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contents
January 2012
Vol. 22, Issue 1
cover story 32 Be it battlefield, base or boardroom, this Korean War hero willingly takes on the challenge
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Retired Air Force Colonel Ralph Hodge’s determination to grab and hold on to his dreams and goals is a significant part of who he is. He runs his own successful business, assists a friend in achieving her dream of helping female veterans and put his own life at risk to protect friends and fellow soldiers. by Peggy Helmick-Richardson
feature 18 New ideas in brain injury therapy
Cindy Long, a certified brain injury specialist and residential program manager for Pate Rehabilitation in Anna, has trained quarter horses Hank and Trip to respond to the slightest movement. They are also trained to work with verbal commands from speech patients. by Peggy Helmick-Richardson
special sections
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20 kids korner
Keeping Kids Safe by Deborah Dove
25 pet page
Betty
28 beauty/fashion
Fashion 101 by Dawn Bluemel Oldfield
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44 calendar 74 people seen
contents departments civic forum 8
Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium celebrates its 10th by Jeff Mues
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New destinations for the New Year by Jeff Mues
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A purpose-driven career in law enforcement by Kathleen Vaught
13
Lone Star Tournament MVPs wanted by Jeff Mues
library 14
Explore the edges of Texas by Tom Keener
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Allen Image publisher/editor Barbara Peavy
production assistant Carrie McCormick
advertising sales Jill Edelman
contributing writers Heather Darrow Deborah Dove Katy Emerson Tom Keener
New book clubs
Dr. Jaryl Korpinen
16
Bluegrass
Dr. Joann Lin
by Tom Keener
Dr. Ana Cecilia Lorenzo
Illustrator C.F. Payne
Jeff Mues
by Tom Keener
education 22
Waking dreams by Heather Darrow
Dawn Bluemel Oldfield Peggy Helmick-Richardson Dr. Reid Robertson Kathleen Vaught
helping hands 26
A place of hope by Katy Emerson
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Tanglewood Resort and Conference Center on Lake Texoma
health & fitness 66
The top five running foot injuries by Dr. Jaryl Korpinen
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Eye didn’t know that… by Dr. Reid Robertson
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Larry Fleming
travel by Deborah Dove
66
cover photo
Hives, an allergic reaction by Dr. Joann Lin
72
Varicose veins by Dr. Ana Cecilia Lorenzo
Allen Image © 2012 by Moonlight Graphics. All rights reserved. Allen Image is published by Moonlight Graphics and individually mailed free of charge to the residents of the Allen area. Subscriptions are available to residents outside the delivery area at a rate of $2.50 per issue—$30 per year. Subscription and editorial correspondence should be sent to: Allen Image, P.O. Box 132, Allen, TX 75013, 972.727.4569, fax 972.396.0807 or visit our website at www.allenimage. com.
civic forum
Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium celebrates its 10th by Jeff Mues This month marks the tenth anniversary of the opening of Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium, the second of Allen’s five recreation facilities to open (Joe Farmer Recreation Center opened a few years earlier). One of the first facilities of its kind in North Texas, Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium quickly met area swim teams’ needs and provided a place to work out with its fitness center after opening in January 2002. Over the past ten years, the Nat—as it’s often called—has become a hub of city programming with a vast array of
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activities for its members. From aquatics programming to diverse offerings such as tap and jazz classes and studio cycling, there are activities to suit any interest, skill level or age. Featuring a rock climbing wall with three manual belay systems and a great multi-purpose room that is a popular rental for birthday parties, there isn’t much you can’t do at the Nat. Of course, the two pools inside the facility are the main attraction. For more light-hearted play, there’s the leisure pool—a 7,000-square-foot pool featuring zero-depth entry, a fun kids’
play structure, flume slide, lazy river shallow lap lane pool and spa. For the competitive swimmer, the competition pool is an ideal place to train with 25meter by 25-yard lanes and two 1meter diving boards. For those who wish to work out on dry land, the 5,000-square-foot fitness center includes a 25-person aerobic room, free weight room, new equipment and a cardio theater. Another great amenity is FitLinxx—a computerized personal training system. With a virtual training partner to guide you through your workouts, you can evaluate your progress toward meeting your personal fitness goals, and receive the encouragement you need to have a great workout each and every time. “We’ve evolved into a family facility serving all ages,” says Center Supervisor Kenny Walsh. “We have such a wide variety of programming from parent/child aquatics up to Silver Sneakers aerobics for seniors. We’re able to help our members improve their fitness in a variety of ways, in a great venue with support from our extremely knowledgeable staff.” With so many things going for it, there’s no question that this facility has developed a tremendous repu tation. Over the past ten years, the Nat has become home to many of the region’s largest swim meets. Some of the world’s best swimmers have become fans of the state-of-the-art natatorium. This past spring six Olympic swimmers representing 16 Olympic medals stopped by to visit with many of Allen’s young and
aspiring athletes, delivering instruction, equipment and inspiration. While there are several other natatoriums in the area, the fact that these Olympians chose to visit the Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium is testament to the first-class facility and its behind-the-scenes team who keep reaching for new heights as the Nat reaches double digits in age. To help commemorate the occasion, memberships will be discounted 15 percent if the membership is paid in full, and 10 percent for those who choose to pay monthly. This special offer is valid for the entire month of January. Natatorium membership includes use of Joe Farmer Recreation Center, Allen Senior Recreation Center, the Visitor Center at the Edge @ Allen Station Park and Ford Pool. There is no better value to get you started enjoying many of Allen’s recreation facilities and improving your fitness in the new year. So, join today to take advantage of discounted membership rates. v Jeff Mues is a senior marketing coordinator with the Allen Event Center and Allen Parks & Recreation Department.
Allen Image x January 2012
New destinations for the New Year by Jeff Mues
The Allen Senior Recreation Center is pleased to announce several new and exciting excursions for 2012. They say travel is the best teacher, and with trips to the Pacific Northwest and Alaska, the scenic vistas of the Palo Duro Canyon and several of the best museums and cultural centers in the country, you can expect to meet new people, experience new places and learn about different cultures. An unforgettable 9-day, 8-night Alaskan cruise trip is scheduled for May 10 through May 18. Every day promises a memory that will last a lifetime in this land of brown bears, mountain goats, humpback whales, sprawling glaciers, ice-capped mountains, steep-walled fjords, king salmon and lush towering forests. Departing from Seattle, you will travel aboard Celebrity’s Infinity, a vessel that stresses the old tradition of cruise sailing. The Allen Senior Recreation Center has all the details taken care of with non-stop round-trip airfare, 1night hotel stay in Seattle with full breakfast, motor coach transportation to and from airport, a guided tour of Seattle, cruise, cabin, shipboard meals, port charges, taxes and transfers in
Seattle all included in the $1775-2345 price—based on double occupancy and cabin category. The 3-day/2-night Palo Duro Canyon trip also promises scenery you will never forget and it is scheduled for July 11-13. Located in the Texas Panhandle near Amarillo, Palo Duro Canyon State Park is one of our nation’s most magnificent natural attractions and the second largest canyon in the U.S. You will get to visit the American Quarter Horse Museum, Panhandle Plains Museum and see “Texas” the musical with a special pre-show backstage tour! You’ll travel in style
with luxurious motor coach trans portation by Overland Tours with 2night hotel stay, all entertainment and meals included in the bargain price of $402 for double occupancy or $502 for single occupancy. Another great trip is scheduled for October 15-17—several great destin ations in and around the Oklahoma City area. Trip highlights will include a tour of the Chickasaw Cultural Center, the National Memorial, Gilcrease Museum of Art and Will Rogers Museum and Ranch. There will also be an evening out in the city’s Bricktown Entertainment District. This exciting package is all-inclusive with meals, 3nights hotel and luxurious motor coach transportation included in the great price of $412 for double occupancy and $532 for single occupancy. There’s no better way to travel than with the Allen Senior Recreation Center! Sign up today by contacting Leslie Doran-Cope at ldoran-cope@ cityofallen.org or 214.509.4821. v Jeff Mues is a senior marketing coordinator with the Allen Event Center and Allen Parks & Recreation Department.
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A purpose-driven career in law enforcement by Kathleen Vaught
“Everything we do here on God’s green earth has a purpose,” Allen Police Chief William “Bill” Rushing reflected. “I can’t help but think my purpose has always been to be in law enforcement. It’s a way of life.” Bill Rushing’s law enforcement career began nearly 35 years ago in the El Paso Sheriff’s Office. He then went on to serve with the Ector County Sheriff’s Office and then as a Deputy Chief for the Odessa Police Department. In 1995, he was hired as Police Chief for neighboring Wylie. When Allen’s long-serving Chief, Richard Carroll, retired in 1997, Rushing was selected to lead Allen’s Police Department (APD) into the next millennium. Rushing was immediately faced
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with a critical “order of the day”— deadly heroin overdoses among Allen’s youth. After meeting with a mother who tragically suffered the loss of her child, Rushing made a commitment to her and the community that the APD would put the programs in place to surmount this threat. “It took a community-wide effort,” Rushing explained. “I witnessed the concentrated, coordinated efforts of the Allen City Council, Allen ISD, City Manager and staff, our police department and the entire community working together to bring about the change that was needed in such a dangerous time.” When he took over in 1997, there were 30 sworn officers in the ranks.
Today, the APD has grown to 122 sworn officers and 51 non-sworn staff. “I have been truly blessed with having such a great executive team,” Rushing acknowledged. “I can attest that these true professionals help construct and develop the department we see today.” “Chief Rushing has been a champion for opening the doors of the APD to the community,” City Manager Peter Vargas stated. “Through the initiation and development of numer ous community policing programs like the Citizens Police Academy and Volunteers in Policing, he has made the APD an integral part of our community. In addition, by developing close working relationships with federal, state and local law enforcement agencies, he has made us the safest city in Texas.” Allen has ranked as the 9th safest city in America by CQ Press, a unit of Congressional Quarterly Inc., and continues to rank in the top 25. This sustained status is a testament to the development and expansion of pro grams and divisions under Rushing. “Finally when I walk out, it will be bittersweet,” Rushing concluded. “The bitter is leaving all these great people, while the sweet will be the knowledge that I left them with a great department. The men and women of this department will be left in great shape, just a little better than when I got here.” Rushing’s last day as chief will be January 31. Recruitment is underway for his replacement. v Kathleen Vaught is the senior marketing specialist for the City of Allen.
Lone Star Tournament MVPs wanted by Jeff Mues
Though it may be freezing cold outside, college basketball is really starting to heat up. In just a couple of months, everyone will be overcome by March Madness, filling out brackets and cheering their favorite schools on to a successful tournament run. In Allen, college basketball fever has caught on early, with planning well underway for the Lone Star Conference Championship men’s and women’s basketball tournament. This great event comes to Allen Event Center for the first time February 29 thru March 4. The conference features schools such as Abilene Christian University, Angelo State University, Cameron University, Eastern New Mexico University, University of the Incarnate Word, Midwestern State University, Tarleton State University, Texas A&MCommerce, Texas A&M-Kingsville, Texas Women’s University and West Texas A&M University. Student athletes from these universities will compete for a chance to play in the NCAA Division II Basketball Championships. While the championship is at stake for these universities, the impact on Allen is also significant. An economic impact study projects that an estimated $1 million revenue will result each year from 2012 through 2014. “We chose Allen because we think Allen Event Center and the surrounding retail development provides an ideal setting for an NCAA conference championship event,” said conference commissioner Stan Wagnon. “It is also an ideal home for our basketball championship because the Metroplex
is a primary hub for the alumni and student-base of our member schools.” The local organizing committee has made a concentrated effort to offer a variety of ways for members of the community to participate. Sponsorships for businesses of all sizes are available. Being an official host to studentathletes and coaches, helping decorate the team’s hotel and accompanying the players and coaches on prearranged community appearances and projects are among the many ways to participate from a sponsorship perspective. Another way to get involved is through participation in a special evening on Thursday, March 1, for alumni and fans at TopGolf. With dinner, door prizes and unlimited golf, it promises to be a great night. Then on Friday afternoon, March 2, Fanfest offers fun for the entire family with carnival rides, free food and performances outside the main rotunda entrance of Allen Event Center. Volunteering is another great way to get involved. Whether you want to be an usher or greeter, or if you have children who would like to be a ballboy or ballgirl, there is an opportunity tailor-made for you. From in-game production to halftime entertainment, Allen residents and members of the community have a chance to really put their stamp on the event. For more information on this event, tickets to Alumni and Fans’
Night at TopGolf. volunteer oppor tunities and sponsorship details, please visit LSCChampionshipAllen.com. v Jeff Mues is a senior marketing coordinator with the Allen Event Center and Allen Parks & Recreation Department.
Allen Image x January 2012
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library
Explore the edges of Texas by Tom Keener
Explore the 4,000-mile perimeter of Texas with Armchair Travelers at 7 p.m., Tuesday, January 31, in the Allen Public Library’s Adult Program Room. Walt and Isabel Davis, coauthors of Exploring the Edges of Texas, will discuss their five-year voyage to extremely remote areas of Texas. In the 1950s, the late Texas historian and Dallas Morning News columnist, Frank Tolbert, spent an exhaustive 23 days circumnavigating the borders of Texas. He transmitted his experiences to the News and eager readers looked forward to his column.
Mr. Tolbert’s journey inspired a young teenaged Walt to someday replicate Tolbert’s adventure. Exploring Texas’ borders was a dream he hoped to accomplish upon retirement. In his 28 years at the Dallas Museum of Natural History, Walt served as assistant director for longrange planning and was instrumental in obtaining the Ramses the Great exhibit. In 1992, he became the director of the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum. He retired in 2004 and began his quest to fulfill his dream. Walt’s wife and former director of
the Rockwall County Library, Isabel Davis, accompanied him on the entire journey. As a reference librarian, Isabel helped organize the prodigious amounts of information that was gathered along the journey. Visiting places that early explorers, naturalists and botanists identified in their diaries was one of their goals. Some of those explorers included John James Abert, John James Audubon and Charles Wright. Abert helped map parts of Texas for the U.S. Army, Wright walked 600 miles around Texas to gather over 1,400 specimens, and Audubon drew the Ivory Bill woodpeckers that he observed on Buffalo Bayou. Unlike the Frank Tolbert journey, Walt and Isabel frequently veered from paved roads and hiked, canoed and rafted into remote areas such as the Sulphur River and Lower Canyons of the Rio Grande. When asked to describe some of the most daunting challenges, Walt declared, “After establishing a campsite along the Sulphur River, I noticed fresh large alligator tracks and we relocated the campsite further inland.” For additional information on this program, call 214.509.4905. v Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library.
New book clubs Interested in a new book club? Allen Public Library has two new book clubs starting in January. Bookends is an online genre book club for busy adults who want to be part of a book discussion group on their own time. Each month, explore a different genre and broaden your reading interests. Books will be discussed through Goodreads (www.goodreads.com) beginning the fourth Monday of each month and run for one week. The January selection is Emma by Jane Austen and the genre is classics. Crossing Over is an adult/teen book club that will explore books with appeal to both adults and teens 16 and older. Each month we will read a different book with unique “crossover” appeal. So, be bold and adventurous and learn to love books that just might surprise you! Cross
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over with us the second Saturday of each month in the 2nd floor Adult Program room at 3:30 p.m. The first meeting will be on Saturday, January 14 and we will be discussing Graceling by Kristen Cashore. Call the reference desk, 214.509.4905 for information. v
Bluegrass by Tom Keener The Upper Grassmen present an exciting blend of traditional bluegrass, as well as country, blues and jazz all played bluegrass style at 7:30 p.m. Friday, January 20, at the library. Bluegrass is deeply ingrained in the hearts of these musicians, and they will provide a foot-stomping experience and a night to remember. The Twin Fiddles, comprised of twin sisters Megan and Kelly Bynum, will open the concert. Playing in
Illustrator C.F. Payne by Tom Keener
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tandem, The Twin Fiddles performed for the Allen Heritage Guild’s “Civil War Ghost Tales”, Heritage Farmstead Museum in Plano and Willie Nelson’s Church in Abbott, Texas. Because they are classically trained and have played together since they were very young, their fiddling has a unique, synergistic resonance with a classical touch. Organized in 2006, The Upper Grassmen are regulars at the Chrystal Opry House, Spring Break Festival in
Time magazine commissioned illustrator C.F. Payne to create its cover for the special edition of President Obama’s inauguration in January 2009. His work has adorned Rolling Stone, Texas Monthly and The Atlantic Monthly. He has also illustrated ten children books, including The Remarkable Farkle McBride and Micawber, written by John Lithgow. Payne will appear at the library at 2 p.m. Saturday, January 14. Sponsored by Bach to Books and Storyopolis Entertainment, this event is free. In grade school, Payne knew that becoming an illustrator or a baseball player would be his career. When he decided that his curve ball was not impressive, he elected to attend Miami University in Ohio and obtain a bachelor of fine art. When asked about the importance of illustrators to the art world, Payne
Bonham and Atoka Bluegrass Festival. The group is comprised of four members, Don Sharp, Vance Jones, Randy Keister and Brad Allen. Don Sharp, bass, learned to pick using a Scruggs banjo book and by playing the Flat and Scruggs albums on the turntable at 16 rpm rather than 33 to slow them down. Vance Jones, guitar, began playing with a family band known as the Meadowlake Boys. The group toured for several years on the festival circuit and was popular at many venues. On dobro, Randy Keister started playing bluegrass with his family at home in Pennsylvania and has devel oped a fine touch on this instrument. A well-known fiddler, banjo player and singer, Brad Allen has been performing and teaching traditional music for over 30 years. Although he is equally at home on almost any stringed instrument. This free event is ponsored by Bach to Books. Call Tom Keener at 214.509.4911 for more information. v Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library.
notes, “Gallery artists often admire illustrators. For example, Van Gogh admired Howard Pyle.” He continues, “The small difference between illustrators and fine arts is only in the mind of the illustrator. ” Payne has illustrated numerous articles for sports magazines such as Sports Illustrated and books on baseball, including the Curse of the Bambino by Dan Shaughnessy. When Payne is not illustrating, he is the current chair of illustration at Columbus College of Art and Design, as well as a visiting instructor at the Illustration Academy. He lives in Cincinnati with his wife, Paul, and sons, Trevor and Evan. Call Tom Keener at 214.509.4911 for more information. v Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library.
feature
New ideas in brain injury therapy by Peggy Helmick-Richardson Allen High School’s Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA) organization often invites guest speakers to deliver presentations to its members on their specific field of health care. What most HOSA members don’t expect is for the guest’s field to include coastal bermuda. This fall HOSA students were treated to a demonstration by registered quarter horses Hank and Trip, owned and
Hank and Rob Rinehart
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trained by Cindy Long, a certified brain injury specialist and residential program manager for Pate Rehabilitation in Anna. Pate devotes itself to brain injury rehabilitation. Accompanied by Pate occupational therapist Emily Harstad and physical therapist Christie Schoel, Cindy put the two horses through their paces for the students, with Pate client volunteers assisting. Hank, who has trained longer than Trip, demonstrated such exercises as the “yo-yo game” (walking back and forth), “sideways game” (stepping side to side) and “hide the hiney” (bending the rear end one side to the other) with the clients who are dealing with different impairments due to brain injuries. “All of these games are played without the client touching the horse,” Cindy points out. “Can you imagine how empowering that is, to get a horse to move without touching him?” In addition to responding to the slightest movement, Hank and Trip are trained to work with verbal commands from speech patients. “Shhh” will get them to back up, a kissing sound tells them to step forward, a tongue-click tells the horses to step sideways, and the traditional “whoa” means to stop. “I’ve also taught the horses that when a patient stops, the horse stops immediately,” Cindy adds. “That way, if a patient loses their balance, the horse stops.” To offer HOSA students a better understanding of how and under what circumstances Hank and Trip could be of benefit to those dealing with brain injuries, the three clients shared details of their specific brain injuries before demonstrating the work they do with the horses. Two of the Pate clients are in residential treatment at this time. Confined to a wheel chair, but now able to speak and stand with assistance, a severe whiplash caused by a single-car accident in 2009 left David paralyzed from the nose down. Initially he
was unable to move his limbs or torso or speak. For Cathy, difficulty in maintaining her balance was one of a number of side effects of the brain injury she experienced from a reaction to a prescribed medication. Allen resident Rob Rinehart is an outpatient Pate client. A stroke in August he attributes to “workaholism” left the 39-year-old without use of the right side of his body and unable to speak. Through rehabilitation therapy, today he can speak and walk with a cane. Sessions with Hank and Trip have proved to be a successful and fun aspect of his therapy. “It’s a huge improvement in such a short amount of time,” Rob adds. Working with Hank, Rob and Cathy showed the HOSA students not only how easy working with the horse was, but also how fun. A simple upand-down motion of the arm or a tilt of the head resulted in the horse moving in the wanted direction. For his portion of the HOSA Cindy Long with Trip and Hank demonstration, David approached Hank in his wheelchair. Then, while the unflappable horse Stephanie Cook brought Cindy and Hank to Allen High stood perfectly still, David pulled himself to a standing School last school year for the first time. Student response position using a strap attached to Hank. was so enthusiastic they were invited to return again this Employed with Pate for eight years, Cindy purchased year. Cindy and Stephanie met at a horse training facility Hank three years ago. “When I saw Hank’s personality and and when the Allen High School teacher learned what intuitiveness, I knew this was the horse I had been looking Cindy did with Hank, she invited them to demonstrate for to do therapy work.” Last year, Cindy bought Hank’s their skills for HOSA students. older brother, Trip, because he demonstrated the same “It offers them something to think about,” Stephanie “kind, calm and quiet” spirit. explains. “Some of our students want to be therapists and She explains that the initial training for therapy work this may be something they’ve never even thought about, required 18 to 20 hours a week for approximately six because I had never seen it before.” months. Today, in addition to working directly with Pate HOSA advisor and Medical Terminology and Clinical clients twice a week, Hank and Trip receive an additional Rotation teacher at Allen High School Kim Lane concurs. five hours of training each week at Cindy’s Blue Ridge “It really brings to light different aspects of health care and farm. “I train horses using the way horses communicate gives them a real hands-on application.” with each other, and I think that makes a huge difference,” As part of Diabetes Awareness Week (January17-21), Cindy comments. Allen High School’s HOSA will host a Juvenile Diabetes Cindy explains that before Hank and Trip were Research Foundation (JDRF) speaker on January 9. During allowed to work with Pate clients, they were trained with the actual Diabetes Awareness Week, the 209 Allen High the assistance of staff members to be calm around School HOSA members will be distributing information on wheelchairs, scooters, walkers and canes. As Pate patients diabetes at the school. To raise funds they will be selling improve physically, they may work with the horses on an cut out paper sneakers to be hung in the cafeteria window obstacle course that includes cones, poles and pedestals. and diabetic-friendly snacks. At the conclusion of the “It’s like a dance,” Cindy declares. “It is just beautiful!” week, HOSA hosts a JDRF walk in the AHS upstairs hall on Working with horses since she was 12, Cindy is Saturday, January 21, from 10 a.m. to noon. Raising money unaware of any other brain-injury facility that utilizes for the JDRF is this school year’s national HOSA service trained horses for the type of brain injury therapy she project, and 10% of the funds collected from the local employs. “Most of the patients say it is the highlight of HOSA’s efforts will go back to the AHS group. v their week,” Cindy states. “When I post the boys’ schedule, everyone wants to be on it.” Peggy Helmick-Richardson is a freelance writer. HOSA advisor, as well as the Principles of Health Photos by Larry Fleming Photography. Science and Pharmacy Technician Program teacher, A l l e n I m a g e x D e c e m b e r 2 0 11
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Keeping Kids Safe By Deborah Dove
General Safety Tips • Make sure your kids know their full name, their parents’ names, and their address and phone number. • Instruct your kids on when and how to call 911. If you have a corded phone, unplug it and let them practice role play, or practice on a cell phone that is not turned on. Give them scenarios and help them decide if they should call 911. For example, Dad fell off the ladder and isn’t moving (yes), or I stubbed my toe on the table leg (no).
Fire Safety Tips • Test smoke detectors once a month and change the batteries in them each time Daylight Savings changes (spring and fall). • Have at least one fire extinguisher in your home. • Close your child’s bedroom door at night. If your child is afraid to have the door closed, wait until they fall asleep before closing it. • Make sure there is a flashlight by everyone’s bed. • When cooking with kids, make sure they wear short sleeves. • Make sure your family has a fire escape plan, that you all have practiced it (family fire drill) and that you have a designated safe meeting place outside.
Bike Safety Riding a bike is an activity almost every kid enjoys and it is estimated that more than 70 percent of kids ages 5-14 ride bicycles. However, despite the fact that head injury is the leading cause of wheeled sports-related death and the most important determinant of permanent disability after a crash, and despite the fact that wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85% and the risk of brain injury by 88%, only 41% of kids wear helmets according to a study by the National Safe Kids Campaign. More than 1/3 of those that wore helmets wore them incorrectly. Keep your kids safe by insisting they wear a helmet when riding a bike, skateboard, scooter or skates. Make sure it fits correctly; a helmet should fit on top of the head in a level position and should not rock forward, backward or side-to-side. Straps should always be buckled. • Restrict riding to off-road (sidewalks or paths) until kids are 10. • If riding at dusk, use a light and reflectors on the bike. • Ride on the right side of the road, with traffic, staying as far to the right as possible.
Strangers Parents always warn their children not to talk to strangers, but exactly how do you define who’s a stranger? It’s hard for young children to distinguish who is a stranger and who is not, particularly when strangers at the grocery store or mall will say hi to them and their parents say it’s okay to say hello back (or even that it’s rude not to respond when someone speaks to them) or
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when it’s someone they may see every day like the mailman. A good rule of thumb is if your child has been to their house and they have been to yours, they are safe to talk to and not a “stranger.” Think about how you define a stranger and be sure to communicate that with your children. Remind children it’s okay to talk to a stranger if a parent is present, but they should never talk to a stranger when a parent is not around and they should always keep a safe distance (about three arm’s length) from a stranger or a strange car. Should a stranger try to approach them, it is always better to yell (“No,” “Help,” and “Fire” are good choices) and run than to try and hide.
Internet Safety With the growing popularity of online social networking and online games, it is important to make sure your kids know how to stay safe on the Internet. Instruct them to never give out personal information such as their real name, address, school or phone number or meet, in person, someone they have met online. They should also know to never post a picture of themselves without a parent’s permission. There are filters parents can install on their computer that can block kids from sending personal information and filter sites you don’t want your kids exposed to such as violence and sexual content. To see what tools are available for your computer, go to www. getnetwise.org/tools/blockout and click on “show tools.” Encourage kids to use kid-friendly search engines such as Cantufind and Intellibuzz.com, which filter inappropriate content, or set filters on Google by going to Google Search Settings (www.google.com/ preferences). When kids are online doing research for school, askkids.com, awesomelibrary.org and brittanica.com are good bets. Netsmartz.org is a great resource for Internet safety and also offers a printable Internet Safety Pledge.
Frisco Fire Safety Town This community education program of the Frisco Fire Department is great at teaching kids about safety in an interactive way. Programs are offered year-round and are free of charge. Safety lessons start in the educational facility, which includes classrooms, an interactive fire engine and a safety house. A realistic living area, bathroom, kitchen and bedroom are used for children to explore and learn about home hazards, severe weather, fire safety and more. The fun continues in the outdoor ‘town’, which includes realistic buildings created at a 5/8 scale. There are paved and marked streets complete with working traffic and crosswalk signals, a railroad crossing and a tollbooth. Programs are interactive and fun; during classes about the importance of seat belts, students drive battery-operated jeeps throughout the outdoor streets of Safety Town. They also ride bicycles following classroom lessons about wearing helmets while cycling. Call 972.292.6350 to schedule an educational tour.
education
Waking dreams Research leads to graduate school by Heather Darrow
Jeff Fortney You lay your head upon a downy pillow and drift off into another world. You are flying. The air is crisp, the ground below is lush and green. The wind rustles your shirt. You can smell
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the ocean to your left, beckoning you forward. Suddenly, you are out of control, careening faster and faster toward the ground. However, you are not concerned. You realize you are
dreaming and slowly descend to explore the dense rainforest below. You are having a lucid dream, and according to former Collin College students Jeff Fortney and Kim Tanuvasa your spatial IQ is probably higher than people who do not have lucid dreams. Visual or spatial intelligence can be defined as the ability to arrange or move 3D objects in your mind. Fortney and Tanuvasa completed their research project at Collin College and published their findings in the spring 2011 issue of the Journal of Psychological Inquiry. “When I lucid dream, it is similar to watching a movie that I can control. I thought this was totally unique to me. We hypothesized lucid dreamers would have better recall of dreams and found that because they rotate and manipulate the dream environment they score higher on spatial tests,” said Fortney, who earned a Collin College associate degree, UNT bachelor’s and master ’s degrees and is currently pursuing a Ph. D. in history from the University of Oklahoma. Initially Fortney decided to join the Collin College Psi Beta psychology honor society, with the intention of having his name on a published paper. He believed that would enhance his resume. He was right, but the research experience provided him a long-lasting foundation he was not expecting. “We followed all the steps and maintained the highest standards of top researchers. It prepared me for my master ’s thesis. I learned how to
research and where to find information. You work with the people who know, and then you become one of the people who know.” Fortney researched Collin College before he took classes, but he was surprised at the level of support he received on his research endeavors and shocked at the amount of time the professors gave to help him and his fellow students. “I researched Collin College and learned this college has credits accepted by Harvard, so I knew the classes I was taking were exceptional. We were asked to present our research to the college’s board of trustees. They wanted to know what we had discovered. That is something I have not experienced since. I earned a 3.8 GPA at Collin, and after the research experience I could have attended any school.” Collin College’s Psi Beta chapter was awarded the national 2010-2011 Chapter Excellence Award and the Ann G. Robinson College Life Award. According to 2006 Texas Professor of the Year, Jennifer O’Loughlin Brooks, undergraduate research played a role in those awards. “Collin College is the model for all two-year colleges in the U.S. for how to initiate a research program. We are currently directing other community colleges. To be the go-to college for research is huge,” Brooks said. Professor Brooks notes that Fortney and Tanuvasa won first place at a conference for their research and says attending district and national conferences allow students to meet people who are doing research on things they read about in books. “They beat university students with this research. We are teaching students content and tenacity. Publishing has helped students acquire scholarships and jobs. Research is important because it makes the field come alive for students. It usually lights a fire in those students that want to go on. They’ve discovered something no one has discovered before. You can’t put a price on that,” Brooks said. Allen Image x January 2012
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Kim Tanuvasa
Tanuvasa says Collin professors, like Jennifer Brooks, motivated her. When she was at Collin, Tanuvasa worked full time and took night, online and weekend classes to complete the prerequisites she needed to earn a master ’s degree in psychology from Southern Methodist University. “I thought community college classes would be easy until I got to Collin. Collin is an exceptional school. The students have won many awards and many professors have Ph.D.’s. “The professors care at Collin, and I felt really challenged. The classes are smaller than those at universities. I keep telling people to go to Collin. My son is attending Collin now.” According to Tanuvasa, research took a whole semester and included more than 350 student volunteers. “Without Professor Brooks’ help I am not sure I would have made it into graduate school. I didn’t have a clue what research was all about. The paper is nothing compared to researching, acquiring information and analyzing data. It improved my knowledge of statistics and made me a much better analytical writer. You have to be knowledgeable about your research. That is probably why I can speak confidently now without being afraid.” Tanuvasa believes their research findings may alter future therapy practices and provide an avenue for solving two issues at one time. She daydreams about a time in the future when nightmares will be a thing of the past. “Lucid dreamers are usually spatial. Lucid dreaming could be used in therapy to treat nightmares. Maybe one day soon we will be able to improve people’s visual/nonverbal IQ and simultaneously treat nightmares.” Visit collin.edu to learn more about our undergraduate research. v Heather Darrow is a public information writer for Collin College. Photo: Nick Young, Collin College.
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pet page Betty was the mama of the cutest litter of puppies. All of her puppies went to good homes and now she needs a great home of her own. Betty is the sweetest little girl. She has cute freckles and an underbite. Betty is about 10 pounds and about 2 years old. She is house trained and crate trained, and super friendly.
“Betty”
Betty loves to snuggle and loves to play—the best of both worlds! She gets along great with all dogs and would probably do well with cats too.
Sweet Betty needs a home of her own! Because her previous family did not keep her current on HW preventive, she tested positive and was treated in August and is now HW free! Once HWs are treated, they are gone for good and cannot come back w/o being bitten by another mosquito carrying the larva. Betty has been spayed, fully vaccinated, microchipped, and given her first round of
heartworm preventative. If you are interested in adopting this little sweetheart, please fill out an application on our website http:// www.collincountyhumanesociety.org. Allen Image x January 2012
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helping hands
A place of hope by Katy Emerson
The issue of child abuse has become front and center in light of the situation at Penn State. Right here in Collin County, there were 4,148 reports of abuse last year alone. That is a startling 11 reports each day. But the good news is that there is a place in our community providing refuge and safety for children and their families to receive the help they need. Celebrating its 20th Anniversary,
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the Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County is that place. A vibrant best-practice facility, The Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County exists because no child
should ever have to suffer from abuse or neglect. This mindset aligns with their mission: to provide safety, healing and justice to children victimized by abuse or neglect. While the center has many accomplishments and cases with positive endings, achieving this mission is no easy task. The collaboration and teamwork of all of the professionals housed at the center are needed to effectively intervene in child abuse cases and lessen the trauma of abuse for children. The fact that 96% of cases handled at the center result in a guilty verdict proves this team approach is successful at keeping our community safe. The team includes: law enforce ment, the Collin County District Attorney’s Office, Collin County Child Protective Services (CPS), and medical and therapeutic providers. The center’s role is to facilitate the effort of the various agencies, and to coordinate and provide services that enhance the intervention. The center’s Community Resource Department provides concrete resources for the family such as assistance with rent, transportation or food. The center realizes that when abuse happens, family structures change. For example, the family breadwinner may be the abuser,
leaving the family with no income in the midst of a very traumatic time. If the caring parent is worried about providing the family’s concrete needs, they will not be able to focus on therapy. By providing these resources, the center helps ensure that the healing process is able to take place. The center’s CEO, Lynne McLean, is known for saying, “This is a place where healing happens,” and that is clearly seen through the center ’s Clinical Department. Clinical services are offered to both child and the non-offending parent. As one can imagine, these issues are difficult for children and parents to talk about, therefore a specialized treatment plan is made for each client based on their individual needs. A variety of treatment methods are offered including play therapy, art therapy and music therapy. An average of 250-275 children and parents are seen each week in the therapy program. Astonishingly, there are no waiting lists at the center; a child could make an outcry of abuse
and be in therapy the next day. The center’s services are offered to 100% of Collin County child abuse victims absolutely free of charge—free! Income is not a limiting factor for families who need help protecting their children. Child abuse impacts the family as a whole. During these trying economic times, it is more important than ever before that there is a place offering security for families in the midst of a crisis. Making the center the place of hope it is today has taken scores of volunteers, donors, staff members, board members and more. Sadly, as the child population continues to grow in Collin County, so do the number of child abuse reports. To meet the need of our growing community, the Children’s Advocacy Center will launch a new satellite location in the northwestern part of the county in the spring of 2012. The children of Collin County truly need your help now, more than ever. You can give back in a variety of ways. Donate your time. Volunteers
are absolutely essential to the success of the center. The center also encour ages and welcomes volunteers from community groups such as corporations and churches—bring a team out to the center and tackle one of their done-ina-day projects. Participate financially by supporting the center’s fundraising events and community outreach projects. Hold clothing and toy drives to help fill the center ’s emergency resource room. And even donate your gently-used items to the thrift store trailer in their parking lot. As the saying goes, it takes a village to raise a child, and the center has learned it takes the support of the entire county to protect our com munities’ most innocent victims, our children. We challenge you to find a way to join the fight against child abuse. No matter what your time, talents and resources are, there is a way you can help. v Katy Emerson is the Community Relations Manager at Children’s Advocacy Center of Collin County.
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beauty/fashion
Fashion 101 by Dawn Bluemel Oldfield
Merriam-Webster’s Dictionary defines fashion as “the prevailing style (as in dress) during a particular time.” But, did you ever really stop to think about your clothes? How your favorite blouse went from haute couture to prêt-aporter, and how it got from the store to your closet? It turns out there is a real science to it, and the Career & Technology Education (CTE) department at Allen High School gets an A+ for offering students a Fashion Marketing program that would win accolades from fashion guru Tim Gunn. Fashion Marketing instructor Cheryl Lee explains, “The CTE wing opened in fall 2011. The new facility offers programs of study that expose students to different industries and they can see if it’s something they may be gifted in. Then they can pursue that gift and flourish.
What they learn in the classroom today, they aspire to do tomorrow.” Cara Radford, a junior at AHS, took the Fashion Marketing class last year and is applying what she learned at the Eagle Edge, the school store she runs with her ATeam classmates, as well as at her job at the Banana Republic Factory Store in the Allen Premium Outlet Mall. A poised, articulate young woman, Cara says, “Since I work in fashion, I wanted to get a better idea of how the fashion industry works. I wanted to know all the ins-and-outs of the business. In class I not only learned about all the careers—there are so many ways to make a living in the multi-billion dollar world of fashion—but what drives the industry, too.” Cheryl says, “Fashion marketing is more than how much something costs, which store sells the apparel and merchandising techniques—there is the psychology and sociology of it. It’s all about the people. Fashion marketers know that at the core it is about connecting with the consumer and understanding how they feel and what they want.”
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street; fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.” – Coco Chanel
Delia Lombardo
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Cheryl continues, “Every Friday the class visits The Village at Fairview. Rather than talking theory in the classroom, we go to stores for real-life lessons.” Cara chimes in, “Every little detail is carefully thought out. There is a strategy to dressing rooms—how roomy they are, or how they’re decorated to make the customer feel comfortable; window displays are often the first impression people have of the store, and it brings customers in; positioning new merchandise up front and clearance items in the back—affect people’s buying habits; and we learned about trends in fashion design.” It seems what was old is new again, with fashions reinventing themselves every decade or so. But, who decides the color and style trends each year? According to
Cheryl Lee Cheryl, a number of factors impact fashion trends. “A company called Pantone is the global authority on color, providing color standards for the design industry each year. Every color has some lovely “nuancy” name assigned to it. For example, purple is very big this year, but it’s not called purple. It is “Bellflower 18-3628’, and orange isn’t orange, but “Tangerine Tango 17-1463”. Designers order their fabrics and yarns by these numbered colors, using them as a source for their design inspirations,” Cheryl explains. Cheryl adds, “Pantone is just one trend-forecasting tool that offers direction to designers. A lot of fashions are influenced by film. Wearing feathers in your hair was inspired by the movie, Black Swan. Skull and cross bones— Pirates of the Caribbean. I predict gloves will be a big trend in 2012 inspired by the movie, In Time. Celebrities also drive a lot of fashion decisions. Whereas super models once graced the covers of magazines, today you’ll find movie stars. Everyone wants to mimic the look of their favorite actor/actress. “The forecasts for spring 2012 are all about bright colors, fun pastels and muted neutrals,” Cheryl says. “Look for bright reptile prints, angelic silhouettes inspired by angels and mermaids, and long coats with big buttons, scarves and hats. Big, bold statement jewelry will still be a popular, affordable accessory to update or change the look of an outfit.” Cheryl Lee’s journey from VP of a Cara Radford major corporation to teacher was an
the best things in her life. It also provides her with one of the lessons she teaches her students. Cheryl shares, “We spend a lot of time talking about being prepared, being ready, the impact of first impressions and being professional. Students learn you need to be best prepared at all times for whatever opportunities come your way. You never know when you will realize what you are destined to do! “When they study the “4-Ps” of marketing—product, place, price and promotion—I put the kids in teams where they design a fashion-related product that gives back. I want my students to realize that some people think the fashion industry is full of fluff and stuff, but it doesn’t have to be. I encourage them to make the world a better place; that whether it is in fashion or something else, do something bigger than yourself.” Cheryl smiles, “I believe you grow your own. Look at what we are blessed with! AISD has a state-of-the-art, award-winning facility that offers a collaboration of industry and technology, making it real for the students and giving them the tools to be productive and show up to do meaningful work their first day on the job. And, Allen has some of the best retailers and merchants locally. You couldn’t have a better partnership! This town is so amazing when you look at what we have!” Fashion affects everyone. Cheryl concludes, “Unless you are going to live the rest of your life not wearing any clothes, you need to understand fashion and the fact that you are a part of it. You are either in the industry, or you are a consumer of it.” v Dawn Bluemel Oldfield is a freelance writer. Girls’ fashions from Banana Republic at Allen Premium Outlet Mall. Photos by Larry Fleming
unexpected one, but she says it is one of Allen Image x January 2012
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Master’s Hand Dental
Master’s Hand Dental in Allen prides itself on being the community’s “one-stop dental shop.” From dental cleanings and fillings to orthodontics and root canals, Dr. Bob Koons can do it all.
the dentist,” Dr. Koons says. “The fear itself is not a problem, unless it prohibits patients from maintaining their oral health. If fear causes a patient to avoid necessary treatment, problems will only get worse over time.”
Sedation Dentistry
Improving Health Issues
Imagine being able to take a pill and wake with a beautiful smile. With sedation dentistry at Master’s Hand, that dream is now a reality. Patients are given an oral sleeping pill (no IVs!) allowing them to relax and be relatively unaware of the treatment. This is ideal for patients who have been traumatized by dental visits in the past, those who are sensitive or fearful of dental treatments and for those who want to save time by having three or four visits worth of work done in one day. “Many people fear going to
Many people have a snoring spouse (or worse… they are that snoring spouse) which disrupts their sleep. A custom-fitted mouth guard can eliminate snoring, as well as help relieve a number of other health issues. Mouth guards open up passageways, allowing better airflow while sleeping. Other health problems that can be greatly alleviated at Master ’s Hand Dental include Temporomandibular (TMJ disorders) which are
www.MastersHandDent al.com
or too short, have gaps or simply need to be reshaped.”
Root Canals Dr. Koons also does his own root canals. This means patients don’t have to wait for an appointment with another specialist—a definite plus when a nerve is causing a patient pain. As with most procedures at Master’s Hand Dental, most root canals can be done in one visit.
Dental Implants
characterized by pain in the jaw joint and surrounding tissues and limitation in jaw movements. When Dr. Koons’ wife had severe pain caused by TMJ, he devoted himself to finding a solution. From what he learned, Dr. Koons can reengineer a patient’s bite by selective grinding of the teeth—eliminating the pain, headaches and broken teeth caused by bite problems and TMJ.
Cosmetic dentistry People choose esthetic dental procedures/ surgery for various reasons—to repair a defect such as a malformed bite or crooked teeth, treat an injury or just improve their overall appearance. Whatever the reason, the ultimate goal is to restore a beautiful smile. Cosmetic procedures include teeth whitening and dental bonding, as well as porcelain veneers, crowns and restorations. “Veneers are used on uneven, chipped, discolored, oddly shaped, unevenly spaced or crooked teeth. They are very useful in restoring a person’s beautiful smile,” Dr. Koons explains. “We also use veneers to change the overall shape of teeth—from teeth that are too long
Dr. Koons offers dental implants for patients with missing teeth for whom dentures don’t work. Unlike dentures, implants are permanently anchored to the jaw. Dr. Koons oversees all of the planning for dental implants, working with his surgical partner on where to best place the root to ensure the tooth can be placed correctly. Once the jaw is healed from the root placement, Dr. Koons places the permanent tooth.
Orthodontics Both traditional and Invisalign® braces can be done at Master’s Hand Dental. Great for teenagers and adults, the invisible, removable and comfortable aligners will create the beautiful straight teeth you’ve always wanted. These aligners are made through a combination of Dr. Koons’ staff expertise and 3-D computer imaging technology. Best of all, they’re virtually undetectable when wearing. “So many people put dental health at the bottom of their list of priorities,” Dr. Koons says. “This is unfortunate because your teeth and your smile are such a huge part of your everyday life. Plus, research has shown that dental problems can lead to larger health related issues. Our ultimate goal is to give people their dental health back.”
Master’s Hand Dental 935 W. Exchange Pkwy., Suite 300, Allen • 972.359.2822
before
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by Peggy Helmick-Richardson
cover story Retired Air Force Colonel Ralph Hodge’s determination to grab and hold on to his dreams and goals is a significant part of who he is. Be it researching family genealogy, running his own successful business, assisting a friend achieve her dream of helping female veterans, or putting his own life at risk to protect friends and fellow soldiers, Ralph gives it his all. Born in Washington, D.C., Ralph’s mother died in 1934, when he was a little over two-and-a-half years old. He and his older siblings were sent to live with his maternal grandparents in a nearby rural Maryland community. When he was nine, his grandmother passed away. “Some way or another, I was able to muddle through elementary and high school, but it was a rough go,” he recalls, noting that the family lived on little income other than the $20 his father sent every two weeks. “We had to travel 27 miles sideways on a school bus because of segregation and it was a rickety old school.” Despite the hardships endured growing up, today Ralph values the culture and history he was surrounded with as a child. Researching family genealogy is now a passionate pastime, and Ralph has traced one branch of his family line to prerevolutionary America and a number of distinguished leaders. “Ours was a small town that consisted of 75 families, all of whom became successful over the years,” he notes. “They were the descendants of slaves and all owned their own property. We had a church, a grocery store and a filling station. They made it a point to keep [the children] away
from the rigors of segregation and would bring intelligent people out to talk to us. It really was a village for the children. Most of the kids in my neighborhood graduated from college and there were four of us who became colonels in the military.” On Saturdays, Ralph would travel to Washington, D.C., to visit his father and see the sites. “As a kid I walked around the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court, the museums,” he reminisces. “I would spend the whole day walking the halls of Congress. I saw president [Franklin] Roosevelt, Truman and Eisenhower. “I graduated from high school at 16 and was not a good student,” he admits. “But when you go to school with no food in your belly, it is hard to concentrate. But I was a good athlete.” Following his graduation from high school in 1948, Ralph took a job at the Naval Officers Mess in Washington, D.C. A few months later his father died, leaving him $300, enough cash to enroll in Maryland State College, which later became the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. “I did quite well there for a yearand-a-half; I played basketball and earned a little scholarship,” he recollects. But he soon tired of just getting by. On March 12, 1951, Ralph enlisted in the U.S. Army and traveled across the United States and the Pacific Ocean to be one of the first 2,500 soldiers to take basic training at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii. “At that time, things were bad in Korea,” he notes. “I was one of the few lucky ones to come back to the States. I was selected to go to Indian Town Gap, Pennsylvania, for advanced noncommissioned officer combat leadership training school.” It was here that, then 19-year-old, Ralph met Medal of Honor recipient Captain Lewis Millett, the first of many who inspired him to continue on his military career path. He recalls of Millett, “He had a big red handlebar mustache and was so dashing; I thought that was the kind of guy I wanted to be.” Once the training was complete, Ralph traveled to Seattle, Washington.
From there, he boarded a ship on Thanksgiving Day of 1951 for 14 long and arduous days to Japan with 5,000 other U.S. soldiers. “We were sleeping head to toe, four deep,” he grimaces. ”You couldn’t move in those dank compartments and we were all sick. It was awful! “We got to Japan on the morning of December 7, 1951, ten years to the day of the attack on Pearl Harbor,” he continues. From here, he continued to Camp Drake, near Yokohama, where the soldiers were relieved of all their possessions other than the bare necessities. Two days later they boarded a train for a three-day west ward trek, passing the still devastated towns of Hiroshima and Nagasaki along the way. Reaching the port town of Sasebo the troops were loaded onto a ferry for an overnight voyage across the Sea of Japan. “We sat on straw mats out in the open air, and it was cold—around 10 to 15 degrees!” he exclaims. At Pusan, Korea, Ralph was assigned to the second infantry division. From here, he traveled north by train to Chunchon, a city on the line that divided North and South Korea. Ralph was then assigned to Dog Company, 1st battalion, 38th regiment, 2nd infantry division. “We called ourselves the Indian Head Division,” he points out. “We provided the heavy weapons fire power for the riflemen.” In those first months in Korea, one of the greatest concerns was frostbite due to the bitterly cold winter. Despite efforts to prevent it, including soldiers massaging each other’s feet to keep them warm, Ralph did end up with frostbit feet. He laughs recalling how the milk on the breakfast cereal would start to freeze around the edges of the bowls before he could get through the mess tent line in the mornings. He adds, “And the most precious piece of metal one could find was a spoon. Everyone was issued a knife, fork and spoon, and if you lost your spoon, you ate with your hands.” Ralph points out that soldiers would use a fuel-filled 5-gallon jerry can, a sand-filled ammo can, and copper tubing to create a makeshift heater for their tent. “The sand would Allen Image x January 2012
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Ralph Hodge and Colin Powell keep it from exploding but still let the fire keep going,” he explains. Between guard duty and occasional mortar fire in the evening, exhaustion also took its toll on the soldiers. “I doubt we slept more than three hours a night,” Ralph shrugs. In April, the 38th was sent to Koje
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Island, on the southern tip of Korea, where approximately 80,000 prisoners of war were detained and control of these prisoners had become lax. The camp commander had even been captured by detainees. The addition of Ralph’s division restored order and allowed the creation of new compounds.
Ralph still has items that the confined Chinese soldiers crafted from pieces of metal shrapnel, including two rings. In July 1952, the 38th division was sent back to the Front, about 10 miles north of the Demilitarized Zone. The following September, this group of soldiers participated in one of the infamous battles over the control of Pork Chop Hill. “Our objective was to hold Pork Chop Hill at all cost because it jutted into enemy territory, and if they could break through that area, they had a straight shot to Seoul. A 21-year-old corporal then, Ralph’s primary responsibility was serving as the forward observer. He explains, “I was about 200 yards beyond the main line and had a plotting board with coordinates on it. I would call up to give firing directions. The 81-mm mortars had a range of about a mile and my job was to direct the fire on enemy targets in our region.” Being in this position also placed him at greater risk of being spotted and killed by enemy forces. In a skirmish with Chinese soldiers on September 13, 1952, an American soldier mistakenly assumed Ralph was an enemy combatant and heaved a hand grenade at him. Luckily, the weapon did not detonate, but it did strike him on the side of the head, causing a painful injury. Five days later, the Chinese forces mounted a full attack on Pork Chop Hill. Despite his wound, Ralph assumed his forward observer duties on Hill 327, a few hundred yards away from Pork Chop Hill. “I scurried back up to the top of my hill and got in my position. And I saw nothing but humanity,” he recalls. “[The Chinese soldiers] came right across, in front of my position and down the hill toward Pork Chop Hill. There were thousands and thousands; I had never seen so many people in my life.” Noting that the communist soldiers used cover fire from their own guns as protection and the explosions overhead were so numerous, Ralph described the scene before him as resembling a hailstorm. He continues, “Some tried to get to my hill, but we stopped them.” Despite dealing with his head
injury and taking on one of the most perilous positions in a battle, Ralph didn’t question his responsibility to the other American soldiers. “Those are your buddies!” he emphasizes. “So I stayed there and just did my job.” After many American and Chinese soldiers lost their lives, the Chinese broke off their attack on Pork Chop Hill that night. In 1953, Ralph retuned to the United States and he was honorably discharged from the Army as a staff sergeant in March of 1954. Armed with a 4-year baseball scholarship, Ralph returned to Maryland State College. He became captain of the baseball team, made All-Conference first baseman three times, and was named a member of the UMES Athletic Hall of Fame. (In 1981, Ralph was also presented the Distinguished Alumni of the Year award.) In his last two years at the school, he was also a member of the U.S. Air Force Reserve Officers Training Corps program (ROTC). Ralph graduated with a bachelor of science degree in building construction management and a 2nd lieutenant commission. With no active duty slots available following his graduation, Ralph worked in civilian jobs for three years, first as an engineering aide for the highway department in Washington, D.C. and then with the National Capital Planning Commission. In 1961, during the Berlin Crisis, Ralph was called up to active duty in France for three years. He soon learned French so well that over the years he was often called upon to escort Frenchspeaking dignitaries. Even today Ralph works to retain his skill in French. From here, he was transferred to Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota to work as a civil engineering officer, sent to Los Angeles to work with a private firm as part of the military’s Executive Training With Industry program, and then spent a year as construction program manager for the Los Angeles Air Force Station. Ralph was then assigned to Vietnam as a troop commander/construction manager for another year. From 1969 to 1971, Ralph served as
a civil engineering research and development officer at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. Following this, he attended Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell AFB in Alabama, to learn international relationships. By this time, Ralph had achieved the rank of U.S. Air Force major. Ralph returned to Europe for a three-year stint as a senior program manager/construction at Ramstein AFB, his first year working directly under General David Jones, commander in chief of U.S. Air Force
headquarters as well as all NATO assets in Europe. Gen. Jones served as the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff from 1978 to 1982. When his assignment in Europe ended, Ralph returned to Washington, D.C., to attend the National Defense University from August 1975 to June 1976, where he became friends with a fellow classmate, Colin Powell. At the same time, Ralph studied at a Central Michigan University satellite campus, earning his masters degree in manage ment, with honors, in 10 months.
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After working almost two years at the Air Force Systems Command at Andrews AFB in Maryland, Ralph served as the U.S. Air Force Academy base civil engineer from 1979 to 1982. The following three years, he was the facility engineer for the 13 Air Force bases in Alaska. From 1985 until he retired as a colonel in November of 1991, Ralph was the Air Force regional civil engineer for the western region, working out of San Francisco and serving nine states and 32 bases. Ralph notes that the common progression in rank is 11 years to make major, 17 to 18 years for lieutenant colonel, and 21 years to achieve the rank of full colonel, and he earned the rank of colonel in only 17 years. “According to the historians, I was the only officer in my career field in the first 40 years of the Air Force to accomplish that feat,” he adds with justifiable pride. After retirement, Ralph worked briefly with Parsons Brinckerhoff before opting to start his own business, AFA Construction Group, in California.
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His list of distinguished clients includes the U.S. Departments of Defense, Interior, Transportation, General Services Administration, Veterans Affairs and Homeland Security. Ralph’s wife, Julia, passed away four years ago and in 2009, he accepted his daughter Nicole’s invitation to move into her Allen home. His oldest child and a U.S. Air Force Reserves major, Nicole is a pediatric anesthesiologist. His oldest son Chris, who lives in Reno, Nevada, served in the U.S. Army National Guard, with two tours of duty in Iraq and one in Afghanistan. He currently works as a civilian at a local military depot. His sons Matt and Ralph both live in the San Francisco Bay area. Ralph works for the U.S. Mint in the commemorative coin division and Matt, a musician, also manages AFA’s office in California for his father. At a 2008 veterans’ business con ference in Las Vegas, Ralph met Marylyn Harris, a psychiatric nurse, owner of a health care consulting business, and a single mom of two teenagers. An 11year U.S. Army veteran, Marylyn
Julia and Ralph Hodge served in Saudi Arabia as part of Operation Desert Storm. Marilyn is also the founder and executive director of the not-for-profit Women Veterans Business Center in Houston. “We are the only women’s veterans business center in the United States,” she explains. “We found that women vets had unique unmet needs and thought the best we could help them was by helping them open their own business.” Opening its doors in November of 2010, the Women Veterans Business Center has already served well over 2,300 women. When Ralph met Marylyn and learned of her dream to provide assistance to women veterans, Ralph wanted to help. He had personally witnessed the struggles women in the military dealt with, including those of his own daughter. Ralph now serves as Women Veterans Business Center ’s chairman of the board. Marylyn de clares, “Col. Hodge has been valuable; he is a staunch supporter of veterans and women veterans in particular. “America needs to take care of its veterans, particularly the women veterans,” Ralph explains as a primary reason for his dedication to the organi zation. “My commitment now until I leave this earth is to help veterans.”
Ralph has personally experienced the benefits when veterans reach out to help each other. In 2003, Retired U.S. Army Reserves Major Robert Rogers posted queries on a Korean War web site, seeking those who had known Sergeant Allen, killed on Pork Chop Hill in September of 1952. Ralph spotted one of these messages and replied. He remembered Sergeant Allen fondly and was saddened to learn that his military comrade had died that night after repairing Ralph’s damaged communication lines. Robert Rogers had been Ralph’s and Sgt. Allen’s platoon leader during that fateful skirmish. Although disappointed about Allen’s death, Ralph was very excited to reconnect with Robert after so many years. Ralph then learned his old leader had formally requested the Purple Heart for his head injury and the Silver Star Medal for his heroic actions during that September battle on Pork Chop Hill. Although Ralph had been presented with other military awards
in his career, these two had proved elusive. Robert was determined to rectify this oversight. He sent a sworn statement, along with an account of Ralph’s heroic behavior, to the Army Review Board Agency. Not long after that, Ralph was awarded his Purple Heart and the Bronze Star with a “V” for bravery. Robert was not satisfied that Ralph was instead given the Bronze Star and continues to work to see his friend receive the recognition he feels is deserved. Over the years Robert Rogers others have joined in this effort, including Texas Congressman John Carter of If you would like to learn the 31st District. more about the adventures Today, Ralph anxiously awaits a of Ret. Colonel Ralph Hodge, decision about this honor. Nevertheless, he will share his observation he is confident that he did his best in about, and experiences the past and will continue to serve his in, the Korean War at the country and its veterans. v Peggy Helmick-Richardson is a freelance writer.
Allen Public Library at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, February 9.
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The Dating Game:
the story of a business that takes the game out of dating
B
ubbling laughter, rosy faces, warm smiles. No, you are not at a theme park or a party—you are in a face-to-face interview with the wonderful people at Great Expectations Dallas (GE). The interview is the second step in the program’s simple process. Great Expectations Dallas, a “personal matchmaking program,” for lack of better words, acts more as a life coach and best friend than what the name entails. Greeted by the blushing, friendly, outgoing character Stefanie Hogan, Dallas Center Director, you will immediately feel at ease—no nervousness and no awkward conversations. Stefanie and her team make you feel like you are having a conversation with an old friend. She remembers your name, your likes, dislikes and has one specific, helpful personality trait in particular: the ability to read people and match them with their soul mates. Companionship—such a result is worth the meeting. Great Expectations is different than online dating sites. Having been in business for more than 35 years, Great Expectations knows what they are doing. They conduct thorough background checks and personal screenings, ensuring the utmost protection for their members. Their discreet team also guarantees personal involvement. “We hold your hand until you find someone; we are like a personal liaison for your dating life,” says member services manager Lindsey Barton. From guiding you in the right direction, marketing you the way you need to be marketed and giving you a chance to get in front of your desirable audience, it is evident that Great Expectations is dedicated to your happiness and personal improvement.
In fact, there is a good chance that your advisor will give you a few necessary truths to spur on this personal improvement. Do you know that pit-in-your-stomach, sick feeling you get when you look in the mirror after being with friends all day and find a big piece of spinach in your teeth? This will not happen with your new friends at Great Expectations—guaranteed. Much like scenes from the well-known movie Hitch, the representatives at Great Expectations will guide and support you, resulting in better first impressions. “People who think they are unmarketable and will never find love, find it through our program. It’s such a rewarding business,” Stefanie states, beaming. Curious where Stefanie’s passion for matchmaking came from? In April of 1996, long before her career at Great Expectations, Stefanie’s family went through the tragic time of her father’s passing. Empathizing with the void in her mother’s heart, Stefanie purchased a membership to Great Expectations for her mom as a Mother’s Day gift in May of 1999. Although her mom was a bit skeptical, she used her membership for a couple of months and went on a few dates, meeting Scott within five months of joining the program. Scott and Marsha were married in November of 2001 and have been together for 10 years this month! “My mom’s success story is proof that anyone can find true love,” muses Stefanie. “She is a tough one—very picky—but we did it and she and Scott are incredibly happy together.” There are plenty of other success stories. In fact, the current owner of Great Expectations Dallas, Mr. John Meriggi, met his wife through the Houston location and they recently celebrated their 25th wedding anniversary. After his wonderful experience at the
Houston location as a client, Mr. Meriggi felt compelled to purchase and run the Dallas office. Norine, Assistant Director, who’s been at Great Expectations for 20 years, met and married through Great Expectations as well. Members Hettie and Jerry describe their experience as “very personal; the ladies at Great Expectations were very encouraging and thoughtful. We got support every step of the way.” Member Monica was looking to “date someone with family values who was loving, successful, funny and independent,” which she found in her husband, Kent, within one month of joining the program. Another member, Roger, decided to join GE because he was “tired of the set-up and bar scenes.” The process of joining this confidential, professional service is simple. First, take a quick look at the website, www.greatexpectationsdallas.com, or call the office at 214-390-5200, and answer a few pre-screening questions. On the phone you will have the opportunity to set up a face-to-face interview with an advisor where your identification will be checked, a background screening will be conducted and they will screen for emotional stability. Your representative will then review your membership options and give you access to the private website database that is for members only, where you can conduct searches to find potential dates. Complete the member profile and set a date for your professional photo shoot with Mary McAlister and her warm, friendly team, and voila, you are ready to meet and mingle. Your advisor will give you suggestion profiles, from which you will choose your top picks to go on dates. The process is based on mutual consent and you will always get to see the other person’s pictures and profiles before you date them so there is no awkward blind dating.
reject profiles that are “inappropriate,” screeners “rely on the applicants to tell them. So, obviously, married people can get past the screeners.” The thorough interview process at Great Expectations ensures that each member is sincere and safe. Great Expectations’ staff is dedicated, creating an environment in which they each know their members on a personal level. Most of the staff has worked at Great Expectations for more than 15 years. They dedicate their quality time thinking about the betterment of their members and especially enjoy brainstorming for the popular and fun future events. When you are a member, you get to enjoy summer musical events, speed dating events, happy hours, limo pub crawls, cruises, the annual Christmas gala, sporting events and much more. There is something for everyone.
Great Expectations Dallas
“The main basis of our program is to choose someone who is right for the member. If I’m doing my job correctly, you shouldn’t have to meet more than five people,” states Stefanie. “People are looking for the right person, not to date a hundred different people. They are allowed to search the website to pick whomever interests them. There is no limitation to the number of searches they get. And we are there for the entire process—there is no room for misrepresentation.”
14180 Dallas Pkwy, Suite 100, Dallas
214-390-5200 www.greatexpectationsdallas.com
Privacy and lack of misrepresentation are the most important differences between Great Expectations Dallas and other competitors. “Online dating services are a breeding ground for misrepresentation,” says Stefanie. According to a 2002 Wall Street Journal article, “more than 30% of visitors to the top three standalone personals sites are married.” Although other sites claim to
Whether you are too busy to date, are tired of the bar scene, don’t feel comfortable placing your personal information online or can’t seem to find the type of person you are looking for, Great Expectations Dallas will meet you where you are. Whatever your reasoning may be to quit your current social habits, Great Expectations will be there to back you up and point you in the right direction. They guide you through the process of finding your “other half,” as well as introducing you to a new, exciting social circle. In the words of success story couple Ruth and David, “Just give it a shot. What do you have to lose?”
travel
Tanglewood Resort and Conference Center on Lake Texoma by Deborah Dove
Tucked away at the end of a treelined road that winds through the country side and stops at the glistening waters of Lake Texoma lies Tanglewood Resort, one of the best kept secrets in North Texas. In many ways, the resort seems untouched by time. Tanglewood opened for business in 1959 and it still retains a sense of gentility and decorum associated with a slower, gentler time. Reminiscent of Kellerman’s Resort in the movie Dirty Dancing, I half expected to see Patrick Swayze giving dance lessons in the dining room. However, Tanglewood is no antiquated resort. With a variety of accommo dations, activities (on-site and nearby) and amenities, Tanglewood is the perfect location for a family getaway, group event or business retreat.
The Resort
While you can’t access Lake Texoma directly from the resort (the marina is just around the corner), it was undoubtedly built to showcase incomparable views of the lake. The resort’s landmark eight-story tower
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features six premier tower suite rooms (privacy is ensured as there is only one suite on each floor), each with a king size bed, shower, wet bar and antiques, including an oversized clawfoot tub. The suites on the sixth and seventh floors are particularly coveted as they offer a panoramic view of the lake, marina and surrounding hills from a private balcony. The Tower Lounge, a bar area with comfy leather sofas, a wood paneled ceiling and walls made of windows, also offers breathtaking views, along with hors d’oeuvres and live entertainment on weekends March through October. The lounge can also be rented for private events. The Villas are a good choice for families or groups that want a little more space. The Master Villa is like a condominium with a large living area with a sofa and fireplace, dining room with table and chairs, washer and dryer, separate bedroom with kingsized bed and whirlpool bath, and a patio. Next to each Master Villa room is a one-bedroom villa room with two queen beds, kitchenette, bathroom and
balcony which can be adjoined to the Master Villa to create a two bedroom villa with plenty of space. The resort also offers more traditional hotel rooms in the main building. As a full-service resort, there are several on-site options for dining or enjoying a drink in addition to the aforementioned Tower Lounge. Barnacles Sports Bar serves casual fare such as pizza and sandwiches and is accessible from the three pools, while the Commodore Room offers fine dining with a spectacular view of the lake. Menu items include steak such as filet mignon, crab stuffed filet, rib eye or pepper steak, seafood (grilled shrimp skewers, crab cakes with trio of aioli, salmon and tilapia) and osso bucco, veal shank braised in a red wine sauce with braised vegetables, mashed potatoes and a red currant current demi-glaze. The adjoining Yacht Club is a cozy full service bar with a cigar lounge feel complete with a fireplace and beautiful stained glass behind the bar to enjoy a before or after dinner drink, or for hosting a more intimate meeting.
Amenities
When it comes to activities, there’s something to please everyone at Tanglewood. In addition to three outdoor pools, a hot tub and an outdoor fireplace, guests can also enjoy volleyball, basketball, horseshoes, a fitness center and tennis on lighted courts on the property. Kids will enjoy the two playground structures, while adults will relish the services offered on-site at the Tranquility Spa. In addition to providing relaxing massages, facials, manicures, pedicures, whirlpool, sauna, couples massage, mud wraps and more, licensed massage therapist Hannah Brinker also sells her own line of all natural lotions and body butters at the spa, including person alized organic baby products. Although the spa services are definitely popular with the resort’s female guests, business men also enjoy its services and are particularly fond of the Weekend Warrior Massage featuring a 50-minute rejuvenating massage, followed by a private whirlpool, sauna and a 25-
minute tranquility massage focused on the neck, back and shoulders. Near the resort are outdoor activities galore. Hiking trails cut a path through the adjacent Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, the Rockin’ A Ranch offers horseback riding ($25 for adults/$15 for children 11 and under for a one hour trail ride), and of course there is the opportunity to boat and fish on Lake Texoma, the 12th largest lake in the U.S. and one of the very few lakes in the world where striper spawn.
Pontoon boats and wave runners are available to rent at the marina nearby, or you can charter a boat for a leisure cruise or guided fishing trip. Should you be lucky enough to reel in some fish, the resort will fry them up at Barnacles for you to enjoy for dinner. Golfers can enjoy a round or two of golf at Tanglewood’s private 18-hole course. Designed by Arnold Palmer and Ralph Plummer, the beautiful treelined course features 7,000 yards of sand bunkers, Bermuda fairways and a practice facility.
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Group Events Although Tanglewood Resort is a great, close getaway for families, couples or a girls’ weekend, the resort also caters to groups—wedding party, business retreat, church group or family reunion. Although the resort is a mere hour’s drive from the Metroplex, guests at the resort get the feeling they are away from it all, making it the perfect destination for a group retreat. A variety of banquet rooms with spectacular lake views can accommodate groups of all sizes, from as small as 25 to as many as 500. Packages can be designed to include rooms, meals, refreshments, meeting rooms and audiovisual equipment, as well as tailored to include activities such as golf, fishing charters, spa packages and/or horseback riding. The Tanglewood staff can also customize special group activities, including a scavenger hunt of items to be found around the resort, a treasure hunt complete with clues leading to a treasure, and survivor, a team-building exercise based on the TV show with a
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course laid out in the woods for teams to complete assignments. For the younger guests, an on-site activities director can coordinate activities for kids while the adults are in meetings or enjoying the resort’s amenities. Regardless of the time of year, there’s something for everyone at Tanglewood Resort, including a variety of special packages offered from time to time such as the Putt & Pamper
(including golf for him and a spa treatment for her), Family Fun and Girls’ Night Out (champagne or wine and a spa service). For information on leisure travel to Tanglewood, visit www.tanglewoodresort.com. For more information on business or group sales, contact Christina Goettsch at 903.462.7839. v Deborah Dove is a freelance writer from Allen.
For MarketPlace Your Health
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calendar JANUARY 5-6 Amahl and the Night Visitors performed by the Allen Symphony Chorus and members of the Allen Phiharmonic Orchestra, 7:30 pm, First United Methodist Church, Allen. For more info: www.allenphilharmonic.org or 972-359-0656. 6-20Plano Metrolpolitan Ballet presents Cinderella, An Original Production, Jan. 7, 3 pm, Jan. 14, 3 & 7 pm, Jan. 20, 7 pm, Courtyard Theater, 1509 Avenue H, Plano. For more info: www.planometballet.org. 21 Plano Symphony presents Cirque de la Symphonie, 8:15 pm, Eisemann Center, Richardson. Acrobats, dancers, contortionists, aerialists and strong men with artistry set to orchestra music. For more info: 972-473-7262. 29 Plano Family Series Concert— Percussion, 2:15 pm, Plano Courtyard Theatre, 1509 Avenue H, Plano, featuring the percussion section of the orchestra. For ages 3-12. For more info: www.planosymphony.org. CITY OF ALLEN Allen Event Center
For more info: www.alleneventcenter.com. 6 Allen Americans vs. Laredo Bucks 16 Allen Americans vs. Tulsa Oilers 24 Allen Americans vs. Arizona Sundogs
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26 The Oak Ridge Boys, legendary American country and gospel quartet. Band is best known for such chart-topping hits such as “Elvira,” “Bobbie Sue” and “American Made.” 27 Allen Americans vs. Wichita Thunder 28-29Allen Americans vs. Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees
28 Super Bowl Jersey Night, Allen Community Ice Rink. On-ice games and activities for everyone. Admission is $5 per person and Skate Rental is $3 per person. Show your team spirit by wearing an NFL jersey and receive a FREE skate rental. For more info: 972-912-1097 or www.AllenParks.org.
Parks and Recreation Events
For more information, log on to www.allenparks.org or call the Athletic Information Hotline: 214-509-4810. Tennis–Quick Start Tennis, designed to help kids develop a love of tennis! For more info: chasta_waters@allenisd.org or schkades@ friscoisd.org. Adult Drill & Play also available. Softball–Reg. 1/16-2/22 ($345); format-8 games + playoffs; play begins 3/12. Flag Football–Reg. 1/16-2/22 ($350); late reg. 1/23-1/26 ($365); format-7 games + playoffs; play begins 3/13. Ultimate Frisbee–Reg. 1/16-2/22 ($265); format-14 games; play begins 3/15. Men’s Basketball–Reg. 1/2-2/1 ($425); late reg. 2/2-2/5 ($440); format-8 games + single-elimination tournament; play begins 2/20. Volleyball–Reg. 1/2-2/1 ($235); late reg. 1/2–1/5 ($250); format-8 games + single-elimination tournament; play begins 1/22. Soccer–Reg. 1/16-2/22 ($515); late reg. 2/23-2/26 ($530); format-8 games; play begins 3/13. For more information, log on to www.allenparks.org or call the Athletic Information Hotline: 214-509-4810.
Saturday Night Rec & Roll, Joe Farmer Rec Center. Fun, safe program grades 3-6. Gym games, dancing, dodge ball, contests with prize giveaways. Supervision provided, concessions available. Party Packs $12. ID card (1 time $5 fee) required and must be purchased at JFRC before 5:30 p.m. day of event. Walk up-$10/$14 party pack). For more info: call JFRC at 214.509.4750. 1-31 New Year, New You! 15% off all memberships paid in full at Joe Farmer Rec Center, Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium, Allen Senior Recreation Center and the Edge Visitor Center during the month of January. 9 SNAP Dance (Disco Theme), 7-10 pm, Rec Hall. Snap your fingers and shuffle your feet at our Special Needs and Adapted Program! Live music, a fun and creative theme, snacks & photo mailed to each. For more info: email tharben@cityofallen.org or 214-5094707. 14 Great to Skate Clinics,2:30-4 pm & 5-6:30 pm, Allen Community Ice Rink. Free, fun-filled afternoon. “It’s Great to Skate” clinics geared toward beginning skaters include skate rental, group lessons, an open skate session and much more.Participants Must preregister. For more info: 972-912-1097 or email cjones@ alleneventcenter.com for details. 21 Dive-In Movie, 6:30-9 pm, Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium. Grab your swim suit and towel and join us for a dive-in movie featuring one of the latest and greatest movies! Concessions will be available and tubes and noodles can be rented.
Adult Athletic Leagues
ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY Children Storytimes begin January 23 Baby and Me: Pre-walkers with an adult, Tue. & Thu, 10:15 am. Fun Ones: 1-year-olds with an adult, Mon. & Wed., 10 am; and Tue. 6:30 pm.
Together Time: 2 & 3 year-olds with an adult, Tue. & Thu., 11:15 am; Wed. 10:45 am. All by Myself: 4 & 5 year-olds, Wed. 11:30 am. Family Storytime: 2-6 year-olds & family, Mon. 11:15 am; Thu. 7 pm. 7 Last day for children’s winter reading program. 16 Get a Clue, 2-4 pm. Todd McKinney Magic Show, 2:15 and 3:15 pm, Auditorium. Puppet Shows, 2:30 & 3:30 pm, Children’s Program Room. Art project, 2-4 pm, Meeting Room. Allen Police Station @ the Library, 2-4 pm, Meeting Room. Scavenger Hunt, 2-4 pm, Children’s Department 21 Chinese Lion Dance performed by the J.K. Wong Academy and create your own dragon crafts, 3-4 pm, auditorium. No registration required. 23 Winter storytime programs begin.
Adults 3 Noontime Pageturners, noon, meeting room. , The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot, bring lunch & a friend for a lively discussion. 19 Readable History Book Club, Pirate Hunter of the Caribbean: The Adventurous Life of Captain Woodes Rogers by David Cordingly, 7 pm, Adult Program Room.
CONNEMARA CONSERVANCY Connemara Meadow Preserve
22 Open House, 12-5 pm, Connemara Meadow Preserve, join us to wander (and wonder) at the Meadow by hiking the trails, watching the flora and fauna. Enter at Wooded Gate on East side of Alma, south of Bethany. Astronomy Walk, 9-11 pm, Connemara Meadow Preserve, Join Clyde Camp for an Astronomy walk.
Meet at the Suncreek Park circular parking lot at 9 pm sharp and walk to the Meadow the back way. For more info: www.connemaraconservancy.org.
CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS
City of Allen offers a variety of affordable recreational classes and programs. Register at Joe Farmer Rec Center, 214-509-4750 or Rodenbaugh Natatorium, 214-509-4770. For more info: www.allenparks.org. Kids Helping Kids, bring new or gently used toys to Kids Pediatric Dentistry, donate to children in the area. Receive chance to win prize. For more info: 972-727-0011 or www. kidspediatricdentistry.com. MOMS Club McKinney Central, support group for stay-at-home moms. Play groups, daytime activities, Mom’s Night Out, holiday parties, babysitting coop, etc. Monthly bus. meeting. For more info: MckinneyMoms@yahoo.com. Plano Bicycle Association, club rides, social activities, monthly meetings, newsletters. For more info: Chris Mathews, 972-964-2869 or www. planobicycle.org. Urban Explorers is a laid back, fun, diverse social group with meetups throughout the Dallas area. Something for everyone! For more info: www.meetup.com/getoutandabout. Texas Health Presbyterian, a variety of events. For more info: www.texashealth.org. American Cancer Society, Road to Recovery needs volunteers to drive cancer patients to appointments. If you have a car and can spare time 9-5, you can help. For more info: Debbie Moen, 972-712-5711. Divorce Care, 13-week courses—biblical teaching for recovering from divorce. For more info: Kim Tedford: 214-544-8050 ext. 109, ktedford@creekwoodumc.org or www.creekwoodumc.org.
Baylor Health Care System offers support groups, medical information and events. For more info: www.BaylorHealth.com. Every Monday Allen Symphony Chorus rehearsals, 7-9 pm, choir room at First UMC. For more info: Henry Lessner, 214-893-5360 or henry@ fortunefs.com. Ericsson Village Toastmasters Club, 12-1 pm, Ericsson, 6300 Legacy, Plano. Guests welcome For more info: Per Treven, 972-583-8273 or per.treven@ ericsson.com. Fit and Funky Fit Club, 7:30 pm, Unlimited Success Martial Arts, 604 W. Bethany, Ste. 208, Allen. Work out to p90x, Insanity, etc. Free. For more info: fitandfunky@att.net. Preston Persuaders Toastmasters, 7:15 pm, Custer Road United Methodist Church, Rm B2, 6601 Custer Road, Plano. For more info: Ed Meissner, 469-323-0538 or Todd Richardson, 214-497-4495 or www.prestonpersuaders. org. Allen Toastmasters’ Club, 6:30 pm, Keller Williams office at 1002 Raintree Circle, Allen. Guests welcome. For more info: mark.liberio@gmail.com. Every Monday, Thursday & Saturday Allen AA meets, 601 S. Greenville. For more info: 972-359-7383. Second Monday McKinney Ladies Association (SRLA), 7 pm, various meeting places. Please see website for outreach project of the month. For more info: www.mckinneyladies.org American Association of University WomenPlano/Collin County Branch, 6:45 pm, Davis Library, 7501 Independence, Plano.
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Open to anyone with bachelors or assoc. degree interested in helping women. For more info: Carol, 972-862-3460 or www. aauwplanocc.org. McKinney Childcare Association, non-profit org. of state-listed, reg. and lic. home childcare providers McKinney area, 7 pm, locations vary. For more info: Alice Lang, 972-346-2280 or www. mckinneychildcare.com. Heard Museum Collin County Hobby Beekeepers, 7 pm. For more info: 972-562-5566 or www. northtexasbeekeepers.org. Collin County Early Childhood PTA, 9:45 am, Parkway Hills Baptist Church, 2700 Dallas Pkwy., Plano. Nursery reservations required. For more info: Suzanne Judkins, 972-712-3634. Sons of Confederate Veterans, William H. L. Wells Camp, No. 1588, 7 pm, Tino’s Too Restaurant, 2205 Ave. K, Plano. Speakers, school programs, etc. Open to anyone interested. For more info: Lloyd Campbell, 972-442-5982. Third Monday Plano Amateur Radio Klub, all welcome. For more info: www.K5PRK.org. Allen Retired Educators, 11 am, Patrizio’s Restaurant, 101 Fairview Station Pkwy, Village of Fairview, Stacy Rd. and Hwy. 75. For more info: 972-727-5372. Collin County Aggie Moms, 7 pm, Texas A&M Ext. Center, Coit between Bush Tollway & Campbell. For more info: 972-382-3124 or www. collincountyaggiemoms.org. Breast Cancer Support Group for patients, family & friends, noon, N. Central Medical Center, 4500 Medical Center Dr., McKinney. For more info: Kelly Finley Brown, 972-540-4984.
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Fourth Monday Texas Democratic Women of Collin County meets at 6:45 pm, Collin College, Frisco campus, Rm F148. For more info: www.tdwcc.org or Barb Walters, 214-4775183. Allen Seniors Genealogy Club, 1 pm, Allen Seniors Center. Must be a member of ASRC. For more info: www.asgconline.com or Richard Henry, 972-390-7402. Plano Photography Club, Grace Presbyterian Church, 4300 W. Park Blvd., Plano, 7 pm. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.planophotographyclub.com. Legacy 4-H Club (Allen and Lucas), 7 pm, Lovejoy High School, Lucas. For more info: kathrin_esposito@asus.com or 214-6162460. Every Tuesday Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce Tuesday Morning Live networking breakfast, 7:30 am, 5th Street Pizza, 111 Central Expwy., #102, (Inside Stacy Furniture), Allen. $1 member/$7 non-mem. 1st visit free. For more info: 972-727-5585. Allen Serenity Al-Anon Family Group, 7 pm, First United Methodist Church, Wesley House, 601 S. Greenville. Offers strength and hope to friends & family of alcoholics. For more info: 214-363-0461 or www.al-anon.alateen.org. Toastmasters Creative Expressions, 11:30 am-12:30 pm. Raytheon, McKinney. Guests welcome. McKinney CEA-HOW Anonymous, 7 pm, Stonebridge United Methodist Church, 1800 S Stonebridge Dr., Rm 104. A disciplined and structured approach to the compulsive eater or food addict. For more info: 214-5014-4927 or www.ceahow.org.
Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 6:15-8 pm, Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 750 W. Lucas Road, Lucas. For more info: 1-800-YEA-TOPS or www.tops.org. Every Tuesday & Thursday Volunteer Master Gardeners offer landscaping & gardening advice, 9 am-4 pm. Texas A&M’s Co-op Extension, 825 N. McDonald #150, McKinney. For more info: 972-548-4232 or 972-424-1460. First Tuesday Collin County Event Professionals, networking group for wedding & special event professionals. For more info: Wendy Kidd, 214-542-1317 or www. collincountyeventpros.com. Heard Museum Native Plant Society meeting. For more info: 972-562-5566. First and Third Tuesday Common Threads of Allen, 7pm, Starbucks, 904 McDermott Dr. to share current needlework projects, learn new techniques and make new friends. For more info: contact Debi Maige at 214-704-0994 or debik@verizon.net. Allen Lions Club, 7 pm, Nate’s Seafood, Stacy Road, Allen. For more info: kevin_carlson@sbcglobal.net. Second Tuesday Allen Senior Citizens Luncheon, 11:30 am, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville. For more info: 214-509-4820. Newcomer Friends of Greater Plano, 9:30 am, 5228 Tennyson Pkwy., Plano. Program: Rosemary Rumbley shares thoughts on her book, My Thoughts be Bloody, a book that explains the reasons behind Lincoln’s asassination plot. For more info: www.newcomerfriends.org.
Allen Democrats, 6:30 pm, Reel Thing Catfish Cafe, 600 E. Main St., Allen. For more info: Deborah Angell Smith 214-893-3643. Blackland Prairie Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists, 7 to 9 pm, Heard Museum, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. Visitors are welcome. For more info: info@bptmn.org. McKinney Area Newcomers’ Club, Welcomes new residents, 9:30 am, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5871 W. Virginia Pkwy., McKinney. Speakers, prizes and refreshments each month. For more info: www.mckinneynewcomers.com. Plano Pacers run at Schimelpfenig Library parking lot, 5024 Custer, in Plano, 7 pm. For more info: Bob Wilmot, 972-678-2244, or www. planopacers.org. Collin County ADD/LD Parent Support Group of Collin County, 7-9 pm, parlor, First United Methodist Church, 601 S. Greenville Ave., Allen. For more info: Shirli Salter, sscaroline@aol.com. Collin County Archaeology Society, 7 pm, Texas Star Bank, McKinney. For more info: 972-542-1263. Second and Fourth Tuesday Allen Area Patriots, 7-8:45 pm, New Heritage Church, 8 Prestige Circle, Allen. Local Tea Party presents outstanding speakers, enlightening and motivating citizens to participate in the political process. For more info: www.AllenAreaPatriots.com. Third Tuesday Allen Area Republican Women, 7 pm, Community Room-old library, 301 Century Pkwy, Allen. For more info: Susie Bartlemay, 972-396-1923. Allen Dialogue Support Group, 7-8:30 pm, First UMC, Wesley House, Rm. 1. For more info: Audrey, 972-519-1405.
Allen-Frisco-Plano Autism Spectrum Parents Group provides support & resources for parents of children with autism & related developmental disabilities. Join online group at http://health. groups.yahoo.com/group/autismparentsupport.
Daughters of the American Revolution, NSDAR, The General Bernardo de Galvez Chapter meets Aug.May. For more info: 972-727-3090.
Fourth Tuesday
Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon and speaker, 11:30 am-1 pm. $20 member/$25 guest. For more info: www.allenchamber.com.
Porcelain Art Guild of North Texas, meets at 9:30 am, Carriage House, 306 N. Church St., McKinney. Open to anyone, beginner to expert, interested in china painting and porcelain art. For more info: Gayle Harry 214-509-0787.
Heard Museum Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society meets at 7 pm. For more info: 972-562-5566.
Every Wednesday
Allen Sunrise Rotary Club, 7 am, Twin Creeks Hospital, 1001 Raintree Circle. For more info: 972-673-8221 or www.asrotary.org.
Allen Rotary Club, Noon, Courtyard by Marriot, 210 East Stacy Rd. For more info: www.allenrotary.org.
Toastmasters SpeakUp Allen, 7 pm, Twin Creeks Golf Club, 501 Twin Creeks Dr., Allen. For more info: Dan Dodd, 972-571-7527.
2ChangeU Toastmasters, 6:45-8:15 pm, Custer Rd United Methodist Church, Rm B11, 6601 Custer Rd., Plano. Visitors welcome. For more info: info@2changeu.freetoasthost.us or www.2changeu.freetoasthost.us.
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First Wednesday
Collin County Master Gardeners Assoc. guided tour of Myers Park, 10 am, 7117 County Rd. 166, McKinney. Res. requested. For more info: 972-548-4232 or go to mgcollin@ag.tamu. edu.
Allen Heritage Guild, Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main St, 6:30 pm. For more info: 972-740-8017 or www.allenheritageguild. org.
Art History Brown Bag Series, 12:30-1:30 pm, Heard-Craig Carriage Hosue, 205 W. Hunt St., McKinney. Lectures presented by Annie Royer. Bring lunch and enjoy. For more info: 972-569-6909 or www.headcraig.org.
First and Third Wednesday
Mothers of Preschoolers, 9:15-11:30 am, First Baptist Church, 1300 E. 15th, Plano. For more info: Debbie Parker, 972-424-8551.
Second Wednesday
Collin County Genealogical Society, 7 pm, Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Rd, Plano. For more info: 972-231-4190.
VFW Post 2195, 7:30 pm, Reel Thing Catfish Cafe, 600 E. Main, Allen. For more info: Larry Nordgaard, 972-727-9956 or www. vfw2195.org. Second and Fourth Wednesday Mocha Moms of North Dallas, support group for stay-at-home moms of color, 10 am, at Douglass Com. Center, Plano. For more info: www.mochamomsnorthdallas.com. Every Thursday Allen Kiwanis Club, Noon, Twin Creeks Clubhouse, 501 Twin Creeks Blvd. Visitors welcome. For more info: Sandy McNair, 214-548-5483 or www. allenkiwanis.org. Allen Classic Cars, 7-10 pm, 103-111 N. Central, parking lot of Chipotle and Stacy Furniture. Sweet Adelines, NoteAbly North Texas Chorus, 7 pm, Grace Evangelical Free Church, 2005 Estates Pkwy, Allen. Women of Allen & surrounding area invited. For more info: nntsing4fun@yahoo.com. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness of Collin County), Recovery support group for adults living with mental illness. Led by trained individuals. Free, 6:30-8:30 pm, Custer Road UMC, 6601 Custer Rd., Plano. For more info: 214-509-0085 or www.namicco.org. Speak Up! Frisco Toastmasters Club, 7-7:30 pm social, 7:30-8:30 meeting. U of D-Frisco campus, 7460 Warren Pkwy (NE corner Warren Pkwy & tollway), rm 110-114. For more info: http://speakupfrisco.freetoasthost.ws. Community Bible Study (September 8, 2011 to May 10, 2012), 9:30-11:30 am, Community North Baptist Church, 2500 Community Avenue, McKinney. Bible study for women and children. Studying Daniel and Hebrews. Reg. required. For more info: bbrakebill@tx.rr.com or mckinneyallen. cbsclass.org. First Thursday Allen Garden Club, meets at 7 pm, monthly gardening talks by area experts, Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main Street. For more info: Denise Webre, 972-390-8536 or www. allengardenclub.org. W.I.S.E. (Women in Support of Enterprise), 11:30 am. Location varies. Networking & discussion of women’s issues. Fun & informative meeting for women in Allen & surrounding areas. $20 member/$25 guest. Payment expected unless reservation cancelled 48 hrs. in advance. For more info: www.allenchamber.com
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North Dallas Newcomers, meets Sept.-June, 11 am, Texins Activity Center, 13900 N. Central Expwy, Dallas. Casey Boswell and Associates will put us through our paces and teach us some exercises to help lose those extra holiday inches. A salad lunch and meeting will follow. Guests are welcome. For more info: www.northdallasnewcomers.net. Second Thursday Legal Aid Clinic, 6 pm, First United Methodist Church. For more info: www.lanwt.org or 1-888-529-5277. McKinney Area Republican Co-Ed Club, 7 pm, Collin County GOP Headquarters, 8416 Stacey Rd., #100, McKinney. Location sometimes varies. For more info: Renetta at 972-382-3220. Osteoporosis Support Group, 6:30 pm, Presbyterian Hospital of Allen, Community Education Rm-Medical Office Bldg. 2. For more info: 972-747-6036. First and Third Thursday Allen’s Community Theatre hosts Improv, 102 S. Allen Dr. For more info: allenscommunitytheatre@gmail.com. Second and Fourth Thursday Allen High Noon Lions Club, 5th Street Pizza (inside Stacy Furniture), 111 Central Expwy. S. For more info: Tony Pritchard, 214-293-1598. Third Thursday Allen Quilters’ Guild, 6:30 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 605 S. Greenville. For more info: www.allenquilters.org. Men of Business, networking and discussion of men’s issues for men of the Allen Fairview Chamber. Call for location. $20 member/$25 guest. RSVP required. For more info: www.allenchamber.com. Allen/McKinney Area Mothers of Multiples, new & expectant moms’ forum, 7 pm, First Christian Church, 1800 W. Hunt, McKinney. For more info: www.amamom.org or 972-260-9330. Collin County Republican Men’s Club, 7 pm, locations vary. For more info: Mark Rutledge, 214-544-0309. Knights of Columbus, 7:30 pm, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville, Allen. For more info: Steve Nagy, 469-569-3357 or www. stjudekofc.org. Cancer Support Ministry, 7 pm, First Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm E101. Our goal is simple—to support you in any way we can. For more info: James Craver, 972-727-8241. Breast Cancer Support Group, 6:30 pm, Presbyterian Hospital of Allen, 1105 Central Expwy. N., Community Education Room-Medical Office Bldg. 2. For more info: 972-747-6036. Fourth Thursday Voyagers Social Club of McKinney, 10 am, HeardCraig Hall Gallery, 306 N. Church St., McKinney. Social club open to women in McKinney and surrounding areas. Meet new people and enjoy social activities. For more info: voyagersofmckinney@gmail.com. Every Other Thursday North Texas Referral Group, 11:45 am, Friday’s (121 & Preston by the mall). Beginning April 1. For more info: www.ntrg.info. Every Friday Allen Senior Rec Center Dances, 1-3 pm. Ages 50+. Members free/Non-member Allen resident $3. NonAllen residents $24/annually. Allen resident annual membership/$5. For more info: 214-509-4820. McKinney Chess Club meets 2-5 pm, Senior Center, 1400 South College Street , McKinney.Adults 50+(Free). For more info: 972-547-7491.
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Every Other Friday MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), nondenominational support group for moms with kids birth to 5 years, 9:30-11:45 am, First Baptist Church in Allen. Childcare provided. For more info: 972-727-8241. Second Friday Allen Early Childhood PTA, monthly meeting, 9:3011 am, at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, 821 S. Greenville. Activities include play groups, field trips and educational opportunities, baby sitting co-op and more. Nursery res. are available for children 6 mo.-5 yrs. For more info: www.aecpta.com. or information@aecpta. com. Second & Fourth Friday Classic 55+ Game Night, 6:30 pm, First Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm E104. Enjoy snacks, fellowship and games (dominoes, Skip Bo and other table games). Event is open to the entire community, no reservations are required. For more info: 972-727-8241 or Eddie Huckabee at huckgolf@hotmail.com. Fourth Friday and Second Saturday USA Dance, promotes the joys and benefits of ballroom and Latin dancing. Free lesson at 7:30, open dancing until 10:30 pm at McKinney Performing Arts Center. For more info: http://www.usadancenct.org.
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Every Saturday McKinney Chess Club meets10:30 am-1:30 pm, McKinney Public Library, 101 E Hunt St. Any age. Free. For more info: 972-547-7491. Second Saturday Heard Museum Nature Photography Club meeting. For more info: 972-562-5566. Department 56 Village Collectors Club meets in the Plano/North Dallas area to share ideas. For more info: Mike, 972-530-6712 or www.bigd56ers.com. Vrooman’s Regiment, Children of the American Revolution, service organization to teach children to serve their local community. For more info: 972-396-8010. Third Saturday Allen Folk Music Society, 7-10 pm, The Blue House, 102 S. Allen Drive, Allen. Musicians aged 15-100. Bring snacks to share. For more info: www.twiceasfar.com. Fourth Saturday The North Texas Unit of the Herb Society of America, 10:30 am, North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Rd, Dallas. Garden talks and programs by local experts are open to the public. For more info: Beth DiGioia, 972-658-6852 or www. northtexashsa.org.
American Sewing Guild, 10 am-noon, Christ United Methodist Church, 3101 Coit Rd (at Parker), in Plano For more info: Jane Johnson, 972-841-6854 or www. planoasg.org. Last Saturday Plano Pacers run at Bob Woodruff Park on San Gabriel Rd., Plano, 8 am. For more info: Bob Wilmot, 972-678-2244, or www. planopacers.org. Every Sunday Fit and Funky Fit Club, 7:30 pm, Unlimited Success Martial Arts, 604 W. Bethany, Ste. 208, Allen. Opportunity to work out live to p90x, Insanity, etc. Free. For more info: fitandfunky@att.net. First Sunday “The Health Report” with Dr. Michelle Miller, Ph.D, monthly public service health talk show KXEZ-FM 92.1, 9:05 am and KHYI 95.3, 10 am. Scleroderma Support Group, 3 pm, Allen Presbyterian Hospital, Conference Room 1. For more info: Cindi Brannum, 972-954-7185.
Please keep us informed of any local activities or events of general interest to our readers by fax to the Allen Image at 972.396.0807 or email to contact@ allenimage.com.
health & fitness profiles Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano 4700 Alliance Blvd., Plano • 1.800.4BAYLOR • BaylorHealth.com/Plano Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano is a 160-bed hospital committed to serving our adult neighbors since December, 2004, by providing personalized care and advanced technology on a beautiful campus. We offer quality, compassionate care in a variety of areas, including scoliosis, orthopedics and sports medicine, minimally invasive spine surgery, and weight loss surgery. Since 2005 Baylor Scoliosis Center, the first center of its kind in the Dallas/Fort Worth metroplex, has been devoted to treatment, surgery and care of advanced spine curvature in adults and adolescents. Baylor Plano also has several neurosurgeons on its medical staff with one fellowship trained in minimally invasive spine surgery. In addition, Baylor Plano offers three FDA-approved procedures for weight loss: laparoscopic Rou-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), gastric banding and sleeve gastrectomy, which reduce the size of the stomach and limit food intake. Baylor Plano is the first hospital in Collin County accredited by the National Accreditation Program for Breast Centers and the only hospital in Plano designated as a Community Hospital Comprehensive Cancer Program by the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer. For a referral to a physician call 1.800.4BAYLOR or visit BaylorHealth.com/Plano.
Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen 1105 Central Expwy. N. • Allen • 1.877.THR.Well • TexasHealth.org Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Allen has been serving residents in Allen, McKinney and surrounding Collin County communities since 2000. Texas Health Allen offers a broad range of health care programs and services with more than 500 medical staff physicians practicing in specialties including breast surgery, cardiology, obstetrics/gynecology, orthopedics, pediatrics, cosmetic/reconstructive surgery and urology. The Family Birthplace allows expectant mothers to labor, deliver, recover and bond with their new babies in the same location. The suites are equipped with free Internet access, a full-sized bathroom and a sleeper chair to help overnight guests rest comfortably. Texas Health Allen is also the first and only hospital in Collin County to offer cord blood donations through the Texas Cord Blood Bank. In December 2010, Texas Health Allen demonstrated its commitment to offering minimally invasive surgical options to patients by becoming the first hospital in north Texas to acquire a robotic surgical system for surgeons on the medical staff to use in performing partial knee replacements. Ideal candidates for the robotic surgery are younger individuals with pain concentrated in a single compartment of the knee. For more information visit TexasHealth.org/Allen.
Jupiter Kids Dentistry 600 E. Bethany Dr., Suite 130 • Allen • 972.396.8080 At Jupiter Kids Dentistry, Dr. Sal Taiym and Dr. Elizabeth Kamali are committed to providing exceptional oral healthcare to infants, children and adolescents. They have been married since 2008 and have a beautiful baby daughter to keep them busy at home. As parents and dentists, they understand the importance of nurturing a positive attitude toward dentistry and emphasizing good oral health habits from an early age. Kids feel at ease when they first step into the office, with the kid friendly animated outer space theme, movies and video games.
Dr. Kamali
Dr. Taiym
Dr. Kamali is a native of the Allen/Plano area. She studied biology at UT Arlington. In 2004, after graduating from Baylor College of Dentistry, she was eager to begin working with children. Upon completing her general practice residency at the University of Oklahoma Children’s hospital, she was ready to return to Allen and give back to the community. Dr. Taiym attended UT San Antonio for his undergraduate studies and Baylor College of Dentistry for dental school and his pediatric dentistry training. He is a Diplomate of the American Board of Pediatric Dentistry, and is on the medical/dental staff at Children’s Medical Center of Plano/Dallas, where he participates in emergency call coverage.
Raintree Pediatrics 919 Medical Drive • Allen • 214.644.0280 • www.raintreepediatrics.com Raintree Pediatrics specializes in the care of your children from birth to adolescence. Our new location at Watters and Exchange here in Allen, gives us all we need to provide excellent health care in a warm nurturing environment for our patients. Our board certified providers—Yuri E. Cook MD, Chad Smith MD, Punita Shah MD., Beth Godi RN MSN CPNP., Michele Holwerda RN, MS, CPNP and Amber Holifield MS PA-C possess a wealth of knowledge and years of collective experience to provide the best treatment possible. For after-hours issues we have available a registered nurse and our free online resource which guides you through symptoms and issues. We offer: Same-day sick visits, complete wellness care, a full range of travel vaccines and Saturday morning sick clinic at our office. We realize the health of your child is your biggest concern and we gladly go the extra mile to make sure we are here for you! During winter months we extend our hours and offer early flu vaccines to protect you and your family. Our goal is to be here for you whenever you need us. We have a “Meet the Doctor” night on the first Monday of each month. Give us a call and come meet our great providers!
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health & fitness profiles North Texas Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery/ Dr. Charles Slack 1105 N. Central Expwy. N., Suite 370 • Allen • 214.495.6464 North Texas Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery believes the patient comes first. Every effort is made to provide patients with timely and informative consultations. Dr. Charles Slack is known for his integrity and sensitivity towards patient needs and concerns. His manner is professional and reassuring. He meets personally with patients during their initial consultation to discuss the pros and cons of their prospective procedures. Proper patient education lays the groundwork for realistic expectations and helps foster a strong, trusting doctor/ patient relationship. Dr. Slack completed his General Surgery residency at Parkland Memorial Hospital and his Plastic Surgery residency at Georgetown University Medical Center in Washington D.C. Following his Plastic Surgery residency he was accepted into the Georgetown fellowship for aesthetic and reconstructive surgery of the breast. He is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery as well as the American Board of Surgery and is an active member of the American Society of Plastic Surgeons. Dr. Slack offers full range of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery of the body, breast, and face as well as nonsurgical procedures such as Botox, Radiesse, and Restylane injections. He maintains privileges at Presbyterian Hospital of Allen and Hospital at Craig Ranch. Saturday appointments are available. For more information please visit his website at www.drslack.net or call 214.495.6464. Initial consultations are complimentary.
Gandy Orthodontics/Dr. Allen Gandy 431 Stacy Road, Suite 109 • Fairview • 972.727.3900 • www.gandyorthodontics.com Dr. Allen Gandy is a Board Certified Orthodontist and regularly lectures on new advances in orthodontics. He graduated at the top of his class and earned his Doctor of Dental Surgery Degree, with highest academic honors, from Baylor College of Dentistry. As a resident, he attended the University of Nebraska Medical Center where he completed his post-doctoral specialty training in Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, and his Masters of Science degree in Oral Biology. Recognized for his clinical and research achievements, Dr. Gandy has been honored with distinguished awards from the American Association for Dental Research, the American Association for Oral and Maxillofacial Pathology and the Southwest Prosthodontic Society. He is an active member of the American Association of Orthodontists and he is also a Diplomate of the American Board of Orthodontics (Board Certified). Dr. Allen Gandy is one of few orthodontists in North Texas offering in-office 3-D imaging as a routine diagnostic tool for individualized treatment planning. This cutting edge 3-D treatment allows for more accurate diagnosis and treatment planning. His offices in Allen and Frisco also offer the most advanced orthodontic systems including the DAMON and SURESMILE systems. A complimentary consultation with Dr. Gandy can be scheduled by calling 972.727.3900.
Allen Surgical Associates 1105 Central Expwy. North • Medical Office Building 1, Suite 320 • Allen • 972.747.6420 Drs. Candace Covington and Jim Smith are general surgeons specializing in minimally invasive procedures that can reduce pain and shorten recovery time. Dr. Covington received her medical degree from The University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor, Michigan, and completed her residency in general surgery at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston, where she served as administrative chief resident. Most recently, Dr. Covington completed a fellowship in minimally invasive surgery. When not caring for patients, Dr. Covington enjoys spending time with her husband and daughter, and serving the community with her church. Dr. Smith went to medical school at the University of Kansas Medical Center and completed his residency in general surgery at Baystate Medical Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, where he was the resident teacher of the year and administrative chief during his final year. Dr. Smith practiced in Lawrence, Kansas, for three years and served as the hospital’s chief of surgery, before moving to Texas. Outside of the operating room, Dr. Smith is an avid golfer and enjoys running, swimming and reading. Allen Image x January 2012
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health & fitness profiles Texas Foot & Ankle Clinic / Dr. Jeffrey Radack 8080 State Highway 121 • Suite 200 • Mckinney • 469.742.0406 • www.TexasFootClinic.com Dr. Radack and the staff at Texas Foot & Ankle Clinic are committed to providing the highest quality of care, utilizing the latest techniques and advances in the field of podiatric medicine and surgery. Dr. Radack provides a complete range of services for pediatric and adult patients. He specializes in reconstructive foot and ankle surgery, sports medicine, trauma and diabetic limb salvage. Dr. Radack has practiced in Mckinney for 10 years and is located at the Medical Center of Craig Ranch. He attended the College of Podiatric Medicine in San Francisco and completed reconstructive foot and ankle surgery residency at West Houston Medical Center in Houston. He is board certified by the American Board of Podiatric Surgery and a fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons. In his spare time, he enjoys mountain biking, tennis, snow skiing and travel. His wife, Jill, is a pediatric endocrinologist in Fort Worth and they enjoy spending time with their son, Elliot. If you are experiencing foot or ankle problems, call for an appointment today or please visit the website: www.TexasFootClinic.com.
Dr. Rosemary Bates, MD PA 6300 Stonewood Drive, Suite 302 • Plano • 972.943.8597 • www.rosemarybatesmd.com. Rosemary Bates, MD, is a board certified internist with a special interest in prevention, helping her patients achieve optimal wellness and better qualities of life. She and her caring staff offer personalized, progressive care with modern methods and equipment in a warm and friendly environment. They encourage a healthy lifestyle including weight management, good nutrition and exercise. She offers diet and exercise counseling, nutritional and dietary supplements and has added a safe and effective rapid weight loss option using Human Chorionic Gonadotropin (hCG). Originally from England, Dr. Bates has been in the U.S. since 1986 and is a citizen. She earned her B.S. in Chemistry at Lamar University and her medical degree from University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas. Her internship and residency were completed at Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas and she has been in private practice since 1999. She is married and lives in Lucas with her husband and two young children. For an appointment or more information, call the office or visit her online.
Dickey Family Dentistry 1333 W. McDermott, Suite 140 • Allen • 972.747.7777 Our goal at Dickey Family Dentistry is to build long-term relationships with each patient. We believe our dental practice is about much more than just your teeth—it’s about you! Dr. Steve Dickey is a graduate of Baylor College of Dentistry. In an effort to better serve his patients, he completed a one-year post-graduate residency in advanced general dentistry at Baylor. He is a member of the Allen Chamber of Commerce and supports the Allen Young Life program. Dickey Family Dentistry caters to family members of all ages. Children are welcomed and adored here—we understand that little ones need extra care and attention! We employ the latest techniques and materials to produce natural aesthetic results—Invisilign®, tooth-colored fillings, teeth whitening, crowns, bridges, root canals, wisdom teeth removal, dentures and emergency treatments. For added comfort, we offer nitrous oxide. We have private, serene suites, state-of-the-art equipment and chairs with personal TV monitors. Our staff is warm, friendly and professional and you will enjoy seeing the same cheery faces each time! Schedule an appointment with Dr. Dickey today and begin a wonderful relationship that will have you smiling from molar to molar!
Envision Imaging 1111 Raintree Circle, Ste. 100 • Allen • 972-747-8300 MRI/ MRA/CT/CTA/Ultrasound/X-Ray/Myelograms/Arthrograms/Cardiac Scoring/Bone Density. Envision Imaging of Allen is revolutionizing diagnostic imaging by providing unmistakable quality and spectacular service to both patients and physicians. When seeking a diagnosis for an illness or injury, you want trained professionals with the latest in equipment and technology. At Envision Imaging, that is what we provide. Patients can experience our comfortable waiting area with fresh baked cookies and snack bar. We offer flexible hours including evening and weekend appointments, lower outpatient pricing comparable to hospital rates, acceptance of all insurance plans, affordable cash rates and payment plan options to fit your needs. Physicians can rest assured knowing they will receive complete, comprehensive and accurate reports on time by our on-site radiologist. We offer customized protocols with specialty reads, and physicians can view their patients’ images and reports online. STAT reads and call reports are also available upon request. Envision Imaging can take care of all your diagnostic needs. Visit our locations in Allen, Frisco, Plano, Dallas, Mansfield, Ft. Worth or Keller. Because you have a choice in health care, choose Envision Imaging Allen and see how we are making a difference in diagnostic imaging.
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health & fitness profiles Children’s Dentistry Tammy Gough, DDS, MS • Jessie Hunter, DDS 201 North Alma Drive • Allen • 972.727.0737 Dr. Tammy Gough is a board certified Pediatric Dentist who has practiced in Allen since 1993. She is a graduate of the University of Illinois and received her Doctor of Dental Surgery degree and master’s degree in Pediatric Dentistry from Baylor College of Dentistry in Dallas. Dr. Gough has served as President of the Texas Academy of Pediatric Dentists and the Southwest Society of Pediatric Dentists. She is the chairman of the Texas Pediatric Dentist’s Political Action Committee and is an advocate for children’s dental health issues in Austin. She has been selected as a “Best Dentist in Dallas” by D Magazine. Dr. Gough is honored to be appointed by Governor Rick Perry to the Texas State Dental Board for a six-year term. Dr. Jessie Hunter is also a board certified Pediatric Dentist. She was raised in Oklahoma and did her undergraduate studies at Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, and her Dental Degree from the University of Oklahoma Dental School. Jessie earned her Pediatric Certificate from Louisiana State University. She currently lives in Frisco with her husband, Brandon, and their children, Haidyn and Austin. As pediatric dentists, Drs. Gough and Hunter are experts in the growth and development of the oral structures of infants, children and adolescents and are specially trained in behavior management and sedation techniques for apprehensive or special needs patients. “Our office is committed to making every visit a fun and positive, yet educational visit for the children.” The office provides its young patients plenty of fun, with a video arcade for their enjoyment before and after their appointment. A sports theme features Dallas professional teams and a wall displays a collection of sports memorabilia. The doctors and staff provide the highest quality of dentistry through continuing education on new procedures, products and equipment.
Dr. Hunter
Dr. Gough
Allen Ophthalmology 400 N. Allen Dr., Suite 108 • Allen • 214.727.7477 Heritage Eye Center • 1501 N. Redbud Blvd. • McKinney • 972.548.0771 • www.heritageeyecenter.com The city of Allen’s premier ophthalmology center is in the expert hands of Dr. James Norbury who provides state-of-the-art treatment while maintaining the personalized service of a small town practice. An avid hockey fan, Dr. Norbury was recently selected to be the team ophthalmologist for the Allen Americans, caring for team players and attending to any game injuries. By partnering with his associates at Heritage Eye and Surgery Center—Drs. Rudolf Churner, Sanjay Patel, Grant Gilliland (oculoplastics), Henry Choi (retina) and Santosh Patel (retina)—he can ensure quality care in all facets of eye care. For patients who require surgery, the Heritage Surgery Center team specializes in the treatment of cataracts offering Crystalens and ReSTOR lens implants, as well as LASIK, laser treatments for a variety of eye conditions and oculoplastic surgery. For the best sight of your life, make an appointment with Dr. Norbury. Allen Ophthalmology is open four days a week, Saturday morning appointments are available at the McKinney office.
Hill Orthodontics
977 SH 121 Suite 110 Allen • 214.383.9595 • www.hillorthodontics.com At Hill Orthodontics we understand the needs and expectations of our patients, and are dedicated to helping you achieve a Simply Spectacular Smile. Whether you are looking to get your child started on orthodontic treatment, or treating yourself to the perfect smile you’ve always wanted, we will give you and your family the results you want from an orthodontist and team you can trust. We offer our patients cutting-edge orthodontic technology and treatment options including braces for all ages, early treatment screening, Invisalign and the Damon System. Our practice is welcoming, patient-focused and it is our goal to make orthodontics a fun and enriching experience for our patients. Dr. Matthew Hill is a Board Certified Orthodontist. He graduated Magna Cum Laude from VCU School of Dentistry in Virginia. He continued his training in orthodontics at Vanderbilt University, where he served as Chief Resident. Dr. Hill is excited to be practicing orthodontics in his hometown. He is a happily married father of four children. He is a member of the American Association of Orthodontists, American Board of Orthodontists, the American Dental Association, and Southwestern Society of Orthodontists. Allen Image x January 2012
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health & fitness profiles Craig Ranch OB-GYN 7900 Henneman Way, Suite 100 • McKinney • 214.544.6600 • www.craigranchobgyn.com Craig Ranch OB-GYN is currently located in the new exciting development of Craig Ranch, which is located on S.H. 121 between Alma and Custer. They provide OB-GYN services to the north Collin County area including Frisco, Plano, Allen and McKinney. They offer complete and total obstetrical care with management of both high-risk and low-risk pregnancies. They also offer midwife services that are provided for those patients desiring a more natural childbirth experience. They are one of the leaders in all of Texas in in-office procedures such as endometrial ablation and the new Adiana for permanent sterilization. The group consists of Andrew Shimer, MD, Heather Sloan, MD, Shea Joyner, MD, Sara Robert, MD and Allison Atlas, WHNP. Please call for a consultation.
Master’s Hand Dental 935 W. Exchange Pkwy., Suite 300 • Allen • 972.359.2822 • www.mastershanddental.com Your Smile. Our Passion. The entire team at Master’s Hand Dental is excited about the latest high-tech developments to make your dental treatment a high-comfort, low-stress experience. Our practice features general dentistry, oral sedation, cosmetic dentistry, whitening, orthodontics, non-surgical periodontal treatment and so much more. With our popular oral sedation dentistry, you can complete your entire dental treatment while you sleep and wake up with a new smile! We pride ourselves in individual service with state-of-the-art equipment and sterilization techniques. Dr. Koons and our caring, knowledgeable staff provide you with a comfortable and warm atmosphere! We would be delighted to welcome you to our office as our new patient!
Vein Care Solutions/Ana Cecilia Lorenzo, MD FACS RVT 4401 Coit Road, Suite 401 • Frisco • 214.387.4202 • www.veincaresolutions.com Varicose and spider veins are not only unattractive, but can be indicative of further medical problems. At Vein Care Solutions, we offer state of the art technology to patients with venous disease. We are committed to delivering comprehensive vein care in a personalized, comfortable setting. We offer radiofrequency ablation, phlebectomy, sclerotherapy, laser vein ablation and Veinwave. All diagnostic imaging is performed in our office. We accept and process claims through a multitude of insurance plans. Dr. Lorenzo earned a Bachelor in Science degree from Trinity University in San Antonio and her Medical Doctorate from the University of Texas Health Science Center in Houston. She went on to complete a General Surgery Residency at the University of California-San Francisco-Fresno. Dr. Lorenzo completed a Fellowship in Vascular and Endovascular Surgery at the University of Connecticut. She is Board Certified in both General and Vascular Surgery. She is a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons, the American College of Phlebology, the American Medical Association, Texas Medical Association and the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.
Brookwood Family Practice and Pediatrics 865 Junction Drive • Allen • 214.547.8300 Practicing in Allen since 2005, family physician Adam Smith MD and pediatrician Kimberly Smith MD recently joined their practices to provide the best care for the entire family. Married for fifteen years and with two children of their own, our physicians understand the importance of long-term relationships and continuity of care. Whether it is for an annual checkup or the sniffles, we hope to provide convenient care with a down home feel. We are proud of our newly constructed medical office located just south of Exchange between Watters and Highway 75 at 865 Junction Drive. Our medical family includes family nurse practitioner Happy Muigai NP-C and Sabrina Dorris, CFNP. Call us today for an appointment at 214.547.8300, or feel free to stop by and check out our new office.
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health & fitness profiles ChiroSpa Lifetime Wellness Central Expressway & McDermott Drive • Allen 972.390.2273 • www.chirospa.org Chiro Spasm is the place to experience optimal health and wellness so that you feel great, look great and live great! Under the direction of Dr. Robb Tanella, our team of dedicated professionals will provide you with world-class wellness services and therapies. These include chiropractic care, spinal rejuvenation programs, nutritional supplement evaluation, custom-crafted wellness programs, detoxification therapy and massage therapy. Your health affects everything you do, everyone you know, and is the main factor in the direction of your destiny. The stresses of our daily lives and the pollution in our environment can wear us down and inhibit our abilities to enjoy and embrace our lives. Don’t you want to wake up each day feeling alive and energized? We offer the means of fortifying your body and immune system so that you may heal naturally and realize your best results. Contact Chiro Spasm today and make the choice to live a healthier and more vital life! At Chiro Spasm, we combine the latest technology and wellness research to restore your body to its optimal form and function. Utilizing a variety of specialized advanced therapies, Dr. Tanella will tailor a program to return you to health and help you achieve physical, chemical and emotional well being. We also offer body purifying and detoxifying treatments to combat the pollutants that our clients face each day. In a calm and relaxing environment, our restorative techniques welcome you to wellness. Chiro Spa Lifetime Wellness was voted Best Doctor in Dallas (seen on Close-Up TV News).
The Ear, Nose & Throat Centers of Texas 1105 Central Expressway N., Suite 210 • Allen • 972.984.1050 4510 Medical Center Drive, Suite 100 • McKinney • www.entTX.com Drs. Brindley, Champion and Thrasher are pleased to introduce the newest physician to our practice, Dr. Shane Pahlavan. The Ear, Nose & Throat Centers of Texas provide advanced pediatric and adult otolaryngology and allergy care to Allen, McKinney, and the greater Collin County community. Our practice offers the latest innovative treatments to families in a comfortable setting. Providing care throughout the spectrum of ENT conditions, they have extensive training in adult and pediatric ear infections, tonsillitis, sinusitis, voice disorders, snoring/sleep apnea, thyroid nodules and cancer, head and neck cancer, as well as hearing and balance disorders. We offer extensive allergy testing and treatment through our licensed allergy nurses. Additionally, partnering with our hearing center, we provide comprehensive hearing testing and furnish state-ofthe-art customized hearing aids, molds and devices. Please visit us at www.entTX.com for more information or call 972.984.1050 to schedule an appointment. We look forward to seeing you!
Optimeyes Optometry 806 S. Allen Heights Dr. Suite 300 • Allen • 214.383.7600 • www.optimeyes2020.com Optimeyes Optometry is a comprehensive optometric private practice tailored to provide specialized comprehensive eye care needs including: ocular disease diagnosis and management, contact lens fitting and training, Lasik co-management and optical dispensary. We have an extensive array of the latest optometric testing equipment at our disposable. Our mission at Optimeyes Optometry is to create an unforgettable experience for each patient by providing unparalleled customer service, exceptional patient education, superior product quality and the best eye health care possible. Dr. Julie Douangphila enjoys educating her patients on the importance of ocular health—an essential part of overall physical health. She received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Wichita State University in Wichita, Kansas, and a Doctorate in Optometry at the New England College of Optometry in Boston. Dr. Douangphila practiced in both private and commercial settings before starting her own practice. She obtained experience and clinical honors at her internships: a 2.5-month internship at the Omni Eye Services of Atlanta, in Atlanta, Georgia; a 3-month internship at the Jamaica Plain VA Hospital in Brockton, Massachusetts; a 3-month internship at the Newport Naval Base in Newport, Rhode Island; and a 3-month internship at Codman Community Health Center in Dorchester, Massachusetts. Allen Image x January 2012
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health & fitness profiles Vision Source Fairview 1546 E. Stacy Rd., Suite100 • Allen • 214.383.5400 • www.visionsource-fairview.com Vision Source combines advanced eye health care with high fashion frames from leading designers, all in a neighborhood eye care center. Dr. Carey Patrick, O.D and Dr. Shannon O’Hare, O.D. offer comprehensive eye health care for the family using advanced technology such as digital retinal imaging that allows them to detect potential sight-threatening conditions before any symptoms are noticeable. As Therapeutic Optometrists, Drs. Patrick and O’Hare diagnose, treat and co-manage treatment of eye infections, eye injuries, Dry Eye Syndrome, ocular allergies, cataracts and macular degeneration. Both are Certified Glaucoma Specialists.
Dr. Patrick
Specialty services include pediatric eye health and vision development evaluations for patients 6 weeks to 4 years old; sports vision performance evaluations; custom contact lens designs for hard-to-fitpatients; and CRT—Corneal Refractive Therapy—to reshape the patient’s eyes, without surgery, to see well without daytime glasses or contact lenses. Vision Source also offers eyeglasses and sunwear from fashion names like Fendi, Vera Bradley, Calvin Klein, Nautica and Nike. Advanced eye health care, fashion forward designs and family focused eye doctors. That’s the difference at Vision Source.
Dr. O’Hare
Premier Foot and Ankle 6309 Preston Road, Suite 1200 • Plano • 972.424.8999 • www.premierfoot.com Dr. Jaryl Korpinen of Premier Foot and Ankle offers the newest technologies for the treatment of foot and heel pain. Podiatherm is a non-surgical, insurance approved treatment using radiofrequency to cure heel pain as well as pain in the ball of the foot called Morton’s neuroma. The EPAT is a non-invasive in office treatment to heal conditions such as plantar fasciitis and Achilles tendonitis. Although Dr. Korpinen was surgically trained at the Harris County Surgical Residency, he has invested in these new, conservative technologies for better solutions for foot pain without the need for surgery. As a former college basketball player, Dr. Korpinen has a special interest in sports medicine and works closely with various running clubs, triathlon clubs and races. Dr. Korpinen has been recognized by his peers as a D Magazine Best Doctors in Collin County. Premier Foot and Ankle also has on site x-ray, diagnostic ultrasound, treatments for neuropathy and vascular testing diabetics. New technology for the treatment of toenail fungus is now available as well. Please call for an appointment or more information.
Allen Chiropractic/Dr. Jane Perry 1506 N. Greenville, Ste. 260, Allen • 972.727.1106 • drjaneperry.com Dr. Jane Perry has brought relief to thousands of patients over the past 26 years, and your health is her number one concern. She and her staff are dedicated to helping patients achieve excellent health and increased vitality through chiropractic, and educating patients about long-term health and lifestyle changes. “It’s important for me to offer effective chiropractic care that can be documented and proven to my patients. That’s why I’ve chosen the Activator method of adjusting, in which patients simultaneously experience state-of-the-art precision chiropractic along with a gentle, caring touch.” Dr. Perry was also recently certified in Impulse IQ Chiropractic Instrument Adjusting, an innovative chiropractic technique that incorporates the use of a hand-held computerized adjusting instrument to apply treatment. Using this instrument allows her to specifically target problem areas of the spine and extremity joints with a controlled force in an effort to correct the underlying cause of the patient’s pain. This technique is used to help patients suffering from a variety of conditions including low back pain, sciatica, neck pain, headaches and whiplash injuries. Dr. Perry joins an elite group of doctors to become certified in the Impulse IQ Adjusting technique.
North Texas Orthopaedics and Spine 4510 Medical Center Dr., Suite 312 • McKinney • 214.592.9955 • NTOSonline.com Dr. Slabisak is Fellowship trained in diagnosing and treating conditions of the lumbar, cervical and thoracic spine. With his foundation in orthopaedics, he is also skilled in treating most general orthopaedic conditions. Utilizing some of the latest minimally invasive techniques, surgical treatment for spine conditions can result in improved healing times. Treatment plans are specialized for each individual patient, surgical or non-surgical. Dr Lessner is an orthopaedic surgeon with specialty training in sports medicine and arthroscopy. His fellowship included active participation as an assistant team physician for the Cincinnati Bengals and The University of Cincinnati sports teams. Dr. Lessner is trained in all areas of orthopaedic care, but his special interest lie in care of athletes of all ages and levels as well as advanced arthroscopy and reconstruction of the shoulder and knee. Dr. Lessner
Dr. Slabisak
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At North Texas Orthopaedics & Spine, our primary focus is high-quality patient care and our staff takes pride in providing excellent service.
health & fitness profiles Allen Dental Center, PA 300 West Boyd • Allen • 972.727.3941 • www.allendentist.com Allen Dental Center is a family and cosmetic dental practice that offers state-of-the-art dental services. Patients enjoy receiving regular check-ups with as much quality and care as crowns, bridges, implants, dentures, root canals or cosmetic dentistry services. Whether it is a smile makeover or restorative work, we offer sedation dentistry for those apprehensive about dental treatment. Bringing over 30 years of combined experience to Allen, Drs. Jeff and Steve Williams provide a special brand of quality care. “The people who come to see me are more than just patients,” says Dr. Jeff Williams. “For me, practicing dentistry has always been about connecting with the patient,” adds Dr. Steve Williams. “That’s why we make sure that all of our patients know all about the procedure we’re performing and the status of their oral health. We offer the kind of care we would want for our own families.” Allen Dental Center strives to consistently provide a superior level of treatment and comfort with state-of-the-art dental products and services at affordable prices. Call for an appointment today and see how Allen Dental Center is helping to make Allen more beautiful, one smile at a time.
Calvert Hearing Care • Allen 109 Central Expwy. N., Suite 533 • Allen • 972.359.7800 • www.calverthearingcare.com Calvert Hearing Care, a North Texas leader, has been helping people overcome their hearing problems for over 30 years. We strive to build a lifelong following of satisfied, hearing-improved patients who enthusiastically refer others to Calvert Hearing Care because they were valued, informed, honestly diagnosed and clearly treated by our team of skilled, service-oriented Doctors of Audiology. J. Clay Mainord, Au.D., CCC-A, received his Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology from the University of Central Arkansas, his Master of Science degree in Audiology from the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and earned his Doctor of Audiology degree from the University of Florida. He is both owner and practicing Doctor of Audiology with over 18 years experience successfully treating Texans with hearing loss. Susan Tseng Feinberg, Au.D, Board Certified, received her Bachelor of Science degree in Speech Language Pathology from New York University and her Doctor of Audiology degree from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Fluent in Mandarin Chinese and Sign Language, Dr. Feinberg works with the latest technology and specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and rehabilitative treatment of hearing loss, as well as balance disorders.
Dr. Mainard
Dr. Feinberg
Creekview Orthodontics 1780 W. McDermott, Suite 100 • Allen • 214.547.0001 At Creekview Orthodontics, Dr. Jay Ghosh and his team strongly believe in preventive care with a conservative treatment philosophy. In addition to practice experience, Dr. Ghosh taught orthodontics for several years. Being interested in research, he has over 30 publications in scientific journals and currently serves on the editorial board of two international journals. Dr. Ghosh has lectured in national and international dental meetings and attends meetings to stay current in his field. Orthodontics provides beautiful smiles that improve self-esteem, while contributing to overall health. Other benefits include better function, ease of cleaning and greater longevity of teeth. Since detecting a problem early makes prevention and correction easier, the American Association of Orthodontists recommends all children be screened by an orthodontist at age seven. Since newer materials—like tooth-colored “invisible” braces and special alloyed wires—have made treatment more cosmetically appealing and comfortable and has shortened treatment time, more adults are accepting orthodontic treatment as well.
TLC Pediatrics 1105 Central Expwy., Suite 250 • Allen • 972.747.5437 • www.tlcpedi.com The mission of TLC Pediatrics is to provide exceptional health care to children—care that fosters their health and prepares them for the future. We strive to share with you in the nurturing of your child from birth to adolescence so that they may reach their full potential. We bring our skills, knowledge and passion to help care for your child’s physical, emotional and developmental needs. We invite you and your child to come experience TLC Pediatrics— Where Kids Come First! Originally from Atlanta, GA, Dr. Dan Moulton established his pediatric practice here in October 2000. Dr. Dan completed his undergraduate studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and his residency training in pediatrics at the Medical College of Georgia in Augusta. Dr. Jenna O’Brien is originally from the Metroplex area where she earned her medical degree from the University of North Texas-Texas College of Osteopathic Medicine in Fort Worth, and completed her pediatric residency training at Penn State Children’s Hospital in Hershey, Pennsylvania.
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health & fitness profiles Allen Implant Dentist 915 W. Exchange Pkwy., Ste. 280 • Allen • 214.509.9011. • www.allenimplantdentist.com Dr. Robertson received her Bachelor’s degree and Doctor of Dental Surgery simultaneously from the University of MissouriKansas City as a part of an accelerated degree program. She worked as a general dentist for three years prior to returning to the University of Missouri for an advanced education program in periodontics. According to Dr. Robertson, her experience in general dentistry has enhanced her ability to serve her patients as a periodontist. “Having a background in general dentistry allows me to broaden my perspective a bit,” she says. “A comprehensive approach to oral health allows us to guide patients through ideal, properly-phased treatment plans and to encourage personal health and wellness.” In addition to providing treatment of gum disease, much of Dr. Robertson’s surgical practice is cosmetic, including procedures such as tissue grafts to treat gum recession and dental implants. Dr. Robertson inherited an eye for design and the ability to use her hands creatively from both her mother, a seamstress and designer, and her father, a carpenter. As an adult, she has combined her talent with a love for science in her chosen career.
Texas State Optical of Allen 941 W Bethany Drive • Allen • 214.495.0095 • allen@tso.com Our patients are our priority. At TSO of Allen, we have placed patient care at the center of our focus. Every aspect of our clinic is geared to provide our patients with the best service, the highest healthcare and the greatest satisfaction. Our doctors have been extensively trained to care for everything from glasses and contact lens fitting to advance medical treatment for serious ocular pathologies. Our office is beautiful and welcoming and our service is unparalleled. No one is more concerned about your vision than TSO of Allen. We were voted “Best Optometrist” and “Best Optical to Buy Prescription Glasses” in the Allen American. Drs. Reid and Hina Robertson received their doctorates from the University of Houston where they excelled in their studies, acted in several leadership positions and even helped create a new student group aimed at expanding the scope of education at their school. They completed externships at the VA Hospital in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they studied and treated glaucoma and advanced ocular illness and with the Cherokee Nation in Oklahoma where they were trained in lid and laser surgical procedures. Their goal is to give all their patients the highest level of care possible and take the time to answer their patients’ questions.
Maryam Mojdehi-Barnes, DDS, MS 604 S. Watters Road, Suite 150 • Allen • 972.390.1100 • www.AllenOrthodontist.com Dr. Mojdehi-Barnes and her team have been specializing in creating healthy and beautiful smiles for patients of all ages since 1999. They provide their patients and their families with the highest quality of orthodontic treatment in a friendly and professional environment. Dr. Mojdehi-Barnes uses the latest technologies and treatment modalities to customize unique treatment plans that emphasize comprehensive, preventative, and interceptive therapy. They focus on patient education and personalized care, and they involve other specialists, as needed, to customize unique treatment plans that address each patient’s specific needs. Dr. Mojdehi-Barnes received her bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Texas A&M University with summa cum laude honors and went on to Baylor College of Dentistry to complete her DDS degree as the top graduating student. She then completed her orthodontic residency and masters’ degree at the world- renowned program of Baylor with top honors. Dr. Mojdehi-Barnes is active in her community and numerous national and local organizations. To learn more about the practice visit their web site or call for information.
North Texas Counselors 305 E. McDermott, Suite A • Allen • 972-984-2071 • www.NTxCounselors.com Does anxiety, stress, anger, family problems, low-self esteem or depression control your life? If you find yourself struggling with difficult emotions, it might be time to get help. North Texas Counselors offers a group of compassionate therapists who successfully help guide you through the change process. Their wide range of counseling services include play therapy, individual counseling for children, teens and adults, ongoing group counseling and family counseling. They offer evening and Saturday appointments. Counselors are trained to go beyond simple “talk therapy” and focus on creativity. Jackie Burson, Director of North Texas Counselors, is a Licensed Professional Counselor-Supervisor, Registered Play Therapist, National Certified Counselor and author of seven books used by counselors nationwide. “Our approach encompasses a wide range of techniques,” said Jackie. “We feel using creative means of expression can be appropriate for people of all ages.” For children ages four and older, they have a full play therapy room. “When working with children, parents are an intricate part of the therapeutic process and are included in sessions as needed. For teens and adults, we focus on determining the reason behind the pain and help manage healthy coping skills.”
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For Your Health
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For Your Health
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For Your Health
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health & fitness
The top five running foot injuries by Dr. Jaryl Korpinen
Running is a great way to stay healthy and fit and is a popular sport in Allen with all the great trails and parks. Without proper precaution, injuries can occur which can then sideline you for months.
Plantar Fasciitis
What it is: Plantar fasciitis is an inflammation of a fibrous band of tissue in the bottom of the foot that extends from the heel bone to the toes. This tissue can become inflamed for
many reasons, most commonly from irritation by placing too much stress (excessive running) on the bottom of the foot. Prevent by: Stretching both before and after every run. Proper stretching is gentle and should not be painful. Wearing supportive running shoes that are appropriate for your foot type, as well as shoe inserts, can also be effective. Make sure to not over-train, gradually increasing how long or far you run. Tips for treatment: Immediate treat足 ments should include icing the area to help with inflammation, stretching and taking an over the counter antiinflammatory (OTC) medication. If symptoms continue, a foot and ankle specialist can administer cortisone injections, night splints, custom orthotics and/or a pulse treatment using sonic waves to heal the tissue.
Achilles Tendonitis
What it is: An ailment that accounts for a large number of running injuries, Achilles tendonitis is an irritation or inflammation of the large tendon in the back of the lower calf that attaches to the back of the heel. The condition is often caused by lack of flexibility, overuse or faulty foot mechanics. Prevent by: Stretching regularly. Shoe inserts such as heel cups/lifts and arch supports may also help to correct
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faulty foot mechanics that can lead to this injury. They can also take tension of the Achilles tendon when running. Tips for treatment: Ice and OTC anti-inflammatory medications can be taken in the short term. Resting the injured foot is vital for quick recovery.
Morton’s Neuroma
What it is: Morton’s neuroma is often described by runners as a burning, stinging pain in the forefoot (commonly in the second, third and fourth toes). Other symptoms include pain in the ball of the foot and a feeling of “pins and needles” and numbness in the toes. Runners who wear tightfitting footwear often experience this condition. A true neuroma is a benign tumor of the nerve, although entrapment of the nerve will give the same symptoms. Prevent by: Wearing proper running shoes that fit well and have a roomy toe box, and do not lace shoes too tightly in the forefoot. Runners should wear shoes that feature adequate forefoot cushioning. Tips for treatment: A physician may administer a cortisone injection to provide relief for a Morton’s neuroma and recommend a wider pair of running footwear. Custom orthotics can help decrease the nerve entrap ment. A new, in-office radiofrequency is available that numbs the nerve. Occasionally, surgical decompression of the neuroma is necessary.
affect runners of all ages and are commonly experienced as a shooting pain felt near the front or sides of one or both tibia bones (the shins). Prevent by: Performing stretches such as toe raises and shin stretches, and replacing running footwear often. Icing after running is helpful as well. Tips for treatment: Shin splints can be treated immediately with ice and anti-inflammatory medications. A podiatrist may also recommend a physical therapy program, as well as prescription orthotic inserts to cure
and prevent further injury. An x-ray is always recommended to rule out a stress fracture. Running is a great sport, but it can be hard on your feet. If you are just taking up running or it has been a while, make sure you get your feet and gait analyzed to get the proper running shoes. Warming up, stretching, icing, and finding the right shoe can decrease the chance of a foot or ankle injury. v Jaryl G. Korpinen, DPM, practices at Premier Foot and Ankle in McKinney and Plano.
Stress Fracture
What it is: Stress fractures in the lower limbs are common among athletes in general, and are commonly caused by repetitive forces on these areas. Symptoms include localized pain and swelling that grows worse over time. Stress fractures can occur over a period of days, weeks, or months. Prevent by: Modifying running equipment/training regimens. Replace running shoes on a regular basis (about every 400-500 miles), and see a physician when pain is first noticed. Tips for treatment: Treatments may include complete rest and icing, immobilization using casting or bracing of the affected area.
Shin Splints
What it is: Also referred to as “tibial stress syndrome,” shin splints Allen Image x January 2012
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Eye didn’t know that… by Dr. Reid Robertson
Eyes are absolutely intriguing. They have an amazing ability to capture our attention and to fascinate us. Even historically, images of the eye have been used as signs for powerful gods and symbols of profound knowledge. We all know the colloquial adage that
“the eyes are the window to the soul,” and in fact there is quite a bit of truth to that in the medical sense. The eye is an absolute marvel that possesses a unique architecture that allows medical professionals to learn about the health of your entire body by looking into them. As we develop prior to birth, the retina of your eye comes from the same tissue that later develops into the brain itself. The retina is almost a small piece of the brain pushed forward in the body. The eye also contains blood vessels that, while small, are incredibly active; these are the small type of vessels that exist in the liver, kidneys and brain. The eye even comes equipped with the cornea, which is a translucent window and allows eye doctors to see inside the eye and observe these structures directly. These unique properties of the eye create an amazing environment where medical professionals, such as optometrists, can learn about your body’s total health. There are many systemic disorders and diseases that manifest themselves within the eye. These range from fairly common problems to exotic diseases. Diabetes, a growing epidemic in the U.S., can have devastating effects on the eyes. It is a disease that attacks the small blood vessels of the body, including those in the kidney, feet and
eyes. These vessels are weakened and will hemorrhage, leading to a lack of blood flow to the retina that can cause permanent and severe vision loss. Multiple Sclerosis is another debilitating disease which will often times first manifest itself in the eyes. Twenty percent of all MS patients experience the first symptoms of the disorders through visual disturbances, and 50% of all MS patients will at some time in their life experience ocular manifestations. A new study is currently underway, in which researchers are using images of the retina to assess a patient’s risk for developing Alzheimer ’s. The preliminary testing shows that by evaluating certain characteristics of the blood vessels in the retina maybe a very noninvasive way to screen patients for the disease. This early detection of Alzheimer’s may lead to further understanding of the disease, as well as earlier treatment to help improve the quality of life for victims and their loved ones. The study is still in the early phases and we will still have to wait for the final results. It is remarkable some of the different things we can learn from the eyes, and to see all the diverse disorders that actually manifest themselves within our eyes. Many of these difficulties occur without any symp toms, leaving many people unaware of some very serious health problems. Our eyes are unique—truly incredible structures—and we all need to take responsibility for caring for them and preserving our vision. Even if you feel that your vision is fine and your eyes are healthy, take the time to visit your optometrist for a thorough eye examination that will allow them to evaluate the health of both your eyes and the total health of your body. v Dr. Reid Robertson is an optometrist at Texas State Optical of Allen.
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Hives, an allergic reaction by Dr. Joann Lin
With the cold, dry blast of winter around the corner, those with sensitive skin may start to get more itchy rashes. One type people often get is a red, bumpy, itchy rash that’s often described as “welts” or “hives.”
What causes hives?
Hives, or “urticaria”, can occur anywhere on the body and at any time. The raised, red, itchy areas affect all ages and can vary in size and shape. There can be one or clusters of hives, most commonly affecting the arms, legs and trunk. The rash may last for a few minutes or several days. Hives can be uncomfortable because they are so itchy and can keep coming back. Most commonly, hives occur as an allergic reaction to a food, insect bite/ sting or medication. Occasionally, swelling (of the lips, tongue, eyelids, fingers and toes) or breathing problems
can arise when the allergic reaction is severe. Some of the more common food allergens include milk, eggs, wheat, nuts and seafood. The rash usually develops within five minutes to a few hours after eating the food, and it goes away when a person stops eating that particular food. In Texas, fire ant bites are the most common insect triggers, but bee, wasp and hornet stings can also cause allergic reactions. Medications, like antibiotics, can also lead to hives that develop several days after starting the medication. Finally, hives can also occur as a reaction to infection or emotional stress.
How does it occur?
For some people, their body produces a chemical called histamine in response to a trigger. Histamine causes the redness, swelling and
itching commonly found in hives. Usually, if the trigger is removed, the hives will disappear. Some foods have high levels of histamine and other ingredients that spontaneously cause flushing, itching and hives. Examples include cheeses, vegetables, fruits, wines, seafood, preservatives, flavor enhancers, food dyes and artificial sweeteners. Certain fish contain naturally high levels of histadine. If not properly refrigerated, histadine can be converted into histamine, leading to hives. Some people get persistent hives, with no identifiable trigger, that can last several weeks to months and is caused by histamine being spon taneously released by the body. This is called chronic urticaria and is probably not due to allergies. Physical triggers like scratching, rubbing, heat, cold, exercise and stress can cause these hives to flare.
How is it diagnosed?
Your doctor will examine your hives and ask about any sensitivities to foods, medications, pollens, animal dander and insect bites/stings. To find the cause, your healthcare provider may suggest that you keep a detailed diary of your daily exposures. It is easiest to identify drugs, foods or plants that may cause hives because the response usually occurs quickly after exposure. Identifying triggers such as emotional stress or multiple
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allergies may take more time and require additional testing.
How is it treated?
Your doctor ’s recommendations will depend on how serious the hives are. If the trigger is identifiable, avoiding the trigger is a priority. Sometimes soaking in a lukewarm bath or using cool compresses can provide relief from an active outbreak. Avoiding hot baths and intensive rubbing can reduce spontaneous histamine release. There are numerous over-the-counter antihistamine options that can reduce the itching and the hives. Your doctor can help you determine which antihistamine best suits your medical needs. Finally, if the rash is severe or not responding to treatments, your provider may pre scribe a steroid medication. Some allergic reactions are emergencies because they are life threatening, with throat swelling and breathing problems as possible associated symptoms. They require immediate medical treatment such as intravenous antihistamines, steroids and even a shot of epinephrine may be given to counteract the reaction.
How long will it last?
The itching, swelling and redness of hives can last hours to several weeks or months. In most cases the hives eventually go away without treatment, but taking drugs such as antihistamines or corticosteroids help the hives go away faster. The medicines also treat the itching and prevent new hives. Chronic urticaria can last longer and more than half the time it is not possible to determine their cause. Antihistamines are usually helpful and provide daily relief. The bumpy rash of hives is often visually very upsetting, but the reassuring news is that most of the time simple measures can be taken to treat the symptoms. Avoiding triggers; being prepared with antihistamines and other emergency medications; and regularly following up with your medical provider are all steps in the right direction to getting rid of this annoying, itchy rash! v Joann Lin, M.D., practices at McKinney Allergy and Asthma Center in McKinney. Allen Image x January 2012
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Varicose veins by Dr. Ana Cecilia Lorenzo
Varicose veins and leg swelling are caused by abnormal circulation in the legs, typically as a result of damage to the valves in the veins. The saphenous veins along the inside of the leg and the back of the calf are commonly affected. These are the veins that allow excessive flow into side branches that become visible varicose veins. While varicose veins have a wide spectrum of appearance, they have patterns of distribution that will be familiar to vein specialists. Varicose veins may be large, firm, blue and
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tender. Others may be less readily palpable and may have a more greenish appearance when located deeper within the skin. Telangiectasia, more commonly referred to as “spider veins” may be very fine and range in color from red to blue and even grey.
What causes varicose veins?
Varicose veins and other vein disorders are common within families. Epidemiologic studies show that patients have a higher likelihood of developing varicose veins if their fathers had varicose veins. If only one parent has varicose veins, women are more likely than men to develop vein problems. The highest risk of varicose vein formation is in the patient with both parents affected by the disease. Obesity, pregnancy and occu pations requiring prolonged standing will increase the pressure presented to the venous system. Congestive heart failure and sleep apnea also contribute to the high-pressure phenomenon in venous disease. Additionally, ankle injury or the use of high-heeled footwear decrease calf muscle flexion which otherwise serves as an effective pump for emptying the leg of its venous blood. Here are just a few self-treatment options for varicose veins: • Keep body weight under control and exercise regularly. • Whenever possible, sit with your legs elevated. This promotes the return of blood back up the legs toward the heart. • Wear support hose without added “control” around the abdomen or waist. Prescription hosiery is most effective.
A patient can initiate these types of conservative measures to help prevent varicose veins from worsening or to help reduce the pain from existing varicosities. Definitive therapy to relieve symptoms of existing flow disorders is best delivered under the supervision of a vein specialist.
Symptoms of a more serious medical problem
Most vein problems, while chronic, will follow a benign course. However, occasionally, even varicose veins can become complicated. If an area of one leg becomes red and tender, this can be a symptom of superficial thrombophlebitis—clot and inflammation of a superficial vein. Thrombophlebitis may be treated with prescription anti-inflammatories or other medications. A panel of blood work may be taken to determine if underlying blood-clotting abnorm alities exist. If your calf is painful and swollen, this may be indicative of deep vein thrombosis, a condition that occurs when a blood clot blocks a vein in the leg. Individuals with blood clotting disorders, those who take birth control pills, post menopausal hormone therapy or those who are immobilized by injury or surgery are at risk for developing this condition. Deep venous thrombosis may be the first indication of an underlying cancer. Deep venous thrombosis is a very serious condition and warrants evaluation by a medical professional without delay. v Ana Cecelia Lorenzo, M.D., FACS, RVT practices at Vein Care Solutions in Frisco.