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Allen Image INSIDE THIS ISSUE

July 2015

Vol. 25, Issue 7

cover story

when the top of the world shook In March, Danielle Banks headed to Nepal for her dream tripâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;volunteering with a non-profit organization for several weeks, trekking up to the base camp of Mt. Everest and then on to India. She arrived home two months later, grateful to have survived her adventure of a lifetime.

feature

18 Kids against hunger

Each of Chandler Elementaryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s almost 700 students have a part in packaging more than 16,200 meals that will be sent to hungry families on the eastern coast of Honduras.

special sections

22 KIDS KORNER

Fun on the Fourth

34 PET PAGE

Carbon

35 CALENDAR 44 18

22 6

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INSIDE THIS ISSUE civic forum

helping hands

Summer in the city

20 A letter to the community

Decades of success, major milestones

education

14 Fall into vegetable gardening

24 AHS students preserve memories of Korean veterans

Heroes

28 Amazing and a little icky

library

cooking

Kathy Murray and the Kilowatts

Summer salads

16 Billie Holiday tribute 17

Stardust Dancing

Louise Rowe and Her Texan Playboys

17 publisher/editor Barbara Peavy

office administrator Carrie McCormick

advertising sales Liz DeBoe

cover photo Larry Fleming

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28 contributing writers Chelsey Aprill Nicole Bywater Kirk Dickey Deborah Dove Tom Keener Jeff Mues Dawn Bluemel Oldfield Peggy Helmick-Richardson Keith A. Taylor

Allen Image ÂŠ 2015 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 or visit our website at www.allenimage.com.

civic forum

Summer in the city by Chelsey APRILL

Five tips for enjoying Allen’s lazy, hazy days of summer

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School is out, temperatures are up and you finally have some time to unwind. So how can you make the most of your summer? Grab a cool drink, head to the pool and read on for five tips from the City of Allen!

Tip #1: Keep Your Greener Pastures

After an extra-wet spring, your lawn likely started the summer looking lusher than ever. To keep it that way, Allen’s water conservation manager Gail Donaldson recommends limiting sprinkler use to once per week until temperatures reach tripledigits. If the heat wave persists, water twice per week until the temperatures drop or your lawn gets a soaking rain.

Whether you’re watering once or twice per week, you’ll need to follow your designated watering day. You can find a schedule online at CityofAllen.org/WateringMap.

Tip #2: Turn Your Discards into Dollars

Want to make a few extra bucks this summer? You don’t need a permit to hold a garage sale, but you do need to follow a few rules. Residents may hold two sales per year, lasting up to three days each. The items you sell can’t be purchased or acquired specifically for resale. You can post up to three signs to advertise your sale,

one at the site of the sale and two others off the premises. Signs can be no larger than two square feet and are not allowed in city medians and parkways. (And don’t forget to take them down after your sale ends.)

Tip #5: Beat the Summer Boredom

Tip #3: Look Out for Leaks

If you’re struggling to keep the kids engaged, take heart. Allen’s parks and library staff have organized fun (and usually free) activities nearly every day of the week. Check out CityofAllen.org/Calendar for a full schedule of concerts, movies, craft

Scorching temperatures can put extra pressure on city water mains causing occasional breaks in the line. If you spot a leak, call Allen’s Water/ Sewer Emergency Hotline at 214.509.4530. The hotline operates 24/7; once a leak is reported, it’s typically fixed within three hours.

nights and more. Need a place to cool off? Stop by the free sprayground at Celebration Park or pay a small fee to swim at Ford Pool. Finally, all ages can enjoy Allen Public Library’s Summer Reading Clubs, which run through August 2. Prizes are distributed throughout the program and you can join at any time—even if you don’t have a library card! v Chelsey Aprill is a City of Allen Marketing Specialist.

Tip #4: Don’t Forget about Fido

Your furry friend probably loves spending time outdoors. But on a stifling summer day, your backyard may not be the safest place for your pet. In fact, city ordinance prohibits leaving a pet tethered outside during a heat advisory or without access to food or water. Your pet could even be impounded by Animal Control if it appears its health is at risk! Allen Image | July 2015

Decades of success, major milestones by Jeff MUES

As has become tradition, Allen Parks and Recreation and the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) will celebrate Parks and Recreation Month this July. Parks and Recreation Month is a fantastic time to reflect back on history, while recog nizing many of the program and amenities which continue to enhance quality of life in Allen: both indoors and out.

Allen Parks and Recreation Looks Back 30 Years To commemorate the occasion, we’re turning back the clock to 1985, the year of NRPA’s very first Parks and Recreation Month observance. Back then, with a population of less than 20,000, there were significantly fewer parks and recreational offerings in

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Allen. But things were starting to happen. Funding had just been approved for Ford Pool, one of Allen’s first major recreation developments. Over the course of the next thirty years, five recreation facilities, a world-class municipal golf venue, a sports and live entertainment arena along with acres of parkland and miles of hiking and nature trails would open. More is on the way as Allen Parks and Recreation plans for the new Watters Creek Community Park to open in the coming years and the redevelopment of Ford Pool.

Allen USA Celebrates 20 Years On the last Saturday in June, as has become tradition in Allen, we’ll have hit a major milestone—celebrating 20 years of Allen USA. Over the past two decades, the event has grown

from a small community gathering to a “signature” event for the City of Allen and for the region. Thanks to the support of the community and sponsors such as Market Street and Texas Heath-Allen, the event continues to be free to attend, just as it always has been. For this very special 20th Market Street Allen USA Celebration, Allen Parks and Recreation will offer new and exciting activity zones such as the adrenaline-raising Allen American All-Sport Zone and the prehistoricallyawesome Jurassic Zone made possible by The Dinosaur Company and Dallas Zoo. Featuring a headline performance from five-time Grammy award winner Michael McDonald, as well as one of the largest and most magnificent fireworks displays in North Texas, the twentieth Allen USA event is certainly shaping up to be the biggest and best celebration yet.

the facility houses a fitness room, craft room, game room, classrooms and a 6,000-square-foot multi-purpose room that hosts everything from dances to regional chair volleyball tournaments. Offering a variety of programs, opportunities to socialize, trips and special events such as September’s allages Happy Fall Fest, activities and classes are low-cost or, as in the case of Happy Fall Fest, free! Membership to the center is just $5 a year for Allen residents and $24 a year for residents hailing from other cities.

The Latest Chapter in Allen Parks and Recreation Recreation Facilities Commemorate 10 Years

In recognition of Allen Parks and Recreation’s excellence in serving the Allen community, the NRPA has awarded the department the national gold medal finalist status for the third consecutive year. The Gold Medal Awards program is the most pres

tigious in the industry as it honors communities that demonstrate excellence in parks and recreation through long-range planning, resource management, volunteerism, environ mental stewardship, program and professional development. Allen Parks and Recreation will learn whether they have earned the top honor during the Opening General Session at the 2015 NRPA Annual Conference in Las Vegas, Nevada, September 15-17. No matter the outcome of that decision this fall, we can all be winners by making it a point to take advantage of Allen’s numerous parks and recreational opportunities. Check out AllenParks.org today— before Parks and Recreation Month passes you by—to learn how you can become active, involved and energized within your own community. v Jeff Mues is a senior marketing coordinator with the Allen Event Center and Allen Parks and Recreation Department.

It’s hard to believe that it has been ten summers since Allen’s The Edge Visitor Center and Skatepark first opened its doors. Located on the south end of the 12-acre outdoor recreation master park complex known as Allen Station Park, The Edge Visitor Center has proven especially popular for area teens. Extreme sports enthusiasts flock from all over to enjoy the skatepark, roller hockey rinks and BMX course. One of the largest facilities of its kind, The Edge has emerged as a popular venue for scooter enthusiasts too, hosting two prestigious national qualifiers for the International Scooter Association—a feat virtually unheard of for a municipal venue. Not to be outdone, active adults age 50 and over, have a milestone achievement they can embrace as well. Allen Senior Recreation Center is now just a few months away from officially hitting the 10-year mark. For those who haven’t had the opportunity to visit or, better yet, join as a member, Allen Image | July 2015

Snippets

Fall into vegetable gardening

Heroes All films are free, begin at 7 p.m. on Tuesdays.

July 7 Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) PG-13, starring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana and Dave Bautista. A group of intergalactic criminals are forced to work together to stop a fanatical warrior from taking control of the universe.

July 14 X-Men: Days of Future Past (2014) PG-13, starring Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender. The X-Men send Wolverine to the past in a desperate effort to change history and prevent an event that results in doom for both humans and mutants.

Join the Collin County Master Gardeners on Saturday, July 25, for their annual “Fall into Vegetable Gardening” program and learn how to make your own garden produce delicious and nutritious cool season vegetables. The class will be conducted at beautiful Myers Park and Event Center in McKinney, from 8 a.m. until noon. There are many vegetables that will grow well in Collin County during our fall and winter months. Master Gardeners will speak about the best varieties of vegetables to grow in our area; harvesting your vegetables; integrated pest management for the vegetable garden; and the planting calendar with a few garden secrets. Master Gardeners will be on hand to answer questions and will feature demonstration tables offering information on raised-bed construction, container gardening, irrigation and rainwater harvesting, general CCGMA information, Texas Pure products and vegetable gardening resources. There will also be tours of the vegetable demonstration beds at Myers Park at the end of the program. Attendees will take home goodie bags filled with useful information to help get their fall/winter garden off to a great start. To register for the event or for more information visit the CCMGA website, www.ccmgatx.org, or call the CCMGA Information Center at 972.548.4232. Registration is required and will open July 1, on the website. There is a $10 per person fee payable online or at the door with cash, check or credit card. From McKinney take Hwy 380 West to FM 1461 and proceed for approximately two miles then turn right on County Road 166 and proceed about one mile. Myers Park and Event Center will be on the left. v

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July 21 The Amazing Spiderman 2 (2014) PG-13, starring Andrew Garfield, Emma Stone and Jamie Foxx. When New York is put under siege by Oscorp, it is up to Spiderman to save the city he swore to protect as well as his loved ones.

July 28 Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014) PG-13, starring Chris Evans, Samuel L. Jackson, Scarlett Johansson and Robert Redford. As Steve Rogers struggles to embrace his role in the modern world, he teams up with another super soldier, the Black Widow, to battle an assassin known as the Winter Soldier. v

library

Kathy Murray and the Kilowatts by Tom KEENER

Sizzle in air-conditioned comfort while enjoying the red-hot blues of Kathy Murray and the Kilowatts at 7:30 pm, Friday, July 24, at the library. Entertaining her Texas fans since the days of the Austin’s Armadillo, Buffalo Gap and Sit ‘n‘ Bull, Kathy’s sultry voice electrifies audiences. A versatile instrumentalist, she also plays the guitar and ukulele. For her CD, Relatively Blue, Kathy wrote eight of the 10 tracks and co-wrote the other two with husband and guitarist Bill Jones and brother David Murray. For a special treat, Jackie Newhouse will shake the library’s auditorium with his bass guitar. Jackie was an original member of the Double Trouble band formed by singer/songwriter Stevie Ray Vaughan. Jackie was later with the The Leroi Brothers, a long-running Austin bar band that achieved national success with the album Open All Night. Jackie notes, “It’s always a joy to play with good friends like Kathy and Bill.” Known around Austin, Texas as “Mr. Time,” Richard Ross is one of a very select group of musicians who excel at the true Texas blues shuffle. Ross has previously held down the drum seat for many Texas bands, including “Joe ‘King’ Carrasco & the Crowns, Poi Dog Pondering and Gary P. Nunn. Bill Jones honed his craft in clubs like Antone’s and the Aus-Tex Lounge, and formed The Kingpins with harmonica maestro Paul Orta. After a chance encounter with Kathy and the Kilowatts, Bill joined forces with his musical compadre Kathy Murray, who he plays with to this day. In 2006, guitarist Joel Foy joined Chicago blues piano ace “Barrelhouse” Chuck Goering and Fabulous Thunderbirds front man Kim Wilson in the recording of his critically acclaimed CD, Got My Eyes on You. Foy performed with Chuck at the 2006 Chicago Blues Festival and has since traveled to Bellinzona, Italy, for an appearance with West Coast harmonica ace San Pedro Slim at the prestigious Piazza Blues Festival. v Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library. Allen Image | July 2015

The Library presents… by Tom Keener

Billie Holiday tribute

Celebrate the centennial of the birth of Billie Holiday, one of the world’s most compelling and revered jazz singers, at 7:30 p.m., Friday, July 31, at the library. Andrew Griffith leads this tribute to “Lady Day” that features selections of the artist’s catalog sung by Dallas vocalist Leena Conquest, accompanied by Roger Boykin on keys and Jonathan Fisher on acoustic bass. Sponsored by Bach to Books, this concert is free. A recording artist steeped in the jazz tradition, Leena Conquest’s voice and presence has an ability to transcend from classic to modern jazz. A Texas native, her recordings include “Raining on the Moon,” “Cornmeal Dance,” and “I Plan to Stay a Believer” (selected for 2011 Downbeat Critics Poll Top 10 Albums). Band leader Andrew Griffith played with the University of North Texas Jazz Repertory Ensemble and the 3 ‘O Clock Lab Band, Wynton Marsalis, Red Rodney, Doc Cheatham, Houston Person, Bucky Pizzarelli and

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numerous others. In 2004, Andrew was recipient of the Sammons Jazz Artist of the Year Award. Andrew has recorded with Marchel Ivery, Sandra Kaye, Joey DeFrancesco, Simone Jackson-Rodgers, Gregory Slavin, James Gilyard, Roger

Boykin, Curt Bradshaw, The Texas Gypsies and many others. Founder of Soultex Records and Soultex Publishing Company, Roger Boykin has contributed to the Texas music scene for several decades as a jazz musician, educator, radio announcer, composer, arranger, author and publisher of print music and songs. In 1986, Roger wrote a jazzoriented, orchestral piece called “Patience” on a commission from the Black Academy of Arts and Letters. Receiving another commission from the Dallas Wind Symphony, he wrote “Freedmen’s Town Flourish.” Bassist Jonathan Fisher traveled to Paris for studies with modern bass virtuoso François Rabbath. Striving to fully explore the acoustic bass and the tonal possibilities of his instrument, Jonathan credits the influences of Edgar Meyer, John Coltrane, Tony Levin and Paul Chambers. v

Stardust Dancing Dr. Paul Tobolowsky’s experiences as an emergency room doctor and internist piqued his lifelong interest in miracles. “In the midst of my medical career, I came to the life-changing realization that so-called ordinary life is actually the miraculous in disguise,” he emphasizes. “Miracles are easy to find once you learn how to recognize them.” Discover your own amazing true story from the author of Stardust Dancing (A Seeker’s Guide to the Miraculous) at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, July 23, at the library. Sponsored by Bach to Books, this program is free. Dr. Tobolowsky’s formula for finding miracles is quite simple—treat each person as if he or she is a miracle and discover the miracles that lie within. In 2009, Dr. Tobolowsky retired from

medical practice to write his book, and he observes, “We are all stardust dancing, and so is the planet Earth. If you, like me, have been looking for a miracle, begin by looking within. Then look at the world, and you too can become a collector of miracles.” Stardust Dancing (A Seeker’s Guide to the Miraculous) will help readers explore how the miraculous can be cam o uflaged while in plain sight. Comparing the path for discovering miracles to solving crossword puzzles, Dr. Tobolowsky notes how the one daunting clue leads to the solution for the entire puzzle. Dr. Tobolowsky will share his unique insights for exploring the miracles of life. After discovering the miracles in his own life, his career

and life were transformed and he began winning numerous profes sional awards. Stardust Dancing will be available for purchase and author signatures. v

Louise Rowe and Her Texan Playboys Louise Rowe and Her Texan Playboys will offer an old time, toe-tapping evening at 7:30 p.m., Saturday, July 18, at the library. Free tickets will be issued at 7 p.m. on a firstcome, first-served basis. Sponsored by Bach to Books, with generous support from Malcolm and Kathie Duke, this program is free. A stand-up bass player for years with Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys, Louise observes, “I was the only woman musician to have been on Bob Wills’ payroll.” While on her first tour with Bob Wills, Bob took her to Nudie’s of Hollywood to get an infamous Texas Playboys’ royal blue uniform. Her stage outfit had one significant difference—Wills insisted that she wear a skirt because women were not allowed to wear pants. Bob told her, “Now you are a real Texas Playboy. Remember wherever you go, you will always be a Texas Playboy.”

Bob’s daughter, Carolyn Wills, will be on hand to share anecdotal stories and insights into the genius of the man whose career spanned five decades and who brought hope to Americans during the Great Depression and the postWorld War II period. Carolyn Wills recalls, “In 1952, my father hired a young vocalist and accomplished rhythm guitar and bass player. She was 18 years old, her name was Louise Rowe, and she became the only female Texas Playboy musician he ever hired.” In the 1950s, Louise married Tommy Allsup, who later lost a fateful coin toss with Richie Valens for a seat on the plane that crashed, killing Valens, Buddy Holly and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson on February 3, 1959. In 1994, Louise produced a cassette called Texas Playgirls and Playboys. v

The library is located at 300 N. Allen Drive. Call 214.509.4911. Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library. Allen Image | July 2015

feature

Kids

Against

Hunger

Chandler Elementary students raise over $6,000 and package more than 16,000 meals by Nicole BYWATER It’s Friday morning and the students at Chandler Elementary in Allen are excited to be heading into the gym. But they’re not going to PE class. Instead, they’re rubbing on hand sanitizer and donning hairnets, getting ready to package meals for the hungry. Throughout the day, each of the school’s almost 700 students will have a part in packaging more than 16,200 meals that will be sent to hungry families on the eastern coast of Honduras. This is the second year Chandler has participated in the “Kids Against Hunger” project, which is organized locally by the Allen Kiwanis club. “Over the past two years, students have told me told me how much they love this day,” says Calli Smith, the school’s guidance

counselor. “I hoped that they would enjoy it and learn from it, but I was truly surprised by how many said it was the ‘best day ever!’” It shows the importance of helping others and that even the smallest actions can make a big difference for others.”

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Everyone helps The project began with fundraising. For three weeks, Chandler hosted special days where students could wear a hat, crazy hair or pajamas in exchange for dollar donations. They also collected coins—again proving the point that small amounts really add up. Some families also donated larger amounts, bringing the total raised by Chandler this year to over $6,000. On “packaging day,” the students worked in assembly lines, carefully adding each of the four ingredients (rice, vitamin-fortified crushed soy, dehydrated vegetables and flavoring/ vitamin/mineral powder) before the bag was weighed and heat-sealed. Each bag is designed to feed a family of six and has been specially formulated to be shelf-stable and provide a rich source of easily digestible protein, carbohydrates and vitamins. “The meal is cooked by adding boiling water, which the locals need to do anyway to make the water safe, and turns into something similar to a rice casserole,” Calli says. Some of the younger students were assisted in the assembly line by older ones, while others were useful in “running” the completed bags to the boxing area. School staff, volunteers and Kiwanis club members also helped oversee the process. The full boxes will be shipped (along with medical supplies, clothing, toys, etc.) to Honduras by the nonprofit, Send Hope, which was founded by retired Allen dentist, Dr. Tom Brian and his wife, Sharon. “What’s great about Kids Against Hunger is that it’s something that people of all ages can be part of and feel good about helping with,” explains Sharon, who oversees the program and is the Allen Kiwanis

dollar days and coin competitions we were extremely successful,” Calli says. “I liked the idea of everyone in our school doing the same service project—on the same day— for other children. Watching the students package the meals and work together for the good of others is incredible. It is truly my favorite day of the year. The joy on the students faces is priceless!” Chandler Principal Cindy Blair echoes that sentiment. Treasurer. “So far, Chandler is the only elementary school we’ve had participate, but we hope to have more in the future. Most kids just want to be useful and this is a fantastic way for them to get involved.”

Making an impact The timing of Chandler’s packaging day coincides with Allen’s “Change the World” weekend, a three-day event held in May, with service projects by churches, nonprofit organizations and local businesses. Including the meals packaged at Chandler, a total of 173,000 were completed over the weekend. “We are so pleased with the turnout for Change the World,” Sharon says. “I’ve personally seen what a difference nutrition can make for an impoverished family and know that we are making impact.” An impact can also be felt at Chandler Elementary. “We are extremely blessed and I wanted our students and staff to experience the joy of giving to others and helping others,” Calli explains. Because service is a priority at the school, throughout the year, students in various grade levels participate in different service projects such as “Treats for Troops,” “Cards for Veterans” and monthly collections for Allen Community Outreach as well as the local animal shelter. Calli was introduced to Kids Against Hunger through Assistant Principal Brooke Cherry, and says that after meeting with Sharon, she knew the program would make a great school-wide, end-of-year project. “I was nervous about raising the money but through

“Kids Against Hunger helps foster opportunities for students to become engaged and responsible citizens,” she says. “We want our children to realize the positive impact they can have all over the world when everyone works together to achieve a common goal.” v Nicole Bywater is a freelance writer from Allen.

Allen Image | July 2015

helping hands

Dear Neighbor, ar. Please nt letter you read this ye rta po im st mo e th be y ma This gles in our share with you the strug me let d an nt me mo a ke ta community… of your year of struggle for many Not only has this been a ach (ACO) r Allen Community Outre fo e on en be s ha it t bu , neighbors ’ve seen hundreds of new we hs nt mo few st pa e th as well. Just in who have These are moms and dads s. or do r ou h ug ro th me co families bills. e and paying their utility ag rtg mo eir th g yin pa to choose between e they return home. They tim y er ev ms loo e tic no The fear of an eviction turn. children, and nowhere to eir th d fee to od fo no ve ha , but to lessness is our #1 priority me ho d an er ng hu g tin en Prev r regular clients, it takes ou as ll we as s, lie mi fa help these new help our resources are g in ed ne s lie mi fa ny ma resources—and with so been. lower than they have ever melessness— in a month—all facing ho s lie mi fa w ne 0 10 e in Imag . y be as low as $400 each ma ly mi fa ch ea th wi e nc and our assista home another month or eir th in em th g in ep ke While $400 may mean d, it hot summer months ahea e th g rin du on ty ici ctr keeping their ele funds needed at ACO. in h nt mo ch ea 0 00 0, means an additional $4 funds. ain on our resources and dr l cia an fin ge hu a r fo This has made at no child need you to make sure th we lp— he ur yo ed ne we So, home s in a hot house or has no ep sle or , ry ng hu t gh ni goes to sleep at , but this is imagine in our community to rd ha is is th ow kn I at all. ur neighbors. the reality for many of yo y for you to annual campaign is a wa ly” Ju in s ma ist hr “C s O’ AC is financial donation, and th a ng ki ma ply sim by e nc make a differe ch-needed er before that we raise mu ev an th l ca iti cr re mo is year it mind our friends and re we As s. lie mi fa e es th funding to help u Live!” portant to “Give Where Yo im so is it , ar ye ch ea rs neighbo Here’s why… 20

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Joanna, a single mom of two boys, came to ACO fo r help when she found herself between job s and in desperate financia l crisis. She had spent all of her savings an d had already asked for help from friends and family to get by. Du ring the time it took her to begin a new job and get back on her feet, we provided food so that her children didn’t go hungry, and made sure she was able to stay in he r home. Helen is a grandmother of six, with four of her child ren living in a small trailer with her in ru ral Collin County. She sta nds in line through heat, cold or rain twice a month to receive one free bag of groceries from ACO’s Mobile Food Pantry . She hugged me one day with tears in her eyes and said, “Thank you and bless all that you do. Without this food there are nights that my gr andchildren would not ea t.” Joanna and Helen represe nt the thousands of clien ts we see every year. Please take a mome nt to imagine their struggle s and despair. In my 20 years as Execu tive Director with ACO, I have never seen the need so great an d our funds so low. If yo u’ve ever considered contributing to our annual Christmas In July campai gn, I ask you to please do so this year. If you are an annual suppor ter, I’m asking you to look deep into your hear t and reach out to your ne ighbors when making your gift this year . ACO needs you. These families need you. Thankfully most of us wi ll never know how Joanna felt when she had to ask for help. We will never know what it feels like to send our children to bed hung ry or the fear of being wi thout somewhere to sleep at night. Or perhap s you do know that fear and have overcome this crisis and want to giv e back. Your support mean s so much and can make a difference in the lives of your neighbors . Please “Give Where You Live!” Warmest Regards, Glenda May, Executive Di rector P.S. It warms my heart to see every day what a ca ring community we live in. Today, I urge you to donate now to do your part in helping lend a hand up. Please ma ke a gift today with our secure online donation form at www.ac ocares.org. I’d also ask yo u to share this message with your friends , family, neighbors and co -workers. We need so much help! Please don’t delay—we need you today!

Allen Image | July 2015

kids korner

Fun on the Fourth By Deborah DOVE There’s something special about Independence Day falling on a weekend. Make the most of it with these area events celebrating our country’s independence. Unless otherwise noted, all events are free. Kaboom Town Friday, July 3, 5 p.m.-midnight, Addison Circle Park, 4970 Addison Circle Drive, Addison The biggest and best fireworks show in the metroplex (USA Today, the Wall Street Journal, and Forbes rates it as one of the best in the nation), the main event is of course the dazzling 30-minute fireworks show choreographed to music. There’s also great food, live music and a spectacular air show featuring the Cavanaugh Flight Museum’s vintage war planes. A Family Fun Zone features carnival rides, inflatables, bubble runners and face painting (some activities cost money).

Fair Park Fourth Saturday, July 4, 6 a.m.-10 p.m., Fair Park, Dallas During the day, enjoy all Fair Park has to offer including midway rides, paddling the swan boats, riding the Ferris wheel, watching the Esplanade Fountain show and exploring the Children’s Aquarium before watching the fireworks display from Cotton Bowl Stadium at 9:45 p.m.

Fort Worth Fourth July 4, 2 p.m. until fireworks show ends, Panther Island Pavilion on the banks of the Trinity River, Fort Worth This event is unique and absolutely worth the drive, because where else can you go tubing on the Trinity River (kids must be taller than 30”), and enjoy a levee slide, water slides, pony rides, a zip line, bounce houses, face painting, a Jimmy Buffet tribute band and daredevil jet ski and flyboard shows, all for free! The only thing you pay for is parking ($5-$10) and food/drinks. When the sun goes down, the largest fireworks display in North Texas begins (around 10 p.m.).

Frisco Freedom Fest Saturday, July 4, 4 p.m. until fireworks end, Simpson Plaza at City Hall, 6101 Frisco Square Blvd., Frisco Frisco’s celebrating the fourth all weekend long with the Hotter ‘N Firecrackers 5K run on Friday night as runners (families encouraged) race through Frisco Square sporting flashing LED lights and their brightest clothes as they’re energized by the beat of electronic music. Kids will love the Dachshund Dash right before the 5K starts. On Saturday, the festivities kick off at 4 p.m. with the Taste of Frisco, a hot dog eating contest, a Children’s Expo with jump houses, face painting and other games such as zip lines, hamster ball races, a rock wall and more (activities cost $2-$6), and live music featuring a Hard Day’s Night. The evening culminates with a 20 minute fireworks finale around 10 p.m. Fireworks are also visible around Frisco City Hall and Toyota Stadium.

Red, White and Boom Saturday, July 4, 7 p.m. until fireworks end, Downtown McKinney (day) and McKinney Soccer Complex at Craig Ranch, 6375 Collin McKinney Parkway (evening) Activities at McKinney’s hometown celebration kick off in downtown McKinney with a parade at 10 a.m. and a classic car, truck and cycle show from 1-5 p.m. The festivities move to the McKinney Soccer Complex at Craig Ranch beginning at 7 p.m. with family activities and food, followed by concert by American Idol

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finalist Hollie Cavanagh from 8-9:30 p.m and a fireworks show at 9:45 p.m.

July 4th Fest at Six Flags July 3-5, during regular park hours, Six Flags over Texas, Arlington Celebrate the fourth with thrilling rides (including the park’s new Justice League Battle for Metropolis 4D ride), your favorite Looney Tunes characters and, of course, fireworks. At 9:45 each night over July 4th weekend, enjoy an extravagant fireworks and laser display at the front gate, along with live music. Bring a Coke can or your season pass for early entrance and ride times Friday and Sunday from 9:30-10:30 a.m. and Saturday from 9-10 a.m.

Fireworks Extravaganza July 4, Grapevine Spend the fourth in Grapevine with lots of kid friendly activities culminating in a fireworks show over Lake Grapevine. Before the fireworks, hop aboard one of the Grapevine Vintage Railroad’s Independence Day trains. The one-hour excursion aboard the July 4th Fun Train is perfect for younger kids and departs at 10 a.m. The 1 p.m. route to the Fort Worth Stockyards features the Great Train Robberies’ group of outlaws and deputies and returns at 5:45 p.m. (For tickets and more information, visit www.grapevinetexasusa. com/grapevine-vintage-railroad.) Check out the free “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz” exhibit at Grapevine’s Tower Gallery, a larger-than-life pop-up book exhibition based on the classic book. Finish off the day with a 25-minute fireworks display starting at 9:30 p.m., with great viewing spots located around Lake Grapevine and lakeside city parks—Oak Grove Park and Meadowmere Park. The Gaylord Texan Resort’s parking garage is a great viewing spot.

Gaylord Texan SummerFest Now through September 7, 1501 Gaylord Trail, Grapevine, 817.778.1000 Enjoy fireworks all summer long if you stay over at the Gaylord Texan on a Friday night. The Gaylord is a great summer staycation destination with special Wizard of Oz-themed family activities all summer long, including Wizard of Oz cookie decorating or canvas painting and the Lost Treasures of Oz Scavenger Hunt (there is an additional cost for these activities). You can meet Dorothy, the Tin Woodsman, a stilt-walking scarecrow and the Lion walking throughout the four-and-a-half-acre lush indoor gardens. Watch free summer movies Fridays at 6:30 p.m. and Saturdays at 7 p.m., enjoy Friday night (and 4th of July) fireworks and play and relax at Paradise Springs, the resort’s 10-acre pool with a lazy river, 27-foot winding water slide, lawn games and a toddler pool.

Other Notable Events: Fourth of July weekend at the Dallas Arboretum All active and retired members of the armed services receive free admission, and there will be patriotic music and flags throughout the gardens. Blueberry Picking Spend the morning picking your own blueberries at Blueberry Hills Farms in Edom, Texas (they’re open 7 a.m.-5 p.m.), then come home and make an Independence Day-inspired dessert by layering blueberries, strawberries and whipped cream in parfait glasses.

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education

AHS students preserve

Students listen to the remembrances of Korean War veteran Jerry Kaster during the taping of a documentary in Allen High School’s TV studio. At right is Dr. Jongwoo Han.

MEMORIES

KOREAN VETERANS by Keith A. TAYLOR

Thousands of U.S. soldiers, airmen, marines and sailors came home from World War II in 1945. Since then, they have been deservedly lauded as the “Greatest Generation” for their fight against Nazism and imperialism. Just five years later, American service members returned to war. When they came home, they went back to work, raised families and retired. Their job may have been appreciated, but they didn’t receive the adulation of the earlier veterans. Now, they are approaching the end of their days and while they don’t seek the limelight, they don’t want their cause forgotten: halting the

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advance of communism into the southern Korean Peninsula. “Look at the cars you drive and the products you use. Many of those come from South Korea,” said veteran Jerry Kaster. “South Korea has the 13th largest economy in the world. We made sure that democracy was preserved so that it could become the country it is today.” Now, an Allen High School history teacher is working with her students to make sure their sacrifice is preserved as well. Dawn Blake has recruited a group of students to interview and transcribe the remembrances of North Texas veterans for the Korean War Veterans Digital Memorial (KWVDM).

“This project is completely independent of their classwork,” said Blake. “I explain the project to them and they volunteer to participate after school.” Syracuse University History Professor Jongwoo Han created the digital memorial in cooperation with funding from Ministry of Patriots and Veterans Affairs of the Republic of North Korea. In 2011, his project started a database and began collecting stories and photographs chronicling the war. Since Han wanted students involved in the project, he worked with the Korean War Veterans Association to find teachers who

would be interested in leading student volunteers. The group contacted Ms. Blake in November. For several years, Ms. Blake has invited veterans from the Sam Johnson Chapter 270 of the Korean War Veterans Association in Richardson to address her classes about the war. With that opening, she asked members if they would participate. “It has been great for the students,” she said. “They have the opportunity to sit down and talk with people who actually made the history that they study. Many of them had very little knowledge about Korea or the war. It’s a fantastic experience.” The students spend hours learning how to interview the veterans and transcribing the results. They also assemble, photograph and scan memorabilia such as medals and letters from home. In the project’s short life, it has garnered extensive attention. In May, Dr. Han visited Allen High School

Dawn Blake displays student’s “Mind Maps” of Korean War veterans’ stories. with a Korean documentary filmmaker working for the Korean Broadcasting System. The TV network, similar to our C-SPAN, is producing a film about the veterans for broadcast in South Korea and for the KWVDM website. In the television studios on the Allen High School campus, Dr. Han

interviewed students about their work on the project. Veterans also were on hand to discuss their experiences during the war. Han said the engagement of students in the project is instrumental to its success. “The ultimate goal of the KWVDM,

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however, is not just to digitalize the past, but to engage the younger generation and prevent the Korean War from becoming a truly forgotten war,” he said. Kaster recalled how, in 1950, South Korea was largely a rural and agrarian society devastated by Japan during World War II. North Korea thought it would have an easy time of running through the south with little opposition. “They would have been right if we had not joined the United Nations’ effort to push them out of South Korea,” he said. “Through the project, the students now understand the importance of the U.S. involvement,” Han said. “Today’s Korea is a testament to American involvement in one of the most critical events of the 20th century.” Shortly after Dr. Han’s visit, Ms. Blake received more exciting news. She was invited to Washington in June to meet South Korean President Park Geun-Hye to discuss the project.

Korean War veterans, l. to r., Richard Lethe, Burt Forse, Jerry Kaster with AHS students. “Our students have been part of creating an exciting historical website repository,” she said. “It is extremely gratifying that their hard work is being recognized at the highest levels both here and in South Korea.” To highlight the hard work of the students for the event, Ms. Blake asked

the them to develop “Mind Maps.” These maps are illustrated documents chronicling the experiences of veterans interviewed for the project. “The maps relate the veteran’s war experience to other events taking place in South Korea and around the world during the same time,” she said. “They help students place the veterans’ experi ences in context with the overall war and the involvement of other veterans.” For Ms. Blake, she hopes the project can correct what she considers an oversight in current history books. “When you open a history book, there are pages and pages about the Revolution, the Civil War and the World Wars and there should be,” said history instructor Dawn Blake. “However, there is usually only a page about the Korean War.” Ms. Blake would like to change that, but right now she’s happy for the memorial project and the opportunity her students have to learn about the conflict from eyewitnesses. “No book, though, can replace sitting down and talking to the real people who made history. I am extremely grateful to the veterans for participating and Dr. Han for creating this project. It is an invaluable learning v experience for our students.” Keith Taylor is a public relations specialist for Allen ISD.

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Amazing and a little icky Human simulators are a hands-on anatomy lesson by Kirk DICKEY

Jackie Langford “Oh, it’s squishy.” The students who gathered around the gurney seemed more intrigued than grossed out, but you could still hear them express a bit of an ick factor when they touched the body. It was a scene that had played out countless times over hundreds of years, with medical school students standing over a cadaver to learn the look and feel of internal organs before ever encounter ing them in a live patient.

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This scene was different, though, because these were Plano East Senior High School students enrolled in the dual-credit Health Sciences Academy, a partnership with Collin College. And the cadaver wasn’t your usual stiff. “Vinny” is a SynDaver—synthetic human cadaver. It is one of the most advanced pieces of medical education equipment available and one of the first of its kind to be used by a college in the state of Texas.

Vinny has the bone structure, musculature and internal organs of a human male without all of that pesky skin to get in the way. It is designed to teach students human anatomy and physiology in a way that is costefficient, engaging and more effective for tactile and visual learners. “The whole purpose of a real cadaver is to allow the students to have a hands-on, three-dimensional grasp of what they are trying to learn when they are studying the different parts of a body,” said Jackie Langford, Director of Healthcare Simulation at Collin College. “This is a realistic way of showing where all the organs are, how they fit together and how they interrelate. Generally, most people learn better with hands-on activities where they can touch and feel in addition to just reading about something, because they are using more of their five senses.” Although the college only received the simulated cadavers in March, Vinny and its female counterpart, “Winona,” have been very busy since they arrived. In addition to the demonstration at the Health Sciences Academy, one or both have been used in classes at the college as well as visits to Allen Independent School District and TEDx Plano. Langford estimates that in the month of April alone, Vinny put more than 30 hours of demonstration time in front of about 1,000 students, teachers, faculty and staff. Langford said the college’s anatomy and physiology (A&P) and biology classes are planning on using the models much more next semester. He said the feedback he has received so far is that the students are really enjoying learning with them.

The Health Sciences Academy students agreed that working with the model was interesting as well as educational. “I thought it was cool how we actually got to see what it looks like inside,” Plano East Senior High School Junior Diana Sanchez said. “You see pictures and you’re like, ‘Oh, that’s cool,’ but when you see it and feel it, it seems real.” Of course, that is the point. SynDaver Labs, the company that makes the synthetic cadavers, is the first of its kind to produce such lifelike bodies and organs for use in not only anatomy education, but also in procedural training. The U.S. military uses SynDavers to teach medics how to respond in cases of severe trauma and Collin students will be able to perform several procedures in their simulation labs as well. The “manikins,” as they are sometimes called, can be used to illustrate different bodily processes. Winona has synthetic skin and a pump attachment that simulates blood flow throughout its circulatory system, so that students can feel pulses in the same areas they would feel them on a real person. Students can practice intubating and manually resuscitating the manikins, seeing their lungs inflate as they squeeze the AMBU bag. They can do needle chest decompressions, insert chest tubes or practice intraosseous (IO) needle insertion, where the needle punctures the bone into the bone marrow. What happens when the procedure is done and the body has been poked, prodded, pricked and cut? The company replaces them. While puncture marks made with small gauge needles will reseal themselves, some procedures require cutting, which do not “heal.” So, when a body part is damaged beyond use, the manufacturer’s maintenance plan refurbishes or replaces it. That gets to one of the other benefits of SynDaver. Not only does it allow students to learn anatomy in a

hands-on way, but it does so in a costeffective way. Langford explained that while each of the manikins initially cost $40,000, the cost of procuring and maintaining actual human cadavers can be much more expensive in the long term. Rather than purchase cadavers in the past, Collin College has taken some of their students to facilities that held them so they could have some experience with the real thing. While it was instructive for those students, it would not have been

mimic pulses, breathing, sweating or even bleeding, if needed for a demon stration. Students use the manikins to practice real-life scenarios of patient care, both diagnostic and procedural, which helps to develop their critical thinking and teamwork skills. The Collin College simulator program will get a big boost in the spring of 2016, when the college opens its new Cary A. Israel Health Sciences Center on the Central Park Campus. The three-story, 125,000-square-foot facility will feature not only classrooms,

Students in the Health Sciences Academy get their first opportunity to work with “Vinny.” feasible to give large numbers of students that opportunity. Collin College is the first nonmilitary institution in the state to purchase SynDavers for its students, according to Langford. Vinny will be kept at Plano East Senior High and Winona will remain at the college’s Central Park Campus in McKinney. That means both will be used by hundreds of students each year. The synthetic cadavers will join the growing simulator program at the college and ISDs. Started almost nine years ago, the college program uses high-quality patient simulators that can

skills labs and faculty offices, but also expanded simulator lab facilities that will allow students from each of the college’s nursing and allied health programs to work together on patients. Winona will be there and ready on opening day, ready for students to say things like “Oh, it’s squishy.” Registration for fall classes at Collin College is underway. Visit www. v collin.edu for more information. Kirk Dickey is a public relations associate at Collin College. Photos: Nick Young, Collin College. Allen Image | July 2015

cooking

Summer salads by Deborah DOVE

Summer is the perfect time to eat healthier and add fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. Not only are they more plentiful and inexpensive during the summer months, but we’re actually biologically programmed to eat less when the temperature rises. Part of the function of metabolism is to keep our body temperature up, and as the weather gets warmer, less energy is required to maintain our body temperature. As a result our bodies require fewer calories, so we need to eat less or at least lighter. Salads are the perfect way to blend all of the healthy and flavorful bounty of summer, while keeping the kitchen cool and our waistlines trim. In fact, eating a salad a day is one of the healthiest eating habits you can adopt. Salads typically provide the recommended two to three cups of fruits and vegetables, pro vide fiber and can be tossed together in less than five minutes if you take advantage of pre-packaged veget ables (and not much longer than that if you wash and chop them yourself). Salads don’t have to be a big production or require advance planning either.

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Just start with a base of leafy vegetables, add a protein (eggs, cooked chicken, ham, cooked shrimp, beans, bacon, etc), additional vegetables or fruit and toppings such as shredded cheese, croutons, tortilla strips or nuts. You can easily whip up your own healthy vinaigrette dressing by com bining three parts olive oil with one part of your favorite vinegar, or dress up bottled Ranch for a southwest salad by mixing it with salsa or taco seasoning. A side salad can provide the perfect accompaniment to grilled meat or they can be the main attraction. What’s not to love about a salad? Following are some of my new favorite recipes for summer.

Healthy Red Potato Salad

(I promise you’ll never miss the calories) 3 lb. red potatoes 2 stalks of celery, finely chopped 1/4 c. finely chopped dill pickles 2 Tbs. Dijon mustard 1/2 c. mayonnaise 2 Tbs. white wine vinegar 3 hard-boiled eggs, roughly chopped Place the potatoes in a large pot and fill with cold water to cover. Bring to a boil and cook the potatoes until tender and the tip of a knife inserted into a potato will meet with little resistance. Drain.

When cool enough to touch, cut the potatoes into bite size pieces. Place in a large bowl and add the celery, pickles, Dijon, mayonnaise, vinegar and eggs. Add salt and pepper to taste. Toss gently to coat. Cool before serving.

Bangin’ Good Shrimp Salad

(from my current cooking crush, Skinnytaste.com) 5 Tbs. light mayonnaise 3 Tbs. Thai sweet chili sauce 1 tsp. Sriracha (found in the Asian food section of the supermarket) 1-1/2 lb. large shrimp, shelled and deveined 2 tsp. cornstarch 1 tsp. canola oil 3 c. shredded iceberg lettuce 1 c. shredded purple cabbage 4 Tbs. scallions or green onion, chopped In a medium bowl, combine mayonnaise, Thai sweet chili sauce and Sriracha. Set aside. Combine the lettuce and cabbage and divide between four plates. Set aside. Coat shrimp with cornstarch, mixing well with your hands. Heat a large skillet or wok on high heat. When hot, add oil. When oil is hot add the shrimp to pan toss a few times until cooked through, about three minutes. Remove from pan and combine with the sauce, coating well. Place shrimp on lettuce and top with scallions.

Strawberry-Spinach Chicken Salad

1 (6-oz.) pkg. fresh baby spinach 2 c. sliced strawberries 1 c. diced nectarines 3/4 c. diced English cucumber 1/2 c. sliced red onion 4 c. coarsely chopped grilled chicken breasts 1 (3.5-oz.) pkg. roasted glazed pecan pieces

1 (8-oz.) bottle poppy seed dressing 1/2 c. sweetened dried cranberries 1/2 c. crumbled blue cheese Toss together the first five ingredients. Top with chopped chicken and pecan pieces. Stir together poppy seed dressing, cranberries and crumbled blue cheese; serve with salad.

Summer Fruit Salad 1/2 c. poppy seed dressing 2 tsp. grated fresh ginger 2 avocados, thinly sliced

Tomato Panzanella

1 c. cooked fresh kernel corn 2 lb. large heirloom tomatoes, coarsely chopped 1 Tbs. dry white wine 1/2 loaf of French bread, cut into 1-inch cubes and toasted 1 English cucumber, sliced 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil 1/4 red onion, thinly sliced 1/3 c. torn fresh basil Toss all ingredients together and add salt and pepper to taste. Let stand 30 minutes before serving. Allen Image | July 2015

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c. loosely packed arugula c. halved seedless green grapes mango, julienned c. diced fresh strawberries

1/4 c. thinly sliced green onion 1/4 c. chopped fresh cilantro Whisk together dressing and grated ginger in a large bowl. Cut

avocado slices in half crosswise and toss with dressing. Add arugula and remaining ingredients and gently toss to coat. Serve immediately.

Greek Salad

2 c. chopped cooked chicken 4 c. Romaine lettuce 1 large cucumber, peeled, seeded and chopped 1 red bell pepper, chopped 4 Roma or 12 cherry tomatoes, chopped 1/2 purple onion, cut in strips 1/4 c. Kalamata olives 1 can Cannellini beans 3/4 c. crumbled feta 2 Tbs. red wine vinegar 1 tsp. dried oregano 1/4 c. olive oil Combine the chicken, cucumber, bell pepper, tomatoes, Cannellini beans, Kalamata olives and feta in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the vinegar and oregano with a generous pinch of salt. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil, whisking to blend. Toss the dressing with the salad and cool in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving. v Deborah Dove is a freelance writer from Allen.

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pet page

“Carbon” Carbon is a 55-lb. Petit Basset Griffon Vendeen/ mixed breed dog that was surrendered to a shelter when her owner could no longer care for her. Unfortunately, Carbon never received the socialization dogs need and is fearful of just about everything. She has come a long way since being in LHS foster care, but still has a long way to go. She will need an owner that will be very patient with her as she learns what it’s like to be a normal doggie. Carbon will need a female or an understanding and patient male adopter and would probably do better in a home where the children are older and more considerate of her shyness. She will also need another doggie in the house to help her learn how to be a house dog. Carbon is 2-1/2 years old, housetrained and gets along well with other dogs. She has been spayed, is heartworm negative and up-to-date on all vaccines. If you would like to Carbon, please apply online at: legacyhumanesociety.org/adoptfoster/ adoption-application/ and her foster mom will be in contact. v

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calendar

july 1

Red, White & Boom. 10 am, parade and classic car, truck and cycle show in Historic Downtown McKinney. Evening festivities resume at the McKinney Soccer Complex at Craig Ranch with music, food, kids’ activities and a fireworks display. Hollie Cavanagh, American Idol finalist and McKinney native, will provide live entertainment. WRR will provide “Sounds of America” on a live simulcast during the fireworks on Classical 101.1. Free to the public. For more info: 972-547-7480. Addison Kaboom Town! 5 pm, Addison Circle Park, 4950 Addison Circle Dr., Addison. Independence Day Eve celebration featuring a 30-minute ground-launched fireworks show that is choreographed and simulcast live on the radio. There are also fly-bys from World Class Warbirds from the Cavanaugh Flight Museum, food, games, prizes, musical entertainment, after party and more. For more info: addisontexas.net

16-26 Allen’s Community Theatre presents Brothers Grimm

Spectaculathon, 1206 E. Main St., Allen. Check website for show times. The fairy tales of the Brothers Grimm are turned on their heads in a wild, fast-paced, rollicking ride as two narrators and several actors attempt to combine all 209 stories into one gigantic fable, using stories ranging from classics like Snow White, Cinderella and Sleeping Beauty. Lots of audience participation and madcap fun. For more info: allenscommunitytheatre. net. 25 Collin County Master Gardeners Annual Fall into Vegetable Gardening, 8 am-noon, Myers Park and Event Center, McKinney. Learn how to make your own garden produce delicious and nutritious cool season vegetables. Master gardeners will answer questions and feature demonstration tables offering information on raised-bed construction, container gardening, irrigation and rain water harvesting, general CCGMA information, Texas Pure products and vegetable gardening resources. For more info: www.ccmgatx.org, or 972.548.4232.

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. 18 Ge’La y Su Familia 21-23 Andre Gurode’s High Performance Sports & Leadership Camp

Parks and Recreation Events 6-11 Missoula Children’s Theater. This camp provides kids of all ages the chance to put on a theater production from start to finish. This year, Missoula Children’s Theatre will present two camps: Blackbeard the Pirate during July and Aladdin in August. All registrants will receive a part and rehearsal times will vary. 10 SNAP Dance at Recreation Hall. Special Needs and Adapted Program! Music, a fun theme and snacks. Patriotic theme! Register early, fee increases to $15 at 5 pm the Wed. prior to dance. Contact Dana Gillespie at Dgillespie@cityofallen. org or 214.509.4707. 11 Community Garage Sale. Come out to Joe Farmer Recreation Center for the largest community garage sale in Allen! Discover a variety of treasures from clothes to furniture at bargain prices. Make some extra money selling the items you were thinking of throwing away by becoming a vender. If you’re

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interested in selling your items, please call Joe Farmer Recreation Center at 214.509.4750 16 Family Night at The Edge Skate Park. This is an opportunity for families to bring out their small children and enjoy the skate park free of older influences. Children must be accompanied by at least one parent to gain entrance to the park. 17 Blacklight Zumba Party. Ditch the workout and join the party at Joe Farmer Recreation Center! Learn Latin-based moves to your favorite songs in this high-intensity cardio party under the blacklights! All fitness levels are welcome. Wear your neons and let’s light up the night! Pre-registration ends July 13 at 5 pm. 18 Summer Super Splash. Come out for Summer Super Splash at the Don Rodenbaugh Natatorium and enjoy swimming, food, rock-climbing, class demos and an all-around night of fun for the entire family. In-N-Out will be giving away 200 free dinners so get here early!

ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY Summer Story Times Youth Services 214.509.4906 Story Times run June 15 through July 30. Baby & Me—For pre-walkers w/adult Thurs., 10:15 am. Fun Ones—For 1 year-olds w/adult

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Mon.,Tues. & Wed., 10:15 am. Family Together Time—For children 2-6 years and family Mon., Tues. & Thurs., 11:15 am. All By Myself—For 4 & 5 year-olds ready to attend independently, Wed., 11:15 am. Pajama Story Time—For children 2-6 years and their family, Tues. & Thurs., 7 pm. 6 Superhero School, 2:30-4 pm. All ages w/adult. See if you have what it takes to become a superhero! 14 Musicals and Munchies, 2-4 pm, ages 12-18. Snacks and showtunes—sing along or just enjoy the show. 17 Nick Jr. Star Party, 10:30-11:30 am, all ages w/adult. Create works of art inspired by Nick Jr. characters! 20 Dinosaur George, 2:30 & 3:45 pm, all ages w/adult. Learn amazing dinosaur facts from our favorite paleontologist. 21 Musicals and Munchies, 2-4 pm, ages 12-18. Snacks and showtunes—sing along or just enjoy the show. 27 Life-Sized Candyland, 2:30-4 pm, all ages w/adult. Come-and-go through a life-sized version of Candyland! 28 Musicals and Munchies, 2-4 pm, ages 12-18. Snacks and showtunes—sing along or just enjoy the show.

Adults 8

Keep Calm and Read On! 12-1 pm, 2nd floor adult program room. Attention book lovers! Want to learn about future

bestsellers BEFORE they become bestsellers? How about a chance to read books BEFORE they are published? Our library is hosting a Penguin Random House rep. who will buzz about forthcoming books and give readers the inside scoop on 2015 titles. Advanced Readers Copies, book catalogs, and “Keep Calm and Read On” tote bags will be available for attendees. 8 Twisted Threads—A Fiber Craft Circle, 6:30 pm, 2nd floor program room. Social group for knitters, crocheters, quilters and other crafts with thread or yarn! All skill levels welcome! Bring your project. 9 Discover a Healthier You—Cardio Drumming, noon-1 pm, 2nd floor program room, Dina Scott, Instructor. Experience how drumming can invigorate and relax your mind and body at this one-time demo class. Research shows that drumming increases brain development, focus and concentration and leads to a greater a sense of relaxation and well-being. Water, comfortable clothes and shoes are recommended. No experience necessary. Free. 15 DIY@APL—Christmas in July, 2:30-4 pm, 2nd floor program room. Decorate clear plastic Christmas ornaments with glitter, stickers, fake snow and/or alcohol inks. All supplies provided. Age 18+. Free. Contact Reference desk at 214.509.4905 for more information.

16 ArtSparks! Georgia O’Keeffe, 2:30 pm, 2nd floor program room, ages 12-adults. Discover how Georgia O’Keeffe incorporated her fascination with the desert, photography and New York City in her art. You’ll also get to try your hand at an art project inspired by O’Keeffe. All materials will be supplied; no art experience necessary. Presented by Meg Benner, Allen Arts Alliance. 16 Talking History—Tejanos and the First World War, 7 pm, 2nd floor program room. Learn about the role Tejanos played in World War I with Dr. Alex Mendoza of the University of North Texas. Dr. Mendoza will discuss the process of American nationalism amongst the Mexican Texan population in the state, as the “Great War” captured the nation’s attention in 1917-18, and the contributions they made to the war effort. 17 Edible Book Festival, 11 am. Have your cake and read it too. Enter the library’s Edible Book Festival celebrating food and literature. There are only two rules: 1) entries must be edible* and 2) entries must be related to a book. Your creation will be showcased in the library and the public will vote for the “Best in Show” and “Punniest Entry” awards. Open to all ages! Everyone is invited and encouraged to vote for their favorites starting at 11 a.m. and winners will be announced and rewarded at 3 pm. *Entries will not actually be consumed. Entries can be dropped off July 16 from 6-8:30 pm or July 17, 9:30-11 am, 1st floor meeting room. Open to all ages. Call 214.509.4913/214.509.4905 or email eplagens@cityofallen.org for more information. 22 Food for Thought: Cake Decorating, 7 pm, 1st floor meeting room. Learn the basics of cake and cookie decorating from Lindsey Hearn and Jennifer Bell of APL’s Food for Thought Café. Piping, decorations and other techniques will be discussed. Sample your creations when you’re finished! One lucky participant will win a Wilton cake decorating set. All materials are included. Limited to first 24 participants, ages 16+. 23 Twisted Threads Fiber Craft Circle— Morning Edition, 10:30 am, 2nd floor program room. A social group for knitters, crocheters, felters, quilters and crafters who use thread or yarn! All skill levels welcome! Bring your latest project and work on it with of other fiber crafters. 28 Armchair Travelers Visit Germany, 7 pm, 2nd floor program room. Come experience Christmas (in July!) in Germany. Join Marla Wood as she shares stories and pictures from her visits to several different Christmas markets in Germany during the 2014 holiday season. Traditional German Christmas snacks will be available to sample.

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Connemara Conservancy Connemara Meadow Preserve 4

Bird Walk at the Connemara Meadow Preserve, 8-11 am, Allen. Bring binoculars and field guides if you have them; learn what to watch for in habits, characteristics and calls from Gailon and Rodney, with Prairie and Timbers Audubon Society. All ages welcome. We recommend wearing long pants, closed-toed shoes, sunscreen and insect repellent.

CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS City of Allen offers a variety of affordable recreational classes and programs. Register at Joe Farmer Rec Center, 214.509.4750 or Rodenbaugh Natatorium, 214.509.4770. For more info: www.allenparks.org. Texas Health Presbyterian, a variety of events. For more info: www.texashealth.org. Baylor Health Care System offers support groups, medical information and events. For more info: www.BaylorHealth.com. Heart Link Women’s Networking group, women only business networking. Monthly meetings—days and locations vary. For more info: www.75013.theheartlinknetwork. com. Allen Early Childhood PTA, support for parents & caregivers of kids age 0-5. Fun activities. Play groups, park days, lunch with friends, field trips, Mom’s Night

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Out, Dads & Kids, etc. Come play with us. For more info: www.aecpta.com or information@ aecpta.com. 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 & more. For more info: http://momsclubofallentx. weekly.com or 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, etc. Monthly bus. meeting. For more info: MckinneyMoms@yahoo.com. Plano Bicycle Association, club rides, social activities, monthly meetings, newsletters. For more info: Chris Mathews, 972.964.2869 or www.planobicycle.org. Urban Explorers, laid back, fun, diverse social group with meetups throughout Dallas area. For more info: www.meetup.com/ getoutandabout. American Cancer Society Road to Recovery needs volunteers to drive cancer patients to appts. If you have a car and can spare time 9-5, you can help. For more info: Debbie Moen, 972.712.5711. Every Monday-Friday The Shores AA Group, noon, Raceway Prof.Bldg., 200 W. Boyd, Suite C (Adjacent to Dayrise Recovery), Allen.

Open AA discussion group. Everyone welcome. For more info: 469.854.9593. Every Monday-Sunday Allen AA meets, 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. Every Monday Ericsson Village Toastmasters Club, 12-1 pm, Ericsson, 6300 Legacy, Plano. Guests welcome. For more info: Per Treven, 972.583.8273 or per.treven@ericsson.com. Preston Persuaders Toastmasters, 7:15 pm, Custer Road United Methodist Church, Rm B2, 6601 Custer Rd, Plano. For more info: Ed Meissner, 469.323.0538 or Todd Richardson, 214.497.4495 or www. prestonpersuaders.org. Allen Symphony Chorus rehearsals, 7-9 pm, choir room at First UMC. For more info: Henry@ WealthManagementGroupLLC.com Fit and Funky Fit Club, 7:30 pm, Unlimited Success Martial Arts, 604 W. Bethany #208, Allen. Work out to p90x, Insanity, etc. Free. For more info: fitandfunky@att.net. Allen Toastmasters’ Club, 6:30 pm, Train Depot, 100 E. Main, Allen. Guests welcome. For more info: Joe Nave at 214.566.3100.

First and Third Monday Singles Mingle 60+, 5:30 pm, Zin Zen Wine & Bistro, 6841 Virginia Pkwy., McKinney. Single men & women 60+ living in McKinney and surrounding areas who are active and enjoy meeting new people. For more info: Bill, 214.544.5835. Second Monday The MOB (Men of Business), 11:30 am1 pm, TopGolf USA, Allen for male bonding and networking over lunch. $20 chamber mem; $25 non-mems/general public. For more info: www.allenfairviewchamber. com. American Association of University Women-Plano/Collin County Branch, 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 or www. aauwplanocollin.org. Lone Star Parliamentary Unit, 10:30 am, meets Sept.-May, except Dec., Allen Public Library. Promotes parliamentary education. For more info: 972.727.3090, Mae Shaw, President. Collin County Early Childhood PTA, 9:45 am, Parkway Hills Baptist Church, 2700 Dallas Pkwy., Plano. Nursery res. required. For more info: Suzanne Judkins, 972.712.3634.

Veterans of Foreign Wars “Lone Star Post 2150,” 1710 N. Church St, McKinney. Post Members, 6:30 pm; Ladies Auxiliary, 5:45 pm; Men’s Auxiliary, 6:30 pm. For more info: 972.542.9119, gmlsp2150@ gmail.com or visit on web: www. vfwpost2150.org. Sons of Confederate Veterans, William H. L. Wells Camp, No. 1588, 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. Heard Museum Collin County Hobby Beekeepers, 7 pm, Heard Craig Center, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566 or www. northtexasbeekeepers.org. Third Monday Allen Retired Educators, 10:30 am, Heritage Ranch Country Club, 465 Scenic Ranch Circle, Fairview. RSVP: Janeen Chattaway@ janeen03j@ yahoo.com. Collin County Aggie Moms, 7 pm, Texas A&M Ext. Center, Coit between Bush Tollway & Campbell. For more info: 972.382.3124 or www. collincountymoms.aggienetwork.com. Breast Cancer Support Group for patients, family & friends, noon, N. Central Medical Center, 4500 Medical Center Dr., McKinney. For more info: Kelly Finley Brown, 972.540.4984.

Plano Amateur Radio Klub, 7 pm, all welcome. For more info: www.K5PRK.net.

First Nighter African Violet Society, 7 pm, Stacy Road Pet Hospital, 451 Stacy Road, Fairview. Promotes widespread interest in African violets and study of their growth habits. For more info: 972.398.3478 or www. beautifulviolets.org. NARFE Chapter 559, 2 pm at Golden Corral, 475 S. Central Expressway (75 & Virginia Pkwy), McKinney. All current government employees and retirees are invited. Fourth Monday Allen Seniors Genealogy Club, 1 pm, Allen Seniors Center. Must be a member of ASRC. For more info: www.asgconline.com or Richard Henry, 972.390.7402. Plano Photography Club, 7 pm, Grace Presbyterian Church, 4300 W. Park Blvd., Plano. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.planophotographyclub. com. Every Tuesday Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce Tuesday Morning Live networking breakfast, 7:30 am, 5th Street Pizza, 111 Central Expwy., #102, (Inside Stacy Furniture). $1 member/$10 non-mem. 1st visit free. For more info: 972.727.5585. Toastmasters Creative Expressions, 11:15 am- 12:30 pm. Raytheon, McKinney. Guests welcome.

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Take Off Pounds Sensibly, 6:15-8 pm, Good Shepherd United Methodist Church, 750 W. Lucas Road, Lucas. For more info: 1.800.YEA.TOPS or www.tops. org. 2ChangeU Toastmasters, 7-8:45 pm, Plano Family YMCA, 3300 McDermott Rd., Plano. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.2changeu.org. Every Tuesday & Thursday

Volunteer Master Gardeners offer landscaping & gardening advice, 9 am4 pm. Texas A&M’s Co-op Extension, 825 N. McDonald #150, McKinney. For more info: 972.548.4232 or 972.424.1460. Allen Serenity Al-Anon Family Group, 7 pm, 1st UMC, Wesley House, 601 S. Greenville. Offers strength & hope to friends & family of alcoholics. For more info: 214.363.0461 or www.al-anon. alateen.org. First Tuesday Heard Museum Native Plant Society, 7:30 pm, One Nature Place, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566. First and Third Tuesday Legacy 4-H Club (Allen and Lucas), 7 pm, Lovejoy High School, Lucas. For more info: kathrin_esposito@asus.com or 214.616.2460. Allen Lions Club, 7 pm, Kelly’s at the Village, 190 E. Stacy Rd., #1204, Allen. For more info: Bob Schwerd, Secretary, 214.402.0982.

Common Threads of Allen, 7 pm, Whole Foods Market Café, Stacy Rd. Share needle-work projects, learn techniques, make friends. For more info: contact Debi Maige at 214.704.0994 or debik@verizon.net. Second Tuesday Allen Senior Citizens Luncheon, 11:30 am, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville. For more info: 214.509.4820. Collin County Archaeology Society, 7 pm, Texas Star Bank, McKinney. For more info: archaeology@netzero.net. Blackland Prairie Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists, 7-9 pm, Heard Museum, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.bptmn.org or email info@ bptmn.org. McKinney Amateur Radio Club, 7 pm, Spring Creek Bar B Que 1993 North Central Expressway, McKinney. For more information: 972.814.4190. Collin County ADD/LD Parent Support Group, 7-9 pm, parlor, 1st UMC, 601 S. Greenville Ave., Allen. For more info: Shirli Salter, sscaroline@aol. com. Plano Pacers run at Schimelpfenig Library parking lot, 5024 Custer, in Plano, 7 pm. For more info: www.planopacers.org.

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Newcomer Friends of Greater Plano, 9:30 am, Collin College Courtyard Center, 4800 Preston Park Boulevard, Plano. Program: Gracie: A Love Story. Ken Freehill, stage, screen and television actor, playwright, teacher, producer and director will perform a first person original review of George Burns’ 1988 biography. Guests welcome. For more info: www.newcomerfriends.org. Third Tuesday McKinney Area Newcomers’ Club, 9:30 am, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5871 W. Virginia Pkwy., McKinney. For more info: www.mckinneynewcomers. com. Allen-Frisco-Plano Autism Spectrum Parents Group provides support & resources for parents of children with autism & related developmental disabilities. Join online group at http:// health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ autismparentsupport. Plano Republican Women’s Club, 11:30 am, Southfork Hotel, 1600 N. Central Expy., Plano. For more info: www.planorepublicanwomen. com. Daughters of the American Revolution, NSDAR, The General Bernardo de Galvez Chapter. For more info:txshawm@sbcglobal.net. Fourth Tuesday Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon, 11:30 am-1 pm. $20 member/$25 guest. For more info: www.allenfairviewchamber.com. Heard Museum Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society meets at 7 pm, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566.. Every Wednesday Allen Rotary Club, noon, Courtyard by Marriot, 210 East Stacy Rd. For more info: www.allenrotary.org. Allen Sunrise Rotary Club, 7 am, Savour Tasting Room & Social Club, 968 Village Green Dr., Allen. For more info: 972.673.8221 or www. allensunriserotary.com/ McKinney Chess on the Square, 4-7 pm, Downtown McKinney Performing Arts Center. Open play & lessons. Promotes creativity, imagination & strategic thinking. For more info, 214.620.0527 or mckinneychess.org. Toastmasters SpeakUp Allen, “Become the Speaker and Leader you can be,” 7 pm, IHOP, 315 Central Expy, Allen. For more info: Bill Peterson, 972.523.9425. First Wednesday Collin County Master Gardeners guided tour of Myers Park, 10 am, 7117 County Rd. 166, McKinney. Reservations req. For more info: 972.548.4232 or go to mgcollin@ag.tamu.edu.

Allen Heritage Guild, 6:30 pm, Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main. For more info: 972.740.8017 or www. allenheritageguild.org. Art History Brown Bag Series, 12:301:30 pm, Heard-Craig Carriage House, 205 W. Hunt St., McKinney. Lectures presented by Annie Royer. Bring lunch. For more info: 972.569.6909 or www.headcraig. org. First and Third Wednesday MOPS of Hope Plano, Hope Community Church, 9:30-11:30, 3405 Custer, #200, Plano. For more info: 214.762.0037 or www. mopsofhope.com. Second Wednesday Collin County Genealogical Society, 7 pm, Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Rd, Plano. For more info: ccgs.programs@gmail.com. VFW Post 2195, 7:30 pm, Cottonwood Creek Baptist Church, 1015 Hwy. 121, Allen. For more info: Larry Nordgaard, 972.727.9956 or www.vfw2195.org. Third Wednesday Greater Collin County Kennel Club, 7 pm, Joe Farmer Rec Ctr, 1201 E. Bethany, Allen. For more info: www.greatercollinkc.org. Every Thursday Allen Kiwanis Club, Noon, CafĂŠ Del Rio, on 75 just south of McDermott. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.allenkiwanis.org. Sweet Adelines, NoteAbly North Texas Chorus, 7 pm, Grace Evangelical Free Church, 2005 Estates Pkwy, Allen. Women of Allen & surrounding area invited. For more info: nntchorus@hotmail.com or www.nntchorus.org. Weight Watchers, 12:15 and 6 pm, 1st United Methodist Church, 600 S. Greenville Ave., Allen. Enter south entrance, 2nd floor. Bible Study, 9:30â&#x20AC;&#x201C;11:30 am, Community North Baptist Church, 2500 Community Avenue, McKinney. Bible study for women and children. Studying Luke. Reg. req. For more info: katpf@att.nett or mckinneyallen.cbsclass.org. Allen Classic Cars, 7-10 pm, 103-111 N. Central, parking lot of Stacy Furniture. Speak Up! Frisco Toastmasters Club, 7-7:30 pm social, 7:30-8:30 meeting. U of D-Frisco campus, 6843 W. Main. For more info: http://speakupfrisco.freetoasthost. ws. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness of Collin County), Recovery support for adults living with mental illness. Led by trained individuals. Free, 6:30-8:30 pm, Custer Road UMC, 6601 Custer Rd., Plano. For more info: 214.509.0085 or www. namicco.org.

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First Thursday North Dallas Newcomers, 11 am, various locations. For more info: www.northdallasnewcomers. net. Allen Garden Club, meets 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. Second Thursday W.I.S.E. (Women in Support of Enterprise), 11:30 am. Location varies. Networking & discussion of women’s issues. Fun & informative meeting for women in Allen & surrounding areas. $20 member/$25 guest. For more info: www.allenchamber.com. Lovejoy Preschool PTA. Monthly general meetings at Creekwood UUMC, 261 Country Club Road, Fairview. Different topic and guest speakers each month. Lunch provided free; babysitting available for nominal fee. For more info: www.lovejoypa.org, meetup. com/Lovejoy-Preschool-PTA/. McKinney Area Republican Co-Ed Club, 7 pm, Collin County GOP Headquarters, 8416 Stacey Rd., #100, McKinney. Location sometimes varies. For more info: collincountyconservativerepublicans.com. PSA:NAMI [National Alliance on Mental Illness] of Collin County, 7:30 pm, Custer Road UMC, 6601 Custer Road, Plano. Enter SE end, room B2. Peer support group, B6 and Family support group, B1, meet from 6:30-7:20 pm. For more info: www.namicco.org. Second and Fourth Thursday Allen Area Patriots, 7-8:45 pm, Failth Fellowship Church, 415 West Lucas Road, Lucas. Local Tea Party presents speakers, encouraging citizens to participate in the political process. For more info: www.AllenAreaPatriots.com. Allen High Noon Lions Club, 5th Street Pizza (inside Stacy Furniture), 111 Central Expwy. S. For more info: Peter Young, 972.849.4952. Third Thursday Live @ 5 Business After Hours, 5-6:30 pm at various member businesses. Free. For more info: www.allenfairviewchamber.com. Xtra Years of Zest Seniors Luncheon, noon, First United Methodist Church Allen, 601 S. Greenville, Fellowship Hall. Lunch, fellowship, speakers & entertainers. For more info: griflkl@sbcglobal.net.

Allen Quilters’ Guild, 6:30 pm, 1st Presbyterian Church, 605 S Greenville. For more info: www.allenquilters.org. Collin County Republican Men’s Club, 7 pm, locations vary. For more info: www.ccrmc.org. Allen/McKinney Area Mothers of Multiples, new & expectant moms’

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forum, 7 pm, First Christian Church, 1800 W. Hunt, McKinney. For more info: www.amamom.org or 972.260.9330. Knights of Columbus, 7:30 pm, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville, Allen. For more info: Steve Nagy, 469.569.3357 or www.stjudekofc.org. Cancer Support Ministry, 7 pm, 1st Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm E101. For more info: James Craver, 972.727.8241. Fourth Thursday Voyagers Social Club of McKinney, 10 am, Heard-Craig Hall Gallery, 306 N. Church St., McKinney. Social club open to women in McKinney and surrounding areas. For more info: voyagersofmckinney@gmail. com. Every Other Thursday North Texas Referral Group, 11:45 am, Friday’s (121 & Preston). For more info: www.ntrg.info. Every Friday Allen Senior Rec Center Dances, 1-3 pm. Ages 50+. Mem. free/Non-mem. Allen residents $3. For more info: 214.509.4820. McKinney Chess Club, 2-5 pm, Senior Center, 1400 South College Street, McKinney. Adults 50+(Free). For more info: 972.547.7491. Every Other Friday MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), support group for moms with kids 0-5 years, 9:30-11:45 am, First Baptist Church in Allen. Childcare provided. For more info: 972.727.8241. First Friday Italian Lovers of North Dallas, 7 pm, Italian Villa, 121 N Greenville Ave, Ste B, Allen. Do you like Italy? Many bilingual Italian-Americans meet here monthly to chat in Italian and find new friends. For more info: email ITALOVERS@tx. rr.com. First & Third Friday Classic 55+ Game Night, 6:30 pm, 1st Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm E104. Snacks, fellowship and games. Open to community, no reservatrions required. For more info: 972.727.8241 or Eddie Huckabee at huckgolf@hotmail.com. Every Saturday McKinney Chess Club, 10:30 am-1:30 pm, McKinney Public Library, 101 E Hunt St. Free. For more info: 972.547.7491. First Saturday VFW “Lone Star Post 2150” Motorcycle Group 33, 10 am, 1710 N. Church St., McKinney. For more info: “Driveway John” 971.822.4483, gmlsp2150@gmail.com or visit www.vfwpost2150.org.

Open Forum, meaningful discussions, 3 pm, Delaney’s Pub, 6150 W. Eldorado Pkwy., McKinney. For more info: Charlie, 214.585.0004. Second Saturday Vrooman’s Regiment, Children of the American Revolution, service organization teaches children to serve their community. For more info: 972.396.8010. Heard Museum Nature Photography Club meeting, 1:30 pm, Heard Museum, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. For more info: 972.562.5566. Department 56 Village Collectors Club meets in the Plano/North Dallas area to share ideas. For more info: www.bigd56ers.com. Third Saturday Single Side Up, 7 pm, This Side Up Family Center, 1100 Capital Ave., Plano. Single parent support group. Free. Low cost child care available. For more info: www.singlesideup.org or info@thissideupfamily.org. Allen Folk Music Society, 7-10 pm, The Blue House, 102 S. Allen Dr. Musicians 15-100. Bring snacks to share. For more info: www.twiceasfar.com. Fourth Saturday American Sewing Guild, 10 am-noon, Christ United Methodist Church, 3101 Coit Rd (at Parker), in Plano. For more info: Jane Johnson, 972.841.6854 or www.planoasg.org. Last Saturday Plano Pacers run at Bob Woodruff Park on San Gabriel Rd., Plano, 8 am. For more info: Bob Wilmot, 972.678.2244, or www.planopacers.org. Every Sunday Fit and Funky Fit Club, 7:30 pm, Unlimited Success Martial Arts, 604 W. Bethany #208, Allen. Work out live to p90x, Insanity, etc. Free. For more info: fitandfunky@att.net. First Sunday United Methodist Women’s Reading Group, 2 pm, FUMC, 601 S. Greenville. Join us for book discussion and refreshments. Book selections are determined at the January meeting. We encourage women of all faiths to participate. For more info: http://www.fumcallen.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.

For Your Health

Allen Image | July 2015

In March, Danielle Banks headed to Nepal for her dream tripâ&#x20AC;&#x201D;volunteering with a non-profit organization for several weeks, trekking up to the base camp of Mt. Everest, and then on to India. She arrived home two months later, grateful to have survived her adventure of a lifetime. On April 25, the first of two major earthquakes struck the region. With a magnitude of 7.8, the tremor created several avalanches, leveled villages, destroyed buildings and devastated World Heritage sites. Over 8,000 people died and countless others were left homeless in this poor Himalayan nation. Nineteen people were reported dead from an avalanche that struck the Mt. Everest base camp that Danielle had just left earlier that morning. Nineteen days later, Danielle was back at her motherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s home in Merit, Texas, sharing her story with the Allen Image.

cover story Growing up near Farmersville, Danielle moved to Allen when she was in the fourth grade. Graduating from Allen High School in 2010, she then went on to Texas A&M where she earned her BA in psychology this past December. Finding the new graduate job market lean, she had a decision to make. “I could either look for a temporary job to make ends meet, or I could blow my savings and go on an adventure,” Danielle shrugs. Danielle already had the travel bug from her four-month trip to Viña Del Mar, Chile, to study Spanish during her junior year at A&M. “I loved being immersed in a new culture; it was so enticing to me,” she explains of her first time to travel outside of the U.S. “But what I didn’t like was that there wasn’t a culture shock. It was very first world—they had McDonald’s and KFC, they had a Wal-Mart called Lider. You name it, they had it. I was studying Spanish to get my credits out of the way and experience a new culture, but I really wanted an absolute 100 percent culture shock.” So, intrigued by the possibility of working for the State Department or a non-governmental organization (NGO), Danielle opted to travel to a Nepal. She coordinated the trip through the volunteer-oriented nonprofit ELI Abroad. Even before her arrival in Nepal, Danielle got a good taste of what travel to a third world country meant. After a fifteen-hour fight to Doha, Qatar, followed by a four-hour flight to the Nepal capital of Kathmandu, the pilot announced the flight was being diverted back to Doha. “We got stuck in Qatar for five days because an airplane crashed on the runway [in Kathmandu],” she explains. “They didn’t have the machinery [to move the plane off the runway], so they had to drive in a crane from India.” Danielle finally arrived in Nepal on March 8 to work with Samrakshak Samuha Nepal (SaSaNe), an anti-

human trafficking organization. This non-profit hosts programs in villages to warn girls of being taken advantage of by traffickers, and offers training programs for those young women rescued from trafficking. For those women with high school diplomas, SaSaNe provides training for paralegal certification. Those who did not graduate from high school receive instruction in the hospitality business since tourism is the leading industry in Nepal. Danielle’s primary responsibility was to write a United Nations Women grant for $200,000. In her spare time she helped students with their English. ELI Abroad arranged lodging for her in the Naya Bazaar area of Kathmandu in a six-story building whose residents either worked for ELI or some local non-profit organizations. Danielle also found time to do some sight s eeing around town, including attending soccer games and touring Swayambhunath, a famous Buddhist site commonly known as the Monkey Temple. “It was cool and I wanted to go back at the end of my trip and walk up the stairs,” Danielle notes of the latter. “There are 203 stairs and I wanted to see if I could do it any better without becoming winded, because we would walk up like 50 stairs and then have to stop and take a minute to rest. I think by the end of my trip I could have conquered it pretty quickly, but I’ll never know now.” On April 14, Danielle began the trekking leg of her adventure. Her original intent was to walk in north eastern Nepal, to the base camp at Mt. Everest, and then travel to India for an 11-day trip before returning home. Taking only what she could carry with her while trekking, Danielle flew from Kathmandu to Namche Bazaar via helicopter. “I met someone in Kathmandu who owned a helicopter business and they had to fly in to do a rescue. So I flew to Namche while they did the rescue,” she notes. Once in Namche Bazaar, she began

her gradual ascent toward the Everest base camp. “From Namche to Tengboche is a day, Tengboche to Dingboche is another day, and then you get acclimatized in Dingboche for a day,” Danielle recalls. “From Dingboche I went to Gorak Shep and that was five days. From Gorak Shep to the base camp was the sixth day. We spent the night at the base camp because Olivia got sick.” Originally intending to journey solo through Nepal, Danielle met Olivia, another solo trekker from Florida by way of California, while in Tengboche. Since the two women traveled at the same pace, they decided to continue on to the base camp together. On the last leg of the upward journey from Gorak Shep to the base camp. Olivia began to develop altitude sickness. “She was lethargic and her walking was not controlled, she was shuffling her feet and she really wasn’t talking,” Danielle recalls of her travel mate’s symptoms. Once at the base camp, Danielle began searching for the clinic. “That was the hardest part of the trek— getting from the entrance of the base camp to the clinic because it was on the other side and the path isn’t marked there. The only way to describe it is a no-man’s land with tents popped up everywhere!” Finally finding the clinic, Olivia received the necessary treatment but still needed to get to a lower altitude as soon as possible to prevent permanent injury. With the base camp sitting at over 5,300 meters above sea level, ideally they needed to descend at least 1,000 meters. Because weather conditions made an air evacuation impossible for several days, the two women spent the night at the base camp. Their intent was to leave the first thing in the morning and go to Periche, a village sitting at a little under 4,300 meters above sea level. “We left that morning and it’s a good thing—we would have been caught in the avalanche!” Danielle sighs. Allen Image | July 2015

The two women had descended only about 200 meters and stopped to rest at a lodge in Gorak Shep when the earthquake hit. “The ground shook and I was like, ‘What was that, was it an avalanche?’” Danielle recalls. Since avalanches are common there, they felt no sense of alarm. “When it kept shaking, the owner of the lodge ran outside. And we all said the same thing—‘I guess we should run out too!’ So we all ran out. And then all the snow plummets from the mountain.” Despite the damage from the earthquake, the Gorak Shep lodge entrance remained unblocked. Danielle and Olivia reclaimed their supplies left inside but were hesitant to continue traveling, unsure of their safest option. “We asked three different guides if it was safe to leave, and they said as long are you are going down, it is safe, just don’t go up,” Danielle notes. “Finally we got up the guts to walk down.” As daylight was waning, the

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tired adventurers arrived at Lobuche, only half-way to their destination of Periche. They were dismayed to discover that all the Lobuche lodges

were uninhabitable and the town had no power. Although it was growing dark and snow was again falling, Danielle and Olivia continued on to the next village, Dughla. Another traveler warned them not to continue on to Periche that day because no safe lodging was available. While in Dughla the two women learned the fate of the base camp they left that morning. “This group of men came in and said base camp is gone—nothing was standing and the entire middle camp was gone,” Danielle recounts. “One of them had some bad injuries because when the avalanche hit, he was pushed back and got caught up in the snow. But it didn’t submerge him and luckily there was somebody there with a first aid kid and she patched him up. They hiked all the way from base camp to Namche, which is supposed to be a 3-day hike. They did it in one day at night, and all their gear was damaged except for what they had on. “They didn’t have headlamps and asked if anyone had extras but we couldn’t let our headlamp go.” Even weeks later, Danielle feels some regret that they couldn’t give up their only

headlamps knowing they would likely need them as well. The next morning, the two women headed out again. Although travelers going south from Dughla would normally opt to stay in the larger village of Tengeboche, when Danielle and Olivia arrived there they discovered that all five of the town’s hotels were damaged enough to be uninhabitable. So the two continued on to the town of Khumjung. It was here they found one of the few still-standing cell phone towers, and Danielle could finally text her mother, Sharon Banks, to let her know she was alive. With occasional aftershocks still rattling the area and buildings unsafe, everyone was on edge. Despite the precariousness of the locale, a now very exhausted Danielle and Olivia decided staying there was safer than walking to Namche Bazaar in the dark. The residents of Khumjung had created a sleeping area by covering a patio with tarps. Danielle recalls of that evening, “After every aftershock we’d wake up and everyone would yell and start running. Everyone was sleeping in their boots, which is bad to do because you need your feet to air out. I had a mummy sleeping bag and I didn’t even sleep in it. I just put it on top of me because you can’t get out of a mummy sleeping bag fast enough.” Although the rugged terrain meant no one could run very far or to a place that assured safety, Danielle pointed out that there was some comfort in being with other people. On the third day down, the two women reached Namche Bazaar, where they headed to the hospital to treat Olivia’s altitude sickness. Afterward, Danielle hunted down a helicopter to evacuate them from the next village of Lukla to Kathmandu. They were evacuated that day only because someone else on the list was a no-show. The $3,500 fee for the helicopter evacuation made both especially grateful for the travel insurance they

bought before coming to Nepal. “And at that point my mom wanted me off that mountain!” Danielle grins. Although her trip was originally booked for a May 11 return date, Sharon arranged to move the date to May 1 with any fees waived by Qatar Airlines. Danielle still expresses some regret in having to leave Nepal behind in such dire straits, but she also acknow ledges that leaving was the right thing to do. “The American Embassy said for us to leave, and that ‘we know you feel compelled to stay because it is just such a sad and tragic situation, but honestly, there is nothing for you to do here right now, even though you think there is. You are taking up resources and space,’” Danielle explains. “They weren’t trying to be rude, it was true. And in

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the coming weeks, especially with the [second] earthquake that just occurred, they are going to run out of food and drinking water. It was going to be a dangerous situation and the embassy wanted us to leave. “ While waiting for her flight out of Kathmandu, Danielle had to stay four

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days with other stranded travelers at the American Embassy. Those who had arrived earlier in the Nepal capital had been assigned to tents on the grounds of a nearby facility for Americans. But by the time she and Olivia got there, these tents were already filled to overflowing. For Danielle, the most pleasant part of staying at the embassy was the shower in the gym. “It was the best shower I had in Nepal because the water pressure was so good—and I hadn’t showered in nine days!” One side effect the high altitude had on Danielle was that she had little to no interest in eating. “I was never hungry, ever, which is kind of dan gerous. I maybe ate five to six thousand calories the entire trek because I didn’t have an appetite.” She admits that most of her solid food was the porridge she forced herself to choke down each morning and the majority of her calories came from Cokes. Once back in a lower altitude, her appetite returned and she was grateful to discover that breakfast and dinner were provided at the embassy. “I was starving and hadn’t eaten in a couple of days,” she recalls. “I remember being so excited over rice and beanie weenies, and a little bit of dalbhat [a lentil soup].” At lunchtime, military-style MREs (meals-ready-to-eat) were served at

the American Club. “After my second MRE, I was done with that!” Danielle laughs. “I started to eat lunch out.” The experience of walking through the city this time proved to be far different than the city she had left just 10 days earlier. “Kathmandu was such a noisy city and I hated the noise!” she recalls. “There is a traffic language you speak there with honking, taxis honking at pedestrians, and people yelling, plus it was busy and over-crowded. “It was really weird to walk through Kathmandu after the earth quake because it was dead silent,” she continues. “It was quiet and so strange, but the aftershocks stopped a couple of days later, the city came back to life. I don’t want to say it was comforting because it was still annoying because of all the honking and yelling, but it was such a beautiful thing to see the city was kind of coming back.“ Danielle stops and shakes her head, “My friends still there after the [second] earthquake said the city is quiet again. The shops are closed and the streets are empty. It’s so sad to hear that a city that has so much life in it has become dead.” Danielle had an opportunity to see first-hand the serious damage the city had sustained. Describing the situ ation as “devastating,” she recalls, “buildings were crumbling, or they weren’t structurally sound, because of huge cracks.” The six-story home she lived in while working in Kathmandu was not structurally sound enough for inhabitants. It also meant that the supplies she left behind while trekking could not be reclaimed. When describing one building that ended up leaning against another and recalling how flights were delayed for days a month earlier because the airport had no way of getting a wrecked airplane off a runway, she laments, “How are they going to fix that? They don’t even have a bulldozer in this country. How are they going to get this building down without damaging every other building?”

But most poignant for her was seeing the bodies being brought down from the mountain. She shakes her head, “And knowing that this wasn’t even half the people that died, just the people that had been found.” Danielle shares a story of another American traveler she met who was accompanying the body of his friend. “They got caught in a rockslide. He could have been saved but they couldn’t get the medical attention he needed fast enough,” she laments. “It was so heartbreaking knowing that he could have been saved.” Danielle also began to hear tragic

accounts of what had happened to others she had lived or worked with. She recounts, “One of the girls who was a teacher at the Child Development Center lost her entire family, so it’s just her now. And this is a culture that believes heavily in family. So people who have nothing have lost everything because they lost their family.” She later learned via Facebook that another SaSaNe paralegal perished in the second earthquake. Danielle now ponders on what she can do to best help a nation in need that she grew to love. “All I can do is donate money, but is that enough?”

Carefully weighing her options, she is considering hosting fundraisers at Texas A&M events or coordinating a trip with other A&M alums and organizations with particular skills that could benefit Nepal at this time. And Danielle has not allowed her harrowing experience in Nepal to dampen her dreams—instead it has inspired her further. “I’d rather do something I’m passionate about,” she insists. “And I’m ready for my next adventure.” v Peggy Helmick-Richardson is a freelance writer.

Allen Image | July 2015

business seen by Nicole BYWATER

Simply the Best Cleaning Company

Brenda Towns started her first home cleaning business because it was a business she could do while her twin sons were in preschool. As she discovered, it turned out to be a business that she has a passion for. “I found that I loved it, so I’ve stuck to it and now have been doing this for over 25 years,” says Brenda, owner of Simply the Best Cleaning. “I have a team of people, but I’m always in every house, every time, supervising the work so customers can be sure that the job is done right.” Brenda specializes in providing individual attention to her clients. “I know that there are certain cleaning tasks that are more important to some people than others, so I make it a point to learn what those priorities are for each of my clients,” she explains. “I stand behind my work and I’m always dependable.” Simply the Best services both residential and commercial accounts on a weekly, bi-weekly, monthly or as-needed basis. “I can also be flexible with the schedule when needed,” she says. “For example, if I have someone whose regular cleaning day is Friday, but they have company coming in on Thursday, I will work them in on Wednesday to clean and help get the home ready.” Brenda lives in Fairview and has been married for 37 years. Her business is bonded and pays all employment taxes to protect her clients. For more information, references or a free in-home estimate, call 972.921.0536.

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Fresh Coat Painters

Learning Rx

Darrell Hale, owner of the local Fresh Coat Painters, knows the importance of quality customer service. “I grew up in a small town where you had to provide good service to be a success,” he says. “That mentality, combined with my experience at West Point and the military, has really shaped who I am today.” Since opening their Fresh Coat Painters franchise in July 2012, Darrell and his wife, Marie, have earned the following accolades: Franchise of the Year for 2013 and 2014 from Fresh Coat, Emerging Business of the Year from the Allen-Fairview Chamber in 2013, and also Best of Houzz for Service for 2014 and 2015. “Our customers can be certain we’re going to be around for the long haul to honor their warranty and provide services for the future,” Darrell says. “We also provide a 3-3-3 guarantee—we guarantee to setup an appointment in three minutes (through our 24/7 appointment line), meet within three days and have work started within three weeks.” Their crew has over 17 years of experience providing residential and light commercial services, and can handle everything from siding and drywall repairs to wallpaper removal and surface retexturing. They can also provide specialty painting techniques as well as deck and stained concrete finishes. Darrell says, “I love helping clients figure out what their tastes are and how to best bring their vision to life.” For a free quote or more information, call 469.342.3687, visit freshcoatallen.com or e-mail dhale@freshcoatpainters.com.

Karen Anderson was so impressed with her children’s experience in the Learning Rx brain training program that she decided to open her own franchise of the business. “This made such a huge impact on their ability to learn and their confidence level. I knew this was a great program that could help so many other families like ours,” she explains. Six years ago, Karen opened her first Learning Rx franchise in Frisco. In January 2014, she added the McKinney location. While many parents report that their child is getting better grades after Learning Rx, it is not a tutoring center. “Tutoring simply attempts to reteach material that should already have been learned, but wasn’t,” Karen explains. “Brain training focuses on the science of neuroplasticity, which involves building up the underlying cognitive skills that give us the ability to learn and perform. We all have varying levels in those skills and if any are weak, it can be a roadblock to learning. Luckily, those skills can be enhanced through brain training.” Assessments and programs are designed for adults and children beginning at about age 4-1/2. “People with ADHD, dyslexia, autism, learning struggles, reading struggles and more have found that they can achieve their full potential to learn, read and succeed in school and in life,” Karen says. “What we do is treat the cause of these struggles rather than just the symptoms.” For more information, visit www.learningrx.com/mckinney or call 972.704.1293.