Brick & Elm | November/December 2023

AMARILLO’S PREMIER LIFESTYLE MAGAZINE

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34 | HARRINGTON HOLIDAY Art, fashion, and mid-century holiday decor stand out in this photo tour of one of Amarillo’s most iconic homes.

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PHOTO BY APRIL HENDRICK

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CA N’T M ISS

The top things on our radar

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SPOTLIGHT

Friends of AJ Swope

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Get up in the city’s business

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B ET TER B USINESS B UR EAU

ON THE COVER: PHOTO BY APRIL HENDRICK

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FO RWA R D

With Patrick Miller

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THE CHA SE

With Andy Chase Cundiff

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MINDSET

With Jim Womack

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SPACES

Holiday Hosting

VENTURE

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44 | VETERANS

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At this downtown rink, kids and adults alike are enjoying the coolest place in Amarillo

Amarillo’s only Medal of Honor recipient, the Texas War Memorial, and a Korean War POW

The fourth year of the festival brings public art, music and celebration to the city

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MAGIC

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PHOTO BY SHAIE WILLIAMS

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Kids in the Kitchen

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Nomad Napoletana

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W H ER E IN THE 8 06 With Panhandle PBS

PLUS: 63 | GIV ING 99 | HO L IDAY PHOTO BY SHANNON RICHARDSON

PHOTO BY ADAM BAKER

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IN FO CUS

The Art of Texas State Parks

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B ACK WHEN These Thy Gifts

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FINISH

Featuring Dr. Carolina Perez

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hi! it’s us hi! it’s us

y daddy, Elon J. Peters, enlisted in the U.S. Army in May 1958, where he served in the Corps of Engineers until he was honorably discharged in April 1964. He was stationed for a time in Germany, where he met Elvis Presley (by whom he was not look hearing back over past impressed). hen We Iloved histhe tales offew his time months, it feels like ages since I last in the Army, and he was buried with full military wrote an editor’s note, and then honors at his funeral in 2011. His military career at other times the weeks have flown by. In the provided him a lifetime in the electronic service middle of January, it seemed my days of typing industry, taught him discipline, instilled ain up my last-minute thoughts priorand to printing him valueswere of which was always magazine over. he And then … a proud: miracle.duty, honor and service to others. He raised me and my sister with those values,partner for which I am eternally grateful.

My longtime writing Jason Boyett

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became my new business partner and This holiday issueThis has “hyper-local” been in the works since we launched Brick & Elm, with Brick & Elm was born. plans made in advance to tour the beautiful and serene Harrington House magazine wasfar created in meetings at our during thehomes, holiday season, to honor Veterans respective and it’s the and compilation of local everything we’vewho eversacrificed hoped a for our freedom. While our team toured McKinney’s house (an extremely emotional Panhandle-focused publication couldDan be. The community outpouring for our new experience for overwhelming me), we saw many artifacts from his time as a POW—photos, project has been in the best way. My friends and local businesses have flags, banners, recognition of hismessages heroism,ofand one particular sign that sent streams of encouraging support.

Now I trulyhandwritten know what it means to brought to my eyes: Freedom isn’t free. Photographer Kait Bradford Bellmon say my cuptears overflows. and back tearsfantastic the entire time we were there.

Like Jason pens below, the ThisI choked is the first of many Amarillo-centric issues created by a true dream word “grateful” isn’t enough. This issue honors all of the bravemeasure men and team—Jason and the incomparable Kayla Morris.

I’m thrilled beyond to women who have sacrificed so much forforthe freedom we enjoy. share Brick & Elm with you.

Thanks reading.

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JOHN

’ve been wanting to do a Veterans-focused BOYETT issue since we launched Brick & Elm. Both of my grandfathers served in World War II. My mom’s dad, John E. Brown, served in the Marines and was stationed in New Zealand as a thethe best parts of my career memberll of military police corps.began My dad’s in the Amarillo College Journalism dad, John E. Boyett, Jr., was a waist gunner on Department.

There, the midthe B-17 Flying Fortress.

OninMay 10, 1944, 1990s, I learned to write fast.

I learned to he and his crew were shot down over Austria, edit.

I learned desktop publishing, design and he became a prisoner of war in Germany and photography. But what I learned most JOHN until May 2, 1945. He survived … barely. Both BROWN of all is that I really liked magazines. I ended endured trauma, loss and personal heartache up the editor of AC’s award-winning campus as very young men. Those experiences shaped AC Current , and fell in love with the magazine, them for the rest of their lives. They the life of our family. They shaped me. process of creating a publication, start shaped to finish.

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With a November/December publication, it’sFor tempting to jump right into the Here I am again, more than a quarter-century later. years, Michele and I have holidays.

But Itelling want to linger on Veterans from the sacrifice of worked together stories about our city. ADay, few months agoincredible we decided the Thomas E. Creek to the inspiring survivalindependent of Dan McKinney to about the remembrance time was right to launch a new, sophisticated, magazine Amarillo. and education theour Texas Memorial.

I wouldn’t be here if not It feels appropriateofthat first Panhandle issue coversWar topics like trail-building, business for the sacrifice survival of my grandfathers. thishistoric community also owes reopenings, creativeand problem-solving and breathing newAnd life into structures. debtlike toallthe military and women who sacrificed so much formagazines their families, Wea feel of those aremen metaphors for Brick & Elm, and maybe for print friends, and their hometown. “Grateful” is too small a word, and that’s why in their general. this issuetomeans so much me.way to shine a spotlight on the city we love.

So here’s fresh starts and to a new Thanks for reading. We’re honored that you’re here with us, at the beginning.

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KAYLA MORRIS

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Kayla has been designing professionally for more than 10 years. She was raised in the Panhandle and graduated with a design degree from West Texas A&M University.

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ADAM BAKER

Born and raised in Amarillo, Adam graduated from the University of North Texas School of Fine Arts in 2009, and spent the following decade as a commercial photographer in the Metroplex. He moved back to Amarillo in 2020 and began offering tintype photography via Perry’s Tintypes. See his work on Instagram at @perrys_tintype_studio and @adam_baker_photography.

JON MARK BEILUE

Jon Mark worked at the Amarillo Globe-News from 1981 until his retirement in 2018. Beilue received 16 statewide and national awards for his work. Beilue is a native of Groom and graduate of Texas Tech University. He and wife Sandy have two adult sons.

SHAIE WILLIAMS

Shaie is a portrait photographer with a passion for storytelling. He shoots for a number of local media outlets, and enjoys wedding, commercial and nonprofit event photography. See his work at williamspics.smugmug.com.

SHANNON RICHARDSON

Shannon has been a commercial/advertising photographer for almost 35 years. His work can be seen at shannonrichardson.com.

KAIT BRADFORD BELLMON

Kait is the owner of Three Feather Photo Co., a local lifestyle and wedding brand that specializes in destination elopements. See her work at threefeatherphoto.co.

WES REEVES

Wes was raised in Wellington and has lived in Amarillo since the early ̓ 90s. He serves as chairman of the Potter County Historical Commission and as a member of the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission board of directors.

APRIL HENDRICK

April is a commercial photographer who specializes in real estate and architecture photography. She was inspired by her parents to become a photographer after watching their love and passion for the art. See her work at aprilhendrick.com.

VENICE MINCEY

Venice is a natural light photographer, specializing in senior, family and child photography. Venice has been taking photos for more than 20 years. See her work at veniceminceyphotography.com.

KAREN WELCH

Karen is the senior content producer for Panhandle PBS. She is the winner of a Regional Emmy Award and more than a dozen individual or team reporting awards. Karen is a local, born and raised in Amarillo, and earned her bachelor’s degree in journalism from West Texas A&M University.

MEAGHAN COLLIER

Meaghan works in communications and marketing for Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo and spent 15 years as an anchor, reporter and producer in local television news.

She and husband Cody live in Amarillo with their dog, Bradford.

RYAN MCSWAIN

Ryan is the author of Monsters All the Way Down and Four Color Bleed. He’s written for the best industries in Texas. You can find him at ryanmcswain.com.

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Perhaps the most important story of the Great Plains: the interaction between bison and people.

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THE MAGIC AND HOPE OF THE HOLIDAYS The holidays are a tapestry woven with the shimmering threads of hope and the sparkle of pure magic. During this time of year, may you see those things with more clarity than ever before.

Your vision is our passion, and we're here to make your holidays brighter, one clear sight at a time.

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eck the halls with nutcrackers, holiday concerts, drag queen superstars, major movie releases and more. Here’s a taste of what to expect in November and December. For weekly roundups of your best bets, subscribe to our Brickly and Flavorillo newsletters.

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November:

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FESTIVAL DÍA DE LOS MUERTOS: The Amarillo Council for the Latino Arts will stretch out the Day of the Dead for nearly a week with its first Latin-American arts festival, featuring a Nov. 1 movie night, a Nov. 2 cultural celebration, a Nov. 3 parade along Polk Street, and a Nov. 4 grand finale featuring folklorico dance, art and more in the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Auditorium. Other events include Amarillo artist Delores Maldonado’s annual Día de los Muertos art exhibition Nov. 2 at Pondaseta Brewing Co.; Amarillo Museum of Art’s annual Christmas Roundup shopping expo Nov. 3-5 in the Civic Center Complex; the 28th Working Ranch Cowboys Association World Championship Ranch Rodeo from Nov. 9-12 in the Civic Center Coliseum; Pondaseta Brewing Co.’s fifth-anniversary party Nov. 10-12; Panhandle AIDS Support Organization’s annual Turnabout drag fundraiser on Nov. 11 at the Arts in the Sunset; the Tidings of the Trees fundraiser Nov. 16 at Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum in Canyon; and the After Gobble Wobble holiday hike Nov. 24 at Wildcat Bluff Nature Center. Plus, root on the Amarillo Wranglers hockey team at home games Nov. 2-3 and 17-18.

THE BOYS IN THE BAND: Amarillo Little Theatre tackles this classic gay drama about a birthday party that goes terribly wrong, to be staged Nov. 9-19 in the ALT Adventure Space. Other arts highlights for the month include the Harrington String Quartet on Nov. 3 at West Texas A&M University’s Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall; WT horn, percussion, jazz and brass ensemble concerts Nov. 5, 7, 9 and 12, all in Northen Recital Hall; the Amarillo College Piano Series on Nov. 7; WT Dance’s Falling into Dance concert Nov. 16-19 in the Happy State Bank Studio Theatre; Amarillo Symphony’s Brahms & Bluegrass mashup concerts Nov. 17-18 in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts; WT Concert and Symphonic Band concerts Nov. 29 in Northen Hall; and WT Opera’s Amahl and the Night Visitors performances Nov. 30 and Dec. 1 in the Sybil B. Harrington Fine Arts Complex Recital Hall.

LOS TIGRES DEL NORTE: The superstar Mexican family band returns for a major show Nov. 25 in the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Auditorium. Other concerts include J.D. Clayton on Nov. 2, David Ramirez on Nov. 9, 9 Eyes and Tanner Lane on Nov. 10, Seth Ward & The Silence on Nov. 11, Felix & Fingers Dueling Pianos on Nov. 17-18, and Cody Jasper on Nov. 25, all at Hoots Pub; rapper Paul Wall and others in the Amarillo Takeover Music Fest 2 on Nov. 4 at Hacienda La Grandeza; Aiden Logsdon on Nov. 4, The Huser Brother Band on Nov. 10, Parker Ryan on Nov. 11 and Palmer Anthony on Nov. 18, all at Golden Light Cantina; and the Unity in the Community music festival Nov. 10-11 at Hodgetown.

THE HUNGER GAMES: THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS AND SNAKES: Rachel Zegler and Tom Blyth star in this prequel to the Hunger Games quadrilogy, showing the game’s early days and major developments.

Other film releases include artsy biopic Priscilla on Nov. 3; the latest MCU film, The Marvels, on Nov. 10; animated sequel Trolls Band Together and horror flick Thanksgiving on Nov. 17; and comedy drama The Holdovers, historical epic Napoleon and animated musical Wish on Nov. 22. Special screenings will include Titanic: The Musical on Nov. 4 and 8; The Last Waltz on Nov. 5; Scarface on Nov. 12 and 15; X: The Life and Times of Malcolm X on Nov. 18; and Saving Private Ryan on Nov. 19 and 20.

December: A DRAG QUEEN CHRISTMAS: More top stars from RuPaul’s Drag Race bring holiday cheer and love, love, love back to the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts for a Dec. 21 tour stop. Other major events include Center City of Amarillo’s Electric Light Parade on Visit brickandelm.com for Dec. 1 in downtown Amarillo; comedian Chip’s expanded event Steve Treviño on Dec. 8, also in the coverage and movie reviews.

Globe-News Center; children’s show Better yet, subscribe to Blippi the Musical: The Wonderful World our email newsletters for Tour on Dec. 13 in the Civic Center breaking entertainment news every week!

Auditorium; and the Northside Toy Drive’s Black Tie Affair on Dec. 15 in the Civic Center Heritage Room. Plus, don’t miss Amarillo Wranglers hockey on Dec. 8, 9, 30 and 31.

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AARON WATSON: The hometown boy brings his family to town for his first major Christmas tour, hitting town Dec. 1 in the Globe-News Center. Other major concerts are set to include Texas country star Bart Crow on Dec. 1 at Hoots Pub; Jacob Stelly on Dec. 1, Amarillo native and guitar whiz Rodney Branigan on Dec. 2, and Slade Coulter on Dec. 8 at Golden Light Cantina; K-Love’s Celebrate Christmas tour with Natalie Grant, Danny Gokey and Mac Powell on Dec. 16 in the Civic Center Auditorium; and Amarillo guitarist Hayden Pedigo at the GlobeNews Center on Dec. 23.

C H I P C H AN D L E R Chip is the city’s arts and entertainment expert, having covered area events since 1998. Stay up to date on local happenings with Chip’s Can’t Miss picks in every issue.

can’t miss WITH CHIP CHANDLER

HAPPY HOLIDAY POPS: Ring in the Christmas season with Amarillo Symphony’s annual holiday show, with performances set for 2 and 7:30 p.m. Dec. 16 in the Globe-News Center. Other arts events to mark on your calendar include Amarillo Little Theatre Academy’s Prancer from Dec. 1-10 on the ALT Mainstage; soprano Alisa Jordheim on Dec. 1 at Amarillo Country Club for Amarillo Opera; Lone Star Ballet’s The Nutcracker from Dec. 8-10 in the Civic Center Auditorium; and WT Chamber Singers holiday concert Dec. 2 and WT Symphony Orchestra’s Music of the Christmas Season on Dec. 3, both in Northen Recital Hall.

RENAISSANCE: A FILM BY BEYONCÉ: The era’s other culturedefining musical force gets in on the concert film act on Dec. 1. Other film releases will include wild romance Poor Things and animated film The Boy and the Heron on Dec. 8 (limited); musical Wonka on Dec. 15; Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on Dec. 20; comedy drama American Fiction, romantic comedy Anyone But You, sports drama The Iron Claw and animated film Migration on Dec. 22; and musical The Color Purple and sports biodrama The Boys in the Boat on Dec. 25. Special screenings include Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas on Dec. 3 and 6; Max Lucado’s Because of Bethlehem Dec. 5-7; Waitress: The Musical from Dec. 7-11; and A Christmas Story 40th-anniversary screenings on Dec. 10 and 14.

Ms. Pioneer: Statewide Honor for M.D. Oliver-Eakle aps of the Texas and Oklahoma Panhandle region were still start, though often, she had to hide her identity. emblazoned with “No Man’s Land” when Melissa Dora Oliver “Many times, she used her initials [M.D. Oliver] because people first visited the area in 1890. Little more than a decade later, she didn’t want to do business with women,” Duke says. “It’s interesting had begun transforming Amarillo into a major metropolitan hub. that she was so far ahead of her time.”

This month, this trailblazer—better known as Melissa Dora “I can’t even imagine,” Henderson says. “Here you are, a wealthy, Oliver-Eakle—will be celebrated as a pioneering woman by the successful businesswoman, and men didn’t want to do business Governor’s Commission for Women’s Hall of Fame induction with her.” ceremony on Nov. 9.

In addition to the neighborhood she platted—now known as the “I really wanted to make sure that at least one woman from Plemons-Eakle Neighborhood, a National Register historic district— this region was nominated for the Hall of Fame, and Beth Duke Oliver-Eakle was responsible for building or financing a raft of wrote a great letter,” says Amy Henderson, a vice president and stores, offices and skyscrapers, many in the signature Pueblo Deco business loan officer for Amarillo National Bank and member of the style, that remain standing today.

Governor’s Commission for Women. “Because of that, Central to her legacy was Amarillo’s first skyscraper, a 10-story the commission decided to make this new pioneer beauty that opened in 1927 as the Oliver-Eakle Building. award, and that’s a really big deal.”

Twenty years later, it was renamed by her grandson, The commission will celebrate Oliver-Eakle Bourdon Barfield, as the Barfield Building. Today, during a cocktail hour before the awards after being closed for decades, it once again is a dinner, which will honor Leta Andrews, centerpiece of downtown Amarillo—a luxury the late Mary Horn, Val LaMantia, Opal boutique hotel listed on the National Register Lee, Lavinia Masters, Antonietta Quigg, of Historic Places and a finalist for Best the late Charlotte Sharp, and Elizabeth Renovation/Restoration award from Texas Suarez. To attend with other Amarillo Downtown Association. residents, contact Henderson “She would be so proud of the Barfield and at 806-378-8205. so proud that it has again become a jewel in our If it weren’t for Oliver-Eakle, Amarillo downtown,” Duke says. “I think she’d a century after her time might look quite be amazed.”

PROVIDED PHOTO different, say both Henderson and Duke, Oliver-Eakle’s influence went beyond real estate, executive director of Center City of Amarillo. though. She helped finance the original Amarillo Opera “It feeds my soul to read about these pioneers,” House and also helped establish the Amarillo Tri-State Fair, Duke says. “These are the people who invested in those early, early which recently celebrated its 100th anniversary. She encouraged years of Amarillo, and we are still reaping the benefits of their vision. her niece to run a book drive to benefit Amarillo’s public library, It took a lot to have the vision to make this little Panhandle railroad as well. stop into a major city.”

“I really wish I could go back in time and interview her,” Duke An Alabama native, Melissa Dora Callaway was born in says. “She had a mind for business and a vision as a developer, 1860 and graduated from Georgia Female College in 1879. She and she realized that with the railroad, Amarillo was going to be married William Oliver, the principal stockholder of Mississippi Mills, the capital of the Panhandle area. That vision is something very the south’s largest textile manufacturer in 1884. After he died in few people had. She saw land and real estate was the way to grow 1891, she moved to Amarillo, where her brothers were living; a few wealth and the way to make the city grow, and I think her vision has years later, she married Amarillo businessman O.M. Eakle. panned out.”

Melissa Dora Oliver-Eakle started investing in Amarillo from the

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Iconic Amarillo leader to be inducted in Women’s Hall of Fame

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hen we leave for work each day, Gary Pitner says, most of us have the expectation that we’ll return home at the end of the day. First responders and their families face significantly more uncertainty. “These folks truly do live with the possibilities that they may not make it home,” he says.

The Texas nonprofit Friends of AJ Swope has partnered with regional first responder agencies to raise money for a First Responders Memorial, planned for the northwest corner of S. Polk Street and 11th Avenue, just south of the historic Bivins Home.

Currently, the organization has raised a third of its $1.5 million fundraising goal.

While many of the Texas Panhandle’s fallen first responders have been memorialized for their sacrifices, this physical monument will be the first memorial to commemorate all of them in a single place. “It’s important for us to remember those people, to acknowledge their importance to our well-being here in the Texas Panhandle,” says Pitner, the board secretary of the Friends of AJ Swope organization. “We are still trying to identify folks [to commemorate] over the past 130 years, and are approaching 100 names.” These include law enforcement officers, firefighters, EMS personnel and emergency transport members. One of the earliest names is that of Henry McCullough, the Oldham County

deputy sheriff who was killed in a shootout at Old Tascosa. Others include the names of the 19 volunteer firefighters in the Sunray and Dumas Fire Departments who perished during the tragic Shamrock Oil & Gas Corporation refinery tank explosion and fire in July 1956.

Until the September 11 attacks, that tragedy killed the third most firefighters of any single fire event in the United States. “Thirty-five children lost their fathers at that one point in time. Real people with real lives here in the Panhandle,” Pitner says.

The memorial is one of multiple projects coordinated by Friends of AJ Swope. Most recently, the organization finished the AJ Swope Performance Plaza, an outdoor venue constructed in partnership with Arts in the Sunset.

Swope, a former television news reporter and anchor, musician, and business leader, passed away in 2013 at the age of 27 in a twovehicle accident on U.S. 287. “Doing the news with KVII, he was exposed to those first responders on a daily basis,” Pitner says of AJ Swope. “All things Texas Panhandle were important to him, and it’s important to us as friends of AJ to do things that are important to this community.”

The organization hopes to raise enough money to start construction by late 2024, and is currently accepting individual and corporate donations. To learn more, visit friendsofajswope.org.

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Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center received a Veterans Education Excellence Recognition Award (VEERA) from the Texas Veterans Commission.

TTUHSC School of Nursing Accelerated Bachelor of Science in Nursing program celebrated its 10-year anniversary recently.

Modern Healthcare has announced rankings for health care organizations recognized as Best Places to Work in Healthcare, with Physicians Surgical Hospitals returning to the list for the 10th year, ranking No. 8 among the top in the country.

Dr. Brian Weis, former Chief Medical Officer at NWTHS, is now the interim regional dean for the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine in Amarillo.

Cpl. Carmela Ogden is the new Public Information Officer at Amarillo Police Department.

The Amarillo Alzheimer’s Association has announced the appointment of Rocky Thakrar as Development Director.

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Guy Chiarenza is the new broadcasting and media director for the Amarillo Wranglers.

Northwest Texas Healthcare System has announced the appointment of Jason Barrett, MBA, FACHE as its new Chief Executive Officer.

The Heart Hospital at Northwest Texas Healthcare System recently celebrated its 20th anniversary.

TTUHSC recently announced the establishment of the TTUHSC Institute of Telehealth and Digital Innovation. The new institute is a part of the university’s continued commitment to providing health care access through innovation.

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18 The Dollar General Literacy Foundation recently awarded the Don Harrington Discovery Center a $4,000 grant to support its youth literacy efforts.

The Canyon Economic Development Council (CEDC) awarded a $100,000 grant to Creek House Honey Farm, a local honey producer and beekeeping enterprise, to support business expansion efforts and the creation of 2 to 4 new jobs within the community.

Cathy Schick has been named the marketing director for the Amarillo Venom.

Trae Kepley, former Purchasing Director at the City of Amarillo, is now Director of Purchasing/Records Retention at Amarillo College.

Derek Criswell, former Director of Finance at Canyon ISD, has joined Region 16 as Chief Financial Officer.

TTUHSC has received “Great College to Work For” recognition, with special designation as an “Honor Roll” institution. The results were released in September at GreatCollegesList.com.

The Amarillo area beef community presented a donation for $98,000 to the Snack Pak 4 Kids (SP4K) Beef Fund, to provide food-insecure students with high-quality beef protein through the Snack Pak 4 Kids weekend backpack program.

Andrew Freeman has been appointed as interim city manager for the City of Amarillo (COA).

Freeman was named COA deputy city manager in May 2023 and assistant city manager in August 2021.

Donna Soria has been named CEO of the Year in the Southwest Region by the National Office of the Boys & Girls Clubs of America.

Ascension Academy announced the addition of Cassie Montgomery as the school’s new Development Director, effective Oct. 3.

biz Canyon Independent School District (Canyon ISD) announced that Megan Brue of Randall High School and Grace Vareed of Canyon High School have been selected as Semifinalists in the prestigious 2024 National Merit Scholarship Program.

Adan Peña is the new Associate Producer at Panhandle PBS.

FMC Health announced that Dr. Genkai Huang has joined the practice on Georgia Street.

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West Texas A&M University Athletics and First United Bank recently announced a field naming rights agreement at the University’s on-campus football stadium.

The WT Technology Center was renamed for the Marmaduke Family as The Marmaduke Internet Innovation Center in September. The space was known for the last quartercentury as the Hastings Electronic Learning Center.

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Thirty-Nine 23 Management, LLC (39:23) has acquired Home2 Suites by Hilton in west Amarillo. The company also operates Hyatt Place, Tru

by Hilton, and My Place Hotels in Amarillo.

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biz The AC Foundation presented its Chairman’s Award to FirstBank Southwest in September.

Interstate Bank announced that Aida Adams has been promoted to Senior Vice President/ Commercial Lending and Loan Administration, and Blair Berg has been promoted to Senior Vice President/Chief Financial Officer.

Badger cross country coach Sean Hargrove is set to become Amarillo College’s new athletic director on Jan. 1. Assistant baseball and cross country coach Garrett Cobb has taken on the additional role of assistant athletic director.

The Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum announced the promotion of Kristin Johnson to Director of Education and Visitor Experience.

Bell Textron has signed a contract with New York firm Astronics Corporation to develop electrical power and distribution systems for the US Army’s V-280 Valor tiltrotor aircraft.

Amarillo College honored four individuals with the Distinguished Alumni Award in October: Dr. Pablo Diaz-Esquivel, Dr. Clint Esler, Matt Griffith, and Dr. Paul Matney.

To highlight your business briefs, promotions or awards in this section, email a press release or your information to mm@brickandelm.com.

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Paul Engler has donated $500,000 each to the Engler College of Agriculture and Natural Sciences and the Engler College of Business.

Do you know someone interested in returning to Amarillo? We would love to send them a gift to remind them of the great things happening in our community.

Provide their info and we’ll get in touch!

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BY JANNA KIEHL

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s charities make their final appeals for the year and donors look for ways to give back, it’s wise to consider ahead of time how and where you will give. Whether it’s in a jar at a restaurant, a call on the phone, a fundraising event or direct appeal, when you know more about who you are giving to, your dollars do the most good.

Billions of dollars are donated each year to worthy causes with the large majority of charitable donations coming from individuals.

With all the requests for donations, how do you decide which charity to support?

There are many charitable causes and many organizations helping individuals and communities. Pop-up charities might show up after a disaster. Some are specific to disaster relief. Local charities also rely on donations and volunteer support.

How can you tell if the charity asking for a donation is a real charity? How will you know if their cause will directly benefit from your donation?

Fortunately, BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance helps donors by providing information about charities that will help you decide which causes to donate to. At give.org, the BBB’s Wise Giving Alliance evaluates charities against 20 BBB Charity Standards.

Reports contain information about a charity’s programs, effectiveness, finances and governance—all things that you will

want to consider before making a donation. You can also find how soliciting charities spend donor dollars, an alphabetical list of charities, and other tips. If you don’t see a charity report, you can suggest a charity to be evaluated. When charities meet these standards it puts donors in the know and at ease.

“The overarching principle of the BBB Standards for Charity Accountability is full disclosure to donors and potential donors at the time of solicitation and thereafter. However, where indicated, the standards recommend ethical practices beyond the act of disclosure in order to ensure public confidence and encourage giving. As voluntary standards, they also go beyond the requirements of local, state and federal laws and regulations.”

—Give.org The Wise Giving Alliance also provides a giving guide quarterly magazine available at give.org.

While the majority of charities are ethical, many other organizations and individuals take advantage of the giving season by asking for donations that are not used to benefit a true charitable organization, or a specific cause. Some use soundalike names in order to look and sound like a reputable charity.

Unscrupulous fundraising activities steal from the local economy and contribute to a loss of faith in real charities who can help the most. Always check that your donation will do the most good.

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BBB WISE GIVING ALLIANCE Giving Tips:

1. Go to the experts at Give.org. BBB evaluates charities against the Standards for Charitable Accountability. Full, detailed reports are available on most local and national charities. Verify that your charity of choice is trustworthy and transparent.

2. Give with your heart as well as your head. Look at the name carefully and make sure you are giving to the charity you want to support.

3. Be wary of claims that 100 percent of donations go to the cause. Despite what an organization might claim, charities have fundraising and administrative costs.

4. Don’t give in to pressure. Trustworthy charities accept donations year-round and will accept when you’re ready to give.

5. Never write a check to an individual and don’t succumb to

requests to have a “runner” pick up a check or cash donation at your home.

Reputable organizations do not use pushy tactics. Take time to research organizations and their programs. There are many things to consider before donating, including what percentage of your donation will go directly to the cause, what percentage of your donation is tax-deductible and where your donation will do the most good.

Don’t count on the name alone—a charity’s name won’t necessarily tell you what it does to help others. Look at the charity’s website to find out how it tackles the problems in its mission, and make sure your interests support that mission.

JAN NA K I E H L Janna is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Better Business Bureau of Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle.

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f o r wa r d

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WITH PATRICK MILLER

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G

o as long as you can, and then take another step.” Step by step, this anonymous quote repeats in my mind as I run. For nearly two years, I have devoted the majority of my personal time to training for and competing in various 5K and 7K races. In fact, by the time you read this, I will have completed the first of hopefully many half-marathons. What began as an exodus from the psychological ills of my past has transformed into a beautiful—yet often painful—journey toward unlocking areas of new potential within my soul. Running is liberating for me. I can run with anger, sadness and, thankfully, even joy. What I have come to realize is that joy is not an abstract emotion acquired externally; joy derives strength from within.

We all experience different seasons in life. Some are full of despair, while others are full of bliss. Nonetheless, in this vast journey of life, we all must embrace what comes to us. In fact, the most profound personal growth often occurs during moments of uncertainty.

Accepting the tough moments in life—and then choosing to allow those to serve as motivators for something positive—will help you to unlock potential. Kobe Bryant once said, “Great things come from hard work and perseverance—no excuses.” All the tasks on your plate and all the wonderful people you meet along the way serve a unique purpose. But you have to determine your level of devotion to the lessons you will undoubtedly learn with each new opportunity.

As the year ends, I challenge you to take time to reflect on the times this year you went as long as you could and still discovered a way to take another step. I am sure you will be astonished to realize just how far you have come by utilizing your God-given abilities. I am equally sure that you will recall moments when your best did not feel like enough, and your distance seemed only but a few steps. That is OK. You still kept going. That is why you are still here and thriving. Stop comparing yourself to others, because your only competition needs to be with the person you were yesterday. Despite economic inflation, political drama, civil unrest, natural disasters, your own personal trauma, and a whole host of problems throughout the world, you kept moving forward. This was neither a matter of fate nor luck. Your faith and resilience brought you to this moment. Embrace joy!

Most of us wait until December 31 to plan resolutions for the

coming year. But I challenge you—and myself—to create resolutions long before 2024 arrives. How much more invested in fulfilling those goals would we be if we mentally prepared ourselves weeks in advance? “Before anything else,” Alexander Graham Bell said, “preparation is the key to success.” But our work does not and cannot stop with preparation. Again, quoting Kobe Bryant, “Mamba Mentality is a constant quest to be the very best version of one’s self.”

Whether you apply this to your interactions with your family, work life, or personal training, settling for less than optimal performance is an ingredient within the recipe for failure. So make a concerted effort to start new routines and develop better habits prior to January 1, 2024.

If what you want to achieve is worthwhile, you will invest in your plan rather than making excuses.

Ladies and gentlemen, we have two months to begin preparing for another year of opportunities disguised as adversity, and you are already uniquely positioned to achieve what you previously considered impossible. The civil rights leader and boxing legend, Muhammad Ali, once said, “Impossible is just a word thrown around by small men who find it easier to live in the world they’ve been given than to explore the power they have to change it.” There is much more to that quote, but I would like to make a point here. While you must invest in yourself, you should never lose sight of the important work of serving others. Whether you are actively involved in nonprofit organizations or you devote your time volunteering whenever an opportunity presents itself, please continue this important work. In a world seemingly dominated by egocentrism, find a way to prove selfless devotion to PAT R I C K M I L L E R humanity still exists. As Dr. Martin A passionate local educator, Past Luther King Jr. once said, “Everybody President and current executive officer of Amarillo Branch can be great because anybody can NAACP, Patrick writes in every serve.” Let us all strive to make issue about education, faith and 2024 the best year of our lives. forward momentum.

the chase

B R OT H E R S I N A R TS

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he way I met Kirk Richards, my great friend of many years, is a story unto itself.

When you live a more or less public life like mine, you never know who is out there watching. People can take pot shots, give undue criticism, or spew downright derision and the like—and be gone before you can even figure out who it was. It doesn’t happen too often. Maybe they’re envious, maybe they’re bored. It comes with the territory. You take it and go on.

Sometimes, however, by the same cosmic mechanism, the pendulum swings the other way, and God smiles on you and sends you a friend. An ally. Someone who actually knows what you go through because they are birds of your own feather.

I have a hard time remembering the exact year—must have been 12 or 14 years ago—I was on social media in a discussion about acoustic instruments, and someone asked me what my next guitar purchase would be. At that point I was still under the medieval impression that the instrument could make you a better player.

This is marginally true, but, oh, how strict that margin is! I told the questioner that, if at all possible, my next guitar would be a Taylor Leo Kottke Signature model 6-string—the Taylor LKSM as it’s called. “I will probably have to get on a plane to actually find one, but that’s the goal, anyway,” I shared.

Sometime around then, a fellow showed up at one of my gigs and said he actually owned the object of my dreams, the elusive Taylor LKSM. He also said he was a painter and guitar player and he really enjoyed my work. I looked around to see if I was being pranked. He was dead serious. I shook hands with him and introduced myself. His name was (and still is) Kirk Richards.

I asked Kirk if he would entertain the idea of letting me play the LKSM for a few minutes sometime, as otherwise I would have to go to Dallas to find one. He generously agreed to it and we set up a time.

Kirk’s studio is comfortable, well thought-out, well-lit, and strewn with masterful paintings. We spent some time viewing some of his work, and he told me the stories of a few. He has written and cowritten books on painting—his work as it relates to Christianity—and is listed as a Living Master in some impressive organizations. He is a member of the American Society of Classical Realism. His credentials, and portrait subjects, would astound you. He is a national treasure.

As I sat down to play the dream guitar, it was impossible to take my eyes off his work.

The LKSM was so sweet. It was pristine—not a scratch that I could see. I was careful to check my clothes for anything that would offend that beautiful, glossy tropical mahogany. It sang with Sitka spruce top

tones, rich, clean mid-range, and throaty bass notes. It was perfect. I was afraid of it.

I jokingly said, “I have to spend more time in your studio!” Kirk replied, “Well you could come and sit for a portrait.”

In the ensuing weeks, a lot of great things happened. Kirk actually sold me the LKSM guitar at an earthly price. I played it for quite some time, but never got over the fear/reverence of that instrument. Ask any guitar player: You have to treat your “working ax” like a rented mule. I couldn’t do it. Always felt like it belonged in some kind of guitar conservancy. So I sold it back to Kirk.

Kirk actually painted my portrait. I sat for him for 36 hours, plus or minus, listening to our acoustic heroes, like Tommy Emmanuel and Leo Kottke. I heard a great album that Kirk wrote and produced with his original songs for acoustic guitar. He introduced me to the music of Michael Hedges, who was somehow under my radar (and whom I highly recommend if you are into guitar music). We took breaks and played some fine guitars, but the most enjoyable part was sharing stories about our families, our favorite places, and of course the world of the arts—the richness of our gifts, and the interaction of those with work ethic. That’s stuff you don’t get to say in passing. Real conversation.

I forgot how many hours Kirk spent on his charcoal “study” for the actual oil portrait, but the study is a work of art. I don’t say that lightly; it is amazing. The final oil portrait is something to behold.

The best of those great things is that I have gained a brother. We have probably 20 or so guitars between us and an open-door policy.

Any time either of us needs one of them, they can get it. I also have learned more about art through AN DY C H A S E C U N D I F F conversation with Kirk than any Andy is an artist, singerupper-level university course. songwriter, music producer and musician. In every issue, his I don’t think it was a cosmic column explores the parts of his pendulum, after all. life that don’t always make it into I think it was a God thing. his songs, accompanied by his own illustration.

mindset

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Rules for Self-Help T

oday, the self-help industry is a huge business. Self-help books and videos are extremely popular, and many selfexperts are in high demand. But when you really look at it, there are very few new ideas. That’s why you see so many short-form quotes from ancient philosophers showing up on 21st century social media accounts—and their wisdom still seems to apply. With that in mind, here are a few bits of long-lasting advice for living a healthier life. They’re not exactly new. But they’re powerful.

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TREAT OTHERS AS YOU WOULD WANT TO 30 BE TREATED.

This command shows up, in some form or another, in all the major world religions. It’s hardly groundbreaking, but one of the best things you can do for someone is treat them with kindness. If someone is in need, lend a helping hand. Do it for the people you like and respect.

But in addition, try doing it for people you don’t know, and if possible, and even the people you don’t care for. Not only is this beneficial for them, it is also beneficial for you. Everyone has inner battles and issues. Try not to judge people, and instead offer them the respect you would like to get.

HAVE FUN.

A lot of us take ourselves too seriously. But laughter, smiling and activity—the things that came naturally to us as kids—have all been shown to be beneficial. You might call it “playfulness,” and as an adult it can have many benefits for our physical and mental health. It can improve your mood, improve the mood of those around you, and create a better atmosphere in general. It can also help you cope with stress.

Think about what you liked to do as a kid. Was it exploring outside?

Riding a bike? Playing games? If you engage in those same activities or a version of those activities as an adult, you are more likely to both enjoy the activity and keep at it, benefiting your body and your mind.

people experienced trauma in their lives, they developed “new understandings of themselves, the world they live in, how to relate to other people, the kind of future they might have and a better understanding of how to live life.”

TAKE CARE OF YOUR BODY.

Staying physically healthy is a very important part of self-care. This includes getting enough sleep, relaxing, physical hygiene, eating the right foods, and seeking medical care when needed. We think of stress as being primarily mental or emotional, but all of these physical actions help manage stress and contribute to our well-being.

Additional steps you can take are exercising, spending time in nature, and even expressing gratitude.

If you are having trouble getting started with a self-care routine, start small instead of taking on the toughest thing first. Pick one thing each week to start doing daily. Add in more self-care when you are ready.

WHEN NECESSARY, ASK FOR HELP.

Here are two things I know to be true. First, trying to fix things yourself is hard. Second, you can’t always wait for someone to reach out to you and ask if you’re OK. (That kind of thing makes people nervous. Identifying a “problem” in someone else risks a negative reaction.) That’s why I’m such a strong advocate for therapy.

Our culture still attaches a lot of stigma to the idea of receiving or seeking out counseling. Many people think that seeing a therapist represents an admission of failure, or at least indicates there is something wrong with you. But I believe that everyone—at some point in their lives—can benefit from counseling. In fact, even counselors need counselors. This, too, is part of living a full and meaningful life.

It’s great to show kindness to others. But sometimes we really need to show kindness to ourselves.

STRENGTH THROUGH STRUGGLE.

“What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.” We’ve all heard that statement, and while not always true, there is truth behind this idea.

Researchers at Northwestern University looked at the relationship between experiencing failures early in a person’s career related to where they ended up later. They found that experiencing failure at their jobs early on led to greater success in the long term for those who try again. And researcher Richard Tedeschi found that after

J I M W O M AC K Jim is the chief executive officer of Family Support Services of Amarillo, a local nonprofit that has been helping area residents since 1908. Jim has served as CEO of FSS since 2013, and has worked in various director positions in the nonprofit and criminal justice fields. Jim has undergraduate and graduate degrees from West Texas A&M University.

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HOLIDAY HOSTING: CATER OR DIY?

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BY RUTHIE LANDELIUS

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t was 1979. I had the coolest Barbie village any 8-year-old CONS girl could dream of owning. It was the original Wisteria • Time: Menu planning, grocery shopping, food preparation, serving Lane, built on a large plywood table in my family’s garage. and cleaning can be particularly challenging during the busy Townhome next to townhome with a camper van nestled holiday season. Also, you’ll almost always cut or burn yourself. in between, my Barbies drove sports cars, wore beautiful clothes, and (I always do.) hosted dinner parties with oven-roasted turkey, sugar dill carrots, peas • Stress: Planning and executing a DIY catering event can be and pearl onions, and champagne bottles—all crafted from modeling clay stressful, especially if you’re not experienced in cooking for a by my teeny hands. They sat around a table to share a beautiful meal. large group.

But what about behind this picture-perfect scene? Who designed the • Limited Capacity: Your kitchen and cooking equipment may tablescape? Who planned and prepared the meal? And who cleaned up restrict the menu, especially for larger parties. If you’re serving all the mess after the party was over? Exactly. They never show that part.

Beef Wellington, Cedar Plank Salmon, and Chicken Kiev—but you As we enter the holiday season, we may feel the itch to host a social gathering. From a seated dinner for 10 to a casual get-together with dozens of family and friends, the to-do list can be significant. Should you do it yourself or bring in the professionals? I’m a caterer, so you can probably figure out where I stand. But if you’re up for the task, here are a few pros, cons, and pointers to help you decide.

PROS • Cost Savings: When you do it yourself, you maintain authority over your budget. You have complete control to choose options for food and drinks that won’t break the bank.

• Customization: Curating the menu yourself caters to your guests’ specific dietary preferences and needs. Although a caterer can do the same, you have absolute control over the food choices to ensure Cousin Cecil won’t need to reach for his EpiPen. • Creativity: Planning your menu lets you get creative with what you choose to serve, the presentation, and its theme.

Whatever personal touches you add will make the shindig unique and memorable.

• Flexibility: Adjust the menu and quantities based on the number of guests, ensuring you have enough food and minimizing waste.

Calculating food quantities can be tricky, though. Keep reading for tips.

• Quality Control: Again, a reputable caterer should minimize the risk of subpar food. We always do our best to deliver exactly what you wish. But if you’d like to incorporate organic ingredients into your dishes or use those fresh vegetables you received from a friend’s garden, you can!

only have a single oven—you might want to rethink things.

• Clean-Up: Trust me when I say you don’t want to be the only one cleaning up the aftermath of a successful party. You just don’t.

• Potential for Mistakes: When it comes to cooking, time is of the essence. Having too many areas of focus can lead to a crash-andburn along the way.

• Missing Out: When you’re busy cooking and serving, you may miss out on socializing and enjoying the party with your guests. Why host a gathering if you can’t hear the latest gossip because you had to stir the risotto?

POINTERS If you’ve still decided to cater your party on your own, there are a few things worth mentioning that will make your experience as seamless as possible.

How Much Food to Prepare: Not having enough food can be the kiss of death, which is why every caterer has their own formula. The greater the variety of food, the more will be consumed, because who doesn’t want to try everything?

Hors d’oeuvres: A good rule of thumb is to plan two to three hors d’oeuvres per person if dinner will follow. If you’re only serving heavy apps, you’ll want to have at least five to six options (four or five savory, one or two sweet) with three to four pieces of each appetizer per person. For a higher ratio of men to women, offer heartier items or options that speak to their cravings. This isn’t to say only men eat more—I can wreck a charcuterie display—but make sure you offer a menu that fits the crowd.

Charcuterie: Plan one to two ounces each of cheese and meat per person, with four to five crackers per person. It’s also a kind gesture

THINGS TO KEEP IN MIND WHEN USING A CATERER We love it when you need us, and we’re here to give you the best experience possible when it comes to helping with your holiday party.

The pros and cons mentioned previously are still relevant, but those worries transfer from your hands into ours. And we love a challenge!

Mistakes can still occur. More times than not, you, as the host, never see it because the caterer has to be a ninja at night when it comes to correcting a mistake. But for a smooth and successful party, here are some tips that can help your caterer: Communicate: Details such as the type of event, date, timeline (cocktail hour, dinner service), location, and guest count should be discussed right off the bat. Let them know the theme of your party and any dietary restrictions or food preferences.

Schedule: Book your caterer well in advance to secure their services, especially during peak event seasons. Repeat customers are my favorite, and it kills me when I have to tell them I’m already booked and cannot accommodate them.

Give Access: Venue access is everything to us. After a long few

days of planning, shopping, prepping, and loading, we’re looking for convenience. Easy access to the workspace, loading zones, uncluttered food service areas and extra refrigerator/freezer space are so, so important.

Equipment and Utilities: Confirm that the venue or your home has the necessary utilities (electricity, water, gas) and equipment for the caterer’s needs. If you’re having a summer cookout, make sure your grill works!

Designated Contact: Whether it be yourself, the host, or another point of contact, be available for communication with the caterer. Stuff happens. We need to know who to talk to when we need assistance.

Seating and Preference: Share the seating arrangements and guests’ protein choice with the caterer to minimize serving mistakes.

This adds a personal touch.

Guest Count: Provide the caterer with the final guest count no later than a week before the event so they can acquire and prepare the right amount of food. For larger crowds, it takes days of pre-planning to make sure everything is perfect. Although we know things happen and guests have to cancel, it’s easier to add more last-minute than to take away.

Payday: Each caterer has their own payment policy in place, but I feel it’s up to the two parties on when and how payment should be made. Just be sure to follow through with whatever is agreed upon by both parties.

Feedback: We love to know how we did. Providing feedback after the event helps us to know whether we nailed it or could do better.

So, it’s not 1979, and I no longer play with Barbies. It’s 2023, and I play with food instead … and I do it for a living. I’ve fed anywhere from two to four hundred people at a time, and I love every part of it. It takes a little bit of crazy to love this line of work, and caterers across our city wear it proudly. So, if you don’t want to go at it alone and need our help this holiday season to make your event a smashing success, get in touch with your favorite caterer as soon as possible. We’re here for you!

R U T H I E L AN D E L I U S Ruthie owns Black Fig Catering and is proprietor of a food blog at blackfigfood.com. Learn more about her online classes at blackfigfoodprograms.com.

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to offer gluten-free crackers. Accompaniments can include honey and Marcona almonds, an assortment of jams, olive mix, hummus, crudités, various dips (1 cup for every 10 people) and a fruit display (¼ cup per person).

Timing Is Everything: As the party gets started, most guests will grab a drink first before they hit the food table. So don’t stress if you don’t yet have everything ready to go. Let your guests socialize a bit.

I’ve learned over the years that if you have the food set up in a different room, it takes a bit of time to be discovered. If it’s by the bar, look out.

Ice, Ice, Baby: I always suggest one pound of ice per person. That sounds like a lot, but you’ll need it for drinks and for chilling wine and beer bottles in tubs.

Glassware: If you’re using real glassware, plan to have one glass per person per hour. Otherwise, you’ll be washing glasses all night long. For disposables, plan for two per person per hour.

Clean Up: After the party is over, set your place on fire and step outside to watch it burn to the ground. Just kidding, but I’m not going to sugarcoat it: Trying to do it all will leave you exhausted. If you don’t feel you can do all of the cooking, decorating, set-up, and clean-up, ask for help from friends and family or give your caterer a call.

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PROVIDED PHOTOS

s p a ce s

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he grand entry to the home opens

PHOTOS BY century parquet de onto 18th

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Versailles flooring, installed by the Harringtons in 1953 and sourced from a French castle. To the left, a door opens into the Drawing Room. To the right is the Library.

The ribbons along the handrails were commissioned by Sybil Harrington and produced by New York City designer Helen Cole. The large Christmas tree on the landing serves as a focal point for guests, and was also decorated by Cole.

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Holidays

BY JASON BOYETT

at the “I HARRINGTON HOUSE

t’s like you step back in time,” Phyllis Rice says on the ground floor of the Harrington House at 1600 S. Polk St., just blocks from downtown Amarillo. The house was built in 1914 by pioneering Amarillo cattlemen the Landergins, before being purchased in 1940 by Don and Sybil Harrington.

In 1977, the home was listed in the National Register of Historic Places and Sybil, an influential philanthropist, made sure it would outlast its occupants, endowing it for future use as a historic home. (See sidebar.)

The decorations are very simple compared to the twinkle “lights nowadays, but it takes you back to history, back to a

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PHOTOS BY APRIL HENDRICK

different time.”—PHYLLIS RICE

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ice and her fellow Harrington House board members refer to this small room near the back of the house as the “Red Room.” It originally served as an office, and the silk material that lines some of the backs of the pillows matches the silk of the Paquin gown in the Music Room. Sybil was instrumental in designing this room. “We don’t know what it looked like when it belonged to the Landergins,” Rice says.

The striking Queen Anne walnut bureau dates back to 1710. It is exceedingly rare and has 21 concealed compartments. “We don’t open it any more because it’s so fragile,” Rice says.

Like most of the rest of the rooms in the home, the walls are decorated with fabric rather than wallpaper.

“When it’s very humid, it has a ripple to it. We don’t touch [the walls] when it’s humid because it makes the fabric pull away from the wall,” Rice says.

Because of that funding, the Harrington House remains open for tours throughout the year. On display are many furnishings and decorative items original to the home and others selected over the years by the Harringtons.

At Christmas, the home is decorated with holidaythemed decor, most of which Sybil commissioned during the 1950s and 1960s. “The fun thing about it at Christmastime is it’s not decorated like if you go to the mall or some of the retail stores in Amarillo,” says Rice, the general manager of the home. “The decorations are very

simple compared to the twinkle lights nowadays, but it takes you back to history, back to a different time. When you hear that 100-year-old case clock chiming, you can actually feel like you’re back when the house was alive with voices and parties.”

The Harrington House is open for free tours every Tuesday to Thursday until Dec. 14, but Rice graciously gave Brick & Elm the opportunity to photograph the home and its holiday decor for our readers.

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he Christmas decor in the library is simple, allowing the room’s oak paneling and leaded glass to do much of the visual work. “It’s just the garland, clothes and trees on the mantle, but it’s charming,” says Rice. The clothing on display is a black silk faille suit designed by Hattie Carnegie, which Sybil wears in the commissioned portrait above the fireplace. It was painted in 1950 by Arthur Elliot.

The bookcases contain Sybil’s diverse collection of books, from dictionaries and encyclopedias to works of fiction and high school yearbooks belonging to her daughter, Sally Harrington Goldwater. Several years ago, a Harrington House board member cataloged all the titles in the bookcases. “It’s amazing the variance of books,” Rice says.

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About the House

uilt across four lots, the Neoclassical home was completed and occupied in 1914. By 1929, all immediate members of the Landergin family had passed away.

Sybil Harrington is said to have admired the home as a child and was committed to preserving it. After she and Don bought it in 1940, they redecorated but made no structural changes.

“There’s really nothing like it between Denver and Dallas,” Rice says.

• The house was designed by the architecture firm Shepard, Farrar and Wiser of Kansas City.

• It has more than 15,000 square feet of floor space.

• It has four levels and 20 rooms total.

• It has 8 bathrooms and 7 fireplaces.

• The boiler still works.

• The Amarillo Area Foundation manages the endowment that maintains the home, the carriage house, and the grounds.

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he petite Sybil Harrington was known for her fashion, and the Harrington House rotates her clothing seasonally, including dresses made by Bill Glass, Givenchy, Chanel and other fashion houses. The red gown shown in the music room—which was on display last year but won’t be this year—comes from the legendary House of Paquin in Paris, designed by Jeanne Paquin. “She had an eye for design and a lot of classic style,” Rice says of Sybil. “But she also bought off the rack, too.”

Sybil was a musician and played the Baldwin grand piano shown here, which is still tuned regularly.

Displayed on the piano’s mahogany veneer are personal holiday greeting cards from friends of Don and Sybil Harrington, including cards from Bing Crosby, Adele Astaire (sister of Fred Astaire), and Ronald and Nancy Reagan. “She got a lot of cards from the Reagans,” Rice says of Sybil, who was friends with Nancy.

The photo of Don and Sybil on the piano, along with one of their dogs, was taken at their home in Phoenix.

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et for a formal dinner for six, the dining room table includes the Harringtons’ fine Edgerton china, crystal stemware, and monogrammed sterling silver, along with elegant asparagus tongs. The Italian place card holders and place cards—with settings for “St. Nicholas” and “Mr. and Mrs. Kris Kringle”—were handwritten by Sybil herself.

“They’re so cute and charming,” Rice says.

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nspired by the Della Robbia-style fruit decor that became popular in Renaissance Italy, the dining room’s sculpted ceramic decorations were commissioned, again, from Helen Cole. Above the fireplace is a 1947 oil painting of Sally Harrington, the couple’s only child, by Arthur Elliot.

Sybil bleached the oak paneling of this room upon moving into the house. “All the paneling was darker and she lightened it,” Rice says. It matches the table and sideboard, which are both original to the house.

The door opens into the butler’s pantry.

About Don & Sybil Harrington

F DON D. HARRINGTON

SYBIL B. HARRINGTON PROVIDED PHOTOS

ew Amarillo residents have had a more enduring local legacy than the Harringtons.

Donald D. Harrington arrived in Amarillo in 1926 at the height of the oil and gas boom. An independent oil man, he built one of the state’s most successful petroleum operations. In the process he met Sybil, an Amarillo native and the granddaughter of local pioneer J.E. Hughes.

Don and Sybil married in 1935.

They used their fortune to establish the private Don and Sybil Harrington Foundation in 1951. Sybil made the foundation public in 1988, turning over its control to the Amarillo Area Foundation. In the decades since, the couple’s philanthropy has worked to improve quality of life throughout Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle, helping create and/or fund the Boy Scouts’ Camp Don Harrington in 1945 as well as the foundations for Amarillo’s medical center, the Harrington Cancer Center, the Don Harrington Discovery Center, the Don D. Harrington Petroleum Wing of Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum, the Harrington String Quartet and many other scholarships, endowments, research centers and projects.

Outside the Panhandle, institutions from the Metropolitan Opera in New York City to the Phoenix Art Museum continue to benefit from the Harringtons’ generosity.

Don Harrington passed away in 1974. Sybil died in 1998.

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THE COOLEST SPOT IN THE CITY

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BY RYAN MCSWAIN

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t’s always a steady 55 degrees at the Amarillo Ice Ranch. As north winds scatter leaves outside, the cool, clean consistency of the ice feels like sweet relief.

Skaters of all ages lace up in a comfortable, warm room before gliding across the ice. A young man effortlessly pivots from skating forward to backward, a smile on his face. Parents chat about the current hockey season in Amarillo.

Despite more than 50 years of hockey history, the phrase “hockey season in Amarillo” still feels a bit foreign to some residents. But the Ice Ranch continues to bring the idea home. The downtown facility opened at 301 S. Grant St. in 2021. It features 17,000 square feet of smooth ice, plus locker rooms and spectator seating. Along with the heated room for putting on skates, there’s a snack bar, training room, and party room.

“Our mission is to positively impact as many people as possible through ice sports,” says Austin Sutter, President of the Amarillo Wranglers and co-owner of the Ice Ranch. “That’s not just hockey. It’s figure skating, it’s going to a game. It’s the kid who moved across the world to play hockey for the Wranglers and the family hosting them.

It’s a kid who takes a step out on that ice for the first time or the 73-year-old adult league player. It’s a kid celebrating their birthday

party. It’s folks coming out on Friday and Saturday nights when we turn on the disco lights.”

But don’t let the Friday-night disco lights fool you. This is a serious facility. “We have an NHL player who trains in our facility in the summer,” says Sutter. “He’s a goaltender who lives on a ranch outside Abernathy.” What makes the Ice Ranch worth the drive? “Amarillo actually has a pretty good climate for ice.”

Sutter and his partners have also created a great climate for youth sports. In what some might consider the unlikeliest of cities, youth hockey and figure skating are exploding. They coach more than 350 kids in youth hockey programs—and more than 100 young figure skaters at the Amarillo Ice Skating School, directed by Svetlana Petrey. “She’s amazing,” Sutter says.

Adults are joining in on the fun. More than 275 grown hockey players fill three different leagues, and an introductory skating class for adults has a waiting list.

Meanwhile, across the street at the Civic Center, Sutter oversees the Amarillo Wranglers. To handle day-to-day operations, the Ice Ranch has just hired Katelyn Anderson as the new General Manager.

The Ice Ranch and the Wranglers’ local ownership means affordability and accessibility. “It helps keep the fees low,” he says.

“And it opens a lot of doors. People show up for you.”

”

PHOTO BY VENICE MINCEY

AUSTIN SUTTER PHOTOS BY SHAIE WILLIAMS

PUTTING KIDS (AND GROWN-UPS) ON ICE

Amarillo’s ice sports are hotter than ever. “This year, all our programs have set records,” says Sutter. Thanks to a Kids Inc. partnership, several hundred youth graduated over the summer from an Intro to Ice Sports program. With four-week classes for participants from kindergarten through fifth grade, the program provides ice skates, and participants get to keep a T-shirt and souvenir hockey stick. After learning to skate, kids are introduced to the basics of figure skating and hockey.

“For kids ages 4 to 8 who want to get started with hockey, we partner with the Dallas Stars for the Learn to Play program,” he says.

The beginner classes fill quickly and run throughout the year. “The Dallas Stars offset the cost of all the equipment, and we donate the pro coaching and the ice time.” Their program for budding figure skaters, Learn to Skate, is just as popular.

Parents value Learn to Play because hockey equipment can be expensive. Participants receive a complete set of gear: skates, a hockey stick, safety equipment, a jersey, and more. There’s even an equipment bag. Taking it a step further, the Ice Ranch gives participants the $200 fee back in credit for league registration. Like most youth sports, these leagues range from in-house recreational play to competitive travel teams.

“Say you put your child in Learn to Play. We offer six sessions for $200. They get about $600 in value of equipment alone. They get to keep it all. If they want to play in the Amarillo Hockey Association, we give them that $200 back in credit. In a sense, it’s like trying hockey for free,” Sutter says.

The Ice Ranch doesn’t want expenses to stand in the way of kids learning the sport. “We have local businesses who help out with donations of equipment like jerseys and nets,” he says.

A former professional hockey player himself, Sutter knows the benefits of a team environment. “I think back on my own experience as a youth hockey player growing up in Canada. There are certain things your parents can teach you, there’s certain things the school can teach you, there’s certain things church can teach you. But there are also certain things that sports or art or music can teach you, right?”

Sutter believes that holds true for every age. In fact, the adult leagues at the Ice Ranch are just as robust as the kids’ program. “We have the fastest-growing adult program in the United States. And Learn to Play showed us how to do it. They get to keep the gear and get a discount for joining our leagues.” This year, 52 adults joined the Learn to Play program, and a wait list is already underway for the next session.

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AS MANY PEOPLE AS POSSIBLE THROUGH ICE SPORTS.

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OUR MISSION IS TO “ POSITIVELY IMPACT

For the adults, A, B and C leagues offer different levels of skill and competition, from ice veterans in the A league to beginners in the C league. “We have tons of women joining, too. It’s not a men’s league, it’s an adult league,” he says. “And we hear a lot about how much this positively impacts people. They’ve really built a community.”

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NORTH TO SOUTH

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Sutter grew up playing youth hockey in Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, with his team placing third in the National Championships. He went on to play junior hockey with the Powell River Kings, who named him Rookie of the Year, Leading Scorer, and MVP. He received a scholarship to play for Minnesota State University before joining the Amarillo Gorillas. He was Central Hockey League’s 2008-09 Man of the Year.

That same year, Sutter’s love of hockey led to a passion for coaching. He accepted the role of Assistant Coach for the Gorillas and later the Bulls.

What kept him in Amarillo? “I ended up playing here a long time!

Then I met my wife, of course. She’s a local. It’s how the story goes: You fall in love, and you never look back. We built a family here,” he explains.

“Amarillo feels like home. I grew up in the prairies in Alberta. It’s cattle, it’s oil, it’s windy. I love the blue-collar West Texas spirit and the humbleness. Everybody’s so giving and generous and welcoming.

You can’t find that anywhere else in the world.”

Sutter recalls his first day with the Gorillas. “I pulled up, and it’s literally a rodeo. Like, there are horses. The team tells me, ‘The bus is right there. We’re going to Lubbock to practice.’ If there was no ice in Amarillo, we’d go to Lubbock, we’d go to [Oklahoma City]. We’d go wherever we could find ice. We called it the Zamboni Rodeo.

“That’s when I realized: This is different from Minnesota State or Canada, where there are 15 ice rinks within a two-mile radius.”

THE GREAT ICE SEARCH

For a long time, Amarillo’s youth and adult hockey grew without a full-time ice facility. Thanks to the Civic Center’s sports and event schedule, ice was only available six months out of the year, during the hockey season.

“We want to develop players and make them better. Then we send them on their way to do great, successful things. And you can’t do that without ice time. You can’t do that without a facility,” says Sutter.

Amarillo needed a dedicated, year-round ice facility, but it would be an expensive, risky venture. Sutter and his partners spent years researching and exploring opportunities. Then, as the Bulls junior team was leaving, an empty auction house across the street from the Civic Center offered possibility. Everything finally fell into place.

“If you can skate every day, you can play college hockey, even pro

RESURRECTING THE WRANGLERS

Opening an ice facility is one thing. But Sutter and his partners didn’t stop there. They purchased the Kansas City Scouts hockey franchise and moved it to Amarillo, rechristening the North American Hockey League team as the Amarillo Wranglers. (The name honors the city’s Central Hockey League team that played from 1968 to 1971.

Another local team took up the Wrangler mantle in the Southwest Hockey League from 1975 to 1977, winning the league championship in 1976.)

Amarillo’s hockey community embraced the new Wranglers from the beginning. “And we saw huge growth in the second year. Out of the 32 franchises in the league, we were second in attendance. This year, our goal is to be No. 1.”

A junior ice hockey team, the Wranglers feature college-level prospects, mostly between 17 and 20 years old. How competitive is the North American Hockey League? “It’s a powerhouse, for sure.

The NAHL is one of the best amateur hockey leagues in the world,” Sutter says.

He and his staff pride themselves on getting commitments

and scholarships for their players. “Pierce Patterson, who won Defenseman of the Year, plays at West Point this year. Twin brothers Ben and Jack Ivey are both committed to West Point. Our goalie from last year, Carter Clafton, plays at the Air Force Academy.

We’ve got kids going all over to high-end hockey schools and doing very well.”

Austin Sutter serves as president of the Wranglers. Harry Mahood, who coached the team to the playoffs last year, has been promoted to President of Hockey Operations. They hired Ryan Anderson as the new head coach.

No stranger to Texas hockey, Anderson guided the Texas Brahmas to a North American Tier III Hockey League championship. This season in Amarillo promises to be an exciting one as the Wranglers continue to play their home games at the Civic Center.

But the Ice Ranch plays a vital role. When the rodeo comes to the Civic Center—like November’s annual WRCA World Championship Ranch Rodeo—the Wranglers don’t need to make road trips to practice. “They get dressed in the locker room, they walk up the ramp, practice at the Ice Ranch, walk right back.”

In the meantime, Sutter continues to invite the non-professional public to give ice skating or ice hockey a try. Even just once. “If we can get everybody to experience it one time a year, that’d be a great thing.”

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hockey. Why did I get to play hockey at the level I did? Because I skated outside every day of my life,” he says. “The Ice Ranch makes that possible for Amarillo.”

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COMMUNITY ASSIST

ustin Sutter makes sure the Wranglers and Ice Ranch are a positive presence in the Panhandle. According to Sutter, “I look at this thing as a ministry more than a business.” At special games, fans donate by throwing items on the ice. They bring teddy bears for Toys for Tots or socks and underwear for a homeless shelter. The team also holds silent auctions for the Wounded Warrier Project.

The Wranglers give their time to schools. “We partner with AISD and CISD,” says Sutter. “We travel out to Plainview, to Guymon. We take over the P.E. class and call it Hockey for Health.” Players discuss staying healthy with the students.

“Then we teach them drills and play a hockey game.” Last year they reached 4,200 students.

As for the Ice Ranch, school districts have a limited budget per student for field trips. Sutter keeps the price point down for AISD, CISD, Bushland, and other local districts. Some schools reward good behavior with trips to the facility. The Ice Ranch also works with churches and kid-focused nonprofits, including the Maverick Club. “We’d love it if every kid in Amarillo had the chance to come out and enjoy the rink,” he says.

Sutter understands how much the people in this area have given to Amarillo’s ice sports. “It’s a community. That’s why this all works. That’s why we go out in the community and we serve people and we give back.”

AUSTIN SUTTER

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KRIS AND ROSS CREEK

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THOMAS E. CREEK IN VIETNAM

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PHOTO BY VENICE MINCEY

BADGE OF HONOR

The story of Thomas E. Creek, Amarillo’s only Medal of Honor recipient

BY JASON BOYETT

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n his wallet, Ross Creek Jr. keeps two childhood photos of himself and his two younger brothers. Laminated back to back, the black-and-white images show the three Creek boys together, each born about a year apart.

Ross points to the photo, identifying himself, the oldest. “I’m the only Creek alive,” he says.

He points to the smaller brother in the middle. That’s Roy Creek, the youngest. Roy served two tours of duty in Vietnam with the Marines and died in 2003 due to complications from Agent Orange.

Ross also served in the Marines during the Vietnam War, deployed stateside since the government wouldn’t send two brothers to a war zone.

“And that’s Tom,” Ross says. He points to the blonde-haired middle brother. Born in 1950, Thomas E. Creek is the reason Ross joined the military. He’s the reason Roy joined the military. He’s the reason Ross’s eyes still get teary telling a story about something that happened more than 54 years ago.

“I’ve Got It, Mac”

In a city filled with military Veterans, Thomas Elbert Creek has earned special significance.

Countless local residents have served admirably. More than 1,500 Texas Panhandle Veterans have given their lives in war. But Tom Creek is the only Amarilloan ever to be awarded the U.S. Medal of Honor. In fact, he’s the youngest soldier in Texas history to have received the award.

PROVIDED PHOTOS

action, his men were inspired to such aggressive action that the North Vietnamese were defeated and the convoy was able to continue its vital mission. Lance Corporal Creek’s indomitable courage, inspiring valor and selfless devotion to duty upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.

Thomas E. Creek took a grenade for the five other Marines in his convoy. The act of extreme self-sacrifice shielded the others from the grenade’s deadly shockwave and fragmentation.

According to witnesses, when Tom saw the grenade land—and before he covered it—he shouted to one of them, “I’ve got it, Mac.”

American Boy

“What makes someone, in a split second, decide they are going to be a hero and save all those men’s lives?” asks Kris Creek. She and Ross married in 1977. She never knew Tom. The Creek brothers grew up poor on the north side of town.

Ross Creek Sr. was a truck driver. The boys’ mom, Bobbie, had three kids in diapers by the time she turned 20. The family worked hard but struggled.

“He was just an all-around American boy,” Ross says of Tom. “He loved baseball. He was a lefty.” They were members of the Maverick Club and played baseball there.

During the summers and after school, the brothers hustled to help out their family by earning extra income. They sold magazines.

They helped roofing crews. On Sundays, they would buy Spud-nuts from the Amarillo Boulevard location and resell them door-to-door.

Tom found work at a gas station, and later as a short-order cook at the Boulevard Denny’s. “For one summer, he drove an ice cream truck,” remembers Ross. “We’d go on the north side and there were always a few [kids] who didn’t have any money. Tom would end up giving kids ice cream. He didn’t keep that job long.”

Kris says the brothers were close-knit and the neighborhood

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Thomas Creek dropped out of Palo Duro High School to enlist as a Marine in January 1968. He was 17 years old at the time. He deployed to Vietnam that July, first seeing duty as a rifleman. By September, Creek had been designated fire-team leader with Company I, 3rd Battalion 9th Marines, 3rd Marine Division.

On November 1, he was promoted to lance corporal and had earned a nickname: “Billy the Kid.” He told his family it was because of his prowess on the battlefield, that he was gaining a reputation for killing so many Viet Cong.

But Tom wasn’t exactly bragging about it. In letters, he told the family his nerves were shot. “He said ‘I can’t even hold a cup of coffee.’ He was smoking two to three packs of cigarettes a day,” Ross says. “They took young men and made them killers.”

Three months later, at the age of 18, Tom himself was killed in action.

On February 13, 1969, Tom and five other Marines were providing security as a convoy moved to resupply the Vandegrift Command Base. Near the Cam Lo resettlement village, an enemy mine destroyed one of the vehicles and halted the convoy. The Marines immediately came under heavy fire from the surrounding jungle.

Creek and his squad fought back. While moving into a better position to engage, Creek took a bullet in the neck.

“One eyewitness said there was blood all over [Tom] as he was running and calling out ‘Take cover!’” Ross says. The Marines sheltered in a gully, and Thomas joined them, diving in. “I think he was really close to those five men.”

The original Medal of Honor citation explains what happened next: At the same time, a North Vietnamese fragmentation grenade was thrown into the gully where he had fallen, landing between him and several companions. Fully realizing the inevitable results of his action, Lance Corporal Creek valiantly rolled on the grenade and absorbed the full force of the explosion with his own body, thereby saving the lives of five of his fellow Marines. As a result of his heroic

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knew they weren’t to be messed with.

“He could take care of himself, but he wasn’t mean,” Ross says of Tom. “He cared about people.”

More than a year after Tom joined the Marines, Ross remembers coming home one day in early 1969. Military personnel had already come to the door and informed his parents of Tom’s death. “When I walked in, Mom and Dad were crying in the kitchen. That’s how I found out,” he says.

Eventually, Bobbie locked herself in the bedroom and, in her grief, refused to interact with the family for several days. Ross Sr. returned to work.

“Finally, I went and knocked on the door,” Ross Jr. says. He reminded her that, though she had lost a son, she still had two boys who needed her. “That was the day she came out.”

On April 20, 1970, Ross and his parents traveled to the White House—Roy was temporarily shipped home from Vietnam—to receive the Medal of Honor on Tom’s behalf. President Richard Nixon was still in Houston dealing with the aftermath of the Apollo 13 emergency, so Vice President Spiro Agnew presented it to the family.

AN EXHIBIT AT THE TEXAS PANHANDLE WAR MEMORIAL CENTER

Veterans Affairs

Ross has been telling Tom’s story ever since. “It’s important, the Medal of Honor,” he says. He believes too few local people know about Tom’s heroism. He’s traveled to towns and cities where signs at the city limits call attention to a Medal of Honor recipient who grew up there. Amarillo doesn’t have that.

“We’d like to see a big sign as you come into town that says, ‘Home of Thomas E. Creek, Medal of Honor recipient,’” Ross says.

Or a street near Palo Duro High School, where Tom is in the Hall of Fame. Or a park. Or a library.

The most significant local honor in Tom’s memory occurred in 2004 at the naming of the Thomas E. Creek Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center. Ross and a few local leaders worked hard to make that happen. He was joined by Selden B. Hale III, the late Amarillo lawyer and Marine Corps Veteran, as well as World War II Veteran Pat Cunningham, a former Potter County Commissioner who is also now deceased. The men spent nearly three years collecting signatures from local Veterans groups. They brought those to a meeting with Sylvia Nugent, then Chief of Staff for U.S. Rep. Mac Thornberry, who represented Amarillo and Texas’s 13th Congressional District until 2021.

The presentation got Thornberry’s attention. “Maybe, at some point, I’d heard there was a Medal of Honor winner from our neck of the woods, but if I knew that, it didn’t really register,” Thornberry says today. He’s no longer in office, having announced in 2019 he would not run for reelection in 2020.

Back then, the Veterans asked if Thornberry could help find a way to honor Thomas E. Creek. “I think the key thing for me was it really originated by Veterans in Amarillo and the Panhandle area. They’re the ones who came to me and said, ‘We’ve got this Medal of Honor winner. We need to do a better job of

CREEK IN VIETNAM

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A DISPLAY HONORING TOM AT PALO DURO HIGH SCHOOL

he highest and most prestigious award given within the United States Armed Forces, the Medal of Honor recognizes service members who have distinguished themselves through acts of valor, showing courage and sacrifice above and beyond the call of duty. More than 3,500 Medals of Honor have been awarded since its creation in 1861 by President Abraham Lincoln—and more than 40 percent of those came during the Civil War. It is the oldest continuously issued combat decoration in the U.S. military.

Of the 40 million Americans who have served, fewer than .01 percent have received the Medal of Honor. As in the case of Thomas E. Creek, around a third of those Medals of Honor were awarded posthumously.

The new National Medal of Honor Museum is set to open in 2025 in Arlington, Texas, and will include a Thomas E. Creek display.

Never Enough

PHOTOS BY VENICE MINCEY

A DISPLAY AT THE THOMAS E. CREEK DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER HONORS TOM.

Several local residents have the same mindset, and continue to tell that story. Jeff Williams is a local musician, voiceover artist, chiropractor and the owner of Creek Stone Integrated Medical. Several years ago, he heard about Tom’s heroism from someone who had attended school with Tom. Then Williams met Ross and Kris Creek.

He just couldn’t stop thinking about it. “I’m taken aback that his story’s not better known in Amarillo,” he says. “It’s upsetting.” Watching the 2018 Netflix documentary Medal of Honor fueled that passion. That program tells the stories of Medal of Honor recipients with dramatic re-enactments of their sacrifices, followed by an exploration of the ways their hometowns honored them in the aftermath.

“Why don’t we have a Thomas Creek street [in Amarillo]?”

Williams asks. “Why don’t we have a section of I-40 named the ‘Thomas E. Creek Memorial Highway’? Why don’t we have a park named after him with maybe a statue? We have statues of other people.”

He’s asked these questions of multiple city and state politicians over the years. He’s written letters to local school districts. When Amarillo ISD discussed changing the controversial name of Robert E. Lee Elementary School in 2018, Williams formally suggested it be named after Thomas E. Creek. (The school’s name was shortened to Lee Elementary.)

He appreciates that the VA is named after Tom, but that was a congressional decision. Williams believes the city can and should do more. “I just can’t get past the idea that nothing has been done of real significance by our city to honor him,” he says. “We honor a lot of people, but he’s as deserving of recognition as anyone who has ever lived in this town—if not more. He did something special. I feel it very strongly.”

Williams is not alone in that opinion. Several years ago, he suggested to Ross and Kris that they set up a Facebook page

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honoring him and reminding people about why he won the Medal of Honor, and we think it would be a good idea to name our VA after him,’” Thornberry remembers. “It really became a cause I believed in.”

It was a lengthy, complicated process, but Thornberry brought the idea to the U.S. House Committee on Veterans Affairs, and eventually introduced legislation to rename the VA in Tom’s honor. It was signed into law in 2004.

“I think it is really important to tell the story,” says the former politician, who served as Chair of the United States House Committee on Armed Services from 2015 to 2019. “In some way, naming a first-rate facility to care for Veterans after him is appropriate, but in other ways you can never do enough.”

Keeping the name Thomas E. Creek in the public eye doesn’t just honor Tom’s memory, Thornberry says, but can inspire the public. “There are other ways to honor him, but to me the most important thing is to find an excuse or a way to tell his story— especially to younger people in the Panhandle—because it’s a story of somebody just like them who did extraordinary things when he was called upon,” he adds.

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ABOUT THE MEDAL OF HONOR

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THOMAS E. CREEK IS BURIED AT LLANO CEMETERY

dedicated to Thomas E. Creek. Called “I’ve Got It Mac,” the Thomas E. Creek Memorial page has more than 700 members and continues to advocate on behalf of Amarillo’s lone Medal of Honor recipient.

Meanwhile, the local VA tells his story.

The Texas Panhandle War Memorial and Education Center tells his story.

The Hall of Fame at Palo Duro High School tells his story.

Signage at Llano Cemetery, where Tom is buried, tells his story.

Ross and Kris Creek keep telling his story. “We love to talk about Tom,” Kris says.

And last year, Amarillo ISD showed an emotional video about Tom at each of the four high school graduations.

More than 50 years after the heroism of Thomas E. Creek, the story is finally getting told. But is it enough? Will it ever be enough?

“All of us need to hear these stories over and over again,” says Mac Thornberry about Thomas E. Creek.

“Not only do they honor him, but they call us to be a higher and better version of ourselves.”

PHOTOS BY JASON BOYETT

WREATHS ACROSS AMERICA

I

n the 1990s, facing a surplus of wreaths at the end of the Christmas season, a wreath-maker from Maine decided to place them on graves at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. It became a tradition, and by 2007, the man’s family had launched Wreaths Across America, a nonprofit dedicated to remembering and honoring Veterans by placing wreaths at their gravesites in December.

This year, National Wreaths Across America Day is on Dec. 16, and the local Molly Goodnight Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is hoping to decorate Veterans’ graves at Llano Cemetery. “We work hard every year to place as many wreaths as possible, but there are almost 7,000 Veteran wreaths in Llano cemetery,” says Gaye Sougstad of the DAR Molly Goodnight chapter.

“But every wreath counts!”

When a volunteer like Sougstad places the wreath on the marker of a hero, that person then speaks the Veteran’s name aloud, ensuring that their legacy of service and sacrifice is never forgotten.

An individual wreath sponsorship is $17 and can be made at wreathsacrossamerica.org/TX1033P.

HONOR, REMEMBER D LEARN &

PHOTOS BY VENICE MINCEY

Reid is about a year into his role as executive director of the Texas Panhandle War Memorial (TPWM), an organization that began in 1992. After its inception, every couple of years, a group of committed fundraisers added to the TPWM gardens and collected artifacts and tributes to Panhandle Veterans. Recently, the TPWM completed an ambitious fundraising campaign and building renovation that began in 2017. The TPWM Education Center is now located in what used to be the Randall County Annex, located at 4111 Georgia St. in Amarillo.

“I think they raised a little bit over $3 million, and they decided to purchase this [building] and put a little over $1.3 million into the building in renovation,” Reid says. “In 2020 they opened the doors of the education center and museum—and closed right away because of COVID.” After those starts and stops, the TPWM finally opened the doors of the education center in 2021. Today, visitors can see local photos and artifacts, while interacting with educational resources that provide insight into wars from the Revolutionary War to Afghanistan.

“As a building, they did a great job doing the decorating inside and bringing in exhibits that were meaningful to people who want to enjoy history but also meaningful to the Panhandle,” Reid says.

In addition to the education center, the 15,000-square-foot building has a military chapel, a collection of military artifacts, two conference rooms, a gift shop and more than a dozen offices available for rent. The facility honors Veterans who were involved in wars beginning with the Spanish-American War through more recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. More than 1,550 names of military personnel are honored on various monuments on the property, including two Medal of Honor recipients (see page 47). Reid, the sole employee of TPWM, says he’d like to bring more energy to the building.

“The atmosphere here is nice,” he says. “I wish it were busier—especially for our volunteers.”

Reid says TPWM welcomes about 200 visitors a month, but

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hey don’t know,” Tim Reid laughs. “We still get people coming in here to pay their taxes or get their driver’s license.”

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BY MEAGHAN COLLIER

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hopes to grow those numbers.

Currently, volunteers are happy to give tours of the different exhibits. In the future, Reid says he hopes to develope an audioguided tour to take visitors on a journey through TPWM. He’s also working to bring in more exhibits to increase interest.

“One of the things that I’m trying to do is about every four to six months have a new exhibit,” he says. “Because once you come here, you’ve seen it. So what’s going to bring people back?

You know, when I first took over last September, I was getting myself acclimated and looking at the exhibits. The one thing I noticed was there was nothing [dedicated] to women.”

Reid and the TPWM volunteers are working to change that They’re in the planning stages for a new exhibit on the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots (WASP). WASPs were a group of civilian women who flew military aircraft in noncombat roles during World War II, providing essential support for the United States military. Despite their significant contributions, it wasn’t until 1977 that they were granted retroactive military status and official recognition for their service. Reid says they’ll recognize seven women from the Panhandle area who served as WASPs with a permanent exhibit.

Visitors can also look forward to an exhibit honoring POWs from the area.

“I think there’s two from the Korean War that survived, one from World War II and one from Vietnam,” Reid says. “Plus, we had a woman from Dalhart who was a nurse and was captured in the Bataan and attacked by the Japanese. So, we’re going to focus on those people. I want to do kind of a comparison, so when students come in here, they’ll realize the difference in how we, as the United States, treat our prisoners of war. That’s a big thing for students to learn. I don’t know if most schools … would talk about that.”

Reid says he has a robust number of students who are homeschooled and visit TPWM for some of their history lessons, but he is focused on increasing engagement from local public schools. He says giving students an out-of-classroom learning experience can be invaluable.

“I try to let them experience what I can, like the USS Arizona, that’s locked up outside,” Reid explains.

“I open the door, and I let them stand on the deck.

• Lela Loudder Harding and Nell S. Stevenson Bright from Canyon • Dorothy C. Hawkins Goot and Gloria Devore Schwager from Amarillo • Florence Miller Watson from Borger • Bobbye C. Cain Jersig from Clovis • Kathleen Kelly Titland from Tucumcari

People need to “ pay attention to the

Veterans and thank them, not only for their service but for allowing us to be as comfortable a nation as we are.”

—TIM REID

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Upcoming WASPs Exhibit Will Feature:

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EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR TIM REID

Nobody’s stood on that deck for 82 years. I’ll tell them you don’t understand the significance of this right now, but as you get older, and you’re studying the history, and if you have a grandparent who’s alive, you might want to talk to them about it. I try to let the kids have as much hands-on [experience] with things.”

While expanding educational opportunities for area students is a focus for TPWM, Reid and his dedicated volunteers will continue to host events like the annual Veteran’s Day ceremony, scheduled for 11 a.m. on Nov. 11. The outdoor ceremony will include a featured speaker, salute to the services, flyover, and recognition of Gold Star Families. It draws one of the largest crowds the memorial sees each year.

Organizers also invite visitors for a monthly speaker series on a variety of topics of interest to local Veterans.

“People need to pay attention to the Veterans and thank them, not only for their service but for allowing us to be as comfortable a nation as we are,” Reid says. “So the ceremonies we have, especially the Veterans Day coming up, are important so that people take that time to remember. The gardens and this building emphasize that, and that’s what we want it to be: honor, remember and learn.”

BELL SALUTES ALL WHO HAVE SERVED. Proud to call Amarillo home to the future of vertical lift. bellflight.com/careers

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DAN MCKINNEY

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PRISONER of the FORGOTTEN WAR

BY JON MARK BEILUE

A POW in Korea, Amarillo resident Dan McKinney perseveres at age 97

D

an LeRoy McKinney and Joyce Ann Riley were supposed to marry in Tulia on April 23, 1951. They had met two years earlier in Clovis, New Mexico, McKinney’s hometown.

But when that day arrived, the couple found themselves 7,000 miles apart. While Joyce worked as a nurse in the Panhandle, McKinney was serving north of the 38th Parallel in the Korean War, a corporal in K Company. And on the exact day they should have exchanged rings, McKinney found himself taken prisoner by Chinese infantrymen. Rather than embarking on a honeymoon, he would begin a 300-mile walk to the Korea and China border to Sinuiju, near the Yalu River.

On April 23, 1951, Dan McKinney became a prisoner of war. He would be one for another 28 months.

A ROOM TELLS A STORY A black POW-MIA flag flutters just below the Stars and Stripes outside McKinney’s southwest Amarillo home. Dan McKinney—some call him “Lee,” a shortened version of LeRoy—moved to Amarillo five years ago to be closer to his daughters. At age 97, he lives alone.

Due to the passage of time, precious few World War II veterans— the final witnesses to the last great global war of good versus evil— are still living. The very youngest are 96 years old. Few others remain from the Korean War of the early 1950s.

McKinney, amazingly, is a veteran of both wars. At age 18, he served in Germany for the final two months of World War II. Then, after his Army reserve unit was activated in 1951, he fought in Korea.

Today, he uses a walker. His black hair long ago turned white. His

voice is raspy and his hearing unreliable. Yet his mind remains sharp.

His recollection is keen and punctuated with humor.

In his home, McKinney has turned one room into a remembrance of his military past with photos of a handsome man in his prime, plaques, medallions, proclamations, books and more. One plaque indicates an auditorium at Cannon Air Force Base in Clovis named in his honor. A cloth banner signifies McKinney as the seventh inductee into Cannon Air Force Base’s Wall of Heroes in 2005.

One table features a beautifully carved, ingrained map of Korea with the words “Sergeant Dan L. McKinney, POW, April 23, 1951–August 20, 1953.” Dan calls it “the POW table.”

In one frame, small enough to be held in the palm of a hand, are handwritten words on scrap paper: “Because of you, I’m alive to enjoy this Christmas. Thanks a million.

Richard Godlewski—Polock—Ex-POW, 1957.”

He gives the tour of this room with pride mixed with humility.

He reflects on a period when he didn’t need a walker, when he was poor but loved, when duty gave the orders and, like so many others, McKinney followed them.

Dan’s father, Stonewall “Stoney” McKinney, had been a sniper in World War I and worked as a railroad train fireman after that war.

Dan was born in 1926, the oldest of four raised by Stoney and Katy McKinney in Clovis. They survived the Dust Bowl and Depression.

When Dan was 15, the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor.

“I’d been to Sunday School and church and then gone to the golf course with a friend,” McKinney says. “We played the front nine and went in and they told us war had started. I’m not sure it sunk in on a 15-year-old. I went home and sat by the radio like everyone else.”

I never thought about how long I’d be “there.

I looked around and thought, if everyone else can live like this, so can I. ”

DAN, AT LEFT, IN THE POW CAMP. THIS WAS A PROPAGANDA PHOTO.

IT BRADFORD

BELLMON

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PHOTOS BY KA

ONE DECADE, TWO WARS A few months before graduation from Clovis High School in 1944, McKinney got a letter in the mail from President Franklin Delano Roosevelt. He’d been drafted into the U.S. Army.

By late summer, he was at Camp Roberts in California for basic training. He left for Europe on a transport ship from New Jersey to England. By March 1945, he’d made his way to Germany.

Still just 18, McKinney was in a replacement depot waiting to be moved, but V-E Day arrived before he saw combat. Instead, he helped process soldiers who were going home while waiting for the inevitable mass movement to the Pacific and the final bloody battle of the invasion of Japan. “We knew without a doubt we were all going to the Pacific,” McKinney says.

Two atomic bombs dropped on the Japanese mainland in August 1945 finally ended the war, sparing McKinney and hundreds of thousands from fighting the Japanese on their homeland. McKinney remained in the Army until his discharge in 1947.

When McKinney returned to Clovis, the company commander of an inactive Army reserve unit asked if he would sign up for a threeyear commitment. He did. In May 1950, McKinney agreed to three more years.

One month later, McKinney was no longer inactive. Communist North Korea aimed to overthrow democratic South Korea at China’s urging. With that invasion in June 1950, President Harry Truman sent American troops to aid the South and fight the Communists.

Inactive Army reserve units were among the first called up, and McKinney quickly found himself in infantry training at Fort Hood “to

get in shape so we could walk 20 miles,” he says.

After six weeks, McKinney was among a trainload of soldiers heading west from Temple, Texas. He knew the route from his father’s career, and the family followed the railroad when visiting family in the Dallas area. The troops would be passing through Clovis, so McKinney called his parents and girlfriend, Joyce Ann, who were waiting for him when he arrived.

“I visited a little bit with them, and finally I said, ‘It looks like it’s time to go.’ My dad said, ‘Come on, you’re riding in the engine with me,’” McKinney remembers. Stoney was the train’s engineer from Clovis to Belen, south of Albuquerque.

“We whizzed along at 97 mph and I said, ‘You don’t have to get in such a big hurry to get rid of me,’” he says. This was the end of the line for Stoney. He eased his way off the train intentionally, without saying goodbye to his son. It would have been too hard.

The train eventually made its way to San Francisco, and McKinney boarded a troop transport ship headed across the Pacific to fight in what many call “The Forgotten War.” Near midnight on Dec. 24, 1950, the ship hit the international date line.

Crossing it would mean a skip ahead to Dec. 26—no Christmas.

Intentionally, the ship paralleled the international dateline for four hours so those on board could have some experience of Christmas Day. It would be the last one for many.

THE 300-MILE MARCH The fighting in Korea was brutal, barbaric and almost impossible. McKinney joined K Company of the 19th Regiment on

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Jan. 18, 1951 in Pusan. In the early months of the Korean War, Gen. Douglas MacArthur had American troops pushing the North Koreans further north to the Yalu River and the border with China.

Believing MacArthur was not going to stop at the border, China entered the war with superior numbers, pushing the Americans and South Koreans back near the 38th Parallel, the border of North and South Korea. Three months later, McKinney was fighting for his life at a place called the Iron Triangle near the 38th Parallel.

On the night of April 22, 1951, McKinney found himself fighting, in the dark, using grenades, bayonets and hand-to-hand combat.

Exposed, K Company took the brunt of Chinese artillery, mortar rounds, and Chinese suicide bombers carrying grenades. Artillery rained down on the Chinese, but they just kept coming.

K Company, later given a distinguished unit citation, withdrew to a ridge. They ran out of ammo and fought instead with .45 pistols and bayonets. Earlier in the day, McKinney had been made a squad leader.

As night fell, he led eight new soldiers.

“For all I know, all eight died that night … their first night,” McKinney says. “I suffered from survivor’s guilt.”

With dead men all around him, McKinney decided that remaining in a foxhole was a death sentence. He climbed onto a ridge and wedged himself between large rocks. In the process, he took shrapnel into his waist from friendly fire—artillery had been called in. But he was still alive.

When the sun rose, the Chinese found McKinney and others shaken but alive. North Koreans were known to kill survivors, but the Chinese had taken over the POW operations. “That saved my life,” he says.

On a day when McKinney was supposed to be taking the hand of Joyce Ann Riley in marriage in Tulia, Texas, he raised his own hands to begin a march north. For the next 58 days, until June 19, McKinney and 200 other prisoners marched 300 miles northwest to the prison camp at Sinuiju. They marched only at night. The Chinese were fearful of being spotted by American planes.

Along the way, more captured Americans were added. Many did not make it, dying of combat wounds or amoebic dysentery, an intestinal parasite passed from contaminated water. Chinese soldiers carried their own rations. Americans were sometimes given some rice and millet to get them through the day. McKinney weighed 155 pounds when he was captured. By the war’s end, he had dropped to 115 pounds.

When they finally reached Sinuiju, prisoners were placed in three-room huts that were 9 feet by 9 feet and had a mud floor, mud fireplace and one large pot. The pot was used for bathing, to boil drinking water, and to wash their only clothes.

Thirteen soldiers slept head-to-toe in each room. When one turned over, McKinney says, they all turned over. In the winter, those in the middle of the room slept more warmly. “In the summertime, those guys who had it good in the winter roasted,” McKinney says.

MEETING MIYAMURA Each prisoner received a metal bowl, which held a half bowl of rice in the morning and a half bowl at night. The Chinese used Americans for manual labor. The first summer, they were sent four miles up in the mountains to carry back tree logs to the village. One man carried a four-foot log. Anything longer, two carried.

“We were weak as water,” McKinney says. “I never thought about how long I’d be there. I looked around and thought, if everyone else

can live like this, so can I.” McKinney believed the Chinese treated them “the best they could.”

After all, they were POWs. But if anyone strayed away from the rules, there were consequences.

English-speaking Chinese talked with the prisoners, extolling the Communist way of life and other propaganda. On one occasion, McKinney had heard enough. “I told them that’s not going to fly,” he says. “I said, ‘You talk English. You are aware of what it’s really like.’

They had some education. I said, ‘You’re trying to sell these people, but you’re not selling me.’ I told those kids not to believe it.”

McKinney was taken away from the camp and isolated with 14 other “troublemakers” in a tiny hut for the next 72 days. The only time they were allowed to leave was to relieve themselves. But in that hut, McKinney met Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura, a JapaneseAmerican from Gallup, New Mexico. Miyamura became a lifelong best friend. At first, they were bonded by the same home state, and would soon become even closer in this band of brothers.

A machine-gun squad leader, Miyamura’s heroism was among the greatest in the Korean War. Two days after McKinney was captured, Miyamura fought near Taejon, left a sheltered position and killed 10 Chinese with his bayonet rifle, and then returned to administer first aid to wounded and direct evacuation. As a second wave attacked, Miyamura killed 50 more of the enemy before he was severely wounded. He was still fighting when captured.

Prisoners like McKinney and Miyamura treasured activities that would take their minds away from captivity. McKinney carved an entire chess set. First, he created a knife by removing a metal shank out of a combat boot and splitting a branch to form a handle. Out of wood, he then carved a set of pawns, knights, rooks, bishops, and queen and king.

“It took me a month to make the knife and a month to carve the pieces,” he says. “I had about six inches of wood left.” He still keeps those pieces on a chess board in a glass cabinet in his home 70 years later.

Hot summer days melted into cold winters. Boredom blended with physical labor. They knew little of the outside world beyond the sunrises and sunsets of Sinuiju, but were allowed an occasional letter home.

FINALLY FREEDOM Miyamura became ill—possibly dysentery—and McKinney cared for his new best friend for months. In May 1953, McKinney thought Miyamura would die, but the soldier rallied. He bet Hershey they would be free by July 4.

McKinney lost the bet. Not by much, though.

The July 27, 1953, Armistice Agreement ended the war, dividing Korea into the Communist North and Democratic South. More than 36,000 Americans died in combat. McKinney was one of an estimated 3,200 American POWs. Three weeks later, captors summoned McKinney and his fellow prisoners to the parade ground of the camp. “They had a set of machine guns there, which was different,” he says. “They figured when they told us the war was over, we’d try to take over the camp.

There were some cheers, but we didn’t raise a lot of hell.”

Over the next few days, trucks rolled by with POWs on their way to full freedom. Those at Sinuiju were the last ones to be released, with McKinney and Hershey placed in the last truck because they were supposedly “reactionaries.”

The men made their way to Panmunjom, just north of the 38th Parallel, a place dubbed “Freedom Village.” McKinney’s 28 months of captivity ended Aug. 20, 1953.

“There was an American base there with a big United States flag,” McKinney says. “It was the biggest I’d ever seen in my life. It sure looked good.”

Sixteen days later a ship arrived in San Francisco with Korean Veterans aboard, including McKinney and Hershey. Miyamura had been informed he would receive the Medal of Honor for his heroism and was treated as such. He was the first to depart.

The rest of the soldiers stood at the railing. That’s when McKinney

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spotted his parents, Stoney and Katy, with his fiancée, Joyce Ann. “They told us when you get to the head of the gangplank, you call your name and we’ll tell you if you have visitors,” McKinney remembers.

“I called my name and they said, ‘No visitors.’ I said, ‘Like hell.’ My parents were the only ones in the pen.”

Finally, on Oct. 18, 1953—30 months after the original date— McKinney and Joyce Ann got married. For what might as well have been a honeymoon, they drove to Washington D.C., for a ceremony to honor Miyamura and other Medal of Honor recipients at the White House with President Eisenhower.

McKinney stood for an inordinate amount of time after the ceremony, waiting to meet the president while Eisenhower spoke to Miyamura. Impatient, McKinney told Joyce they were leaving. “We waited at the car forever,” he says. “I asked Hershey’s wife what you talked about so long. She said, ‘Oh, we were just exchanging recipes.’

I must have looked like a jackass turning down a chance to shake hands with the president.”

Back home, McKinney spent a semester at the University of New Mexico then worked for the post office in Tulia before returning to Clovis. There, he worked for a Mobil Oil dealership until 1965, then an auto parts store for 11 years, then opened his own parts store, which he sold in 1987. Joyce Ann retired as coordinator of nurses for Clovis ISD in 1992.

The lengthening shadows of a remarkable life have seen loss over the past two years. Joyce Ann, his wife of 67 ½ years, passed away on Jan. 21, 2021. And a year ago, last December, Hiroshi “Hershey” Miyamura died. McKinney attended his friend’s funeral in Gallup, New Mexico.

Yet Dan LeRoy McKinney, as he has done all his life, perseveres.

He lives independently. His daughters and their husbands are not far away. His gait may be slow and his voice raspy, but his spirit remains untouched.

When asked what he takes away from these 97 years, and in particular, his 28 months as a POW, he pauses for a long time. A lip slightly quivers.

“I’m just lucky to be here,” he finally says. “I’m grateful for every day.”

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In 1952, after having spent 18 months as a POW, McKinney sent a homemade Christmas card home. He stenciled and colored the word “Peace” on the front. Inside he wrote, “Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. Where there is Peace, there is blessing.”

And in pencil: “With All My Love, Lee (Dan LeRoy), Cpl. Dan LeRoy McKinney”

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PHOTOS BY ADAM BAKER

LP GIOBBI

HOODOO MAGIC O

n a pleasant Saturday at the end of September, thousands of local residents and visitors from 12 states—as well as from Mexico—gathered in downtown Amarillo for a day-long party celebrating art, music and community. Now in its fourth year, the Hoodoo Mural Festival oversaw the completion of 22 murals and welcomed nearly 2,500 attendees—a 31 percent increase over last year’s festival.

“The community really showed up to support this event,” says Hoodoo founder Andrew Hall. “One of the things we are most proud of is the festival’s ability to bring together people from all walks of life— people from other states and countries, young people, creatives, art appreciators, music lovers, and community leaders. Every attendee at the event was able to share space, joy, and make memories together, which has always been the driving force behind this event.”

Artists painted seven large-scale murals in downtown Amarillo during the two weeks leading up to the Sept. 30 event. These are visible now at 616 S. Harrison (Trav and Emjay), 1220 S. Polk (Alli K), 411 S. Fillmore ( Jeremy Biggers), 816 Van Buren (Ariel Parrow and Sean Hamilton), 515 S. Polk ( JEKS and Amarillo’s own Malcom Byers) and 1018 S. Van Buren (Canyon artist and educator Jon Revett).

“

HOODOO IS SUCH A BREATH OF FRESH AIR FOR AMARILLO! WHAT AN INCREDIBLE OUTLET TO BRING SUCH A DIVERSE CROWD TOGETHER TO CELEBRATE CREATIVITY AND ELEVATE THE DOWNTOWN SCENE THROUGH ARTISTIC EXPRESSION.

”

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—LUKE OLIVER

ANDREW HALL

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“

HOODOO IS GREAT FOR AMARILLO BECAUSE IT’S INCLUSIVE TO A DIVERSE DEMOGRAPHIC RATHER THAN THE SAME OLD COUNTRY SONG AND DANCE.

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—HILARY MARIE

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A wall at 418 S. Tyler, curated by Blank Spaces, featured panels by local artists, including Buchanan Carr, Cameron Barnes, Graceson Cole, Sydni Lovett, Amber Morgan, Rath, Kara Speedy, Irving Perez, Melynn Huntley and Vickie Hoskins.

And for the first time this year, Hoodoo invited five artists—Dan Black, Carlo Barboza, Britt Johnson, Feebee and Matt Tumlinson—to create “mobile murals” on panels, which were auctioned at the festival.

The art continued at the festival as Amarillo Museum of Art brought in an entire car, painted white, and invited the public to decorate it throughout the day. Meanwhile, organizers devoted a full parking lot to pop-up vendors. The Brick & Elm Food Truck Alley on Fifth Avenue kept festival goers occupied and fed while Little Bee’s Playhouse provided a safe space for children to play.

And while the murals dominate the days leading up to the festival, the Saturday event itself was built around music. “We’re thrilled at how the event turned out,” says Hoodoo producer Will Krause, an Amarillo native who’s also a production manager with SXSW. “With a wide variety of music to enjoy, there was something for everyone.”

This year, the festival dedicated one stage near the vendors and Food Truck Alley to highlight local musicians, who brought an immense amount of talent and energy.

Local DJs kept the crowd moving via silent disco headphones across every corner of the festival grounds. The main stage hosted an unforgettable lineup of national musicians: multiplatinum producer and Hoodoo regular Kaelin Ellis, Italian guitarist Giacomo Turra, Amarillo native Cody Jasper, and headliner LP Giobbi, a DJ and producer whose live piano set lit up the crowd after sunset.

“The artists we brought in for the festival fell in love with Amarillo and vowed to come back,” Krause says. “Looking into the crowd was inspiring and reminded me why we do this event—to see everyone have a good time, with smiles on their faces.”

Next year’s mural festival has already been scheduled for Sept. 28, 2024.

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“

THE EVENT NOT ONLY PROVIDES OPPORTUNITIES TO OUR LOCAL MUSICIANS AND MURALISTS, BUT BRINGS IN ARTISTS THAT BRING NEW IDEAS AND FRESH INSPIRATION TO OUR EVER-GROWING ART CULTURE.

”

—SHANDA O’NEILL

Since 1940, the American Quarter Horse Association has been paving a way for passionate horseman and horsewomen to come together in the name of the American Quarter Horse for the breed’s preservation, celebration, and advancement. Now the world’s largest equine breed association, AQHA boasts more than 6 million registered American Quarter Horses and more than 230,000 members across the globe.

We are proud to have had our headquarters right here in Amarillo, Texas since 1946. We’ve been here for a long time, and we plan to stay even longer.

Visit AQHA headquarters and the American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum on I-40 W at Quarter Horse Drive.

To learn about joining the AQHA team, visit aqha.com/careers.

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Get Away

WITHOUT GOING AWAY

L

ocal residents are beginning to tune in to what travelers from as far away as New Zealand and Italy discovered this summer: Starlight Canyon Bed & Breakfast is an oasis of peace and tranquility just a few miles south of Amarillo.

Locally owned by Nate and Liz Green, this boutique hotel property is in the Palisades community, upstream of Palo Duro Canyon State Park in a northern branch of the canyon. As the road descends into a canopy of century-old elm trees and colorful canyon walls, you enter its gates and feel the tension of the day already slipping away.

International travelers come here for a taste of western culture.

Amarillo residents spend weekends here, enjoying cozy cabins and private hot tubs as they unwind. Brides and grooms choose Starlight Canyon as a romantic, fairytale setting for their ceremonies. And Starlight’s combination of charm, rustic decor and Texas Panhandle hospitality make it an ideal event venue for concerts, fundraisers, banquets, celebrations and more.

“We’re just a few miles south of the loop,” says Nate Green, who bakes homemade cinnamon rolls or scones for a continental-style breakfast on weekdays, as well as a hot, home-cooked breakfast on weekends and by request. “But it doesn’t feel like an Amarillo landscape. You don’t have to go far to have a really nice getaway.”

Much of the charm begins with the historic main lodge, a landmark built in 1933 by the Civilian Conservation Corps. At one point, this part of the canyon was being considered for the state park, and visitors will find the Guy Carlander-designed structure matches the familiar administrative buildings at Palo Duro Canyon. While the Greens have made a few changes to emphasize comfort, stepping into the lodge feels like stepping back in time—right down to the sepia-toned photo of the original CCC crew hanging on an interior wall.

Their hospitality is just as old-fashioned. “We pay close attention to detail, from the luxurious feel of our towels and robes to the scones Nate bakes for our guests,” Liz says. She comes from a hospitality background—the couple met while working at high-end resorts in a Colorado ski destination—and both are dedicated to making sure their guests feel comfortable. “We are always interested in making a good impression, whether that’s for a couple from Amarillo celebrating an anniversary weekend or a Route 66 traveler who wants a uniquely Texas experience. We may be the only Texans they meet on a trip through the Panhandle, so we want to make sure to treat them right,” she says.

When it comes to weddings, the Greens refer to Starlight Canyon as “the heart of Texas romance.” Nate and Liz guide the bride and groom through every step in the celebration, from planning the big day to delivering breakfast to the honeymoon suite the morning after. “Your wedding is such a momentous occasion. I know it was the best day of my life,” Nate says. “That’s why we make sure we make dreams come true when someone chooses to get married here.”

Whatever you’re after—a surprise getaway weekend, an unforgettable wedding ceremony, or an event your guests won’t soon forget—Starlight Canyon Bed & Breakfast offers peace and tranquility in an unforgettable setting. “We think of it as a little six-acre sanctuary,” Nate adds. “There’s really no other place like it in the Panhandle.”

806.622.2382 STARLIGHTCANYON.COM

CELEBRATING A SUCCESSFUL 2023 IN ELEVATE!

City Proclamation “Elevate Amarillo Day”

Two Local Candidate Forums

Monthly Leadership Lunches

Power of Meaningful Connection Panel Evening

Five Members Named to Amarillo’s Top 20 Under 40

Adopting Ellwood Park

WE HOPE YOU’LL JOIN US IN 2024!

KNOWLEDGE. CONNECTIONS. OPPORTUNITIES. Elevate Amarillo is an organization of emerging leaders rooted in Amarillo and rooting for Amarillo. Our community of young professionals, ages 20 to 40, are the future leaders of Amarillo. We enjoy unique experiences, grow professionally and personally, and make a difference in the community. Our members are involved in a wide variety of Amarillo’s business, civic, and service endeavors. For more information or to join, visit elevateamarillo.org. {ADVERTISEMENT}

GIVING L

ast year, we introduced our very first Giving Guide, highlighting some of the many nonprofit organizations who rely on the generosity of local people to accomplish their goals. We’re pleased to bring it back for 2023. You’ll hear a lot about the power of financial donations as The Panhandle Gives kicks off on November 20, but these organizations covet gifts of time and resources all year long. We hope their presence in these pages brings added awareness and support.

Here’s to the season of giving!

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Family Support Services Our Beginnings

Behavioral Health Services

In 1908, a group of Amarillo businessmen recognized that there were many local residents who were suffering and had no place to turn for help. This group of leaders met in the old Amarillo City Hall to form the first charitable organization in Amarillo, then known as Associated Charities. Throughout the years, this agency was reorganized several times to meet the evolving needs of our community, and in 1993 became the nonprofit agency now known as Family Support Services of Amarillo (FSS). 115 years serving adults and children in need!

• Help for those struggling • Individual, marital and with depression, stress family counseling management, grief recovery, • Play therapy divorce recovery, eating disorders, anxiety and phobias, • Supervised Visitation Program domestic abuse, sexual abuse, • LOSS (Local Outreach for self-esteem, substance Survivors of Suicide) Team: abuse, post-traumatic designed to assist family stress, emotional trauma, members, friends and loved parenting challenges, and many ones of people who have died other areas. by suicide

Who We Serve Today, FSS serves more than 25,000 people in need each year by offering programs that support at-risk people across the Texas Panhandle, including at-risk children, families, and individuals; survivors of sexual assault, family violence, and human trafficking; people in need of individual, group, marital, and family counseling; survivors of suicide, and Veterans and their family members. We provide a wide variety of services to meet the diverse needs of the people we serve, regardless of their ability to pay.

Our team members exemplify integrity, expertise, and a commitment to service. Whether providing counseling to someone who has suffered trauma, providing support to a survivor of domestic violence at our emergency Safe House, providing peer support services to Veterans, or showing children how to live healthier lives, each member of our team is dedicated to helping our clients heal and take action to create sustainable change in themselves and our community.

Our Programs Advocacy Services • The only Safe House for • Accompaniment through survivors of domestic violence, the medical, legal and sexual assault, and human judicial systems trafficking in Amarillo, including • Accredited crisis volunteer an on-site kennel so survivors advocate program serving do not have to leave their adult and child victims pets behind.

• Sexual assault survivors • Face-to-face crisis intervention support group services, including a 24-hour • Family violence support group Crisis Helpline Prevention Services • Strengthening Families Program • HOPES: a child abuse prevention program • Sexual Assault and Family Violence Prevention Education for all ages

• Parenting Education classes • Youth Advisory Committee (YAC): trains teens to be positive mentors • Human Trafficking Prevention

Veterans Services • Needs assessment and connection to services across the Texas Panhandle

• Peer support groups

• Housing assistance for homeless Veterans and their families

• Life skills training

• Claims, compensation and education assistance • Counseling services on site

A Vital Part of Our Community When we lost our Main Office and Veterans Resource Center in a fire in 2020, our local community immediately sprang to action to make sure we were still able to deliver the vital life-saving services we provide unduplicated by any other agency in our community. We are now in our new home at 2209 SW Seventh Ave. in Amarillo. We ask for your continued generosity as we move forward into our 115th year of providing Amarillo residents with a beacon of hope.

How to help: Every week, we serve more than 500 of your neighbors, friends or family members in need through the services described above. But you can change that. At FSS, we are working toward a future where our services are not needed. And today, we are asking you to be a partner with us.

An example of the impact you can make: A gift of only $50 will provide a child who has escaped from a deadly situation with nothing but the clothes on their back with the following: a warm bed, three meals a day, clothing, transportation to school, counseling, and a safe kennel so they can bring their pet with them and not have to leave it behind.

When you partner with FSS, you effect change in our community and ensure our success in the future. If you would like to contribute to our cause, either through donating your time or volunteering, go to fss-ama.org and make a difference in minutes.

Thank you for supporting those we serve!

• Outreach and support for labor trafficking victims 2209 SW SEVENTH AVE. 806.342.2500 FSS-AMA.ORG

GIVING

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WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World

The Campaign Leadership Committee is proud to chart the course for WT's historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign to raise, and exceed, the goal of $175 million to fuel the University's long-range

plan, WT 125: From thePanhandle to the World.

The Campaign Leadership Committee is proud to chart the course for West Texas A&M University’s historic One West Working alongside WT administration and staff, we the comprehensive fundraising campaign to raise, and exceed, goalcarefully of $175 million to fuelthe the priorities University’stolong-range have planned support plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World.

People, Programs, and Places.

It is an honor to give of

Working alongside WTthe administration and staff,who we have our time along with many volunteers serve planned the prioritiesCommittee, to support People, Programs, oncarefully the Campaign Steering the WTAMU and Places. ItBoard, is an honor give of our time along with Foundation andto the various advisory boards the many volunteers who serve on the Campaign Steering across the University.

Committee, the WTAMU Foundation Board, and the various advisory boards across the University.

We are ambassadors for WT, a regional research university which is proud to be the Panhandle’s University. We count ourselves among the thousands of donors who have given, are giving, and will give to the One West campaign.

We are ambassadors for WT, a regional research university which is proud bethe the honor Panhandle’s University. Wealumni, count Thank youto for of representing ourselves among the thousands of donors who have given, are friends, staff, faculty, and students, as we progress giving, and will give to the One West campaign. with: One vision. One spirit. One way forward. For the Thank you for theFor honor of representing alumni, friends, staff, Panhandle.

Texas.

For the World. faculty, and students, as we progress with: One vision. One spirit. One way forward. For the Panhandle. For Texas. For the World.

DR. TODD RASBERRY, LEAH MCLAIN & JIM J. BREWER, CHERYL & ALEX FAIRLY, DYKE & TERRY ROGERS, DAVID & SHERRY SCHAEFFER,

DR. WALTER WENDLER Dr. Todd Rasberry, Leah McLain & Jim J. Brewer, Cheryl & Alex Fairly, Dyke & Terry Rogers,

David & Sherry Schaeffer, Dr. Walter Wendler

GIVING

One West Campaign Leaders: Leah McLain & Jim J. Brewer, Cheryl & Alex Fairly, Terry & Dyke Rogers, Sherry & David Schaeffer

Thank you to the Campaign Steering Committee Members: Barbara Bain

Paul Matney

William Ware

Todd Rasberry

Mike Bain

Leah McLain

Mike Wartes

Randy Rikel

Bruce Barrett

Brent McClure

Paul Engler

Angela Spaulding

Jim J. Brewer

Andrew Mitchell

Kolten Wilder

Neil Terry

Travis Brown

Shawn Morrison

Lizzie Ware Williams

Chris Thomas

Trevor Caviness

Jeff Nunn

Ross Wilson

James D. Webb

Scott Doores

Joseph Peterson

Amjad Abdullat

Walter V. Wendler

Ed Dowdy

Helen Piehl

Filiberto Avila

Lezlie Davis

Paul Evans

David Prescott

Steven Knadle

Lesly Annen

Alex Fairly

Alan Rhodes

Andrew Hay

Kelly Polden

Cheryl Fairly

J Pat Richmond

Gary Bigham

Ronnie Hall

Deborah Farnum

Terry Rogers

Emily Hunt

Molly Caviness

Brett Hall

Dyke Rogers

Shawna Kennedy-Witthar

Matt McComas

Bob Hatton

Richard Sauceda

Mike Knox

Keith Brown

Lanna Hatton

David Schaeffer

Jessica Mallard

Jayla Wilhelm

J.T. Haynes

Stanley Schaeffer

Michael McBroom

Brittny Lee

J. Pat Hickman

Sherry Schaeffer

David Craig

Taylor Kelley

Randy Sharp

Holly Jeffreys

Chris Lyons

Jerry Don Thompson

Kevin Pond

W TA M U . E D U/ O N E - W E S T

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Opportunity School How and when did your organization begin? The inspiration for Opportunity School began in the summer of 1968 when a Sunday School class at First Presbyterian Church decided to make a meaningful difference in our community as an expression of their deepening faith in Christ. After much discussion and research, they were led to address a serious but little-known community problem: young children from low-income families who lacked basic learning skills and experiences entering school unprepared and, therefore, unable to catch up to their peers. Their solution was to create a school for preschoolers from low-income families focused on providing high-quality early education. Opportunity School first opened its doors in February 1969 with 15 students, one teacher and an assistant teacher. Today, Opportunity School has expanded to two campuses, 18 classrooms and can serve more than 200 children each year.

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? Opportunity School provides nationally-accredited early childhood education for children ages 6 weeks to 5 along with caring family support. We equip low-income children and their families with tools to succeed in school and in life. We do this by serving the child based on his or her individual needs and by helping the family understand how they can support their child’s learning. Opportunity School also offers several programs to support our students and families. Our Parent Education program includes home visits by our early childhood teachers. Early Intervention Services include developmental, social, emotional and therapeutic screenings that help pinpoint issues and provide referrals for the family. Our Family Support focus also helps ensure students’ success.

What would you like the community to know about your work? Investing in early childhood education has a high return on investment that pays dividends decades later, especially for children living in low-income homes.

Research from the University of Texas at Austin proves that high-quality preschool education significantly reduces the achievement gap between rich and poor. Additionally, the Abecedarian Project at the University of North Carolina has found that children who participate in high-quality, early

childcare are four times more likely to earn college degrees, be consistently employed, and less likely to have used public assistance. In 2019, Opportunity School’s own research with West Texas A&M University has shown our students achieve a higher level of education and employment than those not attending.

What might surprise people about the work you do?

The first three years of life are an irreplaceable period of rapid development which form a child’s sense of identity, security, influence, and human interdependence. Our team understands and supports children’s developmental milestones while recognizing that each child’s individual development is unique. While weekly lesson plans guide learning activities, our team knows how important it is to build on a child’s natural curiosity by discerning what the child is most interested in. Teachers in our infant and toddler classrooms are trained to provide consistency, form deep bonds, and have meaningful, responsive interactions with each child.

What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? People within our community have a foresight that makes us stronger. That original Sunday School class saw a need that affected future generations and came together to meet that need. Since that time, Amarillo residents and businesses have supported Opportunity School so we may continue our important work. Since our founding, Opportunity School has assisted more than 5,000 kids and their families.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? Gifts of time, in-kind donations, and regular financial support help Opportunity School continue to provide affordable, high-quality early childhood education and caring family support. For those who prefer to give of their time, we have opportunities to become guest readers, office volunteers, classroom helpers, gardeners, librarians, and much more. For those who prefer monetary donations, there are several ways to provide financial gifts, including planned giving and legacy gifts. Opportunity School also has a wish list of common items needed to help create a brighter future for our children. Information on all forms of benevolence can be found on our website at OpportunitySchool.com.

CENTRAL CAMPUS 1100 S. HARRISON ST. 806.373.4245

EDWARDS CAMPUS 406 S. OSAGE ST. 8 0 6 . 3 8 1 .0 5 51

OPPORTUNITYSCHOOL.COM

GIVING

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Amarillo Area Foundation How and when did your organization begin? The Amarillo Area Foundation (AAF) was founded in 1957 by a group of individuals who knew that a community working together brought strength that any one of them working separately could not. Formed as the second Community Foundation in Texas, the early focus on health care and the subsequent development of the Medical Center transformed the future of the industry in this region. In 1976, the bequest of Don D. Harrington enabled the Foundation to hire a professional staff and begin to distribute grant funding to address additional needs of the Texas Panhandle.

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? The Amarillo Area Foundation is the only nonprofit community foundation serving 26 counties and more than 400,000 people in the Texas Panhandle.

As a leader in philanthropic, nonprofit, and community issues, the Foundation is a catalyzing force that addresses the community’s most critical challenges by providing significant, shared and lasting results.

What would you like the community to know about your work? In 2018, the AAF Board of Directors embarked on a new strategic planning process to envision the future work of the Amarillo Area Foundation. During this process, AAF’s strategic planning committee observed key opportunities to strengthen the organization’s work. The goals underlying this shift in strategic direction included tackling big, systemic issues affecting residents and the region, and evaluating the effectiveness of our giving and programs. As a result of this process, the chosen areas of focus were mental health, food insecurity, early childhood literacy, post-secondary education, broadband availability, digital literacy, arts/culture, and access to childcare.

What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? We strive to achieve our mission of “improving quality of life for Texas Panhandle residents” through a variety of efforts, and we think the community

would be surprised to find out the sheer variety of work our team is involved with. AAF is more than a place to apply for scholarships and grants. Our team regularly partners with local, state, and national organizations to find innovative solutions and disrupt the status quo to affect change on a larger scale.

What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? The generosity of the people in the Texas Panhandle never ceases to amaze.

Each year we are humbled during The Panhandle Gives, our annual giving campaign. AAF was blown away when this year our community showed up in force to support their neighbors affected by the tornadoes and severe flooding in our region. We are currently trying to expand our collective financial impact with our Stratum Funds, which allow donors to choose areas of focus that align with their philanthropic goals.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? Right now, the Foundation is working hard to serve as a powerhouse for convening and collaboration. With the recent shift to our strategic focus areas, it quickly became apparent that tackling systemic issues would take more than simply granting funds to individual organizations. As such, our staff regularly attends professional development training so we can serve in this capacity more effectively.

Many nonprofits work in silos, attempting to solve problems alone. We want to help facilitate a culture of collaboration, so that efforts are reinforced rather than duplicated to create the greatest impact possible.

We welcome Texas Panhandle residents to participate in our upcoming convenings and collaborative events, share about the work we are doing throughout our region, and engage with us philanthropically by supporting our initiatives, whether it be through gifts to The Panhandle Gives, the Panhandle Community Partnership, Stratum Funds, Panhandle Partners in Philanthropy, or opening a charitable fund at Amarillo Area Foundation.

919 S. POLK ST. 806.376.4521 A M A R I L LOA R E A FO U N DAT I O N .O RG

GIVING

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Heal the City Free Clinic How and when did your organization begin? Heal the City Free Clinic was founded in 2014 by Dr. Alan Keister, an Amarillo physician who identified a desperate need for health care throughout certain neighborhoods within Amarillo. Responding to that need, Dr. Keister began by offering free health screenings at various schools. When the health screening came to San Jacinto Elementary, more than 500 people attended within two hours. This overwhelming neighborhood response not only highlighted local residents’ desire for health care, but sparked the vision to open a free medical clinic in the San Jacinto neighborhood.

Today, the organization treats thousands of patients every year out of a 20,000-square-foot facility at 609 S. Carolina, offering free, quality medical care to the uninsured of our community. Over the summer, Heal the City was excited to bring in Amarillo native Dr. Trey Bowen as the first full-time, paid, on-staff physician in our history.

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? Heal the City addresses the medical needs of the uninsured in our community by providing free medical care and referral services with dignity and compassion. We offer various services, including acute care, chronic care, prescription medications, dental care, mental health services, specialist referrals, and more. Our holistic approach to health care engages the body, mind and spirit.

What would you like the community to know about your work? In nine years, we have served more than 14,000 patients, received help from more than 3,000 community supporters, and grown our team to more than 30 members. Along with Dr. Bowen, our staff includes pharmacists, dental and behavioral health coordinators, case managers, dental assistants, nurse practitioners, wellness coaches and more.

We depend solely on the generosity of others to fund our work as we care for people in this community.

The generosity of Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle makes it possible for Heal the City to provide our comprehensive and collaborative care to the uninsured. We are always so grateful for the support.

What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Amarillo residents genuinely care about each other. The resiliency of the HTC community would not be possible without the amazing people that work here, volunteer here, give of their time and money, and tell others about the free medical care we offer. Because of the support of local people, nothing can prevent us from meeting the medical needs of the uninsured while exemplifying Christ’s love and hope with patients and volunteers alike.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? Heal the City is always in need of volunteers, monetary donations, and the opportunity to spread awareness about our services. We have a clinic wish list on Amazon.com. Learn more about Heal the City Free Clinic at healthecityamarillo.com.

609 S. CAROLINA ST. 8 0 6 . 2 31 . 0 3 6 4 | H E A LT H E C I T YA M A R I L LO . C O M

GIVING

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GIVING

Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation How and when did your organization begin? The Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation, founded in 1965, is a nonprofit organization that relies on financial support from donors, businesses and grants to maintain the standard of excellence that has entertained more than 4.5 million audience members since its inception. Our show began before the foundation in 1960, when Margaret Harper read an article in Reader’s Digest about a playwright and author named Paul Green. Mr. Green had recreated the history of several regions across the nation in tremendous dramas with pageantry and music.

Mrs. Harper wrote to Green and began corresponding with him about the land, people and beauty of Palo Duro Canyon. As interest in the prospect of an outdoor theater began to grow, a small group of Canyon families funded the first trip for Green to come to the Panhandle later that year. Mr. Green immediately dedicated himself to the project of bringing the history of the High Plains to the stage.

The support organization eventually expanded to include Amarillo and the surrounding area.

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? We have the privilege of serving and entertaining not only the people of this region, but also the casual visitor to this part of the country.

It is an honor to help “preserve the rich history and heritage of the Lone Star State.” Each iteration of the musical over the years has forged a powerful artistic bond with the talented cast and crew members, directors and technicians, staff and board members. And this bond, which is evident on the stage of the Pioneer Amphitheatre in Palo Duro Canyon State Park, has connected the drama with both longstanding and new audiences.

What would you like the community to know about your work?

The show and its visitors from all over the world have greatly impacted the economy of our region and provided jobs and opportunities for aspiring performers. As the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation nears its 58th season of TEXAS Outdoor Musical, we’re reminded that it has been integral to the advancement of the cultural reputation of this region of Texas. We are certain that, with Stephen Crandall’s direction, TEXAS will continue to impact this region through the artistic expression of the history of the Texas Panhandle.

What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? Looking to the coming season, the ongoing goal of the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation is to strengthen the local community, while providing unforgettable memories for audiences that visit the Pioneer Amphitheatre.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? On behalf of the Texas Panhandle Heritage Foundation Board of Trustees, we invite you to support this incredible show and the talented members of the cast and crew. Your monetary gift, ticket purchases or membership ensures that the unique story and experience of TEXAS thrives in its 58th season and beyond.

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1 51 4 F I F T H AV E . , C A N YO N 806.655.2181 TEXAS-SHOW.COM

The Guyon Saunders Resource Center

GIVING

“A foundation of strength for those we serve”—Guyon Saunders The Guyon Saunders Resource Center (GSRC) has facilitated resources for the homeless since 1993. More than 5,000 men, women and children are served annually. The GSRC provides daytime shelter, showers, laundry, mail service and resources for developing necessary skills for self-sufficiency. They also prepare clients for possible housing by providing them assistance with paperwork and funds to obtain their Texas IDs, including bus passes to issuing agencies to obtain needed documents.

Each day the GSRC works with approximately 160 clients to find the best solutions to move from crisis to stability. The GSRC continues to evolve and meet the needs of the homeless population within our region, while working to change the community perception of homelessness.

The Mission of the Guyon Saunders Resource Center is to provide a safe daytime refuge, offering basic services in a respectful environment that fosters dignity, trust and hope for those experiencing homelessness and poverty. We hope you will choose to be a resource for the homeless in our community.

How YOU can be a RESOURCE: The programs and services of the GSRC would not be possible without the generous support of our caring community. Donate to the GRSC at our website and during The Panhandle Gives (Nov. 20-28).

200 S. TYLER ST. | 806 . 373.0704 G U YO N S A U N D E R S R E S O U R C E C E N T E R .C O M

SPONSORED BY:

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GIVING

Storybridge Did you know that kids who grow up with 20 books at home receive an average of three years more school than kids from bookless homes? This is likely one of the first things you’ll learn in a conversation with the Founder/Director of Storybridge, Chandra Perkins.

In the summer of 2016, Perkins and several friends began bringing free books and reading to kids in the Mesa Verde area. By that time, she had been an elementary teacher in Amarillo for 16 years. Perkins recalls, “It’s embarrassing to think of all the years I spent teaching children that needed help with basic needs like food and clothing, but somehow I never studied or really considered the reality and impact of kids not owning enough (or any!) BOOKS in their home.” She was convicted of two things: 1. A shelf full of good books is a luxury only a small percentage of our children grow up with, and 2. The ripple effects of this reality are felt early for children, last a lifetime, and affect our entire community.

Since 2016, Perkins has read numerous studies and academic commentary on book access for children while gathering data specific to the Amarillo area.

“What we know right now is that only about 23% of our children under 5 in Potter and Randall counties own at least 20 books at home,” Perkins reports, “but this is a solvable problem! Imagine a city where all children are read to at bedtime. It could be us. It could be our city.”

Today, Storybridge is made up of an energetic staff, dedicated board, and a passionate army of donors and volunteers working toward that vision.

Together this team manages five programs designed to provide greater access to books for families in need and drive all children toward increased literacy. More than 450,000 books have been placed directly in children’s hands through Storybridge programs: • DOLLY PARTON’S IMAGINATION LIBRARY: Serving more than 7,000 enrolled Potter/Randall children under 5 with a brand-new book in the mail every month. Storybridge pays the monthly bill so the books are free for families.

• KINDERBRIDGE: Guided playgroups for parents and children under 5, made possible through partnership with Amarillo ISD. • LITTLE FREE LIBRARIES: Thirty free-standing book boxes installed in neighborhoods with limited book access, stocked weekly with children’s books.

• FREE BOOK FAIRS/BOOK TRAILER VISITS: Thousands of books each month distributed to high-need elementary schools and community events for children to self-select books for home libraries.

• SUMMER STORYTIMES: Weekly high-quality literacy experiences around Amarillo with free books for all attending children.

“If you believe ‘an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,’ you believe in our work at Storybridge,” Perkins says. “Join us! Give children the resources they need to achieve their dreams, and they will make you so proud.”

Learn more about Storybridge programs and current needs at storybridgeama.org.

4468 CANYON DRIVE 806.282.9082 STORYBRIDGEAMA.ORG [ SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ]

High Plains Food Bank

GIVING

How and when did your organization begin? In 1982, a group of concerned citizens started High Plains Food Bank (HPFB) to alleviate hunger in the Texas Panhandle. For more than 40 years, HPFB has continued to make food available to individuals and families in our community.

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? High Plains Food Bank and more than 140 partner food pantries and meal programs provide access to healthy food, education, and other resources across 29 counties to help neighbors establish food security, improve their health, and thrive. In the Texas Panhandle, 1 in 8 neighbors, including 1 in 6 kids, experiences food insecurity. In 2022, HPFB distributed 7.9 million pounds of food through our distribution network.

What would you like the community to know about your work? In addition to strengthening the community by providing increased vitality, food banking decreases waste by distributing food that would otherwise go uneaten to people who most need it. Donated food may come from retail partners, distribution centers, local food drives, individuals, and farmers and ranchers. Government programs procure commodity foods from growers and raisers and distribute them to individuals and families through food bank channels, which is a win-win.

What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve?

Hunger can strike anyone at any time. The rising cost of living has caused many families to struggle to put food on the table, and the number of food-insecure individuals and families in the Texas Panhandle has steadily risen since the pandemic began. HPFB focuses on alleviating hunger through distributing healthy food, including 1.2 million pounds of produce and 200,000 pounds of fresh protein annually. In addition to providing food, HPFB’s Social Services team connects neighbors to federal nutrition and health programs like SNAP and Medicaid to bridge the gap between families and the resources they need to establish food security and long-term self-sufficiency.

What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? The people of Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle look out for each other. Over the past few years, HPFB and its network of food pantries and meal programs have responded to several spikes in demand—including a tidal wave of need during the pandemic. This year, we provided emergency food and water to neighbors impacted by floods and tornadoes in the Texas Panhandle. The continued generosity of Amarillo and our surrounding Texas Panhandle towns ensures that we can continue providing long-term recovery support for people in our area impacted by natural disasters.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? A monetary donation is the simplest way to support HPFB. Many pandemic-era food bank assistance programs have expired. And retail and other product donation channels never rebounded to pre-COVID levels. Combined with high inflation and costs for food, fuel, and other operations, serving a rising number of clients is a challenge.

Financial donations allow us the purchasing power to offer an appropriate variety and nutritional balance. We are proud that $0.94 of every $1 donated to HPFB goes toward food and feeding programs and can provide about 13 meals to neighbors facing food insecurity. We also critically need volunteer support in our warehouse and garden. Warehouse volunteers inspect, sort, and repack donated food to distribute to people who need it. Garden volunteers can help maintain our one-acre, all-organic urban farm, harvest produce, or assist with Mobile Harvest free produce distributions.

815 ROSS ST. 806. 374.8562 | HPFB.ORG [ SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ]

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Colorful Closets When did your organization begin? Founders Keely Brown and Lindsey Wing started Colorful Closets in 2016.

What local need or issue does it address? We provide tenderly used clothing for children and adolescents throughout the Amarillo and Canyon areas.

What would you like the community to know about your work? Our mission is to collect, organize and distribute clothing for children and adolescents throughout the Amarillo, Bushland, and Canyon areas. We aim to meet the needs for those in our community, while also ministering to them by spreading the love of Jesus Christ. We are always in need of good quality, contemporary and age-appropriate clothing donations—casual and comfortable clothing for the school day.

What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? In AISD, 71 percent of students fall into the free/reduced lunch category. In CISD, 38 percent of students have the same category of needs. Hard financial times do not discriminate. Poverty exists in every single school.

What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? We have a very generous community.

The Panhandle of Texas has a huge heart. Jesus is real. The Holy Spirit has guided every single step of The Closet from the beginning, through the people who generously support us.

Lives are being changed.

It is all about perspective. Just because a child is in need does not mean they are less than us, nor are they worthy of less.

There is a common mentality that if a person has nothing, they will accept anything. That is false. Dignity is important to everyone. At Colorful Closets we are all about giving a hand UP not a hand-me-down or tattered leftover. We believe—and this goes for anyone—when you feel good, you do good. When a student can walk into their school with confidence, their learning and social experience can be better.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? We need monthly donors, who can donate online at colorfulclosetsama.org. We are always low on youth boy sizes 10/12 and 14/16. School day attire can include athletic pants, athletic shorts, jeans, T-shirts and hoodies.

We have a Fashion Show/Fundraiser on Nov. 4. Learn more on our website, and support us at The Panhandle Gives Nov. 20-28.

Follow us for weekly updates: Instagram/FB @colorfulclosetsama

P.O. BOX 223 AMARILLO, TX 79105 COLORFULCLOSETSAMA.ORG

United Way of Amarillo & Canyon How and when did your organization begin? United Way of Amarillo & Canyon has an incredibly rich history that dates back to 1924, when our organization was formally known as the Community Chest. We’re excited to share that in 2024, we will celebrate our 100th anniversary, marking a century of service and impact in Amarillo and Canyon.

Our journey began when a group of forward-thinking individuals came together to address the pressing social issues of their time. They recognized that by pooling resources and working collaboratively, they could create a more significant and lasting impact on our community’s well-being. Over the years, we have evolved and grown while maintaining our commitment to addressing the most critical needs in Amarillo and Canyon utilizing our time, talents and treasures.

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? UWAC’s focus areas encompass health, education, and financial stability and we work diligently to improve the lives of our neighbors by striving to create lasting change. United Way plays a central role in fostering collaboration and partnership among organizations, businesses and individuals.

What would you like the community to know about your work? Individuals and families face a variety of challenges at different stages of life, and our initiatives are designed to address these challenges comprehensively. This holistic approach creates a continuum of care and support. We work to build a resilient and thriving society where everyone has the opportunity to reach their full potential, from infancy to old age.

What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? United Way’s allocation decisions are driven by the active involvement of community volunteers who form the allocations committee. These dedicated individuals—from various backgrounds and perspectives—play a pivotal role in determining how funds are distributed.

Staff members at United Way do not make funding decisions independently. Instead, they work collaboratively with the allocations committee to provide valuable information, insights and expertise regarding pressing needs, the impact of previous investments, and potential program effectiveness.

What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work?

In Amarillo and Canyon, our community stands as a testament to the power of resilience.

Through challenges and adversities, we have come together, showing strength and unity that define us.

It’s in the way we come together to rebuild after a disastrous flood, how we support local businesses during tough economic times, and the countless acts of kindness we extend to one another every single day. Our unity is a source of strength, proving that when we unite, we can face any challenge and emerge stronger than before.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? Volunteers are the lifeblood of United Way and the driving force behind many of our initiatives. Our volunteers directly impact the lives of local individuals and families. They serve as a source of inspiration for others. These actions ripple through the community, fostering a culture of compassion and solidarity.

Meanwhile, financial contributions power United Way’s work. Ninety-nine cents of every dollar donated stays in Amarillo and Canyon, and helps fund essential programs that address the root causes of social challenges in this community.

We also appreciate those who spread the word about United Way’s mission and the specific needs of our community. All of these contributions help us reach more individuals who are in need.

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Panhandle AIDS Support Organization How and when did your organization begin? The Panhandle AIDS Support organization was incorporated in August 1987. The agency had 9 board members and an Executive Director.

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? PASO provides services to individuals who are HIV-positive or have a diagnosis of AIDS. We provide a comprehensive range of services, including financial assistance for doctor’s visits, laboratory testing, and access to life-saving HIV medications. We can assist with emergency housing and utility assistance, financial assistance for supplemental nutritious food, and transportation assistance to and from medical appointments.

Additional services include vision care, oral health care, and mental health care services. PASO also has a children’s Christmas program.

What would you like the community to know about your work?

When an individual receives an HIV-positive test result or a diagnosis of AIDS, it’s tough to hear. Individuals need emotional support to be able to discuss their diagnosis with their loved ones, partners, spouses, immediate family members and even children. PASO Case Managers can talk through available treatment options, and guide an individual to the types of physicians and clinicians they may need. Our goal is to provide the tools so individuals with HIV or AIDS can live a comfortable, long, and healthy life.

What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? PASO is also a training site for clinicians, social workers, mental health professionals, dentists, and pharmacists. Our education mission is to provide the most recent treatment recommendations for those providing direct services to individuals living with HIV. What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? The Amarillo community is very compassionate and giving. Our agency receives generous financial and emotional support that does not exist in many communities. HIV/AIDS is still not a “huggable disease,” but the Amarillo community has embraced our agency and our mission of service.

What specific needs does your organization have right now?

• Donations • Become a Friend of PASO • Attend one of our fundraisers

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Square Mile Community Development

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How and when did your organization begin? Square Mile Community Development was formed in 2016 by a small group of individuals with more than 30 years of collective experience in both international and domestic community development, food insecurity, health, education, and poverty. This group of pastors and community leaders recognized the good work done by many community organizations to meet immediate needs, but also saw that no one was focused on long-term solutions for struggling communities. Square Mile was formed to fill that gap and find ways to help struggling communities thrive.

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? We serve rural and urban under-resourced communities. We work primarily with low-income people of all ages, backgrounds, and cultures with an emphasis on refugees, minority groups, Veterans, and women.

Our five key areas of focus are Economic Development, Housing, Health, Education, and Spiritual Care. Projects and partnerships fall under the scope of these core areas. Our current focus is on Food Insecurity, Economic Development, and Refugee Support. We provide local produce and meat through our urban farm project and help develop and support local and regional producers. We also have been developing a mobile market with a partner organization to bring healthy food into neighborhoods without grocery stores.

We offer small business support and development through our PATH program (pathtobusiness.org). Our refugee support as a founding partner at The PLACE involves after-school tutoring as well as immigration help, job placement, and life-skills training. We are also working on a bigger project to assess and address food insecurity across the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle.

What is something locals may not know or understand about your work? This past year we have spent considerable time advocating for better legislation on the state and national levels to benefit the area’s small farmers and producers. We have been working to improve our local and regional food systems, so producers have better access to the market and communities have better access to locally produced food. Meeting immediate food needs is important, but food relief is always a temporary fix unless we work on creating better food systems. Grassroots work and advocating for better legislation ensures our small farmers and producers don’t fall through the cracks and our rural and low-income communities have the opportunities to be healthy and economically strong.

What needs does your organization have right now? Our biggest need is financial support and monthly donors. We are a small organization doing big things, but the needs outweigh our resources. We don’t pay for office space or facilities, so everything we raise goes back into our programs and projects.

Volunteers can help at one of our urban farm projects, mentor entrepreneurs and small business owners through our PATH program, help with newly arrived refugees at The PLACE, or donate to the mobile market.

What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Of all of the places we have worked across the country and even across the world, we are constantly surprised by the diversity of generosity that our community shows. It doesn’t matter in which part of town folks live, how much money they make, or what people’s belief system is. The heart to give and support good work is strong in our area! We love it!

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Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum For more than 100 years, the Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum has stood as the first museum of its kind in the State of Texas. For more than 10 decades, the museum has preserved the stories and memories of the people and places that make this part of the world great. The museum’s mission has always been to educate and inspire a diverse public with the cultural and scientific heritage of Texas, specifically the Panhandle region. PPHM not only offers an inviting and informative gateway to the City of Canyon and the campus of West Texas A&M University, but it also connects tourists and visitors with some of the most dramatic historical events of this part of the world. Besides offering lively and innovative exhibits, the museum serves as an educational hub for the surrounding 25,000-squaremile region. PPHM’s educational programming supports the curriculum and student life of more than 60 ISDs in the Panhandle of Texas and the tri-state area, not to mention the students at WT. PPHM welcomes 50 to 60,000 visitors annually and 20 to 25,000 students with quality educational, cultural and entertainment opportunities. From “Pioneer Town” and the visual arts collection, to Quanah Parker’s war bonnet and Charles Goodnight’s saddle, to exceptional paleontological and geological specimens, to the annals of the oil and gas industry and the fortitude needed in ranching life, PPHM’s collection fosters an intercultural understanding and deepens the quality of life for the region, the State of Texas, and the nation.

It would surprise people to know that the work at PPHM is incredibly dynamic, varied, exciting and meaningful. Whether curating new exhibitions, helping to research new archaeological sites for the State and Federal Government, assisting international researchers and political figures of renown, discovering new stories through the vast collection of more than 2 million items, or executing exceptional educational offerings that serve local students and students from around the world via digital programming—the museum is never a dull place to work. As a repository for the items and artifacts of an entire region of the country, PPHM is brimming with one-of-a-kind stories around every corner.

Of course, such dynamism is only possible through the generosity of the people of Amarillo, Canyon, and the surrounding communities.

PPHM is constantly humbled by the volunteerism and the monetary support of its patrons. The museum takes seriously its responsibility to “promote the stories of this region in order to build community, enhance learning, and nurture creativity.” We’d encourage people to continue to support the museum monetarily, as it seeks to tell the stories of the people and places of this region. Please visit panhandleplains.org to see forthcoming events, donate, or become a member of the museum.

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Ronald McDonald House Charities of Amarillo

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The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Amarillo (RMHCA) opened its doors in August of 1983. At that time, it was only the 49th House in operation.

Today, there are more than 380 chapters operating in 62 countries across the globe. It’s truly remarkable to think about the forward-thinking and visionary advocates in our region who realized the need for our area.

Amarillo serves as the primary medical hub from Lubbock to Wichita, and from Oklahoma City to Albuquerque. For many families in rural communities across the High Plains, traveling to and from the hospital each day is simply out of the question. While the majority of RMHCA families come from the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle, Eastern New Mexico, and the Oklahoma Panhandle, we have served families from California to Florida, and Canada to Australia. In the past 40 years, we have provided more than 75,000 nights of a “Home Away from Home” to families when they have needed it most.

Our House is less like a hotel and more like a home. We have 12 guest-suites with a private bedroom and bathroom, and provide multiple community spaces, including a living room, kitchen and dining areas, playhouse, playground, game room, back patio, reflection room, and fitness area. While our top-served diagnoses are premature babies in the NICU and pediatric oncology warriors, RMHCA serves families traveling to Amarillo with a pediatric patient (ages 0 to 21) receiving any type of medical care, with a referral from a medical service provider.

In addition to the House, we have also operated the Ronald McDonald Family Room at Northwest Texas Healthcare System (NWTHS) since 2000. The Ronald McDonald Family Room is a refuge within the hospital for families to enjoy a snack or beverage, browse reading materials, utilize a quiet room, and access a shower and laundry services during their lengthy days at the hospital. Our “Gifts from the Heart” program allows us to distribute toys and gifts to pediatric patients at area hospitals twice weekly. Each year, we deliver roughly 2,500 gifts to help brighten the faces of courageous kiddos in these hospitals. Beginning in 2023, we have launched our new Continuum of Family Support (CFS) program. We have hired our first-ever full-time Family Support Coordinator to help connect our families with the community services they need during their stay, while also staying connected when they leave. This initiative will help ensure they have access to tools and resources to be successful once they’ve returned home to start the next chapter.

Unlike many nonprofits with a national presence, each RMHC chapter is its own independent 501c3, and the funds we raise stay local. All services are free, and families are never asked to pay for their stay. Approximately 10 percent of our funding comes through McDonald’s restaurants each year, and the remaining funds are raised through grants, donations and events. We are always looking for new friends of the House, and there are a multitude of ways to get involved—from hosting “wish list” drives, to volunteering, serving a meal to families, or becoming a donor. The past 40 years have shown us we live in one of the most generous regions with the kindest residents, and we can’t wait to see what the next four decades have in store for our House!

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Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains How and when did your organization begin? Girl Scouts began in 1912 in Savannah, Georgia, when Juliette Gordon Low declared, “I have something for the girls of Savannah and all of the U.S.” Girl Scout troops and councils began to form across the United States, bringing leadership experiences to local communities. In 2008, Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains formed, joining five legacy councils together, including the council in Amarillo that serves the Amarillo area and Texas and Oklahoma Panhandles. Today, Girl Scouts of Texas Oklahoma Plains serves nearly 2,000 Girl Scouts in partnership with 300 adult volunteers in the Amarillo area.

What local need or issue does Girl Scouts address? Who do you serve? Girl Scouts builds girls of courage, confidence and character, who make the world a better place.

Through programs for girls in kindergarten through 12th grade, Girl Scouts of all backgrounds and abilities can be unapologetically themselves as they discover their strengths and rise to meet new challenges—whether they want to climb to the top of a tree or the top of their class, lace up their boots for a hike or advocate for climate justice, or make their first best friends. Backed by trusted adult volunteers, mentors and alums, Girl Scouts lead the way as they find their voices and make changes that affect the issues most important to them.

What would you like the community to know about your work? Girl Scouts do more than just sell Girl Scout cookies! It’s easy to see us when we are out in front of the grocery store, but it can be a little harder to see the work we do the rest of the year: camping, working on leadership skills, traveling both domestically and internationally, studying STEM subjects, volunteering for local nonprofits, taking action on important issues, and making the world a better place. Whether registering your daughter to be a Girl Scout, volunteering to lead Girl Scouts either in a troop or at an event, or supporting programs, including Camp Kiwanis, everyone in the community can be a part of Girl Scouts.

What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? In partnership with United Way of Amarillo & Canyon, we have a robust in-school program.

Girl Scouts at School focuses on the needs of female students at partner schools and teaches specific valuable skills. At one school, Girl Scouts may be building confidence and learning how to be the voice of reason. At another school, Girl Scouts might be focused on mental wellness and how to handle stress. And at both schools, girls are having a Girl Scout troop experience learning alongside their peers about what it means to be a strong, confident Girl Scout.

What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work?

Amarillo people have compassion and love for their community, and they share that with their children. It is wonderful to see how nonprofits work together here, and how every nonprofit in town is in a constant cycle of support for one another. Community support is huge, too, as everyone has a cause they are passionate about.

Girl Scouts is lucky that community passion matches our mission to build girls of courage, confidence, and character, who make the world a better place.

What specific needs does your organization have right now?

Girl Members: Girl Scout members are in kindergarten through 12th grade.

Volunteers: Girl Scout volunteers are trusted adult partners that help lead Girl Scouts through their programming. Not all volunteers are troop leaders. Volunteers can support troops, council activities, and Girl Scout families throughout the year.

Donations: Every dollar raised for Girl Scouts in Amarillo supports local programs and training, as well as the upkeep, programs, and summer camp activities at Camp Kiwanis.

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Amarillo Habitat for Humanity

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How and when did your organization begin? Amarillo Habitat for Humanity was founded in 1981 by a group of concerned individuals who were inspired by the mission of Habitat for Humanity International, which was founded by Millard and Linda Fuller in 1976. These founders believed in the idea of “partnership housing,” where people in need of decent housing could work alongside volunteers to build their own homes.

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? Amarillo Habitat for Humanity addresses issues such as the critical affordable housing shortage and substandard living conditions in the area. By building affordable homes and rallying community support through volunteerism, they provide vital housing solutions to the families in Amarillo who need it most.

In the current economic climate, Amarillo Habitat’s work is more crucial than ever. It helps combat rising housing costs, promotes financial stability, and contributes to the overall wellbeing and resilience of the community in challenging economic times.

What would you like the community to know about your work? Access to safe and decent housing not only transforms lives, but it also has a ripple effect on neighborhoods, communities, and generations of families to come. The program empowers families to become homeowners by offering interest-free mortgages and opportunities to contribute “sweat equity” toward the construction of their homes. This approach not only provides families with a stable place to live, but also instills a sense of pride and autonomy. Amarillo Habitat for Humanity’s work extends beyond construction—it is about building a stronger, more inclusive community where families can thrive.

What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? Local housing needs, as well as the economic factors that create barriers to homeownership, are prevalent in our community. Amarillo Habitat for Humanity has the privilege of witnessing individuals’ unflinching persistence toward the “American Dream” and a better, long-term outcome for their family. Program partners must maintain and demonstrate a certain level of income, primarily to confirm their ability to afford a 25- to 30-year mortgage note. What sets Habitat apart from a traditional mortgage is that we do not charge interest against our home mortgage loans. By eliminating compounding interest, homeowners can acquire a home at the cost of construction alone. This alternative approach to homeownership is transformative and addresses a rapidly growing issue in Amarillo. These families refuse to accept the status quo and willingly complete 500 hours of sweat equity, submit a $1,500 down payment, and attend 30 financial education classes to chart a path toward homeownership.

What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? The residents of Amarillo exhibit a benevolent spirit and distinct awareness of the influence and impact of nonprofit organizations. When a neighbor is in need, the community responds to the call. Volunteers dedicate numerous hours on Habitat construction sites every week. Donors consistently support our build projects, recognizing the transformative effect a stable home can have on a family for generations. Regardless of varying opinions on local issues, the people in the area demonstrate a deep and profound affection for this community, evident through their unwavering commitment and determination to make Amarillo better.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? Amarillo Habitat for Humanity offers various volunteer and donation opportunities. Additionally, the Habitat ReStore accepts donations of building materials, household items, etc.—reselling them to the public at discounted prices. The revenue generated supports Habitat’s mission, engages the community through volunteer opportunities, and promotes sustainability by recycling and reusing donated goods. Supporting the ReStore, volunteering time, or giving a contribution means supporting affordable housing and community development.

2700 S. WILSON ST. 806.383.3456

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The Discovery Center Collective How and when did your organization begin? The Discovery Center Collective was established in 2023, after the merger of two primary site locations: the Don Harrington Discovery Center and Wildcat Bluff Discovery Center (formerly Wildcat Bluff Nature Center). DHDC opened to the public in 1976, having been founded by Amarillo Independent School District as a learning resource to supplement formal education. We have provided the community with fun and engaging science experiences for almost 50 years, growing from a small gallery and planetarium to now include large interactive galleries for all ages, state-of-the-art technology, and an outdoor science park. DHDC emerged as an independent nonprofit science and technology center in 1984. Meanwhile, Wildcat Bluff was founded in 1992 to provide nature education and inspire a love of the outdoors to families and visitors across the Panhandle. For more than three decades, it has been a cornerstone for outdoor education and nature experiences in Amarillo. It merged with DHDC in 2021.

What local need or issue does it address? As the only organization our size in the Texas Panhandle that champions informal education through playful exploration, we bridge educational gaps stemming from screen dependency, inequitable access to resources, and low comprehension of basic literacy foundations. At DHDC, our hands-on exhibits and interactive learning avenues ensure equitable access to vital educational tools, empowering individuals to chart their own learning journeys and envision careers across the field of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math). At WBDC, we underscore the multifaceted benefits of outdoor education—enhancing mental well-being, physical health, and academic performance, especially in science. Notably, Amarillo and the encompassing Region 16 educational district stand out for their lack of environmental education offerings, a gap that Wildcat Bluff diligently fills by working with schools to offer an accessible space for outdoor learning and recreation.

Who do you serve? Across both sites, we serve students, educators, and the half-a-million residents of the Texas Panhandle, along with our neighbors in the surrounding four-state regions of New Mexico, Colorado, Kansas, and Oklahoma. We have served an average of 140,000 guests per year since 2009, inspiring learners of all ages from cradle to career and beyond.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? The Discovery Center Collective could not exist without the support of the community and our donors. Our operating budget includes about 40% from donations, grants, and other contributions. Very simply, we can’t do what we do without you. We were started by the community, and continue to be here for the community. We’re always looking for volunteers, board members, community cheerleaders, and both in-kind and monetary donations to keep innovating and creating new experiences for all. We are your Discovery Center Collective! You can contact Wendy Taylor at wtaylor@dhdc.org, or Kirk Daniels at kdaniels@dhdc.org to make an investment or learn how you can be involved in making learning fun. We look forward to discovering together!

DHDC.ORG

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Panhandle PBS

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How and when did your organization begin?

Panhandle PBS was founded in August of 1988.

We’re excited and proud to be celebrating our 35th anniversary this year.

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? We serve all 26 counties in the Texas Panhandle, and we’re the only free television station in our area. Our mission is to educate, enlighten, entertain and empower by telling the stories of the people, places and things from the Texas Panhandle. Before 1988, residents of the Panhandle had to tune into KERA out of Dallas/Ft. Worth to watch PBS programming. Back in those days, we essentially didn’t have a voice. We didn’t see Panhandle faces and places in the stories that came out of the Dallas-area PBS station.

What would you like the community to know about your work? Panhandle PBS is more than television.

We’re using this tagline to highlight all the ways you can access our content. You can follow us on social media. We have community partnerships and do tons of community engagement. A prime example of that is our partnership with the Amarillo Public Library, where we do film screenings and other educational events. We partner with Amarillo College to broadcast graduation and provide audiovisual support for other large gatherings. We also host events, like Amarillo’s best dinner series, Savor the Goods. We love to surprise and delight children by bringing PBS Kids characters to the Panhandle, and we offer on-demand content through PBS Passport.

What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? At Panhandle PBS, we’re all community-minded storytellers at heart, so coming to work every day knowing we get to do the very thing we love is truly an honor and a privilege. The people of the Panhandle are the best, friendliest, most genuine people in the world.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? As a modern media company, we are constantly making efforts to stay up to date with technology. Our immediate project is upgrading some of our video equipment, and in 2024 our focus will be upgrading our entire studio lighting system. As a nonprofit organization, we’re always looking to grow our audience and membership base, so please consider supporting Panhandle PBS today.

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GIVING The Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center How and when did your organization begin? In 1982, the Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention, formed by agencies serving children in theTexas Panhandle, recognized that the system addressing child abuse was unintentionally re-victimizing the children it intended to help. Court cases were being lost due to a lack of comprehensive case management practices. In 1989, The Bridge opened as the first Children’s Advocacy Center (CAC) in the state of Texas to provide a child’s path to healing and justice in the wake of abuse. The Bridge is the only CAC in our region.

What local need or issue does it address?

Children are referred to The Bridge by law enforcement and social services for forensic interviews and physical exams as required by Texas law. Interviews are recorded and qualify as evidence in court cases. Case coordination

by The Bridge with law enforcement, social services, prosecutors, and medical and mental health providers improves prosecution rates in child abuse cases. Bridge family advocates provide information and referrals for services

to help families recover. Bridge staff provides child abuse awareness training for adults and child safety education for kids. Our staff also fields all reports of abuse in the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. 1,021 children received services provided by donors to The Bridge in the fiscal year ending Aug. 31, 2023.

What would you like the community to know about your work? Texas law requires that any person suspecting child abuse or neglect must immediately make a report. We are here to help you learn the signs of abuse and to foster healthy conversations with your children to prevent abuse. Contact us to set up learning opportunities with your church, preschool, or school. If we normalize the conversation, we can protect our children!

What specific needs does your organization have right now? Community members are invited to help children become children again by joining The Bridge Healing Heroes with a monthly gift. Volunteers are needed for our annual event and day-to-day operations of the agency.

ZACH THOMAS AT HEROES & LEGENDS 2023

2023 PINWHEELS FOR PREVENTION CEREMONY

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Amarillo Art Institute How and when did your organization begin? The Amarillo Art Institute was founded in 2004 by local philanthropist and artist, Ann Crouch and other local artists. The organization was created as a space for artists to learn and grow their skills under the instruction of master artists. It has since grown to include classes and workshops in a variety of media, outreach programs, a community gallery, private artist studios, and event spaces.

What local needs does it address? Who do you serve? The Institute focuses on inspiring, educating and enriching lives through art.

The classes, workshops, events and programs provide an outlet for mental health and help bring awareness to local and regional arts and culture. The Institute provides classes for children as young as 6 years old—as well as adults—and has several outreach programs that serve individuals without access to the arts.

What specific needs does your organization have right now?

Expanding reach in the community takes donations, volunteers and awareness. Coming out of a major renovation project, the Amarillo Art Institute needs help sharing the story of Arts in the Sunset and its reopening. We are always looking to have others share our cause and shine a light on the benefits of art to mental health and quality of life.

What does the community need to know about your work?

Though the arts can often be an afterthought, they enrich and define the culture of a community. The Institute has heard time and time again how members have turned to art to cope with social anxiety, depression and trauma, and have found the community they needed at Arts in the Sunset. We invite everyone to join our community and enrich their lives with art! [ SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ]

37 0 1 P L A I N S B LV D. , S U I T E 1 1 7 806.354.8802 AMARILLOARTINSTITUTE.ORG

GIVING

Amarillo Angels Imagine opening your home and heart to a child who is experiencing one of the most difficult times in their young life. Dropped off by a caseworker at their new home, most of the time children are scared, nervous, traumatized and may only have the clothes on their backs.

Everything that is their “normal” has changed and everything is new and different.

Each child that enters the foster care system is at risk of: • Moving seven times in two years • Regressing educationally four to six months each time they move • Becoming a teenage parent with a strong likelihood of losing that child to the system • Suffering from mental PTSD • Being unemployed by age 24 • Becoming homeless, incarcerated, trafficked or dead after they age out of the system

But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Amarillo Angels exists to change these statistics so that every child experiencing foster care has the opportunity to achieve their dreams, reach their goals and experience their brightest and best future.

Since 2017, Amarillo Angels has walked alongside children, youth and families experiencing foster care by providing consistent support through intentional giving, relationship building and mentorship.

Our Love Box program, Dare to Dream mentoring program and events are designed to wrap community around those experiencing foster care, increase placement longevity, and promote health and healing for everyone in the home.

You are invited to be a part of our work and make a difference in the life of those experiencing foster care by starting a Love Box group, becoming a mentor or supporting us as a financial partner.

To learn more about Amarillo Angels, please follow us on social media or visit amarilloangels.org.

112 SW EIGHTH AVE., SUITE 610 806.221.2821 AMARILLOANGELS.ORG

The 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle

How and when did your organization begin?

The 100 Club of Amarillo was organized in 2004 and incorporated as a 501c3 nonprofit in 2006. In 2011, the organization expanded into the top 26 counties of the Panhandle and began doing business as the 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle.

loss or disability of a loved one, but funds can be extremely helpful in easing the financial burden associated with these tragedies. The 100 Club also provides life-protecting equipment for firefighting and law enforcement agencies in the Texas Panhandle that cannot be secured through budgeted funds.

The 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle is patterned after the 100 Club of Detroit, Michigan, which began in 1952. When a young officer was killed in the line of duty, a local car dealer, William M. Packer, contacted 100 of his friends and asked them to donate $100 to a fund for the fallen officer’s widow and unborn child. Mr. Packer was able to pay off the widow’s mortgage and provide an education fund for the unborn child. The very first 100 Club was born.

What would you like the community to know about your work? Every day, public safety agents, deputies, firefighters, and officers go to work knowing they could lose their lives to save others. The least we can do is provide a helping hand. That is the mission of the 100 Club, which is fully supported by membership, donations and fundraisers. Will you join us in standing behind the men and women behind the badge?

What local need or issue does it address? Who do you serve? The 100 Club provides assistance to firefighters and certified peace officers and their families at a moment’s notice. Without the brave men and women who risk their lives every day, our lives and communities would be very different. When a line-of-duty tragedy strikes, the 100 Club immediately responds with financial support to help lessen the devastating effects. We realize money can never replace the

What specific needs does your organization have right now? This past year has been a record year for line-of-duty death and injury payouts in the Texas Panhandle. The 100 Club needs help replenishing funds to ensure that money is always available to help first responders in need. Please consider a year-end gift to the 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle. Become a member by visiting texaspanhandle100club.org 8 0 6 . 3 31 . 41 0 0 or contacting Executive Director Suzanne Talley at 806-676-2180.

T E X A S PA N H A N D L E 1 0 0 C LU B .O R G [ SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ]

GIVING Amarillo Children’s Home How and when did your organization begin?

Amarillo Children’s Home began in 1923, when Dr. R. Thomsen and his friends noticed three orphaned, hungry children who were in need of clean clothing and shelter. The men immediately fed, clothed and sheltered the children, and Dr. Thomsen decided to find ways to help other orphans. On March 1, 1924, Amarillo Children’s Home opened its doors as the Presbyterian Home for Children in a building donated by Allen Early, Sr., a local civic leader. In the late ’40s, ACH shifted away from dormitory-style housing to provide familystyle homes for children. This change helps build healthy families and has proven to be one of our most valuable outcomes as we continue to work with foster children.

What local need or issue does it address?

Who do you serve? Amarillo Children’s Home serves foster children, primarily those who have been removed from their homes by foster care and judicial systems, and range in age from 5 to 22. We specialize in working with teens and sibling groups, which tend to be the most difficult to find homes for

within the foster care system. Over the course of one year, we serve approximately 50 to 65 children. The length of stay is based on a child’s needs and ranges from a few months to many years. ACH’s campus is located in the heart of Amarillo, allowing the children to experience a true neighborhood and community.

What specific needs does your organization have right now? Ongoing monthly financial support is our biggest need, as it allows us to best provide for the children in our care and support our direct care team members who provide individualized, restorative care for ACH kids.

What would you like the community to know about your work? When we say, “ACH is community,” we mean it. The majority of our funding comes from individual community members—and has for a century! Local investment in ACH results in generational change through children. Please consider 3400 BOWIE ST. a generous gift and join us in celebrating a 806.352.5771 century of restoring kids!

AMARILLOCHILDRENSHOME.ORG

Center City of Amarillo How and when did your organization begin?

Center City began in 1996 when citizens became concerned about preserving Amarillo’s historic downtown. They chartered Center City as a nonprofit organization dedicated to revitalizing downtown. In 2002, Center City became a Texas Main Street City. For 21 years, Center City has been accredited by Texas Main Street and National Main Street, showing that we meet or exceed the standards set for a thriving downtown.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? Center City serves the entire city of Amarillo as we work to make downtown everybody’s neighborhood. Center City hosts events including High Noon on the Square, Jazztober, the Electric Light Parade, Amarillo Community Market and the Center City Mural Run. We invite people from throughout the Panhandle to discover downtown. The Downtown Dining District, three hotels and Hodgetown stadium bring thousands of people to Center City from throughout the Panhandle.

Center City is the heart of the Amarillo Cultural District, designated by the Texas Commission on the Arts. With the Amarillo Cultural District, Center City is the cultural crossroads of our area. [ SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ]

What specific community needs do you meet? Center City provides family-friendly and pet-friendly events to bring more people downtown. Thanks to generous donations, Center City sponsors events to encourage local talent, from musicians to muralists. Center City has a vibrant banner program, and Streetscape and Facade Grant program to give downtown added curb appeal. Through the Facade Grant program, Center City has returned more than $1.5 million to save our downtown, one building at a time. Center City works with the Texas Historical Commission to preserve and restore historic buildings that give our downtown its distinct personality.

What needs does your organization have right now? Center City needs to grow its membership. By making a tax-exempt donation to Center City, you can become a member, supporting our goal to make Center City everybody’s neighborhood. Our membership dues support programs and events so we can offer free and low-cost events to bring people downtown to live, work, play, learn and worship. Center City always needs volunteers—individuals and groups—to help us in our mission. Contact us at (806) 372-6744 or centercity.org.

1000 S. POLK ST. 806. 372.6744 CENTERCITY.ORG

GIVING Mission 2540 How and when did your organization begin? We were founded in 2004 by Brooks Boyett, in order to meet the needs of families and children who live in poverty.

Whom does your organization primarily serve? We work with children and families living in affordable housing communities throughout Amarillo.

What specific community needs do you meet? We work on a daily basis in multiple affordable housing communities through after-school programs on each property, resident assistance, and a variety of outreach and special activities throughout the year. Our desire is to “Feed, Clothe, and Love” our neighbors in need.

What needs does your organization have right now? We are always on the search for more volunteers willing to serve in our after-school programs, whether that is once a week or once a month.

How to help: Volunteer: mission2540.org/volunteer Donate: We’ve grown a lot over the past year, and the amount of needs we are meeting has never been greater, so financial support is vital to the work we do. mission2540.org/give

P.O. BOX 20771 AMARILLO, TX, 79114 806.681.6334 MISSION2540.ORG

We provide snacks to 150 kids every week, so we are always happy to take non-perishable snack items.

Amarillo Botanical Gardens How and when did your organization begin? and learning. We have multiple indoor and In 1929, an enterprising group of women outdoor spaces for private special occasions created the first garden club of Amarillo. They and public events. Our experiences are set out to prove gardening was possible in tailored to bring people together in a the challenging High Plains of Texas. By 1945, beautiful setting where nature, science and the club had grown to 125 members and had culture meet. formed societies. In the late 1960s, they began What needs does your organization have fundraising and gathering supporters, and right now? Our greatest needs are securing after many years they built the main building funding from corporate and community and gardens that form the center of what we supporters and gaining more volunteers. have today. Over the years, through generous Our revenue is only enough to cover our donations, additional land was acquired operating expenses. We would like to continue and the gardens have expanded to four expanding our educational programs for both beautiful acres. children and adults, and create programs Whom does your organization serve? ABG serves the entire Panhandle; school children are served primarily through our educational programs. We were able to reach more than 3,000 children from around the region last year. We have a group of dedicated instructors who teach children classes from our ever-expanding curriculum.

What specific community needs do you meet? The gardens provide a firsthand botanical experience in a relaxed, peaceful setting that promotes fresh air, exploring

to support underserved people within our community. We have a small staff and are dependent on volunteers to help us keep the gardens beautiful.

1400 STREIT DRIVE 8 0 6 . 3 52 . 6 51 3 A M A R I L LO B O TA N I C A LG A R D E N S . O R G [ SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ]

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t AmTech Career Academy, high school culinary students learn in what is literally one of the best commercial kitchen suites in the state. Guided by experienced chefs Rhonda Obenhaus and Larry Garcia, students in the School of Culinary Arts not only learn foundational cooking methods, but also have the opportunity to earn industryspecific certifications and actually serve food to their peers.

For this issue, Obenhaus asked students in her Culinary 1 class to choose and develop recipes kids could make—possibly with some assistance from grown-ups—during the holiday season. The students categorized these dishes by age, choosing simpler recipes for younger home cooks.

Ever the educator, Obenhaus says the kitchen should always feel a bit like a classroom, whether you’re working with teenagers or helping a 6-year-old crack eggs. “I try really hard not to do it for them,” she says. “The only way they’re going to learn is if they try. If they mess up, then it’s a good experience. The only way we’re going to learn in the kitchen is by making mistakes.”

For parents leading young children through these recipes, she recommends keeping the atmosphere as fun and lighthearted as possible. “Don’t be hard on them,” she says. And try to set aside your own preferences or anxieties. “If you’re really picky about messes or keeping things clean, you’re going to be yelling at them,” she laughs.

“We don’t want that.”

In the AmTech kitchens, students prepared these dishes for Brick & Elm while we observed. The recipes on these pages and the finished dishes in the photographs are the result.

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Kids in the Kitchen

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kitch

Ages 6 to 8 years French Toast

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“These are easy, simple steps and kids can choose the toppings,” says Makinze Gutierrez, a Palo Duro High School junior who helped prepare this dish. She was joined by two other students, and Obenhaus says working as a team in the kitchen is a great way to divide and conquer. French toast requires multiple steps but they’re all relatively simple. One child can crack eggs.

Another can whisk. Another can dip the bread into the batter.

“I like to use a pie pan when they’re dipping [the toast] because it’s very shallow and they can [easily] get the right amount,” she says. “They can drop the butter onto a hot pan and watch it sizzle, but the adult’s job is going to be to turn [the toast].”

Keely Wethington Recipe from Southern Living, Jessica Furniss 2 large eggs ⅔ cup whole milk (or high-fat milk alternative) 1 teaspoon granulated sugar Dash salt ½ teaspoon vanilla extract Dash cinnamon (optional) 6 slices bread of choice 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided Toppings such as fruit, syrup, butter or powdered sugar Whisk together eggs, milk, sugar, salt and vanilla extract. Whisk until well blended.

Dip bread slices in egg and milk mixture, then flip and soak the other side. Heat skillet on medium-high heat; melt butter.

Add bread slices and cook 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown. Flip each side and cook an additional 1 to 2 minutes until golden brown. Top with butter and syrup or preferred toppings.

Makes 6 servings

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Recipe from Love in Lemons 3 eggs 1 teaspoon milk (or water) 1 tablespoon butter Pinch of salt and pepper 1 teaspoon chives

Scrambled Eggs “Kids will want to be right there in front,” Obenhaus says about scrambling eggs. The biggest mistake she sees most home cooks make with egg preparation is related to temperature. “They put the pan on the stove and turn on the heat and walk away from it, and then the pan gets too hot,” she says.

Apply medium heat and only turn the heat on about a minute before you’re ready to scramble.

She recommends whisking the eggs first, using a slightly oversized bowl to allow freedom of movement. “Add as much air as possible in a bigger bowl so it can swirl and aerate. If you’re not allergic to dairy, add a little milk or cream to the eggs. It stretches them some and helps it to be fluffy,” she says.

Crack eggs into a medium bowl and add milk or water. Whisk until smooth and combined, with no streaks of egg white remaining. Brush a small, nonstick skillet with olive oil, or melt a little butter. Bring to medium heat. Pour in eggs, and let cook for a few seconds without stirring. Pull a rubber spatula across the bottom of the pan to form large, soft curds of scrambled eggs. Continue cooking over medium-low heat, folding and stirring eggs every few seconds. Scrape spatula along the bottom and sides of pan often to form more curds and prevent any part of the eggs from drying out. Remove pan from heat when eggs are mostly set, but a little liquid egg remains. Season to taste with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped fresh chives, if desired.

Makes 2 servings

Archer Dickerson Recipe from World of Vegan, Gina House 2 bananas, sliced and frozen 1 ½ cups milk 1 to 2 tablespoons agave nectar or sweetener of choice ¼ teaspoon peppermint extract ½ teaspoon vanilla extract 3 strawberries, sliced and frozen 1 to 2 peppermint candy canes Add one of the candy canes to a plastic bag and seal well. Use a rolling pin or heavy pan to crush the candy cane into very small pieces. Put it to the side for later. Add frozen bananas, strawberries, milk, extracts and sweetener into a blender. Blend for one minute or until smooth. Pour finished smoothie into one large or two small glasses or Mason jars. Sprinkle the tops with crushed candy canes or add whipped cream, if desired.

Makes 2 (8-ounce) servings

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Sophomore Archer Dickerson, a homeschool student who attends AmTech, chose this recipe not just because he thought younger kids could follow the directions, but because the crushed candy canes gave it a festive appearance. “It needs to be simple yet it also needs to look fun,” he says. Another 10th grader, Chance Hall of Amarillo High School, adds that he thinks the words “candy-cane smoothie” alone will get kids interested.

“It’s candy,” he says.

Obenhaus suggests letting young children slice the bananas the day before. “It’s really easy to cut through a banana with a plastic knife,” she says. Then make sure to freeze the banana slices.

The strawberries in this recipe are a replacement for dragon fruit, simply because Obenhaus worried about the availability of dragon fruit in local grocery stores this late in the season. But if you can use dragon fruit, by all means do it. “It’s fun for kids,” she says. “They might be more willing to try it or take a bite because it’s named after a dragon.”

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Candy Cane Smoothie

Ages 8 to 10

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Glazed LemonBlueberry Scones

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“When it says ‘chill the dough’ in the recipe, that’s one of those instructions you really can’t skip. If they’re chilled, it’s just going to turn out better,” says Obenhaus. The floured surface is also important for working with the dough.

As a supplement to this recipe, Obenhaus suggests cutting and pulling apart the dough after placing it on the parchment paper—not before.

“So many times I’ve seen students have it ready and cut the dough, then try to pick [the triangle] up to transfer to the paper and it falls apart,” she says. Start on the paper, then transfer the entire paper of unbaked scones onto the baking mat or baking sheet.

Recipe from Ahead of Thyme, Sam Hu 2 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for dusting 2 tablespoons sugar 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder, divided 3⁄4 teaspoon salt 1⁄4 teaspoon ground cinnamon 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold, cut into cubes

1 cup fresh blueberries 1⁄2 cup buttermilk 1⁄2 cup + 1 tablespoon heavy cream, divided 1 egg, beaten 1⁄2 cup confectioners’ sugar Juice from 1 lemon

Heat oven to 400 degrees. In a large bowl, sift together flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Add butter and, using hands or a pastry cutter, cut butter into flour until the size of peas, working quickly so butter stays cold. Carefully fold in blueberries so they don’t burst. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk and 1⁄2 cup heavy cream. Make a well in the center of flour mixture, then pour in liquid mixture. Use a rubber spatula to carefully fold ingredients until liquid is just incorporated.

Roll dough out onto a lightly floured surface, adding more flour as needed if too sticky to work with. Press down into a small rectangle, about 6- by 8-inches. Cut dough in half once horizontally and twice vertically to create 6 equal rectangles. Slice each rectangle in half diagonally to form 12 triangle-shaped scones. Carefully transfer scones to a large half-sheet baking pan lined with a silpat baking mat or parchment paper.

In a small bowl, whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon heavy cream. Brush tops of scones with egg wash, then bake for 16 to 18 minutes, or until scones are lightly golden brown. Let cool 5 minutes in a pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

While scones are cooling, combine confectioners’ sugar and half the lemon juice in a small bowl. Whisk until combined, adding more lemon juice as needed to reach desired consistency. When scones are cool, drizzle lemon glaze on top.

Makes 1 dozen scones

Eggnog is one of those holiday-specific beverages that’s easy to purchase pre-made. But the homemade eggnog from scratch is far superior, says Sebastian Quinoñes, a senior homeschooler. “I grew up drinking this eggnog at home,” he says. “I always thought it had a creamy, sweet taste and kids would love to make it and sip on it.” Plus, he adds, every kid loves creating an eggnog mustache.

This version is thick, smooth, and sweet enough for kids to appreciate it. For the adult version—which uses high-alcohol content to balance the sweetness—consider adding rum, bourbon or brandy as a final step.

Sebastian Quiñones Recipe from Ahead of Thyme, Sam Hu 2 cups heavy cream 1 ½ teaspoons nutmeg 3 cups whole milk 1 tablespoon vanilla extract 3 eggs

4 egg yolks ⅓ cup sugar ¼ teaspoon salt 1 cup whipped cream 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

In a medium saucepan, combine milk and vanilla. Cook over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until bubbles form around sides and milk starts steaming. In another mixing bowl, vigorously beat together eggs, yolks, sugar, and salt for approximately 3 to 5 minutes, until the mixture is thickened and pale. Add milk in a slow stream and whisk to incorporate.

Pour mixture back into saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon for about 6 minutes, or until mixture reaches 165 degrees, as read on a cooking thermometer. Immediately strain into the mixing bowl with heavy cream. Place in refrigerator uncovered and allow eggnog to cool completely for at least 2 hours. When chilled, pour eggnog into glasses filling only three-fourths of the glass. Top with whipped cream, cinnamon, and freshly grated nutmeg.

You can get creative with spices: try almond extract, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, or allspice. Store leftover eggnog in a sealed, airtight container or Mason jar in the refrigerator.

Homemade eggnog can last for up to a month in the fridge, depending on the expiration dates on the milk and cream used.

Go by the earliest expiration date when determining how long to store it.

Makes 5 servings

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Non-Alcoholic Eggnog

Ages 11 and Older Perfect Omelet Omelets are a great way to plan a unique, no-fuss holiday breakfast while involving all family members, Obenhaus explains. Thanks to the toppings, “we all get to choose what we want.” She suggests chopping up all the ingredients the night before, then having family members select their ingredients—ham, bacon, or sausage plus a variety of vegetables—and combine them into a small zip-close plastic bag for each person. “Then, cooking it the next morning is literally just dumping the bag into the eggs,” she says.

For a well-made omelet, always use a good non-stick pan and a rubber spatula over medium heat.

Recipe from Sweet as Honey, Carine Claudipierre 2 large eggs, beaten ¼ teaspoon salt ⅛ teaspoon ground pepper 2 teaspoons olive oil 1 teaspoon butter

⅛ teaspoon garlic powder ⅓ cup grated cheese ¼ cup ham Chopped veggies of choice

Crack eggs in a bowl, and using a fork, beat eggs with salt, pepper and garlic powder, if used. Set aside. Heat a nonstick, 10-inch skillet over medium heat and warm butter and olive oil.

When hot, tilt pan to spread fat evenly on its surface. Reduce to medium heat and add beaten eggs to pan, tilting pan to spread egg mixture all over the surface. Cook the omelet for 2 to 3 minutes, or until sides of the egg mixture start to dry. At this time, use a silicone spatula to lift a side and let the uncooked eggs from the middle of the omelet run under. Keep cooking until the center is almost set, then sprinkle half the grated cheese, ham, and remaining vegetables on top of omelet. Fold in half and keep cooking until cheese is melted. Serve with fresh chopped parsley and cherry tomatoes. Slide the omelet on a plate and add more salt and pepper if desired.

Makes 1 omelet

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Easy Cinnamon Rolls “I always liked waking up to fresh-baked cinnamon rolls,” says Makinze Gutierrez.

These will do the trick, and the various ingredients provide another opportunity for a team approach to baking.

“My granddaughters like to help me [in the kitchen],” says Obenhaus. While the details of this recipe are more appropriate for older kids, measuring is a great way for even the tiniest hands to get involved. “If they’re scooping flour or sugar, let them scoop out of the canister,” she says. Younger children might not be too precise, but someone older can always help level off the measuring cup or spoon above a separate bowl.

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98 Recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction, Sally McKenny 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour ¼ cup granulated sugar ½ teaspoon salt ¾ cup whole milk 8 tablespoons unsalted butter 2 ¼ teaspoons Platinum or instant yeast

1 large egg ⅓ cup brown sugar 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon 4 ounces cream cheese ⅔ cup powdered sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Make the dough: Whisk flour, sugar, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside. Combine milk and butter together in a heatproof bowl.

Microwave or use the stove and heat until butter has melted and mixture is warm to the touch (about 110 degrees, no higher). Whisk in yeast until dissolved. Pour mixture into dry ingredients, add egg, and stir with a sturdy rubber spatula or wooden spoon OR use a stand mixer with a paddle attachment on medium speed. Mix until a soft dough forms.

Transfer dough to a lightly floured surface. Using floured hands, knead dough for 3 to 5 minutes. You should have a smooth ball of dough.

If dough is too soft or sticky, add a little more flour. Place in a lightly greased bowl (I use non-stick spray), cover loosely, and let dough rest for about 10 minutes as you prepare filling ingredients.

Fill rolls: After 10 minutes, roll dough out in a 14- by 8-inch rectangle. Spread softened butter on top. Mix together cinnamon and brown sugar. Sprinkle over butter. Roll dough to make a 14-inch log. Cut into 10 to 12 even slices and arrange in a lightly greased 9- or 10-inch round cake pan, pie dish, or square baking pan.

Let rise: Cover pan with aluminum foil, plastic wrap, or a clean kitchen towel. Allow rolls to rise in a relatively warm environment for 60 to 90 minutes, or until doubled in size.

After rolls have doubled in size, heat oven to 375 degrees. Bake for 24 to 27 minutes, or until lightly browned. If tops are getting brown too quickly, loosely tent the pan with aluminum foil and continue baking. Bake until the internal temperature taken with an instant read thermometer is around 195 to 200 degrees. Remove pan from oven and place on a wire rack as you make the icing. (You can also make the icing as the rolls bake.)

In a medium bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat cream cheese on high speed until smooth and creamy. Add butter and beat until smooth and combined, then beat in powdered sugar and vanilla until combined. Using a knife or icing spatula, spread icing over warm rolls and serve immediately. Cover leftover frosted or unfrosted rolls tightly and store at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Makes 10 to 12 rolls

H O L I DAY A

s our Giving section made clear, one of our magazine’s core values is supporting local nonprofits. But we also believe it’s important to shop local businesses. Locally owned retailers are significant contributors to the local economy. Not only does this keep your money local, but these businesses pay local taxes and employ Amarillo residents. They even source many of their products from local makers. Beyond that, they help give our city its distinct personality and charm. As the holiday season approaches, we hope this Holiday Gift Guide introduces you to products that bring cheer to you and yours.

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f+d NOMAD NAPOLETANA

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PHOTOS BY SHANNON RICHARDSON

614 S. Polk St. 806.376.4700 nomadnapoletana.com facebook.com/nomadnapoletana

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That location is more of a take-out concept, but the new Nomad Napoletana downtown extends Powers’ east coast-style pizza into an upscale dining experience.

Nomad Napoletana opened on Sept. 25 at 614 S. Polk St. in the space that formerly housed Charlee’s Chicken and, before that, Polk Street Eats. “It’s not as much of a fast-casual concept,” says Powers, comparing it to the previous tenants. “I think of downtown as being a destination—more of a date-night destination.”

At dinner, every table receives a complimentary dish of stecca, a bread Powers describes as a Sicilian version of the baguette. Drizzled in olive oil and served with tender, spreadable garlic confit, the meltin-your-mouth appetizer is already proving popular with patrons.

The restaurant’s scratch-made meatballs, another appetizer, are braised in California tomatoes and tomato sauce all day and served with a dollop of ricotta. “It’s also an East Coast-type thing, but the dollop of ricotta really balances the sweetness and acidity together,” he says.

As for the pizza, Powers and his team cook it at temperatures above 1,000 degrees in an authentic, wood-fired, stone-hearth pizza oven imported from Modena, Italy. The pies served at Nomad Napoletana only come in 16-inch diameters. (The take-out location on Georgia serves 12-inch pizzas.) Most of these light-crust pizzas feature traditional toppings, but for Brick & Elm he served the Brisket Pizza, with provolone cheese, cream sauce, balsamic redux and pepperoncini. “It’s very … beefy,” Powers says with a grin. “I chose the brisket because I feel it really resonates well with Amarillo. It’s not very East Coast at all.”

For dessert, we enjoyed the rich Basque Cheesecake.

A first for the Pizza Nomad family, Nomad Napoletana also features a full bar with cocktails, draft beer and wine. “We have a pretty extensive Italian wine selection. Those are things I wasn’t able to offer at Georgia Street,” he says.

Beyond dinnertime, the restaurant also offers a lunch special from 11 to 2, featuring pizza-by-the-slice, allowing downtown office workers to get in and out quickly.

Nomad Napoletana is open daily except Sundays, 11 a.m. to 9 p.m., and until 10 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.

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hot new pizza restaurant, Nomad Napoletana, has turned up the temperature on an iconic stretch of Polk Street. It’s the third iteration of a pizza concept started by Liberty Powers, originating with the Pizza Nomad food truck in 2018 and followed by the brick-and-mortar Pizzeria Nomad near 34th and Georgia in 2020.

THE 806 COFFEE + LOUNGE

Art meets coffee—and a surprisingly delicious vegetarian and vegan menu—at this locally owned, atmospheric shop on Sixth. (The brunch is especially good.) Time it right and you’ll catch live music or an art show. If you’re ready to ditch the minimalist coffee scene, start here.

2812 SW Sixth Ave., 806.322.1806, the806.com $

80/20 MEAL PREP

Healthy meals to go. Build your own meal using already prepped foods, or choose from a flexible menu of options based on diet needs, whether vegan, trying to manage diabetes, or wanting enough protein to add muscle. Gourmet meals and meal-prep using highquality, whole food ingredients. 2511 S. Georgia St., 806.282.5434, eightytwentymeals.com $

ASIAN BUFFET

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Everyone was worried about buffets during 2020, but this diverse 34th and Bell buffet pivoted to offer pickup, delivery and extra sanitization practices. Not interested in a buffet? The Mongolian Barbecue feature—prepared fresh, right in front of you—is unique to Amarillo. 3347 Bell St., 806.803.9588 $

ASPEN CREEK GRILL

This comfort casual chain has very few locations, but ours on I-40 is constantly busy. The appetizers are great for sharing and the popular Happy Hour is ridiculously affordable. Each location offers a signature menu. Try a Black Angus steak or pizza. 4110 I-40 West, 806.398.2776, aspencreekgrill.com/amarillo $$

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BANGKOK RESTAURANT

In a city known for its Thai food, Bangkok is truly authentic—and a legit Amarillo Boulevard dive. Take it from patrons with experience: If they say it’s “spicy,” they mean it. Get ready, and make sure you’ve got plenty of water. 5901 Amarillo Blvd. East, 806.383.9008 $

BEEF ‘O’BRADY’S

Amarillo is not exactly a haven for Irish food or drinks. But this familyfriendly chain offers the closest thing to it—at Beef ‘O’Brady’s, the pub food is “Irish-inflected”—all wrapped up in a sports bar atmosphere.

There’s a sizable party room, too. 7306 SW 34th Ave., 806.358.0997, beefobradys.com $$

BUTTERLOVE BISCUITS

Yes, the entire restaurant concept is built around biscuits and isn’t that all you really need to know? Biscuits are the ultimate comfort food and these are heavenly, with savory and sweet options and brunch cocktails in a fun environment—owned by the sweethearts behind Ruffled Cup. 3440 S. Bell, Suite 130, 806.418.8966, butterlove.com $$

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This is not a comprehensive list of local restaurants. From issue to issue, we will try to include a wide variety $ of dining options based on the space $$ available. If you notice an error, please $$$ email mm@brickandelm.com.

Most entrees under $10 Most entrees $11 to $20 Most entrees over $21

f+d CADA VEZ COCINA MEXICANA

This always-reliable Town Square restaurant continues to get raves for its classic Tex-Mex fare. The savory birria tacos are wonderful, and so are the salsa selections—with 22 beers on tap and excellent margaritas to wash it all down. Try the weekend brunch! 9200 Town Square Blvd., Suite 1000, 806.418.6976, cadavezamarillo.com $$

CECIL’S LAST CHANCE BAR & GRILL

It’s located in a little shack. It’s been featured on national TV shows. It’s one of those places locals love to take visitors. This tiny, iconic burger joint has a big reputation for its green chile burgers, its ribeye steaks, and—if you can handle it—the mouth-blazing Burger from Hell. A true Amarillo dive. 2417 S. Grand St., 806.373.4640, coyotebluffcafe.com $

DOÑA JUANITA RESTAURANT

The Boulevard is home to some of Amarillo’s oldest and best little dives, and few are as authentic as this one. The traditional Mexican dishes include homemade corn tortillas and some of the best refried beans in the city. Doña Juanitas is family-owned and has been around forever. Try the coffee with cinnamon! 2208 Amarillo Blvd. East, 806.220.2610 $

EL CHARRO MEXICAN RESTAURANT

The prominent I-40 location probably negates the title “hidden gem,” but we suspect a large percentage of Amarillo’s Mexican-food aficionados haven’t visited El Charro. That’s a mistake. The freshmade salsa is wonderful and the food flavorful and authentic. Travelers and locals alike rave about the friendly service. 4207 I-40 East, 806.373.4555 $

EL TEJAVAN

Plenty of locals identify El Tejavan as their favorite Mexican food restaurant in Amarillo, especially the original location on east I-40.

The guacamole and salsa are fantastic, along with homemade tortillas, tacos and barbacoa made from recipes passed down for generations.

3801 I-40 East, 806.372.5250; 3420 I-40 West, 806.354.2444, eltejavanmexican.com $$

FIRE SLICE PIZZERIA

A little hard to find—this pizzeria is hidden on the back-alley side of the Summit Shopping Center—but it’s definitely worth the discovery.

We love the fun atmosphere, calzones, paninis, craft beer and shareable starters. The brick-oven pizza toppings are inventive, too.

7306 SW 34th Ave., Space 10, 806.331.2232, fireslice.com $$

FUN NOODLE BAR

A relative newcomer to the city’s Asian restaurant scene, this is one of just a few places with decent ramen, dumplings and bao in Amarillo. The lunch specials are served until 3 p.m. and the orders arrive fast. Like most new restaurants around here, it stays busy.

2219 S. Georgia St., 806.803.2219 $$

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COYOTE BLUFF CAFE

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If you’ve driven from Amarillo to the Metroplex, you’ve passed this wood-paneled dive right after exiting I-40 for 287. It’s open for breakfast and lunch on weekdays, and serves dinner until 7:45 p.m. on Fridays. The chicken-fried steak is highly rated, and the portions are huge for weekly specials like enchiladas and meatball subs. 12800 S. US 287, 806.335.1938 $

GIRASOL CAFE & BAKERY

We are huge fans of Girasol, where the weekly specials are always creative, filling and delicious. The Saturday brunch never disappoints either, especially in the new outdoor dining area on a sunny morning. Girasol is lunch-only, so grab some baked goods or bread when you leave. 3201 S. Coulter St., 806.322.0023 $

GOLDEN WAFFLE COMPANY

One of the proprietors of this women-owned business also owns the Golden Light, so its local heritage is already strong. This strip-mall spot features sweet and savory waffles with toppings. Its weekend brunch is extremely popular, along with its creative mimosas and micheladas. 6017 Hillside Road, Suite 250, 806.367.8141, goldenwafflecompany.com $

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GREEN CHILE WILLY’S GRILL

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This iconic location on I-27, tucked away between Amarillo and Canyon, is worth the short drive if you’re a fan of chicken-fried steak, country music, and a homespun family restaurant feel. The green-chile gravy is amazing, as are the hand-cut grilled steaks, burgers, and grilled chicken. 13651 I-27, 806.622.2200, greenchilewillys.com $$

HAPPY BURRITO

A good burrito always makes people happy, and this small dine-in and takeout restaurant on the Boulevard does it right. Almost everything on the menu is less than $5, and loyal customers tend to order online and pick it up. Interestingly, we hear a lot about the burgers here.

908 Amarillo Blvd. East, Suite B, 806.379.8226 $

HOOK & REEL

This Cajun/Creole seafood franchise offers mix-and-match seafood boils, allowing customers to pair a favorite catch (think crab legs, lobster tail or crawfish) with their favorite sauces, spices and add-ons.

The breaded-and-fried baskets are also made to please, including fresh flounder, catfish, oysters and more. 5807 SW 45th Ave., Suite 205, 806.803.3133, hookreel.com $$

HUMMERS SPORTS CAFE

Hummers is an Amarillo landmark dating back to the early 1980s, before sports bars were all the rage. This institution and its environs on Paramount have evolved since then, but the burgers are still fresh and delicious, the beer is still ice-cold and the good times are still really good. Our tip? Order the steak bites. 2600 Paramount Blvd., Suite B2, 806.353.0723, hummerssportscafe.com $$

IT’S A PUNJABI AFFAIR

Indian food is hard to find in Amarillo, but this hut across from Sam Houston Park takes a friendly, youthful approach to Indian-style street food. Our go-to orders include the butter chicken, lamb curry, and marinated and fried tilapia—plus options for vegans and vegetarians.

4201 Bushland Blvd., 806.414.2114, itsapunjabiaffair.square.site $

JOE’S PIZZA & PASTA

Technically, this venerable Bushland restaurant isn’t in Amarillo, but it’s absolutely worth the drive. You’ll be surprised at the quality of this Italian food, from the New York-style pizza to the hot subs, pasta, lasagna and even the steak. The sauce is homemade and you can tell.

19151 I-40 West, 806.356.8191 $

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LA FRONTERA

This neighborhood eatery has been open for more than 30 years and has a well-deserved reputation for extra cheesy Tex-Mex. Seriously: Everything’s covered in fresh grated cheese and that’s a good thing.

(So is La Frontera’s generous community support.) Try the unique hot sauce! 1401 S. Arthur St., 806.372.4593 $

LONE STAR BAR & GRILL

“No small steaks, no hot beer” is the motto of this Texas-style hideaway on the road out to Lake Tanglewood, and its steaks and burgers never disappoint. In fact, the steaks are quietly some of the best in the Panhandle. Plus: Pool tables! Avoid the big chain steakhouses and try this one, in business for more than 30 years.

935 E. FM 1151, 806.622.9827 $$

MAC JOE’S KITCHEN & CELLAR

Always a popular date-night choice, Mac Joe’s is an Amarillo institution known for elegant ambiance and attentive service.

The menu relies on Italian dishes but also offers fantastic steaks— with one of the best wine lists in all of the Texas Panhandle. 1619 S. Kentucky St., Suite D1500, 806.358.8990, macaronijoes.com $$-$$$

MITCH’S TEXAS STYLE BBQ

You may have seen Mitch’s big black BBQ trailer at local events, but the brick-andmortar Mitch’s—located inside Toot ‘n Totum complexes—serves up food way better than anyone expects of “barbecue from a convenience store.” The portions are huge. We love the Meme’s fried pies. Traveling? You can also find Mitch’s in Plainview and Clayton, New Mexico. 3320 S. Georgia St., 806.350.6550; 8507 I-40 East, 806.220.0978; 1500 FM 2381, 806.354.0422,mitchstxbbq.com $$

NAPOLI’S ITALIAN RESTAURANT

This downtown favorite offers live music, a full bar and a spacious private patio with views of one of the 2021 Hoodoo murals. Expect to become addicted to the house-baked bread knots, and to find something you love on the traditional Italian menu. The calzones are huge and worth sharing. 700 S. Taylor St., 806.220.2588 $$

The Fuller family has operated this eatery for more than 30 years, and it consistently offers Amarillo’s best fine dining. We love the bar area and outdoor patio, as well as its buffet-style lunch and weekly chef specials from Chef Josh Fuller. Pro tip: The Bar Burger is the best burger in town. 619 S. Tyler St., 806.373.3233, ohmscafe.com $$-$$$

PESCARAZ ITALIAN RESTAURANT

This locally owned Italian place is very involved in the community, has a full bar, and serves up the most irresistible free bread twists in the city. You’ll eat so many, you won’t be able to finish your pasta, pizza or calzone. In the evenings at Pescaraz, you’ll almost always hear live music. 3415-K Bell St., 806.350.5430, pescaraz.com $$

THE POTATO FACTORY

Think potatoes aren’t exciting? Then you’ve never had one of the gigantic spuds at this local institution, where you can load your tater with one of more than 20 unique toppings. The prices are affordable and the hot dogs are good, too. (Surprise: There are hot dogs!)

Decadent and delectable. 4631 S. Western St., 806.463.7783 $

RISE ‘N’ SHINE DONUTS

The doughnut wars are a thing in Amarillo, and we’re ready to proclaim at least one victor: Rise ‘N’ Shine has the best doughnut holes in the city. Really! Beyond the usual glazed, cake or filled doughnuts, you can grab fresh pastries, kolaches and croissant breakfast sandwiches. 3605 SW 45th Ave, 806.398.9622; 5901 S. Coulter St., 806.437.1511 $

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The first true Japanese steakhouse in Amarillo—vintage Amarilloans remember it from way before the move to the boat-shaped dining room on I-40—Kabuki always pleases. If you like flamboyant friedrice prep interrupted by rain and light shows, this is your spot.

Dinner only, with 2 p.m. openings on weekends. 8130 I-40 West, 806.358.7799, kabukiromanza.com $$

OHMS CAFE & BAR

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KABUKI ROMANZA JAPANESE STEAKHOUSE & SUSHI BAR

f+d ROOSTERS CAFE

This coffee, breakfast and lunch stop near 34th and Bell is quietly one of the best dessert places in the city. (That apple pie: Whoa.) But the quiche, sandwiches, soups, and salads are also worth an order. Be advised: the dining room fills up quickly for lunch, but we love the cute outdoor area.

3440 S. Bell St., Unit 110, 806.353.7309, silver-fork.com $

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SAM’S SOUTHERN EATERY

This Louisiana-based chain has been around for more than a decade, but the Amarillo location is still pretty new. The portions are big and the prices are low for shrimp or crawfish po’boys, catfish, crab, seafood platters, shrimp and more. Our city may not be known for seafood, but Sam’s is! 4317 Teckla Ave., 806.437.1349, samssouthernamarillo.com $$

SHARK BEACH BURGERS

The FM 1151 location south of town isn’t particularly convenient for Amarillo

residents. But this shack is worth the bite.

The big cheeseburgers are amazing, as is the busted-egg sandwich. (For a side, get the cheese curds.) Then grab a cherry-lime or Mexican Coke and enjoy it on the nice, sunny patio. 1505 E. FM 1151, 806.335.5644 $

SUNDAY’S KITCHEN

Everyone loves Chef Ron, but they especially love his West Texas twist on Gulf Coast and Cajun cuisine. This downtown dive is open for lunch and dinner Tuesday through Friday.

It’s closed on Saturdays, but don’t miss the Sunday brunch. Try the Pit Master Mac & Cheese. 112 SW Sixth Ave., 806.418.6477 $$

TAQUERIA EL TAPATIO MEXICAN RESTAURANT

Most locals assume the most authentic Mexican food is on the city’s east side, but this joint serves authentic Jalisco-style Mexican food near 34th and Coulter. The menu is huge, but we love the breakfast, massive parrillada meals and seafood.

(There’s also a Dumas location.)

3410 S. Coulter St., 806.331.6248; 5630 Amarillo Blvd. West, 806.803.3220, tapatiotx.com $

YCSF CRAFT

It started as a “food truck without wheels” and now this street food experiment is one of the city’s favorite restaurants, and one of the only vegan/vegetarian places in town.

Definitely try the animal fries and diablo shrimp tacos. The burgers, craft beer and wine list are all wonderful. 2916 Wolflin Ave., 806.353.9273, yellowcitystreetfood.com $

X– STEAKHOUSE

The name is a play on cattle brands—say “X-Bar”—and this Town Square steakhouse definitely knows beef. It’s locally owned, has a full bar, and the prices are extremely reasonable for such a swanky atmosphere.

We hear great things about the weekend brunch, too. 9181 Town Square Blvd., Suite 1311, 806.322.4227, xbarsteakhouse.com $$-$$$

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THE ART OF TEXAS STATE PARKS

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he Texas State Parks system was established in 1923, which means this year marks the 100th anniversary of Texas State Parks. Because of its proximity to and relationship with Palo Duro Canyon, Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum was chosen to host a traveling art exhibit called “The Art of Texas State Parks”—a visual arts survey of more than 30 state parks by some of the most celebrated artists in the state.

According to PPHM, the national park system has long collaborated with artists to portray their landscapes, but until now, no such artistic record had been undertaken for state parks. This visual record of Texas State Parks opened at the museum in late October and remains on view through Feb. 19, 2024.

in focus 5.

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1. BILLY HASSELL, CADDO LAKE STATE PARK 2. KARL E. HALL, SEA RIM STATE PARK 3. DAVID CATON, BIG BEND RANCH STATE PARK 4. MALOU FLATO, PEDERNALES FALLS STATE PARK 5. MARGIE CRISP, FRANKLIN MOUNTAINS STATE PARK AND WYLER TRAMWAY 6. GORDON FOWLER, BASTROP STATE PARK 7. TALMAGE MINTER, GOLIAD STATE PARK AND STATE HISTORIC SITE

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GROWTH TAKES POWER. THAT’S WHERE WE CAN HELP. This place is our home.

So that means we invest here. In the community. In the local economy. In helping grow jobs that can keep this place humming. Using renewable energy, we can keep costs lower for every home and every business.

Our tax dollars go here. Our economic development efforts are here. We’re putting in the work to make the places we serve light up a little brighter.

Visit xcelenergy.com to learn more.

© 2023 Xcel Energy

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Boys Ranch, Texas On U.S. Highway 385, northeast of Vega

287

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385 287 83 287

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here in the 806 can you learn about an athlete-turned-caretaker, find remnants of a Wild West town, and see the desk of a president?

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During the 1930s, former semi-pro baseball player and 87 businessman Cal Farley would attend games in Amarillo and notice 385 fly balls that cleared the boys who 60had nothing to do but catch fence. It led him and other colleagues to establish the Maverick Club to provide activities for these boys. But still, some had nowhere to go after the 70 club’s doors closed for the day.

So, Farley began to look for a place in the Panhandle where he 84 could create Boys Ranch to give those boys—and now girls, as 70 well—a home and education. Today, you can visit to see the schools, 84 chapels, residences, rodeo arena and other facets of the working cattle ranch founded in 1939.

Boys Ranch sinks its roots deep into history as the site of 385 27 Tascosa, a famed rough and rowdy town that rose up in the 1880s. It attracted cowboys and Comancheros, saloon girls and 84 Texas Rangers.

Delve into Old Tascosa and Boys Ranch history with a visit to the Julian Bivins Museum. You’ll find memorabilia and numerous photographs inside. Known as a skilled promoter, Farley engaged locals and celebrities in his cause. Actor and comedian Bob Hope, for one, donated the water tower, which still is in use.

The museum itself is historical: The first nine boys at the ranch 287 lived there, but it originally served 12 Panhandle counties as the Tascosa courthouse, site of trials for murders that filled Boot Hill Cemetery.

Named after other famous Boot Hill graveyards, the Texas 287 Panhandle version can be found not too far from ranch headquarters. Another landmark at the ranch entrance is Frenchie’s Tree, an old cottonwood that stood near the home of Frenchie and Mickey McCormick, saloon girl and gambler, respectively, who 70 married in 1881. In 2019, it was placed on a registry of historic trees 70 by the Texas Historic Tree Project, and is estimated to be at least 62 70 170 years old.

Visitors are welcome, but must check in at Boys Ranch Headquarters.

Guests 18 or older are asked to present their driver’s 62 license or photo ID. Call in advance to arrange entrance to the museum and guided tours of ranch sites.

Check out Panhandle PBS— panhandlePBS.org and the station’s social media—for video highlights of these locales.

Check out several historical markers at the entrance to Boys Ranch, off U.S. Highway 385.

Located on a hill overlooking Boys Ranch, Boot Hill Cemetery contains the graves of a number of people who were killed at the rough and rowdy town of Tascosa.

PHOTOS BY PANHANDLE PBS

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BY KAREN WELCH, PANHANDLE PBS

B&E Recommends Brick & Elm offers these insider tips to make the most of your visit to Boys Ranch and Old Tascosa. Make it a day trip with a stop in Bushland or Vega on the way or when you return. Fuel up and grab snacks for the road at an Amarillo Pak-a-Sak before your adventure!

EAT HERE: Lucy’s Kitchen (604 S. Main St., Vega) is Lucy Rascon’s classic and cute cafe located just off Route 66, and beloved for its burritos, fajitas and chile verde. Quietly, Lucy’s is known for serving one of the best breakfasts in the Panhandle.

Mama Jo’s Pies & Sweets (922 E. Main St., Vega) is a down-home bakery on Route 66 known for its scratch-made pies, cheesecake, cobbler and coffee. Open since 2022, it’s already developed a passionate following.

PLAY HERE: From 6th Collective (18100 I-40, Amarillo) is home to a variety of creative local retailers under the same roof, offering everything from clothing to jewelry to furniture to books. The experience itself is just as big a draw as any one product.

Second Amendment Cowboy (2601 Hope Rd, Amarillo) stands sentinel over Cadillac Ranch RV Park just east of the famous Cadillac installation, a classic photo stop on your way back to Amarillo from another classic photo stop.

Named for the rancher who donated 120 acres for the establishment of Boys Ranch, the Julian Bivins Museum houses artifacts and memorabilia of both the ranch and Old Tascosa. It once was the courthouse of Tascosa.

Milburn-Price Culture Museum (1005 Coke St., Vega) tells the story of Vega and Oldham County, covering everything from the Old West to the heyday of Route 66.

Don’t miss the vehicle exhibits, including a 1951 Hudson Commodore Six Coupe.

Magnolia Service Station (105 S Main St., Vega) was built in the 1920s to serve travelers, and then restored as a visitors center in 2004. It’s full of historical photos, Route 66 artifacts and oral histories of the Mother Road.

Oldham County Courthouse (105 S Main St., Vega) replaced the original Tascosa courthouse in 1916 as the county seat of Oldham County. Route 66 originally ran right in front of the Classic Revival-style building.

FUEL HERE: Pak-a-Sak (20101 I-40, Bushland) serves as a convenient restroom and fuel stop on the way back to Amarillo.

PRESENTED BY

Cal Farley, founder of Boys Ranch, was a skilled promoter who engaged locals and celebrities in support of residential living and education for boys and, later, girls.

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This 170-year-old cottonwood is named for Frenchy McCormick, an Old Tascosa saloon girl who lived nearby. It can be found near the Boys Ranch entrance.

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Hickory Inn Cafe (1004 Vega Blvd., Vega) is owned by the Pitman family, whom locals might know from Shelby’s Diner at Tradewind Airport. Expect everything from burgers to chicken-fried steak, or arrive early for a full breakfast menu.

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back when WITH WES REEVES

THESE THY GIFTS

Processed turkey at Subway, yes. But the blood and guts kind that requires someone to reach inside the carcass in full view of the elderly and little children and yank out the guts before you cook it, no. Which is probably why my parents began preparing a ham alongside the dead bird at Thanksgiving and Christmas, hoping in vain that I’d “fill out” someday.

The memory of this conciliatory ham leads me to another topic, which is broiling hot ham juice, and that leads to memories of my dad, who got involved in holiday prep because he wanted things done a certain way and figured it was up to him. And the memory of my dad in the kitchen wearing his cowboy hat and an apron instantly calls up memories of that magma-hot ham juice scalding one or more of his hands as he struggled to remove the ham from the oven, blaming other people for “aggravatin’” him.

The scenes of holidays past that play in my mind are pretty much dominated by the food—both the mishaps and the triumphs—and I’m probably not alone in that. Yes, we’re thankful for the good crops and the Lord’s gift of salvation but is Aunt Mary bringing pies this year or not?

In the Panhandle, food has long been the focus of both celebration and mourning. The native tribes of the Plains honored their dead with feasts, while modern-day flatlanders carry on similar traditions with casseroles that arrive in the homes of the bereaved as soon as the news hits Facebook. And at any time of year, even the most obscure religious holiday is an excuse for a good feed in the parish hall.

Then there’s the Thanksgiving/Christmas marathon for the big finish, and in the land of my people, we ate every five minutes during those weeks and would argue with great scriptural authority that anything contrary to that was Old Testament and didn’t apply anymore.

The first Thanksgiving feast involving European newcomers in the Texas Panhandle (and possibly the first in North America) was celebrated by Francisco Vásquez de Coronado in Palo Duro Canyon in 1541 with help from Juan de Padilla, a Franciscan missionary who conducted a Thanksgiving mass prior to the breaking of bread. There’s no record of hot ham juice injuring anyone, but no doubt somebody got distracted by thoughts of retiring comfortably in Quivira and burnt their fingers on something.

By the time I was a kid, we had pretty well shortened the religious component of Thanksgiving to that solemn moment when one of the old people was asked to say grace using their best Elizabethan English. “Bless us oh Lord, and these Thy gifts, and thank Thee that Thriftway had one can of French’s Fried Onions left for Myrtle’s green bean casserole.”

Before the food could be blessed, it had to be worried over. A lot. In my early years, my mom and my grandmother Lucile, who lived nearby in Memphis, would team up for holiday meals. But Lucile (we called her “Nanny”), was a working woman until she was 77 and really didn’t have a lot of time for banging around in the kitchen all week. So, like any red-blooded American, she contracted the drudgery to someone else. For several years, some of the main fixin’s came courtesy of her friend Jessie Orcutt who had a turkey dressing side hustle going every November. I still think Mrs. Orcutt’s dressing was the best of all time, but my dad claimed it was too dry and eventually took on that key assignment in addition to the preparation of animal proteins.

Then there was that one year Nanny’s friend Dorcas Ruth sent a jar of punch over from Memphis and we were all a bit perplexed why there was so little of it (and why punch?). We were obliged to take a thank-you sip so Nanny could tell Dorcas Ruth how good it was, but it was terrible. It was like drinking syrup. Only later did we realize it was concentrated and we were supposed to cut it with water to make it delicious. We still talk about Dorcas Ruth’s punch to this day.

I also can’t forget the year ants colonized a pumpkin pie and someone mistook the pan of cornbread for a sheet cake and put chocolate icing on it (that tasted awful, too). These stories live in just the top layer of our family memories, and we all can swap similar tales. But it was the reactions and laughter of the ones we loved that made it all special. These memories remind us that food can still bring us together no matter how diverse we become. And the best part is we’ve got more memories to make, so start hoarding those key ingredients now and have a blessed holiday season.

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’ve never liked turkey that much, at least not the holiday kind.

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finish DR. CAROLINA PEREZ SURGICAL PODIATRIST, THOMAS E. CREEK DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS MEDICAL CENTER

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The best advice I ever heard is: “Not all of us can do great things. But we can do small things with great love” (Mother Teresa). “Work hard! If work was easy, no one would pay you to do it” (my mother, Dorys Caballero).

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My three most recommended books are: The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success, by Deepak Chopra, a transformative read that delves deep into the essence of personal growth. My other recommendations are simply the books that were a part of my education. Even though I spent days and nights of unpleasant reading, they’ve shaped my life in profound ways. Twelve years of dedication to these books has not only elevated my professional trajectory, but has also paved a brighter financial future for my family. My kids are next in line to reap the benefits!

To me, success means: uplifting others. Beyond personal achievements, helping others alleviates feelings of depression and loneliness and breaks the chains of stagnation. Like-minded individuals gravitate toward each other.

So, if you’re out there making a difference in someone’s life, trust that the universe will send someone to do the same for you.

People who know me might be surprised that I: once made my husband swap our cozy home for a tent in national forests—for three whole months!

From learning to bathe in a river to mastering the art of whipping up a fourcourse meal on a camp stove, it was quite the transformative journey for him.

(And yes, he survived to tell the tale.)

My biggest pet peeve is: Life’s too short to sweat the small stuff. Whenever I feel a pet peeve creeping up, I take a moment to zoom out and appreciate the bigger picture.

Everyone in Amarillo needs to experience: Immerse yourself in a day on a farm. Beyond the fresh air, it’s a deep dive into the grit, sweat and relentless hard work that powers the heart of Amarillo and the Panhandle.

Everyone should also experience the breathtaking beauty of Palo Duro Canyon at sunrise.

PHOTO BY VENICE MINCEY

If I could change any one local thing it would be: More art, please! Art isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a catalyst for city growth. Take Støex Design Gallery, for instance. They’re not just showcasing art; they’re spotlighting Amarillo’s vibrant creative community, helping to attract talent, small businesses and professionals while nurturing a sense of belonging.

This city is amazing at: raising children, thanks to Amarillo’s nurturing environment and community.

My favorite place in Amarillo is: Wildcat Bluff Discovery Center. This hidden gem is just waiting to be explored by runners and hikers.

A local organization I love right now: Amarillo Veterans Affairs, whose unwavering commitment to our heroes is commendable. Assisting and supporting our Veterans, they ensure that those who’ve served our country receive the care and respect they so rightfully deserve.

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