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Serving through Their Sons

marshallhinsley — Tue, 01 May 2012 03:37:54 +0000

MANSFIELD, TX – When George and Roberta Dennis go out wearing their hats, they are often stopped by passersby who inquire about the patches adorning them. The hats are a testament to the service to their country of their sons and son-in-law. They have a patch for each of their sons’ deployments in the Middle East, and each patch has been worn by one of the men while he was deployed from Operation Desert Storm until the present.

“My ancestry traces back to the Pilgrims at Plymouth, and there are Dennises in every conflict this country has ever had, so my family history is one of service to this country forever, even before George Washington. All four of my great- grandfathers fought for the Confederacy, and my paternal great-grandfather’s brothers fought for the North, so I had ancestors on both sides,” George said. “Our sons and son-in-law (whom we count as our own) are all active duty, career soldiers, and all have had multiple deployments to the Middle East. We wear our hats to honor those boys.”

The Dennises’ oldest son, Geoffrey, was named for the author Geoffrey Chaucer, George’s favorite writer. He is a sergeant major serving full-time on the brigade staff in the operations office of the Texas National Guard. His first deployment was with the 82nd Airborne Division in Operation Desert Storm.

Their son-in-law, Ray Nixon, is a sergeant first class, who has been deployed three times to Iraq. He served with the 1st Infantry Division (commonly known as The Big Red One) as a medic, and is currently stationed at Fort Bliss, near El Paso.

Their youngest son, Matthew, is a major with the 2nd Infantry Division. He has been to Iraq three times and has also served in Afghanistan at the International Joint Command Center in Kabul. He earned a master’s degree from the Army’s School of Advanced Military Studies and is now a staff officer in an artillery battalion at Fort Lewis, Washington.

“At one time, Matthew and Ray were at adjacent bases in Iraq. They saw each other when they could and, since Matthew is an officer, Ray had to salute him. Ray always laughed about it and said, ‘I salute, and then I hug him,’” Roberta chuckled.

Military service is not limited to the younger Dennises. George’s father was an army private who drove mules in World War I. As he was growing up, soldiers were George’s heroes. He often waved at convoys of soldiers as they passed his house, and when a soldier came home, George always made sure to listen to his stories.

George served in the Army in the late 1950s when the Cold War was “hot as the dickens.” He came from a family of meager means, and it was hard for many young men to find work because the draft was in effect, and employers knew it was likely they would lose their young hires for two years. Therefore, George decided to enlist to get his service out of the way. He spent three years in the Army, two of them in Germany, where he recalls seeing lines of American tanks on one side of the East German border facing lines of Russian tanks on the other side. He was soberly reminded of the air raid drills that he had practiced at home could very well be necessary. George never fired his weapon, but army experience did get him started on a long career when he returned home.

“I trained to be a radar repairman, which started me on a professional career in electronics. I came home and got married, then went to college and became an electrical engineer. I am grateful to
the Army for getting me started with my career,” George said.

Roberta never served in the military, but her brothers were both Navy men. Her older brother was an aviation mechanic and never served outside the United States. Her younger brother left college after three years and was on a ship off the coast of Vietnam when their father fell ill, and their mother could not take care of him. She applied for a hardship discharge for her son through her Congressman, which was granted.

The Dennises are often asked about their sons, and how they deal with knowing that they could be hurt or killed. However, both say they do not worry much because they are confident that their sons’ training, their ability to protect themselves and their leadership keep them as safe as possible.

“I don’t like that they’re gone, and I don’t like that they’re away from their families, but they’ve been deployed so often that they just do it. They might fuss about it, but they know the rules and they go,” George said.

Roberta added, “We watch the news, and we keep maps on the wall so we know where they are. The only time I was really worried was about a year ago when an Afghan pilot shot several people at the International Command Center where Matthew was. I immediately sent him an e-mail, but I didn’t hear from him that he was OK until several hours later. Once I heard from him, I was relieved, and I put him on a prayer chain. I have to live in faith that God will protect them.”

While it is difficult for George and Roberta to see their sons deployed, they are most sympathetic for their sons’ wives and their own daughter. Geoffrey’s wife, Maranda, Ray’s wife, Emily, and Matthew’s wife, Gennie, each have endured multiple deployments and have had to raise children by themselves for large chunks of time.

“I really have a lot of sympathy for the girls. They’re serving too. It’s a family engagement, not just the husband,” Roberta said.

Matthew will be starting his fifth tour in the fall, and he has only been married 10 years. He has missed the births of both of his children, Christmases, birthdays and anniversaries. Ray was deployed three times in eight years, and Emily was alone in Germany during those times. Maranda also has struggled with the life of a military wife.

“Sometimes I’m jealous of women whose children are nearby because they can have family gatherings and get together often. Then I realize we have our own life, and it works for us,” Roberta said.

“I read a lot about military history, and I’m fascinated by the skill, perseverance and quality of the American fighting man,” George said proudly. “They’re experts at whatever they do, whether they’re a clerk or fighting out of a scrape or, like Ray, helping their fellow soldiers when they’re hurt. All of them are good soldiers.”

Written by Jeremy Agor.

SWAT REACTion

marshallhinsley — Sun, 01 Apr 2012 04:29:21 +0000

MANSFIELD, TX — Mansfield SWAT team scouts, seen only as subtle flickers of movement among the trees, quietly surrounded a cul-de-sac home. The Special Weapons and Tactics officers positioned themselves to watch every inch of the property.

According to their dispatch orders, a disturbance in the home could become a hostage situation. As a black, armored vehicle pulled into the street and parked facing the house, Sergeant Jim Harrell keyed his radio. “Be advised: patrol saw the female try to leave the house. The male grabbed her and threw her down.”

The truck’s back and side doors opened. Numerous “React” team members jumped out and waited, rifles covering the house.

Soon Jim spoke again. “Be advised: negotiations have broken down. There is a threat to the hostage. React: prepare for gas. Advise when you have your masks on.”

Minutes later, a report echoed through the neighborhood as a rifle sent tear gas canisters through the front windows. At Jim’s order, the React team rushed the house and broke through the front door.

The officers found no perpetrator or hostage inside. But then, they did not expect to. The entire call had been a training scenario, the first scheduled for the day. Signs posted at the cul-de-sac entrance alerted neighbors and passers-by that police training was in progress. After the exercise, Jim briefly analyzed their performance, and the team left the neighborhood to reset itself for the next call.

Jim leads the SWAT team and had organized the day’s training. SWAT is sent on crisis calls, such as narcotic and other high-risk warrants, barricaded persons and hostage situations. Scenario training helps the officers prepare for these hazardous assignments. They use all their normal weapons, from pistols to rifles. Rather than live ammunition, however, the guns are loaded with wax bullets known as “simunition.”

Since the men must make their plans as they go, an unfamiliar house adds invaluable realism to the training exercise. “This house was condemned and purchased by the city because of

flooding,” Jim said. “It’s going to be demolished, but they’re letting us use it for training first.”

Unlike the full-time SWAT teams that serve some larger cities, Mansfield’s SWAT members volunteer for the assignment on top of their regular patrol duties. They also spend an extra 20 hours per month in specialized training. “They get no extra pay, but they are highly trained and have the best equipment on the force,” Jim said.

SWAT members must be made of stern stuff. To be considered for duty, each must pass a series of tests, including physical fitness and firearms skill. Jim explained that fitness and endurance are as important as marksmanship. The men have to run while wearing 45-pound protective vests,
often in brutally hot weather.

The rigors of duty and training have melded the officers into a close team, most of them five- to seven-year veterans. “There isn’t anything these guys won’t do for each other,” Jim said.

He gives full credit to the SWAT wives for the crucial support they offer the men — and to each other, as a family may need babysitting during a call. Over the past two years, Mansfield’s SWAT team has averaged a call about every 10 to 20 days. “It’s hard on a wife,” Jim said. “When the pager goes off at 2:00 a.m., there’s nothing she can do except wait for that call that says ‘We’re done, and we’re OK.’”

SWAT cannot work alone, but depends on information from the Police Intelligence Officer. And, in a hostage or barricaded person crisis, they act in tandem with the negotiating team to stop or prevent violence. The negotiators’ job is to talk the person out of the house. But, as Jim pointed out, “If he looks out the window, and nobody is there except the negotiator, why should he surrender? SWAT is the threat that motivates him. If he knows there are men out there with gas canisters and rifles, it gives him a reason to cooperate.”

Jim’s boss, Patrol Division Commander Kyle Lanier, oversees all three teams’ efforts. Though SWAT faces the most volatile situations in police work, Kyle said that statistically they suffer no more casualties than patrol officers. After all, even during a traffic stop an officer may be harmed. Besides, the team gets the best training on the police force. “Everything they do here, they can take on patrol. The mindset of these individuals makes them safer cops,” Kyle asserted.

As another safety measure, three Fire Department medics go with the team. Two of these are also police officers. Lt. David Holland, one of the double- duty officers, may treat anything from accident injuries to gunshot wounds at the scene. Even during training, no case of dehydration or other problem escapes his watchful eye. David spoke about how rewarding his work is, but played down the sacrifices he makes.

In fact, all the team members cheerfully sacrifice the required time and effort above the normal call of duty. Naz Aguirre accepted the challenge partly because of the top-notch training and equipment. More importantly, he gains fulfillment from answering the most urgent calls. “When people are in dire need, I’m able to show up and take care of the situation,” he said. His most memorable call came in 2006, when a shooter in a Midlothian apartment had wounded and pinned down four law officers. “We finished that,” he said with grim satisfaction.

Michael Midkiff is an eight-year veteran on the force who joined SWAT after the first year. Like Naz, he appreciates the specialized training he receives. But what actually drew him to SWAT was the chance to test what he is made of. “It puts me in situations where things have gone from bad to worse — where I have to step up to the plate,” he said. “It’s a gut check.”

SWAT’s whole-team effort demands a lot of trust. The men must trust each other; they and their wives must trust their training. Everyone depends on the information that Intelligence provides. React depends on the support officers who drive and stay with their vehicles.

One of those vehicles, the armored truck, bears a curious marking: a “smiley face” on the back door. Sketched into the marking plans as a joke, the emblem had caught the chief’s eye. He said he liked it. After the truck was painted with only the official markings, the chief sent it back to have the smiley added. As the team attends training events around the country, the audacious truck has gained its own reputation. Mansfield’s SWAT team, made of courage and dedication with a dash of humor, more than lives up to their Police Department motto: “Pride – Honor – Integrity.”

Written by Janice C. Johnson.

Faith in Action

marshallhinsley — Thu, 01 Mar 2012 04:10:03 +0000

MANSFIELD, TX — Jolyn Schwartz had served in the United States Air Force and had been as far away as Portugal. She started attending church overseas (where she also met her husband), beginning a chapter in her life that is still ongoing today. She found herself hungering for something different and new. And in recent years, she has figured out what that something was.

Jolyn was looking for a way to put feet to her faith. She was looking for a way to give back, since she felt particularly blessed in her life. But she wasn’t sure what she should do. Through the inspiration of a friend and the support of her husband, she found her place of service in My Sister’s Closet.

“It really all began with my friend, Tracy,” Jolyn said, “who passed away early last year. She was all about ministering and serving others.”

Jolyn and Tracy were members of the same church, and every Christmas, Tracy picked a handful of single moms to bless with gift cards, money and toys, while feeding them a dinner at Cha Cha’s. She would even bless one mom with a car. Jolyn was honored to be part of these events. “In 2010, I was able to bring jackets to the Christmas dinner and allow the moms to take what they needed home,” Jolyn added.

Tracy also owned her own business and would hire single mothers in the hopes of giving them a better start, while teaching them work skills that would carry them through life. Jolyn got to observe Tracy constantly seeking out ways to serve others who were less fortunate. Tracy’s husband now runs that business with the same vision and direction as his late wife.

“I was inspired by this. I learned so much from working and being around Tracy,” Jolyn stated with passion. “In some ways, I wanted to be just like her. I wanted to help others and serve my God at the same time.”

While working as a part-time manager at a self storage facility in 2003-2004, she met a lady who had a children’s clothes closet, for sharing used children’s clothing. “She would store them in totes and take them to families each month,” Jolyn shared. Though this impressed her at the time, it wasn’t until several years later she acted on it.

In 2007, Jolyn and a friend began collecting clothes for charity, but soon found a lot of their clothes were going to organizations that, while charitable, were selling the clothes. Even at a low price, that was not what Jolyn desired. She wasn’t out to make a profit on these clothes. She wanted to give them away.

Shortly thereafter, Jolyn found out a clothing store in The Parks at Arlington mall was closing. Right away, she knew what she had to do. She was able to buy 25 boxes of clothing for $25. She moved the clothing to two 10×12 storage units, and shortly thereafter opened a walk-in clothes closet.

Last year, that clothes closet had to temporarily close, but it will open again this spring. In the meantime, Jolyn and her friend, Shani Butler, have been holding clothing swap parties. They have a small charge per person or organization, using that money to reimburse the

cost of the meal that is served. These parties are held twice a year. Jolyn advertises mostly through word of mouth and Facebook.

As many as 60 people attend these parties, where each one is given a number. When their number is called, they are allowed up to 60 seconds to pick any three items they want. After that, everyone is allowed to freely shop. These events, usually lasting up to four hours, are normally held at Embargo, a restaurant in Fort Worth. The next swap is scheduled there on March 24.

Shani was not at all surprised when Jolyn took on this ministry. “The first time we went to a clothing swap party together was at my son’s school,” Shani explained. “When we were leaving, several of us remarked we ought to do something like that someday. But she was the one who stepped up and actually did it. That’s just who she is!”

One person who has benefitted from this ministry is Laura Kelly. Laura’s husband passed away three years ago, and she was left to raise six sons on her own. He had been the primary provider at the time of his passing, and carrying on where he left off wasn’t easy for Laura. Many times she was unsure of how she was going to get through it. Jolyn and My Sister’s Closet, as Jolyn named her ministry, have helped alleviate much of that stress. “The last time I was there, I went home with 10 outfits,” Laura said. “I’m able to take care of so much because of her. I don’t miss a swap party. Sometimes I even take my sister and my niece.”

Jolyn chose the name of her charity based on her personal experience. “I was the youngest of five sisters, and I was always getting their hand-me-downs,” Jolyn confessed. “Since all my clothes back then came from my sisters’ closets, it just made sense to give it that name.”

Jolyn and Tim have been married for 13 years. They met while they were both serving in the Air Force. He definitely supports her endeavor.

“He grew up as one of four children being raised by a single mom, so he understands what many of these families are going through.”

Still, he was initially skeptical, thinking his wife would be overloaded in her schedule. She is after all, homeschooling their 9-year-old, Timothy, along with tending to their 3-year-old son, Noah. But Jolyn has found her place of service and she definitely doesn’t want to stop there.

And to hear Tim tell it, he wouldn’t have it any other way. “My wife is the quintessential nice person. If there’s a hurt dog on the side of the road, she wants to nurse it back to health. If there’s a homeless person in need, she’s immediately reaching into her wallet. If someone’s in need, she’s the first to start organizing aid,” he said with pride. “My Sister’s Closet is just a natural outgrowth of what’s always in her heart — compassion, kindness and genuine love.”

“Someday I want to open my own resale shop and use it to supplement the Closet,” Jolyn added.

However, her primary objective would never be to make money, as much as it would be to do ministry. After all, it’s how she chooses to put feet to her faith.

Written by Rick Hope.

A Gift from Heaven

marshallhinsley — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 04:09:23 +0000

MANSFIELD, TX – Throughout history, there have always been those who have cried out against injustice. And there have always been those who wanted to speak up for the downtrodden. Many are willing to speak out for the poor. Someone is always ready to take up a cause that everyone else seems to want to ignore. But very rarely is that person a preteen from Mansfield. But then, everyone who has ever met her agrees that Heaven Conner is indeed a very rare young lady.

In May 2011, Heaven was walking with her mother, Sara, to a friend’s house. As they walked, they began to talk about Heaven’s frustration over the way a fellow student had been treated. “His clothes were not in the best condition,” Heaven recalled. But it wasn’t just the treatment of that one student that bothered her. Heaven had compassion for other students in that situation. “There were some kids who would tease other kids who didn’t have more than two outfits to wear,” Heaven shared.

She also spoke of her sadness at the way some children were teased simply because they did not have lunch money. Heaven did not feel it was fair for people to be treated this way because of their circumstances. “I don’t understand why people want to be mean,” she said.

Finally, her mom told her, “Heaven, you can either complain about it or do something about it.”

According to Sara, Heaven’s brain immediately kicked into high gear, and she began thinking of creating her own charity. “She was thinking large scale. I had to slow her down a bit and convince her to start off on a smaller scale and let it grow from there,” Sara said. “Her brain was going full tilt.” From that conversation, ClothesEd.org was born.

Last summer, Heaven asked her friends to donate name brand clothing for an outdoor clothes sale. She put together a business proposal, which she submitted to her dad, Eben. After he OK’d the idea, she talked to the administrators at Mary Orr Elementary School, who gave her permission to hold the sale in their parking lot. She then found a donor who agreed to match whatever profit came out of the sale. Heaven made around $500 from the sale. The donor matched it and, in addition, Heaven pitched in $500 of her own money (she occasionally models for the Campbell Agency, which includes JCPenney as a client.) With close to $1,500 in funds, Heaven then went “bargain-hunting” and bought name-brand clothes to be given away. She found students who needed the clothes through recommendations and inquiries on the ClothesEd Facebook page. ClothesEd has donated money to Worley Middle School in Mansfield and Acton Elementary School in Duncanville to assist students in purchasing lunch.

Sara explained the reason for buying name- brand clothing: “The main reason is to be sensitive to the demographics and climate of the school district. In order for a student to reach their fullest potential, they have to be academically, socially and emotionally ready. Heaven feels this is her social contribution, as it helps minimize teasing and rejection.”

Heaven has received very little criticism or questions from the community. “On the whole, everyone is supportive,” Sara said. “They were impressed with Heaven and what she was doing. They wanted to encourage her.”

Heaven has always been a compassionate giver. In December 2010, she donated $750 of her modeling money to Samaritan’s Purse Ministries to help provide water wells and necessary livestock to Third World countries. Last Christmas, she led a blanket drive for the Presbyterian Night Shelter in Fort Worth.

She has also asked some of her former teachers to donate time during the upcoming summer to help tutor students who were having a hard time with certain subjects. The teachers readily agreed. Her goal next year is to have enough resources to help 50 students through clothing, tutoring and lunch assistance combined.

Heaven’s entire family pitches in with the charity. Her father is the senior pastor of Word of Truth Family Church in Mansfield, and ClothesEd.org currently operates under their nonprofit status. The Connors’ family motto is “Live to Give and Give to Live.” As a family, they believe givers enjoy the best benefits in life. In fact, Heaven hijacks clothes from her 2-year- old brother, Landon, for charity. “He has too many anyway,” she laughed.

If her charity didn’t keep her busy enough, Heaven also is active playing select soccer as a midfielder for the Dallas Texans. She also plays tennis, basketball and baseball. Musically, Heaven is a vocal student at Face the Music and plays the trumpet. When she was 9, Heaven wrote and recorded “Jesus Rocks” on Word of Truth’s Children’s Christmas CD. She currently attends The Oakridge School and plans to one day attend Texas Christian University to major in architecture and minor in theater arts. “I like to build things, and I’m very dramatic!” she said.

According to her charity’s Web site, Heaven doesn’t want to be the only child her age in the Mansfield area doing this type of work. “By myself, I can help a few kids, but if you get involved we can help a whole lot of kids,” reads the site. The Web site also includes a “Givers Wall of Fame” for those who have donated money or clothes. She encourages “really cool kids” to be a part of what she is doing.

Heaven not only believes other kids her age can pull off an idea like hers, she actually encourages it. She challenges her peers to “find what you’re good at and get started with it. Making a difference is the best thing you can do.”

But this is much more than a childhood project for Heaven. Clearly this is something she wants to continue to do even as an adult. Sure, she may have another career. She may be a successful architect, but the charity will also always be a passion. Her motivation is not recognition from her peers or from the general public. The motivation of her heart is for the less fortunate. “I like to help people,” she confessed. “I don’t feel being mean to people is right.”

Written by Rick Hope.

Editor’s Note: To get involved as a teacher or a donor, visit Heaven’s Web site Clothesed.org.

The Right Thing To Do

marshallhinsley — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 19:46:36 +0000

MANSFIELD, TX – Rob Schulz is extremely reluctant to talk about himself. He’s not impolite about it, but he’d just rather not be the main topic of conversation. That just seems to be his style.

But his excitement grows when the conversation turns to his efforts in the community, especially the project known as Mansfield 2020. This project is just one of his passions, and something he is deeply committed to seeing succeed. In fact, seeing Mansfield flourish is very much a part of who he is. “Mansfield is a real community, not just another sterile suburb,” Rob said. “It has diversity, history and character that make it a great place to live! We’re here for life!”

Rob and his wife, Shelly, whom he married during his senior year at The University of Texas at Austin, have lived in Mansfield since May 1994. They have four children: Gretchen, Grace, Daniel and Gwen, who range in age from 20 to 9. “I want Mansfield to be a place that my kids can come back to someday and thrive if that is what they desire. This community has massive potential, a Mansfield 2020 is our roadmap to success.”

Much of Rob’s sense of community involvement comes from his family heritage. Rob looked up to his father and grandfather, who both believed in making a difference in their community. Rob said his father’s passion was for downtown revitalization. That influence led Rob, once the decision was made that Mansfield would be his family’s home, to the Mansfield Chamber of Commerce to ask how he could be of service. Because of the way he was reared, community service was never a question where Rob was concerned. “It’s what you do,” he stated. “It’s the legacy you leave behind.”

The first thing Rob got involved in was the campaign that led to the Mansfield Economic Development Corporation (MEDC). The campaign called for a half-cent sales tax increase to fund the MEDC and passed by a wide margin. Then in 2009, Rob was inspired to work with the Mansfield Area Chamber of Commerce to create Mansfield 2020, which he describes as a living document. The document was adopted by the Chamber and presented to the Mansfield City Council in 2010.

The mission of Mansfield 2020 is to discover what Mansfield can accomplish by the year 2020 and share a vision for the future. MEDC incorporates four areas of focus: infrastructure, economic development, education and quality of life. The document states that quality of life is intertwined with the others and that it’s all about finding and creating better lives for ourselves and our children. To improve on the quality of life in the community, the document focuses on several initiatives that include clean, green and lean.

When discussing the clean aspect, the document points out how important first impressions are. For that reason, a greater emphasis on clean streets and beautification programs is advocated. “This means we may have to find a way to locally fund the cleanup of state-owned thoroughfares and even private property in order to meet the high standards our potential future demands,” he explained.

As one might guess, green has to do with maintaining a healthy focus on the environment. The document indicates that in order to continue to achieve a strong quality of life, there will have to be continued emphasis on the linear park system and maintaining clean and beautiful waterways. Environmentally responsible recycling, water use and energy initiatives are also considered essential.

“Lean has to do with health,” Rob said. “The Mansfield 2020 document is crucial to one’s quality of life.” Moreover, the document asserts that a strong health initiative would set this community apart from others. Rob and the Mansfield 2020 Health Initiatives committee believe
the community is well on its way in this area with newly created branding and unprecedented cooperation between the city, school district, local businesses and healthcare providers. “Our efforts are being noticed and acknowledged as groundbreaking work throughout the Metroplex,” he added.

When it comes to economic development, the goal for the year 2020 is a self-sustaining city with quality neighborhoods, schools and businesses, known as a hub of medical excellence, corporate headquarters and clean industry. Continued encouragement of medical industry expansion, educational excellence, cultural enrichment and public transportation initiatives are among the items suggested. A vital, continued effort for downtown revitalization is also considered important.

By the year 2020, Highway 360 should be taking drivers all the way to Hillsboro, becoming a third major connector for travel between the Metroplex and Austin. In addition, Mansfield is slated to be a part of the proposed Loop 9, a 357-mile loop around the entire Metroplex. Mansfield 2020 suggests that intensive planning for the opportunity needs to start immediately.

Rob feels that education may be the most important component of Mansfield 2020. Keys for a successful educational system include more parental involvement at the higher grade levels and massive support from the business community. The goal of the Mansfield education system is to have students

prepared to step off the commencement stage into an academic or vocational program that helps them achieve the career path they have chosen in life. Rob holds this goal very close to his heart. “I want this to be a community where every kid is prepared to achieve what they want to accomplish and be able to do it here,” Rob remarked.

To Rob, Mansfield 2020 is all about giving tools to community leaders who aspire to do great things, while also giving them the opportunity to succeed. What
if they should bypass the vision? “That’s even better,” he said. “That’s the greatest compliment. It’s my hope that Mansfield attracts and nurtures such talented future leaders that they in turn achieve things we cannot possibly imagine.”

But don’t think Vision of Mansfield 2020 is the main priority in Rob’s life. As he talks about his children and his wife, his eyes light up. The dry erase board
in his office is evidence that his family is very close and supportive of one another. The words, “I love you Daddy! Gretchen,” had been drawn there by his daughter for all to see. Once again, Rob reiterates his desire — making an impact on the community has more to do with providing a legacy for his family than anything else. “It’s just the right thing to do.”

Written by Rick Hope.

Seasoned and Serving

marshallhinsley — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 05:04:06 +0000

MANSFIELD, TX — Bert and Merie Skinner have been married for more than 51 years, yet they interact like youngsters, playfully teasing each other with the familiarity that all those years together bring. While they enjoy their time together, they also relish the time they spend at Bethlehem Baptist Church with the Seasoned Saints, a group of church members aged 55 and older who participate in Bible study, community outreach and travel together, making the most of life.

The most important activity to Merie is the group’s choir, of which she is the director. “The choir began after I went with a friend to a senior citizens’ home in Fort Worth. They had a small choir, and we invited them to come to our church and sing,” Merie said. “They couldn’t, so we decided to start one! At first we had about 15 members and now we’re up to about 50. We have a lot of people who love to sing, but thought they were too old. We don’t have any trouble recruiting. People come up to me and say ‘Mrs. Skinner, I’ll be 55 next month!’”

The choir is a ministry under the church’s music ministry. The group sings old-time gospel music, performing at the 7:45 a.m. service on the fifth Sunday of the month. Each member dresses according to a strict dress code, which goes as far as prohibiting dangling earrings. Often, the church’s pastor, the Reverend Dr. Michael Evans, takes the choir to a church where he’s been invited to preach because he says they “sing with praise in their hearts.” According to Bert, Pastor Evans is very fond of the Seasoned Saints and has been known to tell the group’s members that he is a young man with an old soul.

“Merie is good at choosing songs with help from the pastor and other choir members. She says they’re ‘age-appropriate,’” said Seasoned Saints president Floyd L. Robinson. Mostly, the Seasoned Saints sing at churches, although they have previously performed at the YMCA Gospel Fest in Arlington – the only nonchurch venue in which they’ve performed. “We don’t think of ourselves as a performing group, but we share praise through music. This choir truly sings with the spirit in our hearts, and people see that,” Merie explained.

The Seasoned Saints’ reach extends beyond the choir room. Their outreach to other senior citizens is widespread as well. They adopted Tandy Village in Fort Worth after a church member’s mother, who was a resident there, complained that there were never any visitors. In August 2006, the Seasoned Saints set out to change that. They arrived at a small chapel at Tandy Village and found people waiting for them. Since then, numbers have grown so much that they have had to move to an auditorium. They visit the community twice a month for Bible study and fellowship, followed by lunch at a local restaurant, something Bert says the group enjoys as much as visiting Tandy Village. They have also visited Mansfield Nursing Home and Emmanuel Nursing Home for Bible studies.

Because of the group’s connection with Tandy Village, the Seasoned Saints had purple t-shirts made with two hands shaking on them to symbolize the relationship between the two, the “Tandy Connection,” as Bert calls it. The shirts also have a verse from the Book of Hebrews, “We must run to the finish,” which was the verse chosen for the first Bible study they did together.

At Christmas, the Seasoned Saints create 100-110 gift bags for residents at Tandy Village, as well as some for senior citizens who are no longer able to attend church. The home’s director tells them the items that people need, and the Seasoned Saints provide them. The bags contain things such as blanket warmers and socks, which provide comfort to the recipients. They also spearhead the gift ministry for needy children in the community and feed the homeless.

“We do all our outreach on our own. All the money comes from the Seasoned Saints. We voted a long time ago to be self-sufficient. We use the church vans, but we try not to take more. The church was willing to help us, but we didn’t want to add to its expenses,” Bert said.

“We try to meet the needs of as many people as we can,” Merie added. “It’s a joy. We visit hospitals, nursing homes and church members in need. We’re like-minded and looking for ways to serve, and we do it as well as any other ministry of the church.” In addition to its in-person efforts, the group also sends sympathy cards, get-well cards and coordinates a prayer team to keep in touch with church members who are ill or unable to attend church.

The Seasoned Saints are committed to service, but they manage to find time for fun as well. They find things to do locally, but they often travel throughout the state or out of the country, too. “Being of the age group we are, we’ve done a lot and seen a lot. If someone says, ‘We should do this,’ and we have enough people, we do it,” Merie said. “It’s a joy spending time with others your age who want to stay active rather than sit around lonely. Together we can broaden our experiences.”

The group has done several barbecue runs, traveling throughout the state to places such as Lockhart and Luling, as well as San Antonio and Austin. Beyond the Texas border, the Seasoned Saints have taken Caribbean cruises. “Some members of the group had never been out of Texas,” Bert said, “and then they went on a cruise and suddenly were much more aware of what is out in the world.” Bert does all the research and books all the cruises, and each time the group travels, he tries to improve the process so it is as easy as possible for everyone.

In an effort to prevent some of the dangers associated with getting older, many Seasoned Saints members are registered with the Mansfield Police Department, so if they get confused and wander off, the police have all their information so they can find them and return them to their homes.

“We’re the mother church. Others see us and get involved in what we’re doing. This year, a Seasoned Saints conference is being planned through the Baptist General Convention of Texas,” Floyd said. “We’re sincere about what we say or do. Being seasoned, we’ve come through all the levels of life. We’re being watched, and people see us setting an example. Seasoned Saints is the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Written by Jeremy Agor.

A Texas Woman Through and Through

marshallhinsley — Tue, 01 Nov 2011 02:26:15 +0000

MANSFIELD, TX — As with any true Texas woman, Brooke Jeter is proud of her morals, loyal to her friends, fun-loving, hot-tempered and unafraid to stand up for what she believes. As she embarks on a career as a barrel racer on the professional rodeo circuit, she hopes those attributes and her dedication to the sport will take her to the National Finals Rodeo and beyond. “In the next five years, I want to have made the Texas Circuit Finals Rodeo and the National Finals Rodeo. Ultimately, I want to win a world title,” Brooke said. “But my big dream is to do it all on a horse that I trained. Anyone can buy a horse and make the finals, but not a lot of people train their own horse. It’s actually getting very hard to train your own horse and win, because horses are being bred for barrel racing, and you can be behind from the start.”

Brooke grew up in South Texas. She and her twin sister followed her father as he rode bulls in local rodeos. They also tagged along to sale barns and helped him work cattle, riding colts and bringing cattle up to the auction all night. They saw barrel racing for the first time during their travels with their father, and even though they knew nothing about it, he found some barrels, and they used their ranch horses and found the sport came easily.

Brooke rodeoed throughout high school, competing in team and breakaway roping and competed for Texas A&M University-Kingsville, as well — until the sport became too expensive. Rodeo was never far from her heart though, and it wasn’t long before she got pulled back in. “I couldn’t afford my horses when I was in school so I quit [rodeo]. After I graduated, I got another horse and trained it. Then, when I started dating Jason, I got a couple more colts. I’ve competed on the amateur circuit, and I’ve always trained my own horses. I’ve trained three so far. I won’t buy a horse that’s trained unless it’s a project that I can fix and sell,” she explained.

Jason Jeter, a Mansfield native, who competed at the city’s old Kowbell Arena and is now Brooke’s husband, is a retired professional bareback horse rider. He qualified for the National Finals Rodeo six times and won it once. That same year, he was the reserve world champion. His experience and knowledge have helped Brooke as she prepares for her own career.

“Since we’ve been together, I was gone 200 days a year. Now that I’m retired, I still travel some, but not at that level,” Jason said. “It’s good to be able to spend time together, but now she’s traveling, and I support that. Hopefully, she can make some money at it and support me for a while.

“I try to tell Brooke the way I would’ve worked situations. I like to think the way I rodeoed was smart compared to some of my friends. I have a lot to show for it because I did it the right way. I can help Brooke by telling her not to go to a certain event or how to enter so she can make money and save money. There’s a right way and a wrong way, and you can make money either way, but what’s the point if you’re not ultimately going to be successful? I can help her with her learning curve,” Jason explained.

Part of that learning curve is understanding there is much more expense to her events. “A lot of people win a lot of money, but people don’t realize the expense of the sport,” Brooke mused. She must bring her own horses to events, plus pay for fuel, feed, training and vet bills, whereas Jason was able to fly to events, saving time and money. Some riders try to travel together to cut down on expenses, but that is not always a good solution. “With the price of diesel,” Brooke said, “I try to get several people to travel, but girls are girls, and half the time we can’t get along anyway. I’m lucky to have a good group of friends who I can count on.”

Beyond Jason’s support, Brooke has also benefited from meeting Jason’s friends in the rodeo world. Through them, she can learn how to do things that she would normally have to learn on her own through competition. “I can call a friend who’s been in the finals multiple times and ask for advice,” she said. “Not everyone will tell you their secrets because it’s an advantage for them, but if you have friends you hang out with, they’ll tell you, ‘Do it this way, but don’t tell anyone.’”

Jason’s career has already helped Brooke gain a measure of fame away from the circuit. Last summer, she appeared in the CMT television series, Texas Women. A production company was looking for women married to rodeo cowboys and contacted a friend of Brooke’s, who promptly recommended her. She agreed to shoot a “sizzle reel” to try to sell the show and, a year later, got a call that the show had been picked up by CMT, and “things went real fast after that.” The show was filmed in May and aired in July, quickly becoming the highest-rated show on the network. Although it was a good experience, Brooke was disappointed that what she expected the show to focus on — her horse training and rodeo competitions — was not what aired, and that the title was misleading.

“Texas women are prideful about being born and raised in Texas, and I was the only one of the four of us who was,” she said, indignantly. “I was a little offended by the title, and I was afraid other Texas women would be, too.”

However, the show paid for surgery for one of Brooke’s horses and an MRI for another, plus it gave her a financial jumpstart for her professional career, so she is happy that she did it.

Brooke began her rodeo career in October, travelling to events in Seguin, Bellville and Rosenberg, Texas, as well as Tulsa, Oklahoma. However, she knows she must win to expand her travels around the country. “Texas is the hardest place to win. It’s nothing to show up
to an event and see five girls who have qualified for the National Finals Rodeo. If I don’t have a horse that can win in Texas, I’ll compete in local events, but I won’t go around the United States,” she stated. “You have to be winning to afford to do it.”

Written by Jeremy Agor.

Beautifully Unique

marshallhinsley — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 03:08:50 +0000

MANSFIELD, TX — Two days before the Miss Mansfield pageant, Jacque Hughes, Mallory McCarter’s boss at the hair salon where she is a stylist, asked her to step in when someone dropped out of the competition. Her employers were one of the sponsors of the first-ever event. “I had never done a pageant in my life,” said the 22-year-old, tall, slender blonde. Out of gratitude to her bosses, who are “the best in the world,” Mallory reluctantly agreed. “The second she asked, I was on top of it.”

The door flew open and the whirl of pageantry preparations blew Mallory into a fun, but frantic flurry. “I wore my sister’s prom dress and borrowed a friend’s bathing suit. I’m a vocalist, so

I sang the country song, ‘The House That Built Me,’ by Miranda Lambert.” That night, it did go all right. This self- proclaimed dark horse, last minute entry was awarded the title of the “first”

Miss Mansfield.
“Mansfield was the only city of its size

in Texas that had never had an entry in the Miss Texas Pageant, until this year. It was a really big deal,” she stated. The city- chosen queens compete in the Miss Texas pageant in June of each year. The winner then goes on to represent the state in the renowned Miss America Pageant. “The Miss America Pageant is not just a beauty contest. It’s a scholarship program.
Most people don’t realize that,” Mallory pointed out. “Each contestant has to raise a certain amount of money for the Children’s Miracle Network in order to qualify. That means just as much as talent, answers or looks. I’m very proud I got to be a small part of all that.”

What was the key to her winning? Mallory grinned and gazed upward. “I know I had outside help.” She admitted she felt strange among the other talented and beautiful young women who had been in the pageant circuit for so much of their lives. But, as she looks back on her life experiences in Ovilla, Texas, where she was reared, it all blended at the right moment into the winning formula.

Her mother had always been supportive of her and encouraged her to be her own person. Ballet taught her balance and poise, and interscholastic sports helped form a competitive team spirit along with the desire to stay fit and trim. Her choir singing developed her into a vocalist worthy of competing, and her love for fixing hair taught her how to emphasize the best about people’s looks. “I’ve always
loved helping people look and feel their best on the inside and outside. Even in school everyone would want me to do their hair and nails. I love to make people smile and feel good about themselves.”

This astute young woman realized she had won the citywide contest for a purpose. She now had a message to give other young women and girls in the community. “When I went before the judges I decided to be genuine, to be myself and do my personal best,” she admitted. “Whatever the outcome,

I’d be satisfied if I did that. That’s what I want others to know. Seventy-five percent of young people, especially girls, feel inadequate. They turn to negative activities to cope with their low self- esteem. I want to tell them to forget the people who make fun of them. They’ll never see them again for the rest of their lives after school. They really aren’t that important. Just be yourself and do your best.”

Mallory has developed a platform

entitled “The Skin I’m In,” based on building self-esteem and finding the potential inside. “I’m not the prettiest girl ever. But now I have the opportunity to reach out and make others the prettiest they can be. It has always been my

passion to make people pretty on the outside. That’s why I feel so blessed my parents let me pursue my dream of being a stylist.”
Now through wearing the Miss Mansfield crown, she has the opportunity to speak to schools and organizations in order to help others find their inner beauty as well. “I want them to know it’s our flaws that make us beautifully unique, and to be themselves. Accepting that will give them confidence.”

She admits it was a huge group effort to lead her through the Miss Texas Pageant preparation process. She had only two months to get up to speed. Most of the other contestants had been preparing since last November. Her vocal coach, Sarah Conley, expanded her range and taught her so much in such a very short time. She could feel the prayers of everyone who loved her.

“The pageant was held this year at The University of Texas at Arlington. That was wonderful because it was so close by. It was a fun, but grueling week. We were up at 7:00 a.m., practicing for five hours, then eating lunch and back to practicing. Often we were up until 2:00 a.m., then back up the next morning. I lived on total adrenaline. I really respect the other girls who have been doing this for so long.”

Her mother and boss were with her every step of the way. “I was going through personal challenges of my own when Jacque approached me. I was feeling pretty low. Now, through this experience, I have never been happier or felt better about being me.”

Mallory didn’t place in the finals for Miss Texas. “It’s OK, really. I learned so very much and was so honored to represent my city. This is still such a privilege. I know these school kids will look up to me when I walk in with my crown on to speak with them. I want to be a good influence in their lives. I want to tell them if I can do it, they can achieve their dreams, too. I’m excited about the opportunities I will have this year.”

Realizing she has her whole life ahead of her, Mallory feels positive about her future. “I love what I do and wake up every morning excited to go to work.” Mallory plans to continue speaking with kids and adults for years to come about how to find their unique beauty. “This title has given me the opportunity to begin this dream. I’ll be forever grateful to Mansfield and will represent this city to the best of my ability. I don’t know what will happen next year, but I plan to be right there styling hair and helping to make each contestant the prettiest they can be, inside and out.”

Written bu Julie B. Cosgrove.

Dedicated to Helping Others

marshallhinsley — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 03:35:31 +0000

MANSFIELD, TX – Frank and Cathy Luna moved here from Washington State 10 years ago. Both were managers extraordinaire, used to collaborating on everything at work, home, and in their community. Once settled in Mansfield, they needed a way to connect with their new community. They found Walnut Creek Country Club four years ago and have done much more than golf and make friends. For the past four years they have served on the committee for the Battle of the Nines, an event hosted annually by the club to give proceeds back to the community throughout the year. “Everybody gets in a bind once in a while in life. If we can help through Battle of the Nines, that’s what we’re here for,” Frank said.

This year as co-chairs, Frank and Cathy are hopeful that Battle of the Nines will bring in more money than ever before to help those in need. Relying on the abilities and knowledge of the Battle of the Nines committee, Frank and Cathy know they will achieve their goal. “We have phenomenal people backing us, and we know how good they are. They know what they need to do and they do it great,” Cathy said.

“It’s so gratifying to see what all these great people, who have between four and 10 years experience, do to pull the event off,” Frank said. “Cathy and I work great together, but could never do it by ourselves.” Every year since the Battle of the Nines team began helping local charities, they have had to say “no” to those from outside our city and each year that has been hard for Frank. “You know that other people need it, but we want to make sure we help those in Mansfield.”

The helping began with a friendly rivalry. In 1985, Walnut Creek Country Club had only two nine-hole courses, the Willow and Pecan. Two club members began a rivalry over which course and golfers were truly the best. Tom Rogala believed that the Pecan far exceeded Mike Tierney’s Willow and their friendly rivalry became the basis of the first Battle of the Nines tournament. Triumph over the other would give the winner satisfaction that they were ‘superior,’ but both felt like their friendly rivalry could be used for the greater good of the community. Thus, it became an annual charity event that has helped raise over $360,000 in the past 25 tournaments. After Walnut Creek Country Club opened the Oak course in 1992, it was added to the tournament, as well. The tournament is hosted in the fall and will be held on September 30 and October 1 this year.

All of the proceeds from the event are given back to the Mansfield community. Each year they donate to the Mansfield Independent School District (MISD) and the Mansfield Police and Fire Departments. Funds go toward programs, such as “Every 15 Minutes,” a DWI (driving while intoxicated) education program that teaches juniors and seniors at Mansfield high schools what the consequences could be should they choose to drink and drive. Money given to the police department is used.

to support ride-a-longs, in which police officers take students out on patrol during the weekend to show them the job they do and the consequences of crime.

The committee also gives a portion of their funds to overlooked individuals and smaller organizations that have fallen through the cracks and are unable to receive federal or state financial assistance. In the past they have been able to help car accident victims, families devastated by fires, terminally ill patients with insurmountable medical expenses and many other similar cases of hardships. Recently, they were able to provide air conditioning to a Mansfield church and a refrigerator for the local food bank. Many of the individuals and families have been brought to their attention by members of the club. They have found others through partnering with MISD counselors. “Our contributions are not a ‘fix all’ to most of the problems these people are facing,” Frank said. “We hope it’s enough to get them over the rough hump and give them hope. And the more support we have, the more good we can do for our community.”

The monies raised to help the community come from the generosity of Walnut Creek Country Club, local businesses, club members and their guests. “This event means a lot to so many of the club members,” Cathy added. “We all have fun with the rivalry but, in the end it’s how much we help the community.”

This year, over 30 committee members are working to make the 26th Battle of the Nines the most successful to date. Two hundred thirty-six golfers are needed to fill both courses, a feat which hasn’t been done in the past few years with the down economy. This year they hope to fill the event to capacity and see how many lives they can help with the proceeds. “A lot of people put in many hours to make this tournament possible,” Cathy said. “It takes us most of the year to pull this off. We take a month or two off after each tournament and then turn around and begin planning for the next. ”

When Battle of the Nines cleans up the course and closes the books, Frank and Cathy head out on a cruise. “We get away from everything and clear our minds,” Frank said. That is a habit the couple has been in since they married. The two met at work in Seattle. “We’d drive to work in the morning, working in the same building, and on the way home we had that time on the freeway to decompress the day. When we got home, the evening was just for us!”

“From that point on, it was just a collaboration of everything we wanted to do — whether it was coaching baseball teams, little league, soccer teams, or volunteering for Habitat for Humanity or organizing banquets,” Cathy said. “The funny part is that even on the cruise after Battle of the Nines, Frank and I will sit down to talk about what went well, what went bad, what needs to change to make next year’s event more successful,” Cathy said. “The better the event, the more money you can give to people in need. That’s what it’s about so we can help more businesses or individuals that are in need.”

Many of the community’s overlooked citizens, struggling to face a financial burden, have been aided by funds raised from the Battle of the Nines. Tournament participants trash talk and battle for ultimate bragging rights, but at the end of the day they are there to support their community and the unavoidable trials that it faces. Frank and Cathy joined the club to make friends, but have accomplished much more than that. They have joined a community and are dedicated to helping their fellow citizens.

Written by Sydni Thomas.

An Unscripted Journey

marshallhinsley — Sun, 31 Jul 2011 22:32:36 +0000

MANSFIELD, TX – “I guess I’m the Scotty McCreery of Mansfield,” Todd Murdock said, with oh-so-straight a face, referring to the recent winner on the hit TV show, American Idol. Todd is the only bass in his choir at Central Baptist Church. Because of the clear, powerful ring of his voice, he gets volunteered for a lot of his performances, whether at church or the Senior Center at the Mansfield Activities Center — or sometimes for funerals. He moves people to tears with a cappella versions of the old traditional songs, such as: “When the Roll is Called up Yonder,” “Wouldn’t Take Nothing For My Journey,” “I Saw the Light.” And sometimes, Todd has a difficult time not breaking down and crying, because he knew those people he sings for.

Throughout his life, especially while working as a traveling printing press technician, Todd sang country or gospel tunes, mostly to himself, just to keep himself motivated. “I’ve always liked the song ‘When the Roll is Called up Yonder,’ ever since I was a young ladster,” Todd said. “I would say the words: ‘I’ll be there.’ If we didn’t have hope, we wouldn’t have anything.” Growing up

in Kennedale, Todd was a member of Rendon Baptist Church. Over the years he has worshipped at Bible Baptist Church, then Calgary in Cleburne, and 11 years ago moved his church letter from there to Central Baptist in Mansfield. “My faith hasn’t done anything but help me out. If we didn’t have the Lord to look forward to, I don’t think we’d have anything to look forward to. If it wasn’t for Him, I wouldn’t have made it through what I’ve been through.” Todd was in the Second Armored Division when in the Army. His commander was

General George Patton Jr. — who Todd remembers looking just like the elder General Patton.

Todd considers himself lucky. “The Good Lord has watched over me,” Todd said, advising young people of today to live day by day. “Thank God every day that you wake up. You can live by those words of wisdom.” When Todd was younger and going to high school in Kennedale, he ran around with Mansfield school students. “I can remember when Mansfield had nothing but a little bitty jail house on Broad and Main. We used to ride around with our guns in the

car going to hunt rabbits. We always got along real well with the folks from Mansfield. We were just kind of a gang hanging together.”

He left high school and joined the Army before entering the printing field and traveling all over the United States, Mexico and Canada working on printing press equipment. For 37 years, he lived out of a suitcase. Sometimes he was gone a month at a time. “I made real good money, but it is hard to raise the family when you’re not there,” Todd said. He has two daughters, Stefanie and Angela, two grandsons and one granddaughter in Kennedale.

Most of his time, now, is spent caring for his wife, Bea, and stepson, Paul, both of whom have cancer. Bea and Todd met at a senior dance in Fort Worth. “We started going to a lot of different dances all around — Mansfield, Weatherford, Cleburne, Haltom City, White Settlement.” They fell in love, got married 10 years ago and have been dancing ever since. Whenever their favorite band, Dave Eder & The Final Showdown, plays in Waxahachie, the Murdocks head down to either the Senior Center or the old civic center for an evening of good fellowship and dancing.

Dancing proves to be good medicine, after a full week going to doctors and all that goes along with caring for people with cancer. Todd cooks for his stepson every morning, and again in the evenings. And sometimes he cooks for Bea and himself in the daytime. He cooks with compassion: “I’m what you call an old southern fried cook. I can cook just about anything,” said Todd, who makes white cream gravy for his mashed potatoes. “I make Paul and Bea everything they want, even though the doctor says, ‘If it tastes good spit it out.’ That’s a form of compassion, to give them what tastes good.” He and Bea invite friends from church, some of them ladies over 90, for dinner. Beyond food, they are offering good fellowship. That’s when Todd discovers what kind of help his friends need around their house. “It says in the Bible you’re supposed to help out the widow ladies. I do whenever I get a chance.

“I feel like the Lord has sent me to take care of these people,” said Todd, who is not only a member of Central Baptist Church, but also a trustee there. He helps tend the 3/4-acre church garden behind Walgreens, picking vegetables for the people in the church, and selling leftovers at the Greenhouse for contribution into the church’s building fund. This month it will be goodies like okra, squash, zucchini, black eyed peas, green beans and tomatoes, plus watermelons and cantaloupes.

“There is another man named Cecil Nall who does the plowing, planting and stuff. I take care of it, doing the watering and the picking. I like getting out like that — where there’s nothing out there but grapevines all around.”

Watching over gardens and people has taught Todd a thing or two about compassion. “I’ve learned a lot about taking care of sick people through the years,” Todd said. “I’ve taken care of a few people who have had cancer, just helping them out and their wives or spouses. The most important thing to do is try to be uplifting to them. There’s not a whole lot you can do for people like that except everything you can do to try to get them to get out and outside of their drab life in their apartment or house. I have a lot of compassion for them because I’ve seen so many other people go through that same thing. I think leaving this world happy is a lot better than leaving it with a broken heart. I’m not saying it makes me feel good or anything like that to do this, but maybe it’s just my calling.”

This life Todd leads is different than he had imagined for his retirement. He had planned to fish a lot and hunt for Indian artifacts out in the wilderness. “I haven’t done what I was planning because I’ve been taking care of everybody. Yet I can’t complain about it,” Todd said. “When I get out in the garden in the evenings, it feels like I’m out in the country. I’m in heaven when I’m out there. I guess you might say I’ve been blessed.”

Written by Melissa Rawlins.