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2013 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine
KILG RE
OMPASS KILGORE C
KILG
RE
MAGAZINE
Sales
Mary Ramos Fallon Burns
Creative Director Amanda Reel Christina Massey
Contributing Writers Fallon Burns John Grubbs Mary Ramos
Contributing Photographers Sean Landry Southwest Studios
Christina Massey
Christina Massey Photography
Mailing Address 421 North Center Street, Suite A Longview, TX 75601
Contact Us Office: (903) 757.4444 Fax: (903) 236.7541 MaryRamos@msn.com
www.KilgoreMagazine.com
C Contents
ILGORE OMPASS
FEATURES
8 Pistol Packin’ Mama’s By Mary Ramos
12 25 Romantic Ideas for
8
Valentines Day
13 The Origins and Means of Valentines Day
14 East Texas Treatment Center
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By Fallon Burns
20 Cave People and Seaweed
By John Grubbs
24 Making Your Senior Year
The Best Years of Your Life
24 View, download or subscribe to Kilgore Magazine online.
ON THE COVER East Texas Treatment Center Director Merlyn Holmes, and Marketing Director Amber Taylor talk about giving back. Photo by: Sean Landry
Copyright by Kilgore Magazine. Reproduction or use, without express written permission from Kilgore Magazine, or any portion of this publication is prohibited. While reasonable efforts have been taken in the preparation of this publication to assure its accuracy, Kilgore Magazine does not assume liability resulting from any errors in or ommision from this publication, or from use of the information contained herein.
Advertise in Kilgore Magazine! To purchase advertising space or submit editorial stories,
call 903-757-4444 or email MaryRamos@msn.com
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Calendar of Events FEBRUARY 1-28 1 2 7 12 12 13 14 18 28
Black History Month, Gregg County Historical Museum Black History Opening Day Reception, Gregg County Historical Museum, 6:00 pm-7:30 pm Groundhog Day First Thursday Downtown Shopping, 9 am till Lincoln’s Birthday Mardi Gras Ash Wednesday Valentine’s Day President’s Day and Washington’s Birthday Kilgore Citizens Police Academy, 6:30-8:30 pm
MARCH 7 7 8 10 14 11-15 16 17 17 20 21 22 23 23 28 29 31 31
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First Thursday Downtown Shopping, 9 am till Kilgore Citizens Police Academy, 6:30-8:30 pm Community Concert, Ricky Nelson Remembered Daylight Saving (start) Kilgore Citizens Police Academy, 6:30-8:30 pm Kilgore College, KISD and E. T Christian School Spring Break Kilgore Horseshoe Oil Classic, 9 am, City Park St. Patrick’s Day Meika Brooke’s Strides for Babies Walk-A-Thon, arialcopeland@yahoo.com First day of Spring Kilgore Citizens Police Academy, 6:30-8:30 pm Kilgore Chamber/Lone Star Lug Nuts Classic Car Cruise Night, 6 pm till Lone Star Lug Nuts Classic Car Show, City Park, 8:30am-3:30 pm East Texas Treatment Center Dance Kilgore Citizens Police Academy, 6:30-8:30 pm Good Friday – Chamber closed Easter Highland Park Baptist Church Sunrise Service, 7 am
APRIL 1 4 4 5 10 11 11 12 13 13 16 18 19 19-20 22 24 25 26 27 29
April Fool’s Day First Thursday Downtown Shopping, 9 am till Kilgore Citizens Police Academy, 6:30-8:30 pm Friday After 5 Concert, World’s Richest Acre, 7 pm Rangerette Revels, Dodson Auditorium, 7 pm Rangerette Revels, Dodson Auditorium,7 pm Kilgore Citizens Police Academy, 6:30-8:30 pm Rangerette Revels, Dodson Auditorium, 7 pm Rangerette Revels, Dodson Auditorium, 1 and 7 pm Dalton Days, Longview Fair Grounds, Rodeo Arena Kilgore Chamber Taste, Trade & Music Fest, World’s Richest Acre, 5-7 pm Kilgore Citizens Police Academy, 6:30-8:30 pm Relay for Life Longview PRCA Rodeo, Rodeo Arena Earth Day Administrative Professionals Day Kilgore Citizens Police Academy, 6:30-8:30 pm Kilgore Church Women, 11:30 am Spring Fling, Historic Downtown Kilgore, 9 am till City Early Voting Begins (until May 7th)
Kilgore Welcomes Newest 2013 Chamber of Commerce Chairman
V�� P����
“I think we can move forward. This chamber exist to serve the community and our memberships. As a chairman, that is first and foremost on my mind.” 5
10 REASON Why
shop at a locally owned business first?
The following 10 reasons show how more money spent at local businesses is reinvested in your community creating diversity and helping the community maintain or create its unique appeal. 1. Shopping local creates jobs. Shops in our town create local employment and self-employment. These people in turn spend in the local community. 2. Local
independent shops invest more in our communities.
Local businesses are proportionately more generous in their support of local charities, schools and community events. Supporting local shops means a financial impact on your community. 3. Local
shops sell a wide range of great products at affordable prices.
Many people fall out of the habit of shopping locally and are then surprised by the range of products and gifts available. 4. Shopping local saves you money. Out of town shops have done a good job of convincing us that local business equals expensive. If you add travel, fees to transfer items and your time, the overall cost is often much higher. 5. Shopping local retains our communities. People don’t like losing shops and services in small towns but don’t equate this to how they spend their money. 6. Shopping local retains our distinctiveness. Independent shops create distinctive shopping experiences and stock different products. Local businesses respond quickly to the needs of local customers, stocking products to meet the changing population needs. 7. Shopping local saves the environment. Local shops often stock a high percentage of local sourced goods which do not require long car and bus journeys, helping reduce our global footprint. 8. Local shops are for everyone. Most people can get to their local shops easily and this is especially important for the elderly and young generations and those without transportation. 9. Local shops value you more. Evidence from numerous surveys show people receive better customer care and service locally. These businesses survive by their reputation and repeat business, which means you get a higher standard of service. 10. Shopping local saves services. Private and public sector services tend to cluster around shops. As shops disappear so do hairdressers, banks, restaurants, etc. 6
What is Family Camp?
Family Camp is an all-inclusive family vacation like no other. Our three amazing facilities offer an ideal setting for your family to spend a week of vacation.
Cruise ship meets Camping
We take care of your family’s meals and activities throughout the week, giving you the choice to participate in as much or as little as you want. (To see all the fun activities we offer, please visit pinecove.com/familycamp.)
Family time vs. parent time
We want your week at Pine Cove to not only be fun and relaxing, but to also be meaningful! Therefore, we provide childcare for portions of the day, giving the parents a chance to hear from one of our renowned speakers on topics such as parenting, marriage, or Biblical truth. (To see whom is speaking on what, please visit pinecove.com/familycamp.)
Watch what other families have to say about Family Camp!
Shooters Stand Iby…. PIstol Packin’ Mama’s In the House
By Mary Ramos
“On a very hot July day at 2:00 pm in the parking lot of the Luf kin Mall.. I was attacked by a man with a gun.” I
was working in sales for a local radio station in Lufkin. I had parked in the parking lot closest to one of my advertising customers, JC Penny’s. A 40 year old white man parked in a bronze Cherokee truck sitting to the right of my car got out of his truck, rounded the end of my car raising his gun on me as he came. He was insistent that I go with him. With my car door open, I was blocked in by the car next to me and this very large man. I fought, but he got the upper hand strangling me until I passed out. As darkness took over, I remember him leaning over me on the ground. If not for the two teenage girls that pulled into the space in front of my car inquiring if I had passed out from heat, I feel certain I would have died that day. Their presence caused him to let go of me, run to his truck and flee. I was able to see his license plate and while running into JC Penny’s repeated it over and over. I was able to write the license platenumber down before passing out a second time. While at the hospital having X-Rays for a possible broken jaw I learned I wasn’t his first victim. Larry Dale Davis had been convicted of murder 14 years prior and had been sentenced to 99 years. After serving 12 years he was released from prison. Had things been differently that day, I would have been his second victim. I’ve been asked why I fought, how I got the license number and where he is now. Instinct and self preservation made me strong. Larry Dale Davis is living out the next 55 years in the Huntsville State Prison. There are other women that have been attacked. Some of their
stories are much worse than mine. I’ve told my story to several women’s groups. It’s a certainty that a woman will come up to me afterwards and share her personal story. On more than one occasion, I discovered they had never shared their story with anyone. Women live with the fear of being attacked. Self Preservation and confidence in handling a gun is the success behind the Pistol Packin’ Mama’s Club. It’s a handgun safety class with the intent to promote a safe environment for women to learn the essentials of defensive handgun safety, manipulation and shooting. This is open to all women over the age of 18. They are affiliated with the East Texas Rifle and Pistol Club and endorsed by the Longview Police Department. The classes consist of a series of four classes, each of which last four hours divided between classroom and range. Their goal is simple… build confidence. The East Texas Rifle and Pistol Club owns a 375 acre shooting range located off of I20. The range is available 7 days a week and is accessible by an electronic key. The range is also handicap accessible. While waiting for class to begin David Kidder, one of the instructors and range officers noted, “I didn’t realize how relaxing it is out here.” I had the opportunity to talk to some of the women currently enrolled in the Pistol Packin’ Mama’s Class. All the women in the class had high praises for Dawn Rader, President of the Pistol Packin’ Mama’s Club for the education and safety put into the classes. Pat Smith is taking the class with her adult daughters, Teresa Owen and Paula BonDurant. “I’ve handled a gun and already have my license but I take the course as often as I can,” says Pat, “The more you handle a gun, the more comfortable you are with it.” Daughters, Teresa Owen and Paula BonDurant, shot guns when they were little. Paula says “I took the class for safety reasons, we have guns in our home and were just not comfortable with them.” Paula’s son is 15 and has taken the safety classes.
She is already making plansfor her daughters to go through the course as well. Teresa said, “I want to be more comfortable carrying my gun.” Pistol Packing Mama’s empowers women to take care of themselves. It’s not just a class about handling a gun. Sheree Mitchell lives out in the country. Her husband is a gun enthusiast and has experience but she did not feel comfortable handling a gun. Now that she is retired she wanted to become confident in handling guns. “This has been a wonderful class for women of all ages,” said Sheree. Cynde Bell is a single mom and lives alone. “I have a shotgun but was very uncomfortable with a pistol until I took this course,” said Cynde, At the shooting range, Alex Azar, concealed handgun licence instructor covers all the safety rules and details on how this practice shoot will go. The women stand alert and ready, confident in what they will do. Alex takes charge,
FIRE!”
“Shooters, load and make ready………
“I strongly recommend this course for EVERY woman.” -Cynde Bell
For More Information Dawn Rader 903-212-7468 dawnrader@hotmail.com www.etrpc.com
Managed Services Wireless and Security Web Sites and Databases Servers and Workstations Interactive Boards and Projectors Systems Engineers and Support Warranty and Installation Services eMail and VOIP Phone Platforms
Longview (903) 757-5900
Tyler (903) 581-7000
Computerlandeasttexas.com
East Texas Treatment Center Presents
80s
S d a R y l Total
March 23rd, 2013 7pm till Midnight Henderson Civic Center
Featuring the Band
WindsTorM
Dinner • Dancing Silent Auction For more information call:
903.984.5571
2013 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine
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25 Romantic Ideas for
Valentine's Day
Romantic Ideas and tips on what you can do on this special heartfelt occassion 1. Get up a bit early and make your partner breakfast in bed 2. Let them sleep in and you take over the morning parenting duties 3. Hire a masseuse to come over after work to work on your love’s back and neck 4. Dinner at their favorite restaurant 5. Take them a special lunch at work 6. Hide a love note in the lunch they take to work 7. Send them a provocative picture of you on your cell phone 8. Surprise them with a weekend away at a romantic B&B 9. Create a CD of their favorite music for them 10. Write them a poem 11. Make them their favorite dinner/meal 12. Detail their car and put a big bow on it 13. Sign them up for Fruit of the month club 14. Buy them day pass for a spa 15. Holding a sign saying “I LOVE YOU!” 16. Fill a jar with handwritten notes and poems about the things you love about your partner or leave love notes all over the house 17. Give her/him a foot rub 18. Take them back to the first place you went out 19. Create a PowerPoint slideshow with pictures of you both, set to music 20. Give her/him a handwritten list of all the things you love about them 21. Make a note with candy bars on a big sheet of poster board 22. Fill their car with balloons and tie a huge helium filled I LOVE YOU balloon on the outside 23. Leave a trail of rose petals and clothes and lit candles from the front door to the bathtub, where you’ve got a wonderful bubble bath ready and scented candles provide the romantic light. 24. Make your partner a ‘coupon book’ with cute things you’ll do for them, like watch the Super bowl even though you hate football , or 1 Get Out of Chick Flick Free Coupon. Be creative! 25. Change the desktop picture on their computer to a picture of you. 12
The Origins and Meaning of
Valentine’s Day
S
t. Valentine has not always been associated with romance. Where does Valentine’s Day as the Day of Lovers originate, and what meaning does it actually have today? As soon as the Christmas celebrations are over and done with it seems the shops can’t wait to get their next lot of holiday merchandise on to the shelves. By the beginning of February you can’t pass a store window without being visually assaulted by the masses of red hearts, flowers and romantic sentiments. It appears that Valentine’s Day has translated into yet another commercial holiday sell-out and a capitalistic enterprise for the large corporations. But what are the true origins of this day where one is supposed to express true love in, what is more often than not, some materialistic display of affection?
Saint Valentine
In the year 496 the date of 14th February was affixed as the celebration in honour of St. Valentine. But it was (although this may be debatable) Chaucer in the late 1300’s who first associated the day in February with romance in his Parlement of Foules. In the following centuries the romantic nature of Valentine’s Day has been well documented in numerous literary works; Shakespeare, of course being one of these literary wordsmiths.
Chaucer The origins of Saint Valentine, the patron saint of love, young people and happy marriages, are unclear. In fact it could be an amalgamation of several martyrs dating back to the Roman times. It is certain, however, that one or more Saint Valentines were real people, most likely priests, as tombs have been discovered dedicated to them. In these early times of the saint day there were no romantic connotations as there are today, links were, on the contrary, more along the lines of sacrifice. It wasn’t until many centuries later, in the 14th century in fact, that links with romance were established.
From the verses of Shakespeare came verses printed by publishers to inspire young lovers in the 18th Century. Later on these verses made their way to sentimental greetings cards printed on a mass scale, and often exchanged anonymously. Nowadays, cards are sold in their millions, but it is not only these paper products which are exchanged between lovers, admirers and hopefuls the world over. Red roses, cuddly toys and chocolates are usually the gift of choice, but those feeling more extravagant may err on the side of a meal out or romantic weekend away. So what gesture will you make this Valentine’s day? How about an allsinging all-dancing e-card, or a chocolatey treat for the one you love? Or do you think that it’s simply a money trap invented to earn the major corporations even more cash? Whatever your opinion, don’t wait until the 14th to express your love , affection or interest to the person you choosedo it now!
h
East Texas Treatment Center
In photo: Merlyn Holmes & Amber Turner
T
he East Texas Treatment Center is one of two unique rehabilitation centers in the state of Texas. Nonprofit rehab centers are few and far between due to the current economic climate and skyrocketing healthcare costs. Director Merlyn Holmes says, “On the outside we are just like any other therapy center, but in many ways we are very very different.” The most notable difference between the East Texas Treatment Center and other rehab facilities is the unique sponsorship program. Since 1950 the ETTC Sponsorship Program has provided therapy services at a reduced rate or free of charge to qualifying patients. Their mission is to restore patients to their highest possible level of independence within the limits of their disability. The East Texas Treatment Center Director, Merlyn Holmes and Marketing Director, Amber Taylor talks about what it’s like to meet the demanding, and sometimes surprising challenges that come with running a nonprofit rehab center. The East Texas Treatment Center services people suffering injury from, but not limited to, stroke, heart attack, and car wrecks or sports injuries. Merlyn laughs light heartedly, “We never know what will walk through the door.” Daily, you will find doctors, nurses and therapist working in their given field. People come from as far as Shreveport or Houston to receive treatment from the team of specialists that have been assembled over the years. Merlyn proudly states, “I would stand my people up against any other facility in the state of Texas.” “Our staff wants to see our patients get back to where they need to be, to live their life to the fullest”. The biggest hurdle the Center faces is raising enough money to fund the sponsorship program. Amber Taylor, Marketing Director says, “It’s very easy for one sponsorship patient to reach $30,000 plus in therapy.” Because of the expensive nature of the medical business and operating in a 53 year old building, fundraising is a priority. Amber explains, “We have three big fundraisers each year that we depend on. The Dance, the East Texas Oil Men’s Golf Tournament and the East Texas Oil Men’s Chili Cook-Off”.
The Dance From mechanical bull riding to possum races, from Mardi Gras beads to Elvis impersonators this event is much more than just a dance. Attracting an annual 300 to 500 attendees, the dance, silent auction, dinner, raffle and entertainment make for an excellent party. Amber says, “The dance always revolves around a certain theme which makes for a fun time.” This year, on March 23rd, the Henderson Civic Center will be the location for the Totally Rad 80’s fundraiser which will have 400+ party goers clad in 1980’s styles and ready for fun. East Texas Oil Men’s Golf Tournament The East Texas Oil Men’s Golf Tournament will be celebrating its 51st year of support to the Center in June. Merlyn explained, “We are one of the few tournaments that still give prize money.” This half-century-old tournament attracted such notable names as Mickey Mantle and Howell Sutton. This year the tournament will take place June 7th and 8th, golfers from across East Texas will bring out their clubs and enjoy some great golf, philanthropy and fellowship as they raise money and awareness for The East Texas Treatment Center. East Texas Oil Men’s Chili Cook-Off Last year, in downtown Kilgore, 2.5 tons of chili was consumed by over 9000 people. The East Texas Oil Men’s Chili Cook Off is the largest event held in the city and boasted 108 cookers in 2012. Chili teams line up side by side spanning ten city blocks to raise money to support the Center. This year the oilfield companies of East Texas will gather together under the derricks on November 7th to compete for the 2013 title of best chili in the oil patch! The East Texas Treatment Center is truly unique in its sponsorship mission to provide therapy services to patients who, because of lack of insurance or other financial hardships, would not otherwise be able to receive care. At a cost of over $100,000 a year, these services make a world of difference in the lives of those individuals. Kilgore is lucky to have them in our backyard. How Can I help? The needs of the Treatment Center can be as small as cases of bottled water and extensive as therapy equipment. If you can help the Center in any way, please call 903.984.5571. Visit us at www.ettctx.org
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d “
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We help with anything that people ask us to.
Amber Taylor Amber has been married to David Taylor for 12 years. She has one son which attends Kilgore College. Amber is active in her community by participating and serving organizations such as Relay for Life, Habitat for Humanity, Main Street activities and has been active in her sorority for many years.
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d “
The patients here are not a number. We have known them a lifetime.
“
Merlyn Holmes Merlyn has been married to her husband Gene Holmes for 36 years and have two married sons. She supports her community by serving on many different boards and organizations such as United Fund, the Zoning Board of Adjustments for the City of Kilgore and the Art Festival. Merlyn serves as a board member for the Henderson Chamber of Commerce and the Ambuc’s of East Texas. She attended Leadership Kilgore and Henderson. She is a previous Kilgore Main Street Advisory Board President and Main Street Design committee member. The East Texas Treatment Center is members of the Kilgore, Henderson and Longview Chamber of Commerce.
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Congratulations Kilgore’s Business of the Year
Drier. Healthier. Cleaner. Protect What’s Important in Your Life
Longer Lasting Carpet Starts With Outgoing Kilgore Chamber of Commerce Chairman Alvin Khoury (right) praises Ana-Lab Corportation Founder and President Dr. Charles Whiteside (left) as the first winner of the chamber’s “Business of the Year” honor at the Kilgore Chamber of Commerce Annual Membership Luncheon.
Tropical Carpet Care
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903.988.4117
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& S EAWEED
By John Grubbs
These cave people are the complainers. This tendency to complain is not constructive by any means. They complain in the face of anything positive the organization attempts. Nothing will ever work to improve things. We are all doomed to certain and eventual failure. If given a crisp fifty dollar bill, the cave people would complain because they did not receive two twenties and ten dollar bill. There is no good in the world of work.
I
n a typical organization, three distinctive individuals can be identified based on activity, attitude, and contribution to the collective work. These individuals rarely identify themselves as one or another, yet all three persist in organization after organization. They do not wear tee shirts for identification yet you will recognize each of them once a description has been provided. Ironically, the separation of these identity groups is never really discussed or acknowledged by most organizations. Self-examination and a candid workforce will help you discover where most of the team members fall within this analysis. One specific identity group is best described as “Seaweed”. Just as seaweed does in nature, these individuals simply move with the current. They go with the flow. They exert nothing positive or influential and offer little resistance to either positive or negative situations within the organization. They do not “rock the boat”. They come to work and do the job they are paid to perform. Seaweed is necessary to your organization and they provide the bulk of the effort to get things done. No fanfare or exciting changes are the result of the daily grind they deliver. Call them the Honda Accord or the Toyota Camry for the organization. They are nothing fancy but very dependable. They are humbled by their own mediocrity. Being risk adverse, they will rarely speak up; even in the face of organizational failure. They are like sheep and will move in whatever direction they are pushed. Another identity group for your organization is known as the “C.A.V.E. people”. Cave is an acronym resulting from Citizens Against Virtually Everything. These individuals are never excited about anything and resist any effort to change or improve the organization. Nothing the organization does will ever satisfy their preoccupation with negativity. They wallow in the muck of cynicism. They are eternal pessimists that never see a positive outcome. Their half-empty perspective about everything the organization attempts is much more than that of the devil’s advocate. This group seems to relish and enjoy the perpetual and often eventual failure of the organization as a way proving the same negative sentiment as true. They are likely bitter and distrustful. They have a contemptuous attitude that others recognize but do not really understand. 20
The third identity group are the leaders of the organization. With or without a title, these people influence those around them. They have most likely been influential all their lives. People simply follow their lead. They are looked to by others to determine a response. They are the kids in high school that others want to be whether or not they are liked. Some may despise them but they always wanted to be accepted among them. They are those that make things happen in your organization whether it is good or bad. Gaining buy-in from this team is imperative to success in whatever endeavor your organization attempts. They key to organizational success involves two simple ideas. Gaining the support of the leaders is not only important, it is necessary. There are techniques to leverage and influence the leadership group. Assigning them to project teams and facilitating their buy-in is very important. Organizations may also constructively coerce these individuals to gain support. Be careful, it takes special skill and technique (that can be learned) to keep this coercive activity from coming across as a threat. Either way, working hard to get the support is critical to organizational change or improvement. The most often neglected identity group for success is the seaweed. Some of these individuals have been driven into the apathetic perspective and are similar to seeds waiting to be sewn. They are like latent leaders waiting for some spark to reengage for the organization. Do not ignore the potential or the effort required to engage some of these people. They can be inspired and resurrected to become significant for your team. Some may be the sleeping giant that was put to rest by a dysfunctional management team of the past. People can become apathetic and lose engagement for many reasons. Managers that do not listen or those that view correctable issues as complaints are just two examples. This lack of management works like a sleeping pill and causes potential leaders to become tranquilized within an organization. Bad managers walk around your organization and dart people into becoming seaweed. While present for the organization, the seaweed’s contribution is minimal and their enthusiasm is non-existent. Take a moment and consider some of your co-workers. You will easily place each of them into one of these three distinct categories. Think about the potential for your team if more of your seaweed could become engaged or reengaged....
Which one are you?
John Grubbs, MBA, CSTM, RPIH, is the principal consultant and owner of GCI, a high impact training and consulting firm in Texas. Specializations include executive coaching, sales training, human resource consulting, safety consulting, behavior-based safety implementation and leadership training for supervisors, managers and executives. Clients include healthcare, transportation, manufacturing, oil & gas, education and service organizations. John has over 18 years of leadership experience, published several popular books and numerous articles for national publications. As an executive coach, he works with leaders at all levels to improve the performance of many well-known companies internationally. He holds degrees in Occupational Safety and Health, Industrial Technology and a Master of Business Administration with a focus on organizational leadership. John is an affiliate member of the Worldwide Association of Business Coaches. He is a Registered Professional Industrial Hygienist and a Certified Senior Technology Manager. John is a dynamic and energetic speaker as well as a popular trainer and business coach. Current memberships include the American Society of Safety Engineers, American Industrial Hygiene Association, Association of Technology, Management and Applied Engineering as well as the American College of Healthcare Executives.
2013 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine
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Making Your Senior Years The Best Years of Your Life
T
o improve your mental attitude hang out with people who are happy and active. It’s worth it to change your outlook on life after retirement. If your attitude says you will get the best from life as a senior, you will experience just that. In fact, your senior years may end up being the best years of your life! As we think about the later year of our lives there seems to be two basic schools of thought on the subject: Those who refer and believe them to be the “Golden Years” and those who stress about their age and supposed decline in health and social life that accompanies it. Here’s a couple of questions for us to consider. First, look back on your life and think about which decade was your best. Is it possible that your senior years can be the best years of your life? Or have you already made up your mind that they will be the worst? Have you made a list of your top five goals as you move into your senior years? For instance they might include financial security, good health, spending time with family or maybe more travel. It’s probably pretty easy to list more than five goals. Ok, so you’ve written your list, set your goals. Now what? The surprising truth here is that the most successful seniors, in terms of lifestyle and health, are the ones who obsess about it the least. Those who spend time enjoying their retirement and doing what they’ve been looking forward to all these years don’t have time to worry about fulfilling their bucket list. The key is not to obsess about the list. The most fulfilled seniors just live their lives! Simple, right? 24
The Power of Positive Thinking There is a lot to be said for and a lot of research to back up the power of positive thinking. Some agree wholeheartedly with the philosophy and others disregard the evidence. When it relates to aging, it all has to do with the attitude that you bring with you into your seniors years. If you’re mentally, emotionally, and physically ready to embrace your future you will have a much more positive experience than someone who enters their 60’s or 70’s kicking and screaming. The latter group is adding so much stress by trying to look and stay young that they actually do themselves a disservice. While this group is fighting mother nature the more positive thinkers are out having fun and enjoying themselves which results in them actually feeling mentally and physically younger. Plus, you have to wonder how much the worry and stress is taking years off their lives.
What are your expectations as a senior? Are you anticipating more illness, low energy levels, and a general decline during your older years? If that is what you’re expecting, it’s probably what will happen. This is not because the thoughts themselves have any power but instead because you send signals to your mind and body that there will be no effort to stay fit and healthy. Because there is not effort made in those directions, poor health and low energy will result. This can be referred to as a self-fulfilling prophecy. Seniors who think that they will do well, maintain an active
lifestyle and enjoy good health will do just as good as they think they will. Their counterparts with a negative attitude seem to be able to think themselves into illness and old age. Cause and effect play a huge roll in scheme of things, especially as we age. A common example is someone who is active, gets out more, takes on projects, spends time with others and refuses to let old age get to them are the ones who stay happy and healthy longer and have a better quality of life throughout their retirement years.
Do unto others… Another paradox of the importance of attitude on the quality of life as a senior has to do with thinking of others more than themselves. Older adults who volunteer and are active in helping others appear to be happier and more successful member so the senior community. Simply put, those who worry about others instead of themselves, benefit the most personally. Conversely, seniors who only worry about themselves have the most to worry about. So if negativity comes more naturally to you and you’re interested in changing that try seeking better companionship. The old saying, misery loves company, holds true here. To improve your mental attitude hang out with people who are happy and active. It’s worth it to change your outlook on life after retirement. If your attitude says you will get the best from life as a senior, you will experience just that. In fact, your senior years may end up being the best years of your life!
MEADOWBROOK GrowingFamilies Together The Perfect Setting For Your Next Event!
Be sure to visit the
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Meadowbrook Amenities: 9-Hole Golf Course Formal Ballroom Meeting Spaces Swimming Pool Pro Shop & Practice Facility Open to the Public
Memberships Starting As Low As $70/month
Meadowbrook . 1306 Houston Street . Kilgore, Texas 75662 . 903.984.3155 2013 | www.KILGOREMAGAZINE.com | www.facebook.com/KilgoreMagazine
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Moving Forward S BUSINESY R O HIST ARTS SPORTS
L o o k I n si d e!
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2013 Chamber of Commerce Directory Get Yours Today
If you wish to receive a copy of Kilgore Magazine or have an out of town family member that would like to receive a copy, we would be glad to add you to our mailing list for a minimal fee of just $15.00 per year ( 6 issues). Please fill out the form below and mail with check to Kilgore Magazine, 421 N. Center St., Suite A., Longview Texas 75601.
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THE MOST RESPECTED HEALTHCARE IN EAST TEXAS HAS A NEW NAME
INTRODUCING GOOD SHEPHERD MEDICAL ASSOCIATES Now you can benefit from an entire team of medical experts focused on you – all working together to bring you the highest quality care available. Good Shepherd Medical Associates is a multi-specialty network of respected providers who combine their efforts to offer each patient comprehensive treatment. And we’re bringing this personalized care, not only to Longview, but to the surrounding communities for your convenience. Best of all, it’s all backed by Good Shepherd Health System, recognized for overall medical excellence as well as the area’s most experienced nursing and clinical teams. So, choose a physician from a network designed around you.
To learn more about Good Shepherd Medical Associates, please visit us online at www.GoodShepherdMedicalAssociates.org or to schedule an appointment with a Good Shepherd Medical Associates physician, call (903) 315-4762 or toll free (888) 976-4762.