This ‘n Data

EMILY HILL NAMED 2022 MISS CINDERELLA IN A MILESTONE YEAR FOR CINDERELLA BALL

Emily Hill raised $164,586.89 to earn the title of 2022 Miss Cinderella at last month’s Cinderella Ball, during which the collection of 20

Miss Cinderella candidates raised a ball record $857,676.55.

The Cinderella Ball, which has been presented since 1967 by The Ladies Auxiliary and which marked its 62nd anniversary this year, is the major fundraiser for Arlington projects at The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County.

In all, the milestone amount raised by the 20 candidates vying to become the 2022 Miss Cinderella pushed the ball’s fund-raising efforts over the past six decades to more than $14.1 million. Hill, who is a sophomore at The Oakridge School and the daughter of Jake and Julie Hill, led the way with her astonishing total. Other candidates who were honored at this year’s ball, held at Esports Stadium Arlington, included Madeline Spain (first runnerup), Ellerie Saxon (second runner-up), Lauren Backman (third runner-up) and Hadley Worsham (fourth runner-up). The 2022 Catherine A. Lautzenheiser Scholarship winners included Isabella Reneau (first place, $1,500), Gabbi Webb (second place, $1,000) and Addison Gardner (third place, $750).

Gardner also was presented the AOA Volunteer award. Emma Northcutt was named winner of the Carol H. Zimmer award.

cinderellacharityball.com

Emily Hill raised more than $164,586 to earn the title of 2022 Miss Cinderella.

Photo: City of Arlington

PLANTING IS UNDERWAY AT CITY’S NEW NATIVE PLANT GARDEN

Planting began last month at the new Lake Arlington Native Plant and Pollinator Garden located near the Lake Arlington Dam.

The garden project has been in planning stages for more than a year and is a joint project between Arlington Water Utilities and Tarrant Regional Water District. City officials hope to work with local conservation stakeholders and community groups to restore native prairie and wildflowers to 2.75 acres of land adjacent to the Lake Arlington Dam. The gated area also features demonstration garden beds with native plants and a gathering area. The project is funded in part by a $10,000 grant from the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation.

3 SCOOPS

1. Financial Advisor Jamil Ahmed of the financial services firm Edward Jones has been authorized by the Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards to use the certification mark CFP®. The certification is awarded to individuals who meet the CFP® Board’s stringent requirements and features training in professional conduct and regulation, general principles of financial strategies, risk management and insurance planning, investment strategies, retirement savings and income planning, and estate considerations.

2. Medical City Arlington was recently named “Best Hospital to Have a Baby” in Tarrant County by DFWChild Magazine.

3. Members of the Mansfield High School Science Honor Society got busy last month cleaning the air, preventing runoff, beautifying their campus and combating global warming. So, you might ask, just how did they do accomplish all those positive quests? By planting trees. Students at the school partnered with the City of Mansfield and environmental nonprofit, ACCTCC, to replace trees that were lost in last year’s freeze.

Raise your hand if you made it a priority to race to the Texas Chute Out as soon as you got to Six Flags Over Texas so you could be whisked nearly 200 feet into the air with a signature “whoosh” before slowly “parachuting” back to earth.

Frazier Roofs & Gutters marks 45 years of serving this community

Frazier Roofs & Gutters recently celebrated its 45th anniversary.

Rich Frazier founded the company in 1977 with one truck and one building, and with and his late wife Sheila working in the office.

Over the years, Frazier grew the business and obtained his certification from the North Texas Roofing Contractors Association in both residential and commercial roofing. Later he served as President of the NTRCA for two consecutive terms. He gradually became more involved in serving the community by joining the Greater Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the Arlington Board of Realtors.

Continuing the family business, Rich and Sheila’s son, Kyle, began working for the company in 2013. He is also state certified in residential roofing. Kyle is a board member of NTRCA, RCAT, and is currently the roofing Sales Manager.

Kelly Rankin joined the Frazier family in 2019 as an administrative assistant. She was promoted to the accounting department with human resources responsibilities and is now the Chief Financial Officer. In 2020, Kelly & Kyle tied the knot, making her an official member of the Frazier family.

Photo: Baylor Magazine Photo: Baylor Magazine

SAM HOUSTON GRAD THASUNDA BROWN DUCKETT NAMED BAYLOR’S ALUM OF THE YEAR

Thasunda Brown Duckett, who graduated from Sam Houston High School before earning her M.B.A. at Baylor University and then becoming only the third Black female CEO of a Fortune 500 company, was named Baylor’s Alumna of the Year for 2022.

In May 2021, Duckett was named top executive of TIAA, a Fortune 100 provider of secure retirements and outcome-focused investment solutions to millions of people working in higher education, healthcare and other mission-driven organizations.

She founded the Otis and Rosie Brown Foundation in honor of her parents to recognize and reward people who use ordinary means to empower and uplift their community in extraordinary ways. T he Arlington Public Library will host family storytimes on May 4, 11, 18, 25 and 28 at the various branches. These events are not only fun for children but informative and engaging for parents and caregivers. These programs offer an excellent opportunity to foster a love of reading in your child.

tinyurl.com/2p82typh

Image: City of Grand Prairie

VIA GRAND PRAIRIE IS THE CITY’S NEW RIDE-SHARE SERVICE

The city of Grand Prairie last month launched Via Grand Prairie, a new on-demand, shared public transportation service for $3 a ride.

The ride-share project provides a minibus when you want to go and takes you where you want to go.

To book a ride, riders can use the Via Grand Prairie mobile app, or they can call 214-253-0874.

Once a ride is entered with pickup and drop-off locations, the system will provide ride options. Once an option is selected, riders are directed to a nearby “virtual bus stop” located within a short walking distance, and a driver is dispatched to meet them at that location.

The goal of Via Grand Prairie is to use technology to expand access to convenient, affordable, and sustainable transportation for residents and visitors to Grand Prairie.

The service is powered by Via, the global leader in TransitTech. Via’s advanced algorithms create quick, efficient shared trips that provide more flexibility for riders than is found with traditional public transportation options that are bound by fixed routes and schedules.

gptx.org/viagp

#atpetofthemonth

Punkin the Cat is a purrfectly sweet girl who can be quite vocal, in an adorable yet annoying tone. She loves her human dad so much that she often perches on his lap obsessively staring him in the face ‘til she gets lovins. Punkin was a gutter street kitty from Fairmount until we brought her home in Arlington 3+ years ago.

CITY DEDICATES LIBRARY TO THE LATE RON WRIGHT

The City last month dedicated the Lake Arlington Branch Library in memory of the late U.S. Rep. Ron Wright, who also served as Tarrant County Tax Assessor-Collector and Arlington City Council member.

Wright, a long-time Arlington resident known for his passion for historical preservation, was elected to Congress representing the 6th District of Texas in 2018. Prior to that, he served as Tarrant County tax assessor-collector from 2011 to 2017 as well as an at-large representative on the Arlington City Council from 2000 to 2008.

In addition to his many leadership roles on local boards and commissions, Wright was the founding president of the Arlington Tomorrow Foundation Board of Directors.

The dedication ceremony, attended by current and former City Council members, county and state elected officials, and numerous family members and friends, was held on April 8, which would have been Wright’s 69th

birthday.

Wright is the sixth of 11 trailblazers, civic leaders and faith leaders tapped by the City’s Honorary Naming Recognition Task Force to be recognized for their service or their contributions to the city.

The Ron Wright Lake Arlington Branch Library is located at 4000 W. Green Oaks Blvd. During the dedication ceremony last month Arlington City Councilman Andrew Piel recalled his long-time friend and mentor, noting his timeless values, his grace, selflessness, and humor.

“We used to talk about Ronald Reagan a lot, about how Ronald Reagan saw the United States of America as a shining city on a hill that held out hope of a better world, a better life, a better existence to everybody on this planet no matter who they were,” Piel said. “Ron felt that way about Arlington, too. He was a passionate defender of this community, who understood that his job was to conserve and nurture the good things about it, and then hand it to young people who then would take their step up and lead. He was truly selfless.” – Susan Schrock

Photo: City of Arlington

Arlington By the numbers

300

The number of books available to peruse in Arlington’s first public library, opened in 1922.

Source: arlington.org

$2.75

The price of admission at Six Flags Over Texas when it opened for business in 1961.

Source: arlington.org

30 million

The number of LED lights used to illuminate the HDTV video board at AT&T Stadium.

Source: arlington.org

1,140

The approximate number of vehicles produced daily at the city’s GM plant.

Source: arlington.org

35,000

The number of square feet devoted to meeting space at Live! by Loews-Arlington.

Source: arlington.org

CLAY SHOOT, ANYONE?

The River Legacy Sporting Clay Fun Shoot will take place on May 6 at Defender Outdoors Clay Sports Ranch (8270 Aledo Road in Fort Worth). Registration is at 8 a.m.

The shoot features two courses of 12 stations. All shells will be supplied, and there will be breakfast, lunch and an awards ceremony. Beer tickets and raffles will also be part of the event, proceeds from which will support the River Legacy Foundation. For more information or to become a sponsor, email shannon@riverlegacy.org.