Yearly Archives: 2012


Love’s Journey

RED OAK, TX — The love story of Chris and Jennifer Buckhannon began on December 31, 2007, when the duo met at a friend’s New Year’s Eve party. They quickly became inseparable, and even life’s challenges haven’t broken their bond. “Neither of us was looking for a relationship … but it was an instant […]


A Man and His Dog

DESOTO, TX —  One overcast day, not too many months ago, Lowe’s was the scene of an unusual field trip. Various autos disgorged their owners, along with several people in polo shirts and khakis and three dogs. One man in a wheelchair worked at backing down the ramp from his van, a woman settled […]


Rising Above the Circumstances

WAXAHACHIE, TX — The story begins in Freedman, a small community located within the city limits of Waxahachie. The all-black area derived its name following the Emancipation Proclamation issued by President Abraham Lincoln on January 1, 1863. From the early 1900s until desegregation was implemented with the passing of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Freedman […]


Helping Hands

WEATHERFORD, TX — On a hill overlooking Weatherford is set a piece of history gathering dust and graffiti. Long gone are the days when children would sit at desks and write on tablets. Seemingly, the only writing now comes out of cans of spray paint. Raymond George aims to change all that. The all-black […]


Committed to CASA

WEATHERFORD, TX — For many, a new year means a new commitment. Joe Birmingham made the commitment to volunteer as a Court Appointed Special Advocate for Parker County just over a year ago. When he first heard about the program four years ago, he thought it might be a perfect fit for him. “Our […]


From East to West

WAXAHACHIE, TX — Being a concerned citizen is the main qualification needed for the Adopt-a-Block program. The idea for adopting a block originated with Jim Kauffman, a resident who is centrally located in Waxahachie. For the program to find success, he knew it had to reach from east to west. He didn’t reinvent the wheel; […]


Seek and Ye Shall Find

DESOTO, TX — When one door closes and another doesn’t open, Job Seekers Ministries will help you find a window. During a time when landing jobs is more competitive than ever, a group of volunteers from DeSoto’s First United Methodist Church is dedicated to helping locals find employment. “I had been laid off from two teaching […]


Lending a Hand

RED OAK, TX —  “I don’t really like attention,” John Keane said, smiling but a bit uncomfortable. “I prefer to be behind the scenes.” Being a teacher, husband and father to four outgoing children, and grandfather to four, his quest for relative anonymity has been successful. Now, however, being on the board of the Ellis County Habitat for Humanity, […]


Full-time Student, Full-time Star

MIDLOTHIAN, TX — Lauren Tryon is now one of music’s bright rising stars, but when she auditioned for American Idol, she never made it past the first round. Though she sang well, the judges never even glanced at her. “It was awful,” Lauren recalled with a shudder. “One of them was texting the whole time.” […]


The Right Thing To Do

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 […]