August 2009 Learning Building on to Dream the Tiger Traditionnowmagazines.com/onlineeditions/editions/809corsicana.pdf · Prior to starting the Dream Center, Thelma had earned a master’s

August 2009

At Home With

Jimmy HaleAt Home With

Jimmy Hale

Learningto DreamLearning

to DreamBuilding onthe TigerTradition

Building onthe TigerTradition

Fairfield Special Section

Fairfield Special Section

Have a Heart —Volunteer

Have a Heart —Volunteer

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CorsicanaNOW is a NOW Magazines, L.L.C. publication. Copyright © 2009. All rights reserved. CorsicanaNOW is publishedmonthly and individually mailed free of charge to residents in Navarro County. Our office is located at 200 N. 13th St., Suite107 in downtown Corsicana.

Subscriptions are available at the rate of $35 per year or $3.50 per issue. Subscriptions should be sent to: NOW Magazines,P.O. Box 1071, Waxahachie, TX 75168. For advertising rates or editorial correspondence, call (903) 875-0187 or visitwww.nowmagazines.com.

Publisher, Connie PoirierGeneral Manager, Rick HensleyManaging Editor, Becky WalkerEditorial Coordinator, Sandra SkodaCreative Director, Jami NavarroArt Director, Chris McCallaBilling Manager, Lauren De Los SantosOffice Manager, Angela Mixon

Corsicana Editor, Samantha Daviss

Contributing Writers, Faith Browning

Joyce Hagens . Lynda HousleyJoan Kilbourne

Contributing Editors/Proofreaders,

Pat Anthony . Angel Jenkins MorrisJaime Ruark . Beverly Shay

Advertising Manager, Linda Moffett

Advertising Representatives,

Linda Roberson . Rick AusmusLinda Dean . Will EppsSteve Hansen . Carolyn MixonSteve Randle . Shane SmithEddie Yates . Terri Yates

Graphic Designers/Production,

Julie Carpenter . Allee BrandCherie Chapman . April GannMarshall Hinsley . Arlene HonzaBrande Morgan . Pamela ParisiJennifer Wylie

Photography, Terri Ozymy

Natalie Busch . Ivey Photography

On the Cover: The Corsicana Tigers areready to kickoff a newschool year!

Photo by Terri Ozymy.

ContentsAugust 2009, Volume 6, Issue 8

8 14

Learning to Dream Restoration of BeautyAt Home With Jimmy Hale

42 Around TownNOW

44 Who’s CookingNOW

45 Dining Guide

48 FinanceNOW

50 HealthNOW

52 Community Calendar

ArtsNOWHave a Heart -Volunteer

30SportsNOW Building on the Tiger Tradition

34BusinessNOWThe Search Begins …

38EducationNOW Two Sides to Every Story

40

www.nowmagazines.com 3 CorsicanaNOW August 2009

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Dear Readers,

There is so much going on around town this month— fun, exciting events some of which even include thepets. Do not forget to take the dogs down to the citypark on August 16 for the annual Pooch Paddle and let them cool off in the citypool before they drain it the next day.

It is time for the children to start thinking about heading back to school. Thisyear, Corsicana High School students will kick off the new school year with anew head football coach. We hope you will enjoy reading not only his story, butall of the stories in this edition of CorsicanaNOW.

Wishing you love and kindness always,Samantha DavissCorsicanaNOW Editor

Editor’s Note




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— By Joan Kilbourne

Learning to

HHave you ever wondered what might be going on in the

two-story home with the Dream Center sign across the streetfrom the courthouse? Thelma Harvey, director of the DreamCenter, describes her work there as a faith-based ministry.This nondenominational service is one of about 150 facilitiesaffiliated with the Dream Center in Los Angeles. “This isnot just a shelter; it’s a program based on the belief that onlyGod can change a heart,” Thelma said. The program offers astructured daily routine to help individuals who want to leavea chaotic lifestyle behind and learn how to live a responsible,productive life.

Seven years ago, Thelma had a dream of her own. She hadexperience working in an organization, whose criteria forservice were structured to include some people and excludeothers. Thelma thought there should be a place that welcomed

Dream



anyone who needed to be there. Somewould say Thelma’s dream was, at bestimpractical, and at worst, impossible.However, she was persistent, and thatmade all the difference. The peoplewho came to her were struggling withdrug and alcohol addiction or mentalillness. Others who came to the doorwere newly released from jail and afew were young adults released from

the Texas Youth Center with no hometo return to. They all had two thingsin common. They were, for a variety ofreasons, homeless and they had nodream of a better life. Thelma explained,“They had no experience of what itwould be like to work a responsiblejob while making plans for the future.They have no image of themselves as aperson with positive relationships withfamily, co-workers or the community.”

The people who come to the DreamCenter can learn how to have a dreamfor themselves. After a long time in adysfunctional life, it takes time andguidance to find their dream. “We don’tallow residents to take a job right away,”Thelma said. “They need some time towork on themselves. Many need sixmonths to a year to practice this newway of life. Unfortunately, not everyoneis ready to stay long enough.” It isimportant for a person, whose life hasbeen chaotic, to experience a morestructured way of living. The DreamCenter program is organized into specific



times of the day when residents eat,sleep, pray, study and work.

The program is staffed by a couple,acting as house supervisors; a licensedcounselor; and volunteers who teachclasses. The daily routine determineswake-up time, breakfast, Bible studyand class time. On Tuesday evenings, aminister from a local church leads aservice in the house. On Sunday, residents

attend church servicetogether. Two nights aweek, NarcoticsAnonymous andAlcoholics Anonymousmeetings are held in thehouse and are open tothe public.

“My favorite thing isto teach,” Thelmaexplained. “I love thesepeople. We have classesin anger management andmoney management.Most of what we do isbased on Rick Warren’sbook, The PurposeDriven Life.”

The present Dream Center has enoughroom to house about 12 residents.After Hurricane Katrina, the center

made space available to people whowere transported from a group homein Louisiana. When Hurricane Ikecame to Texas, the same generous people made room for the residents ofa group home in Texas. “Our residents


The Dream Center program is

organized intospecific times

of the day when residents eat,

sleep, pray, studyand work.



gave up their beds and slept on sofasand on the floor to accommodate them,”Thelma added.

Thelma’s new dream came from thisexperience of offering housing that wasbeyond the capacity of the DreamCenter. “We need more space for localpeople; perhaps an apartment building,so our residents can make a transitionfrom this very structured lifestyle.They could be more independent andstill be connected to the program andto people who would provide guidelines

and encouragement,” she explained.“The nursing home on Second Streetwas donated to us, and it would havebeen perfect for our needs. We wereworking to fix it when vandals brokein to steal copper and plumbing, andin doing so, they destroyed the structureso that the place was uninhabitable andhad to be torn down.”

Loss of the larger facility was a disappointment. “Over time, I have hadmore disappointments than successeswith the people I want to help,” Thelmareflected. “Someone said to me, ‘WhenI have a disappointment, it just happensto me. But you ask for it.’ I had tolearn not to let one person’s failure getme down so that I’m no good for thenext person. Besides, it’s worth it to behelping so many people. After fiveyears, a man came back here and said,‘You saved my life.’ You can’t make a

“They had noexperience of

what it would belike to work aresponsible

job while making plans for

the future.”

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salary big enough to match that.”Prior to starting the Dream Center,

Thelma had earned a master’s degreein education and taught a fifth-gradeclass in Corsicana and then a ninth-gradeclass in Mildred. She taught in highschool and she was on the adjunct facultyat Navarro College. She taught English,developmental writing and English asSecond Language classes. “I returnedto Corsicana when I married becausemy husband and his family live here,”she said. “Then in the ’80s, a family

situation changed my focus fromteaching children to the problems ofadults and, specifically, the lack ofappropriate facilities to help adultswith problems.”

Thelma connected with the DreamCenter program in Los Angeles. “Atfirst it was exciting and fun to startthe program,” she admitted, “but thepeople working with me left afterthree months. I had to locate otherpeople who could believe in what weare doing and have endurance. I don’tknow how to give up. It’s just not partof me. I wanted to stay here inCorsicana. I like dealing with people Iknow when I go to the beauty shop,restaurant or bank. We manage tokeep going with private donations,some trust funds and some of thechurches help us. A few of the residents pay a portion of their SSIpayments and others pay nothing. Wedon’t want to turn anyone away becausethey cannot pay.”

Thelma has a daughter and fourgrandchildren living in Tyler. “That istoo far away,” Thelma said. She wouldlike to move closer to them, but she isnot ready to end her commitment tothe Dream Center. “God called me,and He hasn’t told me it was overyet,” she said.


NNot being a native of Corsicana, Jimmy Hale has definitely

made his mark on this community in more ways than one.“Growing up as a sharecropper’s kid in northern Mississippithen moving to Memphis when I was around 8 or 9 yearsold, I am certainly no stranger to the small-town life,”Jimmy stated. “I love the small-town lifestyle; it is slowerand nicer than the big city.”

Jimmy is the owner and operator of several OrkinExterminator branches. “I remember the day I came homeand told, Mary, that I would be killing bugs for a living,”

— By Samantha Daviss

Restoration of BeautyRestoration of BeautyAt Home With

Jimmy Hale

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Jimmy said. “Admittedly, she wasn’ttoo keen on the idea of her husband‘killing roaches for a living.’ But aftera while and the life we were leadingtogether, she got used to the idea.”

Because of his job, Jimmy and hisfamily were privileged to live in severalplaces around the United States, likeNew Orleans, Louisiana, and Sacramento,California. After about 20 years with

the company, their relocation toCorsicana was instigated by Mary.Having grown up in the Hillsboroarea, she longed to move “back home.”They moved into the Carriage Districtof Corsicana on Third Avenue.

In 2000, Jimmy and Mary purchasedthe home that they almost let slidethrough their fingers. “I remember, welived next door,” Jimmy said, pointingto the beautiful wood-framed house tothe west of his home, “and our neighborasked us if we wanted to buy thishouse. My wife, Mary, took me in theback room and insisted that she havethe house,” Jimmy said smiling. The



house soon became theirs.Even though restoration and demolition is not Jimmy’s full-

time job, it is definitely a passion and hobby for him. After 14months of extreme renovation, which included new plumbingand new electricity throughout the home, new flooring and anew kitchen, the Hales were able to move into the residence. “Iwill never forget when Mary selected the color for the outside of

the house. I thought I was in the Army or something,” Jimmy said, pointing to the soft

hue of green, which accents the white trimand lead-paned glass windows.” Even

though the color may not be to Jimmy’spersonal preference, the house itself isthe perfect wood-framed house thatyou might expect to find illustratingthe pages of a novel set at the turnof the century.

Built in 1900, this 3,500-square-foot house, complete withfour bedrooms and a third-floor

attic, has been completely restoredto its original glory. Jimmy and Mary

put their hearts and souls into it. “We completely gutted the kitchen; the

walls are still in their original places, but everything else has been replaced, except for




the gorgeous Chambers Stove that is at least 70 to 80 years oldout of Oxford, Mississippi,” Jimmy explained. “I would be willing to bet that my two great-uncles probably worked on thisstove, seeing how they were employed at the Chambers Stovefactory for years.”

The craftsmanship of the house and the detail laid in everycorner is quite obvious to visitors, and the detail and care, withwhich the restoration was done, make it surprising that homerenovation is actually not Jimmy’s full-time job. The beautifulwood floors in this old, classic house are a single plank in length.Each plank of wood extends the entire length of the room it iscovering, with no seams in between. “The floors are completely



refinished. They had been covered with some trendy Formicaflooring, but we came in and stripped them down, sandedthem, and then had them refinished,” Jimmy said.

Another huge undertaking was the remodeling of what isnow known as “Jimmy’s room.” When the couple purchasedthe home, it was a sun porch with completely rotted-outfloors. Today, located on the second floor, with three exteriorwalls banked in windows, the room is the perfect place towake up to the sunlight or nap to the rhythmic sounds of athunderstorm.

When Mary lost her battle with cancer in April of 2006,Jimmy kept her memory alive. There are still many items


found throughout the home that keepher in Jimmy’s daily life. For example,the dining room set came from Mary’sparents’ house, and pictures of her willhonor her memory for years to come.

The beauty of their life togetherdefinitely shines through the craftsmanship and detail they incorporated into the home. The marble fireplace came out of the oldFirst State Bank in downtown




Corsicana, which is currently beingrenovated by another craftsman. Thepassion Jimmy and Mary shared forflowers and plants is evident in thebeautiful green house located behindthe home. Each plant has its place andis meticulously cared for by Jimmyand Liz. “Liz is like my right-handgal; I wouldn’t be able to functionwithout her,” Jimmy explained, praising the presence of Liz in his life.“Liz is married to a wonderful man;his name is Raphael, and her two children, Carlos and Alex, are like mykids. We essentially are one big happyfamily.” Aside from her assistance withJimmy’s needs, Liz is also an incrediblepainter and artist. Most of the paintingshanging throughout Jimmy’s househave been done by her.

After Mary passed away, Jimmy wassitting on his front porch one evening,with Liz and Raphael, admiring theold, dilapidated Halbert House acrossthe way. In a flash of inspiration, Lizencouraged Jimmy to purchase thehome and fix it up, and this is exactlywhat he did. His desire and passion forturn-of-the-century renovation, produced a wonderful thing for thecommunity — the preservation of athing of grandeur and beauty.


N

Special Advertising Section CorsicanaNOW August 2009

New Fairfield Independent School District SuperintendentKatie Ryan came on board in March. “It was nice to get inon the end of the school year and beginmeeting a few people,” Katie said. “I camefrom a district with 900 students toFairfield Independent School District, whichhas 1,800 students. I liked the district’s reputation; they were very attractive.”

Katie is eagerly anticipating her first fullschool year in Fairfield. “The thing I amlooking forward to the most is opening ournew high school addition. We will havethree science labs, two computer labs andtwo Spanish language labs.” Constructionon the addition began last March andshould be finished just in time for the students to arrive for the new school year.Fairfield is also building a brand-newintermediate school this year for all students in grades threethrough five. The opening of the intermediate school is

Fairfield

FAIRFIELD HAPPENINGS— By Kelly Kovar

planned for the start of the 2010 school year.“Since I started in March, I was able to be involved in

hiring eight new teachers for the district,”Katie said. “They are spread out fromkindergarten through high school, includinga new kindergarten teacher and a new second grade teacher. I think it is so greatthat the Chamber of Commerce sponsors theNew Teachers Breakfast for the incomingteachers.” The breakfast will be held onAugust 18.

“I am loving Fairfield,” Katie said. Shenow has a house here in Fairfield and hasembraced the community. “I can’t wait forthe school year to start!”

To provide information about upcoming eventsand activities in the Fairfield area for October

and November, e-mail [email protected] and put“Fairfield” in the subject line.

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they have specific requirements, such as height, size andother things,” Susan explained. Basically, they must be able tofit under the lid used for food on hospital trays. “We typicallymake one for every holiday, to lighten the spirits of ourpatients; then we select our six best to take to competition.”

There are various categories in which each hospital canwin, and the judging is primarily done on the creativity andoriginality put into each project. “We are categorized by the

number of beds our hospital has,” Shirley explained.“So, that means we aren’t up against

a hospital likeBaylor Medical;we are upagainst otherhospitals our size.Everyone was reallyexcited to begoing. We are soproud of our team;we came home withsecond place on thescrapbook and thetray favors, and firstplace on the poster.”

The project is very much a team effort. This year’sscrapbook committee consists of six extremely talented

and selfless individuals — Susan Stites, Cleita Ferrell, MarthaWashburn (with some additional help from her husband),Sandra Curtis, Winona Stewart and Shirley Bowen. Each ofthese women has hidden strengths and talents, which theybring to the table when creating this wonderful work of art.

FForty-five years ago, a group of people gathered and started

recording the memories, triumphs, charitable events andheart-warming activities that go on within the walls of whatis now known as Navarro Regional Hospital. The work isdone through the creative abilities and talents of the menand women of the hospital’s auxiliary group.“Our scrapbook has wonfirst place several times,”Susan Stites stated. “Infact, we won best overallscrapbook and tray favorsin 2007.”

“This year’s competitiontook place on June 5 and6 in San Antonio,” ShirleyBowen stated. In additionto the scrapbook, the committee brings otheritems to the competition to be judged in other categories.These include: tray favors, a newsletter and a poster, whichdoubles as marketing during the competition.

“We must take six tray favors to be judged at the competition;



Have a HeartVolunteer

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One of the main competition guidelines is that each auxiliary groupmust work on the project together,within the hospital walls. “That meansthat no one individual may take the bookhome with them and work on it in itsentirety,” Martha Washburn explained.“We must all work on it in our sparetime up here at the hospital.”

The pages are put together prettymuch like any other scrapbook. Thetimeline of the events, photos andnewspaper clippings are organized; thenthe theme of the scrapbook is followedthroughout its entirety. In addition toher commitment to the scrapbookingcommittee, Martha Washburn was alsothe president of the auxiliary this pastyear. “One of the primary responsibilitiesof the president is to select the themeof that year’s scrapbook,” Susan explained.The theme Martha chose was “Have aHeart — Volunteer.” All the pages,borders and construction paper are cutout and designed specifically to carrythis theme throughout the book. Thecolor scheme for this beautiful 96-pagescrapbook includes white and a wonderful array of pink and red hues.

Aside from the detail put into thisscrapbook, the committee must alsopay attention to their cataloging effortsthroughout the year. “It is the historian’sjob to collect newspaper clippings, takephotographs and keep up with all thegoings on that we have done over thepast year,” Shirley explained. “We typically start working on the book inFebruary, to get ready for the competition each June. So, the weekbefore competition, we are really workinghard to finish up minor details.”

“We all really enjoy working on theprojects together,” Susan said. “We definitely enjoy the camaraderie.” “Butthere are times when we each have different thoughts or direction, soevery now and again we do haveintense fellowships,” stated CleitaFerrell with a smile.




Even though the competition is fierceand the title is coveted, the dedicationand hard work of the committee neverlooses sight of why they do what theydo. They do it for the preservation andenjoyment of the hospital and all oftheir efforts are for the community.

The scrapbook itself is a definite thingof beauty. It is a culmination of thoughts,organization and hard work, boundinto one beautiful keepsake and memory book, detailed down to everyphoto and clipping that is framed by a

hand-cut and placed construction paperframe. Even if they do not win everysingle year, it is definitely an item themembers of the hospital staff andpatients will be able to enjoy for years tocome — and they are always lookingahead to the next competition. “Myhusband, Charlie, is the president thisyear, and he has already selected ourtheme [for next year], which will be‘Volunteers Shine at the Hospital,’”Martha explained.

If you are ever in the hospital andyou have a minute, stop and ask one ofthe “pink ladies” to see their scrapbook;they would love to share with you allthe memories they have helped createover the past few years.


PtheTigertheTiger

Phil Castles is clearly enthusiastic about his job as the newhead football coach at Corsicana High School (CHS). “Lookout that window,” he said, indicating the view from his officeat the end zone of the football stadium. “Ten years ago, I washere as defensive coordinator under Tom Wilson. The old stadium was not anything like this. My wife, Suzanne, andthe children are glad to be here, too. Suzanne is a physicaltherapist and a certified athletic trainer, so she’ll be with meon the sidelines. My 9-year-old son is drawing pictures oftigers, and my daughter, who is 6, has a stuffed tiger. Evenmy son, who is 4, will come to the games.”

Phil is impressed that CHS has a long tradition of winningteams and successful players. He picked up a 3-inch stack ofbusiness cards and said, “Dozens of recruiters come from colleges all over the country to Texas and to Corsicana, becausethis city has this tradition. Four players, currently in theNational Football League came from Corsicana High School.That has to be a record to have so many players who comefrom one area.”

Growing up in Kilgore, Phil feels at home in Corsicana.“My grandfather, David S. Castles, was sheriff of NavarroCounty just after WWII. I spent many summers with himhere in Corsicana riding quarter horses in the big pasturebehind his house,” Phil remembered. “My father, David M.Castles, graduated from Corsicana High School. I grew uparound coaches. My father was a tennis coach and he retiredrecently as athletic director at Kilgore College.

“I was one semester from finishing a master’s degree atMidwestern State University, when James Cameron came tosee me,” Phil said. “He was my high school football coach, aChristian coach, who respected his students and emphasizedloyalty to the team. He urged me to coach at his high school.I intended to continue as a college coach, but he talked meinto looking at what he was doing, and I saw what it was liketo have a real impact on helping boys grow into young men.”It is one of the things he likes best about this job.

“My wife lives with the fact that I am away from homelong hours. I love being there with her and my kids, butduring the season I mostly see them when they are here with

Building on — By Joan

KilbourneTraditionTradition

“We trained with adversity and unfairness, so they learned how to react to situationslike that in life.”

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iger


me. She has been willing to give up alot to move around with my job andto come here with me. They say thereare two kinds of coach’s wives: goodones and ex ones.” Phil added, “My wifeis even a better coach’s wife than I ama coach!”

Phil began his coaching career as adefensive coordinator, first at WestHigh School and then at Texas HighSchool in Texarkana. He became thehead football coach and athletic directorat Elysian Fields High School in ElysianFields, Texas. “I had an easy success

there. The boys expected to work hardand they did.” The team went toregional finals in 2004. “When I movedto Chapel Hill, I found many problems.It is part of the coaching job to figureout what’s wrong and fix it, so we created a program that would help theboys take responsibility for their actions,admit mistakes, learn procedures andact on them without being told,” Philsaid. He learned a lot about teachingand coaching during his tenor atChapel Hill. “We hit on the idea ofdoing a boot camp,” Phil said. “Wetrained with adversity and unfairness,so they learned how to react to situationslike that in life.” There are three kindsof tests to master. Boot camp lasts aslong as it takes for the top two of fourgroups to complete all three tests



without mistakes. Every day the boysare judged on their performance andattitude, and they are placed in thetop, middle or the low fourth group.At the end of the camp, the playerswho end up in the fourth group willnot play on the varsity team.

“Boot camp worked well, so weplanned a leadership program that wouldcontinue during the year.” The playersearned points for doing things we setas leadership goals in boot camp. “Inthe beginning,” Phil said, “some of theboys thought leadership was about whatyou wear, how you talk or how you walkaround. We wrote down what we think

leadership is, and they saw those goalsevery day. One important thing werequire is that each boy look me in theeyes and shake hands before they leavepractice. They do push-ups if they forget. They come up to me in townnow and shake my hand. When theyhave earned 40 points, they get a nice-looking leadership shirt to wear atpractice, so the other boys can see theyare becoming leaders.”

Phil credits the leadership programand boot camp for the remarkablechanges in the Chapel Hill team record.He led the team to three bi-districtchampionships and to a record nine-winseason in 2008. “We have already heldboot camp here in Corsicana, and weexpect great things from the leadershipprogram starting this fall,” he stated.“Building character is an important partof building a successful team.”


both the staff and building. Not only will the staff greet youwith warm smiles, they literally lay out the red carpet foryou on the front steps of the office building, in keeping withthe spirit of their new company motto: “Where you alwaysreceive the red carpet treatment.” Additionally, the buildingis a 1,953-square-foot, older home that was built in 1950. Ithouses six full-time employees plus a coffee/break/copy room.

Extremely proud of her work family, Denna boasted abouta few facts regarding every staff member. Her dad, Earnest,quite obviously holds a position of respect with her, both asboss and as father. Denna’s son, Tim Green, has held his realestate license for over three years now. Amanda Morrison,who is currently working on her second master’s degree whileobtaining her Realtor’s license, also handled the company’sproperty-management portfolio for a year. Judy Riley hasheld her license for over four years and is a certified home-marketing specialist. Roy Cawthorn also holds his licenseand is knowledgeable in ranch and land investments. LisaBuckner is their resident property manager and, last but notleast, is Jeff Smith, who has held his real estate license forover 11 years and is well-established in the community.

The Walker Realty team believes in giving their time backto the community. Judy is the past president of the NavarroCounty Board of Realtors, and Jeff Smith is the current president of the board, in addition to being on the Navarro

F— By Samantha Daviss

www.nowmagazines.com 38 CoriscanaNOW August 2009

The SearchBegins…

Finding the perfect home is not a job meant for one person;in fact, it usually takes a team — a great team at that. WalkerRealty is such a team; there is no need to look any further.“This is a family-owned-and-operated business that has beenaround since 1977,” Denna Green-Smith, owner and brokerat Walker Realty, stated. “My parents, Jo and EarnestWalker, started this business over 32 years ago, and I amnow the one who runs the operation, even though Mom andDad still come in on occasion. My middle son, Tim, is aRealtor in the business with me,” Denna stated. “He was theyoungest agent to receive his license in Navarro County.”

Walker Realty’s office is very warm and inviting, due to

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County Lake planning and zoning board.Walker Realty is not limited to

properties located in Navarro County, norare their searches restricted to residentialproperties. They will also assist withyour commercial real estate, farm andranch and property management needs.“Jeff recently took over the Bank ofAmerica building on Main Street inCorsicana,” Denna said. “They are reallyfixing it up beautifully, in hopes ofbringing it back to its original glory forcommercial rentals.”

Walker Realty offers services on bothsides of the rental property card. “We,ourselves, own some rental properties;so, we are able to put you in a greattemporary housing situation,” Dennaexplained. “But, also, if you have ahome you would like to rent out, thenwe will handle that for you as well. Wewill take care of the entire process.”

If you are looking for a new piece of real estate, stop by Walker Realty;walk-ins are welcome. They are locatedat 411 W. 4th Ave. in Corsicana, andare available seven days a week from9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Please call(903) 874-3783 (main office) or (903) 874-2732 (rental office) or visitwww.earnestwalkerrealty.com.


“Where youalways receivethe red carpet

treatment.”

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A Knowing Fred’s innate ability to connect with people andstrong communication skills, a friend of the family, NelsonMegna, suggested teaching as an alternative career. “DavidHale asked me to come to Corsicana once I received myteaching certificate,” Fred explained. “So in 1996, I immediatelybegan teaching fifth-graders at Drane Intermediate School.… In fact, I was with Corsicana Independent School District

for over 15 years, until oneday when I received a phonecall from Phillip Riley, theformer principal at the CatholicSchool, [asking me] to startteaching fourth-graders there.

“Phillip already had mycontract filled out and waitingfor me on his desk,” Fred saidsmiling. So in 2006, Fredembarked on his most currentlife adventure, and that isteaching and influencing theminds of the fourth-gradersat Collins Catholic School.

“I love teaching young children; I feel that the teachingenvironment I am currently in offers children more disciplineand more one-on-one, student/teacher time,” Fred explained.“The personal attention given to each child enables theteacher to bring out the best in each of their students. Theother thing I love about teaching is it gives me time in thesummers to focus on and enjoy my other passion, which iscar racing and the automotive lifestyle.”

Fred thoroughly enjoys everything about his career. He


As young children most of us probably thought our teacherslived at school, slept at school and that teaching was theirlife — essentially they had no outside life. We never fathomedthe possibility that they had a family, children or a home, letalone hobbies and interests other than teaching!

Well Fred Lagomarsino, the incredibly dedicated andeffective fourth-grade teacher at Collins Catholic School, mostcertainly does have an alter ego when it comes to his hobbiesoutside the walls of his classroom. “I love to teach; I feel thatI am building [the] basic necessities of their lives,” Fredexplained. “But I have also held a great passion for cars, andI have ever since I was a little kid.”

Fred graduated from high school in a smaller, Northeasterntown in 1978, and went on to pursue his degree in marketingfrom Providence College. After graduation, he was fortunateenough to find a career hewas passionate about. “I took a job with a Volvo andHonda dealership, where Irose through the ranks of thecompany and made a hugeimpression on the owner ofthe dealership,” Fred stated.“My boss was extremelyimpressed with my abilitiesto fix the problem, no matterthe situation. So … hemoved me to the Augustastore to make some changesand improvements to thatparticular location.” The owner made him the youngest generalmanager in charge of a store in Augusta, Maine.

“After all my promotions and kudos within the industry, Iwoke up one morning knowing that life was good, with somegreat perks, but along with that came exhaustion and stress,”Fred recalled. The full revelation came to him one day whilesitting on the dock of his dad’s boat house. As he talked with hisdad, he realized he not only needed a life change, but a careerchange as well. His current life situation was causing burn out.

Two SidesEvery Story

to


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knows that he is helping shape andmold the minds of our future citizens.“I feel that the fourth grade is a verypivotal point in a young person’s life,”he stated. “I am creating a strongfoundation [upon] which they can build— both academically and in life.”

Fred’s primary objective is to teachhis students to be free thinkers, able tosee the world from their own point ofview and to think outside the box. “Ilove having the freedom to teach themabout the world — not to teach themfor the preparation of certain tests,” heexplained. It is obvious that he isextremely passionate about his students

developing the ability to creativelythink and understand on their own,without too many rules and restrictions.

“Not only do I love what I teach,but where I teach,” Fred said. “Thisschool is not just a school; it is a community. We are all here to boosteach other up and support each other,when needed.”

Fred realizes that teaching does notjust stop at the threshold of his classroom; it continues in the hallwaysand outside the walls of the school.“Experience is the spice of life,” Fredexplained. “You must force yourself tostep into an experience and learn fromit, as learning is a lifelong job.”


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salt, to tasteSAUCE:1/4 cup margarine1/4 cup ketchup 1/4 cup Worcestershire sauce 1/4 cup vinegar 1/4 cup lemon juice 1/2 tsp. pepper 1/2 tsp. Tabasco

Sprinkle chicken on both sides with salt. Place in foil lined shallowpan. Broil until golden brown on both sides. Combine sauceingredients in saucepan. Cook over low heat until margarine hasmelted. Cover chicken with sauce and bake at 350 F until done.

BARBECUE MEAT LOAF 1 1/2 lbs. hamburger 1 cup fresh bread crumbs 1 egg 1 1/2 tsp. salt 2 8-oz. cans tomato sauce 2 tsp. mustard 2 tsp. Worcestershire sauce 3 Tbsp. vinegar 3 Tbsp. brown sugar 1/2 cup water

Mix hamburger, crumbs, egg, salt and 1/2 can tomato sauce toform meat loaf; place in greased loaf pan. Mix together remainingingredients in a separate bowl. Pour over meat loaf; bake at 350F for about one hour. Baste meat loaf with sauce several timesas it bakes.

CHICKEN AND RICE 2 cups Minute Rice1 pkg. Lipton onion soup mix 6 to 8 chicken pieces salt and pepper, to taste 1 14-oz. can cream of mushroom soup 1 14-oz. can chicken gumbo soup 3 cups water

Spread rice evenly in bottom of greased 9 x 13-inch pan.Sprinkle with 1/4 of onion soup mix. Lightly salt and pepperchicken; and place on top of rice and soup mix. Sprinkle withremaining soup mix. Combine soup and water. Stir well and pourover chicken. Cover with foil; bake at 325 F for 40-60 minutesdepending on how large the chicken pieces are.

BROCCOLI CASSEROLE 1/4 cup onion, chopped1/3 cup butter, melted 14-oz. (small) jar Cheez Whiz 8-oz. chopped jalapeños 10-oz. package frozen chopped broccoli14-oz can cream of celery soup2/3 cup Minute Rice

Sauté onion in butter; add Cheez Whiz and jalapeños. Stir untilcheese melts. Stir in broccoli and soup; add Minute Rice. Pourinto a greased casserole dish. Bake at 350 F for 45 minutes.Watch to make sure casserole does not get too brown.

BARBECUE CHICKEN 8 to 10 chicken pieces of your choice, enough to fill a cookie sheet

IN THE KITCHEN WITH KATHY ALEXANDER

LookWho’s

Cooking— By Faith Browning

Like most women, Kathy Alexander’s love for cooking began as she watched her mother andgrandmother lovingly prepare family meals. “Wealways had home-cooked meals for supper and sat down asa family to eat together,” she recalled. “I grew up in a family of seven. We had a lot of hamburger-type casserolesto stretch a dollar. Now I make more chicken casseroles inan effort to eat healthier.”

Kathy enjoys photography, crafts and scrapbooking. Sheis also very involved with her husband, the Rev. MikeAlexander, in his church, First United Methodist, where shealso teaches preschool. “I enjoy sharing simple cooking withmy preschool and Sunday school children,” she said. “I makeplaydough with my preschool children each year.”


SALMON PATTIES 1 16-oz. can salmon, drained1/2 cup onion, chopped 1/4 cup margarine, melted1/3 cup dry bread crumbs 2 eggs, beaten 1/2 cup parsley, chopped 1 tsp. powdered mustard 1/2 tsp. salt corn meal (enough to roll patties in)

Mix all ingredients, except corn meal, together; form into patties.Roll patties in corn meal; fry until done.

SPAGHETTI CASSEROLE 1 pkg. spaghetti1 onion, chopped 1 green pepper, chopped1 lb. hamburger 1 tsp. garlic powder 1 bay leaf 1-2 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. salt 1 tsp. pepper2 small (8-oz.) cans tomato sauce4 to 6 slices Velveeta cheese

Cook spaghetti in salted water. Sauté onion, green pepper andhamburger. Add garlic, bay leaf, thyme, salt, pepper and tomatosauce. Put spaghetti noodles in bottom of casserole dish, place meatmixture on top; top with thin slices of Velveeta cheese. Bake at 350 Ffor 20 minutes covered; bake 10 additional minutes uncovered.

To view more of your neighbors’ recipes, visit our archives at www.nowmagazines.com.

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D ining G uide

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D ining G uide



Will You be Covered After You Retire?

— By Lynda Housley

TThe life insurance coverage provided by your employer is

one of the many benefits you may not think about on a regular basis. As long as you’re working, it’s something listedon your pay stub and in a yearly benefits statement.

Your coverage is there as long as you’re employed. Butwhat happens when you retire? Will you still have all thecoverage you had? Does it retire when you do?

These are questions that will eventually need answering.There are a number of ways your group life insurance coverages can be affected when you leave the workforce.

If your employer offers extended coverage, the level ofcoverage you enjoyed while you were working may not beavailable to you. In addition, the flexibility of your priorcoverage may not be part of the extended coverage.

The cost of extended coverage also may be prohibitive.Because the premiums will be determined by your age atretirement, the price may be a great deal higher than youcan afford. And, if your surviving spouse qualifies for survivorbenefits from Social Security, it may not be sufficient tomaintain your surviving spouse’s standard of living.

After you meet with your company’s benefit specialist forinformation about what options you have for continuing yourgroup life insurance after retiring, talk with your insuranceagent about your life insurance options. Sitting down withsomeone you know today can give you and your loved onesconfidence in your future financial security.

Lynda Housley is a State Farm agent based in Corsicana.

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Insurance Analysis • Employee Benefits*Investment Services

Gary Hayden is a Registered Representative of and offers securities, investment advisory and financial planning servicesthrough MML Investors Services, Inc. Member SIPC. Supervisory Office: 777 Main Street, Suite 2260, Fort Worth, Texas

75102 • 817-332-4451. *Not offered through Massachusetts Mutual Life Insurance Company or MML Investors Services, Inc.

114 W. 5th Ave. in Corsicana(903) 874-3417

900 W. Ennis Ave. in Ennis(972) 875-3652

Hayden Financial PartnersServing Central Texas since 1988.

Gary Hayden

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often found among the senior population;patients who are bed-ridden; and individualswho suffer from diseases that affect the circulation and skin, such as diabetes orperipheral artery disease (PAD).

According to the Centers for DiseaseControl and Prevention, diabetes affects 23.6million Americans or 7.8 percent of the population, and one-third of all diabeticssuffer from lower extremity wounds or PAD.These wounds increase the likelihood of footproblems and the potential for amputation.Other conditions that can lead to slow-healingwounds include traumatic injury, complicationsafter surgery, congestive heart failure, lymphedema, and compromised immune systems,including HIV or AIDS infection.

Many hospitals have a wound care team,center or clinic, with specialists trained inadvanced therapies that help to speed thehealing process and promote or rebuild skinintegrity. Chronic wounds that are treated inthis way include diabetic skin sores, pressuresores, persistent skin irritations, vessel diseasewounds, surgery wound breakdown, traumaticwounds, burns, venous insufficiency, radiationinjuries, spinal injury wounds and other non-healing wounds. Many of these woundsbecome problematic due to limited bloodflow in the area, which can slow the body’shealing process.

Wound care treatments include transcutaneous oxygen measurement, dressingchanges, hyperbaric oxygen therapy andwound debridement (removal of dead tissue).

These treatments differ from the standardcare a patient would receive after surgery orin the course of chronic disease treatment,because they involve specialized therapiesadministered in conjunction with othermedical or surgical treatment for the skincondition. It may include special dressings orwraps, debridement (the removal of dead ordamaged tissue), bioengineered tissue substitutes or hyperbaric oxygen therapy toinvigorate oxygen-starved tissues and promote healing.

A patient’s doctor generally refers apatient to a wound care team or treatmentcenter where specialists evaluate the woundand review the patient’s health and medicalhistory. Tests may be conducted to learnmore about the patient’s blood flow and tissue oxygenation, as well as determine ifthere is any infection. The team then developsa treatment program based on the patient’sindividual needs and is part of the patient’scomprehensive medical treatment with theprimary care doctor.

Once the wound is healed, follow-up careis important and should be in conjunctionwith any care the patient may be receivingfor the condition that originally caused thewound, such as diabetes or hypertension.

For more information about wound care,visit www.hospitalwebsite.com or theAmerican Diabetes Association(http://www.diabetes.org/home.jsp).

Joyce Hagens, R.N.Navarro Regional Hospital

Wound CareGiving your

body’s healingpowers a

helping hand

HHave you ever watched a scar heal and

marveled at the power your body has torepair itself? Or worried over a cut or sorethat simply won’t go away? The body’s abilityto heal after illness or injury is a complexprocess. Many chronic diseases or conditionscan compromise your body’s restorative capabilities. Unhealed wounds can not onlydiminish quality of life, but also raise therisk of additional infection and complications.For this reason, wound care is a critical partof disease management or surgical recovery— and a growing medical specialty.

Approximately five million Americanssuffer from chronic wounds that will notheal or heal slowly, from accidents, burns,surgery or disease. Chronic wounds are most

— By Joyce Hagens, R.N., Infection Control


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August 2009 Community Calendar

For more community events, visit our online calendar at www.nowmagazines.com.

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Documents

August 2009 Learning Building on to Dream the Tiger Traditionnowmagazines.com/onlineeditions/editions/809corsicana.pdf · Prior to starting the Dream Center, Thelma had earned a master’s