Down Home East Texas

Fall 2023

Elm Creek Flower Farm

See page 6

Letter from our General Manager

Welcome, everyone, to another issue of Down Home East Texas magazine. This quarterly magazine is something that we are incredibly proud to publish. It is a widely-read magazine in Hopkins County. Our staff here at the Sulphur Springs NewsTelegram, along with our contributing writers, are as excited as ever to bring you this latest issue.

The hint of fall in the air in mid-September as we prepare this edition for print only serves to enhance our excitement for the season. We’ve rounded up a list to make sure you don’t miss any of the excitement special to Hopkins County and East Texas. Be sure to check out the information about the upcoming Hopkins County Stew Festival, Hopkins County Beef Day and the NETBIO Cattleman’s Classic & Ribeye Roundup.

We are happy to feature Lisa Sprague, who is completing her onsite training and will soon be assuming her duties as the new Texas AgriLife Extension Agent; Coach Bailey Dorner, the new Sulphur Springs High School girls athletic coordinator; and Shonda Gibson, who helped develop launch the first competencybased education baccalaureate degree offered by a publiclyaccredited Texas A&M University-Commerce. We also have a recipe for your culinary pleasure, and be sure to check out Mike Horne’s responses for our 15 Questions segment this quarter.

Thank you again for picking up a copy of Down Home East Texas magazine. We hope you’re able to get out and enjoy a bit of the cooler, breezy fall temperatures, and hope you will pick up our next issue in December. We couldn’t do what we do without our advertisers and our readers. We sincerely thank all of you.

Stephanie Page, General Manager

Thomas and Amanda Wilson Owners of Elm Creek Flower Farm

Photo taken by Dinh Tran, Vosh Graphix

Down Home Magazine’s Staff

Contributing Writers

Enola Gay Mathews Community Liaison

Tammy Vinson Reporter

Tammy Crook Sales

DJ Spencer Sports Editor

Faith Huffman Assistant Managing Editor

Stephanie Page General Manager

Faith Whittle Graphic Designer

Whitney Vaughan

Carey Gable

Elm Creek Flower Farm A Fall Destination

By Carey Gable

Every morning, I wake up to a beautiful field, cows milling about, sun rising in the horizon. This is my every day, even though it is my neighbor’s land. The beauty radiates from the natural environment. Many of us in Northeast Texas have been afforded this delightful pleasure, sometimes standing on an elevated hill overlooking a farm or ranch, basking in the moment, the speckled cows lolling across the green pastures filling our hearts with contentment. This is the beauty of country living. The splendor of nature radiating power and peace into our hearts.

I have to imagine that it is a slightly different feeling when you are Amanda Wilson and her husband, Thomas as they look across their farm. No cows, no sheep, no dairy equipment or barbed wire fences to mend. Instead of the normal wrangling of animals that is so common all around us, the Wilsons have taken a slightly different direction on their farm. Gone are the lines of animals and instead their land is filled with the beauty of blossoming flowers. Flowers populate row upon row of space stretching across the Elm Creek Flower Farm. Colors and fragrance fill the air as the scene expands in all directions.

The very concept is unique to Hopkins County. History has long established Hopkins County as a center for dairy and beef ranching, with some soybean on the side. However, the concept of a flower farm is not new, only new to this area. Flower farms were established deep in history because they showcase the most beautiful parts of the world around us.

The Elm Creek Flower Farm is still relatively new to Hopkins County, but the spirit of the farm is not new to Amanda Wilson, owner and operator. From a young age, growing up in the Central Valley of California, agriculture was born into her. The Central Valley of California single handedly

produces just over half of all the vegetables, fruits, and nuts grown in the United States. It is an agricultural hub.

It was in this rich soil that Amanda’s love for agriculture was first tended. Growing up in such a fertile environment meant that Amanda shared many moments with her family in that setting. Her mother, an avid lover of flowers, always kept a flower garden. When Amanda was old enough, she too was quickly initiated into the care of the family garden. Spending those early days with her mother, sharing that commonality, allowed Wilson to grow in her love for flowers as she drew closer to her mother. Eventually, the flowers became her hobby as well. With family encouragement, this hobby grew into something a little more serious than your typical flower beds. Amanda just did not know what it was growing into yet.

When Wilson was ready to depart for college, she chose to study chemistry, which had turned out to be her best subject, even though her brother’s studies in botany intrigued her more. This realization came to Amanda slowly. As her brother began taking field trips into the wilderness to study plants and classify different flowering species, she would often find herself tagging along with glee. Botany lit a fire in her that chemistry just did not. The mystery of discovering plants that she had never seen before, finding out the intricacies of each of the flowering plants and how they worked became a passion. Even after Wilson had completed her degrees, staying in the field of chemistry, it was the botany of flowers that kept her planting every season. It was a love, but relegated to a hobby set aside from the more serious work.

Then, the COVID pandemic of 2020 struck, and the world changed almost overnight. During those long months of the shutdown, Amanda Wilson’s

passion and energy for flowers was rekindled. Long days of isolation allowed time for Amanda to reconnect with that part of herself that found meaning in the process of growing.

“During the pandemic, I truly fell in love with growing flowers,” Wilson said.

Falling in love with growing flowers entails much more than a simple platitude. The entire process of growing and caring for the flowers became as important as the final outcome, a beautiful bouquet. During the dark period of the COVID shutdown, the flowers became a source of joy and happiness in an otherwise bleak world. Wilson knew that her life was not going to be the same.

In May of 2022, the Wilson family decided to “move home.” Thomas was originally from Royse City. While visiting Northeast Texas, looking for the perfect spot for a landing, she discovered Sulphur Springs. The family immediately fell in love with the community and the people throughout Hopkins County. “It was the community that we loved,” Wilson said. That was it, it was decided and land was located.

Relocating thousands of miles from California to Northeast Texas was no easy task, even for a family that had roots in the area. After locating the perfect spot at 2584 County Road 1171 in Sulphur Springs, the move was made.

Purchasing a plot of land that had previously been a dairy came with benefits and challenges. The land was vast and open, but it also needed work. Dairy land and flowering land have two different purposes. Taking time to prepare the soil became the first priority. From May to early November, the field work was intense, leveling land to make it easier to tend, irrigation systems, fertilizing, and finally the planting. It was a lot of hard work, but the Wilsons enjoyed the process of developing their dream. Over months

of solemn toiling without a flower, the repurposing from cows to bouquets was finally complete.

As each month passed, the vision of the flower farm began to take clearer shape. By the end of winter 2022, the opening day drew close. The Texas spring provided more and new challenges. The Texas land and climate were not that of the Central Valley. This posed an entirely new set of difficulties. The extremes in temperature were less than ideal, but the Wilsons quickly discovered which flowers were hardy enough to survive the Texas climate. All those years with her mother and, later, wuth her brother, studying botany, were paying off.

In the spring of 2023, the doors opened on the Elm Creek Flower Farm for the first time. Row upon row of glorious blooming flowers sat majestically in the

morning sun. The dream of the flower farm had come to fruition so abundantly that the Wilsons could not help but smile at all they had accomplished in just one short year. The dream had been conceived, planned, executed, and was now shining brightly up at them from a glorious field of flowers.

With an air of inspiration, the Wilsons created a self-serve flower barn that allows patrons to pick their own flowers for a bouquet. The enthusiasm customers displayed as they chose their own creation was exciting. The large barn structure offers rows of flowering plants that a patron can walk through, picking and choosing which flowers to expertly intertwine into their own unique bouquet. The rows of flowers offered all the favorites. Daffodils in all varieties lined open spaces. Daffodils can be

specially bred into unique flowers, many of which are mixed into the rows, making them truly special. Snapdragons percolated up, displaying startling colors across the landscape. Of course, the Elm Creek Flower Farm boasts a wide variety of flowers.

Elm Creek most closely resembles the feel of an English countryside. The flowers extend beyond just the flower barn to the rolling landscape. Many patrons enjoy just walking through the luxurious fields and experiencing the unique presence of being surrounded by nature. This Jane Eyre crossed with Texas motif is prominent throughout the farm.

The most popular features at Elm Creek are the farm-grown and handmade specialty bouquets. These are always available at Elm Creek. Built by hand right on the farm, they become more of an experience than just décor.

Each one carries a unique feel that is distinctive. As these bouquets have grown in popularity, they have filled many of the décor spaces in Hopkins County.

What truly separates Elm Creek from anywhere else is the commitment to hosting events in Hopkins County. In addition to the flowering landscape, Elm Creek offers other amenities as well. Boasting an intimate venue space, Elm Creek has already played host to several local musical artists and celebrations. The sun does not always set on the farm in the quiet of the country air. There are times when the music and lights shimmer back to you off the flowers, making the venue at Elm Creek one of the most celestial venues for local music and activities in the region.

Just as the spring turned to summer this year, the temperatures began to rise. With each day peaking at over 100 degrees Fahrenheit, the farm began to demand more attention. Over 50 straight days of 100-plus temperatures wilted the original gloss of the flower petals. Just as most of the ranches suffered

through the heat with cows, the flower farm began to struggle. Irrigation was employed and further expanded. Measures were taken to save as much and as many of the flowers as possible. The impact also further played havoc on the plentiful pumpkin farm that had taken shape. The Wilsons struggled through the heat but managed to save a large majority of the pumpkin crop.

Elm Creek has now partnered with Braylea Brewer to decorate porches across Hopkins County using the pumpkins that were saved. This is a special and unique opportunity to bring some of the Elm Creek experience to your front porch. Looking forward to next spring, the preparations are already underway. In 2024, the Wilsons hope to offer Valentine’s flowers and bouquets then, later, Mother’s Day bouquets and gifts. Each season brings something different to the flower farm. There is no “off” season when you are living your passion.

Amanda Wilson is living her passion every day. The joy that she witnesses in the eyes of her patrons

only reaffirms that Hopkins County is the place for her and her flowers.

Elm Creek Flower Farm is located at 2584 CR 1171 in Sulphur Springs, Texas. During current weather conditions, it is best to check the Elm Creek Flower Farms Facebook page for hours of operation. Visiting Elm Creek Flower Farm is a one of a kind experience in Hopkins County.

Fall Festival Homecoming Carnival

When: October 11 – 15

Where: Hopkins County Regional Civic Center, 1200 Houston St., Sulphur Springs

Main Street Uncorked

When: Saturday, October 14

Safe-T Crisis Center Candlelight Vigil

When: Thursday, October 12, 5 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Where: Celebration Plaza, 100 Church St., Sulphur Springs

Eclipse Lunch in the Garden

When: Saturday, October 14, 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.

Where: Cravers Community Garden

420 West Park St., Sulphur Springs

Get ready to go dark with this daytime SOLAR ECLIPSE! We will host a FREE COMMUNITY LUNCH in the Garden to enjoy this sky event!

EVENT CALENDAR

Provided by sulphurspringstx.org

Cattleman’s Classic & Ribeye Round-Up

When: Saturday, October 7

Where: Celebration Plaza, Sulphur Springs

Heritage Park Indian Summer Days

When: Saturday, Oct 7

Where: Hopkins County Historical Society & Museum, 416 Jackson St. N, Sulphur Springs

John Chester Dutch-Oven Cookoff

When: Saturday, October 7

Where: Hopkins County Historical Society & Museum, 416 Jackson St N, Sulphur Springs

Fall Bash @ Deep Routes Coffee

When: Sat, October 7, 10 a.m. – 6 p.m.

Where: Deep Routes Coffee, 215 Shannon Rd E, Sulphur Springs

Fall Gardening Week

When: Monday, October 16, 12 p.m. – 5 p.m.

Where: 420 W. Park St., Sulphur Springs

Join us as we prepare and plant our NEW PLOT at Cravers Community Garden. Lots of free activities to choose from as we celebrate the arrival of Fall!

Fall Festival Parade

When: Saturday, October 21

Help-A-Child Benefit

When: Saturday, October 21

Where: Hopkins County Regional Civic Center, 1200 Houston St., Sulphur Springs

Hopkins County Fall Festival

When: October 26 – 28

Where: Hopkins County Regional Civic Center, 1200 Houston St., Sulphur Springs

54th Annual Hopkins County Stew Contest

When: Saturday, October 28

Where: Buford Park, 733 Connally St., Sulphur Springs

Annual Corvette Club Corvette Show

When: Saturday, October 28, 8 a.m. – 3 p.m.

Where: Celebration Plaza, 100 Church St., Sulphur Springs

Annual Chili Cook-Off

When: Saturday, November 4

Where: Pacific Park, 413 Beckham St. W., Sulphur Springs

DBA Annual Classic Car Show

When: Saturday, November 4

Where: Celebration Plaza, 100 Church St., Sulphur Springs

Empty Bowls Event - Hunger Awareness

When: Saturday, November 11, 6 p.m. – 8 p.m.

Where: 420 W. Park St., Sulphur Springs

Join us for a delicious live-fire cooked meal in support of the National Empty Bowls Project. This event will add food to the pantries of those in our community who struggle to feed their families. It is a wonderful night of community, art and music.

UPRA Rodeo

When: November 16 – 18

Where: Hopkins County Regional Civic Center, 1200 Houston St., Sulphur Springs

Turkey Trot

When: Thursday, November 23

Where: Celebration Plaza, 100 Church St., Sulphur Springs

Christmas in the Park

When: Saturday, November 25

Where: Hopkins County Historical Society & Museum, 416 Jackson St. N., Sulphur Springs

Lions Club Lighted Christmas Parade

When: Friday, December 1

Christmas in the Park

When: Saturday, December 2

Where: Hopkins County Historical Society & Museum, 416 Jackson St. N., Sulphur Springs

I scheduled a lunch interview with Shonda Moore Gibson last spring when she was in Sulphur Springs on business, and as we chatted, I grew wide-eyed at how far this scholar’s path has led! We first met in the 90s when she was a struggling single mom taking college courses and managing a retail outlet in Sulphur Springs. My daughters became babysitters to her son, Kasey, and worked for Shonda in retail before and during their college years. Shonda’s continued interest in

Finding the path that fits your step

By Enola Gay Mathews

them made a positive impression. I was not surprised to learn that the charismatic young businesswoman our family once knew had become a superstar in inspiring others toward their own success story. Today, Shonda is headquartered in Bryan/College Station as associate vice chancellor in the Texas A&M University System. As we lunched, she shared how she navigated the path to this amazing and history-making career opportunity.

Enola Gay Mathews: Did you attend East Texas State University in Commerce, Texas, prior to 1996 when it joined the Texas A&M system?

Shonda Moore Gibson: Yes, I attended East Texas State University immediately after I graduated Sulphur Springs High School in 1983. I also attended Paris Junior College. In fact, I took every type of course you can imagine from various higher education providers from 1983, off and on, until 2007, when I returned to TAMU-C as a full-time student. And, yes, you are reading that right! I was actually in college for 24 years!

EGM: You’ve shared that you made a major switch from business and marketing during your more than 21 year corporate management career to studies in the field of education. Was it at the suggestion of mentors at TAMU-C?

SMG: Let me back up a bit to fully explain. The part you knew me from was with the global company Sara Lee in management and nationwide recruiting, training, and team development- which included traveling all the time. I completed an associate degree with PJC in business management, and then a bachelor’s degree at TAMU-C in management. These degrees, plus my work experience, were largely centered on organizational behavior. My passion area, however, was the people part of the enterprise. Next, I went on to complete an MBA with concentrations in management and economics. It was then, upon guidance from my mentor, Dean Dr. Hal Langford, and other university leaders, that

I shifted into psychology with a focus on learning and teaching. I began to see that all my years of people experience (training, coaching, sales) was a great segue into the science of teaching and learning, which is education! But, I wasn’t through studying yet. Next came a master’s in psychology with an emphasis on organizational psychology which further emphasized the shift from the business/management perspective to the human learning and teaching perspective. Finally, as the grand finale, I earned my Ph.D. in educational psychology. And, that milestone happened the same year my youngest son graduated from Sulphur Springs High School. Talk about lifetime learning!

EGM.: When did you begin to realize your potential within the field of education?

SMG: Along the way, there were multiple people who encouraged me to follow the path outlined above. I would say I thought it became an option or a very remote possibility about the time I completed the MBA. I’d met so many faculty during that time, all encouraging me to continue studying. I’d say a few faculty members really stand out - Dr. Steven Shiff, economics faculty and, then department head; Dr. Bob Collins, senior lecturer in management; Dr. Mildred GoldenPryor, regents emeritus professor, and Dr. John Humphreys, professor and eminent leadership researcher. You get the picture, I think! These educators were a force in helping me to see my own potential, as well as options I had no idea existed. I believe it does take a village to accomplish the Ph.D. My route

was solidified by the fact that all my life and work experiences were so perfectly aligned with everything I was studying in education - all about people, how we learn, how we teach, how we grow and continually improve - not only as individuals but as groups and organizations. It is all fascinating to me, and I always felt like I was making the world a little bit better by continuing on this path forward. The final “convincing” for me to move into graduate studies came when the university offered me a scholarship. That truly helped me to envision a new career path that put all my experience, skills and knowledge to task. And, it just grew from there. The more I put into it, the more they invested in me. The more they invested in me, the more I could contribute to the organization. The more I could contribute, the more I could help impact students and communities.

EGM: Who were some of your core influencers and how did their examples help you?

SMG: Both Dr. Mary Hendrix and the late Dr. Dan Jones, along with the department chair Dr. Jennifer Schroeder, my research mentor, as well as chair Dr. Steven Reysen were core influencers- and a host of others who really encouraged me once I had committed! I cannot remember who actually said this, but the sentiment is clear. They taught me that everyone, and I do mean EVERYONE at the university is smart, and I do mean very SMART! There are more Ph.D.’s in most universities than you could round up in entire cities. So, I went into it modeling what I learned from them - be KIND and think of STUDENTS in all we do!

EGM: In 2010 you became engaged with the Texas A&M-Commerce Accreditation office and team, and led the development of a Quality Enhancement Project Team, the team which pioneered the 2012 completion of the CBE model, or Competency Based Education model. And when in the Fall of 2014, the CBE Model was launched at TAMU-C and became available to students, setting a state-wide precedent by changing the acquisition of higher learning for Texas students. What was your role in this milestone?

SMG: Dr. Hendrix and I led the TAB (Texas Affordable Baccalaureate) work for the state of Texas, and we launched the first CBE (Competency Based Education) baccalaureate degree offered by a publicly accredited university in Texas, which was TAMU-C. I also led the Institute for CBE, which helped to share the model across the state and nation. The milestone is that the CBE model has created a new and unique path for many people to complete a college degree. There are over 4 million people in the state of Texas with some college and no degree. Models like CBE are perfect to path a person back into college, and successfully complete a degree. Now, the programs have grown from our first concentration in organizational leadership. Now there are concentrations in criminal justice, teacher preparation, health services and nursing,

and safety and health. The CBE model has enabled well over 1000 students to earn a credential, and not only to improve their own lives but the lives of their families and improve our communities!

EGM: You now reside in College Station and work with the Texas A&M University System, actually with all 11 universities across the state, including the flagship. Your title is associate vice chancellor for academic and student affairs. Your dedication has brought you so far professionally, but you’ve also faced some challenges personally. May I ask you about your journey with cancer?

SMG: Thank you for asking that question. I want to share it widely. Yes, I truly believe my story should be shared and can help others with preventative care. My diagnosis is ovarian cancer, and I am BRCA positive. I am very lucky to be alive! I have had the full treatments (surgery, radiation and chemotherapy). I’m currently on a new protocol of preventative drugs that are PARP inhibitors, essentially a daily pill form of chemo. And, I’m working every day. With this diagnosis, I am actually trying to avoid what is very likely coming in the future due to my cancer markers - breast cancer. The next stage of treatment is a prophylactic mastectomy.

Dr. Shonda Gibson (center) congratulates the attendees from numerous TAMU campuses during the National Higher Education Teaching Conference and their recognition as Movement Makers

EGM: From where do you draw personal strength?

SMG: For one, I created a site online at caringbridge.com where I gain as well as share inspiration and hope with other cancer victims. But, the actual core of my village of support is my family. I am so blessed to have had my parents, David and Jenni Moore, who truly believed in me and encouraged me to be the best at everything I tried. Just as I wrapped up my final chemotherapy session last year, my Dad had a stroke and then, a cancer diagnosis. Just a little tiny dot on his fingernail was found to be a squamous cell carcinoma, and sadly he passed away in May after the cancer ravaged his body. I am struggling with this loss. It’s like a piece of my rock-solid foundation is gone, made doubly difficult with me having cancer and surviving it. My husband and partner for over 33 years is Johnny Gibson, who is a real estate agent and lifelong resident of Sulphur Springs. My oldest son, Kasey Tomasek, his wife Kristina, and his family are residents of Sulphur Springs. He owns and operates Business IT Service Corps, a local IT company focused on cybersecurity and technology management. My sweet little grands, Kali, age 1, Knox, 9; Karma, 14; and Jackie, 17, keep me coming back to Sulphur Springs as often as I can. Kade Gibson, the younger son, relocated to College Station and works as a data analytics consultant.

EGM: Do you have a mantra or a quote you live by?

SMG: “It’s not always what you can get, it’s also what you can give. People invested in me. If we can all do that, we can change our world for the better”. And, the rewards and milestones keep coming. Recently, I’ve seen something happen that’s probably the work that I am the most proud of over the last few years. In July, professors from Texas A&M University System were recognized as “Movement Makers” for their commitment to instructional excellence for student success within ACUE, or the Association of College and University Educators.

DRINKING FAUCET FROM THE

By Carey Gable

I have never considered myself much of a hiker. I mean, I would do a trail walk from time to time when I had gone to the lake, but I had never sought out trails or mountains or anything challenging of that sort. Yet for some reason, I decided to take the kids on a vacation down to Marfa and Big Bend (essentially, the hiking capital of Texas). Ironically, it wasn’t even Big Bend that got me, it was the relatively tame Fort Davis Mountains that whipped me like a government mule! I was both addicted to hiking and hating hiking simultaneously.

Usually, when you are taking a vacation with a 15 and seven year old, you want to plan activities. So what do you do when the place you are going is void of major towns, attractions, and kiddo spots? You hit up the state parks! Seriously, state parks are awesome year round fun. They always seem to have something going on that everyone can enjoy. We hit up the Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute, Balmorhea State Park, and, of course, Fort Davis State Park. All three of these had unique and fun features that we loved. And all of this was even before we made it to Big Bend!

We had set up operations in Marfa and from there

extended ourselves to explore all of south Texas. We woke up on that Tuesday morning early because we had reservations at Balmorhea, the natural spring pool is so popular that you have to buy tickets days ahead. After a refreshing swim and lunch, we stopped off at Fort Davis State Park. My son had spotted a trail route that he was desperate for us to explore since it went up one of the largest navigable mountains in the area.

As I picked up the trail guide at the ranger’s station, I should have been warned since the Indian Lodge Trail, the one my son had picked, was the only trail in the entire state park designated as “challenging.” We found a good parking spot, checked our water supply, footwear, shade and sunscreen, and, like a flash, we were off and up a trail that was clearly not as wellworn as some of the others that we had been enjoying.

The cactus, scrub brush, and rocks narrowed the trail in places, sometimes only a foot across. The trail wound and snaked up the side of a mountain. The plant life, the buzzing of insects, and the views of the mountain range made the first half mile up one of spectacular beauty and enchantment. My daughter was

hot and tired from the swim but enjoying herself as we conversed and stopped to pick out especially pretty flowers along the trail. It was then that we came to a crossroads. The Montezuma and Skyline trails swerved off in either direction, clearly keeping a lower elevation. (They were not “challenging.”) My son, perked up by the exhilaration of the views, encouraged and nagged us forward to continue on the Indian Lodge Trail as it moved precipitously north. He took off and scrambled up the trail to the point that we, my daughter and I, would have to call him to slow down or to wait for us.

Then the trail became a trudge of desert rock. It shifted quickly to a rougher terrain. Continuing to narrow and growing steeper, the perilousness of our venture was beginning to take shape. This was the “challenging” trail for a reason! My daughter, the most careful of us all, navigated it well with each precise step. I rocked as I climbed from rocky step to rocky step. The heat was fierce, the sun was blazing, and the wind zoomed through as if in a tunnel. We were cool, but tired and sun beaten. We broke out the water and began to drink deeply. After an hour, I assumed we were close to the top of the mountain. (We were not!)

We just kept climbing and climbing and climbing. My daughter eventually took turns riding on our backs. The slow ascent was paused for views that stole our breath and drops that steeled our nerve! It was, perhaps, the longest, most tedious, treacherous, and heartbreakingly beautiful mile of walking I had ever done.

When we finally reached the peak of the mountain (the map showed the descent to be much easier), my daughter and I raised our arms like Rocky when he finally ran the steps in Philadelphia! We had done it! We had conquered the behemoth! The rest of the way was just long straight diagonals with a couple of switch backs all the down to a paved road that would take us to the truck. Easy peasy!

Then I saw it… a traffic cone. Why would there be a traffic cone on the top of a mountain? Blowing in the breeze, taped to the top of the cone, was a single piece of paper… What nefarious trick could this be? I approached the cone like the Crocodile Hunter about to jump on a croc’s back. Once I was close enough, I snatched the paper in order to steady it enough to be read. “Descent Closed for

Renovation. Turn Around.”

I have never been punched in the gut by Mike Tyson, but it sure felt like I had been. Down that precarious, steep, tiny trail. Down that side that we had just come up? No. I stated it out loud like Wyatt Earp in Tombstone, “NO!” And just like Earp, I began walking. Straight. Right past the Curly Bill cone.

I understood the risks we were taking, but I understood the risks of trying to navigate down the ascent as well. The trail was a bit overgrown, but wide. The cactus was more spread out and the large rocks that peppered the ascent were replaced with pebbles. This trail, which wound down into a valley with a lodge at the end, was one thousand times easier than the steep “challenging” climb that we had just made.

We were a third of the way down when the first water bottle was exhausted. The second and third soon followed. The breeze was broken by the surrounding mountains, so the heat picked up substantially. That was when I understood how this trail was also a challenge. Near the halfway point, as I stepped down from stone, my foot hit the gravel pebbles and jutted out, leaving me in the splits across the entire trail, a foot at the base of a cactus! I was splayed out like I had been shot at the OK Corral! Holding the open water bottle up without spilling, it was a sign of small victory while laying on my back.

After the initial concern of me tumbling off the side of a mountain, the kids found my dirt covered bottom, where I had eventually plopped myself into the red sand, to be hilarious on my white shorts. Each step came a little shower of dirty sand into my shoe as I moved.

We were tired, hot, thirsty, and laughing uproariously as we exited the trail into the Indian Lodge parking lot. We had made it!

Yellow traffic cone! Another traffic cone perched at the end of the parking lot. I strode over like I was John Wayne. Reading the attached paper, “Trail head closed. Turn around.” I sauntered right past that cone without a hesitation! Right into a ten foot high chain-link fence!

THAT was what the renovation was for! The Indian Lodge was under a major remodel and the entirety of the property was fenced off for safety measures, including the trailhead. It all made sense now. But there was absolutely no way I was taking

ADVENTURE

another two hour hike around that mountain again when I could see the paved road that ran back to the truck just on the other side of the lodge.

Forming a single file line, we skirted the fence line, staying as close as we could to chain-link. Cactus and shrubs jutted out at various intervals, but we negotiated under, around, and above them. For another two hundred yards, we scurried like mice against a wall. Until finally, finally…. We emerged!

We emerged to the absolute most gorgeous trash dump I had ever seen! I didn’t care that it stank of week old vegetables and motor oil. I didn’t care that trash cans were piled up in one corner. I couldn’t care less that Vienna sausage cans were strewn around the trash as evidence of missed “shots” at the trash cans!

I was so happy to be off the truly beautiful mountain that the truly disgusting trash heaps now looked immaculate! I had found my heaven, for that moment!

We, all three, turned the corner to make the easy, paved, walk back to the truck. Thirsty and hot, we were fairly miserable. The first camp site we came to, I took the water bottles and held them under the exposed faucet, filling them to the brim with lukewarm water. I handed the bottles to the children as I cupped my hands and slurped the water directly from my upturned palms.

The kids looked at me in absolute HORROR! I was confused.

“You can’t drink that!” My son stated.

“What?” I was still confused.

“Is that water even safe to drink or

touch?” My daughter enquired.

“Guys, this is what is called ‘drinking from the faucet.’ We did it all the time when I was growing up. No filter, no bottle, just straight water. Yes, you can drink it.”

I took three or four more strong pulls on the tap water before they were convinced. Then, they too drank deeply from the well of the faucet water.

It only took two hours of heat, treacherous trekking, half scaling a fence, and the discovery of the most beautiful trash heap in the world to compel them to try faucet water, but they did. I didn’t know that was going to be my goal when I started the trail hike that day, but I am counting it a win. Plus, we are all three sold on hiking for life!

Jalapeño Popper Dip

Provided by Whitney Vaughan

INGREDIENTS: DIRECTIONS:

4 jalapeños, seeded & finely diced (or 1 (4oz) can of diced jalapeños)

1 (4 oz) can green chiles

4 oz cream cheese, softened

1 (5.3 oz) container plain Greek yogurt

1.5 c sharp cheddar cheese, shredded & divided

6 slices of bacon, well done & crumbled

1/2 tsp onion powder

1/4 tsp garlic powder

1. Preheat oven to 375*. Spray an 8x8 baking dish with cooking spray & set aside.

2. Stir together the jalapeños, green chiles, cream cheese, yogurt, 1 cup cheddar cheese, bacon, onion powder & garlic powers in a large bowl until combined.

3. Pour into the prepared baking dish, spread evenly and top with 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese.

4. Bake 15-20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly.

Serve with pita chips, buttery round crackers, sweet bell peppers or toasted baguette slices.

By Butch Burney

If you leave Hopkins County in October without a full stomach, you have only yourself to blame.

The autumn month begins with the Cattleman’s Classic and Ribeye Roundup and ends with the 54th Annual Hopkins County Stew Festival, and has so much for you to do in between.

STEW FESTIVAL

The Stew Festival, presented by Alliance Bank, last year drew about 7,500 people to Buford Park for all-you-caneat beef and chicken stew, cooked up in more than 150 pots. Service time begins at 10:45 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 28. The origin of Hopkins County stew began around the turn of the century when all the school districts in the county would

gather together around cottonpicking time to enjoy stew made from what was grown locally – tomatoes, potatoes, onion and corn. The recipe has stayed somewhat the same, but the competition continues to heat up as locals vie for Frank Sears’ hand-made trophies and the title as the best stew cook in the county.

Tickets are $8 each for those 13 and over. Children 12 years and younger will eat free this year, thanks to Signature Solar’s sponsorship, but they still need a ticket.

Tickets can be purchased online at HopkinsChamber. org or at the Chamber office, 110 Main St. Tickets can also be purchased at our financial institutions which include Alliance Bank, City National Bank, First National Bank of East Texas, Guaranty Bank

and Trust, Pilgrim Bank, Red River Credit Union, and Texas Heritage National Bank. There will be a free Fun Zone, sponsored by One Church, that will include Gellyball, bounce houses and kids’ games. That means free fun for children!

There will also be a vendor market with more than 30 local booths.

City National Bank will be sponsoring the Friday night festivities, Oct. 27, including a concert and appetizer contest.

RIBEYE ROUNDUP

Get your tickets and get your stew on, and while you’re at it, don’t miss out on the stew merch, including T-shirts, tumblers, mugs, stickers and hoodies.

While the stew festival ends

the month, the NETBIO Cattleman’s Classic and Ribeye Roundup is a great way to start the month. The steak cook-off is set for Saturday, Oct. 7, at Celebration Plaza. Dinner is served at 6:30 p.m.

Tickets are $35 and can be purchased at Texas Heritage National Bank or online at TexasHNB.com. A ticket includes a large custom-cooked ribeye, baked potato, salad, roll and dessert.

In addition, there will be a Kids Steak Challenge earlier in the day and a free concert featuring Seth Ward at 8 p.m. on the downtown stage.

MAIN STREET UNCORKED

That will whet your taste buds for the following weekend when Main Street Uncorked comes to downtown on Oct. 14, from 1-7 p.m.

The wine and music festival, presented by Jay Hodge Chevrolet, will feature wine from some of the best Texas wineries, local vendors and talented musical artists. Tickets, which include a wine bag and souvenir glass, are $10 in advance; $15 at the gate. They can be purchased at MainStreetUncorkedSS.com.

In addition to the wine entries, the Jeb Brooks Band will be on stage from 1 to 3 p.m. and Nevermind from 4 to 7 p.m.

HELP A CHILD

The following weekend, Oct. 21, will feature the 16th Annual Help-a-Child Benefit, with proceeds going to the Northeast Texas Child Advocacy Center and Scottish Rite Hospital for Children.

The huge event will take place at the Hopkins County Civic Center, beginning at daylight with the chili and brisket cook-off. Other events that day include a livestock show, ag mechanics show and silent auction, bounce houses and a raffle for a Kubota X900 with trailer.

Show up for not only a good time but a great cause.

FALL FESTIVAL

The month not only ends with the stew festival but also the 54th Annual Fall Festival, sponsored by Nottingham’s Sulphur Springs Dodge, at the Civic Center.

The festival includes a parade at 10 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, and events on Friday, Oct. 27 and Saturday, Oct. 28. These include trade and vendor booths, a Kids Zone, Creative Arts Contest and Craft Show.

Come to Hopkins County in October and experience what we have to offer. You won’t be disappointed.

On Monday, Aug. 14, Hopkins County native Lisa Sprague was appointed to serve as the new Texas AgriLife Extension Office Family and Community Health Agent for Hopkins County. She was the top candidate to fill the position vacated by Johanna Hicks, who retired in January 2023.

Sprague was born and raised in Hopkins County. Her father and grandfather ran a small dairy. Sprague attended Sulphur Springs High School. She married her high school sweetheart, Duane Sprague, a 27-year veteran of the Sulphur Springs Fire Department. They have two sons, ages 27 and almost 25, as well as a 22-year-old daughter. The pair also has two grandchildren.

Sprague owned her own photography studio in Sulphur Springs for several years and was busy raising her children. In 2009, she began working as a paraprofessional working with special needs students at North Hopkins ISD and working on her degree from Stephen F. Austin State University. She earned her

Lisa Sprague

FORMER

HOPKINS COUNTY

TEACHER NAMED NEW EXTENSION AGENT

By Tammy Vinson

bachelor of science degree in interdisciplinary studies in 2014, and later, her Texas teacher certification. Sprague taught English for two years before moving into the family and consumer sciences position, where she focused on building North Hopkins ISD’s culinary arts program.

In addition to her teaching duties, Sprague chartered North Hopkins ISD’s chapter of Family, Career and Community Leaders of America chapter. Under her leadership, student members traveled to two conferences each year. Once established, Sprague’s culinary arts classes began catering events for the community.

“Once we established our name, people were eager to hire kids,” Sprague said.

Sprague is an avid quilter and has been heavily involved in the craft for the last eight years.

“I got the cooking part from one of my grandmothers,” she said proudly, “and the quilting part from the other one.”

When asked how she got the position,

Sprague said, “I had been entering student projects in the Fall Festival for several years. In 2022, [now-former Extension Agent] Johanna [Hicks] told me she was retiring, and that really piqued my interest. The agent position included so many of the things I loved about teaching, and it seemed like the next step in my family and consumer science career. The bonus is that I’ll still be working with kids through 4-H, but now I’ll also be working with adults.

“I really want to grow and empower these kids through 4-H competitions,” Sprague said. “Whether their interests are food, fashion, public speaking—there are so many things they can do through 4-H.”

During her tenure as the new Hopkins County AgriLife Family and Community Health Agent, Sprague plans to continue the diabetes education program Hicks began. Sprague also hopes to grow the Extension Office’s food service program. She is a certified proctor for food management certification courses, which restaurant and catering employees are required to take.

“Ideally, I want to start offering classes through the AgriLife Extension office,” Sprague said. “I’d like to

build a program that local restaurants can periodically take advantage of by sending their employees to us for training and certification.”

Sprague said she plans to work on assessing what Hopkins County’s needs are and developing or growing programs to fit that need. She plans to support the Texas AgriLife Extension Service’s Walk Across Texas, a program designed to help Texas be more active and establish a habit of regular physical activity. In addition, Sprague wants to build other nutrition programs and get Hopkins County residents involved in Texas AgriLife’s Heart Strong program, which educates people about healthy lifestyle habits to prevent heart disease and connects participants to community resources.

She also wants to grow the list of participating Master Wellness volunteers from its current roster of 13 people. The program’s goal is to promote health and wellbeing. Sprague will be training in the Mount Pleasant AgriLife Extension office during September and will assume her new role in Hopkins County Oct. 1.

“I’m very excited about this new venture,” Sprague said of her new position. “I can’t wait to get started!”

Lisa Sprague and her husband, Duane

Cattlemen’s Classic and Ribeye Roundup

By Faith Huffman

Hopkins County and the Northeast Texas community will celebrate a very important industry — beef cattle — on Oct. 7. Once at the top of the dairy industry, the local farm economy was a few decades ago, as the industry changed more and more dairy farmers sold out of necessity adapted, with many bovine designated for beef.

Northeast Texas Beef Improvement Organization was formed to help promote and support those beef farmers, whether it be by providing education to the public or sponsoring events such as the monthly sales or the Cattleman’s Classic and Ribeye Roundup. On this 25th anniversary, NETBIO will be holding what is one of if not the largest co-mingling and preconditioned sales in Texas and across the South, according to Hopkins County AgriLife Extension Agent Dr. Mario Villarino. This sale allows small producers to sell their calves in lots, generating more money and opportunity to sell in special markets they would not be able to reach on a one-on-one basis. Some buyers come from as far away as New York to buy and sell cattle through NETBIO, according to the Extension agent.

The City of Sulphur Springs became involved a few years back, seeing an opportunity to showcase the beef industry on the revitalized downtown square. The NETBIO Cattleman’s Classic will be returning to the downtown square Oct. 7.

Local producers will be on hand that day to answer questions and talk one-on-one about the industry and their story, for those who are interested. This helps families, children and those who do not have a farming background to connect with the beef industry, to help celebrate the farming lifestyle and how critical farming is in this county for a healthy lifestyle.

Local officials are also scheduled to once again issue a proclamation officially designating Oct. 7, 2023, as Beef Day in Sulphur Springs, to honor beef’s history and importance to the area.

Beef Day will feature a steak cook off, junior championship, hors d’oeuvres contest, open division cook-off. After all of the awards are presented and there will be a free concert from Seth Ward & The Silence. Those who purchase a ticket, in advance, can enjoy a ribeye cooked on site. It was decided that simply hosting a contest and eating the ribeyes was not enough, however, to fully educate the general public about the beef industry, the process of a product from farm to the plate and the entities involved. Thus, an educational component called a Cattle Drive was added to the annual Cattleman’s Classic and Ribeye Roundup.

NETBIO collaborates with Texas A&M UniversityCommerce and other local agricultural youth programs

from the local high school to host a flea market style cattle drive with different stations set up throughout downtown to help the general public better understand what goes into beef production, sales, standards and guidelines, and how those things affect pricing. These A&M-Commerce and Sulphur Springs High School students cover all five major components of beef production from economic, biological , environmental to input. You can learn the difference between cuts of beef and age of beef, and monetary and protein values and ways for people on fixed incomes to have red meat without breaking the bank. If the budget does not extend to sirloin, there are cuts such as flatiron that will give some steak. For instance, some might not know the difference between sorted and classified meat (USDA certification and standards).

“It’s important for the community to know we need them and they need us too,” Villarino said.

The Cattle Drive will be open for all interested (there will be information and possibly even a few giveaways to take home) from 2:30 to 4:30 p.m. Oct. 7.

The Cattleman’s Classic is made possible by local contributors, with Texas Heritage Bank serving as not only the title sponsor but coordinator for online cook-off registration and ticket sales. Brookshire’s will be providing the ribeyes to be cooked for the general public. Additional partners include Jay Hodge Chevrolet of Sulphur Springs, Lone Star Ag Credit and Corner Grubhouse.

Additional committed sponsors as of the beginning of September included Sulphur Springs Livestock, R&K Distributing, Buff City Soap, Corner Grub House, Texas Farm Credit, Seth’s Lake Fork Creek, ETXD Broadcasting, Elanco Animal Health, Ameritas, Benefit and Financial Strategies, Farmers Co-Op, G5 Cattle Company and Farm Country.

Villarino said it’s exciting to see the local youth interested in competing in the two junior championship divisions. Last year, the top ribeye overall was prepared by a junior competitor, who comes from at least three generations of farmers, and who competed alongside her parents in the cooking challenge.

The contest is judged by a panel of out-of-town guests experienced in various sectors of the beef industry.

Those eating with time constraints may want to look for booths with yellow flaps that are open during serving of the ribeyes as these individuals have been designated to help handle the load of meat grilling in a timely manner.

All are invited to stop by downtown anytime Oct. 7 to learn more about the beef industry, local producers and agricultural youth, and enjoy a ribeye prepared onsite.

All her life, Bailey Dorner has been around sports, being introduced early as a coach’s kid. That early exposure had led her down a path of success in high school and college sports, then as a coach and recently earning the promotion to girls athletic coordinator for Sulphur Springs ISD.

“Dorner is a great coach that really cares about our athletes. She is also a great teacher and will do whatever  it takes to help her students be successful,” Sulphur Springs Athletic Director Brandon Faircloth said. “She is a leader on our campus, and I am excited to watch her serve our players and coaches as our new girls athletic coordinator.”

Dorner, a Mount Vernon native, was a multisport athlete at Mount Vernon High School. There, she was a standout player in volleyball, basketball and softball.

After graduation, Dorner attended the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor on a softball scholarship; she played as a catcher and earned her bachelor’s degree in education. She also earned a master’s degree in athletic administration from Texas A&M UniversityCommerce.

Having been a coach’s kid and growing up in a family of teachers, Dorner witnessed several

Bailey Dorner

SULPHUR SPRINGS’ NEW GIRLS ATHLETIC COORDINATOR

By DJ Spencer

examples of educators. She cited this as her main decision to pursue a career as a teacher and coach.

“I’ve been a coach’s kid my whole life, and I have numerous aunts, uncles, and cousins who were educators,” Dorner said. “The Lord also gave me a passion for working with kids, and a passion for sports, which is a great combination.”

After college, Dorner began her career at Sulphur Springs High School during the 201718 school year, and is now in her seventh year at Sulphur Springs ISD. She served as an assistant volleyball coach and assistant softball coach for two years, before being promoted to head volleyball coach for the 2019-20 school year. In each of Dorner’s seasons as head volleyball coach, the Lady Wildcats have been a playoff team.

In her first season, the Lady Wildcats went 24-18 overall, narrowly qualifying for the playoffs in the fourth place spot. In the playoffs, they defeated the Hallsville Lady Bobcats in the first round, before falling to the Forney Lady Jackrabbits in the Area round.

Dorner’s second season was heavily affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“That year was crazy, because we didn’t get to play in any tournaments and not many

preseason games,” Dorner said. “It seemed like we practiced forever, until we finally got to play that season.”

Despite the delayed start, the Lady Wildcats would go on to finish as district champions that year, finishing 15-8 overall. In the playoffs, they defeated the Tyler Lady Lions in the Bi-District round, before losing to the North Forney Lady Falcons in the Area round.

In Dorner’s third season, the Lady Wildcats went 1917 overall, finishing fourth in their district. They would lose to the Lufkin Lady Panthers in the opening round of the playoffs.

Dorner’s fourth season would see the Lady Wildcats go 20-18 overall, placing third in their district. Unfortunately, they would once again lose in the opening round of the playoffs, this time to the Van Lady Vandals.

Dorner pointed out that volleyball has grown a lot not only in Sulphur Springs, but in the surrounding areas.

“Volleyball has grown a lot in the last 10 years. In the past, you had to go to the Metroplex area to play volleyball outside of school, and now club volleyball has started to make its way towards Sulphur Springs and the surrounding areas,” Dorner said. “Our middle school volleyball numbers are getting bigger as well, and more kids are starting to play at a younger age.”

“Originally, you didn’t start playing volleyball until seventh grade,” Dorner said. “It’s a lot of fun seeing young kids start playing at an earlier age.”

In addition to being the head volleyball coach, Dorner has maintained her position as an assistant softball coach.

“I’ve been an assistant softball coach under David Carrillo ever since I arrived at Sulphur Springs,” Dorner said. “I primarily work with pitchers, catchers, and infielders, and I’m responsible for calling pitches.”

“I’ve gotten to work with several great pitchers since I’ve been here, including Bailey Haggerty and Crimson Bryant,” Dorner added. “We have two great pitchers stepping up this year in Graci Adair and Abbey Goldsmith.”

Recently, Dorner’s hard work with the girls athletics program has led to the promotion to girls athletic coordinator, a move that Dorner had dreamed of accomplishing one day.

“Mike Meador, the previous assistant athletic director, moved on and our administration decided to restructure, which led to me getting the promotion,” Dorner said. “This is a dream role for me, because I know how important girls athletics is, and I’m thankful to work for an administration team that appreciates girls athletics. “It makes me feel good that they trust me with helping grow the girls athletics

program,” Dorner added. “They also trust me to help the athletes grow as young women, and that they are successful.”

While receiving the promotion to girls athletic coordinator is a huge accomplishment, Dorner also noted more goals she would like to accomplish at Sulphur Springs ISD.

“As far as I know, the volleyball team has never made it to the third round of the playoffs, so I’d like to accomplish that, and set new school records,” Dorner said. “It’s also every coach’s dream to lead a team to a state championship one day, which is something else I’d like to accomplish, especially since we’re on the right track as a program.”

“In softball, we’re also hoping to reach the regional finals,” Dorner added. “As girls athletic coordinator, I wanna see the girls athletics program grow, and be unified as a program.”

Growing up not too far from Sulphur Springs and having family in the area, Dorner had no plans to leave Sulphur Springs any time soon.

“Being from Mount Vernon and my husband, Landon, being from Sulphur Bluff, both of our families are here,” Dorner said. “Sulphur Springs is a great place to work, and I plan to be here for a while.”

Dorner and her husband live in Sulphur Springs, and have a daughter, Collins.

BIGGEST THREATS to a comfortable retirement?

If you save and invest for decades, you’d like to know you can retire without financial worries. Nonetheless, you still have to be aware of some threats to a comfortable retirement — and how to respond to them.

These threats include:

• Inflation – Inflation has been high recently, but even a mild inflation rate can seriously erode your purchasing power. In fact, with just a 3% inflation rate, your expenses could double in about 25 years — and your retirement could easily last that long. So, if you’re going to rely on your investment portfolio for a sizable part of your retirement income, you will need to own a reasonable number of growth-oriented investments, such as stocks or stock-based funds, whose potential returns can equal or exceed the inflation rate.

• Excessive withdrawals – Once you retire, you should establish a withdrawal rate for your portfolio — an amount you can take out each year and still feel secure that you won’t run out of money. Some people make the mistake of withdrawing too much, too soon, once they’re retired. Your withdrawal rate should be based on several factors, including your age at retirement, the size of your portfolio and the amount of income you receive from other sources, such as Social Security. A financial professional can help you determine a withdrawal rate that’s appropriate for your needs.

• Market volatility – The financial markets will always fluctuate. When you’re still working, this volatility may not be such a problem, as you have years or decades to recover from short-term downturns. But when you retire, you don’t want to have to sell investments when their price is down. To help prevent this, you can tap into the cash in your portfolio, assuming you have enough to cover several months’ worth of living expenses. You could also draw on a CD “ladder” — a

group of CDs that mature at different times — to provide you with resources for the next few years and allow your equity investments time to recover their value.

• Unexpected costs – You had them when you were working, and you’ll probably have them when you’re retired: the furnace that breaks down, the car that needs a major repair, and so on. But if you’ve established an emergency fund containing a year’s worth of living expenses, with the money kept in a liquid account, you may be able to “ride out” these costs without jeopardizing your investment portfolio. Be sure to keep these reserves separate from your typical day-to-day accounts to avoid the temptation of spending your emergency money.

• Health – Retirees may face more health concerns than younger people, and those concerns often come with larger medical bills. That’s why it’s important to maximize the benefits from Medicare or your Medicare Advantage plan. Also, if you contributed to a Health Savings Account (HSA) while you were working, and you haven’t depleted it, you can use the money in retirement. As long as the HSA funds are used for qualified medical expenses, withdrawals are tax- and penalty-free, and won’t be included in your income. This could help keep your income below certain levels, lower your Medicare premiums or avoid the 3.8% surtax on net investment income that can be assessed on high-net-worth taxpayers.

Retirement can be a pleasant time in your life — and you’ll enjoy it more if you’re prepared for the challenges that face all retirees.

Provided By Frank Conrad, Financial Advisor Edward Jones | (903) 885-8747

Mike Horne is a local entrepreneur. He and his wife, Mallory, have owned Latson’s.com since 2012. Mike is an active member of Rotary International, as well as a board member for the Hopkins County Chamber of Commerce, the Northeast Texas Children’s Museum and the Sulphur Springs Soccer Association. He is the current chairman of

the Hopkins County Appraisal District Board of Directors. Mike is a “big believer in small businesses, which are the heartbeat of small towns like Sulphur Springs. He wants to encourage people to think about where they shop and who supports the community. “I can’t tell you one local soccer team that Amazon has supported,” he said.

1. Are you the youngest, middle or oldest child?

I am a middle child. I have an older sister, an older brother and a younger brother.

2. What is your favorite quote?

“Leadership is an action, not a position” by Donald McGannon

3. What is number one on your bucket list?

I would say currently number one on my bucket list is skydiving. I turned 40 years old in 2020 and we scheduled to go skydiving with a group of friends, but the weather was bad so we were not able to go. We have tried to reschedule a few other times and the weather has been bad each time. My goal is to do this by the end of the year.

4. What’s your biggest pet peeve?

This is a funny question because I am OCD. I have a lot of small pet peeves because I am very particular about how my environment is around me. My wife jokes that I have to straighten the house even if it is already straightened. But, I guess if I had to pick just one pet peeve, then it would be

…. wet socks. I hate wet socks. If I know that it is going to rain, then I will always bring an extra pair of socks and shoes.

5. What skill would you like to master?

Woodworking - I am intrigued by people who can start with a pile of wood and an idea, then end up with a beautiful piece of furniture. I am handy with my hands, but I lack the skill to build a piece of furniture from scratch.

6. If you could trade places with anyone for a week, who would it be?

MacGyver - I know MacGyver is a TV character, but it sure would be fun to be on a mission and be able build some crazy gadget to save the world.

7. Who is your hero?

I don’t really have a hero. I would say the closest person I have had in my life to a hero is my High School football coach, Joe Allen. Coach Allen taught me a lot of life lessons: leadership, teamwork, communication and perseverance.

8. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I see myself still in Sulphur Springs with my

THINGS ABOUT MIKE HORNE

wife, raising our boys. My oldest son will be starting his freshman year in college and my youngest son will be starting his freshman year in high school.

9. What is something you’ve always wanted to do, but have never tried?

I have always wanted to run a marathon. I have run/walked a half marathon, but I have never committed the time to train for a full marathon.

10. Would you consider yourself an introvert or an extrovert?

At work, I am more of an extrovert but in my personal life I am more of an introvert. I guess I have a split personality.

11. What is your proudest accomplishment?

My family - I have been married to Mallory for 16 years and I have two awesome boys, Mason, age 13 and Hudson, age 9. I also have 3 fur babies, Stella, Batman and Little Dog, (yes this is really his name).

12. What do you think is the most essential professional skill?

Relationship building - I did not understand this when I was younger, but I

believe that you are either trying to build relationships in life or you are trying to tear them down.

13. If you had a warning label, what would it say? I am going to steal this one from my kids: Warning- Grumpy Old Man.

14. If money was no object, what would you do all day?

Travel the world with my family. There are so many beautiful and amazing places in the world to see. I think my next place to visit abroad is going to be Greece.

15. If you could share a meal with four individuals, living or dead, who would they be?

This is easy: My mom, Mallory, Mason and Hudson. My mom, Judy, died of cancer when I was 29. She passed away before both of my boys were born. I know that my boys would have loved getting to know her and all her quirks.