2023 February Preston Hollow Advocate

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EDITORIAL

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THE DAISY THAT GREW FROM CONCRETE

Hockaday grad DJ Poizon Ivy is budding into a new career

Story by ALYSSA HIGH

Every game night, Dallas Mavericks players can be found jamming out to their favorite songs and “getting hyped” as they warm up. A mix of Baltic, Latin and Afro beats can be heard by the nearly million guests that visit American Airlines Center to watch the Mavs play each year. Behind the scenes, DJ Poizon Ivy has carefully selected each song for the exact moment it’s played.

Ivy Awino grew up surrounded by music, something she attributes in part to her Kenyan upbringing.

“If you know anything about Kenyans, it’s that we love to have a great time,” Awino says. “Most of all we do is set to music in some capacity.”

Awino began playing piano at age 5 and moved into orchestra and choir in middle and high school. In college, Awino took a different musical path when she asked a fraternity brother to teach her how to DJ.

“My dorm room had always been the gathering spot, so I figured, ‘Why not add one more skill set to the repertoire?’” she says. “I learned how to DJ so I could entertain and throw parties and I was on college radio at the same time.”

Thus, Poizon Ivy was born. She moved from small gigs to large venues like Summerfest before shifting gears in her career once again. After connecting with WNBA player Skylar Diggins Smith, Awino became the touring DJ for her basketball team the Tulsa Shock, which was transitioning to become the Dallas Wings.

As the team’s official DJ during their inaugural season and the WNBA’s 20th anniversary, Awino played a large part in the production of each game.

“You’re almost like the score of a movie, working in tandem with all the other elements, whether it’s visuals or athlete preferences, you’re a part of a puzzle, a larger puzzle, which is the overarching production,” Awino says. “It’s just about knowing your purpose in that space.”

After a season with Dallas Wings, Awino accepted an open position as the official DJ for the Dallas Mavericks, where she was a ball girl as a child.

When Luka Doncic joined the team, Awino sought a way to make him feel more at home. She began playing more Balkan and Latin music during his warm-ups and focused on incorporating a variety of cultures into her playlists. She considers herself one of the first pioneers of playing Afro beats in the basketball arenas.

Awino has collected several accolades and celebrated many firsts over the years as DJ Poizon Ivy. She was the second-ever female NBA team DJ, the first woman to DJ the NBA All-Star Game, a four-time NBA All-Star DJ, and she made the 2020 Forbes 30 Under 30 Sports list. Recently, she won the 2022 Ela Hockaday Distinguished Alumna Award.

The Ela Hockaday Distinguished Alumna Award honors women who are leaders in their fields and is presented annually to an alumna of The Hockaday School who has had a transformative effect on their communities, professions and families.

“I want to be remembered as the Daisy that grew from concrete,” Awino says of the accomplishment. “The foundation of the woman I am today was built on and guided by Ela Hockaday’s cornerstones; her vision of the values and characteristics that would distinguish graduates of this illustrious institution (are) reference points for all other stones laid subsequent to them.”

“Ivy is a true superstar,” says Kelsey Swingle Roberts, the Hockaday Alumnae Association president, in a press release. “She quickly rose to the top of a male-dominated industry, making an incredible name for herself in the music and sports world alike, all while continuing to give back to her local and international communities and raising a young Hockaday student. We are thrilled to honor her as the Ela Hockaday Distinguished Alumna this year. Ivy is an inspiration to the entire Hockaday community.”

Awino doesn’t focus on being the first woman, however. She sees how male-dominated the industry is as an opportunity.

“I’m happy that I’m a part of hopefully spinning that narrative,” Awino says. “The best I can do is be in that space and take away the narrative that this is a male-dominated space. We mention men too much instead of mentioning women more, so I’m really trying to focus on talking about the opportunities for women and less about the fact that this space has been run by men for a while.”

After years of DJing for the Dallas Mavericks, Awino is now taking on a new role as a game host for the team.

“I’ve always wanted to delve into personality work. I love people,” Awino says. “I think I’m great at what I do because of my love and affinity for connecting with people. Now I am able to put a face to a name and move around the arena and shake hands with people.”

Story by ALYSSA HIGH | Photography by HUNTER LACEY

PARENTAL SUPPORT is a key factor in children with intellectual or developmental disorders creating friendships that mirror friendships of typically developing children, according to a 2016 study in the Journal of Developmental Disabilities.

Friendship Circle of Dallas helps these parents by facilitating social activities for children and young adults with special needs. The nonprofit, an affiliate of Chabad of North Texas, came to Preston Hollow in 2016. There are over 60 chapters worldwide that partner with local Jewish Hasidic groups.

“I’m an ordained rabbi, and my wife has been involved with people who have disabilities her entire life,” Levi Dubrawsky, Friendship Circle of Dallas director, says. “A very important part of Judaism is loving your fellow man as yourself. We can’t as a society fulfill that commandment or responsibility if there is a group of people who are excluded from a lot of the programs and events that we do as a community as a whole.”

Friendship Circle of Dallas pairs trained teenage volunteers with children with special needs for at-home visits, winter and summer camps, holiday programs, outings for various special needs and more. Teens and young adults are exposed to social outings with sensory breaks, therapists

and other accommodations.

“Every real friendship should be a circle. You shouldn’t have one person who’s benefiting more than the other and (it’s) something that’s a give and take — it’s an actual relationship,” Dubrawsky says. “You might be hanging out with someone who’s not verbal, but they’re extremely loving and kind and smiling. A true friendship.”

The Dubrawskys have grown Friendship Circle from a few kids to a community of friends, even adding employment to their programs. Last year, they started a sourdough pop-up set on raising funds to employ teens with special needs. The pop-up, Sour On Dallas, makes kosher bread for events around the metroplex, like Chanukah at the Park.

“In one of our programs, the first thing you see is there’s a lot of joy and happiness,” Dubrawsky says. “People are very appreciative and very humble to be where they are. We’re thankful for what God has given each and every one of us.”

Friendship Circle also hosts parent workshops, sibling circles and therapeutic, educational and recreational activities. Teens in 6th to 12th grade can sign up at friendshipdallas.org to participate in activities and volunteer, becoming part of the circle’s more than 500 service hours, 45 volunteers and 25 families served to date.

Friendship Circle members participate in an arcade get-together.

THE REAL CHICAGO STYLE

D.L. Mack’s brings Chicago to Preston Hollow with thin-crust pizzas

Story by ALYSSA HIGH | Photography by KATHY TRAN

WHEN MOST PEOPLE HEAR

Chicago-style pizza, they think of saucy deep-dish pizzas with buttery crusts and lots of cheese. Chicago natives don’t frequent deep-dish joints, several food blogs in the area claim. That’s for the tourists. A real Chicago pizza should have a cracker-like crust.

New-to-Preston Hollow D.L.

Mack’s is setting the record straight for Dallasites.

Located in the old Neighborhood Service space in the Preston Royal shopping center, this is the second location for the Vandelay Hospitality Group. The group also owns and operates Dallas favorites like Hudson House, Drake’s Hollywood and Brentwood.

“It’s a really great neighborhood,” Lindsay Rodman, D.L. Mack’s manager, says. “Our location was damaged by the tornado that came through a few years ago, and one thing we have heard over and over from the community is that they’ve been waiting so long for a new restaurant to come in, so from the beginning we were so excited about

Harry Caray Special pizza at D.L. Mack’s.

being that restaurant for them and living up to those expectations.”

The space features reclaimed wood from a 16th-century French church, reclaimed antique brick from 19th-century Chicago, black leather booths, vintage lights and other nods to Chicago’s past decor.

It’s an upscale Chicago-style tavern based on taverns in the Wrig ley area of Chicago, the area surrounding Wrigley Stadium and the Wrigley Field.

“It really…has a warm neighborhood feel. Somewhere peo ple can feel comfort able coming by with their family from a sporting event or really anything for pizza and martinis,” says Rodman.

Though pizza is the staple, it’s a diverse menu that includes deviled eggs and smoked salmon for starters, honey pepper salmon and spicy Lumachi pasta for an entrée and several salad options.

“We have everything from really creative toppings on our cracker crust to black and red fish that we (get) locally from Galveston to several pasta dishes and shrimp scampi,” Rodman says.

Spicy Lumachi Pasta, a pasta dish including crispy pancetta and red chili ZaZa sauce.

McCarthy Salad includes grilled chicken, bacon and beets, served with a choice of dressing on top of lettuce.

Pizza options include The Caprese, the Harry Caray Special, the Honey Truffle Chicken, the Spicy Hawaiian and the Sweet Chicken Barbecue on cracker crust made as thin as possible, impossible to fold.

“I have heard a couple of times from two separate

diners that commented on the cracker kind of pizza and were like ‘Oh, this is the real Chicago; this is so great,’” Rodman says. “And one of them said it really felt like home. That is just so lovely to hear.”

D.L. Mack’s , 10720 Preston Road, 214.699.5141, dlmacks.com

THIS WILL BE AN EVERLASTING LOVE

Some people have the thrill of finding their partner early. Here are a few neighbors who’ve had the love of a lifetime.

Story by ALYSSA HIGH

EVERLASTING

Tryna & Kevin Knox

Tryna and Kevin met on a blind date on April 15, 1992, in Athens, Georgia. Kevin was working at the University of Georgia as a development officer and alumni relations professional while Tryna was working at the local hospital, Athens Regional Medical Center, as a management engineer.

“While we had a nice time on that first encounter — though, it wasn’t exactly ‘love at first sight,’” Tryna says.

“I liked Tryna a lot, but she was geographically undesirable and had just purchased a money pit,” Kevin says about their first date, referring to Tryna’s purchase of a historic home that was roughly 17 miles outside of the city. Despite these apparent obstacles, that first blind date led to another, then another, and soon, a marriage proposal. They married in June 1993 at a tiny historic church in Lexington, Georgia, surrounded by family and friends; eventually, they settled in Dallas in 1997. The Knoxes are celebrating their 30th anniversary this year.

Mary Jo & John Gardere

During their first week of school at Centenary College in Louisiana in 1975, Mary Jo had just “run down the hill” to complete pledging for Zeta Tau Alpha. She joined her new sorority sisters that night to meet new fraternity pledges down “Frat Row.”

The girls were set to stop at a few fraternity houses before Mary Jo’s date at the Kappa Sigma house at 8 p.m., but Mary Jo never made it. Instead, she met John Gardere at the first fraternity house she visited Kappa Alpha.

The two hit it off instantly and later moved to Dallas where they married at Saint Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church on June 13, 1981, and have lived in Dallas for the last 42 years.

Dawn & David Hall

Dawn and David Hall met during their first semester at Southern Methodist University. The pair dated throughout college and married at SMU’s Perkins Chapel the year after graduation. Last year, they celebrated 40 years with a surprise party hosted by their kids that included many of their friends from their SMU days.

“When we met on our first date, David made a toast to our first child. I am not making this up,” Dawn says. “That child, by the way, is now 36 years old. He claims the moment he met me, he knew I was the girl he had dreamed about when he was growing up in Jefferson City, Missouri. The rest, as they say, is history.”

Herdercine & Joe Nash

Over 60 years ago, 20-year-old Joe Nash was surprised by his little brother running through the front door, excitedly talking about how he must meet the pretty girl he’d seen on his way to the store. Joe put on his Sunday best and ran down to the store to introduce himself. That girl is now Herdercine Nash, his wife of 63 years. Now 83 and 85, the couple is still just as romantic as their love story.

“My parents still kiss every day. They hold hands all the time. Sometimes they put on their old vinyl records and dance in their pajamas to the oldies in the living room, to Sam Cooke’s ‘You Send Me’ and others. Sadly now, my dad is suffering with Alzheimer’s,” their daughter, Sharon Nash Alexander, says. “However, this has not stopped these lovebirds. My mom takes care of him. She has to shave him, cook for him and help him take his meds and shower. She says she married for better or worse, in sickness and in health.”

Meridith & Jeff Manning

Meridith Manning describes her marriage as a fairy tale one filled with hot chocolate by the fire, coffee in bed on Sunday mornings and hidden conversations through nods across the room.

“We’ve now both hit (OK, surpassed) 50; our birthdays are three weeks apart, so we’ve spent our entire adult lives together,” Meridith says.

The pair got married on New Year’s Eve in 1996 and just celebrated 27 years together. Meridith and Jeff have survived many obstacles thrown their way — a crosscountry move, two children, breast cancer and living apart from extended family.

“We’ve made it through with friendship, love, respect and lots of laughing,” she says. “Yes, marriage can be work, but when our kids say that they want to one day have a marriage like ours, it makes every second worth it.”

RIDING IN STYLE

New shop brings luxury biking to Preston Hollow

Story by ALYSSA HIGH Photography by HUNTER LACEY

NORTHAVEN TRAIL ranked No. 5 on AllTrails, a popular site for cyclists, for the best road biking trails in Dallas. The nearly eight-mile trail brings in bikers and walkers to Preston Hollow. Now, it brings a new luxury bike shop, Cadence Cyclery.

A little over a decade ago, Chad Plumlee worked in pharmaceuticals. Though he’d been in the industry for over 10 years, Plumlee was ready to change directions. He joined forces with his friend, Damon Williams, to open a bike shop in downtown McKinney, something the pair saw as a second job.

“It was going to be more of a second business, but it kind of took off,” Plumlee says. “I realized that I enjoyed doing that a lot more than wearing a suit and working in corporate America, so we’ve been going down that road and it’s been over a decade now.”

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the U.S. Census Bureau reported a massive surge in bicycle sales. Cadence was no exception. Plumlee and Williams opened four other locations: Flower Mound, Keller, Encinitas (in California) and now Preston Hollow.

The Preston Hollow location at Shops at Bluffview opened in place of Preston Hollow Bicycles, which closed after five years in business in September.

Cadence Cyclery sells luxury electric and pedal bikes from brands like Specialized, Giant, Pivot, Cannondale and Factor, as well as bike parts, accessories, car racks and Cadence Cyclery merchandise. The cyclery also provides bike services, bike repair, bike fitting, insurance, financing and bike rentals.

“One of our biggest goals is to appreciate customer service and the things that make us successful,” Plumlee says. “A lot of it is the community side of it and being able to provide a place to meet and talk bicycles and do bicycle rides from the shop.”

While most Cadence locations have a coffee house inside, Plumlee aims to create events where cyclists can head next door to Bluffview Growler, a taphouse with 52 different beers on tap, after bike rides. Cadence Cyclery even has a USAC-registered cycling club where

members can participate in organized group rides, rallies and races out of the shop or area trails.

Currently, Cadence locations hold weekly Saturday morning road rides, Monday Night Bikes ‘n’ Brews Sunset Rides, hump day rides and other events to bring together the local community.

Cadence Cyclery has won several accolades in the past few years, including platinum-level status nationally from the National Bicycle Dealer Association for performing at the highest level of customer service. “Since Dallas has one of the

larger mountain biking communities in the state, it complements the already large Cadence Cyclery Racing Team that boasts an Elite Squad of men and women who race all across the country and the world,” Plumlee says. “Local mountain bike trails with close access are also a priority for Cadence. Trails from local mountain bike organization DORBA (Dallas Off-Road Bicycle Association) are just minutes away from the shop and include Boulder Trail, Big Cedar and Oak Cliff Trail.”

Cadence Cyclery employee Jimmy Olsen working on a customer’s bike.

“I REALIZED THAT I ENJOYED DOING THAT A LOT MORE THAN WEARING A SUIT AND WORKING IN CORPORATE AMERICA.”

FIT FOR MARRIAGE?

Story by CHRISTINA HUGHES BABB

IN EPISODE 8 SEASON THREE of Love is Blind , “The Perfect Fit,” dating show contestants descend on Preston Hollow haberdashery Ken’s Man’s Shop to be outfitted for nuptials that might or might not end in marriage.

“I love the way it fits,” finalist Bartiste Bowden says, as Ken’s owner Kory Helfman slips a jacket over the 25-year-old’s buff shoulders.

Bowden’s sister asks him how he feels. “I like this!” he replies, admiring himself in the three-way mirror. “No,” she says. “I mean about the wedding .”

THE SET UP

Bowden and the others shopping for the perfect TV-marriage tux are taking part in a Netflix reality show in which contestants meet from individual pods that hide their physical appearance. They spend a few episodes, 10 days real time, “dating,” hoping to fall in mutual love with someone, sight unseen.

Pairs who connect get engaged and, over the last few episodes, decide at the altar if they will tie the knot.

Middle episodes are spent in the real world, in this case Dallas, where the couples patronize local businesses. Bowden and his fiance Nancy Rodriguez order matching permanent bracelets, to symbolize their supposedly unbreakable bond, at Oak Cliff’s Mod + Jo. Brennon Lemieux and Alexa Alfia enjoy a romantic dinner at Granada Theater while watching a movie starring themselves.

Perhaps love is blind, but a local haberdasher made TV grooms look like a million bucks anyway

While living together and navigating their weird relationships, contestants prepare for a dicey wedding day.

That’s where Ken’s — operating since the early ’90s at Preston and Royal — comes in.

When producers called Helfman in spring 2021, he did not think twice about saying yes, because he had worked with them before.

“Usually, I am not a big fan of doing this kind of thing,” Helfman says. “But if I know the team, and I know that they’re really professional, it makes more sense. I had (outfitted the grooms) for them a few years before on a series called Married at First Sight .”

Though Ken’s air time in Love is Blind totals 10 minutes tops, the contestants and production crew were in the store for two days, not only acquiring menswear but also filming pivotal content.

“First the grooms come in and we meet them, get them measured,” Helfman says. “Then in the afternoon the groomsmen come.”

On day two, the family members and other friends joined. “That’s when you get the scenes of Bartiste (Bowden) talking to his sister or Matt (Bolton) talking to his best friend,” the clothier says.

SPOILERS AHEAD

In game shows or real life, dressing a groom for the big day involves getting to know his style and personality, Helfman says.

In doing so, he also gets a feel for the relationship. Often, the guy’s vibe indicates whether he has a good chance of making it, he says. “You can just tell if someone is in a beautiful strong relationship.”

Helfman formed his own guesses about what might happen at the reality TV show altar. He had a good feeling about Brennon, for example.

“He’s just down-to-earth, like your friend next door, and he was really gracious and grateful to be there,” Helfman says. “Of all of them, I said this guy is going to say ‘yes’ at the altar.”

He saw something different in Cole Barnett, who did not marry his fiance Zanab Jaffrey.

“He was really nice and polite, they all

were, but I think he was vacillating even in conversations with his friend, and he just seemed maybe emotionally young or maybe inexperienced. Even though I didn’t know her, I felt that one wouldn’t happen.”

While the haberdasher predicted those two, he says Bartiste Bowden’s change of heart in the finale, where he said “I don’t,” surprised him.

KEEPING IT REAL

Helfman also witnessed the families’ concerns about the show and its finalists, their respective children and siblings.

“We heard conversations about, ‘Are you sure you want to do this?’ and, ‘You want to do this on live TV? With someone you barely know?’ And, ‘What if you embarrass yourself or us?’”

Helfman also noted that the male contestants all genuinely liked each other.

“They really had a great chemistry together. You could see that they spent a lot of time together, and you can already see friendships being formed, maybe longterm friendships at that.”

When the show aired in late 2022, Helfman received countless calls and texts, he says.

“I was a little surprised how many people were watching Love is Blind . And who was watching,” he says. “Like a football coach in Arkansas texted me that the football team was watching it in the locker room.”

Chris Harrison, former host of pioneering reality romance show The Bachelor, even weighed in with a teasing “stay in your lane” quip, Helfman says. (Harrison is Helfman’s cousin and friend.)

Helfman says his dad, Ken Helfman, who founded Ken’s Man’s Shop in the 1960s, while not too interested in the show, was thrilled to see how great the store looked on TV.

“I’m happy that we did it, and it gave us a lot of exposure. And it was never in a negative light. That’s my biggest fear with doing anything like this,” Helfman says. “I think that they really did an amazing job of capturing the store, the ambiance, the chemistry we have with clients and the way people come in and shop.”

STEP INTO A NEW COMMUNITY AT MARSH PREP

Marsh Preparatory Academy focuses on connection and belonging

Story by ALYSSA HIGH

Photography by SYLVIA ELZAFON

DALLAS ISD HAS OVER 100,000 students walking through the halls of its 230 schools every day. At most middle schools, students change classes eight times a day, making it easy for a student to slip through the cracks. With about one faculty member for every five students, it wouldn’t be hard for a student to go unnoticed. Marsh Preparatory Academy seeks to remedy this by centering their school around connection and belonging.

Students at Marsh choose one of three academies: STEAM, MBA or Language and Leadership. Each academy prepares the sixth to eighth graders for high school and college in that career.

The STEAM academy partners with the Amazon engineering program Amazon Future Engineer to take programming and robotics courses, physics and algebra. These students obtain five high school credits before finishing middle school. The MBA, or Marsh Business Academy, provides courses in technology and career readiness to put students on track to go to W.T. White B-Tech High School, also obtaining five high school credits.

The Language and Leadership academy allows students to take Spanish 1 and Spanish 2 along with other high school courses to prepare them to take advanced Spanish courses in high school.

“It really just builds this steady connection with the students in an academic way,” says Dawna Dukes, principal of Thomas C. Marsh Preparatory Academy.

Every teacher at Marsh is encouraged to have a “plus one”; an extracurricular activity that they’re either starting from the ground up or supporting a district-funded program. Recently, one teacher took her plus one, a wilderness survival club, on a camping trip. For many of the students, it was their first time camping.

“Middle school is really a place where kids are still kids, but also turning into teenagers,” Dukes says. “They’re in a place where they start asking questions and start exploring things. It’s the age where sometimes the parent isn’t the first person they go to anymore. So we really try to make our middle school space to be a place where every student is con -

nected to a positive adult in their life outside of the home.”

Other plus ones include district-funded sports, a ‘Principal Panel’ where students meet and discuss the student experience with the principal and provide feedback on the school’s programs and a program that allows students who require reading intervention to read to area elementary schoolers.

“Our soccer team has been the allcity champs for the past three years,” Dukes says. “That’s district, not just area. They’re completely undefeated.”

Because the school is at 95% low socioeconomic status, Marsh partnered with the North Texas Food Bank to provide a student pantry for those who are experiencing food insecurity.

“We really try to build joy into everything that we do,” Dukes says. “We lead with joy, and that is something you can’t necessarily teach. It’s something that you hire for — people that are going to choose joy even when circumstances are hard — and that has really started to transform our building.”

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COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS

AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-679-9688

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

CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING

ADVANCE STONE ART CREATIONS

Decorative Concrete Overlays. 214-705-5954

BRICK, STONEWORK, FLAGSTONE PATIOS Mortar Repair. Straighten Brick Mailboxes & Columns. Call Cirilo 214-298-7174

CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable. Chris 214-770-5001

CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING

CONCRETE, RETAINING WALLS 25 yrs exp. T&M Construction, Inc. 214-328-6401

EDMONDSPAVING.COM Asphalt & Concrete Driveway-Sidewalk-Patio-Repair 214-957-3216

FLAGSTONE PATIOS, Retaining Walls, BBQ’s, Veneer, Flower Bed Edging, All Stone work. Chris 214-770-5001

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC

Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricdfw.com 50 Yrs. Electrical Exp. Insd. 214-328-1333

BRIGHT LIGHT ELECTRIC • 214-553-5333 TECL 31347 Brightening Homes and Businesses

LAKEWOOD ELECTRICAL Local. Insured. Lic. #227509 Call Rylan 214-434-8735

TH ELECTRIC Reasonable Rates. Licensed & Insured. Ted. E257 214-808-3658

WHITE ROCK ELECTRIC All Electrical Services. Lic/Insd.TECL-34002 214-850-4891

EXTERIOR CLEANING

G&G DEMOLITION Tear downs, Haul. Interior/Exterior. 214-808-8925

FENCING & DECKS

4 QUALITY FENCING • 214-507-9322 Specializing in Wood. YourWoodmaster.com

AMBASSADOR FENCE CO. Automatic Gates, Fences/Decks, Pergolas, Patio Covers, Arbors. AmbassadorFenceCo.com 214-621-3217

FENCING, ARBORS, DECKS oldgatefence.com 214-766-6422

LONESTARDECKS.COM 214-357-3975 Trex Decking & Fencing, trex.com All Wood Decks, Arbors & Patio Covers

GARAGE SERVICES

UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned. 214-251-5428

GENERAL CONTACTING

A2H GENERAL CONTRACTING,LLC Remodel, Paint, Drywall/Texture, Plumbing. Electrical, Siding, Bathroom/Kitchen Remodels Tilling, Flooring, Fencing. 469-658-9163. Free Est. A2HGeneralContactingLLC@gmail.com

GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS

LAKE HIGHLANDS GLASS & MIRROR frameless shower enclosures • store fronts replacement windows • mirrors 214-349-8160

PRO WINDOW CLEANING prompt, dependable. Matt 214-766-2183

ROCK GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829

HANDYMAN SERVICES

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

DANHANDY.NET Repairs Done Right For A Fair Price. References 214-991-5692

HANDY DAN The Handyman. ToDo’s Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

HANDYMAN SPECIALIST Residential/ Commercial. Large, small jobs, repair list, renovations. Refs. 214-489-0635

HANDYMAN WANTS your Painting,Repairs, To Do Lists. Bob. 214-288-4232. Free Est. 25+yrs exp.

HOME REPAIR Doors, Trim, Glass. Int/Ext. Sheetrock, Windows, Kitchen, Bathroom 35 yrs exp. 214-875-1127

HOMETOWN HANDYMAN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606

ONE CALL WEEKEND SERVICES Contractor & Handyman. Remodels, Renovations . Paint, Plumbing, Drywall, Electrical. 469-658-9163

HOUSE PAINTING

RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513

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

KITCHEN/BATH/TILE/GROUT

FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. dallastileman.com 214-343-4645

MELROSE TILE James Sr., Installer, Repairs. 40 Yrs. Exp. MelroseTile.com 214-384-6746

TK REMODELING 972-533-2872

Complete Full Service Repairs, Kitchen & Bath/Remodeling, Restoration. Name It- We Do It. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com

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

AC & HEAT

ALEXANDER HOME REPAIR. AC/HEAT Repair & Install. LIC#28052 469-226-9642 TACLA67136C 214-710-2515 dallasheatingac.com

APPLIANCE REPAIR

JESSE’S A/C & APPLIANCE SERVICE TACLB13304C All Makes/Models. 214-660-8898

BUY SELL TRADE

!!OLD GUITARS WANTED!! Gibson, Fender, Martin, Etc. 1930’s to 1980’s. Top Dollar Paid.1-866 -433-8277

CABINETRY & FURNITURE

SQUARE NAIL WOODWORKING

Cabinet Refacing, Built-ins, Entertainment/ Computer Centers. Jim. 214-324-7398 www.squarenailwoodworking.com

AESTHETIC AMBIENCE

214.727.7957

Artwork Rentals for Airport, Business & Home by Mon./Qtr.

CLEANING SERVICES

ALTOGETHER CLEAN

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

THE CLEANING GIRLS

Customized Cleaning to fit your needs Bonded. 972-462-4875

WANTED: HOUSES TO CLEAN, Organize, De-clutter, or Pack. Sunny 214-724-2555

WINDOW MAN WINDOW CLEANING.COM Residential Specialists. BBB. 214-718-3134

COMPUTERS & ELECTRONICS

AT ODDS WITH YOUR COMPUTER? Easily Learn Essential Skills. Services include Digital Photo Help. Sharon 214-679-9688

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

CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING

ADVANCE STONE ART CREATIONS

Decorative Concrete Overlays. 214-705-5954

BRICK, STONEWORK, FLAGSTONE PATIOS Mortar Repair. Straighten Brick Mailboxes & Columns. Call Cirilo 214-298-7174

CONCRETE, Driveway Specialist Repairs, Replacement, Removal, References. Reasonable. Chris 214-770-5001

CONCRETE/MASONRY/PAVING

CONCRETE, RETAINING WALLS 25 yrs exp. T&M Construction, Inc. 214-328-6401

EDMONDSPAVING.COM Asphalt & Concrete Driveway-Sidewalk-Patio-Repair 214-957-3216

FLAGSTONE PATIOS, Retaining Walls, BBQ’s, Veneer, Flower Bed Edging, All Stone work. Chris 214-770-5001

ELECTRICAL SERVICES

ANTHONY’S ELECTRIC

Master Electrician. TECL24948 anthonyselectricdfw.com 50 Yrs. Electrical Exp. Insd. 214-328-1333

BRIGHT LIGHT ELECTRIC • 214-553-5333 TECL 31347 Brightening Homes and Businesses

LAKEWOOD ELECTRICAL Local. Insured. Lic. #227509 Call Rylan 214-434-8735

TH ELECTRIC Reasonable Rates. Licensed & Insured. Ted. E257 214-808-3658

WHITE ROCK ELECTRIC All Electrical Services. Lic/Insd.TECL-34002 214-850-4891

EXTERIOR CLEANING

G&G DEMOLITION Tear downs, Haul. Interior/Exterior. 214-808-8925

FENCING & DECKS

4 QUALITY FENCING • 214-507-9322 Specializing in Wood. YourWoodmaster.com

AMBASSADOR FENCE CO. Automatic Gates, Fences/Decks, Pergolas, Patio Covers, Arbors. AmbassadorFenceCo.com 214-621-3217

FENCING, ARBORS, DECKS oldgatefence.com 214-766-6422

LONESTARDECKS.COM 214-357-3975 Trex Decking & Fencing, trex.com All Wood Decks, Arbors & Patio Covers

GARAGE SERVICES

UNITED GARAGE DOORS AND GATES Res/Com. Locally Owned. 214-251-5428

GENERAL CONTACTING

A2H GENERAL CONTRACTING,LLC Remodel, Paint, Drywall/Texture, Plumbing. Electrical, Siding, Bathroom/Kitchen Remodels Tilling, Flooring, Fencing. 469-658-9163. Free Est. A2HGeneralContactingLLC@gmail.com

GLASS, WINDOWS & DOORS

LAKE HIGHLANDS GLASS & MIRROR frameless shower enclosures • store fronts replacement windows • mirrors 214-349-8160

PRO WINDOW CLEANING prompt, dependable. Matt 214-766-2183

ROCK GLASS CO Replace, repair: windows, mirrors, showers, screens. 214-837-7829

HANDYMAN SERVICES

BO HANDYMAN Specializing In Historic Home Renovations & Pro Remodels. Custom Carpentry, Doors, Kitchens, Baths & more. 214-437-9730

DANHANDY.NET Repairs Done Right For A Fair Price. References 214-991-5692

HANDY DAN The Handyman. ToDo’s Done Right. handy-dan.com 214-252-1628

HANDYMAN SPECIALIST Residential/ Commercial. Large, small jobs, repair list, renovations. Refs. 214-489-0635

HANDYMAN WANTS your Painting,Repairs, To Do Lists. Bob. 214-288-4232. Free Est. 25+yrs exp.

HOME REPAIR Doors, Trim, Glass. Int/Ext. Sheetrock, Windows, Kitchen, Bathroom 35 yrs exp. 214-875-1127

HOMETOWN HANDYMAN All phases of construction. No job too small 214-327-4606

ONE CALL WEEKEND SERVICES Contractor & Handyman. Remodels, Renovations . Paint, Plumbing, Drywall, Electrical. 469-658-9163

HOUSE PAINTING

RAMON’S INT/EXT PAINT Sheetrock, Repairs. 214-679-4513

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

KITCHEN/BATH/TILE/GROUT

FENN CONSTRUCTION Full Service Contractor. dallastileman.com 214-343-4645

MELROSE TILE James Sr., Installer, Repairs. 40 Yrs. Exp. MelroseTile.com 214-384-6746

TK REMODELING 972-533-2872

Complete Full Service Repairs, Kitchen & Bath/Remodeling, Restoration.

Name It- We Do It. dallas.tkremodelingcontractors.com

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

WORSHIP

By DR. ROBERT HUNT

The elephant in the city

Spiritual but not religious

Changes in the religion of a neighborhood often happen so slowly, you hardly see them.

We can see this happening throughout Dallas. My daily drive takes me past churches that have become bilingual or host a whole new congregation. It takes me past churches clearly in decline, holding fewer worship services on a Sunday morning or simply having fewer people.

There has been an invisible elephant in the religious world, and its name is secularization. Part of this is the process of religion becoming less visible in public, the classic sign of a secular society. Yet the secular age in which we live is characterized less by the disappearance of religion than by religious transformation.

The biggest transformation is people who used to say they were religious now say they are spiritual.

These changes, often so slow that they go unnoticed, are accelerating. Recent polls carried out by Pew Research, Gallup and others show the number of Americans who identify as Christian (by far the dominant religion in the United States) has declined from 90% to 64% in the last 50 years.

It’s the abandonment of institutional religion. Since each generation is less religious than the last, the continued decline is certain. The youngest generation of Americans, Gen Z, is 20% less likely than the national average to identify as Christian.

But while we Americans and Dallasites are less attached to traditional religion, secularism is transforming rather than destroying the religious landscape.

Younger generations who are turning away from traditional religion are turning their energies toward organizing new religious groups, adopting new spiritual practices and engaging in social entrepreneurship based in religious ethics.

America is becoming “spiritual but not religious.”

For every story of a church turned into a bar, there are a dozen of a coffee shop turned into a Bible study, a restaurant into a prayer group, or a failed business into a Christian clinic, a Muslim food pantry or a Jewish counseling center.

These changes don’t even take into account the way that religion and spirituality have moved online. One of my students has a daily Christian meditation podcast with hundreds of thousands of listeners. The largest online Bible study has more than 3 million subscribers. If we add the number of people participating in online ministries of existing churches, the number increases exponentially.

For nearly a century, the boundaries between self-help, positive thinking, motivational speaking, political organizing, entertainment and worship have become increasingly fuzzy. Online or in spaces that resemble arenas, auditoriums, gyms, coffee shops and even bars, it may be hard to tell where religion ends and secular society begins.

When we look closely, religion in our city isn’t going away. Instead, it’s going to look different than it has in the past, reflecting the dynamism and energy that continue to make this an exciting place to live.

ROBERT HUNT is director of SMU’s Perkins School of Theology Global Theological Education department.

WORSHIP BAPTIST

PARK CITIES BAPTIST CHURCH / 3933 Northwest Pky / pcbc.org Bible Study 9:15 / Worship Services 10:45 Traditional, Contemporary, Spanish Speaking / 214.860.1500 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION

DR.