April 2015 78260 61 for email by Russell Groomer

A Monthly Publication Directly Mailed to the residents of Timberwood Park, Canyon Springs, Lookout Canyon, Riata Ranch and surrounding areas POSTAL CUSTOMER

April 2015 Issue

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Wednesday, April 22, 2015 5:30pm to 10:30pm Club At Sonterra Featuring the Stella Artois Beer Garden

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April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

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Note From The Publisher

Fiesta and Giving!

pring has arrived! It’s the time of year when we begin spring-cleaning, sprucing up our yards, firing those grills up and planning for our summer. This is when we all start to find time to get outside and enjoy the perfect temperatures in our wonderful city. April is the month when we celebrate Fiesta festivities all over San Antonio. At Welcome Home, we are especially excited for the highly anticipated event, A Taste of the Northside, which we are honored to sponsor once again. The proceeds from this event benefit the Brighton Center, one of our community’s greatest foundations benefiting our local children. We have children from Brighton Center featured on our cover, along with this year’s Queen of the Vine, Janine Sauer. Brighton Center’s, A Taste of the Northside will be held at The Club At Sonterra again this year. Welcome Home will have our newspapers on all the shuttles so be sure to pick one up and read about the businesses and children in this area. For more about A Taste of the Northside continue reading on page 11. Living Through Giving is sponsoring its annual We Got Your Back drive to collect backpacks for children in San Antonio that have been displaced by abuse, neglect or family disruption and are currently in the care of Child Protective Services. The goal this year is to make sure all of these children will be able to start school with a new backpack and school supplies. Living through Giving is also excited to be taking part in The Big Give SA on May 5th. This is an opportunity to everyone in San Antonio to donate to the charity of their choice. Please visit our website at livingthroughgivingsa.

org and help us support children with all of their needs this year. As avid Spurs fans, we are so proud of how our team is doing as they approach the end of the regular season. If you have never been to a game (or it’s been a while) this is a great opportunity to share that exciting experience with your extended San Antonio family. GO SPURS GO!! The end of the school year is quickly approaching and we are busy processing all of our SOBA scholarship applications. Thank you to all of the talented students who submitted! This is one of our most treasured moments of the year, when we are able to give back to those young people in our community who have worked so hard to achieve greatness in their academic endeavors. We will be announcing our ﬁve scholarship winners in May at our Speed Networking event. Also during the month of May, we will be having our Mother’s Day Tribute, celebrating all the wonderful moms in our community. Please have your written submissions sent to us by April 10th. Look for our email notiﬁcations for details. On behalf of myself and the staff at Welcome Home, thank you for your continued readership and support! Remember, if you have good news to share, we want to give you a place in our pages to do so. Welcome Home continues its legacy thanks to all of our readers who support the businesses who make this paper possible. Let them know you saw them in Welcome Home, YOUR community newspaper.

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(210) 348-8233 • Fax: (210) 497-7342 Article Submissions: articles@welcomehomesa.com Ad Inquiries Email: ads@welcomehomesa.com www.welcomehomesa.com

Directly Mailed To Over 60,000 Households & Businesses in 78232, 78248, 78255, 78256, 78257, 78258, 78259, 78260, & 78261 Zip Codes. Plus, 20,000 in Rack Distribution.

Welcome Home newspaper assumes no liability in advertising other than correction and reinsertion of like-size ad at no additional cost to our advertiser. The opinions stated by the writers or the information printed from other sources do not necessarily depict those of the publisher or advertisers. No liability is assumed. Welcome Home newspaper will not knowingly publish any advertisement which is illegal or misleading to its readers. All copy and type arrangements are subject to approval by the publisher. All stories and photos submitted become property of Welcome Home Editorial and Advertising content of Welcome Home newspaper is protected by the U.S. copyright law. Unauthorized use is prohibited. Publisher Russell Groomer

Administrative Assistant Brittany Oliver

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April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

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On The Cover By Stefanie Young and Kristine Garza righton Center’s Queen of the Vine Campaign offered a new and more personal way for San Antonio’s leading women to help raise funds for children with developmental delays and disabilities. The campaigns feature women who have dedicated their time to a vision where children have the support they need through difﬁcult times. This year’s 2015 Queen of the Vine candidates were Janine Sauer, Kosha Vriseno and Colleen Douglas. From August to February, these dynamic and passionate women committed to give their time, talent and resources by engaging in a spirited competition to raise funds for Brighton Center. This year, the candidates collectively rose over $225,000 in support of Brighton Center! Featured on the cover is Janine Sauer, the 2015 Queen of the Vine. Her inspiration for running came from her beautiful 10 year old daughter Kaitlin. Kaitlin entered the world with a rare condition, Amniotic Band Syndrome, and has touched many hearts with her bravery, determination and ability to be “just like everyone else”. Congratulations to Janine for committing to her passion and working to make a difference in the lives that need it most.

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Does This Facebook Make Me Look Fat? By Debby Seguin

n my (reluctant) pursuit of technology, I am proud to say I have come a long way since “Hey, how do I turn this thing on?” After mastering the “power” button, I moved on to loftier goals such as “saving” and “creating files,” activities I have yet to do in my actual office. It does get a bit discouraging, however, when just as I finish (barely) learning a new skill, my neighbors (kindergarten) daughter informs me that it is actually an old skill and would I like to learn the right way to do it? Humbling to say the least, but the price is right; a couple of chocolate chip cookies later and I am in the know once again!

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Janine Sauer, Queen of the Vine 2015, her daughter Kaitlin and students of the Brighton Center.

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My own kids want to keep me ignorant of course. My teen son tries to get away with “virtually” taking out the trash. Wouldn’t that be nice? Just push a button and Whhooosh! It’s gone! I could really use a virtual “clean the toilet” button or better yet, a “fold the laundry” button. Now THAT is technology I can really get excited about. So I’m feeling all “hey, I’m good, I’m ready for something else but what?” Some of my friends would ask, “Do you facebook?” and I am thinking, “Uh, I’m a teacher. My face is in a book most of the time.” But now of course it means something totally different. Now Facebook is a VERB and anyone who doesn’t DO IT has a cool factor of -3. I am still digging myself out of my -5 rating (when I had to dance in front of my son and 750 of his friends at a pep rally) so I can’t afford NOT to facebook. The results: My picture is sideways. I have 3 friends. I am being stalked. I have (according to my page, which I don’t know how to add to) no skills, no career, no goals, no bffs, no address, no email, no favorite songs, food, bands, purses, peppers, hair products or Bath and Bodyworks fragrances. I don’t “like” anything or anyone. Nobody is “friending” (also a verb) me. I guess I will head over to my neighbor’s so she can help me (after her Dora the Explorer is over). In the meantime, please friend me so my kids will stop laughing… Debby (who used to hand deliver her articles!) can be reached at Deborah. seguin@comalisd.org

April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

Spring Branch Raises $8,400 For Leukemia And Lymphoma Society Submitted By Jason Gordon or the past nine years it has been Spring Branch Middle School’s privilege to participate in the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Pennies for Patients Campaign. This organization is dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services to children living with blood cancer. Last year more than 30,000 children received Patient Financial Aid from LLS. This year’s campaign topped all others at Spring Branch Middle, as the campus raised $8,400 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. “When we started several years ago, we were able to raise approximately a thousand dollars a year,” said SBMS counselor Cindy Hurst. “About six years ago we focused our efforts and made the project a campus-wide priority for three weeks out of the school year. Since that time, we’ve tried anything and everything to raise money including duct taping Principal Chris Smith to a wall! During that time, we raised anywhere from

four to six thousand dollars annually thanks to the generosity of the Bulverde/Spring Branch area.” This year, Spring Branch Middle went all out to raise money for the Pennies for Patients Campaign: Students collected money from their own piggy banks and donated money they had earned themselves. They had a contest for having the heaviest classroom collection box, which was a tie between Darin Mapes’ eighth-grade Science class and Lindsey Fleming’s seventh-grade Science class. Students paid a dollar to be able to wear hats and/or sunglasses; sixth-graders won this year’s Pennies for Patients War in the cafeteria by raising the most money by outfoxing the other two grades and earning extra recess; teachers paid to wear jeans and bought someone else’s treasures at the school’s Annual P4P Silent Auction; students bought teacher Sally Kirk’s Basketball cheer signs and paid for the right to listen to music in teacher Terry Shell’s class; they donated for a chance to throw pies at their coaches

and the counselor and also bought chances to win prizes at the basketball game; and boys donated their change to be able to play dodge ball in Coach Mitchell Odem’s classes. The classes were recognized for their donations: first place, Melanie Taylor’s eighth-grade Spanish class raising $725.44; second place, Mapes’ eighth-grade Science class raising $605.90; and third place Fleming’s seventh-grade Science class bringing in $589.53. The teacher that raised the most overall money for the fifth year in a row was Coach Odem and his P.E./Athletic classes, which raised $2,476.30. The students will be rewarded for their efforts by receiving a free ticket to either a Spurs or Rampage game and an invitation to attend the annual Pennies for Patients Ice Cream Social at SBMS. “I am happy to announce that it all paid off for kids with cancer because, again due to the kindness and generosity of the Wrangler family, we raised $8,400,” Hurst

2015 Junior Olympics Championships

Submitted By Velizar Iliev n February 13, Saint Mary’s Hall’s student Robin Cheong won Bronze medal in the Cadet Men’s Epee fencing event and 7th place Finalist medal in the Junior Men’s Epee fencing event at the 2015 Junior Olympics Championships in Richmond, VA. With his performance,

Robin is one of not many fencers winning two out of two medals in one competition in US Junior Olympics history. Robin competed against 246 top male epee fencers in the US age 20 and under in Junior’s event and 245 top male epee fencers in the US age 17 and under in Cadet’s event. Currently, Robin is ranked 4th in Cadet

Men’s Epee national points list for ages 17 and under. At the same time Farrah Lee-Elabd unfortunately did not placed at the 2015 Junior Olympics but she had enough points in her portfolio which kept her 2nd in Cadet Women’s epee fencers in the US age 17 and under which qualifies her to represent US at

Spring Branch Middle student Trevor Miller throws a pie at SBMS Coach Sean Stockwell as a part of the school’s Pennies for Patients Campaign. Spring Branch Middle raised $8,400 for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society.

said. “A huge thanks from the bottom of my heart to our community for every life that every penny touches. Wranglers Rock!”

2015 Cadet & Junior World Championships during April in Uzbekistan. Farrah & Robin train at Olympian Fencing Club in San Antonio, TX with some of the best fencers in the nation. They are coached by Velizar Iliev, US Olympian and 3 times World Champion.

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A Personal Umbrella For A Rainy Day

Betsy Dippo State Farm (210) 496-3276

here are so many “rainy days” that people can experience – a sick child, a broken-down car or a late mortgage payment. But what about a lawsuit? These days lawsuits are being ﬁled, not just against big corporations, but also against people like you and me. In the blink of an eye, you could be involved in a car or boating accident, or have someone become injured on your property that could result in

litigation against you seeking thousands or even millions of dollars. Even though your primary insurance policies, such as Auto, Homeowners, Boatowners, etc., may provide substantial liability insurance coverage, it may not be enough. A Personal Liability Umbrella Policy provides additional amounts of liability coverage at an affordable price. What is an umbrella policy? A Personal Liability Umbrella Policy

What Color Is The Dress? By Erin M. Nevelow, O.D. Nevelow Eye Associates (210) 349-2437 • www.drsnevelow.com veryone has been talking about the dress is not a great one. It looks like it was crazy phenomenon of the blue and taken with a lower resolution cell phone black dress. Even in our office, with camera, which will definitely affect how the everyone looking at the same computer dress looks. After that, it’s all about your screen, we are split 50/50 between blue and perception. Everyone might agree that the black, and white and gold (although to me grass is green, but how our brain interprets it looks more periwinkle and charcoal). So the color green is different for everyone. who is right and who is just plain crazy? We’re influenced by our environment, our First of all, the original picture of the upbringing, even by other people. The next

Seeing to your family’s needs

provides additional layers of liability coverage over the liability coverage of your underlying policies. Personal umbrella coverage amounts typically begin at one million dollars and can be increased in increments of one million dollars. Here’s an example of how an umbrella policy could work: Let’s say your car is insured for liability with limits of $250,000 per person. You pull into an intersection, strike another vehicle and severely injure the other driver. This insured person sues you and the judgment against you totals $800,000. Your auto policy will pay the ﬁrst $250,000 but an umbrella policy would respond for the next $550,000. Also, an umbrella policy often insures against some types of losses for which there is no coverage in the underlying policy. Examples of such loss include libel, slander

and defamation of character. Why have an umbrella policy? The value of a personal liability umbrella policy is to provide higher amounts of liability coverage for an affordable premium. It can help protect the financial assets of your household when you need it most and can bring confidence knowing that you have the coverage needed to help protect your family. To see if this is a policy that can benefit you, call me, State Farm Agent Betsy Dippo at 210-496-3276. Betsy Dippo, State Farm agent, Long Term Care Professional. Betsy’s office is located at 19190 Stone Oak Pkwy., Suite 112, San Antonio, TX 78258. For more information, call (210) 496-3276 or visit www.betsydippo.com.

thing to consider is the light surrounding the dress. In a darker room with less illumination, the dress will actually seem darker. On a sunny day, with more light, the colors actually seem lighter and a little more desaturated. Eye health also plays a role in how we see the color of the dress. In a patient with an optic nerve disorder like glaucoma or optic neuritis, some light wavelengths aren’t transmitted to the brain properly, which can affect color perception. In a patient with cataracts, essentially yellowing of the lens, less blue light make it into the eyes, which more than likely changes the color of the dress to yellow and gold. As a side note, I asked my four year old daughter, who has a perfectly clear lens, what color the dress

was and she said blue and black. Not once, but twice. Even when I tried to inﬂuence her by telling her that some people saw the dress as white and gold, she insisted she saw blue and black. So at the end of the day, who is right and who is wrong? I guess it doesn’t really matter. It’s actually pretty cool that everyone is talking about how their eyes work. However, for the sake of the truth, the dress is actually blue and black. For questions about this article or any eye health questions you can call Dr.’s John and Erin Nevelow at, call (210) 349243, visit www.drsnevelow.com or find us on Facebook. Nevelow Eye Associates is located at 19190 Stone Oak Pkwy., Suite 120.

We At Team Dippo

Wishing You A Happy Easter

t Nevelow Eye Associates, we focus on the specific needs of each patient. Regular eye exams are key to healthy eyesight as well as early detection of certain diseases, including glaucoma, diabetic eye diseases and macular degeneration. We provide the l a t e s t fashions in glasses, all types of contact lenses as well as laser vision consultations for the entire family.

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April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

North San Antonio Has A Business Focused On Building Stronger Families® Submitted Article bout a year ago, Steve and Lynn Johnson brought a new concept to the San Antonio community. The Johnsons have worked with youth in the San Antonio area in a volunteer capacity for over a decade and they felt a calling to bring a family oriented business to the community. That dream became a reality after Steve left the corporate world in 2013 and the couple selected College Nannies and Tutors as the fulﬁllment of that goal. College Nannies and Tutors is a national franchise company with a presence in 28 states. “When we looked at different business concepts, this company spoke to us loud and clear,” said Steve, co-owner with his wife Lynn. “The company’s mission of Building Stronger Families® really resonated with us. How cool is it to grow a business that has a positive impact on so many families!” The business has three core values: Can Do Attitudes, Growth and Results Driven, and Leave It Better – guiding principles for them and their employees, who they call “Role Models.” “Our whole business is based on providing an impactful role model to a family for full service child care or customized one-on-one tutoring,” Lynn explained. “We place role models in homes for all our Nanny Services, from on-call or backup care all the way up to a part time or full time nanny.” For both nanny and tutor role model placements, the ﬁrst step in their process is a complementary family meeting. At this meeting, they sit down with the family and get a good

You and Lincoln saved her! Her ﬁnal was an even 70 passing grade-you helped her jump from high 50’s and low 60’s up to passingthat’s a huge turnaround. The quality of your tutoring services would’ve produced A’s and B’s had we met you all long ago. The most important takeaway was that she got a solid B on her ﬁnal exam which was staggeringly wonderful! That helped average out her score to a passing C and we are so thankful!” – Dan N., Boerne High School Parent April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

Working for college nannies and tutors has been an amazing opportunity. Every family I have cared for has been amazing. The kids make the job so easy and always fun! This company really does a great job pairing the nannies and families.” – Kelly Rose, After School Nanny & UTSA Student College Nannies and Tutors has made our lives much easier, knowing that when we need a nanny or sitter, we will have someone we can trust. I’ve been really impressed by the quality of the sitters—all smart, conscientious, and hard-working! College Nannies and Tutors made it really easy, because they interview us first, then screen candidates until they find the right match. We’re really spoiled now—I don’t know what I would do without them!” – Mary Doggett, Part-Time Nanny Customer feel for their needs and jointly develop a job description for the nanny or a goal statement for tutoring. As their name suggests, most of their employees are college students. “One of the really rewarding aspects of this business is the recruiting of sharp young people and helping them pursue their goals and dreams,” Steve said. Unlike a typical nanny placement agency or tutor agency, their nannies and tutors are all employees of the company. What that means for a family is that the role models have passed a thorough recruiting and hiring process including a complete background check. All role models complete basic training before they provide services for their families. The company takes care of paying the employees and managing the scheduling coordination. The employees benefit too. They are covered with worker’s compensation insurance, their employer taxes are paid, they receive ongoing training and they have a “legitimate” resume building W2 job. “For anyone that has hired a nanny on their own and gone through the recruiting, negotiation, scheduling and payroll process, they see the value in what we provide,” Steve explained. “One other significant advantage in our model is the ability for us to backfill our placement nannies with our on-call bench if the family’s nanny needs time off. When a family hires and manages their own nanny, that option is not on the table.” They opened their Stone Oak Learning center in September 2014 and have seen demand for their customized

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one-on-one tutoring increase each month. “We are in a great location to serve the Stone Oak area and north central San Antonio,” Steve said. “We will be opening a Learning Center in the northwest San Antonio area later this year as well.” Their approach of using role model tutors that are subject matter experts creates a rapport with the student that aids in their subject matter comprehension. The role models relate to the students on a level that is different than the teacher or parent. This allows for a more open relational dialog and reinforces the concept of the student working with a role model tutor that they want to emulate on their own college journey someday. Since launching the business a year ago, the owners have given back to the educational community. This includes participating in area school organization’s silent auctions and school fairs. They committed in a signiﬁcant way this school year by sponsoring an Educator of the Month recognition at Ronald Reagan and Claudia Bird Johnson High Schools which includes a monthly public citation in the newspaper that recognizes educators that exemplify the College Nannies and Tutors core values. The company also sponsored several Free SAT and ACT practice test sessions for area high school students. Steve sums it up, “As members of the local business community, we feel compelled to recognize the efforts of our area educators, they have a tough, important job and rarely get the recognition they deserve.” Both owners credit their growth to the hard work and dedication of their role model nannies and tutors. “At the end of the day, the only thing that matters is the quality of the customer experience,” Steve emphasized. “The feedback from our follow up communications on our care and tutoring continues to provide us with the best indicator of their satisfaction with our services. That satisfaction, quite simply, is why we continue to grow.”

College Nannies & Tutors - Stone Oak 20079 Stone Oak Parkway, suite 1104 San Antonio, TX 78258 210-202-0303 www.collegenannies.com/stoneoaktx 9

Spring Salads To Celebrate The Season

By Tanji Patton GoodTaste (210) 273-3155 pring is finally here, so why not saddleup to some sizable salads! We’ve put some of our favorites together that will definitely put you in the mood for sunny skies. Up first, a beautiful Salade Niçoise with the traditional trimmings – beautiful organic lettuce, crisp green beans, fingerlings, niçoise olives and the star— yellow fin tuna. All tossed with a delicious Dijon vinaigrette. Check out this recipe and the others listed at goodtaste.tv/recipes. One of the most beautiful salads I’ve seen comes from a special place in my heart, the scenic Napa Valley. The chef at Simi Winery prepared a lovely lunch for us that included

a delightful roasted beet salad that I’ll never forget. It’s not difficult to duplicate and makes a stunning presentation. When a kale salad is on the menu, it’s usually my first choice. This kale and pancetta salad is a nice balance of flavors. It’s served warm…ever so slightly wilted with bits of pancetta and anchovy, all tossed in a delicious kalamata vinaigrette. Have you noticed that parsnips are all the buzz right now? Actually akin to the carrot and to parsley, parsnips are quite versatile, easy to work with and are a fun alternative to beets. We discovered a delicious German Roasted Parsnip Salad in New German

GoodTaste With Tanji Girls Night

Submitted By Kristine Garza loha! Come join our ‘ohana at the Club at Sonterra for Good Taste with Tanji Girls Night Out! Come get lei’d on May 13th from 5:30-8:30 p.m. and enjoy amazing local artisans, incredible giveaways plus great wine and delicious bites! Hele me hoohiwahiwa (Come Celebrate!), and don’t forget your grass skirt! GoodTaste with Tanji teamed up with Outside the Box Productions for Girls’ Night Out which is an event held about four

times a year to bring women together to Sip, Shop and Talk! Each event has a new theme and entertainment plus great food and wine, lots of great shopping from local artisans and tons of fabulous giveaways and swag! Our retail artisans for this event include Mainstream Boutique, Stella & Dot, Silpada Jewelry and Make Woo just to name a few! “We have so much fun bringing great food, wine and new women’s products to our guests. We’ve got amazing partners that make every Girls Night Out a fun experience,” said Patton. “Plus, we are

Cooking that’s on the shelves now. This hearty parsnip salad is full of ﬂavor with its hazelnuts, blue cheese and tasty wheat beer vinaigrette—a meal on a plate! When pairing wines with salads, I like to keep it simple. Crisp salads with garden fresh veggies call for bright acidic wines like un-oaked Chardonnay or Sauvignon Blanc. The Crossings Sauvignon Blanc is often a perfect match. Another ‘can’t miss marriage’ is a sparkling. Sparklings pair beautifully with almost everything. Check out the inexpensive and very tasty Enza Prosecco— easy to pair and great all by itself. For more recipes and wine information, head to goodtaste.tv. While you’re there, sign up for a chance to win our spa getaway to Deer Lake Lodge that was featured in Oprah Magazine. Tanji is an Emmy award winning journalist pursuing her passion for wine and food. Tanji explores the inviting worlds of chefs, wine makers and

so excited about our new venue - we have teamed up with the folks at the beautiful Club At Sonterra and look forward to hosting our events there this year!” A portion of the proceeds from Girls Night Out always goes to a select charity and this event will feature City Year San Antonio! Using near-peer mentors in San Antonio’s most under-served schools to address speciﬁc areas that lead to students dropping out, City Year helps close the gap, between what students need to succeed and what schools are designed to provide.

culinary newsmakers. If you would like more information, she can be reached at Goodtaste@tanjipatton.com.

The event will be taking place at The Club At Sonterra (901 Sonterra Blvd.). Get your tickets before they sell out for only $30 at www. Goodtaste.tv! Or get your girlfriends together and reserve a table for ten with extra beneﬁts! All inclusive tickets include appetizers, 2 drink tickets, entry to free giveaways, and Girls Night Out swag! Tickets can be purchased at goodtaste.tv or by calling Outside the Box at (210)4811200.

Fiesta Fun all year long!

Join us for our Fiesta Breakfast! Tuesday, April 21st • 9:00am

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The Royal Gatsby Ball and a new Queen of the Vine!

righton Center’s Queen of the Vine Campaign has been a great way for San Antonio’s leading women to help raise funds for children with developmental delays and disabilities. Every year, the campaign features strong and dedicated women who come together with a shared passion for supporting the children of Brighton Center. This year’s 2015 Queen of the Vine candidates were Janine Sauer, Kosha Vriseno and Colleen Douglas. From August to February, these dynamic and passionate women committed to give their time, talent and resources by engaging in a spirited competition to raise funds for Brighton Center. This year, the candidates collectively rose over $225,000 in support of Brighton Center! The candidates were crowned at this year’s Coronation event - The Royal Gatsby Ball – which was held on Friday, February 27th at the regal St. Anthony Hotel. The champagne flowed, guests dressed the part in flapper dresses and the sounds of Johnny P and The Wiseguys filled the air as the candidates anxiously waited for the final tallies to find out who would be crowned the Queen. Ultimately, Janine Sauer was crowned as the 13th Queen of the Vine after raising $86,719 through tireless fundraising, special events, donation collections and the Queen’s Ball Live and Silent Auction. Special congratulations to the 2015 Princess of the Vine, Kosha Vriseno who raised $55,650 and to the 2015 Brighton Ambassador Colleen Douglas who raised $29,374. 2015 Queen of the Vine Janine Sauer, featured on this month’s cover, is a remarkable woman indeed. Her inspiration for running came from her beautiful 10 year old daughter Kaitlin. Kaitlin entered the world with a rare condition, Amniotic Band Syndrome, and has touched many hearts with her bravery, determination and ability to be “just like everyone else.” Janine and her family moved to San Antonio in 2006 and Brighton Center quickly became an important part of helping them get settled by helping them find the right school, pediatrician and many other services important to Kaitlin’s care. Janine’s experience illustrates the impact of Brighton Center in helping the children of San Antonio who are born with developmental delays or disabilities become confident, accomplished and included with their peers just as they deserve. Brighton Center offers a holistic approach for families like Janine’s and has several programs to help children reach their full potential. Brighton’s Early Childhood Intervention Program (ECI) provides home based therapy services and case management for children ages 0-3 who have a developmental delay or disability and qualify for services. The Precious Minds, New Connections Program (PMNC) is a nurturing curriculum that provides parents with the tools and strategies to create a nurturing environment

that enhances their child’s development. Brighton Center’s Special Education and Support Services Program (SESS) provides families of children with disabilities the tools and knowledge to successfully advocate for their children in the public school system, and as their children grow into young adults, SESS assists them in setting goals and developing plans for their own futures. Brighton also has a NAEYC accredited Child Development Center and recently opened a Preschool Academy to better meet the needs of the community. Both learning centers are inclusive and serve children with and without disabilities. Brighton Center’s biggest fundraiser of the year, A Taste of The Northside, will be held April 22nd at the Club at Sonterra and 2015 Queen of the Vine Janine Sauer will have the honor of being Fiesta Royalty as a representative of the agency she passionately supports. This year’s event will feature a Stella Artois Beer Garden, elevated wine and spirits including Chateau St. Michele Brands and Herradura tequila, 5 live bands including Grooveline, Decibel Band, and THE MAX. Plus, the evening will end with a “BANG” courtesy of a special Fireworks Finale! All proceeds from A Taste of the Northside benefit Brighton Center. General admission tickets are $65 in advance, $70 at the door, and include 8 Food tastings from over 50 of San Antonio’s best restaurants and 5 beer or wine tastings courtesy of Silver Eagle and Republic National Distributing. Tickets are available at all HEB locations or at www.atasteofthenorthside.com and all ticket prices include Free Parking & Shuttle. Guests can also upgrade to the Queen of the Vine V.I.P. Lounge presented by M2 Technology featuring Fiesta® Foodie and GoodtastewithTanji founder Tanji Patton. This lounge is an exclusive, indoor area featuring samplings from upscale San Antonio restaurants including Kirby’s Steakhouse, Bob’s Steak and Chophouse, Boudro’s, FROST 321, Piatti, Wildfish, and Perry’s Steakhouse and Grille. The upscale experience will also feature additional food and drink tastings, along with entertainment by the Joe Caruso Trio and Blue Finger Disco. All V.I.P. guests will also receive a wine glass and butler tray, as well as special reserved shuttle parking. Limited tickets are $200 and are available by visiting www.atasteofthenorthside.com Over the past 15 years, Brighton Center has raised over $5 million through their signature event, A Taste of the Northside, which had been named the Best Fiesta® event for 3 years by News4 WOAI. Brighton Center serves over 2,500 children each year and continues to fulfill its vision equip children and empower parents to achieve their individual potential to be successful in every community. Visit Brighton’s website for more information on their

April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

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programs, the Queen of the Vine Campaign, A Taste of the Northside and upcoming events at www.BrightonSA.org.

Hormone Lies By Donna Becker, D.O. Enhancement of Life (210) 545-5224 #1 Estrogen causes breast cancer. No. In the Women’s Health Initiative Study, 1991, found that women taking estrogen ALONE –without the poisonous, synthetic, pharmaceutical branded and proﬁt making progestin-had less incidence of cancer compared to the women who were taking a placebo (sugar Pill). Women taking synthetic estrogen had LESS cancer than women taking no hormones. But when progestin was added to the synthetic estrogen, there was an increase in breast cancer. The truth: progestin seems to be the cancer culprit and

not estrogen, in the largest study done to date, the Women’s Health Initiative Study. #2 Testosterone is only for men No. Women make 10% of the level in men, but testosterone is abundantly found in young women. Testosterone declines in menopause. Some of the general effects of lower testosterone in older women are less sex drive and a general lack of well-being. Truth: Replacement of testosterone to women after a total hysterectomy restored sexual desire, muscle mass and physical function. (From Science Daily, 11/27/13) #3 Testosterone is approved for women, because the FDA wants to promote our health and well-being. No,

no, and no. Testosterone is not approved for women. Yet, the FDA promotes the treatment of normal menopause with various pharmaceutical drugs. Drugs with terrible side effects, including suicide, ARE approved for treatment of menopause. Truth: Menopause is normal part of life and not a mental disorder. “The Change” should not be treated with anti-depressants, anti-anxiolytics, or anything other than the same hormones found in young healthy 18 y/o. The FDA wants to promote and protect the proﬁts of the pharmaceutical industry. (“Drug & Medical Device Companies Have Outsized Inﬂuence on FDA”, from Union of Concerned Scientists) #4 Progesterone causes blood clots and cancer. No. Many gynecologists don’t understand that oral, micronized progesterone from the compounding pharmacy is not progestin. (See #1) Progesterone is so safe that it is commonly prescribed for the most

vulnerable of patients--the pregnant woman at risk for miscarriage. Truth: progesterone promotes rest, relaxation, and calmness. #5 I don’t have a uterus, therefore I don’t need progesterone. Not true. All women need progesterone to balance estrogen. Women have progesterone receptors on the breast, bones, & brain. Progesterone helps regulate mood, cognition, inﬂammation, and neurogenesis in the brain. (“Progesterone receptors: form & function in the brain” FRONT NEUROENDOCRINOL, 2008 May, 29 (2):313-39). Get your life back with bio-identical hormone therapy tailored precisely for you based on blood results. Donna Becker, D.O., Board Certified in Emergency Medicine. Enhancement of Life is located at 14603 Huebner Rd., Suite 2601, San Antonio, TX 78231. For more information, call (210) 545-5224 or visit www.antiagingsa.com.

5 Ideas For Packing Healthier Lunches By Steve Johnson, Owner of College Nannies + Tutors t College Nannies and Tutors, we advocate a continuous improvement approach to bettering your family’s daily habits, including packing healthier lunches! Here are ﬁve tips to help with process. Plan Ahead: Planning ahead will give you time to plan out each portion of your child’s school lunches, instead of grabbing whatever you can ﬁnd on a rushed morning. You never know what might happen in the mornings before school, so planning out lunches the night before, or even having the

entire week planned on Sunday, will take away some morning-rush stress. Take Requests: Do your kids have foods that they particularly enjoy? Give them a chance to choose some options for their fun and healthy lunch. If their choices are not as beneficial as you’d like, find a way to add it in small portion sizes, or look for recipes to increase the health benefits. Make it fun: Whoever says you shouldn’t play with your food, clearly doesn’t know how to pack a fun school lunch! Cutting the fruits and veggies portions into fun shapes will encourage your kids to eat them up. Invest in smaller cookie cutters to cut things

like cantaloupe, watermelon, and bananas into fun shapes. Does your child not like the crust? Cut their sandwich into a fun shape, or decorate it with cheese or veggies on top. Roll up sandwich meat and cheese for a different take on a sandwich. Do Your Research: Be sure to spend some time researching any processed foods you may be adding in to your child’s lunchbox! There may be hidden ingredients that deceive the buyer into believing a food product is healthy, when it really may not be. Look for healthier options when grocery shopping, and try to use fruits and veggies straight out of the fresh produce aisle.

Be Creative: The opportunities are endless when it comes to preparing fun food for your kids. Try making sandwich kabobs on a stick, or using cupcake cups to separate different foods. Make each lunch full of color to make the healthy foods more appealing for your kids. There are many ways to spice up a healthy lunch, for all of those picky eaters out there! Preparing lunches ahead of time, making sure to pay attention to the foods you buy when grocery shopping, and adding in your own creativity to each lunchbox will make healthy eating more fun for your kids!

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Musical Dreams Come True At Independence Hill By Michelle Houriet, Executive Director Independence Hill Retirement Resort Community (210) 209-8956 ack in 2010, Bob Olsen dreamed Music opens up the heart and soul, of organizing a Men’s Barber bringing such joy and happiness that Shop Quartet at Independence Hill before they all knew it they were forming Retirement Community. Mr. Olsen was a Chorus, the “Hill Toppers.” Immediately always singing and playing rag time tunes they recruited Aurora Boliak to be the on the piano. In fact his home movies were pianist, with a music degree and a lifetime full of family sing-a-longs. As a resident, of playing. Dr. Glenn, one of the original he had many friends and figured at least 3 members, was busy promoting the Chorus of them could probably sing. He gathered membership and performances. The a group of gentlemen together and they leadership team was now complete. started singing every Friday. At some point, Next came the task of finding members. they reached out to Virginia Brys, a resident Ms. Leyndecker said she was just humming that had experience as a Choir Director, for in the lobby shortly after moving in to some help refining the tenor’s voice. Once Independence Hill when Ms. Brys over a woman was seen working with the men, heard her and asked her to join the Chorus. many of the ladies wanted to join in as Mrs. Brys explains, “I’m noisy. I look at the singers. Virginia and Bob began working on new resident board and if I see anyone with putting together a group; thinking it might musical interest I call them and invite them just be for sing-a-longs. to join. As someone who has always loved

to sing, Mrs. Bloom was thrilled to find out there was a chorus and states “If you are feeling blue singing will lift you up!” Ms. Boliak, the pianist, explains what goes on the behind the scenes, “The music tells a story. I must research the music first, understand the words, the tone and meaning of the song. It is like writing a story, is it sad, happy, etc.? It must be interpreted to ensure the music is setting the right tone. The Director and I have to agree on the interpretation before rehearsals can even start. If I Iose my concentration I can destroy the performance. Summing it up, Mrs. Brys reflects, “I firmly believe that God placed me at Independence Hill to share my gift. I had no other reason to come here. It was not the closest community to my family but it put Bob Olsen in my life and opened up the world of music for me again.” She is very proud of the members and believes their dedication and commitment have made it a success. “What is most special about our Chorus are our ages. Many are in their 80’s, 3 are in their 90’s and I will also turn 90 come June. Being able to sing in the Chorus at this time in our life, when they never

expected to sing again, gives us a new lease on life, proving that you are never too old to enjoy the adventures of life”, Mrs. Brys adds. However not everyone has sung before, as in the case of Mrs. Duffle, who now, 3 ½ years later she is singing up a storm and making so many friends. One of which was someone who was in the same boot camp at the same time she was in the Navy. What a small world! The 35 members of the Independence Hill Toppers Chorus, do approximately 4 performances per year centered around holiday themes where members do solos, duets, German carols, whatever moves them. The campus comes alive as everyone joins in on many of the familiar tunes. If you would like to experience a performance or just learn more about the other adventures offered at Independence Hill contact one of the Lifestyle Specialists at (210) 209-8956. Independence Hill Retirement Resort Community is located in Stone Oak at 20450 Huebner Rd., San Antonio, TX 78258. For more information, call (210) 209-8956 or visit www.independencehill. com

San Antonio Symphony Springs Into Musical Action Submitted By Laura Aplin ollowing the acclaimed Strauss Festival that wrapped up its winter season, the San Antonio Symphony is closing out its year with a stellar series of musical performances ranging from the always popular Pops series featuring ARRIVAL from Sweden performing The Music of ABBA, a musical tribute the John Williams to an exploration of Baroque, with Handel’s Messiah. “Coming off of the Strauss Festival and the winter series, concert goers should expect an exciting array of musical styles and performances, from the more serious pieces

to the downright fun,” said David Gross, president of the San Antonio Symphony. “Whether your musical tastes run from the 17th century symphonic to 21st century pop, there is something for everyone to enjoy. We would love for every San Antonio resident experience the musical joy that is your San Antonio Symphony.” Spring highlights: Bugs Bunny at the Symphony II celebrates the world’s most beloved Looney Tunes. Marvel at the magnificent scores behind your favorite cartoon characters as Bugs, Daffy, Sylvester and all of your beloved favorites are projected on the big

screen. Bugs Bunny comes to life April 3-4, at the Majestic Theatre, with George Daugherty conducting. Rodrigo: Concierto de Aranjuez Known for his exquisite expressiveness, guitarist Pablo Sáinz Villegas performs Rodrigo’s most popular work, Concierto de Aranjuez, a work the composer described as reminiscent of “the hidden breeze that stirs the treetops” on April 10-12 at the H-E-B Performance Hall at the Tobin Center. Fiesta Pops A concert featuring the music, dance and culture of San Antonio and South Texas. Enjoy the beautiful sounds of Campanas de America and a colorful

corps of dancers with the Guadalupe Dance Company. And delight in the singing of Sebastien De La Cruz as he delivers beloved songs with his whole heart and soul, all taking place April 17 and 18. Beethoven Evelyn Glennie, percussion virtuosa, plays Corigliano’s 2014 Grammyaward-winning Conjurer, which is paired with Beethoven’s 7th Symphony, whose slow movement provided a magnificent backdrop for King George’s radio delivery in The King’s Speech. Indulge in the musical movements May 1 and 2.

Dress for the heat. For many of us, Fiesta activities will be the first time we are out in the heat of the day. Choose lightweight, loose-fitting clothes in light colors. Wearing a hat helps, too. Feast on Fiesta foods with care. Fiesta is a great time to sample new foods. If you are unaccustomed to eating spicy foods, choose your Fiesta foods with care. Also, be mindful of food allergies. Show us your shoes. This popular Fiesta greeting reminds all Fiesta goers that the right shoes are important for walking long distances over terrain that can be rocky and uneven or the hot asphalt of the streets. Don’t let a sprain or fall end your Fiesta fun. Bring your sunscreen. Re-apply frequently to avoid your first sunburn of the

season. Remember bugs and plants. Many Fiesta activities are in beautiful outdoor settings with flowering plants and trees. Take action quickly if you are allergic to bee or wasp bites. Also watch for fire ants. Spring allergy season usually is in full bloom for Fiesta, so if a severe allergic reaction occurs, seek help. Listen to your body. If you start experiencing headache, muscle spasm, nausea, fatigue, dizziness or fever, seek help quickly. For more information the Methodist ER app, visit www.MethodistER.com. App Available on Fiesta San Antonio App or through the App Store on iPhone.

New Methodist ER Mobile App Submitted By Shirley Willis hether you ate too much at A Taste of the Northside and your tummy is rumbling or you got too much sun at the Fiesta Arts Fair or you wore the wrong shoes to Fiesta Oyster Bake, Methodist Healthcare is making it easier for Fiesta-goers to get help with a new mobile app. “As a sponsor of A Taste of the Northside, we want everyone to have a good time, but we also want to be there to help with medical emergencies.” said Marc Strode, CEO of the hospital. “Our new app will help the public get the help they need quickly and conveniently.” The Methodist ER app lists the Methodist Healthcare hospitals and emergency

centers throughout the city with addresses, emergency room wait times for most Methodist facilities, and distance in miles from the app user. Detailed information is included on the services for each hospital. Call-A-Nurse for Children services are also listed for parents who need to reach specially trained pediatric nurses for immediate medical advice on an ill child. The ER app will be included as part of the Fiesta San Antonio app or, it can accessed by clicking on the App Store icon on your iPhone and searching for “Methodist ER.” Methodist Healthcare offers these tips for a having a fun, safe Fiesta: Stay hydrated. Drink water continuously even if you don’t feel thirsty. Remember that alcohol and caffeine dehydrate the body.

Performing Arts At Woodlawn Academy Submitted By Ariana Trevino he Woodlawn Academy for the Performing Arts is now enrolling for summer musical theatre camps! Kids ages 5-17 can learn to sing, dance and shine on a stage complete with costumes, lights and a set while making friends and memories! Sessions include Camp Mary

Poppins, Camp Broadway Bound, Camp Happily Ever After and Stage Makeup Workshop. Woodlawn Theatre, Inc. is a nonprofit organization devoted to creating opportunities for its surrounding community by providing quality, entertaining, educational, and affordable programming

April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

for all ages. Their mission is to assist in sustaining the tradition of theatre while contributing to the lives of local artists, and to enrich the community by encouraging young adults to participate in the arts. They provide performing and educational opportunities for our community, as well as participate in local outreach and fundraising

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programs and actively contribute to the revitalization of downtown San Antonio. Classes are Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Before and after care is also available. Visit woodlawnapa.org/summertheatre-camp or call 210-267-8388 for more information!

SVHS Coach Larry Hill To Receive Tom Landry Award Submitted By Jason Gordon he man who wore the funny hat on the sideline for the Dallas Cowboys for nearly three decades symbolized so much more than football. Although Tom Landry was the symbol of America’s Team, the way he lived his lived his life and the respect those character traits earned him along the way is what defined him as a man. It is fitting Smithson Valley High head coach Larry Hill will receive the prestigious Tom Landry Award from the Texas High School Coaches Association in July. Some of the criteria for earning the Tom Landry Award, which is voted on by fellow Texas high school football coaches, are: Have a significant contribution to athletes and the game of football in Texas; Be a positive role model for athletes and coaches; and Bring credit to the coaching profession by your actions and lifestyle. “I’ve known Larry a long time, so I’m not just saying this because he works in our district, but this is a first-class award and a first-class coach is going to receive it,” said Matt Monzingo, Comal ISD Athletic Director. “The way I’ve seen him lead young men and mold them into adults and leaders in the community is second to none. Larry Hill stands for everything you want in a head coach.” Hill, who served as the president of the Texas High School Coaches Association in 2006-07, has an overall record in his 22 years at the helm of the Smithson Valley High program of 229-71. Hill has taken

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Smithson Valley High head football coach Larry Hill stands on the sidelines with his son Bryan, who played quarterback for the Rangers from 2004-06. Hill will receive the prestigious Tom Landry Award from the Texas High School Coaches Association in July.

Smithson Valley to the playoffs 18 of the last 19 years. Included in that streak are three State Championship Games (2004, 2002, 2001), three State Semiﬁnal runs (2008, 2005, 1998), two State Quarterﬁnals appearances (2007, 2000), and two trips to the Regional Finals (1999, 1997). “Receiving the Tom Landry Award is quite an honor,” said Hill. “Anyone my age that grew up wanting to be a football coach watched Coach Landry and the Cowboys at 3 p.m. every Sunday. More importantly, he stood for all the right things, and that’s why this is such an important award. Also, anytime you receive something that’s voted on by your peers is very special. It was a great phone call to get.”

Chile Abuse Prevention Month With CASA

Submitted By Elisabeth Reise pril is Child Abuse Prevention and Awareness month in Texas – an important time to become aware of how our community is affected by child abuse. Child Protective Services just released its statistics for 2013-2014 and reported that there were roughly 5400 confirmed cases of child abuse or neglect in Bexar County. These numbers demonstrate that our community needs to work together to address this issue. In Bexar County, every 30 days an average of 154 children enter state protective custody because of abuse or neglect. Child Advocates San Antonio (CASA) advocates on behalf of these children who have been removed from their home due to abuse or neglect. CASA volunteers are appointed by the courts to advocate for the best interest of the child to make sure that their needs do not “fall through the cracks.” CASA volunteers serve as the “eyes and ears” for the judge by gathering first-hand facts about the well-being of the child and providing that information to the judge. This allows the judge to have the necessary information to make the best decision regarding the future of that child. April should not only be a time that the community reflects upon child abuse, but also a time to act. The CASA program

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provides the community with an opportunity to fight for child abuse victims and to make a difference. A child with a CASA volunteer finds a permanent safe home 8 months faster than a child who does not have a CASA volunteer. Children are also 50% less likely to re-enter state custody. CASA volunteers have made such a positive impact on the lives of these children that the courts have requested that CASA provide every child abuse victim in state custody with a CASA volunteer. Every child deserves to have the hope a CASA volunteer can give. At the moment we are only able to serve about half of children in state custody. This volunteer experience does not require any specific skill or education and only requires a few hours a month. We are looking for people that want to make a difference in a child’s life. We would love for you to join us in this mission! If you would like to learn more about CASA, please visit www.casa-satx.org. We offer monthly information sessions. Not interested in volunteering but would like to help us spread the word? We love coming out to organizations to help spread awareness about how you can help. Contact James Douglas (Diversity Recruitment Coordinator) at 210-225-7070 or jdouglas@ casa-satx.org.

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Submitted By Vincent Quidachay VHS NJROTC Cadets helped incoming freshmen and their parents by talking about their program and other programs at the high school. Over 60 cadets helped by informing perspective

students and assisting with surveys. “We are one of the largest programs in Texas because of our involvement in the Curriculum Fair and the cadets’ ability to recruit,” commented CDR Vince Quidachay.

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The SVHS Valley Girls at the American Dance and Drill Team’s Lone Star State Championships.

Submitted By Rebecca Savage he SVHS JV Dance Team (aka Valley Girls) participated in their ﬁrst competition at American Dance and Drill Team’s Lone Star State Championships in Round Rock and did a fabulous job representing the SVHS Dance Team.

They won the following awards: Sweepstakes/ Gussie Nell Davis Award JV State Champions Jazz JV State Champions Lyrical JV State Champions Pom Best of the best/ Overall State Champions JV Division

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See Country’s Best Lacrosse Players Submitted By Meaghan Williams ission Lacrosse Club’s summer teams will be attending the Major League Lacrosse All-Star Game to be played June 13 in Houston. In a lacrosseﬁlled weekend, MLC teams will attend the game, play in the Casey Powell Shootout tournament and are invited to attend a clinic put on by MLL All Stars. Lacrosse is considered the fastestgrowing sport in America, and Texas is making its mark. Upon declaring Houston the site of this year’s All-Star Game, MLL Commissioner David Gross noted, “We’ve been watching the growth of the sport in Texas and want to give the great fans in the region a taste of the MLL.” Mission Lacrosse Club, a non-proﬁt organization, is focused on the growth of lacrosse in San Antonio.

MLC’s programs, offered in the summer and fall, allow players of all levels to develop their skills and experience. This summer, in addition to Houston, MLC teams will also travel to tournaments in Dallas, Delaware and Louisiana. MLC teams are led by some of the best coaches in the area and comprised of players from throughout the city. Summer practices are held two to three times weekly and joining entails tournament participation. Whether you’re new to lacrosse or an All State high school player, MLC has a team that can provide a fun and competitive environment to help you improve. Registration for summer is open now for boys currently in grades 3 through 11. The summer program runs from mid-May through June. Space is limited, so to learn more about the program and to register, visit www.missionlacrosseclub.com.

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By Erin Kirwan e are never prepared to learn someone we care about has cancer. A few months ago I was standing in line at Dunkin Donuts thinking about the pumpkin latte I’d soon be sipping, when I saw this big smile beckoning me. She must think I’m someone else, I thought. So I glanced over my shoulder but no one was there but me. As I looked again it hit me, it was my friend Angie whom I last saw about a year ago while shopping at Steinmart. Our sons and daughters had attended preschool together. This couldn’t be Angie. This woman was wearing a scarf on her head. But the woman’s big infectious smile told me otherwise. That sense of unpreparedness rushed in. Tears filled me eyes. I didn’t know. I hadn’t heard. “It’s okay,” she said. “I have cancer.” My 37-year-old friend was fighting breast cancer. Angie went on to tell me about her diagnosis. Despite having a mom who fought breast cancer, she had been cleared not to get a mammogram until she was 40. But something deep inside Angie told her to go sooner. The mammogram found stage two breast cancer. While I wanted to sulk and say I’m sorry over and over, Angie wanted no part. The pity party was long over and she was in the business of kicking some cancer butt. Angie was to be a model in an upcoming Girls Night Out Fashion Show & Fundraiser. She had also volunteered to model for a unique Savvy Media project with a local boutique, encouraging women to not just be beautiful, but to do beautiful things. Life had handed Angie some pretty sour lemons and she was making lemonade. But that’s not to say Angie wasn’t feeling bad or didn’t have her moments. As I helped her pick out outfits to model, Angie talked more about how she was feeling. She was midway through chemotherapy. She was tired. The chemo and stress made her bloated. Her clothes weren’t fitting well. I probably should have kept my mouth shut but that’s difficult for me when I am attached to someone or something. So I told Angie about Pilates and how it had helped me not only look how I wanted to look, but get through a period of anxiety in my own life. I suggested, if she was up for it and the doctor thought it was safe, she could give it a try. Angie didn’t laugh. She didn’t run away. She said, “okay”. Angie texted me the following day and said she had discussed Pilates with her wellness nurse and team of doctors and been given the okay to begin. Angie signed up at Papillon Pilates. Papillon, in French, means butterfly. Climbing on a bed with springs and straps and all kinds of hooks to “exercise” would have scared my friend a year ago, but I guess when you are fighting for your life, you no longer spend a long time contemplating things or being afraid. So Angie jumped right in, feet first into resistance straps placed overhead. If she hadn’t been wearing a scarf on her head (which she always matches so beautifully with her outfits, including workout clothing), you would never know this woman curling her body up was in the midst

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Life had handed Angie some pretty sour lemons when she was diagnosed with breast cancer. She decided to fight back and made some pretty delicious lemonade along the way.

of fighting cancer. Angie’s movements were strong. Her mindset was even stronger. Though the exercises weren’t easy at first, Angie forged forward. Like a race horse with blinders who can only focus on the finish, Angie continued to come to class determined. After one month, the exercises became more routine. Her body, growing longer and leaner, began to stretch in ways it hadn’t before. Angie was beginning to not only see but feel results. When I asked her how she felt, a tiny smile. That one that Angie never seems to lose even among trying times, formed again in the corner of her mouth. “My joint pain has disappeared, my muscles no longer ache and I feel like I have more energy,” Angie said. Energy Angie needed to fight cancer. Today, almost two months postradiation, a stronger, leaner, more confident, happier, and cancer-free Angie can still be found legs raised and core engaged … on a reformer. Many days I am honored to land in a class next to my friend. I watch her move through exercises beautifully, gracefully, like a butterfly, transformed by an uncertain journey. That fear and sadness I unexpectedly came face to face with when running into Angie those months before, has been replaced by pride, admiration, and thankfulness. When life handed Angie cancer she chose to fight it … fiercely.

April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

Superintendent’s Student Of The Month Special To Welcome Home pecht Elementary Principal Jackie Sundt recently nominated 4th grader Kade Cunningham as a Comal ISD Superintendent’s Student of the Month. The intent of the Comal ISD Superintendent’s Student of the Month program is to show appreciation to Comal ISD students who are striving to do their best. Comal ISD Superintendent Andrew Kim stated in a letter to Kade’s parents that, in part, “Kade is doing the things it takes for him to successful at school and successful at life. He is a good student who attends school regularly and ‘acts right’ while he is there.” Also, Superintendent Kim added, “Kade is a ﬁne young man, and I am proud that that he attends school in the Comal ISD.” Kade is active in the Specht Student Council, and is in the SAGE program. In his

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4th grader Kade Cunningham.

free time, he plays Academy soccer for the Bulverde Youth Soccer Association. Also, he enjoys spending time with his friends, and his two younger brothers, Max and Jack. Kade dreams of being a professional soccer player when he grows up.

Lookin’ Good

Rahe Bulverde Elementary holds successful Science Night Submitted By Jason Gordon ahe Bulverde Elementary campus hosted its ﬁrst Science Night on February 24. RBES students and their families were invited to participate in teacher-led activities designed to promote just how fun science can be. Students in grades 3-5 were encouraged to participate in a Science Fair. Sixty-three students entered a project. “Science Night was a great success,” said Heather Moore, Rahe Bulverde Elementary principal. “The parents loved it and our students really came through with some great Science Projects. This is something we deﬁnitely hope to have every year in the future at our campus.” Science Fair winners included: Third Grade (1st place – Cade Dornburg), (2nd place – Jayden Van Ausdall), and (3rd place – Anniston McIlwain). Fourth Grade: (1st place – Aaron Escobedo), (2nd place – Abby

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28120 US 281, Ste 102 • 830.980.5434 Rahe Bulverde Elementary fourth-grade students proudly displaying their award-winning Science Projects. (L-r) Abby Brand “Softball Drop,” Aaron Escobedo “Oxidation,” and Mitchell Bradley “Effect of water type on the growth of tomato plants.”

This summer, imaginations take fﬂ light.

Brand) and (3rd place – Mitchell Bradley). Fifth Grade: (1st place – Lizzy Chapa), (2nd place – Hailey Cuellar) and (3rd place – Sadie Lewis). The Overall Winner with highest score was Aaron Escobedo.

April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

Now Enrolling! Experience the excitement of our Summer Adventure Club where imaginations are free to run wild. Get ready for engineering design challenges, discoveries, outdoor exploration and more. It’s going to be one epic summer. Fun for ages 5 – 12!* Daily Themed Adventures & Field Trips • Flexible Weekly Schedule • Safe, Fun & Educational Visit us today or learn more at CampPrimrose.com. Primrose School at Cibolo Canyons 210.479.7099 • PrimroseCiboloCanyons.com Each Primrose school is a privately owned and operated franchise. Primrose Schools is a trademark of Primrose School Franchising Company. ©2015 Primrose School Franchising Company. All rights reserved. *Ages for Summer Adventure Club programs vary by location.

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K9 Corner By Catherine Laria K9 Country Club (830) 980-8476

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Springtime Is Prep-Time • Complete Eye Exams • Pediatrics • Most Prescriptions Available the Same Day • Large Selection of Designer Frames • Specialty Contact Lenses & Dry Eye Treatment • Cataract & LASIK Evaluations • Most Vision & Medical Insurances Accepted • Use FSA/HSA beneﬁts before the year Ends

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ith warmer weather upon us, now’s a great time to prepare your pet for what’s to come. If you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors, be sure to plant wisely. Last month we listed plants that could be dangerous/deadly to your pet. In addition, brushing them regularly can help you discover any foreign objects they may have picked up that can cause major problems, such as foxtails and cactus. Be sure to check between their toes. If you plan on giving your pet a summer cut in June, you may want to start now. Did you know pets can sunburn? Get their skin acclimated to the sun early before the intense heat is upon us. And we all know it’s coming! If you walk your dogs, remember the pavement can become extremely hot and can burn their paw pads. You can protect their feet with booties or adjust the time of day you take them for their long walks. Be sure to start conditioning your pet to the changing climate before the summer. Consider any of the excess winter weight they may still be harboring and begin a light exercise program now. An overweight pet can suffer from many health problems and the South Texas heat will just exacerbate

their issues. If you need a little extra help to get your pet into shape before the summer, you can try one our many classes offered such as Core Training, Clicker/Trick, Obedience, or Agility. They are great ways to work your pet’s body and mind, and excess energy, while gaining nice household manners in return. If you are not able to make a class with that energetic pet: Two words…. Doggy Daycare! You bring an over-zealous pet to us in the morning; we send a very tired pooch home in the evening. Sounds like the perfect trade off to me! Mark the Date! Saturday, June 6th will be the opening of the Hottest Coolest Spot in Texas… FOR YOUR DOG! The Beach Club at K9 Country Club will be hosting a Summertime Pooch Fest with food, fun, live music, agility demos, and MORE! You won’t want to miss it. Details will be in the May issue. To find more tips on how to keep your pet safe in the upcoming months visit our website www.k9countryclub.net. So much is happening this spring, you won’t want to miss it! K9 Country Club is located at 31305 Oak View, Bulverde TX 78163. For more information, call (830) 980-8476.

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April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

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Net�orking for a Cause

Join the Stone Oak Business Association, CASA, Judge Richard Garcia, and District Attorney Nicholas “Nico” LaHood for an evening of networking for a cause. CASA will be available to talk about their mission in child advocacy and how the community can help make a huge difference in lives of children in the care of the Department of Child and Protective Services. They are also looking for male advocates to join their cause, as role models for young boys in the DFPS.

When: Thursday, April, 16, 2015 5:30 pm to 8 pm Where: J-Prime Steakhouse 1401 N Loop 1604 W 78258 Cost: SOBA / 10 West Members: 20 Non-Members: $ 25 Door: $ 30 $

Judge Richard Garcia

District Attorney Nicholas “Nico” LaHood.

•

Stone Oak Business Association

RSVP: 348.8233 • E-mail: SOBA@satx.rr.com • www.StoneOakBusiness.com April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261

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April 2015 • Welcome Home • 78260/78261