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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID FT. WORTH, TX PERMIT NO. 711 December 2007 At Home With Bill and Karen Spae At Home With Bill and Karen Spae The Town Living Room The Town Living Room Highways and Byways Highways and Byways Table-fare Hunter Table-fare Hunter A North Pole Christmas A North Pole Christmas CNDec07Covers 11/15/07 9:09 PM Page 2

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  • PRSRT STDU.S. POSTAGE PAID

    FT. WORTH, TXPERMIT NO. 711

    December 2007

    At Home With

    Bill and Karen Spae

    At Home With

    Bill and Karen Spae

    The TownLiving RoomThe TownLiving Room

    Highwaysand BywaysHighwaysand Byways

    Table-fareHunterTable-fareHunter

    A North PoleChristmasA North PoleChristmas

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  • CorsicanaNOW is a NOW Magazines, L.L.C. publication. Copyright © 2007. All rights reserved. CorsicanaNOW is publishedmonthly and individually mailed free of charge to residents in Navarro County. Our office is located at 200 N. 13th St., Suite107 in downtown Corsicana.

    Subscriptions are available at the rate of $35 per year or $3.50 per issue. Subscription and editorial correspondence should besent to: NOW Magazines, P.O. Box 344, Corsicana, TX 75151-0344. For advertising rates and other information, call(903)875-0187 or e-mail us at: [email protected].

    Publisher, Connie Poirier

    General Manager, Rick Hensley

    Managing Editor, Becky Walker

    Editorial Coordinator, Sandra McIntosh

    Creative Director, Jami Navarro

    Art Director, Chris McCalla

    Sales Assistant, Jessica Vasquez

    Corsicana Editor, Kelly Kovar Contributing Writers, Dia Catalani . MichelleConfer . Nancy Fenton . Gary Hayden . MelindaHines . Sterling Hyden . Samantha Stroube Photography, Dia Catalani . Rod Cordsen . IveyPhotography . Sandra McIntosh . Terri OzymyContributing Editors/Proofreaders, Pamela ParisiJaime Ruark . Beverly Shay

    Advertising Representatives, Linda Moffett (manager)

    Will Epps . Amy Farrar . Lacy HightowerCarolyn Mixon . Terri Ozymy . Steve RandleTerri Yates

    Graphic Designers, Allee Brand . Dale FrieMarshall Hinsley . Arlene Honza . SteveKoldjeski . Brande Morgan

    On the Cover: Christmas stockingsand Santas grace the mantle andhearth at the Spae home.

    Photo by Rod Cordsen.

    ContentsDecember 2007, Volume 4, Issue 12

    6 16

    A North Pole Christmas Attention to DetailAt Home With Bill and Karen Spae

    www.corsicananow.com 3 CorsicanaNOW December 2007

    44 Who’s CookingNOW

    46 Around TownNOW

    48 Dining Guide

    56 FinanceNOW

    58 HealthNOW

    60 Community Calendar

    ArtsNOWHighways and Byways

    30NavarroCountyNOWLift Off for Life Saving

    24SportsNOW Table-fare Hunter

    34BusinessNOWSitting Pretty

    38RichlandChambersNOW The Town Living Room

    50EducationNOW Life is Full of Choices

    40

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  • Seasons Greetings,

    “Yea, Lord, we greet Thee, born this happy morning.” Why do we love Christmas? Is it becauseeveryone acts a little bit kinder, exhibiting a regard fortheir fellow man by offering a friendly smile, holding a door open, opening their pocketbook for the less fortunate? I think most have these feelings year-round, and are just glad tohave the chance to show it. At Christmas, we are more aware of our blessingsof family, friends and home. We are also much more willing to open our eyesto see the needs and hearts of others. The warm glow that enters our heart atChristmas does not come from the glitter of twinkling lights, however sweetthey are. It comes from the steady burning warmth ofknowing we can make a difference in each other’s lives.This year, try to keep a Christmas song in your heartall year: “Let every heart prepare Him room.”

    Merry Christmas, Kelly Kovar Corsicana Editor

    Editor’s Note

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  • BBrenda and David Coldiron wanted to take a trip, and

    they decided they would go “north to Alaska.” They liked itso well there, they stayed for nearly 20 years. They bought ahome in Fairbanks, but soon moved right on to North Pole,Alaska, where the spiritof Christmas lives year-round. “My husbandand I, and my two boys,went on a vacation inApril of 1984,” Brendarecalled. They went tovisit David’s sister, wholived there at the time. They were amazed by what they saw.“We had never seen snow machines before, and my husbandwas so excited when he first saw them that he drove off theroad into a snowbank,” Brenda remembered with a laugh.

    “The country was sobeautiful there; theair was so clean — Iknew that was wherewe wanted to raise ourboys. David Ray wasabout 1 1/2 and Scottwas 7 months old. Iknew we would be ableto fish and hunt andsnowmachine and ski.”

    “I flew home andsettled our businessin Texas,” Davidexplained. Then, oncein Alaska, Davidbegan working at TipTop Chevrolet as amechanic, and Brendaworked at Corroon &

    Black, an insurance broker, and then at Baker & Associates. Christmas in North Pole sparkled with light and magical

    holiday festivities. “The Santa Claus House in North Polewould be really, really decorated,” Brenda said. “They have

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    — By Kelly Kovar

    A North Pole

    Christmas

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    reindeers and a huge [40 foot] Santathat you can have your pictures takenwith. There were lots of decorationsthere and on the post office.”

    At Christmas, neighbors would taketurns gathering at each other’s homesfor Christmas dinner. “We would haveThanksgiving at one house, and haveChristmas at another,” David said. Fiveor six families would get together toshare the holidays, since most peopledidn’t have relatives who were close by.

    Brenda is from Texas, but Davidgrew up in Chicago. “I left Chicagowhen I was 13 and I had missed thesnow!” David said. “I remember one

    year growing up in Chicago, it snowedso much, we had to go up to the secondfloor and jump out the window to getout and shovel snow.”

    Alaska had enough snow to satisfyDavid. “You have eight months ofwinter there,” Brenda mentioned. Bythe first week of October, the snowcomes and lasts until March. “There isalways snow on the ground for thewhole winter. You have to shovel snowfrom your sidewalks and your decksand even the roof, or the snow gets tooheavy on it.”

    During the winter, the days areshorter. “You can get down to four

    hours of daylight,” Brenda said. “Inthe summertime, you can have almost24 hours of daylight. You just want togo and do things, because you have somuch light,” Brenda recalled. In thesummers, the boys played baseball,and the family liked to pan for goldand go camping. “In the winter, youjust want to sleep a lot. When the kidswere little, we played lots of games inthe winter, and David and I got in abowling league and bowled.”

    The Coldirons fished and huntedyear-round. “The Chena River was twomiles from our house, and the salmonand halibut are wonderful. I loved the

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    fish,” Brenda said. “In the winter, wewould cut a hole in the ice with iceaugers and do ice fishing. The ice is sothick that people would drive theirvehicles out on the lakes.”

    Once the Coldirons moved toNorth Pole, they bought a two-story,cedar-sided house, surrounded withbirch trees. “Outside walls are sixinches thick, instead of four,” Davidexplained. “You have triple pane windows.” They had a helpful neighbor,a long-time Alaska resident, who kept

    trap lines. He took them under his wing,and helped them learn how to hunt.

    “We hunted caribou, moose andbear,” Brenda said. “It is so cool duringhunting season that you don’t have toworry about the meat spoiling.”

    “Caribou is better than venison,”David said. “We never bought meat atthe grocery store. Between the moose,caribou, salmon and halibut, our bigfreezer was always full. You never wantto get more than one moose per winter;that provides a lot of meat. My son’sfirst moose had a big 52-inch rack.”

    David recalled one time when themen had a winter hunt. They went bysnow machine to hunt caribou, gettingthree or four to bring home. “A dressedcaribou gives about 350 to 400 poundsof meat. When we had friends thatdidn’t get to go out, everybody shared.”

    In fact, cooperation between neighborsin Alaska is common. “Neighbors, co-workers and friends became likeextended family,” Brenda said.“Everybody up there is so nice andfriendly. Everybody tries to help eachother, and you don’t even lock your

    “The country was so beautiful there;the air was so clean – I knew that waswhere we wanted to raise our boys.”

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  • What’s New at theBlackwell & Irvine CPA GroupA New Face

    Meet Val Boales, the newestaddition to the firm. Val joinsthe team as the new officemanager and brings greatorganizational skills to thetable. A native of Corsicana,Val is married to Kim Boales,who serves as the projectmanager for an electriccompany in Dallas. She looksforward to meeting all of ourclients and is at the front,ready to help!

    A New Name

    Richelle Blackwell is nowRichelle Perry! On October20, 2007, she married KacyPerry of Mildred. Richellecontinues to work for us, helpsrun Roy’s Cafe and is attendingcollege. We wish her all theluck in the world!

    A New EnergyRyan Douglas, is an accountantyou can “count on!” He has beenwith our firm for 6 years and willgraduate from UTA in May 2008.Soon after graduation, he willobtain his CPA license.

    Vicky Croom, tax manager,has worked in the CPA businessfor 23 years, and has experiencein all areas of accounting. Shewill be more involved in taxwork for 2008 and thereafter.

    Justin Lewis, a CPA candidate,should be sitting for the CPA examearly in 2008. He is a 2005graduate of Sam Houston StateUniversity, and is quickly becomingone of our sought after and askedfor tax preparers.

    Three GoodbyesSandra Palmer and Joanne Formby have both decided toretire. We wish them the best of luck and happiness in their retirement years. We will miss them!Amy Bruce went to work for the Country Club and we will missher, too!

    YOU ARE ALL IRREPLACEABLE!

    Leadingthe Team

    Charles Ivine, CPA &Evonne Blackwell,

    CPA100 S. 15th St., Corsicana

    [email protected]

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    doors. It was a different atmosphere.”The community would get togetherand have snow machine races and dogmushing races. “The Iditarod comesthrough, and we watched that,”Brenda said.

    The sports were fun, the neighborswere friendly, but the sights werespectacular. “The northern lights looklike waves of colors, dancing in thesky,” David added, with awe. “Thelights were usually green, but somenights you would see blue and red.”

    Every year, there was an ice festival.“Artists come from Russia, Japan andall over the world and spend weekscarving castles, bears and bridges, allkinds of things,” David remembered.“They put lights in the carvings, andat night, the ice reflects all the differentcolored lights.”

    Eventually, in 2003, David andBrenda returned to Texas to be closerto family. Their sons were grown andon their own by then, and remained inAlaska. “We are glad to be back inTexas,” she said. “I need to be closer tomy family at this point. The snow andthe long winters were getting harderfor us.” David now works at Barry’sChrysler and Brenda at Kyle WardInsurance and Financial Services. Theirolder son followed them to Corsicanaabout a year later. After four years,their younger son and his new bride,Nikki, have also decided to come tolive in Corsicana. “I’ve only seen myyounger son once in the four years,”Brenda said. “This will be an awesomeChristmas. I can’t wait; it is going tobe fun. It will be nice to have us alltogether again for the holidays.”

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  • BT

    Bill and Karen Spae spent a sum total of sevenyears looking at lake lots across Texas before findingjust the right one. “We’d find a lake we liked, butno property, or we’d find a beautiful section ofland, and no lake worth living by,” Bill said. Thecouple did not give up on their hunt for a placethey could invest in — a place where they couldescape for the weekend and, hopefully, where theycould one day retire.

    Thanks to a Realtor’s recommendation, RichlandChambers offered them exactly what they werelooking for and so much more. After trying thelake out for one season, Bill and Karen came uponthe lot they wanted. It had the beach-like areathey wanted for the family’s dogs to romp andplay, as well as ample space for the couple’s threegrandchildren to “dig in the dirt.” “When weinquired about the lot, the developer told us itwas already sold,” Karen remembered. “For whatever reason, the deal fell through. The lotwas turned back in and we said, ‘Yes,’ to buying it immediately.”

    During the first six years they owned the property,the Spaes built a boathouse that served as thefamily’s weekend getaway from the hustle andbustle of Plano. Then, the company where Bill

    Attention to Detail

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    — By Sandra McIntosh

    SpaeAt Home With

    Bill and Karen

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    served as CEO was sold. “It was timefor us to decide if we wanted to stay inPlano or live full time in NavarroCounty,” Bill said. “Originally, we’dbought the land for retirement, but wemade the decision to move out hereearlier.” Two days after the final decisionto move was made, Karen put thehome in Plano on the market. “Thehouse sold in three days,” she said,amazement still rising up in her voice.“Bill had come to me on a Tuesday. I putthe house on the market on a Thursdayand it sold over the weekend. It wasjust meant to be.”

    The couple had to be out of their homein Plano within two weeks following

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  • the sale. That they were thankful forthe RV they had kept in storage, issomewhat of an understatement. “Welived in the RV for a year with twodogs and a cat,” she said, smiling atthe memory. “The first thing we builtwas Bill’s home office,” Karen said,explaining that the building is stilldetached from the home today. “Thenwe added the storage shed,” Bill laughed.“It was all her idea. The office andshed allowed me to keep my sanity.”

    After a lengthy time of planning,supervising and overseeing the buildingprocess, Bill and Karen moved intotheir new three-bedroom, five-bath,“comfy” Western-style home in May2006. “The concept was comfort,”Karen said. “We wanted it open for

    makes cooking as a couple, or for ahuge crowd, easy.

    With Christmas just a few shortweeks away, Bill and Karen are lookingforward to the excitement the holidayhas to offer. “I love Christmas andeverything about it,” Karen said. “Thefood, the decorating and the baking.”Bill just shook his head as Karen madethe undertaking of Christmas seemeffortless. “She does a spectacular jobof decorating,” he said. “There’s not a

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    entertaining, and believe it or not, wecan sleep 35 people comfortably.” Allcouches, both upstairs and downstairsare sleepers. When furnishing the home,they wanted friends and family to beable to gather and have a good timewithout feeling cramped or overcrowded.“All materials used were chosen forease of maintenance and relaxed living,”Bill said, referring to the two fullsinks, two dishwashers, two sets ofwashers and dryers and an oven, which

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    and that’s how Karen decorates.” Snowmen and Santas play a big part

    in the decorating process, too. Theycan be seen peeking out from every nookand cranny, thanks to the collectingKaren started when she and Bill firstbegan dating. In fact, a ring she stillwears today came attached to her firstSanta. Karen’s love for Santas grewinto a larger-than-life project this year.“I crafted five life-sized Santas thisyear,” Karen said. “The fancy, Westernand traditional Santas are downstairs,while the Florida State and Green Bay

    single corner she hasn’t touched.About all I do is get the large treedown. She does everything else.”

    The Spaes also include family andfriends in their holiday traditions.“Each year, I purchase hand-paintedornaments,” Karen said, “and I placethem in velvet-lined gift boxes. I’vejust always tried to do something special.” Each room boasts its ownChristmas tree. Wreathes hang on thewindows, as well as the front gate. “Icompare it to a department store,” Billsaid. “Remove all the retail items,

    Packer Santas are upstairs in thegame room.” That first Santa, 10 yearsago, has grown into a collection ofwell over 100 Santas blown in glass,carved in wood, hand-painted andeven one from Russia. Each year,Karen purchases at least one new Santato add to her collection.

    The holiday trimmings blendbeautifully with the Texas decor Karenchose when designing the home. Thedetails that show her love for Texasinclude: cowboy hats, Texas stars, rustic Western art and the use of lots

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    of wood accents. Focal points whichprove that “everything’s bigger inTexas” include: the stone wall in thekitchen with hand-painted tile insetsfrom Mexico; theblack soapstoneisland withrough-cut edges,also in thekitchen; the useof branding ironsin the scrollingfound in theglass front doors; the 42 tons of stoneused on the exterior and the massivefireplace mantle in the great room.“The mantle was cut from a redwoodtree from Northern California,” Karensaid. “It was hung upside-down sovisitors could appreciate the wood’snatural beauty.”

    The details for the building werespecific. All the choices made weredeliberate and intentional. “We spenthours making sure everything wasexactly how we wanted it to be,” Billsaid. “We wanted the home to feelbig, open and massive. We’ve neverput this much detail into any otherhouse like we did this one.” The precise detail was based solely on a list Karen had been keeping for years.The tri-colored wood floors, the stucco-like wall treatments, the oversized three-car garage and the pebble stone pathway in the masterbathroom are just a few examples ofthe attention they gave to every singledetail. The effort in detail Bill andKaren put into the building of theirhome will no doubt be the same effortthey will extend to their children andgrandchildren, who are expected toarrive for Christmas any day now.

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  • Navarro County

    DDon Coker of Blooming Grove has

    spent many years in rewarding fields,such as law enforcement and corporatehelicopter piloting. His currentundertaking, as an Air Evac Lifeteambase pilot supervisor, is the mostgratifying of his career. “It is a veryrewarding job,” he said.

    As one of four Ennis-based helicopterpilots, Don teams with four registerednurses and four paramedics to providerapid transport when there is a criticalmedical situation. “Pilots work 12-hourshifts, seven-days-on and seven-days-off,”Don explained. “Themedical crew works24-hour shifts. As aresult, I get to workwith all of the nurses and paramedics.We really operate as a team.” OnDon’s days off, he likes to build

    things. “I like to build picnictables,” he said. His main interest,though, is flying. “I love to fly,and I’m kind of a workaholic, soon my days off, I like to pick upextra shifts when they are available.With 11 other bases in Texas,there are often shifts when peopleneed to take vacation.”

    Don is used to travelingaround Texas. “I am from CorpusChristi, and I started out at age20 working for the Texas Departmentof Public Safety (TDPS) as a state

    trooper in the Houston area.” He spenteight years as a highway patrolman. “I really wanted to learn to fly, but I

    — By Kelly Kovar

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    thought flying was a rich man’s sport.My DPS partner had a pilot’s license,and he told me that I could financeflying lessons with a second job. So, [I]got a job as bank security, and I earnedmoney for lessons.” After Don got hispilot’s license, he became a state trooperhelicopter pilot. “As a pilot/inspectorfor DPS, I flew rescue missions. Youget to really test your skills on rescue

    “Flying is a passion for me.”

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  • missions. I picked people up that weretrapped on roofs from hurricanes orfloods. That is a really great feeling.”He also was assigned to fly dignitarieson occasion. “One of my very firstassignments was to fly the secretary of energy to a geothermal well outsideof Houston. That was an experience. Ijust thought, ‘Here am I, a regularguy, taking a United States cabinetmember in my helicopter.’” He alsoflew Bing Crosby’s wife once. “I pickedher up at the airport and took her to acharity event.”

    After six years as a DPS pilot, Donmade the leap to the corporate world,as a helicopter pilot for GrantCorporation and then Mac-CareyProperties. He was drawn to this areawhen he accepted a pilot position withR. E. Hable Construction Company inCorsicana. “We moved to this area,and bought a house in BloomingGrove.” Don reared twin daughtersand a son there. “They turned out tobe great kids. I am extremely blessed,”Don said. He decided to go back intolaw enforcement, since he really wantedthe stability of a long-term job whilehe was rearing the children. “I spent14 years with the Navarro County

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  • Sheriff’s Office. At the same time, Idid maintenance for the BloomingGrove Independent School District,helping build the baseball and footballfields, and working security for ballgames.” While the children weregrowing up, Don was vice president ofthe Corsicana Girls Softball League.“My twins, Brittney and Courtney,played high school softball and theywent to state all four years. Theygraduated second and third in theirsenior class and went to college onacademic and softball scholarships. Ireally like getting to see my son, Clay,and his wife, a school teacher, a lotnow, because he lives close to me. Clayenjoys working in the Avalon area as aheavy equipment operator.”

    With the young Cokers on the wayto adulthood, Don began to explorehis flying options again. “I thought Ihad put that behind me. I really neverexpected to fly again.” Then, a formerDPS state police pilot recommendedDon as a helicopter pilot with an airambulance service called Critical Air.“They hired me, and I really likedworking for Critical Air; they are goodpeople.” After three years, when AirEvac Lifeteam bought Critical Air,Don stayed on and eventually becamea base pilot supervisor in the city ofWest, Texas. “Air Evac Lifeteam toldme they were going to open the Ennisbase, and asked me if I would like thejob. We opened at the Ennis hospitalin mid-July, and it is a good experiencestarting up a new base.” He was gladto have a shorter commute fromBlooming Grove, where he lives withhis wife, Terri, and is also now theproud dad of two grown stepdaughters,Jennifer and Corey. Terri also works inEnnis at Alliance Data.

    “Air Evac is very safety conscious,”Don said. “We are very community-minded. What makes it possible for usto do our job is our cooperation withlocal firemen, policemen and medical

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    Navarro County

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    personnel.” The team’s base-life functionsmuch like a fire station. “We eachhave our own crew-quarter room, andwe have a living area where we have arefrigerator and a microwave. Duringoff-times, we can work on continuingeducation, but when a call comes in,which is usually from one to three timesa day, our job is to be ready to go.”

    The team makes transports from

    hospital to hospital whenever a patientneeds to be moved quickly. They alsoanswer emergency calls, especiallyproviding rapid transport for people inrural areas. “I like scene calls the best.It may be at night, and we go intodifferent kinds of loading zones (LZs).I have an 875,000 candlepower lightto use for illumination to watch forwires, cell towers and obstacles. Wemove into the LZ and orbit a couple oftimes to make sure it is safe to land.Then, the medical team gets outquickly and goes to work.”

    Some calls are especially gratifying.“We got a call to transfer a lady fromHillsboro to Waco. I landed, and themedical crew went inside the hospital.Before transport, she went into cardiacarrest. The Air Evac medical crewsaved her life.”

    “Flying is a passion for me. I’vereally enjoyed it. I spent a total of 30years as a lawman, but this is a goodoccupation. I am working with trueprofessionals. It is a great experienceto be involved in seeing someone’slife saved.”

    Navarro County

    “It is a very rewarding job.”

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  • WWhen Dave Young received his first

    guitar, at age 6, he was a diamond inthe rough, but a natural musician. Byage 7, he was writing lyrics. Alongsidehis father and uncles, he would playold, classic favorites by Meryl Haggardand Stevie Ray Vaughn. “After I heardtheir music and played it, I knew whatI was going to do with my life,” Davestated, without hesitation.

    He never really had any formaltraining or guitar lessons. Dave justlearned by playing and his songs arewritten from truth. His inspirationcomes from the trials and tribulationshanded to him through life. “Most ofmy songs are modeled after life —lyric for lyric, scratch for scratch,” he admitted.

    A native of Corsicana, Dave leftabout 15 years ago to pursue hisdream of becoming a countrymusic artist in Nashville. Hismusical career first began whenhe and his family went onvacation to Nashville,Tennessee. His first album,Living on the Edge, was pickedup by a record label in Nashville andit immediately jumped to number

    three on the international charts andnumber 53 on the national charts.

    The production of his secondalbum, With a Woman Like You, did

    not have such a fairy taleending. In fact, it was aheartbreaking situation forhim. The album was filledwith numerous true lifeexperiences from Dave and afew other artists. The writer

    of one of the tracks on the album was

    not willing to sign off the rights forproduction, so the album sales werefrozen. However, Dave was able to turnthe situation to his favor by givingthe CDs away. This gave him a lot ofpublicity and enabled him to get hisname and music out into the public.

    Dave will be finishing various songson his latest album next. The workwill be done in Nashville, and thenthe album will soon be ready for production. Outside of writing and

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    — By Samantha Stroube

    HighwaysByways

    “Most of my songs are modeled after life — lyric forlyric, scratch for scratch.”

    and

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    playing music, Dave has had his handsin the country music industry in oneway or another. One of the experienceshe likes to recall was working atLoretta Lynn’s ranch. He was a greeterand in charge of organizing and sendingout invitations to special events involvingLoretta or the ranch. He maintainedpublic campfires for fans and for visitorson the property. “She [Loretta] is thekindest person I ever met, next to mymother,” Dave said.

    Wherever Dave has lived or traveled,he has managed to carve out some timeto do volunteer work in each town.“Volunteering comes from the heart,”he said. “Without God I would benothing. Not everyone is blessed withthe same things, so I enjoy helpingout.” Dave has managed to capture thegood times and the bad times which hehas seen, in the music which he writes.“I write when I am inspired or whenmy heart is heavy,” Dave explained. “Ialways say you have to soldier up andwrite what comes to you — write whatis real.” He typically writes when he isinspired. Like most musicians, he isnot a “9-to-5” type of writer. Headmitted some of his songs were a bit

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    premature when he wrote them, butthey have all managed to come tofruition in one way or another. “OnceI start something, I always finish it,”he said.

    Dave is not through seeing thecountry. Although he has settled intoliving in Corsicana, he would still like

    to explore the music scene in otherparts of Texas. He plans to spend sometime in Austin next. “It is every bit aspopular as Nashville,” he proclaimed.“I plan to cut a trail across Texas, andlive out my life.” Dave has thoroughlyenjoyed his life as a country music artist,even though he admits there have beensome hard times, as in everyone’s life.“This kind of life, you either take it, oryou break it,” he commented.

    Now, at the age of 50, he has decidedto slow down a bit, but continue hissinging and writing career. He managesto play once a month locally with theCorsicana Opry Band at Martin’sMusic Hall. He is one of the mostinteresting people in the band and isconsidered a great performer there. Hisbackground growing up in Corsicanaand his years of performing in Nashvilleand song writing make him a popularfavorite with the audiences. In October,he held two concerts, one was all gospelmusic and the other was pure country.

    “I don’t plan on quitting any timesoon,” he asserted. Dave’s style ofmusic is truly his own. A little bitcomes from his hero, Waylon Jennings,and the other half from Stevie RayVaughn, but he manages to blend ittogether beautifully. “Music intertwines,”he said, “and grows into one big familyof music.”

    “I write when I aminspired or when

    my heart is heavy.”

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  • IIt is pretty amazing how well Frank

    Canfield knows the Navarro Countyhunting grounds, since he is a nativeKansas boy. Ask him where to goaround these parts, and he can pointyou in the right direction, especiallywhen it comes to hunting and fishing.

    Frank has been actively huntingaround Corsicana, primarily theEmhouse area, since 1979; he has beensuccessfully fishing Navarro Mills since1980. “I have never been a trophyhunter,” Frank explained. “I’m whatyou call a table-fare hunter.” He only

    Table-fareHunter— By Samantha Stroube

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    kills what he and his wife will eat. “Adove meal for my wife and I consists ofnine doves — four for her and five forme,” he added. “After I get that on ahunt, I go home.”

    Frank learned thisway of life from beingborn during theDepression era. “Noone had a refrigerator,” he said, “so weate what we shot.” His mother wouldsend him off to gather food for hisfamily with two bullets in hand andexpect him to come home with a rabbit

    for stew. “Frankie, you go track thatbunny rabbit,” he recalled his mothervividly stating to him before eachhunt. “I never really had the desire to

    moose, elkor any largegame hunt— the desireto mount an

    animal and show it off to my friendsnever really appealed to me.”

    The only game or sport-type huntingFrank loves to do is pheasant hunting;it is his passion. He has managed to turn

    “Everything on my trips isdone in the spirit of honesty,

    good faith and fair play.”

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  • his passion into a business endeavor.Since 1977, Frank has been guiding avery select group of Christian-basedhunters from all over Texas to northwestKansas for successful pheasant hunts. Thegoal of these hunts is to have fun, and

    Frank’s hunting pals have successfullymanaged to offer over 200 beautifullymounted pheasants to executives,politicians and other hunting enthusiastsin the Houston area.

    On his hunts, Frank acts as theguide and the dictator for safety andresponsibility purposes. He reflectedon one trip he took a few years agowhere four very successful dentistsjoined him on the trip. After two days,they decided to “pack it in” and headfor home. “They just couldn’t takedirection or orders from someone else,”

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  • Frank chuckled. “Everything on mytrips is done in the spirit of honesty,good faith and fair play.” His passionand adoration for the pheasant as “oneof God’s creations” is completely sincere.Frank never kills more pheasants thanis necessary, he explained, and thoughit is truly for pleasure and the mountingof the beautiful creatures, the sport isnever abused.

    Frank explained the seriousness ofthe hunt, and the passion he has foreach animal and group he takes:“Before we leave Texas, we sit downand review the 36 rules that I createdover the years. The top two are mymost important: First, there isabsolutely no bickering, griping orcomplaining about anyone or anything,and second, there is no alcohol allowedon the trip,” Frank stated.

    Frank has a lot to be proud of —going from failure to success as he putit. He managed to turn his life aroundfrom hard times to good times. Hedropped out of high school to join themilitary during World War II; uponreturning home with $150 in hispocket and a suitcase in his hand, hewalked himself right up to the Deanof Admissions at Southern MethodistUniversity in Dallas, Texas. “I struggledmy freshman year,” he explained. “Iwas on probation, but by the end of mysenior year, I was on the Dean’s HonorRoll.” Frank more than overcame hisstruggles, finishing at SMU with abachelor’s in business administrationand psychology and a master’s in divinity.

    He has managed to parlay his passionfor hunting into his current career as afreelance outdoor sports writer. At 50years of age, Frank retired from theworkforce, and soon found himselfbusy once again. As a member of theHouston Sportsmen Association, thethen president of the association askedFrank if he would write a feature storyabout pheasant hunting for the monthlynewsletter. Without hesitation Frank

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    accepted the challenge — although hedid not find writing about his passionto be a challenge at all.

    Suddenly, Frank found his smallnewsletter article being splashed allover the front of various newspapers inthe southern region of Texas. Before heknew it, a Houston paper, which nolonger exists, hired him as their sportswriter. “I instantly became famousaround town,” he stated.

    Then he received a call from an on-line company that took him to aninternational boat show. “It was five-startreatment all the way,” Frank said. “Infact, I think they actually enjoyedtalking to me, since I knew what I was talking about with fishing andhunting.” Today, Frank is still happilywriting for the same on-line company,sharing his stories and knowledge offishing and hunting.

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  • DDressing up will never go out of style, and why would we

    want it to? No matter what our age, there is somethingabout donning a beautiful dress or jacket dress that makeswomen feel like a million bucks, allowing us to linger, just abit longer, in the mirror before heading out the door.

    Donna Dodson-Llinas, owner of Gowns Galore, sees a lotof that. Long gazes in the mirror are an everyday occurrencehere, where families get to glimpse a new kind of smile fromtheir bride-to-be, and ladies find the perfect evening gownfor an exotic cruise.

    As the only area retailer for Jessica McClintock and MaggieSottero designer dresses and wedding gowns, Donna ensuresthat every woman and young lady willfind the perfect dress for her perfectevent. “We really enjoy bringingthem dress after dress after dress.Sometimes, they’ll come in withsomething in mind, and then leavewith something entirely different — all because they hadn’t considereda certain style,” Donna said, addingthat many may recall her store whenit was Donna’s Bridal & More.

    The store’s plain exterior hides what is inside: An entirestore-length display of special occasion dresses, from slinky,body-hugging, floor-lengths to traditional taffeta or lace andeverything in between. There is an amazing collection ofcocktail dresses, perfect for a night on the town or parties, anddarling dresses for little girls, as well as mother-of-the-bridedresses. Tuxedos for the styling groom and his groomsmen

    Sitting

    Pretty— By Dia Catalani

    are also available. “When you consider that the entire weddingis centered around the wedding dress, it’s a pretty big decisionwhich dress you’ll wear,” Donna said. “The dress, no matterwhere you’re going or why, is what makes you feel special.”

    Prices are very reasonable, so much so that no savvy buyerwould travel elsewhere to shop for formal wear. The staff alsomaintains a dress registry to ensure proms and homecomingsdo not feature more than one of the same dress. “Personalservice is what we specialize in and what people deserve but seldom receive when shopping in the big city stores,”Donna said. “When someone says they have a budget, westay within that amount.”

    If you have plans for a special occasion, visit Gowns Galore.Here you will find everything needed for a wedding, from theinvitations to the altar and beyond. Fancy high-heeled shoesand handbags, sterling silver jewelry, jeweled readers andfancy pill boxes, and Shapers brand bodywear are just a fewof the items available. Many locals know Donna as the skilledseamstress who used to work miracles on their last-minuteemergencies, helping with resizing clothing to hemming newslacks and more.

    These days are busy ones for Donna, a three-time cancersurvivor who still finds time to help others. She is planningan event close to her heart, one that will also help raise

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  • money for cancer research. The SecondChance Prom, held May 24 at NavarroCook Center, will also provide a venueto celebrate a high school event manydid not get to attend. “My hope is thatpeople will come to this prom and havea memorable evening with someonespecial to them and at the same time,help raise money to find a cure,” Donnasaid. “If we can help Relay for Lifethrough this, it’s a wonderful thing.”

    A disc jockey will spin ’60s to ’80smusic, while attendees are treated tohors d’oeuvres and a cash bar. Thefundraiser is open to all adults.

    If you know a young lady in need of formal wear, suggest Gowns Galore,located at 200 North 15th Street atWest 5th Avenue. If you are interestedin becoming a sponsor for The SecondChance Prom, please call Donna at(903) 874-3377.

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  • B over the United States, via e-mail. Students can also work onthat class away from campus and take the tests here.”Lee also offers a night school on Tuesday and Thursday, so

    students can work during the day. “If a student from CHShas taken a class and not passed,they can come to the night schooland recover that credit. Or, if youhave a senior that needs nine creditsto graduate and they can only takeeight at the high school, they cancome at night and take that class.”

    “We see good results from theprogram. We like to recognize students who have successfullygraduated, so we have a ceremonyfor them and have their parentshere. We have cake and punch.” If students choose, they canalso go to the regular graduationceremony at CHS.

    As an academic counselor, Barbara’s job is to make sureeverybody has the classes they need in order to meet theirgoals. “I meet with students and we talk. I want to knowwhat their plans are; what do they want to do when they go

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    Life is Full of Choices

    Barbara LePoris has been a counselor at LeeSchool of Choice since the program opened in2005. “I love it here,” Barbara said. “It is great.We have students come here who are behind.We can catch them up and accelerate them. It isgood for the kids. The first year we were opened,we had 32 students graduate, and the second year,34. Those are students that wouldn’t have graduated otherwise.”

    The Options Program at Lee is for Corsicana High School(CHS) students who are two or more years behind wherethey should be, credit wise, or are at risk of dropping out.“As our students graduate, andplaces become available, we look atjuniors and seniors, and pull inpeople who we think would benefit from the program,”Barbara said. “Eventually, our goalfor this year is to move up fromour present enrollment of about60 to an enrollment of 80.”

    When a student is behind andstruggling to catch up, they canwork at their own pace with thecomputer-based curriculum at Lee.Students work individually, not ina normal classroom setting. “Wehave two programs: one is calledan A+ program and is on our servers here. The teachers arehere at the campus and can do one-on-one help. We alsohave Advanced Academics, which is an Internet-based program. Students can talk to teachers, who are based all

    — By Kelly Kovar

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    out of here. If I have an idea what theywant to do, then that helps me figureout what classes they need to take, andwhat is their next step for getting intoa two-year or four-year college or atechnical program.”

    Barbara was previously a counselorat CHS. “I’ve been in the school districtsince 1967. I took two years out whenI had our daughter, Anna, so this ismy 38th year.” Barbara went to theUniversity of North Texas (UNT). “Itwas a good school; a good time. I’m

    from Abilene and thought I wanted togo to Oregon, because it soundedexciting. After graduation, I wasworking at a summer camp nearMarshall when I found out about thejob opening in Corsicana and itsounded fun. I was so glad I came; itis a great place. It is better thanOregon.” The first year she was atCHS, Barbara met her husband, Bill, amath and science teacher at the school.“He was a great teacher,” she said,with a smile. “He taught physics andcalculus.” Barbara started as a teacherof physical education and health. “Ihad the drill team, which was calledThe Blue and Gold Brigade then; I hadboys’ and girls’ tennis and girls’ track.”

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  • Eventually, Barbara decided to go back toschool at Commerce and get a master’s,returning to become a counselor.

    When Barbara retired a few yearsago, although she enjoyed having thetime to work on her place in Corsicanaand visit her family in Abilene, it wasnot long before she missed the students.“It was hard for me to be away from

    the kids; working with the kids is thewhole idea,” she said. “I missed it,and so I came back to CISD. Most ofmy friends are in the district, and Imissed them. The high school neededsome help with a program there, and I had the opportunity to go back parttime.” She also worked at Collins for a half-year, and then came to the LeeSchool of Choice.

    “Life is full of choices; we all get tomake them; we all get to live withthem. That is what I talk about withstudents. Many students have no plansfor the future. We talk about wherethe choices they have made in the pasthave gotten them.” Barbara remindsthem that they cannot do anythingabout their choices of the past, butthey can do a lot to change what iscoming. “What we do here can helpstudents make the choices to getwhere they want to go.”

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    amounts of seasoned salt, black pepper and garlicpowder. Shake a dusting of flour over the roast forgravy purposes. Drizzle olive oil or previously-saveddrippings over the roast and seal the juices by cookingat 400 F for 30 minutes. Lower the heat to 325 F andslow cook around 3 hours depending on the size. Inthe final 1 1/2 hours, add potatoes, parsnips andonions, placing them around the roast and bastingevery now and then. When done, remove the roast andkeep warm. Pour off the oil and grill veggies for a fewminutes to make crispy. Remove roast veggies, drainfat leaving 1 Tbsp. and make gravy with scrapings,adding more flour, water and kitchen bouquet for color.Salt to taste. Serve with baby peas and julienned carrots.Use Mint Sauce for final dressing.

    MINT SAUCE1 cup finely chopped mint leavesboiling water2 Tbsp. sugar1/2 cup apple cider vinegar

    Put mint into a jug. Cover with boiling water. Addsugar and vinegar. (Personal tip: Toss the sugar over

    ROAST LEG OF NEW ZEALAND LAMB WITHROAST VEGETABLES(Allow 40 minutes per pound for well done.)

    4 - 5 lbs. lamb (New Zealand lamb is already boned and rolled in a net)

    2 Tbsp. seasoned salt1 - 2 Tbsp. black pepper (to taste)1 - 2 Tbsp. garlic powder (to taste)1/2 cup flour for dusting1 cup of olive oil or previously-saved drippings6 quartered potatoes (rolled in 1 cup flour with 1 Tbsp.

    salt & 1 Tbsp. pepper)3 - 4 quartered parsnips (optional, not everyone likes

    them)2 - 3 quartered onions6 Tbsp. flour for thick gravy2 cups water for gravy1 tsp. kitchen bouquet1 tsp. salt (to taste)6 average-sized julienned carrots (or one per person)15-oz. can Le Sueur baby peas

    Place lamb in roasting pan and season with generous

    IN THE KITCHEN WITH HELEN GRIFFITHS

    Look Who’s

    Cooking

    the mint leaves to speed up the chopping.)

    PAVLOVA(Made in honor of the Russian ballerina, Pavlova,when visiting New Zealand, in the early 20th century)

    3 egg whites*3 Tbsp. cold water1 cup sugar1 tsp. vinegar3 tsp. corn flour (cornstarch)1 tsp. vanilla

    Preheat oven to 225 F. Using an electric mixer, beategg whites until stiff. Add water and beat again. Addsugar very gradually while still beating. Slow beaterand add vinegar, cornstarch and vanilla. Line an oventray with greaseproof paper. Draw a 9-inch circle onthe paper. Spread the mixture within the circle keepingthe shape as round and even as possible. Smooth topsurface over. Bake for about 1 hour. (It is really justdrying out.) Carefully lift Pavlova** onto a servingplate. Decorate with whipped cream and fresh fruit,i.e. kiwi and strawberries. Serves 6.

    — By Melinda Hines

    C oming from New Zealand, a beautiful country with only four million people and 70 million sheep, it isnot surprising that lamb tops Helen’s list of favorite dishes.“I want to share a roast lamb dinner, complete with trimmingsand topped with New Zealand’s famous desert — Pavlova,”Helen said.

    Lamb is meat from a sheep under a year old, after that, itis referred to as mutton and destined for the stew pot. “Withthe advent of boning the leg, half the fun and flavor wentwith the bone. New Zealand lamb is available at Sam’s, andthe leg is wrapped in a net which makes it really sportingwhen one tries to remove the webbing from the cooked lambwithout losing all the scrummy spices,” Helen said.

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  • *Use the leftover egg yolks in steamed, boiled orbaked custards.**I hold a plate in position above the Pavlova. Quicklyrotate for desert to set on plate — remove waxedpaper. Add cream and toppings.

    LAMB CURRY (WITH LEFT OVER ROAST LAMB)1 1/2 Tbsp. plain floursalt and pepper to tasteApproximately 1 lb. cubed cold lamb1 - 2 Tbsp. olive oil1 large onion, chopped2 garlic cloves, crushed1 Tbsp. Indian curry3/4 cup liquid chicken stocksmall handful of golden raisins

    Combine flour, salt and pepper in bowl. Coat cubedmeat in seasoned flour. Heat olive oil in a largesaucepan. Add onion and garlic and cook until clearand remove the mixture with slotted spoon. Add halfthe meat and quickly brown all over. Remove andrepeat with remaining meat. Return meat and onionmix to saucepan, add Indian curry. Mix well, and thenadd chicken stock stirring well. Bring to a boil. Toss ingolden raisins, cover, reduce heat and simmer gently for an hour or until the meat is tender. Serveover steamed rice with optional coolers on the side. COOLERS: sliced bananas, cucumbers, tomatoes,pineapple cubes, fine coconut, cubed apples.

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    All eyes were focused on an exciting find, top left, at the Cook Center Dinosaur Camp. Employeesat P.S. Pharmacy, top right, fought crime and offered great customer service as Teenage Mutant NinjaTurtles. Ryan Keenan, bottom left, placed the winning bid on a fall arrangement that he gave to hismother, Rhonda Loeffler, who was visiting from Oklahoma. Ruby Williams, of Ruby’s Hats, bottomcenter, shared an evening out with Marshall Williams. Gloria Caroselli and Zanada Tally, bottomright, enjoyed some delicious treats during a Cook Center event.

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    A local Mother’s Day Out group from thePresbyterian Church of Corsicana, top left, touredthe fire station. Aric Bonner of the CAN InternetLounge, directly below, placed the winning bid ona live auction item. Linda Moffett, withCorsicanaNOW presented him with his certificate.Frances Williams and Patricia Henk, bottom left,attended the Chamber of Commerce auction. Frankand Kim Martinez, bottom center, visited theirdaughter, Maisy’s, class at Bowie’s Spook Palooza.Principal Billy Snow, bottom right, poses with agroup from Bowie Elementary.

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  • D ining G uide

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  • B community like this.Betty is sure that the new librarywill be an invaluable community asset.“Kerens has about 1,600 - 1,700 residents, but we servethe Kerens SchoolDistrict, Bazette andalmost to Rhome,” sheexplained. “There areno other libraries inthe area, except theschool libraries, which are closed inthe summers. Those who do not havemeans to go to the Corsicana library,have no other library to use when

    www.corsicananow.com 50 CorsicanaNOW December 2007

    Betty Partain of Kerens is just finishing two terms as president ofthe Friends of the Library, where shehas served for four years with greatenthusiasm and dedication. As sheprepares to pass the baton next month,she not only will be passing on a wonderful legacy, but also a whole newlibrary. “For three years, we have beentrying to raise funds to build a newlibrary in Kerens,” Betty recounted.“It has been a long, hard three years,but we reached a point where we hadthe money arranged, and we could havebids. We chose contractor Ken Haysof Malakoff.” Ken’s wife is a Keren’sgirl, and such ties are important in a

    school is not in session. We offerresources that people really need here.”

    Though Betty will be steppingdown from her presidency, she will

    continue to beinvolved withthe library,which shebelieves willbe a wonderfulplace for the

    community to gather. Many olderpeople will become regulars, and wewill notice if someone doesn’t come inand call to check on them.”

    The Town

    Living Room— By Kelly Kovar

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    Betty, a former chemistry teacher,especially appreciates the significanceof the new library’s design by architectRay Scott, of Lufkin. He and his wife,Betty, grew up in Kerens. Betty is alibrarian, and did the research aboutapplying for grants for the library.“We are so excited about getting the

    new library, which is designed to looklike our old elementary school here,”Betty Partain said. “To those of us thatgrew up here, it means something. Itwas a pretty building.”

    The library was housed in its oldlocation for 16 years. In the late ’80s agroup of ladies from Kerens talked thecity into letting them use a charming,little, old building as a library. “TheKerens library has a very active children’sprogram in the summertime. We havebusinessmen and school personnel thatread to the children one day a week.We really ran into a problem then;there is just no place to put all thekids and their parents. It was verycrowded. So, we knew we had to have

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    a bigger building. The new library hasthe entire community in mind. It willinclude a foyer, main library area withquite a few computer stations to bedonated, meeting room, storage room,work room and two restrooms. Weanticipate better facilities for the children’s programs, Kerens PioneerClub and Kerens Garden Club meetings,and any other community groups tocome together in our new resource.”

    Betty has big plans for the newlibrary. It will have extended hours, anda friendly, well-lit area where peoplecan come and read the daily papers.“We have a lot of elderly people here,so we would like to have some classesto let people learn to use the Internetand get their e-mail. We would liketo have English as a second languageclasses and GED classes. We are talkingabout having book readings by authors,study clubs [and] exercise or jazzercisegroups in our meeting room. Wewould like to have volunteers come inand help people with their taxes.”

    “We have been very fortunate toget grants to help pay for the newbuilding, although we are still seeking donors to help relieve thebuilding-loan debt,” Betty mentioned.“We have had wonderful support fromthe community in donations andinvolvement. I think of this newlibrary as the town living room, whereeverybody can come, visit and alwaysbe comfortable and welcome.”

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  • TThe clock is ticking and we are

    running out of year. As 2007 is windingdown, here are some things that youcan do that will make a positive impacton your financial life between now andyear end.

    Get organized. See if you can do alittle record keeping cleanup over theholidays. Update your records. Knowingexactly what you have and why youhave it is an important step in helpingyou make smart choices about yourmoney. Develop a game plan that isconsistent with your values and lifestyle.Formulate a budget. I apologize forusing the dreaded “b” word; however,a budget is critical in order to manageincome and expenses.

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    Year EndPlanningOpportunities

    — By Gary Hayden

    In order to head off a family feud,get your estate plan in order. Everyonehas an estate, and it is important tothem that their money, family andpossible charitable interests are takencare of. If you do not have a will, go seean estate attorney as soon as possible.Also, if you have a will and possibletrust documents, make sure they arecurrent and up to date with your present intentions. Along these samelines, check all your accounts andinsurance policies for proper beneficiarydesignations completeness and accuracy.If you have been blessed with extramoney, spread that money around.Make a difference in someone else’s life.You can give up to $12,000 per personper year without triggering gift tax.Also, you can make unlimited charitablecontributions without gift tax.

    In the retirement area, there aresome year end planning opportunitiesthat you do not want to miss. If youare still accumulating for retirement,make the maximum contributions for2007 if at all possible. The type ofretirement plan you have will dictatehow much you can contribute. For401(k) or 403(b) plans, it is $15,500.If you are over age 50, an additional

    $5,000 may be contributed. If youhave an IRA, you can put away $4,000for 2007 ($5,000 if you are over age50). If you are already in retirementand over the age of 70 1/2, make sureyou calculate and take your requiredminimum distribution (RMD) fromyour qualified accounts. If you fail totake your RMD amount by year end,there is a 50 percent penalty of whatyou should have taken, but did not.

    In the retirement area, there are two additional concerns that need to be mentioned:

    1. Risk Many investors are not aware of the

    risk and volatility to which their currentportfolio is exposed. Having the properasset allocation of your retirementaccounts is the most important factorin ensuring that there will be enoughmoney waiting on you at retirementand making sure that you will not runout of money during retirement.

    2. Failing to plan for catastrophicmedical expenses

    Many expenses decrease or stay thesame in retirement, with one notableexception: health care. With increasing

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  • costs of elder care — be it assisted living, home health care, or nursinghome fees — you can quickly depletea nest egg by not adequately planningfor long-term care expenses.

    Once you have a financial strategythat addresses your concerns and isconsistent with your goals, time frameand risk tolerance, you can feel moreconfident as you navigate the monthsand years ahead. Take time to enjoyyour success at this year end and spendsome quality time and remember thepeople who make your life meaningful.Celebrate Life!

    Wishing you a joyous holiday seasonand a very prosperous New Year!

    Gary Hayden is a financial consultantwith offices in Corsicana and Ennis.

    Hayden Financial Partners

    • Insurance Analysis• Employee Benefits• Investment Services*

    Serving Central Texas since 1988.

    CORSICANAPhone: (903) 874-3417

    114 W. 5th Ave.

    ENNISPhone: (972) 875-3652

    900 W. Ennis Ave.Gary Hayden is a Registered Representative of and offers Security, Investment Advisory and Financial Planning services through MML Investors Services, Inc. Supervisory Office:

    777 Main Street, Suite 2260, Fort Worth, Texas 75102 • 817-334-2304. Hayden Financial Partners is not an affiliate or subsidiary of MML Investor Services, Inc.

    Gary Hayden

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  • LLast month, I highlighted the top 5

    causes of death in the U.S. for women.You may have been surprised by someof them. This month, I would like toexplain what your OB/GYN is reallythere for, and what is happening whenyou come to us for that “annual exam.”

    OB/GYNs are the providers ofhealth care for women, trained toevaluate and treat you for manyhealth concerns and refer you to theappropriate specialists when we identifyan abnormality that warrants furtherinvestigation or treatment. We specializein the care of your female organsthroughout your life which thereforeincludes pregnancy, but we are alsothere as the gatekeepers for all otheraspects of your health.

    When you present for your “PAPsmear” we use that time to screen younot only for those top killers ofwomen, but also the myriad of diseasesand conditions that we know could

    www.corsicananow.com 58 CorsicanaNOW December 2007

    affect you. We take a fairly complexhistory in order to help us to knowthe diseases and conditions for whichyou are most likely to be at risk. Weuse this history to identify conditionsyou may be displaying symptoms for,even ones you are not aware of, andto outline the concerns you have thatwe need to discuss with you. Weexamine you from head to toe toidentify any abnormalities you havephysically and perform the screeningtests we have determined you needbased on multiple factors includingthe history and physical exam that wehave just performed. We teach you thetechniques and exercises we know thatyou need to promote your health andwell-being such as self-breast exam,Kegel exercises and weight loss.

    We delve into sensitive areas ofyour life such as your relationships,both social and sexual, to assure thatyou are not exposed to unhealthy

    Women’s Health, Part 2— By Michelle Confer

    situations such as STD exposure,unplanned pregnancy or domestic violence. We educate you about healthand well-being, especially in thoseareas that you rarely ever talk to anyone about such as: sex, weight,self-esteem, relationships, emotionaldisturbance and life changes (eg.

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  • menopause). Lastly, we listen to you.We listen to your concerns and needs,even the ones that scream at usbetween the lines, and we work withyou to try to find the causes of yourproblems and treat you as best as weare able.

    Contributed by Michelle Confer, MDObstetrics & GynecologyNavarro Regional Hospital

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  • December 2007 Community CalendarFirst WednesdaysRichland Chambers Lake Committee meeting, 4 p.m. at the Oak Cove Marina. Call (903) 874-4731 to confirm date and time.

    Ambassador Committee meeting, 1 p.m. at the Chamber ofCommerce. Call (903) 874-4731 to confirm date and time.

    Second WednesdaysUtility & Infrastructure Committee meeting, 11 a.m. at theChamber of Commerce. Call (903) 874-4731 to confirm date and time.

    Executive Committee meeting, 3 p.m. at the Chamber ofCommerce. Call (903) 874-4731 to confirm date and time.

    Second ThursdayTourism Committee meeting, 12 p.m. at the Chamber ofCommerce. Call (903) 874-4731 to confirm date and time.

    December 1, 8, 15 and 29Hat Brand Rodeo at Navarro County Exposition Center,4021 W. State Highway 22. Time: 7:30 p.m. Admission: $6.Call Lynn at (903) 874-7980 or Jody at (903) 362-3901 formore information.

    December 1Navarro County Toy Run sponsored by the following motorcycle clubs: Los Bomberos, Circuit Riders, UMME and the Aces/Eights. Meet at former Super Kmart parkinglot. All riders from all clubs welcome. Ride begins at 11 a.m.

    Admission fee: cash or toy donation. Donations also acceptedat Corsicana Fire Department and Green’s Western Wear.Benefits Salvation Army. For more information, call Pete Ivieat (903) 851-1154, John Quarles at (214) 535-3935, DarrellStevenson at (903) 875-9895 or David at (903) 654-2577.

    R.O.S.E. Association Christmas Market, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. atFifth Avenue, downtown Corsicana. Come for Christmascrafts and decorations, food and entertainment. Bishop K.D.Davis Sr. will be master of ceremonies at a Christmas treeauction. For more information go to www.corsicanarose.com.

    Corsicana Opry takes the stage. Dinner: 6 p.m. Show: 7 p.m.at Martin’s Music Hall, 201 South Beaton Street. Tickets are$10 per person. Call (903) 872-8226 for reservations.

    December 3Easter Star meeting and potluck supper. Time: 6:30 for dinnerand 7:30 for meeting. Location: Corsicana Masonic Lodge.For information, call Bonnie Mathison at (903) 874-0226.

    Navarro College concert featuring woodwind ensemble,brass ensemble and percussion ensemble, 7 p.m. Freeadmission. Location: Dawson Auditorium at NavarroCollege. Public is invited.

    December 4Christmas Social sponsored by Blooming Grove HistoricalSociety, 7 p.m. at the home of Jean Hinkle. For address andmore information call (903) 695-2724 or (903) 673-2635.Program will include holiday readings by Cathy Hinkle Ward.

    Anyone interested in the Blooming Grove Historical societyis invited.

    Navarro College President’s Christmas Concert, 7 p.m.Location: Dawson Auditorium at Navarro College. Public isinvited and there is free admission. Christmas music by theconcert band and Navarro College choirs.

    December 8Heart of Texas Barrel Racing Association barrel race, noonat the Navarro County Exposition Center indoor arena.Admission free to the public. Call Camille McCain for moreinformation at (903) 872-5283.

    Downtown Association and the Main Street Project andChamber of Commerce host a Christmas celebration, 5:30p.m. at Napoli’s Restaurant, 111 E. Collin.

    December 11VOICE, Inc. hosts a Nurturing Program, for parents of children ages 5 - 11. Time: 6:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m. Location:Bank of American Building, Third floor, 100 N. Main Street,Suite 308. Call (903) 872-0180 for details.

    December 13The Gatlin Brothers Christmas. Location: The PalaceTheater, 112 West 6th Avenue, Corsicana. Performance isat 7:30 p.m. Presented by the J. Tom Eady Charitable Trust.For more information or tickets call: The Palace Theater at(903) 874-7792.

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