Tex Appeal Magazine | August & September 2024

Healthcare with your spin on it.

You throw it down like no one else. we’re creating healthcare experiences shaped to your unique needs and goals. Together, we’ll design a plan that reflects your individuality so every step of your journey feels just right.

A look inside the Sue Mayborn Women’s Center in Killeen

Baylor Scott & White – Temple program in nation’s top 50; Central Texas region gets new president

Central Texas College and area high schools prepare students for future jobs in medicine

Ashai

TEEN

Temple

Local women say procedures changed their lives for the better

Don’t

Dr. Christopher Chiles is chief of the division of cardiology at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple. | 48

Photo by RUSTY SCHRAMM

Central Texas College prepares students for nursing careers. | 52 Photo courtesy of CTC

Photography: Angela Sitz | Model: Kathie Gover,

It’s often in times of crisis that the true nature of a community is shown. Central Texans showed their true nature — one of compassion and commitment to their fellow neighbors — following the May 22 tornadoes that ripped through the Temple and Belton communities.

The tornadoes struck swiftly and mercilessly, leaving a path of destruction in their wake. Amid the chaos, countless acts of kindness, bravery and solidarity have been the cornerstone of the recovery efforts. Together, people are rebuilding not just their homes and business, but their sense of community and hope for the future. On page 70, Bobbie Jo Young highlights just a mere fraction of those people who stepped up for this community and assisted their friends, neighbors and perfect strangers in their time of need.

BRANDY CRUZ editor@ texappealmag.com facebook.com/ texappealmagazine

The focus of this issue is our heroes in healthcare. On the cover, featured on page 48, is Dr. Christopher Chiles, chief of the division of cardiology at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple. The hospital was recently named among the top 50 cardiovascular hospitals in the United States by Premier’s PINC AI™. Find out what sets their cardiovascular program apart, and how they build meaningful relationships with their patients.

Meet Baylor Scott & White’s Central Texas Regional President Greg Haralson, a board member of the Texas Hospital Association, who brings with him more than 20 years of experience. Read his story and what he hopes to achieve in his new role on page 50.

AdventHealth Central Texas also received honors this year, with the Killeen hospital listed in Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals. Read all about the Sue Mayborn Women’s Center on page 44.

If you’re looking for alternative health options, Ashai Health in Salado probably has you covered. It has a vast list of alternative and science-based health services such as cryotherapy, IV nutritional therapy, NormaTec air compression, red-light therapy, and personalized fitness programs, to name just a few. Read about the benefits of alternative health on page 56.

Careers in healthcare remain at the top of the most in-demand careers in the United States. Central Texas has people covered, no matter if they’re still in high school, college bound or maybe even seeking a change of careers. After all, they say it’s never too late to learn something new! On page 52, read all about the various healthcare career options offered at the local high schools and colleges.

If you’ve ever considered cosmetic surgery, you need to read page 60. Two military spouses share their own personal stories and explain how cosmetic surgery was the best thing for them.

On page 68, read about one local woman’s eye-opening health scare after finding out she had 95% blockage in her largest artery. Her message: Listen to your body.

We hope you enjoy this issue as much as we did creating it. It’s always a great thing to highlight wonderful people in the community, doing inspirational things as they work tirelessly to improve the health and well-being of others.

Tex Appeal editor

Tex Appeal

Published by FRANK MAYBORN ENTERPRISES, INC.

KILLEEN DAILY HERALD 1809 Florence Rd., Killeen, TX 76540

TEMPLE DAILY TELEGRAM 10 S. Third St., Temple, TX 76501

Publisher SUE MAYBORN

Editor

BRANDY CRUZ

Graphic Designer M. CLARE HAEFNER

Contributors

WES ALBANESE

PHOENIX CARLISLE

BLAIR DUPRE S. MORRISEY

SKEEBO REICHERT

AMY ROGNLIE

BECKY STINEHOUR

RACHEL STRICKLAND TONYA WARREN

BOBBIE JO YOUNG JANNA ZEPP

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254-778-4444 in Temple 254-501-7500 in Killeen

ABOUT US:

Tex Appeal Magazine is published by Frank Mayborn Enterprises, Inc. 10 S. Third St., Temple, TX 76501. The cover and content of Tex Appeal Magazine is fully protected by copyright and cannot be reproduced in any manner without prior permission.

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Send address changes to: Tex Appeal Magazine, P.O. Box 6114, Temple, TX 76503-6114.

HOW TO CONTACT US: Advertising: 254-778-4444 or 254-501-7500. Editorial: Contact Brandy Cruz at editor@texappealmag.com

PHOENIX CARLISLE is an obsessive book lover, who can’t get her hands on enough books. A high school honor student, Phoenix wants to be a criminal lawyer, and she hopes that she can travel to all the places she dreams of. For now, she helps her parents handle four younger siblings as she continues to read and write.

BLAIR DUPRE is the news editor of the Fort Cavazos Sentinel and has over a decade of photography experience. She earned her bachelor’s degree from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2018 and now resides in Belton with her best friend, Jessica, and their cats Boo and Biscuit.

S. MORRISEY, a marketer by day, cherishes her life as a mom of six and granny of five. She loves sewing, knitting, theater and rocking out to punk, metal and ’80s music.

BECKY STINEHOUR is a portrait, commercial and event photographer, specializing in live music venues. Her work has been published in several regional magazines. She is a Killeen High School graduate who loves to highlight her hometown connections through the lens of her camera. Find her on Instagram at ciphoto.

RACHEL STRICKLAND is a university writing tutor and freelance writer. She earned a Master of Arts in English from Texas A&M UniversityCentral Texas in 2021. She has a passion for anything related to language and writing, and her words have been published in various blogs, newspapers and literary journals. In her free time, she enjoys reading, crocheting, and listening to true crime podcasts — always with her cat on her lap.

SKEEBO REICHERT has over 25 years experience as a professional photographer and has expanded his services to include filmmaking. The Temple High School graduate has a BFA in photography and sculpture. He lives in Temple with his wife and two sons. PhotoBySkeebo.com

AMY ROGNLIE is an author and middleschool teacher. Her newest series of cozy mystery novels, The Short Creek Mysteries, are set in Bell County. Amy’s articles have been published in national magazines and websites. She blogs on encouragement, hope and faith on AmyRognlie.com. Amy and her family reside in Little River-Academy.

TONYA WARREN has been a registered nurse for 33 years with Ascension Providence Healthcare in Waco and a lifestyles writer for a few years. She lives in Waco and enjoys reading, writing and taking her grouchy German Shepherd on walks.

BOBBIE JO YOUNG serves as the director of membership development at the Temple Chamber of Commerce, where she focuses on business development, events and marketing. Previously, she worked as an advertising executive for the Temple Daily Telegram while also serving as a chamber ambassador. Her work has been featured in numerous newspapers and magazines. She enjoys spending time with her husband and their seven children.

JANNA ZEPP is a native Texan. Her career in mass communication includes writing for film, TV, radio, and print media. She spent four years writing for the Fort Hood Sentinel and two years as a III Corps Public Affairs television producer, anchor and writer for Fort Hood On Track and three years as the editor of Tex Appeal

JOIN OUR TEAM

Tex Appeal is always looking for local photographers and freelance writers with newspaper or magazine experience. Send a resume and three to five recent published samples for consideration to editor@ texappealmag.com.

CONNECT WITH US

Find us on Facebook/texappealmagazine and read older issues at TexAppealMag.com.

AT NEARLY 90, MARILYN RITCHIE LIVES A LIFE OF Beauty & Artistry

BY AMY ROGNLIE | Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR

”Life is either a daring adventure or nothing,”

Helen Keller once said. At 89 years old, Temple’s own Marilyn Ritchie can attest to the truth of that statement. She has pursued her dreams and goals for decades and she is not done yet. A legend in her own right at the Cultural Activities Center in Temple, Ritchie has launched many an art student into his or her own dreams.

Inspired by her grandmother, an accomplished potter, Ritchie began dabbling in pottery-making as a teenager. After moving to Temple in 1979 with her husband, Ritchie was itching to make pottery again, so she took a few classes at Temple College and has never looked back.

In her long career as a ceramicist, Ritchie taught art at Holy Trinity Catholic High School in Temple for 15 years. She also taught pottery classes at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and served as the art director at the CAC for 25 years. In fact, the art wing at the CAC was named after her several years ago.

“It was quite an honor for them to name the art wing after me when I was retiring,” Ritchie said. “I had taught classes in all of those rooms.”

As art director at the CAC, Ritchie was tasked with creating and installing five art exhibits every six weeks, which entailed locating artists from around

the world. She also directed the children’s summer art camps, put on a ceramics conference and taught adult classes, including a kiln-building class. And though she is officially retired, she still teaches weekly pottery classes at the CAC.

“There can’t be too many potters in the world,” Ritchie said with a smile.

Besides passing on her love of ceramics and pottery-making to others, Ritchie has created many stunning pieces in her long career. She has her own studio at her home in West Temple, and is always creating new pieces, many of which she sells at The Hub in Temple. One of her favorite tools is a mold made from the doorknob of her ancestral home in Redlands, California. She uses the mold as a form, making vases and other objects as well as a complete dinner set, all in honor of her father and his branch of her family.

One of her larger projects was a life-size outdoor nativity scene which she constructed from PVC pipes covered with concrete-soaked canvas. The life-like pieces are displayed at Grace Presbyterian Church during the holiday season. During the pandemic, Ritchie even created communion cups and patens for the congregation at Grace so congregants could celebrate communion at home. In addition, she made kits, complete with clay and instructions, available for parishioners who desired to make their own communion cups.

Ritchie’s latest project is a pumpkin-themed drink set for fall. The carafe is finished, and she is looking forward to making many pumpkin mugs, complete with vine-like handles.

“I like handles with personality.” Ritchie said. “And I love nature, so I try to figure out how things would grow and make them look like that in my work.”

Ritchie’s work has been exhibited at several local art galleries as well as the CAC and is available for purchase at The Hub in Temple. But you might not find her there, because it’s almost her 90th birthday, after all. And rumor has it that she might be suiting up in a sky-diving outfit to celebrate a life full of beauty and adventure.

Permanent Solutions

COVE HOUSE SUPPORTS HOMELESS, VETERANS

By AMY ROGNLIE | Photos courtesy of COVE HOUSE

“

We are a launch pad, not a crash pad,” is more than a slogan at Cove House, a nonprofit shelter in Copperas Cove. “We are a long-term program. We don’t want to be the next agency a person uses — we want to be the last one they need,” said Cove House director Brian Hawkins.

Founded in 1996 as an emergency shelter, the organization has grown in scope and vision since Hawkins took the reins 10 years ago.

“I realized pretty quickly that two weeks of emergency shelter didn’t go very far in changing a person’s life,” he said.

and expected to open in the fall. But that is only the beginning, because the goal is for everyone in the program to eventually be self-sufficient and able to move into stable, permanent housing.

Under Hawkins’ direction, Cove House has grown to include not only a long-term shelter, but also a free clinic and a transitional housing program. The organization recently built a duplex where two families are happily settled. A six-plex housing unit is under construction

To facilitate this goal, those in the program live at the shelter at no charge for 90 days. After 90 days, residents pay only $50 a month, with the rate going up by $25 every 90 days. High-quality food, including chicken, pork and beef is also provided at no extra charge to the residents along with pots and pans so residents can cook their own meals. A clothing bank for the residents provides nice clothes for a job interview or work environment.

“If a person takes advantage of what we offer, he can save up a chunk of money in only a few months and be able to put that toward a down payment in the future,” Hawkins said. “We’re interested in helping everyone put their lives

“We’re interested in helping everyone put their lives together.”

— Brian Hawkins

together. We’re not about helping anybody do nothing.”

Accordingly, residents at Cove House are required to hold a steady job and follow the rules of the program, including saving a portion of each paycheck and attending a weekly budget meeting with his or her caseworker. Cove House also recently partnered with 1st National Bank of Texas, which sends representatives to teach budgeting classes and help Cove House residents set up bank accounts.

The organization also runs the Cove House Free Clinic, which is open to the general public. The clinic also partners with Direct Relief, a national charitable organization through which the clinic’s providers distributed more than $300,000 in free medications to patients in the Central Texas community.

In addition to the shelter and the clinic, Hawkins and his staff are working toward multiple solutions to the homeless issue including additional shelter housing, tiny home neighborhoods, and transitional housing programs as well as housing and resources for homeless veterans. They recently bought a vacant lot with plans to build more affordable housing, but their next big project is the Veterans’ Victory Village, a tiny

home village for veterans, then another tiny-home village for people to move to after they leave the shelter.

“We want to remove the low-income barrier for obtaining housing,” Hawkins said. “There is a lack of affordable housing in our area, and most landlords require a person to have income that is three times the amount of monthly rent. We want to provide homes that folks can purchase or rent with a lower income requirement.”

Cove House’s vision does not end there, as they intend to expand into Bell County soon and possibly build new housing in several other cities and counties across Texas.

“We are 100 percent convinced that we are helping people better. As long as they are doing what they are supposed to, we’ll partner with them until they can get into permanent housing.”

COVE HOUSE

Website: https://covehouse.org

Phone: 254-547-4673

Upcoming events include:

August 10: Cove House Classic Bike Tour

Sept. 14: Big Bass Bash

Oct. 25: Cove House Motorcycle Ride & Raffle

See the website for more event details.

1 2 3 4 5

1. William Johnson smiles and waves his flag as the Belton Fourth of July parade begins. The annual event brings thousands of residents and visitors to downtown Belton.

2. Parade spectators smile for the camera in downtown Belton.

3. Daisy Decker and Tasha Decker display their patriotism at the Belton parade.

4. Brynleigh Martinez and Raelynn Martinez were decked out in red, white and blue.

5. Parade participants wave to the crowd in downtown Belton.

by BECKY

Photos

STINEHOUR

Owens Corning Platinum Preferred Contractor

Elevate Building Materials Preferred Contractor

Providing Highest Standard of Solutions for Your Roofing Needs: Residential & Commercial Roofing

2 4 3 5

1. Fort Cavazos soldiers represent every state in the nation during the kick-off ceremony at Freedom Fest.

2. Joshua McSwain, guitarist for country group Parmalee, jams on his guitar.

3. Matt Thomas, lead singer for Parmalee, performs for the crowd.

4. Grammy-nominee Gavin DeGraw sings one of his hit songs.

5. A Fort Cavazos family paints a keepsake during Freedom Fest.

Photos by BLAIR DUPRE

SCENE: RED WHITE & BLUE MUSIC FESTIVAL

2 3 4 5

1. Festival-goers smile as they enjoy the day.

2. Adassa Burke smiles as she stands next to the Killeen mural.

3. Killeen Mayor Debbie Nash-King greets the crowd.

4. Janie Freed smiles in downtown Killeen at the Red White and Blue Music Fest.

5. Michael and Blanche Riddick enjoy the festivities in downtown Killeen.

Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR

Roni’s Mac Bar BUILD YOUR OWN BOWL AT 2 BELL LOCATIONS

By RACHEL STRICKLAND | Photos by RACHEL STRICKLAND, WENDY LEVALLEY and RONI’S MAC BAR

What’s better than a bowl of mac and cheese? Maybe a bowl of mac with the cheese, toppings and sauce of your choice.

Touted as the “Viral Mac and Cheese Place,” Roni’s Mac Bar is a unique restaurant where you build your own mac bowl, complete with tons of different cheese and topping options. The owners, Frank and Mary Senese, opened the original location in Union Hall in Waco. After one of their videos went viral on TikTok, they were officially on the map — in fact, Roni’s Mac Bar has become so popular that the Seneses recently began franchising. Thanks to Marissa and Amber Pearson, there are now two new Roni’s locations in Bell County — one in Harker Heights across from Barnes & Noble and one on Fort Cavazos in the Clear Creek Exchange food court.

Marissa and Amber came to own a Roni’s location by chance. Amber saw one of the viral TikTok videos from the original Roni’s Mac Bar account and decided she and her wife, Marissa, had to try it. So, the couple drove to Waco, tried the famous mac, and joined the loyalty program. Then, about a month later, Amber got an email saying the company was starting to franchise. After some discussion, they decided to jump at the opportunity.

so they were pleasantly surprised when they received a call from the Seneses, who requested that they go to Waco for an interview.

Marissa said that the Seneses have supported the fact that she and Amber wanted to keep the location as local as possible instead of turning it into a national chain.

“We wanted to make sure that we were in Harker Heights and that we still focus on the community,” she said.

Marissa and Amber each have backgrounds in business, and they’ve both owned companies in the past. Marissa’s first job out of high school was in radio, and she later developed her own company to help build nonprofit radio stations.

Meanwhile, Amber owned a business where she handmade baby clothes and cloth diapers. Amber’s educational background is in accounting, while Marissa’s is in business administration. Together, they make the perfect team.

“It’s a learning experience,” Marissa admitted.

“I’ve never had restaurant experience, but Amber grew up working in restaurants through college. I know how to manage people, and she knows (how to run) a restaurant. Our experiences complement each other really well.”

“We have nine kids between the two of us,” Marissa said. “Our goal was to build something for our family. We really wanted to quit our jobs and work together.”

The couple filled out the paperwork but were doubtful that they’d be chosen to own a franchise,

Amber and Marissa were picky about the location of their franchise. Their kids are in elementary, middle, and high school in Harker Heights, so it was important for them to stay close to home and give back to the community. Everything worked out, though, because a froyo shop went out of business at the end of 2023,

Continued

and the couple jumped on the spot and signed the lease. The location is situated next to Crumbl Cookies and across from Barnes & Noble, which brings in a lot of organic foot traffic.

“People come in with a cup of coffee from Starbucks, or they have a Crumbl cookie in their hand, and then they get a bowl of mac,” Marissa said. “So, we’re doing a lot of trade business with those around us. They’re excited that we’re here, and we’re excited to be here.”

Marissa said they have a great deal of freedom when it comes to how they run their location, including their T-shirt designs, community events and special dishes. They have a specialty mac bowl called the Heights Bowl, which is made of cheddar, jalapeño, corn, brisket and bacon, with buffalo and ranch sauces on top. She said they plan on starting some community-focused events soon.

getting it into the oven is only three, so she and Amber challenge their employees to do it in under a minute without losing quality.

“They practice over and over again, and at the end, we have a bell (for them to ring),” Marissa added. “I think our best right now is 31 seconds.”

“We want to start trivia nights, and we want to do study nights for the college students and the high schoolers,” she added.

Marissa said they love to give students employment opportunities, and half of their staff are Harker Heights High School students. She believes it’s a great first job because there isn’t a huge menu to memorize.

“They get excited if we challenge them,” she said. She explained that the company standard to make a mac bowl in its entirety is five minutes, but

The grand opening of the Harker Heights location took place in May, and it had a fantastic turnout, including appearances from the mayor and other city officials.

“We had people lined up since 12:30 in the morning,” Marissa said. “Our team rocked it out. They were steady the entire time and they proved what they can do. The community showed up for us, and it was a great turnout.”

The addition of Roni’s Mac Bar in Heights has already proven to be a positive one for the community.

“Even though we’re a franchise, our goal is to be a community-oriented place,” Marissa said. “We are Harker Heights, and so is our business.”

RONI’S MAC BAR

Address: 201 E. Central Texas Expressway, Suite 1360, Harker Heights

Instagram: @ronismacbarhh

Phone: 254-218-3824

Hours: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Wednesday; 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Thursday-Saturday

The name may be unfamiliar but the family is famous! Patrick is a direct descendent of J. Robert Oppenheimer, the “Father of the Atomic Bomb”, and Leon Schlesinger, the Father of Looney Tunes which eventually became Warner Bros Studios. The Oppenheimers and Schlessingers have been very involved in the US through Politics, History, Art and Economics. Come hear about this unique and influential family!

Schlessinger

of J. Robert Oppenheimer, Father of the Atomic Age, and Leon Schlesinger, Father of Looney Tunes

Switch Up Your Spirits

TRY GIN OR USE VODKA IN THESE CLASSIC COCKTAILS

Story and photos by JANNA ZEPP

Iam always surprised when I meet a fellow gin enthusiast. Most of my circle of friends and acquaintances hate gin. I presume their only experience with it has been the inexpensive gin classics often labeled as “well drinks” in restaurants and bars. Vodka, on the other hand, appears to be the prettiest girl at the prom. I have yet to meet anyone who hates vodka, which, coincidentally is called “potato gin” as it is made with — you guessed it — potatoes.

Americans have drunk and continue to drink more vodka than any other spirit since 1970, and 32 percent of the liquor market is vodka. The average American drinks nearly four shots of vodka per month. Russians and Eastern Europeans — vodkas homies — out-drink Americans at more than three times that amount at 17-20 vodka shots a month.

Vodka and gin are versatile spirits. The classic martini is made with gin and vermouth, but vodka elegantly steps in for the non-gin fans in the guise of the vodka martini. Vodka replaces gin often in time-honored traditional vodka/gin cocktails such as the Tom Collins (with gin) and the Vodka Collins (with vodka … obviously).

Vodka is defined by what it’s not. It’s designed to be flavorless (flavored vodkas notwithstanding), clear, and in all ways indistinct. Gin is a liquor with various amounts of juniper flavor and bottled at a minimum of 40% alcohol by volume.

Juniper, gin’s defining characteristic, tastes primarily like pine, but is also herbaceous and floral. Gin production dates back to the Dutch genever, a wine-based medicinal spirit. The English got a hold of genever during various wars in the 1600s, where it was referred to as “Dutch courage.”

Speaking of pine, a cousin of mine referred to the taste of gin as tippling, a pine-scented household cleaner until I introduced him to some right fine Texas-made gins. He’s still gin-shy, but he actually enjoyed my private cache of the juniper berry juice. I call that a gin win.

Legend holds that the traditional gin and tonic with a slice of lime was created by Field Marshal Horatio Herbert Kitchener, 1st Earl Kitchener. A

British Army officer and colonial administrator, Lord Kitchner came to prominence for his imperial campaigns, his involvement in the Second Boer War, and his central role in the early part of the First World War.

It was while his lordship was in Egypt that Kitchner mixed tonic water and gin over ice and added a lime wedge for garnish. Tonic water contains quinine, a medication that treats malaria (spread by the bites of mosquitoes) caused by the parasite Plasmodium falciparum, which infects red blood cells. Quinine can kill the parasite or stop it from growing and can be used alone or with other malaria medications. The mixed libation made drinking the tonic water more palatable, and thus, a way to improve one’s health whilst ruining one’s health was created.

But let’s move on to what you really came to read about: cocktail recipes. And remember, you can always substitute vodka for the gin if you prefer.

THE EMPRESS GIN MARTINI

There are many versions of this cocktail. The Gin at Nolan Creek makes one that involves Empress Indigo gin, organic Amber 100% Blue Agave, lavender syrup, and a splash of lemonade. It is one of my favorite cocktails and I highly recommend you try it.

Here is a similar Empress Indigo Martini you can make at home.

Ingredients

Blueberries

Mint Leaves

Ice

Empress Indigo Gin (or vodka)

Lavender syrup

Organic Amber 100% Blue Agave

Lemon juice

Soda water or tonic water

Recommended tools

Cocktail muddle

Glass

Spoon

Make it: Place the blueberries and mint leaves in your glass and muddle them gently. Then, fill the glass with ice and add the Empress gin. Add an ounce of lavender syrup, Organic Amber 100% Blue Agave, and fresh lemon juice. Finally, top the glass off with the soda water. Garnish with fresh blueberries and a couple of mint leaves if you choose. Stir and enjoy.

LAVENDER BLUEBERRY GIN SPARKLER

This is another favorite from the Gin at Nolan Creek. This recipe is similar to theirs and you ought to try it there first before making it on your own.

Ingredients

1 ½ ounces Gin(or vodka)

1 ½ ounces Lavender Simple Syrup

2 ounces Blueberry Juice

Squeeze of Lemon Juice

Soda Water for topping

Make it: In a 16-ounce highball glass filled with ice, add gin, lavender simple syrup, blueberry juice, and a squeeze of lemon juice. Stir to combine, then top with soda water. Mix thoroughly before enjoying.

BEE’S KNEES

The Bee’s Knees is a Prohibition-era cocktail made with gin, lemon juice and honey. The name reflects the era in which the drink was born: The phrase “bee’s knees” meant “excellent or “outstanding” in the same vein as “the cat’s pajamas.”

Bar history credits Frank Meier, a mixologist at the Hôtel Ritz Paris during the 1920s, as the creator of this delicious cocktail. It’s a variation of the classic Gin Sour (gin, lemon, sugar) that uses honey syrup instead of sugar syrup. The honey creates a richer drink, and it may have been a way to hide the taste of homemade “bathtub” gin, which was what was available during Prohibition. The Blackbird Books & Spirits has this drink in a nonalcoholic version for those who want to enjoy the taste, but not the effects.

Ingredients

2 ounces gin(or vodka)

3/4 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed 1/2 ounce honey syrup

Garnish: lemon twist

Make it: Add the gin, lemon juice and honey syrup into a shaker with ice and shake until wellchilled. Strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a lemon twist.

Continued

FRENCH LAVENDER 75

French 75 is a cocktail made from gin, champagne, lemon juice and sugar. It is also called a 75 Cocktail, or in French simply a Soixante Quinze (Seventy Five).

The drink goes back to World War I, and an early form was created in 1915 at the New York Bar in Paris — later Harry's New York Bar — by barman Harry MacElhone. The cocktail had such a kick that those imbibing said it felt like being shelled with the powerful French 75mm field gun used during the conflict.

The addition of lavender syrup adds a sophisticated flavor finish to it, but beware: it will still get you bombed if you drink too much. Enjoy in moderation only. The Blackbird Books & Spirits also has this drink in a non-alcoholic version.

Ingredients

3/4 ounce gin(or vodka)

1/2 ounce Lavender Syrup

1/2 ounce fresh lemon juice

Top with: 6 ounces rosé champagne

Glass: Champagne coupe/flute or martini glass

Glass Size: 9 ounces

Garnish: lemon twist, lavender sprig

Make it: Chill serving glass. Place ingredients into bottom of mixing glass and muddle.

Fill mixing glass 2/3 full of ice and pour remaining ingredients in order listed.

Cap, shake and strain into chilled serving glass. Add garnish and serve.

THE SOUTH SIDE

Mixologists differ on exactly what The South Side is. It has been described as a Gimlet with mint that’s served up in a cocktail glass. Others have said it’s a gin-based Mint Julep served over ice. Whether it was named for the South Side neighborhood in Chicago or invented at Southside Sportsmen’s Club on Long Island, the cocktail and its refreshing combination of gin, citrus, sugar and mint is a tasty speakeasy concoction worth sampling. The Blackbird Books & Spirits also has this drink in a non-alcoholic version.

The South Side first appeared in print in 1916, in Huge Enslinn’s book “Recipes for Mixed Drinks” as the South Side Fizz. His recipe included gin, lemon and lime juices, sugar, mint and club soda. Ditch the sodas and subtract one of the citrus fruits, and you get the 21st Century South Side.

Ingredients

5 mint leaves

1 ounce lemon juice, freshly squeezed

2 ounces gin (or vodka)

1 ounce simple syrup

Garnish: mint sprig

Make it: Add the mint leaves and lemon juice into a shaker and gently muddle. Add the gin and simple syrup with ice, and shake until well-chilled. Double-strain into a chilled cocktail glass. Garnish with a mint sprig.

Let me know what you think at janna.zepp@ gmail.com. I look forward to hearing from you.

Photos by DAVE HEDGE 1 2 3 4

Temple native and nationally recognized journalist David Courtney returned home on April 12 as part of the spring lecture series at the Bell County Museum in Belton. Courtney shared stories of his upbringing and also humorous anecdotes from his role as the “Texanist” for Texas Monthly magazine.

1. Bruce Walker, Jessica Walker and David Courtney during a meet-and-greet session.

2. Linda Egg and Susan Elrod

3. David Courtney talks about his work.

4. Richard Egg and Mike Anderson

Searching for Answers

MEMOIRS SHED LIGHT ON PANDEMIC, TERMINAL ILLNESS

By M. CLARE HAEFNER

Covers courtesy of the publishers

Everything changes in a heartbeat when a loved one is diagnosed with a terminal disease.

In Loose of Earth: A Memoir (University of Texas Press, April 2024), author Kathleen Dorothy Blackburn shares her family’s wait for a miracle that never came.

The oldest of five children, Blackburn was 12 and living in Lubbock in the late 1990s when her father, a third-generation Air Force pilot, was diagnosed with late-stage colon cancer at age 38. Following her mother’s directive, the deeply devout family committed to an extreme diet and sought deliverance from extreme sources: a traveling tent preacher, a Malaysian holy man and a local faith-healer who led services called “Miracles on 34th Street.”

Blackburn later learned that her father’s terminal diagnosis was part of a larger problem. ”Forever chemicals” — per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances or PFAs — had contaminated the water supply in West Texas and entered the bloodstream of many people who lived there. PFAs were also present in the water in several other military towns where her father grew up.

Blackburn learned the truth as she began working on her memoir, which is also partly a call for environmental justice. “Some people will know PFAs from Teflon products produced by the company DuPont,” Blackburn told The Texas

Standard. “But what I discovered was that these chemicals were present in military firefighting foam, which came into wide use in the 1970s.”

Blackburn said it took a long time for her to come to terms with her father’s diagnosis and death, as well as the impact of praying for a cure that never came. She now hopes her memoir will help others dealing with the death of a loved one.

On Call: A Doctor's Journey in

Public Service by Anthony Fauci, M.D. (Viking, June 2024): When the COVID-19 pandemic began, billions of people turned to Dr. Anthony Fauci for answers and hope.

As one of the nation’s top infectious disease experts, it wasn’t Fauci’s first time dealing with an unknown pathogen. He also led the country through the Ebola, SARS, West Nile and anthrax crises.

In his new memoir, Fauci ”speaks truth to power,” sharing how his boyhood in Brooklyn, New York, shaped his interest in caring for critically ill patients. He also shares how he built a career in medicine and navigated the pitfalls of Washington politics to advise seven presidents on everything from AIDS to preparing for a pandemic.

Hailed as a hero, On Call gives Fauci another turn in the spotlight as he reflects on his six-decade career as a public servant and how he earned the trust of millions seeking reassurance and a way forward amid a global health crisis.

U.S. History from the Outside In

By PHOENIX CARLISLE Cover courtesy of the publisher

As the new school year approaches, all of us look forward to the hope of new friends, more Friday night lights and securing a homecoming dance date. We are going to become educated — educated with the historical knowledge that our history books won’t talk about. The acknowledgment of history from the territories we know absolutely nothing about. This autumn, take time to learn more than what schools will teach you with How to Hide an Empire by Daniel Immerwahr (Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2019).

We are familiar with maps that outline all 50 states, but we are often unfamiliar with the idea that the United States is an “empire,” exercising power around the actual territories — the islands, atolls and archipelagos — this country has governed and inhabited. How to Hide an Empire tells the fascinating truth of the United States outside the United States. In crackling, fast-paced prose, the author reveals forgotten episodes that cast American history in a new light. Readers travel to the Guano Islands for valuable commodities, and then all the way to Puerto Rico, where U.S. doctors conducted experiments they would never have conducted on the mainland. In the years after World War II, Immerwahr demonstrates, the United States moved away from colonialism. Instead, it put innovations into electronics, transportation and culture to use, devising a new sort of influence.

This book was brought into my life through a simple seating chart change. My U.S. history teacher had to draw my attention back to the class because my eyes kept wandering to the bookshelf I was way too close to. While I scanned the sideways spines, I found this eye-opening book. Generally, I hate nonfiction because it bores me completely out of my mind. But because this book is historical, I decided to give it a try. It became a page-turner because I was shocked the whole time. History is a major love of mine and I continue to love when authors such as Immerwahr expose me to ideas that aren’t mentioned in mainstream materials as much as they should be. Learning the history of Guano and the harsh tactics inflicted couldn’t be more interesting, while learning about the creation of the birth control pill was heartbreaking. Through this novel, I grew in sympathy for countries, people and cultures that I hadn’t known

about before. Immerwahr tells the conflicting truth about the forgotten territories that are only miles away from our nation in a constructive flow with minor anecdotes that don’t feel like reading a brutal nonfiction book but rather a simple learning moment with a friend. I hadn’t ever really considered how the U.S. could be viewed as an empire until I realized the full extent of its territories. I was quick to criticize England’s history of branching out without truly evaluating what the country I was living in was actively doing.

If you pick up this book, make sure you can dedicate time to absorbing it. There is a confusing timeline as the author jumps around a lot while introducing overlapping timelines for different countries. It was an immersive storyline which has its pros and cons, like any other novel.

This academic year, get educated. Educated on the lives and histories of cultures beyond the 50 united states. Taking the time to read this piece was a valuable moment that I would dedicate time to again. Learning will never be a waste.

All Aboard

TEMPLE ART TRAINS HIGHLIGHT HISTORY, ART IN DOWNTOWN AREA

While taking a stroll through Temple’s beautiful downtown area, you may notice some cute little trains in front of local businesses — painted as little works of art chugging their way around the city.

“The Temple Art Train Project enriches downtown Temple by integrating public art into pedestrianfocused areas, garnering enthusiastic support from the community,” Nohely Mackowiak, Communications and Public Relations Division Director for the City of Temple, said.

You may already know that Temple was originally founded as a railroad town and home to the Santa Fe Railway’s employee hospital. The city has embraced its historical roots for years, but in 2018, they decided to incorporate the railways into the Temple Art Train Project, showcasing miniature replicas of vintage steam engines.

“The inaugural phase of the project involved the creation of the first four trains. Presently, we are advancing through the third phase of the project,” Mackowiak said. “The realization of this project was made possible through the generous support of key entities, including the Texas Downtown Association, the Communities Foundation of Texas, and, notably, the Anice Read Fund.”

There are currently eight art trains located throughout the downtown area, featuring murals painted by local artists. Each train’s mural tells a different story. Although most of them are painted by local artists, they can also be painted by the business, but designs need to be preapproved by the Art Train Review Committee.

Mackowiak said there are two trains forthcoming. The MRB Group and the Central Texas Housing Coalition, both located on West Calhoun Avenue. Artist Kurt Ritterpusch will paint the train at the CTHC, while the MRB Group will be painting their train themselves.

The communications director said the first four trains were funded by a grant provided the Anice Read Fund, which is dedicated to the memory of Anice Read, one of the Texas Downtown Association founders. Established in 1999, the Anice Read Fund commemorates her impactful

Story and photos by BRANDY CRUZ

legacy and her dedication to Texas downtowns. Grants from this fund are utilized for various purposes, including physical projects, professional development, program enhancements, and staff development.

The cost of each train is $1,595. Mackowiak said if a business would like to sponsor an art train, they should contact Kaitlyn Neal, the Downtown Coordinator, at kneal@templetx.gov.

If you want to take a leisurely 1.4 mile walk around downtown to see all the trains up close and personal, here’s our recommendation. Begin your walk at the Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum with the “Spirit of Santa Fe,” painted by Miranda Maloy. The train is located in the front, on the northeast corner of the museum. From there, head east on West Avenue B and stop at the corner of Avenue B and First Street to see “Viva La Raza,” painted by Miranda Maloy. The third train, “Circa de Gato is Taken for a Ride,” by artists Linda Lapierre, Traci Winter and Azeita Taylor, is at the corner of Second Street and Avenue A. “ReTrain Your Mind,” painted by Jay Rivera, is at the Courtyard on Main Street. The next train, located in front of Precious Memories on Second Street, is called “The History of the Precious Memories Building,” by Susan Groveunder. Then head one block over to see “A Wish for the World” by Melanie Hudson at the intersection of Adams and

Main. The next one, and probably most seen, is “Next Stop: Children’s Museum” by Lee Evans, Valerie Fore, Susan Chandler, Elizabeth Evans, Kate Evans, Emma Fore, Lydia Huffines, Patrick Chandler and Owen Chandler. This one is located at the corner of Central Avenue and Third Street visible as soon as you hit downtown. The last train is in front of the former FoxDog Café building at Seventh Street and Barton Avenue, titled "Wildflower Express" by artist Eddie Martinez. From there, it is a .3 mile walk to go back to the train station for your vehicle.

“These trains serve as symbols of Temple as a whole,” Mackowiak said, “and we are thrilled to continue showcasing the essence and spirit of our city through these captivating works of art.”

TEMPLE ART TRAIN LOCATIONS

No. 1 – Spirit of Santa Fe – 315 W. Avenue B

No. 2 – Viva La Raza – 2 W. Avenue B

No. 3 – Circa de Gato is Taken for a Ride – 20 E. Avenue A

No. 4 – Re-Train Your Mind – 8 S. Main St. No. 5 – The History of the Precious Memories Building – 12 N. Second St.

No. 6 - A Wish for the World – 100 Main St. No. 7 – Next Stop: Children’s Museum – 119 W. Central Ave.

No. 8 – Wildflower Express – 209 N. Seventh St.

ROGERS HOME FEATURES DESIGN Tailored to Family

Photos by WES ALBANESE

Chiara Vista is clearly beautiful!

Chiara Vista translates from Italian as clear view. The home of Dr. Steve and Julie Ruiz is that and so much more.

The Ruiz family was inspired to build their home by a feature published in a national magazine. They had dreams of a modern home that blended in with the surroundings, while embracing the stunning vistas of this 17-acre Rogers property.

Steve and Julie looked far and wide to find a builder to help them achieve their goal before finding the perfect match with Brandan Coulter and Bryson Coufal of Platinum Homes of Texas.

“Platinum Homes made our dream a reality and we are so grateful for their partnership. They listened to our vision and were very willing to try new things and push the envelope a bit for our area.”

Chiara Vista is a 3,058-square-foot open-concept home with soaring ceilings and oversized windows in every room. A 1,062-square-foot “bunkhouse” complements the main living area.

“We wanted a place where our future grandchildren could come “camp” and love learning about nature and the importance of family,” Julie said.

The main living air opens onto a 40-footlong pool with wall-to-wall retractable doors manufactured locally by Glass Expanse of Troy.

“The views from every room in both the main house and bunkhouse are amazing! We love how we can open the main house to all the outdoor living areas as entertaining is an important aspect of our lives,” Julie said.

Steve and Julie Ruiz love their home and envision it as a fun, family space that will be enjoyed by multiple generations for years to come.

ADOBE STOCK | peter

ADOBE STOCK | Mary Lynn Strand

Bee At Ease

WITH NATIVE AND ADAPTIVE PLANTS

By AMY ROGNLIE

I’ve come a long way since the day I was so startled by a dragonfly that I took a header off a log bridge into a stream. I was only 5 years old, but still. Fortunately, my mom was close by and rescued me, probably trying not to laugh the whole time. Since then, I have come to appreciate various creepy crawlies and winged insects, though not fire ants or wasps so much. But I digress. Last time, I waxed eloquent about how helpful it is to choose native and adaptive plants (plants that want to grow in Central Texas and will actually thrive). But the other part of the equation of growing native and adaptive plants is the pollinators. I must admit that I chuckled a bit the first time I heard pollinators referred to as “wildlife,” but I guess it makes sense. Anyway, according to the folks at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Department, the main pollinators in Texas are bats, bees, hummingbirds, butterflies, moths, wasps, flies and beetles. And these critters all need three things: shelter, water and food.

and the cold of winter. Bee boxes or bug hotels can be purchased, but they are inexpensive, easy, and fun to make yourself. You can find instructions and ideas online to construct the bat house or insect hotel of your dreams — or theirs, rather.

Water is easily provided by creating even a small muddy area (not a problem at my house) or leaving out shallow dishes of water. A birdbath works well for both birds and pollinators if it is not too deep. Hummingbirds in particular are drawn to moving or splashing water such as a fountain or a sprinkler.

Shelter for a bee, beetle or bat can be as simple as planting a variety of vegetation in your yard. Trees, shrubs and flowers all provide hiding places for pollinators. And don’t be too tidy. Leaving a few dead leaves under your shrubs or a small pile of brush behind the flower bed provides needed shade and shelter, especially in the heat of summer

Food sources for pollinators include pollen, nectar, and plant material itself, such as leaves. Monarch butterflies lay their eggs on milkweed, so that is a great choice to add to your yard. Ideal plantings for Central Texas pollinators include annuals, perennials, shrubs and trees. Some common yet beautiful examples are the blue mistflower, crape myrtle trees, desert willow trees, bluebonnets, butterfly bush (surprise!), Turk’s cap, lantana, rock rose, shrimp plant, yellow bells (esperanza), wisteria, various types of salvia, and many more.

It is likely you already have many of these plants in your yard, but if not, investing in planting a few will ensure years of enjoyment for you and needed sustenance for the “wildlife” — even the dragonflies. For more information, visit the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension website by scanning the QR code.

Texas Style!

“The Texas State Gem” Lonestar Cut Blue Topaz

CENTER PROVIDES CARE For Every Stage

By BRANDY CRUZ | Photos courtesy of AdventHealth Central Texas

It’s not always easy to put your most intimate health care needs into someone else’s hands, but the experts at the AdventHealth Central Texas Sue Mayborn Women’s Center in Killeen hope to provide comprehensive care from birth to menopause and beyond, in the most comfortable way possible.

“Our mission is to extend the healing ministry of Christ. We do this every day by loving and caring for all of our patients,” Crystal Clawson, Women’s Imaging supervisor, said about the Sue Mayborn Women’s Center. “Women at every stage of life benefit from the compassion and care that our amazing staff members exhibit here. We want all of our patients to feel ‘whole’ from birth ... and throughout their entire lives. We want to ensure that we are meeting their needs on their journeys to better health.”

The center provides gynecological health, labor and delivery, medical imaging, and women’s health classes.

MATERNAL CHILD HEALTH

Nicole Allsopp, director of Maternal Child Health, said the labor and delivery unit is like no other in the area, where the nurses are well-versed in all aspects of the birthing process — from labor and delivery, to couplet care to nursery care.

The all-inclusive unit includes an operating room, eight labor and delivery rooms, two triage rooms and 23 couplet care rooms, which allows for a more intimate labor and delivery process. They are also equipped to provide what the director called a lowintervention birth.

Instead of the highly invasive and sometimes controversial epidural, the hospital offers nitrous oxide as a form of pain relief during the labor and delivery process.

“It’s a form of pain relief that not many places around here offer,” Allsopp said.

The gas, also known as laughing gas, is normally used during dental procedures. Although it doesn’t completely make the pain of labor go away, it

“Women at every stage of life benefit from the compassion and care that our amazing staff members exhibit here. We want all of our patients to feel ‘whole’ from birth ... and throughout their entire lives.”

— Crystal Clawson

provides pain relief that is controlled by the patient, so when they feel a hard contraction, they breathe in the gas to ease the pain.

“This is a nice way to give people a lowintervention birth — something to take the edge off,” she explained.

Allsopp said that after the birthing process, the mom and baby remain in the labor and delivery for about two hours to ensure they are both stabilized and transitioning well. They are then moved to couplet care, a private room where the mom and baby live in the same room throughout their stay. She explained that the baby staying in the room with his or her mom promotes bonding and to allow for an easier breast feeding experience. While in their private room, they are cared for by one nurse.

“You’ve got moms and dads and new siblings and grandparents who are just excited. It’s just a great time in people’s lives,” she said.

Until it’s not.

Allsopp said she has been involved in women’s health for 25 years and in that time has witnessed the happiest and saddest times of a person’s life.

Morgan White holds her newborn Benjamin in a room at the Sue Mayborn Women’s Center at AdventHealth Central Texas in Killeen.

“We are at both ends of the spectrum. When it’s sad, it’s the saddest of the sad, but when it’s great, it’s like the most happy time. Just being able to support the families through that is what I think our team really enjoys.”

Whatever they’re doing is making a difference in the lives of mothers and babies. AdventHealth Central Texas recently made Newsweek’s list of America’s Best Maternity Hospitals.

MEDICAL IMAGING

Clawson said the Women’s Imaging Center has grown leaps and bounds since it opened in 2009. She said the center provides screening and diagnostic mammograms, a range of ultrasound exams, bone density testing, and biopsy and needle localization procedures.

“We have implemented new 3D mammogram technology, and recently added another mammography unit with 3D capabilities. We are able to offer 3D screening and diagnostic mammograms. We also have expanded our stereotactic biopsy capabilities to include 3D,” she explained.

Clawson said that once patients step foot into

the Sue Mayborn Women’s Center, they can expect to receive compassionate care with a smile.

“They can feel confident that we will be there to guide them through their health care journeys,” she said. “They will never face anything alone.”

Clawson said she believes the staff truly embodies the mission of the center, which makes it a pleasure to work with them and in that kind of atmosphere, but her biggest pleasure is helping the patients.

“I enjoy being there to listen and provide comfort, especially through difficult times, when they need someone there for them the most,” Clawson said. “I find joy in helping patients learn about health and preventative measures that can be taken to prolong their lives. It’s not just about providing a specific service. We are here to help patients feel whole in all aspects of their lives.”

ADVENTHEALTH CENTRAL TEXAS SUE MAYBORN WOMEN’S CENTER

Address: 2201 S. Clear Creek Road, Killeen

Phone: 254-519-8537

Website: adventhealth.com/hospital/ adventhealth-central-texas

County Public Health District offers a variety of services for women’s health including:

• Breast and Cervical Cancer Screenings

• STD Screenings

• Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP)

• Immunizations

• Provider Referrals

• Travel Consultations for Needed Vaccinations

• TB Services

• Family Planning

• Pre-Conception Consultation and Screening

• Pregnancy Testing

• Birth Control

Heartfelt Excellence TEMPLE HOSPITAL HAS TOP CARDIAC TEAM

By BRANDY CRUZ | Photos by RUSTY SCHRAMM, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple

It takes an exceptional person with a big heart to be a doctor, but it takes one with an even bigger heart to be a cardiovascular doctor. In Central Texas, those doctors can be found at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple, which was recently named among the top 50 cardiovascular hospitals in the United States by Premier’s PINC AI™.

“We are very thankful for the opportunity to serve our community and excited about this prestigious recognition,” said Dr. Steven Costa, director of cardiovascular ICU and program director of the cardiovascular disease fellowship program at Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple. “It is a testament to our unwavering passion and the exceptional patient care our teams demonstrate.”

Despite all the advancements in medicine in the past century, cardiovascular disease remains the No. 1 killer among Americans. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1 in every 5 people die annually from cardiovascular disease. At BSWH – Temple, a teaching hospital that trains doctors through a fellowship, they treat between 4,000 and 5,000 people monthly with some form of cardiovascular disease.

inpatient mortality, 30-day mortality rates, complications, operational efficiency and patient experience. Hospitals had to provide information about all forms of cardiovascular care they performed. BSWH – Temple has topped the list for the past 15 years.

Dr. Christopher Chiles, chief of the division of cardiology at BSWH – Temple, said he believes one of the important reasons the Temple hospital stands out is because they collaborate as a team to put their patients first.

“We are honored to be serving our neighbors today with the highest level of care possible while training the health care leaders of tomorrow. As heart disease remains the number one killer of Americans, we know the important role we have to prepare providers to be able to continue caring for our communities,” Costa said. “We know how crucial it is to train the next generation of care providers to keep providing that level of care locally.”

Premier’s PINC AI selected the top 50 from among 940 hospitals researched, assessing their performance in 23 areas to determine the top hospitals. Some of the areas assessed included

“We are always working to utilize best practices to achieve the best outcomes while caring for our patients with kindness and compassion,” he said.

He said that the relationship between the physicians and fellows also makes a difference in patient care.

“The teaching relationship helps sharpen both the teacher and the students and we all get better through this model. We invest in the future health care workforce, and in turn, the students ask great questions and challenge us as providers,” Chiles said. “I know I’m a better cardiologist because of our amazing students.”

Advancements in cardiovascular medicine also help doctors improve patient care. Those advancements include technological innovations, improved understanding of the disease and therapeutic approaches.

“One recent example is a minimally invasive procedure just approved by the FDA to modify a patient’s nerves to treat high blood pressure without damaging the arteries,” Chiles said. “High blood pressure is the leading modifiable cause of heart attack, stroke and death, and this is one way that we’re able to treat it.”

He said they are also looking into a device that measures the pressure in the pulmonary artery in people with chronic heart failure. Radio signals

Dr. Steven Costa

Dr. Christopher Chiles examines a patient.

from the device transmit information to the doctor daily, so the physician will know how to adjust the patient’s treatment plan.

The cardiology chief said he enjoys what he does because he is building meaningful relationships with his patients.

“From knowing the names of their grandkids to knowing their health history, I enjoy being involved in my patients’ lives and health care journeys,” he said.

Costa said the cardiovascular team is deeply grateful for the positive impact they have made on their patients and the community.

“I really want to highlight our team and their dedication and pursuit of excellence. Through this award, their commitment to high quality patient care resonates not only across the state but throughout the entire nation,” he said. “And we are privileged to have the leadership committed to excellence in patient care and clinical outcomes all while educating the future of medicine.”

The skilled team of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel inside the walls of Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple continue to strive for excellence and make the world a better place –one heartbeat at a time.

BAYLOR SCOTT & WHITE WELCOMES NEW CENTRAL TEXAS REGIONAL PRESIDENT

By BRANDY CRUZ | Photo by RUSTY SCHRAMM, Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple

Long before being named Baylor Scott & White’s Central Texas Regional President, Greg Haralson knew in his heart that Central Texas would be his home.

“We have had a home in Central Texas for almost 10 years because we knew this was the community we wanted to be part of,” Haralson said. “In fact, we saw it as a sign that the home we purchased was from a longserving Baylor Scott & White director, Mr. Albert William (A.W.) Zajiceck Jr. My wife, Alison, and I love the close-knit community here.”

A native of Texas, Haralson received his bachelor’s degree from Texas A&M University, and a master’s from Trinity University. His extensive background in hospital administration has equipped him with the skills necessary to navigate the complexities of a modern health care system.

Prior to his new role, Haralson served as the CEO of Memorial Hermann – Texas Medical Center in Houston. Before that, he worked at two Memorial Hermann hospitals and three HCA Health care locations in North Texas. He currently serves on the board of the Texas Hospital Association.

“Through my service in the Texas Hospital Association, I formed relationships with fellow Baylor Scott & White team members and knew this was a family I wanted to join,” he said. “Now that I am here, the wonderful team in Central Texas has made me feel very welcome, and I am truly honored to serve as president of Baylor Scott & White Medical Center – Temple and the Central Texas Region.”

“Another reason we stand above the rest is because of our fully integrated system, allowing providers across the system — from clinics to hospitals — to communicate and collaborate on each patient’s individual medical journey,” he said. “Our research teams are conducting work that is shaping the future of health care. The staff is also always pursuing innovation through technology and best practices.”

The new president said he’s proud to the join the hospital, which has more than 125 years of service to the community, because of its Christian values and commitment to serve the wellbeing of all individuals, families and communities.

“It’s that focus of never settling and always working to provide the best care for each patient that makes me so proud to work here,” he added.

As he looks toward the future, he vows to continue listening to the community and understanding their needs for health care. Since Baylor Scott & White is a not-for-profit hospital, Haralson said he will continue reviewing opportunities to reinvest all remaining funds — after expenses and charitable donations — back into patient care and communities, including updates to campuses, new and innovative technology purchases, advancements for patients, and service expansions.

Haralson is proud to join the award-winning hospital in Temple and credits its success throughout the years to the Baylor Scott & White team.

“From our patient care techs to our registered nurses, our volunteers to our physicians, it truly takes a team to care for patients, and our teams constantly collaborate to provide high quality care for patients,” he said.

Haralson shared his belief that the hospital’s commitment to the community and the positive culture inside the hospital and clinics is what sets it apart. He believes Central Texans trust Baylor Scott & White because of the quality of care they receive.

“This is a tremendous honor to serve at Baylor Scott & White in Central Texas. I am very fortunate to be in this position with this team in this location at this point in my career,” Haralson said. “The health system has long standing history in this community, more than 125 years, and I’m honored to be part of that history. I am committed to leading this team to success in caring for our community and thankful to be part of this legacy and the system’s future in Central Texas.”

DID YOU KNOW?

Existing and new patients can receive quality and convenient virtual care from a Baylor Scott & White Health provider any time using MyBSWHealth on a smartphone, computer or tablet. Create an account by downloading the MyBSWHealth app, texting BETTER to 88408 or going to MyBSWHealth.com.

Greg Haralson

Learning to Heal AREA BOASTS MANY HEALTH CARE EDUCATION OPTIONS

By TONYA WARREN | Photos courtesy of TEMPLE ISD and CENTRAL TEXAS COLLEGE

Have you ever heard a kid shout they wanted to be a firefighter after they blew out candles on their brightly colored fire engine shaped birthday cake? Perhaps you remember dressing up as Clara Barton, the unflinching, nononsense Civil War nurse for elementary school history day? Maybe you’re even currently exploring new career options. The various pathways to a health care career are robust in our local area, and that’s something to feel great about.

The days of high schools offering only a few classes to introduce students to nursing or physical therapy have gone the way of Trapper Keepers and Boy George posters (hopefully). Today, high schoolers and adults wanting to pursue a career in the ever exciting, ever growing, world of health care have a lot of educational avenues.

As of April 2024, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics noted an extremely positive outlook for health care jobs. For example, the growth rate of registered nursing jobs is predicted to be six percent from 2022-2032. According to their statistics, about 193,100 job openings for registered nurses are projected each year for the next decade. Their website offers comprehensive information on job outlooks, salaries, minimal educational entry level requirements and a general overview of what types of employers hire for each position listed. For example, a radiology technician might work in an urban hospital or an independent health care clinic. Nurses are employed by schools, hospitals, doctor’s offices, cruise ships and more. An EMT paramedic might work for the county or a private health care center. A pharmacy technician has options of working in a hospital, retail or other areas.

HIGH SCHOOLS

Temple, Belton, and Killeen high schools offer health care pathways to students interested in health care post-graduation. These pathways lay out the required course work needed for successful completion. These courses also gauge student interest before a considerable amount of time,

effort and money are spent. For example, a student might decide they don’t like the sight of blood, so studying phlebotomy (blood drawing and more) might not be for them. High school counselors are invaluable in helping guide students in career choices.

Temple and Killeen high schools offer certified medical assistant and pharmacy technician training. Killeen also offers classes for basic emergency medical technician, registered dental assistant with X-ray certification and more.

Temple students studying to be certified nursing assistants train in the on-campus clinical training labs, complete with hospital beds, EKG machines and more. Pharmacy technician students enjoy learning in a mock pharmacy lab on campus. Health care offerings are very popular among students according to staff who keep a finger on the pulse of such things.

“More than 10 percent of students chose to study three or more classes in the health science

field,” said Sara Bartlett, Temple’s Career and Technical Education director.

It’s exciting to observe students finding their way in the career world and there’s much to learn in health care careers. Anna Lajarin, a senior from Harker Heights High School attends the Killeen ISD Career Center and wants to become a dentist.

“The program at the Killeen ISD Career Center is helping me gain hands-on experiences with dentistry,” she said. “We learned early on about ethics and laws prior to hands-on experience.”

She also said she learned time management, learning in a fast-paced environment and seeing procedures in action. Karen Rudolph, Executive Director of Communications and Marketing with Killeen schools said, “out of 13 career clusters offered, health science is number one, and this meets the state definition of in demand and high wage.”

Diagnostic and therapeutic pathways are available for Belton students interested in a future health care career. According to the BISD website, the diagnostic pathway “introduces students to occupations and educational opportunities related to performing complex medical laboratory tests for the diagnosis, treatment, and prevention of disease.”

Think blood labs, radiologic testing, and more. Students have benefited from Baylor Scott and White lab staff assisting with teaching phlebotomy and discussing real-life scenarios. On the therapeutic side, students learn about caring for patients with acute, episodic, or chronic illnesses. Understanding rehabilitative care, such as caring for patients in nursing homes or those with disabilities or developmental delays are also important topics

Planning Ahead

Not everyone likes to plan ahead, but pre-planning your funeral arrangements alleviate some of the stress and burden your loved ones are going through as they experience the grief associated with the loss. The staff of Young’s Daughters Funeral Home is happy to assist you with your funeral pre-needs by helping you make decisions about your funeral service in advance and guide you in helping eliminate some of the unnecessary stress brought on by a loved one’s death.

in patient care. At the completion of all course work, students qualify to take certification exams for patient care technician, EKG technician, and more.

COLLEGES

If you need classes close to home or work, consider Temple College, where this past year 15% of its students were enrolled in the health professions. Eric Eckert, Executive Director of Strategic Communications and Outreach, believes Temple College is a jewel in Central Texas.

“All of the health professions have high licensure pass rates, high retention rates, and high jobplacement rates,” he said. “Employers consistently tell us that our students outperform those from

Pre Planning

• Let your wishes be known • Offers peace of mind

• Offers flexible funding

• Relieves the burden from

Speaking of employers, Eckert noted the college works closely with the local community to meet changing health care and industry needs. For instance, a polysomnography (sleep study) program and echocardiogram (heart diagnostic) program were recently added, per requests by local health care providers.

“The college is also preparing to launch a program that will provide neurodiagnostic (brain wave activity) technicians to the community,” Eckert said.

Successful surgical technology graduate, Lacy Lanig, said she chose the college “because it is well known for being a great school. Students are held to high standards, and the health programs produce successful professionals after graduation.”

Central Texas College is located just outside Fort Cavazos and offers an array of health care career options to veterans, active military and civilians. Direct patient care pathways such as nursing and not-so-hands-on fields such as medical laboratory technology or histology are popular offerings. Students are prepared to take the credentialing exam, as appropriate, at the completion of all coursework.

Certain character traits are needed for success in the above fields. An admirable hard work ethic, perseverance, excellent communication skills, a strong desire to learn, and more are all skills needed to succeed in any job but especially a job that entails working with people who are ill, in pain, and stressed over their health, finances and more.

The Pew Research Center, a nonpartisan Washington, D.C., think tank on social and other societal aspects of daily living, noted in 2020 that

“social and fundamental skills still reign supreme within occupations.” Simply put, those traits that make us better humans such as kindness, compassion, and patience are especially needed with vulnerable populations, such as the above example.

Belton’s serene University of Mary Hardin Baylor is also an integral part of the formal health care education in Central Texas. Its Master of Science in Physician Assistant program is the most popular offering, according to Melissa Williams, UMHB’s Director of Strategic Engagement in the Mayborn College of Health Sciences. Other offered programs include nursing, Doctor of Physical Therapy, Master of Science in Occupational Therapy, and more. The very essence of effective and compassionate patient care begins with each professional understanding a holistic approach in care.

“We seek students who are leaders and desire to become stronger leaders in their professional practice,” Williams said. She explained that “an emphasis on interprofessional education is woven into each program, and it’s essential for students to learn and understand one another’s roles in the health care community and within patient care.”

Changes in health care are constantly occurring at breakneck speed. New technologies, new medications, concern over the role of artificial intelligence, longer lifespans, staff shortages, reimbursement issues and more are just a few of the challenges we will face moving forward to promote and maintain healthy populations. Bell County can certainly say with pride that the educational systems in place are preparing students of today for the health needs of tomorrow.

Ashai Health

OFFERS ALTERNATIVE & SCIENCE-BASED SERVICES

By RACHEL STRICKLAND | Photos by SKEEBO

Salado is a vibrant hub where innovative people offer unique services, and Ashai Health is no different. Pronounced “ah-shy,” the wellness center is dedicated to empowering their clients on their journey to mental and physical wellbeing with alternative and science-based health services such as cryotherapy and IV hydration therapy.

Sheila Tauferner started Ashai because she wanted people to have options. Medicine has come a long way in the last century, and since the advent of antibiotics and modern medicine, people don’t die from diseases, like the flu or smallpox, as often as they once did.

“What we’re dying from (today) are lifestyle choices,” Tauferner said. “We’re dying from things that we inflict upon ourselves. And so, I wanted to offer other modalities so that the consumer is not just stuck taking a pill.”

As an ER nurse practitioner with 30 years of nursing experience, she has seen it all. She now wants people suffering with ailments such as diabetes or arthritis to have other science-based options to help manage their symptoms.

Tauferner and her long-time friend turned business partner, Karen Brillhart, offer various services at Ashai, including cryotherapy, IV nutritional therapy, NormaTec air compression, red-light therapy, and personalized fitness programs, just to name a few.

“(Everything here) has great research behind it with National Institutes of Health,” Tauferner said. “I don’t want to have things that don’t have a decent amount of research behind them.”

Within Ashai is Centex Regenerative and Aspire Aesthetics, which is where Brillhart, an aesthetic nurse specialist and former ICU nurse, provides regenerative medicine and aesthetics, including laser aesthetics, hormone replacement therapy, pain management, and platelet-rich plasma injections.

Using the Fonota SP Dynamis laser, she offers non-surgical facelifts, lip plumping, eye smoothing, and body contouring. The laser can even help with snoring and hair reduction. Brillhart is a big advocate of these non-surgical, non-invasive laser treatments because they drastically reduce risks for the clients,

“What we’re dying from (today) are lifestyle choices. ... So, I wanted to offer other modalities so that the consumer is not just stuck taking a pill.”

— Sheila Tauferner

they look more natural than fillers or surgery, and they’re much cheaper. She explains that lip injections and fillers are not without risk — they can cause issues such as necrosis and can stretch and deflate if they’re overfilled. However, the laser that she uses works by stimulating the collagen growth, so her clients’ lips plump up naturally.

Ashai also offers hydration and nutritional therapies. Their intravenous nutritional therapies give immediate results for issues such as dehydration, fatigue, nutrient deficiencies, stress, and migraines, while their intramuscular injections administer medication straight into the muscles to help increase the metabolism and energy levels. Many people ask for the IV cocktail to help with hydration before a marathon or sporting event, and some even come in before going out drinking with friends.

“When you’re talking about pre-gaming, (hydrating) puts you way ahead of everybody else,” Brillhart said.

She said that even if you’re drinking a lot of water, it will go through your stomach, kidneys, and out of your body without much staying in your bloodstream, which is the key. That’s where the hydration IV comes in — it’s effective because it puts the fluid directly into the bloodstream.

One of the biggest draws at Ashai is their cryotherapy chamber, which is like a full-body ice bath — just kicked up a notch. You strip down to your underwear and step into the narrow, padded chamber and stand in the intense cold for a

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maximum of three minutes. Their nitrogen chamber can reach down to -220 degrees, depending on the setting. Ashai also offers a localized cryotherapy option to target specific areas. Whether localized or full-body, cryotherapy acts as an anti-inflammatory, which can help to relieve pain and even relieve allergies. And, as an added bonus, it acts as a calorie burner because the body’s self-regulation — Brillhart said that a person might burn up to 800 calories after a cryotherapy session.

“We have people show up all the way from Gatesville (and) Georgetown because the cryochamber here is all encompassing,” she shared. “I’m a runner, so my knees always feel amazing whenever I come out. It’s a great form of self-care and one that is not just placebo — it’s legit.”

Another service is localized and full-body redlight therapy. Taking it back to high school biology, Tauferner explained that red light helps the mitochondria of the cell function more efficiently. Red-light therapy was originally used for plastic surgery, but research has shown that it’s beneficial for mental health and mood disorders. She said that redlight therapy is now even available in some long-term care facilities to treat dementia and Parkinson’s. Ashai uses the JOOV system, which is an FDA-approved and has a medical grade red light and near-infrared light to administer treatment. It can help with pain management, cell growth and repair, increased blood flow, skin rejuvenation, and muscle relaxation.

Ashai also offers NormaTec air compression, which is a mixture of massage patterns and air compression that can increase blood flow and decrease soreness in tired muscles. Brillhart can personally attest to the effective combination of cryotherapy followed by air compression after she ran a six-mile marathon that she wasn’t prepared for, and the next day, she wasn’t sore and her back didn’t hurt at all. Some of their clients include UMHB athletes who come in before games to prepare with the NormaTec air compression.

They also have a Fit RX program to help clients

lose weight with lifestyle changes, rather than quick fixes. Using their high-end InBody scale, they can tell their clients what how much lean muscle mass, water weight, visceral fat they have, as well as how many calories they should be burning depending on their personal stats.

“The whole program encompasses weighing to make sure you’re not losing muscle, eating protein and exercising,” Tauferner said. “We’re trying to encourage lifestyle changes instead of just taking a magic shot. Folks that have done the program continue to maintain their weight because they’ve had a lifestyle change.”

“Nothing here is going to be the end-all be-all,” Brillhart added. “You have to make good choices on your own. We just really encourage good choices and just try to help people in making their lives better.”

Tauferner knows how to help people in the conventional way after working as an ER nurse for 30 years, but she opened Ashai Health because she wanted it to be a calmer and more fun place for people to get help. “I can sew lacerations and I can put a broken bone in a splint,” she said. “There are legitimate things that we have [at the ER] that people need, but nobody wants to be there. I wanted a different environment.”

ASHAI HEALTH

Address: 113 Salado Plaza Drive, Building 7A, Salado

Website: ashaihealth.com

Phone: 254-947-0518

Hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday

Cosmetic Surgery

YIELDS BENEFITS FOR LOCAL WOMEN

By BRANDY CRUZ | Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR

Even with the advancements in modern medicine, the topic of cosmetic surgery can still be a touchy subject, but for some, the life-changing rewards greatly outweigh the risks.

“My chest isn’t going to cause me back pain today. I can pick up my child. I can run through the park,” Caitlyn Long said. “Those are all things I can do now because of plastic surgery.”

When she was 14, Caitlyn was diagnosed with polycystic ovary syndrome, a hormonal condition that often causes a lot of excess weight in the abdomen; and endometriosis, a gynecological disease that causes uterine tissue to grow outside the uterus. She also suffers from degenerative disc disease, a condition that causes spinal discs to wear down, causing extreme pain.

“I was in a car accident that made it a lot worse when I was 18,” Caitlyn said. “I hurt my back and was almost paralyzed from the waist down for about a year and I gained a lot of weight. At my highest weight I was about 350-355.”

now. Just being able to buy a pair of jeans and not having to worry about having to wear shapewear because of the loose skin. Now I can just walk into a normal store,” she said, admitting the greatest benefit is because, “I haven’t worn a bra since my surgery up top, which is my goal, to never have to wear a bra again.”

After her success, Caitlyn recommended Dr. Lance to her friend, Amanda Van Loon.

Amanda grew up in a large family with large women and she was no different. At 5 feet 1 inch, 270 pounds, she decided enough was enough, so she began asking her doctor at CRDAMC about weight loss surgery. By the end of 2018 she started the process for bariatric surgery.

“Everything is so much lighter. I love my body now.”

— Caitlyn Long

After moving to Killeen as an Army spouse, she made the decision to see the doctors at Carl R. Darnall Army Medical Center on Fort Cavazos to see what could be done about her severe weight gain. They recommended she receive the gastric sleeve, which was performed right at the installation hospital. After losing 150 pounds, she realized she did not lose any weight in her breasts, which were a size 42-JJJ. She also had an extreme amount of extra skin from the lower half of her stomach, so they approved for her to go see Dr. Samuel Lance, a plastic surgeon with Baylor Scott & White Cosmetic Surgery Center – Temple.

The surgeon, who has more than 14 years of experience, performed a panniculectomy (removal of excess skin and fat in abdomen) and breast augmentation on Caitlyn, who said the surgeries made all the difference for her.

“Everything is so much lighter. I love my body

“My initial reason for wanting to do it is because I had such low energy,” Amanda said. “I have two small kids that I just felt so uncomfortable just going around and playing. I got tired and winded and just didn’t feel like I could keep up with my own family.”

After losing more than 100 pounds and feeling like a new person, she decided to speak with her doctor about a tummy tuck.

“Initially, it was to help me with the loose skin and to help me feel better in the body that had become mine, which I feel like is a really important thing to say,” Amanda said.

Then in November 2023, at the recommendation of her friend Caitlyn, Amanda went to see Dr. Lance to receive a breast reduction surgery, something she feels was one of the best decisions she’s ever made.

“I was a GGG (bra size) at the time,” Amanda said. “I had shirts that fit me everywhere except my breasts and the buttons would come undone. I’ve actually stabbed myself with a safety pin because I’ve stabbed myself while trying to keep my shirt from coming undone, just trying to make

it appropriate for other people, while I get to be uncomfortable.”

Amanda said that although the weight loss was great, she’s actually happiest with her breast reduction surgery.

“That’s made my life so much easier.”

Amanda’s breast reduction also yielded unexpected results — abnormal tissue in one breast.

“It was also health-wise beneficial too because I found out I have abnormal tissue in one of my breasts and am high-risk for breast cancer. It has

allowed me to be prepared … I’m fine, but I’d rather know now then cancer come up and I didn’t know and wasn’t prepared and wasn’t already seeing a specialist.”

Like her friend Caitlyn, one of the best things about her cosmetic surgeries is the ability to keep up with her family.

“I can play with my kids and wrestle with them and we go on hikes. It’s really changed my life,” Amanda said. “I now feel like the person I wanted to be all along, I have a second chance at being that person.”

TEX APPEAL CONTRIBUTOR NAMED TEXAS CMA Photographer of the Year

By S. MORRISEY | Photos by BECKY STINEHOUR

Anyone can take a photograph, but it takes someone special to capture the essence of a moment in a single image. That’s what makes Central Texas native Becky Stinehour stand tall among the best of the best.

Stinehour has been capturing life’s precious moments through the lens of her camera for four decades, preserving a moment in time for people to cherish for years to come. Her dedication was recently recognized when she was named the Texas Country Music Photographer of the Year, an honor she doesn’t take lightly.

“Everybody says it, but it really is true — being nominated was honor enough, but getting the award was like the icing on the cake,” she said, describing the recognition as an exciting and humbling experience.

A photographer’s

work may seem ideal, but it takes a lot of hard work, time and dedication to become a great photographer. The sheer number of hours it takes to photograph a single photo shoot — scouting locations, pre-planning, lighting, posing and editing — it’s truly one of the most timeconsuming professions someone could choose.

Back in the day of film, enlargers and darkrooms, Stinehour studied photography at Central Texas College. After a brief break to start a family, she reignited her passion as a side hustle, before finally deciding to open her own photography business in 2008. Ten years later, she took the ultimate plunge — quitting her full-time

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job as a receptionist and pursuing photography full time.

Stinehour found her real passion for music photography ignited while photographing a concert for Tex Appeal in 2019. With that fire lit, she never looked back, as she continues to cherish the unique moments and interactions with artists and bands.

“I have long admired so many of the bands I get to photograph,” she said. “Capturing them while on stage is really special to me.”

Among her favorite experiences as a music photographer are the friendships she’s forged with other photographers, venue owners, and the artists and bands. When asked who her favorite artists to photograph are, she found it impossible to choose a favorite artist or concert, saying it’s like picking a favorite child.

She loves music photography so much that at the end of 2019, she submitted a portfolio to the photography board for South by Southwest and earned a position on the photography crew. Unfortunately, COVID interfered, but she has been invited to the SXSW crew every year since.

It’s said “a picture is worth a thousand words,” so a truly great photo must be worth an entire book — telling the complete story of one moment

in time. Storytelling is central to Stinehour’s work, especially in capturing the spirit of country music.

“I tell the story of the whole experience — the band, the music, the performance, the fans, and then the interaction of it all,” Stinehour said.

Candid Images Photography offers a wide range of services, including headshots, portraits, senior photos, and event photography for parties, quinceañeras, corporate events and even funerals.

“It’s not for everyone,” she said, “but it’s a much-appreciated service for families who wish it.”

Looking ahead, Stinehour’s goals are to keep growing, improve her skills, up her marketing efforts, and increase profitability.

“You never really arrive,” she said.

Stinehour’s journey from a passionate hobbyist to an award-winning professional photographer is an inspiring testament to following one’s dreams and continually striving for excellence. She reminds us that “you’re never too old, and it’s never too late to follow and achieve your dreams.”

CANDID IMAGES PHOTOGRAPHY

Website: candidimagesphoto.com

Facebook: facebook.com/

CandidImagesPhotography

Instagram: instagram.com/ciphoto

WOMAN’S UNEXPECTED

HEART HEALTH WARNING: Listen to Your Body

Story by BOBBIE JO YOUNG | Photos by BOBBIE JO YOUNG and courtesy of LEZLIE MANN

On the night of June 21, Lezlie Mann experienced some unusual symptoms that had the vibrant and health-conscious woman concerned.

”I felt a racing heart, slight pain just below my collarbone, and a tightness under my left shoulder blade that spread up to my shoulder,” she said.

These sensations were fleeting, lasting only about five minutes, and they recurred over the next two nights. Despite her concern, Lezlie’s symptoms didn't match the typical profile of a heart attack as described on the internet or even by her doctors. She also didn’t fit the typical profile of a heart attack patient — she is physically fit, a healthy weight and by all accounts, perfectly healthy.

Lezlie’s vigilance paid off when, on June 24, she experienced the symptoms again while playing in the pool with her grandchildren. This time, the episode was exerciseinduced, after swimming just 20 feet. It was then that she knew she had a problem and needed to take action.

“I was officially freaked out and called a friend to take me to the hospital,” she said.

catheterization, which uncovered a 95% blockage in her largest artery, often referred to as a “widow maker.” A stent was placed, marking the beginning of Lezlie's journey to recovery.

Lezlie is incredibly grateful for the care she received. She deeply appreciates the Salado EMTs and the hospital staff, including doctors, nurses, technicians and phlebotomists.

“Every person I met at Baylor Scott & White was very professional, but more than that, they all were kind, caring, and gentle,” she said.

Her experience contrasts sharply with the common perception that women do not always receive the same treatment as men in the ER.

Her friend insisted she call 911, a decision that possibly saved her life. Reflecting now, she realizes, “Logic goes out the window when you’re panicking.”

The emergency medical technicians and emergency room doctors were initially skeptical.

”The EMT was confident that I was not having a heart attack,” Lezlie said.

Her EKG results were normal, but due to her persistent mild chest pain and abnormal troponin levels — an enzyme indicating muscle damage — the ER doctor decided to admit her to Baylor Scott & White Health – Temple. An echocardiogram revealed an abnormality in one area of her heart, indicating reduced function. This led to a heart

“If you only take away two things from my story, please take away these: my symptoms did not match the lists, and nobody thought I was having or had already had a heart attack.”

Lezlie‘s ordeal highlights the need for women to be their own health advocates. Her story is a powerful reminder that heart disease is a silent and often sneaky killer, one that takes the lives of more women than all cancers combined. And even if you take great care of yourself, you can still have a heart attack. She wants to raise awareness and emphasize the importance of listening to your body, no matter how insignificant the symptoms may seem.

“Listen to your own body. Nobody knows your body as well as you,” she said.

Heart disease doesn’t always present itself with the classic symptoms, and it’s crucial to take any unusual signs seriously. Lezlie’s story is a poignant reminder that heart disease can strike anyone, regardless of how healthy they appear to be. Her message is clear: don't be afraid to overreact when it comes to your health. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Resilience & Unity

COMMUNITY PULLS TOGETHER AFTER TORNADOES

By BOBBIE JO YOUNG | Photos by BOBBIE JO YOUNG and courtesy photos

On May 22, Bell County was ravaged by two devastating tornadoes, leaving nearly 500 homes and businesses in ruins or severely damaged. With winds surpassing 120 miles per hour, the storms wreaked havoc, injuring more than 30 people and causing widespread destruction. As the sun rose the following morning, the Temple community, though bruised and battered, demonstrated remarkable resilience. City officials declared a disaster, prompting hundreds of dedicated businesses and individuals to mobilize.

One local resident, Britnia Weicht, felt a profound urge to help. Living just 25 minutes away, Britnia and her family knew they had to take action. She shared her resolve with her husband, 1st Sgt. Robert Weicht, Headquarters Support Company, Headquarters and Headquarters Battalion, III Armored Corps, and together, they drove through the hardesthit areas, stopping at numerous homes to offer their support. They spoke with residents and neighbors, asking how they could help, and shared their availability on Facebook to spread the word.

What began as a small family effort quickly grew into a significant community operation. Initially, it was just Britnia, Robert and their teenage daughter. However, after Memorial Day weekend, Robert had to return

to his duties as a first sergeant in the Army. Undeterred, he began sending soldiers who had time to spare and a desire to assist. Through word of mouth and community referrals, their volunteer efforts expanded beyond anything they could have imagined.

To date, the team has helped more than 140 families and continues to receive new requests daily. With more than 20 families currently scheduled for assistance, their work encompasses much more than just tree removal and debris clearing. The volunteers have tackled a wide range of tasks, including cutting down trees, removing brush, cleaning up yards, dismantling and removing structures, salvaging items, gutting and demolishing buildings, completing home repairs, and even providing groceries and household items to those in need.

The Weicht family has also played a crucial role in collecting and delivering donations from the community. They organized a donation drive on Fort Cavazos to collect food, toiletries and baby items, with Robert spearheading the effort. The team, comprising of military personnel, has been instrumental in spreading the word and securing as many donations as possible. Britnia reflects on their unique situation, noting that as military families who are often separated from their loved ones, they empathize deeply with those in need and hope that others would offer similar support to their families in times of crisis.

The immense dedication and support from her team have made this initiative possible. Many volunteers have contributed more than 100 hours each, with her own family surpassing 200 hours. The children of many team members have also pitched in, sacrificing their time to help others and witnessing firsthand the positive impact of their efforts. The support from HHBN, III Armored Corps at Fort Cavazos has been particularly valuable, allowing soldier volunteers to continue assisting with the cleanup during their normal work hours. The community has responded with an outpouring of support and encouragement, including financial donations to cover expenses.

Like the Weicht family and their volunteers, hundreds of others quickly stepped up to assist those in need. They assessed damage, prepared meals, cleared debris, and united under the banner of Temple Strong. Dozens of volunteers gathered in the heat at Tarver Elementary, led by the Bell County Business Group, serving an estimated 4,000 free burgers and hotdogs over three full days to those affected by damage or loss of electricity.

One group member stated, “Really, it was about Continued

The volunteers have tackled a wide range of tasks, including cutting down trees, removing brush, cleaning up yards, dismantling and removing structures, salvaging items, gutting and demolishing buildings, completing home repairs, and even providing groceries and household items to those in need.

We provide personalized local senior care for total peace of mind, including:

• Bathing & Dressing Assistance

• Grooming

• Assistance with Walking

• Errands

• Shopping

• Medication Reminders

• Light Housekeeping

• Meal Preparation

• Friendly Companionship

• Flexible Hourly Care

• Respite Care for Families

For more information, call us at 254. 899. 9400

VisitingAngels.com/Temple

We provide personalized local senior care for total peace of mind, including:

Bathing & Dressing Assistance

Grooming • Assistance with Walking • Errands

Medication Reminders

Shopping • Light Housekeeping

Meal Preparation

Friendly Companionship

Flexible Hourly Care

Respite Care for Families

small-business owners rallying together and seeing an immediate need in the community and having the resources to fit that need. We would do it again!”

For more information, call us at 254.899.9400 or visit VisitingAngels.com/ Temple.

Roofing and restoration companies worked around the clock, providing free tarping and water removal services, often with little to no sleep. Numerous other businesses and organizations sprang into action to serve the community, including Bold Republic Brewing Company, Family Promise, Haute Dog, Shaffin Wegener of State Farm, Wes’s Burger Shack, Feed My Sheep, Bulldog Auto Detailing, KCEN Channel 6, Texell Credit Union, Vista Real Estate, and countless others.

The Temple community has banded together in an extraordinary display of resilience and solidarity. Neighbors helping neighbors — clearing debris, providing shelter and sharing resources. Volunteers from all walks of life pitched in, offering everything from meals to manual labor. This collective effort not only sped up recovery but also strengthened the bonds within the community, showcasing the power of unity and compassion in times of crisis.

“Volunteering and helping others has always been my passion,” Britnia shared. “We strive to be a blessing to someone every day, and we firmly believe in spreading love and kindness to counteract the darkness in the world.”

This experience has solidified her desire to start her own nonprofit organization, and she eagerly anticipates its future impact. She looks forward to continuing to bless others, embracing the motto, "We’re stronger together."

This disaster has revealed the true character of Temple — a city united by empathy, driven by hope, and fortified by the relentless will to overcome. As we move forward, let us carry this spirit with us, knowing that no challenge is too great when we stand together. The future of Temple is bright, and with hearts full of compassion and hands ready to help, we will build a stronger, more resilient community for generations to come. Temple will continue to rise from these ashes, thanks to the boundless compassion and determination of those who live and work there. Together, we embody the spirit of Temple Strong.

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Garlyn Shelton

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