Charm Magazine May/June 2018

A P R I L L B R A N D O N | P I C T U R E T H I S ! | FA S H I O N MAY/JUNE 2018

COVER STORY

women who

RODEO ALSO INSIDE

women in business:

JULIETTE GRAVES beauty

FLIP-the-ISSUE

EYEBROW solutions

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s t n e t n o C MAY/JUNE 2018

Beauty: Eyebrow Solutions

8

Feature: Juliette Graves, Simple Custodial Services

Beauty

10

Cover Story: Women Who Rodeo

16

Women in Business: Juliette Graves, Simple Custodial Services Aprill Brandon: That Awkward 538th Date

8

18

Hello, Sunny Skies

In Every Issue 14 26

Shop This!

Picture This!

I WAS TIRE SMELLSD. I DIDN WEIRD ’T WANT AND TH TO FIG E LASA HT ABO GNA LO UT HO OKS LI W MY M EA KE DO G FOO TLOAF D.

LEADS THE FIGHT against Alzheimer's ALSO INSIDE

women in business:

BETTY DEWEESE

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beauty

LIPSTICK revisited

FLIP-the-ISSUE

322 W Ty Longv ler St. 9 iew, T X flo03.212.90 9 or-me dic.co 8 m mycharm

online.com

4 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

On the Cover

Fashion

MARCH/APRIL 2018

Nelda Strong

24

Eyebrow Solutions

A P R I L L B R A N D O N | P I C T U R E T H I S ! | FA S H I O N

COVER STORY

Feature: That Awkward 538th Date

18

16

Features

24

Fashion: Hello, Sunny Skies

25

It’s a mad — but calculated — dash. The rider and horse race out of the gate and then into the cloverleaf pattern — around one barrel, then another and then around the last barrel, before racing the clock back to the finish line.

Spot the Charm Our March/April Spot the Charm winner was Betty Morgan and she received a $100 Visa gift card. Betty spotted the Charm on Page 25 in our last issue!

We invite you to spot a special Charm logo in this edition.

Hint: It’s not in the Picture This! logo or in one of the advertisements.

If you locate it, sign on to mycharmonline.com and click the Spot the Charm link on the homepage.

Good Luck!

At the heart of a woman, no matter how divergent in perspective or age - we often come together in core values and shared goals & interests...

Fashion Family Faith Food Friendship

Julia & Lacy Barron found delightful common ground when they came together in a family business!

Loop 281 @ McCann • 903.663.2060 • Mon-Sat 10-6 /barronslongview

@barrons_cafebarrons

CHARM / VIEW MAY/JUNE 2018 PUBLISHER Stephen McHaney EDITOR Ric Brack • 903.237.7759 • rbrack@news-journal.com

Register for summer camps now!

Day camps June 4-8 and 11-15 www.letu.edu/camps Register for the grade your child is entering fall of 2018.

Call 903-233-3093 with questions.

MANAGING EDITOR Jo Lee Ferguson • 903.237.7724 • jferguson@news-journal.com ART DIRECTOR Katie Case • 903.237.7715 • kcase@news-journal.com PHOTOGRAPHERS Michael Cavazos • 903.237.7748 • mcavazos@news-journal.com Les Hassell • 903.237.7764 • lhassell@news-journal.com DESIGNER Sara Bryan ILLUSTRATOR Michelle Laverell CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Aprill Brandon • Jo Lee Ferguson • Jim Hardin Nic Huber • Amy McHaney • Anntoinette Moore ADVERTISING DIRECTOR Darla Walker • 903.237.7727 • dwalker@news-journal.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES Thomas Bonner • 361.574.1249 • tbonner@vicad.com Sylvia Darden • 903.237.7721 • sdarden@news-journal.com Chris Dean • 903.237.7719 • cdean@news-journal.com Kerri Esposito • 903.232.7276 • kesposito@news-journal.com Ginger Lovelady • 903.232.7287 • glovelady@news-journal.com Jeff Martin • 903.232.7221 • jmartin@news-journal.com Tracy Stopani • 903.237.7726 • tstopani@news-journal.com CIRCULATION Josh Hart • 903.237.7765 • jhart@news-journal.com PRODUCED BY TCM PRINTING Sherri Goodwin • 903.232.7245 • sgoodwin@tcmprinting.com SPECIAL THANK YOU TO Models: Blair Abernathy, Kelsi Walker, Hope Bagley & Raney Bryant Fashion Photo Location: Pinecrest Country Club

mycharmonline.com • news-journal.com

6 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

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HEALTH & BEAUTY

I’m not the only one who struggles with thinning, sparse or nonexistent brows. Aside from injury, there are many causes of this vexing problem – here a few from the top of the list:

AGE Our hormone production changes as we age and our natural prostaglandin production decreases. Prostaglandin is the very hormone that tells your eyelashes and eyebrows to grow. Less prostaglandin equals fewer brows and lashes.

OVER PLUCKING Pluck, pluck, pluck. Eventually plucking your brows sends a signal to the hair follicles not to grow back.

CHEMOTHERAPY Chemo affects not only the hair on your head, but can affect hair on other parts of your body, including your eyebrows.

THYROID PROBLEMS When your thyroid is out of whack you experience many symptoms and one of those is – you guessed it – hair loss. In some cases even your eyebrows.

The good news is there are lots of options to address the brow

FILL IN THE BLANKS:

TEMPORARY, PERMANENT SOLUTIONS FOR

MISSING

EYEBROWS Words by AMY MCHANEY

problem. Here are four options listed in order of difficulty – and permanence – for producing a natural looking brow:

EYEBROW PENCIL I initially turned my nose up at the idea of a brow pencil. I have seen way too many ladies who have plucked their eyebrows to oblivion, then penciled them back in very neat, uniform lines. I learned, however, that the eyebrow pencil is a quick and easy tool to use once you get the hang of creating a natural looking brow.

In my case, the patch of brow that I’m missing actually does have a few hairs remaining, which I use as a guide when using the pencil. I start with short strokes that mimic the length of my natural brow hairs. My favorite pencil is the Clinique Brow Keeper

“D

on’t worry about me, worry about your eyebrows.”

($18 – Dillard’s), which includes a brush at one end. After I finish

– Instagram Wisdom

with the pencil I use the brush to comb through my natural brow

I have been obsessed with a full brow since I

and blend the lines a bit.

was 5 years old. Really.

While visiting my grandparents – when I was 5 – I was running through the house and sailed headlong into my grandmother’s buffet server. While the blow did not break the skin, it did leave killed the hair follicles where I’d hit the piece of furniture, leaving

CLINIQUE BROW KEEPER

me with an inch-long section of missing eyebrow. My interest in

$18, Dillard’s

an impressive goose egg on my left eyebrow. We later learned I

brow-filling products runs deep.

8 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

EYEBROW GEL

MICROBLADING

Researching this article was the first time I tried eyebrow gel,

One of my friends recently had her eyebrows microbladed

and my verdict is two thumbs up. Benefit Ka-Brow! ($24 – Ulta) is

and was very happy with the results. What is microblading, you

a cream-gel brow color that comes in a small pot with a tiny brush that is concealed in the lid. I was skeptical at first; I have tried eyebrow powders with tiny brushes in the past and had a hard

ask? Basically it’s a semipermanent tattoo for your eyebrows.

Unlike body tattoos which are injected deep into the dermis, microblading is done with tiny needles that inject ink much more superficially. Two sessions are generally required and the results

time making the powder look natural. The gel formula is pretty

last up to two years. Expect to pay between $400-1000 based on

great – it applies smoothly and with much greater precision than

the microblading aesthetician’s experience.

a powder, and it’s long lasting to boot.

PLATELET RICH PLASMA INJECTIONS

If you have very little to no natural brow, the Benefit Bigger

What could be better than re-growing your own eyebrows?

& Bolder Brows ($34 – Ulta) kit may be a good solution for you.

Platelet Rich Plasma injections – or PRP – can be used to stimulate

In addition to the Ka-Brow! gel, this kit includes shaping stencils,

hair growth. A patient’s blood is drawn, then processed through

among other goodies, which allow you to create a uniform brow

a centrifuge and re-injected into the site where hair growth is

when you don’t have an existing brow line to follow. It took quite

desired. A number of dermatologists and doctors have begun

a bit of practice, and a steady hand, to hold the stencils in place while applying the brow gel, but the results were nice, even arches. There is a wide array of brow stencils on the market; I would recommend trying several to find the best one for you if you think stencils are your best strategy.

using PRP therapy for eyebrows. I spoke to Cherry Hill Med Spa’s Alicia Nolte who has had PRP injections along her hairline with great results. She agreed that PRP can be effective for eyebrow re-growth and said that Cherry Hill can provide consultation and services if you are interested in this option.

TIP: When choosing a brow color don’t go for an exact match to your hair color – this often yields brows that are too dark and

BENEFIT BIGGER & BOLDER BROWS $34, Dillard’s

harsh looking. My hair is dark brown and the color that looks most natural on me is a fairly light taupe. I like to visit a professional in situations like this – Merle Norman or Dillard’s are great options – to help guide me. If you’d rather be more autonomous both Ulta and Sephora have testers of all their cosmetics available to try out before you take the plunge. C

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Women Who

RODEO Words by JO LEE FERGUSON | Photos by LES HASSELL

It’s a mad — but calculated — dash. The rider and horse race out of the gate and then into the cloverleaf pattern — around one barrel, then another and then around the last barrel, before racing the clock back to the finish line.

10 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

T

he woman and horse move together, she leaning with the horse, pulling on the reigns to guide the animal as it moves adeptly around each barrel, its hooves moving almost lightly

along the ground. Then, they both focus ahead in the sprint down the alley way, the horse’s hooves pounding toward the finish line.

“I think it’s a full partnership. The horse has to have the heart and the ability, the talent,” said Toni Martin, who has competed in barrel racing for about 11 years. Martin is a nurse at Longview Regional Medical Center who spends a good bit of her free time preparing for and competing in barrel races. She also stages her own barrel racing event the weekend after Thanksgiving in Marshall each year.

“The rider has to have the knowledge and the skills to ride but also understand the horse that they’re riding. Not every horse fits every rider,” Martin says.

For Martin, though, and Sarah McCormick, a professional barrel racer who lives in Harrison County, the love of the race starts with a love of horses. And it started for both of them at a young age.

“I always wanted to ride,” Martin said, recalling that her father’s

ABOVE: SARAH MCCORMICK WITH LEROY AT HER HOME IN LEIGH, TX BELOW: ONE OF TONI MARTIN’S BELT BUCKLES

family had cattle they “worked” on Sundays when she was a child.

Her parents divorced, though, and riding was no longer an option.

“But I always wanted to barrel race. I truly have no idea (why),” she says. “It was just something that in my eyes was just something I wanted to do. I loved the horses. I have always had a thing for horses, and I always felt like I connected with the horses.”

It’s the same for McCormick — the love of the animals came before the love of the race.

“I was pretty much born horse crazy,” she said. “I’ve always loved horses and any kind of animal.”

She learned how to ride on a mule named Elvis, she said, and begged her parents to get her a horse.

“Middle school is when I started competing running barrels.

I just loved it from the beginning. I always liked it,” she said. In Vivian, Louisiana, where she grew up, her parents wanted her to focus on the typical high school activities because she’d have her whole life “to rodeo,” McCormick said.

That dream stayed on the back-burner through college and remained there as she started life as a nurse working 12-hour shifts. Then, she married her husband, Kyle, and later, was able to start focusing on riding. She participated as an amateur and then had a baby — Jasper Fud is now 2. But now, she’s in her rookie year as a pro.

“I just started living my dream,” McCormick said. “The Lord has blessed me so much.”

That is where she was keeping her focus earlier this year as she worked to gain footing in as a pro. She sees her work as God’s continued on pg. 12  mycharmonline.com 11

“I want all the people to know to give your life to Jesus,

and he’ll take care of you.”

- Sarah McCormick

LEFT: TONI MARTIN AND FROSTY RIGHT: SARAH MCCORMICK RIDES AT HER HOME IN LEIGH, TX. mission field, she says, and she hopes people see the love of Jesus in her.

“It feels like a dream come true. I never thought I would have the opportunity,” she said, given all the obstacles she faced. “Once

“I don’t deserve all this. I want all the people to know to give your

my daughter wanted to do it and I provided it for her, I thought,

life to Jesus, and he’ll take care of you,” she said, recalling that as she

you know, if I can do it for her, maybe this is something she and

started on this journey, her prayer was to be in God’s will. “If this is

I can do together. Getting to watch her and getting to do it — it

what you want from me, everything will fall into place. I just take it

was full circle.”

one day at a time. It’s not about me. He’s given me the ability to ride horses. He’s given me horses to ride. I just owe all of that to him.”

Through everything, the women are driven by their love of their horses.

Martin took a longer path to fulfilling her dream of barrel

McCormick, who has been racing a horse named LeRoy as of

racing. She now sees the odds were against her — her parents

late, uses magnetic blankets and special products on her animals’

divorced and died relatively young. She ended up as a single mom

hooves and legs to help any soreness they might have as well as

who went to school to become a nurse.

medicine for their stomachs because they’re prone to ulcers.

Her daughter, Dani, who now is grown with a family of her own, was 13 when Martin bought the girl her first horse. Dani was 14 or 15 when she started barrel racing. Martin joined her within a couple of years.

12 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

“It’s mostly about them and about keeping them happy and comfortable so they can perform their best,” she said.

In early March, the horse Martin had been riding — Frosty — was badly injured. Her voice cracked as she described how Frosty

TONI MARTIN COMPETES AT “TURN’IN FOR TOTS” BARREL RACE IN ATHENS, TX DECEMBER 2016. (PHOTO COURTESY OF KEVIN GOODMAN) had snuck through an open gate into an area where her stud horse was kept. The stud horse attacked Frosty, almost killing him. She wasn’t sure then how long she and Frosty would be sidelined.

Her love for horses and barrel racing also shines in another way — Gobble up the Cash, the annual barrel race event she started will celebrate its 10th year this year. It started with 600 barrel racers, and in its ninth year had 1,300 racers, she said.

“It’s a ton of work. I love the barrel racing so much, and I just kind of wanted to do something, produce an event that would bring

Martin says she loves the “total package” — the horses and the racing, but in the end, it’s the love of horses that drives her.

“It’s kind of in my soul,” she says. “I feel like if you told me tomorrow I could never ride again, I probably wouldn’t live much longer.”

When McCormick was pregnant, she couldn’t ride or compete in races. Still, she liked to be around the horses and liked to help her husband care for them. She says she has a sign in her house that says, “One is nearer to God’s heart on the back of a horse than anywhere else.”

“I’m just living the dream, my dream — that I never thought I

opportunity to our area, because we don’t get to see very many big

would be able to be a stay at home mom, not only be a stay at home

barrel races,” Martin said. She holds her event the weekend after

mom but get to ride horses every day; not just be able to have horses

Thanksgiving each year at the Marshall City Arena, and she conducts

and ride them but to be able to compete and be good with them,”

a Toys for Tots drive with the competition each year. She chose the

McCormick said. “I just want all honor and glory and praise to be

venue because it’s a covered arena, so the race continues rain or shine.

given to Jesus. None of this would be possible without him.” C mycharmonline.com 13

Shop this!

Spring & Summer Shoes

Charm magazine has a big crush on these super-cute shoes our friends at Dillard’s showcased for this spring and summer. What can we say? We’re in love.

Michael Kors Mirror Metallic Slide $49 DILLARD’S

Michael Kors Leather Plate Thong $79 DILLARD’S

Antonio Melani Eggshell GarnerTwo $79.99 DILLARD’S

A•D & Daughters Bianca Blush Brookshire $180 DILLARD’S

A•D & Daughters Bianca Blush Cannour, $200 DILLARD’S

14 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

UGG W Poppy Pink Slider $60 DILLARD’S Aldo Orange Criewiel $75 DILLARD’S

Aldo Bluette StessyF $75 DILLARD’S

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F EATURE

WOMEN in business: JULIETTE GRAVES Simple Custodial Services

Words by ANNTOINETTE MOORE | Photo by LES HASSELL

T

here’s a story about President John

homes and businesses in Longview, Kilgore,

herself. The teens must have a good report card

F. Kennedy visiting NASA in 1962,

Marshall, Tyler, Shreveport and small towns

to be hired and earn minimum wage.

just as the race to the moon began.

near Longview.

“I want someone who wants to work, who

The president saw a janitor sweeping the

Starting a small business is not easy.

wants to learn about the world and wants

floor and asked what he was doing. “Well, Mr.

Graves worked months without a day off,

work experience,” Graves said. “They have

President,” the janitor replied, “I’m helping

from 7 a.m. until late at night. She said her

to be interviewed, (I ask them) ‘Why should

put a man on the moon.”

longest day was 15 hours.

I hire you?’ I want them to go through the

That’s the vision and dedication Juliette

“You don’t realize how hard it is, getting

Graves brings to Simple Custodial Services.

clients, getting the trust of clients, making

Her company belongs to Cleaning for a

She and her team clean houses and businesses

sure that people know what you do,” she said.

Reason, a national nonprofit group in which

“I would say, ‘Oh my God, that’s it! I’m

firms clean houses of women undergoing

for a living, but their bigger mission is improving the lives of their customers.

Graves, 36, started her first cleaning company in 2013, Juliette’s Cleaning Service.

She was the only employee.

going to give up!’ Then, … I would say, ‘I’m not a quitter,’ ” she added.

real experience.”

cancer treatment for free.

Graves and her employees also organized

“I had really good support from my

a fundraiser for Longview’s Newgate Mission,

husband. … I made plenty of mistakes, but

and she has started her own organization

“My husband suggested it. He was like,

then I have learned from them. Criticism is

called Cleaning for Heroes, donating cleaning

‘You want to open a new business?’ I said,

always good. I would take it as a good criticism

services to wounded veterans.

‘Yes, sure. What is it?’ ” she said.

and fix” the problem, Graves said.

“I wanted my employees to have the

Her husband, Eric Graves, has an

Her son and her daughter have worked with

experience of giving to people. You don’t

information technology firm, and a client

her, as have her husband’s four children. Because

have to have money; you can give in other

asked him to recommend a cleaning person.

her children didn’t know how to interview for

ways,” she said.

He knew this was a perfect fit for his wife.

their first jobs, Graves interviewed them and

“I love to clean and organize. After you

evaluated their skills, responses, dress and

clean something, you look back and you

attitude. Then she started a program teaching

have accomplished something,” Juliette

life skills to teens entering the workforce.

Graves said.

She hires teens as young as 14 – with their

Her advice to anyone starting a small business is blunt.

“If you have the power, you have the strength, you are positive, then go for it,” she said. “Never give up.

She opened Simple Custodial Services in

parents’ and school’s knowledge and permission

“Don’t let fear hold you back. Always take

2015, which has “16 employees and growing,”

– and places them with supervisors who are

criticism. It will make you better and wiser and

Graves said. She and her teams clean

good role models. She also works with them

will make your business succeed.” C

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FASHION

Hello,

SUNNY SKIES Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS

Hello sunny skies. We’re glad you’re back. It’s spring in East Texas, which means cool mornings and hot afternoons — or maybe just hot all around even though summer is still weeks away.

The ladies at Longview’s Krush Boutique showed Charm magazine some of the hot spring and summer styles available in the store, showcased at Longview’s beautiful Pinecrest Country Club. The club’s sparkling pool and lush greens provided a perfect backdrop for our spring fashion shoot.

Blair Abernathy, Krush Boutique Call Me Stevie by Krush, $38.95, Leather beaded cuff bracelet, $14.95, Qupid shoes, $32.95

CHARM FASHION SPONSORED BY

18 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

Kelsi Walker, Krush Boutique Kancan jeans, $44.95, Qupid shoes, $32.95 Arabella by Krush top, $25.95 Krush earrings, $12.95

mycharmonline.com 19

Hope Bagley, Krush Boutique Vibrant Flair jeans, $44.95 Krush Pink Striped Lace Sleaves, $24.95

20 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

Raney Bryant, Krush Boutique Sadie and Sage dress, $42.95 Qupid shoes, $32.95 Necklace, $16.95, Earrings, $22.95, Qupid shoes, $32.95

23 mycharmonline.com 21

Nothing But

BLUE SKIES & 2018 Silverado

@PETERSLONGVIEW 22 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

2018 Camaro

OPEN ROADS

mycharmonline.com 23

F EATURE

That Awkward

538TH DATE F

Words by APRILL BRANDON | Illustrations by MICHELLE LAVERELL

or a 10-year-old who used to fantasize about going on

slow dance in the living room. The bouquet of flowers on a random

elaborate dates with Jonathan Taylor Thomas to an almost

Monday. The “I’m bringing pizza home for dinner” text.

excessive degree, I grew up to be a not very romantic

Followed by the “And beer!” text.

adult. Take Valentine’s Day. I’ve never been a big fan. I don’t like

Which probably explains my whole “thing” about date night.

a holiday dictating when I should shave my legs.

See, kids, when a man and a woman love each other very much,

Or Sweetest Day, for that matter. What is this thing? Who got

they spend a boatload on tulle and fancy almonds so they can get

to decide this is a thing? Is it just a sequel to Valentine’s Day?

married. And then they do a special hug, which results in children

“Valentine’s Day 2: Buy Harder”?

and never being able to pee alone again. And, after awhile, although

Not that I think there’s anything wrong with romance, per se.

I’m just more a believer in spontaneous romance. The unexpected 24 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

the man and the woman still love each other, they kind of forget they are actual human beings and not just cogs in a butt wiping factory.

Which is why date night was invented.

If you talk to most parents, they will say that hiring a babysitter and going out for an evening is vitally important to your relationship so that you and your partner can reconnect and remember that at one point you could carry on an entire conversation that didn’t involve the words “poop” or “smear” or “we’ll probably have to move, that smell is never coming out.” And I’m not here to argue that. I agree wholeheartedly with date nights in theory.

It’s just in the execution that it’s flawed.

When you have kids, especially young kids, it doesn’t matter

“He keeps headbutting my crotch. I know I can’t do it back to him but,

SERIOUSLY,

JUST ONE TIME and he’d probably stop.”

if you want to go out or not. It doesn’t matter if you’re exhausted or not in the mood or already had big plans to eat an entire cheesecake while watching “Cougar Town” once the kids were

Him: He keeps headbutting my crotch. I know I can’t do it back to him but, seriously, just one time and he’d probably stop.

asleep. You simply force yourself to go out if and when some

Then it gets lame:

idiot agrees to watch your adorable, ridiculous children (who just

Me: I’m so tired.

invented a game where you chase them around with a flashlight

Him: So tired.

for six hours straight).

Real lame.

Which is why my husband and I went on a date night last week

Me: I mean, just so tired.

when my mom was visiting from out of town. The last thing we

Him: How long have we been gone?

wanted to do was reconnect. We wanted dual naps while an IV

Me (checks watch): 12 minutes.

dripped vodka into our veins. But what did we do? We went out

And then we remember that alcohol exists.

because, hey, we had bagged us an idiot.

Me: I’ll take a bottle of Merlot.

Now, I don’t know how your date nights usually go, but ours

Bartender: To share?

usually follows the same script. The conversation always starts

Me: Hahahaha

off awkward.

Him: What is the closest thing I can pour into my mouth? I’ll

Me: Hey.

take three.

Him: Hey.

Bartender: Uh...

Then we actually look at each other and it gets even worse.

Which quickly leads to things like:

Me: Have you always had that much white in your beard?

Me: I am going to finish my novel this year. I’ll write nights,

Him: When’s the last time you brushed your hair?

Then we spend a few minutes venting.

Me: If your daughter takes her diaper off one more time, we’re not paying for her college.

weekends, whatever it takes.

Him: Yes, you need to. I’ve always thought so. You’re talented even if you don’t think so.

Me: Well, so are you! Look at all you’ve accomplished so far.

All you do for us, it’s just...

Him: Well, I couldn’t do it without you by my side. *cheers* And later: Me: I LOVE YOU SO MUCH. Him: YOU ARE MY EVERYTHING! AM I TALKING TOO LOUD? Me: NO, NOT AT ALL. And that is ultimately why we drag our exhausted, bedraggled selves out on date night. Even if we don’t want to. Because in the end it is necessary. Because it works. Because before all of us there was a we. A we with hopes and dreams and passions and unique personalities and a much higher tolerance for alcohol.

And sometimes we forget. mycharmonline.com 25

PICTURE

This!

CHARM/VIEW

COVER REVEAL PARTY

RONALD PORTER

LONGVIEW | MERLE NORMAN | 2/25/2018 Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS

Charm and View magazines celebrated the March/April edition with a cover reveal party hosted by Merle Norman in Longview Mall. Perfect Catering provided, well, some perfectly

CHARLENE INGRAM, DORINDA NORMAN, LINDA FULLMAN

delicious food for the event as the magazines celebrated covers featuring Nelda Strong, an advocate for families dealing with Alzheimer’s, and local chef Ronald Porter.

Join us at our next cover reveal party, from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

June 21 at Coccolare Day Spa, 803 E. Fairmont St. Heritage Wine & Spirits will once again provide beverages for the event.

We hope to see you there!

SHELIA MILLER, BEVERLY GUEST

DONNA WENDEL, CARA PETREA

PHYLLIS LOMAX, ANGELA PORTER

26 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

KRISTY IRION, JUDY KENNEMER

P ICTURE THIS

WOMEN IN LONGVIEW DAY LONGVIEW | HOLIDAY INN | 3/22/2018 LINDA BROOKS, ROBIN REESE

Photos by MICHAEL CAVAZOS

The 31st Women in Longview Day featured guest speaker Anngie Johnson, whose long career with NASA included being the first black employee to manage a front room console position in mission control.

Women in Longview Day celebrates the achievements and diversity of Longview’s women, while providing information, support, encouragements and motivation for women. The event also raises money for scholarships for graduating seniors and women returning to college.

More than 250 people attended this year’s luncheon at the Holiday Inn and Suites Infinity Event Center. Retired County Court at Law Judge Becky Simpson also led a seminar with a panel of experts who discussed, “Family Violence through the Eyes of a Child.”

MACIE WYERS, CHONTAE CUELLAR

FREEDA RICHARDSON, JULIE STARLING

BARBARA TOLLESON, SHARON DEHOFF, TISHA SMITH

DESMOND NEAL, CINDY GRAHAM, BRENDA PETE

PAM CRISLER, CHERYL HARRELL, GINA TYNES, AL GONZALEZ, LINDA VOYLES

mycharmonline.com 27

P ICTURE THIS

ANNUAL LADIES

VALENTINE’S DAY PARTY

ALICE MASEY, MARGARET JONES

LONGVIEW | LONGVIEW COMMUNITY CENTER | 2/14/2018 Photos by LES HASSELL

Women celebrated the love of friends during the annual Ladies Valentines Party, held Feb. 14 at the Longview Community Center.

Marking its 23rd year, women this year were encouraged to wear 1940s attire during the event that included food, fellowship, bingo and live performances of standards from that time period. About 55 women attended this year’s party.

Sheila Rainer started the event for her mother, Marie Ballard, a widow, to help her mother not be lonely on Valentine’s Day. Clovie Johnston took over as organizer three years ago.

SHEILA RAINER, BETTY HAMON

PAM IBEH, LAURA LARA

JOYCE BROWN, FANNIE WILLIAMS, BETTY ANDERSON, JOLENE COPELAND

28 CHARM | M AY / J U N E

KRISTI BRIAN, MARIE BALLARD

EDITH MCWHORTER, DONNA CORMIER