Organizing with Cloud Nine Organizing

The Center of Everything

by Crystal Nerpel, Owner of Cloud Nine Organizing

Every stage of a family’s lifecycle brings with it special scheduling challenges. Keeping up with the busy lives of all family members can be a bit overwhelming if you don’t have the right tools in place.

As your children grow, they start school, develop new interests, and become involved in extracurricular activities. All of these things are fun but can take some adjustment. You may need to start coordinating carpool schedules, preparing school lunches, and keeping track of homework. How do you keep it all straight without losing your mind?

As your children enter high school and college years, they are almost fully grown. On top of that, they have developed agendas of their own — agendas independent of your agendas. This can be freeing for both of you, but you still need to be in the loop about the big events. How do you effectively keep track of your grown children’s schedules without being invasive? Maybe you and/or your spouse have a heavy workload, so you don’t get to see each other as often as you would like. How do you coordinate your schedules so you can meet in the middle more often?

You can use one of my favorite organizing tools to stay on top of it all: A Family Command Center. This is simply an area, in your home, designated to hold everyone’s schedules, important dates, and frequently used household information.

Here is how I suggest creating a simple Family Command Center to calm the chaos.

First, select a centralized location where everyone will know to look for important information, such as the kitchen or den. Once you’ve chosen the location, stick to that spot. Moving stuff around all the time and not being consistent with where you keep things confuses and frustrates everyone.

Next, a Family Command Center should be fairly simple, visually speaking. If you have too many notes, agendas, calendars, and to-do listed posted all over the place, you may create information overload and add to the chaos.

Finally, tailor your command center to fit the current needs of your family. Remember to update the information as it changes. Here are a few ideas for what you could add to your command center:

A family calendar with everyone’s schedules

Baskets for each family member’s current projects/ school papers/misc.

Shopping lists

School lunch calendars or school lunch ideas

A dry erase board for special reminders

Household binder with important information such as contact numbers, school information, pet/house sitter info, etc.

An extra set of keys

A secret stash of emergency cash

Adding a family motto to your command center is another fun idea. Print up your favorite inspirational quote or create your own family motto as a reminder of why you want to keep up with each other.

Visit CloudNIneOrganizing.com/ Free-Stuff for more of Crystal’s favorite organizing tools.

CLOUDNINEORGANIZING.COM

Serves Up VOLLEYBALL TEAM COMMUNITY PROJECT

by Steve Gamel | photo by Kelly Koele Photography

The Lake Dallas volleyball team has unveiled its new team photo in the form of a giant banner on its gymnasium wall. This is really nothing new, as nearly every program around the state does something similar to commemorate the start of another season. But even the quickest glance at it will tell you this year’s photo op serves a much loftier purpose. Posing next to each of the 13 Lady Falcons in that photo is a pack of adorable dogs from the Denton Animal Shelter.

The team is partnering with the shelter throughout this season to raise awareness for pet adoption. “I have six seniors this year, and we told them that we really wanted to do a community service project that would give them a chance to give back to the community in our own special way,” second-year head coach Kristinn Holbrooks said. “Our theme for the year is ‘Leader of the Pack,’ so naturally, we wanted to do something with animals.”

Holbrooks added, “It turned out better than I ever could have thought up on my own.”

While the initial idea was concocted by Holbrooks and long-time Lake Dallas assistant, Phyllis Brahinsky, they hoped the girls would take the idea and make it their own. And that they most certainly did, thanks largely to senior right-side hitter Lanie Schantz. According to Holbrooks, it was Schantz who emailed nearly every local animal shelter to gauge their interest. It didn’t take long for the Denton Animal Shelter to fall in love with the idea, mainly because Schantz had already organized her own plan of attack.

The multi-tiered approach, which will play out over the course of the season, goes beyond a simple team photo day. It includes sponsoring one or two dogs each week on social media to help them find a loving home. Players will also show up at the shelter weekly to play with the dogs and decorate windows. With help from her mother, Tamara Schantz, Lanie spent an entire weekend sewing Lady Falcon themed bandanas for each pup to wear. The plan is to eventually sell those bandanas to local families with pets, with all proceeds going back to the shelter.

Lake Dallas also plans to host a dog toy drive at several of its games.

“I had paragraph after paragraph of ideas and plans laid out,” Lanie said. “I sent it to the girls on the team and basically said, ‘Does anyone have anything to add because I’m about to send this email?’ They were all shocked. They basically told me, ‘no — I think you’ve got it all covered.’”

Schantz has been a Student Council member for several years, so organizing events and community service projects came easy for her. At the same time, she admitted she’d never taken on such a large project, and it took hard work from everyone on the team to make sure it went off without a hitch.

“You could tell the dogs were having a great time,” Schantz said. “They loved the attention.”

Holbrooks agreed, saying that she couldn’t be happier with the leadership of this year’s team.

“Everyone was blown away by it — I think Lanie had everything organized, planned, and contacts made within two weeks of us bringing up the idea,” Holbrooks said. “Just the fact that these girls selflessly and willingly take time out of their day to go to the shelter every week means a lot. What more can you ask for?”

If you’d like to help the Lake Dallas volleyball team, you can visit the Denton Animal Shelter to adopt a pet today. You can also check out the team’s social media sites for toy drive information.

SHERIFF’S

WITH SHERIFF TRACY MURPHREE

Intern to Captain

DENTON COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE SPOTLIGHTS CAPTAIN KELLY FAIR

Captain Fair began her career at the Denton County Sheriff's Office as an Intern in 2005, where she shadowed Forensics and Patrol. In April 2006, she was hired full-time as a Detention Officer. She was hired in Patrol later that same year, where she worked various shifts as a Deputy Sheriff. In 2009, she was promoted to Patrol Corporal. In 2011, she moved into the Administrative Patrol Corporal position, where she assisted patrol shifts with supervisory duties, managed the Patrol Field Training Program, testified in grand jury hearings, and continued as the liaison to the water district and contract deputy positions. In August 2013, she was promoted to Sergeant of the Criminal Investigations Division assigned to Forensics, and in 2016 promoted to Criminal Investigations Lieutenant. In March 2017, she was appointed to Support Services Captain. Captain Fair currently oversees the Support Services Division, which encompasses the Professional Standards Unit, Quartermaster, Radio Services, Training, and Technical Services.

Captain Fair completed the Peace Officer Academy in August 2005. Later that same year, she graduated with her Bachelor of Science Degree in Criminal Justice from Texas Woman’s University while interning with the Denton County Sheriff’s Office. In December 2012, Captain Fair earned her Masters of Business Administration Degree while working as a Patrol Corporal for DCSO. While working as Forensics Sergeant in August 2014, she completed the University of North Texas Forensics Science Academy. Captain Fair currently holds an Intermediate Jailers license and a Master Peace Officer license. Captain Fair was awarded DCSO Officer of the Year in 2012 and 2017. She has also received the Academic Recognition award from Texas Commission on Law Enforcement. Captain Fair’s son, David, is currently an SPC serving in the United States Army in Ft. Hood. She resides in Denton County with her partner Joel.

WE ARE HIRING

If you are interested in a career in Law Enforcement, join our family and be a part of a great organization. Detention Officer I positions start at $38,752.00 per year. Visit our website to apply.

www.governmentjobs.com/ careers/dentoncounty

“As a Texas Ranger in Denton County, I was introduced to Kelly Fair, a new intern for the Denton County Sheriff’s Office. It was apparent from the start that Kelly had a thirst for knowledge and an outstanding work ethic. Kelly was a “go getter” and learned very fast. I then watched as Kelly worked her way up in the organization and did a great job at each level with professionalism and integrity. After being elected Sheriff, an opening for Captain became available. It was my honor to appoint Kelly to the rank of Captain. Kelly has continued to be the professional she has always been and serves the people of Denton County with ethical integrity-driven leadership. I’m very proud of Kelly and her accomplishments and it is an honor to serve with her.” –Sheriff Tracy Murphree.

MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES ARE IMPORTANT In Denton County

by Denton County Judge Andy Eads photo courtesy of Judge Andy Eads

October is National Mental Health Month, which provides the perfect backdrop to stop and assess exactly, “How are you doing?” As stressful as life is normally, COVID-19 has magnified stressors in everyone’s life and pushed the boundaries of our mental health.

Statistically, Americans rank high in the realm of mental health issues. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 26.3 percent of adults 18-25 suffered from a mental health issue in 2018. During 2009-2017, adults 18-25 suffering from major depression increased 63 percent. The senior population (55 and above) in the U.S. is estimated to have 20 percent of the demographic struggling with a variety of mental health issues, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About 40 million adults, around 18.1 percent of the U.S. population, suffer with chronic anxiety, according to the Anxiety and Depression Association of America. The U.S. spent $187.8 billion on mental health conditions and substance abuse disorders in 2013. An estimated $70 billion was spent on depression treatments alone, according to a SingleCare report.

These statistics remind us that many of our neighbors in Denton County are struggling with mental health, suffering in silence at an even deeper level with the added pressures of life due to the ongoing pandemic.

Denton County’s MHMR has reported a true struggle to remain connected to their elderly population since the onset of the pandemic. People are not coming out to seek assistance with their mental health struggles due to the risks of contracting COVID-19. Thankfully, CARES Act funding allowed MHMR to receive funds as part of Operation: Connecting Lives to purchase iPads to assist in connecting with the elderly population, especially those in nursing homes who have been especially isolated.

United Way of Denton County is another organization that has been on the frontlines serving our residents in many ways including mental health. UWDC leads the Denton County Behavioral Health Leadership Team, which advocates and facilitates for a collaborative personcentered behavioral health system to repair and restore lives.

Interested residents can attend a free-8-hour course on adult mental health first aid to equip them with a five-step action plan to respond and refer an adult who may be experiencing a mental health crisis.

Another population in Denton County who has a great need for mental health assistance is our inmates, juveniles, and the public in crisis situations.

Incarceration provides a plethora of restrictions, rules, and even isolation while still being among a constant population. Our County recognizes the need to serve this population and keep them healthy.

Denton County has spent over $1.3 million to provide mental health assistance for our inmates and the public experiencing a mental health crisis through the Sheriff’s Office Mental Health Investigative Unit and the Denton County Public Health’s Jail Health Program.

During this month of mental health awareness, let’s do our part to continue these initiatives and assist each other in ensuring mental health services are available to all in need.

If you have any questions or comments, please let me hear from you at andy.eads@dentoncounty.com or 940.349.2820 For more information, register for my newsletter at www.Dentoncounty.gov/countyjudgenewslettersignup.