep Eddy Municipal Pool off Lake Austin Blvd. on June 13 is Jaws, the 1975 classic. Movie in the Park is a free program of Austin Parks Foundation and Rocket Cinema. Jaws will start at dusk at Deep Eddy Pool, 401 Deep Eddy Ave., and you can bring your floaty, your chair, your blanket, your snacks – but no alcohol, Styrofoam, or glass and no smoking. More info at austinparks.org/movies

Austin Pond & Garden Tour is June 1 and 2, sponsored by Austin Pond Society. Tickets are at austinpondsociety.org, with north ponds featured Saturday, and south ponds featured Sunday. Contact pondtour@austinpondsociety.org for more info.

Foxtrot Market at 4818 Burnet Road closed last month, along with three other Austin locations of the upscale market. Across the country, Chicago-based Foxtrot and sibling brand Dom’s Kitchen and Market closed 35 locations on April 23, citing “no viable option.”

and

Around the Neighborhood:

Closing/Opening in Westlake: Blue Dahlia has vacated its location at 3663 Bee Cave Road near Breed and Co. Swedish Hill Bakery which has been in Austin for 50 years, will soon take over the space. The bakery will serve Westlake as a destination for coffee, freshly baked breads and pastries, made-to-order sandwiches, salads, deli case specialties, and cakes. The opening date has not been announced.

Hearth & Soul Studio ATX has relocat-

ed to 904D W 12th Street. Previously located in the Casis Shopping Center in Tarrytown, they will continue to offer a shopping experience and gathering place for shoppers and the community at their new location. Discover beautiful things for yourself, your home, or someone special in your life at their studio. Open Tuesday through Saturday from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., they also offer personalized shopping service by calling 512-474-7685. 8

Pepita’s Cafe and Bar is scheduled to open in early June at 2712 Bee Cave Rd, suite 106 in Rollingwood. It will offer mouthwatering dishes that pay homage to classic American brunch staples blended with rich Mexican flavors. The restaurant will be open Monday through Thursday from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday from 8:00 a.m. to 10 p.m., and Sunday from 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. Visit www.pepitascafeandbar.com for the full menu description. The Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, located at 4801 La Crosse Ave, is opening a new exhibit titled Dinosaurs Around the World beginning in May. The exhibit will include 11 life-sized animatronic dinosaurs and will run from May 17th to July 17th, 2024. Reserve Tickets and learn more about the upcoming exhibit at www.wildflower.org/dinosaurs.

Austin Youth Girls Lacrosse

WHITE SHIRTS GRADES 1&2, MAROON SHIRTS GRADES 3&4

By Alana Moehring Mallard

Practice started in February for girls grades 1-4 of Austin Youth Lacrosse, and the teams’ first playdate of games was March 2 at Westlake High School, where they played several games. Play continued through early May with most games at Austin High.

“Katie, Marissa and I are excited to share our love of

lacrosse with a great group of girls,” coach Andrew Stephens said in an email to parents of players, “and can’t wait to see you on the field.” Katie Edge and Marissa Mery also coached the grades 1-4 teams. Stephens played lacrosse for Austin High and SMU. Edge played on the top lacrosse team in the nation in McLean, Virginia, and on a U.S. lacrosse team that played internationally. She played in college at Bucknell University. Mery swam and played lacrosse in high school, and in college she swam for Yale and played club lacrosse. Austin Youth Lacrosse is a program for boys and girls to support the growth and development of lacrosse in the Austin High community. More info at austinyouthlax.com.

“Lovers and Liars” by Amanda Eyre Ward

West Austinite Amanda Eyre Ward’s “Lovers and Liars’’ is a well-crafted novel that deals with family dynamics in the modern world. The lives of the three Peacock sisters, each handling the stresses of the 21st century in their own way, provide the intertwining stories of this fastpaced tale. Their mother Donna adds a layer of nerve-shattering friction to the plot.

Emma is the dutiful daughter who stayed at home in Missoula, Montana, absorbing abuse from Donna — and that includes some unique, on-demand guard duty. Trying to break out of her rut and provide extra income for her family, Emma becomes ensnared in a multi-level marketing scheme which forces her to dip deeply into her family’s modest nest egg. The products she is hawking are “enhancement” items for women, which makes for some light-hearted reading. To keep her commission levels intact, she has to buy additional inventory, causing a worsening descent into guilt and credit card debt.

Then there’s sister Cleo, a successful criminal defense lawyer who went to NYU and after graduation, took Manhattan, Upper East Side no less, by storm. She is living the life in a fancy apartment, complete with a hunky boyfriend. He’s a one-dimensional taker who has a “stalled” novel and graciously buys an engagement ring with her credit card. In one example of her own overreaching, Cleo tries to distance herself from the dark interiors of her old employers’ offices when she starts her own law firm. She demands that her designer go full-on minimalist, including a desk without drawers. As a result, she has to heap her work papers and other items in a big mess on a shelf behind her desk chair. Cleo realizes that her personal life is not optimal, but she lets things continue.

man named Simon Rampling on a website for booklovers, and a whirlwind romance ensues. In short order, a trip to Northern England is set for a wedding at his family’s castle. When the sisters, their families, and their uber-difficult mother converge for the ceremony, it makes for a complicated, plot-twisting series of scenes. Anything more, and I’d be spoiling it for you, except to say it’s an excellent read with a surprising ending. Throughout the book, Ward provides plenty of details to move the story along, but she never bogs things down, and the plot is action-packed.

The third sister, Sylvie, lives in Florida. She is a widowed librarian with plenty of life still ahead of her. Then she meets a gentle-

Whatever your summer plans — idling in Cannes, savoring a Gulf Coast view from your Port Aransas condo, or lounging poolside at Barton Springs – you won’t go wrong with this romp of a story. It’s just been published and you can find a copy online or at your favorite bookstore.

Max Sherman

BY FORREST PREECE

Author’s note: Max Sherman hosted me at Westminster Manor for an interview on March 19. His wife, Gene Alice, died on May 4, after I had finished the column. My condolences go out to Max and his family.

After earning his law degree at UT and being in private practice, Max Sherman served as a Texas state senator, became the president of West Texas University, and then was named dean of the LBJ School. He also served on some prestigious national boards.

A man who has had this level of achievement tends to see the world through a thoughtful lens. Two of his favorite novels are “You Can’t Go Home Again” and “The Catcher In The Rye.” The first book is about a man who leaves his small home town to wander New York City, Paris and Berlin. After he comes back to the USA, he realizes that it’s impossible “to return to the old forms and systems of things.” On a similar note, “The Catcher in the Rye” has an overarching theme of the impossibility of holding onto the innocence of childhood.

It’s poignant that Max mentioned these titles to me the other day when we met at Westminster Manor. His wife of 63 years, Gene Alice, is now in its memory care unit and he resides in an efficiency apartment there. He spends time each day thinking about all the things they accomplished and enjoyed together, but he knows that he can never roll back the hands of time or recapture their youth.

Max is an excellent author himself. His book “Releasing the Butterfly. A Love Affair in Four Acts,” that was mostly written during the COVID shutdown, tells the story of his relationship with Gene Alice and their life together since they met in the early 1950s. It is gaining recognition nationwide as having insightful relevance for people who are undergoing the same types of challenges in their lives. And the title reflects how Max opened his hands so that his talented wife could live her

own life while being half of a couple.

Early on in the book, Max tells how he met Gene Alice in a jail. In 1953, he was one of four high school boys in the Texas Panhandle who held Sunday church services in the Hutchinson County Jail. One afternoon, they invited a quartet of friends to sing and they brought along Gene Alice, a beautiful 15-year-old, to accompany them on a fold-up Army organ. Max was smitten, and when she was having trouble unfolding the instrument, he offered to help. Her reply? “Thanks, but I can do it myself.” That response framed the essence of their relationship which is still going strong, 71 years later. It also reflects the title of his book.

Years of courtship followed. Gene Alice and Max went through their college careers and his military service, often in different locations. Along the way, he made tentative, sometimes awkward in his

mind, asks about making it a permanent thing. The highest hurdle for Gene Alice was her unwillingness to give up her freedom in that age of male dominance.

They married in 1961, their careers blossomed, and they had two children, Lynn and Holly. Fast forward to 1983, when Max was invited to become special counsel to Governor Mark White. He moved to Austin while Gene Alice finished courses at West Texas State, where he had been president. When she was able to follow him to the Capital City, events moved quickly for both of them. Max was offered the opportunity to be dean at the LBJ School of Public Affairs and she became director of UT’s Thompson Conference Center. In that role, she was one of the top party planners in the UT community and she oversaw continuing education programs for adults. After they bought their home on Greenway Street, north of campus,

they became frequent party givers themselves—for a lot of circles – the university, their church, political acquaintances, friends and neighbors. Max notes that their Christmastime parties often spanned five nights in a row.

On one December night

in 2002, when a house full of partiers had departed, Gene Alice, academically gifted, a brilliant pianist, an effective administrator, and an event planner par excellence, nestled up to him on their sofa and said, “For the first time in my life, I felt overwhelmed. I think I need to see a doctor.”

In Max’s words, the monster was on the doorstep and he hadn’t even noticed. After regular visits to specialists, the diagnosis they’d been dreading

came in 2007--Alzheimer’s. In 2012, they made the decision to put their name on the waiting list at Westminster Manor and in 2014, they made the move. One thing of note—they were able to merge two units and move her grand piano into their living space, which was a

source of joy for both of them.

Some happy times ensued, but the monster in the room kept lurking, and one morning it all came to a head. After Max had fixed breakfast, made sure that she ate, and that they were running on time for Gene Alice’s Pilates class, they boarded the down elevator. Suddenly, she backed over to one side and shouted that she was not “going to that place again.” Max realized that she didn’t know where they were actually

going. But he knew then that he had been too much of a drill sergeant to suit her, trying to make sure that everything ran on time. He tried to adjust his behavior, but it was a difficult balancing act. Things worsened when she started opening the door of their apartment and roaming the halls of Westminster in the middle of the night. Max tried to prevent her “escapes” by placing three chairs in a triangle at the door. She would have to move them, he would hear the noise, and be able to scramble out of bed to prevent her getting out. But one night after a visit from their son and daughter, Max, in his sock feet, was hurriedly positioning the chairs for bedtime when he slipped on the slick hardwood floor, fell, and shattered his left femur. The break was a bad one and he knew that he would be in the hospital for quite a while. Since there was no way his wife could live alone, they made the call to move her to skilled nursing and eventually, memory care. She has now been there for nine years.

Fourteen months ago, Max moved to his efficiency unit and he visits Gene Alice as often as he can. His advice for anyone facing this situation in their own lives -- you need to treat the affected person with dignity and you cannot be giving too many orders. Max says that you have to be able to think outside the box. On that note, he is very glad that Gene Alice had her piano, because music touches something positive in the psyche.

“No one ever talks about dementia and memory care units. We have to get over this stigma, because just about every family will be touched by situations like this,” Max says.

Caritas of Austin Celebrates 60 Years of Serving Austin at Songs of Hope

Songs of Hope is Caritas of Austin’s annual event to raise funds for its mission of ending homelessness in Austin. This year’s event also celebrated Caritas of Austin’s 60 years of serving the community. With live music by Reid Umstattd from NBC’s “The Voice” and Grammy-award winning group, Grupo Fantasma, dinner, a live and silent auction, a Fund The Mission opportunity, and

more, Songs of Hope put the “fun” in fundraising for those who attended or participated virtually.

The Songs of Hope event raised over $630,000 to continue providing Austinites a stable and affordable place to call home. 100% of funds raised will be used to prevent and end homelessness for people in Greater Austin. For more information, visit www. caritasofaustin.org.

Manos de Cristo Celebrates Mission for Positive Change for Our Neighbors in Need

Over 300 philanthropists, dentists, and professionals gathered to support Manos de Cristo’s programs and to join in their mission to change lives and create positive change. Proceeds from the Manos de Cristo Share the Love Gala presented by Nicole and Ramzi Al-Rashid benefit the critical programs that Manos offers for the Central Texas community to grow, thrive, and stay healthy.

This year’s gala was Breakfast at Tiffany’s themed, complete with “Tiffany blue” accents, white bows, and pearly touches. Guests arrived at the Fairmont Austin hotel and were welcomed with a cocktail reception including a themed photo booth, a luxury purse raffle, and a silent auction, followed by a delicious multi-course meal.

Board Member, Juan Vesga, DDS was honored by Manos de Cristo for leading the creation and implementation of a new implant program in the Manos Dental Center and for generously giving his time and talents through his volunteer work. The evening continued with an exciting live auction, live music, dancing, and casino games.

Guests shared the love and raised over $450,000 for Manos de Cristo’s programs. Over

30,000 children, adults and seniors locally benefit through Manos de Cristo’s affordable dental program, adult education classes, back-to-school program, and emergency food and clothing programs. Manos de Cristo, founded in 1988, meets essential needs by providing adults and children with low-cost dental care, educational opportunities, and a back-to-school program to prepare elementary students for school with new clothing and school supplies, and emergency food and clothing relief. The Manos de Cristo Dental Center is one of the few not-for-profit dental facilities in Austin. For more information, visit www. manosdecristo.org.

2

1319

4

Seedling’s Light Up the Night Gala at the Renaissance Austin Hotel on Saturday, April 6, was attended by over 350 people. Seedling’s annual event raises critical funds to sustain and grow Seedling’s schoolbased mentoring program for children in Central Texas who are impacted by parental incarceration. Because of the generosity of individuals and businesses in the Austin community, this year’s event brought in $308,000.

The event was chaired by Seedling board member Mark Beavers and his wife, AZ. The program was emceed by KXAN News Anchor, Britt Moreno. The evening included a cocktail reception, live music by Everett Wren and Matt Bradshaw, dinner, heartfelt speeches by Seedling mentors, Tucker Furlow and Desiree Juarez, and longtime Seedling School Contact Becky Cardenas-Salinas, a Seedling graduate’s moving testimonial, and concluded with an exciting live auction and after party. Proceeds from the Light Up the Night Gala support Seedling’s mentoring program, which provides mentors for children whose parents are serving a jail or prison sentence. During the 2022-23 school year, 97% of Seedling mentees who met with their mentors achieved three or more positive outcomes of the program’s measures of persistence, school engagement, school attendance, disciplinary referrals, and personal development skills.

For information on the event or Seedling’s impact in the lives of children in the community, please visit www. seedlingmentors.org.

PHOTOS BY RUBEN MORALES AND LAWRENCE BRET BROOKSHIRE

The Austin Kappa Kappa Gamma Alumnae Association’s 2024 Kappa Settings, April 1718, showcased Austin’s design talent over two beautiful days. The luncheon featured special speaker Kimberly Schlegel Whitman, whose recent book on entertaining and family traditions struck the perfect tone for mother/daughters event chairs Penny Burck, Terry Quinn and Claire Richards

Attendees enjoyed the fantastic tablescapes designed by west Austin businesses including Adelante Boutique, Breed and Co., The Garden Room and K Company Interiors, Kelsey Leigh Fine Jewelry and Gifts, Sparrow and Personally Yours. Everyone left the event with favors courtesy of Eliza Page Designer Jewelry. Since its inception in 1997,

Kappa Settings has raised more than $500,000 to benefit local charities. Supporters, including presenting sponsor The Cain Foundation, raised over $50,000 this year to further Kappa Kappa Gamma’s national focus on mental health initiatives. Proceeds benefited the National Alliance on Mental Illness - Central Texas as well as the Kappa Kappa Gamma Foundation.

Muny’s 19th Hole Party & Forever Green Tournament

By Anne DeVries

On May 9th, the Muny Conservancy welcomed over 800 guests to its 19th Hole party at the Charles Johnson House. The event preceded the Conservancy’s Forever Green Golf Tournament held at the Lion’s Municipal Golf Course on May 10th. A happy hour followed the sold-out tournament, which was open to the public. The non-profit Muny Conservancy will use all proceeds to help preserve, restore, and enhance the Lions Municipal Golf Course.

Now a tradition for Lions, the 19th Hole Party and Forever Green Tournament brings the community together to celebrate the past, present, and future of golf in Austin. Muny Conservancy co-chairs Ben Crenshaw and Scotty Sayers, along with MC Ed Clements, were on hand to welcome guests and support the evening’s festivities. Special guests included actors Luke Wilson, Turk Pipkin, Brad Leland, King Orba, and PGA tour champion Mark Brooks.

Forever Green Tournament

2024 Prize-winning Teams

▲ 1st place, score 54: Alex Mortberg, Jon Broscious, Kyle Hairston, and Ben Winter (Ben and Julie Crenshaw team)

▲ 2nd place, score 56: Robert Buckwalter, William Buckwalter, Austin Wills, and Luke White

▲ 3rd place, score 56: William Martinez, Daniel Martinez, David Martinez, and Carter Smith (ENZI Wealth team)

▲ 4th place, score 57: Ryan Waits, Drake Robinson, John Antrim, and Trent Stroup

▲ 5th place, score 57: Bo Jenkins, Wilson Bauer, Ferris Clements, and Ben Clements (ABC Home & Commercial Services team)

Closest to the pin contest winners

▲

Hole #4: Eric Sutherland

Hole #7: Matt Brazitis

#13: Henry Ames

#15: Rick Chambers

Hole #17: Chad Jacobi

Longest drives on

Hole #2: Mike Stitt and Ailah Overton

This year’s event had special meaning to devoted supporters of Austin’s historically recognized municipal course and treasure. Lions Municipal Course is celebrating its 100th year of operation, serving the public as an inclusive opportunity for the practice of golf, the building of talent, and the camaraderie built by a beloved sport. Muny is home to the Austin Golf Academy, hosts over 60,000 rounds of golf each year, stages more charity tournaments than any other Austin golf course, and is the home course to a dozen middle and high school teams.

Listed as one of “America’s 11 Most Endangered Historic Places”, the Muny Conservancy seeks to secure the 141 acres as a public golf course forever. The land that houses the golf course is currently leased back from the University of Texas by the City of Austin to operate. The ultimate goal of the conservancy is to permanently establish the course as city-owned property, forever preventing commercial development and removal from the century-long fabric of Austin, which means so much to so many. Further donations to the cause can be made by visiting www.themunyconservancy. com. The online store will soon offer commemorative items for Muny’s 100th anniversary celebration.

▲ 6th place, score 58: (winning a scorecard playoff versus four other teams) --- T. Harper, Tommy Harper, Roy Bechtel, and Bubba Ferrell

The Make-A-Wish Central & South Texas 5th Annual Wishes Under the Stars Gala proved to be a dazzling night with hope shining bright. Guests arrived at the Austin Marriott Downtown and headed upstairs to the Waterloo Foyer into a bustling cocktail hour. Attendees mingled while viewing the silent auction and some even tried their luck at the celestial wine and liquor pull. VIP guests entered an exclusive area with a designated bar and a live painting experience from Vogue Vignette.

As people made their way into the ballroom, everyone was abuzz for an exciting program ahead. Trevor Scott, host of “We Are Austin” on CBS, and Briseida Mauricio,

wish alumnae, led the audience through an evening of hopeful wish stories as guests dined. But the true highlight of the evening was hearing from the Carter family, whose twins, Adelaide and Gray, are wish kids themselves. Once the program ended, attendees hit the dance floor to groove to the sounds of the Austin Nines.

Because of the support of generous donors and sponsors, over 48 children will experience the life-changing power of a wish. From inspiring stories illustrating the power that a wish holds, to a spectacular after-party, it was an evening to remember. For more information about Make-A-Wish Central & South Texas, visit www.wish.org/cstx.

— Compiled by Forrest Preece

Here are some stories by West Austinites about Spring Break trips.

In March 2022, my family went on an epic Spring Break adventure to Arizona. It ran the gamut of temperatures — we had to pack clothes for snow, hiking, and even swimming! We started our trip at the Grand Canyon, staying at the historical Thunderbird Lodge. After a few days of canyon hikes — some of which included snow! — we drove on to Page for a tour of the Upper Antelope and Rattlesnake Canyons. Our tour was Navajo Indian-led (our guide was a grandson of one of the founders of the tour company). The history of the area and canyon, and the stories he told us were incredible. From there we moved on to Sedona. After some shopping and sightseeing in the area, we drove over to Clarkdale, for a four-hour round trip Verde Canyon Railroad journey. We then spent a few days relaxing in Scottsdale and soaking up the sun to round out the trip.

I n years past for Spring Break, we’ve taken our kids ‘off the grid’ to Chinati Hot Springs, a couple of hours past Marfa in the Chihuahuan Desert. This year we teamed up with another Tarrytown family — beloved St. Andrew’s teacher, Courtney Elliott, and her sons to go to 30A on the Florida panhandle. We road trip everywhere so we decided to stop off in NOLA for a quick evening and have oysters at Felix’s and beignets the next morning at Cafe du Monde. Our seven-yearold summed up our time in the French Quarter by saying, “this place is sketchy but fun.” Our next stop was the beach and it was gorgeous. With six boys ages 7-17 coming and going, we landed in the perfect spot about four miles away from all the crowds in Seaside. The kids could live their best lives riding bikes, golf carts, playing football on the beach, and congregating with massive swarms of teenagers with a lot of independence and relative safety. We packed in quality family and friend time and seafood, sand and surf (with some bad karaoke thrown in). We will go back! — Liz and Kenny Howard

property featured miles of cross country skiing and provided shuttles to nearby Steamboat Springs for downhill. The meals were served family style, prepared by celebrity chefs featuring local cuisine. A great time was had by all!

Alison Blair, President/Owner, Black Market Studios

A few years ago, Michael and I enjoyed Spring Break with our two daughters, Katherine and Allison, at the Home Ranch, a Relais & Chateau property in Clark, Colorado. The

— Susan Klein

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

That I wanted to be an orchestra conductor.

2. What was your first job?

Sweeping my dad’s office’s wooden floors with oiled sawdust. He was a geophysicist. I enjoyed trying to interpret those wiggly lines.

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

Only three? Well, if I must name three: James Beard, Leonard Bernstein, Nick Saban.

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

Luis Miguel, Errol Gar-

ner, Ephraim Lewis (Song: “Drowning in Your Eyes”)

5. Favorite book and TV show?

Book: The Fountainhead. TV show: The Golden Girls.

6. Most powerful movie you have seen. Schindler’s List

7. Favorite place in Austin?

Memorial Stadium at the University of Texas

8. Favorite restaurant and watering hole (Besides the obvious): Bartlett’s or J Carver’s.

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

Politician (not anymore, was that misplaced!!!)

10. Which living person do you most admire?

James Dick (visionary and founder of Round Top Festival Hill)

11. What makes you happy?

Making and seeing other people happy.

12. Best advice you ever received?

Don’t be jealous or envious.

13. What is one thing that was a great influence throughout your life?

My high school English teacher was tough and demanded we diagram sentences (in order to learn how to organize literacy) and the continual search for new and improved vocabulary. What’s more important than accurate communication? Bless you and thank you, Miss Beth Shires!

Doss Elementary School: Monarch Heroes

By Alana Moehring Mallard

Doss Elementary participated in the National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Heroes showcase earlier this month, an event that gathered schools from Austin and Manor to share their journeys as they learned and taught others about native wildlife and native plants – in this case, particularly Monarch butterflies and milkweed.

The idea for the Doss Monarch Garden began in the spring of 2023 when pre-K teacher Angie Bell and 2nd grade teacher Kristin Biggs applied for the Monarch Heroes program through a grant by the National Wildlife Federation. The grant was accepted, and Bell and Briggs spent the summer and early fall of 2023 attending trainings, selecting a site, and planning the garden layout.

Bell and Biggs created a Butterfly Caretakers group and hosted workdays in the fall and spring with a groups of about 25 students, families, and staff to prepare beds, install borders, do an initial planting of native plants purchased from the Ladybird Johnson Wildflower Center, and then to weed, mulch, do another planting, and install a crushed granite footpath.

For the National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Heroes Showcase this month, students helped create a display

showcasing photos of garden workdays, students’ original artwork, and butterfly life cycle projects; and Doss students and staff hosted a table with the garden display board, books about pollinators, and a children’s activity that simulates the work of pollinators.

“We talked to community members about the importance of supporting monarchs,” Biggs said. “We enjoyed visiting with other schools about their garden experiences and seeing all the other booths. We even got to meet Ranger Rick!”

Briggs said that several classes have raised butterflies in their classrooms while learning about metamorphosis and released them in the garden, and the Doss student-led “green team” helps with ongoing weeding and garden maintenance.

“The garden has been a wonderful addition to the

Doss campus,” said Briggs. “It is truly an outdoor learning space where students and teachers can come together to learn firsthand about conservation, native plants, life cycles, ecosystems and more. We have over 900 students who pass by it each day. Witnessing their excitement and joy as they notice the changes happening and spot new insects and wildlife is contagious.”

Doss Elementary is certified as a National Wildlife Federation Schoolyard Wildlife Habitat and a registered Monarch Waystation habitat through MonarchWatch.org, with Monarch Watch recently donating native milkweed plants. Some 200 schools in 15 cities and towns in Texas participate in National Wildlife Federation’s Monarch Heroes program, a two-year program that can lead to certification in the Eco-Schools USA program.

Tom Gilliland Owner, Fonda San Miguel

Two-Night SMCA Music Concert Rocks the Campus

By Anne DeVries

On May 2nd and 3rd, St. Michael’s Catholic Academy (SMCA) music department hosted its annual spring concert, a unique two-night event filled with exceptional performances by 21 student bands. The concert, themed ‘A Night at the Movies,’ offered a one-of-a-kind entertainment experience featuring music from popular TV shows and movies.

Steve Moreland, the school’s Director of Fine Arts and Music, leads the SMCA music department. In addition to being an educator, Moreland is a professional musician, bandleader, and composer and was named one of Yamaha’s Top 40 Under 40 Music Educators in the country. Music Teacher Matt Read, a professional guitarist and composer, supports him in the music department, as does Frank Cano, the Liturgical Music Coordinator and Teacher. Together, they have created an amazing culture of creativity, camaraderie, and talent development.

The SMCA music department offers students a wide range of opportunities, with 25% of the student body actively pursuing music. These include beginner-level classes for instruments, the Modern Band Lab, which teaches songwriting and recording, and tech crew, which exposes students to professional sound equipment. The department also provides students the opportunity to participate in the Crusader Drumline or Praise Band.

This year’s music concert was forced inside due to the weather. Usually, lawn chairs, blankets, and two evenings’ worth of outstanding entertainment fill the campus lawn with community members enjoying an event that never

disappoints. This year’s indoor performance, however, didn’t miss a beat. The event MC’d by senior Sydney Cambell flowed smoothly. The stage performances were expertly lit, stage managed, and sound-engineered by fellow students who devoted their technical expertise to the event.

The SMCA music program is in the tenth year of its Modern Band Lab program. Started by Moreland and fueled by student enthusiasm, the innovative approach to music education seeks to expose students to various genres unique to generations, styles, and modern band development. Its success can easily be noted with former students moving on to become recording artists, being accepted into premier collegiate music programs, and even participating locally at SXSW.

The SMCA Hub for Advanced Learning Opportunities (HALO), unveiled in 2023, has further elevated the program. The new HALO building includes a state-of-the-art industry-level recording studio where students can record and gain further exposure to the technical skills of music production.

For more information about HALO and the SMCA music program, please visit www.SMCA.com.