WIhen I look back over the past few months, it feels like ages since I last wrote an editor’s note, and then at other times the weeks have flown by. In the middle of January, it seemed my days of typing up my last-minute thoughts prior to printing a magazine were over. And then … a miracle.
n this issue, we are once again delighted to share our annual Giving section, which is dedicated to the essential nonprofits that serve the Texas Panhandle. As you read about each entity and its mission, you’ll repeatedly see words like resilience, kindness, generosity and collaboration. These characteristics are the reason Amarillo continues to thrive, and a few of the reasons I love living here. We hope you will use this section as a valuable resource as you plan your yearend giving during The Panhandle Gives. We’re so grateful for the work of the Amarillo Area Foundation in amplifying your generous donations later this month.
My longtime writing partner Jason Boyett became my new business partner and Brick & Elm was born. This “hyper-local” magazine was created in meetings at our respective homes, and it’s the compilation of everything we’ve ever hoped a Panhandle-focused publication could be. The community outpouring for our new project has been overwhelming in the best way. My friends and local businesses have sent streams of encouraging messages of support. Now I truly know what it means to say my cup overflows
This is the first of many fantastic Amarillo-centric issues created by a true dream team—Jason and the incomparable Kayla Morris. I’m thrilled beyond measure to share Brick & Elm with you. Thanks for reading.
Speaking of resilience, we share a number of inspiring stories in this issue about staying healthy with diabetes (National Diabetes Month is celebrated every November), a decorated Veteran (see page 53 as we honor Veterans this month) and a local woman who has pursued her dream despite injuries that halted a circus career (see page 66). These stories have been a tremendous encouragement to me, and I hope they also uplift your spirit this holiday season. We are incredibly grateful for another successful year devoted to telling the stories of local people. Thank you to our advertisers and subscribers for supporting our mission to push the city’s culture forward into a positive future.
All the best parts of my career began in the Amarillo College Journalism Department. There, in the mid1990s, I learned to write fast. I learned to edit. I learned desktop publishing, design and photography. But what I learned most of all is that I really liked magazines. I ended up the editor of AC’s award-winning campus magazine, AC Current, and fell in love with the process of creating a publication, start to finish.
My son, Owen, graduates in a few weeks with a psychology degree from Texas A&M University, on his way toward grad school and a Licensed Professional Counselor certification. Mental health is a common topic of conversation in our family. In fact, many of our family members have benefited from therapy—and my immediate circles are likely no different from yours. That’s why my deep dive into the mental health ecosystem in Amarillo for this issue was so fascinating. The challenges are stark: We need more mental health professionals in Amarillo, and we need more conversations about it, period. My interviews with local professionals were encouraging. We’re headed in the right direction, but we’re not quite where we need to be.
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BRICK & ELM (ISSN 2770-2529), is published bi-monthly by Edgebow Media LLC, 2730 Duniven Circle, Suite B, Amarillo, TX 79109. Periodicals Postage paid at Amarillo, TX, and at additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Edgebow Media LLC, PO Box 2104, Amarillo, TX 79105.
Brick & Elm Magazine is published bimonthly by Edgebow Media. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or part without written permission is prohibited.
Here I am again, more than a quarter-century later. For years, Michele and I have worked together telling stories about our city. A few months ago we decided the time was right to launch a new, sophisticated, independent magazine about Amarillo. It feels appropriate that our first issue covers topics like trail-building, business reopenings, creative problem-solving and breathing new life into historic structures. We feel like all of those are metaphors for Brick & Elm, and maybe for print magazines in general.
And can I say how excited I am about the new City Hall? That our city leaders were able to save money and solve problems by restoring a historic building— rather than building from the ground up—is a great example of Panhandle ingenuity. Our city will benefit from their vision for decades to come. As the child of an architect, I love seeing that building receive new life and purpose.
So here’s to fresh starts and a new way to shine a spotlight on the city we love. Thanks for reading. We’re honored that you’re here with us, at the beginning.
KAYLA MORRIS
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.
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 threefeatherpho.co.
SHANNON RICHARDSON
Shannon has been a commercial/ advertising photographer for almost 35 years. His work can be seen at shannonrichardson.com.
NICK GERLICH
Nick is Hickman Professor of Marketing at West Texas A&M University, where he has taught since 1989. In his spare time, he travels around the country, including his beloved Route 66, in search of vintage signage and other outdoor advertising. He can be found on Instagram @nickgerlich.
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.
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.
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.
NOLA HOPKINS
Nola is a retired high school English/journalism teacher. She has written stories for several smalltown newspapers and was an editorial writer for the Amarillo Globe-News. She and her husband, Ed, have traveled to all 50 states and six of the seven continents. They live in a 100-plus-year-old house in Canyon and have two married daughters and seven grandchildren.
ANGELINA MARIE
Angelina has been a photographer in the Amarillo area for 13 years. She is the editor of the Hey Amarillo podcast. Angelina is co-director of Make Space, an Amarillo nonprofit focused on local artists. See her work at shorteareddog.com or find her on Instagram.
Jon Mark worked at the Amarillo GlobeNews from 1981 until his retirement in 2018. He spent 17 of those years as sports editor, and the last 12 as the newspaper’s general columnist. He 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
JON REVETT
Jon is an artist and educator living and working in Canyon. Born in Germany and spending his formative years in Austin, he then moved to the Texas Panhandle. There he experienced his creative genesis on a trip to Robert Smithson’s Amarillo Ramp, an earthwork he has now spent 30 years investigating. He is currently a professor of art and director of the Art Program at West Texas A&M University.
VENICE MINCEY
JON MARK BEILUE
Tis the season for being thankful for fundraisers, concerts, arts performances, holiday events, major movie releases. Here’s a taste of what to expect in November and December; for weekly roundups of your best bets, make sure to subscribe to the Brickly and Flavorillo newsletters.
November
WORKING RANCH COWBOYS ASSOCIATION: The WRCA’s 29th World Championship Ranch Rodeo roars back into the Amarillo Civic Center Complex Coliseum, 401 S. Buchanan St., for performances Nov. 14 to 17. Other can’t-miss events include Amarillo Museum of Art’s annual shopping expo Christmas Roundup, from Nov. 1 to 3 in the Civic Center Complex North and South Exhibit Halls; the Texas Panhandle’s Día de Los Muertos Festival on Nov. 2 at David’s Events, 714 N. Fillmore St.; Amarillo Parks & Recreation’s Día de los Muertos party on Nov. 2 at Sam Houston Park, 4101 Line Ave.; “The Language of the Cottonwoods: A Dialogue on the Plains and Sense of Place,” featuring The Thomas Jefferson Hour host Clay S. Jenkins, on Nov. 7 in Legacy Hall in the Jack B. Kelley Student Center at West Texas A&M University; Panhandle AIDS Support Organization’s Turnabout fundraiser on Nov. 9 at Arts in the Sunset, 3701 Plains Blvd.; Behind the Action: Making Magic with the Horses of Hollywood opening Nov. 12 at American Quarter Horse Hall of Fame & Museum, 2601 I-40 East; Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum’s Tidings of the Trees on Nov. 21 at the museum, 2503 Fourth Ave. in Canyon; Lone Star Ballet’s Nutcracker Ball on Nov. 23 in the Civic Center Complex Heritage Ballroom; and Amarillo’s Original Toy Run on Nov. 24 at Tripp’s Harley-Davidson, 6040 W. Interstate 40. Plus, don’t miss Amarillo Wranglers home games on Nov. 1 and 2, Nov. 7 and 8, and Nov. 22 and 23, all in the Civic Center Complex Coliseum.
AMARILLO SYMPHONY: The orchestra continues its 101st season with a pair of concerts with the Amarillo Master Chorale dedicated to “epic movie music,” including favorite works from the Star Wars and Star Trek franchises, Back to the Future and more. Concerts are set for Nov. 22 and 23 in the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, 500 S. Buchanan St. Other arts highlights will include the last weekends from Nov. 1 to 3 of Amarillo Little Theatre’s Arsenic and Old Lace in the Allen Shankles MainStage, 2019 Civic Circle, and WT’s The Gamester in the Branding Iron Theatre; Stoex Design Gallery’s Day of the Dead art exhibition on Nov. 1; the monthly First Friday Art Walk on Nov. 1 at Arts in the Sunset; an opening reception for WT art faculty member Younus Nomani’s Lost & Found, running through Nov. 30, on Nov. 7 in the Dord Fitz Formal Gallery; the Harrington String Quartet on Nov. 8 in Mary Moody Northen Recital Hall; Amarillo College Concert Band on Nov. 11 in the AC Concert Hall Theatre; AC’s For the Beauty of the Earth piano concert on Nov. 12 in the AC Concert Hall Theatre; WT Jazz on Nov. 14 in Northen Recital Hall; ALT Academy’s Charlotte’s Web from Nov. 15 to 24 in the ALT Adventure Space, 2751 Civic Circle; Window on a Wider World’s Youth Art Show and Dinner on Nov. 15 at Arts in the Sunset; Chamber Music Amarillo’s The Grandeur of Brahms on Nov. 16 at Amarillo Area Foundation, 919 S. Polk St.; WT Dance’s Falling into Dance from Nov. 21 to 24 in the Happy State Bank Studio Theatre; and Cirque Dreams: Holidaze on Nov. 24 in the Civic Center Complex Auditorium.
RODNEY BRANIGAN: The Amarillo native and world-traveling guitarist comes home for a special Nov. 30 concert in The Golden Light Cantina, 2906 SW Sixth Ave. If you’ve never seen him simultaneously play two guitars, you’re missing out. Other
concert options are scheduled to include Jake Bush on Nov. 1, Hayden Baker on Nov. 2, Chad Cooke Band on Nov. 8 and Jake Hooker & The Outsiders on Nov. 15, all at The Western Horseman Club, 2501 E. Interstate 40; comedian Tim Hawkins on Nov. 1 at The Church at Quail Creek, 801 Tascosa Road; Taylor Lowe on Nov. 2 and Mark Patterson Band on Nov. 23, both at Hoot’s Pub, 2424 Hobbs Road; J.D. Clayton on Nov. 9, Corey Hunt & The Wise on Nov. 10 and Kin Faux and Jaret Ray Reddick on Nov. 16, all at The Golden Light; and Bryan Bielanski on Nov. 14 at The 806 Coffee & Lounge, 2812 SW Sixth Ave.
GLADIATOR II: Paul Mescal and Denzel Washington star in this 24-years-later sequel to the Oscar-winning action classic, opening Nov. 22. Buzz is already high. Also scheduled to open wide this month are animated film Hitpig! and family adventure Lost on a Mountain in Maine on Nov 1; horror film Heretic, family holiday comedy The Best Christmas Pageant Ever and sci-fi thriller Elevation on Nov. 8; Christmas action comedy Red One and drama Here on Nov. 15; and musical Wicked on Nov. 22. Special engagements are scheduled to include 10th-anniversary screenings of John Wick on Nov. 3 and 6; sci-fi fave The Fifth Element on Nov. 17 and 20; and anime classics Pom Poko and The Tale of the Princess Kaguya from Nov. 24 to 27.
December
ELECTRIC LIGHT PARADE: Center City of Amarillo’s annual holiday celebration, this year themed “Parade of Trees,” kicks off at 6 p.m. Dec. 6 at 11th Avenue and Polk Street, before continuing north to Fourth Avenue. Other holiday-time events include Northside Toy Drive’s popular Black Tie Affair on Dec. 13 in the Civic Center Complex Heritage Ballroom; and Amarillo Little Theatre’s first New Year’s Eve party on Dec. 31 in the ALT Adventure Space. Plus, look out for Amarillo Wranglers games on Dec. 20, 21, 27, 28 and 31, all in the Civic Center Complex Coliseum.
A CHRISTMAS STORY: THE MUSICAL: Amarillo Little Theatre revives this crowd-pleaser, adapted from the cult classic holiday film, for performances Dec. 5 to 22 in the Allen Shankles MainStage. Other arts offerings will include AC Brass Ensemble on Dec. 3 in the Concert Hall Theatre; WT Concert and Symphonic Bands on Dec. 4 in Northen Recital Hall; TheatreAC’s Proof from Dec. 5 to 7 in AC’s Experimental Theatre; WT
Visit brickandelm.com for Chip’s expanded event coverage. Better yet, subscribe to our email newsletters for breaking entertainment news every week!
CHIP CHANDLER
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
Bachelor of Fine Arts fall exhibition from Dec. 5 to 21 in the Dord Fitz Formal Gallery; the monthly First Friday Artwalk on Dec. 6 at Arts in the Sunset; WT Chamber Singers on Dec. 7 in Northen Recital Hall; WT Symphony Orchestra’s Music of the Christmas Season: Walking in the Air on Dec. 8 in Northen Recital Hall; the AC Concert Band’s holiday concert on Dec. 9 in the Concert Hall Theatre; the annual Tascosa Pops Concert on Dec. 10 in the Civic Center Complex Heritage Ballroom; Lone Star Ballet’s annual performances of The Nutcracker from Dec. 13 to 15 in the Civic Center Complex Auditorium; Amarillo Youth Choirs’ Songs of the Season concert Dec. 15 in the Globe-News Center; and Amarillo Symphony’s annual Happy Holiday Pops concerts Dec. 20 and 21 in the Globe-News Center.
AARON WATSON: The Amarillo native Texas country superstar brings his Family Christmas Tour home for a Dec. 13 performance in the Globe-News Center. Other musical highlights will include a joint performance by Holdfast + Lovecolor on Dec. 5 at The 806; the Collingsworth Family’s Christmas concert Dec. 6 at The Church at Quail Creek; and Matt Moran & The Palominos on Dec. 6, The Barnhearts on Dec. 13, Lane Bricker on Dec. 14, Justin Brown Band on Dec. 20 and Ross Bullock on Dec. 28, all at Hoot’s Pub.
MUFASA: THE LION KING: Barry Jenkins (Moonlight) directs this CGI-animated prequel to the Disney classic, opening Dec. 20. Also scheduled to open this month are horror comedy Nightbitch, thriller Werewolves, horror film Get Away, and sci-fi comedy Y2K on Dec. 6; historical drama September 5 and comic-book thriller Kraven the Hunter on Dec. 13; thriller Babygirl, animated sequel Sonic the Hedgehog 3 and action drama Homestead on Dec. 20; and sports biopic The Fire Inside and horror remake Nosferatu on Dec. 25. Special engagements will include anime classic My Neighbor Totoro from Dec. 7 to 11; and 70thanniversary screenings of White Christmas on Dec. 15 and 16.
Welcome to The Dirt. In every issue, our anonymous writer will give you the dirt on your burning questions about the Amarillo area. Got something you’re just dying to know? Drop us a line at info@brickandelm.com, and our intrepid writer will dig up the answer. This issue, in honor of the Working Ranch Cowboys Association’s world championship rodeo, we’re doing an all-cowboy edition.
When George Strait wrote “Amarillo by Morning,” had he actually ever been to Amarillo?
The Dirt could be a smug know-it-all about this question, but no one has ever accused The Dirt of being a smug know-it-all. (That’s a lie.) So, we’ll put this to our friend as gently as we can: George Strait sings “Amarillo by Morning,” but he didn’t write it— or, generally, any of his hits. Strait’s known as a great picker of songs, not a great penner of them.
This particular country tune was actually written by Terry Stafford, who grew up here in the Yellow City and graduated from Palo Duro High School before seeking his fortune in California. Stafford, who would become known as an Elvis Presley soundalike, released a version of Presley’s “Suspicion” in 1964.
In April of that year, Stafford’s version was No. 6 on the Billboard charts the same week that The Beatles held the top five slots; a week later, Stafford broke the Fab Four’s hold on the top by rising to No. 3. It was his biggest hit as a recording artist, but he did co-write and release “Amarillo by Morning” in 1973 as the B-side to his tune “Say, Has Anybody Seen My Sweet Gypsy Rose.” It didn’t make a splash nationally, but it apparently became enough of a hit on the honkytonk circuit that Strait started covering it and, eventually, recorded it for his album “Strait from the Heart.” It peaked at No. 4, but it solidified Strait’s reputation as a country traditionalist and became one of the most iconic songs in his repertoire.
I just moved here and can’t get over the suffocating cow-poop smell. Will I ever get used to it?
From the sound of it, you’ve lived here a few months. Or perhaps for several years. Maybe even all of your life. What The Dirt is saying is that, no, you’ll never get over it. Some people will say that they just don’t notice the pungent aroma except, perhaps, on the very worst of days. Those people are liars. Dirty, rotten liars. You’ll get used to it, perhaps. You’ll never get over it.
Is it just me, or is Western fashion making a comeback?
Well, if you ask most folks around here, Western fashion has never been out of fashion. But there’s no denying that outside this region, and among local fashionistas, Western wear is riding back into vogue. In fact, Vogue magazine declared it a trend again earlier this year. Though she can’t score a country music nomination to save her life, Beyoncé is leading the way with her “Texas Hold ’Em”inspired looks. Louis Vuitton’s fall/winter 2024 men’s show embraced the look, too, with bolo ties, chaps and head-to-toe denim. Vogue also recommends fringed jackets, rodeo-style jeans, silver- or pewter-embellished belts and even cowboy hats. Whatever you wear, wear it with confidence.
Produced in partnership with U.S. Cleaners, who know a thing or two about dirt.
The anonymous writer behind ‘The Dirt’ is a sharp observer of the Amarillo-Canyon metropolitan area. If they don’t know the answer, they know where to get it and who to ask.
initiative of Amarillo
Development
MEET JOEL MASON
Area Director for Young Life in Amarillo
Are you originally from the Amarillo area? If so, where did you attend high school/college?
“Grew up in Amarillo and graduated from Tascosa High School and graduated from Tascosa High School and then went on to Texas A&M.”
Where did you move off to, and what did you do there?
“In 2014 my wife and I moved to Corpus Christi to work for Young Life there.”
What was your motivation for moving back to Amarillo?
“Motivation for moving back was family, we loved the size of Amarillo, the great weather and seasons, and how well taken care of the city is.”
What are some of your favorite things about Amarillo, and what would you like to see in the future?
“We love that Amarillo has the Sod Poodles, love being near the canyon and easy trips to Colorado/New Mexico, and love how well the city takes care of its parks.”
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 below and we will get in touch!
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.
Musings with Maggie
“If you have crying eyes, bring them along.”—JD Souther
Ms. Burt, are you about to cry?” I hear these words at least a few times a month, and the answer is usually yes. I cry when they sing “God Bless America,” I cry when I receive their handmade gifts, drawings and dandelions from recess. I cry when we listen to certain pieces of music, and I cry when former students come back to visit. I cry on the last day of school. I am a crier, and I couldn’t be happier about it.
To understand this, you must know I didn’t cry for a long, long time. For years, I just couldn’t do it. I remembered what it felt like. I wanted to cry. Not crying felt awful. I sat through tragedies and celebrations alike without shedding a single tear. I cannot tell you exactly when I stopped crying, but I can tell you exactly when I started crying again. We all had reasons to cry in March 2020, but this particular story is not pandemic-related. On March 14 of that year, my parents celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. We had a lovely dinner, and then went back to their house for more time together. I can’t recall whose idea it was to pull out the boxes of old photos, but it was a good one. As we shuffled through the stacks of memories— some black-and-white, some loose and others in albums, some from my childhood, many from before I was born—I wept and laughed simultaneously. I will never know exactly why, for whom or what I was weeping, but it was happening, and I let it happen.
Perhaps it was a lot of things. Lives well-lived. Love freely given. Regrettable haircuts and fashion choices of the past alongside beloved family members now gone from this world. The strain and self-doubt of having begun a new career just months earlier. The innocence, hope and silliness in my own eyes as a child. The realization that I was teaching children just like the little girl in those photos, and the wave of remembering what it felt like to be her. My awkward phase, which lasted about 19 years, give or take a day. My parents as children, and then as newlyweds. My sister holding me for the first time. Me holding her precious son who made me an aunt. Photos in which it was genuinely difficult to tell whether it was my sweet and sassy niece or my younger self. The idea that two people could share their lives for FIFTY years, and an immense gratitude that I belonged to them. All of this life spread out right there on the kitchen counter. I couldn’t have known this would be the last time for several months we would all be together in this way. Maybe I had a feeling, if you believe in that sort of thing. I’m not sure I do, but I like the way it sounds. Maybe it was the fact that I had begun seeing a therapist just a month prior, maybe it was growing older and more sentimental, or maybe I just reached a breaking point. Probably it was some combination of all these things.
I still see that same therapist periodically, and the tools she has given me changed my life. Just ask anyone I’ve ever met. You know those jokes about how it only takes a vegan eight seconds to mention they’re vegan? I think that’s even more true about people in therapy.
We love to tell you what our therapist said.
I know now there are many mental health challenges that can prevent us from crying. Anxiety, depression, chronic stress and dissociation are among the most common. Whatever the cause, suppressing, avoiding or holding our emotions too tightly has repercussions beyond the mental and emotional, as it can also contribute to a less dependable immune system and various cardiovascular conditions.
Crying is a healthy, beneficial, natural and beautiful human experience. Research has shown that emotional tears can release endorphins, the feel-good chemicals in our brains, while reducing cortisol, a stress hormone that is associated with all manner of unpleasant symptoms. Crying can slow heart rate and breathing, resulting in a calmer nervous system, and an improved ability to rest. I’ve never met a person who couldn’t use more rest.
In the nearly five years since that evening in my parents’ kitchen, I have cried many times. I have cried at weddings and funerals, on coffee dates and road trips, during movies and songs, in greetings and see-you-laters, reading great books, writing in my journal, hugging my loved ones, and simply cuddling with my dog. I cry in public and in private. I cry tears of joy, sorrow, empathy and excitement. I cried while writing this. Recently, I cried in the middle of a choir rehearsal during an especially meaningful piece of music. Several of us cried, actually. Singing is every bit as healthy and universal as crying, but that’s another column entirely. Singing and crying are certainly preferable to my other favorite coping mechanism: eating a full pint of ice cream in one sitting. Some days require all three in tandem, and that’s OK, too.
Songs, movies and cliches have told us time and time again that crying is embarrassing, weak, annoying or even shameful. The Four Seasons harmonized “Big Girls Don’t Cry” while Marvin Gaye wailed, “I know a man ain’t supposed to cry.” I’ll take the JD Souther philosophy, “If you have crying eyes, bring them along.”
I am thankful we live in a time when mental healthcare is increasingly available and vulnerability is on the rise. The road to tenderness can be long and winding, but I encourage you to try. And I encourage you to cry.
MAGGIE BURT
Maggie was born into a family heritage of musicians and educators in Amarillo. She spent several years as a performer and songwriter in Amarillo and Austin, before becoming an elementary music teacher in 2019. Maggie’s column draws from her experiences in and out of the classroom.
Burrowing Owl RECOMMENDS
THE FOX WIFE BY YANGSZE CHOO
Some people think foxes are similar to ghosts because we go around collecting qi, or life force, but nothing could be further from the truth. We are living creatures, just like you, only usually better looking . . .
Manchuria, 1908.
A young woman is found frozen in the snow. Her death is clouded by rumors of foxes involved, which are believed to lure people by transforming themselves into beautiful women and men. Bao, a detective with a reputation for sniffing out the truth, is hired to uncover the dead woman’s identity. Since childhood, Bao has been intrigued by the fox gods, yet they’ve remained tantalizingly out of reach. Until, perhaps, now.
Meanwhile, a family that owns a famous Chinese medicine shop can cure ailments, but not the curse that afflicts them—their eldest sons die before their 24th birthdays. Now the only grandson of the family is 23. When a mysterious woman enters their household, their luck seems to change. Or does it? Is their new servant a simple young woman from the north or a fox spirit bent on her own revenge?
New York Times bestselling author Yangsze Choo brilliantly explores a world of mortals and spirits, humans and beasts, and their dazzling intersection. The Fox Wife is a stunning novel about a winter full of mysterious deaths, a mother seeking revenge, and old folktales that may very well be true.
West Texas A&M University honored three distinguished alumni in October. Dr. James L. Cornette, Brenda Schroer and Clay Stribling were honored during the annual Phoenix event in Legacy Hall inside the Jack B. Kelley Student Center on the Canyon campus.
Heart Gallery of the Panhandle Plains announced Amy Crowley as program manager.
West Texas A&M University Foundation Board of Directors voted six community leaders onto the board in August: Debbie Farnum, representative of the WT Alumni Association; Dr. Darryl Flusche, superintendent of Canyon Independent School District; Joseph Peterson Jr., a financial adviser with Edward Jones; Patrick Swindell, an Amarillo attorney; Ben Weinheimer, president and CEO of Texas Cattle Feeders Association; and Lizzie Ware Williams, director of Community Development at Amarillo National Bank.
The City of Amarillo’s City Plan–Vision 2045 has won three awards: 2024 City-County Communications & Marketing Association Savvy Award; 2024 American Planning Association–Texas Chapter Comprehensive Planning Award; 2024 Texas Association of Municipal Information Officers TAMI Award for Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Outreach/Campaign.
Annie McLaughlin has joined KW Amarillo
FirstBank Southwest announced the appointment of Skylar Geist as vice president, commercial lender at the Downtown Banking Center.
Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center was again named one of the best colleges in the U.S. to work for, with special designation as an “Honor Roll” institution, according to a recent survey by The Great Colleges to Work For ® program. The results were released in September at GreatCollegesList.com
Interstate Bank announced the retirement of Danny Skarda, chairman of the board and chief executive officer, and the election of Blair Berg as his successor. Berg assumed his new role in September.
Amarillo College recently honored the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Mary Bralley and Michael Merriman. Bralley is the executive director for Window on a Wider World, and Merriman is an award-winning music video director/producer and documentarian.
Chip Chandler has been promoted to director of university communications and media relations at West Texas A&M University
Mandy Cook is the new outside sales rep at Panhandle Presort Services
Joan Bogan has joined the team at Junior Achievement as the JA BizTown Capstone assistant.
The Amarillo College Board of Regents recently announced two finalists in its president search: Dr. Frank Sobey, vice president of academic affairs; and Dr. Jamelle J. Conner, vice president of student affairs at St. Petersburg College in Florida.
Price Roofing Company was the winner of the BBB International Torch Awards for Ethics competition in the small business category. Price Roofing was selected from among entries throughout North America. Price Roofing Company won BBB Amarillo’s Torch Awards for Ethics competition in 2020 and 2024.
Joe Street, owner and president of Street Toyota, has been nominated for the 2025 TIME Dealer of the Year award. Street is one of a select group of 49 dealer nominees from across the country who will be honored at the 108th annual National Automobile Dealers Association Show in New Orleans in January.
Maria Juarez, director of enrollment services at Amarillo College, recently was re-appointed by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to a second two-year term on the ApplyTexas Advisory Committee, which provides advice and recommendations regarding applications and admissions policies to the THECB.
To highlight your business briefs, promotions or awards in this section, email a press release or your information to mm@brickandelm.com.
Sheril Blackburn Bo Wulfman CCIM Cathy Derr CCIM Gabe Irving CCIM
J Gaut CCIM SIOR Ben Whittenburg Aaron Emerson CCIM SIOR Kristen Chilcote Miles Bonifield Jeff Gaut
Meagan Brown Jennifer Webber
RIBBON-CUTTINGS
VERNA POPP INSURANCE
WEED
MAN AMARILLO
MAVERICK BOYS & GIRLS CLUB PANHANDLE ORPHAN CARE NETWORK
ROUTE 66 FAMILY BUFFET SHADOW HOUND INVESTIGATIONS
HAMPTON INN & SUITES MARKET STREET COULTER
H&E RENTALS
GLUTE CLUB
BEEF ‘O’ BRADY’S
Elevate Amarillo, a community of emerging leaders committed to empowering the next generation, is celebrating its fifth anniversary with a significant milestone: the hiring of Carter Estes as the nonprofit’s first-ever Executive Director.
Founded with a vision to grow the leadership potential of Amarillo’s young professionals, Elevate Amarillo has spent the past five years empowering emerging leaders through personal development, mentorship and civic engagement. Now, with Estes at the helm, the organization is set to accelerate its impact.
“I am truly excited about the future of Elevate Amarillo and am ready to roll up my sleeves to help take this organization to the next level,” Estes says. “Working alongside the board, our focus will be to amplify the voices of emerging leaders across the community and equip our members with
the skills needed to step confidently into leadership roles—whether in civic, nonprofit or business sectors.”
Estes has been with Elevate Amarillo since moving back to the city in 2022, and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to his new role. Alongside his work with the City of Amarillo, Estes holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas Tech University and a master’s from the Harvard Kennedy School. His deep understanding of both local issues and global perspectives positions him perfectly to guide Elevate Amarillo into its next chapter.
Estes officially began his new role on Oct. 1. The organization plans to prioritize developing partnerships, expanding programming and creating more opportunities for young professionals to grow into and develop as emerging leaders.
Carter is a fifth-generation Texan currently serving the City of Amarillo in the Office of Engagement & Innovation. Aside from his time in Lubbock and Cambridge, Carter has lived his entire life in the Texas Panhandle. Carter serves as president of the Panhandle Orphan Care Network and was on the Elevate Amarillo board for two years. Prior to his position with the City of Amarillo, Carter worked in electoral politics as a campaign manager in various races around the country. Carter and his wife are active members at Saint Stephen Methodist Church.
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.
TRUSTWORTHY BUSINESSES DESERVE RECOGNITION
Apply or nominate a business for BBB’s Ethics Awards
BY JANNA KIEHL
You do business with ethical companies every day. You enjoy their customer service and might even compliment them on it. You leave their business feeling good about the relationships you have established with business owners and employees. You’re pleased knowing there are good businesses in Amarillo and throughout the Panhandle.
Often, we take positive experiences for granted and think nothing of them. After all, many businesses in the area provide friendly customer service. But when you experience good customer service, consider recognizing the company in a meaningful way. One way to do so is by nominating the business for the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics.
The Torch Awards program seeks businesses that do the right thing—even when it’s difficult or unpopular. Businesses can selfnominate or they can be nominated by others. The business then applies for the Awards by addressing four areas that demonstrate their practices. No financial information is required to be submitted. Businesses do not need to have formal policies in place to apply. In fact, the application process helps make the business better as they review their history, practices and relationships. The Torch Awards are about real-life experiences that show how businesses have overcome a difficult situation and improved their business processes. Perfection is not required.
How businesses can get started with the application process
Take a look at the walls around you. The walls at your business probably tell the story of your company’s history, including awards, recognitions and community involvement. This is a good starting place to tell your story. As the leader of your organization, you have likely been responsible for the majority of those recognitions, and you have helped employees make their mark, as well. You go above and beyond every day and have employees who go above and beyond for you. Show them and your customers you care about customer service. You might consider assigning an employee or family member to complete the application. Have them interview the owners and managers of the company with questions like: What drives your passion for this industry? Why do you believe in your company? What challenges have you overcome with customers or employees?
Those interviews can start the process as you address the points in the application. The four criteria focus on character, culture, customers, and community.
Leadership Character
As a company leader, you set the tone for your company. You communicate your company beliefs to your employees as you direct them to help customers. They, in turn, can provide great customer service, helping customers have a better experience doing business with you. Sometimes they may run into an irate customer—you can feel confident you have equipped them to handle tough situations.
Employee Culture
Employees are a top priority in every good company. An employee culture of trust inspires others and motivates employees to adopt the buy-in needed for a successful business. The right tools help them accomplish the goals you set. Training and growth opportunities keep you up to date and inspire others to learn more about your business. You practice leadership and commitment daily and you help your employees do the same, uniting your team to accomplish your mission.
Customer Service
When companies make the added effort to provide information and advice during the sale, be there after the sale and create an environment of repeat customers, that is the foundation of great customer service. Add the tools and training provided to employees to guide them to be customer service-oriented, and you go above and beyond with customer relations.
Community Involvement
Something as simple as allowing employees to volunteer during work hours or attend a charity lunch is an easy way to boost morale while supporting needs in the community. Charitable contributions, large or small, go a long way for the charity, community and your business.
Those four simple criteria are likely already part of your daily operations, and you’re already excelling in good business practices. It’s time to showcase your commitment to excellence and integrity. Share your story, highlight your business and apply for the BBB Torch Awards for Ethics!
Join these companies and nonprofit organizations who have won the Torch Awards for Ethics in the recent past. See the full list of past winners at bbb.org/amarillo
• Price Roofing Company, LLC
• Renu Painting
• 1-800-Plumber +Air & Electric
• Window & Door Replacement, LLC,
• Legacy Supportworks
• Carpet Tech
• Cross Pointe Auto
• Scottco Service Company
Charity Category
• Catholic Charities of the Texas Panhandle
• Turn Center
• Heal the City
• United Way
If you own or work for a company and you want to be part of the Torch Awards program, don’t wait to be nominated by someone else, you can apply at bbb.org/amarillo.
The BBB Torch Awards are just around the corner. Apply or nominate a business to apply today. BBB can walk you through the process. It’s fast and easy.
JANNA KIEHL
Janna is the President & Chief Executive Officer of the Better Business Bureau of Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle.
Reach BBB professionals at info@txpanhandle.bbb.org or 806-379-6222
HERE COME THE HOLIDAYS!
s I write this, the streets of Oliver-Eakle are festooned with the brightness of autumn, my favorite time of year, and somehow, the one I most associate with life!
Yes, I know the tree sap is receding, the flowers are withering, the temperatures are dropping a few degrees every night, and soon the world will be silent, blanketed by snowy winter. Somehow, though, all of that is exciting to me.
Why? Because we are in the holiday season! Our ancestors celebrated the harvest this time of year, with feasts, merry-making, and worship. This, of course, included family and tribal gatherings, and special customs reserved for, well, these days.
The miniature neighborhood ghosts and goblins have completely looted our candy and treat supply, and disappeared as fast as a candle in a jack-o-lantern. Our little black cat keeps looking up and down the street, wondering where they all went. All that’s left are a few candy wrappers and some artificial spider web on the sidewalk.
Early November is when Hispanic culture celebrates Día De Los Muertos, or Day of the Dead, in honor of deceased family.
The first time I came into real contact with this celebration was 25 years ago in the Big Bend country. We had gone down there to play some music at the famous “International” Terlingua Chili Cookoff. Uncharacteristically, it turned a bit cold that year. We went into the small villages—they were once small villages, nearly ghost towns, back in those days—to find anything to cover any part of us up: blankets, serapes, even sombreros.
We found an old, fenced-in cemetery. Completely deserted, but joyously decorated with ribbons, paintings and handwritten prayers. It looked like a place where they had just had a big, colorful party, and we had missed it by a minute. It was a very moving experience for me. I wrote a song about it, “6 Miles from Old Mexico,” to commemorate that time and place.
Next comes Thanksgiving! What a wonderful time to celebrate all the good gifts and people in our individual worlds. Regardless of who started it, the Native Americans, the Pilgrims, or the turkeys (probably not the turkeys), it is a deeply American tradition, and a prudent idea to give thanks.
In my world, family, friends, in-laws and outlaws all get together for a feast. We have traditional holiday things like turkey and dressing, mashed potatoes and sweet potatoes, variations of salads I haven’t even tried yet, and of course, pecan and pumpkin pie for dessert. Generally, we watch the Dallas Cowboys play football, which is an entirely different story I will write some other time.
We also give thanks and try to take into account all the blessings of the year. As I have related before, it helps me tremendously to make a physical, ink-and-paper list of all the people and things I’m thankful for.
The list is perpetual, never finished. If and when I get the post-holiday blues, I go back to my list, read through it, and work on it a little. It helps me remember that life itself is a gift.
Speaking of gifts: Christmas is coming, the goose is getting fat! I’ve never really tasted goose, fat or otherwise, but I love traditional Christmas songs and carols, so I wind up singing about stuff I have to look up, including yule logs, fat geese and figgy pudding.
Sometimes, people get the Christmas blues because of loss, loneliness or other things. It is a good idea to go somewhere that has kids and just look at their faces. Don’t worry so much about your to-do before Christmas list and let the joy of the season be your focus. Kids’ faces glow like angels during the holiday season, but you have to look.
Most of my happiest Christmas memories have to do with when I was little or when my kids were little. Brand-new hamsters or puppies, G.I. Joes (Barbies for my sister), and Rock’Em Sock’Em Robots, but most of all, being together with family, hearing all the same stories over and over about grandpa’s life and times, and, in our tribe, the miraculous birth of the Savior. Now, hopefully, the grand kids carry on the tradition. Pure joy!
Before anybody can catch their breath, the New Year will be coming for us at lightning speed. The ball will drop, the confetti will fly, the champagne will be uncorked, the Rose Parade will happen, and the Little Baby New Year will replace Grandpa Old Year, whether we are ready or otherwise. I’ll date transactions incorrectly for a month, reflexively believing it’s still 2024.
The holidays, or Holy Days as I call them, really should be more spread out through the year. But somebody, maybe a Roman or a Gregorian—or both—decided they all should be jammed into the last couple of months. This somehow filtered down to the present.
They never seem to consult me on these things.
Happy Holy Days!
ANDY CHASE CUNDIFF
Andy is an artist, singersongwriter, music producer and musician. In every issue, his column explores the parts of his life that don’t always make it into his songs, accompanied by his own illustration.
WHAT IS MERUS?
MERUS is an Outdoor Adventure and Hospitality Park located in Palo Duro Canyon just 40 minutes Southeast of Amarillo.
We offer hiking, mountain biking, camping & overlanding, off-roading, caving, and event facilities
CAN I HOST AN EVENT AT MERUS?
Absolutely, MERUS is a phenomenal venue to host a group event, family reunion, wedding, or corporate retreat.
CAN I SPEND THE NIGHT AT MERUS??
Yes! MERUS offers 12 cabins, 10 full hookup RV sites, 15 electric RV sites, and over 70 campsites.
DO YOU HAVE BATHROOM FACILITIES?S?
Yes, MERUS has new spacious, public restrooms and showers available for use at the park.
OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK TO THE PUBLIC & MEMBERS
8:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. daily for check-in. Trail system is open until 9 p.m.
Hike, run, bike, and off-road members have 24hr access
Buy your day passes online and check-in at the office upon your arrival
WITH MELODIE GRAVES
When I hear the term leadership, so many different words come to mind. This one word elicits so many meanings, emotions and unstated responsibilities. Many people may be called but only a few are chosen, for true leadership is a complex term encompassing much more than just a mere title. True leadership is having a vision and drawing out the strengths of others to achieve a common goal.
Two years ago, I decided to take leadership to the next level when I ran for president of three nonprofits. I wanted to be the glue that brought and held my community together. Little did I know the amount of work, heartache, pain and success that would come over the next few years. After being chosen, I learned that leadership was more than I ever thought it would be, especially when trying to rally a group to a certain task, event or cause. How to deal with people quickly became one of the hardest things I’d ever learn.
I know how to plan an event. I know how to execute a successful effort. I know how to make sure people show up and unite behind one vision. What I didn’t know was how to delegate or deal with confrontation. Here are a few important lessons I learned as a result.
Lesson 1: Leaders delegate. Even if you can do it all, you should not do it all.
Leaders have to learn to build teams of people they trust to get the job done. These people may not be your friends or close acquaintances, but they bring skills to the table, and utilizing those skills makes the team better. Once you get a strong team, you won’t be afraid to delegate. Above all, be ready to accept and deal with confrontation. Leaders have to be able to effectively handle confrontation without bringing their feelings into it, just sticking to the facts. From someone who does everything with their whole heart, this was the hardest part of leadership to learn. It caused unneeded stress. I remember telling people I had to do it all, but those words came from places of hurt and disappointment. I would say, “I know I won’t fail myself.” But in reality, I wasn’t leading. I was just running myself into the ground. After I built a solid team, I felt more comfortable delegating, and it felt good to sit back and watch the masterpiece develop.
Lesson 2: Good leadership is about resilience.
While many people think resilience is your ability to withstand hard times, I believe resilience is how you come back after those hard times. Being a good leader requires a generous amount of self-reflection. You have to be able to identify your strengths and
weaknesses and understand that they might change from day to day. Effective leadership is being there to fill in the gaps when others’ strength needs a little push. I’ve constantly told people that you can never be a good leader until you have experienced failure. That failure doesn’t define your leadership, but how you return from it tells everyone exactly what they need to know about you. That’s your leadership resilience.
Lesson 3: Leaders are allowed to have human moments. When I took on a position of leadership, so many people told me how to talk, how to dress, how to speak, and how to feel. I couldn’t focus on the task at hand because I was too busy trying to be what everyone else thought I should be. I understand that leaders are held to different standards, but I also know that leaders hurt and cry solitary tears. Though exhausted, they may continue to push themselves for fear of letting others down, and they want to know that every voice is heard and people feel wanted and appreciated. But leaders need to know it’s OK to say no, it’s OK to remove yourself from an unhealthy organization, and it is OK to have all the human moments you need.
I am approaching the end of my tenure as president of those nonprofits I mentioned before. At first, this overwhelmed me with guilt. I felt I was letting people down. But then I re-evaluated my time in office and can clearly see that I am leaving these organizations better than when I began. That is the true testament of a leader. Take something and impact it so much that, once you are gone, the changes you created will last a lifetime. My guilt has been replaced with contentment, my stress has been turned into relief, and now I am ready to conquer the next chapter of my life.
Answer The Call to take care of those who have chosen to be leaders. Love them, pray for them, be honest with them, and above all, don’t focus on tearing them down but try with every interaction to build them up.
MELODIE GRAVES
Raised in the North Heights, Melodie is dedicated to service that goes above and beyond her career in higher education. She has worked at Amarillo College since 2010, currently serving as the Associate Director of Academic Advising, Foster Care Liaison and Justice-Involved Advocate. Melodie shares her thoughts about inclusivity, inspiration and answering The Call.
W h e n y o u c o n s i d e r 8 0 p e r c e n t o f a c h i l d ’ s b r a i n i s w i r e d b y t h e t i m e
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d e v e l o p m e n t a r e c r i t i c a l . T h a t ’ s w h y i n v e s t i n g l o c a l l y i n a n a t i o n a l l y
d e v e l o p m e n t a r e c r i t i c a l . T h a t ’ s w h y i n v e s t i n g l o c a l l y i n a n a t i o n a l l y
a c c r e d i t e d e a r l y c h i l d h o o d e d u c a t i o n p r o g r a m h a s s u c h a h i g h r e t u r n o n
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c h i l d r e n a n d f a m i l i e s a t O p p o r t u n i t y S c h o o l w i t h a y e a r - e n d g i f t .
c h i l d r e n a n d f a m i l i e s a t O p p o r t u n i t y S c h o o l w i t h a y e a r - e n d g i f t .
t h e y t u r n t h r e e , i t ’ s a b u n d a n t l y c l e a r t h a t t h e e a r l y y e a r s o f l e a r n
Y o u c a n d o n a t e d i r e c t l y o r d u r i n g t h e P a n h a n d l e G i v e s . OpportunitySchool.com/whyinvest
Y o u c a n d o n a t e d i r e c t l y o r d u r i n g t h e P a n h a n d l e G i v e s .
d e v e l o p m e n t a r e c r i t i c l . T h t ’ s w h y i n v e s t i n g l o c a l l y i n a n a t i o
a c c r e d i t e d e a r l y c h i l d h o o d e d u c a t i o n p r o g r a m h a s s u c h a h i g h r e i n ve s t m e n t . W e a r e b u i l d i n g t h e w o r k f o r c e o f t o m o r r o w . P l e a s e i n
c h i l d r e n a n d f a m i l i e s a t O p p o r t u n i t y S c h o o l w i t h a y e a r - e n d g
Y o u c a n d o n a t e d i r e c t l y o r d u r i n g t h e P a n h a n d l e G i v e s . OpportunitySchool.com/whyinvest
HOODOO MURAL FESTIVAL
The outdoor party returned to downtown Amarillo on Sept. 28 for a fifth year, and offered new murals and traveling and local bands and DJs. Food Truck Alley was once again sponsored by Brick & Elm. (Photos by Adam Baker)
GOOD TIMES CELEBRATION BARBECUE COOK-OFF
The Amarillo Chamber of Commerce hosted its 28th annual barbecue cook-off Oct. 3 at the Tri-State Fairgrounds. One hundred cook teams and beverage companies fed thousands of barbecue enthusiasts. Velvet Funk provided live entertainment for the event. (Provided Photos)
1887 SUNSET DINNER social scene
Dove Creek Equine Rescue hosted its annual Sunset Dinner on Oct. 5. Held at the Center, the event included silent and live auctions, and music by the Kory Brunson Band. (Provided Photos)
DANCES OF THE DECADES
Acts Community Center hosted a ’70s-themed dance party Oct. 5 to raise funds for its new afterschool program. The themed costume party was held at Arts in the Sunset. (Provided Photos)
STORYBRIDGE LIVE 2024
This annual fundraiser for the Storybridge children’s literacy program offered kids a chance to meet their favorite book characters at Hodgetown on Oct. 5. Each child received a souvenir autograph card and a free book. (Provided Photos)
2024 PHOENIX
West Texas A&M University honored the 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award recipients on Oct. 10. The annual event included dinner, the award ceremony and jazz music. This year’s honorees were Dr. James L. Cornette, Brenda Schroer and Clay Stribling. (Provided Photos)
social scene
UNITED ON THE RANGE
Country band The Frontmen headlined the fundraiser gala for the United Way of Amarillo & Canyon on Oct. 5. Held at the Rex Baxter Building on the Amarillo Tri-State Fairgrounds, the event was presented by Pantex. (Provided Photos)
Pie & Mighty AWARD-WINNING PIES FROM LOCAL BAKERS
Publishing a magazine sometimes means eating a lot of pie.
Brick & Elm collaborated with Amarillo Little Theatre during its production of the musical Waitress—where pie-baking is a central storyline—by hosting the West Texas Waitress Pie-Baking Contest. The winning pies won trophies, subscriptions to our magazine, and got their hilariously named pies mentioned in the show.
Judges Michele McAffrey, Jason Boyett, Jason Crespin, Tyler Llewellyn and Leslie Fuller-Meier tasted 20 different pies for the contest, selecting winners across three categories: “Sweetie Pies,” “Meat Me in the Middle” Savory Pies, and “Filling Like a Million Bucks” Weird and Wacky Pies. Amarillo Little Theatre also identified an Honorable Mention, and awarded extra points throughout the contest for creative pie names.
The winners were gracious enough to share their recipes with us, along with a few baking tips.
PHOTOS BY ANGELINA MARIE SHORT EARED DOG PHOTOGRAPHY
“ Ea rl Has to Die
APPLE-LY EVER AFTER BY KELLI BULLARD Sweetie Pie
Served warm, the nostalgia and flavor of this simple pie elicited deep sighs of contentment from our judges. It’s a simple, traditional apple pie. And it is amazing.
“The basic recipe came out of the old Better Homes & Gardens cookbook I’ve had since I got married in 1979,” says Kelli Bullard. “I have tweaked it a little.”
To start, she adds less cinnamon and more sugar than the original recipe. And she changed the crust. A couple of years ago, Bullard began working with a crust recipe that combines shortening with butter. “It comes together really nicely,” she says. “It’s a refrigerator dough, so you make it ahead of time and refrigerate it for at least two hours until you use it.” You can also store it in the freezer, if necessary.
Bullard had struggled with crumbly crusts in the past, but this one holds together. Not that she wants every crust to be perfect, though. “You don’t want the crust to look too uniform, because then it looks like a commercially baked pie. You want it to have that special homey touch to it,” she says.
Pro Tip: “Too much cinnamon overpowers the flavor of the apples. I think people make that mistake a lot with apple pie, but then all you taste is the cinnamon. You want to taste the apples.”
Filling
6 cups thinly sliced, peeled apples (Granny Smith, preferably)
1 cup sugar
2 tablespoons flour
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter
Pie crust (recipe below)
Flaky Pie Crust
2-½ cups flour (spooned and leveled)
1 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons butter, chilled and cubed
²⁄³ cup vegetable shortening, chilled
½ cup ice water
Mix flour and salt together in a large bowl. Add butter and shortening.
Using a pastry cutter (or two forks), cut the butter and shortening into the mixture until it resembles coarse meal.
Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon in small bowl. Add to sliced apples and toss to coat fruit. Roll out pie crust, and place in a 9-inch pie pan. Fill with apple mixture, dot with butter, and place top crust over apples. Flute crust edges and cut slits in top crust. Cover edges with foil to prevent overbaking. Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes. Remove foil, and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes, or until edges are nicely browned.
Drizzle in cold water, one tablespoon at a time, and stir with a rubber spatula after each addition. Stop adding water when the dough begins to form large clumps.
Transfer the pie dough to a floured surface. Using floured hands, fold the dough into itself until the flour is fully incorporated into the fats. Divide in half and flatten each half into a 1-inch disc.
Wrap each disc in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours and up to 5 days (may be frozen up to 3 months). This recipe makes a double crust pie, using one disc for bottom crust and one for top crust.
“Meat Me in the Middle”
Savory Pie
“EARL HAS TO DIE” CHICKEN PECAN PIE BY RENÉ BRAIN
After more than a dozen gooey, sugary, meringue-y pies, our judges were ready for something different. René Brain’s chicken pecan quiche—which she renamed for this contest—captured our attention and taste buds.
“I’ve done it for years,” says Brain, who first encountered the recipe in Southern Living. Brain operated the Grand Street Tea Room in Borger from 1998 to 2002, and this pie was a staple. “On the day we closed, we served it to 119 people. They were still lined out the door
Pro
when I ran out of everything,” she says.
Brain still makes the quiche today for family gatherings and special events, including mini individual pies. “It’s just so pretty,” she says.
Hearing it referenced by name during a production of Waitress was a treat. “When they said, ‘I’ll have some of René Brain’s ‘Earl Has to Die’ pie,’ I just about fell out of my chair,” she laughs. In Waitress, Earl is the name of the lead character’s abusive husband, played locally by Chris Gandy. Audiences despised him, and rightly so.
Tip: “Follow the recipe. I tweak almost everything else but there was no reason to tweak this. It’s so unusual for me to follow a recipe. But all this works.”
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¾ cup chopped pecans
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
¹⁄³ cup vegetable oil
3 eggs, beaten
8 ounces sour cream
¼ cup mayonnaise
½ cup chicken broth
2 cups chopped cooked chicken
½ cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
¼ cup onion, minced
¼ teaspoon dried whole dill weed
3 drops hot sauce
Combine first 5 ingredients in a bowl; stir in oil and set aside ¼ of the mixture.
Press remaining mixture into bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch quiche dish. Prick the bottom and sides of the crust with a fork. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes; set aside.
Combine eggs, sour cream, mayonnaise and chicken broth in a medium bowl; stir to combine. Stir in cooked chicken, cheddar cheese, onion, dill and hot sauce. Pour mixture over prepared crust.
Sprinkle reserved crumb mixture over filling. Top with pecan halves, if desired. Bake at 325 degrees for 45 minutes.
Makes 6 to 8 servings
“Filling Like a Million Bucks” Weird & Wacky Pie AFTER MIDNIGHT PERFORMANCE PATRON
A.K.A. SALTY DRUNK NUT JOB BY MATT MORGAN
The strong bourbon flavor of this pie knocked a few judges out of their seats, as did the hilarious name and description.
“I’m a sucker for salty and sweet, so the thought of making a salty pecan pie was intriguing,” says Matt Morgan, who is also an occasional contributor to Brick & Elm. (The pies were all judged anonymously.) In the past, he had made candy-like pecan bars using a shortbread crust, and decided to utilize the same crust in a pie recipe.
Otherwise, he’d never made the pie before submitting it for the contest.
“Everything in that pie is to the nth degree,” Morgan says, right down to using Woodford Reserve Double Oaked Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey. “That was on purpose,” he adds,
because this was a competition, and other than the silly name, he took the baking very seriously. “I used the best butter I could find, and good bourbon.”
The name definitely caught the judges’ attention, a reference to a particular flavor of late-night audience members at the theater. “My pie is the perfect analogy for a patron attending an added midnight performance,” Morgan wrote in his pie submission. He’s an ALT insider, having served on the nonprofit’s board. His wife, Jenny, is a frequent performer. “Having been involved there for so long, there’s just a reputation of the people who come to the midnight shows at the Adventure Space,” he says. In other words, they’re equal parts salty and boozy.
Pro Tip: “Typically, pecan pie uses a golden syrup, but I didn’t do that. I used a bourbon barrel-aged maple syrup.”
Crust
1 cup unsalted butter
½ cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
Filling
5 tablespoons unsalted butter
²⁄³ cup packed dark brown sugar
²⁄³ cup light corn syrup
½ cup pure maple syrup
3 large eggs, room temperature
2 tablespoons bourbon, plus a splash
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon salt (can use smoked, if you prefer)
2 ½ cups toasted pecans (half left whole, the other half chopped)
Heat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a pie pan or line with parchment. Make the crust: Brown butter over medium heat for around 8 to 10 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes. Stir together brown butter, sugar, vanilla and salt. Add flour and stir until combined. Press mixture into pie pan and bake for 13 to 15 minutes. Meanwhile, make filling. Brown butter for filling for 4 to 5 minutes; cool in a bowl. Add brown sugar, corn syrup and maple syrup to butter. Stir in eggs, bourbon, vanilla and salt. Top baked crust with pecans in neat concentric circles. Pour filling over pecans. Bake for 45 to 55 minutes. While still warm, sprinkle top of pie with Kosher salt or salt flakes.
IN THE LIMELIGHT KEY LIME PIE BY DR. ADAN GONZALEZ Honorable Mention
Our judges lit up at the appearance of this pie while also appreciating its tangy overall flavor, lightly sweetened lime custard, and a crust made from homemade graham crackers.
Dr. Adan Gonzalez is a nephrologist at Amarillo Nephrology Associates by day, and apparently a really fantastic baker by night. His recipe is one tweaked from America’s Test Kitchen and has become a family favorite. Gonzalez uses less sugar than the original recipe calls for, and relies on regular limes instead of key limes. Before you gasp in horror, let him explain:
“The filling has quite a bit of zest in the recipe, and the key limes’ rinds are too thin to get a good zest,” he says. Our judges
gave him a pass, and he does use key limes in the garnish. Perhaps most impressive to us was Gonzalez’s insistence on homemade graham crackers for the crust. “The graham cracker recipe calls for graham flour, which is simply coarsely ground whole wheat flour,” he says. He wasn’t able to find it locally, so he made the graham flour himself, adding ⅓ cup of wheat bran and two teaspoons of wheat germ to ⅔ cup white flour.
He said the effort is worth it for the texture and richer flavor of the crust. And though Gonzalez was unable to find graham flour during the competition, he says it can be ordered online or requested at the grocery store.
Pro Tip: “I learned the wheat kernel is made of three parts: the endosperm (which is white flour), wheat bran (outer shell), and wheat germ (embryo or sprouting section).”
From-Scratch Graham Cracker Crust
1 ½ cups (8 ¼ ounces/234 grams) graham flour*
¾ cup (3 ¾ ounces/106 grams) all-purpose flour
½ cup (3 ½ ounces/99 grams) sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon
Ground cinnamon
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into ½-inch pieces and chilled
5 tablespoons water
2 tablespoons molasses
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
*Graham flour is sold at well-stocked supermarkets and health food stores. Labeling may vary: Both Bob’s Red Mill Whole Wheat Graham Flour and Arrowhead Mills Stone-Ground Whole Wheat Flour work well.
Lime Filling
4 teaspoons grated lime zest
½ cup lime juice from 3 to 4 limes
4 large egg yolks
1 (14-ounce) can sweetened
condensed milk
Adjust oven racks to upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat oven to 375 degrees. Process graham flour, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in food processor until combined, about 3 seconds. Add butter and process until mixture resembles coarse cornmeal, about 15 seconds. Add water, molasses and vanilla, and process until dough comes together, about 20 seconds.
Transfer dough to counter and divide into 4 equal pieces. Working with 1 piece of dough at a time (keep remaining pieces covered with plastic wrap), roll into 11- by 8-inch rectangles, ¹⁄8 inch thick, between 2 large sheets of parchment paper. Remove top piece of parchment and trim dough into tidy 10- by 7½-inch rectangle with knife, then score into 12 2 ½- inch squares. Prick each square several times with fork.
Slide 2 pieces of rolled-out and scored dough, still on parchment, onto separate baking sheets. Bake until golden brown and edges are firm, about 15 minutes, switching and rotating sheets halfway through baking. Slide baked crackers, still on parchment, onto wire rack. Repeat with remaining 2 pieces of rolled-out dough. Let crackers cool completely. Transfer cooled crackers, still on parchment, to cutting board and carefully cut apart along scored lines. (Graham crackers can be stored at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.)
For the filling: Whisk zest and yolks in medium bowl until tinted light green, about 2 minutes. Beat in milk, then juice; set aside at room temperature to thicken.
For the crust: Adjust oven rack to center position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Mix graham cracker crumbs and sugar in medium bowl. Add butter; stir with fork until well blended. Pour mixture into a 9-inch pie pan; press crumbs over bottom and up sides of pan to form an even crust. Bake until lightly browned and fragrant, about 15 minutes. Transfer pan to wire rack; cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes. Pour lime filling into crust; bake until center is set, yet wiggly when jiggled, 15 to 17 minutes. Return pie to wire rack; cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until well chilled, at least 3 hours. (Can be covered with lightly oiled or oil-sprayed plastic wrap laid directly on filling and refrigerated up to 1 day.)
For the whipped cream: Up to 2 hours before serving, whip cream in medium bowl to very soft peaks. Adding confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time, continue whipping to just-stiff peaks. Decoratively pipe whipped cream over filling or spread evenly with rubber spatula. Garnish with lime slices and serve.
Beyond the Stigma
Mental Health in the Texas Panhandle
BY JASON BOYETT
After 45 years of marriage, Lara’s* husband was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in his 60s. The sudden decline left him extremely agitated and sent her reeling. “I was rapidly becoming hopeless and felt helpless,” she says. He ended up in a specialized facility.
Lara sought help as she tried to navigate the grief of watching a loved one decline, as well as the guilt of living her own life while he received care. “I’ve been seeing my therapist weekly for nearly 1 ₁/₂ years,” she says. “It’s absolutely been the best thing for me. I’m learning to accept my feelings and how to be the best wife to my husband during this period of our marriage.”
The national 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is available 24/7/365—call, text or chat—for anyone facing mental health struggles, emotional distress, or needing someone to talk to.
Andi*, an educator and media professional, began going to therapy after having “ongoing panic attacks, overwhelming feelings of dread, and constant anxiety,” she says. The process helped her realize she had never dealt with her father’s death when she was in her early 20s. “Those repressed feelings showed up in a big way, and therapy was the most accessible way to start untangling my anxiety,” she adds. Today she finds herself advocating for it. “The right therapist can truly change your life. There is work involved, but it’s so worth it when you reclaim yourself.”
Cade*, a former high school athlete who now works in marketing, also sought therapy because of a parent’s death. Less than two years ago, he began seeing a counselor following the death of his father. “I’ve been amazed at how well they have helped me work through some deep-seated anger issues that I have harbored for the majority of my life,” he says of his therapist.
Tanner*, a nonprofit employee, grew up in a home with an abusive father. One evening, at age 9, Tanner fled with his toddler-age brother when their dad knocked their mom unconscious. “I thought she was dead,” he says. “No one told me until a few days later that she was in the hospital and she didn’t die.” His father eventually ended up in prison.
It wasn’t until adulthood that Tanner began to realize the impact of his upbringing. He was depressed. He had nightmares. The smell of alcohol triggered major emotional responses. “My anxiety and depression could almost all in one way or another be traced back to my father and who he chose to be,” he says. Finally, a local therapist trained in eye movement desensitization and reprocessing therapy and complex trauma helped Tanner lower that trigger response and unwanted recollections of what he thought was his mother’s death. “It gave me back control over little things in my life that I had lost hope over,” he says.
These are anxious times, and not just for the Texas Panhandle residents whose stories are shared above. The closures of schools and workplaces during COVID made some feel like they’d lost their foundations. Loved ones died. Politics turned fraught. Relationships became digital. The numbers of Americans contending with anxiety or depression were rising before the pandemic, but it has accelerated in the years since.
Pew Research surveys have found that at least 4 in 10 U.S. adults “experienced high levels of psychological distress” since the pandemic began. A third of adults experienced regular sleeplessness and anxiety. Around 40 percent of parents say they worry about their children suffering from anxiety or depression—concerns that rank higher than bullying or violence.
National stats from the National Alliance on Mental Illness find that 1 in 5 adults experience mental illness to some degree, from generalized anxiety disorder or PTSD to more severe conditions like schizophrenia or psychotic disorders.
Residents of Amarillo and Canyon are facing mental health challenges. But at the same time, our culture is more willing
than ever to talk about those mental health challenges and seek professional health, and that’s a positive sign.
A Disease, not a Weakness
“It’s an exciting time to be in psychiatry because we are understanding more about the brain, and about the pathology that we take care of, than we ever have before,” says Dr. Amy Stark, a board-certified psychiatrist who has specialty training in addiction psychiatry. Currently an associate professor of psychiatry at the Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center School of Medicine, Stark says new medications and new models of patient care are combining with a growing cultural acceptance of mental health care, for the benefit of Panhandle residents.
That hasn’t always been the case, though, especially given the independent local spirit.
“That spirit of being able to pull yourself up by your bootstraps pervades our community,” Stark says. “And I think in most cases, that resilience and willingness to take care of yourself is a good thing.” But willpower isn’t always enough when it comes to caring for your mental health. It’s becoming increasingly clear that mental health is a medical issue, not a moral one.
Anxiety or depression, in other words, are not character flaws. “It’s not a weakness. It’s not someone being lazy. It’s a brain disease.” The same goes for addiction, bipolar disorder, and extreme depression. Mental health struggles at all levels are not the result of some kind of personal failure, she says. “It’s genetics, its environment, its biology, it’s all of it together. It’s nature and its nurture. It’s not that you’re not enough.”
Margie Netherton describes it another way. The president of the Texas Panhandle chapter of the nonprofit NAMI, she says there’s no shame in seeking help for a mental health issue. “If you’re lying on the floor with your leg broken and bleeding, you would get help for that,” she says. “We need to encourage everyone to get help. There’s no health without mental health.”
In many respects, the pandemic changed the national attitude toward mental health, as the combination of lockdowns, illness, social withdrawal and other forms of stress saw nationally skyrocketing rates of anxiety and depression. Kirk Daniels says local attitudes have reflected those national trends. “For a long time, people didn’t want to talk about mental health because of the stigma attached to it, [but] it’s becoming more part of the conversation,” says Daniels, executive director of Family Support Services, which offers a number of behavioral health and counseling services. “People are more open to it.”
Still, mental health professionals like Stark, Netherton, Daniels and their peers have to work hard to educate local people about the issue, telling them, in Stark’s words, that “it is OK to not be OK and it is OK to accept help when something isn’t going well.”
Caring in Times of Crisis
Most of that help involves less intensive services like therapy and counseling. These are designed for individuals like those
Student Mental Health
Mental health problems aren’t just adult problems. Students of all ages suffer from stress and anxiety, and these can impact performance at every level. For high school students, depression has a connection to dropout rates. For college students, it’s associated with lower grade-point averages.
West Texas A&M University takes this seriously. “In higher education, over the last 10 to 15 years, I’ve seen [the mental health conversation] really evolve and change. Students are much more open to counseling and to talk about their mental health struggles,” says Dr. Chris Thomas, vice president for student affairs at WT. With that in mind, the campus offers counseling as part of its campus health and wellness services. This includes five full-time, in-house therapists, along with staff technicians and student practitioners working under supervision. “Our therapy is issue-focused and short-term,” he says. Team members offer specific tools and resources to meet particular needs, and that includes physical and mental health. “Sometimes they need medication, sometimes counseling, sometimes a better way to deal with stress.”
He says it is not uncommon for the college experience to introduce new kinds of anxiety to students. Many have left home for the first time. They reckon with childhood issues. They’re at the age where grandparents may get sick or loved ones pass away. Their sexuality evolves. These experiences can trigger mental health struggles on top of the disruptions that COVID brought to their high school backgrounds.
Like almost every college in the state, WT has lost students to suicide, and that weighs heavily on the minds of leaders like Thomas. “One suicide is too many, so we are aggressive with it,” he says of WT’s approach to suicide prevention. “We do everything we can. It is all hands on deck when it comes to this issue.”
Beyond the in-person option, WT students have access to the TELUS Health Student Support app, which provides 24/7 access to professional counseling through chat, phone calls and video chat.
For younger students, Amarillo ISD also takes a similarly proactive approach to student mental health. “It’s important that we be OK to talk about it,” says Tracey Morman, AISD’s director of counseling. Select Amarillo ISD schools participated in a pilot program for the DialCare Student Mental Wellness Program in 2019, and today, middle and high school students have 24/7 access to that app’s private, secure connections with licensed and trained counselors. Those therapists can help students with depression, stress, addiction, grief and more.
“We have amazing counselors in the Amarillo community, but not all students have access to that,” Mormon says. After AISD’s successful pilot program, DialCare is now available nationwide.
Meanwhile, school counselors are strategic in implementing guidance lessons related to mental health and the importance of asking for help. School by school, counselors might meet with groups like the football team, culinary arts students, the AmTech robotics team and others to talk about the pressure kids experience and how they deal with it.
They also discuss what signs or symptoms of anxiety might look like in friends, along with lessons on the addictive dangers of vaping, statemandated fentanyl awareness lessons, and other topics.
“Instead of waiting until a kid’s in crisis, we talk about it,” Morman says. It’s not limited to students; parents have access to a regular mental health newsletter resource called Mindful Minute, a collaboration between Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, the Texas Child Mental Health Care Consortium and the Texas Child Health Access Through Telemedicine.
mentioned in this article’s introduction—people who are not yet experiencing a crisis but are working to manage conditions like anxiety or depression or deal with traumatic experiences.
Thankfully, Amarillo and Canyon offer a solid number of professional counselors who provide what might be described as consumer-focused mental health services, and organizations like NAMI, Family Support Services and Texas Panhandle Centers host support groups. Many churches also offer faith-based groups and counseling.
But what about acute or crisis care? That’s a little more complicated locally.
“Nationally, there is a shortage of mental health providers,” Stark says. “Waitlists for psychiatrists all over the country are long.” It may be even worse in the Texas Panhandle, where the local medical community serves more than 220,000 Amarillo and Canyon residents as well as everyone else in the top 26 counties of the Panhandle, and beyond.
“We are very, very fortunate to have primary care docs and providers in this community who are well-versed in mental health, because the bulk of psychiatric care in any community is actually done by our primary care physicians—our firstline docs—because there just aren’t enough psychiatrists to do all of it,” she says.
At NAMI, Netherton agrees. “We have a real shortage of psychiatrists and other mental health care workers,” she says, noting that 170 counties in Texas, including much of the Panhandle, don’t have a psychiatrist living in the county. “Some psychiatrists have two-year waiting lists.”
Those are holes in the safety net, and acute care mental health institutions are meant to be the safety nets for individuals who are going through a mental health crisis. These facilities include the Behavioral Health Hospital (Pavilion) at Northwest Texas Healthcare System, BSA Behavioral Health, and Oceans Behavioral Hospital Amarillo
These offer immediate and intensive care for individuals who are suffering a severe mental health crisis. For instance, Northwest has a 106-bed inpatient unit as well as an outpatient clinic. Sometimes patients are referred by physicians. Some check themselves in voluntarily. Others may be brought in by law enforcement or by court order.
Sometimes these individuals are facing a drug addiction combined with mental health disorders. “It could be their medications are off, and they need a couple of days to get stabilized,” says Christopher Veal, the chief executive officer for the NWTHS Behavioral Health Hospital. “There are different ways to end up here, but they’ll be inpatient if they are a danger to themselves or others.”
Four psychiatrists, including two specializing in child or adolescent care, team up with a half-dozen nurse practitioners to offer 24-hour supervision and intensive therapy at Northwest.
Oceans Behavioral Hospital Amarillo offers similar treatment to address acute symptoms and help patients
regain stability. Its patients may be dealing with severe depression, schizophrenia, threats of suicide, behavioral changes related to Alzheimer’s disease and other issues, and often arrive with referrals from the two hospitals or VA Amarillo Healthcare System. While the hospitals provide care for all ages, inpatient care at Oceans serves people 30 and older across 28 beds. Average inpatient stays are around three days, though Executive Director Jim Womack says longer stays tend to be better.
“Some may be here six days to two or three weeks, depending on the severity of their symptoms,” he says. Womack says the need for acute care doesn’t always stem from something as dramatic as a psychotic break, but a compounding of existing crises. “What I’ve seen is someone under an extreme amount of stress already—job, finances, home life. Then another crisis gets added on.”
Maybe a family member passes away, a car accident adds to a family’s financial struggles, or a business has to file for bankruptcy. “Any catastrophic event can be a real big trigger.”
Inpatient to Outpatient
These inpatient facilities, including Northwest and Oceans, also work to transition patients from inpatient crisis care to less restrictive outpatient care. A patient’s success often depends on how well they manage those next steps. In these cases, a patient might attend daily programming at a behavioral health hospital, then return home.
For instance, Oceans offers an intensive outpatient program for
adolescents age 12 to 17, who might go to school for a full day before arriving at 4 p.m. for three hours of group counseling or individual care. “They’ll work with a licensed professional counselor or mental health technicians,” Womack says. Whether for adults or students, these are considered “step-down programs,” transitional services to help individuals move from residential treatment into a lower level of care with support. “You don’t want someone to get discharged but no one follows up,” Womack says.
A significant part of that monitoring comes from the Texas Panhandle Centers, which provides behavioral health services to more than 10,000 individuals a year across the top 21 counties of the Panhandle. This includes assessment and case management, along with other treatment and support services—cognitive and behavioral therapy, medication monitoring, coordinating inpatient services—for all ages.
“Our agency serves the lifespan,” says Program Administrator Sara Northrup. “We have early childhood intervention that’s [age] 0 to 3, children’s services up to 19, and then our adult services,” which include behavioral health as well as care for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. “For our adult population 18 and older, we serve individuals that have a diagnosis of schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, major depression, and many other diagnoses, in addition to substance-use disorders,” she says. “We want to keep people in the community, having a quality of life that makes sense for them and reducing hospitalizations.”
7 Ways to Improve Your Mental Health
Beyond professional help, a number of research-backed strategies are known to improve your mood and reduce symptoms of anxiety or depression:
1. Exercise
Moderate physical activity, from aerobic exercise to walking or yoga, promotes the release of mood-boosting endorphins.
2. Practice Mindfulness
Prayer, meditation or deep breathing exercises can lower stress levels and reduce negative thought patterns.
3. Get Enough Sleep
Sleep deprivation makes anxiety worse. So does poor sleep quality. A regular sleep routine improves mental well-being.
4. Get Social
From social interaction to the emotional support of family or friends, strong relationships reduce feelings of isolation and boost mood.
5. Go Outside
Exposure to natural environments—even a short walk in a park or near a body of water (if you can find one)—can lower stress levels and calm anxiety.
6. Give Thanks
Gratitude has been shown to foster a positive mindset and better emotional well-being, shifting the focus away from negative thinking.
7. Pursue Moderation
Alcohol and stimulants like caffeine can disrupt sleep.
Reducing your intake or avoiding these promotes mental clarity and a stabilized mood.
TPC also activates disaster-response teams to provide care for those facing mental health crises due to events like the early 2024 wildfires. “We just want to keep people from falling through the cracks. There’s someone watching them through the process,” says Northrup.
One of the most significant local steps toward a holistic mental health infrastructure dates back to 2016 and the establishment of the Panhandle Behavioral Health Alliance, a collaborative organization that has 25 organizational members in 27 counties. This regional partnership works to bring a variety of health care providers and organizations to the table to address local mental health needs, attract and retain professionals, and make it easier for people—including people in rural counties—to get the help they need.
Netherton and NAMI were part of the launch of that organization, and she calls the PBHA one of the most significant “positive steps” toward improving mental health in the area. “They created what we’ve needed for a long time, which is a one-stop-shop mental health website,” she says. That site is panhandlementalhealthguide.org, and it connects people needing care with providers and resources.
State Beds & Specialization
A second major step forward is taking shape: the construction of the only state hospital for inpatient mental health care in the Panhandle. Funded by the 88th Texas Legislature, this $159 million, 75-bed hospital will occupy land at 6610 W. Amarillo Blvd., not far from the VA facility and the existing hospital district.
“It’s something we’ve needed for decades, in my opinion,” says Rep. Four Price about the Panhandle State Hospital in Amarillo. Price, the outgoing District 87 member of the Texas House of Representatives, advocated for the hospital’s funding for years. Currently, the closest state psychiatric hospitals are in Wichita Falls or Big Spring, and that has had a profound impact on the local criminal justice system.
One of the main functions of these hospitals is to assess or restore competency for individuals who haven’t been able to stand trial because they’ve been declared incompetent. Without space in a state hospital, an inmate may languish in a county jail. “As I’ve traveled the Panhandle in my legislative career, the No. 1 issue county judges, sheriffs and local police voice to me—their No. 1 concern—is dealing with individuals who don’t need to be in the criminal justice system but are wrapped up in it,” Price says. “They cycle in and out because they’re not getting any treatment.”
Some wait up to a year to get into a state facility. And if Wichita Falls or Big Spring aren’t options, they may end up in El Paso or the Metroplex area.
Beyond those waiting to stand trial, state hospitals provide long-term forensic psychiatric care. Some individuals require hospitalization due to severe mental illness that keeps them from functioning within the prison system. Others may have been found not guilty by reason of insanity. These people will also be served by the state hospital.
Upon completion, it’s expected to bring 300 to 400 mental
health jobs to the area. That is, if the workforce exists. Questions remain: When that facility opens, will it be able to hire psychiatrists and mental health professionals to staff it? Those positions are already in high demand at the hospitals, places like Oceans, and at Texas Panhandle Centers.
The Panhandle is stretched thin when it comes to specialized licensure in mental health care. Stacy Sandorskey, LPC, who directs the children’s program at Texas Panhandle Centers, has had a licensed professional counselor position open and unfilled for two years. “Those positions are in such demand,” she says, and many mental health professionals gravitate more toward the financial advantages of private practice rather than state or nonprofit work.
Counselors at Family Support Services maintain a caseload of 25 to 30 appointments per week, with a waiting list. Kirk Daniels says his organization is also trying to hire more therapists.
Price recognizes that the demand for mental health professionals outweighs the supply, and says the state has prioritized resources toward developing that workforce. “There’s a great need for peer support counselors, licensed social workers and mental health professionals of all varieties,” he says. “We’re looking at creative ways to partner with institutions of higher education to develop curriculum to attract and train those professionals.” He believes mental health carried such a stigma for so many years that decades of funding and policy development, from the legislative side, failed to keep pace with the state’s population growth.
Meanwhile, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center in Amarillo is hoping to develop a psychiatry residency program to train future psychiatrists. After medical school, most burgeoning psychiatrists endure another four years of additional training. “We would love to develop our own program, because the data suggests that 60 percent of psychiatric trainees stay within an hour of where they train,” Stark says.
All those efforts are trying to turn the tide. “There’s a lot more emphasis today than a decade ago. But it’s a real challenge,” Price says. “We definitely have a lot of ground to make up.”
Talking it Through
Those are the needs. Forensic beds at a state psychiatric hospital. Mental health professionals, from licensed social workers to psychiatrists. Increased funding. Expanded capacity.
That part of the local mental health conversation covers elements that many residents, thankfully, will never have to deal with. Most won’t find themselves needing treatment in the criminal justice system. Most won’t find themselves enduring a mental health crisis or a situation where they threaten to harm themselves or others.
But these experts all agree that everyone should be talking more about mental health, from conversations with friends and family to conversations with a professional.
“The reality is that there are many more discussions [today], privately and publicly, about mental illness and mental health,” Price says. “I think the stigma that was once associated with
mental illness is still present, but to a lesser degree. Folks are more open about the care they need.”
The need for it now is greater than ever, Daniels says, listing some of the mental health issues that he’s seen clients dealing with. “Post-pandemic, people were isolated, they were having a hard time financially, they got sick with COVID, they lost a family member,” he says. “All these different issues bubbled to the surface.”
In fact, suicide rates have been rising nationally since 2020, with increases in particular among younger adults (see page 42) and racial or ethnic minorities. The year 2022 saw the highest-ever recorded number of suicides in the U.S.
“We have to talk about mental health in the same sense as we talk about physical health, and not really separating the two,” says Northrup at Texas Panhandle Centers. “If you break your foot, you don’t feel well all over. It isn’t just your foot. And if you miss work or you’re stressed about money, it just has a snowball effect.”
Dr. Stark says the independence of local people has always been one of those defining Panhandle characteristics that Amarillo and Canyon residents speak of with pride. But it can also keep some people from seeking help. “Having feelings doesn’t mean you’re not tough. It means you’re human,” she adds. Further, mental illness and addiction should be viewed as medical problems rather than moral ones. “It’s of the utmost importance, but it takes a lot of education. [It requires] a little bit of breaking down walls and helping people understand that this is not because of something you did. That’s not why you have depression. That’s not why you have bipolar disorder.”
As our society understands more about mental health, we are making progress. At the same time, this region needs more professionals to walk alongside residents who are struggling. The conversation is expanding. And in a world that keeps getting more complicated, it definitely needs to continue.
“Having feelings doesn’t mean you’re not tough. It means you’re human.”—DR. AMY STARK
Glossary of Mental Health Careers
Psychiatrist: Medical doctors who specialize in treating mental health disorders. They can prescribe medication and approach mental health from a medical perspective. This requires a medical degree plus four years of residency in psychiatry.
Psychologist: These professionals have achieved a Ph.D. or Psy.D. in psychology. They can diagnose and treat mental health issues through therapy, behavioral interventions and mental health assessments.
Licensed Clinical Social Worker: Mental health professionals who have a master’s degree in social work. They provide mental health counseling and support services.
Licensed Professional Counselor: Mental health professionals with a master’s degree in counseling, who offer mental health counseling to individuals, families or groups through talk therapy.
Marriage and Family Therapist: Mental health professionals with a master’s degree in marriage and family therapy, who offer specialty counseling within the context of relationships.
Psychiatric Nurse Practitioner: Advanced practice nurses who provide mental health care and have a master’s or Doctor of Nursing Practice degree. They can diagnose mental health conditions and prescribe medications.
Substance Abuse Counselor: Mental health professionals who work with individuals struggling with drug or alcohol addiction, often in a rehabilitation center or clinic. In Texas, these counselors have a certain number of college hours and must pass a certification exam.
School Counselor: Educators with a master’s degree in school counseling, or a related field, who focus on the academic, social and emotional development of students in a school setting.
PHOTOS BY KAIT BRADFORD BELLMON
EYES on the PRIZE
National Diabetes Center awards local
optometrist with 50-year medal
BY MEAGHAN COLLIER
Neal Nossaman, O.D., is well-known in Amarillo as the co-owner and optometrist at Broome Optical. He’s actively involved in many community organizations and, along with his husband Greg, is the proud pet parent of an undeniably cute French bulldog named Chloe. What many locals may not realize, though, is that Nossaman is a Type 1 diabetic and has been for 50 years.
Diagnosed as a teenager, he says he didn’t think much about it at the time—except for one key detail.
“I remember one book I was given to read; it was written 10 or 12 years before, during the ’60s, but it said the expected life expectancy of a newly diagnosed diabetic is 30 to 40 years after the diagnosis,” Nossaman says. “So, I was really good at math, and that meant between 48 and 58, I would be dead.”
For a teenager, it seemed like a lifetime away.
“It wasn’t until I got closer and closer, and I realized technology had changed, and my blood sugars were well controlled, that I was going to outlive that. I was going to prove them false,” Nossaman smiles. Today he is almost 65 years old.
Insulin and Sugar-Free Ice Cream
Nossaman was one of the thousands of children diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes in the 1960s and 1970s; diagnoses have steadily increased in the decades since. Type 1 diabetes is a chronic autoimmune disease that anyone can be diagnosed with at any age, though it often is first recognized during childhood or adolescence. For a person living with Type 1 diabetes, their body’s immune system attacks the insulin-producing cells in the pancreas. Insulin is an essential hormone that helps the body turn food into energy, so people living with the disease must take
insulin by injection or insulin pump to survive.
“When I was in the seventh grade, which was 1972, I started getting these migraine headaches,” Nossaman explains. “I was actually diagnosed as hypoglycemic, so Dr. Archer told me if I ate peanut butter crackers every time I started getting the visual auras, that might prevent the headache. So, we did that for a couple of years, and he would check my blood sugars periodically. Then, two years later, when I was 14, it reversed. My theory is, I had a pancreas that was malfunctioning when I was in the seventh grade, and then, it just konked out when I was in the ninth grade.”
Certain genes and a family history increase the likelihood of someone getting the disease. According to the nonprofit Breakthrough T1D, if a person has an immediate family member with Type 1 diabetes, the chances of developing the condition are one in 20, which is 15 times higher than the general population. But Nossaman didn’t have a family history of the disease. He hypothesizes that his onset was caused by an environmental factor—a virus.
“Type 1 diabetes, as far as I know, doesn’t run in my family,” he says. “It was suspected that I had something called roseola, and that could have triggered it.”
Some researchers believe certain viruses may target beta cells, and as the body’s immune response tries to fight the virus, it may accidentally attack and damage beta cells. Experts emphasize that Type 1 diabetes is not caused by diet, but changes in diet and exercise must take place to manage the disease. That wasn’t always easy for Nossaman growing up.
“I remember there was only one sugar-free ice cream,” he says. “My mom always cooked healthfully, but when I was in high school, the cafeteria workers made the best banana cream pie and homemade rolls, and yeah, I cheated a lot, and it didn’t seem to bother me, so I would cheat.” The cheating doesn’t work as well when a diabetic gets older. “The big paradigm shift was when I realized that there was instant gratification from eating dessert, but that feeling I had afterward lasted a lot longer. You have to realize you feel better without that sugar than with it,” he says.
That lightbulb moment has led to Nossaman living an admittedly regimented life.
“I eat pretty much the same thing for breakfast and for lunch — half a sandwich and some vegetables,” he says. “Dinner and going out to eat is the variable. Sometimes you get it right with the insulin dosage and sometimes you don’t, but even now, I’m almost 65, I think I’m going to live longer than most people, and it’s because I’ve lived a healthy life and eaten healthy foods.”
Technology and Triumph
Nossaman also credits significant changes in technology—ones like the insulin pump he’s had for 30 years, and the continuous glucose monitor that he added to his regimen several years ago. Couple that with software updates that allow the two technologies to communicate, and you’ve got a life-changing solution to disease management.
“It’s amazing. I pretty much have an artificial pancreas in my pocket,” he says. “I have to punch in the number of carbs that I’m going to eat in a meal, and the rest of the day, it’s gauging my
blood sugar — giving me more or less insulin. If I don’t punch in enough, it’s going to give me more insulin as my blood sugar goes up and keep the highs and the lows more steady.”
Nossaman’s courageous triumph over the disease for half a century has garnered him recognition from the Joslin Diabetes Center, a leading diabetes care and research center in Boston. Joslin’s Medalist Program began in 1948 when they started awarding a medal to people who had lived with Type 1 diabetes for 25 years as an incentive to those who navigated the challenges of the disease.
As people started living longer, healthier lives with diabetes, Joslin expanded the program and began awarding a 50-year bronze medal. Thousands of these medals have been given around the world to people thriving with diabetes—and now that number includes Nossaman.
“What interested me the most was not the medal, but the chance to be in a research study for people who have had diabetes for 50 years or longer,” he says. “I think they’re just trying to find out why some people live very healthy lives and
why others don’t.”
He fully intends to expand his lifespan. “I plan to live into my 90s, going for the 80-year medal,” he laughs. “I don’t think I want the 100-year.”
Meantime, he says he wants his healthy life to be an inspiration to his patients and to others who might be struggling with diabetes.
“At least I can empathize with them and share my experiences,” he says. “I usually tell people that diabetes wasn’t a curse for me. I mean, I may have thought it was when I was a teenager. I didn’t want to be different from anyone else—that was my biggest problem. It’s been more of a blessing because I can tell you right now that I’m not inherently a person who would eat a healthy diet or exercise a lot—I don’t think I come from that.”
Diabetes, however, has become a critical motivator for his actions, diet and healthy lifestyle. Nossaman recognizes the irony in that. “Sometimes you end up being healthier because of your affliction,” he says.
Symptoms and Management of Type 1 Diabetes
Rodney Young, M.D., a family medicine physician at Texas Tech Physicians, says symptoms of Type 1 diabetes can appear suddenly and need immediate attention. They include:
• Extreme thirst
• Increased appetite
• Frequent urination
• Unexplained weight loss
• Heavy breathing
• Fruity breath odor
• Drowsiness
• Dry mouth
• Itchy skin
• Sudden vision changes
Managing Type 1 diabetes requires insulin and sometimes other medications, a healthy diet, exercise, regular blood sugar monitoring and consistent medical checkups. Dr. Young also advises keeping immunizations up to date and addressing emotional health concerns, such as “diabetes distress.” If needed, seek help from a mental health professional.
HIGH-FLYING ADVENTURE
Navy Capt. Cecil Hawkins had ‘right stuff’ at right time
BY JON MARK BEILUE
Before retired Navy Capt. Cecil B. Hawkins was in what would later be known as Top Gun training, before he was escorting Russian bombers out of Cuba when the world was on the brink of nuclear war in the Cuban Missile Crisis, before he was impersonating a Japanese fighter pilot attacking Pearl Harbor, Hawkins had to line up three pieces of rope to the correct pegs while looking under his knees.
If Hawkins could not have done that, a decorated and adventurous 26-year career as a Navy pilot would have been grounded.
As a graduation gift from Arkansas City, Kansas, High School in 1951, Hawkins and 39 others got their draft notice as the Korean War raged. Hawkins didn’t want any part of the Army. He wanted to fly.
As a 9-year-old, Hawkins had a newspaper route that took him to
the south end of Ark City near the Arkansas and Walnut rivers. There were no paved roads, and Hawkins made his deliveries on horseback.
One of his customers, Lloyd Pickett, was a Naval carrier pilot. Nearby was the Ark City airport. Hawkins mowed Pickett’s yard every other week and let his horses out to graze.
“My payment wasn’t money, but a ride in an old T-1, just a singleengine two-seater,” Hawkins says. “At least I understood and appreciated aviation.”
That played a part about 10 years later when Hawkins received his draft notice. There were 41 who went to Olathe, Kansas, for physicals after their draft notice. Four passed the entrance into the Naval Aviation Cadet Program.
“It was all about depth perception. You had to get on your knees and look under your legs,” Hawkins explains. “There were three
“I loved the movie, it was a tremendous experience.”
Retired Navy Capt. Cecil Hawkins
ropes and pegs. They mixed them all up. You had to line them up correctly while looking through your legs. If you didn’t, you couldn’t go in the flight program because you didn’t have the required depth perception. Only four of us did, and I was one.”
The program required two years of college, and so after four semesters at Arkansas City Junior College, Hawkins found himself in the Navy. He reported to Pensacola, Florida, in 1953 and was among 40 in Class 3953. Eighteen months later, the class had winnowed down to 17, including Hawkins.
Tom Wolfe’s 1979 book, The Right Stuff, took a deep dive into what made those first NASA astronauts in the 1960s special and different. It was a combination of confidence, skill and machismo.
You either have it or you don’t. As a Naval pilot, Hawkins had it.
Over the next few years, Hawkins made nearly 1,000 carrier
landings on 22 different carriers, including the famous USS Saratoga and USS Yorktown. He says he still holds the Navy record for the most night carrier landings at 332.
Landing on a carrier is an intricate and dangerous maneuver because the runway is just 500 feet long. A pilot uses a tailhook on an aircraft’s underside to catch an arresting wire that stops the plane on a dime. More than 200 pilots have died attempting carrier landings.
“You just have to make sure you get your aircraft set for landing,” says Hawkins, simplifying an otherwise complex and risky operation. The extraordinary don’t often see their special skills as anything but ordinary.
Landing signal officers grade each landing with a “1” being the best. That was almost always Hawkins’ grade.
“Out of the 900-something carrier landings, it was never more than a ‘2,’” Hawkins says, “and just about always a ‘1.’”
PHOTOS BY VENICE MINCEY
Hawkins was selected for Top Gun training before there was a Top Gun. Tom Cruise made those select pilots famous in movies Top Gun in 1986 and Top Gun: Maverick in 2022.
In the early 1960s, about the time Cruise was born, it had a much less glamorous name: FAGU (Fleet Air Gunnery Unit). Training was in El Centro, California, where temperatures routinely broke 110 degrees. The mission? Special training for nuclear weapons delivery.
“There was one pilot for every squadron and the object was to go to FAGU, learn nuclear weapons delivery and go back and train others,” Hawkins says.
Just practice though, not the real thing?
“Three different times I carried nuclear weapons, a Mark 7 (2,000-pound air burst) and a Mark 9 (nuclear artillery shell), but at least they had been retired by then,” he says.
Nothing had been retired in October 1962 during the Cuban Missile Crisis, a tense 13-day standoff between Russia and the 90 miles off the U.S. coast.
There was posturing on both sides. The breathless world believed nuclear war was possible, if not likely. The epic standstill ended with President John F. Kennedy ordering a Naval blockade around Cuba. The Soviets dismantled the weapons and returned to Russia. War was averted.
Hawkins was part of attack squadron VA-35—also known as the Black Panthers—off the carrier Saratoga. He was one of two pilots with very specific orders toward the end of the crisis. They were to escort four Russian Tupolev Tu-95 bombers out of Cuba.
“We were behind those Russian Bears (bombers). We were locked and loaded,” Hawkins says. “We were in the hot position. If they made the wrong move, we were ordered to fire on them with Sidewinder missiles.”
Lights! Camera! Takeoff!
Hawkins’ Navy career already felt a bit like a Hollywood production. Then, in 1968, the actual Hollywood came calling. MGM, the movie company, was making the film, Tora! Tora! Tora!, the definitive movie of the 1941 Japanese surprise attack on Pearl Harbor that killed 2,390, sunk five battleships, destroyed 188 planes and thrust the United States into World War II.
MGM was looking for Navy pilots with tailhook landing experience on carriers. Hawkins, stationed in Florida, certainly fit that. After he made the cut from 50, he found himself along with 27 others headed to Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, the air station outside San Diego in November 1968.
“We all had to take a leave of absence from the Navy,” Hawkins says, “and were contracted with MGM. We were part of the stuntmen’s union.”
For the movie, the Japanese attack planes included 12 AGM Zero fighters, eight “Kate” torpedo bombers and eight “Val” dive bombers. They were all actually heavily modified RCAF Harvard (T-6 Texan) and BT-13 Valiant pilot training aircraft from a company in Canada.
The Japanese carrier? It was the Yorktown, scheduled to be decommissioned two years later. Only a few would know U.S. carriers had an angled deck, which the Japanese Akagi and others did not have.
Hawkins spent 10 days on which he made nine launches off the Yorktown as well as flying in formation. He was in a full Japanese flight
STANDING IN HIS OFFICE, HAWKINS WEARS HIS FORMER UNIFORM FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 40 YEARS. “IT STILL FITS!” HE SAID.
THE USS SARATOGA
LEFT: THIS PIECE OF THE AMERICAN FLAG WAS PRESENTED TO HAWKINS BY A FORMER LIEUTENANT IN HIS COMMAND.
“I got to live my dream.”
Retired Navy Capt. Cecil Hawkins
uniform, and at 6-foot-3, probably the tallest “Japanese” bomber in the war.
For historical accuracy, the pilots were filmed taking off from the Yorktown at night, from 11 p.m. to 2 a.m., which added to the danger. In fact, during a practice exercise later in Hawaii, a pilot named Jack Stone failed to pull up in time and crashed into Ford Island. He was killed.
Each of the pilots had a $1 million insurance policy—$500,000 to MGM, and $500,000 to a beneficiary. The pilots even got a raise from their original $180 per jump.
“One of our pilots put a senior stuntman in the backseat of a bomber and made a carrier landing,” Hawkins says. “They got done, and our pilot, Jim Shannon, asked the stuntman if he wanted to go on another landing.
“He said, ‘Not with me in it.’ And we got a raise to $380 per flight.”
Thanks to two weeks of shooting, Hawkins pocketed $10,000 from MGM, a nice windfall for a Navy pilot pulling down about $300 a week.
There were other perks, as well. Actor John Wayne, who had a financial stake in the film, brought his chuckwagon with his cook to Miramar and served breakfast for the pilots—at 11 p.m.
“He shot the bull with us,” Hawkins says, “and on a couple of occasions, he brought his boys with him.”
Actor Jackie Gleason’s yacht became a temporary floating officers club. At night, an American and Japanese historian would discuss real-life events from 1941.
“That was probably the most interesting thing of the whole shebang,” says Hawkins. “Once we broke the ice with the Japanese guy, we asked him a lot of questions. He was very fluent and knowledgeable about the strike.”
The head of the group, George Watkins—or as some derisively called him, “Gorgeous George”—learned the hard way there were limits on the yacht.
“We had three women hostesses, and he made a pass at one of them,” Hawkins says. “The three of them picked him up and threw him off the yacht. It was about a 60-foot drop. Some people in another boat picked him up, but we never saw him again.”
Tora! Tora! Tora! was a co-production of Americans and Japanese. It took three years to plan—longer than the actual plan of the attack—and eight months to shoot. It was the ninth-highest grossing film in 1970 and nominated for five Academy Awards.
“I loved the movie,” Hawkins says. “It was a tremendous experience.”
Four years later, at age 39, Hawkins became the youngest captain in the Navy. His Navy career ended in 1979 after 15 months as commanding officer of the USS Milwaukee
After a dozen moves courtesy of the Navy, he and wife Sandy moved one last time—to Amarillo on July 3, 1979—where he intended to take a job with Pantex as a quality control engineering chief. But then one more opportunity fell in his lap.
A day after they arrived, Amarillo ISD Superintendent B.J. Stamps called with an offer. There was an opening to head the Junior ROTC programs in AISD. Would he consider temporarily filling that?
Hawkins said yes. He retired from that temporary job 16 years later, in 1995.
Sandy, his wife of 66 years and 6 months to the day, died in October 2022. Today, at age 91, Navy Capt. Cecil B. Hawkins lives in Amarillo, off Hillside, with his daughter. The walls of his home paint a picture of a Naval life few have ever lived, from Arkansas to Hollywood, by way of the world’s oceans and the skies above them.
“I got to live my dream,” he says.
FOUNDATIONS OF THE FUTURE
Touring Amarillo’s New City Hall
BBY JASON BOYETT
uilt in 1966, Amarillo’s current City Hall is hard to miss. This three-story concrete rectangle on Buchanan was built in an architectural style called Brutalism, known for its blocky geometry, unfinished materials, and a stark, utilitarian feel. Its narrow windows tell the story of function over beauty—a popular mid-century approach to university and government buildings.
But this government building is falling apart. Lengthy municipal discussions over the past few years told the story of failing concrete, patched foundation, settling slabs, boiler failures, flooding basements, sinkholes and even raw sewage bubbling up beneath IT servers. That was life in a nearly 60-year-old building.
“You can only put so many patches on a tire, then you’ve got to replace the tire,” Jerry Danforth once said in a city-produced video documenting City Hall’s trouble spots. He’s the city’s director of facilities and capital improvements, and had spent the last decade worrying not just about cracks in the concrete, but about potential catastrophic failure.
What if the HVAC failed during the heat of summer? What if a severe flood hit City Hall? If the building had to be closed for repairs— for days or even weeks—how would the City continue to serve the public?
That’s why city leaders decided to take a bold step toward the future, taking the historic Amarillo Hardware warehouse across the street and transforming it into a spacious, modernized headquarters for the city government. Building within an existing warehouse shell saved at least $10 million and around six months of construction time.
Designed by Sims + Architects and built by Western Builders, the renovation project includes the interior and exterior of the 150,000-square-foot building and should be finished and ready for move-in by early 2025. Almost 90 percent of the work on the building has been local.
The result will be a municipal headquarters unlike any other in Texas. City offices will be housed in a historic structure—the Amarillo Hardware building was erected almost a century ago—but with an absolutely modern approach to style and functionality. City halls around the state are typically housed in cramped, turn-of-the-century courthouses or contemporary steel-and-glass buildings. Danforth is proud Amarillo found a way not only to preserve an iconic structure, but to give it new life.
“There’s nothing in Texas where [a city] took over a historic building and did this,” he says. “Nobody else has this.”
Danforth and other city employees offered Brick & Elm an exclusive tour of the new City Hall during its final weeks of renovation.
THE CURRENT CITY HALL BUILDING WAS ERECTED IN 1966.
Sims + Architects designed what they describe as a “monumental public entrance” to the building, inspired by the Art Deco architectural style, which was popular in the 1920s when Amarillo Hardware built the original warehouse. “The big grand entrance is all-new,” Danforth says. “It wasn’t here before.”
The streamlined Art Deco design concept will be carried throughout the building, from period-appropriate subway tile in the bathrooms to sleek gold and black light fixtures.
The red letter shapes are mostly original to the Amarillo Hardware Co. building rooftop signage. “It was important for us to keep those letters. We refurbished them, took them down to an actual auto-body shop and powder-coated them,” says Danforth. The originals had just been painted with a paint roller. “That auto finish on the letters now should last 15 or 20 years.”
After spending years patching together a crumbling foundation, Danforth is delighted at the strength of the Amarillo Hardware structure. “Amarillo Hardware was built as a heavy-duty hardware facility,” he says. In fact, it’s overbuilt for what the City needs, and that’s one reason keeping the shell and remodeling the interior was less expensive than new construction.
“We actually tested the concrete in this building,” he says. Concrete is rated by its compressive strength, measured in pounds per square inch (psi). Typical residential and commercial construction concrete is rated to a compressive force of 3,000 pounds per square inch before it cracks. “This concrete tested out at over 10,000 pounds.”
These existing structural columns will remain exposed throughout the building. They taper slightly from the ground floor to the top, based on the amount of load they carry. “If you were in a modern building today, you’d be looking at structural steel that will not carry the weight this has,” Danforth explains.
When not meeting in public during an executive session, the City Council currently gathers in a narrow antechamber (see inset). “It’s tight quarters,very much so,” says Danforth of the existing space. The new building offers plenty of room. “This is almost twice the size of what they currently have.” It will include two smartboards with a live feed of the actual council chambers.
The current, wood-paneled chamber for City Council meetings has room for 72 people (see inset). The new one, located on the third floor, will have a capacity of 120 with an additional overflow space for 60 in the lobby. The high ceiling makes it feel even more spacious. The room has a dedicated press box and a dais that will accommodate up to seven council members.
Amarillo’s current organization includes four Council seats (plus the Mayor), but everything in the new building has been designed to accommodate decades of future growth. “We’ve built growth into all the departments,” Danforth says. “We had the opportunity so we took advantage of it.”
Throughout the building, fixtures reflect Art Deco details of the building’s original timeframe, including these light fixtures.
The third floor of the new City Hall includes twin patios—one facing west, over Hodgetown, and one looking east over the train tracks. The west-facing patio is public and adjacent to Council Chambers. The east patio is for staff only.
In Danforth’s opinion, the view from the west patio is the best in the city. It overlooks the entirety of Hodgetown, with the sun setting behind the city skyline.
When residents exit the elevators approaching the Council Chambers, they’ll be greeted with durable, highly polished terrazzo floors embedded with the city seal. When properly maintained, terrazzo floors can last for decades and require minimal upkeep.
Other than the structural concrete pillars, one of the few interior elements remaining from the original building is this industrial slide from the top floor. “When Amarillo Hardware was in business, if you ordered a box of bolts, rather than using an elevator they just threw it on the slide,” Danforth says. “It’s a historical piece we wanted to keep.” The slide will be fenced off, however. Don’t expect employees or boxes of paperwork to slide down it.
While the walls were in the process of being painted during Brick & Elm’s walkthrough, Danforth says the public can expect a variety of rich, jewel-toned colors. The interior designers took traditional Art Deco colors from existing downtown buildings and merged those with the environmental colors familiar to Amarillo residents.
Accent walls will be emerald, sapphire, black, gray, and golden yellow. Most of the walls in the old City Hall are painted canvas tan.
One of the unique parts of the new building will be space left unfinished once the city government moves in. Of the 140,000 square feet of usable space in the building, almost a third of the building will remain uncompleted—and that’s after Danforth and his team have built in additional space for departmental growth.
The rest is designated flexible, future retail space, he says. “The City could lease this space out to another governmental entity or even a private business. It could become revenuegenerating for the City.” A university could set up a satellite location. A coffee shop could build out, or a nonprofit that works closely with the city. “If they’re doing a lot of business with the city, the logical location is to be in City Hall. That makes this valuable,” Danforth adds. “We can develop these spaces to their needs.”
Every office placement is strategic. The first-floor utility billing is central and immediately accessible to the public—and twice the size of the department’s old space. Drive-thru bill payment windows are built in should the City decide to offer it. “Eighty percent of the stuff that the community engages with the city on is on the first floor,” Danforth says.
Fireproof concrete rooms have been designated for document storage. The 311 call center, which connects to local 911 call centers, will be located in a secured area in the basement. The accounting and finance departments are near a set of stairs that immediately access the city manager’s office or the chief financial officer.
He compares the current City Hall, where a developer might have to navigate lines of people paying utility bills— potentially including parents herding small children—on their way to a multimillion-dollar meeting with the mayor or city manager. Those existing conditions are addressed in the new space.
Fly Girl
BY NOLA HOPKINS
Acentury ago, the idea of dropping out of school to run away and join the circus was common enough to be a cliche. But Canyon resident Abby Moldenhauer went to school to join the circus.
After graduating from Canyon High School, Moldenhauer began rock climbing while living in Taos, New Mexico, during her twenties. When friends started taking lessons in aerial arts in Santa Fe, she joined them.
“It was an easy transition from rock climbing,” she says of the acrobatic, suspended-in-the-air discipline. “I was a big athlete and immediately took it up.” Aerial arts involve disciplines common in the performing arts— including the circus—like aerial silks, which involve poses, drops and movements while suspended from a long piece of fabric that hangs from the ceiling. The discipline requires a harmonious balance of flexibility, control and poise as performers climb, wrap, swing and spiral their bodies into and out of various positions, all while hanging several feet above the ground.
Moldenhauer quickly got hooked, becoming so serious about the discipline that she decided to become a professional aerial artist. In 2008, she was accepted into the New England Center for Circus Arts in Vermont, where she majored in trapeze and minored in aerial silks. At the end of her two years of training, she signed with Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus.
between Dallas and Canyon, and waving at the performers.
“It was pretty awesome to be the person on the other side bringing the magic back,” Moldenhauer says.
Elephants and Injuries
After two years traveling with the circus, she signed with a family show in New Jersey that performed in a tent next to a casino. Moldenhauer lived on the casino premises and had access to “really good food and to the spa” where she could be pampered daily.
Just like in the old days, circuses traveled on trains from town to town. “It was amazing being on the train and being out on the vestibule and waving at people when you are going through towns,” Moldenhauer says. “It was pretty magical.”
When she was a child, she remembers seeing a circus train
Because aerial artists aren’t afraid of heights, they tend to be the performers assigned to riding high atop elephants. That was the case with Moldenhauer, and these moments remain among her favorite circus memories. The elephant would lift its leg, she would step onto it, and the elephant would then quickly hoist her over its head onto its back. She kept her feet behind the animal’s ears to maintain balance.
She says people tend to have misconceptions about circus performers, starting with the belief that “it’s not a ‘real’ job,” she explains. “Some may view circus performing as a hobby or a transient lifestyle rather than a legitimate career. In truth, performers often engage in rigorous schedules, with physical training, rehearsals, performances and travel. Many are also involved in choreography, teaching and the creative direction of performances.” It’s definitely a full-time profession.
A profession, of course, that left her dangling and spinning from ribbons up to 40 feet in the air, or flying from trapeze to trapeze. Remarkably, Moldenhauer was never injured during a practice or performance.
But unfortunately, she didn’t escape that period of her life injuryfree. Late one evening, in the casino parking lot, a violent carjacking left
ABBY MOLDENHAUER
Moldenhauer with critical injuries that ended her career.
After work one night, a man jumped into her car and attacked her. She fought back, kicking him. When she fell out of the car, he attempted to run her over with the car as he sped off. Eventually, he hit a curb and the car flew into the side of a house. The assailant later went to prison.
Meanwhile, she was more concerned about the car—a rental— than about herself even though she had recently signed a contract to perform in India. That gig and all others ended as a result of her injuries.
Return to Flight
After her high-flying career ended, Moldenhauer returned to Canyon in 2013. She opened her own aerial arts school, Flying Fitness, in Amarillo off of South Western Street.
“I had always planned to have a gym of some sort,” Moldenhauer says. “That led me to have aerial arts as my focus. I always planned on coming back here after I was done [performing].”
Today, she offers classes ranging from beginner to professional level, and focuses heavily on what she calls “safety and progression” when it comes to new students. “We work in steps to get there. That way, when they try an actual skill, it’s easy for them,” she says. Her students practice one to five hours a week on the 20-foot silks, and range in age from 4 to 60 years old. She has around 75 students—a number that continues to grow thanks to Facebook and local performances for public events.
Classes at Flying Fitness include silks, aerial yoga and “aerial bungee,” in which a harnessed student leaps into the air. Her students learn choreography to perform yearly showcases for family and friends. She also teaches traditional workout classes, such as a slimdown class and yoga.
Conditioning includes push-ups and pull-ups with focus on flexibility and staying nimble. Moldenhauer takes pride in the fact that she’s never had a student injured in her gym. One of those students is Brooke Locke, 25, who became interested in aerial arts four years ago after seeing a Facebook post about it from a former high school cheerleading friend. “I thought, if she could do it, I could do it,” Locke says. “I like the activity. You can feel accomplished after every workout. I like creating a performance. I get nervous when I perform, but not when I practice.”
At first, working on the silks high in the air was scary, but not anymore. “We do so many drops that you get used to it,” she says.
Karla Figueroa, 26, remembers how she loved watching the trapeze artists when her parents took her to the circus as a child. She was surprised to learn that Amarillo had a gym where she could learn aerial arts and jumped at the chance to join two years ago.
“I am partial to the silks because I have been doing it the longest, but we have started the Aerial Lyra, which is the circle that hangs from the ceiling,” she says. “We also partake in workshops at the studio.”
Ten-year-old Berkley Reese had seen videos of aerial artists and decided to “give it a try” a year ago. Her favorite silks trick is a “candy cane” which she describes as looping her foot around a silk, passing the silk behind her back and then wrapping it around her leg.
Occasionally, she gets scared when new tricks involve heights. “You have to go higher because you can’t do it down low,” she says.
Gracie Cearley, 19, has been one of Moldenhauer’s students for at least five years. She says doing aerial arts keeps her healthy and boosts her confidence. “I am going to stick to it because it’s fun,” Cearley says.
Just like the circus.
PHOTOS BY ANGELINA MARIE
BROOKE LOCKE
November 25- December 3
GIVING
n every November/December issue, Brick & Elm’s popular Giving Guide elevates local nonprofits and charitable organizations during a season when they have come to depend on local generosity. The annual Panhandle Gives begins Nov. 25. The holidays are approaching. The needs are great. With these things in mind, we hope the following pages introduce you to organizations serving this area in unique ways. As you learn more about what they do, we hope you’ll also find ways to volunteer and consider giving back to our community.
Opportunity School
How and when did Opportunity School begin? The idea for Opportunity School started in 1968 when a Sunday School class at First Presbyterian Church decided to make a meaningful difference in their community as an expression of their deepening faith in Christ. They were led to address a serious but little-known community problem—young children from lowincome families who lacked basic learning skills and experiences, which caused them to enter 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 opened in February 1969 with 15 students, one teacher and an assistant teacher. Today, Opportunity School has expanded to two campuses, 18 classrooms and has proudly assisted more than 5,000 local kids and their families.
What local needs does Opportunity School address? Whom do you serve? Opportunity School equips low-income children and their families with tools to succeed in school and in life. We do this by creating a learning environment based on children’s individual needs and also by helping families understand how they can support their child’s learning. We offer Early Intervention Services that include developmental, social, emotional and therapeutic screenings to help pinpoint issues and provide referrals for the family. Opportunity School provides nationally accredited early childhood education for children ages 6 weeks to 5 years at our two campuses, along with caring family support including home visits, Parent Café, and a number of family events throughout the year.
What would you like the community to know about Opportunity School? The first three years of life are an irreplaceable period of rapid development, which forms a child’s sense of identity, security, influence and human interdependence, so it’s absolutely crucial we provide a local avenue for high-quality early childhood education. By investing in Opportunity School, you are helping ensure a high return for our community that pays dividends decades later for children living in low-income homes. In fact, Opportunity School’s independent research with West Texas A&M University has shown our students achieve a higher level of education and employment than those not attending. On a broader research scope, the University of Texas at Austin has shown that high-quality preschool education significantly reduces the achievement gap
between rich and poor. And, the Carolina 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.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? 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. Additionally, in an effort to enhance the overall mental health and well-being of our students, Opportunity School has partnered with Nature Explore to create one-of-a-kind outdoor classrooms at our Edwards Campus. These unique spaces seamlessly integrate with our students’ daily learning and play, helping to maximize their educational benefits.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Just like the original Sunday School class that founded Opportunity School, people within our community have an undeniable foresight that makes us stronger. That foresight, combined with a great desire to make a difference, allows us to continue our important work at Opportunity School. Thanks to the financial support of individuals and local corporations, we are positively affecting future generations, meeting a critical need in our city.
What specific needs does Opportunity School have right now? First and foremost, Opportunity School relies on monetary donations to help us provide affordable, high-quality early childhood education and family support. Opportunity School must raise approximately $5,000 per child each year to sustain this level of quality. There are several ways to make a monetary gift, including planned giving and legacy gifts. In-kind donations and gifts of time are also a great way to support our cause. We have opportunities for guest readers, classroom helpers, baby huggers, gardeners and more. Finally, Opportunity School 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
United Way of Amarillo & Canyon
How and when did UWAC begin? United Way of Amarillo & Canyon has been a pillar of the community since 1924, celebrating a century of service this year. We were established to create a united front in addressing the community’s most pressing needs and have since grown into an organization that drives positive change across Amarillo and Canyon.
What local needs or issues does UWAC address? Whom do you serve? Our mission is to address critical local issues, including education, financial stability, health and basic needs. We partner with various programs and agencies that serve individuals and families, particularly those facing financial hardships or lacking access to essential services. Our goal is to improve lives by building a stronger, more resilient community where everyone has the opportunity to thrive. We focus on ALICE—Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed—people who make too much to receive government assistance but live paycheck to paycheck.
What would you like the community to know about your work? We’d love the community to know that United Way of Amarillo & Canyon is about all of us helping all of us. We work tirelessly to connect resources, advocate for change and support initiatives that create a lasting impact. Our work goes beyond short-term aid; we aim to make sustainable improvements that uplift the entire community.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? People may be surprised to learn that many of those we serve are hardworking individuals and families who find themselves needing support due to unexpected life events. Also, our team at United Way of Amarillo & Canyon is constantly innovating and working with partners on initiatives that might not be widely known, such as our Youth Cabinet, which engages high school students in leadership and community service.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Working closely with the community has shown us just how resilient and generous the people of Amarillo and Canyon are. We’ve seen countless individuals step up to help their neighbors and invest in the well-being of others. This community truly embodies the spirit of unity and care, always ready to lend a hand.
What specific needs does UWAC have right now? We always appreciate donations to support our programs and raise awareness of our work so more people can get involved. Sharing our message and advocating for those we serve makes a significant difference in building a united, compassionate community.
Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch
How and when did Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch begin? Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch was founded in 1939 by Cal Farley, a successful businessman and former professional wrestler who was passionate about helping troubled and at-risk youth. He envisioned the Ranch as a place where boys could find a second chance—a home where they could live, learn and grow into responsible adults. Located on a 120-acre plot along the Canadian River, about 40 miles northwest of Amarillo, the Ranch started as a working farm and educational facility, built on the values of discipline, hard work and community.
Over the years, Boys Ranch has expanded both in size and scope. Today, we provide comprehensive care, including counseling, education and therapeutic programs for both boys and girls. Our Christ-centered mission continues to transform lives, helping young people overcome challenges and build bright futures.
What local needs or issues does Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch address? Who do you serve? We serve at-risk youth, offering them the opportunity to build valuable life skills that will serve them for the rest of their lives. Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch addresses the critical need for stability and guidance in the lives of children facing difficult circumstances. We provide more than just the basics—like a home, education and meals. We offer a supportive environment where kids can heal from past trauma, gain confidence and discover their full potential.
Beyond our campus, we also offer community-based services to families within a 100-mile radius of Amarillo. These services help strengthen family bonds and equip parents with the tools they need to foster a positive, supportive home environment. When possible, we believe the best place for a child is with their family, and we work hard to make that a reality.
We operate off our Model of Leadership and Service, which represents six universal needs: safety, power, purpose, belonging, achievement and adventure. We believe when these six areas are met, individuals can reach their fullest potential. We believe challenging behavior stems from one or more of these needs not being met—or being met inappropriately.
What would you like the community to know about your work? We believe children need more than just a place to stay—they need a network of care and support. Every child has a dedicated team, including house parents, caseworkers, clinicians, teachers, chaplain staff and mentors, all working together to create the best environment for growth and success. This holistic approach helps every child thrive and reach their full potential.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? While our name is Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch, we’ve proudly welcomed girls since 1992. Our mission is to serve families, whether through children living at Boys Ranch
or receiving support through our community-based services. We offer a wide range of activities for boys and girls alike, from rocketry and culinary arts to welding, sports and ranching. These opportunities help our kids build valuable skills and prepare for a successful future.
Another interesting aspect of the work we do is our alumni services. Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch remains committed to our former residents into adulthood. It’s a familiar bond much like that of a traditional family. We invest in the future of our alumni by helping them pursue educational success and a smooth transition to independent life. Our robust scholarship program assists dozens of former residents each year. We’ve awarded hundreds of scholarships to deserving clients over more than four decades.
We also provide a place to live for Boys Ranch alumni who need temporary housing assistance during their transition to adult life. The Cal Farley’s Alumni Support Independent Living Center features 11 apartments, a common area for meetings or training and laundry facilities. Life coaches maintain accountability and offer help with basic living skills. For other former residents, Boys Ranch is able to assist with locating and securing suitable housing elsewhere in their communities.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle are deeply connected to Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch. From the very beginning, area residents have generously supported us with time, money and resources. That spirit of giving is still alive today, with many people contributing as donors, volunteers and employees. The community’s dedication to helping our boys and girls thrive has been truly inspiring and makes a lasting impact. While our residents at Boys Ranch come to us from across the country and all 50 states, the Amarillo community embraces these youth and young adults into their community, assisting with services, jobs and education.
What specific needs does Cal Farley’s Boys Ranch have right now? Every dollar we receive directly supports our mission of providing the best life possible for the boys and girls at Boys Ranch. As a privately funded organization, we rely on donations from the community to continue our work. We have a growing need for house parents—people who are willing to invest in the lives of our children, be role models and help guide them toward a successful future. To apply for this role, applicants can go to calfarley.org/houseparents.
We are also looking for new boys and girls ages 10 to 16 who need a safe home environment. We accept children from anywhere in the United States. If any family believes their child would be a good fit, they can begin the admissions process at calfarley.org/admission
Kids, Inc.
How and when did Kids, Inc. begin? Kids, Inc. got its start back in 1945, thanks to Cal Farley, who had a vision to create a safe space for boys in Amarillo to learn, grow and stay active during World War II. It started small—with just 11 boys playing sports—but has since transformed into the go-to organization for youth sports in the Texas Panhandle. Today, we’re proud to offer a wide range of sports programs for kids ages 4 through eighth grade, and we now serve more than 18,000 participants every year. What began as a simple effort to keep kids busy has grown into a community staple, meeting the ever-increasing demand for youth sports opportunities.
What local needs or issues does Kids, Inc. address? Whom do you serve? Kids, Inc. addresses a critical need for accessible and affordable sports programs in the Amarillo and Canyon areas. Sports aren’t just about physical activity, but about building character, confidence, teamwork and leadership skills. The kids who participate in our programs learn life lessons on and off the field that help set them up for future success. Our goal is to ensure that every child, no matter their background or circumstances, has the opportunity to play and benefit from those experiences.
Children come from a variety of schools, including Amarillo ISD, Canyon ISD, River Road ISD, and beyond. Participants also include children from private, charter and homeschool settings. Thanks to the generosity of our community, scholarships are available to ensure that financial barriers don’t prevent any child from joining, keeping programs inclusive and open to all.
What would you like the community to know about your work? Kids, Inc. is about much more than just sports. We’re here to help shape the next generation of confident, strong and capable individuals ready to tackle life’s challenges. Sure, we provide fun and competitive sports programs, but we also focus on teaching life skills like perseverance, teamwork, leadership and respect that kids will carry with them long after they’ve left the field.
Thanks to the generous support of donors and the community, Kids, Inc. has been able to keep programs affordable, even as the costs for shirts, equipment, officials and field rentals have increased. Program fees have remained steady for years, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to play, regardless of their family’s financial situation. This continued affordability is only possible because of the commitment from donors, sponsors and volunteers who believe in making sports accessible for all. Every contribution, whether financial or through involvement, helps create these opportunities for local kids.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? One thing that surprises many people is how big we’ve grown. Since we started, Kids, Inc. has expanded by nearly 200,000 percent! In 2023 alone, more than 18,600 kids participated in 27 different sports seasons. But despite our size, we’re still deeply committed to keeping youth sports accessible and affordable for everyone. It’s not just about winning or
competition—it’s about ensuring every child has a place to belong and thrive.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Through our work, we’ve learned that Amarillo is a community that truly cares about its kids. Whether it’s parents stepping up to volunteer as coaches or local businesses and donors pitching in to keep programs affordable, we see people in this community rallying around the next generation. Amarillo is full of folks who believe in giving back and investing in the future; we see that spirit in action every day.
We’ve also seen just how resilient Amarillo is. Whether it’s economic challenges or global pandemics, the community remains steadfast in supporting our mission. People here understand how important it is to keep kids engaged, active and surrounded by positive influences—no matter what happens in the world.
What specific needs does Kids, Inc. have right now? Kids, Inc.’s top needs are financial support and volunteers. With more than 18,000 participants, there is a constant need to replace and update equipment like helmets, pads and balls to ensure safety and high-quality programs. Donations are crucial to continuing to provide the level of programming that families and the community expect.
Donors can support Kids, Inc. by funding equipment, scholarships and program expenses. Another exciting option is contributing to Rockrose Sports Park, a state-of-the-art facility addressing the growing demand for youth sports. With more than $22 million already raised toward the $30 million goal, additional contributions are essential to make this vision a reality.
Volunteers, especially coaches, are greatly needed to support Kids, Inc. They play a crucial role in ensuring success, and anyone interested in helping shape the lives of local children is encouraged to get involved. Both donations and volunteer efforts make a lasting impact on the youth in our community.
Amarillo Area Foundation
How and when did Amarillo Area Foundation begin?
The Amarillo Area Foundation 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 needs or issues does Amarillo Area Foundation address? Whom 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 ways to solve issues 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 our annual giving campaign, The Panhandle Gives. AAF was blown away when this year our communities showed up in force to support their neighbors affected by the wildfires in our region. We are currently trying to expand our collective financial impact with our Stratum Funds, which help AAF build on the foundation of our mission by allowing donors to choose areas of focus that align with their philanthropic goals.
What specific needs does Amarillo Area Foundation 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. We often see that there are many players and nonprofit organizations working in silos and attempting to solve problems alone. We want to help facilitate a culture of collaboration, where all involved understand each other’s roles and strengths so 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, hear 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, or Panhandle Partners in Philanthropy, or opening a charitable fund at Amarillo Area Foundation.
ECU Foundation
Education Credit Union has long been on the leading edge of community philanthropy, but in 2022, ECU provided an avenue for future stability and growth through the ECU Foundation. The ECU Foundation’s mission is to promote public trust in philanthropy and the value of academic, financial and cultural learning. The foundation seeks to foster and promote upward socio-economic mobility of children and adults in the Texas Panhandle.
The ECU Foundation understands that one of the main building blocks in anyone’s socio-economic health is education, so special attention is paid to the needs of teachers and students. Most people are aware of the budget shortages that often plague our schools. The ECU Foundation’s main program, the Pocket Change Grant, focuses specifically on areas where school budgets fall short. Teachers are able to request classroom or campus funding up to $750 each year in order to help fill in the gaps for their students. In 2024, the ECU Foundation will pass $1M in total grants made to teachers across the Panhandle. These funds have been used by teachers to provide their students with everything from basic school supplies and classroom essentials to experiential learning opportunities, field trips, virtual learning sessions, sensory items and much more.
Thousands of teachers and students have been impacted by this program.
The ECU Foundation also invests in higher education for area students through a variety of scholarship programs. The main program awards scholarships to six to 10 Education Credit Union members who are graduating high school in a partnership with Opportunity Plan, Inc. ECU Foundation also enjoys a scholarship partnership with Frank Phillips College in Borger, which awards funds to students even beyond their first year of higher education. Perhaps the most unique scholarships provided by the ECU Foundation go to graduates of the Money Management Bootcamp offered through the Buff$mart and Badger$mart programs at West Texas A&M University and Amarillo College, respectively. These programs are a joint effort of the educational institutions and Education Credit Union’s renowned financial health program. Students who attend all sessions and complete money management learning activities are eligible for scholarships at the completion of the course. These students leave Bootcamp with increased financial literacy and help to further their educational pursuits.
Area teachers and district administrators are among the best and brightest among us. The ways they impact lives cannot truly be measured. The hope of the ECU Foundation is to support these individuals as they continue to make the Texas Panhandle a great place to call home.
Help us spread awareness about the ECU Foundation, purchase a table for our first big fundraiser (the School Days Gala), and keep up with our adventures on social media.
Give now and get more information about the ECU Foundation at ecu-foundation.org
Amarillo College Foundation
How and when did the Foundation begin? The Amarillo College Foundation was established in 1962 by a group of dedicated citizens led by Mr. Leon Hoyt, Jr. The purpose of the Foundation is to obtain gifts and grants to further the development of Amarillo College through scholarships and loans for students, enrichment of the educational programs, and supporting necessary expansions of the campus.
What local needs or issues does the Foundation address? Whom do you serve? The AC Foundation’s Badger Fund aims to support students by removing life barriers to educational attainment. It encourages students to complete their education at Amarillo College. The fund provides help with tuition, books and other educational expenses, making higher education more accessible to a broader range of students. Amarillo College considers it both a privilege and an obligation to forge a pathway toward an accessible future for its students.
What would you like the community to know about your work? Amarillo College has received national recognition for its commitment to student success, innovative approaches to problem-solving, and burgeoning workforce-development programs. However, much of that recognition does not trickle down to the local level. Many in our community are unaware of the important work we are doing. We want to help Amarillo better understand the many resources and programs we offer at AC, both for traditional and non-traditional students. AC has a comprehensive approach to student success that helps students succeed academically, personally and professionally. Through our “No Excuses” philosophy, AC has committed to doing whatever it takes to remove barriers to education, including through financial, emotional and practical resources. At the core of that philosophy is our Advocacy and Resource Center, where a significant portion of the Badger Fund dollars are allocated. The ARC connects students to on-campus resources like the food pantry, legal aid and emergency funds, as well as off-campus resources through partnerships with dozens of other local community nonprofits who assist with wraparound services.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? One of the top priorities at Amarillo College is preparing students to be workforce-ready upon graduation. AC plays a critical community role by aligning its programs with the needs of local industries. This helps ensure students are not just earning degrees, but are also gaining the skills and training needed to secure good jobs in the area. Our students are diverse, with many being non-traditional learners who are working adults, parents, first-generation college students and individuals returning to school after years in the workforce. AC has committed to meeting them where they are and providing the resources they need to succeed.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work?
The people of Amarillo are fiercely proud and loyal—they want to see their fellow community members succeed. They are also incredibly generous. Amarillo has more than 800 recorded nonprofits, and this community’s spirit of generosity is seen in the way individuals, businesses and local foundations come together to address the needs of the region. Knowing this, and having Amarillo College be one of the organizations that the people of Amarillo consistently show up for, holds great significance to us. We believe it is our responsibility to be good stewards of the donations we are provided, and we seek to do the most good with the resources at our disposal in the hopes that we can continue to support our students in their endeavors and fold them back into the community as future workers and leaders.
What specific needs does the Foundation have right now? Our greatest challenge is awareness of the important work we are doing. The Foundation is in its final year of the Badger Bold campaign, a $45 million endeavor that seeks to address critical community needs. By raising awareness of AC’s focus on student success, poverty-informed practices, and workforce development, we believe the community will have no choice but to support our endeavors— because what we are doing is important. Of course, financial support is the flip side of that coin. Our donors enable us to fulfill our mission of providing accessible, high-quality education to a diverse student population, many of whom face financial challenges. The best way to support AC is: 1) to give to the Badger Fund, which can be used to support students inside and outside the classroom, and 2) to help spread awareness in the community of the value AC brings.
The Guyon Saunders Resource Center
The Guyon Saunders Resource Center has facilitated resources for the homeless since 1993. More than 2,000 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 them 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 GSRC 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.
The clients we serve are so appreciative; many of them volunteer at the GSRC once they are able. The Amarillo community is such a giving community. People want to help.
Sometimes people like to give something tangible instead of money. We are always in need of coffee, creamer, sugar, ramen noodles, oatmeal, hygiene items, laundry soap and so much more.
If inclined to do so, please donate on our website or during The Panhandle Gives on Nov. 25 to Dec. 3
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, preserving 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 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-square-mile region. PPHM’s educational programming supports the curriculum and student life of more than 60 school districts in the Texas Panhandle and the tri-state area, not to mention the students at WT.
PPHM welcomes up to 60,000 visitors and around 25,000 students annually 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.
Moreover, employment at PPHM is incredibly 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 two 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 impossible through the generosity of the people of Amarillo, Canyon and the surrounding communities. PPHM is constantly humbled by the volunteerism and 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 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.
West Texas A&M University Foundation
How and when did the West Texas A&M University Foundation begin? West Texas A&M University was established in 1910 as West Texas State Normal College. Canyon was selected as its home after a fierce battle across the region, but a bid of $100,100 and a 40-acre plot of land beat out all other bidders. The school continued to expand over the decades before officially joining The Texas A&M University System on Sept. 1, 1990. Since then, the University has transformed itself into a regional research university and redefines excellence every day in the outstanding achievements of faculty, significant renovations and construction around campus, innovations in the classroom, and advances in support services. The Foundation of West Texas State College was established in 1946 with the mission to provide student scholarship assistance and to support faculty, staff and programs of the College. Today, The WTAMU Foundation continues to support the mission of the University.
What local needs or issues does the WT Foundation address? Whom do you serve?
WT’s primary mission, as laid out in our long-range plan, WT 125: From the Panhandle to the World, is to serve the people of Texas—first those residing in the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. Focusing on the aspirations and needs of the citizens the University serves creates value beyond the borders of the Panhandle. Currently, WT boasts an enrollment of more than 9,000 and offers 58 undergraduate degree programs, one associate degree, and 44 graduate degrees, including an integrated bachelor’s and master’s degree, a specialist degree and two doctoral degrees.
What would you like the community to know about the University? Serving students, families and communities is a commitment WT stands by. The University is regionally responsive to the needs of the people of the Texas Panhandle through academic teaching, research and service. The University also employs more than 2,000 people who make their home in the Amarillo/Canyon region, helping to better their communities not only in service to the University, but also on their own time.
What might surprise people about the University or the people you serve? The research conducted at WT has worldwide impact, which is accomplished by focusing first on the needs of our region. The needs of similar regions across the nation and world, then, benefit from WT’s attention, research and resolution of challenges and opportunities that characterize the Texas Panhandle. Among the significant research accomplishments are Copper Clean, a copper alloy that wipes out viruses and bacteria that was developed by the College of Engineering’s Buffalo Technology Group; and continuing advances within the Center for Advancing Food Animal Production in the Panhandle, which enables WT students to specialize in animal health, animal care, animal nutrition and pre- and post-harvest food science/food safety. Research is conducted in every academic area of the University, including agriculture, natural sciences, business, education, social sciences, engineering, fine arts, humanities, nursing and health sciences.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? We make new discoveries every day, helping us foster a vibrant community, drive economic growth, promote collaborative projects and showcase regional impact. Moreover, we are dedicated to upholding the values of the people of the region, which are essential to the sustenance of our region, state and nation as they support the production of the food, fuel and fiber that feeds, powers and clothes our nation and world.
What specific needs does the Foundation have right now? WT is currently engaged in the historic One West comprehensive fundraising campaign, which reached its initial $125 million goal 18 months after publicly launching in September 2021. The campaign’s new goal is to reach $175 million by 2025; currently, it has raised more than $160 million. Every gift to the University counts in the One West campaign, which has three priorities: people, through scholarships and professorships; programs, enhancing academic offerings and research; and places, improving existing buildings and constructing new spaces. Around 90 professorships and chairs have been endowed during the campaign, offering additional funding for research, travel and more. Millions have been raised to support scholarships, academic programs, construction and renovation. Join the more than 9,000 donors to the One West campaign and help WT in redefining excellence.
Panhandle Community Services
How and when did Panhandle Community Services begin? Concerned about the crippling effect of poverty in area neighborhoods, interested citizens formed the PotterRandall Citizens Committee. This committee focused on community development and began searching for resources to help meet community needs. Shortly after, the Johnson Administration passed the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964 to combat poverty in the United States.
As a result, a grant was awarded to the Potter-Randall Citizens Committee for forming a Community Action Agency, and its doors opened to the public on Nov. 1, 1966. The name was changed to Panhandle Community Services in 1985.
What local needs or issues does Panhandle Community Services address? Whom do you serve? We work hard to ensure that our neighbors with limited incomes do not have to experience the ravages of poverty. All our programs are geared toward bringing stability to families living in unstable conditions and bringing self-sufficiency. We do this through housing assistance, utility assistance, programs for Veterans, health insurance navigation, our rural county bus system, and so much more.
What would you like the community to know about your work? Today, Panhandle Community Services has 12 service centers across the region. The strategic placement of each office enables PCS to serve all 26 counties in the upper Texas Panhandle. This year, we are proudly celebrating the 60th anniversary of the signing of the Equal Opportunity Act and are excited to have been awarded the Promise in Action award by the National Community Action Partnership for our work in disaster relief and serving families during rebuilding. What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? We believe the limited-income families we serve should have a say in the way our program dollars are provided and alert us to barriers and obstacles that exist. We have open forum conversations, advisory committees, and one-third of our board of directors serves as limited-income representatives.
Poverty doesn’t necessarily look like what you think. Along with our ongoing programs, we have been boots on the ground during four natural disasters in the past 18 months: floods in both Amarillo and Hereford, the catastrophic Perryton tornado, and then the largest wildfires in Texas history. We worked with area businesses and individuals to house families, provide essential home goods and bring hope.
Also, the vast majority of those we work with are working poor; more than 70 percent have income, but struggle to make ends meet. Another 30 percent include elderly and disabled people who are unable to work.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? The people of the Panhandle are incredibly resilient and care about each other. Few things are as beautiful as watching neighbors helping neighbors. We are hard-working people, with unemployment rates below state averages. Our high poverty rates indicate that our clients are working—but it’s not always enough to thrive.
What specific needs does Panhandle Community Services have right now? We have begun hygiene closets in six of our locations. This has exposed a much greater need than we initially recognized. We need full-size bottles of shampoo/conditioner, soap, toothpaste, laundry detergent and cleaning supplies. We need landlords for our housing programs. We need unrestricted dollars to help our people with needs that fall outside grant restrictions. We would love to welcome you to our Festival of Trees fundraiser on Nov. 22, 2024. Please look for our page on The Panhandle Gives Campaign and help us bridge the gap between poverty and self-sufficiency.
Amarillo Habitat for Humanity
How and when did Amarillo Habitat for Humanity begin? Amarillo Habitat for Humanity was incorporated in 1981 to tackle the pressing need for affordable housing in our community, with a strong emphasis on homeownership. Through zero-percent interest loans, generous donors and dedicated volunteers, Amarillo Habitat for Humanity has served more than 120 families by helping them achieve the dream of owning a safe and stable home.
What local needs does Habitat address? Whom do you serve? The affordable housing crisis is a growing challenge across the nation and Amarillo is no exception. To combat this issue, we provide a pathway to affordable homeownership for individuals and families facing high housing costs and limited access to home lending. Amarillo Habitat for Humanity serves lowto-moderate income households with pressing housing needs, which take many forms, such as high rent, inadequate living space and unresponsive landlords. Our mission is to uplift families from these difficult circumstances by helping them move into safe, stable homes they can truly call their own.
What would you like the community to know about Amarillo Habitat for Humanity? A stable home serves as a crucial foundation for an individual’s long-term success and well-being. Research consistently shows that homeownership positively influences multiple dimensions of life, including health, financial stability and education. Homeowners tend to experience better physical and mental health outcomes, as a secure living environment provides peace of mind. Owning a home fosters asset-building and wealth accumulation, offering families a pathway to financial independence. It enhances educational opportunities for children and contributes to stronger social ties and community development. Homeownership is not just about having a place to live; it’s about creating a supportive environment that empowers individuals and families to thrive.
What might surprise people about the work Habitat does or the people it serves? One of the most common misconceptions about our program is that we simply “give” homes away for free. In reality, the individuals and families we partner with are responsible for paying a mortgage, property taxes and insurance, just like any other homeowner. The key difference is that they receive a zero-interest mortgage, which significantly reduces their monthly payments and makes homeownership more affordable and accessible. This empowers families to achieve stability and build a brighter future without compromising their financial responsibilities.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Our community is filled with resilient and compassionate individuals who consistently come together to support one another. Their kindness and dedication create a strong network of neighbors helping neighbors, fostering a sense of solidarity and collaboration that is deeply rooted in our region’s values. This not only enriches our community, but also inspires others to join in, amplifying the positive impact we can make. In the Texas Panhandle, we truly embody the belief that together, we can overcome any challenge.
What specific needs does Amarillo Habitat for Humanity have right now? We offer numerous ways for the community to partner with us in our mission. Volunteers are always welcome at our construction sites and in our ReStore, where every helping hand makes a difference. There are also various options for financial support, including monetary donations and in-kind contributions. You can also donate furniture, appliances, household items, clothing and more to our ReStore. The proceeds from these sales directly support our construction efforts, enabling us to build more homes for those in need. For more information, reach out to us at (806) 383-3456 or visit our website at amarillohabitat.org. Together, we can create lasting change and empower families to achieve their dreams of homeownership!
Amarillo Botanical Gardens
How and when did Amarillo Botanical Gardens begin? In 1929, an enterprising group of hardworking women banded together to create the first garden club of Amarillo. They set out to prove gardening was possible in the challenging High Plains of Texas. The environment and soil of the area tested their knowledge as they sought out plants that could survive drought, wind and extensive sun. After many successful years, they started tackling numerous city beautification projects. By 1945, 125 members belonged to the thriving Amarillo Garden Club. With varied interests and goals, the group divided into 13 garden clubs and societies over the next 10 years, forming the Amarillo Garden Center at the present location of 1400 Streit Drive. In 2000, the Garden Center expanded, adding acreage, and built the Mary E. Bivins Conservatory, changing its name and focus to Amarillo Botanical Gardens.
What local needs does Amarillo Botanical Gardens address? Whom do you serve? Since 1968, our botanical garden has served the community by inspiring interaction with plants and the environment. We’re keeping our mission alive through tours and exciting outdoor events while providing education classes for area children and adults. We partner with AISD, supporting their Community Job Exploration Training program to teach high school students with learning challenges how to work— by exposing them to a variety of jobs to prepare them for adult employment.
What would you like the community to know about your work? We strive to provide an Oasis on the Plains, welcome to all, where guests can learn, relax and participate in our many events or educational activities. We work hard to keep our pricing low so a large portion of Amarillo can visit and enjoy our beautiful space. Our primary goal is to educate the people of our area about the many possibilities of gardening while providing a wonderful atmosphere.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? We host 80,000 to 100,000 visitors a year from around the country and world, as well as providing a muchneeded green oasis for our local community. We have a very strong reputation in the botanical community. Our location near Interstate 40 brings a lot of people in.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? The people of Amarillo are looking for good, outdoor family-friendly activities. They love experiencing nature and learning.
What specific needs does Amarillo Botanical Gardens have right now? We are starting a campaign to grow our education department, and plan to build a new building dedicated to education. Focusing on garden-to-table classes and classes for children is a priority for this new building and garden area.
1400 STREIT DRIVE 806.352.6513
100 Club of the Texas Panhandle
How and when did the 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle begin? The 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle was founded in 2004 as the 100 Club of Amarillo. We became a 501c3 in 2006 and expanded to the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle in 2011, filing a DBA to operate as the 100 Club of the Texas Panhandle.
What local needs or issues does the 100 Club address? Whom do you serve? We serve certified peace officers and firefighters (volunteer, paid and industry) in the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle.
What would you like the community to know about your work? The 100 Club is a nonprofit organization, fully supported by membership/donation, with the mission to:
• Provide immediate financial assistance to the families of certified peace officers and firefighters killed in the line of duty ($20,000 in first 24 hours)
• Provide immediate financial assistance to certified peace officers and firefighters injured in the line of duty and unable to work (initial $5,000 in the first 24 hours, can pay up to $12,000 in a year)
• Purchase life-protecting and lifesaving equipment for law enforcement and firefighting agencies that cannot be secured through budgeted funds (from $30,000 to hundreds of thousands of dollars)
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? During the recent record-setting wildfires, we knew we had to do something to help. But, due to the number of departments working the fires, we did not have the budget to help all of them. Through God’s provision, the 100 Club was incredibly blessed to be able to raise more than $900,000 in eight weeks and pay it out to the more than 50 volunteer fire departments fighting the wildfires. We were also able to help purchase a UTV and trailer for AFD’s Wildland Unit and a recovery trailer for the Randall County Fire Department. Sadly, the 100 Club also paid out one $20,000 line-of-duty death benefit and three $5,000 line-ofduty injury benefits as a result of the wildfires. Prior to these wildfires, our largest purchase was the BearCat SWAT vehicle for the Amarillo Police Department. All these gifts were made possible by the generous members and supporters of the 100 Club.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? It is no surprise to see people in our area come together for the good of those who serve and protect … and, as always, for the good of our community and those around us.
What specific needs does 100 Club have right now? One big thing we have learned over this past year is that there are a number of needs for law enforcement officers and firefighters (especially volunteer departments) and not enough funding to go around. The budgeted funding is especially limited after the record-setting fires took a toll on many first responder agencies’ standard budgets. You can’t prepare for a situation of that magnitude, which involved both law enforcement and firefighting agencies. The more members and donations we have, the more we can do for those who protect and serve.
Become a member of the 100 Club to support them year-round (texaspanhandle100club.org), give big during The Panhandle Gives so your donations can be amplified, tell others who we are to help garner more awareness and support, and pray daily for the safety of those who protect and serve!
Window on a Wider World
How and when did WOWW begin? Founded in 1999 with the vision of local leader and philanthropist Caroline Bush Emeny, the Globe-News Center for the Performing Arts, opened its doors in 2006. The arts education program of the Globe-News Center, Window on a Wider World, has grown from a pilot program serving 2,700 students in 2005 to a highly sought-after collaborative program serving 49 schools and 8,400 students in the top 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle and a few schools in the South Plains region.
WOWW’s education program was an important selling point for the Globe-News Center fundraising efforts. This initiative offered donors a return on investment that extended beyond the physical facility. Mary Emeny coined the phrase “Window on a Wider World” with the vision of enriching the education of Texas Panhandle students through art, science and cultural experiences. From its inception, WOWW has also been committed to developing an education program that would benefit children in Amarillo, Canyon and the surrounding rural areas.
What local needs or issues does WOWW address? WOWW addresses education and understanding of the essential knowledge or skills identified by the Texas Education Association as a readiness or supporting standard for the State of Texas Assessment of Academic Readiness test through more than 155 programs.
Whom does WOWW serve? We serve public, private, charter schools and children’s organizations for students in grades pre-k through 12th.
What would you like the community to know about your work? WOWW meets education needs through experiential learning, an approach that takes abstract ideas learned in the classroom to concrete experiences through hands-on and reallife engagement. Hands-on learning—or learning by doing—can give students an opportunity to immerse themselves in a learning environment, while putting their acquired skills to use and building new skills. Students learn from experiences and activities. Instead of only listening to a teacher lecture about a given subject, the student can engage with Learning Partners on a field trip or campus experience outside the classroom. Four characteristics of experiential learning are concrete experience, reflective observation, abstract concepts and active experimentation.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? Our learning partners are for-profit and nonprofit organizations that provide more than 155 educational programs to enhance the curriculum teachers have designed, which helps ensure all students have the opportunity to achieve academic success. When students take a field trip or have a campus visit with any of our learning partners, such as Panhandle-Plains Historical Museum or the America’s SBDC at WTAMU, it is usually booked by Window on a Wider World. A list of our learning partners can be found on our website at woww.org. When you support WOWW, you are supporting all of our learning partners.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Amarillo values education, workforce development and economic sustainability. Most people do not know about our organization. If they do, they do not understand the impact we are making. We have programs to educate students, provide career awareness, and help our partner organizations bring more students and their families into their facilities.
What specific needs does WOWW have right now? Our organization needs volunteers to serve on committees that will work together for specific topics, ideas or events. Additionally, we need donors to make contributions to our mission of enriching the education of Texas Panhandle students, so employers will have an educated and robust pool of potential workers living and working in our community.
Heart Gallery of the Panhandle Plains
How and when did Heart Gallery of the Panhandle Plains begin? In 2023, the Governor’s Commission for Women and the Office of the First Lady of Texas partnered with the University of Texas to advocate for the establishment of Heart Gallery programs throughout the state of Texas. Subsequently, during the 88th Texas Legislative session, lawmakers approved funding to launch Heart Gallery programs across the state.
What local needs or issues does Heart Gallery address? Whom do you serve? Serving the whole of Region 1, an area that includes the 41 counties around Amarillo, Canyon, Lubbock and all the surrounding communities, Heart Gallery of the Panhandle Plains opened in early 2024 and is dedicated to making a difference in the lives of children in foster care awaiting adoption.
What would you like the community to know about your work?
The foster care numbers are staggering. At any given time in Texas, approximately 6,000 children are in foster care awaiting adoption. These children are legally free to be adopted and are longing for a loving, adoptive family to call their own. In Region 1, more than 300 children are ready and waiting to be adopted.
The mission of Heart Gallery of the Panhandle Plains is to connect hearts through the power of innovative, photographic storytelling by generating hope, restoring dignity and highlighting the individuality and worth of each child seeking a loving family through adoption. Our goal is to create a platform where waiting children can connect with potential families through portrait exhibits that showcase their unique personalities and strengths.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? The unpleasant surprise about this work is the outcome for these children if they are not adopted. As a community, we are better as a whole if everyone has a family and home of their own. When children in foster care age out of the system with no family connection, the numbers for homelessness, incarceration and teenage birth rates increase exponentially. While most children and youth spotlighted in Heart Galleries are older or part of sibling groups, the need and desire for a family does not change.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Amarillo is full of amazing people! Though Heart Gallery is a newer organization, the response to provide for the children of our area has been overwhelming. There is no doubt that, because of the generous spirit of this community, hearts and lives will be forever changed for the better.
What specific needs does Heart Gallery have right now? Heart Gallery partners with volunteer photographers for child and youth portraits. The need for photographers is ever-present. Additionally, in order to share the mission of Heart Gallery, businesses, organizations and churches are asked to donate exhibit space to highlight waiting children. Exhibits can be temporary—as short as hours for specific events—and can be digital, semi-permanent or permanent. Heart Gallery provides all the necessary equipment designed specifically for each space. Additionally, we would love the opportunity to speak to your group, church or club regarding our mission. Partner with us today to help provide forever families to the children and youth of our region!
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Amarillo
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Amarillo first opened its doors in August 1983. At that time, it was only the 49th House in operation. Today, more than 380 chapters operate in 62 countries across the globe. It’s truly remarkable to consider the forward-thinking and visionary advocates in our region who realized what a service this would be 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 High Plains communities, 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 all the way from California to Florida, and Canada to Australia. In the past 41 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 is here to serve 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 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 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. In 2023, we launched our new Continuum of Family Support Program, when we hired our first-ever full-time Family Support Coordinator to help connect our families with the resources and services they need to succeed both during their stay, and once they return to their home communities.
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 41 years have shown us we truly 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!
High Plains Food Bank
How and when did the High Plains Food Bank begin? High Plains Food Bank was founded in 1982 by a group of concerned citizens who wanted to address hunger in the Texas Panhandle. For more than 40 years, we have worked to provide reliable access to food for individuals and families across our community, adapting to the growing needs and challenges of food insecurity. What local needs or issues does HPFB address? Whom do you serve? High Plains Food Bank, alongside 137 partner food pantries and meal programs, addresses food insecurity across 29 counties in the Texas Panhandle. The need continues to rise. In September 2024 alone, we served 14,275 households, a 4-percent increase from the previous month and a significant increase from the 10,803 households served in August 2023. This year, the average number of households served each month is 12,846, marking a 25-percent rise over last year’s average. Our services are essential for the 1 in 6 neighbors, including 1 in 5 children, who struggle with hunger. Last year, we distributed more than 7.8 million pounds of food to meet these critical needs.
What would you like the community to know about your work? Beyond feeding our community, High Plains Food Bank plays a vital role in reducing food waste by redistributing surplus food that would otherwise go to waste. We receive donations from retail partners, distribution centers, local food drives, individuals and even local farmers and ranchers. Additionally, we collaborate with government programs that procure food commodities from growers to support local families—a system that benefits both our neighbors and the economy.
What would you like the community to know about your work? High Plains Food Bank plays a vital role not only in feeding our community and reducing food waste, but also in disaster response and recovery. When disaster strikes, we respond immediately with essential food and water, providing much-needed relief to affected areas. For instance, we have distributed 32,686 pounds of food and products for flood relief, 170,463 pounds for the Perryton disaster (as of September 2024), and 20,736 pounds for fire disaster response—a number that will continue to grow as we continue to help affected communities.
Our commitment extends beyond immediate relief; we are dedicated to supporting long-term recovery in disaster-stricken communities throughout the Texas Panhandle. Whether it’s natural disasters like floods, fires or tornadoes, High Plains Food Bank works to ensure that our neighbors have the resources they need not only to get through the crisis, but also throughout the longterm recovery process. We continue to reduce food waste by redistributing surplus food. This approach supports both our neighbors and the local economy by keeping valuable resources within our communities.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Amarillo and the Texas Panhandle communities have a strong tradition of looking out for one another. Over the years, we’ve seen incredible generosity and resilience. During the COVID-19 pandemic, our community stepped up to support neighbors facing unprecedented hardship. In the years since the pandemic, we provided emergency food and water relief to those impacted by wildfires, floods and tornadoes. Thanks to the generosity of our Texas Panhandle community, we’re able to provide long-term recovery assistance to families in areas affected by natural disaster, as well as the many families affected by economic hardship.
What specific needs does HPFB have right now? The easiest and most impactful way to support High Plains Food Bank is through monetary donations. As inflation raises the cost of food and fuel, our need for support grows. Every dollar donated allows us to stretch our resources, procuring the specific items needed to provide equitable food access to the communities we serve. We’re proud that $0.94 of every dollar goes directly toward food and feeding programs, equating to about nine meals per dollar for those facing food insecurity.
We’re always in need of volunteer support, particularly in our Warehouse and Garden. Warehouse volunteers help inspect, sort and repack donated food, while Garden volunteers assist with maintaining our all-organic urban farm and supporting our free Mobile Harvest produce distributions.
uare Mile Community Development
How and when did Square Mile begin? Square Mile Community Development was born from a desire for deeper, more sustainable change. Founded in 2016, the organization emerged from the collective experience of pastors and community leaders with more than 30 years experience working in both international and domestic community development. They recognized the good work being done by other organizations in addressing immediate needs like food and shelter. But they saw a critical gap in providing long-term solutions that would empower struggling communities to break the cycle of poverty.
Driven by this vision, Square Mile was established to help communities not just survive, but thrive. It seeks to create lasting change by addressing the root causes of poverty and inequality, fostering self-sufficiency, and building a brighter future for all. This commitment to holistic, sustainable solutions sets Square Mile apart and continues to drive its innovative approach to community development.
What specific community needs does Square Mile meet? Whom does your organization primarily serve? At Square Mile Community Development, we’re passionate about building a stronger Amarillo. One way we do this is by increasing access to healthy food. We operate an urban farm right here in the city, growing fresh produce. We’re also working to develop a network of local and regional food producers. This increases access to nutritious food and boosts our local economy. We believe in the power of entrepreneurship to transform lives and revitalize communities. Our PATH program provides aspiring business owners with the mentorship, resources and guidance they need to overcome challenges and achieve their dreams. We’ve helped more than 125 entrepreneurs, small businesses and nonprofits launch and grow successful organizations, contributing to a more vibrant and diverse local economy.
We extend a warm welcome to international refugees at The PLACE. This safe haven provides essential resources and support as newcomers rebuild their lives and integrate into the community. What would you like the community to know about your work? While many in Amarillo know us for our work with urban farms, refugee resettlement and addressing immediate needs like food insecurity, Square Mile’s vision goes deeper. We collaborate with partners to tackle the systemic issues that perpetuate poverty and inequality. This means working behind the scenes to advocate for policy change, develop community-wide initiatives, and empower a network of organizations to serve Amarillo more effectively.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? Many people might be surprised by the incredible diversity of those we serve. From rural farmers and families struggling with poverty to international refugees seeking a new beginning, we encounter a wide range of individuals across our region. But no matter their circumstances, we consistently find a wealth of talent and knowledge within the people we work with.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? On the surface, Amarillo can sometimes seem divided along political, religious or social lines. But beneath those perceived divisions, we’ve discovered a powerful unifying force—a shared commitment to caring for one another. This spirit of unity and compassion is what gives us hope for the future of Amarillo. It’s a testament to the resilience and kindness of the people who call this city home. What needs does Square Mile have right now? We may be a small organization, but we punch above our weight! Our programs are designed to make a real difference in the lives of individuals and families, but we can’t do it alone. Your financial support is crucial to helping us meet the growing needs of our community. Of course, financial contributions aren’t the only way to make a difference. We also welcome passionate volunteers who can lend a hand at our urban farms, mentor entrepreneurs or offer support to refugees. Every contribution, big or small, helps us build a stronger, more vibrant community for everyone. Join us!
Panhandle Down Syndrome Guild
How and when did the Panhandle Down Syndrome Guild begin? Panhandle Down Syndrome Guild was founded in 2002 to promote greater understanding and acceptance of people with Down syndrome in the region. We are 100 percent volunteer-run, with no paid salaries or benefits. The PDSG works to increase public awareness about Down syndrome, to assist families caring for people with this genetic condition, and to sponsor community networking and engagement activities. The Guild also works with national organizations to dispel the myths associated with Down syndrome, while helping individuals with Down syndrome in the community achieve their full potential.
What local needs or issues does PDSG address? Whom do you serve? The Panhandle Down Syndrome Guild encourages fellowship, fosters a community of families affected by Down syndrome, and promotes public awareness of the dignity, promise and potential of all persons. A major focus of the group is to reach new families of someone with Down syndrome and provide encouraging and uplifting literature, positive stories, personal experiences and a wealth of information and support. Each year, we host the Buddy Walk, which is a registered walk of the National Down Syndrome Society, to promote acceptance and inclusion. The Buddy Walk is also our only fundraiser of the year. We seek support to expand our reach and abilities to offer more events throughout the Panhandle, and to provide additional tutoring, continuing education, therapy or durable support for people without access to public or private resources. All of our events are open to all—we believe in inclusion for everyone.
What would you like the community to know about your work? We serve families because many people with Down syndrome rely upon ongoing support from their families, and care for chronic health issues disrupts the family’s ability to meet medical, therapeutic or transportation needs. We also work to promote employment and volunteer opportunities for people with Down syndrome, because everyone deserves a purpose and sense of belonging.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? We are more alike than different. People with Down syndrome progress at different rates, just like the rest of us, but they have the same desires and hopes.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Amarillo and the entire Panhandle is blessed with tough, caring people who support their neighbors. We are so grateful for the support we have received. It’s up to us to advocate for individuals with Down syndrome, and we could not have a better community to ask for help.
What specific needs does PDSG have right now? The Panhandle Down Syndrome Guild needs technical assistance digitizing our messages of hope and acceptance. In particular, we need video production help to transition from text and photo to video stories that can be placed on our website for wider reach. We would also like to work on fun short videos to help us get the word out through social media. We also need occasional help from graphic artists to help us with designs for print and social media display. We are seeking direct partnerships and donations to address these production needs, as well as funding to provide tutoring, continuing education access or other missing services for people in our community.
Family Support Services
OUR BEGINNINGS:
In 1908, a 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, becoming the nonprofit agency we now know as Family Support Services of Amarillo in 1993.
WHO WE SERVE:
Today, FSS serves more than 25,000 people in need each year by offering programs that support at-risk individuals 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. 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, 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 survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault and human trafficking in Amarillo, including an on-site kennel so survivors do not have to leave their pets behind.
• Face-to-face crisis intervention services, including a 24-hour Bilingual 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—trains teens to be positive mentors
• Human Trafficking Prevention
• Outreach and support for labor trafficking victims
A VITAL PART OF OUR COMMUNITY
• Accompaniment through the medical, legal and judicial systems
• Accredited crisis volunteer advocate program serving adult and child victims
• Sexual assault survivors support group
• Family violence support group
• Behavioral Health Services
• Help for those struggling with depression, stress management, grief recovery, divorce recovery, eating disorders, anxiety and phobias, domestic abuse, sexual abuse, self-esteem, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress, emotional trauma, parenting challenges, and many other areas.
• Individual, marital and family counseling
• Play therapy
• Supervised Visitation Program
After losing our Main Office to fire in 2020, our local community immediately rallied around us, ensuring we could continue delivering the vital, life-saving services unique to our agency. Thanks to the kindness of community members and partner agencies, we were back up and running within a day.
Now, we are thrilled to have moved into our new home. We are deeply grateful for the unwavering support that has brought us to this point, and as we enter our 116th year of service, we ask for your continued generosity to help us remain a beacon of hope for the residents of Amarillo.
Friends of the Amarillo Public Library
How and when did your organization begin? The first version of the Amarillo Public Library started with a women’s group in the early 20th century when Amarillo was a small town of about 1,500 people. In 1951, a Friends of the Library group formed to support library initiatives not covered by taxpayer dollars.
What local needs does it address? Whom do you serve? APL’s mission is to enhance knowledge, empower individuals and enrich our community. We provide literacy services for all ages, self-directed education through online resources and our extensive collection, language instruction, a MakerSpace for creation and repair, and so much more!
What would you like the community to know about your work?
People love the library as a place to check out books and movies, but we’re always hearing, “I didn’t know you did that!” from those who don’t patronize the library. Cardholders can check out passes to area attractions (Amarillo Zoo, Wildcat Bluff, DHDC), create or repair things in our MakerSpace, attend yoga classes, and find social opportunities for seniors. Through amarillolibrary.org, patrons can access language learning, online storybooks, test preparation, research tools and video courses. They can also download apps to access free ebooks, comics and audiobooks.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? Beyond books, we offer a diverse array of events for creativity, education, and social interaction. A few examples are SocialRx, a monthly program that helps people expand their circle of friends by learning about clubs, classes and volunteer opportunities; Memory Café, a new monthly program offering enrichment activities and social opportunities to people dealing with memory issues and their care partners; Crafty Group, meets monthly to work on textile projects like quilting, knitting, crochet and amigurumi; Homeschool Hangout, especially for homeschool families; Everyone’s an Artist Art Club, a creative club for teens; and Games 55+, which meets twice a month to play card games and dominoes.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? Amarillo library patrons are smart and interested in lots of different things! Parents want resources to help their kids grow and thrive, and they know they can find that at the library. We offer weekly storytimes and monthly enrichment programs at all five library locations; our Ready, Set, Grow Playgroup meets twice a year at the Downtown Library, and our Southwest Library Branch is certified Sensory Inclusive.
What specific needs does your organization have right now? We’re working to reboot our READ to SUCCEED adult reading skills program, which almost ended during COVID. We need volunteers who are interested in learning how to help an adult learn to read or improve their reading skills. We always need support for Friends of the Amarillo Public Library. They provide the funds for some of the most important things we do, including our summer reading club. If we bring an author to town, the Friends pay travel expenses and appearance fees. The Friends have also funded tangible items like storytime rugs, classroom equipment for our ESL classes, a colorful wrap for our library van, and the murals on our Downtown Library building. The Friends are participating in The Panhandle Gives this year, and we would love for library supporters to donate to the Friends of the Amarillo Library.
Transformation Park
How and when did Transformation Park begin?
The organization itself began in June 2022, but did not hire its executive director, Mark Zimmerman, until October 2022. The idea for Transformation Park came from discussions within Amarillo’s Continuum of Care Program and is designed to fill in the service gaps for those experiencing homelessness. What local needs or issues does Transformation Park address? Whom do you serve? Homelessness is a complex problem with no easy answers. We will strive to provide the essential services and resources necessary to end homelessness in our community. We believe our whole community suffers when one part suffers. Likewise, when the parts flourish, so does the whole. We are all in this together.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? Each person has a unique story and set of circumstances that have led them to where they are. Homelessness can result from a wide range of factors. The majority once had stable lives, while others may have faced adversity from an early age. To stereotype all homeless individuals together is to overlook their personal histories, resilience and potential for change. Every person deserves to be seen with empathy and individuality rather than through the lens of a single narrative.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? The people of Amarillo are the nicest and most generous people we’ve ever met. Our community amazes us with its giving and willingness to volunteer. Our partnership model of City, Church and Commerce = Community may not work in many places, but the Amarillo community is unique. On our own we will fail, but together we will witness many changed life stories.
What specific needs does Transformation Park have right now? We are asking for donors to commit to $10 per month to support the mission. We need 20,000 people to make that commitment. That support will have an unbelievable impact on our success. We have current volunteer opportunities and those will increase as we open our two night shelters in April. All are welcome, and all are needed!
Sister-Bear Foundation
How and when did the Sister-Bear Foundation begin? In March 2018, Kathryn Granger was severely injured in an auto accident that paralyzed her from the chest down and caused the death of her best friend. After treatment in Fort Worth, Kathryn returned home but was unable to access resources that would help her adapt to a new life as a paraplegic. She and her mother, Julie, commuted weekly to Fort Worth to access cutting-edge therapy at Neurological Recovery Center. The cost and time of travel created hardship for the Granger family, and they realized many others in the Texas Panhandle region could benefit from this kind of localized care.
In 2019, Julie launched the Sister-Bear Foundation, with the goal of providing accessible fitness and wellness resources to adults in Amarillo and the surrounding area who face neurological injuries or illness. Since the start of the organization, Sister-Bear has had the opportunity to expand its wellness program from neurological rehabilitation and physical wellness resources to services like mental health, caregiver support, therapeutic art and a community education and advocacy program.
What local needs or issues does Sister-Bear Foundation address? Whom do you serve? Our mission is to provide hope and independence through rehab and resources for adults living with a neurological injury or illness. We see patients through our partnership with Northwest Texas Healthcare System Therapy Center on South Georgia Street.
What would you like the community to know about your work? Our longterm goal is to bring a neuro rehab center to Amarillo so others do not have to travel outside of the Amarillo area for specialized equipment and services. These services will encompass those who have suffered a stroke, have multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy, or have suffered a spinal cord or traumatic brain injury, and beyond. Until neuro rehab becomes a reality, we work with therapy partners and area providers to meet the physical, equipment and wellness needs of the neurological community in the Texas Panhandle.
What might surprise people about the work you do or the people you serve? Sister-Bear serves everyone! We are working on programs and initiatives like the Accessible Amarillo Movement, Community Impact Project, and the Barrier-Free Business Program. Along with the neurological and disabled community, these benefit the elderly, parents with a stroller and young children, someone who has had surgery and so much more.
What have you learned about Amarillo or Amarillo people as a result of your work? This is such a compassionate community. We really do live in a region where people care about their neighbors! We are grateful for the encouragement and support the Amarillo area has provided as we expand our organization.
What specific needs does the Sister-Bear Foundation have right now? We always need donors, whether through a monthly donation, one-time gift, or someone that might have a service that would benefit our patients. We also accept gently used equipment. We are seeking volunteers for our Community Impact Project, Accessible Amarillo and Barrier-Free Business programs. Connect with us through the link at Sister-Bear.com
Colorful Closets
How and when did Colorful Closets begin? Founders Keely Brown and Lindsey Wing started Colorful Closets in 2016. We founded Colorful Closets to give a hand UP, not hand-me-downs or tattered leftovers. 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 local needs or issues does Colorful Closets address? We provide tenderly used clothing for children and adolescents. Our mission is to collect, organize and distribute clothing for children and adolescents throughout the Amarillo, Bushland and Canyon areas. In Amarillo ISD, 71 percent of students fall into the free/reduced lunch category. In Canyon ISD, the same percent of students have the same category of needs. Hard financial times do not discriminate. Poverty exists in every single school. Just because a child is in need does not mean they are less than us, nor are they worthy of less. Dignity is important to everyone.
What specific needs does Colorful Closets have right now? We need monthly donors who can donate online at colorfulclosetsama.org. We are always in need of good-quality, contemporary and age-appropriate clothing donations—casual and comfortable clothing for the school day. 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. 9! Learn more on our website, and support us at The Panhandle Gives from Nov. 25 to Dec. 3.
Mission 2540
How and when did Mission 2540 begin? We were founded in fall 2004 by Brooks Boyett in order to meet the needs of kids and families living in affordable housing communities. We officially turn 20 years old as an organization Nov. 30.
What local needs or issues does Mission 2540 address? We work on a daily basis in multiple affordable housing communities in Amarillo. We do this through afterschool programs at each property, a benevolent assistance program, and a variety of outreach and special activities throughout the year. Our desire is to “Feed, Clothe, and Love” our neighbors in need.
What specific needs does Mission 2540 have right now? We are always on the search for more volunteers willing to serve in our afterschool programs, whether that is once a week or once a month. In addition, the number of needs we are meeting has never been greater, so financial support is vital to the work we do. You can give online at mission2540.org/give. We provide snacks to an average of 175 kids every week, so we are always happy to take non-perishable snack items.
What would you like the community to know about your work? We’ve been a consistent, positive presence in the lives of families living in poverty for 20 years. We’re serving dinner to celebrate at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 5. To learn more about how you can be a part of this celebration, visit mission2540.org
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Martha’s Home
How and when did Martha’s Home begin? In 1987, a group of Amarillo citizens became concerned about the growing presence of women and children in need of temporary housing. Church Women United donated $250 to start a homeless shelter for women and children and named it Martha’s Home. Today, Martha’s Home operates five homes and, at capacity, provides shelter and services for 60 women and women with children.
What local needs or issues does Martha’s Home address? Whom do you serve? On average, Martha’s Home meets the needs of 100 to 125 women and children on an annual basis. Martha’s Home believes that education can break the cycle of poverty and homelessness and lead to a lifestyle of self-sufficiency. Our Present Needs Future Success program concentrates on removing the barriers to education, providing a pathway to success.
What specific needs does Martha’s Home have right now? Martha’s Home relies on the community’s generosity to fulfill our mission.
Through the Present Needs Future Success program, monthly giving makes a lasting impact by providing steady financial support. Donations of items such as hygiene products, diapers, wipes and paper goods are crucial to the daily needs of our residents. Volunteers who offer their time and talents help us make a difference in the lives of those we serve.
What would you like the community to know about your work? In its history, Martha’s Home has provided shelter and resources to 1,427 women and 952 children. One hundred percent of individuals who enter Martha’s Home are homeless. Ninety-four percent leave with stable housing. Only three percent of women are enrolled in school upon arrival. Eighty-five percent are enrolled by the time they leave. Ninety-five percent of current residents are participating in the Present Needs Future Success program, and 64 percent of former residents are continuing their education.
To donate visit marthashome.org.
Refugee Language Project
How and when did Refugee Language Project begin? After spending nearly a decade overseas as a linguist in Papua New Guinea, Dr. Ryan Pennington moved to Amarillo in 2015. A year later, he launched the Refugee Language Project as a service project under the oversight of Redeemer Christian Church, eventually becoming a full-fledged nonprofit in 2018. Pioneering a new form of deep collaboration, RLP and two other area organizations opened The PLACE, a multicultural community center focused on serving the refugees of Amarillo in 2022.
What local needs or issues does the Refugee Language Project address? Whom do you serve? Refugee Language Project uses language as a doorway to welcome displaced people for the flourishing of the community and the glory of God. We extend the welcome of Jesus through programs that overcome language barriers and honor cultures. Through our English classes, translation and interpreting services, and our Heritage Language Storybook Project, we interact with men and
women from all over the world who now call Amarillo home. By treating their languages, cultures and life experiences as assets rather than merely barriers, we promote the flourishing of our entire community.
What specific needs does Refugee Language Project have right now?
Grants help with our programs but they don’t keep our doors open. We need more monthly donations from local churches and individuals so we can respond to the ever-changing needs of refugees in our city. Those who are interested in volunteering in our English classes can reach out to our Director of Language Services, Betty Reyes at betty@refugeelanguage.org
What would you like the community to know about your work? While our organization doesn’t resettle refugees, we want to help our community be a welcoming place for them. Whatever plays out on the national stage, we can be good and kind neighbors to displaced people who find their way to Amarillo.
The Bridge Children’s Advocacy Center
How and when did The Bridge begin?
In 1982, Amarillo’s Coalition for Child Abuse Prevention recognized the system addressing child abuse was unintentionally re-victimizing the children it intended to help. In 1989, The Bridge opened as the first Children’s Advocacy Center in the state of Texas to empower Texas Panhandle children, nurturing their journey toward healing and justice.
What local needs or issues does The Bridge address? Whom do you serve? We are the bridge that connects children to resources when they experience trauma or abuse. We guide children to speak out, recover from abuse and not be defined by it. We help a child tell their story only one time so they aren’t traumatized again. By bringing multiple agencies together under one roof, we provide healing, resilience and power for children and families throughout the 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle. All services are provided free of charge thanks to our generous donors.
What would you like the community to know about your work? Child abuse is happening all around us—do you know the signs? The Bridge offers prevention education for children and adults. Together, we can make the Texas Panhandle a safe place for children. Contact us to set up learning opportunities with your church, preschool or school.
If you suspect a child is being hurt or neglected, please make a report: 1-800-252-5400. Keep this number in your phone.
How to help: bridgecac.org/get-involved
Ways to give: bridgecac.org/give
Mark your calendar for our annual fundraiser, Heroes & Legends: Striking Out Child Abuse, an evening with Roger Clemens, Tuesday, March 25, 2025!
Amarillo Art Institute
How and when did Amarillo Art Institute begin? The Amarillo Art Institute was founded in 2004 by artist and philanthropist Ann Crouch. Her vision was to create a space where local artists could grow their skills by learning from master artists and each other. Since then, the Institute has expanded into a comprehensive art center, offering private artist studios, community galleries, classes, workshops and outreach programs to the broader Amarillo community.
What local needs does Amarillo Art Institute address? Whom do you serve? The Institute addresses the need for accessible, high-quality arts education and community engagement in the Texas Panhandle. We serve a diverse group of people, including emerging and established artists, hobbyists, students and seniors. Our programs reach beyond art to foster community connection, creative expression and emotional well-being. By providing a space for local artists to showcase their work, learn new skills and
engage with the public, we contribute to the city’s cultural vitality.
What specific needs does Amarillo Art Institute have right now? Currently, we need donations to continue growing and sustaining our programming and services. Despite our recent renovation, the Institute still requires funding to expand its outreach programs, improve accessibility and support senior members. We are also seeking volunteers and community involvement to help with events, classes and exhibitions, as well as raising awareness about our work.
What would you like the community to know about your work? The Amarillo Art Institute is more than just an art school; it’s a cultural center where people of all ages and backgrounds come together to create, learn and connect. We continue to expand our impact through new programming, including outreach to seniors, partnerships with local nonprofits and traveling exhibitions like the National Geographic’s photography exhibits.
Amarillo Children’s Home
How and when did Amarillo Children’s Home begin? 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. This year, ACH is proud to celebrate 100 years of dedicated service to children. ACH’s mission is to restore the identity of children so they can realize their great value and be a blessing to others.
What local needs does Amarillo Children’s Home address? Whom does it serve? ACH serves foster children ages 5 and older who have been removed from their homes due to neglect and abuse, meeting a widespread need in the Texas Panhandle. The organization specializes in supporting harder-to-place foster children, including sibling groups and teenagers. ACH is expanding its services with a new Supervised Independent Living Program that supports foster care youth ages 18 to 21. This program is designed to empower them as they approach post-secondary education or vocational training, helping them navigate the challenges of independence while fostering their personal and
professional development. Throughout this year, ACH will undergo the process of licensing foster homes in the community, creating a continuum of services. This will allow youth on the ACH campus to be placed in foster care homes, remain on campus or find their forever families through the organization.
What specific needs does Amarillo Children’s Home have right now?
Approximately 60 percent of ACH’s ministry is funded through the financial support of the community. As new programs are added, additional support will be necessary to fund and sustain innovative approaches to caring for youth. The new foster care program will require foster parents and respite providers to support youth in homes and serve as essential resources.
What would you like the community to know about your work? ACH is a faith-based organization that integrates the Gospel into its homes. The team believes that Jesus Christ is the ultimate redeemer and is committed to shepherding youth, staff and future foster homes in the love of Christ.
Did you know children who grow up in homes with more than 20 books receive an average of three years more schooling compared to those from homes without books? Here in the Amarillo area, only 1 in 5 children owns more than 20 books at home. Storybridge began working to address this inequity in 2016, launching and managing five programs (including Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, Kinderbridge and Summer Storytime) to increase book access and Kindergarten readiness.
The Mission: To ensure all children in our area own at least 20 books at home from birth to fifth grade, enter Kindergarten ready to learn to read, and unlock all the benefits of literacy. To date, Storybridge has distributed more than 650,000 books, striving to make literacy accessible to all.
How to Help:
• $26 will provide a book in the mail to a local child younger than 5 every single month for a year through Imagination Library. Currently, Storybridge has more than 8,500 Panhandle children enrolled.
• Donations of gently used children’s books
• Volunteers are needed and greatly appreciated! storybridgeama.org.
Panhandle AIDS Support Organization
How and when did PASO begin? The Panhandle AIDS Support Organization was incorporated in August 1987, with nine board members and only one staff member—an Executive Director.
What local needs or issues does PASO address? Whom 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 lifesaving 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 specific needs does PASO have right now?
• Donations
• Become a Friend of PASO
• Attend one of our fundraisers
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 one, partner, spouse, immediate family members and even children.
PASO case managers can talk through available treatment options. We can 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.
PASO is also a training site for clinicians, social workers, mental health professionals, dentists and pharmacists. Our educational mission is to provide the most recent treatment recommendations for those providing direct services to individuals living with HIV.
Amarillo Angels
The challenges faced by foster parents and kinship caregivers, such as stress, isolation and financial strain, can lead to instability for children in their care. Without adequate support, these caregivers may struggle to provide a stable and nurturing environment, resulting in frequent moves, disrupted education, and emotional and behavioral issues for children.
• 50% of foster homes close within the first year
• 1 out of 5 foster youth become homeless at age 18
• Only half of youth experiencing foster care will graduate from high school
• 60% of youth formerly in care fall below the poverty line, despite earning an income
Since 2017, Amarillo Angels has existed to change these statistics so every child experiencing foster care can achieve their dreams and reach their goals for their brightest and best future.
We are changing the way children, youth and families experience foster care. Passionate donors, volunteers, mentors, partners and advocates are ripples in the sea of change for our foster care community.
Our programs offer a different approach to foster care—one rooted in the power of transformative relationships, because children shouldn’t face homelessness, poverty and disrupted education through no fault of their own. Our mission is to walk alongside children, youth and families in the foster care community by offering consistent support through intentional giving, relationship building and mentorship. The radical support delivered by our Love Box and Dare to Dream programs aims to change the statistics plaguing the child welfare system and positively impact their lives and our communities.
It takes all of us to transform the way foster care is experienced here in the Panhandle —to change outcomes for kids and break cycles for generations to come.
You are invited to be a part of our work and make a difference in the lives of those experiencing foster care by starting a Love Box group, becoming a Dare to Dream mentor, or supporting us as a financial partner.
To learn more about Amarillo Angels and how to get involved, please visit amarilloangels.org.
Dove Creek Equine Rescue
How and when did Dove Creek Equine Rescue begin? In 2008, Laurie HigginsKerley’s husband of 25 years passed away from stage 4 cancer. Afterward, she spent time at Dove Creek Ranch, walking the land and spending periods of solace with horses, a salve for her broken heart that ignited her desire to help them. In 2012, Laurie started Dove Creek Equine Rescue. The ranch became a place where horses are rescued, rehabilitated, retrained and rehomed. DCER’s mission is to restore the dignity, purpose and wholeness of unwanted horses that need a second chance in life, and humans who need healing and direction by providing compassionate care, connection and education. DCER’s vision is to heal the heart of humanity through authentic partnership between horses and humans.
Whom does your organization primarily serve? We serve the “unwanted horse” population in the 26 counties of the Panhandle. We educate current and prospective horse owners on responsible ownership, including proper care and
available resources. Dove Creek has received 248 animals over 12 years and rehomed 80 percent of them. Since 2018, DCER also serves humans through the Led By Horses program, which offers equine-assisted coaching. We have served more than 300 clients through individual and group sessions for those who suffer from anxiety, depression and other stress-related issues. We hold regular group sessions on grief, mindfulness, leadership and team building.
What specific needs does DCER have right now? DCER thrives on donations, volunteerism, client participation, group involvement and visitor engagement. Winter presents unique challenges, as our horses require increased feed. The amount varies based on our current horse population and the number of animals undergoing rehabilitation or injury management. This year alone, we’ve seen growing demand for our Led By Horses grief support sessions. To ensure these services remain available to those unable to pay, we depend on the generosity of our community.
Amarillo Tri-State Exposition
How and when did the Tri-State Exposition begin? The Amarillo Tri-State Exposition is a long-standing, deeply rooted 501c3 nonprofit organization in the Texas Panhandle. Since 1923, our organization’s focus has been centered around agriculture, youth, education, western heritage and familyfriendly entertainment, all for the benefit of our local community.
Whom do you serve? Most people know us for our self-produced nine-day event in September, the Tri-State Fair & Rodeo. What may be a surprise is that our organization manages and maintains the Tri-State Fairgrounds yearround. We host 75 to 100 events each year and welcome out-of-towners that contribute $21 million dollars in economic impact to Potter County.
What local needs or issues does the Exposition address? Our mission includes strengthening the local economy through tourism, supporting education and hosting family-friendly events. In recent years, educating area youth has become a top priority. We encourage practical, hands-on learning through livestock and equine endeavors. We want to help students achieve their dreams of postsecondary education through our scholarship
giving. Since 2004, we have awarded $475,250 in scholarships to almost 500 young people in the area. Starting in 2025, we’re looking to give away almost $100,000 to 55 students per year. The most lucrative and prestigious award will be the new $25,000 Tri-State Fair & Rodeo Ambassador Scholarship awarded to a standout high school junior in the Texas Panhandle.
What would you like the community to know about your work? Achieving our mission would not be possible without the hard work of roughly 250 dedicated volunteers and community partners. These service-minded individuals donate their time, talents and treasures to make sure we reach our goals each year.
What specific needs does the Exposition have right now? We are always searching for selfless people to serve on one of our seven volunteer committees. These committees help organize, execute and improve different areas of the organization and come together to produce the annual Tri-State Fair & Rodeo. We’re also seeking direct financial contributions to the ATSE Scholarship Fund so we can help more local youth achieve their dream of going to college. Visit tristatefair.com to give.
Unleashing Possibility
How and when did Unleashing Possibility begin? Unleashing Possibility began with a leadership conference in 2019 in Amarillo. It was specifically geared toward serving and equipping single mothers. A united nation of organizations and individuals came together to assist moms in difficult places.
What local needs or issues does Unleashing Possibility address? Whom do you serve? At our core, we know that we are going to go through hard things, but we also know we do not have to go through them alone. Our mission is instilling hope in moms facing challenging situations. We build authentic community and equip individuals for leadership. Every mom is a leader and leaders need support. We want to help fill the gaps left by financial lack and provide belonging through a tribe willing to stand in hard places alongside them. We will continue to have a leadership conference at the beginning of each year, open to all women. This event provides inspirational messages and breakout sessions to provide healing, vision boards, encouragement and resources. The event brings together a network of women who are reaching for more. Two
other groups we facilitate are a book club and mastermind writing group.
What would you like the community to know about your work? That we are a tribe of women who are willing to stand with other women, shoot down the lies of the enemy, stand in the gap and help create leaders who continue as a revolving unleashing of hope, welcoming, belonging and financial provision. Together we are a compact arsenal of possibilities, ready to be drawn and executed with practiced ease. Empowered women empower other women, making sure that someone who is pressing through difficulty doesn’t fall through the cracks.
What specific needs does Unleashing Possibility have right now? We will be holding our annual leadership conference on Jan. 25, 2025 and need sponsorships and scholarships to cover expenses. If you are a woman-owned business or organization, we would love to partner with you in this effort. We will be participating in The Panhandle Gives Campaign or you can visit our website unleashingpossibility.org. We love it when people invest in what they needed in the past in order to stand with others in the present.
Heal the City Free Clinic
Heal the City Free Clinic was founded in 2014 by Dr. Alan Keister in response to the significant lack of health care access in Amarillo. The idea for the clinic took root after Dr. Keister provided free health screenings at local schools, where the community’s overwhelming need for medical care became evident. Recognizing this urgent demand, Dr. Keister partnered with Generation Next Church to establish the clinic in a modest 1,400-square-foot house with four exam rooms.
By 2015, Heal the City had outgrown its original space and relocated to its current home at 609 S. Carolina St. This move allowed the clinic to expand its services, providing more comprehensive care to the uninsured and underserved residents of the Texas Panhandle. Since its inception, Heal the City has treated more than 15,000 individuals, solidifying its role as a vital resource for those without access to quality health care. The clinic offers many services, including acute and chronic medical care, mental health support and wellness programs. The Shalom chronic care program is a cornerstone of its care, serving patients with long-term
health conditions who do not qualify for other community resources. HTC currently serves as a medical home for 661 chronically ill individuals and continually serves those with acute care needs. Heal the City’s compassionate approach ensures everyone receives the care they need regardless of income or insurance status.
To continue providing these essential services, Heal the City relies on the generosity of volunteers and donors, who serve in many ways. Donations are crucial to funding free services. Raising community awareness is also a key priority to help increase the clinic’s reach and impact.
For those interested in supporting Heal the City, whether by volunteering or donating, more information can be found at healthecityamarillo.com. Together, we are transforming health care and providing hope.
TTHREE WAYS HOLIDAY COOKING CAN ACTUALLY REDUCE STRESS
he holidays are meant for joy, laughter and catching up with loved ones over delicious meals, but let’s be honest—it can also be a challenging time of year, marked by anxiety, stress and even depression. As the pressures of preparation and social expectations mount, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed! No wonder many of us feel more frazzled than festive. But here’s a secret: Cooking mindfully could be your holiday sanity saver. Instead of letting the chaos simmer, why not let the process of chopping, stirring and tasting be your own oasis of calm? Mindful cooking is a chance to feed your soul and keep holiday stress on a low boil.
When you cook from a place of serenity, the food almost naturally tastes better because it’s made with love, not stress. So, instead of mastering every detail, focus on bringing positive energy into the kitchen. Trust me, it’ll make everything—from basting the turkey to baking cookies—a lot more satisfying and a lot more fun.
Cooking is my life. One might say I’m obsessed, but I say I am pretty passionate about it. I choose that word because I owe the act of cooking mad honor. Food and the ability to transform it into something incredible and delicious saved me from years of uncertainty and the lack of self-identity and purpose. This past year, life has had a funny way of throwing what felt like insurmountable obstacles in my direction. But the art of cooking gave me a creative outlet to help me navigate my way out of a dead forest of trauma.
The How and the Why
To cook mindfully is to cook with awareness. For most of my life, I never saw myself as someone who deserved to feel healthy or revel in being alive. Those limiting beliefs kept me from healing childhood trauma. Then, when I had the opportunity to switch that mindset, I became anxious. Anxiety morphed into depression because I could never see my self-worth.
But the act of preparing a meal became a beautiful way for me to be present, conscious and aware instead of stressed or overwhelmed. I learned to appreciate the food available to me and stay present in the moment. That is how I fell in love with cooking; it was there for me in more ways than one. It soothed stress and anxiety by shrinking my world to just the task in front of me. It gave me control and focus as I prepped, chopped, stirred, tasted and adjusted seasoning. It allowed me to share the love I put into each dish with those who mattered to me.
1. Mindful cooking can be a creative outlet.
It took me years to realize I could make art through food. I needed to SEE, HEAR, SMELL, TASTE and FEEL my medium of choice; I needed to connect with my art in the most intense, physical way. I didn’t have to wait for the paint to dry, and I got to eat what I made. That gave me so much peace.
2. Mindful cooking can be your culinary therapist. I grew up in a home where food was a threat, an apology, and a form of unhealthy comfort. Hence, it was ultra-rewarding as an adult to learn how food and cooking could enhance life and allow me to connect with others.
There’s something oddly satisfying about following a recipe and
turning chaos (aka your ingredients) into something beautiful and delicious. Plus, the act of cooking forces you to be present; it’s hard to spiral into holiday stress when you’re focused on not burning the garlic! In the end, cooking gives you control, creativity and a kitchen that smells amazing—which is just as rewarding as any therapy session, if you ask me. No amount of dirty dishes will ever take that away from me.
3. Mindful cooking can help reduce stress.
No matter what annoying stressors I had on my “life plate,” I knew I would feel better by spending a little time in the kitchen. A magical mood transformation would always take place with just a few flicks of a whisk. It activated beautiful memories of my mother’s cooking. The ability to slow down and reminisce immediately relieved tension and boosted my mood.
Cooking should never feel like a chore. Rather than saying, “Damn, I have to cook something for dinner,” try saying, “I GET to cook tonight.” Cooking doesn’t have to be perfect. If you don’t like following a recipe, don’t. Deviate from those recipes! Give yourself the freedom to make your own decisions.
Still feel like cooking isn’t your thing? Find one Saturday afternoon, step into your kitchen, and just cook. Connect with the food you make. Connect with who you are, what you want and how you want it. Here’s the secret: Holiday cooking doesn’t have to be stressful! It can actually be your secret weapon against anxiety and the winter blues. As you simmer, stir and season, you’re not just creating a meal; you’re creating calm amidst the chaos. So, throw on an apron, embrace the imperfections, and let your kitchen become the ultimate therapy room.
If you’re like me and like to go with a non-traditional holiday meal for Christmas, this recipe for Tofu Ricotta Lasagna Rolls is perfect for preparing this season. It’s a great dish to practice what I call creating a “slow meal,” and it’s gorgeous in presentation and taste!
RUTHIE LANDELIUS
Ruthie owns Black Fig Catering and is proprietor of a food blog at blackfigfood.com. Learn more about her online classes at blackfigfoodprograms.com.
elevate your plate
WITH RUTHIE LANDELIUS
TOFU RICOTTA LASAGNA ROLLS
9 lasagna pasta sheets (I use Barilla brand)
3 cups marinara sauce, homemade or store-bought
1 cup Cashew Cream Sauce (recipe below)
1 block extra-firm tofu, water pressed out
2 tablespoons tahini
2 ½ tablespoons nutritional yeast
3 tablespoons shallot, finely diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, finely diced
½ cup raw cashews
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon black pepper
¼ teaspoon nutmeg
½ teaspoon lemon zest
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper
2 cups fresh spinach, roughly chopped
Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
VEGAN PARM
zest, salt and pepper. Mash together with your hand until fully incorporated. Set aside.
Ladle a cup of marinara sauce into a large baking dish. Spread sauce to cover the bottom of the baking dish. Set aside.
Cook lasagna pasta sheets according to the package instructions. Heat oven to 350 degrees.
To make the vegan parmesan, combine cashews, nutritional yeast, garlic powder, salt and pepper in a food processor or spice grinder and blend until the mixture resembles grated parmesan. Set aside.
While noodles are cooking, break up tofu into a large mixing bowl. Add tahini, nutritional yeast, shallots, garlic, nutmeg, lemon juice,
CASHEW CREAM SAUCE
2 cups raw cashews
5 cups water
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 cup yellow onion, diced
3 cloves fresh garlic
1 ½ cups vegetable stock
½ cup dry white wine
3 tablespoons nutritional yeast
1 tablespoon onion powder
Sea salt and fresh cracked pepper
1 pinch nutmeg
Soak cashews in water for 2 to 3 hours to soften. You can also boil in water for about 30 minutes if you’re in a hurry. Once cashews have been soaked or boiled, drain and set aside.
Heat skillet over medium heat and sweat the onions in olive oil for 5 minutes, or until slightly translucent. Add garlic and sweat a few more minutes.
Add onion-and-garlic mixture to a high speed blender (I love my Vitamix). Add soaked cashews, stock, white wine, nutritional yeast and onion powder. Cover with lid and blend on the lowest speed, then increase to a higher speed. Blend until sauce is smooth and creamy. Pour into a large bowl and season to taste with salt, pepper and nutmeg. The mixture can be refrigerated for a few days or frozen for up to 6 months.
Once the pasta is par-cooked, lay it out on a cutting board in batches of 2 to 3. Press about ⅔ cup tofu ricotta mixture onto each lasagna sheet, leaving a bit of bare space at one end. Slowly roll each sheet and place it on top of the marinara in a baking dish. Repeat with the remainder of the pasta sheets. Drizzle cashew cream sauce over lasagna rolls and sprinkle with vegan parm.
Cover with foil and bake for 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool for 8 to 10 minutes before serving.
True Roux
One of the best things about the holidays—and the cooler seasons in general—is the presence of sauces and gravies on our tables. There’s just something comforting about ladling warm soups and stews into a bowl, or enjoying proteins drenched in rich sauce.
Ask an experienced chef to share the secret of killer sauciness in the kitchen and you’re likely to hear the French word roux.
It’s pronounced “roo,” and this foundational element of French cuisine serves as a thickening agent for all kinds of culinary liquids. As versatile as it is velvety, roux develops complex flavors when you prepare it, adding layers of depth to almost any dish.
Located downtown, Sunday’s Kitchen supplies some of the best French-adjacent Cajun-Creole flavors in the Panhandle. Chef Ron Granger is now celebrating five years in operation, so we asked him to share how he values and uses roux in his dishes.
Roux, Granger says, starts with fat. For some restaurants, that means vegetable oil. But for authentic French cooking and some of the most popular menu items at Sunday’s Kitchen, it means butter or fat mixed with flour.
“We always save bacon fat,” Granger says. “We keep a can of bacon fat around and always keep butter around. I feel those make the best, most flavorful roux and bases no matter what you’re going to make. You can use canola oil or something like that, but it just doesn’t impart
the same flavor as butter or protein from the animal you may be cooking with.”
That fat is at the base of everything from his sausage gravy to his hollandaise sauce. “Our gumbo, etouffee, everything—it all starts with butter,” he says.
Granger also makes liberal use of what he calls the “Trinity” of vegetables: bell pepper, celery and onions, combined with garlic and fats. “Even people from Louisiana will come around and go, ‘Oh, your gumbo is so good.’ Well, the trick is, I’m using oxtail fat, bacon fat and butter to start my roux.”
As a result, he admits that a frequent Sunday’s Kitchen patron may note slightly different flavors from week to week in dishes like his jambalaya or chicken, sausage and shrimp gumbo. That’s because Granger works hard to mimic home-cooking rather than mass production. “We keep our vegetable waste and make a stock out of it. When we boil our shrimp for our shrimp dishes, we keep that water and make our etouffee out of it. So the stock might have a shrimpier flavor than it did last week, or I might have more bacon fat around this week,” Granger explains. “It may not always taste exactly the same, but it’s always good. It’s always rich, flavorful.”
Sunday’s Kitchen relies on the locally owned 4B Meats to supply the restaurant’s high-quality Wagyu beef, including oxtails. Granger shared with us some of his favorite dishes and recipes which make use of stock or roux as a base.
1 tablespoon unsalted butter, divided ½ cup strong black coffee
¼ cup water or Dr. Pepper (Coca Cola works, as well)
¼ teaspoon light brown sugar
Pinch freshly ground coarse black pepper
Brown bacon or ham in a pan; set aside and reserve drippings for another use. Add butter to pan and melt, scraping up all cooked-on bits as you stir. Add coffee. For a sweeter, richer, darker gravy use soda (water works fine, too). After mixture begins to bubble, add sugar and continue to mix until completely dissolved. Allow to sit on a mediumlow stoke and reduce until desired consistency is achieved, slowly stirring. Add black pepper when it’s complete, and serve over a ham or bacon biscuit with over-easy eggs, or however you prefer.
Red Eye Gravy Sausage
Gravy
1 pound ground pork sausage
3 tablespoons bacon grease
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 cups milk, at room temperature
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground black pepper
¼ teaspoon ground sage
Add sausage to hot skillet with bacon fat; cook until browned. Add flour and mix until incorporated. Add salt and pepper and slowly add room temperature or warm milk while stirring; continue stirring until gravy is smooth, thick and creamy. Add sage and serve over warm, freshly made biscuits.
3 cups beef broth or stock
6 tablespoons flour
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium bell pepper, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
3 ½ tablespoons butter or beef tallow
¾ teaspoon garlic powder
¾ teaspoon onion powder
Salt and pepper to taste
1 teaspoon beef bouillon base
¼ bunch fresh parsley, chopped
1 bay leaf (optional)
1 teaspoon browning sauce (optional)
Melt butter or tallow on medium heat; add flour and cook until slightly darker than peanut butter, stirring constantly. Add diced vegetables until thoroughly mixed and onions are translucent. Add garlic and onion powder, bay leaf and beef bouillon. Cook gently until all is incorporated. Slowly add stock and browning sauce and bring to a simmer, stirring often. After desired consistency is achieved, add parsley and salt and pepper to taste. Gravy will thicken as it sits.
Beef Gravy
There‘s still one more recipe! Learn how to make Chef Ron‘s creamy hollandaise sauce at brickandelm.com.
¾ cup drippings from roasted chicken, duck or turkey (white wine or cognac can be added to deglaze the pan)
¼ cup all-purpose flour
½ stick or ¼ cup of butter
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 small onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, chopped
2 ribs celery
1 garlic clove
1 teaspoon dried parsley
½ teaspoon Italian seasoning (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste
Saute vegetables in a warm pan until tender and slightly browned; add butter until melted, then add flour, mixing until smooth. Continuously scrape brown bits from bottom of pan. Once mixture is fully incorporated and has a lightly toasted look, add drippings from roasted poultry and warm stock to mixture; stir constantly while on a medium simmer. Add parsley, Italian seasoning, salt and pepper and let simmer until gravy is thick and smooth. Add more stock for a thinner gravy and less for a thicker consistency. For an optional creamy twist, add 2 tablespoons heavy whipping cream when finished.
HOLIDAY
We hope our earlier Giving section pointed you toward some amazing local nonprofits—and supporting them is one of our core values as a magazine. But we also love the local shops and retailers that are the heartbeat of Amarillo’s economy. When you shop local, your money stays here in the Texas Panhandle. So to give you a little head start on Christmas, we’ve assembled this Holiday Gift Guide to showcase thoughtful, unique finds from businesses in this community. When you’re ready to spread cheer, make memories and discover the perfect gift, head to one of these destinations.
ALPHALASH EYELASH SERUM PROMOTES LASH GROWTH AND INCREASED VOLUME
SKINMEDICA TNS ADVANCED + SERUM
IMPROVES APPEARANCE OF SKIN
NUTRAFOL HAIR SERUM NATURAL INGREDIENTS SUPPORT THICKER HAIR
ZO SKIN HEALTH FIRIMING SERUM VISIBLY TIGHTENS AND FIRMS SKIN
HYDRINITY EYE RENEW COMPLEX REDUCES PUFFINESS AND DARK CIRCLES
PAISLEY RING WITH DIAMONDS AND EMERALDS IN 14KW
$3,200
GEODE RING WITH DIAMONDS, AMETHYST AND BLACK DIAMONDS IN BLACKENED 14KW
$3,575
OCTOPUS PENDANT WITH RUBIES AND A DIAMOND DOUBLE CLASP CHAIN IN 18KY
$3,000
WASP NEST EARRINGS WITH DIAMONDS IN 14KW
$1,150
CANTILEVER PENDANT WITH YELLOW SAPPHIRES IN BLACKENED 14KW WITH 18KY ACCENTS
$1,750
JULIE VOS
JAN
BARBOGLIO
JULISKA
VAGABOND HOUSE
MACKENZIE CHILDS
14KT WHITE GOLD DIAMOND BRACELET WITH A COMBINED DIAMOND WEIGHT OF 1.70 CTW
14KT YELLOW GOLD GARNET AND DIAMOND PENDANT WITH A COMBINED TOTAL WEIGHT OF 0.92 TGW
DIAMOND STUD EARRINGS IN 14KT WHITE OR YELLOW GOLD AVAILABLE IN NATURAL OR LAB-GROWN DIAMONDS, STARTING AT LESS THAN $300
14KT YELLOW GOLD EMERALD AND DIAMOND RING WITH A COMBINED TOTAL WEIGHT OF 1.75 TGW
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:
HOLIDAY SEASON KICK OFF
NOV. 15, 9 A.M.-6 P.M. AND 16, 11 A.M.-5 P.M.
BLACK FRIDAY WEEKEND EVENT
NOV. 29, 9 A.M.-6 P.M. AND 30, 11 A.M.-5 P.M.
BUBBLES & BLING
DEC. 6, 9 A.M.-8 P.M. AND 7, 11 A.M.-5 P.M.
HAUTE COCO
DEC. 12, 4-8 P.M.
14KT YELLOW GOLD MULTI-SHAPE DIAMOND PENDANT WITH A COMBINED DIAMOND WEIGHT OF 0.54 CTW
SEE STORE, OUR SOCIAL MEDIA OR JOIN OUR EMAIL LIST. DON’T MISS A SINGLE FESTIVE EVENT!
Picture Life at
Experience life in full color.
Picture life at Park Central. You wake up to the aroma of a delicious, hot breakfast. Your morning is spent chatting over co ee with your closest friends. The day unfolds amidst the beauty of the outdoor patios, refreshing walks in the wellness center, and engaging discussions in your book club. With no concerns about mundane chores like laundry or cooking, life at Park Central is truly carefree. Laughter fills the air as you and your friends enjoy game night, rea rming that here, amidst shared connections, Park Central transforms mere moments into cherished memories.
Don’t just picture it – experience it all here, at Park Central, Amarillo’s premier senior living community.
LITTLE LAOS A
marillo may know Thai food, but a popular new eatery in Amarillo’s Route 66 Historic District is introducing local diners to a slightly different set of Asian flavors. Little Laos opened in June, and has gained a passionate fan base in the building that once housed the legendary Barnaby’s Beanry.
“We like antiques,” says manager Malaivanh Kayakone, who operates the restaurant with her husband Bo, the chef. That hobby put old Route 66 on their radar, as did the lack of Asian options in the neighborhood.
The couple have been in the restaurant business for years, most recently with a location on East Amarillo Boulevard. With Little Laos, they hope to educate customers on the flavors and freshness of Lao food.
The two countries—Thailand and Laos—share a border on the Indochinese Peninsula. While their cuisines overlap in important ways, the differences are notable.
For instance, sticky rice is a staple in Lao cuisine, which accompanies spicy dishes like the restaurant’s best-selling Pad Kra Pao, where it’s served alongside stir-fried beef, chicken or pork.
Lao food is also more “herbaceous” than Thai, Malaivanh says, using fresh herbs like dill, mint, lemongrass and fermented flavors. “It’s a distinct flavor, bold flavors,” she adds, including fresh kaffir lime leaf in the popular Green Curry Chicken.
The Yum Seen Nam Tok has also gained a local following. Something of a “beef salad,” it contains pan-seared beef in a mix of cilantro, mint, onion, lime juice, fish sauce and chili. Be prepared for the spice. “I’m not holding back,” says Bo, who came to Amarillo from Laos in 1981. “No kick, no flavor.” Yes, he’ll gladly provide low-spice options to match local preferences, but authentic Lao cuisine makes ample use of peppers—especially Thai chilies. Little Laos goes through around 10 pounds of Thai chili pepper a week. With a variety of spice levels, the couple says its Lao Papaya Salad is probably the best way to experiment with heat.
The maximum level, “Lao Spice,” is not for the faint of heart.
The Sixth Street location means a diverse clientele, from local residents to travelers along Route 66, and the Kayakones have served patrons from as far away as France and Russia. “We are very careful about our dishes,” Malaivanh says. “A critique could be worldwide, so we have to be at the top of our game.”
YUM SEEN NAM TOK
PAD KRA PAO
GREEN CURRY CHICKEN
THAI TEA
1887 SOCIAL HOUSE
The name refers to the year Amarillo was founded, but the atmosphere is way more modern than that. This lunch and dinner spot inside the downtown Embassy Suites specializes in small bites. There’s a full restaurant setting, but the spacious, trendy bar area gets the most traffic. 550 S. Buchanan St., 806.803.5504, hilton.com $$
9TH INNING BREWS & BITES
Billing itself as “Amarillo’s Newest Sports Bar,” this west-side location represents the rebranding of what once was J’s Bar & Grill in the Shops at Soncy. It offers 57 TVs, dozens of draft beers on tap, a reliable pub-style menu and a family-friendly environment for watching the game. 3130 S. Soncy Road, Suite 100, 806.358.2222, $
ABUELO’S
This longtime chain has its roots in Amarillo and an incredibly dedicated local clientele. The Tex-Mex is flavorful but the true draw is nostalgia. Also: margaritas. As a bonus, Abuelo’s offers some of the best event room and catering deals in the city. 3501 W. 45th Ave., 806.354.8294, abuelos.com $$
THE BAGEL PLACE
This beloved breakfast and lunch spot introduced bagels to the Panhandle years ago, and locals have been grateful ever since. Grab a fresh bagel to go and choose from a variety of cream cheese flavors. Or try the oversized homemade sweets. (Look, everything here is delicious.) 3301 Bell St., 806.353.5985, bagelplace.net $
BEEF BURGER BARREL
Hands-down this is the most unique restaurant design in Amarillo, and this classic walk-up joint has held down the same spot since 1952. You can’t miss it. Because, y’all, it’s a giant white barrel. Not in the mood for beef and/or burgers? Try a fish, ham or grilled cheese sandwich. 3102 Plains Blvd., 806.374.0101 $
BENJAMIN’S DONUTS & BAKERY
Local folks are serious about donuts, and there is definitely a “Benjamin’s donuts or no donuts at all” camp. Benjamin’s is familyowned and -operated, and you won’t find a bad option on the menu—from donuts to the pastries, kolaches, breakfast sandwiches and burritos. 7003 Bell St., 806.353.1100/1800 Western St., 806.803.1133 $
BLACK BEAR DINER
Part of a restaurant chain mostly located west of the Mississippi, the Amarillo location takes advantage of the abundant traffic along I-40 headed east. It serves traditional, homestyle comfort food including burgers, sandwiches, chicken-fried steak, meatloaf and
breakfast all day. Customers love the huge portions. We hear good things about the pie. 7000 I-40 East, 806.342.3080, blackbeardiner.com $$
BUNS OVER TEXAS
“Amarillo, your buns are up!” This no-frills burger joint with the embarrassing announcements has locations elsewhere in the state, but started in Amarillo in 1989. Build your own burger, quench your thirst from a huge variety of iced tea, and don’t forget the best cheese fries in Amarillo. 6045 SW 34th Ave., 806.358.6808, bunsovertexas.com $
CELLAR 55
A splashy new high-end concept from Chris Hazel—who has a wellearned reputation for his wine expertise—Cellar 55 has grabbed residents’ attention from its opening. Enjoy a sophisticated interior, indulgent meals and a truly impressive menu of wine and bourbon. A fantastic new entrant to Amarillo’s fine-dining scene. 2800 Civic Circle, Suite 500, 806.322.7655, cellar55ama.com $$
CRUSH WINE BAR & GRILL
A fixture of fine dining downtown, Crush serves great steaks, pasta and shareable appetizers in an upscale, modern environment. We love the bar area downstairs as well as the rooftop bar, which overlooks a busy Polk Street and occasionally hosts live music. On weekends, enjoy a street-side brunch. The service is consistently great and the wine menu extensive. 627 S. Polk St., 806.418.2011, crushamarillo.com $$
DELVIN’S RESTAURANT & CATERING
After opening in 2015, this North Heights restaurant quickly gained a diverse, dedicated clientele from across the city thanks to its generous portions and made-from-scratch flavors. (The buttermilk pie is worth a trip by itself.) 1300 N. Hughes St., 806.310.9410, delvinsrestaurant.com $
DYER’S BAR-B-QUE
Locals are loyal to Dyer’s, and the Dyer’s family has been serving its original recipes in the Panhandle for decades. (In addition to the Amarillo fixture at Wellington Square, there’s also a location in Pampa.) Come for the family-style, all-you-can-eat lunch on Fridays and Saturdays. Or eat your fill of premium smoked prime rib, which is very popular. 1619 S. Kentucky St., Suite E526, 806.358.7104, dyersbbq.com $$
EAT-RITE HEALTH FOOD & RESTAURANT
This legendary cafe is nestled inside a longtime health food store in Wolflin Square, so you can feel good about everything on the menu. Its owner pioneered serving organic food in Amarillo. We’ve always
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 over $21 $ $$ $$$
Most entrees under $10
Most entrees $11 to $20
AMARILLO COLLEGE DISTINGUISHED ALUMNI
twenty twenty-four
Michael Merriman
Amarillo College Distinguished Alumnus
Mary Bralley
Amarillo College Distinguished Alumna
loved the marinated carrots and enchiladas. Thirsty? Try the juice bar. 2425 I-40 West, 806.353.7476, eat-rite.com $$
EL BRACERO MEXICAN GRILL
This family-owned restaurant has multiple locations but this one on Grand is the original and legendary for authentic Mexican comida. Appropriately, it’s painted red on the outside and green on the inside. We recommend the carne asada or spicy green chile enchiladas. 2116 S. Grand St., 806.373.4788 $$
FENG CHA BUBBLE TEA
Tea is a big deal in the Panhandle, but this isn’t just another place for blueberry green iced tea. Feng Cha offers bubble tea and milk foam teas with decidedly not-quite-Texan flavors like cream cheese, matcha, taru and durian. Add-ins include boba, lychee jelly, grass jelly and more. Enjoy the sleek Instagrammable atmosphere, and try the dessert menu. 5611 Gem Lake Road, 806.437.1556, fengchausa.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 brickoven pizza toppings are inventive, too. 7306 SW 34th Ave., Space 10, 806.331.2232, fireslice.com $$
FUN NOODLE BAR
A relative newcomer to the city’s Asian restaurant scene, this is one of just a few places with decent ramen, dumplings and bao in Amarillo. The lunch specials are served until 3 p.m. and the orders arrive fast. Like most new restaurants around here, it stays busy. 2219 S. Georgia St., 806.803.2219 $$
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 $
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 $$
JOE TACO
This Amarillo stand-by has a solid reputation for fast service and great Tex-Mex, with Amarillo and Canyon locations. The bar and outdoor patio at the Wallace location, near the hospitals, are always hopping with live music on weekends. A new location is currently under construction at 58th and Georgia. 7312 Wallace Blvd., 806.331.8226 / 5700 S. Georgia St., 806.350.8226, joetaco.net $$
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 $$-$$$
MI GENTE
With a food-truck kitchen and a brick-and-mortar dining area across from Hodgetown, the Latin-inspired menu of Mi Gente (“my people”) offers a unique indoor/outdoor experience. Chef Paul Leal arrived in Amarillo from a high-end Metroplex restaurant career in 2020. His savory, fusion-style dishes like the Cuban Sanguish and Steak Fajita Eggroll have attracted a dedicated clientele. 800 S. Buchanan St., 806.576.5467 $$
NOMAD NAPOLETANA
Nomad Napoletana has turned up the temperature on an iconic stretch of Polk Street. Diners can expect East Coast-style pizza in an upscale dining area and bar. Beyond pizza, feast on a complimentary dish of stecca, a Sicilian version of the baguette drizzled in olive oil and served with tender, spreadable garlic confit. Don’t miss the scratch-made meatballs, braised all day in California tomatoes and tomato sauce, then served with a dollop of ricotta. 601 S. Polk St., 806.376.4700, nomadnapoletana.com $-$$
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 $$
PONDASETA BREWING CO.
Already popular for its craft beer, a new mobile trailer enables the brewery to serve a food truck-style menu. The focus is pub-style food like burgers, sandwiches and mac-and-cheese bites. Kids meals are available. The adults will want the charcuterie adventure board, with hummus, cheese, meat and crackers. 7500 SW 45th Ave., 806.418.6282, pondaseta.com $$
RED RIVER STEAKHOUSE
It’s not hard to find a decent steak in the Panhandle, so when a local steakhouse earns a reputation for its hand-cut steaks, you pay attention. The Amarillo version of the owner’s original Red River Steakhouse in McLean, this old-fashioned establishment may be one of the area’s best-kept secrets. 4332 SW 45th Ave., 806.316.5082, redriversteakhouse.net $$
SCOTT’S OYSTER BAR
There are dives and then there are places like Scott’s Oyster Bar, a legit, shackety-shack hidden in a mostly residential area off Paramount. This tiny place has been here forever, though the interior and menu have changed slightly since Scott sold it a few years ago. Fresh oysters, tasty shrimp creole and classic Amarillo hospitality. 4150 Paramount Blvd., 806.354.9110 $$
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 $$
TOSCANA ITALIAN STEAKHOUSE
Housed in The Barfield Hotel, Toscana Italian Steakhouse offers authentic Texas steakhouse fare with savory Italian flair. Heavy on premium Panhandle beef and locally grown vegetables, Toscana’s menu also includes scratch-made pastas and sauces made in house. Don’t miss the melt-in-your-mouth zeppoles. Think of them as tiny Italian doughnuts, available with a variety of toppings. 600 S. Polk St., 806.414.2200, toscanaamarillo.com $$-$$$
THE WESTERN HORSEMAN CLUB
In the 1980s, the Western Horseman Club was one of the hottest country-and-western bars in the city. Now, prominent local chef Rory Schepisi has taken on the task of breathing new life into the storied club. Schepisi has transformed the once-dingy, sprawling space with a swanky, modern-saloon vibe. The menu is westernfocused, with options like Angus Beef burgers and sandwiches, Prime Certified Angus Beef steaks, chicken-fried steak, catfish and more. 2501 I-40 East, 806.877-1600, westernhorsemanclub.com $$-$$$
YOUNGBLOOD’S CAFE
An Amarillo classic, where you can grab a hearty breakfast starting every day at 6 a.m. or wait a few hours to try its illustrious chicken-fried steaks. Our favorite thing at Youngblood’s? It’s gotta be the free banana pudding for dessert (while supplies last). 620 SW 16th Ave., 806.342.9411, youngbloodscafe.com $$
OF THE TREES
6 - 9 PM PPHM PIONEER HALL , FIRST FLOOR
$100 for single tickets
To purchase event tickets visit panhandleplains.org/events
Join us for a magical Chri mas celebration!
You’ll have the chance to bid on one-of-a-kind Chri mas trees created by talented arti s and unique holiday-themed experiences.
Nominate someone today for Brick & Elm’s new awards program. We’re celebrating outstanding community members, leaders and nonprofits across 8 categories:
Advocate of the Year
Volunteer of the Year
Innovator of the Year
Nonprofit of the Year
Entrepreneur of the Year Rising Leader Triumph Award Community Builder
This isn’t a popularity contest or social media vote, but well-deserved recognition based on your nominations.
Presented by
tend to assign personalities to cities. Just another weird thing I do.
Austin is like the hipster who recorded noise music in the garage as a 12-year-old and now sells steamed seaweed from the Nut Hut on South First. San Antonio is the heiress collecting old world antiques and tending carnivorous plants on her patio. Then there’s Lubbock, the cotton farmer and his pious wife who strung together a few good crops and built a brick house in town.
Amarillo? It depends. Sometimes I see Uncle Rico from Napoleon Dynamite ruminating over that 4th quarter in ’82 when his football team was derailed on the way to state. But in Amarillo’s case, the favored setting on the mail-order time machine is 1964, the year we took a huge “L” in the economic win-loss column that still has us wondering what might’ve been.
On a cool, damp November afternoon 60 years ago, a little more than two weeks after President Lyndon Johnson won a landslide election against Republican Sen. Barry Goldwater, Amarillo Globe-Times newsboys tossed a shocking headline into the dormant lawns of the capital of the Golden Spread. The Amarillo Air Force Base, the city’s major employer and a driving force propelling our phenomenal population growth throughout the 1950s and early ’60s, had been marked for closure by 1968. The headline writer even resorted to the rarely used exclamation mark in order to scream the agony a little louder.
Just the previous year, Amarillo papers boldly reported that the city had grown to an estimated 167,000 people, and many believed Amarillo was on track to reach 300,000 or more by the 1980s. Downtown was still booming with new escalator-equipped department stores. Modern neighborhoods were sprawling in almost all directions, and Sunset Center was packing in hordes of shoppers from all over the region every weekend.
Some folks in Texas had oil, others fed gleefully at the trough of the military-industrial complex, and every place boasted of good weather and ample space to spread out. But it seemed Amarillo had it all in one package. It was unimaginable that any of the economic engines that made the city hum would throw a rod and strand us on our way to the top.
On the morning of the 19th, when everything was still OK, the Amarillo Daily News reported that Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara was to announce the closure of 95 military bases. Apparently no one in the newsroom was tasked with “localizing” the story with quotes of concern from civic and business leaders, an indication that most people didn’t dream Amarillo would be on the list.
The news that followed the announcement was mostly dire. Globe-Times Associate Editor Paul Timmons bird-dogged a list of expenditures from the base comptroller and added up close to $75 million in annual local spending that would soon evaporate into dry air. Amarillo Public Schools estimated a loss of 3,200 students. And all those jobs—as many as 16,000 airmen and civilians—held recession-proof positions at the base that pumped money into businesses all over the city. Gone.
The papers noted that at least the city’s airport problem had been solved. English Field shared runway facilities with the
Air Force, which had been pushing to move civilian aviation elsewhere prior to the closure announcement. With no base, Amarillo could spread out and take all the room it wanted. Too soon for a silver lining? Never in Amarillo.
There were other attempts to keep on the sunny side, but it was mostly the shock of the loss that numbed the pain. That and maybe a whiskey sour or two at the Clover Club on Northeast Eighth, where life went on as if nothing had happened. Buck Owens and The Buckaroos were in town, after all, and so was Willie Nelson. Thanksgiving was coming and, for the time being, Amarillo could leave the worrying to the boardrooms and council chambers downtown.
In the years to follow, however, the impact became very real for more and more Amarilloans. As the job losses mounted on the road to 1968, people were forced to skip town. Two years after the last military personnel left the base, the 1970 census counted just 127,010 residents in Amarillo. Almost a quarter of the city’s residents had checked out.
Amarillo spent the next couple of decades making up for the loss, and the memories of that 4th quarter under the lights, when victory slipped through our hands, began to fade. As early as 1968, Amarillo got a second shopping mall with an Orange Julius. City leaders participated in some serious retail therapy with bond proceeds and bought a new city hall, civic center and central library. The skyline got taller and we wound up with that new airport in 1971.
By the 1980s we were boasting that the runway at Amarillo International, designed for landing nuclear-armed B-52s, was long enough to accommodate the space shuttle. That still doesn’t seem quite right to me, but I’ve probably said it, too. The ever-trustworthy internet did tell me that we’ve got the seventh-longest civilian runway in the nation, so that’s cool.
Another thing we often repeat as gospel truth is that one man caused this whole thing to happen. Yes, the announcement came right after an election when the Panhandle didn’t exactly go hog wild for Lyndon. Of the 16 counties in Texas that voted for Goldwater, eight were in the Panhandle, including Randall. Potter dang near turned Republican, too. Just maybe when LBJ saw Red Randall popping in the middle of the blue map he could’ve called McNamara and asked if it was too late to throw another base in the reject pile. No one can say for sure, but it makes a good story.
And like Uncle Rico, Amarillo makes a great character to liven any story that’s told of Texas. We live large and sometimes fall flat. We’re quirky, unpredictable but mostly content with life, even if our wildest dreams don’t come true (now and then).
There are 63 national parks in the U.S., and while Amarillo is not fortunate to have one close by (Palo Duro Canyon almost became one, but that’s a story for another time), we do have several within fairly easy reach. Guadalupe Mountains National Park in far West Texas and Carlsbad Caverns National Park in southeast New Mexico provide a wealth of natural beauty, hiking and photography opportunities to please anyone.
But it is White Sands National Park—less than 20 minutes southwest of Alamogordo, New Mexico, and about six hours from Amarillo—that is my favorite, especially in winter. While northern residents—and sometimes Amarilloans—are busy digging out of the white stuff, visitors to White Sands can play in another kind of white stuff, kicking off their shoes and enjoying the feel of the beach without having to drive 700 miles. This is one of three National Parks that feature sand dunes, but the other two cannot lay claim to the same pristine white sand you’ll find here.
White Sands is one of our nation’s newest National Parks, having been promoted from National Monument status in 2019. Winter truly is the best time to visit, because the torrid heat of summer is tempered by the mildness found in the Chihuahuan Desert when the sun angle is low. A person could burn the soles off their feet in summer if they’re not careful. Because the sun reflects off the sand, it is easy to enjoy January temps around 50 degrees while dressed in a T-shirt and shorts. It’s kind
Nick’s Picks
of like being in a convection oven. Bring sunscreen.
While you’re frolicking in the sand, consider that the first inhabitants to what is collectively the Tularosa Basin arrived about 11,000 years ago, and hunted mammoths. Sadly, they—neither the early humans nor the mammoths—didn’t survive to tell stories and write travel columns.
There was farming until the 1300s, when a drought forced them to move along. The arrival of European Americans in the late 1800s ushered in the railroad and settlers, and the area started becoming a destination unto its own. The park has been seen on the silver screen, thanks to New Mexico’s long history of incentivizing TV and movie productions. In 1950, King Solomon’s Mines was filmed there, followed by 1968’s Hang ’Em High, and the 1992 crime drama White Sands
All that sand beneath your feet is gypsum, weathered and eroded through millions of years. When the Permian Sea retreated, it left behind layers of gypsum. Mountains then rose from the basin, lifting the strata of gypsum ever higher until other forces of nature, notably melting glaciers, dissolved it. The gypsum thus returned to its original location, and retains moisture even throughout summer’s heat
Alamogordo—“fat cottonwood” in Spanish—is a fun town. Mild winters have started attracting retirees.
It seems that every city and town has a roadside attraction worth seeing, and Alamogordo is no different. A few miles north of town is McGinn’s PistachioLand, Home of the World’s Largest Pistachio. At minimum, it’s a fun photo opp.
New Mexico is known for its craft brewery scene, and 575 Brewing Company in Alamogordo is top-shelf in this category. I’ve sipped more than just a few IPAs there. Not all at once, though.
If wine is your adult beverage of choice, Arena Blanca Winery sits on the McGinn’s property, so you can check two boxes in one stop. It is also the highest-rated winery in the area, just ahead of D.H. Lescombes Winery & Bistro, and Heart of the Desert Pistachios & Wine
If timing is on your side, you may be in luck for one of the twice-annual tours of the Trinity Site north of Alamogordo hosted by the U.S. Army. It’s a trip back to 1945 when the Atomic Age began.
An hour north of Alamogordo is the tiny town of Carrizozo, which looks like it might just be a ghost town, but in fact is a thriving arts community. The Tularosa Basin Gallery of Photography is located there, and is hands down the best in the state. Plan to spend an hour or more perusing the hundreds of amazing photos on display.
can take on very different hues, especially as sunset approaches.
There are about nine miles of designated trails throughout the park, but the dunes, unless otherwise posted, are open to explore. Slog your own way, and burn lots of calories as you work overtime to make your way up and down the soft, shifting dunes. Between March and November, the park also offers guided moonlight hiking tours near the full moon. Photography is a snap with so much ambient light bouncing off the surface.
Perhaps even more fun than hiking and playing in the sand is the opportunity to bring your own metal or plastic discs. Why shiver in snow when you can go flying down dunes just the same? Some motels in town even offer loaners for those who forget to bring theirs.
Because White Sands is surrounded by a missile base, there are short periods when both the park and U.S. Highway 70 will be closed. These typically last for only one to two hours, and occur twice a week on average. Locals are well accustomed to this, and adjust their schedules. Be flexible if your arrival coincides with one of the closures.
There are multiple modern hotel and restaurant chains in town, making this one of the more easily accessed national parks in the system. There are also several quaint mid-century motels, of which my pick is the White Sands Motel. Its old-school sign is a sight for sore eyes, and the meticulously maintained and cleaned rooms are a lovely throwback to a very different era. You’ll also save money.
Just remember to clean all that sand off your feet before you go inside.
Fuel up before you travel at a convenient Pak-ASak store location in Amarillo or Canyon
CELIA MEADORS
f you’ve entered a local home for a Christmas party, you’ve probably encountered Celia Meadors’ work. She’s a university-trained portrait artist who, over the years, discovered that people really, really like her portraits of a certain “right jolly old elf”—complete with the ruddy cheeks, white beard, and twinkling eyes that define the classic Santa Claus.
“I work in all kinds of mediums—pastel, pen-and-ink, watercolor, whatever appeals to me. I still do a lot of commission work. But this seems to be the niche that I’ve fallen into,” she says. Meadors painted her first Santa on a 4- by 6-foot drop cloth for the 1990 Christmas Roundup gala. “It went for auction at the gala for more than I’d sold anything at that point,” she explains. And unlike portraits of families or children, she didn’t have to please parents, aunts or uncles. She only needed to create a recognizable St. Nick. “Everybody loves Santa Claus,” she says.
She has painted more than 100 oil portraits of Santa over the years, mostly selling prints, though collectors have bought a few of her originals. These days, she creates as many as three new images each year. “I like old faces. I like to do wrinkles,” she says. To force her oil paint to drip like watercolor, she combines it with a painting medium to make the paint more fluid—but still controllable. “The process itself is exciting to me. When I start a picture, I start with a lot of medium and paint, and I let it drip until it comes to a certain stage. Then I start extracting the planes of the face. It’s always fun to see it come together,” Meadors says. For this issue, she shared with Brick & Elm a few of her favorite Santa Claus portraits.
NAOMI VANG
Owner, S.E.A. Market Oriental Food
The best advice I ever heard is: A mistake that makes you humble is better than an achievement that makes you arrogant. Achievements are great; however, losing your self-respect, integrity, principles or who you are as a person is worse than not achieving anything at all.
My three most recommended books are: Living With Thorns, by Mary Ann Froehlich; Your Next Five Moves, by Patrick Bet-David; and It’s Not Supposed To Be This Way, by Lysa Terkeurst.
To me, success means: being able to do something I enjoy and positively impact a person—even if that’s only one person.
People who know me might be surprised that I: actually enjoy cooking a lot. Although the food might not taste like it looks, I enjoy the process of cooking because it’s therapeutic.
My biggest pet peeve is: a disorganized space.
Everyone in Amarillo needs to experience: ethnic foods. Ethnic food is history.
If I could change any one local thing it would be: more farms so we can access more quality and nutritious food.
This city is amazing at: supporting local businesses. Having a business myself helps me see the love that people have for this community. It’s a unique type of connection, especially in a world where it’s so easy to turn against each other.
My favorite place in Amarillo is: Sixth Street. The antique stores are my favorite place because they’re so rich in history. A lot of the stuff there are items I grew up with, so it’s nostalgic, as well.
A local organization I love right now: The Place, a nonprofit organization that makes a difference in refugees’ lives.
Listen to Naomi‘s interview on the Hey Amarillo podcast
Northwest Emergency AT TASCOSA
Northwest Emergency at Tascosa, a Service of Northwest Texas Healthcare System, is expected to open in January 2025.
Located at 4207 W. Amarillo Blvd. in Amarillo, it will be a satellite emergency room open 24 hours a day, 365 days per year. It will be staffed with the same personnel and equipment available in Northwest Texas Healthcare’s hospital-based emergency room.
Northwest Emergency at Tascosa will offer a wide range of advanced, quality medical services to provide emergency care for chest pain, stroke, respiratory distress, broken bones, pneumonia and more.
If you’re having a medical emergency, call 911 or get to the nearest emergency room.
The facility will also feature:
• 9 private treatment rooms
• Diagnostic imaging services including CT scans, digital X-ray and ultrasound
