Allen Image March 2012 by Allen Image

Postal Customer

STANDARD RATE U.S. POSTAGE

PAID Allen, TX Permit 178

contents

March 2012

Vol. 21, Issue 3

cover story 48 Living without fear

Hang gliding and paragliding pioneer, Dave Broyles, proves that even though heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 70 years old, he can still do anything he sets his mind to. For Dave, that means becoming great at wakeboarding. Heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s quickly becoming an experienced wakeboarder at Hydrous Wake Park, which opened at Allen Station Park last fall. by Nicole Bywater

feature 20 Heroes for victims

In Allen, many victims see the hero for victims of violent crimes as five-foot fourinch mom, Niccole Frasier. She and her partner, Detective Henry Tolliver, guide people through the legal process, let them know the steps from the initial arrest to first court appearance and ultimately to trial and imprisonment for some attackers. by Simon Valentine

special sections 22 kids korner

Spring Break Boredom Busters by Deborah Dove

30 pet page

w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

Cameron, Camille & Cami

36 calendar

contents departments

Allen Image publisher/editor Barbara Peavy

civic forum 8

Allen Event Center hosts ’80s star power

Carrie McCormick

by Jeff Mues

Collin County Master Gardeners’ 2nd Annual Garden Show by Dawn Bluemel Oldfield

advertising sales Jill Edelman

Allen Eagle Run

Fantasies and Fables

Nicole Bywater

Alliance for a Healthier Allen

Deborah Dove

by Jeff Mues

office administrator

contributing writers

Tom Keener

library

Jeff Mues

Duo Transatlantique

Dawn Bluemel Oldfield

by Tom Keener

Peggy Helmick-Richardson

Allen Reads

Mark Robinson

Tom Keener

by Tom Keener

Simon Valentine

Grace Lin Celtic Night

cover photo Larry Fleming

by Tom Keener

education 24

Surgical Tech by Mark Robinson

living green 28

Greener toilet options have us flush with excitement by Peggy Helmick-Richardson

cooking

w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

Cooking with the AHS Culinary Arts Department by Deborah Dove

Allen Image © 2012 by Moonlight Graphics. All rights reserved. Allen Image is published by Moonlight Graphics and individually mailed free of charge to the residents of the Allen area. Subscriptions are available to residents outside the delivery area at a rate of $2.50 per issue—$30 per year. Subscription and editorial correspondence should be sent to: Allen Image, P.O. Box 132, Allen, TX 75013, 972.727.4569, fax 972.396.0807 or visit our website at www.allenimage. com.

civic forum

Allen Event Center hosts ‘80s star power by Jeff Mues

Allen Event Center will feature a triple bill on Friday, March 23, co-headlined by Survivor and Starship starring Mickey Thomas with support from John Parr. It’s as if we found your mixtape and brought in those bands to perform your favorite tunes live! Songs such as “Eye of the Tiger” (Survivor), “We Built this City” (Starship) and “St. Elmo’s Fire” (John Parr) are among the timeless classics which made these bands famous. Best known for their double platinum-certified 1982 #1 hit single, “Eye of the Tiger,” theme song from the Rocky III motion picture, Survivor has two platinum albums, a Grammy and an Academy Award nomination. Formed in 1978, the band found great success throughout the 1980s with such Billboard charting singles as “Burning Heart”, “The Search Is Over,” “High on You”, “Is This Love” and “I Can’t Hold Back.” Featuring Jimi Jamison, one of the top rock vocalists in the world, Survivor has never sounded better. Jamison has been behind the microphone for much of Survivor’s storied career (1984-1989 and 2000-2006), and his unmistakable voice will be back where it belongs, fronting Survivor, rocking the crowd at Allen Event Center on March 23.

w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

John Parr has sold 10 million albums worldwide and like Survivor and Starship, he was on top of the charts in the 1980s with top ten single “Naughty, Naughty” and his 1985 hit single, “St. Elmo’s Fire.” The song was used as the theme song for the film St. Elmo’s Fire, and became a number-one hit for John Parr around the world, landing him many awards and a Grammy nomination. Recently, Parr re-recorded the song with new lyrics to honor Denver Broncos quarterback, Tim Tebow. The re-recorded song has been prominently featured on Sportsnation and on ESPN and become a viral sensation, with over 850,000 hits on YouTube. Think of the night as a soundtrack to take you back. Surely, you fondly recall such classic movies as Rocky III, Mannequin and St. Elmo’s Fire. Survivor, Starship and John Parr performed the theme songs for these films. Whether you have the albums, the soundtracks or rocked out to their songs on a long lost mix tape, you will want to see it live on March 23 at Allen Event Center. v Jeff Mues is a senior marketing coordinator with the Allen Event Center and Allen Parks & Recreation Department.

Collin County Master Gardenersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

2nd Annual Garden Show by Dawn Bluemel Oldfield

1 0 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

Plant more than good intentions in 2012! Learn about North Texas gardening and horticulture at the Collin County Master Gardeners Association second annual Garden Show. The Garden Show will take place March 24 and 25 in the show barn at Myers Park and Event Center in McKinney. The show will include guest speakers, educational demonstrations, vendor booths, farmer’s market, children’s activities and garden tours. The Garden Show is the opening act for spring, giving area residents the opportunity to learn about the hottest horticultural trends, and have their trickiest gardening questions answered by local experts. Master Gardeners will host classes on popular topics such as gardening for butterflies and birds, composting, growing herbs, container gardens, vegetable gardening, raised-bed gardening, water conservation, and basic horticulture “how-tos”. Presentations will be given throughout the twoday event by horticulture gurus that include trusted nursery professionals, authors and radio personalities. Visit your favorite nurseries at the garden show! Their exhibits will offer a visual array of lovely plants and garden décor, including trees from natives to palms, and unique varieties that will thrive in our area. Collin County cities will also be at the garden show. They’ll be sharing plans and ideas on how to preserve our resources to live green, better, together. Gardening offers kids creative expression, a sense of responsibility and increased self-esteem. At the Earth-Kind Activity Corner, kids will learn about gardening at a level they will understand and enjoy. Fun topics include vegetables, herbs, butterflies, insects, birds, water, soil and more. There will be hands-on activities, with cool projects kids can take home with them. Attendees will also have an opportunity to tour the Earth-Kind Perennial Research and Demonstration Garden at Myers Park. Featuring 111 herbaceous perennials, it is the first Earth-Kind perennial research garden in the United States. Also on tour will be the new Earth-Kind Crape Myrtle and Earth-Kind Roses Research Gardens, showcasing beautiful trial gardens in an outstanding landscape design. The Texas AgriLife Extension Service and Collin County Master Gardeners are working to determine which perennials and other types of plants will survive North Texas’ difficult soils and climate extremes without the use of fertilizer, pesticides and excessive irrigation. Collin County Master Gardeners will be on hand during the tours to answer questions. The demonstration beds will be coming alive with

new growth and color in early spring, giving visitors a first-hand opportunity to see which plants will grow well in their landscapes. State-of-the-art rainwater harvesting systems and rain gardens will also be on display for visitors.

The Collin County Master Gardeners’ Second Annual Garden Show—March 24 and 25 in the show barn at Myers Park and Event Center in McKinney—will include guest speakers, educational demonstrations, vendor booths, farmer’s market, children’s activities, and garden tours. According to show director, Jim Ewoldson, also a Collin County Master Gardener, “Our sole purpose is to help people build their landscaping dreams. We’re here to share knowledge and connect people with reputable resources. The show is a fun and very affordable family activity. Entry on both days is a cost of $2 or two cans of food per car. All proceeds will benefit the Allen Food Pantry, Allen Ministerial Alliance.” Collin County Master Gardeners Association is an educational service organization of volunteers who are trained in horticulture, landscaping, soil improvement, water conservation and many other topics important to Collin County gardeners. The CCMGA volunteer program is administered by the Texas AgriLife Extension Service through the Horticulture Agent in Collin County. Dig up some education, inspiration and a little family time at the garden ghow. Myers Park is beautiful—the perfect place to enjoy a picnic. Bring your own snack or pick up something at the garden show. Elke’s Market and Café from Allen will be serving delicious sandwiches and salads. The garden show is an indoor event, so rain or shine, join us for a weekend of fun! Hours are from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturday, March 24, and from 11 a.m-5 p.m. on Sunday, March 25. For up-to-date information visit www.ccmgatx.org/TheGardenShow. v Dawn Bluemel Oldfield is a freelance writer. Allen Image x March 2012

Snippets Allen Eagle Run Join us Saturday, March 3, for the Allen Eagle Run—the fun begins at 8 a.m. Now in it’s fourth year, the Eagle Run is expected to host a crowd of over 2,000 participants in its new home. This year the 5K run and 1-mile fun run/walk will begin and end at the Allen High School Athletics Department, located on the Allen High School campus, 301 Rivercrest Blvd. The course will wind through the Allen High School campus, Allen Station Park and downtown Allen with appropriate turning points clearly marked and water stations available. All registered runners will receive a t-shirt with the Allen Eagle Run logo printed on the front. Sizes may be limited for race day registrants. Entry fees are non-refundable, including the event of inclement weather. Race day registration fee is $25 (starting at 7 a.m. at the registration booth). Cash, check and credit cards are accepted. For more information, please visit our website at http://AllenEagleRun.org.

Fantasies and Fables March 6—The Water Horse: Legend of the Deep (2007), starring Bruce Allpress, Geraldine Brophy and Ben Chaplin. A lonely boy discovers a mysterious egg that hatches a sea creature of Scottish legend. March 13—Charlotte’s Web (2006), starring the voices of Oscar winner Julia Roberts, Steve Buscemi and Oprah Winfrey. Wilbur the pig is scared of the end of the season, because he knows when that time comes, he will end up on the dinner table. He hatches a plan with Charlotte, a spider that lives in his pen, to ensure that this will never happen. March 20—The Secret of Roan Inish (1994), starring Jeni Courtney, Pat Slowey and Dave Duffy. Ten-year-old Fiona is sent to live with her grandparents in Ireland and discovers that an ancestor of hers married a Selkie—a seal who can turn into a human. March 27—Whale Rider (2002), starring Keisha Castle-Hughes, Rawiri Paratene and Cliff Curtis. A contemporary story of love, rejection and triumph as a young Maori girl fights to fulfill a destiny her grandfather refuses to recognize. All films are on Tuesdays at 7 p.m. and they are free. Please call 214.509.4905 for more information.

1 2 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

Alliance for a Healthier Allen by Jeff Mues

The Alliance for a Healthier Allen (AHA) will present Motivate to Move, a free program that is being offered at all 16 Allen elementary schools. The program, which runs March 1 through April 30, is designed to encourage school-aged children to be more active and to make healthier eating choices. How does it work? Each month participants take part in physical/ nutritional activities listed on an activity card downloadable on their school’s website. Parent/guardians initial the cards after various activities are completed each month and drop the activity card off at Market StreetAllen. Monthly drawings are held with prizes ranging from small (water bottle, t-shirt or drawstring bag) to large (XBox Kinect, bicycle or Wii Fit) are awarded. The fun doesn’t stop there though, as participants also have the option to attend special play dates with professional athletes from local teams—the Allen Americans and the Allen Wranglers. “It’s so fun to see who will

introduce the program at my daughter Jordan’s school, whether it is possibly an Allen American or Allen Wrangler!” says Allen resident, Sarah Mitchell. “Motivate to Move has helped encourage my daughter to try new activities and eat healthier. She is always excited to get her checklist of what she needs to do for that

month. The prizes really motivate her to complete all the activities and get others interested in doing the program.” Getting youth interested and engaged in living healthy lifestyles is exactly what the Alliance for a Healthier Allen had hoped for when they started the initiative in 2009. The campaign promotes community in volvement and fun, and incorporates healthy lifestyles with the overall goal to make Allen a healthier community for children and their families. Residents like Sarah Mitchell and her daughter, Jordan, are proof that the program is doing exactly what it is designed to do—motivate youth to move and to live healthier lives. v Jeff Mues is a senior marketing coordinator with the Allen Event Center and Allen Parks & Recreation Department.

1 4 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

library

The Allen Public Library presents… by Tom Keener

Duo Transatlantique Combining the talents of guitarists Benjamin Beirs and Maud Laforest, Duo Transatlantique celebrates the power of music and its ability to transcend cultures and national boundaries. Duo Transatlantique presents a free concert 3 p.m., Sunday, March 18, at the Allen Public Library. This duo performs at a variety of venues throughout the year, including the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Festival des Chapelles in Brittany, the Festival de la Rochepot in Bourgogne and churches throughout Paris. Graduates of the Peabody Institute of the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, the two decided to form a guitar duo under the guidance

1 6 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

of Faculty Chairman Julian Gray. In 2005, they garnered first prize in the Union Francaise des Artistes Musiciens Guitar Duo competition. A performer, teacher and composer, Benjamin Biers won first prize at the 2010 University of Texas at Dallas Guitar Competition and first prize in the 2008 Appalachian Guitar Fest Competition. Maud appeared on the National Public Radio show From the Top in America and in Dans la Cour des Grands, a French national radio program hosted by Gaëlle le Gallic. Two of her recitals in the prestigious Petit Palais in Paris were also aired nationally. Duo Transatlantique recorded a debut album entitled Le Gris et le Vert (the grey and the green), which includes music of Debussy, Scarlatti, Petit, Albeniz and Villoldo. Johns Hopkins President Dr. William R. Brody declared, “They played not only with technical perfection, but also with passion and feeling, keeping an uncanny, delicate balance between them. They were received with enormous enthusiasm and my office received a number of requests for their contact infor mation in the days following this per formance.” For more information about this program sponsored by Bach to Books, call 214509-4911. v

ALLen Reads A one-book program under the leadership of the Friends of the Allen Public Library, ALLen Reads features a selection for each age group. For adults—A. Conan Doyle’s The Hound of the Baskervilles, is this year’s pick. To augment the book discussions, three outstanding programs are offered. These programs are free and no reservations are required. Under the direction of Lowery Campus Director Janet Flynn, the Lowery Theatre Department presents The Hound of the Baskervilles by A. Conan Doyle, 7 p.m. Friday, March 2. The man who taught comedy moves to Johnny Depp for Benny and Joon, and taught the actor how to roll the coin around his fingers for Pirates of the Caribbean, presents his own program of comedy and movement in The Illusionist at 7 p.m. on March 5. Dan Kamin’s stories and skills make for a dazzling display of live theatre. Kamin promises to show that coin move, as well as the dance of the dinner rolls that Depp does in Benny and Joon. Be prepared for astonishing movement, amazing sleight-of-hand magic and comedy sketches. Dan Kamin returns at 7 p.m. Saturday, March 10, with “Funny Bones—The Comedy of Charlie Chaplin.” In this unique hybrid of entertainment and education, Kamin deconstructs the work of the comic genius with film clips, live demon strations of physical comedy, and

Grace Lin

abundant audience participation. Kamin trained Robert Downey Jr. for his Oscar-nominated performance in Chaplin (1992). The centerpiece of the evening will be a classic Chaplin short with live musical accompaniment by Bob Whiteman who specializes in providing theatrical organ accompani ment to silent films. A former organist for the Cleveland Indians baseball team, Bob currently plays for the McKinney Performing Arts Center. Sponsored by the ALLen Reads and the Allen Philharmonic Orchestra, these programs are free. For more information call the library at 214.509.4900. v

For readers of all ages who love folk and fairytales and stories with Asian flavor, Grace Lin’s books will capture your imagination. Grace Lin makes a rare appearance at the Allen Public Library at 2 p.m., Saturday, March 10. Born in the U. S. and the daughter of Tiawanese immigrants, Grace graduated from Rhode Island School of Design. Quickly setting out to achieve her dream of creating children’s books, her first book, The Ugly Vegetables, was published in 1999 and received a tremendous reception. Her most recent book, Ling & Ting is a 2011 Geisel Honor Book. Grace’s 2010 Newbery Honor book, Where the Mountain Meets the Moon, was chosen for Al Roker’s Today Show Kid’s Book Club and was a New York Times Bestseller. In 2007, Year of the Dog received an Honorable Mention from the Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature and was nominated for a 2007-2008 Texas Bluebonnet Award. American and Asian folk and fairy tales have common threads but different symbols. Grace observes, “Many people have called Where the Mountain Meets the Moon a Chinese Wizard of Oz. I can see the similarities. There is a young girl on a quest, but

instead of trying to see the Wizard, it is a search for the Old Man of the Moon. Instead of a scarecrow, Minli befriends a dragon. Chinese symbols such as longevity, peaches and goldfish replace the silver shoes. However, the book was never meant to be a reinterpretation of that classic tale. Where the Mountain Meets the Moon was meant more of an homage to many Chinese folktales and myths—Olive Lake, the Buffalo Boy and the Weaving Maid, the Lucky Twins—that I read in my youth and still enjoy to this day.”

Sponsored by Storyopolis Entertainment and Bach to Books, this program is free. Books will be available for purchase for those wanting autographed copies from the author. For more information, please call 214.509.4911. v

The Allen Public Library is located at 300 N. Allen Drive. Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library.

Food for Fines—The Allen Public Library offers you a chance to take advantage of both your

procrastination and compassion March 10-18 only. One non-perishable food item will replace each dollar or part of a dollar owed in fines (i.e. , if you owe $2.50 in late fees, bring in 3 items to clear your record and help a local family. The Allen Food Pantry needs canned fruits, canned beef stew, tuna, refried beans, spaghetti sauce and sweet and unsweetened cereals. Please, no ramen noodles or expired items. Allen Image x March 2012

Celtic Night by Tom Keener

Celtic music phenomenon Seamus Stout entertains Allen Public Library patrons at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, March 15. Sponsored by Bach to Books, this program is free. Comprised of Jarrod Fay, Jan Cermak, Billy K Harmony and Damon Swindall, Seamus Stout has delighted fans for over twelve years. Their unique brand of upbeat Celtic music includes traditional pub sing-alongs as well as lively jigs and reels. In 2011, Seamus Stout released their fifth CD, Raise A Pint, that introduced four original songs written by Billy K Harmony. Jarrod Fay plays tin whistle, Irish flute, Scottish smallpipes and bagpipes. After playing trumpet and bass guitar, Jarrod began playing bagpipes and other Celtic woodwinds. Having garnered awards as a solo piper, he continues to compete with the North Texas Caledonian Pipes and Drums. Jan Cermak, a native of New

Orleans, plays fiddle, banjo, mandolin and Irish bouzouki. Playing an upright bass in a rockabilly band, Jan’s musical career changed after listening to his neighbor, Jarrod, practice the bagpipes. A graduate of Northern Arizona University with a jazz trumpet performance major, Billy K Harmony now plays the guitar. His love of music has taken him through a whirlwind of different musical genres. Damon Swindall plays bodhran (Celtic drum) and vocals. A native of Burleson, Texas, and a percussionist for almost 20 years, Damon amazes his fans by playing this single head drum like a drum set. Joining Seamus Stout will be Irish dancer and Allen High School student Jason Hickman. Last year, he placed

fourth at the December Regionals 2011 and 19th at the World Irish Dancing Competition at City West Dublin. Jason commented on his trip to Ireland, “I decided that I would not be giving up Irish dance for a very long time.” Allen resident and owner of the KelticDead website, Shaun Patrick Young will play diatonic harmonicas. He will be accompanied by guitarist and folk singer Kevin Vaught, who is also from Allen. The Allen Public Library is located at 300 N. Allen Drive. Please call 214.509.4911 for information. v Tom Keener is the cultural arts manager with the Allen Public Library.

1 8 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

feature

Heroes victims for

by Simon Valentine

When you think of a hero for victims of violent crimes, who pops into your mind? The burly, rough around the edges cop who makes an arrest? The ace District Attorney who tries the case and sends the attacker to prison for years? Though both are indispensable for the delivery of justice, in Allen many victims see the hero as a five-foot four-inch mom who sports highlighted hair, stylish clothes and has a seemingly limitless amount of resources to help out. As the Crime Victim’s Advocate, a civilian position in the Allen Police Department, Niccole Frasier helps victims work their way through a system that can be confusing, frustrating and downright frightening sometimes. “We help people deal with a system they’re not used to being a part of,” Niccole comments. “They’re so used to dealing with things on a minute-to-minute, day-to-day basis, they’re not sure what to do once the person who assaulted them is locked up.” Niccole assists victims of all crimes, but her job’s focus tends to be domestic violence. Along with her partner, Detective Henry Tolliver, they guide people through the legal process, let them know the steps from the initial arrest to first court appearance and ultimately to trial and imprisonment for some attackers. “We’re there to support them. I investigate the incident and Niccole is there to listen to victims when they think no one else will, to provide knowledge that leads to compensation and peace of mind,” Henry states. Michelle, a mother of two and a domestic violence victim, is grateful for Niccole. “One night after my husband had been arrested for trying to kill me, I was sitting alone in my house and had a panic attack. I called Niccole and she immediately came to my house and spent hours with me until I felt better.” In Michelle’s case, she had been repeatedly attacked by her husband of ten years— punched,

2 0 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

kicked, choked to unconsciousness. He’d even broken her foot once because she’d worn shoes that made her taller than him. “I made excuses for him and told myself it was the drugs he was on that made him do it,” Michelle admits. “He never did it in front of the kids, but they knew what was going on.“ Especially when they’d come home from school and see their mother ’s eyes blackened or new holes punched in the walls. But, despite the violence, she stayed. “A lot of times you have to take the approach with victims, that if they don’t want to get out of the situation for themselves than they should do it for their kids,” Niccole says. “Do they want their daughters to be treated like this? No. Do they want their son to be like his dad? Absolutely not.” Niccole taps into state and federal resources that might pay for crime scene clean up, monthly rent, therapy, eyeglasses and replacement of property seized as evidence. There’s even funding to pay off medical costs incurred because of an attack. “Without Niccole and Henry I would have been completely lost,” Michelle says. “Niccole has helped me get assistance I never would have known about, things that help me survive day to day.” And even when funding isn’t there, Niccole seems to find a way to help out. In Michelle’s case, although her husband is behind bars and is set to be deported when he gets out, reminders of his rage strafe the interior of her house.When he was angry he would hold her against the wall and punch around her head and he would kick the walls. “The holes were a

become my best friend, she will always be a part of my life, she helped me out of a situation I couldn’t get out of myself.” Niccole says she’s dealt with this feeling of helplessness a disturbing number times and it doesn’t limit itself to blue collar folks. She’s helped doctors, lawyers, people you’d believe have a perfect life in that perfect home until they get behind closed doors. Both Niccole and Henry assure all victims of violent crime that there is a way out—you’re not trapped. All it takes is one phone call to change your life. v Simon Valentine is a freelance writer from Allen. Photos by Larry Fleming.

Niccole Frasier

constant reminder to Michelle,” Niccole points out. “Everywhere she looked there was destruction.” Unfortunately there wasn’t funding out there to take care of damaged walls, but Niccole’s community connections came through. Brad Riley, with Riley Remodeling in Allen, heard about the problem and stepped up to offer help. “When I found out what happened, it was a nobrainer, it was the right thing to do,” Brad explains. “Are times tight? Sure. But when you hear about something like this you make it work.” He found someone to donate some materials, paid for paint out of his pocket, then went with his crew and spent two days working on Michelle’s house, replacing walls, patching holes, matching paint. Trying to remove every visible negative memory. “It’s fantastic now!” Michelle declares. “Now that the walls are fixed, I don’t relive the attacks every time I see the holes, especially in the bedroom. That’s where you’re supposed to find peace, but holes were the first thing I saw in the morning and the last thing I saw at night. They gave me nightmares.” She literally rests easier now that repairs have been made, another step in a healing direction. “Its hard to believe someone out there cares enough to put so much of themselves into helping others,” Michelle says of both Niccole and Henry. “When Detective Tolliver started to investigate the abuse, he told me Niccole would be my best friend,” she recalls. “And it’s true, she has

Detective Henry Tolliver

Allen Image x March 2012

kids korner

Spring Break Boredom Busters By Deborah Dove The kids are out of school for a week and you’re wondering how to keep them (and you) from going stir crazy. Following is a plan for a week’s worth of fun activities. FRIDAY: School’s out! Spend the night in with a new movie

release such as Puss in Boots or Footloose. For a sweet movie treat, make cinnamon popcorn by combining a cup of butter or margarine, 2/3 cup sugar and a tablespoon of cinnamon and microwaving for 1-2 minutes or until the butter is melted. Pour over 4 quarts of popped popcorn and bake (in a greased pan) at 300º for 10 minutes. SATURDAY: A fun family night awaits, as the Allen Americans hockey team takes on the Missouri Mavericks at the Allen Event Center. The game starts at 7:05 and tickets run $10-$45. SUNDAY: Who knew the best tulip display this side of Holland was in Dallas? Plan a day at the Dallas Arboretum for Dallas Blooms, featuring half a million spring-blooming bulbs, cherry blossoms and azaleas. The Arboretum is always a great opportunity for photos, so get out those cute spring outfits and take pictures before having a picnic lunch on the grassy hill near the concert stage, where the kids will undoubtedly want to engage in some hill rolling. Kid “fave” areas include Toad Corners (bronze toads spout streams of water), Texas Town (small play houses to explore), and searching for bronze wildlife sculptures hidden throughout the Lay Ornamental Garden. Cost: $12 for adults, $10 for children 3-12, plus $7 for parking. MONDAY: Pajama day! It’s the first official day of spring break. Sleep in, spend the day in your jammies and enjoy quality time with your kids. Pull out the board games, play on the Wii, bake cookies together or read a favorite book. Cap the day with breakfast for dinner. TUESDAY: Chill out at the Allen Community Ice Rink, which offers open skating 12:30-5:30 p.m. If that’s not how your kids roll, let them spin their wheels at InterSkate Roller Skating Rink in Lewisville, a fairly straight shot from Allen at the corner of business 121 and I-35. Bright, clean and family-friendly, the rink offers open skating 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Admission at both is $5, plus $3 for skate rental. Tuesday night, 5-9 p.m., is bargain night at InterSkate—$3 admission, including skate rental. WEDNESDAY: Check out Allen’s latest entertainment venue— Cosmic Jump—on Central Expressway service road between Exchange and Stacy just south of Cabela’s. This indoor trampoline park has huge freestyle trampolines, “The Summit” (a tramp you can run up and over), two trampoline dodge ball courts, trampoline slam-dunk baskets and more. Kids should be 8 or older to participate in the main jump area. Shooting Stars is a special area within Cosmic Jump for kids 18 months-7, with a climb and slide inflatable and two 60-foot trampolines. The Cosmic deal—two hours for $16 on weekends and holidays, including spring break. On Wednesday night 6-8 p.m., bring your Nerf gun for the ultimate trampoline Nerf Battle!

2 2 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

THURSDAY: Freebie Fun! Enjoy free entertainment at the Village

at Fairview—little ones can play in the fountains or sand at The Village Beach. If you have older kids, round up friends and a volleyball for sand volleyball. Afterwards, cool off with a purple vanilla milkshake from the Purple Cow. For the little ones, head across the street to the Village at Allen for imaginative play in the playhouses at The Grove, or explore the Texas-shaped hedge maze. My five-year-old’s favorite activity is hunting for pennies I hide throughout the maze. Younger kids can see what it’s like to ride their scooters, skates, bikes and skateboards at The Edge Skate Park during Family Night, 6-8 p.m. Free for ages 1-15 (each child must be accompanied by a parent). FRIDAY: Spend a day at the park. My favorites—Shadow Lakes (northeast corner of Allen Heights and Bethany) for duck feeding, fishing, bike riding around the lakes, a fun playground and enjoying plenty of shade for a picnic; Springmeadow (in Springmeadow subdivision off Hwy. 5 between Exchange and Stacy) and Waterford Parks (north of Exchange off Bray Central) for the best playground structures; and Celebration Park for all around fun factor with its sprayground, sprawling play structure and hike and bike trails. SATURDAY: Road trip! Glen Rose, just 100 miles southwest of Allen, is the perfect spring break getaway destination. Get an early start and you’ll have the morning to explore Dinosaur Valley State Park. The park is beautiful, with lots of trees and access to the Paluxy River for swimming or wading. However, the dinosaur tracks draw most visitors to the park. Said to contain some of the best-preserved tracks in the world, the area was once part of an ancient seashore visited by theropods and sauropods over 113 million years ago. All of the tracks are located in the riverbed, so visibility is dependent upon how high the river is. Some can be viewed up close, while others must be observed from a rocky overlook. The most accessible and impressive tracks are located at track site #2 (the park provides maps identifying four track-viewing areas), an easy, if rocky, climb down to the river. Here you can stand in the track of the brontosaurus-like sauropod Pleurocoelus or cross the river via a “bridge” of rocks to view numerous tracks made by Acrocanthosaurus, a two-legged carnosaur whose later relative included the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Spend the afternoon driving through the 9-1/2-acre Fossil Rim Wildlife Park, where more than 25 species of animals, including antelope, bison, ostrich, zebras and giraffes roam. Purchase a bag of feed at the entrance and the animals will come up to your car window and eat out of your hand. There’s an overlook at the halfway point, with a restaurant and petting zoo. SUNDAY: Relax, regroup and get ready to return to reality.

education

Surgical Tech by Mark Robinson

It was chance that took Heather Martin from waitressing to impacting lives all over the globe. All she knew was that she wanted to help people. She is doing that, in addition to helping herself. 2 4 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

“I had a friend in the surgical technology program at San Jacinto College. She had told me about it. Then I got the newsletter Collin College sends in the mail and it had a promo for the surgical technology program,” Heather commented. “I’d been waitressing since 2001, and I wanted to do something different. I knew I wanted to do something in healthcare.” When Heather drove to the college to discuss the program with director Don Martin, she said he did not have an office yet. Paint was drying on the walls and boxes were stacked up in mid-move. “He was so excited about the program. He couldn’t stop talking about it,” she said. “Even amongst all the papers and chaos of what was his office at the time, he took time to talk to me for 30 minutes. I didn’t even know that was what I wanted to do. After that day, I knew.” Mere weeks after graduating in June 2010, she was quickly hired by Children’s Medical Center in Dallas, where she has served as surgical technician on a number of procedures, including neurological, plastic surgery, trauma, orthopedic and as a member of the transplant team. While at Children’s, Heather learned about the Life Enhancement Association for People (LEAP) Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides free surgical procedures in countries like Zimbabwe, Haiti, Laos and India. Having expressed interest in participating, last February, a position opened up and it was offered to Heather. Next thing she knew, she was on a plane headed to the rural and isolated city of Damoh in central India. The invitation, according to Don, was a huge credit to Heather’s ability. Going on such a trip is rare considering her relative lack of experience. “They’ve been good to me at Children’s. They’ve put faith in me and built up my confidence,” Heather said. “Someone cancelled on the India trip, and I was told if I wanted to go, now’s the time. I’d never take it back. It was one of the best experiences I’ve ever had in my life.”

In five days, Heather assisted in 78 surgeries— correcting cleft lips, palates and faces—often pushing 14 hours a day. Damoh, like many of LEAP Foundation destinations, lacked adequate healthcare options and hygienic facilities forcing the team to make do with the existing circumstances. In September, Heather took another trip, this time to Zimbabwe where she helped two surgeons perform 50 operations in five days. Heather Martin (left), “It’s exciting and fun. a surgical technician It’s good to be with a group during an operation in of people with the same Damoh, India. intentions,” Heather said. “They want to make life better for the less fortunate people in the world. I don’t know how technology program and not gone to our destinies are mapped out. If I Children’s and not gotten involved in hadn’t been at Collin College, I would the LEAP program.” not have gone through the surgical Individuals like Heather are

Photo courtesy of Heather Martin

becoming a prime commodity among hospitals in north Texas. “We have a 90 percent placement rate for our graduates,” Don said,

Allen Image x March 2012

referring to the 22 graduates spread through the program’s first three classes. “They’re working if they want to work. The U.S. Bureau of Labor states that surgical technology, through 2018, has a 25 percent growth rate, which is top 10 among careers. In the state, the projected growth is 34 percent.” Of the 22 graduates, five are currently working at Children’s and a sixth was recently interviewed. He calls the program’s clinical a semesterlong interview. The employer gets a grasp of the student’s knowledge and skill. Heather said that if they weren’t forced to wait on certification scores, Children’s would have hired her within the week of graduation. “We’re the only program that’s allowed to do clinicals at Children’s despite being in Dallas because we’re the only associate program in north Texas, and they like that,” Don said. “All the facilities want our students to keep coming back because they like what we give them. We don’t have enough students for the jobs at the facilities.”

Other graduates have found jobs at Presbyterian hospitals in Plano and Dallas, Baylor Medical Center in Plano and Craig Ranch in Frisco. Changes are coming to the surgical technology program at Collin College. First, they are seeking to add faculty members in order to increase their enrollment cap to 24 students per class for the fall 2012. Also, Don said they were working on a new certificate program, Central Sterile Processing, the hospital department in charge of taking care of, cleaning and sterilizing surgical instruments. Also, as Martin pointed out, Collin College students have a 95 percent pass rate on the national certification exam. The national average is 54 percent. Mica Cortes was one of the Collin College students to excel on the exam. Right after she ended her clinical rotation at Park Central Surgery Center, she was offered a job upon graduating in May 2011. There, she is now a certified surgical technologist. “I always knew I wanted to work in the medical field,” Cortes said. “Prior to starting the program, I worked as a medical assistant at the Texas Back Institute, where I became familiar with the processes prior to a patient’s surgery and recovery. But I wanted to know more, and I became curious about the surgical procedures.” Specifically, Cortes liked that it’s a very “hands on” career and there is satisfaction in going home knowing she did the best she could that day. “I started my core at Collin College and was drawn to the healthcare programs,” she said. “When I finally realized that surgical technology interested me the most, I was happy to find that Collin College offered not only a certificate, but a degree. The program is well planned and the professors were there to aid us to our success. They are knowledgeable in their profession and truly cared about our outcome.” Visit www.collin.edu/surgtech for more information. v Mark Robinson is the public relations associate at Collin College. Photos by Nick Young/Collin College photographer.

2 6 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

living green

Greener toilet options have us flush with excitement by Peggy Helmick-Richardson

Throne, commode, john, loo, lav, privy, potty…and one of the earlier and most apt euphemisms—water closet. But no matter what you call it, the topic of this issue of Living Green is the toilet. Ten years ago, a friend of mine went to New Zealand for business. Although what she traveled there for was

2 8 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

completely non-environmentally related, it was that nation’s high level of environmental consciousness that caught her attention. One of the most baffling of the devices she encountered were their toilets, which sported two flushing options—a black button and a gray button. It took a few times before it dawned on my friend how to use these toilets—the black button was for solid waste and the gray for liquid waste only. And with that realization came another question—why weren’t we using these water-saving toilets in the U.S.? It was several years later before I saw my first dual-option toilet here. And I’m still surprised when I come across them. Despite their obvious efficiency, the popularity of these has still not caught on. We are dealing with drought conditions here in North Texas and in November, the North Texas Municipal Water District initiated stage 3 of their Water Conservation and Drought Contingency and Water Emergency Response Plan. This calls for a 10% reduction in water use. We often hear about the limits being placed on landscape watering and installations, swimming pools and non-essential community water use. But these are all outdoor uses. It’s what goes on behind closed doors that truly shows the mark of a dedicated conservationist or even just a concerned citizen of our earth. And that’s why we are talking about toilets today. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the average family of four can use 400 gallons of water a day. Of this, 70 percent is from indoor use, and about 27 percent of the indoor water is used to flush toilets. Per year, that

means each person in the United States uses approximately 7,000 gallons of water just from flushing toilets. If you have an older toilet in your home, it can use from 3.5 to 7 gallons of water per flush. If you swap out your water-hogging toilet for one in the EPA’s WaterSense Partnership Program you will reduce the water usage by up to 80 percent. Included on this list are toilets with dual flush mechanisms. According to the EPA calculations, if a family of four replaces a toilet installed after 1994 with a WaterSense toilet, they will save about 2,400 gallons of water each year. If this same family replaces a toilet in their home that was installed between 1980 and 1994, the water savings jumps to 16,000 gallons a year. As a further incentive, the City of Allen offers rebates for residents replacing their water-guzzling high flow toilet with a low flow one. For the first toilet, this rebate is for up to 50 percent of the price of the new toilet, up to $100. The maximum rebate drops to $75 for the second toilet and $50 for the third. This rebate will be credited to the resident’s water bill. Homes that qualify for this rebate must be built prior to 1998 and the resident must schedule a pickup of the old toilet to confirm that it is a high flow model. The rebate forms can be found on the City of Allen website, http:// www.cityofallen.org/departments. Under the Community Services heading, you will find the rebate form and related rules along with other water conservation rebates. If replacing a toilet is not an immediate option, there are other ways you can save on water. One is to reduce the amount of water your toilet uses to flush by placing tightly-closed plastic bottles filled with enough sand or pebbles so they will sink in the tank. Just be sure that 3 gallons of water remains in the tank so there will be enough for a sufficient flush. If you have to flush more than once or hold the handle down longer to get enough water, then your efforts at water saving are negated. Another issue to consider is a leaking toilet. If your loo is loose, you can be losing 200 gallons of water a day. If you are not sure if you have a leak problem, it is easy to test. Put food coloring in your tank water and go back and check 30 minutes later. If the dye begins to appear in the bowl water, you know there is a leak that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. If it weren’t for our flush toilets, all of the water used in our homes today would be so-called gray water. As in times past, dishwashing and laundry water could be diverted to gardens, flowerbeds and lawns.

Dual-flush toilet control One option to replace our traditional water-wasting toilets is the composting toilet. First originating in Sweden over 40 years ago, these rely on aerobic bacteria to break down human waste, much like our garden compost piles. Today, these are primarily used in more remote locations, especially where water sources are limited, but their use in urban homes is growing. And lest you think of these as little more than a modernized indoor outhouse, take a look at the Bio-Lux. Made in Japan, these units use sawdust to convert human waste into water and carbon dioxide. They are to be emptied twice a year and the end product can be used in flower beds. These come in several styles and capacities ranging from 16 to 200 times a day usage. With a starting price of about $9,000 for a basic stainless steel model, most Bio-Lux users will primarily be limited to the more well-heeled treehuggers. There are other more inexpensive composting toilets on the market though, such as the BioLet. This company’s version designed to serve a family of four fulltime and uses an electric turner, runs about $2,500. These also come with a more inexpensive hand-turned version, with both requiring a peat moss/sawdust starter mix. There are a growing number of options for composting toilets, with a wide range of prices. If you are interested in learning more about these, explore the growing number of resources for environmentally-friendly toilets on the web. The City of Allen does allow homeowners to use composting toilets, but their approval is contingent on proper installation. For additional information on the WaterSense program and a list of available WaterSense toilets, go to www.epa. gov/watersense. v Peggy Helmick-Richardson is a freelance writer.

Allen Image x March 2012

pet page Cameron, Camille and Cami were dumped in a box on a jogging trail in Waco when they were just babies. A kind jogger saw the box of puppies and got them to safety.

Cameron, Camille & Cami

They were taken into foster care and are in search of a forever home to call their own. They currently live in a house that has dogs, cats and kids of all shapes and sizes. They are house, crate and doggy door trained. They also do great riding in a car and walking on a leash and are currently learning the basic commands like sit and stay.

These puppies need loving homes They are approximately 10 months old and will weigh about 60-70 pounds when full-grown. The adoption fees for this trio of cuties include three sets of shots, spay/neuter, microchip and they are current on heartworm prevention. If you are interested in adopting any of these furry kids, please complete an online application today at http://www. collincountyhumanesociety.org/Forms. htm.

3 0 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

cooking

Cooking with the AHS Culinary Arts Department by Deborah Dove

When we walked into Blú, the bistro run by the Allen High School hospitality and culinary arts students, my friend Laurie’s jaw dropped. “This is not what I was expecting!” she said, taking in the hanging blue pendant lights, blue tile accents and sleek, modern stainless. From the upscale décor to the professional service, to the food, Blú exceeds all expectations of a student-run restaurant. We began our meal with a salad, which was a crisp and fresh arrangement of mixed greens and tomato topped with tortilla chips and served with either balsamic vinaigrette or peppercorn ranch dressing. Our waiter, AHS senior Humberto Sanchez, was both friendly and helpful, telling us that the tortilla soup was popular and that we must try the Chocolate Pot a Crème dessert. Sanchez, who is headed to UNT in the fall to study business and hospitality, knew what he was talking about! The chocolate dessert, an original recipe created by classmate Lauryn Lahman, was delightfully rich, warm, and gooey, and topped with homemade whipped cream. According to Sheila Hyde, who heads up the department with fellow instructor Jordan Swim, everything served at the restaurant is made from scratch, with the exception of the sandwich buns. That commitment to quality, along with the emphasis on both hospitality and cooking excellence, is undoubtedly what has made Blú such a success since it opened to the public in the fall. Allen’s program is unique in that it fuses both hospitality and culinary departments. Hyde, who brings 25 years’ experience in the hotel and

3 2 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

restaurant industry to the classroom, heads up the hospitality classes. Swim, who owns his own catering firm, Vestals Foods, is in charge of the culinary program. Accordingly, students working in the restaurant (all seniors, who must apply and be approved for the class) get experience working the front of the house as well as the kitchen. Jobs include general manager, food expeditor, food runner, waiter, cashier, bussing, salad/soup prep, line cooks and dessert station. With the exception of the GM job, which must be earned by showing proficiency in all other areas, students have the opportunity to work every job and all will have their food handler’s license by the end of the year. The restaurant typically features five types of entrees, which more or less stay the same, although they may be tweaked from week to week with a different glaze or preparation technique, or come with a different side. Recipes are created by Swim, whose enthusiasm for cooking elevates the students’ cooking style far beyond that of most high school students, or they come from the students themselves, usually as a result of an assignment. The baking department students have a lot of say in the selection of desserts, as evidenced by Ms. Lahman’s decadent menu offering. On Mondays, students scour local ads to see what’s on sale in order to plan a cost effective menu, then they go shopping. “We try to be good stewards of the tax payer’s money,” Hyde says. Tuesdays are for instruction, with students learning the business side of the industry and testing new recipes.

Wednesdays through Fridays, students work in the restaurant, which is open to the public and high school staff with seatings at 11, 11:30 and noon. Many of the students also compete in ProStart, a two-year program through the National Restaurant Association that culminates in a competition where teams either build a restaurant (make a business plan, create a menu, etc.) or prepare a three-course meal. Last year, Swim’s team won the State competition. Sample some of their creations with the following recipes.

Southwestern Tortilla Soup (4 servings)

6 (6-inch) corn tortillas 1/4 c. grapeseed oil, peanut oil, other high smoke-point oil 1/2 c. chopped onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 1 med. poblano or jalapeño pepper, seeded, veins removed, chopped 4 c. chicken broth or homemade chicken stock 1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained 1/2 tsp. coarse salt (kosher or sea salt) 1-1/2 c. shredded cooked chicken 1/2 c. (2 oz.) shredded Monterey Jack cheese (or mild cheddar) Chopped fresh cilantro 1 c. corn 1 lime, cut into wedges If you are starting with somewhat old, dried out tortillas, great. If not, put fresh tortillas on a baking sheet and in the oven at 200° for 10-15 minutes to dry them out a bit. Cut tortillas in half, and then cut the halves into 1/4-inch wide strips. Heat oil over medium-high heat in a 3-quart pot. Working in three batches, fry the tortilla strips in the oil until lightly browned and crisp. Remove tortilla

Johnnieka Holmes

Lauryn Lahman

strips from the pan and let drain on a paper-towel-lined plate. Add the onions to the pan and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add the pepper and cook for 2-3 minutes more, until the onions and chiles have softened. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more. Add the broth, tomatoes and salt. Increase the

Humberto Sanchez

heat to high, heat until the soup begins to boil, then reduce heat to a low simmer, cover and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the shredded chicken and cook until heated through. To serve,Â divide half of the tortilla strips among 4 individual serving bowls; ladle in soup. Top with tortilla strips and cheese.

Allen Image x March 2012

Tri-Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies (about 6 dozen)

1-1/2 c. butter 2-2/3 c. (packed) light brown sugar 4 large eggs, beaten 2 tsp. vanilla 1 c. all-purpose flour 1 c. whole wheat pastry flour 1-1/2 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. salt 3-1/2 cups oatmeal 8 oz. white chocolate chips 8 oz. semi-sweet chocolate chips 8 oz. milk chocolate chunks 8 oz dried cranberries Preheat oven to 350º. In medium bowl, combine flours, baking soda and salt. Set aside. In large mixing bowl, beat butter and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs and vanilla. Scrape down beaters. Sheila Hyde and Jordan Swim Beat in flour mixture. Slowly add in the oatmeal on lowest setting. Stir in all the chocolate by hand. Drop on baking sheets for a minute or two by rounded tablespoon onto ungreased before removing to a cooling rack. baking sheets. Bake 10-12 minutes. Bacon Mac and Cheese Remove from oven and allow to cool 3 c. uncooked elbow macaroni 1-1/2 c. whipping cream 1 oz. bacon crumbled 1/2 tsp. coarse salt (kosher or sea salt) 8 oz. sharp cheddar cheese, shredded 1/3 c. grated American 1/3 c. grated Parmesan 1/3 c. plain dry bread crumbs 2 tsp. butter, melted Cook and drain macaroni as directed on box. Return to saucepan; keep warm. Meanwhile, heat oven to 375º. Spray 13x9-inch glass baking dish with cooking spray. In 2-quart saucepan, heat cream and salt. Reduce heat; stir in cheddar cheese with wire whisk until smooth. Pour sauce over macaroni. Add bacon and stir; and pour into baking dish. In small bowl, stir together Parmesan cheese and breadcrumbs; stir in butter. Sprinkle over top of macaroni mixture. Bake 20-25 minutes or until edges are bubbly and top is golden brown. v Deborah Dove is a freelance writer from Allen. Photos by Larry Fleming.

3 4 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

calendar

MARCH

Collin College presents Hairspray, John Anthony Theatre, Spring Creek Campus, 2800 E. Spring Creek Pkwy., Plano, through the 11th. March 1-3 & 7-10, 8 pm; March 4 & 10-11, 2:15 pm. An adaptation of John Waters’ cult classic pop musical about a teen in the 1960s with the need to dance. $15 and $10 for students and senior citizens. Please visit www.collintheatrecenter.com for more information.

War of Love Tour: Fashion Rock Show, Hamilton Smith Foundation, 6:30 pm, McKinney Performing Arts Center, Downtown McKinney. Show benefits children with cancer, raising funds for charities including St Jude’s and Children’s Hospital. The evening hosts a unique fashion and music event that fuses haute couture, high-end fashion from the world’s top designers, alongside performances from NIQUÉ and Dallas Cowboys Official DJ SC, Studio 74’s dance crew and Dallas Pride Cheer Squad. For more information, visit www. hamiltonsmith.org.

Allen Event Center presents Survivor and Starship starring Mickey Thomas with support from John Parr. It’s as if we found your mixtape and brought in those bands to perform your favorite tunes live! Songs such as “Eye of the Tiger” (Survivor), “We Built this City” (Starship) and “St. Elmo’s Fire” (John Parr) are among the timeless classics which made these bands famous For tickets or more information, please visit www. alleneventcenter.com.

Live Smart! Health and Safety Fair, 9 am-2 pm, Collin College Central Park Campus, 2200 W. University Drive, McKinney. This annual event is free and open to the public. Get free glucose, cholesterol and hearing screenings, body fat tests, health and safety demonstrations and give blood. For details, call Dr. Linda Adams, 972.881.5777.

Collin County Master Garderner’s Annual Garden Show, 2-day event—Sat., 9 am-5 pm & Sun., 11 am-5 pm, Myers Park and Event Center, 7117 County Road 166, McKinney. Gardening presentations, nursery exhibits, kids area, and lunch available for purchase. Go to www. ccmgatx.org/TheGardenShow for details.

McKinney Repertory Theatre presents Crossroads at the McKinney Performing Arts Center, Downtown McKinney, through the 11th. March 2-3 & 9-10, 8 pm; March 11, 2 pm. A delightful story of two people who meet at a country store at a crossroads in the Blue Ridge mountains of western North Carolina. Finding each other by accident, they discover how much they have in common. Please visit www. mckinneyrep.org for tickets and further information. Doin’ it for Love” Benefit for Texas Humane Legislation Network, 7:30 pm, Majestic Theatre, 1925 Elm Street, Dallas. Join Hollywood and Broadway legends Kaye Ballard, Liliane Montevecchi and Lee Roy Reams in an evening of song, dance, and timeless comedy acts from the best of Broadway and New York cabaret. For more information, visit http:// thln.com or call 214.969.5807.

The Magic Orchestra with Dan Kamin, 9:15 & 11:00 am, Allen High Performing Arts Center. Third Grade Youth Concert in partnership with the Friends of the Allen Public Library, One Book project, the Allen Philharmonic welcomes internationally acclaimed performer Dan Kamin. Nerdy doesn’t believe in the magical power of music but when the conductor waves his magic baton, strange things begin to happen. Kirby’s clothes fall apart! He is transformed into a marionette to accompany the famous Alfred Hitchcock theme music. Visit www.allenphilharmonic.org for details.

3 6 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

Plano Symphony Orchestra presents Porgy & Bess and the Young Artists, 8:15 pm, the Eisemann Center, Richardson. Selections from Porgy and Bess will be performed, along with the winners of the 2012 Collin County Young Artist competiton performing concertos with the Symphony! For more information call 972.473.7262 or visit us online at planosymphony.org

2nd Annual Spring Market by GEM Express Preschool & Kindergarten, 9 am-3 pm, 2005 Estates Pkwy., Lucas. 3day event includes vendor fair, homemade baked goods, raffle items, Scholastic Book Fair, and children’s author Laura Eckroat. For booth information or details about the Spring Market, visit us online at www.gemexpress.org.

MARCH 8 Collin College Transfer Fair, 10 am-2 pm, Spring Creek Campus atrium, 2800 E. Spring Creek Pkwy., Plano. Learn about financial aid, transfer, pre-admission programs and more. Bring a transcript. For more info: http://transferu.collin. edu/transferfairs.html. 17 Bancroft Family Concerts presents Dallas debut of the Wyeth String Quartet, principal string musiciansof the Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra, 3 pm, Dallas Museum of Art, 1717 N. Harwood, Dallas. Free. For more info: www. fineartschamberplayers.org. 21 Collin College Auteur Film Series, Being There, 7 pm, Living Legends Conference Center, Spring Creek Campus, 2800 E. Spring Creek Pkwy., Plano. Free screening of the Peter Sellers classic, Being There. Simple-minded Chance is thrust into the limelight after his gardening advice is misinterpreted as deep political commentary. For more info: www.collin.edu/ academics/csce/auteurfilmseries.html.

CITY OF ALLEN Allen Event Center For more info: www.alleneventcenter.com. 1-4 Lone Star Conference Championship. Men’s Quarterfinals—tip off February 29. Five days of NCAA Division II Basketball action. Many other activities including an alumni and fan event at TopGolf on March 1. On March 2, Fanfest offers fun for the entire family with carnival rides, free food and performances just outside the main entrance of Allen Event Center. For more info: LSCChampionshipAllen.com. 6 Allen Americans Hockey vs. Quad City Mallards 8 Allen Americans vs. Quad City Mallards 10 Allen Americans vs. Missouri Mavericks 13 Allen Americans Hockey vs. Rapid City Rush 16 Allen Americans Hockey vs. Texas Brahmas 17 Allen Americans Hockey vs. Texas Brahmas 23 Survivor & Starship starring Mickey Thomas with special guest, John Parr. Songs such as “Eye of the Tiger” (Survivor), “We Built this City” (Starship) and “St. Elmo’s Fire” (John Parr) are among the classics. 24 Allen Americans Hockey vs. Texas Brahmas 25 Allen Americans Hockey vs. Wichita Thunder 31 Allen Wranglers vs. Nebraska Danger

Parks and Recreation Events 10&24 Saturday Night Rec & Roll, Joe Farmer Rec Center. Grades 3-6. Gym games, dancing, dodge ball, contests with prizes. Supervision provided, concessions available. Party Packs

$12. ID card (1-time $5 fee) required and must be purchased at JFRC before 5:30 p.m. day of event. Walk up-$10/$14 party pack). For more info: call JFRC at 214.509.4750. SNAP Dance (Mardi Gras theme), 7-10 pm, Rec Hall. Snap your fingers and shuffle your feet at our Special Needs and Adapted Program! Live music, a fun and creative theme, snacks & photo mailed to each. For more info: email tharben@cityofallen.org or 214509-4707. College Basketball Madness. Brackets due at 10 am. Pick game winners on the road to the Final Four. Use our brackets or bring in your own. The contest is free to ASRC, DRN and JFRC members. Family Night @ The Edge Skate Park. An opportunity for families to bring out their small children and enjoy the skate park. Children must be accompanied by at least one parent to gain entrance to the park during event hours. Visitor Center Lock In Fun-filled night! From video game tournaments to dodgeball and movies, activities all night long! Concessions will be available and meals will be provided. St. Patrick’s Day Skate. Come dressed in green to show your St. Patrick Day spirit and receive a free skate rental. Various on-ice games and activities for everyone to participate in. All on-ice participants must wear skates. For more info: 972-912-1097. Edge Visitor Center Staff Challenge. Participants will have an opportunity to play staff in foosball, billiards, Guitar Hero and more. Winners will receive one free item (valued at $1) from the concession stand.

Allen Image x March 2012

31 Eggcellent Family Adventure. Bring your Easter basket and stroll through Civic Plaza. Kids will visit tables hosted by civic organizations and local businesses and be awarded eggs, candy and other goodies. Also, a visit from the Easter Bunny. Great activities like games, crafts, face painters and a bounce house. For more information contact Tiffany Harben at tharben@cityofallen.org or 214.509.4707. Lunch with the Easter Bunny. Wonder what the Easter Bunny eats for lunch? Join the lifesized Easter Bunny for lunch and pictures at Recreation Hall. He might nibble on carrots, grass and seeds, but children will dine on a yummy lunch provided by one of our area’s delicious restaurants. Photo and adult lunch available for an additional fee. For more info: 972-912-1097 or www.AllenParks.org.

Adult Athletic Leagues Tennis—Session begins March 19. Quick Start Tennis is a USTA program esigned to get kids to develop a love for the game! For more information, e-mail: chasta_waters@allenisd.org Softball—Late reg. $360; format: 8-game season/ playoffs. Play begins March 12. Flag Football—$350; late reg. $365; format: 7-game season/play-offs. Play begins March 13. Ultimate Frisbee League—Reg. $265; format: 14-game season. Play begins March 15. Adult Men’s and Coed Soccer—Late reg. $530; format: 8-game season. Play begins March 13. For more information, log on to www.allenparks.org or call the Athletic Information Hotline: 214-5094810.

3 8 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

ALLEN PUBLIC LIBRARY Children There will be NO storytimes the week of March 12-15 Baby and Me: Pre-walkers with adult, Tue. & Thu, 10:15 am. Fun Ones: 1-year-olds with adult, Mon. & Wed., 10 am; and Tue. 6:30 pm. Together Time: 2 & 3 year-olds with adult, Tue. & Thu., 11:15 am; Wed. 10:45 am. All by Myself: 4 & 5 year-olds, Wed. 11:30 am. Family Storytime: 2-6 year-olds & family, Mon. 11:15 am; Thu. 7 pm. 10 Read to Rover, 10:30 am- 11:45 am. For readers age 5+ . Attendance is limited. Free tickets will be given out starting at 10 am. Buddy up with a Heart of Texas therapy dog and share a story! 12-18 St. Patrick’s Day Scavenger Hunt, Children’s Department. All ages.

compete to bring honor and glory to your district!

Adults Noontime Pageturners, noon, upstairs program room. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle . Bring lunch & a friend for a lively discussion. 10 Crossing Over Book Club, 3:30 pm, The Sky is Everywhere by Jandy Nelson. 15 Readable History Book Club, 7 pm, conference room. The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. 27 Armchair Travelers Visit Zambia with Uma Sridharan & Sugu Raghuraman, 7 pm, Allen Public Library, 2nd floor Adult Program Room. African-inspired refreshments will be served. Registration required. For more info: 214-509-4905. 6

CONNEMARA CONSERVANCY

Teens 11 Recycled Art Program, 2-4 pm. Ages 12-18. We’ll glue, cut & create works of art. 13 Science Day, 2 -4 pm. Come watch the movie Flubber and create your own flubberish substance. 14 National Potato Chip Day, 2-4 pm. Did you know that March 14 is National Potato Chip Day? Come by the library and taste test potato chips while you watch a movie. 15 St. Patrick’s Day Party, 2-4 pm. Get ready for green, scavenger hunts, more green, food and even more green! 16 Hunger Games, 2-4 pm. Have you read the books? Would you survive the Hunger Games? Test your Hunger Games knowledge and

Connemara Meadow Preserve

Bird Walk at the Connemara Meadow Preserve, 8 am- 11 am, Allen. Bring your binoculars and field guides if you have them, and learn what to watch for in habits, characteristics and calls from Gailon and Rodney, both with Prairie and Timbers Audubon Society. All ages are welcome. We recommend wearing long pants, closed-toed shoes, sunscreen, and insect repellent.. 25 Open House, 12-5 pm, Connemara Meadow Preserve, join us to wander (and wonder) at the Meadow by hiking the trails, watching the flora and fauna. Enter at Wooded Gate on East side of Alma, south of Bethany.

Astronomy Walk, 9-11 pm, Connemara Meadow Preserve, Join Clyde Camp for an Astronomy walk. Meet at the Suncreek Park circular parking lot at 9 pm sharp and walk to the Meadow the back way. For more info: www.connemaraconservancy.org.

CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS City of Allen offers a variety of affordable recreational classes and programs. Register at Joe Farmer Rec Center, 214-509-4750 or Rodenbaugh Natatorium, 214-509-4770. For more info: www.allenparks.org. Kids Helping Kids, bring new or gently used toys to Kids Pediatric Dentistry, donate to children in the area. Receive chance to win prize. For more info: 972-727-0011 or www. kidspediatricdentistry.com. MOMS Club McKinney Central, support group for stay-at-home moms. Play groups, daytime activities, Mom’s Night Out, holiday parties, babysitting 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. Texas Health Presbyterian, a variety of events. For more info: www.texashealth.org. Heart Link Women’s Networking group. Industry specific, women only business networking. Monthly meetings—days and locations vary. For more info: http://75002.TheHeartLinkNetwork. com. Urban Explorers is a laid back, fun, diverse social group with meetups throughout the Dallas area. Something for everyone! For more info: www.meetup.com/getoutandabout. American Cancer Society, Road to Recovery needs volunteers to drive cancer patients to appointments. If you have a car and can spare time 9-5, you can help. For more info: Debbie Moen, 972-712-5711. Divorce Care, 13-week courses—biblical teaching for recovering from divorce. For more info: Kim Tedford: 214-544-8050 ext. 109, ktedford@creekwoodumc.org or www. creekwoodumc.org. Baylor Health Care System offers support groups, medical information and events. For more info: www.BaylorHealth.com. Every Monday Allen Symphony Chorus rehearsals, 7-9 pm, choir room at First UMC. For more info: Henry Lessner, 214-893-5360 or henry@fortunefs.com. Ericsson Village Toastmasters Club, 12-1 pm, Ericsson, 6300 Legacy, Plano. Guests welcome For more info: Per Treven, 972-583-8273 or per. treven@ericsson.com. Fit and Funky Fit Club, 7:30 pm, Unlimited Success Martial Arts, 604 W. Bethany, Ste. 208, Allen. Work out to p90x, Insanity, etc. Free. For more info: fitandfunky@att.net. Preston Persuaders Toastmasters, 7:15 pm, Custer Road United Methodist Church, Rm B2, 6601 Custer Road, Plano. For more info: Ed Meissner, 469-323-0538 or Todd Richardson, 214-497-4495 or www. prestonpersuaders.org. Allen Image x March 2012

Allen Toastmasters’ Club, 6:30 pm, Keller Williams office at 1002 Raintree Circle, Allen. Guests welcome. For more info: mark.liberio@gmail.com. Every Monday, Thursday & Saturday Allen AA meets, 601 S. Greenville. For more info: 972-359-7383. Second Monday McKinney Ladies Association (SRLA), 7 pm, various meeting places. Please see website for outreach project of the month. For more info: www.mckinneyladies.org Heard Museum Collin County Hobby Beekeepers, 7 pm. For more info: 972-562-5566 or www. northtexasbeekeepers.org. McKinney Childcare Association, non-profit org. of state-listed, reg. and lic. home childcare providers McKinney area, 7 pm, locations vary. For more info: Alice Lang, 972-346-2280 or www. mckinneychildcare.com. American Association of University Women-Plano/Collin County Branch, 6:45 pm, Davis Library, 7501 Independence, Plano. Open to anyone with bachelors or assoc. degree interested in helping women. For more info: Carol, 972-862-3460 or www. aauwplanocc.org. Collin County Early Childhood PTA, 9:45 am, Parkway Hills Baptist Church, 2700 Dallas Pkwy., Plano. Nursery reservations required. For more info: Suzanne Judkins, 972-712-3634. Sons of Confederate Veterans, William H. L. Wells Camp, No. 1588, 7 pm, Tino’s Too Restaurant, 2205 Ave. K, Plano. Speakers, school programs, etc. Open to anyone interested. For more info: Lloyd Campbell, 972-442-5982. Third Monday Plano Amateur Radio Klub, all welcome. For more info: www.K5PRK.org. Allen Retired Educators, 10:45 am, Patrizio’s Restaurant, 101 Fairview Station Pkwy, Village of Fairview, Stacy Rd. and Hwy. 75. Anyone with a heart for education is welcome. For more info: Jerri Caldronia, at jlcaldronia@ suddenlink.net. 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. Fourth Monday Texas Democratic Women of Collin County meets at 6:45 pm, Collin College, Frisco campus, Rm F148. For more info: www.tdwcc.org or Barb Walters, 214-477-5183. Allen Seniors Genealogy Club, 1 pm, Allen Seniors Center. Must be a member of ASRC. For more info: www.asgconline.com or Richard Henry, 972-390-7402. Plano Photography Club, Grace Presbyterian Church, 4300 W. Park Blvd., Plano, 7 pm. Visitors welcome. For more info: www.planophotographyclub.com. Legacy 4-H Club (Allen and Lucas), 7 pm, Lovejoy High School, Lucas. For more info: kathrin_esposito@asus.com or 214616-2460.

4 0 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

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/$7 non-mem. 1st visit free. For more info: 972-727-5585. Toastmasters Creative Expressions, 11:30 am-12:30 pm. Raytheon, McKinney. Guests welcome. 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. McKinney CEA-HOW Anonymous, 7 pm, Stonebridge United Methodist Church, 1800 S Stonebridge Dr., Rm 104. A disciplined and structured approach to the compulsive eater or food addict. For more info: 214-5014-4927 or www.ceahow.org. Allen Serenity Al-Anon Family Group, 7 pm, First United Methodist Church, Wesley House, 601 S. Greenville. Offers strength and hope to friends & family of alcoholics. For more info: 214-363-0461 or www.al-anon. alateen.org. Every Tuesday & Thursday Volunteer Master Gardeners offer landscaping & gardening advice, 9 am-4 pm. Texas A&Mâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Co-op Extension, 825 N. McDonald #150, McKinney. For more info: 972-548-4232 or 972-424-1460. First Tuesday Heard Museum Native Plant Society meeting. For more info: 972-562-5566. First and Third Tuesday Common Threads of Allen, 7pm, Starbucks, 904 McDermott Dr. to share current needlework projects, learn new techniques and make new friends. For more info: contact Debi Maige at 214-7040994 or debik@verizon.net. Allen Lions Club, 7 pm, Nateâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Seafood, Stacy Road, Allen. For more info: kevin_carlson@sbcglobal.net. Second Tuesday Allen Senior Citizens Luncheon, 11:30 am, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville. For more info: 214-509-4820. Blackland Prairie Chapter of Texas Master Naturalists, 7 to 9 pm, Heard Museum, 1 Nature Place, McKinney. Visitors are welcome. For more info: info@bptmn.org. Allen Democrats, 6:30 pm, Reel Thing Catfish Cafe, 600 E. Main St., Allen. For more info: Deborah Angell Smith 214-893-3643. Newcomer Friends of Greater Plano, 9:30 am refreshments, 10 am meeting, 5228 Tennyson Pkwy, Plano. Program: Susan Boone presents Texas History: Fact and Fiction. Guests welcome! For more info: www.newcomerfriends.org. Plano Pacers run at Schimelpfenig Library parking lot, 5024 Custer, in Plano, 7 pm. For more info: Bob Wilmot, 972-678-2244, or www. planopacers.org. Collin County Archaeology Society, 7 pm, Texas Star Bank, McKinney. For more info: 972-542-1263.

Allen Image x March 2012

McKinney Area Newcomersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Club, Welcomes new residents, 9:30 am, Trinity Presbyterian Church, 5871 W. Virginia Pkwy., McKinney. Speakers, prizes and refreshments each month. For more info: www.mckinneynewcomers.com. Collin County ADD/LD Parent Support Group of Collin County, 7-9 pm, parlor, First United Methodist Church, 601 S. Greenville Ave., Allen. For more info: Shirli Salter, sscaroline@aol.com. Second and Fourth Tuesday Allen Area Patriots, 7-8:45 pm, New Heritage Church, 8 Prestige Circle, Allen. Local Tea Party presents outstanding speakers, enlightening and motivating citizens to participate in the political process. For more info: www.AllenAreaPatriots.com. Third Tuesday Allen Dialogue Support Group, 7-8:30 pm, First UMC, Wesley House, Rm. 1. For more info: Audrey, 972-519-1405. Allen-Frisco-Plano Autism Spectrum Parents Group provides support & resources for parents of children with autism & related developmental disabilities. Join online group at http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/ autismparentsupport. Allen Area Republican Women, 7 pm, Community Room-old library, 301 Century Pkwy, Allen. For more info: Susie Bartlemay, 972-396-1923. Daughters of the American Revolution, NSDAR, The General Bernardo de Galvez Chapter meets Aug.-May. For more info: 972-727-3090. Fourth Tuesday Allen/Fairview Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon and speaker, 11:30 am-1 pm. $20 member/$25 guest. For more info: www.allenchamber.com. Porcelain Art Guild of North Texas, meets at 9:30 am, Carriage House, 306 N. Church St., McKinney. Open to anyone, beginner to expert, interested in china painting and porcelain art. For more info: Gayle Harry 214-509-0787. Heard Museum Prairie & Timbers Audubon Society meets at 7 pm. For more info: 972-562-5566. Every Wednesday Allen Sunrise Rotary Club, 7 am, Twin Creeks Hospital, 1001 Raintree Circle. For more info: 972-673-8221 or www.asrotary.org. Allen Rotary Club, Noon, Courtyard by Marriot, 210 East Stacy Rd. For more info: www.allenrotary.org. Toastmasters SpeakUp Allen, 7 pm, Braums, 1222 W. McDermott, Allen. For more info: Dan Dodd, 972-571-7527. 2ChangeU Toastmasters, 6:45-8:15 pm, Custer Rd United Methodist Church, Rm B11, 6601 Custer Rd., Plano. Visitors welcome. For more info: info@2changeu.freetoasthost.us or www.2changeu.freetoasthost.us. First Wednesday Collin County Master Gardeners Assoc. guided tour of Myers Park, 10 am, 7117 County Rd. 166, McKinney. Res. requested. For more info: 972-548-4232 or go to mgcollin@ ag.tamu.edu.

4 2 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

Allen Heritage Guild, Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main St, 6:30 pm. For more info: 972-740-8017 or www. allenheritageguild.org. Art History Brown Bag Series, 12:30-1:30 pm, Heard-Craig Carriage Hosue, 205 W. Hunt St., McKinney. Lectures presented by Annie Royer. Bring lunch and enjoy. For more info: 972-569-6909 or www.headcraig.org. First and Third Wednesday Mothers of Preschoolers, 9:15-11:30 am, First Baptist Church, 1300 E. 15th, Plano. For more info: Debbie Parker, 972-424-8551. Second Wednesday Collin County Genealogical Society, 7 pm, Haggard Library, 2501 Coit Rd, Plano. For more info: 972-231-4190. VFW Post 2195, 7:30 pm, Reel Thing Catfish Cafe, 600 E. Main, Allen. For more info: Larry Nordgaard, 972-727-9956 or www.vfw2195.org. Second and Fourth Wednesday Mocha Moms of North Dallas, support group for stay-at-home moms of color, 10 am, at Douglass Com. Center, Plano. For more info: www.mochamomsnorthdallas.com. Every Thursday Allen Classic Cars, 7-10 pm, 103-111 N. Central, parking lot of Chipotle and Stacy Furniture. Sweet Adelines, NoteAbly North Texas Chorus, 7 pm, Grace Evangelical Free Church, 2005 Estates Pkwy, Allen. Women of Allen & surrounding area invited. For more info: nntsing4fun@yahoo.com.

Speak Up! Frisco Toastmasters Club, 7-7:30 pm social, 7:30-8:30 meeting. U of D-Frisco campus, 7460 Warren Pkwy (NE corner Warren Pkwy & tollway), rm 110-114. For more info: http://speakupfrisco.freetoasthost.ws. Allen Kiwanis Club, Noon, Twin Creeks Clubhouse, 501 Twin Creeks Blvd. Visitors welcome. For more info: Sandy McNair, 214-548-5483 or www.allenkiwanis.org. NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness of Collin County), Recovery support group for adults living with mental illness. Led by trained individuals. Free, 6:30-8:30 pm, Custer Road UMC, 6601 Custer Rd., Plano. For more info: 214-509-0085 or www.namicco.org. Community Bible Study (September 8, 2011 to May 10, 2012), 9:30-11:30 am, Community North Baptist Church, 2500 Community Avenue, McKinney. Bible study for women and children. Studying Daniel and Hebrews. Reg. required. For more info: bbrakebill@tx.rr.com or mckinneyallen.cbsclass.org. First Thursday W.I.S.E. (Women in Support of Enterprise), 11:30 am. Location varies. Networking & discussion of women’s issues. Fun & informative meeting for women in Allen & surrounding areas. $20 member/$25 guest. Payment expected unless reservation cancelled 48 hrs. in advance. For more info: www.allenchamber.com North Dallas Newcomers, meets Sept.-June, 11 am, Gleneagles Country Club, 5401 West Park Blvd., Plano. Mary Karr Handley will

entertain us with a humorous review of “Bless Your Heart, TRAMP, and Other Southern Endearments.” . Guests are welcome. For more info: www.northdallasnewcomers.net. Allen Garden Club, meets at 7 pm, monthly gardening talks by area experts, Allen Heritage Center, 100 E. Main Street. For more info: Denise Webre, 972-390-8536 or www. allengardenclub.org. Second Thursday Legal Aid Clinic, 6 pm, First United Methodist Church. For more info: www.lanwt.org or 1-888-529-5277. McKinney Area Republican Co-Ed Club, 7 pm, Collin County GOP Headquarters, 8416 Stacey Rd., #100, McKinney. Location sometimes varies. For more info: Renetta at 972-382-3220. Osteoporosis Support Group, 6:30 pm, Presbyterian Hospital of Allen, Community Education Rm-Medical Office Bldg. 2. For more info: 972-747-6036. First and Third Thursday Allen’s Community Theatre hosts Improv, 102 S. Allen Dr. For more info: allenscommunitytheatre@gmail.com. Second and Fourth Thursday Allen High Noon Lions Club, 5th Street Pizza (inside Stacy Furniture), 111 Central Expwy. S. For more info: Tony Pritchard, 214-293-1598. Third Thursday Allen Quilters’ Guild, 6:30 pm, First Presbyterian Church, 605 S. Greenville. For more info: www.allenquilters.org.

Allen Image x March 2012

Men of Business, networking and discussion of men’s issues for men of the Allen Fairview Chamber. Call for location. $20 member/$25 guest. RSVP required. For more info: www.allenchamber.com. Allen/McKinney Area Mothers of Multiples, new & expectant moms’ forum, 7 pm, First Christian Church, 1800 W. Hunt, McKinney. For more info: www.amamom.org or 972-260-9330. Collin County Republican Men’s Club, 7 pm, locations vary. For more info: Mark Rutledge, 214-544-0309. Knights of Columbus, 7:30 pm, St. Jude Catholic Church, 1515 N. Greenville, Allen. For more info: Steve Nagy, 469-569-3357 or www. stjudekofc.org. Cancer Support Ministry, 7 pm, First Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm E101. Our goal is simple—to support you any way we can. For more info: James Craver, 972-727-8241. Breast Cancer Support Group, 6:30 pm, Presbyterian Hospital of Allen, 1105 Central Expwy. N., Community Education RoomMedical Office Bldg. 2. For more info: 972-747-6036. 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. Meet new people and enjoy social activities. For more info: voyagersofmckinney@gmail.com. Every Other Thursday North Texas Referral Group, 11:45 am, Friday’s (121 & Preston by the mall). Beginning April 1. For more info: www.ntrg.info. Every Friday Allen Senior Rec Center Dances, 1-3 pm. Ages 50+. Members free/Non-member Allen resident $3. Non-Allen residents $24/annually. Allen resident annual membership/$5. For more info: 214-509-4820. McKinney Chess Club meets 2-5 pm, Senior Center, 1400 South College Street , McKinney. Adults 50+(Free). For more info: 972-547-7491. Every Other Friday MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers), nondenominational support group for moms with kids birth to 5 years, 9:30-11:45 am, First Baptist Church in Allen. Childcare provided. For more info: 972-727-8241. Second Friday Allen Early Childhood PTA, monthly meeting, 9:30-11 am, at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, 821 S. Greenville. Activities include play groups, field trips and educational opportunities, baby sitting co-op and more. Nursery reservations are available for children 6 mo.-5 yrs. For more info: www.aecpta.com. or information@ aecpta.com. Second & Fourth Friday Classic 55+ Game Night, 6:30 pm, First Baptist Church Allen, 201 E. McDermott, Rm E104. Enjoy snacks, fellowship and games (dominoes, Skip Bo and other table games). Event is open to the entire community, no reservations are required. For more info: 972-727-8241 or Eddie Huckabee at huckgolf@hotmail.com.

4 4 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

Fourth Friday and Second Saturday USA Dance, promotes the joys and benefits of ballroom and Latin dancing. Free lesson at 7:30, open dancing until 10:30 pm at McKinney Performing Arts Center. For more info: http://www.usadancenct.org. Every Saturday McKinney Chess Club meets10:30 am-1:30 pm, McKinney Public Library, 101 E Hunt St. Any age. Free. For more info: 972-547-7491. Second Saturday Heard Museum Nature Photography Club meeting. For more info: 972-562-5566. Department 56 Village Collectors Club meets in the Plano/North Dallas area to share ideas. For more info: Mike, 972-530-6712 or www. bigd56ers.com. Vrooman’s Regiment, Children of the American Revolution, service organization to teach children to serve their local community. For more info: 972-396-8010. Third Saturday Allen Folk Music Society, 7-10 pm, The Blue House, 102 S. Allen Drive, Allen. Musicians aged 15-100. Bring snacks to share. For more info: www.twiceasfar.com. Fourth Saturday The North Texas Unit of the Herb Society of America, 10:30 am, North Haven Gardens, 7700 Northaven Rd, Dallas. Garden talks and programs by local experts are open to the public. For more info: Beth DiGioia, 972-658-6852 or www. northtexashsa.org. American Sewing Guild, 10 am-noon, Christ United Methodist Church, 3101 Coit Rd (at Parker), in Plano For more info: Jane Johnson, 972-841-6854 or www. planoasg.org. Last Saturday Plano Pacers run at Bob Woodruff Park on San Gabriel Rd., Plano, 8 am. For more info: Bob Wilmot, 972-678-2244, or www. planopacers.org. Every Sunday Fit and Funky Fit Club, 7:30 pm, Unlimited Success Martial Arts, 604 W. Bethany, Ste. 208, Allen. Opportunity to work out live to p90x, Insanity, etc. Free. For more info: fitandfunky@att.net. First Sunday “The Health Report” with Dr. Michelle Miller, Ph.D, monthly public service health talk show KXEZ-FM 92.1, 9:05 am and KHYI 95.3, 10 am. Scleroderma Support Group, 3 pm, Allen Presbyterian Hospital, Conference Room 1. For more info: Cindi Brannum, 972-954-7185.

Please keep us informed of any local activities or events of general interest to our readers by fax to the Allen Image at 972.396.0807 or email to contact@ allenimage.com.

For Your Health

Allen Image x March 2012

For Your Health

4 6 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

For Your Health

Allen Image x March 2012

cover story

LIVING without FEAR by Nicole Bywater

Hang gliding and paragliding pioneer Dave Broyles proves that even though he’s 70 years old, he can still do anything he sets his mind to. For Dave, that means becoming great at wakeboarding. Dave Broyles’ lifelong love of high-risk sports began when he was just 18. He had just started college and bought a Triumph Tiger Cub 200cc motorcycle. Within a month, he was racing it and dreaming of a career as a motorcycle racer. But practicality won out, and Dave instead became a motorcycle mechanic and finished college. Still, Dave’s love of unusual sports flourished and he’s become an experienced water skier, hang glider, paraglider and bicycle racer. He’s competed and taught in these high-flying sports and also developed a gas-powered scooter tow system that allows for instruction in this extremely flat part of North Texas. Now 70, he’s quickly becoming an experienced wakeboarder at Hydrous Wake Park, which opened at Allen Station Park last fall, less than half a mile from the home of Dave and his wife of 28 years, Linda.

A l l e n I m a g e x D e c e m b e r 2 0 11

Dave, on the cover of Texas Highways in April 1975

5 0 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

Dave, a native Texan, says he enjoyed playing sports in high school, but because he was in the band, there wasn’t much extracurricular time left. After graduation, he received an appointment to the Air Force Academy, but was promptly disqualified after he was found to be near-sighted. Instead, he went on to the University of Texas in Austin, which is where he bought that first motorcycle. He left UT after his first year, worked on a pipeline in North Carolina and became a mechanic at a motorcycle shop in Fort Worth in 1963. He went back to school at UT-Arlington and continued racing motorcycles. And because he’s a “glutton for punish ment” Dave says he began competition water skiing at the same time. He was part of the Dallas Waterski Club, where another member encouraged him to try flat kite flying. “It looks like a big kite that you might pull on a string, except that you have some poor guy hanging on to it, and they tow it behind a boat with a rope so it stays up from the horsepower of the boat,” Dave explains. “That’s how I learned to fly flat kites.” From there, he met another friend who had a Delta Wing Water Ski Kite. “These were different than flat kites in that when you cut the throttle of the boat, they glided,” Dave adds. “He wanted me to learn to fly Delta Wing kites because he needed someone to take turns driving the boat and flying.” In one of his early

For MarketPlace Your Health

Allen Image x March 2012

lessons, Dave did a 360-degree turn in the Delta Wing kite, “which is something that beginners should never do because they always seem to kill themselves trying it for the first time,” Dave says. “But I had learned to fly airplanes when I was 16, so it’s wasn’t a big deal. I knew what I had to do; and that’s all the formal instruction I’ve had in hang gliding.” That was in the summer of 1972. Soon after, Dave was flying Delta kites (which he says are like early hang gliders) at various water ski com petitions for the next three or four years. “I won’t say that the major appeal was that it was dangerous, but the truth is that it’s something most people were afraid to do—and I wasn’t,” Dave says. “That was always something that I liked. I was sort of a nerdy guy, but the fact that I didn’t have any fear of stuff like that was a big deal.” Dave was still hang gliding and racing motorcycles until his son (from his second marriage) was born. “I decided that motorcycle racing was probably a little too dangerous for a new father to be doing, so I thought I’d limit myself to flying hang gliders—not knowing at the time that the fatality rate for hang gliding was way worse than for professional motorcycle racing,” says Dave. “It seemed safer to me. I was just really comfortable flying.” Dave’s son, who is now 34, has participated in hang gliding and paragliding with his dad, and recently made his first trip with him to try wakeboarding. “He was one of my best students,” Dave says about teaching his son to hang glide. “I always assumed it was genetic but somebody pointed out that a lifetime of watching people fly hang gliders is bound to be good for something.” Dave began teaching hang gliding in 1973 and served as president of the U.S. Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association for three years. “Then I sort of got burned out, so I started to race bicycles,” Dave says. “I was just about as much a fanatic with bicycles

5 2 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

as I was with anything else, so I raced and competed in that from about 1982 to 1986 or ‘87.” But no matter how much he trained, Dave says, he knew he was never going to win a bicycle race because he just wasn’t an endurance athlete. And, in 1988, he strapped his hang glider to the top of his truck and took off with Linda to Telluride, Colorado, to resume his hang gliding career by going to the top of one of the highest launches in the U.S. He stayed in Colorado a few days and got some good flights in before driving to Point of the Mountain near Salt Lake City, Utah, one of the world’s greatest sites for hang gliding and paragliding. There, he bought a new hang glider and went home, committed once again to hang gliding. Dave continued teaching, often starting beginners out by launching off of the levies of the Trinity River bottom. “It’s pretty pathetic because it’s only 30 feet high,” Dave says of the lack of high points in this area. “I would go to Austin and then to Pack Saddle Mountain near Kingsland, Texas, to get people their higher flights. Then, we’d have to go up to Oklahoma to find higher hills. It just wasn’t a real convenient process.” During these years, Dave had worked his way up from entry level to the highest level of programmer at Rockwell Collins, in a division that became part of Alcatel-Lucent. After being laid off from the company at age 59-1/2, Dave started his own homebased IT/computer repair business, something he still does today. That experience in engineering and mechanics paid off in 1988 when he met a paraglider instructor who had converted a Yamaha motor scooter into a stationary winch that could then be used to tow paragliders on flat ground. Dave was familiar with this method because it was popular in Europe at the time, he just hadn’t seen it used that often in the U.S. After coming back home and working for months to refine his own winch, this towing system quickly Allen Image x March 2012

became the basis for Dave’s training program. “I rapidly found that with the tow bridle attached just above the pilot’s center-of-gravity, I could use the scooter tow system to simulate hill launch.” Thanks to that discovery, Dave became free of the need for a

5 4 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

training hill, except for the final portion of his training program. In addition to being more convenient, the scooter tow method proved to be safer. “I can provide a virtual training hill from 10 to 500 feet tall all at the same spot with a stationary

winch,” Dave explains. “With careful operation of the winch a beginner can fly for 1000 feet and be no more than five feet from the ground. If he begins to stray, or have problems, he can instantly be set on the ground on the control bar wheels.” While hang gliding and paragliding certainly have their risks, safety is a top priority for Dave. Until 1991, the only real injuries he’d experienced were a cracked toe that he got sideswiping a car while driving his motorcycle to work and a broken bone in his foot from a bad landing in his early days of hang gliding. Then Dave had a major accident, breaking his arm mid-flight, in a hang glider 600 feet in the air over Hobbs, New Mexico. “Without a doubt, there had to be a previous micro-fracture that happened in my arm to trigger this, but my right arm just blew up,” Dave says. The break was in his dominant arm and trying to fly the aluminumframed hang glider left-handed wasn’t

For MarketPlace Your Health

Allen Image x March 2012

working. “When I saw the wingtip pass between me and the ground, I figured I was in real trouble so I let loose of the control bar and threw my parachute,” he remembers. “When I let go of the control bar, the glider folded up because I was in a dive. The nose pitched up and the force broke the glider. The parachute didn’t open and I rode the whole mess to the ground.” Dave spiraled to the ground, the one lucky thing that could have happened to save his life did—“I hit the ground and don’t remember getting a bruise on my body,” Dave says. “My ankle was dislocated from hitting the ground and my arm was broken from where it had snapped in the air. But that was it. I must have been coming up in the turn when I hit the ground, because there’s no real reason other than that, that I could be so uninjured after hitting the ground.” “My helmet never touched the ground,” he says, pointing at the spot in his upper arm where a titanium plate had to be inserted. “And I got a great scar out of it.” Two years and three months later, after surgeries and physical therapy, Dave was back in the air. “The whole time people were saying to me, ‘You aren’t ever going to fly hang gliders again, are you?’ I’d tell them ‘Yeah, I am,’ because there was never any doubt in my mind,” says Dave. “I’m not stubborn—just determined. And as far as flying again, I didn’t see any reason why I shouldn’t.” It was while recovering from that injury that Dave began paragliding, which uses many of the same principles of hang gliding, but is less strenuous on the upper body. “In hang gliding you have to hold on to a rigid control bar and it’s real easy to have a bad landing and smack your arm on that bar and break it,” Dave explains. In hang gliding, the pilot typically flies prone or head first, like Superman would. With paragliding, there is only an aerodynamic parachute with no frame and the pilot is supine, or upright. The pilot steers the parachute with small handles like in skydiving.

5 6 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m

“I liked paragliding just as much as I did hang gliding,” Dave says. A hang glider flies farther and has a better sink rate than a paraglider, but you can’t stick it in the trunk of your car and carry it to flying sites. You have to have a roof rack and it takes you an hour to set up while it takes five minutes to lay a paraglider out and fly. So I fly paragliders mostly because it’s convenient.” Today, Dave’s son says he’s proud that his dad has been able to continue hang gliding and paragliding, and that he’s found a new interest in wake boarding. “He’s a constant reminder that getting old doesn’t have to slow you down,” he says. “Did I mention that I was a fencer in college?” Dave asks. “I decided to try it again at age 63, but that drove Linda nuts because I had to drive all the way to Southlake to fence. That, and I dropped out because I’ve been hurt several times since I broke my arm.” Dave went back to lifting weights and swimming about a mile and a half every other day at the Natatorium. As luck would have it, on Dave’s way home from the Natatorium, he watched the construction on Hydrous Wake Park. He remembers telling himself that this was something he would have to check out. The morning the wake park opened, Dave was there. “I was pretty sure I would like it,” he says. “And wakeboarding seemed like something that I could do—using my experience from water skiing—without hurting myself.” Dave quickly picked up the basics and bought an annual pass on his fifth day, with a senior discount, of course. “This is what I do now instead of working out,” says Dave, who’s typically at the park one to two hours a day, three days a week. “I’m the sort of person who’s always trying to improve. I wasn’t a super-talented water skier—I was probably just a little better than average—but what I was good at was being persistent.”’ That persistence shows in Dave’s

wakeboarding skills, says park owner Chad Lacerte. Dave has already learned to wake board switch—he can ride with either foot forward. “His courage impresses me most,” adds Chad. “He’s awesome. He goes after it and isn’t afraid to try something new. He’s really encouraging to me and to the rest of my staff. It shows the tenacity of someone and that if they really want to do something, they’re going to do it.” Being one of the oldest guys at the

park doesn’t bother him, he says, as he’s always been comfortable around like-minded people, no matter their age. “Besides, I hadn’t gotten that old until just recently,” he says. “Hang gliding is full of guys in their middle age and paragliding is maybe a just little younger. But, when I go out there wakeboarding and do something neat, I’m doing the same stuff as the 24-yearolds, it makes me feel really good.” v Nicole Bywater is a freelance writer from Allen.

Allen Image x D Meacrecm h b2e0r 1220 11

B U S I N E S S C A R D S

5 8 w w w. a l l e n i m a g e . c o m