“I thought I would live with back pain for the rest of my life. Now without drugs or surgery, I’m pain-free and a believer!”

II BBECAMEECAME A BA BELIEVERELIEVER ..COMCOM

call for your FREE consultation:call for your FREE consultation:call for your FREE consultation: 806806806---367367367---8480 8480 8480

DrDrDr. . . Darrell West, D.C. Dr. Aaron West, D.C.Darrell West, D.C. Dr. Aaron West, D.C.Darrell West, D.C. Dr. Aaron West, D.C.

See my story at: - Tracy Huffman

2 HutchCo Living

Q. We are here with Christine and Randy Green, Owners of Sammy’s BBQ in Borger. tell us a little about your-self. I moved here to Borger when I was three and have been here every since. My husband, Randy, was born here and we met in 1990 and were married in 1999…. Wait 2000. No it was 1999. Now, we have three beautiful kids, Hannah, Lydia, Josiah. We are very active in our home church at Borger Word of Life and love our Pastor.Q. What made you decide to buy a BBQ joint? Well I worked with Sammy for 5 years straight. Then, when God blessed us with a family, I began staying at home more and just filling in when Sammy needed help for the next 6 years. So overall, I have worked at Sammy’s for 11 years. During this time Sammy started mentioning he would like to sell the store to us. Randy and I began praying about it and in February of 2008 we became the new owners.Q. Have you made any changes? Not with any of the food or the sauce. This is something that Sammy created and we wanted to keep his origi-nal idea going. The only changes we made is cosmetic “girly” things like new paint and a new menu board. But everything else, we have left original.Q. What is the best thing on the menu? In my opinion just a sandwich, potato salad and soft drink, but I’m a plain ‘ol kind of girl. However our most popular item on the menu is the bean special. (This is something Sammy created one day when he was bored. He just threw a bunch of meat in a bowl of beans covered it with sauce and thought it tasted good, so he added it to the menu and it quickly became the most popular item).Q. What are some goals for the future? Well….. We would like to redo our front and add on. Expand. We want to add some outdoor seating. We would love to allow people to enjoy great BBQ while sitting outside with friends and family.Q. What is the Secret Sauce Recipe?Ha Ha Yeah right!!! Marsh mellows and green beans.

Business Spotlight

Sammy’s BBQ

Love is in the Air, Quick, hold your breath! Not Really, February is a great month (my birthday

is in February) often called “the love month” it is one of the highest selling greeting card holidays.

I think of all of the cards I have to buy, and I know why. (Wife, Daughter, Son, Mom, Sister, Grandma (That’s 6!)) Well... It must be done. If you dont have anyone to send a card to, send one to yourself in the mail, you will feel better.

Wow, who sent this? I Love this card!Hey, thanks for the emails and thoughts, they are great. Please, continue to give us story ideas, thoughts, and recipes.

editor@hutchcoliving.comP.O. Box 3382 Borger 79008

“I thought I would live with back pain for the rest of my life. Now without drugs or surgery, I’m pain-free and a believer!”

II BBECAMEECAME A BA BELIEVERELIEVER ..COMCOM

call for your FREE consultation:call for your FREE consultation:call for your FREE consultation: 806806806---367367367---8480 8480 8480

DrDrDr. . . Darrell West, D.C. Dr. Aaron West, D.C.Darrell West, D.C. Dr. Aaron West, D.C.Darrell West, D.C. Dr. Aaron West, D.C.

See my story at: - Tracy Huffman

hutchcoliving.com 3

If you don’t have a date for Valentine’s Day, there’s no need to make yourself miserable over it.

Unfortunately, we’ve fallen into the trap of letting advertisers run our lives. As Valentine’s Day approaches, we’re bombarded with commercials, ads, and store displays that imply you’re normal only if you’re in a romantic relationship with someone.

The facts prove differently. Nearly 29 million Americans live alone, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That represents about 26 percent of the population. And close to 96 million Americans, or 43 percent of those age 15 and over, are single.

Let’s face it. There are billions of dollars to be made selling greet-ing cards, jewelry, candy, flowers, and other Valentine’s Day gifts. But single people need to get over the guilt that there’s something wrong with them if they don’t have a special someone on Valentine’s Day.

The single life is difficult enough, without artificial pressures. Holding down a job, running a household, saving for retirement, and other duties can be very stressful when you don’t have help. Instead of beating yourself up because you’ll be spending Valentine’s Day alone, congratulate yourself for meeting all the challenges that single life throws at you.

Here are some practical tips for singles to help survive a dateless Valentine’s Day:

1. See how far you’ve come. Look back over the past year and celebrate your accomplishments.

Focus on friends and family, rather than on a romantic relationship. Give yourself credit for being a strong, independent person who is growing, learning, and becoming more self-sufficient every day. What you’re doing is a major acccomplishment, and you need to recognize that.

2. See where you’re going. If you want to be in a romantic relationship, use Valentine’s Day

to motivate you to do something about it, like asking friends to play matchmaker or investigating online dating services. But do it because it’s something you want, not because you feel swayed by outside influences. And if you’re waiting for something to happen, don’t put your life on hold until it does.

3. See life honestly. Being alone is infinitely better than being in an unhappy marriage

or an abusive relationship. Lowering your morals to attract someone isn’t the answer either. See through the idealistic images in advertis-ing, movies and TV, and the way to do that is by building a strong, positive self-image. The better you feel about yourself, the less artifi-cial pressures will bother you.

Dateless on Valentine’s Day?

Jack Zavada

4 HutchCo Living

Jim HolstonHospice Professional • Hospice Patient

Hospice Volunteer

“Proud to be Local”

Reading is the most important skill a child will ever learn. By developing an interest in reading, and thereby developing

the desire to learn to read, you will be giving your child the gift to all knowledge. A child who loves to read and reads well can learn ANYTHING!

The interest in reading is developed at a young age. Make time to read bedtime stores. Make time at other time of the day, if possible, to sit and read to your child. Simple, easy to understand children’s books with colorful pictures as best for the youngest children.

Not only can you point to the words you are reading as you read, but you can help the child learn recognition of objects and colors by interacting during the reading of the book. Point to the picture of a duck and tell the child, “This is a duck. The duck is yellow”. After a few times of doing this, point to the duck and ask the child what that picture is and what color the animal is. Every soon, after grasping language skills, the child will not wait for questions, but tell you “that duck is yellow!”

Select books that teach a lesson about life. Books that teach children how to interact with other children without fighting; books that teach about giving or sharing, are good selections. Books that teach about responsibilities - how to cross the street, never to get in a stranger’s car, never to steal, and so one - are also great choices.

Children’s classics are excellent choices and may well become family heirlooms that you child will read to their child years down the road. You will soon develop a child that can’t wait to learn to read.

I’d like to share a small personal antidote with you. I was raised as a child who was taught an interest in reading. When Mother cooked, she sometimes got out a book and it told her what to do to make good food. When Dad wanted to know when the Christmas Parade or

another event was going to occur, he read the newspaper. I had realized that you could learn anything you needed to know if you could read. Mother had taught me to read a few words, and I could go through some of my favorite books by memory, but I couldn’t pick up a big book and read it.

I went to school on my first day of 1st grade and came home crying my eyes out, telling Mother I wasn’t going back to that bad school. After much questioning and concern on Mom’s part, she finally dragged out of me that I considered the school bad because I had not learned to read on the first day! She had to explain to me that by the end of the school year, I would be able to read.

This short story is to emphasize that you want to raise the kind of child who truly can’t wait to learn to read. A lifetime of reading pro-vides not only knowledge, but fun, relaxation, and true joy.

Get Your Kids to Read!

Sadie Chenton

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HutchCo Living Becomes a Member of the Chamber in Borger. What a way to end 2008 and begin 2009 with a

bang! The last week in December we joined with the Chamber of Commerce and cut our red ribon, with a pair of giant scissors. It was so much fun meeting with everyone and being able to share why we started our magazine and our vision for HutchCo Living.We were also able to share the span of our Magazine, sending out to not only Borger, but Fritch, Stinnett, Sanford and Skellytown.

We greatly enjoyed talking with so many people from Hutchin-son County and hearing how people look forward to receiving their copy every month. The only problem was, I should have worn a red shirt! Ha!

Thanks to Beverly and Crystal for all of your help.

6 HutchCo Living

February marks the calendar page for Valentine’s Day and Heart Health Month, so there’s never been a better reason to

be good to your heart. A few simple steps today can keep it beating strong all year long so you can live life to the fullest.

Here are three tips that can help promote heart health: 1) A little red gift your heart will love. Many of us know that omega-3 fatty acids are important for heart

health and have decided to supplement our diets with fish oil in order to benefit from these omega-3s. But did you know there’s another source for omega-3s that is smaller and easier to take than bulky fish oil softgels and also three times more powerful for supporting cardiovascular health? It’s krill oil ... and it’s a gift you should give your heart each day.

Krill oil is supplied from krill, tiny shrimp-like crustaceans that inhabit the cold ocean areas of the world. Like fish oil, krill oil con-tains essential omega-3 fatty acids. However, the omega-3s in krill oil are linked together in a different form -- a more soluble structure that is easily absorbed by our bodies. Just one krill oil softgel, about the size of a coffee bean, supports a key marker of cardiovascular health better than three large fish oil softgels, without the fishy smell or aftertaste.

MegaRed Omega-3 Krill Oil from Schiff is shown to be safe and effective in clinical trials. Krill oil promotes cardiovascular health and maintains cholesterol levels within the normal range. The antioxidant astaxanthin found in krill oil, which gives it its red color, neutralizes free radicals -- harmful metabolic by-products that dam-age cells and tissues throughout the body. Visit www.schiffmegared.com or call (800) 526-6251 to learn more.

2) A heart-healthy eating plan for you and your family. Eating heart-healthy doesn’t have to mean bland foods that don’t

satisfy. Try new recipes and think creatively with food. Here are some guidelines:

Meat: Choose lean meats to help cut down on saturated and trans fat. Poultry without the skin, and red meat and pork labeled ‘loin’ and ‘round’ usually have less fat. Grill, bake and broil instead of fry-ing. Jazz up meat with different herbs and spices.

Dairy: Whole-fat dairy products are a thing of the past. Look for low-fat versions of milk, butter, yogurt and cheese that are often just as tasty. If you’re finding that switching is hard, do it gradually. For example, mix whole milk with 1 percent until your taste buds adjust.

Snacks: Snacks aren’t bad if you choose the right ones. Avoid op-tions that contain trans fat. High-sodium and high-sugar snacks are not good choices either. Instead, try real fruit or cut-up vegetables.

3) Get moving for a happy heart. Now that you’re eating right and getting your omega-3s and

antioxidants with the krill oil supplement you’re taking, the final step is to incorporate physical activity into your daily life. If you’re able to attend a gym, get a partner involved and encourage each other. If you don’t visit a gym, try working out at home in front of the TV or go outside and do some yard work.

Help your whole family get heart healthy by planning a fun activity together each week. Go for a nature walk, take a bike ride, bring the dog to a park, take family dance lessons or try a new sport. New and interesting activities make a great gift for the family or your significant other.

February may be the shortest month of the year, but there’s no good reason to short-change your heart. By following these three simple tips -- take omega-3 rich krill oil, follow a heart-healthy eating plan and get moving -- you’ll celebrate Valentine’s Day and Heart Health Month by making your heart strong and healthy for many years to come.

Valentine’s Day with a Healthy Heart

ARAcontenthutchcoliving.com 7

Dealing with an overweight child can be a very delicate situation. We do not want to damage their self esteem by telling them they

are fat or lazy, yet at the same time they must be conscious that they have to be more aware of their weight and eating habits for them to be healthy. Parents have a significant influence over the situation. Conse-quently most of the effort will have to come from the parents. Try these tips for getting kids to eat healthier.

#1 Kids listen to what you do not what you say. Parents must be an example to their children. Children watch you even when you don’t know they are. If you are sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of ice cream and a bag of chips you are sending the wrong message to them. They don’t know you have PMS or you had a hard day or even you’ve been good on your diet for a month and this isn’t so bad. They are see-ing lounge and eat. Nothing more or less. Make a salad in the middle of the day and offer them some. Have a piece of fruit as you go out the door and give them permission to go grab themselves a piece to take with them. This changes the message to snack and snack healthy.

#2 Encourage healthier eating habits by cooking healthier meals. You don’t have to announce “ we are all going to eat healthier so we can lose weight”. Cook a healthier recipe that you think your family will like. When they complain or ask “what’s this”, simply tell them you thought you’d try a new recipe. Don’t be disappointed or discouraged if they won’t eat it, or don’t like it. Simply offer them a peanut butter and jelly sandwich in its place. Most importantly do not go back and cook again trying to give them what they want. When given a choice they will most likely choose their “regular” less healthy meal.

#3 Implement house rules that require healthy eating. If you have a child that loves juice tell them they can only have juice if they drink an

Eating Healthy as a Family

8 HutchCo Living

equivalent amount of water first. If you have a child that’s use to grab-bing a handful of cookies when they get home, instead of taking the cookies away , which is sure to give you a “health witch” title, simply state “you can have cookies, after you eat a piece of fresh fruit first”. This will not only increase the amount of healthy foods and drink they eat, but also fill them with whole foods which leaves less room for junk.

#4) Be like your mother. Remember when you had to eat all your vegetables? Offer (healthier) desserts after dinner to those that eat their vegetable. You may be in a situation of one child having dessert and the other not, however that’s great learning experience for everyone, You get what you earn. Life lesson at the dinner table. And no it’s not unfair. Kids understand immediate reward/punishment better than speeches. Keep the talking to a minimum, state the rule then stick to it.

#5) Be firm and be consistent. Kids will push to test your limit. When you decide to implement a healthy habit stick to it. No matter how much a kid cries, whines, or sneaks (and they will). Stay firm that this is the rule. Discuss the rule with your spouse so you can have a united front. If your children are use to free range in the kitchen, and eating whatever they want implementing all these tips at once will be to dras-tic a change for them. Try implementing one rule a week or even every two week. Remember health eating is a process and slow and steady wins the race. Not only will the new “house rules” be a change for your children but it will be a change for you as well, requiring more monitor-ing and more planning

Eating Healthy as a Family

Mubarakah Ibrahim

hutchcoliving.com 9

Fritch on State Highway 136 in southwestern Hutchinson County and partly in Moore County, was founded in an area owned in

part by three ranchers: J. M. Sanford, J. H. Johnson, and Roy B. Wright. It was named for H. C. (Fred) Fritch of Chicago, a vice president of the Rock Island Railroad, who arranged for the purchase of the right-of-way in 1924. After the line was opened, Fritch established a depot at his townsite and in 1933 he laid out the streets parallel with the railroad, which ran from northwest to southeast. In the wake of the 1926 oil boom, five major gas companies located in the vicinity. The growth of Fritch was slow during its first thirty years; in 1940 it had a store, a post office, and an estimated population of seventy-five. However, the construction of Sanford Dam on the Canadian River prompted Fritch to incorporate in 1959. By the time of the dam’s completion in 1965 the city had a population of 2,800, two schools, six churches, a bank, and retirement homes. This growth was attributed mainly to the recreation areas at Lake Meredith, in addition to ranching, farming, and the oil and gas industry.

In the late 1960s growth waned due to lagging oil and gas produc-tion. The population was 1,778 in 1970. In 1972 the Rock Island abandoned the line through Fritch. However, the energy crisis of the early 1970s fostered increased oil and gas activities. By 1980 Fritch had thirty-one businesses and a population of 2,299. The Lake Meredith Aquarium and Wildlife Museum, opened in 1976, features wildlife exhibits and live fish specimens from the lake. The town is also known for its flatland irrigation system, which uses treated sewer water. The National Park Service headquarters for Lake Meredith National Recre-ation Area is located in Fritch, and the Alibates Flint Quarries National Monument, on the southeastern shore of Lake Meredith, is near Fritch in Potter County.

History of Fritch

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12 HutchCo Living

1) Challenge the instructor to a drag race at Deadmans Curve after the test finishes

2) Insist on playing your own mix tape really loudly while driving

3) Rev the engine and beep the horn furiously if any kids wave at you through the back window

4) Slow down and whistle and holler at any attractive people.

5) Tell the instructor you only drive sports cars and can’t be seen driving the test car

6) Ask the instructor has he ever come across a talking car such as KITT in knightrider

7) When asked to turn left, turn right instead, when asked for an expla-nation. say, “Oh you mean my left”

8) When asked if you are sitting comfortably and can reach the pedals, bend down, touch them with your hands and say, “Yep, no prob”

9) Ask the instructor to duck down when passing by a group of your friends as you feel he or she may be bad for your image

10) Ask the instructor if its possible to travel back in time in any delo-rean or would you have to make some adjustments after you buy one. Also ask if you need to apply for a different license for timetravel

How to Fail your Driving Test

Kevin Gallen

hutchcoliving.com 13

Been Here?

While the Texas Panhandle has a bounty of flourishing destinations from it’s golden plains and flint quarries to it’s tantalizing

canyons and sites steeped in history, the Panhandle also has it’s fair share of ghost towns. A few stick out in mind for one reason or another….One in particular is Plemons which is now private property I believe, and from what I’ve been told not much remains of the small town and most, if not all, of the roads lead-ing to the former town have been blocked off and guarded by warning signs of no trespassing. If you’ve been around these parts for long, you may also have memories of countless stories told of the town (or people) of Plemons. You probably have even been there a time or two in the past before the roads were closed off. When I was a kid, my dad used to drive my sister and I to Plemons at night and fill our heads with tall tales and legends about the tiny town (and it’s people)…One night he even let us out of the car after an especially spooky story to get a better look at the place and then he jumped back in the drivers seat and proceeded to drive away. Of course, he only drove a few small feet, (which seemed like miles to us) all the while my sister and I bawling and screaming and chasing after the taillights and when he did stop, he was greeted with two terrified tearstained girls who refused to speak to him the rest of the trip back home. (Ahem!...in these days that might be construed as neglect …DAD!) Can you tell that I am still not over it yet? I also recollect visiting Plemons Bridge in my teen years on a date …or dare….or both!

But, there is another little ghost town just on the north side of Borger in Hutchinson County. It’s called Electric City….been here? This former town site sprang up in 1926 in the wake of the Hutchinson County Oil Boom. During this time Borger could not contain all of the people who flocked to work in the oil fields and so several camps were formed around the Borger area. Electric City, which sits on the south bank of the Canadian River, was one of those dwell-ings and progressed when the Panhandle Power and Light company constructed the Riverview Power Plant to make electricity available to the area oil fields. Within no time this small camp which consisted of mainly oilfield workers and plant employees and their families had formed a small town of dirt roads and scattered homes and may have included grocery stores, filling stations, a school, a post office…and perhaps a church. The decline of Electric City was spurred by lower oil prices in the 80’s and 90’s and because of the lack of economic activity the popula-tion dwindled until it began to resemble a deserted settlement…or what we refer to as a “ghost town”. While I haven’t heard any jaded stories of Electric City I am sure there are a few out there circulating. Instead, I am haunted by its remains and relics which whisper of its short lived yet bountiful history. I’ve often ventured over to this sleepy, tired town whose roads were sometime paved along its journey and I am

beside myself at the history it must have bore witness to. Not too many historical traces remain at the Elec-tric City site… a few crumbling foundations, weath-ered dwellings, rusting vehicles, hidden scattered and buried remnants of past lives and loves. But, for what it lacks in historical memorials, it makes up in beauty. Maybe it’s the romantic in me but I am so taken back by this weathered, old, picturesque town with sweep-ing trees and rolling roads and swear it would be a great location for a movie set. Maybe you’ve passed by this old-timer a hundred times and never thought an ounce about it. If so, I encourage you to stop and take a look next time with eyes refreshed. I know that the last time I visited my old friend of a town, some of the roads were closed off but even if you would just stop along the highway and catch a glimpse of her….hopefully, near sunset when the colors are at their peak and painting the wreck anew. I hope you too are haunted as I am by this lost treasure of Hutchinson County.

If you have a place of interest you would like to suggest to possibly feature in our “Been Here” col-umn, submissions can be made via email to dejah@dejahquinn.com.

Dejah Quinn

14 HutchCo Living

Borger Economic Development Corporation

Want to Start a Business?

We Can Help

Dan Redd(806) 677-1704

hutchcoliving.com 15