September 2010 - Insite Brazos Valley

MuSIcALHIGHNOTeS
by Stefanie Lewis
Friends of Chamber Music 2010-2011
Community Chamber Concert series
September 30, 7:30 p.m., Philippe Bianconi, pianist
Bush Conference Center
October 21, 7:30 p.m., Carpe diem String Quartet,
First Presbyterian Church
November 29, 7:30 p.m., Indigo Trio,
First Presbyterian Church
French pianist Philippe Bianconi, winner of the Silver Medal in the Seventh Van Cliburn
International Competition, has enthralled audiences and critics throughout the world with
his brilliant performances in recital and with orchestra. He has been described as a pianist
whose playing is “always close to the soul of the music, filling the space with poetry and
life” (The Washington Post). The photo (left) was taken during a master class given by
Philippi Bianconi in 2006 at the Forsyth Gallery after he had performed the previous night
before a standing-room-only crowd at the Annenberg Conference Center. Bianconi will open
the Friends of Chamber Music 2010–2011 season.
February 15, 7:30 p.m., Red Priest,
First Presbyterian Church
March 10, 7:30 p.m., Italian Saxophone Quartet,
First Presbyterian Church
April 12, 7:30 p.m., Trio Con Brio Copenhagen,
First Presbyterian Church
Chamber Music Transcends Time
If
the words “chamber music” conjure
an image of a 17th century castle
with a tiny group of musicians playing for a
king and his court, you’re actually not too far
off. Though modern times have altered the
details of how chamber music is performed,
the Friends of Chamber Music organization
strives to keep the essence and intimacy of
centuries of chamber music unchanged, albeit
in a thoroughly modern setting.
Historically, chamber music meant a
small group of performers playing for a small
audience. “We still retain something of that
definition, but a little more expansively,”
says Paul Parrish, publicity coordinator for
the Friends of Chamber Music. Whereas the
performances of old might have an audience
of five or 10, Parrish says the Friends of
Chamber Music concerts usually draw around
a 300-member crowd.
The Friends of Chamber Music
organization was created in 1996 by Thyra
Plass and others “as a result of there being
no ongoing performances of this sort in this
community,” says Parrish. In its Community
Chamber Concerts series, the group aims to
bring in six performers throughout the fall
and spring, typically including a solo pianist,
a vocal group, a string quartet, and other
combinations of instruments.
The Friends of Chamber Music also
looks for variety in where the performers
are from, says Parrish. There is usually one
Texas-based performer, one from elsewhere
in the United States, and others that are
based internationally. The upcoming season
includes performers from Denmark, England,
Italy and France.
Bringing in international performers is
not cheap by any means, but the Friends of
Chamber Music still manages to not only bring
in world-renowned artists, but to present the
concerts for free.
“We are one of the few organizations able
to bring the concerts free of charge, primarily
because of the Gilbert and Thyra Plass Arts
Foundation,” Parrish says. They also receive
support from local donations, the Arts Council
of Brazos Valley, and the Texas Commission
of the Arts. “The fact that the concerts are free
is only a result of the fact that we get good
financial support,” he says.
As if you still need another prompt to
attend your first chamber music concert, just
remember what Parrish suggests: “It would be
a very inexpensive date night because it costs
nothing to come to the concert itself.”
The great (and free) date won’t end
when the music stops, though. The
Friends of Chamber Music usually holds a
complimentary reception after each concert
to give the audience members a chance to
discuss the performance with each other over
food and drinks. There is even the opportunity
(979) 696-7410
www.communitychamberconcerts.org
for concertgoers to meet the performers
afterwards, offering unusual insight into the
world of chamber music.
The concerts are usually held on Tuesdays
or Thursdays at 7:30 p.m. at First Presbyterian
Church, 1100 Carter Creek Parkway, in Bryan.
“It’s a wonderful place to perform musically,”
Parrish says. The church has always expressed
an interest in music and holds its own series
of musical events – Concerts on Carter Creek
– throughout the year.
The Friends of Chamber Music tries to
have at least one concert per season at the
Annenberg Presidential Conference Center
in the George Bush Presidential Library
and Museum. At these concerts, the student
population in the audience is a little higher
due to the location. Otherwise, Parrish says,
the audience consists of a certain amount
of “regulars” who rarely miss a concert,
both college and high school students, and
families – especially on the occasional Friday
concerts.
No matter what your music style or your
budget, whether you want to go with friends,
the family, or that special someone, there’s
a performance in the Friends of Chamber
Music’s Community Chamber Concerts
series waiting for you to take your seat and
to imagine yourself part of the King’s Court,
enjoying an intimate evening of fine music. i
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INSITE September 2010
NIGHTLIFe
by Stefanie Lewis
Who: Karen Kraft
When: Sunday, September 12
from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: downtown uncorked
(979) 823-4837
206 W 26th St, Bryan, Texas 77803
Call for other live music
information.
Learning Your Kraft
“The hardest thing about singing
is hair and makeup,” confides Karen Kraft,
a Bryan native who claims that she’s always
more self-conscious about her appearance
than her singing before taking the stage.
After hearing her magnificent voice, you
understand why Kraft is so worry-free when
it comes to performing.
Though petite in stature, when Kraft walks
out at the start of a recent performance at
Luigi’s in College Station her wide smile
immediately rouses the entire audience in
anticipation. Her light-hearted appearance
belies a deep and moving sorrow embedded
in the commanding voice that pours forth
from this tiny vocal powerhouse. Her singing
captures you immediately and for a few
moments all that exists is the woman on stage
and the emotions she stirs within you. “I want
to make people feel something,” she explains.
The passion in her singing is fuelled by her
life experiences, says Kraft. She landed her
first professional singing job around the age
of 8, but only now, says Kraft, “I finally have
the confidence in what I do to just do it.
“A singer is defined by, yes, the sound of
their voice and musicality,” she says, “but also
their point of view and a love of beautiful
songs.” Kraft only sings songs she feels are
fantastic in their lyrics, melody and chord
changes simultaneously.
Kraft’s song choices tend to include deeply
romantic numbers such as Ray Charles’ “Ruby”
and “At Last” by Etta James. She also admits
to a fondness for songs of loneliness, such as
“Don’t Misunderstand” also by Etta Jones.
It was destiny for Kraft to become a
singer, she says, being born with the perfect
vocal features that give her voice astounding
BRTX. Kraft is pleased to say that she was
“never pushed; only encouraged to explore
my gifts” by her parents.
After a youth of studying music and a year
of college at the University of Texas in Austin,
Kraft packed her bags and headed to Los
Angeles in the late 1960s. Though her band,
Head Over Heels, landed a record deal, the
group broke up before an album was released,
and Kraft hit the road again.
Locals can hear for themselves the voice that Randolph Bing, general
manager of the New York Metropolitan Opera, once described as one
of the most resonant voices he has ever heard.
resonance. Added to that, as far as she can
remember she has constantly sung along to
the continuous music playing in her head.
“Every single human should sing all the time,”
Kraft advises. “It does so much for the heart
and for the soul.”
Growing up in Bryan, Kraft’s parents,
Allan and Ora L. Kraft, did nothing but
support her singing as a child. The couple
owned Kraft Furniture, and Allan started
Bryan/College Station’s first radio station,
It was while touring the U.S. in a van and
singing at nightclubs for two and half years
that she was able to truly hone her craft. The
road trip ended in New York City where she
met and married her husband. Though she
kept up nightclub singing, she also landed
commercial jobs including singing jingles
for advertisements. It was these enduring
advertisements that kept her financially stable
enough to survive the Big Apple.
She soon found herself working with Nick
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6300 Seawall•800.231.6363•www.hawthorn.com
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Mason, drummer for Pink Floyd, on his
solo album, Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports,
eventually leading to a stint as one of the
back-up singers on Pink Floyd’s “The Wall”
Tour. “It was quite a trip for a little girl from
Bryan,” she says.
When a blizzard rocked New York in 1984,
Kraft and her husband headed south to Austin
where Kraft appeared on the Late Show
with David Letterman with Esther’s Follies,
a comedy group. “Austin at that time was
packed with talent,” she says. Her act on the
show was to gargle a song, earning her mixed
reviews. The audience laughed, but much of
the musical world of Austin chastised her for
not taking her talent seriously. Her reply: “It’s
my talent to make light of.”
When life took her back to Los Angeles,
she found herself as the only white soloist
in the First African Methodist Episcopal
Church choir. “It’s hard to be the only
something,” Kraft says, admitting that her
position resulted in “a lot of righteous anger”
from others, though many of the people also
treated her wonderfully and even nicknamed
her Songbird. Kraft eventually returned to
Texas where she began working with Austin
pianist Glover Gill, whom she describes as
one of the most talented musicians she knows.
Kraft has been living in College Station for
the past seven years – the longest stationary
period in her adult life – while her son, Nick,
21, studies nuclear engineering at Texas A&M
University. Her brother, Dr. Michael A. Kraft,
lives in Bryan.
Kraft’s singing has been compared to the
legendary Edith Piaf, which she considers a
high compliment. Looking back on all the her
experiences, the ups and downs, she says she
cannot personally identify with Piaf ’s famous
song, “No Regrets.” Kraft’s biggest regret?
“Not realizing how much fun I was having
when I was having it.”
Locals can hear for themselves the voice
that Rudolph Bing, general manager of the
New York Metropolitan Opera, described as
one of the most resonant voices he has ever
heard. Kraft will perform on September 12 at
Downtown Uncorked from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.
With no plans to retire from performing
any time soon and no knowledge of what the
future may hold, Kraft reminisces about her
life and happily admits, “It is a real adventure.”
And she is living it all the way through.. i
Live Music Hot Spots
Christopher’s World Grille
(979) 776-2181
www.christophersworldgrille.com
5001 Boonville Road, Bryan, Texas
every Friday and Saturday night Christopher’s features a jazz pianist, at times
accompanied by a saxophone player.
Luigi’s Patio Ristorante
(979) 693-2742
www.luigispatioristorante.com
3975 SH-6 South #100, College Station, Texas 77845
enjoy light classic piano or acoustic guitar for Sunday brunch and on weekdays, with a
jazz ensemble Friday and Saturday night from 9 p.m. to 12 midnight. The kitchen closes
at 10 p.m., but cocktails, desserts and coffee are available until 12 midnight. Check the
online calendar for special events like dance nights.
Messina Hof Winery & Resort
(979) 778-9463
www.messinahof.com
4545 Old Reliance Road, Bryan, Texas 77808
Call or check the website for current live music information.
Palace Theater
(979) 209-5527
105 S Main St, Bryan, Texas 77803
The Palace Theater presents live music every first and second Friday of the month free
of charge. The venue is open to be rented by artists on other nights. Music genre and
cover charges vary.
The Republic Steakhouse
(979) 260-4120
www.therepublic1836.com
701 University drive east, College Station, TX 77845
Live music begins at 9 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays. The fall schedule includes
The Brad Cooper Band on Thursdays; Joshua Ray on Fridays; and Francisco Farias
and Cynthia Williams on Saturdays. Call or check the website for other special
performances.
Revolution Café & Bar
(979) 823-4044
211 B South Main St, Bryan, Texas 77806
The nightly music varies from swing to rock to country and everything in between.
Cover charges vary, and drink specials are available.
The Tap
(979) 696-7396
www.tapbcs.com
815 Harvey Rd, College Station, Texas 77840
Join in karaoke every Monday night after Monday Football Bingo or gather around the Piano
Bar Wednesdays after 10:45 p.m. Call or check the website for other live music information.
getPERSONAL
by Stefanie Lewis
Make Sparks Fly
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SIMPLE
SEXY
DATE NIGHTS
To Spark
Romance
in Your
Relationship
As if trying to manage
the hectic life of two
busy careers isn’t
enough, throw in kids
and between soccer
games and school, it’s
no surprise that you
need a night off every
once in while. Not
only do you need to
get away from all the
hassle, but you also
need to remember
who you’re married
to and why. If you’re
stuck in the same old
routine or don’t even
know where to begin,
we’ve put together a
few suggestions for
every kind of date
night – or day –for
every kind of couple.
1
An Outdoor Date
BRINGING YOuR DATE OuTDOORS can provide the perfect relaxed
backdrop for romance – just pick your grassy destination. Select from
dozens of city parks or head out to Lake Bryan for a daytime stroll beneath
the oaks or to enjoy a waterside sunset. Wherever your date takes you, just
be sure to bring along something delicious. Pack a simple picnic yourself,
or have Epicures Catering do the packing (and cooking) for you. They
offer a $50 picnic for two that includes Cajun fried chicken, a gourmet
sub sandwich, a grilled vegetable wrap, potato chips, fresh fruit, coleslaw,
and a choice of either lemon bars or brownies for dessert. The picnic
includes bottled water and all the disposable utensils you’ll need, with
your choice of wine, beer or sodas as well. To reserve your picnic basket,
call Epicures at (979) 695-0985 a few days before your date. But the date
doesn’t end when the sun goes down. Out at Lake Bryan, you can keep the
romance flowing by heading to the Lakeside Icehouse for drinks and live
music while relaxing on their lakeside deck. Just because it’s not summer
anymore doesn’t mean you can’t play outdoors.
Why is going out so important?
dr. Bets McSpadden recommends having a date night once a week,
as well as getting together with friends, like a double or triple date,
once a month. Spending time alone with each other helps couples to
appreciate each other and feel important themselves, strengthening
their relationship. It also provides a good model for children, sending
the message that the parents like to be together and what a healthy
relationship should look like.
Tips for a good date:
• It doesn’t have to be expensive
• Alternate who chooses what the date will be
• don’t talk about the kids — focus on each other to reestablish
and strengthen bonds
• don’t have serious talks about the relationship — it’s a time for fun
and simply enjoying each other’s company
Explore the outdoors
Need help finding the right park for you and your loved one?
Visit these resources:
College Station
www.cstx.gov/index.aspx
Under Resident, click Parks and Recreation, then Parks
Bryan
www.bryantx.gov
Under City Government and departments,
click Parks and Recreation
Lake Bryan
(979) 361-0861
www.lakebryan.com
info@lakebryan.com
8200 Sandy Point Road, Bryan, Texas 77807
Lakeside icehouse and Grill
(979) 361-0861
www.lakebryan.com
8200 Sandy Point Rd, Bryan, TX 77807
Features Texas country music Wednesday through Sunday
night. Check the website for any cover charges.
Pick up a delicious picnic at Epicures – just make sure to call
and reserve it at least two days in advance:
Epicures Catering
(979) 695-0985
www.epicurescatering.net
2319 Texas Avenue South, College Station, Texas 77840
$50 picnic for two includes: Cajun fried chicken, a gourmet
sub sandwich, a grilled vegetable wrap, potato chips, fresh
fruit, coleslaw, a choice of either lemon bars or brownies for
dessert, bottled water, choice of beer, wine or sodas, and
disposable utensils.
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2
Home-Away-From-Home Date
WHOEVER DECIDED THAT “VACATION” had to include some faraway
destination was highly misguided. There is no reason not to make your
own mini-vacation right here in the Brazos Valley. By browsing the Bed
and Breakfast Association of Brazos Valley’s website, www.bbabv.com, find
a romantic night in the pool or hot tub, or bring your own refreshments
to lounge on a private balcony. At some locations, you can even choose
to spend your time enjoying a relaxing massage or spa day together. You
can stop by Truman Chocolates and design the perfect made-to-order box
of treats to leave on her pillow, or stop by Village Foods to bring along a
midnight snack of gourmet cheese, crackers, wine and even a customized
six-pack of his favorite beers. Who said you could only pick one favorite?
Village Foods also carries an assortment of individual pieces of your favorite
pies and cakes, for those of you craving a little late-night dessert. With more
than 30 destinations to choose from and rates as low as $70 a night, your
stay will be just as spectacular as your imagination.
Vacation at Home
Bed and Breakfast Association of the Brazos Valley
(979) 690-0442
www.bbabv.com
Marie Young, Secretary:
(979) 255-9435
young22284@aol.com
Pick up sweets for your sweetheart at:
Truman Chocolates
(979) 260-4519
www.trumanchocolates.com
need a Sitter?
Fit for Kids
(979) 693-0757
206 Southwest Parkway, College Station TX 77840
Fit for kids is open all day until 1 a.m. on Friday and Saturday, so you
can have a good time without having to worry about them. They accept
infants to kids of 12 years and offer activities like video games, movies,
books, art, music, coloring and more. For infants up to 18 months, the
price is $6.10 an hour, and for kids more than 18 months it is $4.85 an
hour, with discounts for families with more than one child. You can send
your kids with a packed dinner, a few dollars for the snack machine, or
for an additional $2, Fit for kids will take care of dinner for you.
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4407 South Texas Avenue, Bryan, Texas 77802
3
A Sports Fanatic Date
Score a Touchdown
12th Man Foundation
979-846-8892
www.12thmanfoundation.com
To join the 12th Man Foundation, it is a minimum of $150 a year, with
the total cost based on the location of members’ seats. Benefits can
include: 12th Man Buffet invitation, donor plaque, football ticket, bowl
activities, 12th Man Magazine, online members area, donor email,
membership card, lapel pin, window decal, and a tax receipt.
LIVING IN AGGIELAND is perfect for your beloved sports nut. So
how can you add a little something special to attending a sports
event? Since it’s fall, you’re most likely headed to a Texas A&M
University football game, and only one thing comes before that:
tailgating. It’s a great way to spend time with your significant
other, friends and family. For those of you who are already
members of the 12th Man Foundation, don’t forget that for only
about $5 a ticket, you can watch the Aggies BTHO the Big 12
Conference from comfy armchairs by the end zone. If you really
want to treat your sweetheart and go the season ticket route, keep
in mind that there is a new program for the 2010-2011 season.
Certain seats on the east side of the stadium will have access to
the McFerrin Athletic Center prior to the game where there will
be food and a cash bar. It’s an Aggie fan’s dream come true.
But don’t forget, the Aggies aren’t the only ones playing
football in Bryan/College Station. The BCS Cowboys, our own
local semi-professional football team, provide the same great
football spirit in a unique atmosphere. Their season is up and
running, and you can catch a game at the College Station Middle
School, located at 900 Rock Prairie, for $5 at the gate. For game
schedules and more information, visit the BCS Cowboys website
at www.southtexasamateurfootball.com/bcscowboys.aspx.
Eventually, your sports fan might want a break from the football
heat, so that’s when it’s time to cool down with the Texas A&M ice
hockey team. Their season kicks off in October at the Arctic Wolf
Ice Center, and you can find all the information you need if you
visit their website at www.tamuicehockey.com. Tickets are $7.50
or $5 for students. With all these sporting events and more, your
sports enthusiast has limitless options to enjoy.
Don’t miss a chance to watch the Aggies BTHO the Big 12 Conference
here in College Station:
September 4, Stephen F. Austin
September 11, Louisiana Tech
September 18, Florida International University
october 16, Missouri
october 30, Texas Tech
november 6, Oklahoma
november 20, Nebraska
BCS Cowboys Semi-Professional Football
www.southtexasamateurfootball.com/bcscowboys.aspx
Games at College Station Middle School:
900 Rock Prairie, College Station, Texas 77845
Beat the heat and get into your winter frame of mind:
Texas A&M university ice Hockey
www.tamuicehockey.com
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For a Sophisticated Taste …
Veritas Wine & Bistro
(979) 268-325
www.veritaswineandbistro.com
830 University drive east, College Station, Texas 77840
Greg Tivis performs live contemporary jazz music on Friday
nights, and Saturdays feature various blues, jazz and
contemporary jazz artists.
The Village Café
(979) 703-8514
www.thevillagedowntown.com
210 W. 26th Street, Bryan Texas 77803
Live music, usually acoustic but with occasional jazz and
blues, is featured on Thursdays and Fridays, as well as
Sunday afternoon, with Thursdays being a special open mic
singer/songwriter night. Saturday is a salsa night with free
lessons and occasional live salsa bands, starting at 10 p.m.
with a $5 cover starting at 10:30 p.m.
Terrazzo Coffee & Wine Bar
(979) 846-9463
405 University dr e, College Station, Texas 77840
Attached to the Benjamin knox Gallery
Live music varies from singer/songwriter nights to bands
playing Americana to pop rock. There is no cover and music
is featured every Friday night and most Saturday nights.
To please the eyes…
MSC Forsyth Gallery
(979) 845-9251
forsyth.tamu.edu
110 N. Main St., Bryan, Texas 77803
Through September 25, you can take pleasure in the staff
picks from the Runyon Collection. From October 1 to January
3, enjoy the Victorian Spooners exhibit.
To schedule a formal, guided tour, call Trudy Holladay,
program coordinator at (979) 458-5460 or email her at
tholladay@msc.tamu.edu.
Benjamin Knox Gallery
(979) 696-5669
www.benjaminknox.com
405 University drive east, College Station, Texas 77840
To please the ears…
MSC oPAS
(979) 845-1661
opas.tamu.edu
4
A Classic Date
THOuGH WE MAY BE IN A COLLEGE TOWN, there are endless opportunities
for you to enjoy a sophisticated and elegant date here in Bryan/College Station
without running into a single frat party. A great way to start the night would be
to head to Veritas Wine and Bistro to taste some of their extensive collection of
delectable wines. If you’re in the mood for a bit of refined adventure, you can
try their omakase, or “entrust your life to the chef.” Omakase is a tasting menu,
where the chef will choose which six dishes to serve. The dinner is meant to be
an event, lasting two to three hours and priced at $75 a person, or $120 to include
wine. For a smaller scale tasting, Veritas does have a selection of small dishes for
around $10, some of which can be shared between the two of you. To reserve
your date night, call (979) 268-3251 or visit www.veritaswineandbistro.com for
more information. Whichever tasting route you go, you’re bound to discover
something fresh and wonderful.
Such a unique experience can only be followed by something equally
distinguished. For the visual art lover, the MSC Forsyth Gallery in Downtown
Bryan offers exquisite works of art, and you can rent out the gallery for an even
more intimate setting by calling (979) 845-9251. The Benjamin Knox Gallery
is another art alternative, which you can also rent out for an intimate dinner
setting by calling (979) 696-5669. Visual art isn’t the only art, however. The
Friends of Chamber Music holds concerts throughout the fall and spring. With
all the different artists and instruments, there is bound to be something for
you and your sweetheart, especially since the concerts are free of charge. You
could also combine the visual and musical arts by attending a show from OPAS
– the season opens on September 25 with The Manhattan Transfer. Schedule
information and ticket purchasing can be found at opas.tamu.edu.
Y o u
won’t want the curtain to close on your night, so grabbing a little dessert or coffee
provides the perfect way to discuss the show together. On a warm night, one of
the numerous ice cream shops in town might be just right, or if you’d like to stay
out a little later, you can enjoy a late-night cappuccino or glass of wine at either
the Village Café in Downtown Bryan or Terrazzo Coffee & Wine Bar attached to
the Benjamin Knox Gallery, each with its own occasional live music. Whatever
your style, there is a magical night closer than you think.
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5
A Delicious Date
Cook up Some Magic
WHO SAID YOu HAD TO ACTuALLY GO OuT to have a
romantic date? Coordinate with a friend who has kids
of similar ages so that one couple gets all the kids once
or twice a month on Friday night (through Saturday
morning, if you’re feeling adventurous) so you have a
chance to enjoy the comforts of your own home – and
each other.
No matter what time of day you decide to have your
date, we have a delicious and easy recipe to make it extra
special. Wake up your sleeping beauty with breakfast in
bed using our featured true Czech kolache recipe. You
can choose your sweetheart’s favorite fruit filling and
start their day with a smile. For an exciting date night
dinner, you can add a little Chinese flair to your homecooked meal with the Sautéed Shrimp with Broccoli
recipe. A twist on classic pizza that is sure to win your
veggie-lover’s heart is the Portabella Pizza, or you both
munch on an assortment of delicious appetizers, like
the Smoked Salmon and Avocado Mousse Bruchetta or
the Mediterranean Stuffed Mushrooms.
With any of these scrumptious recipes, you can
either choose to surprise your loved one, or the two of
you can cook together, a creative process that can bring
you closer to each other. Even if neither of you are very
talented cooks, don’t be afraid to try something new.
After all, take-out heals all kitchen-induced self-esteem
wounds. To round off whatever delicious dinner you
choose, have your beloved’s favorite movie standing
by to watch while you enjoy a delicious Pink Salty Dog
cocktail. There’s no need to go big and fancy (not to
mention expensive) to have a romantic, intimate time
with your loved one.
Sautéed Shrimp with Broccoli
From the Chinese Students and Scholars Association
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp light brown sugar
1 1/2 tsp Cornstarch
1 tbsp peanut oil
1 piece fresh ginger root, pared & finely chopped
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped (1/4 cup)
2 cup broccoli florets
1 pkg (10 oz) frozen peas
1 tbsp cooking wine
1 lb medium size shrimp, shelled & de-veined
Stir together the broth, soy, brown sugar and cornstarch in a 1 cup glass measure;
reserve. Heat oil in wok or heavy skillet. Add ginger root and garlic and stir fry over low
heat, until lightly browned (about 3 to 4 minutes). Remove browned bits with slotted
spoon and discard. Add onion and stir fry over low heat until softened, about 3 minutes.
Re-stir cornstarch mixture; add to onion. Cook, stirring constantly, until slightly thickened,
about 4 minutes. Increase heat to medium high. Stir in broccoli and peas; cook for 1 to 2
minutes or until broccoli is crisp tender. Add cooking wine. Simmer, covered for 1 minute.
Add shrimp, stirring constantly, sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or just until shrimp are pink and
firm. Good with rice.
Portabella Pizza
Courtesy of Chef Eric Miller, Texas Mushroom Festival
1 portabella mushroom
2 ripe yellow tomatoes
3 cloves fresh garlic
1 oz fresh rosemary
1 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/4 oz fresh mozzarella
1/4 oz shredded asiago cheese
1/4 cup diced shallot
1/4 oz fresh basil
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
Preheat oven to 350°. Remove gills from portabella mushroom, keeping edges in tact.
Cover it with olive oil (about 14 oz depending on size). Add rosemary, garlic, 1oz salt, 1oz
black pepper and balsamic vinegar. Cover tightly with plastic wrap and then aluminum
foil. Heat in the oven at 350° for 30 minutes or until garlic and mushroom are soft. In a
sauté pan, heat shallot until clear. Add diced and deseeded yellow tomatoes (retaining
juice). Cook on low heat until tomatoes break down. Remove portabella from pan and
pat dry. Purée remaining garlic from pan and add to tomato mixture. Cook with remaining
tomato juice until thick. Purée entire mixture until smooth. Top mushroom with tomato
purée, mozzarella and asiago in order. Grill entire mushroom pizza in broiler until cheese
melts. Top with julienne basil and salt and pepper to taste September
then cut 2010
in quarters.
INSITE 23
Homemade Kolache Recipe
Courtesy of Jeanie Price,
Mad Hatter Tea Room
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 butter or margarine
1 tsp. salt
½ cup boiling water
1 ½ packages dry years
½ cup warm water
1 egg
3 to 3 ½ cups flour
melted butter or margarine
Fruit filling of your choice
Cream together sugar, butter, and salt.
Add boiling water and stir well. Let cool
until lukewarm. Add yeast to warm water
and let stand until dissolved, then add
beaten egg. Let rise about 30 minutes
or until doubled. Roll out dough to a
thickness of about ½ inch and cut into
individual kolaches with biscuit cutter.
Place kolaches on a greased pan so they
are not quite touching. Brush tops with
melted butter, cover and let rise again until
light. Make an indentation in the top of
each and fill with the filling of your choice.
Bake at 350 degrees about 25 minutes or
until brown. Brush tops again with melted
butter. This recipe by dorothy kubena
of Caldwell was a runner up in the 1987
Burleson County kolache Festival.
Smoked Salmon and
Avocado Mousse Bruchetta
Courtesy of Epicures Catering
5 avocados, skin and seeds removed
6 ounces smoked salmon
1/2 cup olive oil
Juice of 2 limes
1 1/2 teaspoons dijon mustard
1 baguette, cut into thin slices
Salt and pepper for seasoning
dill springs for garnish
Heat oven to 350 degrees. In food
processor, combine avocados, 2
tablespoons olive oil, and lime juice. Puree
until smooth. Transfer to a medium bowl
and season to taste with salt and pepper.
Using 1/4 cup olive oil, brush both sides
of baguette slices with olive oil. Lay in a
single layer on a baking sheet and toast in
oven, turning once, until golden brown. Mix
dijon mustard with 2 tablespoons olive
oil until smooth. Spread each baguette
slice with avocado mixture. Top with a
small piece of salmon. drizzle olive oil and
mustard mixture over the top. Garnish with
a dill spring on top. Serve immediately.
24
INSITE September 2010
6
An Adrenaline Junkie Date
IT’S TIME TO BREAK FREE of the traditional date idea:
a date doesn’t have to be sitting in a restaurant or
watching a movie. Some couples prefer a more active
and adventurous lifestyle, and we say go for it. Nothing
will get your adrenaline pumping like launching yourself
out of an airplane. Skydive Aggieland provides an
adrenaline-packed date the two of you will never forget.
Skydive Aggieland is staffed by trained professionals,
but for questions, concerns and more information, you
can call them at (979) 778-JUMP (5867) or visit www.
skydiveaggieland.com.
For a different, yet still exciting thrill, check out the
indoor shooting range at Champions Firearms, located at
1925 Texas Avenue South in College Station. There, you
can rent a firearm and practice your aim where trained
professionals can give you instruction. With the whole
package being $38 for the two of you, it’s a great place for
the first-time or inexperienced shooter.
For the skilled firearms couple, you haven’t been left
out. Take your shooting practice to a new level and enjoy
a unique experience at the same time. The Brazos Valley
Desperadoes puts together a single-action, in-character
shooting range where you can dress up in period clothes
and practice your single-action shooting in a Western
setting. These cowboy action shooting ranges exist all over
Texas, but the Brazos Valley Desperadoes is conveniently
close to home while still transporting you back in
time. With your curiosity aroused, visit their website at
cactusringo.tripod.com for more information.
These adrenaline-packed dates are sure to not only
bring you excitement, but also to bring the two of you
closer together through such a thrilling adventure.
Get Your
Blood Pumping
Skydive Aggieland
(979) 778-JUMP (5867)
www.skydiveaggieland.com
6104 SH 21 east,
Bryan, Texas 77808
Champion Firearms
(979) 693-9948
www.championfirearms.com
1925 Texas Avenue South,
College Station, Texas 77840
Champion Firearms also
offers separate courses with
professional instructors that
cover safety, grip, stance,
balance, sighting, trigger
control, loading and unloading.
Call for pricing information and
to book your course.
Brazos Valley desperadoes
cactusringo.tripod.com
acwhite1234@sbcglobal.net
Your first shooting match is
free, with membership fees
incurring after that. Feel free
to participate in period dress
while you practice your singleaction shooting skills.
7
A Relaxing Date
Mediterranean Stuffed Mushrooms
Courtesy of Chef Shawn Cooley, Texas
Mushroom Festival
6 oz feta Cheese
1 lb cream cheese
4 tbsp parmesan cheese
1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, chopped
3 oz black olives, sliced
1/4 cup leek greens, finely diced
2 tbsp olive oil
1 lb Italian sausage
2 shallots, finely diced
1/4 cup brandy
1/4 cup roasted red bell peppers, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
Cracked black pepper to taste
Sautée shallots, garlic and leek in olive oil
until tender and clear. Add brandy and reduce
until dry. Remove shallot mixture from heat
and allow to cool at room temperature.
Cook sausage in skillet until browned and
completely cooked. Add cooked sausage to
shallot mixture. Add tomatoes, bell peppers,
feta cheese to shallot/sausage mixture. Purée
mixture in food processor until slightly blended.
Fold mixture into cream cheese, add cracked
black pepper. Spoon or pipe into the mushroom
caps and garnish with olives. Heat mushrooms
caps in oven at 350° for about 10 to 15 minutes
or until filling is melted and mushrooms are
cooked.
Pink Salty dog
Courtesy of Epicures Catering
Coarse salt, for rim of glass
Grapefruit slice, for garnish
1/3 cup freshly squeezed pink grapefruit juice
2 tablespoons vodka
1 tablespoon Campari liqueur, or grenadine
1 to 1 1/2 cups ice cubes
Place salt in saucer. Moisten rim of glass
with a grapefruit slice. dip rim of glass into
salt. Combine grapefruit juice and vodka with
Campari or grenadine in the jar of a blender.
Add ice and blend until slushy. Pour into saltrimmed glass. Garnish with a grapefruit slice
on rim of glass.
EVERYBODY NEEDS TO PuT ASIDE SOME TIME
every so often to just simply relax, and what better
way to do that than spend a day at the spa? Contrary
to what many guys believe, spas are not just for
women. In fact, going as a couple can enhance your
relationship and strengthen your bond together.
Therapeutic massages can help your muscles
recover from an intense work out together or even
just from everyday use.
Both the Bryan and College Station locations
of Elements Therapeutic Massage specialize in
restoring your muscles and revitalizing your body.
For Bryan couples, the Galleria Day Spa can be the
perfect relaxing getaway. This spa offers a unique
Continuous Couple’s Massage package for $110 in
which you’ll not only receive a one-hour massage,
but they’ll also give you both tips on how you can
give each other relaxing massages at home and a
complimentary bottle of massage lotion. To make
your appointment or ask about other services
at the spa, call (979) 822-5756 or visit www.
galleriadayspa.com. You can also visit the Riviera
Salon & Day Spa in College Station for a couple’s
massage that includes strawberries, champagne
and access to a private Jacuzzi before a one hour
massage. The Riviera Salon & Day Spa also offers
services like their unique saltwater lap pool, which
helps to moisturize skin without drying it out, that
you can reserve for private use. For appointments
and information on other services, call (979) 6930350 or visit www.rivieradayspa.net.
It’s never a bad time for a little relaxation, so
make your reservations today. i
Find Time to Relax
Elements Therapeutic Massage
Bryan
(979) 774-4343
touchofelements.com/bryan
3001 Wildflower dr., Suite 611, Bryan,
Texas 77802
College Station
(979) 696-2000
touchofelements.com/collegestation
3975 State Highway 6 S., Suite 700,
College Station, Texas 77845
Galleria day Spa
(979) 822-5756
www.galleriadayspa.com
214 elm Avenue, Bryan, Texas 77801
Available services include: massages,
hydrating body wraps, manicures,
pedicures, facials, a Roman steam
bath and more.
Riviera Salon & day Spa
(979) 693-0350
www.rivieradayspa.net
2821 Rock Prairie Road,
College Station, Texas 77845
Available services include:
massages, aqua stones, mud and
herbal body wraps, facials, manicures,
pedicures, steam room, salt water
lap pool and more.
September 2010 INSITE
25
cOMMuNITYOUTReACH
by Stefanie Lewis
A
The Military Family
Stories from the Home Front
26
INSITE September 2010
yden and Karson Tran, ages
9 and 7, are playing on the
swings at Gabbard Park. As Ayden
swings as high as he possibly can,
I can hear Karson laughing, but
he’s too afraid to match Ayden’s
height. Then Karson says, “What if
we went so high we saw Daddy?”
The innocent question almost
brings tears to my eyes because
their father, Alex Tran, had left just
the day before for a nine-month
deployment to El Paso.
His wife, Krystina Tran, betrays
no sign of the emotions I’m sure
are roiling inside her. I marvel
at her strength and calm as she
describes her husband’s three
separate deployments and her
day-to-day life as a working
mother of three young children.
Like most people, I’ve always
believed those of us at home should
support our troops risking their lives
overseas, regardless of whether or
not we support the politics behind
what they are doing or who sent
them into harm’s way. Also like most
people, the reality of what it means
to support someone far from home
didn’t hit me until the imminent
deployment was of someone close
to me. As he prepares to head
7,834 miles away to Afghanistan,
supporting our troops overseas has
suddenly become more personal
and pressing.
That reality is with me as I
begin interviewing three military
families living in Bryan who agreed
to share their stories so those of
us at home can learn how best to
support the husbands and wives,
fathers and mothers, friends and
neighbors who are serving our
country far away.
After being left to juggle a two-year-old,
a newborn and a full-time job, not only was
Krystina overwhelmed by life at home, but she
could barely even talk to her husband. “During
that time period, they had to sign up to use the
phone,” she explains. “When you signed up,
you were still waiting in line about two hours,
and you had a time limit of about 15 minutes
on the phone. Then it would just disconnect.”
Since mail took about six weeks to arrive,
when Krystina did send packages to her
husband, she tried to make them extra special
with things like recordings of her two sons’
Krystina and Alex Tran
“It just sinks your heart when I answer the phone and
the first thing that’s told to me is, ‘Krystina, first of
all let me tell you he’s okay.’” – Krystina
F
or Krystina Tran, all it takes is one
phone call to turn her life completely
upside down. That single phone call can
determine whether her husband gets to stay
with his family or pack his bags and head to
places unknown.
“People ask, ‘How do you do it?’ Well, you
really don’t have a choice but to do it,” she says,
watching her kids chase ducks through the
park. Their infectious happiness and laughter
seem to bolster her strength and confidence
as she describes Alex’s deployments.
Alex, a Captain in the Army Reserves, was
first activated in 2003 and deployed to Iraq
as the commander of a firefighting unit. “Our
life went to complete chaos within a matter
of six days,” says Krystina, 36 weeks pregnant
with her second child when Alex left for his
first deployment only six days after receiving
the order. Alex was still in Fort Hood when
their son, Karson, was born, and he was
allowed leave for the day to witness his birth.
“I was afraid Karson would be scared of him
because, really, he didn’t know him at all,”
Krystina says of Alex’s return home from a
15-month deployment in Iraq.
daily routines, like reciting the alphabet.
Those things mean a lot to Alex: “It helps me
stay involved with what’s going on in their
lives,” he says.
The weekly phone calls and emails left
plenty of time for Krystina to agonize over
her husband’s safety. “Just firefighting alone is
a dangerous job, but you put it into a warzone
and that exaggerates the problem,” she says.
In Iraq, Alex’s firefighting unit would
respond to fires that involved U.S. military
deaths, such as an aircraft crash. Krystina
explains that it’s so dangerous because, “you’re
going to an aircraft crash, but you don’t know
if that plane was shot down and if the enemy’s
still there.”
She admits that when Alex was deployed
to Afghanistan in 2008 with the local 420th
Engineer Brigade, she tried to convince herself
that Afghanistan wasn’t as dangerous as Iraq.
Within five days of being in the country,
Alex’s unit was attacked.
“It just sinks your heart when I answer
September 2010 INSITE
27
“Leaving family behind is the most stressful event
that a Soldier faces.” – Alex
the phone and the first thing that’s told to
me is ‘Krystina, first of all let me tell you he’s
okay,’” she says. Alex sustained no injuries in
the attack, but two of his Bravos Valley-native
comrades suffered severe injuries, though
both survived the attack.
A Soldier in her own right, every day
Krystina was “battling the fear and worry a
loved one is faced with when their Soldier is
in a warzone,” she says. Being constantly busy
with three young children helped keep her
mind from straying too far, but “no matter
how distracted or busy I was, deep inside
every day I had that fear and worry,” she says.
Improved
technology
for
Alex’s
deployment in Afghanistan allowed the Trans
to maintain fairly regular contact through
email. His mission as a medical operations
officer included visiting other hospitals
and keeping up with patient transfers. On
the occasional humanitarian missions,
“they would go out and they would provide
medicine to the locals, whether it just be
aspirin or bandaging up infections,” Krystina
says. “They would give out toys and stuffed
animals, and shoes were a big thing; a lot of
them don’t have shoes.”
For his current mission, Alex is again
stationed at a military hospital, but this time
in El Paso. “A lot of people, even some adults,
have it in their mind that Soldiers just go out
to shoot and kill,” says Krystina. “We’ve taught
our kids that there’s so many other missions.”
The 420th Engineer Brigade missions are
frequently to build roads, bridges or schools.
Despite how much time Alex has spent
away from the kids, “they’re still real close
to their father,” says Krystina. When Ayden
found out that his father was leaving yet
again, he started to panic. “He’s taken notice
more about the violence,” Krystina says, but
she has placated his fears by telling him that
Alex is only going to El Paso this time.
As for Karson and 4-year-old Alyssa,
“They’re sad, but it’s not like they’re walking
around crying or waking up in the middle of
the night crying for their father,” Krystina says.
“I hear those kinds of stories all the time, and
thank God I’ve never had to face any of that.”
The kids aren’t the only ones who miss Alex,
though.“No matter how much communication
has improved within the years, we’re still
married; he’s my best friend,” says Krystina
with visible emotion, her eyes moist with tears
for the first time during the conversation.
For her, holidays without Alex are the
hardest. At the end of this deployment, Alex
will have missed five of Ayden’s birthdays due
to activations. “It tears at his heart having to
leave his kids,” Krystina says, but it’s something
he feels like he has to do in order to provide
for his children. A sense of duty doesn’t make
it easy, though. “Leaving family behind is
the most stressful event that a Soldier faces,”
Alex says. “I have Army duties to prepare for
mobilization, but I also have husband and
father commitments.”
When Alex finally does get to come home,
Krystina says, “You appreciate family time so
much more.” She also says she’s very relieved
that Alex has returned to her each time still
the same man she married in every way. “I’ve
been very blessed that mentally he’s okay,”
she says, “because there’s so many Soldiers
that come back that have the PTSD,” or posttraumatic stress disorder.
When it’s all said and done, though,
Krystina says she feels immensely proud of
her husband. “Even though the deployments
and separations have been trying and
stressful times, I wouldn’t change anything,”
she says.
“You’re kind of like a ball
of emotions and you never
really know what’s going
to come out.” – Alison
“D
28
Alison
and James Perdue
INSITE September 2010
ecember 28, 2004: that day will
forever be burned in my memory,”
says Alison Perdue. That day signaled the
beginning of two of the most significant events
in her life: her fiancé James Perdue, a staff
sergeant in the National Guard 36th Infantry
Division, received orders to ship out to Iraq;
and exactly a week later, the couple got married.
Three days after the wedding ceremony, James
left on his first deployment to Iraq.
“The first deployment was actually really,
really hard on me,” says Alison. Though
she was in school, she says it didn’t provide
enough of a distraction to keep her from
worrying. The infrequent phone calls and
emails only added to the stress.
One way for her to cope was to learn her
“triggers,” or things that might upset her, and
simply avoid them. For the past year while
James has been deployed in Iraq a second
time, Alison has avoided watching or listening
to news programs, reading newspapers, and
watching movies centered on war or Soldiers.
She jokes about wanting to watch movies like
Brothers and Dear John, but having to wait
until her husband is safe at home. “When he’s
home, I’ll watch it,” she says, “but when he’s
gone, it just makes me think about him.”
Only four or five months into James’ first
deployment, tragedy nearly struck the Perdue
family, but not where you would think: James’
mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. “I
was afraid to tell him because I didn’t want it
to effect how he was doing over there,” Alison
says. After being so used to sharing everything
with her husband, she says, “That was one of
the hardest things for me, to realize what I
thought he could and couldn’t handle.”
After a year away, James finally returned
home. One of Alison’s favorite things about
his return is their “second first kiss,” she
says, “because you get the butterflies in your
stomach all over again, you get all nervous,
and it’s like we’re teenagers again.” A huge
smile spreads across her face as her excitement
about James’ upcoming return from his
second deployment bubbles forth.
As happy as James’ homecoming was, it
still took both of them some time to adjust
after such a long absence. Alison says that it’s
almost like life at home freezes while he’s away,
so changes that actually happened months
before are brand new to him. “Things haven’t
really changed for him, because he hasn’t seen
all the changes, whereas for me it’s everyday
life,” she says.
For James’ second deployment, Alison says
she made a stronger effort to keep him up to
speed on all the little changes in life at home.
With better technology, the couple can use
websites like Facebook to share pictures and
keep each other on the same page. “I don’t
think this deployment has been as hard,”
she says, mainly “because I get to talk to him
more often.”
Still, she would rather be able to have those
everyday conversations in person. “Being
able to do those face-to-face is completely
different than over the computer screen or
over the phone,” says Alison. “You don’t lose
the intimacy, but sometimes you feel like this
is a business transaction.
“The thing that was really hard for me
this time was it was our first Christmas we’d
ever spent apart,” says Alison. They have been
together for 12 years. Above all she misses the
little things, like the way he kissed her forehead
every morning before leaving for work.
“I never realized how much he did until
he was gone,” she says. A running joke with
many military wives is that as soon as the
husband leaves, everything breaks. For her
husband’s first deployment, only Alison’s
truck broke, soon followed by James’ truck.
The jaw-dropping list of everything that has
broken during James’ current deployment:
the washing machine, Alison’s computer, her
computer again, her cell phone (while her
computer was broken), the garbage disposal,
their headboard, and the garage door. Not to
mention the city mainline in their front yard
that burst while James was home on leave.
Luckily, both Alison’s family and James’
family live in the Bryan/College Station area
and are available to help her out when she
needs it. Alison says that her father, a retired
Soldier himself, said to her, “I always knew
you had it hard, but I never realized it was
that hard.”
Now, Alison says having a military father
helps “because I have that extra person who’s
been through it, who knows what the Soldier’s
feeling, what it’s like to be the Soldier and to
be over there.” Seeking her father’s advice
helps her better understand her relationship
with her husband while he’s overseas.
Alison’s father isn’t the only other military
man in her family, with both her husband
and her brother currently deployed. “It’s
hard, because I miss (my brother),” she says.
“He’s my only sibling.” Ironically, Alison’s
husband and brother are even deployed to
the same place, or at least within about 15
minutes of each other. “So they actually see
each other more than I see my brother,” says
Alison, whose brother is stationed out of
Fort Louis, Washington.
All the preparation and help in the world
doesn’t make being a military wife easy. Alison
describes how she has good days and bad days,
and how quickly good days can become bad
days. “You’re kind of like a ball of emotions
and you never really know what’s going to
come out,” she says laughing, thinking of
times when a song on the radio has brought
her to tears.
“I’ve noticed the more that I have to do,
the less I think about him,” she says, which
is why she volunteered to be the leader for
James’ unit’s Family Readiness Group, a
support group for both the Soldiers and
their families.
At the end of the day, so much sacrifice is
not without its rewards. “That’s one of the
things that I honestly think made me and my
husband stronger, is getting through these
together,” says Alison. “I know in the end it’s
what made us a better couple. We’re stronger,
we love each other more.”
She smiles confidently, knowing that
whatever hardships her and her husband
must face, they will face them together, and
they will come out stronger as individuals and
as a family.
September 2010 INSITE
29
Mary Ann Russell and
son, Todd Russell
“I know our son can be deployed at anytime to
anywhere in the world. More than likely, it will be
back to Afghanistan or some other dangerous hell
hole.” – Mary Ann
It
takes a certain kind of strength to
being home from his last deployment to
know that at any moment you could
Afghanistan, but being in the Army Reserves
be forced to face a mother’s biggest fear for
means that at any moment he can be uprooted
her child: having your own flesh and blood
and transported into harm’s way within a
torn away from you only to be put in harm’s
matter of days.
way and to still sit calmly and even take pride
in those facts.
That’s the strength that Mary Ann Russell,
a military mom, has.
“I know our son can be deployed at anytime
to anywhere in the world,” she says. “More
than likely, it will be back to Afghanistan or
some other dangerous hell hole.”
Her son Todd, a Captain in the 420th
Todd was in the active military for five
Engineer Brigade, has enjoyed the past year
years before returning to a civilian life. When
30
INSITE September 2010
he discovered that civilian life didn’t hold the
same camaraderie that he had experienced in
the Army, Todd joined the Army Reserves.
“Sometimes the homecoming and getting
back into their civilian lifestyles are harder
than the deployment,” says Mary Ann, and
she supports her son’s decision to join the
Reserves. He should “follow his heart, because
life is too short not to do what he wants to
do,” she says. When he is deployed again,
Mary Ann confidently says, “It will be hard
and nerve racking, but I won’t be alone.”
Mary Ann is the leader of Todd’s unit’s Family
Readiness Group, or FRG, meaning she keeps
in contact with the families of all the other
Soldiers in his unit and is able to talk to other
women in her situation.
While he’s still enjoying his time off, Todd
and Mary Ann spend time with their very
close-knit extended family, one of the things
she enjoys most when he’s at home. Todd was
even able to be home when Mary Ann’s first
grandchild was born.
The technology improvements Mary Ann
has seen over time have made her son going
overseas infinitely easier to deal with, though
the fear will never completely disappear. For
Todd’s hardship tour in 1996 to Korea, Mary
Ann could only communicate with him via
traditional post office mail and a single, bimonthly phone call.
For Todd’s recent deployment to
Afghanistan, she says, “It was a whole new
ballgame.” Todd was able to email his family
almost daily and to talk on the phone two or
three times a week. “New technology made the
separation a little easier,” she says, especially
for Soldiers with young kids at home, like
Alex Tran, a former member of Todd’s unit.
Since their loved ones served together, Mary
Ann knows and admires Krystina Tran, who
she says is in one of the toughest positions she
knows, being a Soldier’s wife and a mother.
Mary Ann looks forward to the day when her
son will eventually get married and start his
own family, but for now she’s happy that he’s
not leaving a new bride at home alone.
As a military mother, Mary Ann
understands the importance of family support
to deployed Soldiers. Says Todd: “Nothing
could be worse than feeling unimportant or
What can you do to help?
T
“Nothing could be worse than feeling unimportant
or forgotten in an environment that already has so
much stress and fatigue.” – Todd
forgotten in an environment that already has
so much stress and fatigue.”
As an FRG leader, Mary Ann understands
how much support the Soldiers’ families need
and how hard it is for people like Krystina
to make it without a little extra help. “The
American people owe so much to our Soldiers
and their families,” she says.
Despite the fear and the hardships, “I am
proud of all our Soldiers, especially my son,”
says Mary Ann. “I take great pride in being a
military mom.”
here are a multitude of ways to
help support our Soldiers, and
it’s easier than you think. Both the
American Legion and the Veterans of
Foreign Wars (VFW) have a mission
to support local Soldiers and their
families. A quick phone call to either
of those organizations will tell you
which units are deployed and what
things you can do to help.
Care packages are one of the main
things that these organizations put
together to support Soldiers in the
field. These can include everything
from basic living and hygiene supplies
to items of entertainment to keep up
the Soldiers’ morale. To make care
packages a reality, the American
Legion and the VFW need help from
local businesses and individuals in
the form of specific items or monetary
donations that go toward items and
shipping costs.
There are plenty of inexpensive
ways to help. “Letters from home were
a tremendous boost to the morale of my
Soldiers and me,” says Todd Russell,
even if they were from strangers.
“It is especially flattering when a
stranger takes time out of their day to
remember Soldiers away from home
and express their support though a
letter or care package,” says Alex
Tran. The Soldiers particularly enjoy
getting cards or drawings from kids.
“Little thoughtful things like that make
their day go so much better there,”
says Krystina Tran.
Even just shaking a Soldier’s hand,
saying “thank you” to them and their
families, and being there to welcome
them home make a difference. “It’s
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What kinds of things go in a care package?
Hygiene: baby wipes, insect cream, toothbrushes, toothpaste, floss, combs,
tissues, feminine sanitary products
Food: hard candy, nutrition bars, flavored water mix, chocolate, hot
chocolate mix
other: books, DVDs, phone cards, lotion, lip gloss or chap stick, smokeless
tobacco, magazines
To find out exactly how you can help, contact
the following resources:
American Legion
Earl Graham Post 159
(979) 778-1936
Select Family Support Group
www.alegion159.org
101 Waco Street, Bryan, Texas 77803
Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW)
Brazos County Post 4692
(979) 823-0550
www.vfwwebcom.org/tx/post4692
1447 S Farm To Market Rd 2818, Bryan, Texas 77801
John Velasquez, Post 4692 Commander
(979) 776-1106
Alison Perdue
FRG leader for National Guard 36th Infantry Division
(979) 255-9391
jamesalipeanut@yahoo.com
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very emotional and very uplifting when
Soldiers come to Easterwood and
the community is there to welcome
them,” says Krystina. By staying in
touch with the American Legion and
the VFW, you can learn when Soldiers
will be returning home.
As important as supporting our
deployed and returned Soldiers is,
it’s just as necessary to remember
the hardships of their families
while they’re away. “They too are
deployed to maintain the home front,
and their own sacrifices are too
often forgotten,” says Alex. “Their
sacrifices allow Soldiers to remain
steadfast and ready when duty to the
nation calls.”
Local businesses that offer a
discount to military families can ease
not only the financial burden, but also
the stress level in general. For working
mothers like Krystina, being able
to take the kids out to a discounted
dinner instead of cooking can make
her day a little easier, as well as let
the family have a little fun.
If you have a particular set of
skills, like plumbing, and are willing to
volunteer for things like fixing broken
appliances – or are just willing to
volunteer in any way, like lawn care
– you can let the American Legion or
the VFW know. Then when someone
needs help, there will be local
resources available to them.
“The American Soldier can endure
the worst hardships, overcome the
greatest obstacles, and defeat any
enemy, but only with the support of
their loved ones and fellow Americans
back home,” says Todd. Showing
your appreciation of Soldiers’ and
their families’ sacrifices doesn’t have
to be hard or complicated. All it takes
is a little “thanks.” i
buSINESSBRIeFS
(l-r) diane Jones Meier and Cynthia
Gay, members of the Steering
Committee; and Bunny Pratt and Carol
McFaddin, participating in the Circle of
Women Habitat House as members of
Rotary Women of Brazos County.
Imagine women joining their time,
talents, and treasure to assist a family
that lives in substandard housing. They
build a house that the family then
purchases and makes a home. The
family’s monthly, interest-free mortgage
payments help other families realize
their dreams of owning a safe, decent,
affordable house.
Local women and Bryan/College
Station Habitat for Humanity will
make this scenario happen. Construction
of the 4th Circle of Women House will
begin on Saturday, September 11. The
Circle of Women includes individuals
and organizations who contribute
$1000 towards the cost of construction.
Members of the Circle and other women
who want to be part of this Woman Build
House volunteer to construct the house.
All skill levels are welcome.
A pre-construction workshop just
for women will be held on Saturday,
August 28, from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the
Habitat education Center located at 119
Lake Street in Bryan. Women who are
interested in hands-on experience before
participating in the construction of any
Habitat house are invited to attend.
For more information or to become a
part of the Circle of Women, contact
Rebecca Christopher at development@
habitatbcs.org or (979) 823-7200, ext.
106. To volunteer, contact Jason davies
at volunteer@habitatbcs.org or (979)
823-7200, ext. 114.
Support the Brazos Valley Animal
Shelter on October 9 during the
Shelter’s 4th Annual Wiener Fest.
The big day starts at 8 a.m. with the
dog-friendly 5k Walk and Run, then
continues with the Costume Contest at
9:30 a.m. Races start at 11:30 a.m. and
continue through the afternoon with the
“Wanna be a Wiener” race at 2 p.m.
Only purebred dachshunds are allowed
in the wiener races, but the “Wanna be a
Wiener” race is for any dog less than 35
pounds that can fit into the dachshundsized start boxes. For those furry friends
that aren’t planning to race, they can
still come and enjoy the day. The animal
shelter asks only that they be on a
leash all day and have proof of a rabies
vaccination. entry fees for the races,
Costume Contest and 5k Walk and Run
go toward the Brazos Animal Shelter’s
new building through their Capital
expansion Fund. Costume Contest
participants may choose to enter into
multiple categories from the following:
Owner/dog Look Alike, Couples (dog
pairs), Most Creative, and Formal Wear.
The Costume Contest is open to all
breeds and is $10 for each dog in each
category. The shelter asks participants
to remember that this is a family event
and all costumes should be tasteful. All
races have a $25 entry fee, and the 5k
Walk and Run is $25 for adults and $10
for kids younger than 12 years old. All
registration forms are available at www.
brazosanimalshelter.org. There will also
be live music, kids’ activities and vendors
for all to enjoy. Admission is free and
open to the public. For more information,
call Judy LeUnes at (979) 492-3438 or
email her at jleunes@suddenlink.net.
dollar General awarded $2,715 to the
Bryan/College Station Library summer
reading program to purchase a collection
of chapter book/Cd kits to help children
reading below grade level, those just
learning to read and those learning english
as a second language, officials announced
Friday. The Barbara Bush Literacy
Corps awarded an additional $2,918
to fund the Youth Services Teacher
outreach Program. Now several more
classic picture books will be added to the
library’s collection to foster shared reading
and early literacy. The grant money is
in addition the annual $5,000 Library
Summer Reading Program grant from
the Friends of the Bryan/College
Station Library System. The Friends
grant will go toward the purchase of
prize books and incentives to encourage
the children in our community to
continue reading during the summer.
September 2010 INSITE
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Julia Gardner, co-owner of david
Gardner’s Jewelers, was recently
invited to sit on an esteemed panel
of jewelry industry experts at
Jewelers’ Circular Keystones
jewelry show in Las Vegas. Gardner
was joined on the panel by Jennifer
Gandia of Greenwich Jewelers,
Peter Walsh of Manika Jewelers
and Kathy Rose, jeweler to the
stars and winner of Bravo’s hit
television show, “Launch My Line.”
The JCk Show in Las Vegas is one
of the jewelry industry’s premier
trade events, hosting thousands of
vendors and buyers each year from
around the world Business owners
were invited to attend Gardner’s
panel, “How Jewelers Make Fashion
a Part of the Their Store,” and gain
insight from the country’s most
fashion-forward jewelry stores.
The corner of Highway 6 and
FM 2818 in Bryan will be the
home of the next Generation
industrial Park, a joint project
of Bryan and Brazos County. New
jobs may be coming courtesy of
a joint city-county effort. A $1.5
million grant from the economic
development Administration will
be used to build a rail spur for the
1,200-acre park. It would allow
connection with the Port of Houston
and other parts of the country. The
park is close to being ready for
businesses to locate there, and
multiple businesses have already
expressed interest in coming to
the new park. Of the 1,200 acres,
200 were purchased adjacent to
Highway 6, with the other 1,000
to the west ready for expansion of
the park in the future. The Brazos
County economic Foundation was
formed by the governing bodies last
year to manage the location. They
also formed the City of Bryan-Brazos
County economic development
Foundation to operate it.
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The Leading Women Express
network of Bryan/College Station, a
chapter of the American Business
Women’s Association, named
Geanna Kincanon its 2011 express
Network Top Ten Candidate. each
year LWeN recognizes a member
that has made notable contributions
to the American Business Women’s
Association, her community and
her career. Nominees for the award
were submitted to a three-member
committee made up of Leading
Women express Network members:
kathy Norwood, donna Patterson,
and debbie Waskow and were then
submitted to an outside panel for
final selection. The chosen candidate
then competes on a national level
with other candidates from all over
the country.
The Bryan Rotary Club recently
presented its annual newman 10
Business Performance Awards
to the top 10 companies that
have demonstrated the highest
percentage of growth and had
the greatest economic impact on
Brazos County for the last three-year
period. The recipients, from first to
tenth, were: Brazos Technology,
The Ground Crew LLC, Brazos
Valley Hearing Services,
Chrome: A Salon Experience, Ed
Slovacek CPA, JB Knowledge
Technologies, inc., Fifth ‘C’ Fine
Jewelry, Expressions dance and
Music, Ashford Square Realty
LLC, and Venus Pest Company.
C.C. Creations LTd was named
the 2010 recipient of the Lifetime
Business Achievement Award,
awarded to a company that has a
sustained history of success and
respect in its industry, as well as
having contributed to the quality of
life in this community. Co-founder
of PeTsys Preclinical, Women’s 3d,
Lenox engineering, and Therapyxis,
and Research Scientist-Imaging
director of Texas A&M University’s
Institute for Preclinical Studies,
dr. Mark W. Lenox received the
Research Valley Commercialization
Rising Star Award, which is
presented to an individual who
demonstrates outstanding business
innovation and involvement in
technology commercialization.
Voices For Children Executive
director Liana Lowey presents
a Buddy Bag to College Station
Lt. Mike Pavelka after a recent
brief orientation session for
CiSd officers.
Voices For Children – Court
Appointed Special Advocates
of Brazos Valley, Scotty’s
House Child Advocacy Center
and the College Station Police
department have launched a
pilot project entitled Buddy Bags.
Voices for Children and Scotty’s
House, local nonprofit organizations
that assist and advocate for abused
and neglected children in the Brazos
Valley, have stuffed 50 Buddy Bags
with child friendly activity and
safety books, games or sensory
activities (i.e., playing cards, Playdoh), small toys, sunglasses, books
and bubbles. Officers on patrol will
distribute the bags when they are
dispatched to a call where a child or
children are present (i.e., domestic
violence, burglary, fire, homicide).
“Buddy Bags not only provide
the children with fun activities
and safety information in times
of crisis, but also foster a positive
relationship between children
and law enforcement officers,”
said Voices For Children executive
director Liana Lowey, who
coordinated the project with
Scotty’s House executive director
Linda Patton and College Station
Police Lt. Mike Pavelka. i
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