Living Magazine 1

July is here,This is the time

of year we cele-brate our indepen-

dence. We still live in the best country in the world, one with freedoms that some can only imagine. Enjoy the celebrations along with your fellow crossroads citizens and give thanks to those who have sacrificed for our freedoms.

We hope you enjoy this edition as well as all the seasonal activities of the crossroads area. Many volunteers have worked long and hard to bring “Pops in the Park” to area citizens along with those who drive long distances to see this wonderful pro-gram.

Pour a cool glass of iced tea, pull up a chair or re-lax on that porch swing and take a few minutes to read our stories about lo-cal people and how they make this little part of the world so unique. We hope you enjoy.

And as always make each day count. Live like there’s no tomorrow and remember the words of one great leader. “We are what we think. All that we are arises with our thoughts, we make our world. What we think we become.”

Until next month, take care...

Ron Midkiff

On the Cover:Photo by Steve ReaganTwo children beat the summertime heat

at the Forsan Independent School District swimming pool, which is open to the general public through Aug. 7.

.

Featured StorieS

2 Taking the plunge

4 Art... in an unlikely place

6 Always learning, always growing

10 For the red, white and blue

18 Doing things her way... 22 Selling your art 24 Renaissance woman

27 Pass the tissues... Aller- gens are in the air

Publisher: Ron Midkiff

Contributors: Thomas Jenkins Kay Smith Steve Reagan Adam Coleman John A. Moseley Lyndel Moody Joel Miller Dr. Scott W. Barclay

Calendar

Published by Heritage Publications (2003) Inc. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved. Living Magazine is published 10 times yearly and mailed individually free of charge to homes and businesses in the Big Spring, Texas, area. Editorial correspon-dence should be sent to Living, P.O. Box 1431, Big Spring TX 79720. For advertis-ing rates and other information, please call (432) 263-7331.

July 3: Pops in the Park, Coman-che Trail Park Amphitheater

July 4: Funtastic Fourth Festival, downtown Big Sring Heart of the City Park

July 9: Big Spring Film Society screening of “Raiders of the Lost Ark,” 8 p.m. at the Comanche Trail Park Amphitheater

July 16: Vocal Trash at the Coman-che Trail Park Amphitheater

Aug. 2: Kids Klub Summer Work-shop at Hanger 25 Air Museum.

Aug. 9: Howard College Kids Col-lege 2010, Aug. 9-13

Aug. 15: U.S. Hang Gliding National Championship, McMahon-Wrinkle

Vol. 2 Edition 7Publisher’s NoteContents

C ontrary to popular belief, there is a community swim-ming pool in How-

ard County open to the gen-eral public this summer and officials would be more than happy for you to stop by and take a nice, cool plunge.

No, not the Big Spring city pool — it saw its last swimmer two years ago.

But if you want to beat the heat this summer and you ei-ther don’t have a pool in your backyard or you aren’t friends with someone who does, a 15-mile drive south from Big Spring will solve all your prob-lems.

Built in 1954, the Forsan Independent School District pool has spent the past few decades living in the shadow of its much larger Big Spring cousin. With that pool’s clo-sure in 2009, however, county residents have learned that cool, wet, family fun is just a short drive away.

“Attendance here went up 20 percent to 25 percent last year (after the Big Spring pool was closed),” said Rob-ert Hillger, a coach at Forsan High School who co-manages the pool with Steve Schreiner. “And we’re able to handle those kind of numbers, no problem.”

This marks the fifth year Hillger will oversee the pool’s operation.

“When I first got here, an-other person was running the pool and she needed some help, so I volunteered,” he said. “The next year, she de-cided she didn’t want to do it anymore, so I was left in charge. I don’t mind, though. We’ve got a great little pool here and a great group of kids who use it. It’s a good place to come for some family fun.”

The pool was a gift to the school dis-trict from a pair of oil companies which donated the money and labor to con-

struct the facility back in the 1950s, said Randy Johnson, FISD superin-tendent. And while operating costs have always exceeded revenue, the facility has been a Forsan fixture for more than 55 years.

“The city of Forsan pays part of the costs … but we don’t get enough kids

to come close to paying expenses,” Johnson said. “We do this as a com-munity service. There’s not a lot of things for kids to do in Forsan and this is one way to keep them active.”

The Forsan Pool is open from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. each day except Sundays through Aug. 7. The cost is reason-

2 Living Magazine

By Steve Reagan

Living Magazine 3

able, also — $1 a day for FISD stu-dents and $2 daily for others. Season passes also are available at $30 for individuals and $50 for families.

And, to sweeten the deal, Forsan ISD also offers bus transportation to and from the pool, picking up people at the 8720 Co-op (just south of Berea

Baptist Church on Wasson Road) at 12:35 p.m. and the “bus pad” on Todd Road at 12:45 p.m. School buses do not run on Saturdays, Johnson said.

4 Living Magazine

A s a law enforcement Chaplain, I have had calls to go into the Howard County jail from time to time. I knew there was some form of art on the walls, but really paid no attention to it.

When the jail was moved from the court house to its Cur-rent location, I forgot about the old jail. The old jail had opened, as a state-of-the-art lock-up in 1952, but after 56 years, it no longer passed state jail requirements. Thus the new jail was opened in West Big Spring in 2009.

While talking to the jail employees, someone mentioned the art on the walls of the old jail, wondering if it could be saved. The work had been painted on steel walls. After obtaining permission from Sheriff Stan Parker, I took the key-operated elevator up to the fourth floor and to my amazement, found beautiful paintings on the walls.

It was an eerie feeling hearing my hollow footsteps and seeing the empty cells for the first time since it had closed. I admit I kept looking for inmates who weren’t there. But soon I turned my thoughts to the paintings. Most are of a religious nature but one large panel was of an old western scene, presumably of Big Spring and surrounding countryside. The artist painted in hidden surprises, only

one that I have found. Across from it was a pencil sketch of a more modern scene, supposedly of modern day Big Spring, unfinished because the inmate was transferred to a state facility.

I contacted former Sheriff Dale Walker to get details of the artist and his work. Walker knew of the inmate’s ability so when the inmate asked for per-mission to paint, it was granted. The only art work Walker had in his office at the time was a book depicting “The Passion of the Christ.” This is what the art-ist used to paint most of the art work on the walls of the recreation room. Walker said he By Joel Miller

Art...in an unlikely place

held the artist as long as the State Prison would allow, and then some, but finally was pressured to transfer him to the State, leaving the pencil sketch unfinished. I have not men-tioned the artist’s name because of the circumstances of his incarcera-tion and I do not have his permission to use his name.

Prison art has surfaced from time to time in other jails, but I have found only one other time in the history of Howard County that art was on the walls. According to former Deputy Gary Porter, there was a picture of a woman (fully clothed) in the late 1970s and early 1980s. I know there has been none since 1988, as there is a jailer, Larry Torres, who started working that year. According to the current head jailer, Mike Averette, in 2005 they found 16 coats of paint when sanding for re-painting, so it’s possible there was wall art that was painted over through the years. If anyone knows of such art, please contact me as I plan to do more ar-ticles on art that I have found in sur-rounding community jails.

As a side note, the jail is not read-ily accessible to the general public at this time.

Living Magazine 5

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6 Living Magazine

Always learning,always growing

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Living Magazine 7

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F or local businesswoman Helen Hernandez, pam-pering her clients comes second-nature.

As owner and operator of Uptown Salon and Spa, Hernandez spends much of her time tending to the needs and wants of others, whether it’s a new hairstyle, microderm abra-sion or wax treatments. It’s a job she began working her way into many years ago, when she was just an-other 12-year-old girl in Big Spring.

However, about a year ago Her-nandez said it was time to do some-thing for herself.

The Big Spring woman and moth-er of two began classes to get her GED (General Education Diploma) and finish the education she stopped just two months shy of graduation many years ago.

“We moved here from Michigan in 1959,” said Hernandez. “My dad was working for a factory that was closed, and my aunt lived down here. So we moved down here. I went to school in Big Spring. I

went to elementary school here, up until sixth grade, then I went to Big Spring High School. However, I didn’t graduate from BSHS. I had about two months left to go before I graduated.

“I got married and I felt like I didn’t have to go to school. I had always liked this type of work. I did it at home when I was a child as young as 12 years old, and I won a con-test that Academy Hair Design was putting on here in Big Spring. It was right next door to the old Brass Nail.

So I went there and learned how to roll, style and cut hair.

“When I got married, I was work-ing at Hall-Bennett as a nursing aide, and I did that for four years,” she added. “Then I had two chil-dren, Annett Nesbit, who now lives in Austin, and my son, Steven Her-nandez, who now lives in California. He’s been in California for about 10 years now, and Annett has been in Austin for about eight years. She re-cently received her masters degree in business education. She has two

8 Living Magazine

sets of twins, and they are all girls. So it was really hard for her, but I’m really proud of her that she was able to get her bachelors degree and went back to get her masters de-gree. Steven completed one year of college, got married and then went off to school to do computer work. We works as a mechanic at a plant similar to Western Container, where they make plastic bottles. He has two sons.”

Hernandez said entering a contest offered by the Big Spring Herald and Academy Hair Design changed her life forever.

“When my son started kindergar-ten and my daughter was in first grade, I entered a contest that was being held by the Big Spring Herald. They judged us on our hair styling, and the person who came in first place won tuition to Academy Hair Design,” said Hernandez. “I won first place and had my tuition paid for. So I went through all of that, and Bertha McFarland was my theory teacher, and if she hadn’t been such a great teacher to me I probably wouldn’t have passed. It was hard then and it’s twice as hard now.

“This past year I decided to go back to school and get my GED. I’ve done hair and I’ve gone into do-ing skin, and I just wanted to be able to do something different. So I went back for my GED so I can teach. You’re always growing, and you’re always learning. I wanted to be able to do something that would benefit me.”

Her classwork has been anything but a breeze, however, as the chal-lenge of fitting school time in with a career presents plenty of challeng-es.

“It was very difficult,” Hernandez said with a grin. “I have to work. There’s just no way I cannot work. So I would go to class on my day off, which is Mondays, and I would take any other hour I could find dur-ing the week to go to class. It might just be an hour or a half-hour, but I would use whatever free time I could find. It’s a two-part exam, and I’ve

finished the first part. Finding the time for everyone is what makes it so tough. If I could just go to school Monday through Thursday like most other girls, I would probably have al-ready finished everything.

“My daughter was very happy for me, because me getting my GED was a lot like her getting her mas-ters degree,” she said. “I never re-ally wanted to get my GED. For the things that I do, I felt like since I worked with my hands I didn’t need an education. But I was wrong. The

industry is growing and there is more learning involved than there used to be. It’s not like it was when I started. You would just put your color on and hope that it turned out. It was very basic. However, now it’s a whole new world, and there are so many different products out there. Whatever I sell here, I get training for it before I sell it. And if I like it and I feel like it does what I want it to do, then I’ll sell it.”

Hernandez said the world of hair-style and cosmetics has changed

tremendously over the years, and education has become a big part of staying ahead of the curve.

“I still go to different places to train. When I started doing microderm abrasion I took training in Altanta, Ga., under Lynn Ross, who is very well known,” said Hernandez. “It’s a lot of learning. That’s why I said I didn’t want to go to school, but I was still learning. It’s not easy. You think you can just read the directions and know what it’s doing, but you have to know the beginning and the out-come.”

When asked what she would say to people who think they are too old to go back to school, Hernandez just laughed.

“We’re never too old,” she said with a grin. “We never stop learning. It gets hard, but we’re always grow-ing and we’re always learning, even if we’re old and gray. I have pushed myself to do other things, and no-body pushed me to do it except me. I wanted to do it because I enjoy it.”

Living Magazine 9Chamber Of Commerce

Enjoy the Symphonicsounds of your hometown Symphony this

3rd of July.

“Pops in the Park”

"Watch for our new concert season en-

titled 'Home Is Where the Heart Is'. Begins Sep-tember, 2010."

10 Living Magazine

It’s been said that nobody does the Fourth of July like Big Spring and Howard County. There’s no doubt Howard Countians take particular

pride in the quintessential American holiday. After all, it’s the celebration of our nation’s birth, and West Texans are patriotic to the bone.

While Independence Day celebrations are held all over the country, spectacles like parades and fireworks displays awaken feelings of pride and patriotism all over Howard County.

And there’s no doubt the focal point for most Independence Day celebrations for a great many local residents ... perhaps most of them ... is the “Pops in the Park” extravaganza at the Comanche Trail Park amphitheater, which is always held July 3, and features a performance by the Big Spring Symphony and Chorus and a fireworks show.

And while “Pops in the Park” is the

culmination of considerable work by a large group of volunteers, there’s little question that long-time Big Spring resident Jan Hansen plays a pivotal role.

Now in her fifth year as chairman of the “Pops in the Park” organizing committee, Hansen has overseen the show’s growth every year.

“We have been able to make the show a little bigger and better every year,” Hansen said, “but a lot of people deserve the credit for that — from all the members of the committee to the sponsors and other donors that provide the money it takes to put the show on.”

She added that being involved with “Pops in the Park” has been both extremely rewarding and a lot of fun each year.

“It’s different every year ... not just the show, but the challenges the committee confronts,” she explained. “It’s never the same.”

However, Hansen’s memories of the 2008 performance are without question among the most indelible for her.

“That was a tremendous year,” she recalls. “That was the year we had Vocal Trash as the opening act and that was the year we had the skydiver open the show.”

But it was the experience Hansen had with a couple of young men who were a part of the audience that evening she says she’ll never forget.

During the intermission, when a slide presentation of local residents currently serving in the military is always shown, Hansen remembers seeing a young man at the front of the audience, sitting with his mother and crying.

“He was sitting there with his mother and suddenly, he just got up and walked out of the amphitheater ... and his mom went with him,” she recalled, fighting back tears while trying to recount the experience.

By John A. Moseley

For the red, white and blue

“I followed them out and asked him what was wrong,” she said. “He was so shaken up that he couldn’t tell me. His mother explained that he’d just gotten back from from Iraq and he just couldn’t watch those pictures of the guys who were still over there.

“He’d been there and he knew what they were facing every day,” she added. “You can’t experience something like that and not be shaken. I know I’ll never be

the same after that brief experience with him. Imagine what they face, what they see ... what they endure.”

Later that evening, during the fireworks show, another incident involving a young audience member would reinforce those thoughts.

“One of the committee members came down and said we needed a minister at the first aid station,” she said. “I went up on stage, stopped Keith (Graumann, the symphony’s conductor and music director) and asked the audience if there were any members of the clergy in the

audience.When a local minister responded to

Hansen’s query, she joined him in the climb up to the top of the amphitheater.

“I went to see if there was anything I could do,” she explained.

When they arrived at the first aid station, they found the family members of a young soldier who had also just recently returned from Iraq. The explosions from the fireworks show had proven to be too much for him.

“His family members were understandably upset and concerned,”

Living Magazine 11

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JULY 4

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Pops in the Park, Comanche Trail Park Amphitheater.Food Vendors open at 5pm, Pre Show at 6pm, andSymphony and Fireworks at 8:30 pmContact the Chamber at 432-263-7641

Funtastic Fourth Festival, Heart of the City Park.Music all day, food, crafts and vendors.Contact Allen Johnson at 432-267-6278

The Big Spring Film Society presents“Raiders of the Lost Ark”, Comanche Trail Amphitheater.For More Info Call 432-263-8235

“VOCAL TRASH” concert presented by the Big Spring Convention and Visitors Bureau.They will perform at the News West 9“Under West Texas Skies” at the Amphitheater.Check out their website www.vocaltrash.netto learn more about them 432-263-8235.

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12 Living Magazine

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she said. “The minister sat and counseled with them and then prayed with time. Then he went inside the first aid station and spent some time with the soldier and prayed with him.

“That was just want he (the soldier) needed and it dawned on me that was probably what we all needed that night,” Hansen continued. “So I asked him if he’d be willing to go up on stage and lead us all in prayer, and he said he’d be happy to do so. It was a powerful moment ... a very powerful night.”

While we all know what it is

we’re celebrating on the Fourth of July, Hansen admits situations like those she experienced in 2008 “bring it all home.”

“It’s just awesome!” she added. “You wind up so thankful that we live here in America. But more than that ... not just thankful that we live in this country, but that we get to live here in West Texas and in a community like Big Spring.”

While she was born in California, Jan’s family moved to Big Spring when she was just a year old and it has been her home ever since.

“We moved away for a short time, but came right back,” Hansen said if here childhood. “My heart never left Big Spring then, and I doubt it ever will.

“I just thank God for putting me where I am.”

Her love for her community has been shown in a number of ways other than her leadership of the “Pops” organizing committee. She has been active in quite a few community service activities, including being a past president of Keep Big Spring Beautiful, as well as once serving as interim executive director of the Big Spring and Howard County United Way.

The wife of Howard College Vice President and City Councilman Terry Hansen, the couple have been married for 26 years. She says in addition to leading the organizing committee’s activities, she’s also spending a lot of time with her three grandchildren — ages 3, 2 and 9 months.

“And when you add in the fact that I have a daughter getting married in late July, both Terry and I have a lot on our plates this summer,” she added.

Big Spring

432-263-1284July 2010

OUTSTANDING location with gorgeous view and landscaping, many updates. Lovely 3 bedroom, 2 bath with WB fireplace, pretty tile, carpet and decor. Great inground pool, pool house, cov. patio, sprink. system, workshop and 2 car carport.

NEW EXECUTIVE HOME in great location, completely remodeled, 3,582 sq. ft. with extra large rooms and plenty of storage. 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 living areas, formal dining, sunroom, WB fireplace, 2 car garage.

LOVELY TRI-LEVEL in College Park, walk to elementary school. Beautifully landscaped, covered patio, sprinkler system, 3 bedrooms, 3 baths, 2 living areas, WB fireplace, 2,303 living sq. ft.,2 car garage.

BEAUTIFUL one of a kind home. 3,665 living sq. ft., 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, formal dining, huge living area with open floor plan, gameroom, study/office, walk-in closets, lots of storage. Recent new windows, cov. patio, sprinkler system, 2 car garage.

LOTS OF LIVING SPACE and great Parkhill location. 4,365 sq. ft.,5 bedrooms, 3 full baths, 2 half baths, 2 living areas, gameroom and sunroom, FP, 2 car garage. Inground pool, pool house, covered patio.

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PICTURE PERFECT - Great 3 bedroom, 2 bath home located on 3.389 acres with beautiful grounds and lots of trees. 2,072 living sq. ft., total electric, WB fireplace, study/office, covered patio, workshop, 2 car carport. Nice price reduction!

BEAUTIFULLY REMODELED and updated in 2008. Pretty kitchen cabinets, tile and carpet, refinished hardwood floors. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, separate formal dining, WB fireplace, large master bedroom, masonry fence, 2 car carport.

CHARMING AND UNIQUE3 bedroom, 3 bath with 2 living areas, large garden/sunroom, WB fireplace, separate formal dining, masonry fence, open patio, 2 car carport. Nice buy in Parkhill Addition.

110 West Marcy

COVER PAGE FOR JULY 2010.indd 1 6/14/10 11:10:30 AM

Living Magazine 13

NEW SECLUDED AND UNIQUE home on 22 acres. Remodeled in 2008, new windows, updated baths and kitchen, move-in ready. 2,652 living sq. ft., 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, formal dining, WB fireplace, basement, barn/stable, workshop, storm cellar, 2 car carport.

CORONADO HILLS - Nice4 bedroom, 2 bath featuring sunken family room with WB fireplace andvaulted ceiling, Pergo and tile flooring, 2 car attached garage, covered patio, workshop/double garage, carport & greenhouse.

VILLAGE at the SPRING - Pretty updated 2 bedroom, 2 bath townhouse with WB fireplace, central vacuum system, total electric, 2 car garage. Beautiful, quiet location, no lawn maintenance.

NEW LOCATION! LOCATION! 2 bedroom, 2 living areas, 1 1/2 bath, total electric, city water for house, free water for yard. Drip system and spray for garden, fruit trees, cov. RV parking, 2 car garage.

NEW NEWLY REMODELED3 bedroom, 2 bath Kentwood home. Central heat/ref. air, bonus room, covered patio, storage shed, 1,366 living sq. ft. $90’s.

EDWARDS HEIGHTS - Attractive 2 bedroom, 2 bath brick home with pretty hardwood floors, finished loft, centralheat/ref. air, fenced yard, 2 car garage and 1 car carport. $82,500.

NEW ATTRACTIVE UPDATEDKentwood home with pretty ceramic tile, carpet, fresh paint, newer range/oven, kitchen cabinets installed 1 1/2 yrs. ago. 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, central heat/ref. air, carport. $80’s.

NEW NICE CURB APPEAL! 3 bedroom, 2 bath on large corner lot, 2 living areas, central heat/ref. air, free standing FP, 1,783 sq. ft. $70’s.

AFFORDABLE 3 bedroom, 1 bath brick featuring 2 living areas, central heat/ref. air, 2 dining areas, nice 14X14 storage, wood fence. Owner providing One Year Warranty.

FORSAN SCHOOL DISTRICT - 3 bedroom, 2 bath with 2 livingareas, 1,992 sq. ft., total electric, gas log FP, 2 dining areas, 2 car garage, 2 car carport. Barn/stable, workshop, storage shed. 3.3 acres.

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SPACIOUS TRI-LEVEL featuring 2,606 living sq. ft., 5 bedrooms, 3 baths, family room, gameroom, garden/sunroom, FP, 3 car garage. Covered patio, spa/hot tub, wood fence, lovely landscaped corner lot.

ENJOY COUNTRY LIVING! 3 bedroom, 2 bath on 5.56 acres, central heat/air, covered patio, wood deck, workshop, barn/stable, double carport. Many updates including new roof. Coahoma ISD.

All of the properties advertised in this magazine were actively for sale at the time of publication. If the property has sold, or been withdrawn from the market, this is not an offering of that property for sale, and is only a representation of the properties that Home Realtors lists and sells.

HOME REALTORS PAGE TWO JULY 2010.indd 1 6/14/10 11:16:32 AM

14 Living Magazine

IMMACULATE HOME! 4 bedroom, 1 bath brick with central heat/cooling, formal dining, nice carpet, 2 car carport, 2 storage buildings, no paint siding on eaves. $60’s.

NORTH PARKHILL - 3 bedroom, 1 bath brick with newer central heat/ref. air, laminate floors, breakfast bar, covered patio, 1 car carport. $60’s.

COAHOMA - 3 bedroom, 1 1/2 bath mobile home on 1.25 ac. Central heat/ref. air, covered porch, storage shed, carport, nice landscaping and fencing. $59,000.

NEAT AND TIDY 3 bedroom, 1 bath with no paint metal siding and 1 car garage. At full price, seller will install central heat/air or pay buyer’s allow-able closing costs. $55,500.

BARGAIN BUY on this 3 bedroom 2 bath with 1,770 sq. ft., central heat/ref. air, WB fireplace, Pergo flooring, front sprinkler sys., 2 car carport. $55,000.

STARTER HOME or good rental property. 3 bedroom, 1 bath on corner lot, metal fence, storage shed. $34,000.

NEW WELL MAINTAINED2 bedroom, 1 bath with recent new central heat/ref. air, Berber carpet, 1 car garage, workshop, masonry fence. $52,000.

NEW PRICED AT $30,000 - 3 bedroom, 1 bath with 2 living areas, gas log fireplace, 1 car garage. Good investment property.

CLEAN AND COZY 3 bedroom, 1 bath with fresh paint, new tile in kitchen, bath, and utility room. Central electric heat, fenced yard, cov. patio and storage building. $40’s.

NEW WASHINGTON PLACE - 2 bedroom, 1 bath with central heat/ref. air, separate formal dining,single carport, efficiency apartment.$30,000.

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NEW GOOD CONDITION! Attractive 3 bedroom, 1 bath with central heat/ref. air, 1 car garage. Near elementary school and college $70’s.

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HOME REALTORS PAGE THREE JULY 2010.indd 1 6/14/10 11:16:03 AM

Living Magazine 15

The source of square footage quoted on all properties listed in this magazine is Howard County Appraisal District.

COMMERCIAL LOTS AND ACREAGE916 Lamesa Hwy. - 6 lots, great commercial site.

Thorpe/Wasson - Commercial lots-frontage, $80,000.

S. Service Rd & FM 700 - Good building site, 1.08 acre.

500 E. FM 700 - 1.8 acre, corner lot.

1208 E. 4th - 50 x 140 on corner lot, $12,000.

1210 E. 4th - Corner lot, $12,000.

1900 Wasson - 150 x 150 corner lot, $20,000.

1901 Wasson - 150 x 150 corner lot, $20,000.

1210 E. 5th - Corner lot, $6,000.

1611 E. 4th - Corner lot, $65,000.

1201 Scurry - Good retail location, $50,000.

1202 Scurry - Nice retail lots, $15,000.

1605 Scurry - 0.177 ac., 3 sides fenced.

500 Gregg - 100’ frontage, 140’ deep, $195,000.

1207 Utah - 2 lots, $17,000.

421 E. 3rd - 2 lots, $10,000.

407 W. 3rd - 150 x 150 commercial lot, $19,500.

300 Aylesford - 0.298 acre, $15,000.

W. 4th St. - 2.009 ac. (4 res. lots included) $29,000.

RESIDENTIAL ACREAGECampestre Estates - 5ac. tracts - $15,000. (29 tracts available).1908 Thorpe, 3.16 acres, $29,000.Richie Rd. - 10 acres, $29,500.Baylor Blvd. - 6.74 acres, $37,900.

Stanton - 7.10 acres, beautiful building site, $35,000.

RESIDENTIAL LOTSParkland Estates - Thorpe / Wasson, $35,000 each.

Forsan - Warren St., nice building lot, $4,500.

Parkway Rd. - 58 lots, great building opportunity, $150,000.

Coronado Hills - 6 residential lots. $49,000.

Baylor - 7 lots (2 lots could be commercial).Scott Drive - $18,000.

712 Craigmont - $17,000.

720 Craigmont - $17,500.

3802 Dixon - $8,000.

3800 Dixon - $8,000.

3802 Parkway - $4,000.

3800 Parkway - $4,000.

601 Bucknell - $5,000.

4000 Vicky - $8,000.

2513 E. 25th - $10,000.

1308 E. 6th - $8,000.

702 Caprock - $34,000.

3204 Fenn Ave. - $6,500.

702 Colgate - $6,500.

706 Colgate - $6,500.

2406 E. 24th - $9,000.

2408 E. 24th - $9,000.

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Charles Smith432.263.1713

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Keele Barnes432.213.5261 mobile

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FARM AND RANCHMidway Rd. - 106.07 acres pasture land, can be divided into 10 acre tracts. Paved road on 2 sides.

LOTS AND ACREAGE

HOME REALTORS PAGE FOUR JULY 2010.indd 1 6/14/10 11:12:22 AM

16 Living Magazine

.

4000 W. HWY. 80 - Apartment complex with 14 apartments plus RV Park and 6 storage spaces. Will sell Apartments separate from RV Park.

307 W. 4th - Three lots with concrete building, the two houses on property will be moved.

1102 Hwy. 176 - Mobile Home Park on 9.72 acs. There are 7 spaces - each with septic and electric meter. $60’s.

502 E. FM 700 - For sale or lease, 11,242 sq. ft., fenced, 2.52 acres.

600 MAIN - Office Building with 8 offices, 2 baths, 2 reception areas, storage building, 3,900 sq. ft.

1409 LANCASTER - Large office building - 6 offices, 2 bathrooms, kitchen breakroom with extra open spaces, 4,875 sq. ft.

1011 W. 4th - Approx. 7,356 sq. ft, showroom, shop with overhead door, fenced yard.

611 GREGG - For sale or lease, centralheat/ref. air, basement, storage shed.

308 SCURRY - Could be used for offices or retail, nice downtown location, central heat/ref. air, 3,164 sq. ft.

1600 WASSON - Nice commercial building,2,200 sq. ft., 3 large rooms, 2 bathrooms, 0.596 acre fenced with chain link fence.

1501 W. 4th - Good location with small office,garage with overhead door and wash bay.

101 AIRBASE RD. - Auto repair business with all mechanical equipment included. Also 1 bdrm, 1 bath residential living quarters.

3000 W. HWY. 80 - Currently D’s One Stop. Drive thru window, double gas pumps. High traffic area.

409 W. 4TH - Commercial property with 1,261 sq. ft., has many possibilities. Lot size 70X75.

303 YOUNG - 4,632 sq. ft, office space, 5 bays with overhead doors. Has long term renter that would like to stay if possible.

309 BENTON - Nice building, 6,308 sq. ft, good parking. For sale or lease, rent for $1200 month.

806 W. I-20 - 5,632 Sq. ft., 1.05 acs. Four 5-ton units, 2 septics, adjoining 3.57 acs. that can be purchased.

3009 W. HWY. 80 - Commercial building with 900 sq. ft., additional building with 490 sq. ft.

3300 W. HWY. 80 - Commercial building with 1,290 sq. ft. Could be used for various businesses.

200 W. BROADWAY - COAHOMA - Inactive service station, owner says tanks are good.Possible owner finance.

Commercial Properties

900 AYLESFORD - Triplex Apartment, One 3 bedroom, 1 bath apt. and two 1 bedroom, 1 bath apts. $69,000.

HOME REALTORS COMMERCIAL PROP JULY PAGE FIVE.indd 1 6/14/10 11:13:19 AM

Living Magazine 17

18 Living Magazine

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Living Magazine 19

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K risten Marshall – now offi-cially Kristen Elder – isn’t one to back away from challenges. It seems she

thrives on them.When faced with the reality of bal-

ancing the cost of her dream wedding dress to the size of her budget, Kris-ten opted to try her hand at designing her own gown.

“I have really wild taste” said the 35-year-old former Big Spring resi-dent. “I wanted something neat and different. I knew I could not afford what I wanted. The first thing I saw that I really liked was about $6,000 just for the bolero. I knew to get what I wanted I would have had to mort-gage a body part, or I would have to make a dress, so I just started experi-menting.”

“I made a practice dress because I wasn’t sure I could do it,” she contin-ued. “It turned out pretty well, so I thought I could give it a try. I thought at worst I could always buy one if I had to, if it didn’t work. But it turned out OK. It’s pretty wild.”

And it is definitely not your tradi-tional white wedding dress.

“When I was living in London I knew a designer, and she was amaz-ing. I loved her stuff. Her style gave me the final idea for fabric on the skirt — the slit kind of frayed style. That is what I had in mind when I bought the fabric. I knew the shape I wanted, the mermaid tail. So I found a pat-tern. I knew I needed it in two pieces. I looked and looked and looked until I found one that was about the right shape, and I changed it to look the way I wanted it.”

The design of her chapel-length skirt gives the piece a feathery look. Her pink-champagne bodice is strapless and laced up from the back. Instead of the traditional wedding veil, Kristen found the perfect matching hat while in London to complete the ensemble.

“The skirt is made up of all differ-ent fabric – taffeta, organza,” Kristen said. “There are six layers of fabric on the skirt that are sewed one on top of each other and then it’s slit. Each one of the rows is a seam. So I just sewed it all together and split it up the mid-dle.”

Working weekends and evenings, Kristen knocked out two dresses in

about six months. Even Mother Na-ture gave a helping hand when heavy snow blanketed the northeast several months ago. With the area snowed in, Kristen had a week off from her De-partment of Defense job in Washing-ton D.C. – a week spent dress mak-ing.

And with the dress finished, Kristen next turned her attention to jewelry.

“I had a hard time finding something I liked,” she said. “The colors are kind of odd, so I made a necklace. I prob-ably wouldn’t have done it, but my mom was with me and kept saying if you can make your dress you can make your jewelry. I’ve never made jewelry before. I didn’t know what I was doing. I didn’t think I would have taken it on if there wasn’t some-one saying you can do it.”

In jewelry making, Kristen may have needed a confidence push, but her mother, Cynthia was quick to add that Kristen was never one to back away from a challenge.

“Kristen has never met anything she wouldn’t try,” Cynthia Marshall said.” I’ve always admired Kristen. I remember when she was probably 8

or 9, John (Kristen’s father) took her roller skating.

“I never learned to roller skate be-cause you fall down and get hurt, and I’m just a wuss,” she continued. “I would never do that. While she was out there the other skaters held a race. Kristen — I don’t know if it was her first time out there but she wasn’t much better than I was — she was go-ing to get out there and race too. She comes in last, and she said. ‘It doesn’t really matter whether you win or not. Just doing it… that’s what matters.’”

And maybe it was that can-do at-titude that propelled this 1992 Big Spring High School graduate on to finish her undergraduate degree in Russian and Russian area studies at Texas Tech University in 1996 and then to study at the world-renowned London School of Economics (LSE).

Kristen earned her master’s de-gree in international relations at LSE, known as a top-rank university in the world and considered among the most selective.

After LSE, she began her career with the Department of Defense, spending a year in Washington D.C. before be-ing transferred to London where she spent the next eight years working for the U.S. Air Force. She returned to the states last year where she resides in Alexandria, Va., and is employed with an organization of the Depart-ment of Defense.

Along with some nice antique fur-niture, Kristen brought back an-other precious item — the heart of a Scottish Royal Air Force Wing Commander named Richard El-der. Richard, who was posted to the British Embassy in Washing-ton D.C. in June, proposed to the West Texas native fairly soon after she returned.

The couple married at St. Mary’s Episcopal Church May 1, despite the rumblings of an irritable Ice-landic volcano that had nearly kept half of Richard’s family from attending. Ash from the erupting volcano in April shut down many European airports, delaying a planned 10-day trip to America by members of Richard’s family.

Although the airport delays did not affect Richard’s plans, the couple worried a second eruption could cause problems. The groom

20 Living Magazine

might not get to the church on time. Yet again, Mother Nature seemed obliging, as family members trooped into Big Spring for the event includ-ing Richard’s twin brother, Tony, his mother, Wanda Elder, his father, Bill Elder, and stepmother, Carol.

On ceremony day, Richard, dressed in a traditional Scottish tartan skirt, and his best man, Harvey Lyons of England, processed down the aisle on time as well, behind professional bag piper E.J. Jones. Alisa Ferris of Lon-don, the maid of honor, came next fol-lowed by Kristen who was escorted by her father, John Marshall.

The Rev. Barbara Kirk-Norris, rector of St. Mary’s, officiated the wedding, which was a traditional Episcopal ser-vice. Kirk-Norris began the ceremony with a very old, established Anglican phrase found in the Book of Common Prayer: “Dearly beloved.”

Zac Marshall of Midland, brother of the bride, had triple duty for the cere-mony serving as an usher, a scripture reader and baby soother for his infant daughter Annabell. The sweet Scot-tish voice of Hilary Wright of Scot-land, sister of the groom, filled the church as she read a scripture during the service. Sarah Marshall, sister-in -law of the groom, sang a beautiful version of Ave Maria.

The father of the bride and long-time St. Mary’s deacon gave tribute to Kristen’s grandfather, the Rev. Har-land “Steve” Birdwell, a former Epis-copalian priest who served as rector of St. Mary’s. Although her grandfa-ther was not physically able to attend the wedding due to a lengthy illness, John brought “papa’s” spirit to the event by cobbling together several of the priest’s old marriage homilies into a moving tribute. Kristen’s grand-mother, Charlene Birdwell, was able to attend.

Adding his own flavor to the hom-ily, John said, “Everyone has gifts even if you don’t think you do. I think people have another gift, maybe one that is hidden. Sometimes it takes an-other person to bring out this gift. For Kristen and Richard, I think this gift is peace.”

Following the hour-long ceremony, a champagne reception was held in the St. Mary’s parish hall where those who attended enjoyed music from a trio consisting of harp, cello and flute

players. The dessert table’s center-piece was two birds dressed in minia-ture versions of the bride and groom’s clothes, a Cynthia Marshall creation. The full reception and rehearsal din-ner were both held at Moss Creek Ranch.

Kristen said that when she began planning the event she didn’t envi-sion this outcome, but added the end result was a perfect fit.

“I always thought I would have the traditional white dress but when it came time to do it, I thought that is

not really me,” she said. “I wanted to do something a little bit more funky and different. This isn’t what I would have pictured, but I love all of this and having it here. I’m having my wedding reception at a ranch. I never thought that would happen but its great … it’s definitely not what I en-visioned.”

As for Richard’s thoughts, one wed-ding guest overheard the Scotsman comment immediately following the ceremony “I’m married now. I need a drink.”

Living Magazine 21

“Help me, please, I’m not selling! Tell me what to do.”

Other artists contact me and each oth-er from time to time with the same old sad complaint of not selling their work. They have many questions and I’ll work through them one by one and see if my answers can help you, too.

Q: Everyone says my work is su-per and they can’t understand why I can’t sell it.

A: What I say is who are these peo-ple who have seen your work and can’t understand your predicament? It could be that they are not qualified to judge whether the works should or should not sell. Most likely they are friends, acquaintances or relatives unconnected with the art business. If so, their com-ments, while meant well, are unlikely to be a reasonable basis for thinking that you have works worth buying. Do they actually buy any of your works? If not, ask them why not. If they have bought your work, ask them to recommend others who also might be interested in purchases.

Even other artists may not be able to judge whether work is sellable. It really depends on their experience. Artists have ideas on how to paint but the ma-jority don’t really know how to sell their own work let alone someone else’s.

An important point is that you must analyze the background of people who

make such comments. If they are quali-fied to advise, then ask what they would do to increase sales.

More often than not, most comments made in this vein are made in sympathy from well intentioned people and don’t really contribute to helping create sales.

Q: Is my way of marketing the cor-rect way, despite making the most of any opportunity to highlight my art?

A If you were marketing yourself in the best way you know how, then you would make sales. However, find-ing the best way is not easy. Many trials of alternative approaches will need to be made. Time will go by, maybe years. Comments and suggestions by knowl-edgeable people will help but clear goals and a plan will help more.

Making the most of any opportunity to expose your art may or may not be useful. It depends on the nature of the opportunity. However, there’s an impli-

cation in such a question that leads me to believe that you aren’t really planning and that you are using chance factors as your major career building strategy. Only if you make the most of the op-portunities coming your way a good thing if these fit your plan.

Q: Are galleries taking new work?A Of course, most places want well-

known, recognized artists in their stables. New artists would have a rough time and this is an established fact. Known artists have earned their spotlights. It is not realistic to expect a beginner to have the same advantage or profile as expe-rienced painters. In every field it is the same concept.

So to any newbie my suggestion is to study successful artists to find out what they have done, see what lessons can be learned and used. If you’re able to have your work accepted by a gallery, be thankful and work very hard at becom-

22 Living Magazine

Selling your artwork

By Kay Smith

Living Magazine 23

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ing well known within that particular place.

Q: Can small business be a mar-ket? Can they be persuaded to see art as a worthwhile investment?

A: Art does have to be seen as a genu-ine investment for the business con-cerned. The reality of it is that most businesses focus on their own interests and the smaller the business the more likely this is.

Because a small business is probably the person who owns it, you can make a personal approach. So, whatever will work to encourage people to see art as a worthy investment will work with small business people, as well. In a similar fashion, whatever fails will fail here, as well.

Ideally, the smaller the business the less you should think about them as a business. Imagine what sort of benefit they might gain from your work. How can owning one or more of your mas-terpieces achieve status, love, pleasure

or whatever it is that motivates them?Q: Can big business be a market?A: If you can access the right people

in big companies, you might make head-way. These people are the decision mak-ers. After the boss, there may be other folks such as purchasing agent, his wife, the office manager, or some other per-son might be the right person autho-rized to buy artwork.

Your first job then is to identify the right person. If you begin with whoever you know, eventually you will get to the right people. If you don’t know anyone, then the person answering the phone is the best bet to tell you. Then, approach them much the same way as you would a small business, except that sometimes that person has to buy for the next one up the ladder, keeping their tastes and preferences in mind, rather than their own. Ask questions as soon as you can.

The scale of a big business may mean there’s more money for things like art. In addition, because it’s usually not their own money, the art buyer is likely to spend more than they would for artwork in their own homes. On the other hand, they may also take a bank-like approach to their business and look for the dollar value in all they do. Again, if you find

this out early on then you can prepare your case better.

In essence, you have to show the busi-ness, no matter its size, what is in it for them. What do they actually gain by having one or two, maybe more, of your art on their walls? Is it a worthy invest-ment? That will only happen if you can prove it. Even then, the business person will weigh this against other worthy in-vestments. There could perhaps be fac-tors other than investment value that will win the sale. The works may make the employees happier and more pro-ductive. In the end, you should think of business as much the same as individual consumers.

In times when money is plentiful, peo-ple have a range of choices. As econom-ic times endure, the range of options becomes less. In the end, no amount of persuasion will sell a painting to a com-pany with little or no money, even if it is a worthy investment, because they are only interested in survival. You would have to convince them that your work can help them survive.

Visit Kay’s studio at 2106 Scurry, www.kaysmithbrushworks.us and http://kay-smithbrushworks.blogspot.com or call 263-ARTT

24 Living Magazine

S hanna Roberts is a mother almost three times over.

As Forsan High School’s softball coach she has a strong

relationship with her players. As an English teacher at the high school, she caters to her students and even as a mother, she does the same for her three children.

Maybe what’s most impressive about Roberts is the fact she has found a way to be successful on all three levels. It was probably most noticeable June 5 when her Lady Buffs won their second consecutive Class 1A state championship in Austin.

“I started seeing those girls coming and how much talent they had and their work ethic was just great,” said Roberts, who took over the softball program at Forsan during its inception five years ago. “We started working right away towards this. I mean I hoped that we would eventually make it to state. Realistically, after three years, I would not have really expected that. They just

seemed to put it together and we’ve been able to build and hopefully keep building and being successful.”

How Roberts got started in the coaching profession may be different from most.

Roberts said her desire to get into coaching came from her daughter playing softball. Roberts wanted to be a part of her daughter’s interest in the sport, so she went back to school to get her teaching certificate, allowing her to teach and, of course, coach.

Roberts did not have the chance to play softball at her alma mater, Coahoma High School. She said there was no program around at the time. So she spent her time in softball summer leagues and with travel teams. She also picked up on any tips she could from other coaches.

But Roberts admitted, athletics weren’t her greatest asset growing up.

“I wasn’t a great athlete,” she said. “I played a little basketball. I was not great at it. I loved to play softball and I wish

they had it in high school when we had it. We had some really good softball girls in Coahoma that would’ve been awesome. But I like the coaching part of it. I don’t know, I like to win.”

Then, an opportunity to coach an upstart program came at Forsan, and Roberts did just that — win.

Roberts went from a mother who just wanted to coach her daughter to a two-time state champion in four years.

But softball doesn’t come first for Roberts. Her other two jobs hold a little more merit.

Roberts also teaches sophomore and senior English at Forsan, on top of being a mother of two boys and girl — the youngest being 19.

She said there are a few similarities between coaching softball and teaching English, as the goal is the same.

Getting her students to be excited about things such as Shakespeare proves a little difficult however.

“Kids don’t like to read anymore,” she said. “We have very few who like to read

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Living Magazine 25

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and just trying to get them to read a book is sometimes difficult. Kids at 14 don’t think they need to read Shakespeare and to a certain extent I guess I might agree with them. I don’t just go out and read Shakespeare for the heck of it. It’s knowledge.

“You need to understand how to read different languages and the things that are maybe not written the same way that we speak and still be able to understand what they’re talking about. It’s a good skill to have.”

Roberts does live what she preaches to her students, though. She said she enjoys reading many different types of books, including mysteries, romances and books by James Patterson. It shows in her classroom as well, with posters of popular novels surrounding the room.

Roberts makes it known that what happens in the classroom comes before what happens on the softball field.

She said some don’t understand that method, but the coach takes teaching seriously. Roberts said she usually gets a lot of questions and concerns about the softball team, but she has to constantly remind others that her job in the classroom comes first.

Being a softball coach and teacher requires understanding the players and students for Roberts. She said building a relationship, motivating and knowing what works for her students and players is the key to success in the classroom and on the field.

But maybe Roberts’ students don’t necessarily see her as a mother figure. Her players however, are a different story.

Roberts said she feels like she is a mother whether she is away from her children or not.

“I am, I can’t get rid of that. I wish I wasn’t quite that way,” she joked. “The girls on the team, they call me mom. I am the mom. I have to take care of them.

“I think it kind of goes hand in hand. They’re kids, they’re not unlike my own kids. You have to know what to expect out of them and hold them to that standard. There are always disappointments, but at the end of the day, I think all of these kids know that I’m in their corner and that they can come to me with whatever they

26 Living Magazine

need to talk about or anything else. That’s the kind of person I want to be.”

With that said, Roberts has done more than just win two state titles at Forsan.

She’s brought a little more attention to a school and community that isn’t in the limelight often.

With the help of standout players such as pitcher Amanda Longorio, Ambra Hill and Shelby Jones, Roberts said Forsan’s run should bring a few more junior colleges around now and in the near future.

Forsan Independent School District Superintendent Randy Johnson said success and exposure like the Lady Buffs have had and provided goes beyond sports.

He said it’s a living example that small schools can garner attention as well.

“The biggest deal is creating a winning atmosphere where kids believe that their activities here at school whether it’s academics or athletics or extracurricular, that those things play into or lead to a successful life for them,” Johnson said. “We want to build confidence in our kids and I think coach Roberts, and the success she’s had kind of helps the whole school realize that kids from small schools can be successful or can do big things.”

It doesn’t hurt that the Forsan baseball team made its deepest run in the 2010 Class 1A playoffs this season as well, making it to the regional final.

Forsan baseball coach and athletic director Jason Phillips also sees what this type of success can do to the community.

He said he doesn’t see it ending for a long time either.

“Especially being as young as both our programs are, this is a huge year for both of them. How successful we’ve been so quickly, it’s just been a great deal for our school, our community and our fans,” he said. “We have a great group of fans and we owe a lot of our success to them. I think out softball team, our baseball team, are just going to continue to get better. We’ve got good young kids coming up in both programs, down even into the junior highs. I think we’re going to be around for a long time. Hopefully that success will rub off on some of our other programs around here as well.”

Maybe he and the community have Roberts to thank for that.

Spring is in the air — and so are a lot of other substances that may be causing itchy, watery eyes, a runny nose and sneezing. If you have al-lergies, your body’s delicate balance can be knocked out of kilter by hun-dreds of environmental triggers: ani-mals, plants, foods and medicines, to name a few.

Approximately 50 million indi-viduals in the United States suffer from some form of allergies, and that number is growing. The cause of an allergy is not always known, but a family history of allergies is thought to be a primary risk factor.

An allergy is a reaction by your body’s immune system to something that does not typically bother other people, according to the National In-stitutes of Health. Simply put, your body’s defense system sees a certain substance — called an allergen — as a threat, and releases antibodies to fight it. Usually, people who have allergies have increased sensitivity to more than one allergen or group of allergens, such as certain types of grass and trees, dust and lint, pollen and mold, and animal fur. The most common food allergies are the pro-

teins in cow’s milk, eggs, peanuts, wheat, soy, fish, shellfish and tree nuts.

Allergic symptoms vary from per-son to person, can be seasonal or year-round, and reactions can range from mild discomfort to life-threat-ening (particularly in the case of se-vere food allergies). Some people are born with allergies, while others de-velop them later in life.

Specific types of allergic diseases include allergic rhinitis (hay fever), sinusitis (swelling of the sinuses), serous otitis media (an allergic ear problem), conjunctivitis (red, itchy eyes), hives (itchy, red bumps), asth-ma (coughing or difficulty breath-ing), or anaphylaxis — a serious allergic reaction usually caused by a food, insect sting or exposure to certain chemicals, such as latex. Ana-phylaxis arises quickly and causes mild to severe symptoms: warmth, tingling in the mouth, a rash, faint-ness, shortness of breath, cramps, vomiting, diarrhea, and even a drop in blood pressure resulting in loss of consciousness or shock. If not imme-diately treated with an injec-tion of epi-nephrine, this type of allergic reaction can be fatal.

If you think you have an allergy, your family physi-cian is a good starting point. Most physi-cians are well versed in treat-ment options for allergies. These options include both O v e r - T h e -Counter (OTC) and prescrip-tion antihista-

mines, as well as prescription nasal steroids.

Another effective treatment option now available to allergy sufferers is sublingual immunotherapy. It is a safer, “kindler, gentler” version of al-lergy shots that more physicians are beginning to offer. Patients receive similar benefits in allergy symptom control with drop therapy as they do with allergy injections, without fre-quent (and costly) office visits. Over-all, most patients find that drop treat-ment is less costly than prescription medications and allergy injections. The drops may be taken at home or wherever you need to be, making it much easier to stick with treatment, and with less need for medications and less time away from work or school. Both the allergy drops and injections work like a vaccine, by ex-posing you to a small dose of the al-lergen, to build your resistance.

Since moving here to Big Spring and West Texas in 2008, I now personally understand how irritating and frus-trating allergy symptoms can be. If you are unhappy with your current

Living Magazine 27

By Scott W. Barclay, D.O.

Pass the tissues... allergens are in the air

28 Living Magazine

I-20 & Hwy. 87Big Spring, TX

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treatment plan and desire to have an improved symptom relief, you may wish to further pursue allergy drop therapy. Allergy testing is per-formed by a single blood test; and best of all, children can be treated safely and effectively, too.

I now offer this service at my of-fice here in Big Spring. You can get more information from my website at www.BigSpringDoc.com, or feel free to call my office at 432-264-6361 for more information or to schedule an appointment with me.

Avoiding AllergensHere are some simple steps you

can take on your own to control your allergy symptoms – in addition to any physician-prescribed treatment methods.

Stay tuned to the forecast. The Na-tional Allergy Bureau (www.aaaai.org/nab/index.cfm) reports current pollen and mold spore levels around the country. You can check the fore-cast for your area, and sign up for e-mail alerts.

Remain indoors during peak pol-len periods. When outdoor pollen levels are highest – particularly sun-ny, windy days – consider staying in-doors with the windows closed dur-ing the morning hours.

Protect your nose and mouth. If you must go outdoors, consider wearing a face mask designed to filter pol-len out of the air and prevent it from reaching nasal passages.

Use your home and car air filtering systems. Your home and car air con-ditioners can help keep out pollen

and mold allergens when placed on the ‘do-not-circulate’ mode. HEPA and other special air filters are avail-able to help reduce allergens pro-duced in the home.

Considering cleaning your air con-ditioning ducts and vents? Don’t. Most studies have shown that air quality actually worsens after duct cleaning/spraying occurs. Resist the urge to have a “cleaner” A/C duct system; it will be cleaner but the air in your home won’t be.

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Living Magazine 29

Over 50? You’re overdue for a colonoscopy.

If you’re over 50, with or without colon cancer symptoms, you need to schedule a colonoscopy soon. Because when found early, there is nearly a 90% chance for a cure. Even better news: with timely and thorough testing, colon cancer is up to 95% preventable. If you wait for symptoms, it may already be too late.

Scenic Mountain Medical Center is skilled in providing a wide range of services, including colonoscopy. So ask your doctor if this important outpatient procedure is right for you.

C a r i n g P e o p l e , C a r i n g f o r P e o p l e

FACT: When colon cancer is found early, there is a 90% chance for a cure.

The American Cancer Society recommends both men and women at average risk of colorectal cancer should begin receiving a colonoscopy every 10 years at age 50. But you should talk with your doctor about your own health and your family history so that you can choose the best screening plan for you.

Talk to your physician or visit smmccares.com/colonoscopy for more information.

49344_SCEN_Colon_8_25x10_75c.indd 1 6/9/10 2:21 PM