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DECEMBER 2015 | TEX APPEAL
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Features
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Holiday happenings Events across Central Texas
There are many holiday events happening around the Central Texas area and activities can be found in each of the local communities. From Copperas Cove to Temple and all places in between, there is something for everyone at the 2015 Christmas celebrations. By CATHERINE HOSMAN
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FEeding a need
Feed My Sheep keeps giving
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PROJECT ANGEL TREE Elves deliver Christmas gifts
If you could somehow take all your favorite, heartwarming Christmas movies — “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” — and shake them up in a snow globe, you would get a scene like what a small army of Project Angel Tree elves has been doing in Bell County for 15 years. By CATHERINE HOSMAN
DECEMBER 2015 | TEX APPEAL
As families gather around their Christmas trees on Dec. 25 and later, their dinner tables filled with the bounty of the season, another type of family is settling in for a holiday celebration. The volunteers and clients at Feed My Sheep-Lucy Bodenheimer Community Center in Temple will share a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings with Temple residents who may not have family or friends to be with on the holidays. Most of the folks who come to the center live on the streets; others have fallen on hard times and may not have the money to buy food to prepare a holiday meal for their family. But for a little while on Dec. 25, they will know Christmas. By FRED AFFLERBACH
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RAISING SPIRITS
Navigate grief during holidays
Let’s face it. Not everyone is a Christmas elf who can’t wait to find that perfect gift for that special someone. For some people grieving a recent or past loss, participating in Christmas cheer can send them into a stratospheric anxiety attack. By CATHERINE HOSMAN
TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
Departments
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TexTalk Neighbors Lupita Bluhm de Saldivar shares tamale tradition
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TexTalk FLAVOURs Schoepf’s Bar-B-Que
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TexTalk BEAUTY Sara Hector opens her bag
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TexTalk SCENE Metroplex Gold Star Gala
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TexTalk CALENDAR Area events in December
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TexFIT
Contributors OctOber 2013 tex AppeAl
ON the COVER
Angel Tree volunteers brings Christmas to children whose parents are incarcerated. 37 Photograph by MITCHEL BARRETT
DECEMBER 2015 | TEX APPEAL
TexEDITORIAL Health benefits of walking
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GIFT GUIDE Holiday gift ideas
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ADVERTISER’S INDEX
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Walk off holiday meals
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TexADVENTURES Explore Fredericksburg
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From the Editor Dear Readers, Thanksgiving is done and Christmas is right around the corner. What are your family traditions? Are they the same as when you were a child? Are you passing them down to your children? Or have you had to adjust your traditions due to distance from family members, or the loss of a loved one? For me, growing up Italian, Christmas tradition was easy. On Christmas Eve we always had the Feast of Seven Fishes. I remember my father coming home with fresh shrimp and smelts from Lake Michigan. Bags of clams rattled in the kitchen. Fresh squid were cleaned by my mother and aunts, and sometimes there was an eel or octopus or very large whole trout prepared for my grandfather, who emigrated from southern Italy. Before long, the aroma of fried shrimp and smelts floated through our flat. A trout baked in the oven and fresh clam sauce was made to pour over the homemade pasta that my mother and aunts spent a whole day preparing, while an uncle shucked the raw clams for shooters. I can still see the activity and smell the good cooking that came out of such a tiny kitchen. But times change and as the years went by, miles were put between us and loved ones passed, I learned how to create my own Christmas Eve tradition. I call it the Feast of the Seven Shrimp. Keeping with the tradition of fasting on Christmas Eve, I now make a shrimp boil for myself and friends. Not quite the elaborate feast I had a growing up, but still it’s my feast, my tradition and I haven’t deviated from it in more than 30 years. Keeping in her own tradition, meet your neighbor Lupita Bluhm de Saldivar. Every year she makes Christmas tamales for her family and is passing that tradition down to her own children, Page 12. For folks who may not have a place to go on Christmas, Feed My Sheep prepares a Christmas feast, but that is just one day out of the year they serve the community, Page 27. The holidays mean different things to different people and for the children of incarcerated parents, Jeanette Kelly and her crew at Angel Tree make sure these children receive gifts for Christmas, Page 37. For folks who may be grieving the loss of a loved one this season, Dr. Kenyatta Jones and Chaplain Jaime Guajardo have advice for coping with the holidays, Page 41. And if you overindulge with the holiday goodies, like we all have a tendency to do, skip the expensive gyms and head outdoors to walk, just walk for the health of it and work off those excess calories and pounds, Page 53. For anyone who likes to take a day trip during their time off, and for most people Christmas is a three-day weekend, take a drive to Fredericksburg to see the sights and stay the night to see the lights, Page 57. So, dear readers, have a seat, pour yourself a glass or cup of your favorite holiday beverage and enjoy the December issue of Tex Appeal Magazine. Wishing you a safe and peaceful Christmas and a Happy New Year!
Catherine Hosman
Tex Appeal Editor 254-501-7511 edittexappealmagazine@gmail.com
DECEMBER 2015 | TEX APPEAL
Tex Appeal Life & Style in Central Texas
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 CATHERINE HOSMAN Copy Editor LEE JAMES Photographers/Graphic Designers
M. CLARE HAEFNER JULIE NABOURS Contributors FRED AFFLERBACH MITCHEL BARRETT SHARON WHITE GABE WOLF Advertising 254-778-4444 254-501-7500
Tex Appeal Magazine is published monthly 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. Subscriptions: For the United States, $24 per year, 12 issues. Mail check to P.O. Box 6114, Temple, TX 76503-6114.
Questions about subscriptions, call 254-778-4444.
Postmaster: Send address changes to: Tex Appeal Magazine, P.O. Box 6114, Temple, TX 76503-6114. How to contact us: Advertising: Call 254-778-4444 or 254-501-7500. Editorial: Contact Catherine Hosman at 254-501-7511 or email edittexappealmagazine@ gmail.com.
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DID YOU KNOW?
You can read back issues of Tex Appeal Magazine at texappealmag.com. Log on today to find the current issue and older editions of Tex Appeal. TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
Contributors FreD AFFLERBACH is an award-winning writer and novelist, college graduate at age 50, and former long-haul trucker. His stories and columns have been published in daily newspapers across Texas. His novel, “Roll On,” debuted in 2012, and is an interstate odyssey about a man afflicted with an incurable wanderlust despite pressure from family and friends to settle down. Fred lives in Cedar Park with his wife, Diane, and enjoys perusing Central Texas backroads with a keen eye out for roadrunners, old trucks and lipstick sunsets.
SHARON WHITE is an award-winning children’s writer, a former teacher, author and avid volunteer. She writes a weekly lifestyle blog based on her book, “Quintessential Style: Cultivate and Communicate Your Signature Look.” She has been proud to call Central Texas home for more than 30 years.
MITCHEL BARRETT is an award-winning photographer and owner of Mitchel Barrett Photography. Although originally from the British Virgin Islands, for the past 12 years he has come to call the city of Killeen his home. He developed his love of photography while attending high school and the KISD Career Center, and has enjoyed life behind the lens ever since. When not busy taking photos, you can probably find him at the movies with friends or at home with his family and two dogs.
GABE Wolf is an award-winning photojournalist, with the most recent being the 2015 Barbara Jordan Media Award. He lives in Kempner with wife Stephenie, two dogs, Benny and Joon, three cats, Mouse, Veruca and Augustus, and two horses, Trouble and China. He’s been a professional photographer for the past 15 years, documenting the Western Lifestyle with his wife and business partner, Stephenie.
JOIN the Tex Appeal TEAM
Tex Appeal Magazine is looking for photographers and freelance writers with experience photographing and/or writing features for a newspaper or magazine. We are seeking candidates from the Central Texas area. Candidates must be detail- and deadline-oriented and good storytellers, and must be familiar with AP style. Ability for writers to take photos is a plus, but not required. Interested candidates may send their resumes and three to five recent stories and/or photographs for consideration to edittexappealmagazine@gmail.com. 10
DECEMBER 2015 | TEX APPEAL
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Lupita Bluhm de Saldivar assembles tamales in her kitchen.
Time for tamales TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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TexTalk neighbors
Family, friends pass down Mexican tradition of Christmas tamales
Story by CATHERINE HOSMAN Photos by MITCHEL BARRETT
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upita Bluhm de Saldivar, her daughter Sophie, her cousin Julia MacLaughlin and friend Obdulia Cazares gather around the island in Saldivar’s kitchen for a tamalada (tamalemaking party). The four women take on the role of tamaleras, people who make the tamales, and are ready to get started on a traditional Mexican food made from scratch. The tamalada is as much fun as it is work, as family members and friends all pitch in to make this annual holiday treat. Bowls of chicken mole, pork de bolla (pork with hot peppers), and chicken with azafran (saffron) sit in the center of the island. Banana leaves and corn husks that will hold the tasty ingredients together are layered in separate stacks. But before the women start building the tamales, boiled corn with lime is crushed into masa on a traditional stone mortar and pestle. It is as much a social gathering as it is work. There is much talking, laughing and remembering the traditions of their culture. Tamales’ roots reach as far back as 7000 B.C. They originated in Mesoamerica and were later traced to Aztec and Maya civilizations. “Used as portable food for their hunters, travelers and armies, this versatile foodstuff has a rich history as a staple in Latino cuisine and celebrations.” Since then, tamales became a part of the traditional Mexican celebration of “las posadas,” which commemorates Mary and Joseph’s search for shelter before the birth of Jesus. (Source: www.rosettastone.com/ blog/christmas-tamale-tradition) Saldivar said tamales have changed over time and the type depends on what part of Mexico you are from. Cazares, who is from San Miguel de Allende, said her tamales are made with pork, Mexican spices and pieces of green and red pepper. Today, Saldivar is making tamales from her home state of Chiapas, Mexico, a tradition that began with her grandmother when she was a child. 12
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“My grandmother, Guadalupe Moreno, would sit me down at a table to clean corn husks and banana leaves,” Saldivar recalled as she spread masa onto a banana leaf and topped the masa with one of the three mixtures before wrapping the tamale and tying it off to get it ready to cook. “As I got older, she gave me more tasks to make the tamales. When I was around 8 years old, she put me on the stone to grind the corn. My fingers got all smashed. I didn’t know how to make the movement.” By the time she was 11, Saldivar was wrapping the tamales. She said everything was made by hand and her grandmother didn’t use measurements in her cooking. “With my grandmother, the tradition was to always pass recipes to the next generation,” Saldivar said. “But you choose who is going to get it.” Saldivar’s great-grandmother passed it on to her Grandmother Moreno, who was the only one of her siblings that showed interest in the tradition. Because Saldivar showed an interest early in life, she is now the keeper of the tradition. “I will pass it down to everyone who is interested,” Saldivar said. “I am not in my home town and the tradition can die. I need to pass it on to another generation.”
Friends and relatives of Lupita Bluhm de Saldivar come together every year to make traditional Christmas tamales. From left are her cousin, Julia MacLaughlin, daughter, Sopie, de Saldivar, and family friend, Obdulia Cazares.
ABOVE: Corn husks and banana leaves stuffed with chicken mole. AT RIGHT: Tamales are tied before cooking so the husks don’t fall apart until it’s time to eat. TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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Beauty in the Bag
beauty TexTalk
By CATHERINE HOSMAN
How do you stay beautiful on the go?
Each month Tex Appeal peeks inside the bag of one busy woman to reveal her best beauty secrets and must-have essentials.
Sara Hector Project Angel Tree
The ESSENTIALS she CARRIES L’oreal compact powder: I use this product in natural ivory because it is a quick and easy touch-up. L’oreal Sugar Plum Lipstick: This coordinates with most of my wardrobe colors. Burt’s Bees Replenishing lip balm: It gives me just a bit of moisturizing color. Windy Hill Lavender moisturizer: Grown and produced on a neighboring farm in Pendelton, it is a soothing balm for hands and skin. Olay Complete: A must daily moisturizer under cosmetics…has sun block and softens my “aging” skin. Umbrella: An item that has certainly been needed of late.
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Walgreens travel size sanitizer: Good any time. Emory board: Projects in which I participate are hard on the nails. Notebook: This serves several purposes. It holds fabric swatches for quilting and machine embroidery needs; it’s place to jot down any creative ideas that I might need to remember; it keeps prayer request lists; recipes; project sketches and Project Angel Tree angel for shopping information for “our” two children. iPad Mini: It has an NIV Bible at hand, ready for notes or reference; accessibility to the Internet for Google news (old history teachers are addicted to news!); iBooks for reading while waiting; Words with Friends game, and Pinterest.
Photographs by MITCHEL BARRETT
Most valuable TOOL in her BAG
iPhone 5: We live on a farm 15 miles from Belton (seven miles from Temple). The phone is a safety net for my travels to and from church, projects, shopping, etc. It also hosts my calendar (super important for meetings, social activities and appointments). It has the most convenient camera I have ever owned. Also, the phone is a storage device for all of our grandchildren’s photos. Do you have a beauty signature, a fragrance or specific shade of lipstick, eye color, or any other product that you are known for wearing or using? Chloe: I discovered Chloe many years ago as a “just right” scent for me. It is lightly refreshing, yet long-lasting. Do you have a helpful hint you can share with readers? I am a retired American history teacher, principal, TEA field service specialist, and staff development trainer for Aha! Process Inc. …I carry fewer items in my purse than I did while working full-time. Since I do not change purses daily, the bag serves as a tote. To lessen the load when running errands, I have a wallet that can be removed when not needing the total bag.
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TexTalk scene
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Gold Star Gala benefits Metroplex Health System 2
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1. From left, Robert and Luci Stefek and Mitch and Donna Connell attend the Metroplex Gold Star Gala on Nov. 5. 2. Killeen Mayor Scott Cosper and his wife, Christy. 3. Metroplex CEO Carlyle Walton speaks after receiving a $100,000 donation from foundation president Becky Day. Photos by GABE WOLF 18
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8 9 4. Country artists Diamond Rio perform at the Metroplex Gala. 5. JD and Annie Johnson 6. Andrei and Sthefany Houser. 7. From left, Susan and Tony Mino, executive director of the Armed Services YMCA and, Gina Pence, president of the Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce. 8. Bell County Commissioner John Fisher takes bids during a live auction. 9. From left, Charlie and Mary Buckley and Nancy Hubbard. TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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4 1. From left, John and Mi-Ok Doranski, Bill and Mary Kozlik attend the Metroplex Gold Star Gala at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center to raise funds for the hospital system. 2. Cyd West and Lou Stubbs. 3. From left, Dan Ferch, Kellen Petersen and Jessie Davis. 4. From left, Central Texas College Interim Chancellor Jim Yeonopolus, Wallace Vernon and John Fisher. Photos by GABE WOLF 20
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TexTalk calendar
Salado Christmas Stroll Dec. 3, 5 p.m., Christmas Parade; 7 to 10 p.m. Historic Homes Tour and Gala Dec. 4-6 and Dec. 11-13 Children of all ages will enjoy the live Nativity scene, sponsored by First Baptist Church, holiday carolers, shopping and live entertainment. Historical Homes Tour Dec. 4, 5 to 8 p.m.; Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Dec. 6, 1 to 4 p.m. Tickets $20. Children age 11 and under are free. No baby strollers in the homes. Tickets available at the Salado Visitor’s Center, 831 N. Main St., or at each stop on the days of the events. For more information, visit www. saladovillagevoice.com in the days leading up to the stroll. For more information, call 254-9478634 or visit ylane@saladotx.gov. A Christmas Carol at Tablerock Dec. 4 to 6 and Dec. 11 and 12 Concessions open 6:30 p.m. Show begins 7 p.m. $10 adults; $3 Children 12 and younger. Adapted for the stage by Harry Sweet and directed by Kelly Parker, Dickens’ Yuletide play will put you in the right holiday spirit. Tickets sold at the gate the night of the performance. Tickets also available in advance at www.tablerock.org. For group tickets (20 or more) call 254-947-9205.
For more information, email tablerock1@aol.com or visit www. tablerock.org. Tablerock Amphitheater Salado
Christmas on the Chisholm Trail “An Old Fashion Christmas” Dec. 5, noon to 7 p.m. Parade starts 6 p.m. A Christmas celebration filled with family fun, festive music, food, vendors, Santa Claus and a Christmas parade in downtown Belton. For more information, call 254-9335860 or visit www.beltontexas.gov. Santa Fest Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Temple holds its first Santa Fest Holiday Market. Enjoy some great deals from downtown merchants, arts & crafts vendors, food trucks, carriage rides, carolers and of course, Santa at the Depot. For more information, call 254298-5379 or visit www.discovertemple. com. Admission is free. For more information, call 254-298-5900 or email sfarias@templetx.gov. Temple Christmas Parade The Music and Magic of Christmas Dec. 7, 6:30 p.m. Get in the holiday spirit and welcome Santa to Temple at this annual downtown tradition. There will be floats, marching
Belton plans its Christmas on the Chisholm Trail from noon to 7 p.m. Dec. 5. 22
DECEMBER 2015 | TEX APPEAL
calendar TexTalk
Seniors age 50 and older are invited to the Sammons Community Center’s 15th annual Senior Christmas Dinner on De. 8.
bands and vehicles, all decorated with hundreds of twinkling lights. For more information, call Holly Leiferman at 254298-5440.
Sammons Community Center 15th Annual Senior Christmas Dinner Dec. 8, 6 to 8 p.m. $5 per person, reservations required.. Seniors age 50 and older are invited to this annual event that continues to be the highlight of the holiday season for some senior adults. Join Santa and his helpers as they serve a traditional holiday feast. Musical entertainment is provided throughout the evening. Reservations
accepted from Nov. 1 to Dec. 2 at the Sammons Community Center; call 254298-5403 for more information. The event is at the Frank J. Mayborn Center, 3303 N. Third St., Temple,
Polar Express Dec. 11, 6 p.m. Wear your pajamas and enjoy the evening on the Polar Express. Enjoy hot chocolate and cookies with Mrs. Claus, writing letters to Santa, playing winter games and visiting with Santa and his elves. For more information, call Teri Landeros at 254-298-5474. Admission is one canned good per person.
11th Annual Schlotzksy’s Jingle Bun Run Dec. 12 Half Marathon: 8:45 a.m. 5K: 9 a.m. Family Fun 1K: 10:30 a.m. Awards Ceremony for 5K begins at 10 a.m. Awards Ceremony for Half Marathon begins at 11:45 a.m. Come run with Santa for the holidays. All races begin and end at the Pepper Creek Trail, and this year’s event features a new half marathon course. Preregistration closes Dec. 6; race day registration will be available. Continued
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TexTalk calendar Join city staff, the chamber of commerce and the Market Heights Shopping Center for free hot chocolate and cookies, music, Santa, Holiday Farmers Market, Gingerbread House Contest and more Dec. 11 at Frost Fest in Harker Heights.
Preregistration is $45 for the half marathon, $20 for the 5K and $10 for the 1K. Race day registration is $55 for the half marathon, $25 for the 5K and $10 for the 1K. For more information or to register, go to www.racetemple.com or at any of the Temple recreational facilities. Pepper Creek Trail West Highway 2305, Temple
Santa at the Depot Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Free Join us at the depot as we await Santa’s arrival to Temple by train. Kick
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off the season with this annual event and enjoy some old fashioned holiday fun and a chance to talk with Santa. 315 W. Avenue B. 254-298-5172 www.rrhm.org
inclement weather, call 254-953-5660. Market Heights Shopping Center, 201 E. Central Texas Expressway. For more information, visit the Parks and Recreation website at www.ci.harkerheights.tx.us/parks or call 254.953.5465.
12th Annual Frost Fest Dec. 11, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Santa is coming to town! Join city staff, the chamber of commerce and the Market Heights Shopping Center for free hot chocolate and cookies, music, Santa, Holiday Farmers Market, Gingerbread House Contest and more. In case of
16th Annual Lights On Parade Outdoor Lighting/Decorating Contest Registration through Dec. 10 Voting: Dec. 14 & 15 6 p.m., citywide The Harker Heights Parks and Recreation Department is hosting its annual Christmas outdoor decorating
calendar TexTalk contest within the city limits of Harker Heights. Each division will have two categories: owner decorated and professionally decorated. There are awards for first and second place in Division I, Division II and Division IV. In Division III, there are first and second place awards per area. To register for this free contest, visit the Harker Heights Recreation Center, 307 Miller’s Crossing. For more information, call 254-9535465.
Mail Call Through Jan. 16 Mail call is an exhibition from the Smithsonian, tells the fascinating story of military mail and communication — from the American Revolution to the current war in Afghanistan. Temple Railroad & Heritage Museum 315 W. Avenue B. 254-298-5172 www.rrhm.org An Elvis Christmas Spectacular Dec. 18, 7:30 p.m. Celebrate the holidays Elvis style with “An Elvis Christmas Spectacular,” starring Kraig Parker and the Royal Tribute Band. Parker’s voice, looks and charisma are as close as it gets to Elvis Presley. Playing to sold out audiences around the world, critics call Kraig, “the best in the business.” Enjoy all your favorite Elvis Christmas tunes along with Vegas hits in this incredible show for the entire family. Cultural Arts Center 3011 N. Third St., Temple For more information, call 254-7739926 or visit http://cacarts.org/on-stage. Dale Watson Dec. 19, 7 p.m. preshow dinner Performance: 7:30 p.m. Dale Watson has a unique country baritone that makes his rockabilly and hillbilly originals stand out as instant classics. The maverick of country music brings the ultimate “honky-tonk” to every stage. Toe-tapping and dancing are allowed if you feel the urge. Pre-show dinner in a CAC ballroom, by the Great American Grill at the Hilton Garden Inn, $14 Cultural Arts Center
Holiday decorating contests are planned in Harker Heights and other cities this season.
3011 N. Third St., Temple For more information, call 254-7739926 or visit http://cacarts.org/on-stage.
Wilson Park Recreation New Year’s Eve Lock In Dec. 31, 7 p.m. to 7 a.m. $20 per person Ages 8 to 13 Looking to do something fun on New Year’s Eve? Join us for an All Night Party Lock In. Play cool games like spike ball and gaga ball, climb up the climbing wall and many more activities, active games and special events in store. Instructor: Peanut Henderson. For more information, call 254-298-5740. 2205 Curtis B. Elliott Drive Temple Email upcoming events to edittexappealmagazine@gmail.com. TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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Feed My Sheep Temple Ministries director Jim Hornsby is joined by volunteers, from left, Sister Robinson, Sister Benson, Diane Beadnell, Deb Minzak and Jane Johnson, of the Lucy Dodenheimer Community 26 outside DECEMBER 2015 | TEX APPEAL Center that houses Feed My Sheep.
Feeding a need
Feed My Sheep provides food, fellowship Story by CATHERINE HOSMAN Photos by GABE WOLF
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s families gather around their Christmas trees on Dec. 25 and later, their dinner tables filled with the bounty of the season, another type of family is settling in for a holiday celebration. The volunteers and clients at Feed My Sheep-Lucy Bodenheimer Community Center in Temple will share a traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings with Temple residents who may not have family or friends to be with on the holidays. Most of the folks who come to the center live on the streets; others have fallen on hard times and may not have the money to buy food to prepare a holiday meal for their family. But for a little while on Dec. 25, they will know Christmas. “It’s a meal you would serve your own family and children,” said Jim Hornsby of Feed My Sheep Ministries. “The folks we serve don’t have families. We bring them the special-ness of Christmas.” In addition to a holiday meal, gifts will be distributed and Hornsby said, “Everyone gets something.” But it isn’t just the holidays that FMS volunteers provide a warm meal and fellowship to their clients. FMS is a year-round operation manned totally by volunteers from area churches and organizations who believe in the ministry of showing God’s love with those who may need it the most. On a rotating basis, more than 550 volunteers from 32 churches, 15 to 20 local organizations staff FMS. Volunteers buy the food and prepare the meals themselves. Local area stores help out by donating food items. Jane Johnson, a member of Temple Bible Church, said volunteers from her group pack 100 sack lunches the first Wednesday of every month. “I do this to share the love of Jesus to the homeless
Sister Robinson, who’s a missionary with the Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints, volunteers her time with the Feed My Sheep ministry, handing out meals to Temple’s homeless.
and discouraged,” Johnson said, adding that she recently lost a brother to the streets earlier this year. “It is rewarding to meet and talk with the people who need help with food.” On a recent weekday, volunteers filled about 200 Styrofoam containers with pasta, chicken, vegetables and rolls, then the containers were stacked three high on a six-foot table. Another 200 to go bags filled with a sandwich and treats for later consumption sat on shelves against the wall. The activity is nonstop, and anyone standing in the serving area needs to watch out for the volunteers carrying or rolling in cases of bottled water and
supplies. Like all the other busy workers, they move fast. Hornsby stood by the front door greeting clients already lined up to enjoy a hot lunch. As they filed in, the adjacent dining hall filled up with hungry diners and the murmurs of “thank you and you’re welcome” were heard above the din of the activity. When things settled down just a bit, Hornsby took a guest on a tour of the facilities at Feed My Sheep in Temple. FMS is housed in a 9,000-squarefoot historical building built in 1927 that was purchased last year, along with the adjacent lot and house slated to become a Continued TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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Volunteer John Barney welcomes Temple’s homeless as they enter the Feed My Sheep Ministry. Barney, who once relied on the ministry to help him through a rough patch in his life, now volunteers three to four days a week.
women’s day center. “We’ve been at this location four years,” he said. The center is named for Lucy Bodenheimer, who previously owned the building, because she allowed the organization to use her facilities rent free for three years with the understanding that FMS would buy the building. “We bought it in our fourth year,” he said. Hornsby led his guest past the meals to be handed out and toward the back of the building where the storage and kitchen is staged. “We serve 6,000 people a month, 12,000 meals,” Hornsby explained. “That’s 365 days a year and the need keeps growing.” Feed My Sheep Ministries not only offers warm meals and a place for fellowship, it also offers its clients a place to shower, do laundry, get a haircut and a shave. There is an educational center, laundry facilities, a free clinic for children, a new immunization center waiting on certification, and social workers to help people who have the need navigate the maze of social services. Community organizations, businesses and medical organizations, contribute funds or donations-in-kind to keep the doors open. “We are evolving,” Hornsby said. “We want it to be a total community center where people can come here for help. It’s not just for the homeless. 28
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Anyone who may need a meal or help can come to the center. If they need a place to eat, or need something, they can come here. If we can’t help them, we will find them the help they need. . .with their kids, jobs and food.” Hornsby said FMS’ next project is to transform the adjacent house they purchased into a women’s day center. Plans for fundraising are underway. Although many building supplies have been donated by local DIY stores, funds are still needed for the completion of the project, including licensed contractors.
No stranger to street culture Hornsby understands the dangers of living on the streets and the reasons why so many people do. “Sixty to 65 percent of the people we serve have a severe mental illness,” he said. “I grew up on the streets. I want them to know they have value. Show them we care. Share the love of God.” Hornsby’s journey began when he was just 8 years old and forced to survive on the streets due to an unstable home environment. By the time he was 12, he was using drugs and alcohol. “It’s underrated, what’s going on,” he said about living on the street. Choices made along the way, he admits, were not all good for himself or anyone else in his life. “Every choice we make in life affects someone else,” he said.
Volunteers from left, Elder Jefferies, Elder Sikaleti, DJ Sager and Diana Beadnell prepare lunches for more than 200 of Temple’s homeless at the Feed my Sheep facility.
Somehow he managed to survive living on the street, and eventually graduated from high school. He entered the U.S. Navy and served 21 months in Vietnam, returning the same way so many other veterans came back. . .angry, unforgiving, and broken. He has survived two heart attacks, cancer and lives with the consequences of Agent Orange. Somehow he carried on, married and had a family. But his substance abuse kept getting in the way. In 1984 he became clean and sober. “I had to learn love and forgiveness,” he said, but first he had to forgive himself. “If you can’t forgive yourself, it’s hard to forgive others. I had to forgive me.” He surrendered himself to God and retired from secular life in 2009. He saw himself fishing four days a week and volunteering for one. But God had a different plan for him. “I hadn’t been fishing in three years,” he said. “Now I volunteer 80 to 100 hours a week. I love the people. Serving these Continued
Jim Hornsby, director of the Feed My Sheep Ministry in Temple, stands in front of the recently acquired structure that is slated to become a women’s day center. TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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Janie Minzak offers sack lunches to Temple’s homeless so they will have something to eat later in the day.
people is one of the greatest gifts God has given me.” Vicky Norsworthy has been volunteering for three of the four years FMS has been in operation. “God has placed a strong desire in my heart to help people,” she said. “It blesses us. The needs are there. So many people want to help but don’t know how. We present that opportunity for people to help.” “This is our community organization,” Hornsby said. “It is run and supported by the community, churches and organizations. Every denomination is represented.” One of those organizations is Churches Touching Lives for Christ; every fifth Saturday, it hosts a Feast of Hope for the clients of FMS. “We have volunteers from all faiths with the common goal to share the love of God with people who think they couldn’t be loved,” Hornsby said. For more information on volunteering or donating, visit www. feedmysheeptemple.org, or call Jim Hornsby at 214-239-9863. 30
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Missionaries from the Church of Latter-day Saints prepare lunches at Feed My Sheep Ministries in Temple.
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Family-friendly holiday events around Central Texas Compiled by CATHERINE HOSMAN
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here are many holiday events happening around the Central Texas area, and activities can be found in each of the local communities. From Copperas Cove to Temple and all places in between there is something for everyone at the 2015 Christmas celebrations.
Copperas Cove Krist Kindl Markt Dec. 4-6 Copperas Cove is gearing up for another weekend of merriment and mirth at the city’s annual Krist Kindl Markt. Beginning Dec. 4, the market is open from 4 to 10 p.m., and at 6 p.m. is the lighting of the community Christmas tree at the corner of Main and Robertson Avenue in the back lot of the Old City Hall. From 7 to 8 p.m., Jay & Tammy Variety Music performs. On Dec. 5, the Markt is open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. with a variety of vendors set up along Avenue E and Main Street and between First and Second Street and Avenue D and F. A variety of merchant and food vendors will set up along the fairway “with many unique items for sale.” Continuous entertainment begins at noon with various school choirs performing. At 3:30 p.m., the Christmas Parade begins and travels from the north parking lot of the Copperas Cove High School, down Avenue D and onto the Cove Terrace Shopping Center. Viewing is good on either side of the street on the parade route and spectators are encouraged to bring their own chairs. The parade usually lasts one hour, but that depends on how many entries there are. At 6 p.m., Santa and city officials will flip the switch on the festival Christmas tree. The festival remains open until 10 p.m. or as long as there are shoppers. Dec. 6 is the last day of the event and the last chance for visitors to buy that special gift. The gates open at noon and remain open until 5 p.m., or when the last shopper leaves the fairway. Belton Christmas on the Chisholm Trail Dec. 5, 12 to 7 p.m. 32
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Matt Bates, director of recreation and events for the Belton Chamber of Commerce said the annual family-friendly event has something for everyone. But this year will be different. “We have collaborated with the City of Belton and the Downtown Merchant’s Association,” Bates said. Instead of two separate events, there will be one that will bring more than 100 vendors to the streets of downtown Belton. School choirs are scheduled to perform every 30 minutes, there will be a kids zone with a bounce house, carnival games, police and fire displays. Missing are the carnival rides. “Since we moved out of Yettie Polk Park, there is no room for the rides,” Bates said. However, kids can still ride a pony or the barrel train, a police-car themed ride that totes kids around the festivities and is a free activity that fits right in with the Belton Police Department’s vehicle display, which gives kids a close-up view of the inside of a police car. “Santa will be on the steps of the courthouse from noon to 6 p.m., and then The Belton Fire Department delivers Santa at 6 p.m. for the parade. Kids can climb onto a fire truck to learn about firefighting. Also at the event is The Tap Tap Art School Bus, giving kids a chance to test their creative side and new this year is a photo booth. All activities will be downtown Belton. Admission is free and there is ample parking throughout the area. For more information, call Belton Chamber of Commerce at 254-939-3551.
Harker Heights 11th Annual Frost Fest and Holiday Farmers Market Dec. 11, 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. The City of Harker Heights, in partnership with the Harker Heights Chamber of Commerce, invites the community to the 12th Annual Frost Fest. Enjoy free hot chocolate, cookies, and a variety of entertainment from local choirs to theater groups. Shop for winter produce, unique gifts, baked goods, traditional Christmas tamales, jellies, jams and relishes.
“Last year’s event was great. It was the best Frost Fest ever,” said Heather Buller, activities coordinator. “The event drew 2,000 people. We love the new location at Market Heights. It has brought great exposure for people who didn’t know we had a holiday event and great exposure to the farmers’ market vendors.” Just after 5:30 p.m., Santa Claus arrives via a fire truck escort and is available throughout the event for kids. For all Gingerbread House contestants who pre-registered prior to event, the winning gingerbread house will be selected. All entries will be staged in the tent with Santa Claus. There will be a first-, second- and third-place prize plus one Santa’s choice. So there are two chances to win. Other activities include one of Santa’s reindeer and a super sack slide for kids.
Killeen Jingle Bell Dash 5K and Breakfast in Toyland Dec. 5, 8 a.m. This is part of the Centex Race Series. Participants can preregister at www.killeentex.gov/centex or on the day of the event. Breakfast in Toyland, sponsored by the American Business Women’s Association, is from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. Ticket prices are $5 and include a full pancake breakfast with juice and sausage, and a photo with Santa. Tickets are available at the event. Lion’s Club Park 1700 E. Stan Schlueter Loop, Killeen Holiday Under the Stars Dec. 12, 1 to 8 p.m. Children’s activities, 1 to 3 p.m. Christmas Parade, 4:30 p.m. Holiday Under the Stars is back and is a Celebrate Killeen event, which is part of Killeen Volunteers. There will be children’s activities, arts and craft vendors and entertainment. Admission is free. At 3:30 p.m., visitors may start making their way to the parade route that begins at Second and Gray streets. More than 100 parade entries attract thousands of people. Arrive early for the
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Volunteers prepare food for H-E-B’s seventh annual Feast of Sharing Holiday Dinner last year at the Killeen Civic and Conference Center. This year’s feast is Dec. 15 in Killeen. Photo by Eric J. Shelton
parade to save a spot on the route because the best spots fill up fast and be sure to bring your own lawn chairs and a blanket. There will be a full mix of entertainment and parade floats. City officials and dignitaries will ride in the parade and Santa arrives at the finale. Green Avenue Park 717 N. Second St., Temple For more information, call 254-5017751. Feast of Sharing Dec. 15, 4 to 8 p.m. The City of Killeen and H-E-B invite the community to a free, full holiday meal with all the fixings. There will be entertainment and activities for children. Bring your family, bring your friends and come enjoy festive holiday fun and a delicious meal provided by H-E-B. Volunteers are still needed for this
event and can register by calling 254501-7878 or online at killeentexas.gov/ volunteer. Killeen Civic and Conference Center, 3601 S. W.S. Young Drive, Killeen. Letters to Santa There is still time for kids’ letters to Santa. Children can bring their letters to the drop box by Dec. 18 at the Killeen Community Center, 2201 E. Veterans Memorial Blvd. (corner W.S. Young & VMB) or the Killeen Family Recreation Center at Lions Club Park, 1700 E. Stan Schlueter Loop. Be sure to put your return address on the envelope because Santa always writes back. A Walk Through Bethlehem Dec. 4-5, 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. First United Methodist Church Killeen hosts its ninth annual Walk Continued TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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Through Bethlehem at Methodist Park. For two evenings, Methodist Park is transformed back in time to the night when Christ was born. Beginning at 6:30 p.m., witness the arrival of the Three Wisemen entering the city to talk to Herod, shepherds being visited by an angel and the arrival of Mary and Joseph looking for a place to stay in Bethlehem. Once all the actors are in place, the audience will witness a Living Nativity. The performance is 35 to 40 minutes long. Once the performance is over, people will have the opportunity to go through and experience Bethlehem as it was before the birth of Christ. Seating is available for those who cannot stand for long periods of time; otherwise, it is standing room only. Admission is a can of food or donation of any kind. There will be snacks and hot cocoa in the corral. This event is sponsored by the First United Methodist Church at Killeen in conjunction with Immanuel Lutheran Church. Visitors can join a guided tour or explore on their own. FUMC is at 3501 E. Elms Road, Killeen. Methodist Park is behind the church on Cunningham Road. Ample parking is available in the lot at the Immanuel Lutheran Church. For more information, call the church at 254-6346363 or visit www.fumckilleen.com.
Temple Santa Fest Holiday Market Dec. 5; 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. New this year is Temple’s first Santa Fest Holiday Market presented by the Temple Convention and Visitor’s Bureau that will be held throughout downtown Temple. Enjoy arts and crafts vendors, food truck, carriage rides, carolers, and great deals from downtown merchants. Welcome Santa and Mrs. Claus to town as they arrive by train to the Railroad & Heritage Museum. “The Santa Fest Holiday Market is a one-of-a-kind holiday shopping experience,” said Nancy Glover, director of the Temple Convention and Visitor’s Bureau. “Children will love meeting and telling Santa and Mrs. Claus what they want for Christmas, and parents can squeeze in a little holiday shopping at local vendors who will set up at the market.” Additional entertainment includes 34
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a holiday home tour through select homes in Temple’s Historical District; complimentary shuttle service to and from the Historical District (available at the Czech Heritage Museum, 119 W. French Ave.); and horse drawn carriage rides will be available, departing from the Depot. Live Christmas music will be played throughout the Downtown area, Santa Fe Depot, and at select local merchants. Vendors will set up along the downtown square, 2 N. Main St., and the Community Market, 212 S. Main St. The winner of the 2015 Shop Local Campaign will be announced at the end of Santa Fest. Maps and a schedule of events are available at the Santa Fe Depot, online at discovertemple.com or at the Santa Fest booth the day of the event. Admission to the market is free. For more information, call 254-298-5900. Tree Lighting Ceremony and Christmas Parade Dec. 7, 6:15 p.m.; parade 6:30 p.m. This year’s theme is “The Music and Magic of Christmas.” One of the largest lighted Christmas parades in Texas, there will be dozens of colorful floats, marching bands and decorated rides that will make their way through downtown Temple, each covered with hundreds of lights. The tree lighting ceremony is right before the parade and begins at City Hall at 6:15 p.m. Mayor Danny Dunn will flip the switch on the Municipal Building’s decorations and the City’s Christmas tree. Parade-goers are encouraged to come early for the tree lighting ceremony right before the parade begins at City hall. The parade route begins on Adams Avenue near West Eighth Street and travels to 23rd Street. Any location along Adams Avenue provides a perfect view of the parade. Stay for the last float when the Temple Fire Department brings Santa Claus at the end of the parade. For more information on this event, or other holiday happenings, call Jonathan Logue at 254-298-5586 or visit www.ci.temple.tx.us/calendar.aspx.
Salado Christmas Stroll Parade Dec. 3, 5 p.m. Historical Homes Gala Dec. 3, 7 p.m.
The annual Salado Christmas Stroll begins with a Christmas Parade that starts on Royal Road on Main to the Salado Civic Center. Floats include local organizations, Salado ISD organizations, Fort Hood Strikers, the 3rd Cavalry Regiment and ending with Santa Clause. After the parade, the Christmas Tree lighting ceremony will take place with hot chocolate, Scottish bagpipers, photo opportunities with Santa and tours of the Fort Hood Strikers at the Salado Civic Center. Various shops throughout town offer late-night shopping. Later that evening, the Salado Historical Society kicks off their traditional Historical Homes Tour with a fundraising gala at The Robertson Plantation for gala ticket-holders from 7 to 10 p.m. Beautifully decorated historic and contemporary homes open their doors to visitors during the two weekends of the Christmas Stroll. Christmas Stroll Dec. 4-6 and Dec. 11-13 Enjoy two weekends of entertainment, activities and Christmas shopping for the whole family. Strolling holiday carolers will serenade the late evening shoppers along Main Street each Friday and Saturday. Many of the shops will host a variety of live entertainment at their shops all day and evening during the Stroll. There is a live Nativity scene, sponsored by the First Baptist Church, in the evenings on both weekends of the Stroll. Salado Historical Society Homes Tour Dec. 4, 5 to 8 p.m. Dec. 5, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Dec. 6, 1 to 4 p.m. Stroll the streets to visit the beautifully decorated historic and contemporary homes. Residents open their doors to visitors during the Christmas Stroll. Tickets for the homes tour are $20. Children age 11 and under are free, but no baby strollers in the homes. Tickets can be purchased at the Salado Visitor’s Center, 831 N. Main St., or at each stop on the days of the events. Village of Salado, 831 N. Main St., Salado For more information, call 254-9478634, email ylane@saladotx.gov, or visit www.salado.com.
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Project Angel Tree sends Christmas to
forgotten youth Story by FRED AFFLERBACH Photos by MITCHEL BARRETT and FRED AFFLERBACH
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f you could somehow take all your favorite, heartwarming Christmas movies — “It’s a Wonderful Life,” “A Charlie Brown Christmas,” “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” — and shake them up in a snow globe, you would get a scene like what a small army of Project Angel Tree elves has been doing in Bell County for 15 years. Beginning in 2001, a group of Bell County women have exemplified the spirit of Christmas through a ministry that reaches out to unfortunate children. Working tirelessly from October until late December, Jeannette Kelly and her group of about 15 volunteers spearhead the Angel Tree gift-giving program in Bell County. Angel Tree works to ensure that the children of prisoners at the Bell County Jail receive three Christmas presents each, delivered on behalf of the inmates. The gifts from Angel Tree, Kelly said, are priceless. “No matter what, the child loves the parent. It doesn’t matter if that parent’s incarcerated or not. They’re so thrilled they get something from their parent,” Kelly said. “We will do everything we can to find these children. They are the innocent victims of their parents’ crime. They have done nothing wrong and deserve to have Christmas.” The Angel Tree story begins again each year in October. Using information supplied by the Bell County Jail, the volunteers contact the children’s guardians and ask for a wish list. Next, the volunteers fill out a card shaped like an angel with information on each child. They distribute the cards to 25 local churches and 10 local businesses. Parishioners and workers then pick a card with a child’s name, address and
Wrapped gifts await distribution to children of incarcerated parents through Project Angel Tree.
Christmas wish on it. (Highly encouraged are old-fashioned board games, basketballs and footballs, clothes, books and religious items — limit $25 per item.) These folks then make arrangements to deliver the gifts. Kelly said once a person adopts a child in this manner, the volunteer will never be the same. “If you take a child and you get to deliver, you will do Angel Tree the rest of your life. You can’t help it. You just know that you’re doing what God wants you to do,” Kelly said. Sometimes finding where the child lives isn’t easy. One year, a volunteer showed up to deliver presents at an address where charred lumber stood. The house had just burned and the family had to move. Through some savvy sleuthing, volunteers found the child and delivered the presents on time. For a few years, UPS drivers delivered gifts to homes in the far reaches of eastern Bell County. But the drivers were having so much trouble finding addresses, Kelly said, that
volunteers in the Academy area said let us handle those deliveries; we know the back roads near Bartlett, Holland and Rogers. But not all deliveries conclude at a house. Some are clandestine meetings in parking lots. “Many times they (guardians) want to meet us somewhere else so the children don’t know. These gifts are put in their trunk because this is all they’re going to get for Christmas,” said longtime volunteer Sara Hector. Sometimes the gifts are returned because the family has moved on. Yet Angel Tree elves cast a wide net and often find the new address and resend the package. Kelly says that in the 16 years she’s managed the Angel Tree project, she’s been unable to find only a handful of children. And one year, a teenager who received an Angel Tree gift years before actually found Kelly. The youngster stood up at a presentation where Kelly was guest speaker and said he was an Angel Tree Continued TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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kid. He said he would never forget the year he got three presents from his dad who was in jail, courtesy of the Angel Tree ministry.
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A broad reach of charity Angel Tree giving doesn’t stop at county or state lines. A Bell County inmate could have children living hundreds, or thousands of miles away. So each year on a particular December day, several volunteers load the gifts into their sleighs, er pickup trucks, and descend upon the Belton UPS store. Owner Paul Erchinger has been shipping the Angel Tree gifts for seven years pro bono. When the trucks roll in, his loading dock is soon filled to capacity, a couple hundred packages on a busy year. Erchinger and his workers have shipped Angel Tree presents to the 48 contiguous states, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and even to Indian reservations. “It’s kind of one really crazy day when they start bringing everything up. She usually has an army of her volunteers with pickup trucks and they just start showing up at our store and the backs of pickup trucks are just full of brown boxes,” Erchinger said. “They’re not concerned about picking out small, easily shipped gifts for kids. They seem to focus on what’s going to be a great fit for the kid. Some of them get pretty big.” Through the years, Angel Tree gift giving has grown to include more than just inmates’ children. In Bell County, children enrolled in the Head Start early childhood education program, children of workers employed at the county jail and children of Court Appointed Special Advocates have received Angel Tree presents. Altogether in 2014, Angel Tree in Bell County brightened the lives of about 1,500 children. A little history In 1972, Mary Kay Beard, age 27, found herself on the FBI’s most wanted list for several bank robberies. Dubbed the “Bonnie Parker of Alabama,” according to her biography on PrisonFellowship. org, she was arrested and served seven years behind bars. During the Christmas season, she watched fellow inmates take gifts of toiletries such as toothbrushes and toothpaste, wrap them and send them to their children. Upon her parole she joined Prison Fellowship, a Christian-
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How you can help Angel Tree accepts cash donations to pay for shipping and administrative costs and needs volunteers who will buy, wrap and deliver gifts the week before Christmas. To get involved, or find where you can pick up a card with a youngster’s name and wish list, call or email Jeanette Kelly: jeanetteekelly3838@gmail.com or call 254-718-4514. Angel Tree focuses on children from newborns to age 18, as well as adolescents and teens, ages 10 to 16, incarcerated at the Juvenile Correction Center.
based outreach program for inmates and their families. With images of mothers wrapping those simple gifts burned in her memory, Beard organized the Angel Tree ministry that is now 33 years old and operates in 50 states. Here in Bell County, Kelly wrapped her first Angel Tree gift after being recruited through a mentor, Harold Ellis, who founded a prison outreach program called Jesus Acts in Inmates Lives in Belton. Kelly was overwhelmed the first year, trying to wrap presents for scores of children by herself. One day working at First Baptist Belton, the task seemed overwhelming. Then an angel in the flesh appeared to help. Her name was June Sanderford. “My husband came with me one night to choir practice and found Jeanette and she’s crying,” Sanderford said. “My husband, who doesn’t know anything from anything about wrapping packages, helped her wrap packages.
He told me about it ... so that was my first introduction.” Fifteen years later, Sanderford works side-by-side with Kelly, calling, recruiting and organizing volunteers. Many of Kelly’s crew members are retired teachers or school administrators. Yet others come from various careers such as accounting and dentistry. Yet all
are bound with a passion for making a difference in the lives of these children through a Christian message. “I’m hoping it will plant a seed, so someday they will have a relationship with Christ,” Kelly said. “Jesus has told us to take care of those in prison and we’re doing that by reaching out to children of prisoners.”
Jeanette Kelly and her dog, Sam, help lead a team of volunteers who make sure children whose parents are incarcerated receive Christmas gifts each year. TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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Raising spirits
Psychiatrist Dr. Kenyatta Jones of Metroplex Behavior Health Clinic meets with a client in the soothing environment of the clinic’s private yard. 40
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Navigating the maze of grief during the holidays Story by CATHERINE HOSMAN Photos by MITCHEL BARRETT
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t’s really difficult to be in good holiday cheer when grieving the loss of a loved one or beloved pet. Let’s face it. Not everyone is a Christmas elf who can’t wait to find that perfect gift for that special someone, bake those once-a-year holiday treats, sing carols, listen to bell choirs or attend holiday parties. For some people grieving a recent or past loss, participating in Christmas cheer can send them into a stratospheric anxiety attack. Most people who have never experienced such a loss may not be able to empathize. They carry on with their own festivities and still include their grieving friends in the parties and gift exchanges. However, without acknowledgement of the loss, it can send the bereaved into a tailspin of emotions, including depression that can cause them to isolate from holiday activities, making excuses why they are unable to socialize, and staying home alone to ruminate over their loss or losses. “Not everyone is happy at Christmas,” said Dr. Kenyatta Jones, Metroplex Behavior Health Center. “They need to know they have a place where they belong.” Jones said people suffering grief during the holidays need to talk about those feelings and not deny or overlook what they are going through. “They need to feel like they can express themselves and not be treated as different, or ostracized,” he said. Jones said there are several stages of grief and they don’t necessarily happen in any order as everyone grieves differently. “They are shock, anger, regret, depression, acceptance and renewal,” he said. “There is no timeline on the end stage of grief. You can’t push the process of grief along and anger can’t be suppressed.” Being with family and friends can soften the sorrow a bit. If family lives out of town, Jones said to be with friends who are comforting. “Families are not necessarily blood,” he said, “Family can be your neighbors,
Stages of grief Web MD defines the stages of grief as: • Denial, numbness and shock: This stage serves to protect the individual from experiencing the intensity of the loss. It may be useful when the grieving person must take action (for example, making funeral arrangements). Numbness is a normal reaction to an immediate loss and should not be confused with “lack of caring.” As the individual slowly acknowledges the impact of the loss, denial and disbelief will diminish. • Bargaining: This stage may involve persistent thoughts about what could have been done to prevent the loss. People can become preoccupied about ways that things could have been better. If this stage is not properly resolved, intense feelings of remorse or guilt may interfere with the healing process. • Depression: This stage of grief occurs in some people after they realize the true extent of the loss. Signs of depression may include sleep and appetite disturbances, a lack of energy and concentration, and crying spells. A person may feel loneliness, emptiness, isolation, and self-pity. • Anger: This reaction usually occurs when an individual feels helpless and powerless. Anger can stem from a feeling of abandonment through a loved one’s death. An individual may be angry at a higher power or toward life in general. • Acceptance: In time, an individual may be able to come to terms with various feelings and accept the fact that the loss has occurred. Healing can begin once the loss becomes integrated into the individual’s set of life experiences. friends . . .you have to open yourself up. Isolation is not for the holidays.” Jones said, adding that when you dwell on a mindset it’s easy to ruminate, emote and over-dramatize. “If you can’t be with someone, go to church, meditate, or go for a walk. Being alone and ruminating on negative thoughts worsens the grief. Seek positive memories: Go see a play or a movie.” Also, if a tradition has been broken because of the loss, Jones advises to create your own traditions. Do something different, but similar, to what you might have done during past holidays.
Tips on helping bereaved friends Jones said if someone you care about is grieving; create a safe environment for them. He suggests listening, supporting and empathizing, but be careful what you say. Some people may not want to hear the common platitudes. Know what stage of grief he or she is in before saying anything. Is this person still in shock, or are they in denial, angry, regretful, or have the reached the acceptance stage? Sometimes, a simple “I am sorry for your loss” can go a long way. “Support his or her feelings. There is no right or wrong answer,” he said. Continued TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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Psychiatrist Dr. Kenyatta Jones and Chaplain Jaime Guajardo confer about a client in the garden at Metroplex Behavior Health Clinic.
“Support their feelings, get to know the person. Don’t belittle.” Chaplain Jaime Guajardo, director of chaplain services at Metroplex in Killeen, said when it comes to grieving, everyone handles it differently. “If you are bereaved, you don’t have to talk about why you are sad. If you are at a party and the festivities become too much for you, walk outside, find a space to be quiet for a while,” he said. “If you are at a work Christmas party and questions arise, answer them or don’t answer them. You don’t have to talk about it.” Guajardo said don’t drink alcohol if you are on medication or in deep anxiety. Instead, walk it off. Have an emergency contact, a support team. If you feel like crying, cry. Don’t hold your emotions in. 42
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Have an emergency contact, a support team. If you feel like crying, cry. Don’t hold your emotions in. They build up and explode. They build up and explode. If you know someone who has just suffered a loss, don’t ask them “how do you feel?” Guajardo said no one grieves the same way and what works for one doesn’t work for another. And don’t bombard them with questions. Do be supportive,
he advised, and if you don’t know what to say, say nothing. “Just be there,” Guajardo said. “Be a healing presence. Touch is very important.” Guajardo said to be aware of your emotions and also what your body is telling you. He said it is possible to still have Christmas spirit while grieving, but don’t be afraid to cry if you feel lonely or are in pain. “This is normal,” he said. “Don’t fight the emotions. Go with it. And share your story. That’s how people begin to understand what you are dealing with.” And if necessary, seek professional help. Grief support groups are available in nearly every community. You can find information on hospital websites. Some churches also offer grief support.
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Arches
Your support team for healthy feet 254-773-2693 archesfootcare.weebly.com
Where the Sun is Always Shining Begin your festivities with holiday décor and arrangements. Come by and choose one of our pre-made arrangements, call in a custom order, or we can put one together while you wait. From Christmas center pieces to table arrangements, we can do them! Become a Friend/Like us on Facebook.
Sunshine Flowers and Gifts
3903 W. Stan Schlueter Lp. #104 Killeen | 254 501 7119
Are you YETI for Christmas?
14 E. Ave. A, Temple 254-742-2300
Blow Your Own Christmas Ornament Discover a new tradition this holiday season! Our “Blow Your Own” events allow you to experience the art of glassblowing first hand. You choose your color and use your breath to shape your ornament our artists do the rest.Reservations must be made online.
Salado Glassworks
#2 Peddlers Alley, Salado 254-947-0339
saladoglassworks.com/upcoming-events/
Holiday harpist
Keeping your favorite beverages hot in the winter and cold in the summer!
Available for hail & farewells, grand openings, weddings, receptions, dinners, memorial services, and more.
Cochran Blair & Potts
Gretchen Williams
221 E. Central Ave., Belton 254-939-3333
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Cheeves Bros. Steak House
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254-699-9050 centexharpist.com
2015 Holiday Gift Guide
Light Up the Night A unique nightlight. Plug in nightlight base. Switch out stained glass cover to fit the mood or occasion. Covers make great sun catchers.
Best Wishes Gifts
2015 Holiday Gift Guide
Give and be happy
Secret Jewels CandlesA hidden jewelry treasure in every candle!
My Giving Tree Gift Shop and Gallery
1401 S. 31st St., Temple, In Pecan Plaza | 254-773-4438 bwgifts.com
121 N. East St., Downtown Belton 254-939-8733
Artisan and Holiday Décor
Get your Yard ready for Spring
12th Annual Frost Fest & Holiday Farmers Market Friday, Dec. 11, 5:30pm-8:30pm
Whether you’re creating a back yard paradise or just a simple front yard landscape design, our crews will make sure that your property has the curb appeal that you’ve always dreamed of.
Market Heights Shopping Center
201 E. CenTex Expwy Harker Heights | 254-953-5493
Grizzly Lawn & Home, LLC
1626 East FM 2410, Harker Heights 254-394-2189 | grizzlylandscapes.com
Luxuries for your little one
Inspired by nature
... and MORE!
Allows airtight seal for storing, cooking, steaming, and reheating.
Diana’s Place
Lucky Bebe
7410 W. Adams Ave., Ste 170, Temple 254-773-5200
A Zooty’s Christmas
Naughty or Nice? The elves will tell all! Share the magic of the Christmas Season with your little ones with The Elf on the Shelf. We now have clothing, reindeer, activity books, and baking sets for your elves.
11941 West State HWY 36 Moffat/Temple | 254-933-3332 dianasplace.net facebook.com/DianasPlaceMoffatTx
One for You, Two for Me UNIQUELY BRIGHTON:
Brighton leather accessories are of the highest quality and craftmanship - made with old world crafted techniques.
Zooty’s
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1401 S. 31st St., Ste I, Temple 254-770-0904 zootystemple.com
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The Shoe Box
3111 S. 31st St., Ste 3195 Temple Mall | 254-773-4560 2015 Holiday Gift Guide
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2015 Holiday Gift Guide
Start the New Year off...
Holiday hair
with a new home . Let SWBC Mortgage Corporation help you get there!
... needs holiday treatment!
Jimmy Alexander, Asst. Branch Mgr.
Kim Hay
4524 S. WS Young Dr., Ste 101 Killeen | 254-634-2822 swbcmortgage.com/alexander
The Salons at Tuscan Square 5297 S. 31st St, Ste 103-A, Temple 254-913-9509
Winter ... brrr Warm fire ... aahh
Scents for the senses
Vermont Castings, wood stoves, fireplaces, glass doors, tool sets and unique gifts. Everything for your heating needs.
A pop of color. A punch of fragrance. A statement for your senses. Immerse yourself in Capri Blue candle’s flair and personality.
Temple Hearth & Home
608 S. 1st St., Temple 254-778-4666
Fine Gifts for Him Unique and refined gifts for men. At Brother’s we offer everything related to the fine art of cigars and pipe smoking, including gift sets, lighters, and smoking lounge.
Brother’s Fine Tobacco
2208 E Hwy 190, Ste 2 Copperas Cove | 254-300-6468 brothersfinetobacco.com
Voice and piano lessons On-line and in-studio lessons available. All ages and stages welcome. Takenya Battle, Instructor
Kenya’s Key Voice & Piano Studio 3
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KenyasKeys.com 844-768-7424
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Callie’s Boutique
1401 S. 31st St., Ste A, Temple 254-770-0511 calliesboutique.net
Salado Stroll Late night shopping, dining and entertaiment!
Parade - Dec 3, 5pm Stroll Downtown - Dec 4-6 & 11-13 A Christmas Carol at Tablerock Amphitheater - Dec 4, 5, 11, & 12 Homes Tour - Dec 4 - 6 Live Nativity Scene at First Baptist Church on Main St. - Dec 4, 5, 11 & 12, 6-8p.m.
salado.com 254-947-5040
Escape to Skin Deep Gift Certificates Full Salon Air-brush makeup Spa packages & Couple’s massages Lipo Laser, Full body waxing Body Contouring
Skin Deep Clinical Skincare
220 Commercial Dr., Ste D Harker Heights www.skindeepclinical.com 254-680-7546 2015 Holiday Gift Guide
2015 Holiday Gift Guide
The gift that keeps giving
Special Delivery!
Central Texas’ oldest premier custom pool builders.
The perfect gift wrap for any good boy or good girl!
Ramirez Pools
5206 General Bruce Drive, Temple Temple 254-773-0765 Killeen 254-519-1652 ramirezpools.com
Paperdoodles
1401 S. 31st St., Ste C, Temple In Pecan Plaza 254-773-8331 | paperdoodles.com
Sweeten Up Your Holiday!
Beauty by nature
Bee to Bottle Since 1930 Local Honey Food Gift Packs Mead & Grape Wine Natural Beauty Wood Fired Pizza
give… skin, hair & body products from NATURE
Walker Honey Farm & Dancing Bee Winery
8060 E US HWY 190 Rogers, TX 254-983-2899 | walkerhoneyfarm.com
Designer Holiday Fashions Killeen’s Exclusive Store for J-Song Collection by Way. Now featuring the IC Collection endorsed by Patti LaBelle. 20% off regular priced items with this ad.
Mary Dell Designer Fashion
give… spa, hair, & nail service GIFT CARDS give… gifts that give back
EcoBlu Spa & Salon
Harker Heights | ecobluspa.com 254-699-0019
Winter wear Callie’s Boutique has adorable gifts for girls and boys from great brands like Tea Collection!
Callie’s Boutique
2904 E. Stan Schlueter Loop, Ste D-403 Killeen | 254-618-5058 MaryDellDesignerFashions.com
1401 S. 31st St., Ste A, Temple 254-770-0511
Making Holiday Cheer
Health from the inside out
... one stitch at a time.
Trained and certified therapist are here to help you achieve health from the inside out with colon hydro therapy. $99 new client special includes consultation, doctor’s prescription and 1-hour session.
Central Texas’ source for cross stitch and embroidery. A full service shop.
Nedlewerkes
100 Cove Terrace Shopping Center Copperas Cove | 254-542-6335 nedlewerkes.com 4
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calliesboutique.net
Total Wellness TX
5504 Bunny Trail, Ste B-206, Killeen 254-213-1065 | totalwellnesstx.com 2015 Holiday Gift Guide
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Shop with a purpose Unique gifts, ladies apparel, jewelry, antiques and much more! Donations to a new charity each month.
Vis-Á-Vis Galleria
3 W. Mesquite Ave., Rogers 254-642-0005
2015 Holiday Gift Guide
A Home for the Holidays I specialize in representing my clients in the purchase and sale of singlefamily residences and income property within Killeen. Let me help you find a home this holiday season.
Carolyn Bigham Pepper Creek Realtors
ofc 254-939-8200 cell 254-760-2484 peppercreekrealtors.com
Fine Wine to Ease Your Mind
A Little Magic for Every Look
Come for the glasses, stay for the fun! We have struck a balance by placing craft beer, fine wine, and good friends all under one roof. Every sports channel available, so come hang and watch a game!
Carry your essentials in style with an Alyssa handbag. These fun and sophisticated totes are perfect for the basics. Definitely a versatile bag for the season.
Salado Creek Winery
Marvina’s Optical Boutique
418 N. Main St., Salado 254-947-9000 Find us on Facebook!
Holiday Expressions
A Zooty’s Christmas
We specialize in hair cutting & styling, nails, spray tanning, facials, make-overs, and special occasion services.
Dress up your table with our new Nora Fleming oven-safe casserole dish. The custom childrens’ clothing will have anyone ready for Christmas.
Expressions Hair and Nail Salon
3126 S. 31st St., Temple Market Place Shopping Center 254-774-9751 salon-expressions.com
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Zooty’s
1401 S. 31st St., Ste I, Temple 254-770-0904 zootystemple.com
Movie in Grand Style
Unique Christmas Gifts
Gift Certificates Available
To include: Tyler Candles & Products Fredricksburg Farms Food Wind and Willow Old Town Chalk Style Paint Specialty made to order items
Grand Avenue Theater
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1408 S. 31st St., Ste B, Temple 254-771-2522
2809 Oakmark, Belton 254-939-5050 grandavenuetheater.com
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Rich’s Antiques
306 N. 1st St., Copperas Cove 254-547-7424 2015 Holiday Gift Guide
We deliver smiles Fresh floral arrangements, gifts and more. Teleflora Snoopy Cookie Jar
BJ’s Flower Shop, Inc.
415 N. Main St., Belton 254-939-6462 bjsflowershop.com
2015 Holiday Gift Guide
This Holiday You Deserve a soothing touch massage therapy with Joni Kelly, LMT (MT022739) Voted One of the Best in Central Texas by the Killeen Daily Herald’s Readers’ Poll. Ask about Holiday Specials
A Soothing Touch Massage Therapy
254-368-1695 asoothingtouch.genbook.com
Show You Care Give Great Hair
Grrr ... Christmas with a Bite
From new hair styles to custom color and color correction, Monica is an experienced hair stylist that uses the best products on the market today. Set up your appoinment today and give yourself or your loved one the gift of great hair.
Come choose from 41 craft beers and ciders and grab a refillable Growler, the perfect gift for those with unique taste. Plus, don’t forget to bring your friends all season long to have a few cold ones and watch the game!
Monica Palomino Edwards
418 N. Main St., Salado 254-947-9000 Find us on Facebook!
4311 W. Adams, Ste 203, Temple 254-534-1384
#ChristmasPizazz Come see our new Christmas ornaments and décor, special gifts and stocking stuffers! Bring in this ad for 15% off one regularly priced item through Dec. 18th
Pizazz Gifts & Décor
Inside Perry Office Plus 214 E. Central Ave., Belton facebook & instagram: pizazzbelton Give the Gift of Health and Wellness GIFT CERTIFICATES FOR JUST $57
Chupacabra Craft Beer
Charming Gifts with Meaning Spread joy with charms that send a festive message, create you own enchanting winter wonderland, or design your own creations that are as unique as snowflakes with Brighton’s charms, spacers, and beads.
The Shoe Box
3111 S. 31st St., Ste 3195, Temple Mall 254-773-4560
Ride Around Clean for the Holidays
New Patient Chiropractic
Includes Consultation, Exam, All Necessary X-Rays, and Report of Findings (excludes Personal Injury & Medicare)
or New Patient Acupuncture
Get a detailed service and ask about our BOGO gift cards.
Includes Consultation, Exam, First Treatment
Any amount gift certificate available.
Corrective Chiropractic & Wellness 6
254-698-1600 www.254health.com
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The Car Wash Barn
Serving Killeen, Temple, Fort Hood, Copperas Cove and Pflugerville thecarwashbarn.com 2015 Holiday Gift Guide
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TexEditorial
Walking ... just for the health of it
By CATHERINE HOSMAN
T
here was a time in my life when I walked every day. Maybe I need to attribute that to the fact that I previously had two dogs, at separate times, over a period of 28 years. I walked them several times a day. We walked in the morning, sometimes I’d go home for lunch to walk my canine companion, and after work we would go for a 30 minute walk. I was fortunate to always live in an area where there were good walking paths for dogs, and plenty of room to play. Once the duty walk was done, and after putting my fur kid back in the house, I’d take off for a 40-minute power walk. I felt great. Everything seemed to work. I stayed slim, didn’t have any pain, I wasn’t depressed and I found that when I was feeling blue, a brisk walk cheered me up. After awhile, I looked at walking not just for weight control, but just for the health of it. It became my anti-anxiety drug, my antidepressant. As the years and decades flew by, and my two doggies went to heaven (because all dogs go to heaven), I found myself getting older and becoming more sedentary. Now I’m a pet parent to three rescued orphan cats. So except for an occasional game of hide and seek or hair band hockey, I don’t get much exercise. I’ve wanted to get back into walking and my doctors continue to encourage me to walk 40 minutes a day, not all in one stretch, it can be broken up. I try, but haven’t gotten back into a routine yet. And I tell you, I have no excuses as a brand new treadmill is set up in my bedroom right next to my bed. All I have to do is get up 15 minutes earlier, put on my walking clothes and shoes and roll onto this machine that I’ve only turned on about five times. I am trying to walk more, to move more now that the weather has cooled, and there is powerful new evidence today on the benefits of walking. So, if you want to shed those holiday pounds and don’t belong to a gym, find a walking buddy (or 50
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not) and walk, just walk for the health of it. But be mindful of your diet as well. As Tracy Beeman, registered dietician states in the following article, walking alone won’t necessarily cause you to lose
weight, but it will maintain your weight. To lose weight mindful eating and exercise must go hand in hand. Good luck with your goals and happy trails!
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TexFit
Walk off holiday calories By CATHERINE HOSMAN
I
t’s a little early to talk about how many calories a person might consume over the holiday season. It’s hard to pass up that second helping of candied sweet potatoes or that scoop of stuffing. Add a bit of cranberry sauce into the mix and the flavors keep exploding. But now it’s dessert time. Will it be pecan, pumpkin, sweet potato or fruit pie? Will there be ice cream or whip cream or both? And don’t forget about all those once-a-year cookies that take days to bake but only minutes to eat. According to registered dietician
Tracy Beeman, one slice of pumpkin pie, depending on size, recipe and topping, could have at least 400 calories. Since it takes a one-mile walk to burn 100 calories, depending on how much a person weighs, it could take up to four miles of walking to burn off all the calories of one slice of pie. With so much “stuff going on at the holidays,” Beeman said to make an exercise goal and work up to achieving it. Build a routine during the stressful times of the holidays and use it as a platform for success, a foundation for future achievements. But she cautions: if the goal is weight loss, walking alone will not do the trick.
“You can’t walk yourself thin,” she said. “It has to be a combination of mindful eating to produce long-term, reliable results.” In other words, don’t think that starting a new walking regimen after the holidays is going to shed those extra five pounds gained. Although walking does have additional benefits aside from weight loss, not making mindful food choices and walking would only maintain your current weight. “This is a misconception, to have a heavy go at exercise (to lose weight),” she said. Continued TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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Benefits of walking There is more to walking than just the benefit of firming up and losing weight. According to Beeman, there is scientific evidence that a brisk daily 20-minute walk has a “profound impact on blood glucose levels and can lower your risk for diabetes, release endorphins, which helps lower the effects of stress on your body and boost your immunity. It’s also good for osteoporosis and inflammation.” But to really feel the effects, it has to be done in a way that raises your optimal heart rate-to-fat metabolism. “An optimal heart rate zone and aerobic heart rate zone is different from person to person,” she said. To find your ideal heart rate zone, Beeman said deduct your age from 220, but keep in mind the rate changes depending on how fit or unfit you are. . Beeman said starting a new exercise regime can be challenging. She said there are two major barriers most firsttimers or even re-starters face. One is burn out from doing too much too fast, and the second one is not having developed a healthy addiction. “This is something more important than getting the exercise in,” she said. “People with long-standing exercise regimes have that.” To avoid exercise burnout, Beeman said to manage and build exercise effectively into your life and in small achievable steps. To get started, she suggests setting your alarm clock 15 minutes earlier and begin by taking a brisk, 10-minute walk every day for about two weeks. After the first two weeks, set your alarm earlier by 10 minutes and repeat until you’ve built in your daily exercise time. “A daily 20-minute-walk boosts your energy, helps with depression, increases your endorphins and serotonin levels and is going to be beneficial for regulating your body’s chemistry and hormones,” she said. When walking, Beeman advises to make sure your posture is appropriate. “Keep your head up and not looking at the ground,” she said, “This also opens up the chest so you can get maximum inhalation. You can breathe better.” Another benefit to regular exercise is it can help people to get off certain medications. Beeman said one of her clients was 75 pounds overweight and suffering from type 2 diabetes when he began a diet and exercise program. “My client was on 1,000 mg. of metformin. After losing 25 pounds, the dosage was reduced to 500 mg. After losing another 25 pounds he was taken off the meds completely, and when he lost another 15 pounds there was no sign of diabetes,” she said, adding it took two years and nine months walking 15 minutes a day, five days a week while he was at work. Another client she worked with lost 61 pounds using the Galloway Plan (http:// www.jeffgalloway.com/training/run-walk/) to get her A1C levels down and never had to go on medicine. If you are just getting started, or starting again, Beeman suggests morning walks “because you can’t say your day gets ahead of you.” And it’s never too late to start a walking program. “There is not an age when someone can’t start walking, unless their legs aren’t working,” she said. For more information, visit http://walking.about.com/ library/cal/uccalc1.htm or www.caloriecount.com.
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“Christmas is a magical time in Fredericksburg. We kick off the holiday season in the Marketplatz,” said Julia Ermlich.
TexAdventures
Explore Fredericksburg The town with ‘Texas Heart and a German Soul’
Story and photos by SHARON WHITE Photos also contributed by the Fredericksburg Visitor’s Bureau
T
he Hill Country town of Fredericksburg is captivating any time of the year, but its atmosphere is even more spectacular during the holiday season when glistening decorations and German influences enhance its charm. “Christmas is a magical time in Fredericksburg. We kick off the holiday season in the Marketplatz (Main Street marketplace) with the annual lighting of the Christmas tree and the German Pyramid,” said Julia Ermlich, communications associate for the Fredericksburg Visitor Bureau. “A week later, we have our Christmas Parade, followed by Holiday Home Tours, Christmas concerts, and a drive-through Christmas Journey, with a live portrayal of the birth of Jesus. Many of these activities happen in the evening, so unless you live close by, you may want to consider an overnight stay.” Ermlich said you could easily spend a week here in Fredericksburg because “there is so much to see and do.” “Every season offers special attractions, whether it’s peaches, Fourth of July activities, or October festivals,” she said. With more than 400 bed and breakfasts, guesthouses, inns, and guest ranches in and around Fredericksburg, visitors might just choose to extend their stay so they can explore all the attractions.
Wildseed Farms Seven miles east of Fredericksburg, on Highway 290 is Wildseed Farms. John and Marilyn Thomas have owned and operated the 200 acres working wildflower seed farm for the past 20 years. It is the largest wildflower farm in the nation. “Our first year here, we were
Wildseed Farms, the largest working wildflower farm in the nation, offers more than 90 varieties of wildflower, herb and native grass seeds.
Holiday Calendar of Events • Nov. 27 – Jan. 1: Texas Hill Country Regional Christmas Lighting Trail • Nov. 27 – Jan 2: Eisbahn in Fredericksburg (Outdoor ice skating rink) • Nov. 27: Annual Lighting of Christmas Tree and German Pyramid • Dec. 4: Light the Night Christmas Parade and AfterGlow • Dec. 5: Fredericksburg Chorale Christmas Concert • Dec. 10: Kinderfest (Pioneer Museum) • Dec. 11-12: Bethany Lutheran Church Christmas Journey • Dec. 12-20: Fredericksburg Theater Company, “A Tuna Christmas” • Dec. 19: Luckenbach Christmas Ball (Luckenbach Dance Hall) • Dec. 26: Candlelight Tour - Pioneer Museum For more information: www.Visitfredericksburgtx.com selling wildflower seeds out of a tent,” said Marilyn Thomas. Their business has expanded to include a nursery, a gift shop, a beer garden, a walking trail, and butterfly and hummingbird gardens. “We are in the process of adding a vineyard and a wine tasting room,” she said. “Hopefully it will be completed by
January 2016.” Visitors should plan plenty of time to explore the grounds. Check out over 90 varieties of wildflower, native grass, herb, or exotic garden seeds for sale. Browse the gift shop for unique gardening, home décor and clothing items, or walk Continued TEXAPPEALMAG.COM
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he George H.W. Bush Gallery features multimedia and interactive exhibits that chronicle the conflict that led to the attack on Pearl Harbor.
outside and discover a huge selection of live plants and colorful imported pottery. Enjoy an ice cream, a light lunch, or a beer, in the Brewbonnet Biergarten and peruse the unique assortment of gourmet foods like dilled garlic, horseradish pickles, or sweet potato butter. “Wildseed Farms is open year-round, and there is always something blooming,: Thomas said. “Of course, spring is our busiest season. Because of the devastating spring rains, we had a smaller crop of bluebonnet seeds this year than usual, but we are farmers, so everything is subject to the weather. We do plenty of praying around here. Our business keeps us on our knees.”
Museums National Museum of the Pacific War The National Museum of the Pacific War honors more than 100,000 Americans who gave their lives during the conflict against Japan, and the eight million Americans that served in World War II. The museum occupies six acres and has become one of the elite military museums in the nation. The Admiral Nimitz Museum is the cornerstone of the 58
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The Pioneer Museum offers visitors a glimpse into Fredericksburg’s rich German Heritage, including this look at a traditional kitchen decorated for the holidays.
main complex. It is housed in what was once the Nimitz Hotel. This part of the museum tells the story of Fredericksburg native Fleet Admiral Chester Nimitz, who commanded more than two million men and women in the Pacific during
the height of World War II. The George H.W. Bush Gallery features multimedia and interactive exhibits that chronicle the conflict that led to the attack on Pearl Harbor. And the area known as the Continued
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Pacific Combat Zone houses a torpedo bomber and a restored World War II combat veteran PT Boat. The Combat Zone is also the site for the museum’s Living History programs, featuring live re-enactments using World War II weaponry including tanks, guns, and a flamethrower. Pioneer Museum Step back into time and get a feel for pioneer life in the 1800s. The Pioneer Museum offers visitors a glimpse into Fredericksburg’s rich German Heritage. The museum is comprised of three acres that are beautifully landscaped with native plants from the Hill Country. Currently 11 historic buildings are available to tour, including a bathhouse, log cabins, a schoolhouse, and a volunteer fire fighter museum. Several times a year, the Pioneer Museum holds special events staffed by docents wearing period costumes. Activities include storytelling, rope making, sheep shearing, soap making, and more.
Art Galleries With plenty of galleries in and around town, art lovers and collectors can celebrate. Doors open at 10 a.m., so aficionados can enjoy a full day strolling through historic galleries. They can find everything from contemporary pieces and abstract expressionism to exquisite traditional fine art or impressionism. Choose from paintings, glass art, sculpture, drawings, metal art, printmaking, ceramics, photography, and just about any other art medium. On the first Friday of every month, downtown Fredericksburg is transformed into a vibrant art and culture destination. “First Friday Art Walk” combines fine art and crafts, local wine, and other culinary delights, with a lively street festival atmosphere. Participating galleries stay open late and many host new exhibits and “meet the artist” events. Restaurants Fredericksburg Visitor Center’s traveler counselor Cindy Beeman said there are over 80 restaurants and eateries in Fredericksburg. So where does she eat? “Wherever the music is,” she said. “From German food to haute cuisine, to anything in-between, if you crave it, there is a place to find it.” 60
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If you are lucky enough to be visiting Fredericksburg on Thursday through Sunday, a trip to the legendary Fredericksburg Pie Company is a must. This eatery’s mission: “To serve pie that is as good as, or better than, the pies our mothers and grandmothers made.” Up to 20 different kinds of pies are baked daily from scratch. Order a slice of peach praline, bourbon orange pecan, or crème de menthe pie served on a vintage china dessert plate, just like Grandma’s. But be sure to arrive early. Doors open at 10 a.m. and once pies sell out, the Pie Company closes its doors for the day. Many visitors search out traditional German fare when they come to Fredericksburg. There are several German restaurants in town like The Auslander Restaurant & Biergarten, which serves traditional Bavarian-style food. Dine inside the high beamed, lodge-like cafe, complete with a wall of working cuckoo clocks, or outside — biergarten style. Choose from German favorites such as spatzle, red cabbage, schnitzel, bratwurst, or goulash. While you wait for your food, have a beer and enjoy folksy German music. And don’t forget dessert: butterkuchen, German chocolate cake, or apple strudel.
Shopping Fredericksburg boasts of having the Continued
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“widest Main Street in Texas,” and the shopping choices are just as wide. With 200 shops and stores, Fredericksburg offers a boundless array of the fresh, the quaint, and the one-of-a-kind you won’t find anywhere else: antiques, art, handiwork and home decor ... gifts, furniture, specialty foods, wines, books, leather, collectibles … even top fashions. “We offer really cool clothes for really cool women,” said Cathy Gutierrez, owner of “The Secret Garden,” an upscale clothing boutique on Main Street. “Last week Miranda Lambert was performing in Luckenbach. She came into the store and bought a few things. You just never know who you’ll see around town.” Like many of the shops on Main Street, this boutique’s building was used for something completely different in a previous era. “In the late 1800s, this building housed the old pharmacy,” said Gutierrez. “It still has the original floors and glass cabinets that were once used by the druggist. When we raised the ceiling a few years ago, we discovered tin ceiling tiles and a fabulous western mural.” Similarly, the old hardware store is a quilt shop and the former bakery sells fudge. The old hospital is a gourmet kitchen store, and if you look closely you can find kitchenware displayed on old antique gurneys. Part of the charm of browsing the shops, is searching out the history and architecture in these centuryold buildings. One thing visitors should know about the shops is that they close early. “Most shops only stay open until 5:30 or 6 p.m., even on the weekends,” said shop employee and resident, Debbie Wehmeyer. “Visitors always ask me why stores don’t stay open later. People forget Fredericksburg is a country town. We are open seven days a week, and most businesses have a small number of employees.”
Wineries and Microbreweries The Texas Hill Country has a new nickname, “Mini Napa.” Wineries in the area are popping up like wildflowers along the Highway 290 corridor. Wine tourism in the area has grown 110 percent in the last few years. “The Texas ‘Wine Trail,’ offers visits to over 40 wineries.” Ermlich said. “Shuttle services (which are highly encouraged) are available to take you from one winery to another. And visitors 62
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Friendship Treaty: German Pioneers Arrive in Ox-drawn Carts In May 1846, German nobleman John O. Meusebach set out from New Braunfels, leading a group of settlers — 120 men, women and children — to a land 60 miles northwest. He names the new settlement “Fredericksburg,” in honor of Prince Frederick of Prussia. Each family receives a 100-by-200-foot “Townlot” and a 10-acre “Outlot,” the latter of which was to be used as farmland. Among the first challenges faced by homesteaders are cholera and other maladies. There is also another real threat — Indians. In November 1846, Meusebach receives word that 4,000 additional immigrants are on their way from Germany. There is only one possible solution to the problem of settling so many people. Somehow Meusebach must accomplish the seemingly impossible task of reaching an agreement with the Comanches to open the vast tract of land that lay between the Llano and San Saba Rivers. In March 1847, Meusebach successfully negotiates a treaty with the Comanche tribe. The agreement opens up a stretch of land for settlement that will one day become all or part of 10 Texas counties. The pact reached on the banks of the San Saba River remains the sole treaty ever negotiated between a Plains Tribe and settlers as private parties, and is believed to be the only pact between whites and Native Americans that was never broken. The Meusebach-Comanche treaty was truly an achievement of note by John O. Meusebach, “a man of determination, courage, and vision.” Source: “The Meusebach-Comanche Treaty” by Jeffery Robenalt should probably plan an overnight stay after a full day on the trail.” Some wineries even provide their own hotel accommodations. Not to be outdone by vineyards, microbreweries are becoming popular spots on the winding back roads near Fredericksburg. For a truly unique beer-tasting experience, The Texas Hill Country Beer Trail offers bus trips to any of 20 microbreweries. If you don’t want to leave town, Fredericksburg boasts two
microbreweries of its own: Perdenales Brewing Company and Fredericksburg Brewing Company. Visitors to Fredericksburg quickly realize that it takes more than a day to discover the infinite number of treasures in and around this delightful hill country town. Besides a multitude of shops, wineries, and festivals in Fredericksburg, you could take a side trip to Luckenbach, go antiquing, or even climb an Enchanted Rock. But that’s another story.
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ADVERTISERS INDEX A Soothing Touch Massage................ 49 Ables Top Hat Chimney..................... 32 American Hearing...............................51 Anderson Chapel AME Church.........17 Arches................................................. 44 Armadillo Properties............................ 5 Arrow Trailways Of Texas................... 60 Atmos...................................................17 Bath & Kitchen Revamp...................... 7 Bell County Museum...........................51 Best Wishes Gifts................................ 45 BeYOUtiful......................................... 44 Bill French Jewelers............................. 24 BJ’s Flower Shop................................. 49 Brothers Fine Tobacco........................ 46 Callie’s................................................. 46 Callie’s..................................................47 Car Wash Barn, The........................... 49 CCA Bartlett State Jail....................... 12 Central Texas College......................... 25 Central Texas College......................... 35 Central Texas Exposition.................... 60 Central Texas Orthodontic................ 59 Cheeves............................................... 44 Children’s Dental Center................... 64 Cochran Blair & Potts........................ 44 Cornerstone.......................................... 9 Corrective Chiropractic...................... 49 Curtis Cook Designs...........................31 Dave Webster ..................................... 35 Dermatology Associates...................... 52 Diana’s Place....................................... 45 Doctors Express.................................... 5 DocuMaxx........................................... 22 Dr Shelley Giebel.................................21 Eagle Express....................................... 65 Eagle Home Mortgage.........................31 Ecoblu Spa & Salon............................47 Education Service Center Region 12 43 Educational Outfitters.........................61 Ellis Air Systems.................................. 23 English Maids..................................... 28 Estacia’s................................................61 Expressions Hair & Nails................... 48 Extraco................................................ 68 Eye Clinic Of Killeen.......................... 35 Fred Churchill.....................................21 Grand Avenue..................................... 48 Gretchen Williams.............................. 44 Grizzly Lawn & Home LLC............... 45 Hallmark Service Co............................17 Harker Heights Parks & Rec.............. 45 Hidden Falls Nursery And Garden Center............................ 59 House Of Smiles................................. 35 Kenya Key Voice.................................. 46 Killeen Overhead Doors, Inc.............. 55 Killeen Pediatric Care Clinic.............. 52 Killeen Vet Clinic............................... 35 Killeen Vet Clinic............................... 65
Kim Hay/Salons at Tuscan Square..... 46 Lastovica Jewelers.................................. 5 LochridgePriest....................................67 Lucky Bebe...........................................31 Lucky Bebe.......................................... 45 LULAC 4535...................................... 43 Marvina’s Optical Boutique............... 48 Mary Dell Designer Fashions..............47 Metroplex Hospital............................... 3 Monica, Inc......................................... 49 My Giving Tree................................... 45 Nedlewerkes.........................................47 Paperdoodles........................................47 Pepper Creek Realtors........................ 48 Perfume Palace.................................... 64 Perry Office Plus................................. 49 Railroad & Heritage Museum............ 38 Ramirez Swimming Pools....................47 Rich’s Antiques................................... 48 Rosa Rodriquez Concrete....................10 Running Right Auto Care...................10 Safe Showers Austin............................ 52 Salado Chamber Of Commerce......... 46 Salado Creek Winery/Chupacabra Craft Beer........................................... 48 Salado Creek Winery/Chupacabra Craft Beer........................................... 49 Salado Glass Works............................ 44 Sally’s Star Resale................................ 44 Scotts Lawn Care................................ 43 Sewing Basket, The............................. 28 Shilo Inn............................................. 63 Shoe Box............................................. 45 Shoe Box............................................. 49 Shoppes On Main............................... 38 Skin Deep........................................... 46 Skin Deep........................................... 65 Solar Centex........................................61 St. Francis Gift Shop.......................... 55 Sunshine Flowers And Gifts............... 44 Susan B Mitchell Investments............ 64 SWBC Mortgage................................. 46 Temple Hearth & Home.................... 46 Texas BBQ Grill and Crabshack........ 54 Texas Farm Bureau............................. 55 The Contemporaries........................... 12 The Gin at Nolan Creek Steakhouse..51 Total Wellnes Tx..................................47 Truecore Fitness.................................. 33 Union State Bank................................21 Veranda Bloom/The Cottag............... 59 Vis-à-Vis............................................... 48 Walker Honey......................................47 Wayne Benson...................................... 2 Zooty’s................................................. 45 Zooty’s................................................. 48
The Advertisers Index is published for reader convenience. Every effort is made to list information correctly. The publisher is not responsible for errors or omissions. 64
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