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Missionary Minded
JROTC Cadet Defers College for Church Service Overseas
By Amy Morgan
Johnson High School senior Connor
Throckmorton takes his call to serve others seriously. As a JHS PAL, he enjoyed mentoring elementary school students at Cibolo Green. “We build connection and show them that we’re not a teacher, but just a friend they can talk to,” he said. He credits his mother with instilling a strong desire to give back and be a role model to others.
Connor comes from a military aviation background. His grandfather was a Colonel in the U.S. Army, flying Apache helicopters before he started his own Aspen helicopter business. This beloved role-model taught Connor to steer the controls in the cockpit when he was still in elementary school. His father was an U.S. Army Apache repair technician, and Connor’s older brother currently serves in the same position at Fort Campbell.
Connor joined JHS’s Army JROTC his freshman year and eventually oversaw 130 cadets as Battalion Commander. He planned the 9/11 and Veterans Day ceremonies and briefed visiting cadet command accreditation inspectors. He created a program to increase recruitment by reinstating visits to Tex Hill and Tejeda Middle School to allow 8th graders to interview older students about their experiences prior to making their course selections. This practice was discontinued during the pandemic, which may have contributed to the recent decrease in JROTC participation at Johnson - a trend Connor worked to reverse.
Not surprisingly, Connor credits Retired Command Sargent Major Richard Sizer, who oversaw the color guard team on which he participated, as influencing his future career aspirations.
One of Connor’s favorite JHS memories involves running the varsity Raider team-based obstacle course challenge his freshman year. Connor still performs PT exercises on the pull-up bars near JHS’s JROTC’s drill pad that he helped construct as part of his brother’s Eagle Scout qualification.
Unlike many of his peers anticipating starting their college career, this month Connor will head out on a two-year mission for his LDS church to the country of Tonga located northeast of New Zealand. This spring he began learning the language, which sounds similar to Hawaiian. Although he’s spent some time with family friends from Tonga, location preference does not play a big factor in mission assignment, Connor said. His interest in and perceived success at learning a foreign language were the determining factors for the church’s decision committee to assign him to that far-away land. While the LDS church strongly encourages males to go on mission when they turn 18, in the end, Connor was pleased to make the commitment to the church in which he was born and raised.
“The whole point of it is to help others, teaching the beliefs of our church, helping locals and building connections with people you would have never met before,” he said. “It’s an opportunity to get away from daily life and looking at things for personal gain.”
When he comes back, Connor hopes to earn an appointment to the United States Military Academy at West Point to study aerospace or mechanical engineering. His experiences will surely distinguish him from many of his peers.
Community Calendar
Presented by Frost
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.
Tejas Rodeo – Saturday, March 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.
Nights at the Botanical Gardens
Select Wednesdays from April through September, 6-9 p.m. Enjoy extended hours, savor delicious food and beverages, explore a vibrant vendor market, and hear captivating live entertainment, all amidst the mesmerizing beauty of the Garden during the summer season. San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place 78209; www.sabot.org/gardennights.
Mays YMCA Summer Sports Clinics and Leagues – Session 2 begins July 8. Clinics and leagues for kids 3-14. Days/times vary by sport and age. Soccer, baseball, football, basketball, 3v3 soccer. Mays Family YMCA of Stone Oak, 21654 Blanco Road 78258; www.ymcasatx.org/programs/sports/youthsports.
Huntopia at the Botanical Garden through November 3. This world-premiere exhibition features new and whimsical large outdoor sculptures of bunnies, butterflies, and tropical birds from renowned artist Hunt Slonem. San Antonio Botanical Garden, 555 Funston Place 78209; www.sabot.org.
Be Your Own Hero summer camps at the Magik Theatre – Several sessions, dates vary through Aug. 2, 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Campers learn acting, dance, voice, and tech theatre techniques, ending with a musical theatre-style sharing on the stage. The Magik Theatre, 420 S. Alamo St. 78205; www.magiktheatre.org.
Fellowship of San Antonio Kids Day Out Summer Camp – Tuesdays - Thursdays, July 9 -Aug. 1, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. Kids explore the wonder of God’s creation through a summer camp adventure. Fellowship of San Antonio, 23755 Canyon Golf Road 78258; susan. thefellowshipkdo@gmail.com.
Single Professionals Networking Meeting – Wednesday, July 10, 4-6 p.m. Join other 55+ widowed, divorced and single mature professionals for conversation, libations and food in a relaxed, social setting. Parry’s Pizzeria, 21119 U.S. 281 N. 78258; www.spn-sa.org.
Ringling – The Greatest Show On Earth July 12-14, times vary. The all-new Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey® welcomes everyone, from kids to grown-ups, to a world of thrilling fun. Alamodome, 100 Montana St. 78203; www.alamodome.com/events.
Single Professionals Networking Meeting
Friday, July 12, 4-6 p.m. Join other 55+ widowed, divorced and single mature professionals for conversation, libations and food in a relaxed, social setting. Tomatillo’s, 201827 N. Loop 1604 E. 78232; www.spn-sa.org.
Foster Perry Travel presents Nestor Torres in its Jazz on the Water series – Saturday, July 13, 7 and 9:30 p.m. By Land & Sea Concert features nationally recognized Smooth Jazz artists. 501 W. Cesar E. Chavez Blvd. 78207; www.jazzonthewaterus.com.
SASCA Autocross Event – Saturday, July 13, 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.
14th Annual Texas Too Hot Run at Boerne Lake – Saturday, July 13, 7:00 a.m., Kids 1K; 7:30 a.m., 5K and 15K. Boerne City Lake, 1 City Lake Road, Boerne 78006; www.runsignup.com/Race/ TX/Boerne/TexasTooHot1k5k15k.
Cornerstone Summer Concert Series
Sunday, July 14, 6:30 p.m. Bryan and Katie Torwalt are artists, songwriters, and worship leaders. Their single “Miracle In The Works” reached number one on Air 1. Cornerstone Church, 18755 Stone Oak Parkway 78258; www.sacornerstone.org/ concertseries.
Community Bible Church Vacation Bible
School – Monday, July 15 -Thursday, July 18, 9 a.m.- noon. Children Kinder-5th grade. Safari Explorers VBS. Community Bible Church, 2477 N. Loop 1604 E. 78259; www.communitybible.com.
Culinaria’s Women & Whiskey with a Twist at La Cantera Resort & Spa – Thursday, July 18, 6-9 p.m. Red, White & Sips from DAOU Vineyards, with tastings, bites, vendors and live entertainment. 16641 La Cantera Parkway 78256; www.culinariasa.org.
MidSummer Night’s Dream Women’s Run –Friday, July 19, 10k, 2-person 10K relay, 5K runs. Staggered starts 8:15 and 8:35 p.m. Celebrate your inner diva in costume and illuminated swag as you run under the starry night sky. McAllister Park, 13102 Jones Maltsberger Road 78247; www.scallywompus.com.
Enjoy Fresh Hand-Cut Quality Meats
Pearls of the Beach Sandals
Toothcare for Toddlers
By Amy Morgan
Happy summer! Relaxed schedules make it an ideal time to slip in your family’s dental cleaning and checkup between visits to the pool and vacation. Your school-age kids hopefully have gotten into a regular routine of seeing the dentist twice a year. But what about your youngest family members? When should they meet the dentist for the first time?
Like their older siblings, even toddlers need regular dental checkups to maintain good oral health, said Mandy Dennis, a registered dental hygienist with more than 24 years of experience who trains staff in her role as Director of Hygiene Operations for 7to7 Dental & Orthodontics. Dental care is important to make sure their teeth are erupting properly and remain clean and free from decay.
7to7 Dental starts two-year-olds with a “happy visit” so they’ll associate positive feelings with the dental office. Children are invited to climb into the chair, clip on a “superhero” cape, and use the “super straw” to suction water out of their hand. Mandy, who also provides hands-on care and cleanings, was so invested in helping children have a good first experience that she even wrote a book parents can read beforehand that explains the dental visit to their children. I Spy with My Little Eye … at the Dentist captures what children see from their perspective. Parents can find a copy easily on Amazon.
Mandy also enjoys educating parents about good oral health practices and ways to prevent problems like tooth decay. One of the biggest no-no’s – leaving a child with a sippy cup or bottle full of milk or juice at nap or bedtime. Sugars in those liquids can sit on the teeth and really contribute to significant problems. Mandy recommends water as a tooth-friendlier alternative.
When those first teeth erupt, parents should begin wiping them with a damp washcloth. Once there are enough teeth to brush, Mandy recommends a baby-sized toothbrush with soft bristles and just a rice-sized dab of fluoride toothpaste. Very small children don’t understand how to spit well, so they are prone to swallow the toothpaste. Once the back molars erupt, it’s time to start flossing. Mandy suggests plastic floss sticks will make the task easier and help avoid being bitten.
Once children develop their first permanent teeth, known as the six-year molars, 7to7 Dental recommends sealing the crevices and lines on the teeth’s biting surfaces that can trap food and bacteria, Mandy said. Kids ages six to 11 without sealants have almost triple the number of firstmolar cavities as kids with sealants, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The team at 7to7 Dental realizes people lead busy lives and getting the family to the dentist is not always convenient. Each of their nine locations includes multiple chairs so the whole family can receive dental care at the same time. Just an hour or two on one summer day can keep your kids’ mouths healthy —from your toddlers to your teens.
Schedule Even Your Youngest Family Members for a Dental Checkup this Summer
Pet Protection
Safely Secure your Pup When Riding in a Vehicle
By Camp Bow Wow Staff
It’s a quintessential picture of freedom and bliss, a dog with his head hanging out of a car window, ears blowing back, nose in the air, taking in all the wonderful smells and sights. You’ve seen pups standing on the seat with their paws braced on the windowsill, or even draped across the driver’s lap. While it all sounds so carefree and fun, is this really a safe way for your furry family member to travel? What if you have to hit the brakes suddenly or, heaven forbid, your pup decides to leap out of the window while the car is moving? And what about the difficulty driving with a wriggly pooch wagging around the gear shift and steering wheel?
Just like for people, car safety recommendations for dogs have changed. Be prepared with some new equipment this year just in time for those vacation road trips.
First of all, strap your pup in safely by dressing him in a harness that locks into a seat belt. Car booster seats combine the comfort of a cushioned, snuggly dog bed with the security of a tether, allowing your smaller furry family member to look out the window safely. There are many styles to choose from, including several that place the perch right on the console of the vehicle’s backseat, providing a higher elevation for a better view.
Installation is easy. Place the seat into the car, thread the seat belt through the channel and buckle on the other side to secure the seat, then thread the lap belt into the seat to click into a connector strap that will attach to your pup’s stylish harness. Viola! Your pup is secured safely in a perch worthy of a king.
You don’t ever have to leave your furry family member home alone —there’s even similar styles for golf carts or bicycle seats. A motorcyclist on Bulverde Road was observed sporting a small passenger recently. His Yorkie was harnessed into a booster seat. The precocious pup was still able to sniff and bark to his heart’s content, yet he remained secured.
Similarly, a dog large enough to sit on his own can be restrained with the seat belt using a harness. One type combines a shock-absorbing, padded vest with two
seatbelt loops on the back. Once your pup is situated on the seat, simply run the seatbelt through the harness loops and click into the buckle. Just like when a human family member fastens a seatbelt, the strap doesn’t tighten except in emergency, so your pup will have the flexibility to change positions – sit or lie down as he feels comfortable.
What about the dogs you’ve seen bouncing around in the back of a pickup truck? What was once common is now a practice better left to the past. Pups riding in the bed of a truck should be safely secured in a sturdy kennel that’s strapped down tightly.
If you are interested in knowing more about the most highly rated carriers or restraints that have been tested to prevent injury to a pet should a vehicle crash, seek out recommendations from the leading independent pet product testing group, the Center for Pet Safety (CPS). This organization is serious about its safety recommendations for all types of pet products. They even grade on a point system for specific elements and use high-level measurement tools like digital calipers and high-speed cameras to assess their work.
Find them at www.centerforpetsafety.org.
Happy trails!
Swim Safety
By Amy Morgan
Itwasn’t until late May that the San Antonio weather really started to heat up. A Leon Springs man was fishing at Boerne City Lake, when he became hot during his exertion. The fresh body of water in front of him was irresistible, and he waded in to cool down, unaware of how sharply the bottom of the lake dropped off. When he slipped under the surface, he called for help, Boerne Fire reported, but his friends on the bank could not swim. Unfortunately, the man drowned.
This tragic accident underscores the need to be safe as you surf and swim this summer. Lonnie Schwirtlich, M.D., the founding partner of Physicians Premier, a free-standing emergency room located west of Highway 281 on Highway 46 near the HEB Plus, has been an emergency physician for the past 42 years. He’s very familiar with the dangers that water can pose, especially for those who are not strong swimmers.
Most importantly, Dr. Schwirtlich reminds everyone to be aware of each member of their party when near any kind of water. As in the case of the man in Boerne Lake, drowning can happen more quickly than you would imagine.
“Don’t ever leave kids unsupervised around water,” he said. “It only takes five minutes for someone to drown and be past the help of resuscitation.” Another way to protect children is to make sure they learn how to swim as early as possible.
“You want them to be able to save themselves if they fall in the water for any reason,” Dr. Schwirtlich said. This is a good precaution for adults, as well. It’s never too late to develop the swimming skills to enable someone to feel safe and comfortable around water. The YMCA offers adult swim lessons that teach a core group of aquatic skills every person needs for water safety.
If a non-swimmer does slip into water over their head, Dr. Schwirtlich reminds a potential rescuer to have something ready to throw to them to tow the person to shore. “Don’t just jump in,” he cautioned, because a person is liable to pull you down with them in their panic.
Even if you are a strong swimmer, you should wear a life preserver in a boat or on a jet ski to keep you
buoyant should you fall or flip. Dr. Schwirtlich, an avid fisherman and surfer, advocates everyone wearing some type of flotation device. He prefers a thin net vest that can inflate in an instant with a CO2 cartridge instead of a bulky jacket. An inflatable vest could have been a lifesaver for that unfortunate fisherman in Boerne.
With the water level at Canyon Lake so low, you might not be tempted to dive from the cliffs, but that’s a good rule of thumb at any time, Dr. Schwirtlich warned. Even if you check for obstacles, a submerged log could drift into your landing spot while you are climbing up the cliff. A careless dive is not worth a broken neck!
Be cautious of the shorelines along freshwater bodies of water. They’re a prime nesting spot for Water Moccasins. These aggressive snakes will come after you if you disturb them. Their bite is poisonous and requires immediate treatment. If bitten, keep pressure and ice on the wound to prevent venom from spreading and seek attention at an emergency room that stocks antivenom, Dr. Schwirtlich said.
Another caution, don’t drink alcohol while operating a watercraft. The laws for drinking and driving a boat are similar to those with a car. You could be arrested or, even worse, cause an accident because of your slowed reaction time.
Before you plunge into one of Texas’ beautiful bodies of water, make a plan to ensure the safety of everyone in your party. And know the professionals at Physicians Premier freestanding emergency room, located west of Highway 281 on Highway 46 near the HEB Plus, are ready to help.
Avoid Tragedy in the Water
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