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Courtship in Words

marshallhinsley — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:06:28 +0000

ENNIS, TX — Books are a wonderful escape. Words in those same books can take you away to places both far and near. Rocky Denton’s latest installment, Warhawk: Letters From Out of the Blue, takes the reader back to the time when World War II was raging, but love was still very much in the air. “Three years ago, Mom asked if I’d like to read the letters she’d

received from my dad when he was on active duty in WWII,” Rocky said, referring to the time before his birth when his late father, Guy Denton, was serving some 6,000 miles from home. “Of course, I said, ‘Yes.’ I loved history, but I was also curious about my parents.”

Growing up, Rocky knew how articulate his father was when it came to writing. After some pondering and getting the clearance he felt he needed from his mother, he decided to compile his father’s letters to his mother in a book that could be shared with others. Even though Guy and Jacquelyn are his parents, Rocky knew the “courtship in letters” had merit. “I wanted to share the history of wartime,” he admitted. “I felt others would be as intrigued and interested as I was when I read the letters for the first time.”

In his first edition, the letters were transcribed in chronological order, with all mistakes and misspellings left intact. Putting them in order was not the ordeal some might think, because his father had not failed to date each letter, while including details of the where and when. “People who read the first edition said they would have loved to read more about the history of wartime,” Rocky said. “They wanted commentary from others, including my mom, along with the letters. That’s what prompted the second edition.”

To fully understand the weight and importance of Guy’s letters, we must return to the time when Jacquelyn had just

turned 18. She had met, courted and married a fellow named George Wrigley, who is no relation to the Wrigley Gum company. They were married in January of 1941, but Rocky’s mother will never forget the announcement that took George away. “We were in a movie theater in Tampa, Florida, on December 7, when the movie stopped and the lights came on,” Jacquelyn remembered. “An announcement said all military personnel must report for duty.”

George was a sergeant in the Army Air Corps. He was only given three to four days to prepare for his journey into WWII. “He was a bombardier,” Rocky explained. “He was the one who rode in the nose of the plane and released the bombs.”

“We weren’t even married a year,” Jacquelyn said, with tears in her eyes for her first love. “We were still considered newlyweds.”

George never returned. In mid-August, 1942, the B-17 bomber he was in was hit during a scheduled mission. Everyone was ordered to bail out. When George exited the hatch, he was slammed into the landing gear, which caused his parachute to tear. It never opened. George fell to his death in the desert below. Jacquelyn wouldn’t get word of his tragic passing for several days.

“It wasn’t but a month or two later that she met my dad,” Rocky said. She had moved to Tallahassee, and was still very much in the grieving process. Realizing the picture show she had gone to see was about the war, she quickly vacated the theater. She went to the drug store across the street to get a Coke. “She was sitting there when my dad and his friends came in,” Rocky shared, retelling it the same way his mother had told him. “Guy walked boldly over to her and said, ‘You look as pitiful as a dying calf in a snow storm.’”

She didn’t waste any time telling him why. Once her story about George was complete, Guy felt just horrible for his insensitivity. “He talked to her and tried his best to cheer her up,” Rocky said. “He told her he was sent to Tallahassee to cheer up the civilian population, and he was going to start with her.”

Her heart was still broken. She wasn’t interested in Guy, but it was a much different story for Guy. He was “head- over-heels” for her from the start. After a great deal of prompting, she later agreed to go on a group date with Guy, his friends and their girlfriends. That first date took them to the Edgewood Club. Before long, Jacquelyn became close friends with Guy’s best buddy, Harry Duncan. “I think she liked him because he was the best dancer in the group,” Rocky laughed. “She dated Dad, but she was always dancing with Harry.”

They dated for a month before Guy, a P-40 fighter pilot, was shipped overseas. “Mom said she couldn’t afford to give her heart to another,” Rocky said. “But the letters from Dad over a course of a year changed her mind and her heart.”

Guy’s letters to Jacquelyn were witty and charming. He was able to be serious and a jokester at the same time. “Here was great pathos,” Rocky said with
pride. “He wrote with such detail about the things not of the war. My narrative between his letters allowed me to tell the parts he was unable to tell due to security issues. Thanks to Dad, I was able to fill in the blanks.”

The wedding proposal came via the mail. Jacquelyn answered, ‘Yes’ in her reply, also in the form of a letter. These two letters started a series of letters where the couple planned their wedding.

Theirs truly was a courtship in words. “They only knew each other for a month before he shipped out,” Rocky stated. “The courtship really did take place thanks to Dad’s way with words and the postal service.”

The couple finally exchanged vows on November 7, 1943. “During his time in WWII, my dad saw so many horrific things,” Rocky confessed, “but he never let it define who he was. He never considered himself to be a hero. It was his job, and that’s how he looked at it.”

Compiling the love letters from his father to his mother into a book has meant a great deal to Rocky. He’s shared his father’s extraordinary courage, which was an ordinary characteristic during WWII, while also sharing the long- distance love story he finds great pride in retelling. “I told their story as a way to give tribute to both my parents,” Rocky admitted. “I wanted something I could hand down to family and friends who knew them.” No doubt, Warhawk: Letters From Out of the Blue does that and so much more.

Written by Sandra Strong.

A Father’s Lessons

marshallhinsley — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:19:22 +0000

ENNIS, TX — Growing up, Michael Aguilar Sr. did not have the opportunity to play sports. Determined not to let his children experience a similar situation, Michael Sr. did everything he could, from learning a game he knew nothing about to coaching every sport his son wanted to play.

At 2 years old, Michael Jr. was throwing balls and swinging bats. Michael Sr. and his wife, Lori, signed their son up for T-ball once he turned 4. They wanted him to have more opportunities than just football in the fall. Michael Jr. has been coached by his father since his very first T-ball team. “My dad is a great coach,” Michael Jr. said. “He is the one that taught me how to play baseball. One day, I want to be able to play college baseball.”

Michael Sr. turned to books and DVDs to learn the game. When Michael Jr. began batting and pitching lessons, Michael Sr. went along to learn as well. Anytime he came across a baseball coach he would pick their brain for ideas. “I decided to coach so that I could be more involved in Michael’s life,” Michael Sr. admitted. “I want to show him that I will always want to be a part of his life. It’s my goal to give him the opportunities I didn’t have growing up.”

Two years ago when the couple realized how much their son liked the game, they gave him the opportunity to sign up for a select team as well. Michael Sr. formed a select baseball team for Ennis boys who were Michael Jr.’s age. The Ennis Eliminators was a young team with no tournament experience. They scheduled a tournament the second weekend after they began playing together as a team.

Neither the coaches nor the players knew what to expect during their tournament debut. A pleasant surprise to all, the team walked away champions that weekend. “In a small town like Ennis, there isn’t always an opportunity to play at the next level,” Michael Sr. said. “When the opportunity to start a team presented itself, I wanted to give other boys the chance to play at a greater level and learn more about the game.”

“I play both recreational and select baseball during the year,” Michael Jr. stated. “I really like playing select because my teammates are great, and I like going to tournaments.”

Things snowballed for the team after that first tournament, and they eventually went on to become runners-up in the USSA (United States Specialty Sports Association) Little League World Series. As the team continued to win, they began to show up on other people’s radars. After their first year, the liminators were approached by the Dallas Stars, a select baseball organization, about a possible merger. With the support of the other parents and the promise from the Dallas Stars organization of keeping the team together, Michael Sr. merged the team.

Since the formation of the first select team, four players have stuck together: Charles Mathes, Ryan Casas, Gordon Gilmore and Michael Jr. “It was a no brainer to merge the teams together,” Michael Sr. said. “When we were part of the Dallas Stars organization, the players attended more instructional sessions by great coaches and players from colleges.”

Whether they win or lose, Michael Sr. uses each game as a character-learning tool for his players. There were times, after a win, when other teams refused to shake the Dallas Stars’ hands. These times, although few and far between, became lessons in sportsmanship. After a loss, when feelings of disappointment wash over the team, Michael Sr. is quick to step in and remind the boys that it isn’t over. “I tell them there’s always the next game,” Michael Sr. explained. “No matter the outcome, we must support each other as a team. We are good sports, and we don’t trash talk other teams.”

“Our jerseys may have said Dallas Stars, but we still represented Ennis,” Lori said. “We remind the boys of that each game. Everything they do and say is a reflection of their home town.” Just this past year, coaches, parents and players made the decision to come back home and be the Eliminators once again. “We wanted to come back home and represent our community,” Michael Sr. stated.

Games and tournaments are still family events. The team plays nearly 15 tournaments a season, and their support system travels with them. They arrive
at each game as a caravan, set up their canopies before the game and sit together to support their boys. Between each game they all picnic together and rest up for the next game. “Other teams see us all together at every game,” Michael Sr. said. “We try to represent ourselves as a team on and off the field and as a family when we’re at a ballpark.”

Lori is at every game and has become the team’s official scorekeeper. Having once been a softball player herself, Lori knew about the game, but learned there were major differences in the two games once she began keeping score. “As the scorekeeper, I have to stay focused on the game,” Lori said. “I can’t stop and yell at the coach. Since my scorebooks are the official record of our home games, other teams will ask to look at them. I have to be as accurate as possible, but sometimes I still make up my own signs.”

Michael Jr.’s little brother, Aiden, has become the team’s mascot. Having just turned 2 in December, Aiden is quickly following in his big brother’s footsteps, running around the house in a Texas Rangers’ helmet with a bat and a ball. In a little less than a year he will be ready to join his first T-ball team. “Aiden is already swinging the bat really well,” Michael Sr. said. “We learned that Waxahachie will let 3-year-olds sign up for T-ball. I can’t wait for him to join the game.”

During the busiest season of baseball, the two Michaels spend nearly 15 hours a week practicing and playing the game. It isn’t work for them, but a special time they spend together throwing the ball, riding in the car and creating memories as a father and son. “Michael has improved a lot since the beginning, and we see it each year,” Lori said. “I think that is a reflection of his coaches. Having his dad learn the game to be able to spend more time with him makes this game a lot more meaningful to Michael.”

“I want Michael to enjoy the game and have all of these opportunities,” Michael Sr. said. “The most important thing in all of this is for Michael to be able to reflect back on these moments one day and recall good memories.”

Written by Sydni Thomas.

Twelve Steps to Freedom

marshallhinsley — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 04:03:06 +0000

ENNIS, TX — An Ennis church is reaching beyond its own congregation by instituting a 12-step program for men and women facing drug and alcohol addiction, physical and emotional abuse, codependency and a range of relationship crises. The Way, Truth and Life Church, pastored by Jasper and Linda Hughes, has introduced the famous Celebrate Recovery ministry to aid its members and others in the community who want to learn how to cope with life’s setbacks through the Christian-based initiative founded in 1993. Celebrate Recovery, an internationally disseminated outreach started by John Baker and Rick Warren, best known for his book The Purpose Driven Life, has since been adopted by over 17,000 churches and helped some 700,000 people achieve harmony and fulfillment.

The Way, Truth and Life Church, established 16 years ago, came to embrace Celebrate Recovery after the success of a similar program. “We already had an empowerment class,” noted assistant pastor Shevera Johnson, “but Celebrate Recovery was more in-depth, so we decided to implement it, and we’ve had excellent feedback.”

In the six months since the new course began, attendees have experienced vital changes in their lives. As the class grows, more inroads to healing and faith are anticipated. Jasper is encouraged by the response and looks forward to welcoming newcomers to the program. “With Celebrate Recovery groups, we study, pray, share and take the steps necessary to experience a better life,” he said.

“This is a tried and proven system to build recovery for those struggling with addictive habits and other life experiences that affect our peace.”

Shevera and Jasper agree that a recent address made by Rick Warren puts the group in perspective. “This recovery program emphasizes personal responsibility,” he announced. “We cannot control all that happens to us. But we can control how we respond. When we stop wasting time fixing the blame, we have more energy to fix the problem.”

Jasper admits the group has helped him deal with his own past. Addicted to drugs, he lost friends, his job and ended up homeless. “God delivered him,” Shevera said of her pastor, “and because of that, he knows he has a calling to help others in the same predicament.” She points out that drug addiction or alcohol dependency are not the only issues that Celebrate Recovery can help with. “Low self-worth, anger, gambling — these are all troubles that can be mended,” she said. “God meets us where we are, and we can be set free.” All problems
— hurts, habits and hang-ups, as she called them — can be dealt with. “The group gets to the meat of the matter, but without judgment or playing the blame game, and in the end forgiveness takes over, forgiveness of yourself and others.” Shevera confessed her own struggle has been with food, but with the guidance of Celebrate Recovery she has learned ways of dealing with overeating and has lost 70 pounds.

According to the group’s teachings, the 12 steps are critical to the recovery process. Participants admit they are powerless over their addictions and compulsive behaviors, while believing that a power greater than themselves can restore them to sanity. They make a decision to turn their will and lives over to the care of God, as they make a searching and fearless inventory of themselves, their choices and their past behavior.

“It’s important that they admit to God, to themselves and to another human being the exact nature of their wrong doings,” Shevera explained. “They become entirely ready for God to remove all these defects of character by humbly asking God to remove all their shortcomings, making a list of all persons they have harmed and are willing to make amends to them all, whenever possible.”

They move forward in the program by continuing to take a personal inventory, and when they’re wrong, they promptly admit it. With prayer and meditation, they seek to improve their conscious contact with God, and having had a spiritual experience as the result of these steps, they seek to carry this message to others.

In addition to the 12-step portion of the process, Celebrate Recovery relies on a set of eight principles devised by Rick Warren and based on the Bible’s Beatitudes. They realize and fully understand they are not God, but they believe God exists. They consciously choose to commit their lives and will to Christ as they openly examine and confess their faults to God. “Voluntarily submitting to every change God wants to make in their life is crucial,” Shevera added. “They must also evaluate all their relationships, reserve a daily time with God for self-examination and yield themselves to God to be used to bring the good news to others.”

As Pamela Richardson, church administrator, has applied the steps and principles to her life, she has become a healthier, more whole person. “You learn to know yourself by God’s truth, not yours,” she explained. “You may think you are all right, that you don’t need anything to better yourself, but the program brings to the forefront that you do have faults and that there is deliverance from them.” Pamela added that she has “found such freedom in the Spirit of the Lord” through Celebrate Recovery and that she has “no façade now.”

Shevera concurred, “You will find the love of Christ here,” she said. “You will find hope. The group shines a beacon of light over all. God changed my life by 360 degrees. He showed me me.”

Pamela and Shevera stressed that the Celebrate Recovery group at the Way, Truth and Life Church is open to the community in general, not just members of the congregation. “Everyone can come,” Shevera said. “We consider this a community outreach. All races, all walks of life are welcome.”

At a typical meeting, attendees share their thoughts in an intimate group setting with each person speaking for three to five minutes. There is no cross talk where individuals engage in one- on-one dialogue and no psychoanalytic suggestions are permitted. Anonymity and confidentiality are critical. “What is shared in the group,” Shevera said, “stays in the group.”

Pamela hopes to see new members join. “They will be blessed, as I have been,” she said. “God transformed my life and my family through this organization. Anyone can benefit from it. You can go to church all your life, going through the rituals, and still miss the Lord. Celebrate Recovery will lift your spirits and give you support and direction. You’ll learn what being free really means.”

“He who is free is free indeed!” Shevera added.

Written by Randy Bigham.

The Way, Truth and Life Church hosts its Celebrate Recovery classes every Monday at 6:00 p.m. at 1700 N. Kaufman St. (972) 875-1118.

Always Answering the Bell

marshallhinsley — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:27:24 +0000

ENNIS, TX — Firefighters learn to respond instantly, even from a sound sleep, to the station’s alarm bell. Before a civilian could figure out what the noise is, the firefighters are wide awake, in their gear and halfway to the ladder truck. Retired with distinction from the Ennis Fire Department last June, Freddy Santos has been answering that bell, in one way or another, for more than 40 years.

First, Freddy has answered by making the most of opportunities as they arise. Beginning in October 1971 when, upon completing his U.S. Navy service, he pursued a new job. Having read of an opening for a Ennis sanitation operator, he met with Thelma Gooch, the city secretary at the time, to apply for the job. Instead, she sent him to see then Chief D.D. Day about an opening in the Fire Department. He still laughs about one of the chief’s first questions: whether Freddy was tolerant of smoke and fire. “I told him I was raised around smoke and fire,” Freddy smiled. “We had lived in several homes that used cast-iron, wood-burning stoves for cooking and heat. So there were days we would be run out of the house by smoke.”

He was hired on a trial basis that month as a hose man, gaining permanent status in June 1972. The following “Though I made many mistakes, the summer the fire department took over the ambulance service — before then, funeral homes provided the only emergency transportation to hospitals — and Freddy trained as one of Ennis’s very first Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs). mark of a good

A second way Freddy has always answered the bell is to do his best work, whatever the job. As he did, he rose through the ranks to make captain in 1977. Then, in 1999, he was transferred from firefighting to the Building Code and Code Enforcement program, under the direction of Fire Marshal and Chief Building Inspector Buddy Markham, who just recently retired on December 31, 2011. “I will always believe fire prevention is the backbone of the fire department’s service,” he said. His promotion to the inspection department allowed him to channel his energy into this top priority.

While Freddy takes fire prevention and safety very seriously, he appreciates humor and knows the value of having fun. During his firehouse days, he enjoyed the inevitable ribbing and practical jokes as much as anyone. But the magnum opus of the prank repertoire happened to every brand-new recruit early in his probationary period.

All the other firefighters would get up in the small hours one morning, tiptoeing out of the bunkroom to avoid disturbing the recruit. Then they would climb into full firefighting gear and pull the ladder truck out. The elaborate preparations included smearing soot on their faces and jackets and having someone start washing down the truck as if they had been on a call. When the stage was set, a couple of the men would clatter into the bunkhouse, waking the recruit and then act surprised to see him still there. “Man, you missed a fire!” they would exclaim.

A broad smile creased Freddy’s face. “You should have seen the looks on their faces — they just knew they were going to lose their jobs. It was all in fun, of course. We never did any harm, and when the bell did ring — well, we were all business.” Later, of course, the victim would enthusiastically help pull the same prank on the next recruit.

Besides seizing opportunities and giving his best effort, Freddy answers the bell through his fierce loyalty and respect for his many colleagues, regardless of rank. He would rather tell you about their leadership and assistance over the years than talk about himself. In fact, since retirement, he said, “The most important thing I miss is the camaraderie of the people I worked with.”

He is grateful to every member of the inspection department and the firefighters, both paid and volunteer. Each one has had an impact on his life, especially Buddy, under whom he retired. “We worked side-by-side for over 35 years,” he said. “I would put Buddy up alongside any fire marshal and any building inspector in Texas, as far as knowledge of the job, and he would come out on top.” He smiled and added, “I’m not bragging — it’s just the truth.” Freddy also singles out the fire chiefs

who have led the fire department, from D.D. Day through Rocky Harber and Mike Seeley, to current Chief David Hopkins. All have contributed to its growth. Of Chief Hopkins, he said, “I’ve always thought of him as a visionary. When he first came [in 1986], he implemented the 9-1-1 system — the greatest thing that could have happened to Ennis.”

Freddy reserved his most eloquent praise for Lisa Laza, Ennis Fire Department’s secretary. “We served side-by-side for nearly 13 years, with never a bad word between us. She was my right arm, always willing to assist in every endeavor.”

The flip side of that loyalty and gratitude is Freddy’s humble sense of who he is. Despite the many awards and commendations he has received, including several Firefighter of the Year awards and the Medal of Valor, he refuses to take those accolades personally. Instead, he focuses on the department’s motto: “Protecting the Past … Preparing the Future.” He also points to those who made his success happen, high among them his wife, Mary. “I would not be the man I am today without her by my side,” he asserted.

But Freddy gives even more credit
to Jesus, whom he said he serves first. The Serenity Prayer plaque on his desk “reminded me daily of how much God loves us.” And he viewed his city vehicle as both pulpit and prayer station, praying each morning for wisdom and direction to do the best job possible.

The answer to that prayer was evident at his retirement celebration, where he received great honor and many gifts. One retirement gift sums up Freddy’s service: a miniature fire bell, now displayed in his curio cabinet, engraved “Always Answering the Bell.” Freddy still answers that bell, even in retirement, as he looks for new opportunities and challenges.

To young people considering a firefighting career, Freddy offers this advice: “Talk with some firefighters and make sure it’s the career you want.” As for himself, he is proud to have served. “Though I made many mistakes, the mark of a good person is not his downfall, but his rebound.

“It’s been a long journey,” he mused, then read the motto from the commemorative shadow box he also received at retirement. “It’s important to have an end to the journey … but it’s the journey that matters in the end.”

Written by Janice C. Johnson.

No Regrets

marshallhinsley — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:04:45 +0000

ENNIS, TX – Birthdays are very special days. First birthdays are filled with photos of cake- smeared faces, while gold bells and streamers mark a 50th birthday. But turning 100

is the ultimate milestone, just ask Richard Clark. “I’ll be 100 on January 3,” he said. “I’ve seen a few old people in my time, but I never imagined I would live to be 100.”

Living a long life means the memory bank within is filled to overflowing. Most of the memories are wonderful, but the ones that bring sadness are the losses. “I’ve had some losses in my life,” Richard admitted. “I lost my first wife to cancer in 1971 after 43 years and 3 months of marriage. I’ve also outlived two of my children.”

When he was just a tender boy at the age of 7, he promised his mom he’d never drink, smoke, gamble or curse, and he’s held strong to that promise for nearly 100 years. “I made that promise before my mom left to go to the hospital,” he remembered, also sharing that she never came home from that visit.

As Richard grew to adulthood, his father gave him advice he has also lived by. “He told me to never raise a hand to a woman, especially my wife,” Richard said.

“If you can’t say something good about someone, then it’s best to say nothing at all. I’ve never been a gossiper. I
was reared in a Christian home with Christian values.”

No doubt these Christian values have caused Richard to be the patient, caring, unselfishly giving husband he is to his second wife, Margie, for the past 37 years. Richard and Margie knew each other from childhood. Their families were entwined early on. Her father worked for his father on the family farm between Bristol and Palmer, Texas. “She was born on my dad’s farm in 1918, although her birth certificate was dated 1919,” Richard said with a smile. “That’s how I first knew her.”

After several years passed, Richard was reintroduced to Margie. One Saturday evening, Richard was at his sister’s beauty shop in Ennis. He was going to take his sister and brother-in-law out to eat. They asked
him to call Margie. He did, and she accepted. A week and two days later, Richard dated her a second time. That date took them to the Texas State Fair. “I wasn’t going to date her because of the seven-year age difference,” he confessed. “Three to four months later, the time came for us to decide if we were going to marry or just date and remain single.”

Richard asked her to marry him in October of 1974. He and Margie were married on January 17, 1975, as the New Year started. Both families took to one another almost immediately. “My kids loved her, and her kids loved me,” he said. “It was a good deal.”

Life was really good until the affects of Alzheimer’s started to rear its ugly head in 1990. “I had taken her to a department store,” Richard explained. “I waited outside on a bench for what seemed like a very long time. I went back in to look for her. When I found her, she said she was lost.”

Six years later, the disease had taken its toll. The only place in Richard’s memory that she didn’t become agitated or confused was at the couple’s church home, Tabernacle Baptist Church. In February 2005, Richard had to make a most difficult decision. “I admitted her to the I.O.O.F. Nursing Home,” Richard said. Just three short weeks after admittance, Margie got to where she no longer knew who Richard was. But, that didn’t stop him from being the husband his parents’ had reared him to be.

Richard and Margie could easily be compared to the couple in Nicholas Sparks’ book, The Notebook. He goes to visit Margie straight from church on Sundays, but tries his best to get to the nursing home between 10:00 and 11:00 a.m. the rest of the week. “I feed her lunch, and then she goes right back to sleep,” he stated. “I sit with her until I know she’s really asleep. I love Margie dearly. We’ve had a good life. I don’t ever remember a cross word between us. Margie is my responsibility, but I do what I do because I care for her deeply. She also gives me a reason to get up in the morning.”

Richard is grateful for his good health. “I’m in good health. When I get up on my feet, I sometimes get unbalanced, but otherwise I’m doing pretty good.”

For the centenarian, pretty good really doesn’t begin to describe the man he still is today. As aforementioned, he still drives, but no highway driving since his 90th birthday. “I’ve been driving since I was 11,” he quipped. “I’ve never had a speeding ticket, and I’ve never had an accident, not even a fender bender.” The only ticket he did receive was for parking in a slot that was designated as “No Parking” at the time. “You weren’t allowed to park in that slot until after 1:00 p.m.,” he explained, stating it was after 1:00 p.m. when he parked the car. “My watch was right, but the police officer’s watch must have been slow.” Richard paid the $5 ticket the very same day.

Richard still resides in the same home he and Margie built in 1977. He still cleans the house and prepares most of his meals. He finds enjoyment in baking for Margie, as well as other people who have had the pleasure of enjoying his cakes and pies. “Cake without icing is much better than pie,” he said, referring to what he bakes for Margie. “They’re not so messy, and it’s easier to transport them to the nursing home.” His chocolate pie has been a good witnessing tool on more than one occasion.

Richard noted several changes over the past 100 years. “The advances in medicine are great,” he said, “and it’s very rare to find a gravel road. They’re all ‘hot- topped’ now.”

Each day for Richard begins with a drink of water, getting dressed and reading Scripture. “I have no regrets,” he confessed. “Living a godly life has been the one thing that’s helped me to live a long life. I’ve heard some really good preaching over the years, and I’ve learned from that good preaching.”

Richard has definitely set the bar high when it comes to living a complete and full life. “Living long means an awful lot of good memories,” Richard said. “Life isn’t over just because you age.”

Written by Sandra Strong.

Art and Soul

marshallhinsley — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 04:50:39 +0000

Ennis, TX — An Ennis Independent School District (ISD) after school class has become an inspiring exercise in community outreach. Thanks to a unique cooperation between the group and Ennis Regional Medical Center (ERMC), members of Leah Smith’s high school art club are learning to draw and sculpt while appreciating the value of serving others.

In an effort to break the monotony of hospital stays by adding interest to an otherwise static setting, Leah and her students contribute brightly- painted ceiling tiles to patients’ rooms in the newly renovated children’s wing at ERMC. Created personally by the students, each tile is an original design, depicting subjects from a brave Ennis lion to scenes based on themes that appeal to children. “With this program kids, who are lying sick in a hospital bed, can look up at a piece of art that brings [comfort],” Leah said. “And it’s touching to know we have been able to help them get through that experience.”

The idea to soothe a child through art may have been Leah’s, but the passion with which the project has been embraced comes right from the big hearts of the 25 students who make up the after hours club the teacher established last year. “These kids are in tune with their community and want to give something back,” Leah said. “I sounded them on the plan, and they went for it. But they have made this their mission. They love it because they know their work is benefitting someone.”

The concept of an art club with a charitable focus came about while Leah was teaching at Duncanville High School. A colleague suggested her students paint ceiling tiles to brighten up the school hallways, as well as children’s hospitals in the area. “The idea was so great, I knew I wanted to try it when I came to Ennis,” Leah explained. “I just jumped right in with it, and we had a good first group, and we have a good one again this year.”

In the past, ERMC has encouraged Ennis High’s art department by displaying students’ work in the facility, so there was little convincing necessary when Leah approached administration officials with a proposal to repeat the success her Duncanville class had enjoyed. “Ennis Regional was just then redoing its children’s wing with themed rooms,” she recounted, “and they asked if we could do tiles that would match the themes. I said ‘You bet!’”

The members of Leah’s afterschool club went to work at once, contributing three large 5×4 double tiles to three

patient rooms. “It was a hit,” she said, “and our club is now doing three more rooms at ERMC, so we’re really having a good time.”

Leah believes art is the perfect medium for impacting lives. “The idea of art is to spark imagination, to create a story,” Leah stressed. “Drawing people into the work on display, getting them to think about what the artist is saying; that’s the purpose of art.” She admits some art can be hard to interpret, but insists most forms of great art are direct in their affect, causing a distinct reaction in the viewer. She instructs her students to follow the route of inspiring feeling in their work, so observers can “get caught up in the emotion of it.”

To this end, Leah sees the objective of her club as two-fold: training young people to express themselves artistically and teaching them the importance of using their talent to better their community. “But really, they are teaching us now,” Leah points out. “They care more about giving back than I ever expected. They’re models for all of us to follow.” The group is led by four student board members: Alma Avila (president), Jessica Gonzalez (vice president), Mayra Chavez (secretary) and Nayely Soto (fundraising chairperson).

In addition to fostering her club members’ charitable spirit, Leah’s goal is to expose them to world class art and culture. Last year, students were treated to field trips to Fort Worth to the Modern Art Museum and the Kimbell Art Museum. “They loved it, and I had a lot of fun, too,” Leah recalled. “It was a blast.” She promises museum tours again this year for her art club members who will vote on which venues they attend.

Leah confesses that with education cutbacks due to today’s recessionary atmosphere, it’s difficult to make ends meet for the club. “Buying paint and other supplies can be really expensive,” she said, “so we have fundraisers to help us and, of course, we welcome sponsors.” One church organization has recently donated ceiling tiles for the club’s ERMC efforts, and Leah and her students are grateful for the largesse.

Last year, the club took on in-class projects to raise money, selling coffee mugs, coasters, CD and DVD cases, flags and other products bearing students’ artwork. Current fundraising plans involve a Gallery Night where Ennis High School art teachers will present their pupils’ work. “Our art club will also participate,” Leah said, “and hopefully we will sell some pieces.”

Leah is proud of her classes, both Art 101 students and her club, for being such agile learners. “Some are just curious to learn more about art, and others have a natural gift and a love for it,” she said. “But all are good.” In her regular class, it’s all business, but Leah is able to get to know the kids more in her art club, which is especially proactive and eager to tackle new projects from jewelry design to candle making, work the pupils are so pleased with on completion that they prefer to take them home instead of exhibit them in class. “I like to have their input in all that we do,” Leah said. “I want to know what they are most interested in and we go from there.”

Apparently, giving to others is what the club does best. Along with finishing the decorative ceiling tiles for ERMC’s children’s wing, members are now meeting twice a week to design Christmas and New Year’s cards for

local troops serving overseas. “The kids brought this up as something else they wanted to do to benefit the community,” Leah said. “They have a deep sense of responsibility and want to reach out to make a difference, particularly at this time of year.”

The club as a whole is motivated beyond Leah’s expectations, being more culturally and politically aware than students she’s taught at other schools. “The club members are not just in tune with what’s happening in the world,” Leah said, “they have a determination and energy that you can see, which tells you they’re headed for something big. They have such drive. It’s obvious they’re future leaders.”

Written by Randy Bigham.

Home of the Brave

marshallhinsley — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:18:37 +0000

ENNIS, TX — Veterans Memorial Park of Ennis has been open to the public since August, and many are enjoying its recreational amenities. The central feature of the property, a salute in brick and mortar to the men and women of America’s Armed Forces, remains under construction. “Hopefully we can finish it by Memorial Day next year,” said Larry Fincher, chairman of the committee overseeing the project of installing a permanent memorial to troops past and present. “But by then we will at least have completed Phase 1 of the effort.”

The initial stage involves laying the foundation for a circular promenade with a centerpiece devoted to veterans and surrounding sections dedicated to specific conflicts, from World War I to the current War on Terror. Larry stressed the main objective in funding the park’s namesake memorial is to pay homage to enlisted personnel en masse. “We want to honor all U.S. veterans,” he said, “whether they served in a war or not, whether dead or alive and whether they are from Ennis or not.”

Local American Legion Post Commander Dan Cook, whose organization is sponsoring the project, underscored the mission’s broad appeal when he interjected, “If you put the uniform on to serve your country, this is your memorial.”

Football and soccer fields, walking paths and a playground at the new park will accommodate leisure activities for years to come, but members of the building committee hope the memorial now underway will become the hub
of the facility and the heart of the community. “This will be a place for people to go to remember loved ones, a place for the town to gather for patriotic events,” Dan pointed out. Marylyn Wylie, fundraising coordinator for the memorial, agreed. “The park will be where Ennisites can come and be reminded of the sacrifices our soldiers have made,” she said. “We can’t forget what they have done for America, and we want these grounds to be an ongoing tribute to their courage that will last for generations.”

The idea for the local memorial was conceived during the 2008 campaign for Honor Flight of Ellis County, an Ennis- based branch of the national initiative to transport World War II veterans to Washington, D.C. to visit the monument erected there in their honor. The Ennis group was the first from Texas to attend, and has since served as a model for others around the state. “We discussed then that Ennis didn’t have a central spot to honor vets,” Dan said. “We have plaques at different locations, but no common meeting place.”

Public interest in a memorial grew considerably during the stop the Traveling Vietnam Wall made last year to the Bluebonnet City where it was erected on the site of the present park, a onetime Ennis Independent School District campus. Hosted by the American Veterans Traveling Tribute, the touring wall proved an emotional experience for citizens who crowded the area every day of its brief time in Ennis to pay their respects. “People were really moved,” Dan continued, “so we knew we had to do something. That’s when we got behind Larry to make a permanent memorial happen.”

Luck was on their side. When the city of Ennis purchased the land where the Vietnam Wall stood and began making plans for a park, Larry and his supporters asked the city council for permission to allocate part of the property for a military memorial. Council members voted unanimously to set aside a tract of land for that use and to name the facility Veterans Memorial Park of Ennis.

Work has been steady at the site since, and fundraisers from raffles and spaghetti dinners to an auction and 10-K run have netted large sums toward the effort to complete the memorial by May 2012. The committee is now appealing to corporate entities to aid in sponsoring the organization to ensure a timely finish to the veterans’ portion of the park. “We are making strides to build this memorial but we need help,” Larry admitted.

“The committee is offering business and industrial establishments a chance to partner with us and to lead us like a general would lead his troops.” There are five corporate packages available, ranging from increments of $500 to $10,000, and all contributors at these levels will be duly recognized. The strained economy has put a dent in donations, however, and committee members are urging citizens to contribute even small amounts.

“We know times are tough,” Marylyn acknowledged, “but we have faith in Ennis’ hometown spirit and know it will pull us through so we can make this park all that it should be for our vets.”

Larry added that those unable to make sizeable donations can give $5 or $10 toward buying a flagpole, a tree or a bronze service seal for the monuments. “They say every little bit counts,” Larry remarked, “and it does.”

The most personal aspect of the forthcoming memorial is creating pathways composed of brick pavers engraved with the names of servicemen and women from all branches of the Armed Forces and from all parts of the country. This feature is one of the most popular ways locals are contributing to the memorial. Each individual paver, engraved by Giles Monuments, costs $125 and will be placed at the entrance and on other walkways inside the esplanade representing fields of service or wars. “Every U.S. vet is eligible for an engraved paver,” Larry noted, “whether they are presently serving or have passed away. They can be from here or anywhere else. We already have bricks engraved with names of vets from Florida, Ohio, North Carolina and Georgia.”

In addition to soliciting monetary donations, the Veterans Memorial Committee encourages increased involvement within the organization from Ennis and other Ellis County residents. “We would love to welcome more people to our meetings and to serve on subcommittees,” Marylyn said. “I love this little town and want to share the pride of having something so special right here to honor our heroes.”

Larry concurred. “I grew up here so this means a lot to me and it will mean a lot to all of us,” he stated. He believes the best thing about the memorial is how it will serve as a great educational tool. Kids playing in the park, who might not know much about America’s patriotic past, can learn about it in a setting befitting the sacrifices made to preserve national freedom.

“I can’t wait to celebrate our first Memorial Day on the site,” Dan enthused. “Like the Vietnam Wall, it’s going to take people’s breath away.”

Written by Randy Bigham.

Editor’s Note: For more information go to www.veteransmemorialennis.com.

Modern Day Drs. Dolittle

marshallhinsley — Sat, 01 Oct 2011 08:22:39 +0000

ENNIS, TX – Life for Norman and Sandra Williams is anything but dull. If they aren’t busying themselves doing something for others, they don’t feel as if they are really living. While some individuals are adopting children in need or opening their homes to foster children, Norman and Sandra are offering a “forever home” for stray animals in need. “Living out here on Highway 34 makes it real easy to adopt all the strays that come along,” Sandra said, as Norman just smiled in agreement. “I remember one time when someone left a baby kitten in a cup in our mailbox.”

“The strays just seem to gravitate to our home,” Norman added.

Norman and Sandra were destined to be “modern day Drs. Dolittle” they’ve become since moving to Ennis on July 4, 2004. Their love for animals was strong long before they ever met and married. Norman grew up in Italy, Texas, while Sandra’s early years were spent in West Texas. “Some people are born animal lovers,” Norman stated, “while others learn from seeing. I learned from my dad.”

Sandra was reared in the city, so there were never any animals in the house. First grade was a year she still vividly recalls. “I got my first dog that year,” she confessed. “He was a Shepherd named Rex. I’ve
had so many more since then. I really do believe I was destined to be an animal caretaker and caregiver. They do require so much work, but it’s good work.”

Norman is a bailiff in Dallas County, while Sandra works in the office of the Attorney General. They meet lots of people in their lines of work, and they hear so many stories, too. Norman was intrigued with one story in particular about a trio they now call the three amigos. The heartwarming tale began outside a wedding chapel in Garland. A Great Dane named Judy and a goat named Minnelli were spotted wandering around, obviously lost. Come to find out, Judy had escaped from her owners, and Minnelli just followed along. A call was made to Eastlake Animal Hospital in North Dallas. They quickly came and rescued the lost pair.

Somehow Dallas County officials found out about the goat, and that’s when everyone concerned realized that Judy and Minnelli were “joined at the hip” so to speak. “A goat is considered livestock, so she had to be quarantined at a different location, far away from Judy,” Sandra explained. “When they were separated, the dog barked and the goat bleated.”

Minnelli was finally reunited with Judy at Eastlake after 10 long days. During this 10-day separation period, it seemed as if everyone was looking for the animals’ owners. They were having no luck at
all. After several media outlets carried the story, Norman felt the need to do something more than just talk about the pair. “The first thing I did was make a phone call to Sandra,” Norman said.

In July of 2010, almost immediately following her answer in the affirmative, the couple began what they thought would be a fairly easy adoption process. “Boy, were we mistaken,” Sandra said.

Since the story had been publicized on a national level, Eastlake had to make sure the duo would go to the best home. Scads of paperwork was filled out and retuned in July, and Norman and Sandra began the waiting game. As they followed the ongoing story on the Internet, they learned about Lucky, the three-legged Labrador Retriever. “When the owners saw the other two animals on television,” Norman stated, “they decided to drop Lucky off at Eastlake, too.”

“What started as two,” Sandra said, “quickly became three.”

Finally in November after waiting what seemed like forever, staff from Eastlake called the couple and made plans for a home visit. “They had gone through hundreds of applications from people who wanted to adopt these guys,” Sandra explained. “We were one of the top five being considered.”

Once Eastlake staffers completed their visit, they told Norman and Sandra they would get back to them at a later date, because they still had several other homes to visit before making their final decision. “They left here at 3:00 p.m.,” Norman said, “and called back that same day around 6:00 p.m.”

The following Sunday, Eastlake held an adoption fair, where Norman, Sandra, Judy, Minnelli and Lucky finally met in person. National Geographic magazine had been following the story from
the very beginning, so it made perfect sense to have them present during this first meeting. In fact, the magazine interviewed Norman and Sandra at this same time.

Thanksgiving was only two short weeks away, so Norman and Sandra didn’t pick up their three new family members until the day following the holiday. “We waited to pick them up,” Sandra confessed, “because we didn’t want them to be all alone while we were with family in Amarillo.”

Needless to say, the “going away party” at Eastlake was second to none. The trailer the couple used to load Minnelli was aptly named the Mayflower, after a horse they used to have. The two dogs were loaded in the back seat of the pickup truck. “We still refer to the trip as the maiden voyage of the Mayflower,” Sandra said, with great emotion.

The three amigos came home to a small house of their very own, equipped with heat and air conditioning. Norman and Sandra gave the trio the forever home they deserved — a place where they could heal and be together for the rest of their days. As Judy recuperated from her heart worm treatments, Minnelli regained weight, and Lucky’s coat grew back thick and blonde. “Their journey was complete. They had come home,” Sandra said, “and they knew it.”

“Animals have distinct personalities, traits, wants and needs,” Norman explained when asked why they do what they do. “They are very much like children that never really grow up.”

“They needed someone to love and care for them in a really bad way,” Sandra added. “We’re kind of like Noah’s Ark out here. We’re just waiting on the flood.”

Adopting and giving stray animals a home is just what Norman and Sandra do. This is evident with the other dogs, cats, ducks and chickens that call their modest abode on Highway 34 home. While it is rewarding and heartwarming, it can also be bittersweet and heartbreaking at the same time. The Williams know just how heartbreaking any loss can be. They experienced it firsthand when Judy passed in July from the residual effects of her battle with heartworms. “The animals are the story,” Sandra said with a tearful voice. “We’re merely the guardians. It’s just who we are.”

Written by Sandra Strong.

Menu Madness

marshallhinsley — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 03:12:42 +0000

ENNIS, TX – What started as a dare in the fall of 1999 quickly turned into something Ennis Lions fans look forward to year after year. Gary Macalik and his dad, Joe Ben, found a unique way to support the Ennis Lions during football season. They don’t use poster board and crepe paper streamers to cheer their team to victory. Their special mode of spirit takes a parking spot at the H-E-B grocery store, a back windshield, some white shoe polish and a menu fit for a den of hungry lions. “I can’t really remember exactly how it all began, but someone dared us to write something on the car window,” Gary said with a smile, “We had so much feedback from people that first year that we continue what has become somewhat of a tradition here in E-town.”

With all this school spirit, you might think Gary, and Joe Ben for that matter, had a long history of their own playing football for the Ennis Lions. That would be an untrue assumption. Joe Ben never played, and Gary only suited up for a single season. But Gary’s memories of the first game he attended with his father are still vivid. As he reminisces, the excitement he felt comes flooding back. “We saw someone really special that night,” he said. “He was a running back and kick returner named Stanley Robinson. He was electric. Every time he touched the ball, we held our breath because we knew something magical was about to happen.”

A few years later when Gary was in the seventh grade, he went out for the football team. This was his one and only season of play. “I soon found out that 120 pounds and slow feet would not be
a winning combination,” Gary admitted. “That was the only year I actually suited up to play.” One might think this alone would squelch any football spirit, but it made no difference to Gary and Joe Ben. They continued to go to as many home games as they could. Memories of Gary’s freshman year at Ennis High School (EHS) came rushing back. “It was 1975,” he stated. “Ennis won the Class 3A title in a game against Cuero.”

As time marched on, Gary graduated, married Valerie and had a family of his own. He and Joe Ben continued to make the games as often as they could. In 1999, Gary’s son decided to go out for the football team as a seventh grader. “Things really had changed since I was in the seventh grade,” Gary said. Over 100 young men tried out for the squad, which had grown to include three teams – the maroon, the white and the gray. They dominated their opponents, so much so that the maroon and white teams took district honors. “This was the year Dad and I started going to away games, too,” Gary said. “It was also the year Coach Sam Harrell got the ‘E-train’ going.”

Coach Harrell took the team to the playoffs that year, eventually losing to the 1999 Champions from Stephenville. At the beginning of this playoff round the dare was levied. “I was dared to begin the Lions’ menu,” he laughed, “and it wasn’t long before I had a cult-like following. I had friends, fellow H-E-B employees, family and E-town fans asking what was going to be on the menu next.” Gary admits that some of his menu ideas came from Paula Deen cookbooks or from the Food Network.

Tasteful and fun menu items over the years have included every school mascot the Lions have ever played. Looking back, Gary cannot recall a week of play that a menu wasn’t posted. Before the first game, the menu will read, “E-Town Football, We Believe.” During the months of play, menus will include Panther Puddin’, Smoked Tiger, Cougar Burgers, Tiger Kolbase and the ever- popular Indian Pot Pie. When the season comes to a close, the back windshield simply reads, “E-Town Football, We Thank You.”

E-Town football fans like Gary and Joe Ben believe in their football team. From 1999 on, fans have planned the Thanksgiving holiday, last minute Christmas shopping and family birthdays around the Ennis Lions’ playoff schedule. Once Coach Harrell went to a spread offense in 2000, the team started mauling their competition. Quarterbacks Tate Wallis and Graham Harrell and receivers B.J. Jones and Vincent Marshall punched the excitement of the game up several notches during their tenure with the team. “We were winning playoff games every year in Texas Stadium, which we called Lions Stadium North,” Gary remembered. “I think our Lions won more games in that stadium than the Cowboys did.”

As Gary and Joe Ben started attending more games, they took on a sidekick, the one they like to refer to as the “bus driver.” Joe Ben stated, “Judge Lee Johnson started catching as many games as he could with us. I think I remind Lee of his father. That might be why the three of us have so much fun.”

“Lee liked the idea that no matter where we went, someone knew my dad,” Gary added. “Lee got a real kick out of that.”

Gary and Joe Ben aren’t the only two football fans in the family. They just happen to be the two who have kept the dare going all these years. Gary has two sisters who also have a great deal of Lion pride and school spirit. Sharon’s two girls were always cheerleaders, while his younger sister, Kathy, has a son who is playing football as a ninth grader this year. “When the girls were in school, it was a family event,” Sharon said. “It was nice to have everyone there together.” All these many years later, it’s still a time of father-and-son bonding for Gary and Joe Ben. “When the kids were little, Joe Ben was too busy to go to football games on a regular basis,” Helen, Joe Ben’s wife of 54 years, said. “Now that they have time to go, it’s brought them closer together.”

This closeness is what prompted Sharon to make a call. She wanted to share the story of this bond between a father and his son that’s not only special, but heartwarming. All the dare of a Lions’ menu did was add spice to an already close relationship. “Gary really is a football fan,” Sharon confessed. “He loves the Ennis Lions and the Washington Red Skins equally.”

Gary and Joe Ben have hearts for football. They love kickoff, when everyone throws the “L” sign in support of their team, and Gary’s heard yelling, “Come get some.” They love watching the team win, and they’ve also been to the few games when the team has had to eat some “humble pie.” Joe Ben laughingly stated, “We don’t hunt or fish. Football is the factor that has brought us closer together as father and son.”

Written by Sandra Strong.

Heart to Art

marshallhinsley — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 22:03:23 +0000

ENNIS, TX – Local actress, Fran Jeffery Anderson, has turned her dreams of a community that cherishes its heritage into dramatic reality. Based on her belief that the performing arts can educate, as well as entertain, the unique theatrical troupe she has founded is enjoying wide acclaim. Targeting a black audience with black themes, Inspiration, Inc. has become inspiration central for the Ennis-based entertainer whose passion for music and drama defines her life. “We as African-American people have such a rich history to celebrate,” Fran said. “The goal of Inspiration, Inc. is to educate our community about that history through the arts, especially theater.”

The high-spirited director is quick to admit her incentive for forming the group is as personal as it is altruistic. “It stems from my upbringing,” she said. “I was an Army brat and lived in France when I was little. I didn’t know my own heritage and discovering it was a big deal. That’s why I do black theater. It comes from the heart.”

Born in Louisiana, Fran was an infant when her parents moved to a military base near Paris. Five years later the family returned to the States, taking up residence in Fort Worth, where Fran was reared. “It was a culture shock,” she said. “I wanted to know who I was, and in my teens I even went a little wild, wearing an Afro and a pick. I was trying to find my blackness.” Fran’s search led her to Ennis in 1998 as a regional organizer for the Boys & Girls Club, the local affiliate for which she eventually served as executive director. “I loved travelling and meeting people,” she said of her job as roving trainer for the club’s facilities in Fort Worth, Arlington and Amarillo. “But I prayed for a set position so my children’s education wouldn’t be interrupted.” Fran also wished for an outlet for her first love — performing. She found both in Ennis, the Bluebonnet City.

Of her tenure with the Boys & Girls Club of Ennis she said she “loved every minute of it,” adding that her projects for local youth were “well-received” from every quarter – from the Ennis Independent School District to the Lions Club. Fran made her mark creatively, too, by bringing artistic programming to the Boys & Girls Club, and to the public at large, as a member of the Ennis Arts Commission, to which she was appointed president in 2001. Meanwhile, she was becoming known citywide for her gospel singing and motivational speaking.

Although she left the Boys & Girls Club for Texas Discovery Gardens, Fran remained active in church circles and the artistic set surrounding the Ennis Public Theatre, where she appeared in two successful plays, Little Shop of Horrors in 2007 and Proposals the following year. “I love the Ennis Public Theatre,” she said. “Bill and Suzanne Rhoten and the whole gang there are great.”

Inspired by Bill, who became a mentor for the actress, Fran said she decided to branch out on her own to establish a family-friendly, Christian theater group focusing on the black community. She said she had long noted “a need among African-Americans for the arts.” Yet material was seldom geared to the black experience, and she wanted to fill the gap. “I realized there was a lot of talent here in Ennis that wasn’t being used,” Fran explained, “and I thought that with the right vehicles, blacks and other minorities, who haven’t been involved in local theater, could take part.”

By forming Inspiration, Inc. in 2009, Fran has accomplished her goal of providing positive, faith-based entertainment aimed primarily toward African-Americans. Over the last two seasons the group has sponsored youth acting workshops, a summer theater camp and open mike nights at venues ranging from the Ennis Public Library to the First United Methodist Church. Students learn monologue delivery, hear guest lectures by professional actors and put their training to the test by appearing in select vehicles approved by a board of directors. One of the most popular productions staged by Inspiration, Inc. was a benefit for Meals on Wheels with a World War II era theme, Black Nativity, which drew 200 people to Baylor Baptist Church. Also, the musical Crowns, was performed to overflow crowds in Dallas, Duncanville, Waxahachie and Arlington. “I loved Crowns,” said one fan, Doris Collins of Ferris. “It was heartwarming.”

Crowns, written by Dallas playwright, Regina Taylor, tells the story of a New York City teen, embraced by her Southern grandmother and her hat- wearing church friends. The musical, which features traditional gospel tunes like “His Eye is on the Sparrow” and colorful African costumes, was a bigger hit than Fran expected. “Crowns wasn’t scheduled for this season,” she said. “But we have had so many requests for it that we brought it back.” The play was last presented on the campus of The University of Texas at Arlington where Fran is studying theater administration.

Fran is proud of the success Inspiration, Inc. has enjoyed and has high hopes for future seasons. She credits her actors, musicians and advisers – Sandra Struggs, Markus Sallie, Kellie Kovar
and Sue Powell — for contributing to its growth. But board member, Sandra Wakefield, acknowledges Fran as the real force behind the scenes. “Fran is so affirming,” she said. “She is a great encourager. She wants everyone to shine.”

Fran isn’t one to rest on her considerable laurels. “There’s still work to do to get us where we need to be,” she confessed. “We don’t have a regular venue, so that’s a challenge. Right now we put on our shows anywhere we can find a spot.”

Her family is also proud of the work she has done to promote black theater. Fran has four children, two of whom live in Fort Worth, and two who live with her in her Ennis home, where she displays her collection of African-American art

and some of the “church lady” hats
worn by her cast in Crowns. Fran’s son, Joe, whom she singles out as the “techie” who helps her with sound systems and computers, is attending classes at Navarro College.

Forthcoming Inspiration, Inc. productions include The Gospel at Colonus. “It’s set in a black Pentecostal church,” Fran enthused, “and the music is awesome.” A Raisin in the Sun, the Lorraine Hansberry classic, is in the planning phase, too, qualifying that it won’t matter how fine the vehicle is without community interest and aid.

“Our goal is to encourage more black people to support and participate in the arts,” Fran said. “You can join Inspiration, Inc. by performing, donating money or time and helping out with costumes or props. There is a place for you in theater. It’s right here in Ennis!”

Written by Randy Bigham.