Lasting Legacy

4 M A I N F E A T U R E 

Krienke Springs 

Rediscovered 

A brief history of part of Williamson 

County once a working ranchland 

with an abundant spring. 

1 0 G E N E R O S I T Y 

Because Cancer 

Never Sleeps 

Walkers burn the midnight oil 

to raise money for life-saving 

research. 

THE CONTENTS 

1 2 B u s i n e s s f o c u s 

Fixing Phones 

with Flair 

The Cellphone Experience repairs 

almost any cell phone problem, 

quickly and inexpensively. 

1 4 b u s i n e s s F o c u s 

Lasting Legacy 

Pulte’s newest locations offer 

lasting homes that are beautiful 

and practical 

1 8 b u s i n e s s f o c u s 

The Doctor is In 

Quick home repairs or preventive 

maintenance, HouseMedic has the 

cure for what ails your home. 

2 2 T a l e n t 

Round Rock’s Aesop 

Don Winn writes children’s stories 

that provide solutions. 

And … 

Save the Date Keep current on 

this month’s events and festivities. 17 

FOCUS ME DI 

PUBLISHER’S NOTE 

Greetings Round Rock! 

Publisher/ 

Sales Manager 

Linda Moffett 

512-966-9426 

linda@focusonourtown.com 

Editorial Director 

Bethany Powell 

512-630-5513 

beth@focusonourtown.com 

Communications 

Director 

Craig Bushon 

512-486-0193 

craigb@focusonourtown.com 

Sales Representative/ 

Community Liaison 

tammy hufford 

512-639-0495 

tammy@focusonourtown.com 

Sales Representative 

JILL JOHNSON 

512-585-5837 

jill@focusonourtown.com 

Sr. Sales 

Representative 

Jane Best 

512-818-6012 

jane@focusongeorgetown.com 

GREETINGS ROUND ROCK!! You are viewing the second Round Rock/ 

Georgetown flip book. The first one had such a great response that we decided to 

continue combining the books and mailing out to approximately 55,000 every other 

month. You will notice that Focus has a new look with a new logo on the cover. That 

is because we are changing everything! We are merging with C & L Communications 

to bring you Focus Media Team! We will now be able to offer you everything you 

need and want for your marketing needs. This includes logo design, branding, website 

development, social networking, SMS texting, and advertising of all kinds—print, digital, 

radio, and TV. We know that many small businesses don’t have the time or experience to 

get the word out about what wonderful things they can do. That’s where you can put our 

Team to work for you. We have both the expertise and the experience and want to help 

bring customers to your door. 

Focus on Round Rock is currently printing every other month, however, the response 

from the Round Rock business community continues to grow, and we anticipate being 

able to bring our magazine to you monthly soon and increase our distribution to more 

Round Rock locations, as well. 

We love to get your feedback and want to know what YOU want from us, the new 

Focus Media Team—whether it’s people/businesses/nonprofits that you want us to write 

an article about, or a service that you think we ought to offer. Please don’t hesitate to 

ocntact us. We appreciate the Round Rock community and want to continue to grow 

with you. 

Graphic Artist: Charles Hickman 

Design: Cynthia Hannon, Cathy Sheridan 

Contributing Writers: ALEXANDRIA ZERTUCHE, rebecca lackie, Kristi Seay, Lauren 

Wilson, C. Wayne Dawson 

Focus on Round Rock is a publication of Lady Phoenix Publishing. Copyright © 2011. All rights reserved. Focus on Round 

Rock is published every other month and distributed to approximately 22,000 homes and businesses in Round Rock. 

Subscriptions are available at the rate of $38 per year. Subscription requests should be sent to Focus Magazine, 503 

Riverview Drive, Georgetown, TX 78628. For advertising rates call Linda at 512-966-9426, for editorial correspondence, 

call Bethany at 512-630-5513. 

2 March/April 2012 | Focus on Round Rock

March/April 2012 | www.focusonroundrock.com 3

Photos by Joe Cornejo 

By Alexandria Zertuche 

A brief history of a 

large area of Williamson 

County now mostly 

occupied by single-family 

homes that was once a 

working ranchland with 

an abundant spring. 

The next time you are jogging 

down the Brushy Creek 

Regional Trail, navigating 

the seemingly endless road construction 

on 1431, or watching cattle graze on a 

patch of field that is all that remains of 

a vast ranchland, look at the landscape 

and imagine a time before housing 

development mushroomed on every 

hillside, when many roads had not yet 

been paved, and before water came 

with the guarantees of our municipal 

taps. Such was the world in parts of 

Williamson County when Reverend 

Krienke and his wife acquired the 

property that would see the raising 

of six children and copious numbers 

continued on page 6 >> 



continued from page 4 

of cattle, sheep, and goats. Over 

several years—and three additional 

land purchases—the Krienke Ranch 

would expand to 640 acres of pasture, 

consisting of hardwoods, cedars, and 

brush. 

In those days, a ranch was truly 

valuable if it had a natural and 

undiminishing water source. The 

Krienkes had this in a spring-fed creek 

on the east end of their property where 

what is now known as Honey Bear 

Creek passes. Roland Krienke, one of 

the six children who grew up on the 

ranch reminisces, “There was so much 

brush in the country, we had to get 

the cattle up on foot—we couldn’t 

use horses.” The Krienke Spring was 

on the far end of the ranch property, 

and there were several structures 

nearby—a cattle shed and feed storage 

barn. Roland continues, “When we 

went down to work the cattle, we 

didn’t need to take any water. We 

could lie down and drink straight out 

of the spring.” The youngest of the 

Krienke boys, Roy, remembers that 

every member of the family had their 

share of work to do to keep the ranch 

running. “Rounding up the cattle was 

an exhausting chore, especially in the 

summer, but we always knew that once 

we got there, the spring always had 

water.” 

The Krienke brothers report 

that there were beautiful cottonwood 


trees providing shade by the spring, 

and humans, livestock and wildlife 

all utilized the fresh clear water that 

emanated from it. The spring flowed 

out into a rock-bottomed creek and 

continued onto the next property, 

where the Krienkes’ neighbors drew 

from the resources of the spring as well. 

The water was so clear in those days 

that watercress grew in abundance in 

an eddy created by the spring. Roland 

chuckles, “We boys got a few brownie 

points for bringing the watercress to 

some our Round Rock school teachers 

who liked it.” The Krienke Spring was 

and still is, a habitat for the endangered 

Jollyville Plateau Salamander (botanical 

name Eurycea tonkawae). 

The Krienkes were not the first 

people to use this spring, however— 

both brothers mention that there 

were several Native American mounds 

located above the spring, which were 

indications that many native peoples, 

predominantly Tonkawa, had used 

the area as a camp. Roy also mentions 

seeing wagon wheel tracks etched into 

the soft limestone, indicating that 

early settlers of Williamson County 

had discovered and benefited from the 

spring’s cool clear water on the way to 

Leander. Roland adds, “There’s a rumor 

in the Krienke family—and that’s all it 

is, a rumor—that when Sam Bass was 

shot, he followed Brushy Creek up to 

Honey Bear Creek (although we didn’t 




Roland and Roy Krienke 

>> continued from page 9 

have a name for the creek then) to tend to his wounds. It’s just 

a story, and of course Sam Bass won’t say if it’s true or not 

During the infamous drought in the mid fifties Roy said 

that there were years when there was hardly any rain and that 

during this time the spring slowed down but never quit. The 

Krienke family made a little extra money by cutting cedar 

for fence posts. They also cut hard wood for cooking stoves 

and fireplaces, selling it for a whopping $1.25 per pickup 

truck load. In order for Reverend Krienke to raise a family, 

consisting of his wife and six children, he leased his property 

to a company to mine and quarry dolomitic limestone. This 

involved removing the topsoil and drilling, blasting the rock 

with dynamite. The removal of the topsoil resulted in large 

piles of dirt, which took that land out of cattle production. 

The company hauled the rock to a crushing plant located 

several miles from the Krienke property. Eventually the 

company built a crushing plant on the Krienke property. 

In 1956, Reverend Krienke passed away and several years 

later their mother sold the property as one block. Although 

the sale made it possible for their mother to retire from the 

relentless work of running a ranch, for Roland and Roy the 

loss of the ranch was hard to accept. After the land was sold 

to the individual who did the quarrying it was then sold to 

a developer. Since then, some of the land has returned to 

private ownership, and Roy and Roland Krienke were recently 

invited by the new owners to revisit the Krienke Spring for the 

first time in many years. Both brothers expressed amazement 

how much has changed, even as water still flows from the 

area of the spring into Honey Bear Creek. Roy describes the 

experience as a “real memory jerker.” It is also worthwhile for 

current residents, who enjoy the natural beauty and economic 

abundance that makes this community such a wonderful 

place to live, to reflect on and appreciate the hard work and 

sacrifice of previous occupants—both ancient and modern— 

that paved the path for our way of life. 

If interested in helping preserve Krienke Spring, go to 

www.roundrocksprings.org. 


Generosity 

Photos provided by Edith Leza 

Because Cancer 

Never Sleeps 

By Lauren Wilson 

Walkers burn the midnight oil to raise money 

for life-saving research. 

This May, community 

members will walk around 

the clock to celebrate life 

and loved ones as they raise money 

for the American Cancer Society 

(ACS). Cancer never sleeps, so 

fundraisers won’t either. Relay for Life 

promises a fun-filled overnight event 

that will unite the community with 

the spirit of hope. This year’s Round 

Rock Relay for Life is scheduled to 

begin at 7 p.m. on May 11 and will 

continue until 7 a.m. on May 12 at 

the Round Rock Dragon Stadium. 

Teams will gather to set up tents and 

sleeping bags. Groups are invited to 

be creative by establishing a theme for 

their team’s campsite. 

Each year, this ACS event 

brings more than 3.5 million people 

together nationwide in the battle 

against cancer. Relay is the largest 

fundraising event in the country. 

Amazingly, it all began with one man, 

Dr. Gordy Katt. In 1985, he decided 

to run laps around a track for 24 

hours in an attempt to signify what 

cancer patients endure. People were 

so moved by his dedication that he 

raised $27,000 on his own. The next 

year, one of his patients, Pat Flynn, 

joined the cause. Together, they 

structured the event into the teambased 

Relay for Life. 

Edith Leza began volunteering 

with Relay for Life while doing a 

community service project through 

school. She was so inspired that she 

now volunteers as a Round Rock 

Relay for Life committee member. 

The committee has been meeting 

since last year to rally participants 

and create an entertainment line-up 

that will keep participants moving. 

This year, Relay has 21 teams whose 

members have already raised $4,681. 

Participants are raising money 

through sponsors and by selling 

luminaria for $10 each. These white 

bags can be decorated to celebrate a 

specific person or simply the hope 

that research provides. One hour of 


the event will be dedicated to lighting 

luminaria candles. The glowing track 

will be a warm tribute to loved ones, 

life, and the power of research. 

For more information or to register 

a new team, Edith welcomes people 

to visit RelayForLife.org/roundrock. 

tx. Teams can range from one to 15 

members. They are encouraged to sign 

up now, registration is open until the 

day of the event. Team captains meet at 

6 p.m. on the second Thursday of each 

month at the Clay Madsen Recreation 

Center to discuss fundraising ideas and 

event details. 


Business 

FOCUS 


Fixing Phones 

With Flair 

By Kristi Seay 

The Cellphone Experience repairs almost any 

cell phone problem, quickly and inexpensively. 

In the past, cellphones were just 

things that people used to make 

a call in an emergency. Today 

technology has advanced to a point 

that the cellphone is a vital tool in 

communication, connection, business, 

and pleasure. When that phone stops 

working, it becomes an emergency that 

requires immediate attention. At The 

Cellphone Experience in Round Rock, 

owner and Master Technician Javier 

Irizarry, has made his life’s work about 

helping people get their cellphones back 

to working condition as efficiently and 

cost effectively as possible. 

Javier is able to take care of any 

problem that may arise with your 

cellphone. Every client receives a free 

estimate for the repair and Javier is 

committed to providing the lowest 

prices to his customers. All work is done 

in store and most can be done within 

90 minutes. He and his staff can replace 

the screen, speaker, and microphones, 

or unlock the phone when the user 

has forgotten the password. They also 

fix phones that have been dropped in 

water or smashed by a fall. In addition 

to hardware repairs, the staff at The 

Cellphone Experience are also able to 

work with the software of the phone. 

That means if someone is interested 

in going with a different provider they 

can unlock, flash, jailbreak, or root the 

phone. Javier and his team 

have experience diagnosing 

and repairing all brands of 

cellphones. 

In addition to being a service and 

repair center, the Cellphone Experience 

offers other services to customers. 

Javier sells both new and used phones 

and accessories. The store is also a sales 

center for Clear 4G Internet, Virgin 

Mobile, and Boost Mobile. In addition 

to cellphone services, the staff is now 

doing service and repair on computers, 

iPads, and iPhones, as well. 

“You’re more than just a phone 

number here,” Javier says. “You’re a 

person with a first name and a last 

name. You have a life that is important.” 

He knows how valuable the cellphones 

he repairs for his clients are. He knows 

how vital the information that is stored 

on those phones is to the people he 

helps. He loves to be able to tell his 

customer that he has saved the baby 

photos or the recording of the loved one 

who has passed away that they thought 

were lost forever because the phone was 

dropped into the sink. 

For excellent service and repair 

for your cellphone, visit Javier at the 

Cellphone Experience, 1601 S. IH 35 

Ste. #385. For more information, visit 

www.thecellphoneexperience.com. 



Lasting Legacy 

Business 

FOCUS 

By Rebecca Lackie 

Pulte’s newest locations offer lasting homes 

that are beautiful and practical 


To fall in love with a house, 

most people need two 

things. The house needs to 

be alluring in order to love it, but has 

to be suitable in order to love living 

in it. That is why for the last 60 years 

Pulte Group, the biggest homebuilder 

in the U.S., has been asking its 

homeowners what they long for in a 

home. 

The result of this quest has 

been a new concept; a ‘lifetested’ 

home built durably and 

beautifully, but with features 

that center around what families 

today really desire. 

“We try to build 

communities,” says Greg 

Mayberry, General Sales 

Manager for Pulte Group Austin. 

Greg Mayberry 


“It’s not just a place to build your 

house, but a place to get to know 

your neighbors. That’s why we have 

community centers with play areas 

and swimming areas. I like to say that 

we’re building lifelong relationships, 

one homeowner at a time.” 

Currently, Pulte is building a 

new community in the Paloma Lake 

area of Round Rock near Old Settlers 

Park, a location with a number of 

benefits. That’s because one of Pulte 

Group’s main focuses is finding a 

great location. Most Pulte locations 

offer scenic views, several with lake 

access, choice of lot size and floor 

plan, and all are in prime locations 

near schools, shopping, and work. 

They also pay attention to the 

extra details that make a house 

livable. For example, covered back 

patios that suit Texas outdoor living, 

planning centers, and plenty of 

options to customize a house and 

make it suit one’s individual needs. 

An interesting new detail that 

was born of homeowner suggestions 

is an expanded entry way in the most 

used entrance of the home with a 

drop zone. The drop zone includes 

a storage area for backpacks, purses, 

and shoes, and makes the home look 

and feel less cluttered. 

Another new idea, the Pulte 

planning center, dedicates a small 

amount of square footage off of the 

living space to create an area to study 

and stay organized while still being 

close to the main area of the home. 

This feature allows for a place for kids 

to study, while still being under the 

watchful eye of a parent. 

Still, if there was one thing that 

has impeded would be homebuyers, 

it would be the media’s negative 

national coverage on the housing 

industry. These reports, while 

accurate for many areas of the country 

are not reflective of the current 

housing situation in the Austin 

area, which unlike other struggling 

markets, is doing exceptionally well 

by comparison. 

“The current market conditions 

are a perfect storm for home buyers,” 

Brian Talley, founder and owner of 

Regent Property Group said in a 

November 2011 press release. “With 

the selection, prices, and low interest 

rates, it’s hard to think of a reason 

not to invest in a home now; and for 

home sellers, the market conditions 

are slowly beginning to turn back in 

their favor.” 

According to Metro study’s most 

recent statistics report, job growth 

and stable inventory levels were 

a positive for the Austin housing 

economy during 2011, and they may 

indicate an even better year for 2012. 

In addition to this, data provided 

by Informa Research Services states 

that interest rates in Austin are 

hovering around 4%, a record low 

that is a real benefit for current home 

buyers. 

“The rental market is strong,” 

explains Mayberry. “Cost (in Austin) 

is at or above what it costs to buy 

a home. Despite the fact that the 

media says it is a terrible time to buy 

a house, right now you could lock 

in these extremely low rates for 30 

years. This is in addition to the tax 

benefits of being a homeowner. It’s 

a financially beneficial time to buy a 

new upgraded Pulte home.” 

For details on a Pulte Home 

visit www.pulte.com or email greg. 

mayberry@pulte.com. 


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MAR 1 Firefighters Visit story time at the 

Library, Round Rock Public Library, 9:30 a.m. or 10 

:30 a.m. for Preschool story time and 10:30 a.m. for 

toddler time. Bring the kids to meet local firefighters. 

For details call Jane Dance at 512-218-7012. 

MAR 1 Community Needs Assessment Public 

Hearing, Round Rock Public Library Room C, 6:30 

p.m. Free. The City of Round Rock Community Development 

Advisory Commission (CDAC) invites you to 

listen, learn, and share in the conversation of our community 

needs. This meeting will target “The People’s 

Perspective.” For details call 512-341-3328. 

MAR 1–4 The Begger’s Opera, Alma Thomas 

Theater, Southwestern University, Georgetown. 7 

p.m. Thurs., 8 p.m. Fri. & Sat. and 3 p.m. Sun. $14–20 per 

person. Southwestern University presents a special 

Theatre and Music department collaboration production 

featuring guest Director Ronald Ulen, Ulen has 

appeared with opera companies from around the 

world in nearly 2,000 performances. For details call 

512-8631378 or visit http://www.southwestern.tix.com/. 

MAR 2, 9, 16 23, & 30 Chisholm Chuckwagon 

Wild West Dinner and Cowboy Show, The Page 

House, Georgetown. 7–9 p.m. $35 per Person, $31.50 

for seniors, $20 for children under 10. Event includes a 

Wild West show and a BBQ dinner with all the fixings. 

For details call 512-930-7443. 

MAR 2-4, 9-11, 16-18 & 23-25 Singing in the Rain, 

Palace Theatre, Georgetown. Fri. & Sat. shows are 

at 7:30 p.m. Sun. Shows are at 2 p.m. Tickets are $24, 

$22 for seniors, $14 for students ages 13–22 and active 

military, and $10 for 12 and under. Come see the musical 

adaptation of the movie that has captured millions of 

hearts. For details visit www.thegeorgetownpalace.org. 

Mar 3 Refresh Yourself, From Health to Home, 

201 Seton Parkway.Free. 1:30–5 p.m. Sponsored by 

Seton Medical Center, includes Spring Fashion Show, 

healthy cooking demos. goodhealth.com/ignite. 

MAR 3-4 Super Series Baseball Tournament, 

Champion Fields at Old Settlers Park, $4 per person. 

Blue Diamond Tournaments presents its Super 

Series Baseball Tournament “March Madness” all day 

Saturday and Sunday. For details call Rick Stevens at 

512-225-4000. 

MAR 3 Round Rock Market Days, Downtown 

Round Rock, 9 a.m.–4 p.m. Free. Main Street Productions 

presents Round Rock Market Days. Enjoy more 

than 90 arts and crafts vendors, farmers’ market vendors, 

and food vendors along with area high school 

organizations. For details contact Sherri Arrington at 

512-924-2327. 

MAR 4, 11, 18 & 25 Shop for a Cause at Kaleidoscope 

Toys, 1601 S IH35 #325, Round Rock, 10% 

of March’s total Sunday sales benefit Emmerson 

Academy Child Development Center. For details visit 

http://www.kstoy.com/events. 

MAR 7 Early Release Gaming, Teen Room at 

Round Rock Library, 2–3:30 p.m. The Round Rock Public 

Library will host Gaming Days from 2 to 3:30 p.m. 

when Round Rock schools have an early release day 

this spring. Have fun after school in the Teen Room 

with the Wii, Gamecube and Playstation 2. 

MAR 7, 14, 21, 28 Microsoft Office Class, Round 

Rock Library, 1 p.m. Free. The classes will cover the 

basics of using Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint. 

For details contact kjarboe@roundrock.tx.us. 

MAR 8, 27 Take Shape For Life Weight Loss 

& Optimal Health Program, The Page House, 

Georgetown. 7 p.m. –8 p.m. Free Health Coach, Learn 

how to lose weight & keep it off! Clinically proven, Dr. 

recommended. RSVP at 512-591-7615. 

Mar 9–11 Texas State Button Society’s Annual 

Spring Show, Wingate Hotel, 1209 N. IH-35, Round 

Rock. Free. View creative button displays that are in 

competition for prizes, attend seminars, and search 

among thousands of buttons for purchase. 512-892- 

4265 

MAR 10, 11, 24 & 31 Community Tax Center, 

Round Rock Public Library, 9:30 a.m. on Mar. 10, 24, 

& 31. 1:30 p.m. on Mar. 11. Foundation Communities is 

hosting a free Community Tax Center by Walk-in only. 

For details email kjarboe@roundrock.tx.us. 

MAR 17 No Fee Adoption Event at Humane 

Society of Williamson County, 11 a.m.–5 p.m. 

10930 E. Crystal Falls Pkwy., Leander. Free. Wear a bit 

of green to earn a free adoption during this “Adopt 

Your Lucky Charm” event. For details visit http://www. 

hswc.net/. 

Mar 17 Williamson County Genealogical Society’s 

Seminar, First United Methodist Church, 1004 

North Mays, Round Rock. Speaker is D. Joshua Taylor. 

Registration and vendors start at 8 a.m. 863-2385. 

MAR 20 Dimensions in Blue Concert, CD Fulkes 

Middle School, 7 p.m. Free. This free concert features 

Dimensions in Blue, a jazz ensemble From the United 

States Air Force Band of the West. For details call Jon 

McPhail at 512-428-3197. 

MAR 23 Round Rock Symphony, First United 

Methodist Church, 7–10 p.m. $20/adults, $15/seniors, 

$10/students with I.D. Children under 5 are free. The 

Round Rock Symphony Presents: “Around the World 

in 80 Minutes.” Event includes music by Mozart, Albinoni, 

and Skalkottas. For details call 512-264-5368. 

MAR 23-24 Georgetown Quilt and Stitchery 

Show, Community Center in San Gabriel Park, 

Georgetown.10 a.m.–5 p.m. $6 per person. This celebration 

of Georgetown crafters features a tea room, 

challenge block, a raffle quilt, and many vendors. For 

details visit www.georgetownquilters.org. 

MAR 24 Boat Building School for Round Rock 

Boat Regatta, Baca Center, 10:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m. 

free. Learn how to build a boat out of cardboard and 

compete in the 5th Annual Round Rock Boat Regatta. 

Register for the free boat building school at http:// 

www.roundrockrecreation.com/ and get Ready for 

May 19th the date of the Regatta. 

MAR 24 Paws for Mardi Gras Dog Walk, San 

Gabriel Park, Georgetown. 8:30–11:30 a.m. $25/per 

person with a 2 dog limit. $30 after Mar. 19. Also a funfilled 

Pet Fest this year with local pet-friendly vendors, 

agility and dog dancing demonstrations. Enjoy a 

parade and costume contest as well. For details visit 

paws.georgetown.org. 

MAR 24 Spunky Shaylah 5K & 1K Memory Walk, 

Clay Maddsen Recreation Center, 8–11 a.m. $12–$25. 

This 1st annual event honors Shaylah Dame and the 

Shaylah Dame Skatepark. Celebrate Shaylah’s passion 

for life and love by participating in the benefit driven 

1K Memory Walk, 5K Fun Run/Walk or both. For details 

call CMRC at 512-218-3220. 

Mar 24 Self Defense Course for Females ages 

13-60, The Page House, 9:30–11:30 a.m. Suggested 

donation of $5–10. Taught by Southwestern University 

Police Chief Deborah Brown. All proceeds will go to 

The Rachel Cooke Foundation. Hosted by the Georgetown/Eastview 

High NJROTC. Space is limited. Kelly 

Appice, ghs.njrotc.booster.club@gmail.com 

Mar 25 Temple Jazz Orchestra in an afternoon 

of Big Band sounds, with guest saxophonist 

Ed Calle. Presented by the Georgetown Symphony 

Society. Klett Center for the Performing Arts at 

Georgetown High School. 4 p.m. Adults $25/$20; students 

$5. Tickets available at Williamson County Sun, 

Georgetown HEBs, the Sun City CA (residents only), 

or at the door. 512-864-9591, www.gsstx.org. 

Mar 31 Heart to Heart Gala, benefitting the 

Sacred Heart Community Clinic, Round Rock Marriott, 

6:30 p.m. to midnight. An “Uptown Motown!” themed 

evening with dinner, dancing to the band “Caboose,” 

and a silent auction. Cocktail attire, tickets $100 per 

person. For ticket info or to sponsor the event, please 

go to www.hearttoheartgala.com. 

MAR 31 Eggs Away, Georgetown Municipal Airport, 

9:30–10:30 a.m. Free. Children ages 10 and under 

are welcomed to enjoy this event where candy eggs 

will be dropped from the B-25 Devil Dog WWII-era 

bomber during a flyover at the Airport. Enter the Airport 

at the North Gate by Halmar Cove. The inclement 

weather date is Saturday, April 8. For details, go to 

eggs.georgetown.org. 

MAR 31 Central Spring Craft Fair, 301 N. Lake 

Creek Dr. across from Round Rock High School, 

10 a.m.–3 p.m. Free. For details visit centralrr.com/ 

craftfair. 

Apr 14 AGAPE PRC 5K Run for Life, Old Settlers 

Park, 8 a.m. $25 by Mar 31, $30 by Apr 14. Open to kids, 

strollers, dogs, and walkers. www.thefellowshiprr.org. 

Additional info in ad on page 6. 

Apr 20 Ribbon Cutting, Mystikal Motions, 106 S 

Harris St., Ste 102, Round Rock, 4 p.m. 


Business 

FOCUS 


Dave Mauldin, Owner 

Quick home repairs, or planned preventive 

maintenance, HouseMedic has the cure 

for what ails your home. 

By Lauren Wilson 

Local owner, Dave Mauldin 

opened his handyman 

business, HouseMedic, last 

March with the goal of simplifying 

home maintenance, repairs, and 

improvements. The services his 

company provides enable busy home 

owners to get prompt, professional 

help for a variety of household woes. 

HouseMedic is comprised of highly 

skilled craftsmen who are life-long 

construction professionals—the 

Austin team averages 35 years of 

industry experience. Dave, himself, 

has a personal passion for impeccable 

construction and repairs. He has spent 

a lifetime taking pride in caring for 

his own homes and now does that for 


others. “Every customer’s satisfaction is 

absolutely guaranteed. We are the most 

professional handyman service on the 

planet,” Dave says. 

While 99 percent of HouseMedic 

customers call when they have a 

repair crisis, Dave wants to remind 

folks to be diligent about preventive 

maintenance, too. His team is glad to 

repair simple leaks or tackle an entire 

“to do” list of small projects that 

safeguard and preserve houses. Their 

website is full of maintenance tips and 

repair ideas. 

Dave is especially excited about 

HouseMedic’s expansion into green 

home makeovers. “Energy efficiency 

is one of the best investments people 

can make.” When electric bills begin 

to climb to outrageous heights, 

something is wrong. HouseMedic 

professionals know exactly what 

to look for. Dave explains that 

they will typically inspect a home 

and make a list of 13 to 17 repairs 

needed to establish efficiency. Things 

like caulking, weather stripping, 

insulation, and solar-powered 

attic vents go a long way towards 

conserving energy. Continuously 

running air conditioning units 

are a drain on everyone. Proper 

maintenance creates comfort inside 

the house, keeps bills reasonable, and 

enables home systems to last longer. 

Even more pressing is the fact 

that Austin’s recent drought left 

most houses in need of extra repairs 

and TLC. Due to the dry soil, 

nearly all houses in the area have 

experienced some type of settling. 

HouseMedic has found that many 

doors need new weather stripping or 



continued from page 19 

realignment. They are also finding 

cracks in masonry. Dave encourages 

homeowners to be aware of new 

crevices around exterior light fixtures, 

gutters, garage doors, and windows. 

Repairing those cracks and crevices 

can prevent moisture penetration and 

seal bug entrances. It also helps home 

owners avoid a huge leveling project 

down the road. 

Dave also welcomes families 

to call with custom modification 

needs. New parents can rely on 

HouseMedic services for babyproofing 

projects like cabinet latches 

and gate installation. Elderly clients 

often benefit from their age-in-place 

renovations. HouseMedic handymen 

can install handrails, build ramps, and 

widen doorways, enabling elderly or 

handicapped residents to stay in their 

own homes longer. 

Whether the job is big or 

small, HouseMedic offers busy 

homeowners peace of mind. “Most 

people drive into their garages each 

evening and never even look at 

the exterior of their home. That is 

where we come in.” Dave simply 

cannot stress the importance of 

preventative maintenance enough. 


“I’m already tuning up my A/C and 

cleaning its coils.” One call does it all. 

While large projects may require an 

estimate, HouseMedic professionals 

can schedule the majority of repairs 

during the first phone call. Every 

employee is knowledgeable and 

thorough. Most customers who 

call or register online can count on 

completed repairs within one week. 

Dave is very proud of his talented 

craftsmen and the company’s standard 

of prompt, professional work. 

Homeowners rejoice; a pristine, 

efficient house is a phone call away. 

For more information, contact 

HouseMedic at 512-551-2009. 


Talent 


By C. Wayne Dawson 

Don Winn grew up during 

a time when learning 

challenges were poorly 

understood. Kids were expected 

just to figure things out. That was a 

tough prescription for a first grader 

with dyslexia who had to defend 

himself against school bullies every 

day. Fortunately, a special education 

teacher noticed Don’s difficulties 

and intervened. Don’s early struggles 

inspired him later in life to write 

children’s books that offer answers to 

kids going through similar issues and 

other challenges. Today, he’s become a 

modern-day Aesop spinning tales that 

Children’s Stories that Provide Solutions 

teach children the timeless lessons of 

compassion and acceptance. 

Not the sort of storyteller one 

would find at Pixar, Don has a 

different definition of ‘interactive.’ 

“When I was young, I’d sit on my 

grandmother’s lap and she’d read to 

me, then ask me questions about 

the pictures in the book and what 

she read. My stories bring back that 

kind of discussion between parents 

and children and also provide an 

opportunity to talk about common 

challenges that may not be discussed 

otherwise.” 

With this in mind, Don launched 

“Cardboard Box Adventures,” in 

2009 with his first book “The 

Tortoise and the Hairpiece”, which 

has since grown into a collection of 

tales inspired by his boyhood use of 

those big, empty cardboard boxes 


that are always favorites of 

kids to create imaginative 

situations. “Sometimes 

I used a cardboard box 

to create a race car, and 

at other times I pasted 

‘NASA’ on its side and it 

became spaceship. I didn’t 

need video games to develop an 

imagination.” 

Don incorporates old-fashioned 

protagonists in his stories for a reason. 

“When I was growing up, we had 

heroes to look up to like the Lone 

Ranger and Roy Rogers, 

real people who were 

champions because they 

did the right thing. That 

sort of image is what 

I’m relaunching this 

year when I introduce 

Kaye, a young boy living 

in medieval times who 

becomes a knight. Like 

the good guys of the 

1950s, he’s someone 

to look up to because 

of the goodness of his actions, not 

because he relies on supernatural 

powers. In addition to the moral 

points contained in the books about 

him, I include historical lessons. 

For instance, how many know that 

knitting was a male dominated trade 

back then? Kaye frequently uses his 

needles to overcome challenges before 

reaching for his sword.” 

But parents are not the only ones 

who interact with kids through Don’s 

stories. Child therapists and school 

counselors also make use 

of his literature. Locally, a 

Round Rock sixth-grade 

teacher reads Higgledy- 

Piggledy Pigeon, Don’s tale 

about Hank, a directionally 

challenged pigeon. Hank 

passes his classroom work 

with an A, but finds out 

when he takes 

to the air that 

he can’t find 

his destination. 

With the help of a 

compassionate teacher, 

Hank overcomes his 

handicap and becomes a 

successful aviator. Children 

with all different kinds of 

learning disabilities have 

responded enthusiastically 

to the questions found at the 

end of this, and other books 

Don has written to foster 

discussions with adults. 

Others enjoy The 

Tortoise and the Hairpiece, 

which, he says “touches on 

the issues of appearance 

and self-esteem. Jake the tortoise is 

worried none of the other animals 

will like him because he doesn’t have 

hair like they do. So he decides to 

get some ‘hair’ so he can fit in. But 

it doesn’t quite work the way he had 

hoped. He learns it’s not necessarily 

his appearance that has to change, but 

when his attitude about it changes, 

he feels much happier. I once did 

a reading of this at a children’s 

cancer center of a local hospital to 

the patients and their siblings and 

families. The kids enjoyed the story, 

and the parents and staff really 

appreciated the message.” 

Don’s books can be 

found locally at Book 

Spot, 1205 Round Rock 

Ave #119, and he is 

doing a reading there 

at 1 p.m. on March 

3. Those interested in 

reading more about 

this modern Aesop can 

also go to http://www. 

donwinn.com/. 


Business Briefs 

Spotlight 

YOUR 

Company 

Here! 

Spotlight 

YOUR 

Company 

Here! 

24 March/April January/February 2012 2012 | Focus | Focus on Round on Round Rock Rock

Exceptional 

Gifts 

Adams Gifts provides unique, 

local, personalized gifts. 

By Alexandria Zertuche 

Adams Gifts and Home 

Décor is a Texas familyowned 

business that 

Brenda Howard, owner 

has been serving greater Williamson 

County since 1978. Brenda Howard, high-quality candles made in Texas. 

the owner, prides herself on offering Other unique items available include 

one-of-a-kind items at reasonable Willow Tree Angel figurines designed 

prices, many of which are made either by Susan Lordi, Chamilia Jewelry, and 

locally, in Texas, or in the United Jon Hart handcrafted bags and totes, 

States. As a family-owned business, as well as baby gifts, faith-based gifts, 

Adams Gifts can hand-pick items that and seasonal gifts. Adams Gifts also 

can’t be found at a mall or big-box carries collegiate items, featuring a 

department store to help gift-givers diverse selection of schools—not just 

provide a more personal touch. They A&M and UT. 

carry Tyler Candles, Comfort Candles, They love feedback from 

and Williamson County Candles, all customers and have a strong 

commitment to providing excellent 

customer service. They will even 

gift-wrap items that were purchased 

elsewhere! Adams Gifts believes in 

supporting their community, and 

donates to many local schools and 

organizations, and prefers to support 

other local businesses whenever 

possible. For more information and to 

see a selection of the products Adams 

Gifts and Home Décor has to offer, 

go to: www.roundrockgifts.com.

Lasting Legacy

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