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Sapphires and Saddles

Fundraising Events in September Support the American Cancer Society

By Amy Morgan

Giving to others. Serving the community. Values that inspired Vicki Goebel to dedicate thousands

of hours volunteering with the American Cancer Society (ACS), not dreaming how she would benefit from the organization when she fought the disease not once, but twice.

Vicki’s first brush with the disease was in 2006. A short course of in-patient radiation eradicated her thyroid cancer, and she remained cancer free until 2017 when she was diagnosed with Stage 2 ovarian cancer. In the years between, Vicki had become even more involved with the ACS. In 2015 she developed a special day of outdoor fun for pediatric cancer patients and families. Wrangler Day allows children to enjoy fishing, riding horseback, shooting arrows, rock climbing, and playing games. Last year more than 300 attended what’s now become an annual June event at Rancho la Mission. During the event children can contribute to artwork that a local artist incorporates into a piece that will draw much interest at the ACS’ flagship fundraiser, the Cattle Baron’s Gala, this year scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 30.

It was at the Gala six years ago that Vicki was introduced to oncology surgeon Dr. Joe de la Garza. Little did she know that less than three weeks later she’d meet him again in his office – as his patient.

Qualified in both oncology and gynecological surgery, Dr. de la Garza oversaw Vicki’s ovarian cancer treatment from start to finish. She’s cancer free now a second time and knows from personal experience how the funds raised by ACS benefit local patients.

The organization arranges transportation to appointments, contracts with hotels to provide lodging, and pays for a 24/7 hotline to answer questions or find resources for patients and caregivers.

Vicki Goebel and two young survivors highlighted at the American Cancer Society Ranch Chic Fashion Show.

The close-knit ACS community provided Vicki with a wig and emotional support when she needed it most. “You can’t do it alone,” she said, noting that the kids kept her going as she continued to plan Wrangler Day even during her own illness.

Vicki also credits the American Cancer Society for funding research for new therapies that are so important for effective treatment and cures. San Antonio’s ACS chapter endows two research physician positions in the medical center, confirmed Lauren Malchoff, American Cancer Society Senior Development Manager.

In addition to founding Wrangler Days, Vicki also has chaired San Antonio’s Relay for Life three times. Last year she was named the ACS 2022 Volunteer of the Year, just one of milestones recognized on the program at the Cattle Baron’s Gala. This year will mark the 45th year of the ACS’ largest fundraiser, which nets a third of the organization’s budget, Lauren said. In the works are the organization’s plans to build Hope Lodge to provide housing for families and cancer patients undergoing treatment.

Held again at the Estancia Del Norte Hotel located across from Northstar Mall, this year’s Sapphires and Saddles Gala features entertainment by country artists Pauline Reese and Cory Morrow. HEB has committed as presenting sponsor, and San Antonio’s major health care systems and members of the medical community also contribute. KENS 5’s Bill Taylor will MC the live auction that includes a doodle puppy and the Wrangler Day art piece. Raffle items include a chance to win a diamond bracelet, a Harley Davidson motorcycle or a Rolex watch. Raffle tickets are already on sale; eager purchasers can contact Lauren at Lauren.malchoff@cancer.org. Tables of ten start for a sponsorship of $5500. Packages of two tickets and a room for the night at the hotel are also available for a $1500 donation.

Wondering what to wear to the gala? Get a preview at the ACS Ranch Chic Fashion Show Wednesday, Sept. 13, where 65 cancer survivors of all ages will model the latest western wear sponsored by Cavender’s and Ariat boots. Vicki will join other survivors showing off gala-worthy fashions at the Shrine Auditorium in Stone Oak, which can accommodate the 700 attendees they expect.

The VIP entrance opens at 5 p.m., with general admission at 6 p.m. Participants will enjoy music by local country artist Nick Zamora while noshing on charcuterie created by the Board Company and desserts by Tiff’s Treats. A 10-seat row can be purchased for $1200, or individual tickets are $150/ each.

Whether the Ranch Chic fashion show or the Sapphires and Saddles Gala, slide on your best pair of boots and support your local American Cancer Society events.

Dynamic Duo

Wonder Twins Power Rattler Women’s Track Team

By Amy Morgan

British business magnate Richard Branson once wrote, “Sometimes miracles come in

pairs,” in reference to twins. His words could not more accurately describe Ronald Reagan High School seniors Mackenzie and Isabella Dagrosa and their impact on Rattler track.

The Dagrosa twins helped Reagan’s 4x400M relay team set a school record and finish sixth at the Texas state meet as juniors last spring. Not only did Isabella and Mackenzie respectively kick-off and anchor the relay, they competed, and medaled, in additional individual events. Isabella set a city record for her time in the grueling 300M hurdles and earned a second-place state medal. She also ran the 100M hurdles and competed in long jump. Mackenzie placed third in state in the high jump as well as competed in the open 400M.

Both Isabella and Mackenzie agree participating at the state track meet was a highlight of their years at Reagan. They especially enjoyed the close relationship they shared with fellow teammates with whom they’ve run the relay for the past two years. “We’ve had a lot of accomplishments on everyone’s part, and we got our goal – breaking the school record,” Isabella said. A new line-up will form, as the second leg runner graduated and passed her baton to the freshman alternate. “It’s bittersweet,” Mackenzie said. “She a very good friend.”

Both girls started track in 7th grade at Bush, where Mackenzie broke the school’s high jump record her first year. Isabella gravitated toward Brazilian Jujitsu, which she said has helped her gain confidence. The fraternal twins won’t fool anyone with ParentTrap style shenanigans. Their appearance favors as sisters, but Mackenzie’s stature at almost six feet leaves no doubt who’s who.

The girls started school in Germany where their father, an Emergency Medicine physician with the U.S. Air Force, was stationed. They mentioned the appeal of the hands-on style of the German elementary school that differs from that in America, as it allowed more time for outdoor play. “Schooling was less exams and more teaching by example,” Mackenzie said. When they first moved to Stone

Oak in the third grade, the girls were amazed by the plethora of America’s fast-food restaurants. They’ve parleyed their understanding of the German language to master German AP class and contribute to Reagan’s German club, helping add authenticity to festivals that incorporate Germany’s food and culture.

The Dagrosas participate in Reagan’s National Honor Society, where Isabella has taken the lead as the head of the community service committee. She hopes to make Reagan more welcoming and friendly. They enjoyed clearing a walking path at Stone Oak Presbyterian Church as part of an NHS community service project and credit their parents for instilling their desire to give back. Mackenzie hopes to follow their father’s footsteps into medicine, while Isabella is interested in international law. They wouldn’t mind ending up at the same college, but that outcome is not set in stone. The girls describe themselves as similar but different. (For instance, Mackenzie’s a “amazing baker,” and Isabella “can’t boil water,” she said.) But they agree in the way they’ll move forward over every obstacle – whether it’s Mackenzie’s high jump bar or Isabella’s hurdle.

Twins Isabella and Mackenzie Dagrosa power Reagan high school’s 4x400M relay, setting a school record and placing sixth in the state.

Community Calendar

Presented by Frost

Tax free weekend – Aug. 11-13. Emergency preparedness items, clothing, shoes, school supplies including calculators, lunchboxes and backpacks less than $100 per item are exempt from sales and local taxes that weekend. Diapers and coats qualify, but not handbags or helmets. Tax relief applies to purchases made in person or online.

Single Professionals Networking Meeting

Friday, Aug. 11, 4:30-6:30 p.m. Join other 55+ widowed, divorced and single mature professionals for conversation, libations and food in a relaxed, social setting. Milano’s, 19239 Stone Oak Parkway 78258; www.spn-sa.org.

Activities at the Walker Ranch Senior Center — Monday - Friday, 7:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Hot meals served daily from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. for qualifying seniors and their spouses. Exercise, field trips, bingo, loteria, movies, arts and crafts, free health and wellness screenings vary daily. 835 W. Rhapsody 78216; 210-207-5280.

Stone Oak Rotary Club – Tuesdays, noon -1 p.m. Guest speakers weekly. Dona Tota, 923 Loop 1604 W. #115 78232; www.stoneoaksarotary.org.

Shooting leagues and classes – Days and times vary. Introduction to firearms, CDL classes, date nights, kids’ classes, men’s events and shooting sports leagues for all skill levels on an indoor range. Buck & Doe’s Mercantile, 24250 U.S. 281 78258; 820-980-3637.

Tejas Rodeo – Saturdays through November, 5 p.m. – 1 a.m. Enjoy live rodeo action: bronco riding, team roping, barrel racing, mutton bustin’ and calf scramble. Live music at 9 p.m. Tejas Rodeo Company, 401 Obst Road 78163; www.tejasrodeo.com.

Summer Nights in the Garden Wednesdays through August. Enjoy extended hours, savor delicious food and beverages, explore a vibrant vendor market, and enjoy captivating live entertainment at the Botanical Gardens. San Antonio Botanical Gardens, 555 Funston Place 78209; www.sabot.org.

Immersive Disney – Thursdays - Sundays through Aug. 13. Times vary. Surround yourself in the immersive worlds, music and stories of Disney animation. Lighthouse ArtSpace, 221 Burleson St. 78202. www.lighthouseimmersive.com/disney/sanantonio.

Fall Sports Registration – Registration is open for flag and tackle football, soccer, t-ball, baseball, softball, and volleyball. Mays Family YMCA of Stone Oak, 21654 Blanco Road 78258; 210-497-7088.

Single Professionals Networking Meeting – Wednesday, Aug. 2, 5-7 p.m. Join other 55+ widowed, divorced and single mature professionals for conversation, libations and food in a relaxed, social setting. Kennedy’s, 19179 Blanco Road 78258; www.spn-sa.org.

The Lightening Thief – The Percy Jackson Musical at the Magik Theatre – Through Sunday, Aug. 6. Days and times vary. Live theater production adapted from the Rick Riordan book. The Magik Theatre, 420 S. Alamo St. 78205; www.magiktheatre.org.

Foster Perry Travel presents Najee in its Jazz on the Water series – Friday, Aug. 11, 7 and 9:30 p.m. By Land & Sea Concert features nationally recognized Smooth Jazz artists. 501 W. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. 78207; www.buenavistalive.showare.com.

Culinaria’s Rambling Rosé – Saturday, Aug. 12, 1 p.m. or 3 p.m. Annual tribute to the summer wine features six rosé tastings with paired bites from Chef John Brand. Becker Vineyards, 464 Becker Farms Rd, Fredericksburg 78624; www.culinariasa.org.

SASCA Autocross Event – Saturday, Aug. 12, 6 a.m. – 3 p.m. Participants compete to drive through a mini road course made of cones sponsored by the San Antonio Sports Car Association. River City Community Church parking lot, 16765 Lookout Road 78154; www.sasca.org.

NEISD First Day of School – Monday, Aug. 14

Culinaria’s Women & Whiskey at La Cantera Resort & Spa – Thursday, Aug. 17, 6-9 p.m. Woodinville social hour with tastings, bites, vendors and live entertainment. 16641 La Cantera Parkway 78256; www.culinariasa.org.

Rattler Round-Up Kick Off Pep Rally – Friday, Aug. 18. Purchase your Rattler swag, meet the teams, and watch the spirit squads perform. BBQ, 5 p.m., pep rally, 6:30. Ronald Reagan High School, 19000 Ronald Reagan 78258. www.rattlersports.com.

Lyle Lovett and his Large Band – Sunday, Aug. 20, 7:30 p.m. Four-time Grammy-award winning country musician Lyle Lovett performs at the Majestic Theatre, 224 E. Houston 78205; www.majesticempire.com/events/lyle-lovett/#nextperformances. Send your upcoming events to StoneOakInfo@gmail.com.

Four-time Grammy-award winner Lyle Lovett and his Large Band perform at the Majestic Theatre Sunday, August 20.

UTSA

Leo the Lionhearted

By Camp Bow Wow Staff

She didn’t like pets – not at all. And despite tolerating her husband, Jim’s, hunting dogs

Lisa never considered them part of the family. Her reluctance to get close to a pet stemmed from several experiences in childhood that had ended tragically. She had “never had a good pet story,” so she learned to shut off her heart to all things animal.

When their girls reached their teens, Jim declared they needed a family dog. He researched online and found what was advertised as a one-year-old male dachshund – for FREE! All they had to do was pick him up. Although Lisa vowed this would not be her dog, the family chimed in to name him Leonidas Zeus Spartacus – a moniker at least twice as big as its 12-pound namesake.

Jim soon went on a trip leaving Leo under Lisa’s care. As she started warming up to the pup, she prayed God would open her heart and allow her to understand the love people felt for their pets. The next day Lisa noticed Leo seemed listless. By Monday, he looked really sick. To her surprise, she was starting to feel real concern for him. When she took him to the vet, they realized Leo was much younger than claimed –only four months at best – making him susceptible to Parvo – the puppy-killing disease for which he tested positive.

“I fell apart,” Lisa said. “I just was starting to let myself love this little dog, and now I’m told he’s going to die.” Parvo treatment is rarely effective and always expensive, but Lisa vowed to give it their all, no matter the cost. For two weeks, she visited Leo twice daily in the pet hospital where he received plasma infusions. “I was beside myself thinking he wouldn’t survive!” Miraculously, (and several thousand dollars later) Leo pulled through.

Nine years later, the girls have grown and left home, but Leo sleeps in a fluffy pillow at the bottom of Lisa and Jim’s bed and accompanies them to Starbucks for a puppyccino on the patio. He loves hoisting his now

How a Rescued Dashaud Unleashed Love

sturdy body onto a chair to rest his head on the table as he sits beside his daddy.

Once they became empty nesters, the couple took up a new hobby riding their Harley Davidson through the countryside. Jim wears a doggy backpack so Leo can join them. There’s no way to dissuade this tiny motorcycling maniac. He anticipates the event from the minute they pull on their boots. Once they touch their vests, it’s all over. He starts dancing and “screaming” with excitement (not his usual bark,) Lisa reports. In fact, if for some reason they don’t choose to take him, they have to sneak their gear out and get dressed in the garage.

Leo rides happily sandwiched between Jim’s back and Lisa’s chest. Lisa reports once he’s settled in, Leo tilts his body to the side until he can view the open road around Jim’s shoulder. She can see his ecstatic expression –mouth open – tongue out - in the reflection of the side view mirror. No wonder her sunglasses are always glazed with doggy drool by the end of the day. It’s amazing what love can do.

Leo the Lionhearted loves motorcycle riding with his human parents.

Summer Scheduling

Prioritize Your Family's Oral Health Before School Starts!

By Amy Morgan

Summer days once seemed to stretch forever, but now the clock is counting down to the return of

school and schedules. Take advantage of a less crowded calendar to catch your family up on their dental checkups and cleanings. And don’t forget college students. Now is the perfect time to take care of their oral health, including wisdom teeth removal, before they head out of town. Starting orthodontia? Get initial appointments out of the way and make sure your teen is accustomed to the bands before donning a mouthguard for their fall sports season.

The professionals at 7to7 Dental & Orthodontics know how difficult it can be to find time for appointments during the school year, so they created extra space to accommodate families this summer, said Elyse Ramos, 7to7 Dental’s Director of Treatment Coordinators. In her three years with 7to7, Elyse has risen from new hire to being in charge of recruiting and training 25 advocates who work one-on-one with patients helping guide them through their dental experience.

Treatment coordinators serve as “dental translators,” making sure patients understand a doctor’s recommendation for their oral health plan. They also help find the most affordable option to cover any outof-pocket cost.

“The biggest part of the coordinator’s job is to educate the patient about why the doctor’s recommendation is needed,” Elyse said. “What are the benefits? What will happen if we continue to put something off? Right now, we’re encouraging parents to get their kids’

comprehensive exams in, so if there’s anything else they need to have done like a filling or orthodontia, we have time to do that before school gets busy.”

No matter what the need, Elyse or one of her coordinators can help a patient discern the best solution. 7to7 Dental partners with a number of third-party financers to help a patient make a plan that allows them to take care of their oral health without breaking their budget.

“Financing and credit are scary words. I love to offer our partner company options,” Elyse said. “We can break the cost into monthly payments, often with 0% deferred interest. Even if you don’t have the best credit, it will never affect you negatively to see if you qualify. I always tell them there’s no harm in trying.”

Elyse reminds patients not to delay scheduling an appointment if their insurance covers two cleanings a year. It would be a shame to miss out on the benefits they’ve worked hard for! For those without coverage, 7to7 Dental created their own membership plan to make sure dental care would be affordable for the entire family. See below for details.

The professionals at 7to7 Dental & Orthodontics care about your oral health and are available 7 a.m.- 7 p.m., seven days a week, for dentistry for the whole family and emergencies. 7to7 Dental is a local business grown in 15 years from the practice of one dentist and six staff, which now employs 300 San Antonio community members. Co-Owners Tiffany Winburn, D.M.D., and Justin Coke live in Stone Oak with their families and are part of the community.

By Amy Morgan

Whether you’re a weekend warrior playing a pick-up game or a student-athlete

starting a new season, an unexpected injury can put a kibosh on the competition. When you need medical attention quickly, the professionals at Physicians Premier free-standing emergency room are prepared and ready to help, no matter the hour.

Physicians Premier, located west on Highway 46 near the HEB Plus, is staffed 24/7 by boardcertified emergency room doctors, unlike many urgent care facilities. Nurses with years of emergency training immediately triage each arrival. The facility can handle any type of traumatic injury or illness, both pediatric and adult, and offers on-site X-rays, CAT scans, a full laboratory and ultrasound. Rather than spending time waiting, patients are seen, treated, and on their way.

Medical Director Zack Baum, M.D., experienced the capability of Physicians Premier last winter himself. When Dr. Baum unexpectedly twisted his ankle playing basketball, colleague Lonnie Schwirtlich, M.D., drew from his 43 years of emergency room experience as well as images from on-site X-Ray and sonogram to diagnose Dr. Baum’s Achilles tendon rupture. Dr. Baum was placed in a boot and referred to an orthopedic surgeon for further follow-up, a typical treatment path for many sports injuries seen at Physicians Premier.

“We have a wide range of tools at our disposal to understand what’s happened in an injury,” Dr. Baum said. “We diagnose lacerations, sprains, fractures, torn ligaments and tendons and create a plan for the patient’s next step.” Physicians Premier offers immediate, comprehensive treatment including stitches, splinting, and sedation and reduction of dislocations.

In addition to sprains and fractures, concussions are a common concern. Dr. Baum tells parents to bring their child in if they are concerned

something is off after a head injury. “Diagnosis of concussion is based on symptoms: coordination, memory or vision changes, nausea or vomiting, headache or loss of consciousness,” he said. “The patient doesn’t always need a full CAT scan work-up, but we have experience and evidence-based medicine to decide after evaluation if an injury warrants further investigation to rule out a fracture of the skull or internal bleeding in the brain.”

Dr. Baum added, “If someone’s worried, they just need a doctor who has years of training to decide what to do. I tell them they can relax, take the responsibility off their shoulders and put it on mine.” No matter the diagnosis, the professionals will provide instruction about next steps and facilitate future follow-up.

Physicians Premier has been a good neighbor to the community. The professionals maintain close ties with local school athletic departments, Dr. Baum said, and in the past have traveled to Smithson Valley High School to provide physicals to members of the sports teams, JROTC and band. The doctors can still accommodate last-minute sports physicals for student athletes.

The physician-owned and operated facility accepts all insurances and commits to work with patients to make sure charges are billed appropriately with the least amount of out-of-pocket expense. They also offer a discounted selfpay rate. Physicians Premier offers all the capabilities of a hospital emergency room without the wait or the crowd. Find them at MDpremier.com.

Thursday, August 17 I 11 :30 am -1 :00 pm

Presented by Monica Salas, MD - Direct Concierge Medicine and Lifestyle Physician

Lunch and Presentation: $15 Members I $20 Non-Members

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