1 hometown living at its best
2 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Contents 6 TEXAS HOSPITALITY Brantley Creek Barbecue gives space for Odessa familes to share in backyard good times and good food. 14 LEGENDS ON THE GREEN An exclusive feature on Jake McCullough 18 MY CUP RUNNETH OVER Two friends find connection and ministry purpose through coffee. 26 ODE TO THE OILFIELD Members of the Permian Basin Poetry Society paint a descriptive picture of the West Texas oilfield. 34 SERVING CHRIST BY SERVING OTHERS House of the Sycamore Tree is on a mission to impact those with special needs. 40 FILLING PLATES, FILLING HEARTS Jesus House Odessa volunteer, Rosie “ India” Castaneda, pays it forward. 48 HOMETOWN HAPPENING Trinity Oaks Clay Shoot & Banquet 52 ENERGY EDUCATION ENGAGING THE NEXT GENERATION Writer Tara Wilson and Randy Rattlesnake are teaching kids about the oil and gas industry. On the Cover 6 14 26 34
4 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Odessa Living Magazine© is published semi-annually by Hometown Media Group, LLC. hometownmedia.group 502 N Main Street PMB 116 | Weatherford, TX 76086 817.599.6167 | PROUDLY PRINTED IN THE USA All rights reserved. Copies or reproduction of this publication in whole or in part is strictly prohibited without expressed written authorization from the publisher. Every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained herein. Advertising is subject to omission, errors, and other changes without notice. WRITERS Sabrina Forse James McAfee Rebecca Sanchez Hannah Turner Casey Perkins Executive Publisher Lindsey Kruger Marketing & Client Relations content@hometownmedia.group Susan Avery Lead Creative Design Katie Audas Sales Account Executive katie@hometownmedia.group COVER PHOTOGRAPHER Angela Gonzales Photography Amber Trent Sales Account Executive amber@hometownmedia.group T Hello Odessa! Time is a funny thing. It’s both a thief and a gift. It drags by slowly and moves faster than the blink of an eye. As another school year has ended, I am a proud mother of a soon to be 7th grader and two almost 5th graders. How they aren’t still toddlers who get excited to see a big tractor or build a giant block tower, I don’t know. I am trying to enjoy this busy season of ‘big kids’ and remember these days are numbered and make them count. On the flip side, we are building a new home and time seems to move so slowly on the construction site! Seasons of waiting tend to feel that way. Whether you are in a time of warp speed or the seconds are dragging by, one thing is constant and true, we are not promised tomorrow. I am sure of my eternity through my faith in Jesus Christ. If you are a fellow believer, I pray you use your time pointing others to Him. If you are not, please know there is a hope bigger than yourself and current circumstances. We have all sinned and fall short of the glory of God and need a savior. Admit you need a savior, believe that savior is the perfect son of God, Jesus, confess Him as the lord of your life from this day forward in your remaining time on Earth, looking forward to spending eternity in His presence. In this issue we feature many Odessa residents using their time and talents to build community connections in all seasons of life. Thank you for reading Odessa Living Magazine and supporting the small businesses within these pages. As always, we would love to hear what you would like to see featured in future issues! Email me at content@hometownmedia.group. 1 There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens: 2 a time to be born and a time to die, a time to plant and a time to uproot, 3 a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build, 4 a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance, 5 a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing, 6 a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away, 7 a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak, 8 a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace. 9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. ~ Ecclesiastes 3 Lindsey Kruger
hometown living at its best 5 500 West 4th Street • Odessa, Texas 79761 • (432) 640-4000 • mchodessa.com Your SOURCE for HEALTH
6 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group WRITTEN BY REBECCA SANCHEZ | PHOTOS BY THE MCPHERSON FAMILY TEXAS Hospitality
BRANTLEY CREEK BARBECUE GIVES SPACE FOR ODESSA FAMILIES TO SHARE IN BACKYARD GOOD TIMES AND GOOD FOOD. WWhen work in the oil fields took a downturn, Brandon McPherson took it as an opportunity to follow a new career path. With a barbecuing lineage and experience in competitive cooking, he and his wife Ashley decided to go all in and become their own employers. In 2019 they opened Brantley Creek Barbecue and invited all of Odessa over for dinner. Family and good, backyard barbecuing are key for McPherson whose fond cooking memories come from his grandfather’s influence. “Growing up, he was the barbecuing man in the family,” McPherson says. “From the time I remember, he was retired, so every day I went over there he was always barbecuing something, didn't matter what it was. He had his own little smokehouse in the back, and I just gravitated towards that. He kind of planted the seed.” A love of barbecuing did ensue, and McPherson got pretty serious about it, cooking at home for friends and family on the weekends and designing sauces and spice mixes. Next, he wanted a challenge, which led to competitions and his very popular lunch truck. A lot of trial and error helped perfect his craft, and he won. His first competition resulted in a second place for brisket. First-place brisket and 7 hometown living at its best
8 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group first-place ribs awards followed. But competition wasn’t the ultimate goal. “The competitive experience taught me not to be afraid of high heat, cooking things faster than you normally would,” McPherson says. “It got me to a comfortable state of, ‘If I need to, I can push it to that level. If I need to bring it back, I cook slower at a lower level.’ It gave me a wide range of experience.” All of that experience paid off when McPherson’s equipment manager job ended. The construction pipeline company he worked for closed. With craft barbecue skills to please the hungry and being no stranger to heavy equipment, gearing up a few halfton smokers in a restaurant of his own came next. “I wanted to do it, and I was always scared to do it on my own,” McPherson says. “I had the trailer, and when the oil field kind of took a dip, we just said, ‘Here’s our chance,’ and we jumped into it not knowing anything about restaurants or food or anything like that.” The McPhersons also welcomed another new addition at the same time. In fact, their new family venture, Brantley Creek Barbecue, earned its name from their new baby Brantley. With sauces and spices from the days of competition and family members, niece and nephew Colby and Kaylea, with them on day one of the new business, they aimed to share the personal, backyard meal experience that is craft barbecue.
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“The definition of craft barbecue is choosing your meats wisely as far as not just cooking up some select or bottom-line choice,” McPherson says. “You're choosing like a prime brisket. You're choosing ribs that have certain marbling, a certain spec, really honing in on special meat. We still cook old school in offset smokers…We trim on a certain degree. So, therefore, you know, we do lose weight… We want to trim our meats perfectly. That way they cook as perfect as they can.” Using post oak wood from central Texas, traditional salt and pepper on all meats except chicken and using seasoning blends created in the competitive days are some of McPherson’s techniques. His food truck caught the attention of the Texas Bucket List show, and one month into opening the new restaurant, Brantley Creek Barbecue earned a spot among The 25 Best New and Improved BBQ Joints in Texas by Texas Monthly. A visit from a food critic is a big deal, and Brantley Creek didn’t disappoint. “I think you can taste the care,” McPherson says. “You can taste the love that was poured into each piece of meat. It's not just throwing out there, not trimmed, not evenly seasoned. It’s everything to a precise degree.” In addition to sausage, chicken, brisket, ribs, and turkey, the rest of the menu is likely to leave one’s jaw on the counter in awe of the decisions to be made. Jalapeno cream corn, traditional potato salad, macaroni and cheese, cole slaw, and beans, all homemade recipe creations, beckon to not be left out. Then of course, there are the puddings and cobblers for dessert. The day begins at 4:30 a.m. when the smokehouse help arrives, and prep work begins. Four, 1,000-pound smokers cook enough barbecue to feed an estimated 1,000 people each day, and while that sounds like an endless bounty, Brantley Creek sells out of barbecue meats each day. Nevertheless, the crowds keep coming, and smash burgers, along with the rest of 10 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
the savory menu, continue into the evening. Customers eat while shaded under restaurant canvas umbrellas at picnic tables and are entertained with corn-hole and occasional live music on the patio. Brandon and Ashley McPherson’s goal of providing a personal experience persists. He continues to use his own recipe designs, and she enjoys customer reactions when she calls them by name or knows their usual order ahead of time. The future always holds possibilities, just like it did when the McPhersons decided to give the business a go, but they are focused on the present. With 40 employees and a good thing going, their aim is to use their restaurant to its fullest potential, and that means a great meal that comes with a classic backyard barbecue. † 11 hometown living at its best
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14 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group J ODESSA RESIDENT NAMED NTPGA GOLF PRO OF THE YEAR AND CONTINUES TO IMPACT THE GOLF SCENE IN TEXAS. Jake McCullough, the PGA director of golf at the Odessa Country Club, was recognized as the Northern Texas PGA Golf Professional of the Year during the group’s annual meeting in Frisco in February. It’s the highest honor given each year, recognizing one of its members for their substantial record of service to the association and to the game of golf. McCullough spent the last two years as the 30th president of the NTPGA and is dedicated to growing the game while fostering the next generation of golfers and other PGA golf professionals. He has elevated the game of golf through the last 16 years on the group’s board of directors, serving as one of the PGA Junior League coaches, conducting PGA Hope clinics and hosting numerous junior and NTPGA tournaments. In addition, he participated in many of the fundraising events, like Birdies for Kids, the Ewing Classic and the NTPGA Foundation’s Capital Campaign. McCullough plans to remain active and will spend another two years on the board as the honorary president. “I love this game and giving back to it,” he said. “Service is in my DNA and is a part of who I am.” At the same time, he has not forgotten his goal of serving the members of the Odessa Country Club, managing the club’s golf operations for the past 16 years and by offering very active and successful tournament and instructional programs. He has five assistants plus a director of instruction helping him. All this hard work paid off with unexpected financial results during the past two years when he participated in the Ewing Classic charity event, formerly called the Westcott Pro-am, that has raised $5,643,500 in the past 29 years for The Northern Texas PGA Foundation’s broad-based community outreach program. The charity event pairs three amateurs with a PGA Tour, PGA Tour Champions, Korn Ferry or LPGA and a NTPGA club professionals each December. After the event, there has been a closest-to-the-pin contest since 2011 for the club pros, offering a new car from Ewing Automotive. In 2022, McCullough hit his approach to 2 foot, 9 inches, winning a 2022 GMC Acadia. He noted that he and his wife, Abby decided to take the cash option and start a college fund for son Tyler, now in school at UT Permian Basin, and daughter Sydney, now at Permian High School. JAKE MCCULLOUGH LEGENDS GREEN on the BY JAMES MCAFEE PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JAKE MCCULLOUGH
The 2023 shootout was held on the campus of the new home of the NTPGA at The Ronny under the lights from 86 yards. In a random drawing, McCullough drew the last spot and had to wait for 21 other pros to hit their shots. Hitting first was Randy Smith, the Odessa native who is director of instruction and golf professional emeritus at Royal Oaks Country Club and a Texas Golf Hall of Fame member. His shot finished 10 feet, 9 inches from the hole. Twenty other pros failed to get any closer to the hole. “I was really nervous and jittery and had forgotten Randy was leading,” McCullough remembered. When his own shot was measured, it was also at 10-9, resulting in a tie. “I didn’t really want a playoff.” Fin Ewing III, owner of Ewing Automotive, decided instead to award Mercedes Benz cars to both, saying “I’d rather see these guys win a car than anyone else. They’re the local celebrities that get forgotten.” “Fin is the best, he loves the game and what we do for it,” McCullough said. After some encouraging words from Smith, he decided that he was going to pick up the new car in April rather than take the cash option.
McCullough, who grew up in Big Spring, started playing golf when he was 14 and loved competing in the West Texas junior events. He started helping pro Lanny Turrentine in the Big Spring Country Club golf shop. He was a member of the Big Spring High School team that won district titles twice. Then he went to West Texas Junior College in Snyder. He met his wife during this time and instead of continuing college decided to work for David Turrentine as an assistant pro at Colony Creek Country Club in Victoria for five years. He returned to West Texas in 2004 as head pro at the San Angelo Country Club under general manager and director of golf Jason Hase. Then in 2008, he moved to the 36-hole Odessa Country Club facility. The original Odessa course started out in 1939 with its first nine holes and added another nine in 1942. It hosted the Odessa Pro-Am, featuring club professionals and touring pros, including Hall of Famers like Byron Nelson, Cary Middlecoff, Tommy Bolt and Lee Trevino from 1949 until 1969. When the club built a new clubhouse in 2006 out where No. 3 was located, the routing of holes changed. This allowed the club to also have just one clubhouse, only five minutes away by golf cart at its other 18 holes, which was built in 1984 and known as the Mission Dorado course. It became part of Odessa Country Club in 2001. LEGENDS GREEN on the 16 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
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18 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group W WRITTEN BY SABRINA FORSE | PHOTOS BY ANGELA GONZALES PHOTOGRAPHY AND PROVIDED BY CLARISSA FUENTES AND NICOLE DOMINGUEZ My Cup Runneth Over When the alarm clock sounds each morning, it’s not simply a signal to wake up. For best friends, Clarissa Fuentes and Nicole Dominguez, it’s time to make an impact. Clarissa Fuente said her original plan was nursing school, and she went down many avenues in health and business, but it never felt right. “You can go to school to be a doctor but it’s not what you were meant to do unless God calls you do to it,” she said. “You shouldn’t wake up and dread going to work.” Nicole Dominguez knows what dreading going to work feels like. She spent several years in the corporate world but now wakes up ready to serve in the role God has called her to. “I love getting to serve others. I feel like I’m thriving if I can offer someone hope,” said Dominguez. Fuentes is a single mother of an eight year old boy and Dominguez is a mother of six and grandmother of three. The ladies met eight years ago but went from acquaintances to friends about three years ago. “I was a little lost in my faith. When I met Nicole, she helped me find my way back and invited me to church with her. She helped ignite that fire,” said Fuentes. “As a single mom, you go through different trials and it’s hard to keep hope sometimes. You have to trust that God is going to take care of you, and you have to lean on other people.” The ladies learned to lean on one another through their friendship. “I think a lot of times women don’t feel safe to be friends with other women. They fear rejection which was always one of the biggest things for me,” said Dominguez. Two friends find connection and ministry purpose through coffee.
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20 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group She and Fuentes are now part of a non-profit ministry called The Crucible Project. “Before going through the women’s weekend with the Crucible Project, I was quick to critique other women and make assumptions. I had to learn that we are all dealing with individual battles. I have to give not only others grace but to give myself grace,” said Dominguez. “Every woman has a story. We are so quick to make snap judgements. We may see pretty pictures on social media and feel like we aren’t enough. We need to sit without judgement and really hear someone’s story.” Dominguez and Fuentes are now starting new chapters in their stories, allowing Christ to be the narrator. The friends started selling coffee out of their home, at farmers’ markets , and other local events. As the demand grew, the friends knew they needed to grow as well. “We realized we wanted people to have a place to go if they wanted to do Bible study or meet other moms. We really wanted to find a way to serve and empower other women,” said Dominguez. “We wanted to do more than sell coffee. We wanted to serve others.”
As the friends prayed about their next steps they felt God was calling them to use their coffee business as a ministry. In August of 2023, the friends opened a coffee shop in Odessa called Devoted Grind. They serve not only coffee, but also breakfast and lunch. Dominguez’s favorites are the jalapeno popper bagel with a smores cold brew or the marshmallow latte with foam. Fuentes’s favorite is the cold brew and the breakfast nuggets. As customers seek their favorite menu items, the Devoted Grind staff seeks ways to lead with a servant’s heart. Dominguez said, “One of my favorite verses is John 1:5. It says, The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it. The world is such a dark place but every day we get the chance to be the light.” Every cup of coffee is served with a handwritten bible verse. “We have a list of verses that we share, and we go through that list. Then, as we write each verse on the cup, we pray that it goes to whomever it needs to go to,” said Fuentes. 21 hometown living at its best
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23 hometown living at its best The friends and business partners didn’t realize how impactful this type of ministry could be until they started seeing the results. “When we first started and were making deliveries, I would have people running out the door of the doctor’s office or car dealership. They were in tears crying and would tell me how special the verse was to them or to their life. Knowing that God is working through us is an amazing feeling,” said Fuentes. For some customers, the verses are life-changing. Service with a purpose is what these friends know they were called to do. It’s a life inspired by Romans 8:28. We know that for those who love God, all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. “There are people who go through life never knowing their purpose or calling. To be forty-three and know that I truly and wholeheartedly am doing what I am called to do is such a blessing,” said Dominguez. “I may be serving just a cup of coffee but in reality, I’m really serving others. I’m grateful to be able to do that in a fun-loving environment with my best friend.” †
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In the Permian’s vast expanse where deserts breathe, A land of ancient whispers beneath the sun’s sheath, Where the horizon stretches with a timeless grace, And shadows of the past leave a quiet trace. Beneath the endless sky, a canvas of gold, Lies the heartbeat of the earth, a story untold. Oil flows like memories in the veins of stone, Echoing the lives that the Basin has known. Rigs stand like sentinels, tall against the sky, Piercing through the layers where the dinosaurs lie. Each pump a pulse, a rhythm of the deep, Drawing forth the black gold from its ancient sleep. Sunsets here are painted with a master’s hand, Colors blend and dance across this rugged land. Red and orange flames kiss the iron towers, As night descends, bringing the stars’ soft showers. In this harsh beauty, there’s life unbound, From the drilling sites to the sagebrush ground. The hands of labor weave a story strong, Of dreams pursued and battles won all along. Every well drilled is a testament to hope, In the heat and dust, where the wild winds grope. Families gather ‘round in the evening’s glow, Sharing tales of resilience, of highs and lows. Yet, amidst the toil, hearts of gold we find, In the Basin’s people, generous and kind. Philanthropic spirits, giving more than they take, Building schools, aiding neighbors for community’s sake. Here, the spirit of the land and man entwine, In the dance of industry and nature’s line. The Permian Basin, with its rugged charm, Holds the pulse of time, steady and warm. by Krys Atwater DRILLINGHope ODE TO THE OILFIELD
PHOTOS BY ERIK ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY In the sunset, the horizon ignites, Where sun meets earth, diminishing day to night. A blaze of color, on a canvas brightly sprawled, Nature’s evening art, beauty uncalled. Amidst this splendor, steel giants rise, Oil rigs stark against twilight skies. Silhouetted towers, sturdy, bold and grand, Guardians of riches, bound deep to the land. Their dark iron limbs, with purpose they toil, Drawing wealth from deep-seated soil. Yet as the sun dips low, shadows are cast, Echoes of industry booming, shadows of past. In this twilight, a fusion takes place, Of natural wonders, of human grace. Sunset’s embrace, rigs etched against light, A fleeting moment, beholding a glorious sight. & PUMPJACKS Sunsets by Anne Lucero Korssjoen
ODE TO THE OILFIELD BOOMTOWN This boomtown has a way of making you feel small The sheer scale and geography of it all Bottom of the basin The Precambrian tells a story Revealing a much deeper secret Of power & glory Flat Plains stretched across Hundreds of miles Of caliche aisles 110 degree workdays Set by the sun Where Endless flares dot the horizon The guts of Earth Spill out shiny crude Flowing in between her cracks Staining the skin black, imbued Roughnecks & Roustabouts Descend to pull the up power Using the Massive hulk Tower Stubbornly erect With dirt scoured Between the mesquite And shin oak Amidst the golden sand dunes Reside a strong And humble folk Living through busts And keeping hope alive We continue to trust We were meant to survive God’s marked this land For oil & gas But he blessed its People with hope Everlast by Sonia Castillo
by Ashley Melland FRIENDS TO We packed up Our hopes and dreams, Our little family Moved to the desert In the middle of nowhere, West Texas No friends or family Here for us, Until we met them They make Texas feel like home: This community of Faithful, loving people All looking for the same thing Transience is the trouble: Now you have them... Now you don’t. At least not down the street anymore, But these are the friendships You know you will keep No matter how many miles Or amount of time Have separated you, You’ll gather together Again and again With your family who started as friends Family PHOTOS BY ERIK ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY
PHOTOS BY ERIK ANDERSON PHOTOGRAPHY Uncle Clarence boasted that he earned his living off long-dead dinosaurs and lush tropical plants. After he retired, he lamented how the rigs had changed since he worked them, needing far fewer men and service. Although four decades of exposure to the noise of spinning, grinding steel had left his hearing somewhat compromised, he bragged that working with “black gold” was well worth a few nagging “inconveniences.” He even went right back to work after a rig accident took half his right index finger. Soon as the swelling shrank, he adorned the stub with a big turquoise ring he proudly brandished like a badge. ROUGHNECK by Larry D. Thomas ODE TO THE OILFIELD
31 hometown living at its best OF OIL The Rhythm Up and down The pumpjack goes In the background of our town Through the highs and lows Its motion mimics the rhythm Of the industry, Rise and fall of the Dow Jones Anyone who has been In it very long Knows the time will come when the profits are gone When it’s good, it’s great! When it’s not: Faithfully, we wait While stability is sought Up and down, The pumpjack goes All the while; Until the price per barrel is green again and we can breathe We saw the lowest to be seen and came back up, relieved The rhythm of oil Is the soundtrack Of our lives Its beat played by the Hands who are bound together in labor to make the world go ‘round. by Ashley Melland
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34 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group House of the Sycamore Tree is on a mission to impact those with special needs. WRITTEN BY SABRINA FORSE | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY HOUSE OF THE SYCAMORE TREE SERVING OTHERS Serving Christ by TThe question, ‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ wasn’t one that ever-caused Autym Bruno any hesitation. “My father was a teacher for at-risk students. My mother was a special education teacher. My grandmother was a special education teacher. My aunt is a special education teacher, and my sister is a special education teacher. I guess you can say it’s our family calling,” said Bruno. Bruno is a certified special education teacher and was working for Ector County ISD before making the decision to become a stayat-home mom. Just months later, she accepted a position as Executive Director of the House of the Sycamore Tree, a non-profit organization that her parents Micah and Nathan Pettigrew started. “Parents were often asking my mother, what do we do after my son or daughter graduates? When they leave school, what will they do and where will they go? At the time, there weren’t many resources for continuing education for students with intellectual disabilities.” The Pettigrews founded House of the Sycamore Tree in Odessa in 2013. The organization provides adults ages 16 or older a place to continue practicing their life and social skills once leaving high school. “It was something that the Lord really put on my parent’s hearts, and they were called to do. Our mission statement is based on Colossians 3:23-24.” That verse encourages you to serve with your whole heart whatever your purpose may be.
35 hometown living at its best Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving. For Bruno, that purpose is serving the fourteen people who attend programs at the facility four days a week. To participate, one has to be clinically diagnosed with an intellectual disability, be sixteen years or older and be independent enough to participate in the center’s programs. They exercise at the YMCA, ride bikes, dance and go on outings such as field trips to buy groceries, get ice cream or go bowling. Twice a month, they volunteer and deliver meals for Meals on Wheels. “They have the same routes every time they go so, they know the seniors they are delivering to. They often make extra gifts for them.” Attending the programs give the participants the opportunity to exercise life and social skills many of us take for granted. “When these students leave school, they stop writing. There isn’t a real reason to do so anymore so sometimes they struggle with writing their name. We try to take the goals they may have had in high school and carry those with us. Their parents may have other goals they want them to work on.”
For Gracie Evaro, House of the Sycamore Tree has become a second family. Evaro’s 42 year old son Juan has autism. “Juan likes to have a routine so doing something on a daily basis like this helps. He enjoys activities like painting, making candles and working on computers. I’ve seen positive changes in his social ability. He is not very expressive, but he does understand, and I’ve seen increased verbal and comprehensive abilities,” explained Evaro. When she’s not working with Juan, Evaro is working with other participants as she is also a volunteer for House of the Sycamore Tree. “I bring snacks or donate my time and help the students with their projects like painting. Every single student participates in the activity in some shape or form, even those with limited abilities.” Right now, it’s the outreach that can be limiting as House of the Sycamore Tree is fully funded by donations. A clay shoot fundraiser is held each spring and the students themselves help raise funds by making crafts year-round. “The students make things like seasonal wood boards painted with a turkey or Santa and they sell those as a fundraiser,” said Bruno. As funding and volunteers increase, the goal is to build an independent living center where special needs adults can live. “I would like to have a facility where the participants live with
a supervisor, but they can live independently and do the things you would in your own house like mow the lawn, cook food and contribute to taking care of the home.” For now, House of the Sycamore Tree hopes to serve out their mission by creating a family like environment each day. Evaro said, “We had a new student come in and didn’t want to participate in anything. Less than two months later, he is participating in everything and is always smiling and making friends. It’s like a family. When I was hired, they told me, ‘Welcome to the family,’ and that is what this is. It’s a family. We want to give our participants not only independence and freedom but family and friendship.” † For more information, visit houseofthesycamoretree.org
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WRITTEN BY SABRINA FORSE | PHOTOS PROVIDED BY JESUS HOUSE ODESSA Filling Hearts Filling Plates When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.’ - Matthew 25:38:40 40 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
41 hometown living at its best R JESUS HOUSE ODESSA VOLUNTEER IS Paying it Forward. Rosie “India” Castaneda and her family were in need when the kindness of strangers answered their prayers. She said, “In 2014, my husband was laid off and was having a hard time finding another job. We had four kids and were struggling financially and doing what we could to survive. I saw a post online from a mom who didn’t have enough money to buy gifts for Christmas. I told her not to worry, that we were struggling as well but the most important thing was that we were able to spend Christmas as a family.” Donny Kyker, Executive Director of Jesus House Odessa saw the post and reached out. Just days later, Jesus House Odessa blessed the Castaneda family with food, clothing, toys and wrapping supplies. “The kids were so surprised on Christmas morning because they weren’t expecting anything,” said Castaneda. “I wanted them to know where the gifts came from so, I took them to Jesus House to meet everyone. I told them if you are ever in the position to help someone, you pay it forward.”
42 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Castaneda is now paying it forward alongside the volunteers that blessed her family that special Christmas. Castaneda and her husband started bringing their food truck to Jesus House Odessa to distribute hot meals to people in need. When her husband passed from Covid, Castaneda turned to Jesus House Odessa once again. She is now an employee and volunteer for the non-profit organization. JESUS HOUSE ODESSA USES ITS MINISTRY TO BE THE HANDS AND FEET OF JESUS. They serve lunch and breakfast four days a week and on designated days give away food boxes and produce. “On an average day, we typically serve 120 hot meals, distribute 240 bags of produce and 40 food boxes,” said Laura Kyker, Assistant Executive Director of Jesus House Odessa. In addition, Jesus House Odessa offers programs to shelter those in need and empower men and women to get back on their feet in the future. “We don’t stereotype. We see everyone as a soul who needs help no matter how they got here whether it’s self-inflicted or at the hands of someone else or circumstance. We don’t dig into that, we just try to help them, the best we can, trying to serve as Jesus would,” explained Kyker.
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As an employee, Castaneda provides janitorial and custodial services. As a volunteer, she serves wherever she is needed most. Some days she may be unloading trucks. On other days, she organizes the food pantry and makes food boxes. Still other days you’ll find her serving meals. “At first, I told my kids, it was paying it forward to volunteer but now I think it’s the other way around. When my husband passed, I became very depressed and was struggling. Pastor Donny encouraged me to get more involved. I started serving a few hours and started staying longer and longer. It helped me get to know other people and kept me from thinking about my own bad times,” said Castaneda. Castaneda’s son was just nine years old when Jesus House Odessa helped make his Christmas special. “He still has that Lego set he opened that year and he’s never forgotten so he volunteers every week between his college classes. He enjoys meeting all the people he serves,” said Castaneda. Volunteers like the Castaneda family are vital to the Jesus House Odessa mission. “The community of Odessa has been very supportive. If we didn’t have people coming in to cook meals, unload trucks, sort food, and make donations, we couldn’t do what we do,” said Kyker. While filling plates, Castaneda believes Jesus House Odessa is filling hearts. “Every day, you meet people from different situations. It makes you realize that you’re not the only one struggling. We all struggle in some way at some time or another and can help one another through those times,” said Castaneda. “If you are thinking about volunteering, you will not regret it. On your first day, you will see the love between all of us.” † For more information on volunteering or donating, visit JesusHouseOdessa.com 44 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
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47 hometown living at its best
HOMETOWN Happenings Photos by The Oilfield Photographer Members and guests of the Trinity Oaks Permian Basin Branch gathered for the non-profit’s 4th annual banquet dinner and fundraiser on Saturday April 6, at the OdessaSchlemeyer Field Airport. Bubba Saulsbury, an avid supporter of Trinity Oak, was honored with the Legacy Award. Preceding the banquet, Trinity Oaks also held their 4th Annual Clay Shoot fundraiser on April 5th at Windwalker Farms in Stanton with a lunch, raffle items, and a gun board. Trinity Oaks provides once-in-a-lifetime hunting, fishing, and outdoor experiences to combat veterans, families suffering from terminal illnesses, special needs children, and underprivileged youth. Over time, they have impacted tens of thousands of people across Texas through their programs including Youth Outdoor Activities, Heroes Celebrations (veterans and first responders), and Dream Trips for people impacted with a terminal illness hoping to fulfill their last outdoor-based wish. Trinity Oaks is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 2007 on the premise that active participation in the outdoors is a powerful, healing, and fundamentally lifechanging experience. Trinity Oaks is a network of volunteers that exclusively use hunting, fishing, and outdoor experiences to fundamentally change, heal, and make a difference in the lives of others. For more information, visit www.trinityoaks.org Trinity Oaks BANQUET & CLAY SHOOT
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50 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group Our Local Branch Has Texas Roots If you’re looking for a new bank in Odessa, choose a bank that calls Odessa home. First Financial has been putting customers FIRST in Texas since 1890. And we’ll do the same for you, with friendly advice and a full range of personal, business and wealth management services. Speak with one of our local bankers today! YOU FIRST YOUR FUTURE FIRST FFTAM.com 3555 Billy Hext Rd.,Odessa, TX 79765 Investment and Insurance Products Are Not a Deposit, Not FDIC Insured, Not Insured by Any Government Agency, Not Guaranteed by The Bank, May Lose Value.
51 hometown living at its best
52 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
53 hometown living at its best
54 odessa living magazine | hometownmedia.group
55 hometown living at its best “Set against the backdrop of a west Texas town, the story introduces young readers to the world of energy exploration. This book also introduces readers to various careers in the oil field, shedding light on the diverse roles and responsibilities within the industry.” Book two in the series, Randy Rattlesnake, Rigging Up came out in April of 2024 and walks students through the next steps in the drilling process. Wilson’s goal is to continue the series with the help of children’s book illustrator, Nina Mkhoiani, and their publishing company to give children a start to finish look at the oil industry from land procurement to refinement. Wilson continues to actively teach the next generation of teachers and literacy specialists at UTPB as an associate professor of literacy. As for what she sees for her future beyond finishing the Randy Rattlesnake series, “I think it would be neat if when I retire, I could just write children’s books. That would be great,” Wilson said. While she is not writing or teaching, Wilson enjoys volunteering in the community with Reflections Ministry, Special Olympics, and Friends of the Library and Literacy Bookstore, a used bookstore that donates their profits back into the community through scholarships and grants, for which she serves on the board. Wilson wants to encourage parents, whether it is her book or one of many wonderful others, “Make sure you’re reading to your kids. Literacy is so important. It makes such a difference in their academics, so it’s important to take even 10 minutes a day to read to them.” †
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