Just in time for Christmas, CoServ Electric retires a record … Co-op Power/tcp12… · · 2014-07-29Just in time for Christmas, CoServ Electric retires a record $9 million in

Just in time for Christmas,CoServ Electric retires a record $9 million in

Capital Credits.

Watch for your check or credit in December’s mail.

12-2011 Capital Credits DC.indd 2 11/8/2011 1:05:11 PM

This month, CoServ Electric will pay a record $9 million to current and former Members in the form of Capital Credit retirements for a total of $40 million returned to our Members since 2003. Keep an eye out later this month for your Capital Credit check (or bill credit) to come in the mail with brochure pictured above. Here’s how the process works:

CoServ’s annual net margins, or net income, are “allocated” to each Member based on the Member’s annual purchase of energy and the margins generated by those purchases. Allocation notices are typically generated in September—if you were a CoServ Electric Member in 2010, you should have received an allocation notice in the mail. Each year’s margins become the Member’s equity investment in the cooperative utility. To learn about the specific details, turn to page 19 and read President/CEO Mike Dreyspring’s CEO Message.

1Current Members whose Capital Credit retirement amount is less than $20 will receive a credit on their bill. Or, if the Capital Credit retirement amount is $20 or more, current Members will receive an enclosed check.


Reliable • Safe • Local • Trusted

7701 S Stemmons Corinth, TX 76210-1842

(940) 321-7800

[email protected]

CoServ Electric is different. Why? Because as a cooperative, we oversee this entire system—the meters, lines, poles, transformers, and more. We maintain our equipment every day with you in mind—knowing that you count on us. Dedicated local Employees answer the phone and skilled linemen come running to restore power as quickly as possible when weather causes service disruptions.

CoServ Employees are your neighbors and friends. We live here, and we know this system like the back of our hand. Trust CoServ to be there when you need us.


CoServ Electric7701 S StemmonsCorinth, TX 76210-1842

(940) [email protected]

LIKE • FOLLOW • FAVORITE“Like us” on Facebook, “Follow us” on Twitter, and “Favorite” CoServ.com in your web browser to ensure you have access to the latest news about CoServ.

Watch for outage information, energy-saving tips, service enhancements, company news, and more.


D E C E M B E R 2 0 1 1C O S E R V E L E C T R I C E D I T I O N

Famed Painted ChurchesAre About the Steeples …and the People

SUNDAY BESTSUNDAY BESTFamed Painted ChurchesAre About the Steeples …and the People

HOLIDAY RECIPE CONTEST CORAL REEF: UNDERWATER THEATERHOLIDAY RECIPE CONTEST CORAL REEF: UNDERWATER THEATER

december 11 local covers 11/11/11 3:11 PM Page 1

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D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R 3

3 43 33 3

T E X A S E L E C T R I C C O O P E R A T I V E S B O A R D O F D I R E C T O R S : Rick Haile, Chair, McGregor; Ron Hughes, Vice Chair,Sinton; Darryl Schriver, Secretary-Treasurer, Merkel; Randy Mahannah, Perryton; Billy Marricle, Bellville; Melody Pinnell,Crockett; Mark Stubbs, Greenville

P R E S I D E N T / C E O : Mike Williams, Austin

S T R AT E G I C C O M M U N I C AT I O N S A D V I S O RY C O M M I T T E E : William “Buff” Whitten, Chair, Eldorado; Bryan Lightfoot,Vice Chair, Bartlett; Roy Griffin, Edna; Stan McClendon, Wellington; Gary Nietsche, La Grange; Anne Vaden, Argyle; LarryWarren, San Augustine

C O M M U N I C A T I O N S S T A F F : Martin Bevins, Sales Director; Carol Moczygemba, Executive Editor; Camille Wheeler, AssociateEditor; Suzi Sands, Art Director; Karen Nejtek, Production Manager; Ashley Clary-Carpenter, Field Editor; Andy Doughty,Production Designer; Sandra Forston, Communications Assistant; Suzanne Haberman, Communications Specialist; Kevin Hargis,Food Editor; Israel Perez, Editorial Intern

F E A T U R E S

D E P A R T M E N T S

December 2011

Sunday BestBy Camille WheelerPhotos by Rick Patrick

The four stops on Central Texas’ officialpainted churches tour are not museumpieces, existing for placement under anarchitectural microscope. These are living,breathing churches with active congrega-tions, weekly Masses and wildly popularannual picnics.

Underwater TheaterBy Melissa Gaskill

The Flower Garden Banks NationalMarine Sanctuary, located off the coasts ofTexas and Louisiana, provides spectacularviewing for scuba divers.

V O L U M E 6 8 N U M B E R 6

C O V E R P H O T O Polka dancers Ben and Rene Sustr by Rick Patrick

88

Texas Co-op Power is published by your

electric cooperative to enhance the qual-

ity of life of its member-customers in an

educational and entertaining format.

3 4 4 24 2

TexasCoopPower.comThe following December stories are available on our website.

Texas Reader by Connie StrongRoseAleta Laurell: the Librarian on the Roof

Observations by Sheryl Smith-RodgersFinding Closure on a Special Friendship

8

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Footnotes by Martha Deeringer Judge Roy Bean 3 3

Recipe Roundup Holiday Recipe Contest 3 4

Focus on Texas Fun With Photoshop 3 9

Around Texas Local Events Listings 4 0

Hit the Road by Suzanne Haberman Lubbock 4 2

4 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1

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TEXAS CO-OP POWER (USPS 540-560) is published monthly by Texas Electric Cooperatives (TEC). Periodical Postage Paid at Austin, TX and at additional offices. TEC is the statewide association representing76 electric cooperatives. Texas Co-op Power’s website is TexasCoopPower.com. Call (512) 454-0311 or e-mail [email protected]. SUBSCRIPTION PRICE is $3.96 per year for individual members ofsubscribing cooperatives. If you are not a member of a subscribing cooperative, you can purchase an annual subscription at the nonmember rate of $7.50. Individual copies and back issues are available for $3each. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Texas Co-op Power (USPS 540-560), 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. Please enclose label from this copy of Texas Co-op Power showing old addressand key numbers. ADVERTISING: Advertisers interested in buying display ad space in Texas Co-op Power and/or in our 30 sister publications in other states, contact Martin Bevins at (512) 486-6249.Advertisements in Texas Co-op Power are paid solicitations. The publisher neither endorses nor guarantees in any manner any product or company included in this publication. Product satisfaction and deliveryresponsibility lie solely with the advertiser. Direct questions or comments about advertising to Martin Bevins, sales director.

© Copyright 2011 Texas Electric Cooperatives, Inc. Reproduction of this issue or any portion of it is expressly prohibited without writtenpermission. Willie Wiredhand © Copyright 2011 National Rural Electric Cooperative Association.

extends to 15 to 20 years, nottoo many people will considerthat a reasonable investment.Leaving those figures out ismisleading.

MAX HOLLANDGuadalupe Valley Electric

Cooperative

Editor’s note: You can findmuch more information aboutthe details of each winninghome, including total partsand labor costs, by followingthe Complete Case Studieslink in the online story atTexasCoopPower.com.

SHIPBUILDING IN ORANGEYour article on Orange’s shipbuilding boom [October2011] brought me back to my Navy days. I served fromOctober 1958 to October1960 on the USS MeredithDD-890. She was commis-sioned December 31, 1945, at Orange. During my tour of duty on the “Merry”Meredith, we made 18 portsin nine countries. What a way to serve your country as a 19- and 20-year-old!

DICK MARTINMagic Valley Electric Cooperative

THE ARENA OF LIFEYour feature article “Showtime”[October 2011] brought a floodof emotions and memories.Words can hardly express thecherished lessons of life that Ilearned in my time of showingsome 30 years ago. I felt as if Iwere back in that barn with myshow steer, “Specks,” who wasthe grand champion at theState Fair of Texas in October1975. And yes, my boys nowshow, and it is, in my opinion,one of the best teachers of thelife lessons of responsibility,hard work and, of course, thatcherished relationship withyour show animal. Thank you,Camille Wheeler, for describingwhat so many youths experi-ence in this arena of life!

KELLY HUSTONCooke County Electric Cooperative

Camille Wheeler mentions thebond between the children andtheir show animals—how theycare and love their animals,then briefly mentions the sad-ness of separation once theanimals are sold. I doubt few of our children know the realtruth as to what happens oncethe sale is final. The animalsare often sold to factory farmswhere they are confined incompact, unsanitary quartersand then led to an inhumanedeath. If the children whoraised and nurtured these ani-mals knew the real truth, Idoubt they would ever sell them.

GREG HALLCoServ Electric

HOME ENERGY MAKEOVERSThe stories in the HomeEnergy Makeover contest areinteresting [October 2011],but fall well short of the com-

plete story. In fairness, youshould always include the fullcosts of the installation ofthe changes, including partsand labor, and, given currentenergy costs for the resi-dence, the payback for thosecosts—the real rate of return.

Depending, a five- toseven-year payback would bereasonable for most home-owners. But if the payback

Though Ginger Mynatt is billedas a fiction writer, she told thetruth about Orange and theshipbuilding boom in the early1940s. My dad was one of theEast Texas clodhoppers whowent to work in the shipyard,after being trained as a welder.

TOM HANSONWood County Electric Cooperative

COMING BACK FOR SECONDSI’m a well-traveled old-timerwho enjoys cooking and eatinggood food from all over theworld. When I read the Septem -ber 2011 issue, the recipes sub-mitted by Betty Maskey, SandyBecker, Kathy Buley and EllenSquier really caught my eye.The recipes were out of themainstream because of thecombinations of ingredientsthey offered. I followed all theirdirections religiously and pre-pared four of the best meals mywife and I have EVER eaten.

DOUG MOOREPedernales Electric Cooperative

Simple Photos, Fantastic StorytellingI was particularly taken with the cemetery photos in your October 2011 Focus on Texas section. The contrastbetween a dark gravestone seemingly rising from a field of vibrant wildflowers was touching and effective, as werethe images of simple but chilling epitaphs to the deadlyGalveston hurricane in 1900. Sometimes a simple photocan carry a lot of storytelling in a small frame!

Dave Garlock, Senior Lecturer in Journalism,Magazine Sequence Head, University of Texas,

Pedernales Electric Cooperative

POWERtalkLetters from Texas Co-op Power Readers

WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU!ONLINE: TexasCoopPower.com/ShareE-MAIL: [email protected]: Editor, Texas Co-op Power, 1122Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701Please include your town and electric co-op.Letters may be edited for clarity and length.

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Find more letters in the November Table of Contents.

Sign up for our E-Newsletter for monthly updates,

prize drawings and more!


Cable, satellite and other set-topboxes that run nonstop, sending sig-nals to TVs or digital video recorders(DVRs), are racking up more kilo-

watt-hours (kWh) than some new refriger-ators. And consumers are paying the priceon their electricity bills.

In 2010, set-top boxes in the U.S. con-sumed approximately 27 billion kWh,according to a recent study by the NationalResources Defense Council (NRDC). Thatamount, according to the NRDC, is equiva-lent to the average annual output of nine500-megawatt power plants.

There are about 160 million set-topboxes installed in homes nationwide, onefor every two people, the NRDC reports.DVRs, which use about 40 percent moreenergy per year than nonrecording set-topboxes, have also gained popularity.

A set-top box and high-definition DVRcombined, which often run 24 hours a day,use more electricity than many other high-energy users in the home—more energythan a 21-cubic-foot, Energy Star-ratedrefrigerator or some central air-condition-ing units, the NRDC reports.

Set-top boxes and DVRs are similar tocomputers, with components such as harddrives and processors that draw power aslong as they are plugged in. Because mostset-top boxes and DVRs don’t have a standbyor sleep mode—the “off” button often onlydims the digital clock—they consume powereven when not in active use.

So, according to the study, the devicesconsume about two-thirds of their electricity

when no one is using them to watch TV orrecord shows. These kWh cost Americansapproximately $2 billion a year.

Earlier this year, the U.S. EnvironmentalProtection Agency (EPA) issued newEnergy Star requirements specifying thatcable and satellite boxes use at least 40percent less energy than comparablebrands and enter into a “deep-sleep” modewhen not in use to wear the Energy Starbrand.

Previous standards called for EnergyStar-rated set-top boxes to be 30 percentmore energy efficient than conventionalmodels. Energy Star standards are volun-tary guidelines to which manufacturersadhere to obtain the government’s energy-efficient certification.

Consumers who receive set-top boxesand DVRs from their cable or satelliteservice providers might be able to requestan energy-efficient model. However, moreefficient designs and Energy Star productsmight not always be available.

Until more energy-efficient designsreach the market, consumers themselveshave to control the amount of power drawnwhen these devices are not in use. Butbecause some service providers performsystem maintenance while set-top boxesare on, and the purpose of a DVR is tohave an ever-ready recording device, savingenergy is more complicated than justpulling the plug. Powering down takesplanning. Making that effort, according toConsumer Reports, could save consumersmoney on their electric bills.

Energy ThievesWatch out: You might be paying the pricefor power-greedy TV set-top boxes

By Suzanne Haberman

POWERconnectionsEnergy and Innovation News—People, Places and Events in Texas

Energy-SavingTips for Set-TopBoxes and DVRsSaving energy with digitalvideo recorders (DVRs) andset-top boxes, such as a cablebox, takes some planning, buta few steps can help youreduce your home entertain-ment center’s electricity use.Here are some suggestions:

Use surge protectors ortimers. Cutting power to theTV and speakers does not dis-rupt most entertainment sys-tems, but unplugging set-topboxes and DVRs can interferewith automatic updates andrecording.

Follow these steps topower down these devices toreduce the risk of missingyour favorite shows:

• Plug all home entertain-ment components (TV, set-topboxes, DVR, speakers, etc.)into a power strip or surgeprotector.

• Plug the power strip intoa timer.

• Set the timer to turn thepower off when you are notwatching TV or recordingshows. For example, if you’renot using the devices betweenmidnight and 5 a.m., set thetimer to turn off at midnightand turn on again at 5 a.m.

• Plug the timer into anoutlet.

Tech Tips: • Ask your service provider

for a schedule of system main-tenance or updates, and makesure your devices are on whenthe updates occur.

• Give your set-top boxand/or DVR enough time toreboot. Start-up times can varyanywhere from five to 45 min-utes, so it’s a good idea to do atest run and plan ahead forrebooting. Exercise due dili-gence in applying these findingsto their specific needs.

I L L U S T R A T I O N S B Y C A R L W I E N S D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R 7

WHO KNEW?

BY ASHLEY CLARY-CARPENTERAsk almost any Government-in-Action Youth Tour participant aboutthe experience of visiting our nation’s capital, and you will likelyhear: “It was the trip of a lifetime.”

On the annual pilgrimage to Washington, D.C., sponsored byelectric cooperatives across thenation, students see monuments,memorials and historic sites. Formany, it’s their first trip outsideTexas. They have the chance to beindependent and find themselves.Kaelyn McPherson and Seth Kingfound each other.

On the night before the 2005Youth Tour, Kaelyn and Seth arrivedat a hotel in Irving representingHILCO Electric Cooperative andUnited Cooperative Services, respec-tively. Early the next morning, the

soon-to-be high school juniors were on the plane to Washington,D.C., with about 100 other Texas students.

But fate didn’t step in until the day they flew home. Seth’s par-ents were late picking him up, and Kaelyn and her parents waited

with him until they arrived. By the next day, the teenagers—who didn’t converse during the tour—were texting and talking. They trav-eled 1 1/2 hours each way to see one another’s football games and volleyball matches—his in Stephenville and hers in Blum—but it was more of a friendly matter until one December 2006 eveningwhen they shared their first kiss.

Kaelyn said they saw each other on the weekends and would—shhh!—break curfew to be with one another. Before their highschool graduations in 2007, when Seth found out he had beenaccepted at West Point, he gave Kaelyn a promise ring and askedher to marry him. “I said yes and scared the heck out of my parents!”she says, laughing.

After officially getting engaged December 19, 2009, they weremarried June 3, 2011, and today live on a U.S. Army post at FortRucker, Alabama. Kaelyn is a nurse at the nearby Medical CenterEnterprise, and Seth is in flight school, having completed the BasicOfficer Leaders Course. Kaelyn's joy is contagious: “We are so grate-ful for the Youth Tour! We couldn’t be happier.”

It’s a real-life fairy tale, Youth Tour-style.

Ashley Clary-Carpenter, field editorHave a suggestion for a future Co-op People?

Contact [email protected].

CO-OP PEOPLE Youth Tour Leads to Happily Ever After

Travel back to a time when ladies were required towear dresses on the dance floor, and gentlemen were

required to check hats, guns and spurs at thedoor. For the 77th consecutive year, the West

Texas town of Anson, near Abilene, willhold its re-enactment of the 1885 TEXASCOWBOYS’ CHRISTMAS BALL inPioneer Hall. The event is scheduled forDecember 15-17.

The first dance was held to honor areacowboys and their families and continuedperiodically until 1934, when a group ofwomen in Anson decided to re-create theoriginal ball. The 1885 rules and dances

remain the same. There’s the waltz, PaulJones, Cotton-Eyed Joe, polka, Virginiareel and square dance.

On opening night, country starMichael Martin Murphey and his bandwill perform “The Cowboys’ Christmas

Ball” for the 19th straight year. Originallya poem by William Lawrence Chittenden,

who was inspired by the ball, the poem was later put to music. For information, call (325) 537-2589 or visit www.ansoncowboyschristmasball.com.From Art shows to Zucchini festivals, you’ll find hundreds of happenings all across

the state at TexasCoopPower.com.

HORNED LIZARD CAPITALOF TEXAS: KENEDYA decade ago, some Kenedyresidents were remodeling abed-and-breakfast when theydiscovered lots of hornedlizards—a threatened speciesin Texas—in the yard. With theHorned Lizard ConservationSociety’s help, it was deter-mined that Kenedy was hometo a large population of the little reptiles, or horny toads,as Texans like to say. So at the community’s urging, theLegislature designated Kenedythe “Horned Lizard Capital ofTexas” in 2001.

H A P P E N I N G S

Kaelyn McPherson and Seth Kingon their wedding day.

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Sunday BestSunday BestHigh Hill's St. Mary Catholic Church—the queen of Central Texas’ painted churches—doesn’t need promotion. Her beauty sells itself.

All Dressed Up and Somewhere to Go: Majestic Painted Churches are About the Steeples … and the People

B Y C A M I L L E W H E E L E R • P H O T O S B Y R I C K PAT R I C K

I


It would make a greatcommercial: First-timevisitors to St. MaryCatholic Church inHigh Hill slowly walk

through the vestibule, drinking in eachdramatic Gothic script-style, gilded let-ter of Psalms verses painted on oppo-site walls. They study the exquisitestencilings that, like the verses, werediscovered and painstakingly repli-cated to match the original artworkduring a restoration of the church’sinterior.

The visitors push open swingingdoors, step onto the plush, red carpet ofthe sanctuary, or nave, and react as ifon cue: Falling silent, they stand stillfor a few seconds, eyes open wide at theartistic buffet before them. You canalmost hear the silently mouthed“wows” reverberating off the statues,stained-glass windows and works of arttoo many to count.

Of course, St. Mary—the queen ofCentral Texas’ painted churches—doesnot need any promotional help. Herbeauty sells itself. But her looks canalso overwhelm.

So for those who don’t know whereto look first, simply let the eyes wander,perhaps focusing on two of the church’smost incredible features: the crucifix-ion reredos, a stained-glass paneladorning the magnificent high altarthat features spires carved from walnutwood; and the arched, sky-blue ceilinglaced with gilded, or gold-leafed, woodmoldings called ribs.

Throughout the nave, there’s anarchitectural sense of spaciousness andjubilance, like that of angels soaring. Itappears the canvased, hand-paintedceiling is in motion, its arching ribs rac-ing upward from decoratively marbledwooden columns to collide at the top.

The church herself seems to bereaching for the heavens. But longtimeparishioners will tell you: No matterhow many times one scoots back on theslick and narrow longleaf pine pews,gravity prevails. Sooner or later, every-one slides toward the kneeling rail.

“You’ve gotta keep awake,” the Rev.Timothy Kosler says. Instant penance,you might call it. And it is there, in thatquiet space of humility akin to staring upat a clear, star-filled sky, that the thoughtarises: Who, then, made all this? Theanswer: mortals, mere mortals, who

built and rebuilt, letting nothing—noteven fire or hurricane winds—stopthem from creating this Catholic churchand others like it in the surroundingCentral Texas area.

Old black-and-white photos of theCzech and German immigrants whosettled Fayette County more than 150years ago show stern, unsmiling faces.Life was not easy for these pioneers whoweathered rough voyages to Galvestonand long ox-cart rides to a new andstrange land in search of economic andreligious freedom. But they found joy inconstructing amazing places of wor-ship—painted churches, with somebrush strokes applied by prominentartists from the Old World—thatreminded them of home.

Over time, some of the churchestook on celebrity status, with the mostfamous known more by town namethan church name: Ammannsville(pronounced AH-mans-ville or, aslocals now call it, AM-mans-ville),Dubina (du-BEE-na), High Hill andPraha (PRA-ha)—the four stops on theofficial painted churches tour thatstarts from the Schulenburg Chamberof Commerce.

‘They Come Home to Roost’It’s the first Sunday of September: polkaMass and parish picnic day in the tinyGerman community of High Hill north-west of Schulenburg. By nightfall,3,500 people, including those drivingthrough to pick up preordered plates,will have eaten their fill of fried chicken,sauerkraut and beef stew made from asecret, generations-old recipe.

Many of the 2,000 people attendingthe picnic will have danced, playedbingo, caught up with family andfriends, tried to outbid each other inone of the most competitive auctionsaround, and watched a mostly silver-and gray-haired polka group perform aline dance to “Achy Breaky Heart.”

But let’s not get ahead of ourselves.First on the agenda is the polka Mass,one of the most storied celebrations inCentral Texas inside one of its mostsacred structures. And in honor of theoccasion, this historic church is wear-ing her Sunday best.

Granted, St. Mary, which has been inthis building since 1906 and whose con-gregational history dates to 1860, isdressed to the nines every day. Even dur-ing a restoration of the interior com-pleted in summer 2010, the churchremained a gorgeous example of Gothicrevival architecture despite drop clothson the carpet and scaffolding stretchingup to the barrel-vault ceiling.

So on a gusty Sunday morning, withpeople smoothing down their hair asthey enter the sanctuary, St. Mary islooking better than ever. The congrega-tion’s looking pretty spiffy, too.

Lilting laughter rises from the front ofthe sanctuary where 35 polka dancers,resplendent in their bright red outfits,take their seats in the first six pews.Morning light streams in as a polka band,Texas Sound Czech, sets up in front of aside altar. Two life-size statues—theSacred Heart of Jesus, his hands out-stretched, and St. Joseph—look down onthe five blue-shirted musicians.

This isn’t just any day: This is home-

A sight and sound like no other: Bandleader and accordion player Benny Okruhlik sets an oompahtempo during High Hill’s polka Mass. The polka dancers in the first six pews are dressed foraction: After the service, they’re on tap to perform for a huge crowd.

coming day, and among the crowd arethose who grew up here and movedaway. Others left to pursue careers andcame back years later. Some never left.

Those who call High Hill home, suchas 80-year-old Armand Hollas and hiswife, 78-year-old Mildred Hollas, speakof its magnet-like pull on their hearts.They were raised here and then worked38 years in the oil industry in Houston.The couple retired in the early 1990sand returned to the community andchurch where they were baptized andmarried and where Armand served asan altar boy.

“That’s what a lot of people do,”Armand says. “They come home toroost.”

‘I’m the Past’The polka dancers—whose role is tosing with the congregation during Massand then dance at the picnic immedi-ately afterward—really dress things up:The men are wearing red slacks, white-trimmed red vests over white shirts andwhite, red or black shoes. The look isthe same for the women, save for theirred skirts and heels. Rene Sustr (pro-nounced REE-nee SHOE-ster), wife ofpolka dancer and painted churches tourguide Ben Sustr, sports white ankle-high boots with fringe.

White-stitched letters on the backs ofthe dancers’ vests spell out that many ofthem are former—and present—kings,queens, princes and princesses as Texasmembers of the Polka Lovers Klub ofAmerica. Many of them, such as 78-

year-old Pauline Trefny of Houston,have deep roots in the Schulenburgarea’s painted churches. Trefny wasraised in Ammannsville and attendedSt. John the Baptist Church, where shereceived what she calls “the works”: bap-tism, first communion and marriage.She and her husband, Robert, who’s ather side today, celebrated their 50thwedding anniversary there in 2006.

Robert and Pauline were the 1995state king and queen for what was thenTexas’ single polka dancing chapter,and Pauline beams when asked aboutthe royal stitching on her back. “I’m thepast,” she says, gesturing toward her-self, then pointing at red-vested backsin the pews ahead. “And that’s the past,and that’s the past …”

The present has suddenly arrived asTexas Sound Czech bandleader BennyOkruhlik squeezes the opening notes ofMass from his accordion. The harmo-nizing of saxophone and trumpet andtexture of bass and drums set anupbeat, reverent tone as the congrega-tion stands to sing the opening hymn:“Here we gather, Lord, in this specialplace … In this humble church, handsin prayer we raise …”

Toes tap, and fingers keep time onpews: It is perfectly acceptable to wor-ship and groove on one’s oompah musi-cal heritage at the same time.

As communion begins, with twolines forming, those seated search thecenter aisle for familiar faces. Youngand old, gaits fast and slow, movetoward the front. A father in blue jeans,

taking quick, measured steps, cradleshis infant son. A man with a cane care-fully works his way up the aisle.

One communion hymn is played andsung to the tune of “Blue Eyes Crying inthe Rain”: “… Hearts to grow a little ten-der, as the time of life goes by. Love andkindness for each other, much too fastthe moments fly …”

And in the blink of an eye, Mass isending with the recessional hymn:“We’ve got that joy, joy, joy, joy deep inour hearts, deep in our hearts to stay …”

‘Polka!’Under a tin-roofed pavilion, the polkadancers execute swing-style spins andtwirls, their shoes scuffling on concreteas they move through traditional num-bers, such as “Barn Dance Polka.” Theythrow in the nontraditional as well,earning big, appreciative smiles fromonlookers with the “Achy Breaky Heart”line dance.

Sustr announces songs into a hand-held microphone. “We do the real-timeschottisch, so y’all get lined up there,” hetells the group. “Ready? Here we go.”

At the end of each song, the dancershold hands in a circle and then simulta-neously raise them, shouting, “Polka!”

Armand Hollas, the 1996 TexasChapter 1 king alongside Mildred, hisqueen, sits just outside the pavilion. Hehad a stroke six years ago, and his walkertells the story: He’s come a long way, buthe’s not fully recovered. “I almost startcrying when I see ’em dance,” he says,watching Mildred, his childhood sweet-

1 0 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1

LEFT: Like their fellow polka dancers, 78-year-old Mildred Hollas and Willie Bohuslav, who was coming up on his 80th birthday, look younger than theirages: ‘I love to dance. I keep in shape. I watch my diet. And I have a positive mind,’ Bohuslav explains of his youthful appearance. RIGHT: Dennis Sumbera andBetty Tidwell, the 2011 king and queen of Texas’ Chapter 1 polka club, demonstrate the sensible, two-handed method of carrying loaded-down picnic plates.

heart, go gliding past. Hollas sets hisjaw. No, he’s not hoping to dance again.“I’m going to dance again,” he says.

And dancing, with this group,means exactly that: They’re athletes,their steps polished through decades ofpractice. Describing them as “spry”would be an insult. As he nears his80th birthday, Austinite WillieBohuslav bounces around the dancefloor with the springy legs of a youngman. “As you believe, so you become,”Bohuslav says. “So if you believe youcan, you will.”

Rolling Chicken ChairmanOK. Hold that thought and apply it tothe hefty plates of food being served,which require two hands for transportand weigh, oh say, about the same as asmall bowling ball. It takes some doingto work one’s way through a giganticpiece of fried chicken, heaping helpingsof beef stew, green beans, German-stylepotatoes and sauerkraut, a pickle, a halfpeach in syrup and a slice of pound cake.

And it takes an army of volunteers topull off this Labor Day weekend extrav-aganza. Picnic Chairman Willie Schoe-ner and his right-hand man, AssistantPicnic and Food Chairman DennisKristynik, were well into planning forthe 2012 picnic long before the 2011one even began.

“I work it all year,” says the 76-year-old Schoener, a 6-foot-3-inch gregari-ous fellow with an easy smile and along, loping walk. He naturally strikesup conversations with people, gettingto know them. Then, “the second thingout of your mouth is, ‘ Would you like towork at the picnic?’ You’re always look-ing for help,” he says.

For sure, organizers’ plates are full:Some 30 years ago, the picnic servedfewer than 500 people. This year, evenwith gusting winds and dust keepingsome people away, event coordinatorssold 3,500 plates, including those to go.The picnic fills bellies—and the church’scoffers: Last year’s $160,000 earningshelped pay for St. Mary’s $450,000-plusrestoration. The auction—the top-dollaritem this year was a multifamily barbe-cue feast that went for $6,000—isalways the picnic’s largest moneymaker,but the food draws the crowds.

The workers’ schedule is a menu inand of itself with such titles as: TakeHome Plates Chairman. Potato Peeling

Chairman. Cooking Stew Chairman.Rolling Chicken Chairman. That lastone—the rolling of chicken in flour—isa particularly messy job. But chickenand stew, the 53-year-old Kristyniksays, are the picnic’s bread and butter:“That’s what they look for. If you messeither one of ’em up, they won’t beback.”

‘I Love to Tell Them the Story’At dusk, during a drive on the rollingcountry roads surrounding Schulenburg,the painted churches’ steeples rise intoview above a landscape of massive liveoak trees.

On the eve of High Hill’s once-a-year polka Mass, its regular Saturdaynight Mass will soon be letting out. Itwould never occur to church membersto question their weekend plans. Here,and at Ammannsville, Dubina andPraha, which also hold regular week-end Masses, tradition holds sway: Forquick inspiration, look up and see thesteeples. For knees-on-the-rail faith,look inside and see the people.

The churches—Ammannsville andDubina are both served by FayetteElectric Cooperative—are virtuallyempty during weekday tours. But thesebuildings are not museum pieces, exist-ing for placement under an architec-tural microscope. Nor is the tour likewandering into an old, abandonedhouse and pulling back dusty sheets tosee what lies underneath.

These are living, breathing churcheswith small but active congregationsand fiercely competitive annual picnicsthat draw people by the thousands.Even the cemeteries, in which somecouples reserve their burial plots yearsin advance, represent renewal: Acceptone’s death now and get on with life.

The four churches have undergonemany renovations through the years. Yetdespite offering such conveniences as airconditioning and electricity, they’re nottextbook modern. You won’t find rest-rooms inside the main buildings orpadded pews at any of the churches.

One of the main tour guides, 83-year-old Sustr of Schulenburg, respect-fully removes his felt cowboy hat whenleading visitors through the frontdoors. He gives people a few seconds toturn in circles, craning their necks tolook at paintings, frescoes and stencil-ings, then launches right into history.

He seemingly touches on every dateand detail, down to the old hat hooksstill in place on the pews in Ammanns-ville and Dubina.

Sustr was raised in nearby Moultonand attended a Catholic church, but heand Rene are longtime members ofFirst United Methodist Church inSchulenburg. Yet while Sustr doesn’tattend Mass at the painted churches,these are his people: parishioners andtourists. “I love to tell them the story,”says Sustr, whose grandparents emi-grated from the province of Bohemia toFayette County in 1887.

Seemingly nothing escapes the atten-tion of Sustr, a retired SchulenburgIndependent School District superin-tendent. On a gusty Saturday afternoonat the Praha church cemetery, he wor-riedly takes note of a flower arrange-ment blown by strong winds into apathway. “Where did it come from?” heasks, not expecting an answer. He picksup the fresh flowers and approaches anearby grave. “I’ll put it on this one,” hesays. “It doesn’t have any.”

Camille Wheeler, associate editor

On TexasCoopPower.comView photos of thepainted churches, seemore pictures fromHigh Hill’s polka Massand parish picnic, andjot down startingtimes for ChristmasEve services.

D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R 1 1

Knees-on-the-rail faith quietly endures atpolka Mass, above, and at regular Masses at allfour stops on the painted churches tour.


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1940 This was a great year for fi rsts, including the fi rst Dairy Queen in Illinois, York Peppermint

Patties and M&Ms.

1941 No, Betty Crocker wasn’t a real person, but her cookbooks, starting with the Betty Crocker Cook Book of All-Purpose Baking, teach generations how to cook.

1942 Home milk delivery begins (initially as a war conservation measure).The garbage disposal makes

life easier in the kitchen. Dannon yogurt enhances healthy living. And, on the other end of the food

spectrum, the corn dog is born at the Texas State Fair.

1943 Ignacio “Nacho” Anaya throws together an impromptu dish for Americans visiting the Victory Club

in Piedras Negras, across the river from Eagle Pass. The beloved snack—nachos—was subsequently

named in his honor.

1944 The Chiquita Banana jingle admonishes America: “You should never put bananas in the refrigerator.”

1946 Minute Maid frozen orange juice saves time in the kitchen, as does Mrs. Paul’s frozen food and

Ragu pasta sauce. Leftovers can be safely stored in Tupperware.

1947 Betty Crocker cake mix goes on the market. For the fi rst time, you can enclose your treat with

aluminum foil. Raytheon demonstrates the world’s fi rst microwave oven, the RadarRange. The oven

weighs 750 pounds and costs $2,000 to $3,000. Still, it makes nifty popcorn. David Pace starts

bottling something he calls picante sauce in a rented room in the back of a San Antonio liquor

store. And the electric dishwasher arrives.

1948 Despite the invention of the seedless watermelon, seed-spitting contests continue to this day. Two

great drinks—Nestlé’s Quik and V-8 juice—also come on the scene.

1949 Pillsbury holds its fi rst bake-off. All hail Jolly Rancher candy, Junior Mints and Minute Rice.

1940s1940s

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For Divers off Texas Coast, Curtain Opens on Cast of Extraordinary Coral-Reef Creatures

B Y M E L I S S A G A S K I L L

Ablue and yellow fish the size of my index finger dartsacross the dimpled surface of a pale green coral sphere.A school of brown chromis, four inches long with finsthat seem to have been dipped in yellow, circle us, and aFrench angelfish the diameter of a dinner plate cruises

past. My scuba diving buddy Jacqueline Stanley points atwhat appears to be a black marble with yellow spots hoveringabove the coral. I look closer and discern a tiny snout andtail; the swimming marble is a juvenile smooth trunkfish,one of the smallest denizens of the coral reef, and not easy tofind. We give each other an underwater high-five and finaway to gawk at dozens of other creatures that inhabit thisthriving coral reef.

While it might sound like we’re deep in the Caribbean,Stanley and I are actually 100 miles off the Texas coast. Here,

a piece of beneath-the-surface tropical paradise called theFlower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary flourisheswhere salt domes on the floor of the Gulf of Mexico rise closeenough to the surface to support coral reefs. These reefsprobably originated more than 10,000 years ago when babycoral organisms, called polyps, floated on currents from reefsoff Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula, about 400 miles away.

The Texas Flower Gardens, as they were called, likely werediscovered by fishermen in the late 1800s. As the story goes,they named the banks after the brightly colored sponges,plants and other marine life they sometimes snagged orcould see on the colorful reefs below from their boats.

Later, divers found the reefs enthralling, and in 1979, theHouston Underwater Club submitted a formal nominationfor the creation of a National Marine Sanctuary protectedunder federal law. That official designation finally came in1992, with two sites—the East Flower Garden and WestFlower Garden banks—forming Flower Garden Banks, thefirst such sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico.

A third site, the Stetson Bank, was added in 1996. Thethree sections protect about 56 square miles of criticalmarine habitat, with roughly 1 percent of it shallow enoughfor coral—and recreational divers.

Blue, Clear WaterThe only way to reach the Flower Gardens is by boat, and wecame here aboard the Fling, a dive charter based in Freeport.We left the dock late in the evening, sleeping in berths belowdecks as we traveled to the sanctuary. The crew roused us at7:30 the next morning for our first dive, at the West bank.

On the back deck, scuba tanks line the sides, wetsuitshang overhead and gear is stashed everywhere. I haven’t hadmy morning coffee, instead relying on excitement about thecoming dive to get me going. One of the first things I noticeis the water, a travel-brochure-worthy blue, and incrediblyclear. I gear up, step off the side and descend. I look up andcan see the shadow of the boat bobbing on the surface 70 feetabove; and in the distance, the shadowy shapes of schools oflarge fish. Outstanding visibility, or “viz” in scuba parlance, isone of the Flower Garden’s signature traits.

The sheer volume and variety of life here is another.Stanley, an educator and artist in Houston, has been divingaround the world for almost 40 years, yet was impressed bythe wealth of healthy corals and fish when she first saw the

JUVENILE SMOOTH TRUNKFISH

UNDERWATER THEATER

BARRACUDA

FLOWER GARDEN BANKS NATIONAL MARINE SANCTUARY: STETSON BANK

Flower Gardens four years ago. More than 20 species of hardcoral grow here, with their wild variety of colors, shapes andcombinations making every dive a different experience. Thesanctuary is also home to at least 280 species of fish, anddespite poring over my reef fish identification book beforeand after every dive, I don’t come close to naming everythingI see on our nine dives on the 2 1/2-day excursion.

In fact, the sanctuary contains the healthiest reef habitatin North America, according to Quenton Dokken, executivedirector of the Gulf of Mexico Foundation, a conservationorganization focused on the Gulf and Caribbean Sea. That’sespecially meaningful given that coral reefs represent one ofthe most endangered ecosystems on the planet. At many ofthe world’s reefs, intense fishing pressure is reducing thenumbers of fish species that are necessary for maintaining ahealthy reef. For example, many reef fish eat algae, and with-out enough of them keeping it at bay, this marine plant cangrow so thick it actually smothers corals.

This isn’t a problem for the Flower Gardens, mainlybecause the sanctuary lies 100 miles from shore, which keepsthe fishing pressure down. At least so far.

Manta Ray, But No Whale SharkAfter two morning dives at the West bank, we head to HighIsland 389A, an offshore oil platform inside sanctuaryboundaries. As a matter of fact, the Flower Gardens sitsmack in the middle of one of the world’s busiest oil and gasproduction fields. While spills and accidents pose a potentialthreat, Dokken points out that, as yet, no incidents haveharmed the reefs. In fact, as he sees it, the health of the sanc-tuary proves that oil and gas production and a healthymarine environment can co-exist, provided the industrytakes to heart the challenges of operating in a sensitive area.

Offshore structures actually make excellent dive sites,supporting coral and sponge communities and attractingschools of fish and other marine life seeking shelter from thesurrounding open water.

Beneath High Island, I watch a sea turtle nibble at tinysponges growing on the enormous legs of the structure,while a large school of shiny jacks weaves among the sup-ports. I swim in close and follow a bar that runs between twolegs of the platform, amazed at the abundant and colorfulminiscule creatures growing on it.

Next morning, we dive twice on the East bank. Here, Inotice patches of white on an enormous brain coral, arounded, boulder-sized ball of ridged coral that, true to itsname, resembles a human brain.

Reefs are made up of thousands of individual coral organ-isms living inside a calcium skeleton. These organisms feedby sticking out tentacles to collect microscopic food, but getmost of their nutrition from special algae that cohabitatewith them. Actually tiny plants, algae use photosynthesis toconvert sunlight into food. Corals sometimes expel thesealgae when stressed, such as when water temperatures risehigher than normal. Scientists call the resulting effect“bleaching” because the loss of the algae deprives coral of itscolor, leaving it looking white. Without the algae to provideoxygen and help feed them, coral organisms can die.

In 2005, coral reefs all over the world suffered frombleaching, with up to 45 percent of coral at the FlowerGardens affected, according to Emma Hickerson, the sanc-tuary’s research coordinator. Worldwide bleaching occurredagain in 2010, affecting some 7 percent of corals at theFlower Gardens.

On subsequent dives, I find myself looking for telltalewhite patches, and I almost always discover at least a fewsmall ones. Fortunately, Hickerson also says that many coralsrecover from bleaching once water temperatures return tonormal.

On our second East bank dive, I spot a manta ray, its wide,winged body—at least 12 feet across—soaring past like somekind of underwater spaceship. Mantas have unique spot pat-terns on their undersides, and sanctuary staff members havecollected photographs of those seen here into a catalog ofmore than 75 identified individuals.

I didn’t bring an underwater camera, but several otherdivers on the boat snap photos of the manta, which we com-pare against the database on laptop computers back on theboat. In summer, divers sometimes spot whale sharksaround the sanctuary. These enormous sharks can grow to50 feet long and weigh 10 tons, but they have only tiny teethand eat plankton. Scientists aren’t sure what attracts thegentle giants here.

I spend the entire trip hoping for a glimpse of one with noluck, only to hear that several weeks later, a 20-foot malemade an appearance.


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Another sighting a few weeks after my visit was decidedlyless welcome. Divers photographed a lionfish—a brightlystriped, foot-long fish with venomous spines—that’s native tothe Indo-Pacific and has spread along the East Coast as farnorth as Rhode Island and as far south as South America.They are voracious eaters; research has shown that one largelionfish is capable of reducing the number of other fishes in anarea by almost 80 percent in just five weeks—perhaps becausenative fish simply don’t recognize these recent arrivals as athreat and swim right up to them to become lunch.

While lionfish encounter natural predators in their nativehabitat, they have few known natural predators in theAtlantic or Gulf. Invasive species like lionfish can upset thebalance in a coral reef ecosystem, and their arrival has thesanctuary staff worried.

Hope for the FutureWe dive another platform before the boat chugs to theStetson bank while we sleep. Located about 30 miles north-west of the East and West banks, its slightly cooler waterssupport fire coral. Its bright yellow branches rise from theseafloor like a mustard-coated miniature forest, along with avariety of colorful sponges, including barrel sponges, whichresemble flower vases. I peer into a few of them and occa-sionally spot a tiny fish or crab hiding out.

There are plentiful schools of large fish such as jack,mackerel and spotted eagle rays and an assortment of reeffish of all sizes. I’m thrilled to spot a sailfin blenny, a babycarrot-sized fish that rises up from a hole in the sand to wavean undulating fin along its tiny back. What it lacks in size, itmakes up for in chutzpah, seeming certain that this displaywill scare off any unwelcome guests.

As Stanley and I return to the surface at the end of our lastdive, the colors of the reef fade to blue. We pass another

school of shiny, silvery jacks and a couple of torpedo-shapedbarracuda, which move closer, curious. I think back to thefirst day’s sighting of the tiny juvenile trunkfish. It seems anapt symbol of hope for the future of these reefs.

Melissa Gaskill, frequent contributor

On TexasCoopPower.comScientists use a variety of research tools, including submersibles, asthey study the coral reefs and a world of wonder below. Plus, if you’renot a diver but want to see the Flower Garden Banks, check out a list oflocations offering sanctuary exhibits.

REDLIP BLENNY FRENCH ANGELFISH LIONFISH FIRE CORALLOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE

S A N C T U A R Y FAC T S

Designation: The Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuaryis one of 14 federally designated underwater areas protected by theNational Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Office of NationalMarine Sanctuaries.

Location: The East Flower Garden and West Flower Garden banks are 12 miles apart and are 100 to 115 miles directly south of the Texas-Louisiana border. Stetson Bank is about 70 miles south of Galveston—30 miles northwest of the other two banks. The threebanks are separated by miles of open ocean ranging from 200 to 400 feet deep.

Recreational diving: Diving is allowed in the sanctuary, butcheck out the trip preparation page at http://flowergarden.noaa.govbefore heading out. The banks are not recommended for beginningdivers: Currents can change speed and direction, and wave heightsvary, sometimes making it difficult to safely reboard a boat.

Diving depth: Only about 1 percent of the sanctuary is within themaximum recommended recreational dive depth of 130 feet.

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giants, the world’s largest fish, which have no interest in stirring up trouble.


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GIFT SHOPPick and click—and gifts are on their way to friends and family.

Select from tasty Texas pecans, grapefruit, smoked meats and gourmet food products. Or choose from cookbooks, calendars and personalized gifts.

We’ve also got music from Texas greats like Bob Wills and Gary P. Nunn.

Visit the SHOP Page atTexasCoopPower.com for special deals and discounts for Texas Co-op Power readers.

Smoked meats and smokin’ music:How perfect is that?!

GIFT SHOPGIFT SHOPVisit the SHOP Page at TexasCoopPower.com

for Hassle-Free Holiday Shopping

DECEMBER 2011 COSERV ELECTRIC TEXAS CO-OP POWER 19

CoServ Electric CoServ.com TOGETHERWESAVE

CoServ Electric will pay $9 million to current and former Members in the form of Capital Credit retirements for a total of $40 million returned to our Members since 2003. Keep an eye out later this month for your Capital Credit check (or bill crediti) to come in the mail.

At CoServ Electric, we appreciate our 140,000+ Member-owners, and we continually strive to earn your trust and serve you to the best of our abilities. Part of this process includes operating as safely and effi ciently as possible while providing friendly service with local Employees who are able to respond and assist our Members at a moment’s notice.

The cooperative business model offers unique benefi ts to its Members. Instead of generating profi ts like businesses controlled by shareholders, your Member-elected Board of Directors is able to steer CoServ Electric in a responsible direction, ensuring that you receive the highest value for your energy dollars.

In general, CoServ’s annual net margins (or net income) are “allocated” to each Member based on the Member’s annual purchase of energy and the margins generated by those purchases. Allocation notices are typically generated in September. Each year’s margins become the Member’s equity investment in the cooperative utility. CoServ’s capital requirements are funded just like any other business, no matter the size, with debt and equity.

To provide more specifi c detail, I’d like to share the following frequently asked questions with you about this valuable Member benefi t:

What exactly are Capital Credits?When you signed up for electric service with CoServ

Electric and paid a membership fee, you became a Member-owner of one of the fastest growing electric cooperatives in the country. Each year, CoServ Electric invests our margins back into the cooperative. At the same time, we proportionally allocate the value of the margin (based on electric purchases during the year) to Capital Credit accounts maintained for each of our current Members. When the Board of Directors determines that the cooperative has met its fi nancial requirements and any other obligations, they may decide to “retire” (pay) a part of the allocated Capital Credits to Members.

How is my allocation calculated?We allocate Capital Credits to each Member based on

his or her purchases of energy during the year and the margins generated as a result.

When will I be paid for my Capital Credits?Many factors determine retirements, including current

fi nancial condition, margins and cash fl ow, anticipated capital requirements, borrowing ability, short- and long-

$9 Million Capital Return is only part of the story

CEO Message cont’d on page 23…

Michael A. Dreyspring,President/CEO

CEO Message

12-2011 TCP FRMC.indd 19 11/9/2011 9:40:59 AM


20 TEXAS CO-OP POWER COSERV ELECTRIC DECEMBER 2011

The holidays are such a wonderful time of the year. It’s the season for family, faith, refl ection, and good cheer. The holidays are also a time when energy consumption can go up! As we near this year’s festive season, here are fi ve ways to save money:

Switch your outdoor and indoor holiday lights to light-emitting diode lights (LEDs). LEDs might cost more than traditional incandescent lights, but their benefi ts are great. Studies show they last considerably longer, use 90 percent less energy, stay cool, and the colors don’t fade. LEDs are also one of the new aesthetic trends in holiday lighting.

Use timers to control your decorative lights. Timers are a convenient, inexpensive way to save electricity. When using a timer, lights come on and go off at a set time. No need to rush home to turn them on and no forgetting to turn them off before settling into bed.

Keep your thermostat at 68 degrees (or lower) in the winter, especially when using your fi replace. ENERGY STAR® recommends setting the thermostat at or below 68 degrees to keep your winter energy costs low. In addition, many people light up their fi replaces during the holidays. For those who

do, don’t forget to turn down the thermostat! One more thing—if you don’t already use a programmable thermostat, you should think about purchasing one. These devices can keep the temperature regulated while you are home and save money by automatically turning the heat down while you are at work or on vacation. According to the U.S. Department of Energy, turning your thermostat down 10 to 15 degrees for eight hours a day can save you about fi ve to 15 percent a year on your heating bill.

Purchase rechargeable batteries for toys and electronics. The holidays are also a time for giving and receiving gifts, and these days, many of those gifts require batteries. Purchasing rechargeable batteries and battery chargers helps save money by lessening the need to purchase disposable batteries. Recharging is also a greener choice.

Make a New Year’s resolution to use less energy. The fi rst place to start your resolution to use less energy is to schedule an energy audit. Our Energy Management team conducts free energy audits on our Members’ homes and small to medium-sized businesses. We’ll inspect your windows, doors, attics, appliances, heating and cooling unit(s), and more—all to help pinpoint

where your energy dollars are being wasted. We use a variety of monitors and tools, such as infrared cameras and energy consumption monitors to determine the best way for you to save energy dollars. A report detailing the fi ndings is provided to you at the conclusion of the audit.

This service is just another benefi t of being a Member of CoServ Electric, and it’s absolutely free. To learn more, go to CoServ.com> TOGETHERWESAVE>Energy Audits, or contact our Energy Management team at [email protected] to schedule a time that’s convenient for you. While you’re online, be sure to visit our TOGETHERWESAVE section to learn about rebates and other ways to save money on your energy bills.

LEDs last longer and use less energy than traditional bulbs.

Five Tips for Saving Electricity during the Holidays

Save up to $180 annually using a programmable thermostat.

Rechargeable batteries are a greener choice.

12-2011 TCP FRMC.indd 20 11/9/2011 9:41:02 AM



Santa lights up Safety Town

Every December, children of all ages attend the Frisco Fire Safety Town Holiday Lights event. This very special holiday happening is designed to inspire the holiday spirit in all of us. At the Holiday Lights display, revelers can stroll through Frisco Fire Safety Town to see a “miniature Frisco” decorated for the season. As a proud founding Safety Town sponsor, CoServ Gas will unveil its display, which includes a sled and Santa’s reindeer. This attraction is the perfect background for a holiday family

photo opportunity. While there, your little helpers can e-mail Santa their wish list and visit him at the mini fi re station. Other activities such as Christmas crafts and stories are available to all who attend.

The Frisco Fire Safety Town project was built from a dream of the Frisco Fire Department. This miniature city is designed to educate children and equip them with real-life strategies for handling emergencies involving severe weather, bicycle safety, fi re procedures, home hazards, traffi c rules, and car safety. Safety Town resembles a miniature-sized Frisco with real buildings, all created at a 5/8 scale, which represent Frisco

area businesses. Holiday Lights at Frisco Fire

Safety Town will run Dec. 9-11 and Dec. 16-20 from 6 to 9 p.m. Admission is free. Safety Town is located adjacent to the Central Fire Station in Frisco at 8601 Gary Burns Drive. School fi eld trip programs are offered free of charge to students in kindergarten through fi fth grade. Although the facility is reserved for school study trips, Frisco Fire Safety Town is available for group or individual tours throughout the year.

For more information about CoServ Gas and its founding sponsorship with Safety Town, visit CoServ.com>Community>Frisco Fire Safety Town.

“Like us” on Facebook, “Follow us” on Twitter, and “Favorite” CoServ.com in your web browser to ensure you have access to the latest news about CoServ. Log into your CoServ Online account to update your telephone number. Our automated Outage Management System will recognize the number if you call to report an outage.

Watch for outage information, energy-saving tips, service enhancements, company news, and more.

LIKE • FOLLOW • FAVORITE

Photo opportunities abound at Frisco Fire Safety Town in the CoServ Gas Santa’s sleigh area.

12-2011 TCP FRMC.indd 21 11/9/2011 9:41:05 AM



It’s the time of year you clamber up the wobbly stairs into your attic, dust off the Christmas boxes, haul them down, and start decorating your home for the holiday season. Amid the Nativity fi gurines, the tinsel, and the stockings is the tangled mass of Christmas lights. You heave a sigh as you wonder just how long it’s going to take to unravel them all. Once that terrible task is over, you bundle up, grab the ladder, and head outdoors.

At this point, what’s on your mind? Getting the chore fi nished fast so you can get back to the La-Z-Boy® and football? Outdoing your neighbor’s illuminated display of Santa’s sled, eight reindeer, and Rudolph’s nose blinking at you? Or just the enjoyment of being outdoors, dreaming of holidays, family, and food?

While it may be one of those or an entirely different focus, CoServ would like to put this idea in your mind: Safety starts with you.

It’s unfortunate, but many accidents can and do happen involving outdoor holiday lighting. By using caution and a little common sense, you can stay safe and make sure you don’t end up spending the Yuletide morning in traction.

First, climbing up a ladder to hang your lights can be extremely dangerous. It’s common knowledge not to step on the top two rungs of the ladder (most ladders are marked as such) but did you know you should not lean too far on either side of the ladder as you hang the lights? Doing so displaces your weight from the ladder’s support and, unless gravity takes a breather, you’re in for a nasty fall. It will take more up and down trips, but move the ladder to easily accommodate your reach so you’re always centered.

Another tip is to make sure you use lights and extension cords designated for outdoor use. Indoor-rated lights

or cords may not be able to withstand the weather conditions which will cause them to deteriorate much faster, potentially creating a dangerous situation.

Avoid using the larger seven-volt light bulbs. Sure, they are bigger, brighter, and more colorful, but they also burn hotter than mini lights that are standard today. One of the most common causes of holiday-time house fi res results from these bulbs being too close to gutters fi lled with dried out leaves. (And yes, it would help if you took the time to clean out your gutters before hanging lights near them).

If you have a string of lights with a blown bulb, be sure to replace it with a bulb of the exact same wattage. But fi rst, unplug the lights before replacing the bulb, so there is no danger of shock. Reduce damage to lights by handling them carefully when installing, removing, packaging, and storing.

Overtaxing outlets is another mistake. You may think you’re starting off slowly and before you know it, you’ve made several trips to the store and placed enough lights that your house is visible from the exosphere. Avoid connecting more than three strings of lights to a single extension cord, and plug in no more than two cords to a single outlet.

When it comes time to take your Christmas lights down, resist the urge to remove the strings of lights by pulling on the wires. This causes the wires to break free from the sockets and the bulbs to break. It might get you down the honey-do list faster, but will set you up for future dangerous situations if the damage goes unnoticed.

Enjoy yourself during the holiday season, but be careful. Dangling from your gutter like Clark Griswold in Christmas Vacation can be prevented with a little bit of caution and safety. For more safety tips, visit CoServ.com> Electric>Resources>Safety.

Safety First: Outdoor Holiday Lighting

12-2011 TCP FRMC.indd 22 11/9/2011 9:41:07 AM



Your student has a chance to win a $2,500 scholarship and/or a trip to Washington, D.C.

Financing college can be more daunting for students and parents than the actual course studies—CoServ Electric can help. In 2012, we will provide fi ve $2,500 scholarships to select high school seniors bound for a Texas college. Please encourage your high school senior to visit CoServ.com to review the operating guidelines, the scholarship application, and the application checklist. It is important to follow all instructions. Additionally, it is crucial to submit completed applications with all required reference materials mentioned in the checklist.

To download the necessary resources, visit CoServ.com>Community>Academic Initiatives> Scholarships. All required materials and the completed application must be postmarked no later than Jan. 31, 2012 and mailed to:

CoServ ElectricATTN: Communications7701 S StemmonsCorinth, TX 76210-1842High school juniors or seniors

can also win an all-expense-paid trip to Washington, DC, with our Electric Cooperative Youth Tour contest. Be sure to check out our Web site under Community>Academic Initiatives for an application.

FUNDING YOUR STUDENT’S FUTURE

term fi nancial forecasts, the company’s equity level and equity management policy. All of these factors and more are taken into consideration each year when evaluating retirements. We retire (pay) Capital Credits at the discretion of our Board of Directors when the cooperative has met its fi nancial obligations and any other obligations. A retirement cycle is the period of time between the allocation and retirement of the Capital Credits and can typically be 20 years or more. However, CoServ Electric’s sound fi nancial position has enabled us to retire a percentage of additional credits on a shorter retirement cycle.

Why are more recent years’ Capital Credit retirements paid at a discount?

Net discounting is a way to allow our Members to benefi t from Capital Credit retirements today rather than waiting for the normal retirement cycle, which can typically be 20 years or more. The early payment discount amountii represents money retained by the cooperative as permanent equity and may be payable, after all liabilities and obligations of the cooperative have been satisfi ed, on a pro-rata basis to Members and former Members upon any dissolution or liquidation of the cooperative.

What happens to my allocated Capital Credits if I move and terminate service with CoServ Electric?

Once you terminate service, you will become a former Member and will no longer receive future allocations. However, the existing Capital Credit balance will still be maintained in a Capital Credit account in your name until it is retired (paid) in full.

When and if your Board of Directors elects to retire (pay) any of your Capital Credits in the future, we’ll mail a check to the last forwarding address on record. Keep in mind that Members must maintain a correct mailing address with CoServ Electric to ensure you receive future payments or information.

Our Capital Credit distribution is one of the basic underlying principles of the cooperative business model, so the integrity of the process is critical to preserving our Members’ trust. As a Member-owned co-op, we are here to serve you, and we never forget that. You can trust CoServ to deliver reliable electric service at the lowest possible rates.

For more information, visit CoServ.com>Electric>Membership Benefi ts>Capital Credits.

iCurrent Members whose Capital Credit retirement amount is less than $20 will receive a credit on their bill. Or, if the Capital Credit retirement amount is $20 or more, current Members will receive an enclosed check.

i i This fi gure is based on a discount period of 18 years and a discount rate of 5.19%, which refl ects the current rate available to CoServ for long-term fi xed borrowing from one or more of its traditional lenders. The CoServ Electric Board of Directors establishes the discount period and discount rate in accordance with CoServ Electric’s bylaws and policies.

…CEO Message cont’d from page 19

Dear CoServ,

Thank you so much for your generous grant of $12,500. We are very fortunate to have community partners like the CoServ Charitable Foundation supporting the critical work we are doing in the Greater Collin County Area.

Last year, Hope’s Door provided shelter services to 188 battered women and 122 children. These fi gures represent an 18 percent increase in adult residents and a 38 percent increase in child residents. Counseling services were provided to 790 women and 383 children at the agency’s Outreach Center. In addition, trained Crisis Advocates assisted 1,737 hotline callers with information, referrals, and help to access safe shelter for those in immediate danger. Long-term housing and support services were provided to 16 families, and over 80 families received emergency fi nancial assistance with rent payments, utility payments, and transportation needs. At least 70 percent of our shelter clients come to us with no income.

Hope’s Door provides lifesaving services to victims of domestic violence and their families. We could not continue the work we do or meet the growing demand for services without support from our community. Thank you for placing your trust in Hope’s Door by supporting our mission.

Respectfully,Patrice TosiChief Executive Offi cerHope’s Door

12-2011 TCP FRMC.indd 23 11/9/2011 9:41:08 AM


Frisco/McKinney


“Everyone is doing something. We’ll do nothing!”—George Costanza in Seinfeld.

To be unique is to stand out among a crowd. In a town the size of Frisco, there are thousands of eating establishments—enough that any single one can seem just like the next. But there are those that strive to bring something different to the table (no pun intended).

Welcome to The Dive Bar & Grill. Tucked discreetly in a strip center at 3685 Preston Road #167, the Dive is anything but one…a prototypical example of oxymoron. This establishment has it all, and while that may sound clichéd, it really does have it all. It serves lunch as well as dinner, and sports a varied and delectable menu, an extensive wine list, trendy décor, and the cozy familiarity of a neighborhood bar. It juxtaposes vibrant and mellow and classy, all under one roof.

And that’s just the way owners and CoServ Members Greg and Kristy McDonald and Tamme Harty want it.

The Dive attracts its clientele by word of mouth, not drive-by traffi c. It is almost impossible to see the Dive from Preston Road if you’re passing by at 45 mph, and it doesn’t have a marquee sign either. In its fi rst eight

months of operation, the biggest challenge, according to Greg, has been getting customers to walk through his door.

The three owners (who don’t have the fi nancial backing of a large corporate chain or franchising operation) picked the location primarily because it was a restaurant before and already had some of the necessary equipment installed. Designing the bar took some ingenuity, as there was a countertop which ran all the way across the width of the room and had a load-bearing steel post in the middle. Just like Project Runway’s Tim Gunn advises contestants to ‘Make it work,’ the owners designed an L-shaped bar to swing around the post and heightened a swinging door to obscure the open kitchen area.

The Dive’s owners, all Frisco residents and CoServ Members, are also focused on their establishment becoming a respected and valued member of the community.

“This is our town; we’re selling to our people,” said Greg. “That fact pushes you to excel more and strive harder to make sure your patrons are having a good time.”

To achieve that, the owners keep themselves open to new ideas.

“For us to compete, we need unique items,” said Greg. For example, the Big Beef French Dip sandwich offers the palate pepper-crusted slices of roast beef, an onion roll instead of a baguette, and au jus that’s created from scratch.

“We try out different things and, if we like it, we add it to the menu.” This approach makes for a very interesting variety of dining options. In fact, the owners pride themselves on an eclectic menu with unique combinations and fl exibility that transcend any one cuisine.

But the only way to fi nd out for sure is to try it out yourself. Visit www.thedivefrisco.com for more information.

Welcome to The Dive Bar & Grill, located at 3685 Preston Rd. #167 in Frisco.

Burgeoning Frisco Eatery Offers Patrons a Plethora of Choices

12-2011 TCP FRMC.indd 24 11/9/2011 9:41:11 AM



Out On The Town

AMERICAN RED CROSS BABYSITTING AND CPR CLASS On Sat., Dec. 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., students ages 11–15 can learn how to care for children and infants, be a good leader and role model, make good decisions, solve problems, and become certified in Child/Infant CPR at this training session. Fee is $60–66 and participants will receive a Babysitter’s Training Handbook. Pre-registration required. flower-mound.com/cac

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Children up to 10 years old and their parents can enjoy a breakfast with Santa at the Flower Mound Community Activity Center on Dec. 3, from 8:30–10:30 a.m. Kids can make a wish list, sit on Santa’s lap, and create a keepsake ornament. Professional photographs available for an additional charge. More info: (972) 874-7275 orflower-mound.com/cac

ART HISTORY BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES Whether you’re an art historian or just enjoy a beautiful painting, the Heard-Craig Art History series will heighten your appreciation of art and provide insight into the mind of the artist. There is no charge to attend. The next segment of the series is being held Dec. 7, from 12:30–1:30 p.m., hosted in the Heard-Craig

Carriage House in McKinney. www.visitmckinney.com

FLOWER MOUND CHRISTMAS PARADE The 22nd Annual Christmas Parade will take place on Sat., Dec. 10, from 10–11 a.m. Enjoy decorated floats parading down Morriss Road as the town celebrates the holiday season with candy, music, and costumes. The parade starts at Eaton Drive, goes to Marcus High School, and will be broadcast on FMTV throughout December. (972) 874-6276 or www.flower-mound.com/cac/special-events/

FRISCO STARFEST This public event is co-sponsored by the Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas and the Frisco Parks Department. On Dec. 10 (weather permitting), the park lights go out and the telescopes look up. Frisco Commons Park hosts this family-friendly event as telescope owners and volunteers let the public look through their telescopes. This free event is designed to ignite interest in space and astronomy. The event goes from sundown–10:30 p.m.

FROSTY 5K AND MERRY MILE Throw on your jogging suit, lace up your sneakers, and run down to the Frosty 5K and Merry Mile. Warm up this holiday season with your friends and family and come enjoy the spirit of this event, which is being held Dec. 10, from 7–10 a.m. All ages are welcome, but children 12

and younger must be accompanied by an adult. The event is being held at the Simpson Plaza at City Hall in Frisco. www.friscofun.org

GINGERBREAD HOUSE DECORATING IN FLOWER MOUND Create holiday memories with children of all ages by decorating gingerbread houses Sun., Dec. 11, from 2–4 p.m. at the Flower Mound Community Activity Center. Gingerbread houses and decorating materials will be supplied for the $20 fee. Pre-registration is required. (972) 874-7275 orwww.flower-mound.com/cac/special-events/

HOLIDAY TEA & CONVERSATION The Heard-Craig Carriage House will hold the annual holiday tea on Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. The program will feature the music of McKinney High School`s Harmony Group, and a tour of the historic house will complete the afternoon. The cost is $25 for Heard-Craig League members and $30 for non-members. Reservations are required.www.visitmckinney.com

HOLIDAY TRAIL OF LIGHTS Experience the most unique holiday lighting display in North Texas. See holiday décor and lights along the nature trails at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary each night from 6:30–9:30 p.m. Dec. 17–19. www.visitmckinney.com

Go. See. Do.

Frisco’s Winter Wonderland

What do you get when you cross a Rockwellian town draped in Christmas décor with soothing stanzas from Bing Crosby and poignant prose from Jimmy Stewart’s George Bailey?

On the silver screen, you might have the highest acclaimed Christmas motion picture of all time. But in real life, you have Christmas in the Square at Frisco Square.

Christmas in the Square, held in the heart of the City of Frisco at the intersection of Main Street and Coleman Boulevard, is the third largest community event held annually in the region after the State Fair of Texas and The Fort Worth Stock Show. The event features lights synchronized to music, and is combined with a variety of family-oriented holiday activities each weekend from Nov. 25–Jan. 7. The synchronized holiday music is broadcasted on a low-power FM station as well as fed through speakers that can be heard throughout Frisco Square. The Lights! Music! Snow! Holiday show boasts over 175,000 lights, 11.5 miles of wiring, and eight miles of extension cords. This unique Christmas

light display is proudly sponsored by CoServ Electric and CoServ Gas and is designed by Illumimax, LLC, a nationally recognized holiday lighting consulting fi rm owned and operated by Frisco resident Jeff Trykoski. Visitors may drive through the streets, stroll along the sidewalks of the square, or take a nightly carriage ride to enjoy the brilliance and dazzling display of all the lights and music.

New to this year’s event is the Lights on Ice Outdoor Ice Rink at Frisco Square! Skaters can glide and coast over a 50’ x 85’ sheet of ice while enjoying the light show. The scene will transform into a true winter wonderland, with snow fl urries forecasted every 15 minutes on the weekends.

In addition, the square will host holiday activities centered on the family. Children of all ages will be entertained by carriage rides, family fun, snow fl urries, holiday treats, and of course, Santa Claus.

Add to that a “Parachuting Santa” with his elves, a Christmas Tree lot manned by Boy Scout Troop 51, a model railroad train display, a giant, three lane inner-tubing snow slide, a trackless train, and Humvee rides. Most events are free to the public. Not included is a courtesy reindeer ride home once you and the family are worn

out due to all the excitement. CoServ is proud to sponsor this event.

We are locally operated—embedded in the communities we serve. Reaching out in Frisco to bring Yuletide joy to its residents and visitors embraces the principle of community support.

For more information about Frisco Christmas in the Square and its family-friendly events, visit www.friscosquare.com/CITS.

12-2011 TCP FRMC.indd 25 11/9/2011 9:41:12 AM



Flower Mound/Highland Village

When we entered Swirl Bakery Cafe Takery Catering located at 3634 Long Prairie Road, Suite 100 in Flower Mound, we were immediately struck by the light, airy décor and a rotating pie display case that we could swear was calling out to us—everything looked so good!

General Manager Chris Norwood clearly has a passion for creating high quality meals, pastries, and desserts for his patrons. In fact, we’re told that everything—and we do mean everything—is made from scratch. With honest-to-goodness buttaaaaaa (errrr…butter).

Though the restaurant started out as part of a franchise nine years ago, Swirl Bakery was born when Chris, his wife, Melissa, and Rod and Donna Downey (who happen to be Melissa’s parents) decided to venture out on their own and create a family-oriented business focused on serving quality entrees, sandwiches, salads, delectable pastries and cookies, pies, cakes, and more.

The restaurant is known for several of its menu offerings. For example, you can select from four chicken salad options—Original, Honey Cranberry, Sunday Company, and Ranch Pecan. There are anywhere from nine to 12 different nightly dinner selections, such as homemade chicken pot pie, salmon, and pot roast. On Sundays, pan-fried chicken is available (fried in canola oil, of course) from 11 a.m. until it’s gone.

On the sweeter side, Swirl bakes up a variety of pastries, cookies, cakes, and pies. Our own CoServ President/CEO Mike Dreyspring is occasionally spotted at Swirl Bakery enjoying the carrot cake. On our visit, we tried the strawberry thumbprints—and let’s just say that restricting ourselves to only one was diffi cult. Chris Norwood also recommends the iced cookies. If you prefer to eat cake, Swirl employs a professional decorator who works with clients to design and create unique, custom cakes.

Swirl Bakery offers catering services for parties, and they have a “Takery” designed for folks who don’t have time to dine in but want to grab a casserole to go. This holiday season, if you’re short on time because of all that Christmas shopping, why not let the folks at Swirl Bakery take care of Christmas dinner for you? They offer a Christmas package that includes a roasted turkey, two sides, dinner rolls, dressing, and two pies. Just be sure to give them fi ve days notice if possible. And if you happen to run low on side dishes (or if you forget them), Swirl Bakery will have last-minute sides, rolls, cranberry sauce, and other Christmas dinner accoutrements available.

The Norwoods believe strongly in community involvement and support, a concept that is near and dear to our hearts at CoServ. In fact, the Norwoods

are members of the local Rotary Club and the Flower Mound Chamber of Commerce. And as an extension of their gratitude to the community for supporting them, Swirl Bakery gives back by donating pumpkin pies to organizations in the community that help those less fortunate. It’s this spirit of giving that makes us proud to serve the fi ne folks at Swirl Bakery.

If you’d like to learn more about Swirl Bakery, peruse their menu offerings, or tempt your sweet tooth, be sure to check out their Web site, www.swirlbakery.com or drop by the restaurant in person—you’ll be glad you did. Present your Co-op Connections Card for 15 percent off your total bill (excludes Thanksgiving and Christmas package dinners and Mother’s Day and Easter Brunches).

General Manager Chris Norwood displays Christmas confections.

Swirl Bakery Cafe Takery Catering—‘Tis the Season’

12-2011 TCP FMHV.indd 24 11/9/2011 11:30:17 AM



Out On The TownLights, Camera, Holiday Action!

During November, while most of us are planning for Thanksgiving and the subsequent holiday season, CoServ Electric Members Harrison and Valerie Ward can be seen out in the yard getting a jump on their Christmas décor. Why so early? Because the Ward family doesn’t just string a few lights on a Charlie Brown Christmas tree. Instead, they like to put on a show.

From just after Thanksgiving to just before New Year’s Day, the Ward’s front yard at 2117 Gisbourne Drive in Flower Mound is transformed from “the next door neighbor’s yard” to a holiday extravaganza featuring a detailed holiday lights display that’s bound to inspire awe and wonder. With dozens of different display elements and more than 20,000 individually placed light bulbs, the “Flower Mound Christmas Show” is a 15-minute marvel of technology, music, timing, and lights that is the result of 16-18 months of planning. (An interesting factoid: sequencing the lights and music is the most important element

of planning the display—it takes 20 hours of sequencing for every one minute of music!)

You may wonder what in the world would possess this family to put so much time and effort into creating such magnifi cent and detailed light displays/programs every year. Plain and simple, Harrison and Valerie enjoy collecting and assembling holiday displays—it’s their hobby! Their inspiration comes from the Texas Tech Carol of Lights (the Wards are Tech alumni—Go Red Raiders!) and also the scene in Christmas Vacation where Clark Griswold “fl ips the switch” and his hard work comes to life and lights the neighborhood. And let us tell you—Clark Griswold would be in awe of the Ward’s display.

Every season, the Ward’s Flower Mound Christmas Show plays every 15 minutes between 6:30 and 10 p.m., and neighbors, friends, and “tourists” are welcome to drive by the Ward home and witness the spirit of the holidays come to life through an intricately orchestrated and choreographed light performance set to spectacular music. (Be sure your radio works because there is no

sound outside the Ward’s home—the program can be heard live by tuning to 107.3 on your car’s FM radio).

So if you’re seeking a high-tech holiday lights experience in Flower Mound, don’t miss Harrison and Valerie Ward’s Flower Mound Christmas Show! More information about the 2011 dates and show times is available at www.fl owermoundchristmas.com.

CoServ Electric Members Harrison and Valerie Ward pose with their daughter at

their Flower Mound Christmas Show.

AMERICAN RED CROSS BABYSITTING AND CPR CLASS On Sat., Dec. 3, from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., students ages 11–15 can learn how to care for children and infants, be a good leader and role model, make good decisions, solve problems, and become certified in Child/Infant CPR at this training session. Fee is $60–66 and participants will receive a Babysitter’s Training Handbook. Pre-registration required. flower-mound.com/cac

BREAKFAST WITH SANTA Children up to 10 years old and their parents can enjoy a breakfast with Santa at the Flower Mound Community Activity Center on Dec. 3, from 8:30–10:30 a.m. Kids can make a wish list, sit on Santa’s lap, and create a keepsake ornament. Professional photographs available for an additional charge. More info: (972) 874-7275 orflower-mound.com/cac

ART HISTORY BROWN BAG LUNCH SERIES Whether you’re an art historian or just enjoy a beautiful painting, the Heard-Craig Art History series will heighten your appreciation of art and provide insight into the mind of the artist. There is no charge to attend. The next segment of the series is being held Dec. 7, from 12:30–1:30 p.m., hosted in the Heard-Craig

Carriage House in McKinney. www.visitmckinney.com

FLOWER MOUND CHRISTMAS PARADE The 22nd Annual Christmas Parade will take place on Sat., Dec. 10, from 10–11 a.m. Enjoy decorated floats parading down Morriss Road as the town celebrates the holiday season with candy, music, and costumes. The parade starts at Eaton Drive, goes to Marcus High School, and will be broadcast on FMTV throughout December. (972) 874-6276 or www.flower-mound.com/cac/special-events/

FRISCO STARFEST This public event is co-sponsored by the Texas Astronomical Society of Dallas and the Frisco Parks Department. On Dec. 10 (weather permitting), the park lights go out and the telescopes look up. Frisco Commons Park hosts this family-friendly event as telescope owners and volunteers let the public look through their telescopes. This free event is designed to ignite interest in space and astronomy. The event goes from sundown–10:30 p.m.

FROSTY 5K AND MERRY MILE Throw on your jogging suit, lace up your sneakers, and run down to the Frosty 5K and Merry Mile. Warm up this holiday season with your friends and family and come enjoy the spirit of this event, which is being held Dec. 10, from 7–10 a.m. All ages are welcome, but children 12

and younger must be accompanied by an adult. The event is being held at the Simpson Plaza at City Hall in Frisco. www.friscofun.org

GINGERBREAD HOUSE DECORATING IN FLOWER MOUND Create holiday memories with children of all ages by decorating gingerbread houses Sun., Dec. 11, from 2–4 p.m. at the Flower Mound Community Activity Center. Gingerbread houses and decorating materials will be supplied for the $20 fee. Pre-registration is required. (972) 874-7275 orwww.flower-mound.com/cac/special-events/

HOLIDAY TEA & CONVERSATION The Heard-Craig Carriage House will hold the annual holiday tea on Dec. 14 at 2 p.m. The program will feature the music of McKinney High School`s Harmony Group, and a tour of the historic house will complete the afternoon. The cost is $25 for Heard-Craig League members and $30 for non-members. Reservations are required.www.visitmckinney.com

HOLIDAY TRAIL OF LIGHTS Experience the most unique holiday lighting display in North Texas. See holiday décor and lights along the nature trails at the Heard Natural Science Museum & Wildlife Sanctuary each night from 6:30–9:30 p.m. Dec. 17–19. www.visitmckinney.com

Go. See. Do.

12-2011 TCP FMHV.indd 25 11/9/2011 11:30:21 AM



THE VOICE OF MEMBERSHIPHere are real testimonials from real Members regarding the benefits of CoServ Electric membership:

I cannot thank you enough for your response. You answered all of my questions and provided additional information that is very helpful.

Frankly, it is uncommon for someone to be as responsive and thorough as you and you should know you stand out professionally. Many thanks for your help.

Regards, Wendy—Frisco

I thank you. You have done more than enough to help. I am missing my CoServ already, the CoServ company and its Employees have been the best in the industry. It’s such a shame that I can’t still have your service at my new apartment.

Thanks again, Laura—Lewisville

CoServ provides outstanding Customer Service and reliable energy to more than 160,000 homes and businesses. Additional information about CoServ customer satisfaction can be found at CoServ.com> Electric>Member Benefits>CoServ Stats.

CoServ Vision StatementTo be trusted to safely and consistently exceed Members’ and Customers’ expectations for reliability, service,value, and community support.

Contact Information

CoServ.com

[email protected]

(940) 321-7800

Open Monday—Friday

8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Telephones answered 24 hours a day

Board of DirectorsLeon PelzelChairmanPilot Point, District 2

Clyde GeerVice Chairman McKinney, District 3

Anne VadenCopper Canyon, Secretary/TreasurerDistrict 5

Richard MuirSanger, District 1

Jerry CobbFrisco, District 4

Bill Ragsdale Flower Mound, District 6

Curtis TallyJustin, District 7

Inspect vent stacks after roofing work

Many CoServ Members and Customers have installed new roofs recently. Please ensure that your home appliances are vented correctly, properly installed, and maintained with no air pressure fl uctuations or airway blockages. This helps carbon monoxide (CO) vent outdoors. Vent stacks can become misaligned, disconnected, or blocked during roofi ng or construction projects—be sure to inspect your attic and gas appliances after these events.

CO is often referred to as “the invisible killer.” You can’t see it, you can’t smell it, and you can’t taste it. CO is the toxic byproduct of incomplete fuel combustion, and when exposed, the human body doesn’t notice it at fi rst.

You can prevent exposure by

installing a CO detector and by changing its batteries regularly. We recommend changing batteries whenever you change your clocks to and from daylight saving time.

CO exposure can cause fl u-like symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, fatigue, shortness of breath, and confusion. If you suspect a CO leak, immediately stop using the appliance in question then leave the house and go to a neighbor’s. If anyone in your home experiences the aforementioned symptoms, go to the hospital or call 911. We also ask that you contact CoServ Gas at (940) 321-7800 or at (800) 274-4014, and don’t use the appliance until it has been inspected, serviced, and deemed safe by a licensed contractor.

To learn more about CO exposure and safety visit CoServ.com>Gas> Resources>Safety.

Safety TipProtect Yourself Against Unpredictable Surges—Of course, the most popular way is to buy a standard surge protector, but what else? By not overloading your outlets with Christmas lights during the holiday season, you can reduce the potential for blowing a fuse or starting a fi re.

For more safety tips, visitCoServ.com>Electric> Resources>Safety.

12-2011 TCP FRMC.indd 26 11/9/2011 9:41:14 AM


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After that incident, Bean, who was born in Kentucky, leftCalifornia and drifted through the Southwest, at one pointdelivering milk in San Antonio. In time, as the story goes, hedecided to increase his take by adding creek water to themilk. This scheme worked until one of his customers found aminnow swimming in a milk bottle.

“By Gobs,” Bean said when the customer confronted him,“I’ll have to stop them cows from drinkin’ outa the creek.”

Bean left town and in 1882 set up a saloon in a shabbyrailroaders tent camp called Vinegarroon—named for a whipscorpion—west of the Pecos River and just north of the RioGrande. There, he planned to line his pockets with moneymade selling whiskey. When the railroad came through andwhiskey began to flow, disorderly conduct followed, and thenearest law was hundreds of miles away in El Paso. Butpacked in the bottom of an old trunk, Roy Bean had a solu-tion: a dusty law book—the 1879 Revised Statutes of Texas.

Soon a sign appeared outside the saloon: ROY BEAN -BARREL WHISKEY - JUSTICE OF THE PEACE - LAWWEST OF THE PECOS. Eventually, the judge sent word tothe authorities of Precinct 6 that he was willing to accept anappointment to the position of justice of the peace for PecosCounty. He got it. With a whiskey barrel for a bench and agun butt for a gavel, he began to dole out his own brand offrontier justice. Bean’s rulings often had little connection tothe statutes in his beloved law book. One handwritten entryread: “cheating at cards is a hanging offense, if ketched.”With no jail in town, the rare prisoner was shackled to amesquite tree, and justice was meted out in the form of fines,

which disappeared into Bean’s pocket.The tent village, at first called Eagle Nest, was renamed in

honor of railroad man George Langtry. Inside Bean’s saloon,an oak bar and poker tables shared space with a crude court-room. He named the establishment the Jersey Lilly after anEnglish actress, Emilie Lillie Langtry (no relation to GeorgeLangtry) of Jersey in the Channel Islands, whose picture hespotted in a newspaper.

Bean, who ignored the correct spelling of Lillie, lost hisheart to the beauty. “By Gobs,” he said when he saw the pic-ture, “Ain’t she a purty critter?”

As time passed, murders, robberies, horse thieving, cattlerustling, inquests, marriages, assaults and civil suits all gen-erated income for Judge Roy Bean, who had a tough reputa-tion. He sentenced many criminals to hang, but there is noevidence that he ever actually carried out the threat. Heallowed some to escape. Needless to say, they never cameback to Langtry.

In his later years, Bean fined a dead man $40—all that theman had in his pockets—for carrying a concealed weapon.But the judge had a softer side that was less well known. The$40 bought a coffin and headstone and paid the grave diggerto bury the corpse. And money collected from fines oftenbought food and medicines for the poor of Langtry.

In 1903, Bean died as he had lived, after a drinking binge.He built his reputation as “The Law West of the Pecos” at atime when West Texas was infested with gunslingers, desper-adoes, cutthroats and thieves. The homespun law of JudgeRoy Bean worked. And, by Gobs, there are times when theend justifies the means.

Martha Deeringer, frequent contributor

B Y M A R T H A D E E R I N G E R

F O O T N O T E S I N T E X A S H I S T O R Y


Judge Roy Bean

C O R B I S

3 4 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1 P H O T O S B Y R I C K P A T R I C K

B Y K E V I N H A R G I S Savory or sweet? That was the decision facing judges of the2011 Holiday Recipe Contest sponsored by the Texas Pecan Board. More specifi-cally, it was the decision faced by one judge. The ballots had all been returned andcounted except one, and the contest was too close to call. Anticipation filled theroom as the deliberative judge tasted, thought and tasted again, then finallymarked her ballot.

That vote made Bluebonnet Electric Cooperative member Linda Morten’sPecan-Cranberry Bread Pudding with Lemon Hard Sauce this year’s grand-prizewinning recipe. “That’s amazing,” said Morten of the win that earned her$2,000. “I’ve been doing that (recipe) for years for Thanksgiving” in response tonumerous requests, she said.

Morten, who works for the Brenham State School, is no stranger to cookingcontest victories. In 2005, she won the National Beef Cook-Off, claiming a

$50,000 prize with which she and herhusband, Michael, bought their house,just minutes away from LakeSomerville. One of her three daughters,Natalie, is following in her mother’sfootsteps as an avid cook and is attend-ing the Culinary Arts Institute inHouston.

This year, prizes were also awardedto category winners and runners-up.Bandera Electric Cooperative memberSativa Rasmussen-Sanders’ entry,Twisted Texas Chicken Diablos, wasnamed Savory Category winner with aprize of $1,000.

The Sweet Category winning prize,also $1,000, went to Luke Canatella,whose home is served by Bryan TexasUtilities, for his pecan-laden BreakfastCookies.

The category runners-up, who eachwon $500, were: J-A-C ElectricCooperative member G.W. Quick forTexas-Style Savory Deviled Eggs andRusk County EC member Jean A.Bunyard for Fig Pecan Pie.

$2,000 GRAND PRIZEWINNERLinda MortenBluebonnet Electric CooperativeMorten said she got a broad range ofculinary experience growing up. She wasborn in Venezuela, and her father was inthe oil business, which took the family todestinations around the world, includinga stint in Singapore. “If it wasn’t for trav-eling, I wouldn’t be exposed to manytastes,” she said. “That’s where I got mycooking ability.”

Morten said she loves to createdesserts, making things that look prettyand taste good. She also loves to entercooking contests. “Formulating recipesfor pay,” she said with a laugh. “That’smy love and my passion.”

P E C A N - C R A N B E R R Y B R E A D P U D D I N G W I T HL E M O N H A R D S A U C E 2 large eggs 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup butter or margarine, melted

3/4 cup half and half 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 1/2 cups chopped, toasted Texas pecans, divided 1 1/2 cups fresh cranberries, divided

R E C I P E R O U N D U P

Holiday Recipe ContestS P O N S O R E D B Y T E X A S P E C A N B O A R D

Linda Morten with her prize-winning Pecan-Cranberry Bread Pudding with Lemon Hard Sauce


1 loaf (16 ounces) raisin bread, cut into 1-inch cubes Lemon-Vanilla Hard Sauce Pumpkin Shell Serving Bowls, optionalPreheat oven to 350 degrees. Lightlygrease 8x8-inch pan. In large mixingbowl, stir together eggs, sugar, butter,half and half, vanilla, 1 cup pecans, 1 cupcranberries and cubed bread. Spoon intoprepared pan. Bake for 25 minutes.Immediately top with Lemon-VanillaHard Sauce and allow to melt. Sprinklewith reserved pecans and cranberries.Serve in Pumpkin Shell Serving Bowls, ifdesired (instructions follow).

L E M O N -VA N I L L A H A R D S A U C E 1/2 cup butter, softened 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar 1 tablespoon vanilla extractCream butter, zest and juice on mediumspeed with electric mixer. Gradually addpowdered sugar and vanilla, beatinguntil light and fluffy.

P U M P K I N S H E L L S E R V I N G B O W L S 12 pie pumpkins (1/2 pound each) 1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted and divided 1/4 cup packed brown sugar, dividedCut tops off pumpkins, reserving lidswith stems. Scoop out seeds and pulp.Brush inside of each with about 1 tea-spoon butter and sprinkle inside of eachwith about 1 teaspoon brown sugar. Topwith lids. Place pumpkins on bakingsheet and bake along with pudding for25 minutes.

Allow pumpkins to cool slightly andspoon pudding evenly into each pump-kin shell. Top each with 1 tablespoon ofLemon-Vanilla Hard Sauce and allow itto melt. Sprinkle with reserved pecansand cranberries.

Servings (pudding with sauce only): 12. Serving size: 1cup. Per serving: 465 calories, 6 g protein, 27.5 g fat,47.5 g carbohydrates, 3.5 g dietary fiber, 138 mgsodium, 26.8 g sugars, 77 mg cholesterol

COOK’S TIP: Try Lemon-Vanilla HardSauce over other warm baked goods such asscones or muffins.

$1,000 SAVORY WINNERSativa Rasmussen-SandersBandera ElectricCooperativeRasmussen-Sanders,who lives in PipeCreek with her hus-band, Ryan, and sonsRyeth, 15; Colsten, 9; and Vanden, 6;does a lot of cooking to feed her boys.“They eat a lot,” she said.

The inspiration for her Twisted TexasChicken Diablos recipe came from eat-ing similar dishes at area restaurants.She made a few changes, incorporatingpecans and grilling or baking theminstead of deep frying, as with the ver-sions she’d eaten off local menus.

T W I S T E D T E X A S C H I C K E N D I A B LO S 2 pounds chicken tenders

2/3 cup orange juice 1 1/2 tablespoons dry steak seasoning 8 ounces cream cheese 2/3 cup chopped Texas pecans 12 whole fresh jalapeños 2 pounds thin-sliced bacon 2 cups barbecue sauce

Place chicken tenders in bowl, addorange juice and 1 tablespoon steak sea-soning, stir, cover and set in refrigeratorto marinate 1 or more hours, but notovernight. In separate bowl, mix creamcheese, pecans and 1/2 tablespoon steakseasoning, blend well by hand, and setaside. When ready to assemble, washand slice jalapeños in half lengthways,remove seeds, then rinse again. Filljalapeño half with cream cheese mixture,place chicken tender on top of filling,wrap with 1 slice of bacon, and securewith large grilling skewer so that baconstays wrapped around jalapeño. Placethree stuffed jalapeños on each skewer.When finished, brush all finishedjalapeños generously with barbecuesauce. Bake or grill until chicken is thor-oughly cooked, approximately 45 min-utes to 1 hour at 350 degrees, turninghalfway through cooking time and bast-ing with more sauce. Baste one last timeabout 5 minutes before finishing cookingor use remaining sauce to serve.

Servings: 12. Serving size: 2 diablos. Per serving: 788calories, 41.1 g protein, 47.6 g fat, 32 g carbohydrates,2.3 g dietary fiber, 2,549 mg sodium, 13.7 g sugars,134 mg cholesterol

TWISTED TEXAS CHICKEN DIABLOS




$1,000 SWEET WINNERLuke CanatellaBryan TexasUtilitiesCanatella, who worksfor Luby’s Cafeteriasas an account man-ager, loves to makepastries and playaround with recipes. For this contest, hemodified a breakfast cookie recipe he’dcreated, adding pecans and the specialingredient—bacon—to yield a heartycookie with a salty-sweet taste andcrunchy texture that wowed the judges.

He said he loves to “take a recipe andtake it apart, then put it back together tomake something everyone likes.”

B R E A K FA S T C O O K I E S 2 cups unsalted butter, melted 2 cups light brown sugar packed lightly 3 cups granulated sugar, divided 6 large eggs

1 tablespoon vanilla extract 2 cups quick-cooking oatmeal 2 cups Texas pecan pieces 12 ounces bacon, cooked crisp and roughly chopped 4 cups all-purpose flour 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 tablespoons baking powder 4 cups regular corn flakes 1/8 cup cinnamonPreheat oven to 350 degrees. In largemixing bowl, mix butter, brown sugar, 2cups granulated sugar, eggs and vanillauntil well blended. Fold in oatmeal,pecans and bacon. Add flour, salt andbaking powder, mixing well. Add cornflakes and mix until combined evenly.Do not over mix. Drop onto parchmentpaper using 4-ounce scoop. Leave atleast one inch of space between cookies.Flatten each into 2-inch circle. Mix cin-namon and remaining sugar. Sprinkleatop each cookie. Bake 10 to 12 minutesor until cookies are set but not crunchy.

Servings: 36. Serving size: 1 cookie. Per serving: 387calories, 7.4 g protein, 18.3 g fat, 46.6 g carbohy-drates, 1.7 g dietary fiber, 415 mg sodium, 39.1 g sug-ars, 68 mg cholesterol

$500 SAVORY RUNNER-UPG.W. QuickJ-A-C ElectricCooperativeQuick, an administra-tive law judge, said heused to make deviledeggs using walnuts,but because he andhis wife, Pat, have pecan trees in theiryard, he switched. This was the firstrecipe contest entry he’s attempted.

T E X A S - S T Y L E S AVO R Y D E V I L E D E G G S 12 eggs 5 tablespoons mayonnaise 5 teaspoons dill pickle juice Juice of 1 small lime 1/2 teaspoon prepared yellow mustard 5 teaspoons sweet relish 2 tablespoons finely chopped sweet onion 2 finely chopped large pimiento-stuffed olives 2 tablespoons finely chopped dried cranberries 3 teaspoons finely chopped, seeded jalapeño 4 tablespoons finely chopped pecans 1/4 teaspoon coarse ground pepper 1/2 teaspoon sugar 24 Texas pecan halves Paprika for garnishFill pot with enough water to cover eggs.Bring to rapid boil and cook 1 minute.Remove from heat and let sit 15 minutes,covered. Drain and cool eggs in ice water.Peel and slice eggs in half lengthwise,scooping yolks into bowl. Mash egg yolksto crumb size. Add mayonnaise, picklejuice, lime juice and mustard. Stir untilmixture forms even paste. Fold in relish,onion, olives, cranberries, jalapeño,chopped pecans, pepper and sugar andmix well. Spoon carefully into egg whitehalves. Top each egg with pecan half andsprinkle with paprika. Cover and refrig-erate at least 1 hour before serving.

Servings: 12. Serving size: 2 egg halves. Per serving:142 calories, 7 g protein, 10.6 g fat, 4 g carbohydrates,0.7 g dietary fiber, 163 mg sodium, 1.7 g sugars, 187 mgcholesterol

BREAKFAST COOKIES

$500 SWEET RUNNER-UPJean A. BunyardRusk CountyElectric CooperativeBunyard, who workspart time as an insur-ance office manager,stays busy with volun-teer work and helpingher husband, Guy, entertain their fourgrandchildren. She gets figs from herdaughter, who has her own trees. Shecame up with this recipe by modifying anold one she had found and adding lemonjuice for a sweet-tart zing.

F I G P E C A N P I E 2/3 cup sugar 2 tablespoons flour Pinch salt Top and bottom crusts for 9-inch pie 2 cups sliced figs (fresh or dried) 1/2 cup Texas pecans, chopped 1 tablespoon lemon juice 1 tablespoon lemon zest Butter MilkPreheat oven to 375 degrees. Mix sugar,flour and salt; sprinkle half of mixtureevenly into pastry-lined pie pan. Arrangefigs and pecans on top and sprinkle withlemon juice, zest and remaining flourmixture. Dot generously with butter. Fittop crust over pie, sealing edges. Brushtop with milk and cut vents. Bake 15minutes, then reduce oven temperatureto 350 degrees and bake 30 minuteslonger. Cover edges of crust with stripsof foil to prevent overbrowning, if neces-sary. Allow to cool before cutting.

Servings: 8. Serving size: 1 slice. Per serving: 411 calo-ries, 2.9 g protein, 20.4 g fat, 51.9 g carbohydrates,2.2 g dietary fiber, 310 mg sodium, 20 g sugars, 8 mgcholesterol

FIG PECAN PIE

TEXAS-STYLE SAVORY DEVILED EGGS


$ 1 0 0 R E C I P E C O N T E S T

April’s recipe contest topic is Cupcakes.You can go big with these tasty, littlecakes. The deadline is December 10.

Submit recipes online at TexasCoopPower.com under theSubmit and Share tab. Or mail them to Home Cooking, 1122Colorado St., 24th Floor, Austin, TX 78701. You may also faxthem to (512) 763-3408. Please include your name, addressand phone number, as well as the name of your electric co-op. Also, let us know where you found the recipe or whetherit’s one you developed yourself. The top winner will receive$100. Runners-up will also receive a prize.


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1 Truly a Painted Bunting:

Pedernales Electric Cooperative

member Michael Krouse shot

the photo, and friend Jason

Boyd altered the image.

1Welcome home: Nueces

Electric Cooperative and Bryan

Texas Utilities member Kelsey

Hellmann shot and altered this

photo of Gibbs in honor of all

past and present military.

F O C U S O N T E X A S

FUN WITH PHOTOSHOP

Wow! When we decided to run this modern-day

category, we had no idea we’d receive so many entries.

It was a blast to look at all of the creative digital

touches—both beautiful and batty—on your everyday

photos. From the slightest enhancement to the most

masterful of manipulations, we enjoyed them all. And

now, we share them with you!

—ashley clary-carpenter

On TexasCoopPower.com: See more digitally altered submissions.1 Kaleb, grandson of Nueces and San Patricio electric cooperatives

member “Grand Paw” Mike Roach, is pulled out of this photograph,

or so it seems. Grand Paw did the photo taking and editing, and Dad

Mike Roach did the pulling.

Upcoming in Focus on TexasISSUE SUBJECT DEADLINE

Feb Going Nuts Dec 10Sponsored by Texas Peanut Producers

Mar Wild Animals Jan 10

Apr Easter Feb 10

May Everything’s Bigger in Texas Mar 10

Jun Hard at Work Apr 10

Jul Yard Art May 10

GOING NUTS is the topic for our FEBRUARY 2012 issue.Send your photo—along with your name, address, day-time phone, co-op affiliation and a brief description—toGoing Nuts, Focus on Texas, 1122 Colorado St., 24th Floor,Austin, TX 78701, before DECEMBER 10. A stamped, self-addressed envelope must be included if you want yourentry returned (approximately six weeks). Please do notsubmit irreplaceable photographs—send a copy or dupli-cate. If you use a digital camera, submit your highest-resolution images online at TexasCoopPower.com/Contests. We regret that Texas Co-op Power cannot beresponsible for photos that are lost in the mail or notreceived by the deadline. Please note that we cannot pro-vide individual critiques of submitted photos.

1 All CoServ Electric member Charles Baxter needed to create this image was a thunderstorm, a rainbow, a

great lens and his photo-editing software.

1 Calypso wants to escape the

dog days of summer, say “grand -

parents” and Guadalupe Valley

Electric Cooperative members Gil

and Sue Merkle, doggie-sitters for

granddaughter Sarah Henderson.


10 FRANKLIN

Christmas Parade & Party,(979) 828-3276,www.franklintexas.com

ROUND TOP

Christmas in Winedale, 1-888-273-6426,www.cah.utexas.edu

SANGER

Arts & Crafts Show, (940) 458-7497,www.sisd.sangerisd.net

SAN SABA

Christmas on the Square& Lighted Parade, (325)372-5141, http://sansabachamber.com

D E C E M B E R 09 LULING

Cocoa & Carols, (830) 875-3214, www.lulingcc.org

KILGORE

Kilgore Snow Hill Festival,(903) 984-5022, www.kilgorechamber.com

TOMBALL [9–11]

German Festival &Christmas Market, (281)379-6844, www.tomballgermanfest.org

WEATHERFORD [9–11]

Candlelight Christmas GiftMarket at the Doss, (817) 599-6168,www.dosscenter.org

10 CANYON LAKE

Christmas Parade, (830) 964-2461,http://clnoonlions.com

10 SINTON

“Old Fashioned” ChristmasIlluminated Parade, (361) 364-2381

VERNON

Christmas on the WesternTrail, (940) 552-6803

This is just a sampling of the eventsand festivals around Texas. For thecomplete listing, please visit theEvents page at TexasCoopPower.com.

T E D D Y B E A R : 2 0 1 1 © I V A N K M I T . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M . C O O K I E S : 2 0 1 1 © T O R U U C H I D A . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M . V E S T : 2 0 1 1 © B E T H A N Y L . V A N T R E E S . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M .

PICK OF THE MONTH

DECEMBER 10CHAPPELL HILL

Holiday Home Tour & Teddy BearParade, (979) 836-6033, www.chappellhillmuseum.org

AROUNDTEXASAROUNDTEXAS

9TOMBALL

German Festival &Christmas Market

10SANGER

Arts & Crafts Show

DEAR DORRIS: I’m a woman who is

64 years young who

suffers from really

loose skin under my

chin and on my lower neck. I hate the term, but my

grandkids say I have “turkey neck” and frankly, I’ve

had enough of it!

I have tried some creams designed to help tighten and

firm that loose, saggy skin, but they did not work. Is

there any cream out there that can truly help my loose

neck skin?

Turkey Neck , Tarrant County

DEAR TURKEY-NECK: In fact, there is a very

potent cream on the market that firms, tightens and

regenerates new skin cells on the neck area. It is called

the Dermagist Neck Restoration Cream®.

This cream contains an instant lift ingredient that

tightens the skin naturally, as well as deep

moisturizing ingredients to firm the skin and make it

more supple. Amazingly, the Dermagist Neck Restoration Cream® also has Stem Cells taken from

Malus Domesticus, a special apple from Switzerland.

These stem cells are actually unprogrammed cells that

can mimic those of young skin that stays tight, firm

and wrinkle free.

As an alternative to the scary surgeries or face lifts that

many people resort to, this cream really packs a big

punch on the loose saggy skin of the neck. The Dermagist Neck Restoration Cream® is available

online at Dermagist.com or you can order or learn

more by calling toll-free, 888-771-5355. Oh, I almost

forgot… I was given a promo code when I placed my

order that gave me 10% off. The code was “ TXN3”. It’s

worth a try to see if it still work.

Dear Dorris:

Loose Saggy Neck Skin – Can Any Cream Cure Turkey Neck?A D V E R T I S E M E N T


18 INDEPENDENCE [18–19]

Bethlehem inIndependence LiveNativity, (979) 830-3461

26 FREDERICKSBURG

Boxing Day Celebrationat Becker Vineyards,(830) 644-2681,www.beckervineyards.com

31 CALDWELL

New Year’s Eve Jeans &Jewels Dinner & Dance,(979) 535-7702, http://tgburlesoncounty.com

J A N U A R Y 06 DEL RIO

First Friday Art Walk,(830) 768-2287, http://casadelacultura.com

07 CORPUS CHRISTI

30th Annual Boar’s Head& Yule Log Festival, (361)854-3044, http://firstchristiancc.org

6DEL RIOFirst FridayArt Walk

N A T I V I T Y : 2 0 1 1 © A N N E K A S . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M . N E W Y E A R ' S P U P P Y : 2 0 1 1 © B A R B A R A H E L G A S O N . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M . A R T P A L E T T E : 2 0 1 1 © V E R N A B I C E . I M A G E F R O M B I G S T O C K . C O M .

31CALDWELL

New Year's Eve Jeans &Jewels Dinner & Dance

18INDEPENDENCE

Bethlehem in Independence Live Nativity

GettysburgPennsylvania

Infantry Monument

GlacierMontana

Mtn. Goat & Mt. Reynolds

VicksburgMississippi

Ironclad U.S.S. Cairo

ChickasawOklahoma

The Lincoln BridgeOlympic Washington Elk & Mt. Olympus

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17 LUCKENBACH

Christmas Ball, 1-888-311-8990, www.luckenbachtexas.com

SNYDER

Big Country ChristmasBall, (325) 660-8338,www.westtexasrehab.org

McKINNEY [17–19]

Holiday Trail of Lights,(972) 562-5566,www.heardmuseum.org

AROUNDTEXASAROUNDTEXAS

We pick events for the magazine directly fromTexasCoopPower.com.Submit your event forFebruary by December 10,and it just might be featured in this calendar!

10 WIMBERLEY

Winter’s Eve “A ChristmasFestival,” (512) 757-5507,www.wimberleymerchants.com

DECATUR [10–11]

A Cowboy ChristmasStory, (903) 227-7369,www.wisecountycowboychurch.com

4 2 T E X A S C O - O P P O W E R D e c e m b e r 2 0 1 1 I L L U S T R A T I O N B Y G I L A D A M S

H I T T H E R O A D

enters the open doors and propels thearms of windmills on display. Bladeswhir, gears creak and a sucker rodalternately draws up and spurts waterinto a metal tank with the clinking ofcheck balls, spheres in the sucker rodthat regulate water flow.

Outside, an English post millcommemorates the first windmillbuilt in America in 1621. Its oakcabin, equipped with 2,400-poundstones to grind grains, swivels on apost to obtain the best angle in thewind.

The post mill’s wood sails juxta-pose the nearby Vestas Model V47windmill, a modern wind turbinestanding 250 feet high from its baseto the tip of an upright blade. Themachine has a capacity to generate660 kilowatts of electricity, a frac-tion of which powers the museum;the rest goes into the grid.

The wind power center museum’s6,000-square-foot mural, “Legacy ofthe Wind,” illustrates the evolutionof windmills on a Texas landscapedotted with cattle, mockingbirds andblack-tailed prairie dogs. (To get

close enough to almost touch a live prairiedog, visit Lubbock’s PRAIRIE DOG TOWN.)On one end of the mural, the post millstands alone on the horizon. In the cen-ter, a town—Lubbock, perhaps—sproutsup in the midst of water-pumping wind-mills. Afar, groups of white wind tur-bines stripe a pink sunset.

To top off a day of touring, stop atThe TRIPLE J CHOPHOUSE & BREW CO. onBuddy Holly Avenue for dinner, andtoast the American Wind Power Centerwith a beer on tap, such as the seasonal,honey-colored Windmill Wheat. Thenbunk for the night in a Santa FeRailroad caboose—much like thecaboose at the ranching center—thatowners David and Dawn Fleming con-verted into a suite at WOODROW HOUSE

BED AND BREAKFAST.

Suzanne Haberman, communicationsspecialist

On TexasCoopPower.com Read more about Lubbock destinations andexperience the real West in a slideshow.

Long before Texas Tech University,Jones AT&T Stadium and the MetroTower defined the Lubbock skyline,pioneers from the East Coast andEurope who dreamed of land owner-ship and cattle ranching drove an exis-tence from this flat, semiarid stretch ofthe South Plains, leading to therise of the largest city in thePanhandle.

Lubbock embraces its heritagewith museums and parks that takevisitors back in time. “Lubbock is adestination for people who want tosee the real West,” says Jim Pfluger,executive director of the NATIONAL

RANCHING HERITAGE CENTER.

Volunteer ranch host Ron Coxkicks back on the porch of a pre-served, 1900s-era house at theranching center at Texas Tech. Hisbroad-rimmed hat and jacket,trappings of his period-specificcostume, rest near his elbow.

“Did you lose your saddle?” heasks a visitor strolling up on foot.Playing the character of a WestTexas rancher, Cox insinuates thatanyone walking must have lost ahorse.

Cox drops his act only when a coupletries to step over the threshold for abetter look inside. “Actually, I’m notsupposed to let you in there,” he says.He then stands in the doorway andexplains what life was like for the orig-inal resident living near modern-dayMidland, where the house once stood.

The Box and Strip House, made bynailing vertical boards to a box-likeframe without horizontal support, isone of the 48 historic—and mostlyoriginal—ranch structures relocated tothe ranching center for preservation.“These are the reminders of the physi-cal presence of the pioneers,” Pflugersays, “the actual three-dimensionalitems of the people who settled theAmerican West.”

Walking the outdoor park trail—from a replica of Los Corralitos, a 1780sfortified home; to the Pitchfork RanchCookhouse, a mess hall used at thePitchfork Ranch from the 1890s to2003—visitors inhale the scent of cedarand spy an occasional jackrabbit. The

relics reveal the nature of early settlers’home and work life, right down todetails like branding irons in the 6666Barn. A train station display features asteam locomotive, King Ranch shippingpens and a red caboose.

During CANDLELIGHT AT THE RANCH,

this year scheduled from 6 to 9 p.m. onDecember 9-10, the park comes alive asmore volunteers such as Cox don cos-tumes and perform re-enactments formore than 6,000 viewers. “People canlook into the buildings and see what theinhabitants were doing to prepare for orcelebrate the holiday,” Pfluger says.

But life on the dusty Plains wouldnot have been possible without the abil-ity to pump water. In northeastLubbock, the AMERICAN WIND POWER

CENTER’S more than 150 windmills nar-rate the history of wind power, whichwas vital to settling the dry lands. “Youcouldn’t come out here to this part ofTexas and live without a windmill,” saysCoy Harris, the museum’s executivedirector.

Inside the main building, a breeze

LUBBOCKRelive the real West.

BY SUZANNE HABERMAN

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