Tapatio Ladies Club

The Tapatio Ladies Club gathered on Wednesday, April 16th, in the Cibolo Ballroom at The Resort at Tapatio Springs for a spring fashion show presented by Joli Boutique located downtown Boerne. Ashley Ermes and Pam Burrows of Joli Boutique selected spring outfits for the models from the Tapatio Ladies Club. The name "Joli," meaning "pretty" in French, reflects the clothing offered at Joli Boutique. Joli Boutique's philosophy is that every woman should feel uniquely beautiful.

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shopjoliboutique.com

The March meeting of the Tapatio Ladies Club was held Wednesday March 19th in the Cibolo Ballroom at The Resort at Tapatio Springs. Dr. Robert Young, owner and founder of Bending Branch Winery in Comfort was our speaker. He gave a fascinating presentation on his life journey as a medical doctor and how he got into making wine in the Hill Country. The theme of his presentation was Carpe Vitam, which is Latin for “Seize Life”.  Dr. Bob admired the wine regions of Europe, South America, and the U.S. As a physician, he found winemaking's art and science fascinating and was interested in research on red wine’s health benefits. He lived an engaging life and seized opportunities fully. We appreciate Dr. Bob Young for sharing his knowledge and wisdom with us.​

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bendingbranchwinery.com

The February meeting of the Tapatio Ladies Club took place on Wednesday, February 19, 2025, in the Cibolo Ballroom at The Resort at Tapatio Springs. Our guests for the day were Lacey Jessamine, Director of Community Engagement, and Kaitlin Contreras, Donor Relations and Community Partnership Manager with the Kendall County Rescue and Rehabilitation Service. Lacey trains rescue volunteers and local Animal Control Services officers on how to assist wildlife that may be trapped, injured, or sick. She shared a wealth of useful information about wildlife in our community and mentioned that they are always in need of volunteers. The program was well-received by everyone in attendance. Additionally, the Ladies Club presented a check for $300 to the Kendall County Rescue and Rehabilitation Service, which they were extremely grateful to receive.

wildlife-rescue.org

The Tapatio Ladies Club held its first meeting of the New Year on Wednesday, January 15, 2025, and welcomed our speaker, Ann Barham.

Ann Barham is a financial advisor and business leader based in Texas Hill Country. She is passionate about educating, empowering, and encouraging women to unlock financial opportunities through tailored strategies that help them achieve their financial goals and create the lives they desire and the legacies they want to leave behind. Her vision includes fostering financial transformation in families by promoting generational wealth. Ann is a mother of four grown children, has a beautiful daughter-in-law, and is a grandmother to two precious grandchildren.

TOPIC: "From Vision to Victory: Building Your Financial Future”

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Ann B Barham, Financial Advisor | Edward Jones

The Tapatio Ladies Club met on Wednesday, October 9th in the Cibolo Room. Our featured speakers were Dr. Karolina Garcia and Dr. Brooke Baker from Complete Balance Women's PT Clinic in Boerne. Complete Balance specializes in pelvic health, women's wellness, and pediatrics. Dr. Karolina started Complete Balance to provide women in the hill country with much-needed holistic pelvic health options. It was a lively discussion about many women's health issues, and the audience had many questions answered.

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Complete Balance Women's PT Clinic

The first meeting of the Tapatio Ladies Club for the 2024-2025 year was held on Wednesday, September 18th, in The Bluffs conference room at The Resort at Tapatio Springs. The guest speaker was Jenny Forks, the owner of J. Forks Boutique in downtown Boerne. Jenny has written a book called "Feet First: Braving It with Faith Alone." Finding herself in a horrific situation, Jenny fought back and broke free through strength that could only come from God. She now uses her story and natural gifts of vigilance, bravery, self-reliance, and discernment to encourage others.

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J Forks Designs

The Tapatio Ladies Club held their last meeting of the year on Wednesday, May 15th. The Founder of Gilded Palm Cosmetic Medicine and Spa, Dr. Jessie Sandlin, was our guest speaker. She discussed the aging process and what we can do to fight it! She spoke about ways to look younger and rejuvenated without looking fake and puffy, which The Gilded Palm is passionate about. Her talk was very informative to all the ladies in attendance. We learned a lot about building collagen in our skin. Her office manager, Melissa, and her esthetician, Carolyn, came with her to answer questions and pass out freebies and a door prize for a facial.

Gilded Palm Cosmetic Medicine & Spa

Meghan Scott with Grounded Soul LLC was our featured speaker for the April meeting of the Tapatio Ladies Club. All of the ladies in attendance learned about container gardening. Meghan had great tips, from the type of soil and type of containers to use to organic pesticides and fertilizer to make your garden grow. She generously gave away her examples of her herb gardens. There were some happy winners! It was a great program to welcome in Spring. Meghan beautifully reminded our group that her goal is to grow as an Urban Gardener, to bring
the experience of fresh and seasonal ingredients right outside the door of homes, restaurants, and businesses. She aims to create unique gardening experiences that improve aesthetics while offering multiple benefits related to health, well-being, and economic sustainability.

Following the luncheon, Meghan wrote this blurb on her Facebook page: What a fantastic day speaking with the Tapatio Women's Club about planting tomatoes and all things gardening! It was such a great experience to share conversation and ideas with so many incredible, intelligent, caring, and welcoming women.

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Grounded Soul LLC

Assistant Chief / Fire Marshal, Robert Lee, and Kim Blohm, President & CEO of the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce, presented the preparations that Boerne is making for the upcoming total solar eclipse. The event is rare, happening once every 375 years, and is expected to attract an international crowd. Everyone looking at the eclipse must wear quality solar eclipse glasses to protect their eyes. Due to the expected crowds, local resources such as internet bandwidth, emergency services, grocery stores, gas stations, and so on may be stressed. Traffic delays and standstills are also expected, so it is essential to prepare for these inconveniences. As many as 50,000 people could be in Boerne during this event, and as a result, schools and some businesses will be closed. However, Main Street will still be open. First responders are asking for information on where large gatherings will occur, as this will help them anticipate any unexpected accidents. Traffic is expected to start building up on Thursday and Friday before the eclipse and continue through Tuesday, the day after the eclipse. It is recommended that people get groceries, medications, gasoline, and other necessities before the event. The best course of action is to stay put, have your supplies ready, and enjoy this amazing experience from the safety of your own home.

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Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce

Fire Marshal | Boerne, TX - Official Website

The Tapatio Ladies Club hosted a presentation by Pam Vredevelt, a professional counselor, conference speaker, and author. As the meeting took place on Valentines Day, Pam spoke about the importance of embracing love, regardless of the circumstances. She highlighted many situations where love triumphs, even during sad or tragic times. The ladies in attendance enjoyed Pam's beautiful topic. Additionally, the club members provided beautiful table decorations, creating a pleasant atmosphere filled with love.

http://www.pamvredevelt.com/

Caleb Clark was our featured speaker at our luncheon meeting held in January. Caleb is a financial advisor with Edward Jones, and he presented an interactive program titled “Your Prosperity Picture.” Each participant was given a workbook during the program to create their vision board. The main aim of the vision board was to help us identify and clarify our life and financial goals and to motivate us to take action. The attendees enjoyed the interactive activity of creating their vision boards; many shared their boards with the audience.

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https://www.edwardjones.com/us-en/financial-advisor/caleb-clark

Dr. Ron Martinelli was the guest speaker at the November meeting of the Tapatio Ladies Club. Ron is a well-known forensic criminologist, law enforcement expert, and a Certified Medical Investigator. During his speech, he shared insights into several of his high-profile cases, including Jeffrey Epstein and the Uvalde school shooting. He is an expert in his field, a captivating speaker, and a best-selling author. Ron has written three best-selling books based on the fictional character Wade Justus. The tagline for his books is "Get ready for a wild ride with the fearless Texas Ranger, Wade Justus." He also has a new book coming out soon.

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All the ladies present enjoyed Ron's speech and were impressed by his knowledge and expertise. After the meeting, he was available to sign his books, which the ladies gladly welcomed.

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Dr. Ron Matrinelli Website

Wade Justus Website

The Tapatio Ladies Club Holiday Market was held on Wednesday October 18, 2023.  The market is aimed at meeting every creative whim for gift giving with fashion forward clothing, handmade cowhide purses, artisan jewelry, clever travel planning, unique plants, jams, canned goods, one of a kind Holiday themed gifts, Hill Country home decor, and more!  

It was a fun event and it looked like folks did a lot of shopping at this Holiday Market.  Thanks to Linda Bannister who was in charge of getting all the vendors.  She did an outstanding job of making this event so successful.  Thank you to all of the vendors for their wonderful goods, and thank you to all of the folks who came out to support these amazing women businesses.

Our speaker for the September luncheon was Thomas Bourgeois.  Thomas has been an amputee since he was 10 months old.  He told his inspiring story of how he overcame his disability and participated in the Paralympic Games after reading an article in a sports magazine. In 1992 he won the Bronze Medal in Barcelona, Spain for the Men’s Pentathlon which includes the shot put, long jump, discus, 100-meter dash and the 400-meter relay.  At the 1996 Summer Paralympics in Atlanta, GA he won a silver medal in the men’s Pentathlon and a bronze medal in the men’s 4X100 meter relay. At the 2000 Summer Paralympics in Sydney, Australia, he won a silver medal in the men’s Pentathlon.  

Cast members of the Way Way Off Broadway Group performed the play entitled, “The Sort of/Kinda True Story of Jane Long, Mother of Texas.” Born in Maryland, Jane moved to Mississippi Territory where her older sister lived. In 1815, she met a physician, James Long. They married and had two daughters, Ann, and Rebecca. Then Jane set out to follow her husband to Texas. She fell ill on the way and stopped in Louisiana where she left her daughters in safety so she could join her husband in Nacogdoches, Texas. Unfortunately, her daughter Rebecca died. In 1820, the family moved to Bolivar Point near Galveston, Texas. They established an outpost to help free Texas from Spanish rule. James left for Mexico. Jane, expecting another child, stayed behind, and vowed to remain there until James returned. James was captured and killed in Mexico City, but Jane never learned of his death. She stayed even as others left, and supplies ran out. Jane, her servant girl, Kian, and her six-year-old daughter, Anne survived on dwindling supplies from the bay. Jane’s ingenuity kept the fort safe by giving the illusion of it still being occupied by soldiers protecting them from Indians in the area. On a freezing December night, alone with only her daughter and the servant girl, Jane gave birth to her daughter, Mary James Long. After being rescued, Jane settled in Fort Bend County. She was offered a land grant by Stephen F. Austin as a part of Austin’s colony. In 1832 she purchased an inn in Brazoria. With the help of Ann and Kian, she turned the inn into a place where prominent leaders of the Texas Revolution met to discuss politics. Later Jane opened another inn and developed her land grant into a prosperous plantation. Well-known men, such as Mirabeau B. Lamar and Stephen Austin, became suitors; she rejected all offers of matrimony and died a widow of James Long in1880. Jane is believed to be the first English speaking woman to give birth in Texas. Her devotion to the state earned her the title “Mother of Texas.”

Tom Railsback, an attorney from Lovorn Law Firm, PLLC. helps clients address Family Law situations. His April presentation was entitled, “Planning with the End in Mind,” which focused on how to create and formalize a personal estate plan using an estate planning checklist.

He candidly spoke about what can happen if one dies without a will. For example, separate property and community property are handled differently in various states of the country. Therefore, it is vital to know exactly what you own. Everything a person owns (no matter how humble) is considered his/her estate. Taking stock of what you own is a critical step in understanding how best to protect it. There are several documents to consider when creating a plan for your estate. These documents are a will, a medical power of attorney, a financial power of attorney, and (if applicable) a trust document. Keep these papers updated as your situation changes, or as laws change. For example, keep your beneficiary designations up to date so that your assets will be distributed according to your wishes. Unanswered questions about how to settle your affairs can be tough; however, leaving the decisions for those we love would be even more difficult. That is why answering questions now and formalizing the answers in an estate plan is an important step that should not wait.

To further prove his point, Tom gave participants a free copy of Curse of Inheritance: How to Protect Your Family from Being Broke, Bitter and Blaming by Cindy Arledge.  

An Empty Vase, located in historic Boerne, Texas is a family owned and operated company with one location serving the Downtown Business District of Boerne, Leon Springs, Dominon, USAA, Crownridge, and surrounding area.

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Our very talented presenter, Kathy Neale, from An Empty Vase offered some helpful hints on how to create a lovely floral arrangement. For example, it is good to always trim flowers at an angle and place them promptly into the water as often a scab will form on the fresh cut stem when exposed to air. Trim and remove some of the excess green foliage so that none of it falls below the water level in your vase. If green foliage falls into the water, it can cause bacteria growth which will cause fresh plant life to die more quickly. Don’t forget to use the little packets of plant food diluted properly with water because the sugary solution helps plants live longer.  A clear tape grid or a flexible wire can be used to help create a firm hold to the structure to your floral arrangement. Be creative in layering your arrangement. Establish a base with greenery; add flowers as focal points and then fill in with your remaining items.  It’s always nice to include local and seasonal plants. Have fun being creative with your floral arrangements. 

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Contact the professional staff at An Empty Vase for other helpful hints or ideas. Address is: 121 Lohmann St Boerne, TX 78006

Phone: 830-443-4134

Or you can email them at info@anemptyvaseflowers.com

Visit their website

President and CEO of the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce

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Kimberly Blohm is President and CEO of the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce. Kim is famous for implementing cutting-edge strategies and powerful campaigns that reach large audiences. She is an energetic hands-on leader with experience in the businesses of retail, banking, and real estate. Kim lives in Kendall County with her husband Justin, her three children, three dogs and two cats. Kim Blohm enlightened our group about the various benefits of being a member of the Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce. She also promoted the various scheduled events to occur in the area. Events such as, Boerne After 5 Mixers & Morning Mingles, Lemonade Day, Chamber Golf Classic, Ribbon Cuttings, and more were discussed and promoted. If companies and/or individuals are relocating to Boerne, the Chamber of Commerce offers information on the area’s economics, education, government, history of Boerne, local links and climate/weather. Information about the Boerne Chamber Scholarships is available online as well as a Senior Service Resource Guide. 

The Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce, currently represents approximately 800 members representing over 17,500 employees, was established in 1928 to promote and improve economic vitality through advocacy, education and connections of its members and community. It is a wonderful resource for many businesses, organizations, and individuals in the greater Boerne area. 

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Greater Boerne Chamber of Commerce Website​

Author

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Born and raised in California, Kady Hinojosa always loved creative writing. However, she took a logic track in college and studied Computer Science. She met her husband, Jose (an Army Aviator), in Washington DC while on active duty in the Navy. After many years of travel, they now live in the Texas Hill Country near kids and grandkids.

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The bulk of her career was spent working as a Business Analyst/Quality Assurance expert for financial, and other, websites. After retiring, she returned to her love of writing and wove her IT experience into her first thriller series - #HuntedLives, #JusticePrevails, and #DanceFever. All three books are available on Amazon.com in digital and paperback formats. 

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Kady enjoys exploring topics that concern her and writing about them in a way that captures the readers' attention in an entertaining manner. To learn more about her, visit her online at www.kadyhinojosa.com. 

Boerne Visitor's Bureau

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Val Anderson of the Boerne Visitor’s Bureau gave us information on the historical

aspects of our wonderful Boerne. She told about how Boerne was settled, and she pointed out many of the historical landmarks still here to see.  Ms. Anderson displayed an array of reading material and even passed around some natural artifacts for us to view.  So now as we shop and eat in Boerne, we can feel a “taste of old.” 

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Boerne Visitor's Bureau Website

Owner, Traditions at the Depot

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October's featured speaker was the owner of Traditions at the Depot, Heather Thomas, who's a fashion expert, a model herself, and she's also a lot of fun. Traditions at the Depot is located at 518 S. Main Street in Boerne, which is an upscale boutique in downtown Boerne. It has been in operation since 1996 and is conveniently located on the Southwest corner of Main Street and River Road. They are a kitty-friendly store. The store mascot, Socks, is a brown tabby cat with 4 white feet and can be seen most days lounging behind the cash register. Their friendly human staff helped today’s models (all who were TLC members) don the latest fashions, jewelry, accessories, and shoes. The fashion show was a real success and luncheon members, and guests could shop after the luncheon meeting from the selection of items brought in from Heather’s store. 

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Shop online at Traditions at the Depot here.

Damsel in Defense

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Since her college years, Linda has always had a passion about the safety of others and as a Class Officer she designed the first safety program on her college campus that involved finding and organizing volunteers that would escort female students from campus buildings across campus to their respective dorms at night. It was only natural that in March 2020 she embarked on her latest adventure in the field of self awareness and safety selling Damsel in Defense supplies.  

At our September club luncheon, Linda demonstrated many of the safety products as well as worked to heighten the importance of spatial awareness as part of safety. Her motto is "self defense is the best defense."

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Visit her website here.

Vice President of Development for the Cibolo Center for Conservation

Leigh Owen, Vice President of Development for the Cibolo Center for Conservation, was our May featured speaker. Leigh presented a plethora of information indicating that the Cibolo Center for Conservation is considered a premiere example of what a community can do when folks come together. In 1988, Carolyn Chipman Evans, her husband, Brent Evans, and a handful of friends envisioned a place to connect their community with nature. Beginning with a segment of the Cibolo Creek and its neighboring land and wildlife, this group worked to ensure the creek’s preservation. With the City of Boerne’s support, Carolyn Evans brought a rebirth to the land and a revival of public concern for conservation of the area’s natural resources. The Cibolo community continued to grow with the purchase of the Herff Farm in 2007, Today the farm serves as a hub that expands access to nature and nature education for children and the larger community. The Herff Farm is home to the Nest Nature School and offers space for special events and exhibits, nature trails, sustainable living education programs, community gardens, and the weekly Farmer’s Market. What was once a small grassroots organization, today is a reputable conservation leader serving more than 100,000 children, adults, and families per year.

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Visit their website here.

Library Director, Patrick Heath Library of Boerne

Kelly Skovbjerg was our featured speaker at the March 16th luncheon meeting of the Tapatio Ladies Club. Kelly talked about the many services that the library offers. She gave a power point presentation with lots of information about the library and how to access the many programs available to children all the way to senior citizens. There are many programs offered online as well as in person.  Kelly also talked about the amphitheater and the upcoming events scheduled there.

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Visit their website here.

Business Coach & Consultant & Fractional COO | Speaker, Author, & Educator.

John spent 21 years in the US Air Force and retired as a Master Sergeant in 2008.

For the last 32 years, John has worked with individuals and organizations as a personal and professional business coach and consultant. He’s a three-time published author, with two new books coming out this year and has a PhD in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. As a “Success Incubator,” John’s vision is to leave nothing in his wake but success. His presentation to us was entitled, “Top Three Things That Lead to Success.” John’s goal for each member of our Tapatio Ladies Club audience was to leave with a deeper understanding true self value.  

Objective accomplished! 

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Visit his website here.

Larry Woods is the current Director of the Boerne Convention & Visitors Bureau and a 54-year veteran of the tourism and hospitality industry. 

For much of his career, Larry was sought after as a specialist in Bankrupt Chapter 11 hotels and resorts in difficult markets and distressed business climates. Larry has held key management positions with La Mansion, Hershey, Sheraton, Marriott, and Radisson hotels, as well as, providing leadership roles with major hotel management and development companies in the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica. 

Larry is currently serving his 2nd term on the TACVB Board of Directors and is chair elect for 2023; he is a former board member of the Texas Travel Alliance where he served two terms.  In 2021, Larry received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Texas Travel Alliance for his over 50 years of service in the tourism and hospitality industry. 

For the past 14 years, Larry has served as Director of the Boerne Convention and Visitors Bureau.  Larry states, “I am having the time of my life.  We have had great challenges over the last 14 years, but the Boerne CVB has made great strides in the promotion, marketing, and branding of Boerne, Texas as the ultimate hill country destination.”  Larry credits his great CVB team and the support from the city of Boerne staff for our success.

Tori Bellos is the current Marketing Specialist for the Boerne Convention and Visitors Bureau.

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Ms. Bellows graduated from Texas State University and joined the City of Boerne Parks and Recreation Department in 2007, where she planned events and programs for the Boerne community.  In 2015, she joined the team at the City of Boerne Convention and Visitors Bureau and handles all the marketing, advertising, social media, and graphic design for the department.    An excellent example of her abilities is the official Boerne Visitor Guide which she designs and creates in house twice per year.   

Tori is currently serving a 3 year term on the Texas Hill Country Trail board of directors.  She is a 2002 graduate of Boerne High School and has lived in the Boerne area for more than 30 years and is married with 2 daughters ages 7 and 11.

Sharon Wolff, "#1 Genealogy Detective", has presented programs on Genealogy all over the state of Texas and at The Texas State Genealogical Society annual conference.  Sharon Wolff is a seventh generation Texan and a sixth generation San Antonian. Sharon was named Outstanding Volunteer Genealogist of the State of Texas by the Daughters of American Revolution (DAR) and Registrar of the year for the State of Texas for The United Daughters of the Confederacy.  Sharon is a member of the Genealogical Society of Kendall County since 1998 and served as Vice-President twice as well as Board member director. 

Theresa Frederick, Personal Stylist at Cabi, is a native Texas who grew up in Houston. Theresa graduated from Texas A & M University in 1982 with a degree in geology.  She now resides in East Texas with her husband and laborador retriever.  She has two grown daughters.  Theresa has always been interested in clothes.  In high school she sewed her own clothes!  She has been a Cabi stylist for almost 13 years and enjoys meeting and helping women with their wardrobe needs.  Her hobbies are traveling and reading. 

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Visit her website here.

Paulette Jiles is a renowned author. She has written many books, such as

Enemy Women , The Color of Lightening, Simon the Fidler, and News of the World. Her book, News of the World, has been made into a movie starring Tom Hanks as Captain. 

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Visit her website here.