Pro Athlete Community Holds Next Chapter U Business Combine in
By Anne DeVries
Pro Athlete Community (PAC)
held its most recent event from September 14th-19th in Austin at Hotel ZaZa. The event, titled Next Chapter U Business Combine, was attended by 76 former professional athletes who engaged in a six-day comprehensive agenda designed by the dedicated PAC team.
Statistics reveal that 78% of NFL players face bankruptcy or financial difficulties within two years of retirement. PAC hopes to address this issue through innovative programs and community-focused approaches, empowering athletes to create legacies beyond their sports careers. They believe that by harnessing the already existing skill sets of elite athletes, a transition into life after a sporting career can provide a fulfilling and prosperous future.
PAC was founded in 2022 by Chip Paucek and former NFL player Kaleb Thornhill. Travis Key, another former pro athlete, quickly joined them. Together with a team of dedicated professionals at PAC, they have built
a top-tier platform that combines high-quality education and curated experiential learning for existing and former pro athletes. Their mission is to provide mentorship and community as they equip professional athletes to relentlessly pursue what is next in their careers.
The Next Chapter U Business Combine, held in Austin, was an in-person event for former athletes that included networking opportunities, hands-on workshops, and expert-led panels. A full day was spent at Dell Technologies; entrepreneurs from around the country made presentations, performance coaches worked with attendees, and specific industries such as real estate and industry deep dives were featured. During the week, an excursion to the Circuit of the Americas (COTA) Formula-1 track provided an evening of fun for attendees and their families.
Travis Key, PAC’s Cheif Operating Officer and a standout player at the University of Michigan and in the NFL, expressed enthusiasm about the event’s impact. “The education, networking, and exposure to different
career environments and opportunities are great.” Key noted. “But the magic in what we have built — is the community aspect. It’s the beginning of something new.”
Malcolm Brown, a former star player at the University of Texas who went on to play in the NFL with the Los Angeles Rams and Miami Dolphins, attended the event and echoed similar sentiments. “Exposure breeds expansion, and I live by that,” Brown said. “At these events, we learn about ourselves a little bit, and that’s been amazing for me. Also, this group is like a ‘second locker room.’ A lot of retired athletes miss that the most — being around others with the same mindset.”
Former professional NFL athletes now residing in Austin include former University of Texas elite player MJ McFarland and Peyton Thompson, formerly with the Jacksonville Jaguars. McFarland is a luxury real estate agent and investor, and Thompson is a home builder and broker. In 2019, these two former NFL players founded the Players Reach Foundation (www.playersreach.com) to support and inspire the youth of Austin to greatness by
giving back to their community. Initially grounded in the National Football League, PAC has quickly expanded its reach to other professional sports, including the NBA, MLB, MLS, and MMA. Plans are underway to include women in the professional arena as well. For more information about PAC, visit www.proathletecommunity. com.
Around the Neighborhood:
tian.org or 512-453-6605.
SusieCakes has opened at 1111 West Sixth Street, its second Austin location. The bakery specializes in layer cakes and will ship nationwide, deliver locally, or you can pick up your order. Besides scrumptious layer cakes, SusieCakes makes a variety of cupcakes and cookies. Current seasonal specialties – pumpkin spice latte cupcake and iced molasses cookies leave at the end of September. At susiecakes.com or @susiecakesbakery. Casner Christian Academy, a preschool at Hillcrest Baptist Church on Steck Ave., will relocate to Glad Tidings Church in January 2025. Casner Christian Academy, a nearly 60-year-old West Austin tradition that honors the legacy of founding director Lucille Casner, will move to its new 2700 Northland Drive home for the spring
Oktoberfest, an event benefiting Drive a Senior ATX, happens Sept. 28 at First United Unitarian Church,4700 Grover Ave. Featuring an evening of beer, brats, bidding, bingo, and more — raffle and silent auction. A $25 ticket gets you beer and brats. Presented by Loewy Law Firm and proceeds help seniors living at home with rides to shopping, medical appointments, prescription pickups and more, living independent and healthier lives. Info at driveasenioratx.org or 512-472-6339.
NAMI Walks Central Texas is Sept. 29 at Long Center, 701 W. Riverside Dr. With registration and yoga and stretching beginning at 7:30 a.m., the 5K kicks off at 9 a.m., walking to the Texas Capitol and back to Long Center. Benefits NAMI Central Texas supporting mental health for all. At namicentraltx. org or namiwalks.org.
Around the Neighborhood:
Lions Municipal Golf Course located at 2901 Enfield Rd. invites the Austin community to its 100th anniversary on October 3rd. The LIONS MUNY CENTENNIAL “100 Years Young” celebration, organized by the Muny Conservancy
(1:00
Shuttles are
Randy Groves
Retired tech executive
1. What’s something about you that not many people know?
BY FORREST PREECE
7. Favorite place in Austin?
Preservation Austin will host its 2024 Legacy Business Month KickOff Party at Zilker Taproom, 1701 E 6th Street, on Thursday, Oct. 3, from 6-9 pm to celebrate its 2nd Annual Legacy Business Month (LBM). October is Legacy Business Month in the City of Austin. The party will feature a limited edition LBM beer from Zilker Brewing Company, live music from KOOP Radio, and a photo booth for LBM Passport photos.
In the summer of 1996, I briefly met Seymour Cray (founder of Cray Computer who started the supercomputer industry). He was killed in a car accident a couple of months later. This was during the time when everyone was worried about Japan dominating all of our strategic industries, with supercomputing being one of them. Congress established a committee to assess this threat. At the time, I was working at IBM HQ and was selected to be IBM’s representative to speak to the committee in DC. I was sitting outside the conference room chatting with Forest Baskett from Silicon Graphics and John Mashey from MIPS waiting for them to call us in (this was the first time I had met the two of them in person, as well). Finally, the door bursts open and out comes Seymour who apparently got his own private interview with the committee. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to talk to him as we were being called into the conference room. The three of us looked at each other sheepishly now knowing that we were the second string.
2. What was your first job?
First summer job was stocking shelves at one of our local grocery stores (they gave me the “glass” aisle — condiments, salad dressings, pickles, sauces, etc. Only had one “accident.”
First full-time job after college was as an electrical engineer for IBM at their federal contract facility in Manassas, VA (while my wife Deb worked up on Capitol Hill). I worked on projects for submarine sonar.
3. If you could have dinner with three people – dead or
alive, at any time in history — who would they be?
Abraham Lincoln, Albert Einstein, John Wooden
4. If you had to pick three musicians for a playlist, who would they be?
Kansas, Radiohead, Steely Dan
5. Favorite book and TV show?
“Lord of the Rings” trilogy (followed closely by the “Foundation” series by Asimov)
Comedy — “Cheers” (followed closely by “Big Bang Theory,” “Ted Lasso,” and “The Muppet Show”)
Drama — “West Wing” (followed closely by “Columbo” and “Better Call Saul”)
Sci-Fi — “Battlestar Galactica” (followed closely by “Star Trek: The Next Generation” and “Lost”)
6. Most powerful movie you have seen.
“Blade Runner” — Roy Batty’s “Tears in rain” speech gets me every time. Another AI-relevant one is “Her” which has been getting a lot of attention thanks to ChatGPT and Scarlett Johansson. I also have to mention “Casablanca” here, too, so that you know I’m not only into Sci-Fi.
“Powerful” is also situation dependent like “Toy Story 3” coming out my daughter Everly’s senior year just before we became empty-nesters. Or watching “Father of the Bride” after Everly got engaged.
Lady Bird Lake/Zilker Park — between running and attending music events, I probably spend more time here in a year than anywhere besides home.
8. Favorite restaurant and watering hole
Both are probably Wink, but we almost never go there just to drink. So, the watering hole would now be “Neighborhood Vintner.”
9. What did you want to be when you were growing up?
An astronaut/scientist. (I had no idea there was a career called Engineering, which was a much better fit for me by applying science to solve problems.)
10. Which living person do you most admire?
Bill Snyder — former head football coach for Kansas State. He is just an amazing human being and has positively impacted so many young men’s lives. He also saved K-State from getting kicked out of the Big 8 for which the University and the State of Kansas are eternally grateful.
11. What makes you happy?
I’m happiest when I’m learning something new.
12. Best advice you ever received?
My kids will debate this, but when I was being recruited by Dell as a 21-year veteran of IBM, the Sr. Vice President who was recruiting me said, “You know, if you don’t leave now, you never will.” Not everything turned out positive from that decision, but I had a much richer technology career and experience than if I had made the “easy” decision to stay.
FOOTBALL MEMORY
Compiled by Forrest Preece
Jim Raup Remembers A Mandate To Score
In Jim’s words: Jim Tolbert was Head Football Coach at Austin High for many years. He was a three-year starter at tackle for the University of Texas and was a bear of a man. He had a heart of gold but hid it well with a tough, gruff exterior and demeanor. His teams tried to avoid his displeasure by paying him well-earned respect. As for me, I lived with the hope he would think good things about me, and the proverbial root canal would have seemed better to me than my ever displeasing him.
In 1962 in an early District game, the Maroons were playing a team we should have beaten easily, but we were behind at the half and playing miserably. Coach Tolbert obviously was furious when he entered the locker room, and team members did not make a sound waiting for the inevitable chewing out we deserved.
Coach Tolbert’s message to us was both angry and simple: “They will kick off. If you first teamers do not score the first time you have the ball, you will not play another down tonight.” He and his assistants left immediately, slammed the door, and we looked at each other in stunned amazement.
Unfortunately, the Maroons did not return the second half kickoff beyond the 10-yard line. I was the starting quarterback, and as we huddled for our first play, I reminded the team about our need to score. We drove 90+ yards, making first downs to keep the drive alive, and we finally scored on that drive. A reprieve!
The Maroons won that game. When Coach Tolbert spoke, Austin High School Maroons listened.
Laura Galt
IBY FORREST PREECE
don’t use the term “Renaissance Person” lightly, but when I’m writing about someone like actress/producer/director/dialect coach/national-level publicist/dancer/educator Laura Galt, I can’t help myself.
She’s definitely an all-star around Austin these days. In June, she received a Tony, the theater community’s highest honor, for being co-producer of The Outsiders, Broadway’s Best Musical for 2024.
I have listed some of her accomplishments in an inset box here. No doubt, Laura has proven that she has a wagonload of talent – and she started showing evidence of where she was going with her life at a young age.
When she was four in Oklahoma City, her mother asked her what she wanted for her birthday. Laura said, “I want you to rent The Myriad” — which at the time was OKC’s version of Madison Square
Garden. Her mom said, “What will you do with that?” Laura said, “Perform for everyone!”
Her mom enrolled her in dance class instead. Looking back, Laura says that she was inspired by seeing the Disney on Parade traveling show, even though she screamed and cried when she got close to the costumed characters.
As a youngster, she started dreaming of Broadway after she had her first audition and was cast as Louisa in Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma’s Sound of Music. But in college and afterward, life took a few twists and turns — some things swept her up and set her off on tangents. But she kept on moving, looking for paths that
were “joyful, experiential, interesting, and welcoming with found family.”
During the ensuing years, she earned degrees, accepted acting roles, did productions, and never took her eye off the ball. Her drive, her “cannon fire be darned” attitude, and her willingness to take chances culminated in her taking a Tony Award home this year. By the way, The Outsiders Musical also won Tonys for Best Direction, Best Lighting, and Best Sound Design.
Recently, Laura and I talked about how this triumph of hers came to be. It started in 2018 when she heard The Outsiders Musical was in development and that a Texas band, Jamestown Revival, was composing the score. Her Texas/Oklahoma girl’s ears perked up and after thinking about it, she realized that backing this effort could be the win of a lifetime on a lot of fronts. For one thing, it would increase interest and visibility for her native state – and she thought that maybe a film version of this musical could be made there. Also, she wanted a new generation to see and be influenced by this hard-hitting story that had inspired her as a child, and to elevate the Texas musicians who were composing.
If you are not familiar with the plot of The Outsiders, it re-
volves around the age-old friction between privileged kids in a high school (The Socs) and the “have-nots” (The Greasers). Tensions escalate, there is a fight between the groups, and one kid is killed. I don’t want to be a spoiler, so I’ll just say the plot takes dramatic twists past that point. The ultimate lesson of the play is that loyalty is important, but there needs to be a meeting ground between people in different social strata.
Author S.E. Hinton wrote the novel while she was in high school, basing it on her own experiences. It was published in 1967, and in 1983, Francis Ford Coppola made it into a film that featured a group of young actors who became stars, including Matt Dillon, Rob Lowe, Tom Cruise, and Patrick Swayze.
About 10 years ago, Fred Roos, producer of The Outsiders movie pitched the idea of making the story into a musical. Soon, he and American Zoetrope began to interview several Broadway lead producers. As luck would have it, they landed on The Araca Group, which is the organization under which Laura works. They soon began interviewing book writers, composers, directors, and choreographers. Management also brought co-producers on board to help source investors, partnerships, and sponsorships.
The book writer, Adam Rapp and composers, Jamestown Revival (a Texas band led by Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance), and composer/ orchestrator/ book writer, Justin Levine have been with the show from the beginning. Laura got to know all these people well during the ensuing years as they fleshed out all parts of the musical.
tryout/world premiere was scheduled for a 2020 launch in Chicago, but Covid put an end to that. When the date was pushed from 2020 to 2023 and the world premiere shifted to La Jolla Playhouse in California, director Danya Taymor and choreographers
Rick and Jeff Kuperman were brought on board. With them added to the team, the synergy between the creative and technical forces ignited into the musical that took Broadway by storm. Laura says that as a producer with the show since 2018, it has been exciting to see the different iterations and to watch the iconic story morph and grow.
Their out-of-New York
Their team created a superb piece of theater that honors Hinton’s legacy and is resonating worldwide. For
their efforts, they received 12 Tony nominations and four wins. One thing Laura notes — the production is very cinematic for a stage play. The musical uses projections, lighting, freeze-frames, and slow-motion as a way to play with time - mimicking something a film editor might do in an editing room. As she says, there are many aural and visual cues that support the action throughout the play – the song lyrics, the train whistle in the choral arrangement, the foreshadowing sound of a violin, and so on.
One regret Laura has is that she lost her mom and dad to cancer before their time and they were not able to share in her achievements. She says that her mom would have been beaming, just like Sarah Paulson’s mother on a recent CBS Sunday Morning show. As for thanks, she is so grateful that her oldest daughter, Campbell Snavely, has been with her every step of the way — including attending the very first meeting she had with the lead producers in New York. Her youngest daughter, Scout, has also been supportive. “She doesn’t love theater as much as Campbell and I do, but she has been on the sidelines cheering me on through the process.”
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School Breaks Ground on New Athletic Center and Student Union
St. Andrew’s Episcopal School marked a significant milestone in its expansion efforts with a Ground Blessing Celebration for a new Athletic Center and Student Union. This event, held on the school’s Southwest Parkway campus, signaled the start of construction on a facility set to open in the 2025-2026 school year.
The celebration featured the sounds of an excavator turning soil and was attended by students, families, and supporters. Melissa Grubb, Head of School, expressed enthusiasm for the project’s potential to enhance the school’s facilities, emphasizing its alignment with the institution’s mission to support the holistic development of its students.
The new complex is part of St. Andrew’s ambitious ‘Raise the Roof’ Capital Campaign. The first phase of the project, funded by an initial $18 million, will see the completion of the building’s exterior and essential infrastructure. The campaign, led by co-chairs
Roger Sandau and Yvette Rios, with support from a campus task force, architectural firm LPA, and construction firm Harvey Cleary, aims to raise an additional $14 million to complete the interior.
The new Athletic Center and Student Union will serve as a central hub for campus life, featuring a competition gym with an 800-seat capacity, a 5,000-square-foot Indoor/ Outdoor Sports Performance Center, practice courts, a dance studio that doubles as a golf practice room, and modern locker rooms. The Student Union will provide spaces for studying, club activities, and community events.
Grubb highlighted the importance of the new facility in fostering school spirit and supporting student-athletes. “We dreamed BIG here – not only
to support our student-athletes but to build community, school spirit, and pride at St. Andrew’s,” she said.
The ‘Raise the Roof Campaign’ has already garnered recognition, receiving a Communicator Distinction Award from the Academy of Interactive and Visual Arts.
The Ground Blessing ceremony also included a “Hopes and Dreams” exercise, where students wrote their aspirations for the new facility. These messages will be incorporated into the building’s foundation, symbolizing the hopes of the school’s current students for future generations.
For more information about St. Andrew’s Episcopal School and the ongoing capital campaign, visit www.sasaustin. org.
PHOTOS BY DARCIE WESTERLUND
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St. David’s Foundation’s Toast of the Town, an iconic series of eclectic events every May, has showcased the best of Central Texas with hundreds of unforgettable celebrations over the past 40 years. For this party held at the stunning Old Enfield home of Melissa and Kent Ferguson, The University of Texas’ dynamic Athletic Director, Chris Del Conte, was the guest of honor. The legendary athletic director has made an immeasurable impact on Longhorn athletics from hiring some of the biggest names in sports to transforming the facilities into worldclass, state-of-the-art arenas. Lively conversations about the Longhorns’ move to the SEC and the changing landscape of college sports were served up alongside lovely libations and savory bites, leaving all those who attended energized and enthused for the future of Longhorn athletics. Toast
2024 Austin Heart Ball Unites Community to Ensure Access to Basic Needs for a Healthy Life
We live in a country where 50 million people face a higher risk of heart disease because they lack basic needs including healthy food. A poor diet is the leading contributor to the development of chronic diseases. Nearly 20 percent of the people in the five counties the American Heart Association in Austin serves have low or no access to healthy food, leading to higher incidences of heart disease, stroke and premature death.
The 2024 Austin Heart Ball, held at the JW Marriott Austin, brought hearts together to save lives and strive for equitable health for everyone living throughout Central Texas. With more than $850,000 raised, funds will support the life-saving work of the American Heart Association to fight heart disease and stroke including addressing nutrition security in Austin.
Chairman Eric Gribble
from DPR and hosts of the evening, Britt Moreno and Daniel Marin from KXAN, were joined by featured survivor Steve Sarkisian, head football coach at the University of Texas. Nearly 600 guests enjoyed musical entertainment by Texas’ own Josh Abbott Band. The event was a culmination of the Heart of Austin, an American Heart Association initiative that works to equitably improve and save lives from heart disease and stroke. Funds raised through Heart of Austin and Heart Ball support the Association’s 2024 Health Equity Impact Goal, which aims to reduce barriers to health care access and quality. The American Heart Association is the world’s leading nonprofit organization focusing on heart and brain health. For more information on how to support the American Heart Association, visit heart.org.
Austin Smiles Honoring two incredible volunteers in Austin
DR. RICHARD PARKER & BARBARA POWELL!
Austin Smiles is hosting its 38th Annual Wish Upon a Smile Gala at the Starlight Terrace at the Oasis on Lake Travis on November 9th at 5 pm to raise critical funds for their life-changing mission of providing surgical and post-surgical to children born with cleft lip and palate, both locally and internationally. Guests will enjoy the best sunset in town, dinner & open bar, a live auction and a special performance by one of Austin’s most celebrated musical artists, Bob Schneider. This year’s Gala Co-chairs are Patty Johns and Michelle Jones. The event will be emceed by Allison Miller from CBS Austin and Victoria Pineda will return as the Auctioneer. This year’s Gala holds special significance as Austin Smiles honors two outstanding medical volunteers with the 6th Annual Cullington, Fox, Beckham International Service Award, Dr. Rick Parker and Barbara Powell. Together these two individuals have helped transform the lives of hundreds of children born with cleft lip and palate since the organization’s inception. Dr. Rick Parker, is a talented surgeon who not only volunteered his time locally and abroad but also
made a lasting impact on the community. He has served on the organizations’ board, and he helped start Austin Smiles’ Shoot for a Smile Annual Clay Charity Shoot 28 years ago, an event that raises over $100k annually, drawing in 175 guests each year for a day of fun and philanthropy. Additionally, Dr. Parker was instrumental in starting the Central Texas Craniofacial Program in the 1980’s, which is now formally part of Dell Children’s Medical Center. Barbara Powell, a certified surgical technologist, has been a vital part of Austin Smiles for decades. She has served on the Board of Directors and is a longtime professor at Austin Community College. She has inspired countless students in Surgical Technology, many of which have become recurring volunteers on Austin Smiles trips to Latin America. Barbara has been an incredible teacher and mentor, recruiting volunteers from various medical backgrounds and helping to pack dozens of medical crates each year. Her wisdom and leadership have helped the organization grow exponentially and Barbara is still volunteering on Austin Smiles trips, going on 1-2 trips a year.
One in 700 children is born with a cleft lip and/or palate, which impacts their ability to communicate intelligibly, receive proper nourishment, and their overall quality of life.
Austin Smiles, in collaboration with local and in-country entities, aims to develop a continuum of care to identify and treat these children as early as possible. In Central Texas, Austin Smiles provides wraparound support and social and emotional services to over 800 children annually who are undergoing surgery at Dell Children’s Medical Center. Each year the team takes 3 medical mission trips to Latin America where they perform over 50 life changing surgeries per trip.
The Gala is not just a celebration of the past 38 years but also a call to action for the future. By attending and supporting this event, you help ensure that more children born with cleft lip and palate receive the life-changing care they deserve. For more details on sponsorships, donations, or to learn more about Austin Smiles, visit www.austinsmiles. org. Your support helps create a brighter, more inclusive future for children in need.
AUSTIN SMILES 38TH ANNUAL WISH UPON A SMILE GALA
Obituaries
George Ivan Bourianoff
MARCH 5, 1943 — JULY 28, 2024
A beloved fixture in Austin cultural circles, George Ivan Bourianoff, aged 81, died on July 28, 2024 at his home with his wife Linda, his inseparable companion for 59 years, by his side. Born in New York City on March 5, 1943, to Gleb and Lillian Bourianoff, he was a devoted husband, father, and grandfather and a luminary in the fields of physics and computational technologies.
George’s parents moved the family to Texas in his youth. He graduated from Mary Carroll High School in Corpus Christi in 1961, and by 1969 had earned his B.A., M.S., and PhD in Physics from the University of Texas at Austin.
His appreciation of life and learning was heightened by his confrontation with polio in his youth, including some time in an iron lung. After overcoming the disease, he grasped life with vigor and ardently pursued his passions for learning and writing.
George’s achievements reflect a rare combination of intellectual and humanistic pursuits. Over a career spanning
almost five decades, he made significant contributions to the fields of physics, nanotechnology and CMOS processing. He retired (the second time) from Intel in 2017 after two impactful stints totaling 21 years. One of the highlights of his professional career was working as a senior scientist and group leader at the Superconducting Super-Collider in Waxahachie from 1989 to 1994.
He held 11 patents and served as the keynote speaker at several international conferences in the fields of nanotechnology and CMOS processing.
Beyond his professional achievements, George was deeply involved in his community as an elder at Hyde Park Presbyterian Church, where he enjoyed attending services.
His hobbies included traveling, staying on top of technology and world events, and writing.
George especially loved the large family vacations he took with his wife, daughters, and eventually grandchildren to Mexico, Europe and Canada.
Over the last year, he spent significant time researching and writing a historical account of his father’s emigration from Russia and subsequent life in the United States. He was surprised and honored to learn it had recently been selected for publication in the Westminster Writers Journal for 2024. Although largely curtailed from it the last 10 years of his life because of post-polio syndrome, hiking, especially in Oregon, was another passion of his.
Family was everything to George. He is survived by his wife of 59 years, Linda Bourianoff; his brother, Gleb Bourianoff; daughters, Michelle Bourianoff (John Foster) and Angela Singavarapu (Gautham); grandsons, Zachary, Alexander, Matthew, and Nicolas Zalles and their dad, Juan Zalles; and granddaughter, Gia Singavarapu. He was preceded in death by his parents; sister, Vera Bourianoff; and daughter, Jennifer Bourianoff. His was a life well lived.
Edith Thomason Royal
OCT. 27, 1925 — AUG. 26, 2024
Thomason Royal, 98, passed away on August 26, 2024, at her home in Austin, Texas. This matriarch of Texas Longhorn football was born in 1925, on a Greer County, Oklahoma cotton farm under the cloud of the Dust Bowl and the Great Depression. Edith Royal came from the humblest of beginnings, yet she and her husband Darrell K Royal would grow in stature to become one of the country’s most influential couples.
Edith met Darrell Royal one night in 1941, at a traveling skating rink in Hollis, Oklahoma. They married on July 26, 1944.
their partnership.
When they moved to Austin in 1956, Edith mostly flew under the radar, taking care of their home. She served as hostess at University of Texas faculty teas, welcomed recruits, attended PTA meetings, drove carpool, drew up the family budget, and paid the bills.
november
Reconnect, relax, and create lasting memories with family
our annual Thanksgiving Fest. Last year’s highlights included a charming welcome party in the Rose Garden, a scenic hayride tour, an exciting fishing contest, and family game night-sounselor hunt! This year promises even more fun, festive activities, and quality time together. Book your cozy cabin now and make this Thanksgiving one to remember! Limited spots are available—secure your family's place today!
Edith loved being a wife to Darrell and mother to Marian, Mack, and David. Darrell’s careers in the Army Air Corps, as a football star at Oklahoma, and then as a successful college coach, saw the Royals move ten times in the first decade of their marriage. She described herself as “just a wife and mother,” yet both Darrell and Edith recognized the importance of her role in
While her husband was making an impression in the football area, Edith was becoming an all-star for community involvement. She was a founder of Austin’s Center for Child Protection, served as an elder and deacon at Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church, and served on the first board of trustees for the Austin chapter of Palmer Drug Abuse Program for Teens, eventually serving as president. Edith spread the message of Alcoholics Anonymous and Alanon, serving on the board of the Austin Recovery Center and leading its capital campaign. The Edith Royal Campus at Austin Recovery Center honored her
dedication to the recovery community in Austin. She was named an Austin Pillar of the Community by Zachary Scott Theatre and a Woman of Distinction by the Girls Scouts of Central Texas. The couple’s service to their community was recognized with the Caritas of Austin Most Worthy Citizen Award. After Darrell was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease, she and others launched the Darrell K Royal Research Fund for Alzheimer’s Disease. Edith was recognized in the State of Texas Senate for her accomplishments in this field. Edith was authentic, generous with her affection, her time, her wisdom, and sharp wit. More importantly, she was generous with her acceptance and her forgiveness. Few people have made such an impact on their family, community, and friends. Memorial contributions may be made to the Darrell K Royal Fund for Alzheimer’s Research or to Caritas of Austin.
Edith Marie “Peewee”
BBBS Ice Ball Gala Raises
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas celebrated its 20th Anniversary Ice Ball Gala at the JW Marriott in downtown Austin. This glittering fundraising event raised over $850,000 to create life-changing friendships between children in our community and caring adult mentors.
“It was truly a grand evening as was befitting a 20th anniversary celebration,” said Kedrick Jeffries, BBBS’ CEO. “Donors, friends, and supporters came together for this special evening.
It was a homecoming of sorts with a special vibe of old and new uniting to support BBBS and the community.”
Christine and Blake Absher were honored with this year’s Ice VII Award, which is given to a person or couple whose reach and influence have positively impacted both BBBS and the organization’s signature Ice Ball Gala.
A special 20th anniversary video highlighted the event’s beginnings, as well as memorable stories from past galas and gala chairs including Amy Clary, founder of the event, Reva Enzminger, Connie and Bill Nelson, Christine and Blake Absher, and 2024 Gala Chairs Jason Vitanza and Philisa Giannukos.
The most inspirational portion of the night was the presentation of BBBS’ match story featuring Little Sister Robin, Big Sister Hannah, and Robin’s grandmother Dee. Robin shared her experience with mental health challenges and self-harm that began at an early age. With the help and support of her Big Sister and her grandmother, she has found joy, confidence, acceptance, and for the first time in her young life – friendship and hope.
The evening concluded with the presentation of Big Brothers Big Sisters’ first-ever Lifetime Achievement award to Candy and Rhett Stone whose relationship with BBBS began some 40 years ago when Rhett became
a Big Brother to Little Brother Andy, who presented Candy and Rhett with their award. Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Texas serves nearly 750 children in Central Texas every day. For over 50 years, they have matched children, ages 6–16, with caring adult mentors. BBBS’
mission is to create and support one-to-one mentoring relationships that ignite the power and promise of youth. Last year, more than 97 percent of the children served by BBBS remained in school and avoided early parenting. For more information, visit www.bigmentoring.org.
Lindy Green of Troop 2019 achieves Eagle rank
By Alana Moehring Mallard
Lindy Green of Scouts BSA
Troop 2019 received her Eagle Scout Award on Aug. 24 at a Eagle Scout Court of Honor held at The Church at Highland Park. Charity Rehder is Scoutmaster of Troop 2019.
On her way to achieving the Eagle Scout distinction, Lindy earned 41 merit badges and four Eagle palms. She filled various leadership roles, including chaplain’s aide, scribe, webmaster, and assistant patrol leader.
Lindy ’s Eagle project was a mural of the Lamar Middle School mascot painted on the gym wall. With help from friends, fellow scouts, and family, she prepped, projected, traced, and painted the image. She gathered supplies from local businesses and collected donations to fund the project.
Eagle is scouting’s highest advancement, with only two million scouts achieving the Eagle Scout rank since 1912 – about six percent of scouts. Troop 2019 was chartered with long-time Troop 410 by The Church at Highland Park in 2019 when Boy Scouts of America changed its name to Scouting BSA and became a coeducational organization for young people between the ages of 11 and 17.
Lindy — like all Eagle scouts — pledged her sacred honor during the Court of Honor to do her best each day, to make her training an example, for her rank and influence to count strongly for better Scouting and for better citizenship in her troop, community, and her contacts with other people.
CELEBRATES THE 63rd ANNUAL OF AUSTIN THE
CORONATION BALL
2024 Admirals Club of Austin Royalty Court and their Escorts
▲ SARA ELIZABETH CHRIST
▲ EDITH ELLE COCKRELL
▲ SYDNEY KAY CONRAD
▲ TATUM LYNN COX
▲ VAILLE ADDISON CRENSHAW
▲ JENNIE CAMILLE GENUNG
▲ SARA MAKENZIE GILL
▲ AVA CAROLINE HABERER
▲ MICHELLE MARIE IGLESIAS
▲ KATHERINE PORTER KETTLER
▲ ELIZABETH YVONNE LANDRITH
▲ AVA LEE LEADBETTER
▲ LILLIAN FRANCES LEWIS
▲ JULIA MARIE MARCO
▲ DYLAN MICHELLE MILAM
▲ ELIZABETH RADCLIFFE RECKLING
▲ BRIDGETTE BLACK RIDDLE
▲ KATELIN CAMPBELL ROBISON
▲ KATHERINE LEE THOMASON
▲ LOUISA MARGUERITE YOUTT
T2024 Admirals Club Visiting Duchesses the Admirals Club coronation ball
he Admirals Club of Austin was founded in 1961 to support the Chamber of Commerce’s annual Aqua Festival and promote the city as a business and tourism destination. The ten-day event included boat races, parades, culturally diverse theme nights, and the Admirals Coronation Ball. In the spirit of the Austin Aqua Festival, the Admirals Club continues its long-standing
tradition with a weekend of festivities, which included a mother-daughter luncheon, father-escort golf outing, cocktail party celebrating the sixty-third royalty court, and a late-evening riverboat cruise to
and
show the Duchesses
escorts the amazing view of downtown Austin from Lady Bird Lake. The weekend culminated with the 63rd Annual Coronation Ball, which honored Queen Hannah Elizabeth Parks, Princess Markley Mae Alexander, Princess Brinley Elizabeth Burns, Princess Frances Lorraine Lewis, Princess Mary Caroline Nelson, and Princess Elisabeth Catherine Peeler.
2024 Admirals of Austin Royalty Court and escorts
2024 Admirals of Austin Royalty Court
63ND Anniversary
Coronation Presentation and Ball
The celebration began at Tarry House on Friday, August 2nd, with a motherdaughter luncheon honoring Austin Royalty and visiting Duchesses. While the ladies dined at Tarry House, the fathers and escorts enjoyed lunch and a friendly round of golf on the Par 3 Butler Pitch & Putt course. The evening kicked off with the annual Friday night membership cocktail party at the UT Alumni Center, where guests enjoyed delicious food and cocktails and the festive music of Mariachis and The Eleven Hundred Springs Band.
Chief of Naval Operations Charles Benjamin Richards III welcomed all the guests and introduced the 2024 Royalty Court. Miss Hannah Elizabeth Parks, daughter of
“W
ith great excitement and gratitude, The Admirals Club commemorated the 62nd Annual Admirals Club Coronation Presentation and Ball. It was a true honor to continue this great tradition of welcoming guests from near and far to our beloved city of Austin.”
— Chief of Naval Operations, Charles Benjamin Richards III
2nd Vice Chief of Operations
Mr. and Mrs. James Kyle Parks, was announced as the Queen of the 2024 Coronation Ball. Miss Markley Mae Alexander, daughter of Admiral and Mrs. Richard Randolph Alexander, Miss Brinley Elizabeth Burns, daughter of Admiral and Mrs. John Simeon Burns III, Miss Frances Lorraine Lewis, daughter of Admiral and Mrs. Derek Scott Lewis, Miss Mary Caroline Nelson, daughter of Admiral and Mrs. John Corley Nelson, and
Miss Elisabeth Catherine Peeler, daughter of Admiral and Mrs. William Robert Peeler, Jr., were announced as the 2024 Princesses.
The young ladies and escorts continued to celebrate the evening on the Capital Cruise Riverboat with a moonlit cruise with cool sounds provided by GGC Productions. Parents and guests returned to the JW Marriott for more merriment in the Hospitality Suite.
The celebratory events continued Saturday morning with the Queen’s luncheon
honoring her Court at the Headliners Club of Austin, followed by an afternoon of rehearsals for the evening’s presentation and ball.
On Saturday evening, the Admirals Club membership and invited guests enjoyed a cocktail reception in the foyer of the Grand Ballroom of the JW Marriott before being seated for a three-course dinner. Guests enjoyed the musical entertainment by The Little Big Band. As the trumpets blew and the grand doors opened, the presentation of the visiting
Duchesses of 20 young ladies and escorts commenced, followed by the presentation of the Austin Royalty Court. Upon conclusion of the presentation, revelers partook in dancing to the music of the Limelight Band from Dallas. For those who wished to continue the festivities, the celebration moved to the Hospitality Suite where stories where shared, and memories were made as the sun set on another successful Admirals Club Coronation Presentation and Ball.
On Sunday morning, guests spoke of fun memories and new friendships made over the weekend while the Staff Command and Fleet Admirals bid farewell to all the guests over a casual brunch.
2024 Admirals Club of Austin Royalty Court
Jack Nelson, Princess Mary Caroline Nelson, Luke Thompson, Princess Frances Lewis, Herd Holland, Princess Brinley Burns, Queen Hannah Parks, Whit Teeple, Princess Markley Alexander, Jack Singleton, Princess Elisabeth Peeler, Jackson Hanson
