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Allen Image INSIDE THIS ISSUE

January 2019

Vol. 29, Issue 1

26 features

26 the race of all races

Erin Swiatek is a prime example of the adage “You never know what you can do until you try.” With a background in ballet and a history of recreational bicycling, swimming and running, the idea of becoming an elite athlete in the 2018 Ironman World Championships seemed implausible. But, once this woman sets a goal there is no stopping her.

special sections

16 CALENDAR 30 KIDS KORNER

The Value of Money

46 PET PAGE

Tiffany

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE civic forum

library

Health & Fitness

8 Free CPR Offers Life Saving

14 Over the River

40 Features of an Attractive Female

Training

Abdomen

Allen Americans Face-Off Against Childhood Cancer

Getting Involved

The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lives on in Collin County

13 Fantastic Teeth

cooking 22

41 Children and Play

Hibernation Fare

education 32

A Strong Foundation

35 From Perfect Score to Perfect Job 38 Fifteen Years of Impacting

BRICKLIVE in Frisco

Education

22 35

32 publisher/editor Barbara Peavy

advertising sales Sherri Russell

cover photo FinisherPix

on the cover Erin Swiatek

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42 contributing writers Chelsey Aprill Matt Cobb Heather Darrow Vicki Deerman Deborah Dove David Hicks Tom Keener

Allen Image ÂŠ 2018 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 issueâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;$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, visit our website at www. allenimage.com or email us at contact@allenimage.com.

civic forum

Free CPR Offers Life Saving Training by Chelsey APRILL

he’s 21 pounds of pure curiosity, dressed in a spinach-smeared onesie and single sock. Unimpressed by her baskets of blunt-edged baby toys, Lucy spends her days excavating our home for more exciting specimens: fossilized Cheerios crammed between the couch cushions, a stray avocado stem swept beneath the kitchen rug. Her ability to track down a choking hazard might impress me, were I not responsible for keeping her alive. That’s why, on a recent Saturday, I vacuumed the hardwoods, handed her to my husband and drove a few miles to the first session in Allen Fire Department’s community CPR program.

Empowering every citizen The classroom is sunny and welcoming. Participants settle into cushioned chairs while a uniformed fire department employee readies a DVD. Allen Fire Chief Jon Boyd is there, too, joined by his 13-year-old son, J.D. The

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community CPR program is Boyd’s brainchild, born from two decades spent as a firefighter and paramedic. “Every year we have two or three cases where bystanders save a life by performing CPR,” says Boyd. “When you see it go right, you wonder—why can’t we do this more often?” Chief Boyd’s goal is a lofty one: train every capable Allen citizen to perform CPR. Beginning in January, Allen Fire Department will offer a free “Family and Friends” CPR class, open to ages 10 and above, on the third Saturday of each month. The department is also scheduling personalized trainings at schools, churches and workplaces. “Any time somebody’s heart stops, we want someone who knows CPR nearby,” says Boyd.

Evolving methods of teaching “The way this class was taught ten years ago is totally different than the way we teach it today,” begins our instructor, EMS Specialist Tony Cooper. One of the most

significant changes? Mouth-to-mouth rescue breathing is now taught as optional, after researchers discovered it was a common barrier to someone performing CPR on a stranger. “It takes six minutes or less for a brain to die from lack of oxygen,” explains Cooper. “Depending on how long it takes to call 9-1-1, and how far you are from help, those six minutes might be over before the ambulance even arrives.” Today’s CPR classes still cover rescue breathing but put a greater focus on chest compressions. This method delivers oxygen to the brain via the bloodstream, artificially pumping the heart around 100 times per minute. (You can hum the Bee Gee’s “Staying Alive,” Hanson’s “MMMBop” or even the dreaded “Baby Shark” to stay on pace.) Cooper hands each student a gray

plastic mannequin and invites us to find a spot on the floor. We watch scenarios play out on a DVD provided by the American Heart Association, then replicate the actions using our plastic dummies. After two minutes of compressions, I feel like I’ve jogged up three flights of stairs. Proper posture, Cooper reminds us, can help prevent fatigue. He scoots across the floor to help J.D. align his hands. “I’ll teach for one person or I’ll teach for one hundred,” says Cooper. “You never know when that one person might save someone’s life.”

Putting it into practice I return home to a baby eager to test my new skills. She mines a

crevice under the fridge for a stale square of Cinnamon Life, popping it in her mouth before I can swat it away. Her eyes turn red-rimmed. She gasps for breath. “Keep coughing!” I coach her as a squat to the floor, prepared to put my training into practice. She gags, spits the gummy square of cereal into my hand, and crawls away unfazed. I’m rattled, but glad that I’m ready. Allen Fire Department will offer the 90-minute CPR class monthly, beginning January 19. Sign up by visiting AllenFire.org/CPR. To schedule a class at your school, church or workplace, contact Allen Fire Department EMS Specialist Tony Cooper at 214.509.4420 or tcooper@ cityofallen.org. v Chelsey Aprill is the senior marketing specialist for the City of Allen. Allen Image | January 2019

Allen Americans Face-Off Against Childhood Cancer Team supports local toddler battling leukemia The Allen Americans will participate in a fundraiser during their game against the Wichita Thunder at the Allen Event Center, 200 E. Stacy Road, in Allen, on Friday, January 11. Proceeds from a percentage of tickets sold will go directly to the Brooks family to help offset medical expenses for their three-year-old son, Wyatt, who is battling leukemia. Last June, Wyatt developed pinprick-like marks and bruises on his body that were noticed after returning home from a weekend at the beach. Born with Down syndrome and combating infections, viruses and odd rashes for several months, this raised flags, as several of the symptoms were indicative of leukemia, a potential health risk to those with Down syndrome. Wyatt was taken immediately to the emergency room where test results revealed he had Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL).

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In addition to leukemia, another health risk for individuals with Down syndrome is heart defects. Wyatt was born with various defects. Open-heart surgery repaired two of the defects, however, one was irreparable and one may require future surgery. Since June, Wyatt has been receiving chemotherapy at Children’s Medical Center Dallas. His treatments are unconventional in the sense he is required to be inpatient versus outpatient in order to be closely monitored due to the increased risk of treatment-related complications. There are six phases to treatment, which, from start to finish, will last three years. You can support the Brooks family and help offset Wyatt’s medical expenses by purchasing a ticket to the Allen Americans game on Friday, January 11. Tickets are $18 each and must be purchased via this link only— Allenamericans.com/Wyatt—in order for the proceeds to benefit the Brooks family. Puck drops at 7:05 p.m. For more information on Wyatt the Warrior contact Diane Buckner at 214.724.1303; for more information on Allen Americans contact Chad Morgan at 972.912.1028. v

Getting Involved by Matt COBB

The new year is finally here, which means now is the perfect time to start working on resolutions to improve yourself and make an impact on the lives of others. For adults who have made resolutions to give back to the community and are looking for volunteer opportunities, Allen Senior Recreation Center is having a meeting to discuss volunteer needs locally throughout the City of Allen. The Allen Senior Recreation Center Volunteer Kick-Off Meeting is being held from 10 a.m. to noon on Friday, January 25 at the facility. The meeting is free to attend and open to ages 50 and above, regardless of residency or membership status. “Volunteering your time to give back to Allen’s local community not only makes a difference in the lives of others but is also incredibly rewarding,” said Julie Olles, the center supervisor at Allen Senior Recreation Center. “For those who have made resolutions to give back and have the desire to volunteer but aren’t sure where to begin, at the Volunteer Kick-Off Meeting we’ll be discussing a variety of volunteer opportunities that are available throughout the year.” No previous volunteer experience is needed to participate, and the meeting will include a presentation that addresses how to become a volunteer and the process to get started. A variety of departments from throughout the City of Allen will be discussing their volunteer needs for 2019, which range from working at one of Allen’s recreation facilities, spending time outdoors at Allen’s parks and trails, and even helping at

Allen’s events or on-going activities offered throughout the year. The wide variety of volunteer opportunities that are available in 2019 will not only appeal to diverse interests and skillsets, but also provide opportunities to work in groups or individually, based upon the volunteer’s personal preference. At the meeting, interested volunteers will be able to ask questions and talk with different City of Allen departments to learn more about what the volunteer positions will entail. “If you’ve got the time, ability and desire to volunteer, the City of Allen definitely has got an opportunity for you,” Olles said. “We

encourage everyone to come out and learn about the range of volunteer positions available and how to make 2019 the year of volunteerism!” Pre-registration is not required to attend the Volunteer Kick-Off Meeting but is encouraged and can be done online by visiting LifeInAllen.org. Allen Senior Recreation Center is located at 451 St. Mary Drive. For questions, more information and help with registering prior to the Volunteer-Kick Off Meeting, please call the facility’s front desk at 214.509.4820. v Matt Cobb is the senior marketing coordinator for the City of Allen. Allen Image | January 2019

The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Lives on in Collin County Once again, the community of Allen and surrounding areas will come together to honor the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., whose dream of racial equality changed the world in 1963 and continues to inspire and promote unity, peace and justice. The second annual Collin County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Appreciation Day Service will be held on Monday, January 21, 2019—the official Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday—from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at First United Methodist Church of Allen. Last year’s inaugural Collin County celebration of Dr. King’s life and legacy was the fruition of the tireless passion, commitment and work of numerous community members and leaders, civic organizations, academic institutions and churches, with the common goal of bringing multiple ethnicities together to remember Dr. King in an annual event that would promote the ideals of the man they were honoring. “The MLK service significance is to honor and celebrate the life of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and to keep his values relevant to a society that is deeply in need,” says Dr. Wayne Stafford, Sr. of Fellowship Christian Center Church in Plano, a co-chair of the event.

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“Last year’s event brought people together in a way I’ve never seen before,” comments Todd Harris, pastor of First United Methodist Church of Allen. Harris also co-chairs the celebration with Dr. Stafford and Pastor Timothy Jones of Rockbridge Church in Allen. “I’m excited that FUMC Allen can host the service again this year and be a part of a unifying force in the community that brings people together around the values of a great man and leader.” This year’s celebration will once again be hosted by Dr. John McCaa, WFAA News co-anchor and the Master of Ceremonies. The program will include musical selections performed by choirs from several area churches and the MLK Day Community Choir, a dance presentation by Fellowship Christian Center Plano Ensemble, and proclamations from the mayors of the cities of Allen, Frisco, McKinney and Plano, and a Collin County judge. Winners of the Collin County Student Art Contest will be also recognized and their artwork will be on display. Another unique and significant component of the Collin County Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Appreciation

Day Service is the presentation of the Collin County MLK Drum Major Award, which recognizes local individuals who have dedicated their lives to improving the human condition. This year’s recipients are Baine Brooks, Allen City Council Member; Dr. Charles Reese, president of the Greater Dallas Southern Christian Leadership Conference; and Colin Kimball, an artist whose Fallen Warriors Portrait Project has placed over seventy portraits of Collin County’s casualties of wars in the hallways of the Collin County Courthouse. An informal reception and light lunch will follow the service. “Last year, we felt the impact of a community learning about the opportunity to drink from wells in which we did not dig. We as a community must now pick up the shovel and dig our own wells in which our children can drink. It’s imperative that we allow others to drink and feel the cool water of a community coming together for a common purpose,” says Timothy Jones, pastor of Rockbridge Church in Allen. v Deborah Dove is a freelance writer from Allen.

Snippets Fantastic Teeth The Allen Masonic Lodge No. 1435 presented their annual Fantastic Teeth Fan Club Program to the first graders of Story, Reed, Roundtree and Boyd Elementary schools. The Masons handed out 290 Dental Kits during the program to promote the proper care of the children’s and their families’ teeth. This program is just one of the many ways the Allen Masonic Lodge contributes to the local community through various and important venues. v L to R back row: Mark Brewer, W/M Mason; Mayor Steve Terrell, Mason; Robin Bullock, AISD Deputy Superintendent; Anna Mize, Story Elementary School Nurse; Carson Doss, Bob Black and Jerry McNair, Masons. Front row: Story Elementary students.

BRICKLIVE in Frisco BRICKLIVE will launch its first ever event in the U.S. at Ford Center at The Star, 9 Cowboys Way in Frisco on Saturday, January 26, 10 a.m.-7 p.m. The international LEGO® brick event will feature over 99,000 square feet of astonishing interactive exhibits, hands-on building activities, amazing live performances and incredible demonstrations for builders of all ages inside Ford Center. This will be the largest brick event in the U.S., giving visitors access to more than ten million bricks as well as exclusive digital content, professional LEGO® built statues and unique experiences. There will be over 30 life-sized statues such as a bengal tiger and a giant panda. You can play and build with Minecraft-, Star Wars-themed Build Zone, watch stage shows, use race ramps and have a dance party with your friends. There are gaming zones, DUPLO® Build Zone, brick pits, build maps and so much more! The interactive experiences will include LEGO® master builders workshops, endless free build activities, live stage challenges and a fully immersive educational brick experience, just to name a few. General tickets are $34 and available at brickliveusa.com. v Allen Image | January 2019

library

Over the River by Tom KEENER Warm up a cold winter night with sizzling bluegrass when Over the River band performs a free concert at 7:30 p.m., Friday, January 18, at the library. Inspired by their common love of roots and Americana music, veterans of the Dallas music scene assembled to form Over the River. Drawing on influences as varied as Bill Monroe, Bob Wills, The Byrds, Hank Williams and Tom Petty, Over the River performs a combination of original tunes and choice covers. This band believes that fun times with family and friends improve with “foot tappin’ and swing dancin’ music.” Over the River performed live on the KNON 89.3 Mark Mundy show last October. When asked about performing at the acclaimed Fearing’s Restaurant in Dallas, bandleader

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Erik Swanson commented, “We thoroughly enjoyed playing brunch at Fearing’s surrounded by bottles of wine that cost more than our instruments.” Over the River has also performed at the Dallas Farmers Market, Bath House Cultural Center on White Rock Lake, Opening Bell Coffee and Allgood Café. Erik also plays for the award-winning western swing band, Shoot Low Sheriff, featured several times at the library. The band is comprised of Floramay Holliday— vocals and guitar, Erik Swanson—vocals and guitar, Don Thacker—banjo and vocals, Kim Herriage—mandolin, dobro, guitar and vocals, and Larry Reed—bass. v Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library.

MARKET PLACE

Allen Image | January 2019

calendar

january CITY OF ALLEN Allen Event Center Tickets on sale now through Ticketmaster (www.ticketmaster. com), charge by phone at 800.745.3000 or at the Allen Event Center box office. For more information, visit www.alleneventcenter.com.

ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY Events for Families & Children For more information about events below, call 214.509.4906. All events are free and no pre-registration required. Events are in the Children’s Program Room except where noted. 2

2 Allen Americans vs Kansas City Mavericks 5

Dallas Sidekicks vs El Paso Coyotes

11 Allen Americans vs Wichita Thunder 12 Star Wars Open Skate at Allen Community Ice Rink 13 Dallas Sidekicks vs Monterrey Flash 26 Dallas Sidekicks vs Rio Grande Valley Barracudas 30 Allen Americans vs Idaho Steelheads

parks and rec events For more information about Parks and Recreation events, visit AllenParks.org. 25 ASRC Volunteer Kick-Off Meeting. Learn how to become a volunteer, whether at a recreation center or park, an event or on-going activity, with a group or individually. There are many ways to get involved! Open volunteer enrollment is available in January and February. Time: 10 a.m.-noon. Age: 50+. Cost: FREE.

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Winter Robotics, 3-4 pm, ages 5 & up in the Children’s Program Room and Meeting Room. Play with our robotics equipment in this come-and-go STEM event. This program is sponsored by Vatsa and Shubha Ramanathan in memory of S. Ramanathan. Window to the World Bird Show, 2:30-3:15 pm, recommended for ages 5 & up, in the Auditorium. Join Simon and Lindsey McNeny of Window To The Wild, Inc. for their educational and entertaining freeflight bird program-featuring live owls, hawks, and other native bird to Texas, plus fascinating others from around the world. The Arts @ APL: Winter Watercolor Painting, 3-4 pm, ages 8-12. Create a beautiful Winter scene, snowflakes or woodland animals using watercolor paint! Take home your beginner watercolor paint set and watercolor paper pad. Limited to 25. Free ticket is required and will be available at the Children’s Desk 30 minutes before each program starts. Sponsored by the Friends of the Allen Public Library.

11 Music and Movement, 10:30-11 am, ages 2 & up with caregivers. Join us as we sing, dance, and make music! Limited to 50. Free ticket is required and will be available at the Children’s Desk 30 minutes before each program starts. 12 Nerdy Family Story Time, 10:30-11:30 am, ages 3-5 with caregivers. Geek out over all your favorite pop culture like Star Wars, Harry Potter and Marvel with a special story time!

21 Block Party, 3-4 pm, in the Children’s Program Room and Meeting Room. Test your building skills and stretch your imagination with LEGO, DUPLO, and many other blocks. 22 First Chapter Book Club, 4:30-5:30 pm, ages 5-8. Have you read every Magic Tree House book and need something new? Each month, we’ll read aloud the first chapter of a new series and enjoy a project inspired by what we read. 29 How To Draw, 4:30-5 pm, ages 5-8. Learn to draw something new each month. All materials provided.

Teens (ages 12-18) For more information about any of the events below, call 214.509.4906. All events are free and no pre-registration is required to attend. Ages listed are firm. 3

The Arts @ APL: Bullet Journaling, 4-5 pm. Fulfill your goal to get organized this year and try your hand at Bullet Journaling! We’ll teach you the basics and give you what you need to keep going. All materials provided. Sponsored by the Friends of the Allen Public Library.

10 Anime Evening, 6:30-8 pm, in the Upstairs Program Room. Come enjoy an evening of anime, crafts and snacks! 24 Games and Grub, 6:30-8 pm. Bring your friends for an epic board game battle! From classics like Chess and Checkers to new finds like Sushi Go and Exploding Kittens, we have games for everyone! Not a board game fan? Try summoning a creature and use an enchantment during a round of Magic. Or even participate in a Dungeons & Dragons game! Oh, and did we mention there will be food?

ADULTS Adult services programs are held in the 2nd Floor Program Room, free with no registration—ages 18+ unless otherwise indicated. Call 214.509.4905 or 214.509.4913, or check AllenLibrary.org. 8

Talking History, 7-8:30 pm. Join us for a one-hour historical lecture, presented by a local history professor. Topic to be announced. Ages 16+; younger children welcome with an adult

9 Noontime Pageturners Book Club—My Not So Perfect Life by Sophie Kinsella, 12-1 pm. Join us for a lively discussion! We offer a relaxed environment where you can share the joy of reading. New members always welcome. 9

Twisted Threads-A Fiber Craft Circle, 6:308:30 pm. Twisted Threads is a social group for knitters, crocheters, cross stitchers, quilters and any other crafters who use thread or yarn. All skill levels are welcome! So, leave the kids at home and continue working on your latest project in the company of other fiber crafters.

16 Soup in a Jar, 10-11:30 am. A chilly January day is the perfect time for soup. Layer beans, pasta or rice, seasonings and dried herbs or vegetables in a canning jar to create a heart and hearth warming soup to share with family and friends. Turn your creation into a perfect gift using decorative ribbon, raffia or washi tape. All supplies provided. Limited to 20. Ages 16+ 16 Ladies Night Out Book Club, 7-8:30 pm. Come join us in a discussion of “Behold the Dreamers” by Imbolo Mbue. 29 Armchair Travelers Visit Beijing & Shanghai, 7-8:30 pm. Come explore the world, without ever leaving Texas! Take a tour through two of China’s largest cities, Beijing and Shanghai, with Anna Kostamo. See the Forbidden City, experience bustling Nanjing Road and the Bund, hop aboard the fastest train in the world-the Shanghai Maglev-and much more! Chinese snacks available to sample. Ages 16+; younger children welcome with an adult.

CLUBS 2ChangeU Toastmasters, meets every Tuesday, 7 pm, Plano Family YMCA, 3300 McDermott Rd., Plano. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.2changeu.org. A Place To Go (APT G), meets the third Saturday each month, (Sept-May), 7-9:30 pm, 1st UMC, 601 S. Greenville, Allen. Volunteers, high school age and up are paired with a special needs teen/young adult. Eat, play games and make crafts in a parent’s night out environment. Free. For more info: 214.385.8850 or email specialkids@ fumcallen.org. Allen Area Patriots, meets the fourth Thursday each month, 7-8:45 pm, Allen Municipal Building, 301 Century Pkwy., Allen. Local Tea Party presents speakers, encourages citizens to participate. For more info: www.AllenAreaPatriots.com. Allen Garden Club, meets the first Thursday each month, 7 pm, gardening talks by area experts, Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main. For more info: Denise Webre, 972.390.8536 or www. allengardenclub.org. Allen Heritage Guild, meets the first Wednesday each month, 6:30 pm, Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main. Guest speakers on topics of historical significance. For more info: 972.740.8017 or www.allenheritageguild.org.

Allen Image | January 2019

ALLen Reads meets the second Monday each month, Board Room, Allen Public Library, 300 N. Allen Drive. For more info, www.allenfriends.org. Allen Retired Educators meet the third Monday each month, 10:30 am, Heritage Ranch Country Club, 465 Scenic Ranch Circle, Fairview. RSVP: Sondra Long, billysondralong@tx.rr.com. Allen Toastmasters’ Club, meets every Monday, 6:30 pm, Train Depot, 100 E. Main, Allen. Guests welcome. For more info: Joe Nave at 214.566.3100. American Association of University Women-Plano/ Collin County Branch, meets second Monday each month, 6:45 pm, 2nd Floor Conservatory, Senior Living Center, 6401 Ohio Dr., Plano. Open to anyone with assoc. or bachelors degree interested in helping women. For more info: Carol, 972.862.3460. Art History Brown Bag Series, meets first Wednesday each month, 12:30-1:30 pm, Heard-Craig Carriage House, 205 W. Hunt St., McKinney. Lectures by Annie Royer. Bring lunch. For more info: 972.569.6909 or www.heardcraig.org. Bible Study, meets every Thursday, 9:30-11:30 am, Community North Baptist Church, 2500 Community Ave., McKinney. Bible study for women and children. Studying Luke. Reg. req. For more info: katpf@att.net or mckinneyallen.cbsclass.org. Collin County Aggie Moms, meets third Monday each month, 7 pm, Texas A&M Ext. Center, 17360 Coit Road. For more info: 972.382.3124 or www.collincountymoms. aggienetwork.com. Collin County Archaeology Society, meets second Tuesday each month, 7 pm, Texas Star Bank, McKinney. For more info: archaeology@netzero.net. Collin County Genealogical Society, meets the second Wednesday each month, 7 pm, Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Rd, Plano. For more info: ccgs.programs@gmail.com. Collin County Libertarian Party meets second Wednesday each month, at 5th Street Pizza, 111 Central Expwy., Allen. For more info: collinlp.org or email collinlp.org@gmail.com. Collin County Master Gardeneers tour of Myers Park, meets first Wednesday each month, 10 am, 7117 County Rd. 166, McKinney. Reservations required. For more info: 972.548.4232 or mgcollin@ag.tamu.edu. Collin County Republican Men’s Club, meets third Thursday each month, 7 pm, locations vary. For more info: www.ccrmc.org. Dallas Dog Lovers, events for dogs and owners in the Dallas area. For more info: www.dallasdoglovers.com Department 56 Village Collectors Club meets second Saturday each month in Plano/North Dallas to share ideas. For more info: www.bigd56ers.com. Ericsson Village Toastmasters Club, meets every Monday, 12-1 pm, Ericsson, 6300 Legacy, Plano. Guests welcome. For more info: Per Treven, 972.583.8273 or per.treven@ ericsson.com. First Nighter African Violet Society, meets third Monday each month, 7-9 pm, Collin Higher Education Center, 3452 Spur 399, McKinney. For more info: www.beautifulviolets.com. Friends of the Allen Public Library meets third Wednesday each month, Board Room, Allen Public Library, 300 N. Allen Dr. For more info, www.allenfriends.org.

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Gaslighters Book Review Club meets third Wednesday each month September thru May at Heard Craig House, 205 W. Hunt Street, McKinney, refreshments noon, speaker 1 pm. For more info: LaRue Whatley, 423.585.4983.

Prelude Clubhouse, community center for adults living with mental illness meets at Collin Creek Church, 1905 E. Parker Rd, Plano. Open Mon., Tue. & Thu., 10 am-4 pm. For more information, please call 469.301.6639 or www. preludeclubhouse.org.

Greater Collin County Kennel Club, meets third Wednesday each month, 7:30 pm, Joe Farmer Rec Center, 1201 E. Bethany, Allen. For more info: www.greatercollinkc.org.

Preston Persuaders Toastmasters, meets every Monday, 7:15 pm, Champions School of Real Estate in the Rangers Room at 3721 Mapleshade Ln, Plano. For more info: Ed Meissner, 469.323.0538 or Todd Richardson, 214.497.4495 or www.prestonpersuaders.org.

Legacy 4-H Club (Allen & Lucas), meets first and third Tuesday each month, 7 pm, Lovejoy High School, Lucas. For more info: kathrin_esposito@asus.com or 214.616.2460. Lone Star Parliamentary Unit, meets second Monday each month September thru May, 10:30 am, Allen Public Library. Promotes parliamentary education. For more info: 972.727.3090, Mae Shaw, Pres. Lovejoy Preschool PTA, meets second Thursday each month, Creekwood UMC, 261 Country Club, Fairview. Different topic & speakers. Free lunch; babysitting available for nominal fee. For more info: www.lovejoypa.org, meetup.com/LovejoyPreschool-PTA/. McKinney Amateur Radio Club, meets second Tuesday each month, 7 pm, Spring Creek Bar B Que 1993 North Central Expressway, McKinney. For more information: 972.814.4190. McKinney Area Republican Co-Ed Club, meets second Thursday each month, 7 pm, Collin County GOP Hdqts., 8416 Stacey Rd., #100, McKinney. Location varies. For more info: collincountyconservativerepublicans.com. McKinney Newcomers’ Club, meets third Tuesday each month, 9:30 am, social; 10 am meeting, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5871 W. Virginia Pkwy., McKinney. January program: Charles McLean, financial advisor and author will speak on navigating financial decisions during life changes For more info: www.mckinneynewcomers.com. NARFE Chapter 559, meets third Monday each month, 1:30 pm, Village of Stonebridge Assisted Living, 3300 S. Stonebridge Drive, McKinney. All current government employees and retirees invited. Newcomer Friends of Greater Plano, meets second Tuesday each month, refreshments 9:30 am, meeting 10 am, Noah’s Event Center, 5280 Towne Square Dr., Plano. All welcome to join. For more info: www.newcomerfriends.org. North Dallas Newcomers, meets first Thursday each month, 11 am, various country clubs. For more info: www.northdallasnewcomers.net. Open Forum, meaningful discussions, meets first Saturday each month, 3 pm, Delaney’s Pub, 6150 W. Eldorado Pkwy., McKinney. For more info: Charlie, 214.585.0004. Plano Amateur Radio Klub, meets the third Monday each month, 7 pm, FUMC of Plano, 3160 E. Spring Creek Pkwy., Plano, all welcome. For more info: www.K5PRK.net. Plano Photography Club, meets the third Thursday each month, 7 pm, W. Plano Presbyterian Church, 2709 Custer Rd., Plano. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.planophotographyclub.com. Plano Republican Women’s Club, meets the third Tuesday each month, 11:30 am, Reflections on Spring Creek, 1901 E. Spring Creek Parkway, Plano. For more info: www.planorepublicanwomen.com.

Random Events Dallas, laid back, fun, diverse social group with meetups in Dallas area. For more info: RandomEventsDallas.com. Reasonable Faith Discussion Group, meets every Tuesday, 11am-12:30 pm, Cottonwood Creek Church Rm. B1116. For more info: www.RFCCTX.org. Reasonable Faith Collin County Chapter, meets second and fourth Thursday, 6:45-8:30 pm, Cottonwood Creek Church, Rm B202. For more info: www.RFCCTX.org and email: ReasonableFaithCollinCO@gmail.com. Single Side Up, meets the third Saturday each month, 7 pm, This Side Up Family Center, 1100 Capital Ave., Plano. Single parent support group. Low cost childcare. For more info: www.singlesideup.org or info@thissideupfamily. org. St. Jude Carreer Alliance, meets most Wednesdays, 9 pm, lecture Hall, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville, Allen, helping to develop career strategies for college students, career builders and the unemployed. For more info: Jack Bick, jbick@stjudeparish.com or www. stjudecareeralliance.net/aboutus/. Texas Nationalist Movement-Collin County Chapter, meets first Tuesday each month, 6:30 pm at Scotty P’s restaurant in Allen, 109 Central Expy N #501, Allen. If you love Texas and value our independent spirit, come join us! Toastmasters SpeakUp Allen, meets every Wednesday, “Become the Speaker and Leader You Can Be,” 7 pm, IHOP, 315 Central Expwy, Allen. For more info: Bill Peterson, 972.523.9425. United Methodist Women’s Reading Group, meets first Sunday each month, 2 pm, FUMC, 601 S. Greenville. Book discussion & refreshments. We encourage women of all faiths to participate. For more info: http://www.fumcallen.org. Volunteer Master Gardeners offer landscaping and gardening advice, every Tuesday and Thursday, 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. Voyagers Social Club of McKinney, meets fourth Thursday each month, 10 am, Eldorado Country Club, 2604 Country Club, McKinney. Social club open to women in McKinney and surrounding areas. For more info: voyagersofmckinney@gmail.com.

ART/MUSIC/THEATRE Allen Folk Music Society, meets third Saturday each month, 7-10 pm, The Blue House, 102 S. Allen Dr. Bring snacks to share. For more info: www.twiceasfar.com/news. Allen Symphony Chorus rehearsals, every Monday, 7-9 pm, choir room at First UMC. For more info: Henry@WealthManagementGroupLLC.com.

CRAFTS Allen Quilters’ Guild, meets the third Thursday each month, 6:30 pm, Blue House Too, Watters Creek. For more info: www.allenquilters.org. Common Threads of Allen, meets the first and third Tuesdays each month, 7 pm, Whole Foods Market Café, Stacy Rd. Share needle-work projects, learn techniques, etc. For more info: contact Debi Maige at 214.704.0994 or debik@verizon.net.

HEALTH Allen AA meets every Monday-Sunday, 601 S. Greenville. Mon.-Fri., 7 pm; Sat., 9 am; Sun., 7:30 pm. For more info: Joe, 214.564.9403 & Tina, 214.566.7561. Allen-Frisco-Plano Autism Spectrum Parents Group meets third Tuesday each month. Offers support and resources for parents of children with autism and other related developmental disabilities. Join online group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ autismparentsupport. Allen Serenity Al-Anon Family Group, meets every Tuesday and Thursday, 7 pm, 1st UMC, Wesley House, 601 S. Greenville. For friends and family of alcoholics. More info: 214.363.0461 or www.al-anon.alateen.org. American Cancer Society Road to Recovery needs volunteers to drive cancer patients to appts. If you have a car and have time 9 am-5 pm, you can help. For more info: Debbie Moen, 972.712.5711. Baylor Health Care System support groups, medical info and events. For more info: www.BaylorHealth.com. Cancer Support Ministry, meets second Sunday each month, 4 pm, 1st Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm E101. For more info: Jimmy Smith, 972.727.8241. Heart Link Women’s Networking group, women only business networking. Meets monthly. Days & locations vary. For more info: www.75013.theheartlinknetwork.com. Nar-Anon Family Group, meets every Wednesday, 7:308:30 pm, at Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 750 W. Lucas Road, Lucas. Fellowship for those affected by someone else’s addiction. For more info: Nar-Anon.org or 800.477.6291. National Alliance of Mental Illness (for Collin County) Support Groups meet every Thursday, 6:308 pm at Custer Road UMC in the basement, 6601 Custer Road, Plano. There is one support group for persons with a mental illness and another group further down the hall for friends and/or family. For more info: NAMI Dallas, 214.341.7133. Take Off Pounds Sensibly, meets every Tuesday, 6:158 pm, Good Shepherd UMC, 750 W. Lucas Road, Lucas. For more info: 1.800.YEA.TOPS or www.tops.org. Texas Health Presbyterian, variety of events. For more info: www.texashealth.org. The Shores AA Group, every Monday-Friday, noon, Raceway Prof. Bldg., 200 W. Boyd, Suite C, Allen. Open AA discussion group. All welcome. For more info: 469.854.9593. Weight Watchers, meets every Thursday, 12:15 & 6 pm, 1st United Methodist Church, 600 S. Greenville Ave., Allen. South entrance, 2nd floor.

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HOBBIES SPORTS/FITNESS Allen Classic Cars, meets every Thursday, 7-10 pm, 103111 N. Central, parking lot of Stacy Furniture. Collin County Hobby Beekeepers, meets second Monday each month, 6:30 pm, Collin College, Central Park Campus Conference Center, 2200 W. University Dr., McKinney. For more info: www.cchba.org. Fit and Funky Fit Club, meets every Monday, 7:30 pm, & every Sunday, 7 pm, Unlimited Success Martial Arts, 604 W. Bethany #208, Allen. Work out to p90x, Insanity, etc. Free. For more info: fitandfunky@att.net. Infinity Personal Fitness Charity Workout, meets every other Saturday at 9 am, 1201 W. McDermott, Suite 106, Allen. Min. donation $5. Proceeds donated to local charities. For more info: email cattaneo.ray@gmail.com. McKinney Chess on the Square, meets every Wednesday, 4-7 pm, Downtown McKinney Performing Arts Center. Open play & lessons. For more info, 214.620.0527 or mckinneychess.org. McKinney Chess Club, every Saturday, 10:30 am1:30 pm, McKinney Public Library, 101 E Hunt St. Free. And every Friday, 2-5 pm, Senior Center, 1400 South College Street, McKinney. Adults 50+(Free). For more info: 972.547.7491. Plano Bicycle Association, club rides, social activities, monthly meetings, newsletters. For more info: Chris Mathews, 972.964.2869 or www. planobicycle.org. Plano Pacers run at Schimelpfenig Library parking lot, second Tuesday each month, 5024 Custer, Plano, 7 pm., and at Bob Woodruff Park on San Gabriel Rd., Plano, the last Saturday every month, 8 am. For more info: Bob Wilmot, 972.678.2244 or www. planopacers.org. Pure Athlete Volleyball Club offers high-performance volleyball skills training and club teams for boys and girls ages 6-18. Free player assessment. For more info: Mischelle Slaton, 214.803.0311 or www. pureathleteclub.org. Skilled Motorcycle Riders Association promotes motorcycle safety through rider training. Monthly practice courses, social activities, etc. For more info: www.skilledmotorcycleriderassociation.com. Stroller Strides Classes. For class information, check out Fairview.fit4mom.com. First class Free. For more info: Fairview.fit4mom.com, email Lolo@fit4mom. com. The Experiment Aircraft Association, Chapter 1246, meets first Saturday each month, McKinney National Airport. Everyone interested in aviation is invited. For times and directions: eaa1246.org.

MOM’S CLUBS Allen Early Childhood PTA, support for parents and care givers of kids age 0-5. Fun activities. Play groups, park days, lunch w/friends, field trips, Mom’s Night Out, Dads & Kids, etc. For more info: www.aecpta.com or information@aecpta.com.

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Allen/McKinney Area Mothers of Multiples, new and expectant moms’ forum, meets third Thursday each month, 7 pm, First Christian Church, 1800 W. Hunt, McKinney. For more info: www.amamom.org or 972.260.9330.

Blackland Prairie Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists, meets second Tuesday each month, 7-9 pm, Heard Museum, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.bptmn.org or email info@bptmn.org.

Collin County Early Childhood PTA, meets second Monday each month, 9:45 am, Parkway Hills Baptist Church, 2700 Dallas Pkwy., Plano. Nursery res. required. For more info: Suzanne Judkins, 972.712.3634.

Heard Museum Native Plant Society, meets first Tuesday each month, 7:30 pm, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566.

Moms Club, meets the first Friday each month (Sept.May), 10 am-noon, at Grace Church, 2005 Estates Pkwy, Allen. For moms of preschool children. Relax with hot brunch and speaker. Childcare-$3 per child/$6 max. For more info: www.grace-efc.org/womens-ministry/. MOMS Club of Allen, for moms and children in Allen, Fairview and Lucas. Monthly playgroups, kid field trips, business tours, special events, Mom’s Night Out and more. For more info: momsclubofallentx@gmail.com. MOMS Club McKinney Central, support group for stay-at-home moms. Play groups, daytime activities, Mom’s Night Out, parties, babysitting co-op. For more info: MckinneyMoms@yahoo.com. Moms in Prayer, join prayer movement—bringing mothers together and seeing God change children through prayer. For more info: MomsInPrayer.org or Amy Guthrie at amyguthrie@verizon.net.. MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), support group for moms with kids 0-5 years, meets every other Friday, 9:3011:45 am, First Baptist Church, Allen. Childcare. For more info: 972.727.8241. MOPS of Hope Plano, Hope Community Church, meets the first and third Wednesday each month, 9:30-11:30 am, 3405 Custer, #200, Plano. For more info: 214.762.0037. Walking by Faith, offers prayer and practical support for mothers of children with special needs. Meets third Wednesday of each month (during the school year), 6 pm, First Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm B214. Childcare provided with advance reservations. For more info: Stacie Smith, staciesmithslp@gmail.com.

mUSEUMS/preserves allen heritage guild museum Open second and fourth Saturdays, 10 am-2 pm, 100 E. Main St., Allen. Permanent and rotating exhibits, DVD programs on Allen history and historic photo collages. For more info: www.allenheritageguild.org.

Connemara Meadow Preserve Bird Walk at the Connemara Meadow Preserve, 3-hour walk, monthly alternating first Saturday and first Sunday, 8 am, Oct thru Apr; 7 am, May thru Sept., Alma and Tautm Rd., Allen. Bring binoculars and field guides; wear long pants, closed-toe shoes, sunscreen and insect repellent; learn habits, calls and characteristics from Gailon and Rodney, Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society. All ages. For more info: www.connemaraconservancy.org.

HEARD MUSEUM Saturday Bird Walk Educational Program, 8 am. Learn more about birding! These walks are intended to help beginning and intermediate birders with bird spotting and identification techniques.

Heard Museum Nature Photography Club, meets the second Saturday each month, 1:30 pm, Heard Museum, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566. Heard Museum Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society, meets fourth Tuesday each month, 7 pm, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566. Third Saturday Nature Talks: Nature Journaling. Learn new ways to experience nature through nature journaling! An intro to journaling techniques thru handson activities.

SENIORS Allen Senior Citizens Luncheon, meets second Tuesday each month, 11:30 am, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville. For more info: 214.509.4820. Allen Seniors Genealogy Club, meets fourth Monday each month, 1 pm, Allen Seniors Center. Must be member of ASRC. For more info: www.asgconline.com. Classic 55+ Game Night, first and third Friday each month, 6:30 pm, 1st Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm E104. Snacks, fellowship, games. For more info: 972.727.8241 or Eddie Huckabee at huckgolf@hotmail.com. Singles Mingle 60+, meets first Monday each month at Delaney’s Irish Pub, 6150 Eldorado Pkwy, McKinney. Provides a social forum for active men and women singles who enjoy meeting new people and like getting together twice a month. We have various social activities throughout the month. For more info: For meeting information on the third Monday of the month at 5:30 pm, call Bill, 214.544.5835. Xtra Years of Zest Seniors Luncheon, meets third Thursday each month, 11:30 am, Sept. thru May, First UMC Allen, 601 S. Greenville, Fellowship Hall. Lunch ($5), fellowship, speakers and entertainers. For more info: jgarling@swbell.net.

SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS allen/fairview chamber of commerce Visit www.allenfairviewchamber.com for more information. Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce Eggs & Issues Breakfast meets quarterly at Hilton Garden Inn, 8 am. Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce MOB (Men of Business), meets second Monday every other month, 11:30 am-1 pm, Kelly’s at the Village at Allen, for networking. $20 mem; $25 non-mems/general public.

Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce Tuesday Morning Live networking breakfast, every Tuesday, 7:30 am, Fairview Town Center, 311 Town Place, Fairview (formerly Wyland’s Ocean Blue restaurant). $1 member/ $5 non-member first visit free.

Sons of Confederate Veterans, William H. L. Wells Camp, No. 1588, meets the second Monday each month, 7 pm, Tino’s Too Restaurant, 2205 Ave. K, Plano. Speakers, programs, etc. Open to anyone interested. For more info: Lloyd Campbell, 972.442.5982.

VFW “Lone Star Post 2150” Motorcycle Group 33, meets first Saturday each month, 10 am, 1710 N. Church St., McKinney. For more info: “Driveway John” 971.822.4483, gmlsp2150@ gmail.com or visit www.vfwpost2150.org.

Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce Quarterly Luncheon, meets fourth Tuesday, 11:30 am-1 pm, Hilton Garden Inn, Allen. $20 member/$25 guest.

VFW Armistice Memorial Post 2195, meets second Wednesday each month, 7:30 pm, Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church, 1015 Hwy. 121, Allen. For more info: Jack Rettig, 972.529.8504 or www.vfw2195. org.

Vrooman’s Regiment, Children of the American Revolution, teaches children to serve their community, meets second Saturday each month. For more info: 972.396.8010.

Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce W.I.S.E. (Women in Support of Enterprise), meets second Thursday every other month, 11:30 am. Location varies. Networking and discussion of women’s issues. $20 member/$25 guest. Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce Young Professionals Breakfast, meets monthly at Rudy’s Country Store & Bar-B-Q, 1790 N. Central Expwy., Allen, 8 am. $15 members/$20 non-members.

VFW “Lone Star Post 2150,” meets second Monday each month, 1710 N. Church St, McKinney. Post Members, 6:30 pm; Ladies Auxiliary at 5:45 pm; Men’s Auxiliary at 6:30 pm. For more info: 972.542.9119, gmlsp2150@gmail.com or visit on web: www.vfwpost2150.org.

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.

Allen High Noon Lions Club, meets second and fourth Thursday each month, 5th Street Pizza (inside Stacy Furniture), 111 Central Expwy. S. For more info: Peter Young, 972.849.4952. Allen Kiwanis Club, meets every Thursday, noon, Bonefish Grill, 190 E Stacy Rd #100. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.allenkiwanis.org. Allen Masonic Lodge No. 1435, meets second Tuesday each month, 7:30 pm at 101 North Allen Drive. Dinner is served at 6:30 pm. For more info: www:allenlodge1435.org. Allen Rotary Club meets every Wednesday, noon, 1st United Methodist Church, 601 S. Greenville, Allen. For more info: www.allenrotary.org. Allen Sunrise Rotary Club, meets every Wednesday, 7 am, Warm Springs Hospital, 1001 Raintree Cir., Allen. For more info: 972.673.8221 or www.allensunriserotary.com. Assistance League, Greater Collin County Chapter, meets third Wednesday, 10 am at Gleneagles Country Club, Plano. Guests welcome. For more info: algcc.org or call 972.769.2299. Daughters of the American Revolution, NSDAR, The General Bernardo de Galvez Chapter, meets third Tuesday each month. For more info:GenBernadoDeGalvez@gmail.com. Fairview Rotary Club, meets second and fourth Thursday each month, Stacy Rd, Fairview. For more info: 214.893.5360. FUMC Legal Aid Clinic meets second Thursday each month, 6-8 pm, First UMC, 601 S. Greenville Ave., Allen. Provides legal assistance for civil matters to low income individuals in partnership with Legal Aid of NW Texas. No reservation required. Food & fellowship provided. For more info: kim.klieger@gmail.com or www.lanwt.org. Knights of Columbus, meets third Thursday each month, 7:30 pm, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville Ave., Allen. For more info: Steve Nagy, 469.569.3357 or www.stjudekofc. org. Knights of Columbus Council 13044 meets fourth Thursday each month, 7:30 pm, Our Lady of Angels, 1914 Ridgeview Drive, Allen. For more information contact Jason at jason.beckett.1@gmail. com, or visit us at https://kofcknights.org/ CouncilSite/?CNO=13044.

Allen Image | January 2019

cooking

Hibernation Fare by Deborah DOVE

Chicken Pot Pie in a Mug

January is a quiet, cold month—one of reflection, rest and reevaluation. The hustle and bustle of the holidays is over, and we retreat to the comfort and warmth of home… evenings snuggled under a warm blanket watching Netflix or in front of a roaring fire reading a good book. Or, let’s be practical, many of us are still hustling the kids to practice or squeezing in some extra gym time to compensate for the last two months. Either way, the coldest and dreariest month of the year calls for warm and hearty comfort food, and soups, casseroles and bakes are the name of the game. Or, as I like to call it, hibernation fare. Even the January food holidays reflect this. Food

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blogger John-Bryan Hopkins, creator of the Foodimentary food blog and the food holiday calendar adopted by Google, has designated January as National Slow Cooking Month, National Soup Month and National Baking Month. (It’s also National Fat Free Living Month, but that seems a bit counterintuitive.) Enjoy a hot toddy on National Hot Toddy Day (January 11), a slice of pie on National Pie Day (January 23) or a cup of hot chocolate on National Hot Chocolate Day (January 31), and serve up one or more of these deliciously hot and comforting dishes to get you through the winter.

Chicken Pot Pie in a Mug This recipe adapted from Rachael Ray is a fun but hearty take on a classic, served in a mug.

1 tube jumbo butter biscuits Paprika 1-1/2 lbs. chicken breast pieces, diced 3 Tbs. butter 2 ribs celery, chopped 1 med. yellow onion, chopped 1 lg. carrot, peeled and diced Salt and pepper 2 tsp. poultry seasoning 3 Tbs. all-purpose flour 1 c. ready-to-cook hash browns 1 pt. half-and-half 1 qt. chicken stock 1/4 tsp. nutmeg 1 c. frozen green peas Sprinkle biscuits with paprika and bake according to package directions. In a medium pot over medium to medium-high heat, cook chicken in butter 2 minutes; add celery, onion and carrot and season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning. Cook 5 minutes more. Add flour and cook another minute. Add potatoes, then whisk in half-and-half and chicken stock. Add nutmeg. Bring to a boil, then turn down to simmer and cook soup for 10 minutes. Add peas and stir for several minutes until they are warmed through. Serve mugs of the pot pie with biscuits on top.

Shepherd’s Pie

Slow Cooker Three-Bean Chili 1 1 1 1 1 3

lb. lean ground beef or turkey sm. onion, chopped (28 oz.) can diced tomatoes, drained (16 oz.) can tomato sauce (4.5 oz.) can chopped chilies cans (15 oz. each) beans, drained (I like to use a combination of kidney beans, black beans and hot chili beans)

2 Tbs. chili powder 1 tsp. cumin Optional toppings: diced red onion, shredded cheddar cheese, avocado, sour cream, etc. Brown beef or turkey and onion in a medium skillet over mediumhigh heat until cooked through. Transfer to the slow cooker with the beans, chilies, tomatoes, tomato sauce, chili powder and cumin, mixing well. Cook on high 6 to 8 hours or low 10 to 12. Garnish with your favorite toppings.

Shepherd’s Pie

Slow Cooker Three-Bean Chili

4 lg. potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 Tbs. butter 1 Tbs. finely chopped onion 1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese Salt and pepper to taste 1 bag frozen peas and carrots 1 Tbs. vegetable oil 1 onion, chopped 1 lb. lean ground beef 1/4 c. Worcestershire sauce 2 Tbs. all-purpose flour 1 Tbs. ketchup 1 packet of brown gravy mix dissolved in 1 c. of water 1/4 c. shredded cheddar cheese Allen Image | January 2019

New England Clam Chowder Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add potatoes and cook until tender but still firm, about 15 minutes. Drain and mash. Mix in butter, finely chopped onion and 1/4 cup shredded cheese. Season with salt and pepper to taste; set aside. Heat oil in a large frying pan. Add onion and cook until clear. Add ground beef and Worcestershire sauce and cook until well browned. Pour off excess fat, then stir in flour and cook one minute. Add ketchup and brown gravy mix. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for five minutes. Spread the ground beef in an even layer on the bottom of a 2-quart casserole dish sprayed with cooking spray. Sprinkle peas and carrots over the meat mixture. Top with the mashed potato mixture evenly spread over the top and sprinkle with remaining shredded cheese. Bake in a preheated oven set at 375º for 20 minutes, or until golden brown.

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New England Clam Chowder 8-10 bacon strips, divided 2 Tbs. butter 2 celery ribs, chopped 1 leek, finely chopped 1 lg. onion, chopped 2-3 garlic cloves, minced 3-4 sm. potatoes, peeled and cubed 1 c. chicken or vegetable broth 1 bottle (8 oz.) clam juice 1/2 tsp. white pepper 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 tsp. dried thyme 1/3 c. flour 2 c. half-and-half, divided 3 cans (6.5 oz. each) whole clams, drained and chopped into chunky pieces Bay leaf Chopped fresh chives or green onions for garnish Cook bacon over medium heat until crisp. Remove to paper towels to drain; set aside.

Add butter to the drippings (you can spoon some of the drippings out if you want to use less or it’s too much) and sauté celery, leek and onion until tender. Add garlic; cook one minute longer. Stir in the potatoes, broth, clam juice, salt, pepper and thyme. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 15-20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. In a small bowl, combine flour and 1 cup half-and-half and whisk until smooth. Gradually stir into the soup. Bring to a boil; cook and stir for one to two minutes or until thickened. Stir in clams and remaining halfand-half. Add bay leaf and heat through on low heat, approximately 2-3 minutes. Stir in four strips of crumbled bacon. Crumble the reserved 2 strips of bacon. Garnish chowder with crumbled bacon and fresh chopped chives. v Deborah Dove is a freelance writer from Allen.

MARKET PLACE

Allen Image | January 2019

Photo: FinisherPix

feature

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The

Race of All

Races Local Woman Competes in Ironman World Championship

by Heather DARROW Erin Swiatek is a prime example of the adage “You never know what you can do until you try.” With a background in ballet and a history of recreational bicycling, swimming and running, the idea of becoming an elite athlete in the 2018 Ironman World Championships seemed implausible. But, once this woman sets a goal there is no stopping her. Prior to racing in the world championships in Kona, Hawaii, Swiatek was ranked number one in the U.S. and third in the world for women aged 18-24 with an overall time of 23:07:46 and 9,080 points.

Swiatek’s journey to this unlikely finish started years ago when she joined the co-ed triathlon team at Arizona State University. “There were no skills and no prior experience needed. I showed up to practice and got my butt kicked,” she said. On her college team she swam a mile, rode a bicycle for 40K and ran for 6.2 miles. It was a far cry from a real Ironman race, which requires participants to swim 2.4 miles, bike 112 miles and run a full marathon which is 26.2 miles. But, that was okay with Swiatek because she didn’t aspire to complete a full Ironman. “I thought those people were crazy. They took it to a whole other level,” she said. Half way through her junior year in college, Swiatek suffered a hip injury. After she graduated, she had surgery and swore off running. However, her involvement running triathlons led to a new career. She was recruited by Active Networks, LLC, a company that provides hardware and software timing for races. Today, Swiatek gets called when race registration is down. She troubleshoots software issues, works on the products team and serves as a client liaison and technical account manager.

FOMO: Fear of Missing Out

Swiatek’s company encourages employees to live the mission and sponsors people to participate in national and international Ironman races by paying registration fees. “All my friends applied to do a half Ironman, and I didn’t want to miss out. I applied and got a slot,” she said. In October 2017, with her parents and sister cheering her on, she ran a half Ironman in Austin. Swiatek’s competitive streak took over, and she decided if she could finish a half Ironman that she could complete a full Ironman. Swiatek received a slot for her first full Ironman race in April 2018. She placed fourth in the female 18-24 category.

Kona or Bust

After placing fourth, Swiatek was determined to win an Ironman race in her division because she would earn the coin, which was her ticket to the 2018 Ironman World Championships in Kona, Hawaii. She met with her coach, Chelsea Tiner, and evaluated times, strengths and weaknesses and developed a training plan. In summer 2018, she raced in Canada’s Mont-Tremblant Ironman and she placed first in females in her age category. “I was on a mission. I ended up winning that race with a time of 11 hours and 20 minutes,” she said. “MontTremblant was the hardest race I’ve ever done because of the pressure to win.” According to Swiatek, you can’t just register for the world championship Ironman. The race has charity spots, so a company might get a spot. There is also the Ironman Legacy Program. Individuals who have participated in a minimum of 12 Ironman races can put their name in a lottery. Allen Image | January 2019

You never know what you can do until you try.

“It’s a really exclusive race to be a part of. You have to have an in to get in. I was very lucky to have the opportunity to go to Kona in the first year. A lot of people try for years to win. People told me they’ve been trying to get there for 10 years. I told my Mom and Dad, ‘You are coming on vacation. We are going to Hawaii.’” Swiatek had from the end of August until October 13 to recover from the Mont-Tremblant race and train for Kona. Her goal was just to complete the challenging course. To help her reach her goal, she used motivational videos and posted this quote where she could read it daily. “The death of a dream is the day you stop believing in the work it takes to get there.”

“On those days when you are really not feeling it, the words are a reminder that you are passionate about this,” Swiatek said. “It’s just today that you are not feeling it. These are the days that make the difference in achieving goals.” “Kona is known for being brutally hot because it is so humid. Your internal body temperature can get so high that you can’t cool yourself down. You are bike riding through lava flats in Hawaii. It is very hilly. My coach has done the race four times. She is an incredible athlete and explained the course and nutrition down to how much salt to ingest. I wouldn’t have been able to do this without her guidance.”

World Championship Race Day Swiatek was nervous and hardly slept the night before the race. She was out of bed at 4 a.m. At 5:30 a.m., the athletes received temporary tattoos with their race numbers on them. Swiatek’s number was 2453. The race started at 7:25 a.m. with swimming. “Ironman is a spectacle. I thought, ‘Oh my gosh this is real.’ Someone told me, ‘When you get in the water turn around and look at the people on the pier and lining the street.’ There were thousands of people. I turned around and heard the boom of the cannon going off.” Swiatek swam out to the boat and back to shore in an hour and 20 minutes. The water was shallow and clear. “You can see fish. It was challenging to swim in salt water. One girl swam into a school of jellyfish and had to go to the hospital,” she said. Next, Swiatek grabbed her bike and realized that she was a third of the way through this amazing race. “The bike ride took me six and a half hours. I had a hard time, but I learned a lot. I kept telling myself, ‘You are not racing. You are here to enjoy this. You are riding your bike in Hawaii.’ The last five miles of biking

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you are on part of the run course. I was thinking, ‘Oh my gosh you are on the same course as world-class athletes. You are racing against them and they are going to smoke you, but you are racing on the same course.’” Swiatek heard her parents ringing cowbells and saw friends and relatives cheering her on. Finally, she was on the last leg of the race— running, her strongest event. But, Swiatek was tired after swimming and biking. At this point in the race, Swiatek explains athletes come face to face with themselves. “During an Ironman you meet yourself, and some people can be really mean,” Swiatek said, laughing. “Around mile 18, I am a real ‘B.’ I think, ‘Why am I doing this? This is really hard. It’s a long time out there in your own head, just sitting with that, but it is an incredible experience to be in your own thoughts and be in your soul.” As the sun set over the ocean, Swiatek had the realization yet again that she was racing in the world championships in Kona. She caught up with a woman who beat her in the Ironman Texas race, when she placed fourth, and the pair ran together for a minute before Swiatek ran ahead.

Finally, Swiatek ran down the red carpet and under the big Ironman arch and heard cheering as she received her lei and medal. “You are so fatigued and calorie depleted; you are woozy and wonky. I sat on the ground to let my heartrate calm down. I found out that my mom worried all day because she knew it would have been crushing if I didn’t finish. I got chocolate ice cream and found my cheerleaders and sat at the finish line and cheered for others.” According to Swiatek, the oldest person in this year’s Kona race was 86 years old. The triathlon took him nearly 17 hours, but he did it. There were 37 women in her age group in Kona, and she was the 24th racer to cross the finish line.

Life After Ironman

Swiatek has a note on her bathroom mirror that she wrote in 2016 when she was awarded a slot to race in the half Ironman. It lists three goals. There are check marks beside the

words Ironman 70.3 miles (half Ironman) and Ironman 140.6 miles (full Ironman). An empty box lies in wait next to the words Boston Marathon. “I make a joke that the whole goal is to qualify for Boston,” Swiatek said, laughing. Swiatek plans to enter an Ironman race in the future, but for now she is planning to spend time with friends and family and rest. Though she didn’t initially set out to become a world-class elite athlete, she discovered that her endeavor had unexpected benefits. “Ironman races build character, and you learn to be loyal to a goal and that spills over into your professional and personal life. You are putting in good work and building a habit of keeping promises to yourself and those around you. Ironman races make you stronger and healthier and a more confident human being. It is as simple as that.” v Heather Darrow is a freelance writer. Allen Image | January 2019

kids korner

The Value of Money by Deborah DOVE It’s often hard for children, whether they’re six or sixteen, to understand the value of money. For young children, they see the ATM spit out money and assume it’s an unlimited resource. Older kids take for granted that their parents can afford the things that they want. Following are tips for teaching your kids financial responsibility in ways they can understand.

Promote saving and giving, along with spending Create three jars—one labeled “Save,” one labeled “Spend” and one labeled “Give.” Every time your child receives money, whether for allowance, doing chores or as a birthday or holiday gift, suggest they divide the money equally among the jars. The spending jar can be used to buy small things they want, the saving jar can be used to save for more expensive items, and encourage them to give to a cause they believe in with the funds from the giving jar. Give your child chores. Most parenting experts agree that children should not get paid for daily chores, since the main purpose of chores is contributing to overall success of the family, responsibility and learning basic household tasks they’ll need to know later in life. However, letting kids pick up additional chores above and beyond their usual responsibilities in exchange for cash is another thing entirely (however, a good rule of thumb is kids can’t earn cash for extra chores if they haven’t done their regular family chores). Post a list of “extra” chores on a clipboard with cash behind them or create a chore jar with each chore and the payoff for doing them written on a popsicle stick. Each family will have their own idea of what constitutes day-to-day unpaid chores, but some ideas for “extra” chores include raking the yard, cleaning the baseboards, washing the car, cleaning the bathroom, mopping, cleaning windows, emptying the trash, weeding, babysitting (even if that means entertaining a younger sibling while you’re busy). There’s a good printable chart here: https://www.housemixblog.com/2016/09/07/ kids-chore-chart-to-earn-money/family-chores-and-paid-chorechart/.

Give your child an allowance Experts agree that giving children an allowance that they must use (and budget) to buy the things they want teaches kids the value of money, how to budget and eventually, delayed gratification when they learn if they don’t spend it as soon as they get it on small things, they’ll soon have enough for a bigger, more prized items. Allowance can be freely given (X dollars a month no matter what) or tied to chores. Depending on the needs of your child and your financial situation, consider 1 dollar for each year of the child’s age paid per week, bi-monthly or each month. So a 10-year-old would net $40 if paid weekly, $20 if paid bi-monthly, or $10 per month.

Digitalize your child’s allowance While very young children often need the tangible aspect of cash, it’s a progressively digital world, so it’s a good idea to teach

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children about money in the age of screens. There are several great apps/websites that can help make digital currency feel real: FamZoo: An online virtual bank for families designed to teach kids to earn, save, spend and give. With this app, you’re the banker and they’re the customer. You can set automated allowances, rewards for chores and odds jobs, “payroll” withholding for saving or giving, penalties, parent-paid interest on savings, budgets, loans and more. The app sends a reminder text message to the child when they’ve purchased something, and parents can also require their child to gain permission from them before they buy something. The app offers plans as low as $2.50 per month, but you can try it for free for a few months first. Threejars.com: Similar to FamZoo, this online bank teaches kids to budget, set goals and learn from money mistakes. Cool graphics, avatars and individual online accounts help kids track what they’ve spent money on. The “bank” utilizes IOUs which represent real money instead of actual cash, which kids can earn or redeem to their parents for cash. The website, which is free, also has free tools such as an allowance calculator. RoosterMoney: This app, available on iOS (for iPhone or iPad), Android and Kindle Fire, is a digital allowance and chore tracker which lets your children keep track of their money, save towards goals and earn rewards while you oversee what money goes in and out of their account. Each child has their own account where they can check their statement and savings and even upload a picture of what they’re saving for to stay motivated. For younger kids, it works as a reward chart or star chart. The basic app is free, but you can upgrade to RoosterPLUS for extra features. If you prefer to go old-school, check with your local bank to see if they offer a savings account for kids. Encourage your child to get a job. Nothing teaches a child the value of a dollar like working for it. Obviously, teens can get a “real” job, but there are money-making opportunities for kids of all ages. Middle schoolers can babysit or mow lawns and teens and tweens alike can pet sit for neighbors when they’re out of town, start a dogwalking business or offer to be a “mother’s helper” for a busy mom. If you have a budding entrepreneur, they can make and sell baked goods or handmade crafts, or set up a lemonade stand. v

education

A Strong Foundation Foundation For Allen Schools supports students and teachers in more ways than one by David HICKS

Lisa Hayden reads with her students from books that were purchased through a classroom grant.

If you’ve lived in Allen long enough, you’ve probably enjoyed an event hosted by the Foundation For Allen Schools (FFAS). Maybe you logged a personal-best time at the Allen Eagle Run, or perhaps you danced the night away at Nashville Nights: Party with a Purpose. The events are fun, but more importantly they help benefit the students and teachers in Allen ISD. The Foundation For Allen Schools supports Allen ISD through three avenues: scholarships for graduating seniors, classroom grants for teachers, and tuition reimbursement for teachers and staff completing advanced degrees. To

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date, the foundation has donated more than $2 million toward these endeavors. Pam Toups, the FFAS Board President, has a simple explanation for wanting to support the school district. “My kids have already graduated, but they received such an excellent education from Allen ISD,” Toups said. “For me, I just want to give back and support the next generation of students and ensure they have the same great experiences that my children had.” Preparing students for college is an important goal in Allen ISD, and the foundation scholarships can help send

The Foundation For Allen Schools hosts its Senior Scholarship Ceremony in April each year.

them to their school of choice. Some of the scholarships are funded on an annual basis, and some are endowed in which the principal gift is invested with the earnings awarded. Scholarships typically range from $500 to $3,000 and are made possible from donations by businesses, community members, current and former Allen ISD families, civic groups, campus PTAs and more. Kevin Turner, a 2008 Allen High School graduate, now works as a high school teacher and football coach in

Ferris, Texas. Turner was the recipient of the Frank Thomas McGaugh Memorial Scholarship and said it was instrumental in helping him. “I had my sights on that school, and I knew I’d be able to go after I won the scholarship,” Turner said. “No matter how big or small the scholarship is, I hope the foundation knows that it is greatly appreciated. Now as a teacher, I see students who could benefit from scholarships, and it’s just given me a whole new perspective.”

Regina Taylor is the FFAS Executive Director and says that a common misconception is that scholarships are only for students in the top 10 percent of their class or those with extreme income needs. Taylor explains that many of the scholarships have broad requirement categories, opening the door for nearly all students to apply. “You don’t have to be in the top of your class to win a scholarship,” Taylor said. “Oftentimes, the requirements are being a wellrounded student, a strong leader, or a hard worker, and these are the characteristics that apply to nearly every Allen student.” The foundation also supports students through the gifting of classroom grants. Teachers and staff may apply for a grant based on a need that the campus budget might not be able to provide. The foundation looks for grants that are innovative and will be able to enrich the learning of a wide range of students. More than 1,100 grants have been funded in Allen ISD and have helped purchase everything from science-lab equipment to an outdoor garden. Lee Ferguson is an AP/IB Biology Teacher at Allen High School and she recently

Foundation awards to Date Student scholarships: 750 scholarships totaling

$795,000 Classroom grants: 1,145 grants totaling

$1,109,200 Tuition reimbursements:

$145,000

Patty Bachellor uses the books from her classroom grant.

Allen Image | January 2019

AHS teacher Lee Ferguson looks on as her students use the 3D model to learn about the structure of the membrane.

received a grant to purchase a 3D model of a membrane. “I’ve been teaching about membranes for years using flat paper images, but I knew this 3D model would really help my students interact with the membrane and understand this tricky concept,” Ferguson said. “Our students have exposure to certain concepts that would otherwise be introduced in college, and it’s all due to the foundation’s grants.” Along with the Allen Eagle Run and the Party with a Purpose gala, the foundation raises a significant percentage of its fund from Allen ISD employees who enroll in payroll deductions and contribute to the FFAS each month. For Ferguson, contributing to the foundation is just her way of giving back. “My students and I have benefitted from a couple of foundation grants, so it only makes sense to pay it forward and provide other teachers

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and students in Allen with the same opportunity,” Ferguson said. A group of teachers at Anderson Elementary make the most of their opportunity to apply for grants. Patty Bachellor, Lisa Hayden and Beth Miller all teach different levels at Anderson, but they often partner up to apply for grants together. The teachers have applied for a grant nearly every year since 2004, but they ensure the grants are worthwhile and will support the most students possible. “We only apply for grants if we see a true purpose and benefit in something, not just to get new things,” Bachellor explains. The Anderson trio recently applied for a set of supplemental books that can be used across a variety of reading comprehension levels. The books look nearly identical but feature slight variations in word complexity, allowing the teacher to customize the learning to each student’s reading ability.

“I can have two students in the same class, side-by-side, reading the same book, but with a few differences in word selection,” Hayden said. “It allows students to read at their own level, and they don’t worry why they’re not reading the same book as everyone else.” Hayden enjoys the fact that the FFAS allows teachers to apply for a grant in any grade level or subject area. “The foundation doesn’t limit our imagination—they just want what is best for the students,” Hayden said. “It’s not surprising to hear a squeal from a teacher after his or her grant is accepted.” The next time you purchase a ticket to the Allen Eagle Run or Party with a Purpose gala, you know you’ll be in for a fun-filled event. Even better, you’re helping make a difference for teachers and students in Allen ISD. v David Hicks is the Director of Communications for Allen ISD.

From Perfect Score to Perfect Job

Collin Alum Comes Full Circle

by Heather DARROW

Allen Image | January 2019

Dan Huff

an Huff built his first computer when he was nine years old. He was the teenager who helped neighbors and friends troubleshoot computer issues, but he never thought his hobby would lead anywhere. The day Huff earned a perfect score on the Cisco Certified Network Associate exam he knew he found his future career. “I was shocked. I heard the certification exam was really challenging, and a lot of people couldn’t pass it, even serious IT people. Trying to learn a foreign language doesn’t work well for me, but networking I really enjoyed. I owe that score to my Collin College professors Mike Harsh and Cope Crisson.” Huff earned an associate degree from Collin College in 2001. After graduating he continued taking classes at the college and earned a Cisco Certified Network Professional certification. Today Huff is the McAfee onboarding manager for the Americas, which includes North

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America and Latin America. He sources potential candidates for technical support positions, conducts interviews, helps employees transition into new positions and develops training success plans. “In a nutshell I find the right people for technical support, and I do everything I can to make them successful,” Huff said. “Each new person knows what the next six to seven months at McAfee will be like in terms of training. Here in Plano we concentrate on the large corporate customers,” Huff said. Huff has come full circle. He is now hiring people for the position he initially held at McAfee. Last summer when he was charged with finding six interns he visited Collin College and area universities to find technical support candidates. He hired three interns from Collin College. The internship program was so successful that he was able to extend the interns’ contracts, and this summer he has eight additional internship positions available.

“I wanted to look for interns at Collin College because I know the college has a focus on the skills we need for the people we hire,” said Huff, who recently became an advisory board member for the college’s cybersecurity program. “Collin has the Cisco Networking Academy and lots of courses preparing people to enter the workforce. I am looking for people with experience in hands-on labs. Collin professors take concepts and apply them to the real world.” In addition to attending a Collin College job fair, Huff gave a cybersecurity presentation to students at the college. That was when Collin College student Sandy Cifuentes first met Huff. “Hearing him share that he was a Collin student gave me a huge wave of inspiration,” Cifuentes said. “I did not have work experience, and I was shy about applying for opportunities like McAfee.” Cifuentes was taking information technology and cybersecurity classes and was thrilled to be hired as a McAfee intern just after earning a Collin College associate degree in May 2018. Currently, she is enrolled in Western Governors University and is pursuing a Bachelor of Science degree in cybersecurity. “At Collin the networking classes focused on port configuration and basic computer hardware and networking,” said Cifuentes, who is a McAfee associate technical support engineer intern. “Having that knowledge is a blessing when working with customers. At McAfee, we are focused on the customer and getting the issue resolved as soon as possible with the best experience.” Cifuentes recently assisted Huff at a career fair where they talked to more than 120 candidates. “Unfortunately, a lot of people cannot take complex issues, peel back layers and focus on how to resolve them, but Sandy can do that,” Huff said.

A 2018 Collin College graduate, Andrew Yu learned about the McAfee internship program at the college’s job fair. Today, he is a cyber systems operation supervisor in the Air Force Reserves and an associate technical support engineer intern at McAfee. “I enjoyed being able to condense my semesters into eight-week courses and take classes at night,” said Yu who graduated Collin College with a 3.9 GPA and is currently taking classes from the University of North Texas at the Collin Higher Education Center. “The professors are very knowledgeable. I would recommend Collin College to anyone. You really can’t beat spending $2,000 for a degree.” Yu says he appreciates the fact that McAfee allows interns to work reduced hours in fall and spring to spend more time studying for classes. “I love the culture at McAfee and the fact that you get exposed to everything happening in the industry,” Yu said. On a daily basis, Yu and Cifuentes work with clients from around the world, and according to Huff, their courses at the college were helpful in their new positions. “Andrew and Sandy were quickly able to ramp up and understand the security solutions they were trained on and immediately be able to work with customers to help solve problems. Working in support can be challenging, but Andrew is very outgoing, and he just jumps in.” Huff’s love of computers may have started as a hobby, but today he knows protecting people by keeping their important information safe is priceless. Creating opportunities for his company and students simultaneously is a win-win that is icing on the cake. “McAfee is a big player in cybersecurity,” Huff said. “When we partner with Collin College it helps them mold their existing and future education. This benefits us because we will have people with the skills we

McAfee students Sandy Cifuentes and Andrew Yu want, and our future workforce can come from right down the road. From a personal standpoint, Collin College helped me land where I am, and it is amazing that I have the opportunity to give back.” For more information about

classes at Collin College visit www. collin.edu. v Heather Darrow is a public relations writer at Collin College. Photos Nick Young, Collin College photographer.

Allen Image | January 2019

Fifteen Years of Impacting Education by Vicki DEERMAN

hether you have lived in the Allen/ Fairview/Lucas area for many years or are new to the area, our growth is obvious. That growth creates a challenge for our school districts to ensure that every year, each student receives the education they deserve. The Lovejoy School district, which encompasses Fairview, Lucas and some of Allen and Wylie, has grown from 2,800 to 4,286 students in the past 10 years alone. In 2003 when the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools was formed, Lovejoy ISD had only two schoolsâ&#x20AC;&#x201D; Lovejoy Elementary and Hart Elementary. Now that there are six schools including another elementary, intermediate, middle and high schools, the needs in the district are many. That is where the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools plays an important roll. Funds are raised each year to give the teachers the opportunities to impact education in their classrooms in innovative and new ways. For the 2018-2019 school year, 56 grants were awarded in the amount of $489,000. These grants ranged from a few hundred dollars for

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the newest Bluebonnet books to a classroom set of Dell Chromebooks for $32,000. To raise the funds, the foundation has two major fundraisersâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;the Annual Appeal donation campaign, which has just come to a conclusion with over $200,000 in contributions from the generous Lovejoy community; and the annual Denim & Diamonds event, being held earlier than usual this year on February 2, at the Marriott at Legacy Town Center in Plano. The party will begin at 7:30 p.m. with food stations, a live band, casino tables and a poker tournament. A

silent auction will be available for fun and unique shopping and a lively live auction will be held for a chance to win a great trip experience or wonderful items. Everyone is welcome. Tickets are available via the website at www. foundationforlovejoyschools.org. Donations for the live and silent auctions are always welcome. Please contact Vicki_Deerman@lovejoyisd. net for more information. v Vicki Deerman is the Interim Executive Director for the Foundation for Lovejoy Schools.

health & fitness

Features of an Attractive Female Abdomen by Dr. Todd POLLOCK

Abdominoplasty or tummy tuck is a very common and popular procedure in this country. According to statistics collected by the American Society of Plastic Surgeons on procedures performed by board certified (by the American Board of Plastic Surgery) Plastic Surgeons, tummy tuck is the sixth most commonly-performed cosmetic surgical procedure, with over 117,000 performed in the U.S. in 2014. Interestingly, this popular procedure hasn’t changed significantly since the first modern abdominoplasty technique was described in the early 1900s. That is, until recently, when a wide range of papers have come out describing techniques to decrease some of the most common complications of the operation and even avoid the use of the dreaded drains. The vast majority of improvements have been in decreasing complications and not with improving the aesthetic results. The idea of improving safety is important, but considering that the overall goal of the procedure is to improve the appearance of the abdomen, it is surprising how little is

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written about this in the professional literature. So, how can the aesthetic results of this operation be improved? Too many tummy tuck results look unnatural or have an operated appearance. Some abdomens look “plastic.” Why is this? The typical goal of the surgeon is to remove as much fat as possible and pull the abdominal skin very tight. This results in a featureless, flat abdomen that often meets the patient’s goals and may look good in clothes, but in a swimsuit, it can be picked out from across the pool. The natural contours are masked and the belly button is scarred and unnatural. If we look closely at an attractive female abdomen, we see that it is not just flat, fat free and featureless. There are distinct contours that give a healthy, athletic and youthful appearance. The features that contribute to an attractive female abdomen include a vertical depression in the upper abdominal midline with adjacent raised areas over the rectus muscle (that gives the 6-pack). The waist curves around to the back to give the hour-glass figure. The boney

landmarks like the border of the rib cage and hip bone are visible. The belly button has a natural shape, size and location and it is free of obvious scars. The central lower abdomen is not flat, but actually convex (or rounded out). The scar is low and placed where it can be hidden by a reasonable two-piece bathing suit. Finally, the pubic area is lifted and taut, not sagging. Reproducing these features that define the attractive abdomen is the key to avoiding the unnatural, operated, “plastic” look with the tummy tuck. Admittedly, all of these cannot be achieved in all women as some are too heavy and some too thin. But, attempts to recreate at least some of these landmarks are important in a natural and visually pleasing result. The actual techniques in creating these features are beyond the scope of this article. But, when you are considering a tummy tuck, you might think about this as you look through the surgeon’s before and after pictures. v Dr. Todd Pollock is a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon that practices at North Dallas Plastic Surgery in Allen.

Children and Play by Jennifer Slingerland RYAN

picking up on both spoken and unspoken feelings. If your child senses your lack of patience, disinterest or lack of attention, they are more likely to not open up to you about how they are feeling. Through these techniques, children learn to identify and express feelings appropriately. Putting feeling words—angry, frustrated, embarrassed and left out—to actions is a major goal of play therapy. v Jennifer Slingerland Ryan, M.Ed., LPC-S is a counselor and Managing

Play therapy works with children like traditional talk therapy with adults. Except with most children, they haven’t yet developed the verbal and cognitive skills to communicate their feelings and thoughts with words. On the other hand, children are extremely imaginative and creative. So play therapy lets them express themselves in a way that feels natural, safe and comfortable. Parents often ask what they can do to help facilitate the same environment at home with their kids. This is great, because we think parents are the best counselors for their kids! Here are some things that you, as a parent, can do to encourage the use of play at home as a tool for communication and healthy expression of emotions:

Allow your children to be creative while playing. Give them the power to decide what and how they want to play. Remember, how they play can tell you a lot about how they’re feeling, even

2. 3.

Director at I Choose Change PLLC.

when they can’t verbally express themselves. Create a safe environment for your child. This allows them to feel comfortable when expressing their thoughts and feelings. Pay attention to your child’s playful clues, which will help you interpret what their play may symbolize. Remember, don’t overanalyze. Just like adults sometimes want to “talk it out,” children often want to “play it out” so playing may be all they need to blow off steam!

Be comfortable allowing your child to express his feelings. Many parents limit their child’s expression of feelings simply because they feel uncomfortable with what their children may say (or do!). Often, what your child doesn’t express is far worse than what he does express.

Always be patient with your child. Children are great at Allen Image | January 2019

North Dallas Plastic Surgery/Dr. Todd Pollock 1105 Central Expwy. N., Suite 2310 • Allen • 8305 Walnut Hill Ln., Suite 210 • Dallas 214.363.2575 • www.drpollock.com North Dallas Plastic Surgery provides a full range of cosmetic and reconstructive surgery to the North Texas area. Our offices are conveniently located in both Dallas and Allen. Cosmetic procedures include facial rejuvenation (facelift, browlift, eyelid surgery), breast surgery (breast augmentation, lifts and reduction) and body contouring (liposuction, tummy tuck, thigh and arm lifts). Dr. Todd Pollock is nationally recognized for the development of the Drain-free Abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). North Dallas Plastic Surgery offers a variety of surgical and non-surgical procedures to treat changes related to facial aging. Our approach is individualized and it employs current techniques to minimize incisions and downtime. Our medical treatments include Botox, Restylane, Radiasse and Juvederm; all of which are administered by a physician. Dr. Pollock is board certified by the American Board of Plastic Surgery and is a member of the prestigious American Society of Plastic Surgeons and the American Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons. All consultations include a comprehensive evaluation and face-to-face discussion with the surgeon. Our educational website, www.drpollock.com, reflects our professional, caring and ethical philosophy—“Beauty begins with knowledge.”

Twin Creeks Dentistry

906 W. McDermott Drive, Suite 112 • Allen • 877.902.8946 • twincreeksdentistry.com Twin Creeks Dentistry is your hometown friendly family dental practice headed by Dr. Sangita Chandran who has more than 20 years of experience. Her holistic approach takes into consideration not only preventive aspects of dental care, but also the far-reaching systemic effects of diseases like sleep apnea and periodontal disease. Patients can benefit from advanced systems in oral cancer screening, sleep apnea screenings and developmental children’s issues (Myofunctional Therapy for children) with a focus on early diagnosis, early prevention and early therapy. Her goal is to assist her patients achieve healthy teeth and gums for life. Her dedicated team will deliver personalized care at a relaxed pace. Services offered are white fillings, smile makeovers, whitening, root canals, porcelain crowns, bridges, implants, dentures, sportguards, extractions, Invisalign, second opinions and custom sleep apnea dental devices.

Creekview Orthodontics

1780 W. McDermott Drive, Suite 100 • Allen • 214.547.0001 • forgreatsmiles.com At Creekview Orthodontics, Dr. Jay Ghosh, Dr. Trent Lofgren and their team strongly believe in preventive care with a conservative treatment philosophy. In addition to practice experience, both doctors have taught orthodontics at the university level—Dr. Ghosh full-time for many years. While creating beautiful smiles is their goal for each patient, the most satisfying part of orthodontics is the relationships created with patients and their families. 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 newer materials—like tooth-colored “invisible” braces and special alloyed wires—have made treatment more cosmetically appealing and comfortable and have shortened treatment time, more adults are accepting orthodontic treatment as well.

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Ross J. Miller, DDS, PA 915B W. Exchange Pkwy., Suite 200 • Allen 972.727.1200 • www.2thboy.com Delivering reasonable, rational dentistry to the northern suburbs for 28 years, Ross Miller has found his niche: patients who are swayed not by gimmicks or coupons, but by a desire for an honest assessment of their dental needs. Let’s face it, most dentists have the tools to communicate with a patient using intraoral cameras and digital x-rays, but not all dentists take the time to use these tools effectively. Dr. Miller and his staff pride themselves on listening to patients and not rushing them through a process designed to extract as much cash as possible. If treatment is required, we approach the problem with a combination of technology, compassion and conservatism. Taking time and moving slowly in the immediate patient environment keeps us from being the fastest operators in town, but makes for a much less stressful experience for all. Cerec CAD/CAM restorations can be fabricated on site, cutting down time and visits, and TV monitors in every room help to pass the time during treatment. Dr. Miller is a lifelong resident of the Dallas area. Having grown up in Richardson, he graduated from JJ Pearce High School, Texas A&M University and Baylor College of Dentistry. He opened his practice in Plano in 1989 and moved it to Allen in 2007. Please visit our website at www.2thboy.com to learn more. Also check us out on Facebook!

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 involves other specialists, as needed, to customize unique treatment plans that address each patient’s specific needs. They focus on patient education and personalized care while emphasizing comprehensive, preventative and interceptive therapy. Dr. Mojdehi-Barnes received her bachelor’s degree in microbiology from Texas A&M University with summa cum laude honors. She was the valedictorian of her dental class at Baylor College of Dentistry and went on to complete her orthodontic residency and master’s degree at the worldrenowned program of Baylor with top honors. She is also certified by the American Board of Orthodontics. Dr. Mojdehi-Barnes is active in her community and numerous national and local organizations.

Smart Neuro Health & Wellness Centers

6045 Alma Road • Suite 210 • McKinney • 972.421.8060 • smartneurohwc.com Smart Neuro Health & Wellness Centers, will be opening a new state-of-the-art facility in Plano next month. They utilize a unique patient-care process that doesn’t just work for its patients, but with them. SNHWC prides itself on providing integrated, comprehensive health care through collaboration with team experts AND the patients who come through their doors. This patient-centric approach enables individuals and families to be better informed and become a vital part of the care process. Studies have shown that the more a patient feels involved, the better the health outcomes. Smart Neuro Health has a dedicated team of experts in family medicine, mental health and neurology and has plans to continue its expansion in 2019 and beyond. For more information on SNHWC services and team members, visit our website. Allen Image | January 2019

Allen Dental Center, PC 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 65 years of combined experience to Allen, Dr. Jeff Williams, Dr. Steve Williams and Dr. Brad Wyatt 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. 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 and see how Allen Dental Center is helping to make Allen more beautiful, one smile at a time.

Craig Ranch OB-GYN

7900 Henneman Way, Suite 100 • McKinney • 214.544.6600 • www.craigranchobgyn.com Conveniently located off of the Sam Rayburn Tollway between Alma and Custer, Craig Ranch OB-GYN provides OB-GYN services to the north Collin County area including Frisco, Plano, Allen and McKinney. We offer complete obstetrical care with management of both high-risk and low-risk pregnancies with deliveries at Baylor Medical Center of McKinney and Centennial. Midwife services are also available. We are one of the leaders in all of Texas for in-office procedures such as endometrial ablation and Essure for permanent sterilization. For the convenience of our patients, we offer in-office mammograms and are excited that we added 3D mammography last year, making us the first and only OB-GYN group in the area to do this. Please call for a consultation.

Bethany Heights Dental

1208 E. Bethany Drive, Suite 7 • Allen • 972.390.8500 • www.bethanyheights.com Dr. Carla Spann earned her Dental degree from the Texas A & M College of Dentistry in Dallas. Before attending dental school, she graduated from Duke University in 1992 with a Bachelor in Electrical Engineering. She has completed numerous continuing education courses and incorporates all aspects of patients’ oral health, nutrition and medical systemic conditions in her practice philosophy. She is a longtime Allen resident. Her children attend Lucas Christian Academy and the family worships at One Community Church in Plano. Dr. Michael Melton is a fourth-generation Allen resident. He attended UT-Dallas, graduating Cum Laude with a B.S. in Molecular Biology. He received his Doctor of Dental Surgery degree with honors from Baylor College of Dentistry. Dr. Melton strives to provide a comfortable and relaxing environment for his patients by using the latest technology with a conservative and proven approach to dentistry. He and his wife Kim have a son who is a senior at Allen High School and a two-year-old daughter.

Fairview Eye Care

1546 E. Stacy Road, Suite100 • Allen • 214.383.5400 • www.fairvieweye.com Dr. Carey Patrick and Dr. Paul Sietmann, Board Certified Therapeutic Optometrists & Optometric Glaucoma Specialists are the best combination of training, knowledge and skill. They use state-of-the-art diagnostic technology to provide complete eye health examinations, vision assessments, pediatric vision evaluations, diagnosis and treatment of eye injuries, eye diseases, allergies, dry eye, glaucoma, macular degeneration, cataracts, LASIK and cosmetic eye surgery consultations. Eyes are the most complex organ in your body after your brain. Caring for eye health requires individual attention. Drs. Patrick and Sietmann take time to listen to you and address each of your needs. We prescribe many types of specialty, as well as regular, contact lenses. Easy online reorders plus convenient direct home shipping is available. We offer a wide selection of eyeglasses to fit every family’s budget, including sports and OSHA safety frames. Appointments are available Monday-Saturday. Schedule by calling or visit our website. We accept medical insurance and most vision plans.

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For Your Health

Allen Image | January 2019

pet page

“Tiffany” Did you miss getting a little Tiffany under your tree? Tiffany is a sweet, one-year-old yellow Lab mix who was adopted as a puppy and returned due to no fault of her own. She is house and crate-trained and good with other dogs and people of all ages. She’s already told Santa she wants YOU to be her forever family! Tiffany is sugar sweet and a total love bug! Her new favorite place will be with you! Tiffany is spayed, up-to-date on all vaccines and is heartworm negative.

If you are interested in giving sweet Tiffany her furever home, she is waiting to meet you. Please complete the adoption application at http://legacyhumanesociety.org/ adoptfoster/adoption-application/. Her foster family will reach out to you within 48 hours. v

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