JULY 2016
Meetin g the Needs of the
Family
Corinth - Hickory Creek - Shady Shores - Lake Dallas
IN THIS ISSUE:
We All Started Somewhere Falcons Well Represented on Baseball & Softball Teams An Ounce of Prevention Worth Pound of Cure
Before
OF THE MONTH LIBERTY LEYVA FREE MAKEOVER
Are you ready for a whole new look? Just email us at cloud9salon@cloud9salon.com and tell us why you or someone you know deserves a makeover. We’ll select one lucky winner from our entries to receive the full hair and make-up treatment. ENTER TODAY!
O
n December 1, 2014, Liberty decided to change her life. She was 250 pounds, couldn’t cross her legs or see her feet. She joined Jesse James Fit and, after 11 months, lost 100 pounds. What she lost was nothing compared to what she gained: lasting friendships, motivation, a positive attitude and now, a whole new look!
Nails by Alysse Liberty was given a manicure topped off with a light color of Forever Beauty by Gelish. Loose glitter was
placed on top of the gel polish by hand and then sealed with a top coat. It was a great match to her skin.
Brows by Pauletta Pauletta shaped her brows using hard wax and tweezers, complimenting her natural arch.
Color by Chesey She started with a porosity control treatment on Liberty. She decided on a warm brown copper color
melt that would be both beautiful and easy to maintain.
Cut and Makeup by April She received a one length angled bob to compliment her face shape and then April gave her loose curls to
bring out the gradation of the color. Her makeup was
applied with Jane Iredale make-up in earthy tones to enhance her natural beauty.
After photography by Caroline Simpson Makeover by
Clothing was provided by the C9 Boutique
Want to be the next Makeover? Email cloud9salon@cloud9salon.com and tell us why you deserve it!
214.415.4806 www.cloud9salon.com
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 3
OPEN CARRY is Much Ado About Nothing
G
by Susan Neuhalfen
overnor Gregg Abbott signed House Bill 910, the Texas Open Carry Bill for concealed handgun holders, into law and it went into effect on January 1 of this year.
carry is the law, it doesn’t mean that any LTC
The new law allows Texans who currently hold a concealed handgun license (CHL) to carry their weapons in full view of the public. For those who currently hold a CHL, the only thing that happens is that the name changes from CHL to LTC or license to carry. Still, to carry a handgun, concealed or not, all Texans must complete a state approved LTC course. To carry openly, an LTC holder must carry the weapon secured in a belt or shoulder holster and may not display the gun in a threatening or provocative manner. According to Denton County Sheriff Will Travis, his office received many calls of concern about the law after it was passed and before it went into effect. These call mostly came from other county offices who were concerned with the disruption that an individual openly carrying a weapon might cause. “Our biggest concern was with the segment of the general public who does not understand firearms,” said Sheriff Travis. “We held a lot of informational sessions to educate the public about what was going to happen as it relates to open carry.” As it turns out, the hubbub surrounding the passing of the law, was much greater than the actual outcome. Randy Plemons, the Assistant Chief of Operations for Denton County, held many of the informational sessions, which included when it’s necessary to contact the police. “Just because you see someone openly carrying a weapon, that is not a need for concern,” said Plemons. “However, if that individual is displaying the weapon in a threatening manner, the police should be notified.” How many calls have they received regarding open carry concerns so far? “We haven’t received a single call,” confirmed Travis. It is important to note that just because open
sign banning concealed weapons called the
4 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
holder is allowed to carry wherever he pleases. Businesses can preclude an individual from coming into their establishment with either a concealed or open carry handgun. There is one 30.06. The other sign (30.07) bans individuals
from entering with an open carry handgun. The
3’ x 4’ signs must be posted at the entrance of the business in one inch block letters in both English and Spanish.
Some places where firearms are never allowed
are educational facilities including the grounds
where a school activity may be taking place (i.e. sporting event). An individual may not carry a firearm at a polling place on the day of election
or during early voting. Other places that ban firearms are correctional facilities, government
court offices including court proceedings,
commissioners court, city council and school board meetings, racetrack, horse or dog racing facilities, and the secure area of an airport. Anyplace that derives 51% or more from alcohol sales or onsite consumption also bans weapons on the premises. Hospitals, nursing homes, amusement parks, churches, synagogues and other places of worship may also ban firearms but must have the proper signage displayed to do so. In addition, an establishment not feeling comfortable with an individual carrying a firearm on the premises, may give that person a verbal warning and, if that individual chooses not to comply, the business should call the police. The question still remains that if it is okay to open carry, why aren’t more people taking advantage of the law? “From a safety standpoint, why would you want to expose yourself like that?” questioned Plemons. “If an individual who comes into an establishment wanting to do harm, as an open carrier, you have labeled yourself as his first obstacle.” Sheriff Travis agrees that common sense dictates that if you do carry a firearm it would make more sense to keep in concealed.
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 5
Lake Cities Community Events LC Chamber July Monthly Luncheon Genti’s
Contents Table of
Featured Stories and News
Tuesday, July 19th at 11:30am Open Forum
LC Chamber Coffee at Hickory Creek City Hall
Wednesday, July 20th at 7:15am Speaker: Ann Pape, Communities in Schools of North Texas
LC Chamber Coffee at Hickory Creek City Hall Wednesday, July 27th at 7:15am Speaker: Dave Burnett with Kadash Solutions
Back 2 School Backpack and Health Fair by There Has To Be More Ministries Thursday, August 11th
Pg 16 On the Cover from left to right: Guardians of the Children (Mark “Big Cat” and LeAnn “Pipes” Trussell) There Has To Be More Ministries (Michael and Suzanne Barnhart) LDISD Falcon Mascot (Gabby Thomas) Eleos Community Care (Staci and Alton Schmidt)
from 5-9pm at the Lake Dallas Middle School
Float Fly Presented by Falcons Flying Club Saturday, August 13th at 8:30am at the Willow Grove Park
LifeLine Screening
Tuesday, August 16th at the Lake Cities United Methodist Church
Want to feature your school’s or organization’s event? Contact us at artwork@murray-media.com 6 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
PointBank (Ray David)
Photos from Lake Cities
14 29
4th of July Celebration Boys and Girls Club
03
Makeover of the Month
04
Open Carry
08
Falcons Quest for State Title
09
David Shershen Remembered
10
Inside Education
13
NCTC Schedule
15
An Ounce of Prevention
16
Meeting the Needs of the Family
19
Police Chief Corner
24
Immunizations
28
Inside Community
30
Falcons Well Represented
Ask the Expert 07
From Your Editor
12
Legal
18
Real Estate
21
Fitness
25
Gardening
26
Sidelines
27
Business Coach
KEEP& CALM
Stay Positive A Message from the Community Editor
“We make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give.” ~ Winston Churchill
W
hen one thinks of July, what comes to mind? For most of us, we think of fireworks and barbecues and, of course, blistering summer heat. July is smack dab in the middle of the summer, and in the middle of the year. Summer is only just getting started, but the turn of autumn is only just around the corner. As we approach the remainder of summer and 2016, I would like to focus on all of the positive things that the month of July has to offer.
ministry’s Back 2 School Annual Back Pack & Health Fair to help the families of Lake Dallas ISD. Also, meeting the sponsors like Point Bank, Guardians of the Children and Eleos Community Care and see their commitment to this loving effort to help send an estimated 500 students back to school with an exciting fresh start!!! We can all make an POSITIVE impact in the lives of others! Now for an extremely POSITIVE shocking fact...school is just around the corner!!! I know, it seems hard
As I continue to work alongside
to believe but it’s true that August
the community and business leaders
22nd is the first day back! While
of Lake Cities, I am constantly
many families are still fitting in their
reminded of the generosity and
vacations and enjoying the slow
commitment shown by many of her citizens. A few weeks ago I walked
into the office of Allstate agent, Mark Tucker. I just wanted to meet
him and shake his hand. After
spending 20 minutes visiting with
Meredith McNair, Community Relations and Advertising Consultant Lake Cities Living meredith@murray-media.com 817.291.7582
him, I realized that I knew another
devoted community influencer, committed to having
pace of summer days and wide open schedules, kids will soon be gearing up for the beginning of the 2016-17 school year. As many families know, it is an exciting time for those that
are beginning their academic journey and those who
a POSITIVE effect on Lake Cities. Routinely in my
are in the final stretch of the degree pursuit. July is a
that it’s a privilege to be connected with such devoted
summer before most of us are shifted into the realities
job I learn about needs inside of our community. I feel
time when we can savor the last few moments of the
individuals where I can simply call or text them to share
of a school calendar.
a need inside our community. They are eager to make
a commitment to such needs and/or cause without hesitation which is always extremely POSITIVE for Lake Cities!
While there are many great charities and efforts
So, as you enjoy the end of the summer of 2016, I encourage you to consider ways to serve and steward inside this great Lake Cities community. Volunteer, Support, Donate is the simple motto for ‘There Has
within our community, I am so pleased that we are able
To Be More’ ministry and we can all be reminded that
is made possible by ‘There Has To Be More’ ministry
you to join in and help us make the August 11th Back
to feature an extremely POSITIVE August event that
“we make life by what we give”. We would love for
and their generous sponsors and vendors. It has
2 School Annual Backpack & Health Fair an even
been remarkable getting to know the Barnhart’s over
several months as they have planned and promoted the
LakeCitiesLiving.com
Publisher & Editor Scott & Kelly Murray Administration Managing Editor Jana Melton
Sub-Editor Bobbi Byrne
Contributors
Steve Gamel Susan Neuhalfen
Advertising
Meredith McNair meredith@murray-media.com Kelly Murray kelly@murray-media.com
Production Graphic Designers Liz Wallace Stephanie Hansen Whitney Hill Caroline Brock
Photography Scott Young 972.899.3536 ScottYoungPhoto.com
Letters
Lake Cities Living invites reader feedback, story suggestions and general comments. Email artwork@murray-media.com. All submissions become the sole property of Murray Media Group. Editorial and Advertising Inquiries call 972.899.3637 or email artwork@murray-media.com Address: 1011 Surrey Lane Building 100, Ste. 101 Flower Mound, TX 75022 Lake Cities Living is published monthly by Murray Media Group. Opinions expressed in articles or advertisements do not necessarily reflect the opinion of the publisher. Lake Cities Living is not responsible for omissions or information that has been misrepresented to the magazine. Advertisers and its agencies assume all liability for advertising content. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted without the permission in writing from the publisher. © 2016 Murray Media Group
larger success!!! Here’s to a POSITIVELY successful month!
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 7
Falcons Quest For State Title
Comes Up Short
W
hen now former Lake Dallas coach John Tompkins said earlier this season
that he felt like his senior-heavy team could do
Those struggles culminated in an ugly 8-7 loss to
Birdville in April. Tompkins was so irate that he used
the very next practice as an open tryout, making each
some good things in 2016, he wasn’t kidding.
of his players fight for their starting jobs. He said he
exceeded those expectations after what happened next.
would light a fire for the entire team.
But even Tompkins had to be thinking the Falcons Lake Dallas went on a tear in the playoffs
and narrowly missed out on its first trip to the state tournament since 1997 with a best-ofthree series loss to Grapevine in the Class 5A Region I final on June 4. Grapevine, the eventual
shuffled four positions that day, hoping the new lineup It worked – and then some.
Their late-season heroics proved to be a miraculous turnaround for a team that had its share of struggles earlier in the season.
Class 5A State Champions, swept Lake Dallas in two games. Regardless of the loss, their late-season heroics proved to be a miraculous turnaround for a team that had its share of struggles earlier in the season. Those struggles were mainly in district play. The Falcons were picked to be one of the top three teams in District 6-5A with Grapevine and Birdville, and had their sights set on possibly stealing a district crown. Instead, they were swept by both opponents and didn’t always play their best against the rest of the field.
8 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
Behind the leadership of its 13 seniors, Lake Dallas
won 13 of its next 15 games – including sweeps in three
of four playoff series – to set up a date with Grapevine in the fifth round. After beating Saginaw Boswell
and Burleson Centennial in the first two rounds, the Falcons used a walk-off single in Game 2 by Christian
by Steve Gamel Lubbock Cooper. They went on to turn three double plays defensively in Game 2 to clinch the series. At the time, it was the program’s deepest run since 2011, and much of their success was attributed to the fact that the Falcons seemed to have a different hero in every game. Guys like Boulware, Drew Karp, Logan Cowart and Ty Behringer kept opponents guessing on every at-bat. They also got steady production from pitchers Ben Williamson, Behringer, and Grant Landry. Unfortunately for Lake Dallas, all that magic ran out against Grapevine, which won 9-2 in Game 1 and 6-1 the next day to cap the sweep and punch its ticket to the state tournament. Lake Dallas was held to three runs on eight hits with six errors. There’s no telling what will happen with a much younger squad next season, especially now that
Boulware to sweep their series against Fort Worth
Tompkins is reportedly joining the Denton High
They came back the next week with a similar
the sort of team to be underestimated. Especially now
Arlington Heights in dramatic fashion.
School coaching staff. But the Falcons are clearly not
seventh-inning rally to steal a Game 1 win over
that they’ve been so close to the top of the mountain.
Longtime Lake Cities Resident
Remembered David Shershen
by Susan Neuhalfen
A Memorial Service for longtime Lake
said Hanlon of her brother. “He loved being
Saturday, June 25, 2016 at Kingswood Mobile
His sister said that not only loved being
Dallas resident, David Shershen, was held on
involved in the community.”
Home Park Clubhouse, in Lake Dallas.
part of the community there was no place he
his community. Shershen was at one time
Cities area for over 40 years.
David was a involved citizen who loved
the Mayor Pro Tem and served on the
would rather live. He had lived in the Lake His friend Donna Duncan remembered
Lake Dallas City Council. He was an avid
him as a quiet and intelligent man who was
a member of the Friends of the Library board.
“He would also have positive things to say
promoter of the Lake Cities Library as well as
always inspiring others.
Shershen was also member of the Lake Cities
to people,” she remembered. “He was always
His sister Patsy Hanlon remembers him
Shershen is survived by his sister, Patsy
Municipal Utility Authority board.
fondly as someone who lived to serve.
“He would do anything for anybody,”
very encouraging.”
Shershen Hanlon and his daughter, Jessica, who lives in Connecticut.
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 9
LD Band Seniors Sign with Colleges
10 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
to choose a major after completing his basics
at Navarro.
Photo courtesy of Lake Dallas ISD Attached photo (seniors l-r): Aaron Ruggiere, Jared Collier, Alisa Perez, Gabriela Estes, Christian Gomez, (band directors l-r): Frankie Burke, Juan Nunez, Denise Kennedy
Alisa Perez, daughter of Armando and Maribel
Perez, received a band and academic scholarship from McMurray University in Abilene, Texas.
Aaron Ruggiere, son of Paul and Auralie
Ruggiere, signed with the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. Ruggiere plays multiple instruments. He recently won a gold medal for
Marimba solo and a silver medal for Snare solo at the state UIL Solo and Ensemble contest in
Austin - a contest in which he has qualified all 4 years of high school.
“I want to major in Percussion Performance,”
Aaron said. “I chose UNT because it is one of the top music schools in the world.”
P PO
RT THE B L
UE
favorite instrument.” Gabriela Estes, daughter of Marvin and Yvonne Estes, will attend Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Her band accomplishments include UTA Outstanding Jazz Musician 2014 & 2016, Section Leader 2014-15 and Drum Major 2015-16. She chose Belmont because of the Music Business program, which will be her major. Christian Gomez, son of Ernie Gomez and Rachael Arney, is continuing his music education at Navarro College in Corsicana, Texas. In his first and only year with the Falcon Band, he qualified
for state solo and ensemble contest. He plans
SU
Not to be outdone by the athletic department, LDHS held a signing day in celebration of five Lake Dallas High School Falcon Band seniors are continuing their music education at the college level. Seniors Jared Collier, Gabriela (Gaby) Estes, Christian Gomez, Alisa Perez and Aaron Ruggiere participated along with their parents and Falcon Band directors Denise Kennedy, Frankie Burke and Juan Nunez. Jared Collier, son of Jason and Ginger Collier, signed with the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, Arkansas. Collier qualified for state UIL solo and ensemble all 4 years of high school and this year received a gold medal for Marimba and silver medal for Snare at state. He is the recipient of the Kim Kraft Band Scholarship. Jared plans to major in Bio Medical Engineering with a minor in music. “I chose the University of Arkansas because of the outstanding Bio Medical program and the marching band,” Jared said. “It has a front ensemble which allows me to continue my music journey playing the marimba, which is my
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 11
WANTED:
Legal
Good People with Bad Credit Y
by Rocky Haire
ou can’t believe how many homes are going
(any number of things, man) and now they need
me I’d be stuck in this thing for 20 years. The
people needing to make a move fast because
credit and sometimes get them into another
new buyer without involving the bank. They are
into foreclosure. Every day I get calls from
they are about to have their home auctioned off. Houses ranging from $35,000 to well over a million dollars. We cover Texas, sooo..... there’s a lot. The
thing
that
throws me is that these
are smart people. Good
a friend. Me. I can get them out of it, save their home just like it. Foreclosures.
Another thing we do is get people out
Don’t think for a second we can’t fix whatever situation you find yourself in.
people. They wouldn’t
of
no-equity
go. Hope the $43 dollars you lost was worth it.
she’s gone and you
need to move so you can be with Uncle Fred
credit got you into that home for nothing down.
12 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
We also handle homes in probate—for when
Millie was alive. Now
started out with great credit but something
got sick, the market turned, got hooked on ____
everyone wins. The crowd goes wild.
Uncle Fred finally does himself in with Wild
great as long as Aunt
in South Lufkin. If you don’t help him, he will
happened. They got divorced, lost a loved one,
thrilled to have it, you are thrilled to leave it—
situations. You’ve been
have qualified for that house in the first place if
they didn’t have good credit. A lot of times they
great news is, I can legally transfer the Deed to a
Turkey while you were at WinStar. Way...to...
Don’t think for a second we can’t fix whatever
situation you find yourself in. We are all about mulligans and know exactly how to set you free.
drink himself to death. Problem is, your awesome It will now COST you $15,000 to sell your ‘ball
& chain’. Thanks home hustler guy, for telling
To contact Haire Law Firm for your free case evaluation, call 972.394.3000 or visit www.hrj-law.com
SCHEDULE
CAMPUS CLOSED August 5, 2016 All campuses closed for staff in-service
NCTC MUSIC DEPARTMENT PRESENTS “TAPESTRY” August 7, 2016 at 2pm, Gainesville First State Bank Center for the Performing Arts An opera written and performed by Marilyn Thompson. For more information contact Shane Studdard at sstuddard@nctc.edu.
LVN PINNING CEREMONY
NCTC ALUMNI LUNCHEON
August 11, 2016 beginning at 7pm
July 21, 2016 at 12pm in the Library Lyceum, Gainesville Campus
Location: Gainesville First State Bank Center for the Performing Arts
Steve Keith will be speaking about the new Rodeo Team and Ashly Hartman will be speaking about the Horticulture Program. RSVPs would be great!
FINAL EXAMS FOR SUMMER II & III August 11, 2016 All Campuses.
LAST DAY FOR FALL REGISTRATION August 19, 2016
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 13
Lake Cities Many Lake Cities residents enjoyed a fun fourth of July that included a parade, live music and fun contests!
photos courtesy of Lynn Hillis
14 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
Club will step in to help,” said Gilmore. “In many cases we will pay for an exam and a pair of glasses.”
The Lake Cities Lions Club saw 175 kids at
last year’s Back 2 School Fair and they expect the
number to be at least that and more. Gilmore is certified to give the exams but they need more people to work in shifts. Certified or not, there’s plenty to do.
An Ounce of
PREVENTION is Worth a
Gilmore went on to say that by 6th or 7th
grade, all kids should have gone through a
POUND OF CURE
by Susan Neuhalfen
I
thorough eye exam with an eye doctor. Otherwise they will suffer academic problems.
“Squinting hard can cause headaches and
a lack of concentration,” said Gilmore. “It’s
important that all children are given the chance to learn in the best possible situation. That’s just
n 1925, during the Lions International Convention in Cedar Point, Ohio, it was Helen Keller who charged the Lions with becoming “knights of the blind in the crusade against darkness.”
determine if the patient’s eyes are focused or not.
help the patient to know whether or not he or
cannot see well, and if they are afraid to tell
For nearly 100 years, the Lions Club has
help a person to see if it’s a simple vision problem
lead to numerous problems especially if the
been faithfully serving communities all over the world. It has become known, however, for its tireless efforts for the blind. It was a Lions
Club member who created the
first white cane for a blind man. It was the Lions Club who
started training dogs as guides for the blind, making headlines
It’s that simple. The machine doesn’t go as far to
eye bank and, to this day, most eye banks are Lion sponsored.
The list goes on and on…
Today, the Lions Club helps people of all ages
with sight issues and the Lake Cities Lions Club is no different. They recycle eyeglasses and keep
an area eye bank. Along with 60 other clubs, they
Vision is vital to children in learning situations,
actually determine what is needed, but it does
Gilmore pointed out. In some situations, if they
she needs further aid from a doctor. This could
someone because of financial reasons, it could
or something more severe.
problem is more than a vision issue.
“Squinting hard can cause headaches and a lack of concentration,”
worldwide. In 1944 the Lions opened the first
one of the many reasons why we are here.”
“It is not a substitute for
an eye exam,” clarified David
Gilmore, the past president and
zone chairman. “What it does is see if there’s a problem.”
These machines are brought
to many different events such as the Back 2 School Fair being
held for LDISD students to help determine if a student will need corrective lenses. With the demand, the van had to be booked by the Lake Cities Lions Club many months in advance.
“If the patient or parents can’t
afford to see any eye doctor, the Lions
It’s important to point out that the Lions Club
helps people of all ages. Many older folks on a
budget have vision problems that they would
simply ignore without opportunities like these. As the largest and one of the oldest civic
have
organizations helped
screening
as
the
as
their
millions
well
service programs.
in
world,
with
many
they
health
other
As for Gilmore, he and the rest of the Lake Cities Lions Club keep busy all year around
but there’s a special place in his heart for the vision screenings.
“I’m the guy who handles the vision
part and I really enjoy it,” he smiled.
“It feels great to help people.”
own and operate mobile health screening vans which house vision units, capable of determining
sight problems. These vans and the individuals running them, are responsible for helping thousands across the north central Texas area.
Lions Club members go through training
to operate these machines. In a nutshell, the operator lines up the machine with the patient’s eyes which then measures the curvature and looks for an abnormalities. The machine will
Photos courtesy of Doyt Sheets JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 15
Photo by Scott Young Photography
Meeting the Needs
F of the
A
AMILY by Susan Neuhalfen
s summer winds down, one thing that excites kids is going back to school and all of the newness that goes with it. New clothes, new backpacks, new supplies, new haircuts‌but what about the families who don’t have the budget for that? How can those kids share in the excitement of the new school year?
Event photos courtesy of There Has To Be More Sponsored Content
Every year There Has To Be More Ministries holds its Back 2 School Backpack & Health Fair in coordination with Lake Dallas ISD and other great Lake Cities sponsors and businesses. It is a family-friendly event providing backpacks, school supplies, immunizations, physicals, haircuts, vision screenings and more for economically-challenged students in LDISD. There Has To Be More Ministries, started by Michael and Suzanne Barnhart, is a non-profit organization that works without walls. They are willing to work with churches and non-profit charities to provide for the needs of families in the Lake Cities area. Though they work all year round, the Back 2 School Backpack & Health Fair is their biggest event and now in its 3rd year, it has grown to serve approximately 600 children in LDISD. “We want to make sure these kids have what they need to start the school year off right,” said Barnhart, who had the vision for the ministry that he started six years ago. “We want them to feel that same excitement.” In order for a child to receive any of the services at the fair, he or she must be registered before the July 22 at 5pm deadline. To register, go to https://www.therehastobemore.org/back-2school-fair. Once registered, the family will receive a confirmation that their submission was received. They will then be contacted via email or phone prior to the event to let them know if they have qualified. Many Lake Cities sponsors come together to help and the number grows every year, as it must as the event, as well as the need for donations, grows larger. Every little bit helps and vendors can even sign up for booths to distribute information, showcase their products or just provide some goodies for the attendees. Barnhart says that in addition to getting involved for a great cause, businesses could even benefit from being involved with the fair. “We even have businesses in need of workers bring job applications for potential employees,”
said Barnhart. “This event can go full circle to help the community.” PointBank in Corinth is the official drop off point for donations for the Back 2 School Backpack & Health Fair. PointBank, has been a part of the event for the last couple of years, providing supplies and donations to help the event become the success that it is. The Lions Club will provide vision screening exams while CareVan will provide immunization shots. In order for a child to qualify for the immunizations, he or she MUST be registered and parents must bring a copy of the child’s shot records on the day of the fair. There will be nurses on hand to provide sports physicals along with the paperwork needed for school. Ogle School of Denton will be on hand with their chairs set up and their scissors ready to give children great new looks to start the school year. Another sponsor of the event, Eleos Community Care, will bring FUN. They serve popcorn to the kids while providing home therapy information and also bring the live entertainment, Rockin with Rhett. Rockin with Rhett is a fun Christian band for kids that makes the kids part of the show. Eleos Operation Inspiration is a children’s ministry that inspires children to achieve more through the power of love and encouraging words. Barnhart counts himself blessed that there are other incredible non-profits in the area that help as well in the event. One non-profit partner on hand will be the Guardians of the Children, a group of Harley-Davidson riders who ride to the houses of abused children to “initiate” them into their circle of friends. The riders go to a child’s home and adopt them into their group,and give him or her a biker name and vest. A few of their motorcycles will be displayed outside of the fair for all to look at and a few of the children will be allowed to sit on them. In addition they will have a booth inside to talk about child advocacy.
“We want to make sure these kids have what they need to start the school year off right,” said Barnhart. Though the Back 2 School Backpack & Health Fair is their biggest event, There Has To Be More keeps busy all year round helping people in need. Much like the Back 2 School Backpack & Health Fair, they find items—necessities—for families in need. They are contacted either by churches or other non-profit organizations and they immediately set to work. “We aren’t a church so we don’t have members,” he said. “We need donors and we’re grateful when they come through.” Barnhart has stories about helping area families that would fill volumes of books. He and others work tirelessly to provide the supplies and necessities that families need—things that are taken for granted by most. He is forever grateful to the sponsors, such as the ones with the Back 2 School Backpack & Health Fair, who are there to help. “It’s important to us that the Back 2 School Backpack & Health Fair provides children and their families a safe and secure place they can go to,” said Barnhart. “That’s why we do what we do.”
ThereHasToBeMore.org • 940.594.4417
Proud Sponsors Listed Below: *If you would like to donate or become a sponsor visit therehastobemore.org/back-2-school-fair
Corinth branch official donation drop off JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 17
Real Estate
Don’t Take a Vacation from Your
Home Goals
W
e are officially in the lazy days of summer. Some of us are returning from vacations, while some of us still have a summer trip plan planned to visit a new place, see friends and family or head to our favorite vacation spot. If you are like us, we plan out those trips,
we ask for time off, we place it on our
into that pace of late summer when everything
slows down. Our challenge for this month is to garner the same attention to detail with your home planning as your vacation planning—
down to all those nitty gritty details. Just like all the travel planning websites, our team has the
resources you need to do the same with all of your home goals.
calendar, we plan, and we anticipate that trip.
Discover
What is interesting,
whether it’s buying, selling, new
preparing for our trip and in
time and attention on those big financial decisions.
You owe yourself the very best and you
deserve to make your house one of the biggest
investments in your life. So many times, we place less emphasis on our house re-modeling, selling
or buying budgets than we do our vacation plans. With our vacation plans we have clarity: why we
construction, investing, home
design, or real estate careers.
Simply contact Lori Lesnansky at
972.657.0364 to meet for complimentary
coffee/tea and begin to make plans for your life-by-design.
Back To School Design Tip:
Set up a homework station before school starts
want to visit a place; the time we have to do so;
where the kids can get their work done. Color
have less clarity and so many choices that we fall
make it easier to get out the door in the morning.
and where we want to stay. With our homes we
18 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
possibilities
and explore your next steps,
is that we spend so much time
other areas of our life we take less
by Lori Lesnansky, Hunter Essex & Tiffanie LaRue - Bush SoSimple Home – Keller Williams • LoriL@kw.com www.sosimplehome.com www.dfwhomevalue.house
the
code school binders and activity sports bags to
T
CITY OF CORINTH NAMED 14TH SAFEST CITY IN TEXAS IN 2016
he City of Corinth has been recognized as the 14th Safest City in Texas by SafeWise, a home security and safety brand committed to increasing safety education, awareness, and preparedness in American communities. Rankings were determined using the most recent FBI Crime Report for cities over 10,000. The cities were narrowed down based on the number of reported violent crimes (aggravated assault, murder, rape, and robbery) and property crimes (burglary, arson, larceny-theft, and motor vehicle theft). Based on these stats Corinth has a violent crime rate of (.091), less than one in 1,000. Chief Debra Walthall attributes this ranking to the dedication of the men and women of the Corinth Police Department and to the citizens who work in conjunction with the police department in keeping the community safe.
The Corinth Police Department has established a variety of programs and resources that proactively address safety and crime prevention in the community. Citizens can sign up for the Vacation Watch program, participate in the Ride Along program, submit anonymous tips online, browse crime prevention tips on the website, or sign up for the Citizen’s Police Academy. Volunteers in Police Service (VIPS) also play an important role in the level of safety by serving as extra eyes and ears on the streets. These efforts, alongside the partnership with residents and businesses, contribute to making Corinth a safer place to live!
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 19
20 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
Fitness
We All
STARTED Somewhere by Jesse J. Leyva, Jesse James Fit & Outlaw Bootcamp 940.497.6002
S
tarting something isn’t about waiting until you’re perfect or about waiting for the perfect time. It’s about taking action to get to where you want to be. Because the fact is, the perfect time is now. You see, we all start somewhere. Maybe your somewhere is overcoming weight gain and living a healthier life. Maybe it’s about toning and getting into shape. Or maybe it’s just losing that last 10 pounds. Regardless of where your somewhere is, we all start in the same place. We all start at Day 1, so don’t be intimidated. The beginning of a new workout or health regimen is exciting and exhilarating. When your muscles ache and you’re feeling deprived of bread and a good burger, that’s when the real work begins. It’s easy to fall back into bad habits. A skipped worked out here, a piece of cake there, and before you know it, the results you worked
so hard to acquire begin to disappear. Setbacks
yourself with encouraging friends—your own
you not only started somewhere, you’re going
do that last push-up. Don’t let negative thoughts
happen, and that’s okay; because the fact is, somewhere new – to something great. Don’t let setbacks get you down. Keep moving forward. MAKE TIME FOR YOU. Let’s be honest, between family, work and
you, you sometimes fall to the bottom of the list. Commit to put yourself on a to-do list. It isn’t selfish, rather it’s selfless. You’re taking care of you, so others won’t have to later in life. A healthy
you can function at your personal best daily for your family. You never know who’s watching… like your children.
SURROUND YOURSELF WITH ENCOURAGEMENT. Living healthy is a lifetime choice and staying
motivated can be difficult. Make sure to surround
personal cheerleading section to motivate you as derail you from what you have been working so hard to achieve.
FORGIVE YOURSELF. Everyone makes mistakes, and you will too.
Learn from your mistakes, forgive yourself and move forward. The important thing is to stay
focused on where you want to be – a healthy
you. Remember, you’re doing something that
can change your life, that can bring about the healthiest and fittest you, the best you.
So where do you want to be? It’s like Robin
Sharma says, “Change is hard at first, messy in
the middle and gorgeous at the end!” The time is now. Set that goal and get to it.
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 21
C.E.S.
COMPLETE EXTERIOR SOLUTIONS
Now Merged Into One
Come Visit Our New Showroom! 972.539.8258 CompleteSolutionsDFW.com 4401 Long Prairie Road, Suite 400 Flower Mound, TX 75028
We appreciate you supporting small business by shopping local.
WINNER
BEST OF DENTON COUNTY
2016 MURRAY MEDIA GROUP
Committed to Community Excellence.
Immunizations
Safe
Key
are
to Keeping Our Children
W
by Susan Neuhalfen
ith the new school year quickly approaching, it is important to keep our children up to date on their shots. According to Sarah McKinney with Denton County Public Health, this is the perfect time to get them immunized.
“Right now, before you take them on vacation and before school starts,
is the best time,” said McKinney, the Denton County Public Health
Immunization Program Coordinator. “There is such a high volume of people trying to get their immunization shots in late August that the system really backs up.”
Parents are inundated with information both when school ends and
when school starts, so if you’re not sure what shots your child needs for the upcoming year, visit www.dentoncounty.com/health and go to the immunizations tab. Once you scroll down the page, there is a link
for Texas School Vaccine Requirements as well as Texas Child Care Vaccine Requirements.
For those without insurance, the Denton County Public Health offers
free or low-cost vaccines for kids. To qualify, the children are either
uninsured, underinsured or enrolled in CHIP or Children’s Medicaid). They don’t need an appointment though both the Denton and Lewisville
clinics have set hours that are listed online. A parent or guardian must accompany children under 18.
Juan Rodriguez, Assistant Director and Chief Epidemiologist for
Denton County Public Health emphasized how important it is to keep children on an immunization schedule to keep them from getting sick.
“When people become complacent, diseases have a resurgence,” said
Rodriguez. “Immunizations are very effective and very easy to do.”
The best thing, according to Rodriguez, is to stay on schedule and keep
good records.
Denton County Public Health also offers vaccines for those who travel
outside the country. Vaccines such as Typhoid, Hep A, and Yellow Fever as well as TB skin tests for a cash price. They are available to Denton County residents, regardless of insurance coverage. 24 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
JULY WHERE IS THE SHADE...
I
Gardening
f you don’t already have an outdoor living space I bet this last month has either been miserable or you’ve just stayed inside. Let’s talk about patios. HOW DO I FIT EVERYTHING I WANT INTO THE SPACE I HAVE?
This is where hiring a patio designer—and not just patio builder—comes into play. Here are questions the designer will have: • How many people will be on the patio at a time and how much turf are you willing to loose? • What exposure does the back of the house have, and what are the light requirements on the bordering interior rooms? • Are you looking for dining space or more casual sitting areas OR both? • Is this to be an all-weather patio? • What features do you envision (fireplace, bbq/kitchen, relaxing seating, fire pit, etc.)?
by PJ Kratohvil of Complete Solutions completesolutionsdfw.com
WHAT TO LOOK FOR IN A CONTRACTOR
TOP 3 PATIO OPTIONS
Here are a couple of tips when finding the best contractor for you:
outdoor space we build there are some things
• Are they local? Local means they are familiar
with our rules/regulations and close enough during the construction process to ensure things are going as planned. • Are they insured? For piece of mind and for your own protection. • Do they have a portfolio? Make sure they have a large portfolio of work that matches up to the quality and scope you want • Are they accessible? Do they answer calls/ emails promptly? Having a storefront, design center or place that you can always get in touch with someone is important.
When it comes to all the different patio and
that are more common than others:
• Bar Top: If you are building a counter/grill space with backsplash, extend the backsplash into a bar top to conserve space.
• Fire Pit: Whether it’s lit or not, having
different areas on a patio helps people to relax versus being centered around one central spot or table.
• Stone Seat Wall: Because of seating space
restrictions, stone seat walls are a great way conserve space and money.
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 25
Sidelines
by Steve Gamel
Here Me Out On This:
Is a Mercy Rule in Football
REALLY THAT BAD?
I
n case you didn’t hear, the state of Idaho has essentially approved a new mercy rule for all of its 11-man high school football teams. That shift
immediately sent shockwaves through the Texas high school football community, begging the question – should the Lone Star State follow suit? Here’s a brief description of the new rule,
according to the Idaho Statesman:
“The rule stipulates that once a team is ahead
by 40 points in the second half, the clock will
the
University
Interscholastic
League for 11-man football, though there is a 45-point mercy rule in six-man football. From what I hear, there is a similar rule for Texas Association of Private and Parochial School teams.
Currently, there are no plans to change these
policies, either.
My thought: Is it such a bad idea?
Plenty of us have sat through a blowout on a
Friday night in Texas and had that sinking feeling that we’re stuck watching a game that may never
end. You know exactly what I’m talking about; it’s 58-0, the starters were pulled a long time ago and it’s only halftime.
The losing team is far from folding its tent,
run continuously with the exception of timeouts,
but is clearly demoralized. Even the winning
need to pass another board vote in August before
what’s happening.
official timeouts and scoring plays. The rule will it can officially take effect for the 2016 season.”
So what do you think? Should Texas do the
same? There is no rule like this in Texas under
26 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
team – and its fan base – feels uncomfortable with
There’s the argument that cutting the game
short would limit the opportunity for back ups who work just as hard to get playing time. I get
Steve Gamel is a sports writer for the Denton Record-Chronicle. He contributes monthly to Lake Cities Living.
that, and no one wants to interfere with that, but couldn’t that be solved by having coaches be more proactive with their bench earlier in a game? I mean, it’s not hard to figure out by the end of the first quarter who’s going to win some of these games. Another argument says that by cutting the game short, you’re teaching the kids that life will always bail you out. To that I say, “Come on! Seriously!?” Is that counterproductive to the goal of sports, which are meant to be used as life lessons? Nope, and besides, if that were the case why is it acceptable to have a mercy rule in baseball or in six-man football? I bet if you asked the kids, they would love to avoid losing a game 91-0, which is exactly what happened two seasons ago with Aledo, which was subsequently accused of bullying. Really?!!? I get it: it’s football, and it should be played until the final whistle. But in the interest of fairness, I really don’t think a mercy rule would be a bad thing, assuming it was monitored effectively. Until next time, I’ll see you on the sidelines.
Business Coach
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 27
American Eagle Harley Davidson Every Saturday from noon-4pm, American
Eagle Harley Davidson in Corinth is having
a party for a great cause. Come join us any Saturday at noon for live music, cold beverages
Yard.’ This program is in collaboration with Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service for residents in the Denton County area. ‘Water My Yard’ is a free and simple internet-based tool that enables residents to use actual real-time information in determining how much and how long to water
and sometimes even free food. And here’s the
their landscape on a weekly basis.
allows non-profit organizations to benefit from
local weather stations, along with the customer’s
best part: American Eagle Harley Davidson their fun! Their Saturday party always benefits a
local community organization that supports kids
or the military. Are you looking for something to do this Saturday? Come check out some cool
bikes, sample some live music, and come party for a good cause!
Water Conservation Initiative Comes to Corinth
‘Water My Yard’ uses data collected from irrigation system specifications, to recommend to residents how much water is needed on their landscape. Watering recommendations are provided in minutes, making it easy for residents to adjust their irrigation system as needed and maximize water efficiency. “Residents are encouraged to use this sciencebased program to help alleviate the problem
The City of Corinth has partnered with Upper
of overwatering,” said Cody Collier, Acting
water conservation initiative called ‘Water My
that landscapes be watered no more than two
Trinity Regional Water District to promote a
28 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
Director of Public Works. “It is recommended
times per week and then only when needed. By following these guidelines, customers will save both water and money.”
To learn more about ‘Water My Yard’ and sign
up for weekly e-mails and text messages, visit www.watermyyard.org. Upper Trinity Regional
Water District also offers a number of resources. Click the link below to browse their website.
Northbound Entrance Ramp From Corinth Parkway to I-35E Temporarily Closed The
northbound
I-35E
entrance
ramp
from Corinth Parkway has been closed for approximately three months. While the ramp is
closed, drivers will continue northbound to the entrance ramp from Post Oak Drive.
This work is related to the 35Express
project, an expansion of I-35E between U.S. Highway 380 in Denton County and I-635 in Dallas County.
Sa
rk
y Lake Pa d n
Boys & Girls CLUB
Th
ursd
a y, J u n e
23
Club members were able to ride all of the carnival rides and later went swimming
photos courtesy of Rick Troutman, President of the Boys and Girls Clubs of North Central Texas
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 29
Falcons Well Represented
eG
ame l
ON BASEBALL/ SOFTBALL TEAMS
tev by S
Ty Behringer, Makenzie Chatham and Maddy Breckenridge each earned superlative honors while leading a solid list of Lake Dallas athletes on this year’s District 6-5A all-district baseball and softball teams.
B
ehringer, a utility player for the Falcons who played first base and pitcher, capped his high school career by taking home Offensive MVP honors. In his senior season, Behringer had a .943 fielding percentage and was 8-2 on the mound with a 2.08 earned run average and 26 strikeouts while leading the Falcons to the Class 5A Region I final. Chatham took home the same award in softball while Breckenridge was named Co-Defensive MVP with Birdville’s Caitlin Young. Chatham led her team with a .476 batting average and piled up 24 RBIs. Breckenridge finished the year with a .425 batting average and a .550 slugging percentage. The softball team advanced two rounds deep in the playoffs. In total, Lake Dallas had 14 players make the teams. Here are the complete lists, as reported by the Denton Record-Chronicle.
DISTRICT 6-5A (SOFTBALL) MVP: Callie Burns, Birdville Offensive MVP: Makenzie Chatham, Lake Dallas Co-Defensive MVPs: Maddy Breckenridge, Lake Dallas; Caitlin Young, Birdville
Pitcher of the Year: Grace Greene, Birdville Catcher of the Year: Cynthia Haugh, Grapevine Newcomer of the Year: Asia Valle, Fort Worth Carter-Riverside
Coach of the Year: Steve Bottoms, Grapevine
DISTRICT 6-5A (BASEBALL)
Catchers: (Sr.) Tanner Gibson, Grapevine; (Sr.) Jose
MVP: (Jr.) Connor Neuman, Grapevine
Utility: (Sr.) Kyle Flamm, Grapevine; (Sr.) Antonio
Offensive MVP: (Sr.) Ty Behringer, Lake Dallas Defensive MVP: (Jr.) Chris Morales, Fort Worth Polytechnic
Pitcher of the Year: (Sr.) Daniel Bandy, Birdville Newcomer of the Year: (So.) Jakob Machuca, Lake Dallas
Garcia, FW Polytechnic Mendoza, FW Eastern Hills
Designated Hitter: (Sr.) Paul McCullough, Grapevine
SECOND TEAM Pitchers: (Sr.) Marcos Guardado, FW Eastern Hills; (Sr.) Grant Landry, Lake Dallas; (Jr.) Roman
Coach of the Year: Steven Hutcherson, Grapevine
Ramirez, Birdville
FIRST TEAM
Mooty, Birdville; (Jr.) Clayton Beeter, Birdville; (Jr.)
Infielders: (Sr.) Hunter Bolling, Birdville; (Sr.) Blake
Pitchers: (Jr.) Ivan Salas, Fort Worth Carter-Riverside;
John Zaldivar, FW Polytechnic; (Jr.) Jesse Lopez, FW
(Jr.) Boone Montgomery, Grapevine; (Sr.) Leo Munoz,
Polytechnic; (Jr.) Ryan Drake, Grapevine
FW Polytechnic; (So.) Tyler Duffey, Lake Dallas
Outfielders: (Sr.) Austin McCain, Birdville; (So.)
Infielders: (Jr.) Joseph Leal, Grapevine; (Sr.) Ty Jones,
Colby Ferris, Birdville; (Jr.) Dylan Gonzales, Grapevine;
Grapevine; (Sr.) Ben McConnell, Lake Dallas; (Jr.)
(Fr.) Brandon Tolentino, FW Polytechnic; (Sr.) Cody
Victor Lopez, FW Carter-Riverside; (Jr.) London Green,
Duffey, Lake Dallas
Grapevine; (Sr.) Walter Pacheco, Fort Worth
Catchers: (Sr.) Christian Boulware, Lake Dallas; (Sr.)
Eastern Hills
Jamie Totten, Birdville
Outfielders: (Sr.) James Wyche, Grapevine; (Sr.)
Utility: (Fr.) Steve Rivera, FW Eastern Hills; (So.)
Daniel Rivera, Lake Dallas; (Sr.) Oscar Castanada,
Jovanni Ojeda, FW Carter-Riverside
FW Carter-Riverside
Designated Hitter: (Sr.) Drew Karp, Lake Dallas
30 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | JULY 2016
FIRST TEAM Birdville: (Jr) Gianna Valforte, 2B; (Jr.) Elena Garcia, 3B; (Sr.) McKenna Moore, C/1B
Fort Worth Carter-Riverside: (Jr.) Tiffany Esparza, P; (Sr.) Arysa Salazar, SS
Fort Worth Polytechnic: (Jr.) Selena Valadez, P Grapevine: (Jr.) Rachil Gossett, 3B; (So.) Abby Haugh, P/1B; (Jr.) Heather Haggard, SS
Lake Dallas: (Sr.) Sydni Fulks, OF; (Jr.) Autumn Graham, P
SECOND TEAM Birdville: (So.) Payton Walker, C/OF; (Sr.) Stephanie Clayton, OF; (So.) Maygan Paul, OF/1B
Carter-Riverside: (Sr.) Amy Morales, 1B; (Sr.) Denise Rojas, 2B
Fort Worth Dunbar: (Jr.) Jakayla Angelle, C; (Jr.) April Taylor, P
Polytechnic: (Sr.) Carolina Gomez, 3B; (Jr.) Leticia Ordonez, SS
Grapevine: (Sr.) Alyssa Gonzalez, IF; (Fr.) Allison Gassett, OF; (Sr.) Hannah Maxey, P/OF
Lake Dallas: (Sr.) Avery Boling, 2B, (Jr.) Haley Golden, C
JULY 2016 | LAKE CITIES LIVING | 31
PLUS PointBank will make a $25 donation to your choice of participating school organizations when you open a new personal checking account at PointBank!