WAN April 27, 2023

WAYA’s Family Fun Day Aids Programs for Austin’s Youth

The Austin Community came together on Friday, April 14th to celebrate WAYA’s dedicated sponsors. Under the leadership of Event Co-Chairs Katherine Goehring, Kathleen Pieratt, Lindsay Schlueter, and Erin Stephens, sponsorships reached over $580,000.

WAYA had one of the busiest years in its history last year, serving

over 16,000 children through sports, camps, classes and their preschool. The support of Family Day Sponsors bridges the gap between program fees and costs, gives WAYA’s full-time staff access to health insurance, helps maintain the facility and fields, and so much more.

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Around the Neighborhood: openingexpandingcelebrating

West Austinites remember Easters past

Growing up, our Easter baskets were simple ... chocolate eggs and jellybeans. As a parent, I tended to go overboard, loading my boys’ baskets with books and toys and favorite snacks, but none of those have been greeted with half the joy as the baskets I set out for Easter 2020 when shopping wasn’t really an option. I had four cartons of cascarones tucked away that I’d picked up on clearance after Easter the year before, and those were our goodies. Once the boys figured out that yes, they were SUPPOSED to pelt each other and that yes, this would result in a HUGE mess actually sanctioned by Mama, they were thrilled. And we’ve had to have cascarones ever since.

— Kim Usey

— Compiled by Forrest Preece

Easter is indeed a Celebration of Spring and I have so many fond memories of flowers, family, friends, rabbits, hours in the kitchen, and excitement.

On a gorgeous day in spring of 1968, my dad, George Christian, then press secretary to President Lyndon Baines Johnson, took our large family to the Easter Egg Roll on the great lawn of the White House. My younger sister Susan and I spent a good bit of our time at a bingo booth where the prizes were Beatles 45s. We each won a record with “Lady Madonna” on the A side and “All You Need Is Love” on the B side. I’m glad we won two of the same record, as we played both of them until they were bald. Susan and I remember feeling very cute in our Twiggy haircuts and poor-boy dresses.

— Elizabeth Christian

I have delightful memories of Easter in Austin with my Grandmother “Lulie” (Lucille Nash) and my cousins. On Easter Sunday after Sunday School, Church, and Sunday lunch, all ten of the “Nash’’ cousins would gather in the backyard of my Grandmother Lulie to hunt easter eggs. Back then they were “real” dyed hard-boiled eggs. Her house was on Gaston Avenue, high on the bluff above Shoal Creek. We were all dressed in our Easter Sunday dresses and the boys in sport coats. We each wanted to be the one to have the most eggs in our Easter basket, but there was one “Golden” egg that we were on the lookout for – to get the one special prize. It was important to find all the eggs or later the backyard would smell of rotten eggs, if any were missed. What wonderful Easter memories!

— Nancy Nash Harper

As a child, I remember my daddy, Pierce Fletcher, promising my mother that he would join the family for the Easter church service at the First Methodist Church in Kerrville. Daddy fulfilled his promise once a year! My daddy was also a member of the Lions Club in Kerrville, and the Lions Club hosted a city-wide annual Easter Egg Hunt at Louise Hays Park the Saturday before Easter. Daddy brought home six dozen eggs for me to dye and decorate for this event ... a bit of a challenge for a young teenager.

Fast forward ... Richard and I initially invited neighbors and family for brunch and an Easter Egg Hunt in 1983 and this celebration continued until we sold our Niles Road home in 2018. Our Easter celebration expanded as families grew and in 2017, we enjoyed four generations celebrating Easter with us. The children loved the Pinata, carriage rides throughout the Old Enfield neighborhood, face painting, playing with our white Australian rabbits, “Lover Boy” and “Pansy” and, of course, the Easter Egg Hunt with a Golden Egg. We have been blessed.

— Martha Coons

Party With A Purpose, Benefitting HeartGift, Funds

Party with a Purpose 2023, held at J.W. Marriott on Thursday, March 2nd, was one for the record books! The event, benefitting Austin-based HeartGift, raised more than $750,000. These funds will provide free live-saving heart surgeries to children who live around the world in places where specialized pediatric care is either scarce or non-existent.

In addition to fun and festivities, party-goers enjoyed cocktails, dinner, and a live auction. Country singer Aaron Watson wowed crowds late into the evening. During the evening’s festivities, HeartGift honored several individuals who have been involved with HeartGift in a deep and profound way.

Honorees included Chuck Brown, founding Board Chair for San Antonio Chapter; Sally and Mack Brown; Vicky and Ron Charpentier; Tim LaFrey, founding Board Chair for Austin Chapter; Brent Ramirez, founding Board Chair for Louisiana Chapter; Bret Sanders, Houston Chapter Board Chair; and

Kathy and Patrick Terry.

“HeartGift’s mission will only be accomplished when every child with a congenital heart defect has access to the specialized medical care they need,” says Christy Casey-Moore, HeartGift CEO.

“Thanks to our generous donors, sponsors and medical partners, nearly 800 children have already received a lifesaving heart surgery, yet many more need our help.”

HeartGift provides lifesaving heart surgeries to children from around the world. One in 100 babies is born with a congenital heart defect (CHD) globally each year. In industrialized countries such as the United States, the corrective surgery is accessible and provided to those in need, regardless of financial capacity or geographic location. In 2000, HeartGift was founded to address this disparity, and since inception, has served nearly 800 patients from 35 countries. For more information, visit www. heartgift.org.

WAYA

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The event brought out over 1,000 children and their families who enjoyed bounce houses, laser tag, dunk tanks, face painting and more. Board Member Brent Metchan, also known as DJ Hear No Evil, entertained the crowd.

Guests of the event didn’t go hungry (or thirsty). Mighty Fine provided cheeseburgers, and H-E-B had delicious BBQ. Sweet treats were provided by Jim-Jim’s Water-Ice and Fancy Fluff Cotton Candy. Dulce Vida, Boxt Wine, and Meanwhile Brewing supplied adult beverages, and Richard’s Rainwater kept everyone hydrated.

WAYA is a non-profit organization serving more than 16,000 youth from more than 50 area zip codes annually. For more information, visit www.waya.org

Howard Brunson

BY FORREST PREECE

Every town has a Howard Brunson, a successful businessperson who persists, acting as a mentor and making positive things happen for other people.

Now that he is 93, Howard walks and talks a little slower than he did in his younger days. But his mind is going full speed ahead about his business operations; and his personal philosophy is still geared towards helping others.

Not long ago, I sat down for lunch with him in the Arpeggio Grill, one of his tenants in Yellow Brick Road Shopping Center on Airport Boulevard just north of Highland Mall, and heard some of his stories.

Howard is a legend in West Austin as a successful businessperson, a civic leader, and a Rotarian. A lot of people would be surprised to know that during his days at the University of Texas,

he was the managing editor of the Texas Ranger, the campus humor magazine, and that he majored in physical anthropology. He was also in ROTC and after serving as a company commander and troop movement officer in the 101st Airborne Division, he returned to Austin, where he started his career in the moving and storage business.

“In that business, I was using skills I had learned about transportation in the military,” Howard says. He was also chair of Austin’s sister city committee which interfaced with Saltillo, Mexico and while working on that project, he had a hand in starting what became Austin Smiles. For his health services work in

Mexico, he was awarded the DIF Medal for Humanitarian Service by that country’s government.

In the early 1970s, Howard was on the zoning committee of Austin’s Planning Commission, and Highland Mall was being opened. The moving business was stressful, to say the least, and he got the idea that being a developer would “be more fun” than what he was doing.

At the height of his career, Howard had 15 centers in Austin and the surrounding area. He also built the Southwest Tower downtown at East 8th and Brazos and some other office buildings. Around 1971, George Brown was subdividing the land where Highland Mall is, and the area north of there towards Lamar. Howard approached him about buying the land where his Yellow Brick Road Center is now located. “George sold me this land for the best price

imaginable,” Howard says. Now he has sold most of his properties except for Yellow Brick Road and two similar centers in Pflugerville and Georgetown. All three are occupied by small businesses run by entrepreneurial people. After lunch, we walked around the center and from the greetings we received from all his tenants, it is obvious that they hold him in high regard. Howard could have sold his remaining centers off or razed them and built larger structures on them, but in his heart, he is committed to helping first generation Americans grasp their foothold on the free enterprise dream. After talking to some of the store/restaurant owners in the center, I realized that Howard has created a miniUnited Nations here. To that point, I’ve included a list of the stores in Yellow Brick Road and the nationalities of the people who own them. I also talked with Fida Shah, the owner of Arpeggio Grill, about his story of running a business in Howard’s center.

FIDA SHAH

Fida is proud of his restaurant, and I can attest that it offers scrumptious food at reasonable prices. His journey to Austin was convoluted. He went from his native Afghanistan to Iran and then, when the shah was thrown out, he came to America in 1979. He attended hotel school at the University of Houston and found a job at Meridien Hotel, the first French hotel built in the USA, where he worked for four years. “Almost everyone else there actually was French,” he says. He became the director of purchasing, which was a key post in the hotel, since the French wines and ingredients for the restaurant dishes could not be found in the US at that time.

In 1987, he moved to San Francisco and started a restaurant which was destroyed in the 1989 earthquake. He came to Austin in 1991 and got a job as a salesman with

Apple Toyota – “I made the first sale of a car at the dealership,” he says.

Then, after owning and running grocery stores in Bartlett and on Cesar Chavez in Austin, Fida transitioned into the restaurant business in 2008. Fida adds that Howard gave him the best lease imaginable and has made him feel wanted and comfortable being here. Howard even came in and

helped Fida with advice and contacts on a daily basis to get the business going. Fida says that this level of support works both ways – he is committed to staying here and making his restaurant work on a long-term basis. His children also work there, adding to the family atmosphere. “I want my customers to feel like they are at home here, just like I do.”

The Admirals Club of Austin Welcomes New Members

The Admirals Club of Austin recently welcomed its new members for 2023 with a Spring party at the Headliners Club. The evening was hosted by Clary and Mark Auler, Chief of Naval Operations; Leigh and Ben Richards, 1st Vice-Chief of Naval Operations; and Delaine and Bryan Teeple, 2nd ViceChief of Naval Operations. The new members for 2023 are Chris Belew, Holton Burns, Conley Covert,

Wes Dickerson, Justin Dunlap, Chris Hill, Matt Hutchison, David Kanne, Ryan Kasten, David Keliehor, Greg Meserole, Gordon Muir III, Parker Reese, Justin Reynolds, and Brad Schlueter. The 62nd Admirals Club Coronation weekend will be held August 4-6th and will include various festivities leading up to the annual debutante ball.

Quality assurance mgmt of tech based products involving development & execution of software testing. Bachelor Eng. or computer science & 1yr exp in job or as Software Quality Eng., which must include processing modeling and data analytics, as well as software development.

Anderson High Holds Signing Day for 14 Student-Athletes

By Anne DeVries

Playing sports at the college level is a dream for many high school athletes that requires years of hard work and dedication. At Anderson High School, that dream has become a reality for 14 student-athletes who announced their plans to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level.

The Anderson High School community celebrated signing day in April, proudly recognizing the achievements of these student-athletes. Donald Hatcher, Anderson’s newly hired Athletic Coordinator and Head Football Coach, expressed his excitement for his first class of signees, stating, “I’m so proud of all these athletes and the work they put in to get here. They are great examples of the outcome of hard work, commitment, and resilience.”

Regarding his experience as

a student-athlete, Ryland Ton, a senior planning to play football for Aurora University, stated,

“Anderson football has shaped me into the person I am today.

Over the last three years, my senior class had three different head coaches. This, in turn, has helped me see many different perspectives and face adversity in many different ways.”

Anderson High School senior Elizabeth Ann Stromberger, a state-ranked swimmer who will be attending Dartmouth College, cited the college’s strong academics and accomplished swim team as reasons for choosing Dartmouth. She added, “After visiting the campus, meeting the team and coaches, and experiencing the Dartmouth community, I fell in love with ‘The Woods’ and knew it was the place for me!”

These young athletes have put in long hours of training in their sport of interest, contributed as team members, and faced challenging high school academics. Through their sustained efforts, they have opened their gateway to collegiate competition.

Congratulations to these Anderson High School studentathletes from the West Austin Community on this exceptional achievement.

Hyde Park Schools Annual GOWEEK Ministry Program

By Anne DeVries

Hyde Park (HP) Schools

participated in their GOWEEK missions during the first week of March.

The program is structured to enhance the school’s curriculum by helping students grow spiritually, mentally, and physically through service. The program offers a variety of mission and service opportunities for students to spread hope through the gospel of Jesus Christ.

GOWEEK is a weeklong program scheduled annually in March. Students, 4k-12th grade, are divided into service ministry teams, guided by Hyde Park faculty and community members, to work and, in some cases, live together during the time they serve. Numerous local causes are supported, so not all students travel out of Austin, but the GOWeek Ministry serves ten international and several out-of-state missions also. The program aims to provide students with cultural immersion, ministry opportunities, and a deeper understanding of what God is doing in the world around them.

When asked how GoWeek impacts the student body at Hyde Park, Head of School Dr. Chris Coy replied, “GOWEEK represents the heart of Hyde Park Schools. Our students experience outside in the world what they learn inside the classroom: serving others like Jesus did for them can have an eternal impact on their lives and the ones they serve.”

The options for serving are vast. By offering older students the opportunity to choose a far-off destination to serve, like Ireland, Spain, or Egypt, they can broaden their world experience and begin comprehending the challenges other nations face to serve the disadvantaged. The experience can be lifechanging.

Regarding his experience, HP Senior Sam Ballard, who served with Austin Serving Abaco in Abaco Bahamas, stated, “GOWEEK gave me a humbling, eye-opening experience outside my comfort zone to show up and walk with people who have few resources and opportunities. I learned to appreciate my next steps as I go out into the world after high school and to think about how I can use my life for others”.

The local charities reached by HP Go Week include the Ronald McDonald House, Community First, Foster Village in Dripping Springs, Down Home Ranch, and others. In total, over forty different non-profits are served by the HP Schools community during their Week-long initiative.

Through GOWEEK, students can develop as Christian servant leaders and learn how their gifts and abilities can be used to impact the lives of others. The program is designed to help students develop a life of servant leadership that extends well beyond their years at Hyde Park Schools.

Ballet Austin Presents Cinderella-Themed Fête and fête*ish

By Forrest Preece

It was all carriages and no pumpkins as the 2023 Ballet Austin Fête and fête*ish graced the JW Marriott on Saturday, April 15. Almost 600 people attended the event, which is known as one of Austin’s most glamorous and fun-filled fundraising galas. Cookie Ruiz, Ballet Austin’s executive director, said that the event raised over $500,000.

The host committee for the Fête included Sofia Avila, Becky Beaver, Jeff Coddington, Priscilla and John-Michael Cortez, Beverly Dale, Edie Rogat and Cotter Cunningham, Renée Gallagher and Jason Pennington, Serena Hicks, Virginia and Jed Miracle, and Natasa and Michael Valocchi.

The fête*ish Host Committee consisted of Danielle Carrier, Stephanie Gossen, Ariel House, Cassandra King, Mallory Miller, Alexis and Gordon Moore, Ashley Nelson, and Gertie and Bill Wilson.

At 6 pm, as the guests entered the lobby, they were entertained by the Kris Kimura Quartet playing selections

from the Great American Songbook. Many attendees had their photos taken with playful mice in colorful outfits who were strolling through the crowd.

At the appointed hour, guests filed into the magically decorated ballroom and took their seats for a three-course dinner and live auction. After the dinner, Fête attendees were entertained by the Pamela Hart Trio. Next door, fête*ish was happening with spins from DJ Cassandra, prompting attendees to polish up their glass slippers and dance the night away.

Ballet Austin welcomes audiences to participate in its “classically innovative” vision for the democratization of dance. Established in 1956, the organization has a rich history, featuring original, acclaimed productions and a commitment to creating access to its programs. Ballet Austin owns and operates a combined training and performance facility located in the heart of downtown Austin and is among the 15 largest classical ballet companies in the country. For more information, contact www.balletaustin.org.

PHOTOS BY MATT HOOKER

West Austin Teen Works To Lessen Golf Course

By Forrest Preece

Second-generation West

McWilliams

Austinite Max

grew up playing golf on Lions Municipal Golf Course and is on the Westlake High golf team, which is ranked number one in Texas and number two in the country. While traveling to tournaments statewide, he became disheartened to see golf courses overflowing with empty plastic water bottles, which can take up to 1,000 years to decompose.

He pitched his ideas about how to solve this problem to the Green Sports Alliance, a worldwide organization which works with professional sports teams to promote sustainability. Soon he was selected as their first High School Ambassador, and he began work to devise a sustainable program for the Westlake team.

“One of my green initiatives for the team was to convert the use of plastic water bottles to other options like aluminum containers,” McWilliams says. He also helped start a recycling program to donate used golf equipment to the First Tee nonprofit group and he began an initiative to recycle old scorecards.

Then he decided to try making a change statewide. When the Texas legislative session opened in January, he set out to help enact a law to ban the sale of single-use plastic water bottles at municipal golf courses. He reached out to Representative Donna Howard and Senator Nathan Johnson who agreed to file bills with wording he drafted. If this legislation passes, the golf courses could still sell other types of drinks in plastic bottles, but not water, since it is readily available for free and can be poured into reusable aluminum containers.

On Tuesday, April 11, HB 1174 had a hearing before in the Texas House Urban Affairs Committee. With Rep. Howard looking on, McWilliams testified on its behalf. Its companion bill, SB 551 by Senator Nathan Johnson, is also slated for a hearing later this month.

He is hopeful that this initiative will inspire similar measures in other states around the country. “Given the importance of golf courses to green space, I think it is crucial to take measures to lessen their impact on the environment,” McWilliams says.

Wonders & Worries Envision Gala Ensures Support For Children Through Parent’s Serious

Wonders & Worries hosted their 21st annual Envision Gala on Friday, February 24th. An Austin-based nonprofit, Wonders & Worries provides free, professional support for children and teens through a parent’s serious illness so they can reach their full potential. This year, Wonders & Worries raised over $790,000 to fulfill this mission. The event was a huge success with over 600 attendees, seven raffle packages, and nine live auction items. Wonders & Worries was honored to share two of their client families’ experiences with Envision attendees. Committee members for the 2023 Envision Gala were Meaghan Mooney (Chair), Meredith Bagan, Chielsey Barber, Savanna Bogardus, Courtney Boss, Marwa Gelil, Gigi Gomel, Katharine Lord, Karen Norrod, Cynthia Ramirez-McConnell, Karina Webb, Jessica Wyatt and Genisis Zuniga. For more information about Wonders & Worries and their upcoming Urban Scavenger Hunt, visit www. wondersandworries.org

Courtney Read Hoffman

Retired - Governmental Relations, Public Relations and Teaching; Certified Grandmother

BY FORREST PREECE

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

I enjoy word puzzles, especially Anacrostics, Wordle and Quordle. Before entering the workforce, my mother, the late Anice Read, never missed a day of Jeopardy at 11 am and was a great fan of The New York Times’ Anacrostics. I inherited the same love for word puzzles and do them every day.

2. What was your first job?

During my college years, I spent Sundays during football season driving the tapes of the Darrell Royal Show to air at TV stations across Texas. The show was recorded at KTBC at 6 am after all-night editing of game film and script writing. It was thought to be more efficient to drive the tapes, let them air, then drive them to the next station. I drove to Houston, Corpus Christi, San Antonio, then back through Austin to pick up another tape to drive to KCEN in Temple. Fear of Houston fog affecting airline reliability was real at the time. Broadcasting has changed a lot since then.

3. You can have dinner with three people – dead or alive, any time in history—who would they be?

Not necessarily all at one table, but I would love to dine with Jesus Christ, as I have a few questions for Him, Sam Houston to pick his brain about the Republic and early years of Texas’ statehood, and my now deceased dad, Julian Read, a great conversationalist.

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

My playlist would include Phil Collins, Willie Nelson, and Lauren Daigle.

5. Favorite book and TV show?

My favorite book is The Bible. I am inspired every time I read it. My favorite TV show is that original sitcom, I Love Lucy, which aired in the 1950s during the early days of television. Lucille Ball visited Austin in 1965 for an event at Dillard’s at Hancock Center. I got her autograph at the Driskill Hotel.

6. Most powerful movie you have seen?

Star Wars (1977) At the time, it took cinematography to a new level.

7. Favorite place in Austin?

The Ann and Roy Butler Hike and Bike Trail along Lady Bird Lake. Before the trail was built one had little connection to that part of the Colorado River. Now everyone enjoys the lake up close and personal on miles of trails. What a gift to the people of Austin.

8. What is your favorite local restaurant?

Cisco’s Bakery, a haunt for politicos, is a favorite breakfast spot where for many years my family has celebrated milestones over Migas and Huevos Rancheros.

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

I aspired to be a journalist, but in those days there was a typing requirement to enter journalism at UT. After several failed attempts at typing class, I changed my major to English where I could write and let

10. Which living person do you most admire?

Winston Simmons aka “African,” a humble, Godly man who has shown my husband, Clark and me, the greatest hospitality for many years exploring the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. He shares his home on his boat and his outlook on life, as we, and many others, journey with him.

11. What makes you happy?

I love being out-of-doors. As a child I spent many summers at church camps and Camp Mystic in the Hill Country. As an adult I enjoy “sculpting” trees, planting a garden, swimming, snorkeling, and sailing.

12. Best advice you ever received?

Be still, and know that I am God.

Martha Ann Zivley (an Austin typing service) type my papers.

BSA Troop 72 scout Caroline Newby completes Eagle project

By Alana Moehring Mallard

Caroline Newby, a scout with BSA Troop 72, recently completed her Eagle Scout project, a bird viewing blind on the Trinity Woods Preserve that will be used by Trinity Episcopal School students where she is a ninth grader. The blind includes species ID cards and tips on reducing light pollution.

Caroline said her project grew out of a summer trip to Camp Merriwether in Oregon.

“I noticed millions of stars, the Milky Way, satellites, and many constellations,” she said. Back in Austin what Caroline saw in the night sky was yellowishgray with only a few of the brightest stars visible.

“I decided the best way to teach students about light pollution was to first show them the wildlife in our school’s own woods,” Caroline said. “My former science teacher, Mr. Earley, shared with me the names of migratory birds he has

seen on the Trinity Preserve.

Species included the orangecrowned warbler, the rubycrowned kinglet, the yellowrumped warbler, robins, cedar waxwings, blue-grey gnatcatchers, white-eyed vireos, indigo and painted

buntings, and the goldencheeked warbler.

“With the help of my scout troop, Uncle Matt and my family, we constructed a bird blind so that students could unobtrusively watch for these birds. Once they say

how beautiful they are, I knew that they would want to help protect their habitat— which includes the night sky. I added hooked flipbooks of bird identification cards, as well as tips on how to decrease light pollution.”

Caroline’s research taught her that about one billion birds migrate through

Texas each year, and night lighting presents serious problems for many birds.

“I also encourage people to follow the 5 Principles of Responsible Outdoor Lighting, which includes adjusting to downward facing and purposefully directed lights, utilizing timers/motion sensing light practices, and yellow light

bulbs instead of bright white bulbs.” See travisauddubon. org/lights-out-texas and darksky.org for more info. Troop 72 is chartered by Westlake Hills Presbyterian Church. Caroline’s parents are Milam and Tory Newby, and Caroline will at attend Phillips Exeter Academy in New Hampshire for high school.

Barbara Earle surprised with party celebrating her 80th birthday

On Saturday, April 8, friends, family, and neighbors gathered to surprise Barbara Earle in celebration of her 80th birthday. The party was organized by her children, Judge Elisabeth Earle and Jason Earle, and restaurateur Clay McPhail, a long-time friend of Barbara and the Earle family, hosted the event at his 5280 Burger Bar. Family friend Phil Swann of Phil Swann Photography was on hand to capture the surprise and the festive occasion for old friends to reconnect and celebrate.

Told that she was stopping for a quick lunch before a family photo session, Barbara walked into a room filled with well-wishers from every decade of her life. Childhood friends and family members who had traveled from far corners of the state, colleagues from her career at the State Bar of Texas, and neighbors from across generations were on hand to enjoy surprising Barbara and celebrating her big day. Her grandchildren, Alexandra Leissner, Avery

Leissner, Adelaide Earle, and Elias Earle were there to celebrate their “Mimi”, and even the youngest kept the secret until the big day. For more than fifty years, Barbara has lived on the same quiet street in Northwest Hills. Over five decades, she’s watched the neighborhood grow and become central in a much-larger Austin than the one she moved to as a student in 1963. Her children, and her grandchildren, attended the same Northwest Hills neighborhood schools and three generations have stayed connected to friends in the close-knit community that each of them loves. Barbara has long been involved in the community but one experience of which she is most proud is her work with the Anderson High School Women’s Golf team on which two of her granddaughters played. Current and former coaches and players from that era were on hand to reminisce about their days on the links and gathered for one more team photograph.

Fellowship of Christian Athletes Night of Champions Event

By Anne DeVries

On April 2nd, the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) held their Night of Champions event at the Addison Grove on Fitzhugh Road. The well-attended event brought together athletes, coaches, and supporters of FCA to celebrate the organization’s mission and values and to raise funds for the Austin chapter of FCA.

FCA is a faith-based organization that seeks to transform the world through the influence of coaches and athletes. The organization’s mission is to lead every coach and athlete into a growing relationship with Jesus Christ and His church through their core values of integrity, serving others, teamwork, and excellence. To achieve this goal, FCA uses a relational, equipping, and empowering strategy, encouraging coaches and athletes to become disciples who make disciples.

Todd Pendleton, the Director for FCA in the Austin area, spoke about integrating the Huddle program into local schools, sharing how the organization has progressed from being limited to Bible studies to focusing on discipleship over the past four or five years. FCA volunteers are now disciplining coaches and helping them grow deep in their relationship with Jesus Christ. This effort, Pendleton stated, “has helped coaches evolve the vision of their role from being transitional leaders that focus on wins and losses to transformational leaders that address faith, character, and leadership development.”

The FCA program also recognized two coaches of the year, Jodi Casto, a Middle School teacher and volleyball and basketball coach, and Drew Sanders, Vandegrift High School Head Football Coach and Athletic Coordinator. The presentation of the awards was done by former KVUE Sportscaster Mike Barnes. Both coaches honored spoke to the audience about their schools and the positive impact the FCA program has had on their schools and communities.

The Night of Champions event was honored to have former NFL football player, actor, and personality Brian Bosworth as a guest speaker. He captivated attendees with his life story and growth toward a more fulfilling life by focusing on his faith in Jesus Christ.

Former Austin area FCA Director Steve Vitturini was honored at the event. Vitturini was instrumental in devising the “Fund the Gap” initiative for FCA. Donations to this fund are being used to purchase meals, shoes, balls, and protective athletic equipment for AISD schools needing additional support.

To learn more about FCA, explore volunteer opportunities, or contribute financially to their outreach in the Austin area, please visit fcaaustin. org

Trowel and Error: Mayfield Park’s biggest fundraiser

By Alana Moehring Mallard

About a hundred gardeners, wanderers, and lovers of plants gathered at Mayfield Park earlier this month for Mayfield Park-Community Project’s only fundraiser, Trowel and Error Gardening Symposium, for the quaint and beautiful Mayfield Park at the Lake Austin end of 35th Street.

The annual event began with a pass along plant sale of cactus, ground orchids, irises, and lilies to the music of the Peacock Recorder Consort, a group of recorder musicians who typically practice at Mayfield Park. And the girls and leaders of Girl Scout Troop 42112 had coffee and breakfast snacks available.

Gardening speakers were Renee Studebaker, who gave tips on rewilding in the home garden; Darrel Mayers, editor of austingarden.org, who

brought along his friend Thom the World Poet for a couple of spoken word poems about gardens and those who garden; and Austin Davenport, who helped us learn how to grow tomatoes in Austin’s heat.

Current projects at

Mayfield Park that are funded by Mayfield Park-Community Project include replanting of the water gardens as specimen lily gardens, which was their historical use, and installing a heritage rose garden in the northeast corner of the park.

This year’s sponsors of Towel and Error were Austin Parks and Recreation Department, West Austin Neighborhood Group, Friends of the Parks of Austin, The Natural Gardener, Frost Bank Tarrytown Branch, Shoal Creek

nursery, Anderson Coffee, and HEB on Lake Austin.

Blake Tollett is chair of the Mayfield Council, and members are Karen Cannatti, Rick Chance, Janice Brown, Tricia Ziegler, Sharon Lamb, Barbara Watt,

and Shawnee Merriman. Mary Mayfield Gutsch gave Austin her 23-acre estate in 1971. Friends of the Parks of Austin sponsors the restoration of the MayfieldGutsch house and gardens in the style of the 1920s to 1950s.

St. Michael’s Catholic Academy Holds Grand Opening of HALO

By Anne DeVries

On March 23rd, St. Michael’s Catholic Academy hosted an open house to celebrate the official launch of their Hub for Advance Learning, also known as HALO. The event brought together parents, staff, teachers, and the school board to commemorate the opening of the new 24,000-squarefoot building, which will serve as a center for innovative and immersive learning experiences for students.

The HALO building is designed to provide students with a collaborative and creative environment to foster critical thinking, and its advanced learning experiences will position St. Michael’s Catholic Academy as one of the top secondary schools in Austin. The new facility offers numerous subject areas, including coding, data analytics, city management, law and public policy, robotics, web design, culinary arts, business and entrepreneurship, music production, horticulture, and more.

St. Michael’s Catholic Academy aims to attract the best teaching talent and retain its outstanding faculty by offering such facilities and programs. The HALO building hopes to foster collegiate and corporate partnerships, expanding upon existing partnerships with top universities and attracting new ones to its program. The advanced learning hub’s facilities and resources will also attract corporate and research institutions to participate in exposing young minds to vast career choices and preparing students for future goals in work, education, family, and community.

The curriculum design aims to cultivate a culture of self-directed learners who become the primary stakeholders in their own education, distinguishing themselves in the eyes of college admission and internship directors. The HALO building will provide classes, workshops, and other opportunities for students in many disciplines, in which industry experts would interact with students in a real-world atmosphere.

“We are thrilled to officially dedicate the HALO building and introduce it to our community,” said Heidi Sloan, Head of the High School. “This building and the programs housed within it allow students to become agents of their own learning, experiencing a high level of engagement in working collaboratively with peers to solve real-world problems and develop transfer skills and proficiencies to help them impact the world around them.”

St. Michael’s Catholic Academy is a Christ-centered, college preparatory learning community that inspires lives of service, courage, personal integrity, and intellectual curiosity. The HALO building and the programs offered within it align with the school’s mission, providing students with the opportunity to learn and grow in a supportive and collaborative environment.

For more information about SMCA, please visit www.SMCA.org

Couple Creates “Let’s Dine Austin” Event to Build Community

By Anne DeVries

On April 1, Howard Kaplan and his wife, Jeannine Kaplan, hosted their monthly “Let’s Dine Austin” event at their home in the Crestview neighborhood of Austin. Initiated in September of 2021 as a community-building event focused on gathering people of various backgrounds for cordial conversation during a sit-down dinner, the response and outcome have been more than they could have hoped.

Howard Kaplan has spent most of his adult life in New Orleans. After graduating from LSU, he worked at the Supreme Court of Louisiana for a year. In 2016, he and Jeanine decided to relocate to Austin.

Regarding his motivation for starting “Let’s Dine Austin,” Howard stated, “I get discouraged sometimes about what I see out in the world, and even though people may disagree politically or otherwise, it seems to me that they ought to be able to sit down and have a meal together and get along for a few hours.

So the point was to get people to side down across from each other and leave everything else outside. That is basically the whole point of it.”

Jeannine takes on the task of setting the table and preparing their home to welcome their guests. Howard is the chef, and together, they serve from their wellappointed kitchen, choosing not to sit at the table but to remain on their feet, serving their guests each course of the meal. The Kaplan’s nephew, Chris Hulsey, attends each dinner and assists with serving.

The pilot group in 2021 was 12 people whom the Kaplans had never met. They gathered them by posting an invite on the Next-Door page for their area. From that original group, several people have remained loyal supporters of the endeavor, and now the Kaplans try to mix former attendees with new ones to the dinner to grow ties and friendships.

If you are interested in attending a future “Let’s Dine Austin” event, please email Howard and Jeannine at letsdineaustin@outlook.com.

The Menagerie is moving to the Carillon Building WOMEN IN BUSINESS

The Menagerie is excited to continue its 46-year history as the premier West Austin jewelry store at its new location in the historic Carillon Building. Stay tuned for the May opening date!

Vickie Roan began The Menagerie in 1978 as a home-based business selling jewelry that her friends desired -- baby bead necklaces and twisty bead necklaces. Five years later she made the decision to open a retail space in the Junior League shopping center where she expanded the business to include luxury home accessories and sterling gift items.

In 1997 she moved to Jefferson Square so that she would have the space to add bridal registry to her store’s gift offerings.  She travelled to Europe to visit the world’s most honored companies and brought their items to Austin, so Austin brides no longer had to travel to Houston or Dallas to make their china, crystal, and silver selections.

The Menagerie has been listed for several years as one of the top 50 womanowned businesses by the Austin Business Journal and was the oldest womanowned business on last year’s list.  When asked about this accomplishment her response was, “I am honored to be included but it is only because of my loyal customers it happened.”

The move to the Carillon brings her back to her initial business model which is listening to her customer’s desires and sourcing and securing and/ or creating pieces of jewelry for them.

With a 46-year history in the retail business, Vickie has built a reputation for creating Austin’s premier luxury jewelry store by having a curated selection of luxury jewelry and designing one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces for her loyal customers.

One of her customers said this:

“When being disappointed that I couldn’t find the perfect engagement ring a friend said, call Vickie! Her attention to detail and her vast resources for diamonds and jewelry craftsman are amazing. I took my friend’s recommendation and Vickie sourced the most beautiful diamond and made me exactly the ring I wanted -- and my now husband was excited because it was within his budget!”

Another customer said, “It’s my happy place!”  A comment that many shared was “The Menagerie is known for its generosity of supporting our local charities. Vickie loves to give back to the community that supports her store.”

When Vickie is asked what her favorite part of the business is, she quickly responds, “Helping my customers, who are my friends, celebrate all of life’s gift giving occasions. Sourcing the perfect diamond for an engagement ring or hand engraving a silver baby cup for a newborn baby is an honor that I give thanks for daily.”

At both St. Gabriel’s Catholic School and St. Michael’s Catholic Academy, service and leadership extend well beyond the classroom and widely into the community. With more than 100 years combined teaching experience, our Heads of School joyfully shepherd a learning environment that continuously challenges our students and faculty to think critically and creatively while learning to persevere with prudence, temperance, justice and fortitude. Through their consistent words and actions, these outstanding women mentor, model and inspire next generation leaders in our profoundly unique and vibrant school and community. We could not be prouder of them!

MRS. JACQUI GLENN Head of Lower School

DR. BLANCA SNYDER Head of Middle School

MRS. HEIDI SLOAN Head of High School

MRS. COLLEEN LYNCH Head of School

512.694.7318

blake@gottesmanresidential.com

BlakeBellRealtor.com

Gottesman Residential Real Estate

Bryker Woods | Buyer Rep |

RemodelDeep Eddy | Buyer Rep

Tarrytown | Sold

Tarrytown | Buyer Rep

Balcones Springs founder and owner Christine Baskin welcomes guests to her family-run summer camp and high-end event space

By Genevieve Poist

The moment I step foot onto the pebble path of Balcones Springs, it’s clear I’m somewhere remarkable.

Tucked neatly off of Hill Country Road 1431, the summer camp/retreat/event space/outdoor mecca is both homey and romantic. Every inch of the 250-acre property is carefully detailed — a bright tablecloth, a bouquet of fresh cut garden roses, a western scene stitched onto the hem of a pressed quilt.

Simply put, Balcones Springs is magic. So it’s no surprise its owner is magic, too.

Owner, founder, director, designer and showrunner of The Retreat at Balcones Springs and Camp Balcones Springs, Christine Baskin is known for everything except sitting down. One moment, she’s playing with campers by the lake; the next, she’s on the phone planning with a brideto-be. Later still, she’s in the kitchen, donning rubber gloves to help scrub dirty dishes with her team at 3 a.m. And yet, she looks completely unruffled.

With 46 cabins, a dining hall, several pavilions, herb and vegetable gardens, and event spaces, the property has grown significantly since its founding in 1993. The lake and rolling fields are scattered with outdoor recreation, including a climbing wall and zipline, a fitness and yoga studio, horse barn with dozens of horses, goats, and donkeys, tennis courts and more. And yet more than half of the land remains untouched.

CAMP BALCONES SPRINGS

Come summer, Camp Balcones Springs, or “CBS,” welcomes hundreds of children, but this camp offers an adventure beyond typical Texas camps, with smaller camper-to-counselor ratios, air-conditioned cabins, and specialized classes.

While Christine acknowledges the value of more rural facilities, she wanted to create a program that would allow children to get the most out of camp by being well-rested and comfortable in their lodging: “As a mother myself, it was important to me that my children eat healthy food

and not melt away in the Texas heat. Luckily, I’ve found that other mothers, especially millennial moms, are beginning to prioritize the same things for their children.”

During the “school” year, the property transforms from summer camp into a peaceful, cozy, and authentic glamping experience. All named after

“Couples come near and far to wed at The Retreat — Texans, and even a few Europeans, you name it! Because the property has so much untouched nature, it provides a blank canvas for couples to bring their wedding weekends to life while avoiding all the headaches that come with a rustic wedding. We provide all the infrastructure to deliver on this rustic vibe without having to pull in a zillion different vendors to make it happen. It’s a one stop shop,” says Christine.

various Texas heroes and decorated by Christine herself, no two cabins are the same. Each possesses a distinct style with unique artifacts collected from her travels — from Mexico in the 1990s, to Texas flea markets and antique shows and work from her favorite local artists. This goes

“What I never expected and am always so enamored with is how this place taps into your inner-child and encourages play, even for adults,” says Christine. “Of course, they’re enjoying wine and cocktails and ‘glamping’ in our boutique cabins, but this is after blobbing or cannonballing into Lake Ted. It is really beautiful to me to witness how much summer camp bleeds into each stay. I feel like people tend to see these sorts of activities and experiences as mutually

—CHRISTINE BASKIN

beyond the standard boutique hotel fare. The blend creates a “rustic luxury” experience that makes Balcones Springs what it is.

THE RETREAT AT BALCONES SPRINGS

The rise of glamping has made The Retreat an ultimate destination for a wedding weekend.

exclusive — sort of like how certain types of vacation travel seemed off the table for families and kids — and it’s been my aim since day one to foster a space in which they can mix flawlessly. You shouldn’t have to choose between adventurous fun and a luxury stay. It’s possible for an experience to cater to both.”

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 15 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. She currently serves as the 2023 Secretary/Treasurer for the board. She also sits 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.

• 2022-2024 DIRECTOR, AUSTIN BOARD OF RE ALTORS

• KUPER SOTHEBY’S PRESIDENT’S CLUB MEMBER

• AUSTIN BUSINESS JOURNAL NOMINEE - RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE

—CHRISTINE BASKIN

512.426.186

KACY.DOLCE@KUPERSIR.COM

KACYDOLCE.KUPERREALTY.COM

AS A MOTHER MYSELF, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO ME THAT MY CHILDREN EAT HEALTHY FOOD AND NOT MELT AWAY IN THE TEXAS HEAT.”

WHAT I NEVER EXPECTED AND AM ALWAYS SO ENAMORED WITH IS HOW THIS PLACE TAPS INTO YOUR INNERCHILD AND ENCOURAGES PLAY, EVEN FOR ADULTS.”