Advanced Heart & Vascular care that gives you more.
There are many reasons why it’s important to care for your heart. At Texas Health Heart & Vascular Specialists, our reason is you. With heart care plans customized to you and your needs, we’re ready to help you achieve a heart-healthy future. From proactive prevention and diagnostics to advanced bypass and valve surgery and more, discover our compassionate and comprehensive approach to your heart health. Schedule your in-person or virtual visit today.
Martin Berk, M.D.
Kenneth Saland, M.D.
Tupinamba is approachable Tex-Mex with a street-facing patio and a walk-up bar window ready for a cerveza on a warm day. Read more on page 14. Photography by Kathy Tran.
FLY PAST TRAFFIC
Your family has a fast and convenient ride to the airport. DART offers service to Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport and Dallas Love Field every day of the week.
DFW AIRPORT
ORANGE LINE to DFW Airport
Terminal A Station
DALLAS LOVE FIELD
GREEN OR ORANGE LINE to Inwood/Love Field Station, and then LOVE FIELD SHUTTLE (Bus Route 5) to Dallas Love Field
Editorial Assistant: Simon Pruitt spruitt@advocatemag.com
Senior Art Director: Jynnette Neal jneal@advocatemag.com
Creative Director/Photographer: Lauren Allen lallen@advocatemag.com
Contributors: Patti Vinson, Carol Toler, Sam Gillespie, Pat in the Hat
Contributing photographers: Kathy Tran, Yuvie Styles, Shelby Tauber, Victoria Gomez, Amani Sodiq, Austin Marc Graf, Rae Overman, Haley Hill, Jenni Cholula, Austin Gibbs
Advocate (c) 2024 is published monthly in print and daily online by Advocate Media - Dallas Inc., a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation based in Dallas and first published in 1991. Contents of this print magazine may not be reproduced. Advertisers and advertising agencies assume liability for the content of all advertisements and sponsorships printed, and therefore assume responsibility for any and all claims against the Advocate. The Publisher reserves the right to accept or reject ay editorial, advertising or sponsorship material in print or online. Opinions set forth in Advocate publications are those of the writers and do not necessarily reflect the Publisher’s viewpoint. More than 180,000 people read Advocate publications in print each month; Advocate online publications receive more than 4 million pageviews monthly. Advertising rates and guidelines are available upon request. Advocate print and online publications are available free of charge throughout our neighborhoods, one print copy per reader. For information about supporting our non-profit mission of providing local news to neighborhood readers, please call 214-560-4212 or email aquintero@advocatemag.com.
Autumn with the Junior League of Dallas
HERE’S WHAT THEY’VE BEEN UP TO LATELY
Story by SIMON PRUITT
GRANTS FOR INNOVATIVE TEACHING
On October 4, the JLD awarded 35 Dallas ISD teachers with grants of up to $2,500 each through the annual Grants for Innovative Teaching (GFIT) program. A total of $79,541 was awarded to educators with the help of presenting sponsor Texas Instruments (TI).
“Teachers mean more to students’ academic success than any other part of the academic experience,” says Andy Smith. TI director of giving and volunteering. “They serve as role models and champions for their students, all while preparing them for future success. This is TI’s 15th year to support the Junior League of Dallas’ Grants for Innovative Teaching awards, and we are proud to be a part of a program that recognizes such outstanding teachers as this year’s recipients.”
AUCTION PARTY
The JLD’s annual auction party will occur on Saturday, November 2. The disco-themed event will be hosted at Hotel Zaza featuring live music and food around the silent auction. Guests are encouraged to wear cocktail attire with a disco twist.
Last year, the silent auction’s items included a custom family
The grants were given based on a series of student projects, each designed to provide students with diverse experiences and highlight the innovation of Dallas ISD educators.
“The Junior League of Dallas and Grants for Innovative Teaching committee are proud to support Dallas ISD educators and their students with this annual program. The projects awarded this year highlight creative teaching that elevates the learning experiences for thousands of Dallas ISD students,” Tandra Allen says. “The funding of these grants is made possible through the visionary donations of our sponsors including Texas Instruments and The Agnes Cluthe Oliver Foundation. Their continued generosity is an investment in the promise of every student’s potential.”
portrait, a skydiving experience and tickets to private jazz concerts. Proceeds will go to the JLD’s Community Service Fund. General admission tickets to the event are available online for $150 each, or VIP tickets for $200, including early admission, an exclusive lounge and swag bag.
Disco For Dallas kicks off at 8 p.m. for general admission ticket holders, at Hotel Zaza, 2200 N. Lamar Street.
SUSTAINER OF THE YEAR AND MILESTONES LUNCHEON ANNOUNCEMENT
On September 17, the organization announced the recipient of its annual Sustainer of the Year award, celebrating the achievements of one of its members in the past calendar year. In 2024, former President and CEO of Southwestern Medical Foundation Kathleen Gibson was given the honor. The JLD announced that the 2025 recipient would be Peggy Sewell for her extensive volunteer service with organizing charity events for the JLD.
The announcement was made by Sustainer President Sally Dutter at a special event held at Southern Methodist University’s Meadows Museum.
“We are delighted that Peggy has been selected as our 2025 Sustainer of the Year. No one captures the ideals we strive to achieve as a Sustainer more than Peggy,” says Debbie Oates, JLD sustainter and Milestones Luncheon co-chair. “How fitting it is to gather here for the Reveal Party at SMU Meadows Museum, a place that means so much to Peggy and her family, to celebrate her unwavering dedication, leadership and service to the Dallas community.”
JLD President Tandra Allen also announced the keynote speaker for the organization’s annual Milestones Luncheon: Dallas-based food author and creator of recipe website The Defined Dish, Alex Snodgrass.
The 2025 Milestones Luncheon is set to be held on April 11, 2025.
THRILLS AND SCIENCE
L.A. Starks’ journey from oil fields to page-turners
Story by PARKER JOHNSON |
Photography by RAE OVERMAN
NEER. Growing up around the oil field in the ‘70s, Preston Hollow neighbor L.A. Starks was used to hearing all the reasons that she couldn’t have it all.
Yet, at the age of 66, Starks has been working in the engineering industry for over 40 years, published four novels and several short stories, and ran 21 half-marathons.
To Starks, a longtime member of the Cooper Aerobics Center, half-marathons are all about focusing on discipline and endurance – qualities that also define her approach to writing.
“The long slog of training and the discipline required for marathon training are 100% the same as writing a novel,” she says.
Starks is the author of a fourbook novel series centered around a woman dealing with coming into the engineering industry as one of few women in an executive position. And she’s no stranger to the feeling.
Starks graduated magna cum laude with a chemical engineering degree from Tulane University in 1980 and has worked at refineries and energy companies ever since. She is even credited with designing global crude quality software used in multibillion dollar capital budgets.
“I grew up in a refinery town surrounded by scientists and engineers,” she says. “It was a very natural thing to say, ‘OK, Plan B is chemical engineering.’”
Despite her love for the energy sector, Starks always harbored a desire to write, she says. This passion eventually led her to pen the Lynn Dayton thriller series, which has just produced its fourth novel, Winner’s Curse.
Though each novel is a stand-alone – not meant to be read in sequential order – all follow the character Lynn Dayton, the first woman to lead the drilling division of TriCoast Energy. The novel details the challenges Dayton faces, not just from the male-dominated industry, but also from international power players and former executives with personal vendettas.
EDUCATION GUIDE
“West Texas is the hub of the oil and gas producing industry, and it’s a place that’s very fast, very aggressive,” Starks says. “I wanted to capture that in Winner’s Curse , while also taking the reader to lesser-known places like Hungary, which provided a unique setting for the international intrigue I wanted to portray.”
Stark uses her engineering experience and expertise of the professional network she’s made after over 40 years in the industry to ensure accuracy in her novels.
“I’m very conscious of my engineering classmates at Tulane and the engineers I’ve worked with,” she says. “That drives me to ensure the science in my books is accurate and accessible.”
Beyond her fiction, Starks continues to contribute to the energy sector through her articles on finance news site Seeking Alpha, where she provides in-depth analysis on energy investments.
“The deadlines for Seeking Alpha help keep me on track, while the self-imposed deadlines for my books are a bit harder to manage,” she says with a laugh.
As a longtime Dallas resident, Starks finds that her local ties influence her creative process.
“Dallas is Lynn Dayton’s hometown in the books, and I often reference real places in the city,” she said. However, she noted the challenge of keeping her books current. “By the time my book comes out, some of the places I mention might have changed or even closed.”
Despite these challenges, Starks remains committed to her dual career paths. For those looking to pivot from a traditional field like engineering to a more creative endeavor, Starks offers simple yet profound advice: “Don’t quit your day job, but just do it. There are plenty of professional groups and resources to support you.”
With Winner’s Curse now out, Starks is focused on its launch and marketing, but she hints that there are more thrilling stories to come.
“I definitely have other locations in mind for a fifth book,” she teases.
SHOPPING
BEST ANTIQUE STORE
WINNER - NORTH DALLAS ANTIQUE MALL
2ND - COPPER LAMP- FINE SILVER AND CHINA
3RD - ANTIQUE ROW
BEST CHILDREN’S CLOTHING STORE
WINNER - JANIE AND JACK
2ND - KIDBIZ
3RD - SMALL POCKETS
BEST FURNITURE STORE
WINNER - MECOX DALLAS
2ND - BALLARD DESIGNS DALLAS
3RD - ARHAUS
BEST GARDEN STORE
WINNER - NICHOLSON-HARDIE HOME AND GARDEN SHOP
2ND - JACKSONS HOME & GARDEN
3RD - NORTH HAVEN GARDENS
BEST GIFT SHOP
WINNER - SAMPLE HOUSE & CANDLE SHOP
WINNER - SWOOZIE’S
2ND - SUR LA TABLE
3RD - THE TOY MAVEN
BEST HOME DECOR
WINNER - MARY CATES AND CO.
2ND - SAMPLE HOUSE & CANDLE SHOP
3RD - RUTHERFORD’S DESIGN-FABRICS-GIFTS
BEST JEWELRY STORE
WINNER - SKIBELL FINE JEWELRY
2ND - BACHENDORF’S
3RD - DANIEL FINE JEWELRY AND DESIGN
BEST MEN’S CLOTHING STORE
WINNER - POCKETS MENSWEAR
2ND - Q CLOTHIER
3RD - J.HILBURN
BEST THRIFT/ CONSIGNMENT STORE
WINNER - CLOTHESHORSE ANONYMOUS
2ND - RETHREADS
3RD - CLOTHES CIRCUIT
WINNER - TOOTSIES
2ND
3RD - KAT + NOELLE
a much needed makeover
HOW DALLAS MAVERICKS’ NBA CARES
GAVE THE EAST DALLAS BOYS AND
GIRLS CLUB A BRAND NEW LOOK
Story by AYSIA LANE
Photography by LAUREN ALLEN
the East Dallas Boys and Girls Club has been around for quite some time. The building itself was previously home to a grocery store and rumored to have been a movie theater and, at some point, a warehouse.
Over the years, the Club received some smaller renovations here and there — leading to portions of the facility and rooms being upgraded. But the team knew it was time to start figuring out how they would transform the space on a larger scale. As they searched for grants, they kept an eye on the Dallas Mavericks, waiting for their grant cycle to open up.
The original ask within their grant application was for funding for the Club’s computer lab, the Club’s Vice President of Advancement, Anthony Valente, says.
“Then, as they came in for their tour, they noticed that the Club was in massive need of repairs,” he says.
The gym floor wasn’t in the best condition. The walls were separating and needed a paint job. And some of the rooms needed foundational repairs.
“They said ‘you guys would be a great candidate for an entire club remodel,’ essentially,” Valente says.
Their computer lab wasn’t the only thing that was going to be upgraded anymore. The Mavericks advanced through their season, and as they continued winning, they were able to expand their renovation plans for the Club through their NBA Cares partnership — the National Basketball Association’s global social responsibility program, geared towards addressing social issues.
“Apparently, once teams make it into the finals, this
is a project that the local team does with the NBA, where they team up and they deliver a massive project to a local nonprofit and we were lucky they chose us, so that as they advanced, the project got bigger and bigger.”
The Club’s Vice President of Education and Well-Being Juany Valdespino-Gaytan and CEO Karen Tan said that everything happened quickly, without much time to wrap their heads around the progression of their ‘one-step-at-a-time’ plan that turned into what felt like an overnight development.
The staff kept as much of the renovations a secret as possible but the cat was out of the bag when a bunch of Bentleys and Mazzeratis surrounded the building — that, and the clusters of men over 6 foot.
“Then they had a big event at our club, which is pretty much invite-only with the NBA Commissioner and the CEO from the Mavs, and some of the players came and played with our kids,” Tan says. “(Dereck) Lively was putting Legos together with our kids.”
The Club celebrated its re-grand opening in September. The renovations included a play zone, a new basketball court, new basketballs, a new scoreboard and a new STEM lab with computers.
Tan says that the renovations open up the door for new programs, with hopes of expanding their services to include mental health support and access to mental health resources so that the Club can become a “true wraparound center.”
About 50 to 60 children use the East Dallas Club facillities daily, though the number of children in the building increases in the summers and during spring breaks.
food Tupinamba’s fajita nachos come with beef (pictured here) or chicken with beans, guacamole and sour cream. A half-order is $15.50 and a whole order is $19.50.
A TEX-MEX LEGACY CONTINUES
Tupinamba Cafe has spent more than 70 years serving Dallas
Story by ALYSSA HIGH | Photography by KATHY TRAN
1953 WAS A DEFINING YEAR IN UNITED STATES HISTORY. The first polio vaccine was developed. The DNA double helix was described. The Korean War ended. Eisenhower became president. The McCarthy hearings were underway.
And Tupinamba was born.
Froylan Dominguez fled the Mexican Revolution and came to Dallas in 1910 with a handful of recipes and an eagerness to prove himself in business. He started at El Fenix and learned classic TexMex from the original chefs.
Froylan and his wife started serving family recipes combined with modified Tex-Mex in the first Tupinamba Cafe when their son Eddie was just 10 years old, a business that Eddie would take over a few decades later and still runs today.
Eddie says the Tupinamba name doesn’t have a familial meaning. The name comes from a restaurant that Froylan said was across the street from a bullfighting venue in Mexico City in the early 1900s. That restaurant was named after an Indigenous peoples who spoke Tupian languages in eastern Brazil.
Tupinamba has been housed in six locations over the years. The current location off Walnut Hill Lane and the Expressway is coming into its 10th year, following locations on Inwood Road, Midway and LBJ, Bachman Lake, Lovers Lane and Oak Cliff.
While you typically hear the sons and daughters of restaurateurs discuss growing up in the restaurant, for Eddie, the expression feels literal.
When the original restaurant opened in Oak Cliff in 1953, the restaurant was open from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. seven days a week. Eddie is an only child, and that meant sitting in the restaurant booths from the time he got off school until they closed up for the night.
“I was sleeping in a booth and they’d give me a tablecloth for a blanket, so that’s the way I grew up,” he says.
Eddie is a Preston Hollow-native. He graduated from Thomas Jefferson High School in 1962 and chased a basketball scholarship to Texas A&M University.
“(My parents) were immigrants and they didn’t go to school, so it was really important for them for me to go to school and get my education,” he says.
Eddie recalled once getting a call from his mom, Consuela, when he was in college. By then, he was married and living in off-campus housing. She’d said they needed help at the restaurant. Eddie and his wife needed to come home to help. He began to immediately pack their bags, until he got another call from his father.
“Your mother just called, right, for you to come home and help us?” he recalls Froylan had asked. “Well if you come home, you won’t have a job with me, because you need to stay there and get your education. That’s the most important thing for me.”
Eddie graduated from Texas A&M in 1966, bringing back a business degree to the Tupinamba name.
Slowly, as his parents aged, he started to take over more of the business.
“Every once in a while we would clash, but I always kind of gave it to them because they started it,” Eddie recalls. “They were just hard working people, so all they knew to do was open up the doors and do the best they could.”
Froylan and Consuela retired “sometime around 1975.” At the time, the restaurant was located around Bachman Lake, which promised to be a developing area. The restaurant was double the size of what it had been before, but the area was quickly surrounded by various forms of nightlife, which didn’t reflect the family-vibes of the restaurant.
They sold the building to Taco Cabana and reopened a year and a half later on Midway and LBJ, where they stayed for five years, followed by the Inwood Road location for 18 years.
And after nearly 10 years at Central Expressway, the restaurant has already extended their lease another five years.
One of the biggest things that hasn’t changed, Eddie says, is the ingredients on key menu items. The Tupy Taco, for example, features a tortilla filled with meat, then fried, and pried apart to fill with lettuce, tomato and other toppings.
“A lot of people have gone to what they call a shell taco,” he says. “They do a pre-fried shell that is always open … I think people still love that. A lot of times people that have moved out (of Dallas), they come in and get the taco that’s not fried yet and go home and fry it themselves because they like it so much. I’ve had people call me and I’ve FedExed them some of it.”
Eddie calls the Tupy Taco the restaurant’s “backbone of Tex-Mex.”
Other Tex-Mex favorites fill the menu, with several eponymous dishes that nod to Texas A&M — if you’re in the know.
Seventy years in business and sticking to original ingredients is nothing without the restaurant’s loyal employees, Eddie says.
He has one cook that has worked at the restaurant since he was 17 years old. Now, he’s moving to part time as he gets ready to collect retirement. Eddie once even put up a banner in front of the store reading “We are NOT hiring,” with lines like “Our average kitchen staff has been here 34 years” or “Our average server has been here 22 years.”
In an industry marred by turnover from the pandemic and in a restaurant that has moved six times, Eddie boasts not losing any staff members when times were tough.
“I told them, ‘It’s going to be tough times for y’all just like it is for us, but we’re not in this alone. Everybody’s having a hard time
… but if you just stay with me, when we get back on your feet I will make it up to you,’” Eddie recalls telling his staff. “‘Whatever you’ve lost here, I’ll make it up.’ And that’s what we’ve done.”
Tupinamba didn’t lose any staff during the shutdown portion of the pandemic or when the restaurant closed for 60-90 days during the Inwood to Expressway move.
“Personally, I don’t have an extended family, so my family is in the business,” Eddie says. “You hear that a lot of times, ‘We’re all family,’ but that’s what it is. It means a lot to a business when you have the same employees for a long time.”
ΩOnly one of Eddie’s seven children has entered the business: his youngest son Jeff. Eddie didn’t want Jeff to have to work under his wing, and invested in his son’s restaurant concept, which he says he has no hands in but still supports.
“He grew up sort of like the way I grew up in it, so I told him a little while ago that he needed to go on his own because he started his own family,” Eddie says. “He knew enough about it so he went and opened up a second location, but I’m just an investor in it. I really don’t have anything to do with management.”
Jeff opened Tupy’s Mexican Restaurant in Frisco in 2010, bringing with him several family recipes and some new options.
“We went out there and on Lebanon and Tollway years ago there was nothing there,” Eddie says. “I told him, ‘I think you’re making a mistake because there’s nothing out here.’ Now, he’s at the center of everything.”
Tupy’s is now entering its 15th year, a quarter of the way to the Tupinamba’s platinum-anniverary dynasty. And its full of nods to Tupinamba for those who recognize it.
Tumpinamba Cafe , 9665 N Central Expressway, 972.991.8148, tupinambacafe.com
Tupinamba Cafe’s full bar offers a wide array of cocktails and margaritas.
DALLAS’ SPIRIT, NEW YORK’S DESIGNERS
Sitting down with Sachin & Babi
Story by ALYSSA HIGH
Photos courtesy of Phyllis Lane.
After a recent trip to Dallas to check out the scene for the gala season, New York City-based Sachin & Babi talk about why they regularly visit the city and what to expect from this year’s fall lines — including theirs.
Sachin & Babi Ahluwalia met as students at the Fashion Institute of Technology, becoming instant friends and bonding over their upbringings in India. After years of friendship, the two fell in love and started their brand, designing embroidery for brands like Oscar de la Renta and Armani.
Sachin & Babi started their own line in 2009, which was inducted into the Council of Fashion Designers of America in 2013 and expanded to cocktail and daywear in 2020.
TELL US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT SACHIN & BABI.
We founded our namesake on the belief that life’s true beauty lies in celebrating its moments, both grand and intimate. We craft timeless pieces that accompany a woman through life’s cherished occasions – whether an elegant evening out or the unforgettable magic of a wedding. Each design is imbued with a classic sophistication that highlights her individuality. As a vertically integrated brand, we are dedicated to delivering exceptional quality with thoughtful accessibility, ensuring that luxury and value exist hand in hand. Our mission is to meet women at the crossroads of fashion and personal expression, creating clothing that enhances her journey rather than defines it. Every piece we create reflects a story, not just of style, but of life’s most meaningful moments.
Their passion for fashion, impeccable sense of style, vibrant use of color, and celebration of femininity perfectly align with the core values of our brand.
WHAT MAKES DALLAS’ GALA SCENE DIFFERENT FROM NEW YORK’S?
While New York may be the fashion capital of the world with its legendary gala scene, Dallas is where fashion is embraced in its truest sense. In contrast to New York, where the fashion scene is often approached with great seriousness and gravity, Dallas brings a lively, celebratory spirit to the forefront. As the saying goes, everything truly is bigger in Texas, and the people of Dallas certainly live life on a grander scale.
WHA T IS YOUR INSPIRATION FOR THE NEW FALL LINE?
Much of our inspiration is drawn from nature, particularly the captivating beauty of botanical flowers. For Fall 2024, we reflected on some of our favorite photographers who have captured striking macro shots of oversized blooms, and from this, we focused on the romantic allure of a ‘White Rose in Moonlight.’ While we often envision roses bathed in sunlight, a rose is equally enchanting beneath the glow of the moon, evoking a sense of mystery and depth. There’s a subtle message there – a reminder that beauty can thrive even in the quiet of night.
WHAT KEY TRENDS SHOULD WE BE LOOKING OUT FOR GOING INTO THIS UPCOMING GALA AND EVENT SEASON?
AS A NEW YORK-BASED COMPANY, HOW DOES DALLAS ALIGN WITH YOUR BRAND IDENTITY?
Babi and I share a deep love for Dallas, and to truly love a city, one must first love its people. In Dallas, we’ve always received the warmest of welcomes, and the women of Texas embody the essence of the modern American woman for whom we design.
Bold colors, vibrant florals and sophisticated sheens of sparkle. This season, more is more.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
Photos courtesy of Sachin & Babi.
WHERE CAN I FIND LOCAL ...?
AC & HEAT
ALEXANDER HOME REPAIR. AC/HEAT Repair & Install. LIC#28052 469-226-9642
CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING
FLAGSTONE PATIOS, Retaining Walls, BBQ’s, Veneer, Flower Bed Edging, All Stone work. Chris 214-770-5001
FLOORING & CARPETING
HOME IMPROVEMENT
RGC - HOME IMPROVEMENTS 214-477-8977
THE HEATING & AC EXPERTS
Installations & Repairs
Emergency Services
24/7 On-Call
100% Satisfaction Guarantee
AIR SHIELD LLC AC/Heat Repairs, Installs Airshieldpros.com. 214-394-1788 TA CLA67136C 214-710-2515 dallasheatingac.com
ASK ABOUT DISCOUNTS!
APPLIANCE REPAIR
JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE
TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898
BUY SELL TRADE
I BUY USED CARS Sam. Dallas. 469-609-0978.
!!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! Gibson, Fender, Martin, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. Top Dollar Paid. 1-866 -433-8277
SALE: FULL SIZE BED. $400. Bed frame, headboard, box spring, mattress, Good Condition. 469-363-2480
Relax ...We’ll Clean Your House, It Will Be Your Favorite Day! Bonded & Insurance. Free Estimates. 214-929-8413. www. altogetherclean.net
CINDY’S HOUSE CLEANING 15 yrs exp. Resd/Com. Refs. Dependable. 214-490-0133
WANTED: HOUSES TO CLEAN, Organize, De-clutter, or Pack. Sunny 214-724-2555
WINDOW CLEANING Power washing No Job To Small. 30 Yrs exp. 214-360-0120
WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134
COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS
CONFUSED? FRUSTRATED? Let a seasoned pro be the interface between you & that pesky Windows computer. Hardware/Software Installation, Troubleshooting, Training. $100/hr. 1 hr min. Dan 972-639-6413 / stykidan@sbcglobal.net
NEED HELP WITH YOUR COMPUTER, Smartphone or Smart Home? My Tech Guy Harvey. 214-770-2598. harveymccall@gmail.com. CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING
ADVANCE STONE ART CREATIONS
Decorative Concrete Overlays. 214-705-5954
CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable. Chris 214-770-5001
CONCRETE, RETAINING WALLS 25 yrs exp. T&M Construction, Inc. 214-328-6401
TEXAS BEST PAINTING LLC Resd,Interiors 30Yrs. 214-527-4168
TOP COAT 30 Yrs. Exp. Reliable. Quality Repair/Remodel. Phil @ 214-770-2863
VIP PAINTING & DRYWALL Int/Ext. Sheetrock Repair, Resurfacing Tubs, Counters, Tile Repairs. 469-774-7111 Over 25 years of experience Free Estimates 214-702-2188 morganexteriorsdfw.com
& Exterior Painting Siding •
OFF *Applies to Complete Exterior Repaint ask about details
FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. dallastileman.com 214-343-4645
MELROSE TILE & MARBLE Shower & tub install & repair 40 Yrs. Exp. James 214-384-6746
TK REMODELING 972-533-2872 Complete Full Service Repairs, Kitchen & Bath/Remodeling, Restoration. Name It- We Do It. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com
Tubs, Tiles or Sinks
• Cultured Marble
• Kitchen Countertops
LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES
WHERE CAN I FIND LOCAL ...?
REAL ESTATE
SERVICES FOR YOU
LAWNS, GARDENS & TREES
#1 WHITE ROCK TREE WIZARDS Professionals, Experts, Artists serving Dallas 15 years.Trim, Removals. Tree Health Care services. Insured. Arborwizard.com. Free Est. (972) 803-6313.
A BETTER TREE MAN Trims, Removals, Insd. 18 Yrs Exp. Roberts Tree Service. 214-808-8925 Lawns, Gardens & Trees
DAVIS LAWN CARE, LLC 580-222-4909 or davislawncare214@yahoo.com
MAYA TREE SERVICE Tree Trim/Remove. Lawn Maintenance. Resd/ Commcl.Insd. CC’s Accptd. mayatreeservice.com 214-924-7058 214-770-2435
MONSTER TREE SERVICE DALLAS
Certified Arborists, Fully Insured 469.983.1060
NEW LEAF TREE, LLC
Honest, Modern, Safety Minded. 214-850-1528
PAT TORRES 214-388-1850 Lawn Service & Tree Care. 28 Yrs. Complete Landscape Renovation. New Fence Install & Brick Repair. Concrete Removal and Gutter Cleaning.
RED SUN LANDSCAPES • 214-935-9779 RedSunLandscapes.com
RGC - STORM WATER MANAGEMENT drainage solutions 214-477-8977
TAYLOR MADE IRRIGATION Repairs, service, drains. 30+ years exp. Ll 6295 469-853-2326. John
WALTON’S GARDEN CENTER
Stop in for home decor, candles, house plants, succulents and more. It’s time to plan for spring. Call us for design, prep and plantings! 8652 Garland Road 214.321.2387
BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730
FENN CONSTRUCTION Kitchens And Baths. Call Us For Your Remodeling Needs. 214-343-4645. dallastileman.com
RENOVATE DALLAS
renovatedallas.com 214-403-7247
S&L CONSTRUCTION All Home Services & Repairs. 214-918-8427
TK REMODELING 972-533-2872
Complete Full Service Repairs, Kitchen & Bath/Remodeling, Restoration. Name It- We Do It. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com
New Construction & Remodels
BECOME A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. We want to read your book! Dorrance Publishing trusted since 1920. Consultation,production, promotion & distribution. Call for free author’s guide 1-877-729-4998 or visit dorranceinfo.com/ads
DENTAL INSURANCE- Physicians Mutual Insurance Company. Covers 350 procedures. Real insurance -not a discount plan. Get your free dental info kit! 1-888-623-3036 www.dental50plus.com/58 #6258
DIRECTV STREAM - Carries the most local MLB Games! ChoicePackage $89.99/mo for 12 mos Stream on 20 devices at once.HBO Max included for 3 mos (w/Choice Package or higher.)No contract or hidden fees! Some restrictions apply. Call IVS 1-866-859-0405
DONATE YOUR CARS TO VETERANS TODAY. Help and Support our Veterans. Fast - FREE pick up. 100% tax deductible. Call 1-800 -245-0398
ELIMINATE GUTTER CLEANING FOREVER! LeafFilter, the most advanced debris-blocking gutter protection. Schedule a FREE LeafFilter estimate today. 15% off Entire Purchase. 10% Senior & Military Discounts. Call 1-855-402-0373
FREE HIGH SPEED INTERNET if qualified. Govt. pgm for recipients of select pgms incl. Medicaid, SNAP, Housing Assistance, WIC, Veterans Pension, Survivor Benefits, Lifeline, Tribal. 15 GB internet. Android tablet free w/one-time $20 copay. Free shipping. Maxsip Telecom! 1-833-758-3892
WHERE DID YOUR MONEY GO? Bookkeeping Services for small businesses & Personal. Financial organizing. Quicken & other programs. Sharon 214-679-9688
REAL ESTATE
ESTATE HOME NEEDS TO BE SOLD? Facing forclosure? IG Heron Homes Call Ricardo Garza @ 469-426-7839
Kitchens, Bathrooms, Windows, Doors, Siding, Decks, Fences, Retaining Walls, New Construction
FiferCustomHomes.com• 214-727-7075
ROOFING
& GUTTERS BERT ROOFING INC.
Family owned and operated for over 40 years • Residential/Commercial • Over 30,000 roofs completed • Seven NTRCA “Golden Hammer” Awards • Free Estimates www.bertroofing.com
GENERAC Prepare for power outages today with a GENERAC home standby generator $0 Down + Low Monthly Pmt. Request a free Quote. Call before the next power outage: 1-844-334 -8353
GET DISH SATELLITE TV +INTERNET Free Install, Free HD-DVR Upgrade, 80,000 On-Demand Movies, Plus Limited Time Up To $600 In Gift Cards. Call Today! 1-866-479-1516
HUGHESNET Finally, super-fast internet no matter where you live.25 Mbps just $59.99/mo! Unlimited Data is Here. Stream Video. Bundle TV & Internet. Free Installation. Call 866-499 -0141
PROFESSIONAL LAWN SERVICE: Fertilization, weed control, seeding, aeration & mosquito control. Call now for a free quote. Ask about our first application special! 1-833-606-6777
REPLACE your roof with the best looking & longest lasting material steel from Erie Metal Roofs! 3 styles & multiple colors available. Guaranteed to last a lifetime! Limited Time Offer up to 50% off install + Additional 10% off install. (military, health &1st responders.) 1-833-370-1234
SAFE STEP North America's #1 Walk-in tub. Comprehensive lifetime warranty. Top-of-theline installation and service. Now featuring our free shower package & $1600 off - limited time! Financing available. 1-855-417-1306
THE GENERAC PWRCELL, a solar plus battery storage system. SAVE money, reduce your reliance on the grid, prepare for power outages and power your home. Full installation services
WATER DAMAGE
cleanup & restoration: A small amount of water can lead to major damage and mold growth in your home. Our trusted professionals do complete repairs to protect your family and your home's value! Call 24/7: 1-888-872-2809
TUTOR/LESSONS
WANTED: OBOE TEACHER needed for 14 year old student. Call 214–235-7429 DECEMBER DEADLINE NOVEMBER 5
FOR RENT Little Forest Hills 2/1 Single Family Home w/fence. $1,600mo. $1,600 deposit. Cheryl. 214-235-1399
IN 2024, A NEW CHAPTER OF THE NATIONWIDE YOUNG MEN’S SERVICE LEAGUE (YMSL), WHICH WAS FIRST ESTABLISHED IN PLANO MORE THAN 20 YEARS AGO, OPENED IN PRESTON HOLLOW.
YOUNG MAN, WHAT DO YOU WANNA BE?
Preston Hollow’s YMSL keeps growing
Story by GRAYSON MASK
The group helps young men develop their leadership abilities and sense of community by giving high school boys and their mothers the chance to work together to benefit their communities.
Preston Hollow chapter president Morgan Kennedy says YMSL was founded to support mothers and their sons in spending quality time together and giving back to the community.
“YMSL helps develop our sons as servant leaders in the community,” Kennedy says. “We also offer leadership training for the boys, which is specific to each grade level from 9th through 12th grade.”
The organization’s model is designed to address a common challenge for many families—spending quality time together as boys enter high school and become busier with sports and other activities. Through shared service projects, YMSL bridges that gap while making a positive community impact.
The founding of the Preston Hollow chapter was a response to a growing need for more YMSL chapters in the Dallas Metroplex. “There are various YMSL chapters around the
Dallas area, but every chapter is oversubscribed,” Kennedy says. She explained that after attending an information session in the Park Cities, a group of mothers realized the need for additional chapters to accommodate the increasing demand for community service opportunities.
“A group of 11 of us formed the Preston Hollow chapter and committed to launching and serving on the board to meet that need,” she added.
Kennedy was an obvious choice for the chapter’s leadership position because of her personal commitment in the community. Her background as a charity board member, which included posts at Lamplighter School and Ursuline Academy, gave her a solid platform on which to stand as president. “When this group of moms with varied skill sets came together, I raised my hand to help get the chapter organized and off the ground,” Kennedy says.
The chapter welcomes boys from various schools in the Preston Hollow area, including Parish Episcopal School, St. Mark’s and Jesuit. While many founding members had have sons at these schools, Kennedy says the chapter is open to all high school boys in the area. “We invite as many boys as we can to join within our membership limits, and the school affiliations develop organically,” she says.
The enrollment process for YMSL typically begins early in
the year with information sessions for mothers held in February. According to Kennedy, mothers are the official members of YMSL, and their sons join as part of their involvement. “We inform moms about the commitment required in terms of service hours and the roles they’ll play within the organization,” Kennedy explained. Enrollment starts in March, and the boys begin their involvement in the fall of their freshman year.
The chapter’s programming extends beyond community service, emphasizing leadership development. “The boys are learning how to organize and run meetings, not just participating in community service,” Kennedy says. Each boy holds a volunteer position, similar to their mothers, including roles such as president, vice president, and treasurer. “They’re learning how
to serve in a volunteer organization while giving back to the community,” she added.
The Preston Hollow chapter has already formed partnerships with nonprofits like For the Love of the Lake at White Rock Lake and Community Partners of Dallas.
The chapter’s involvement in the community is varied, with upcoming activities at Five Points Lake Highlands, where members will play bingo with senior residents. “Next week, we’re participating in a community event at Five Points Lake Highlands, and some of our members will be painting a fence at CC Young next weekend,” Kennedy says.
The chapter aims to expose its members to a wide variety of community service experiences. “We want the boys to gain a broader understanding of the needs in the community and how they can help,” Kennedy explained.
As the Preston Hollow chapter continues to grow, Kennedy is excited about the opportunities ahead. “There’s a lot of behind-thescenes work to align with the national protocols, and we started this process in April 2024,” Kennedy says. Now, with a freshman and sophomore class, the chapter is preparing to host information sessions for the next incoming class. The chapter is also looking to expand its relationships with local nonprofits. “We’re really trying to expand the boys’ perspective on what community service can entail,” Kennedy says, highlighting their plans to lay wreaths with Wreaths Across America during the Holidays to honor American heroes as part of National Wreaths Across America Day.
For those interested in joining or supporting the Preston Hollow chapter, Kennedy encourages mothers and sons to reach out through the YMSL national website. Interested families will be invited to participate when information sessions begin, Kennedy says.
