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Vol. 1, Issue 9/December 2014 A sister publication of Alice24-7.com

s i e c n a D y r Rota ! e B o t e c a l P the

! s n o i t u l o s e R r u o y o t Stick

2 a Magazine December 2013

Hot New Year’s Eve Dance

ew Year’s Eve is one of the most festive nights of the holiday season. Couples ring in the new year, and share a kiss full of hope for the year to come. For the first time, the Alice Rotary Club is hosting a New Year’s Eve dance from 9 p.m. to 1 a.m. Tuesday, Dec. 31, at the KC Hall in Alice. The dance features local favorites J.R. Castillo and Jerry and the Ruf Nex, and is our “A Must” event for December. Proceeds benefit the Alice Rotary Club’s numerous charitable endeavors. Tickets are $30 each and sponsorship tables are available for $800. Tickets are available at the Alice Chamber of Commerce and Precision Auto Collision. Call 396-0096 for ticket information. The Alice Rotary Club has served this community for three-quarters of a century with projects ranging from

scholarships to leadership skills training for our youth to their Christmas party that benefits elementary students who might otherwise not have much of a Christmas. And on a world wide scale, Rotary has spearheaded the drive to wipe polio from the face of the earth – “and we are almost there,” Club President Todd Braun said “But, we wanted to do more...more and larger scholarships for example...more

of everything. So, we came up with the idea for a New Year’s Eve dance,” Rotary Dance Chairman Roge Hoffman said. “This way, you not only help Rotary increase our ability to do more for the people of Alice, you get to enjoy what is certain to be the best entertainment venue in the city--a dance featuring two of the areas favorite bands--J.R. Castillo and Jerry and the Ruf Nex. “We wanted to give the people of Alice something more than a receipt for a donation and we think this fits the bill perfectly. “Now, no one will have to leave town on New Year’s Eve to have a really great evening.”

A publication of Real Hometown Media, LLC. 201 E. Main Street, Alice, Texas, 78332, 361-668-6397 Nicole D. Perez Publisher/Editor Tony Morris Publisher Emeritus Vickie Cummings Marketing Director Brenda Poe Writer

Flu, Cold & Allergy Season is here!

Lois Stephens Writer Anthony Ruiz Writer

Flu vaccines available with no appointment necessary. Allergy testing and treatment.

Aaron Lopez Marketing Mark Molina Sports Editor Lisa Ketteman Office Manager Contributing Writers: Dr. Jason Bradford Pastor Kathleen Kasper Billy Scoggins, R.N. Distributed monthly in Alice24-7.com. ©2013 Real Hometown Media, LLC

December 2013 a Magazine 3

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An unexpected gift

he Alice Rotary Club and the Episcopal Church’s Men of the Advent teamed up on Saturday Dec. 14, to give a family a very special Christmas present - a wheelchair ramp for nineyear-old Christopher Saenz. Christopher, who has mild Cerebral Palsy, had surgery on Dec. 10 for tight heel cords caused by his constantly walking on tiptoe. The family’s home is up on blocks with the porch at least three feet above ground level, and Christopher’s mother, Rosalie Mendez, said she had spoken with a family member, Ruben Cardona, expressing concerns because her son

Story by LOIS STEPHENS Photos by ANTHONY RUIZ weighs about 100 pounds, and “it is not real safe for me to be going up and down the steps with him.” Mendez, who is a widow, said her late husband had a rare form of Multiple Sclerosis which made it difficult for him as his disease progressed to climb the steps to the home; and she also has a baby who is in a brace with hip dysplasia to carry up the steps, so she has been fighting the problem for some time now. Cardona offered to try and help; and contacted Baldo Cantu, who passed on the information to Rotary member Dee Dee Cantu Arismendez. She told the Rotary Club at the uu

Page 15

Rotarians Ted Bearden and Todd Braun help assemble the ramp for Rosalie Mendez’s home

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6 a Magazine December 2013

The greatest gift of all

he Christmas Season is full of hustle and bustle. Though it’s fun to think about what gifts we’d like to give to family and friends, there are times when we are concerned that we won’t be given the gifts that we would like to receive. This, then, can sometimes lead us to buy what we want and call it a “gift” we’ve given to ourselves. When we do A More Excellent Way this, we are guaranteed to get By PASTOR our heart’s desire. However, what KATHLEEN G. KASPER we’ve purchased for ourselves isn’t really a gift because we paid Pastor Kathleen holds degrees from the price for it. The very nature Texas Tech University, Valparaiso and definition of a gift is that University, and Lutheran School of someone else bears the cost. Theology in Chicago. She is currently Though we might think that enrolled in the School of the Holy we can actually “gift” ourselves, Spirit. She is an avid reader and there is one gift of priceless worth enjoys mentoring others in the that cannot be bought by any of Christian faith. She is the pastor of us. This gift comes to us from Living Word Fellowship in Alice and God and is the gift of salvation. can be reached at Salvation is the healing livingwordradio@hotmail.com between God and humankind

that became necessary after sin entered into the world. When God created Adam and Eve, He gave them freedom to have dominion over the earth. However, they were forbidden to eat from the ‘Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.’ That tree was in the middle of the Garden of Eden. Unfortunately, they chose to eat of that tree and when they did, their wonderful relationship with God was broken and they couldn’t do anything to fix it. But God loved them and the world He created so much that He chose to do what no man could have ever done. God would bring the healing mankind needed. Even though the Bible is clear that it was going to be God who would bring salvation to man, no one understood what God was going to do. And what God did continues to confound men to this day! God sent His

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own dear Son Jesus into the world to suffer the punishment we deserved. Instead of judging us, God put the entire weight of the judgment we deserved upon Jesus and Jesus died under the weight of that judgment. God did this all because He loves us. It cost God dearly and we might think that God would then pass on His cost in some way to us, but He did not. Instead, God gives the salvation Jesus purchased for us through the cross and grave free to us as a gift. Some people think that it was terribly cruel for God to allow His own Son to suffer as He did when Jesus was perfect in every way. But Jesus counted it as joy to go to the cross for us. He wanted to accomplish for us what we could never have done for ourselves. He suffered, died, and rose from the dead in order to overcome sin,

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December 2013 a Magazine 7

Tips to prevent Type II Diabetes Women’s Wellness By JUDY PERDUE

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here are 3 different types of diabetes: Type I diabetes (formerly called juvenile diabetes) happens when the body’s immune system attacks and destroys the part of the pancreas that produces insulin. Type I diabetics must use insulin injections to regulate their blood sugar levels. Type I diabetes accounts for 5 to 10 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes.

Type II diabetes (formerly called adult onset diabetes) usually develops in adults over the age of 40, but it is becoming more common in younger people. Type II diabetics either don’t make enough insulin or their body is unable to use insulin effectively. Type II diabetes accounts for 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases. Gestational diabetes develops during pregnancy. Women who have had gestational diabetes are 40 - 60 percent more likely to develop Type II diabetes in the next five years. Type II diabetes can be delayed or prevented. Studies have proven that just by losing 5 to 7 percent of body weight (10 to 14 pounds in a 200 pound person), being physically active for 30 minutes

a day, 5 days a week and making healthy food choices by limiting the amount of calories and fat in the diet can help to prevent Type II diabetes. Eat more whole grains. Look for breads and cereals that contain a lot of fiber. Eat smaller portions; NOBODY needs to supersize ANYTHING. Start now to avoid problems with diabetes later on in life. Contact your health care pro-

vider or the American Diabetes Association for more tips on how to stay healthy and avoid developing Type II diabetes. Diabetes is a self-managed disease, meaning that you, the patient, must take responsibility for your day-to-day health care. The National Diabetes Education Program is another excellent source of support and information. Start today learning how to live a healthier lifestyle and how to teach your children to make healthy choices as well. Judy Perdue spends four days each week as a women’s health nurse practitioner with Dr. Jason C. Bradford, M.D., at Alice Obstetrics and Gynecology Associates.

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Halliburton’s giving season

Story by BRENDA POE

ften times, we get so busy in our lives we forget to slow down and think about helping others. However the staff of Halliburton Alice, and now San Antonio, have been working hard year-round to raise $28,000 to contribute back into the community. Halliburton Alice District PE Service Manager Mike Brunston has spent the last several weeks delivering toys to local organizations that give back to the community. “This is our 14th annual toy drive,” Brunston said. “We delivered $1,500 worth of toys to the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Department because Lt. Okie Suarez submitted a letter asking for assistance.”

14th Annual Chili Cook-off Champions- Comin In Hott The money is raised by Halliburton employees through several fundraisers throughout the year.

The biggest money-making fundraiser thus far was the chili cook-off, said Halliburton Senior District PSL Service Manager

Roy Reyna, who is now stationed in San Antonio. uu

Page 14

16 12 a Magazine December 2013

New Year’s Resolutions

ew Year’s resolutions are a tradition that many embrace but few stick with as the year progresses. The most successful resolutions are often those that make the most positive impacts on peoples’ lives, such as improving their overall health or altering their career paths. Resolutions that save men and women money also are likely to prove successful.Though saving money might not be the primary goal of many resolutions, savings can be an added benefit for those who resolve to make the follow-

ing changes. 1. Quit smoking. Many people resolve to quit smoking to improve their overall health, as smoking has been linked to a number of health problems, including cancer. But quitting smoking also benefits your bottom line. Smokers who smoke a pack of cigarettes each day can expect to spend several thousand dollars a year on their habits.The cost of a pack of cigarettes depends on where a smoker lives, but a smoker who pays $10 per pack and smokes one pack each day will spend $3,650 in a year.

costly as well. 3. Eliminate debt. Debt costs money, and research has shown that debt can negatively

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2. Eat right and exercise. Making exercise a part of your weekly routine is another way to save money over the long haul. According to the National Association of Health Underwriters, men and women who combine a healthy diet with exercise three times per week can decrease their prescription medications costs by 70 percent and their overall medical costs by 30 percent. Exercise greatly reduces a person’s risk of diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and heart disease. Each of those conditions is not only unhealthy but

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December 2013 a Magazine 13

Halliburton

The cook-off had 21 teams participating, including 12 vendor teams and nine Halliburton teams. “Here at Halliburton, we consider all our employees family,” Reyna said. “We want to support the communities they come from. This year was a huge team effort, especially from the new transfers from Houston and some from San Antonio.” Halliburton also holds golf tournaments to raise money. “Oftentimes, we have raffles and auctions at the events to raise even more money,” Brunston said. “I have been with Halliburton for 18 years and have participated in all 14 years of the toy drive.” The toys donated to the Sheriff’s Department and Alice Police Department, just to name a few of the 10 organizations assisted, are even bought by the Halliburton employees. “We focused on ages 2 through 12. It’s fun picking toys,” Brunston said, describing how the cashier’s face looked when they rolled up with baskets overflowing to the register. “We hope to inspire other local oilfield companies to give back to their community.” Halliburton presented a donation of money to the Alice Police Officer’s Association to fund a Shop with a Cop event, which has not been held in Alice in some time. Brunston said that the company goal is to help as

Halliburton has donated to the Jim Wells County Sheriff ’s Department toy drive since it first began. much as they can. “We do this to show the community we are here to help out any way we can,” Brunston said. Chief Deputy Ray Ramon said that Halliburton has “been a very generous supporter” of the Jim Wells County Sheriff’s Department toy drive that serves children in the entire county. Halliburton has donated to the JWCSO for the seven years the department has been holding the toy drive. “The toy drive has gotten bigger and bigger, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the vendors and employees,” Brunston said. “With the chili cook-off, different departments compete for bragging rights for their chili and tent decorations. We invite the fire department guys to judge chili ’cause it’s hot.” The chili cook-off is often held towards the end of the year, in October or November. Then right after that, a golf tournament is held at which

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first through third places receive trophies. All the money raised, including the raffles and auctions, goes towards the toy drives. Brunston explained that the money is then divided between departments, or PSL, who pick a charity to assist. “I was surprised when we raised $28,000 this year, because we about doubled the amount of money raised the year before,” Reyna said. “It was a big employee effort.” Reyna and Brunston estimate that more than 1,600 employees participate in the fundraising. “We will continue to raise money and donate because there are unfortunate children out there that need assistance. The kids are the big winners is our motto,” Brunston said. “These families just don’t have the methods to provide the presents. Just seeing the child’s faces when they unwrap the present is the best feeling in the world.” Brunston said every year,

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Resolutions

affect quality of life. The longer men and women carry balances on their credit cards, the more interest they’re paying on those debts. The dawn of a new year marks a great time to resolve your debt issues. If your debts uu

money. Resolving to set more money aside for savings can save men and women money over the long haul. When they have more money in savings accounts, men and women are more capable of handling emergencies or other unforeseen

expenses on their own rather than relying on credit cards or lenders to help them make it through rough patches. Credit cards or bank loans come with interest charges, which will only make emergencies more expensive.

we accept what Jesus did on the cross for us, we receive everything he suffered and died for to give to us. This seems to be too good to be true, so good in fact that people have difficulty believing it. This, then, leads many to think that there must be something they must do to pay for it. The religions of the world, even Christianity, have made up all kinds of rules and regulations which they say

people are to do in order to pay for or earn what God extends to everyone in the entire earth for free. Let’s understand this one truth. We can’t buy salvation. We can’t pay for it in any way. We can’t work for it or struggle for it. It is a gift from our loving Creator. God created us and didn’t want to be permanently separated from us. He desires to be reunited with each of us but He will not force His priceless

gift of salvation on any of us. No, He offers it to us and all we have to do is receive it. Maybe this is the gift we need to desire more than anything else this Christmas. Coming to us from God, it is the most precious gift of all. Will you and I accept it or will we reject it? God’s hope and desire is that we’ll accept it, receiving it by faith in God’s own Son. The question is, will we?

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death, and the devil for us. What Jesus accomplished on the cross was wonderful! It looked like a terrible defeat but it was not a defeat at all. It was a victory, a permanent, conclusive victory. The only thing it takes for us to receive this gift of salvation from God is to believe what Jesus did. He did it for each of us individually and we receive it for ourselves by faith. When uu

are substantial, contact your creditors to discuss a payment plan that may help lower your obligations. Some credit card companies are willing to work with cardholders who are overwhelmed by their debts. 4. Start saving more

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Dec. 11 meeting about the family’s plight, and Bruce Hoffman said he and his brother Roger “looked at each other and thought, ‘We can do something about that.’” Bruce Hoffman said he and Roger are both members of both organizations, and the Men of the Advent had been looking for a service project of this type, not only to provide service to the community, but to raise awareness about Alice’s 100-plus-year-old Episcopal Church of the Advent. He said Episcopal churches in Corpus Christi have built more than 250 wheelchair ramps. After Arismendez told the group about Christopher, “Everybody got kind of fired up and said, ‘let’s do it!,’” he said. He contacted a local lumber company, which volunteered to donate the materials for the project, and the project took off from there. “We needed a way to give back to the community, and this was a good way to do it -

building a wheelchair ramp,” he said. “It’s a liberating thing for those who are wheelchairbound - they’re stuck in the house and if they don’t have a ramp, someone has to carry them out.” Bruce Hoffman said the groups also planned to hang some Christmas lights on the home to help welcome Christopher home. Mendez said, “I’m very thankful that my uncle thought to contact them and help me out. I am also very grateful that there are some very generous people in this town who are willing and able to help. Because of all the new rules and such, it was going to take Medicaid almost two months to get a temporary ramp installed.” Bruce Hoffman said it was really surprising how quickly everything fell into place to make the project possible. “We’ve been looking for something in the community, and it’s like this was destined to happen,” he said.

December 2013 a Magazine 15

SING! DANCE! LAUGH! SMILE! REJOICE! In other words, “have yourself a Happy Holiday season!” With best wishes and gratitude from all of us.

Yvette Terrell-Johnson

Frank Hinojosa

Raul Chapa

Mayor Larry Martinez

Mayor Pro-Tem Michael Esparza

500 E. Main St., Alice, TX 78332 • Ph: (361) 668-7210 • www.cityofalice.org/ 16 a Magazine December 2013