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2024 International Gold Winner, MarCom Awards

“Loving Long Ears Donkey Therapy & Sanctuary” feature article for Southlake, Texas, City Lifestyle magazine.

2024 Honorable Mention winner, MarCom International Awards

“Go for your dreams!” feature article for Southlake City Lifestyle magazine.

Platinum winner 2024 – Content Marketing/Blog Writing category

“Reigniting the flame: a medical student’s journey with lifestyle medicine”

https://lifestylemedicine.org/articles/reigniting-the-flame-in-residency/

For the American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Gold winner 2024 - Content Marketing/Blog Writing category

“Transforming Hospital Food From Bad to Healthy and Delicious”

https://lifestylemedicine.org/articles/transforming-hospital-food/

For the American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Gold winner 2024 – Content Marketing/Website Story category

“Hands-on service: building healthier communities by improving housing quality and safety”

https://www.unthsc.edu/school-of-public-health/hands-on-service-building-healthier-communities-by-improving-housing-quality-and-safety/

For The University of North Texas Health Science Center at Fort Worth -  School of Public Health

Honorable Mention winner 2024 - Content Marketing/Blog Writing category

“Addressing the physician shortage through lifestyle medicine”

https://lifestylemedicine.org/articles/primary-care-shortage/

For the American College of Lifestyle Medicine

2024 International Platinum Award winner, Hermes Creative Awards competition, Blog Writing category, for “Journey of Survival” article for Tarrant Regional Water District, Texas.

2024 International Gold Award winner, Hermes Creative Awards competition, Blog Writing, for “Water is Life” article for Tarrant Regional Water District.

These awards are international competitions honoring excellence in web creativity and digital communication. The competitions spotlight the role of creatives in the dynamic, constantly evolving web. Winning one of these awards signifies to employers, clients, prospects and competitors that the winner’s web and digital work is among the best in the industry.

Entries come from corporate communication departments, public relations firms, digital shops, advertising agencies and freelancers.

Crocker is a longtime writer, editor and brand communications storyteller, with a background in marketing communications for all types of organizations, including healthcare, higher education, nonprofits, the finance and retail sectors and more.

Crocker is a principal in the firm Crocker2 LLC Content Creation+Writing+Graphics

The U.S. Surgeon General’s recent advisory on the link between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk is an opportunity to engage with patients on the avoidance of risky substances pillar of lifestyle medicine. 

Shelly Hattan remembers the days when people looked for job listings in the newspaper. This was how she found her first job with Tarrant Regional Water District. It was the early 1990s and she had completed her civil engineering degree at the University of Texas at Arlington.

She interviewed with David Marshall, Director of Engineering at the time, and the position he offered sounded really interesting. Shelly started with TRWD in December 1994. She stayed with the district for about two years, and then moved on to work for the City of Fort Worth, the City of Arlington, and went out on her own for 10 years.

Shelly moved back to TRWD in 2009, just as the district started interviewing for positions related to a huge new undertaking called the Integrated Pipeline Project (IPL), a joint water supply project between TRWD and Dallas Water Utilities. When completed, this multi-year, $2.3 billion project will connect to existing water supplies in East Texas and add capacity to the water district’s system. Instead of two pipelines, Dallas Water Utilities and TRWD will use one joint pipeline.

The miracle of animals healing people and people healing animals.

By Sally Crocker for Southlake City Lifestyle magazine, Southlake, Texas, August 2024 issue

Jules Peterson has been around animals all her life. She started riding horses at age five. During the summers at her grandparents’ home in the North Dakota Hills, she rode western saddle and always loved being on ranches and around farm animals.

Jules grew up in Minneapolis, where she became involved in English riding, or dressage. She quickly grew into hunter/jumper equestrian riding, also known as the highly competitive sport of show jumping.

An accident that seriously injured her neck and spinal cord took Jules out of the sport. She ended up on a walker and then a cane, suffering excruciating pain. But her medical treatment was only part of what helped Jules recover. She continued to love being around horses, and also children, so she volunteered for equine therapy in Arizona. Eventually, she started riding again, sitting up straight in the saddle as a rider must do, which helped to alleviate her pain. Amazingly, what ended up bringing Jules back was the very thing she loved – and it showed her the power of healing through equine therapy.

Today, Jules is founder and director of Loving Long Ears Donkey Therapy & Sanctuary, Inc. in Southlake, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization supported 100% through donations.

Loving Long Ears rescues donkeys that are unwanted, neglected, abused, need rehoming or are heading for slaughter. The organization rehabilitates them for donkey assisted therapies and activities that inspire, renew and heal the human spirit for children, adults, veterans, first responders and mental health conditions.

By Sally Crocker for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine

Practicing tai chi in the park. Preparing healthy plant-predominant meals to enjoy with friends and family. Taking time for mindfulness. Those are just some of the ways older adults are applying the six pillars of lifestyle medicine to remain mentally and physically engaged as the years tick by.  

The effect of healthy behaviors on both body and mind is powerful. As an example, lifestyle medicine pioneer Dean Ornish, MD, FACLM, recently published results from the first randomized, controlled trial to demonstrate that an intensive lifestyle intervention, without drugs, significantly improved cognition and function in many patients with early dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. 

By treating the whole person—considering a patient’s genetics, lifestyle and social environment–clinicians have an opportunity to support healthy cognitive aging and reduce the future public health burden of dementia. Furthermore, by understanding and addressing specific risk and resilience factors in women, who have twice the risk of Alzheimer’s disease than men, clinicians are better able to personalize treatment approaches to well-being and healthspan, concluded ACLM member Nancy B. Isenberg, MD, MPH, FAAN, DipABLM, and colleague Jessica Z.K. Caldwell, PhD, in a 2023 review on “The aging brain: risk factors and interventions for long term brain health in women.” 

“Aging is inevitable,” Dr. Isenberg said. “But how we age is not.” 

April 28, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

HERMES CREATIVE AWARDS ANNOUNCES SALLY CROCKER AS PLATINUM AND GOLD WINNER IN TWO BLOG WRITING CATEGORIES

DALLAS, TX – Hermes Creative Awards, an international awards competition for creative professionals involved in the concept, writing and design of traditional and emerging media, has announced that Sally Crocker of Flower Mound, Texas, has won both a Platinum and a Gold award for her blog writing on behalf of client Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD).

Crocker won a Platinum award for her article “Journey of Survival” (https://www.trwd.com/trwd-employees-journey-of-survival-is-an-inspiration-in-never-giving-up/) about one employee’s longtime health struggles and his strength, positivity and will to never give up.

Crocker won a Gold award for her article “Water is Life” (https://www.trwd.com/water-is-life-trwd-employees-show-their-support-to-underdeveloped-countries-in-need/) about TRWD employees showing their support to underdeveloped countries in need. The blog talks about ways that the employees and their fellow volunteers are helping to improve quality of life in countries around the globe by helping to develop rural villages’ water systems and addressing other safe water needs in countries like Bolivia.

Crocker is a longtime writer, editor and brand communications storyteller, with a background in marketing communications for all types of organizations, including healthcare, higher education, nonprofits, the finance and retail sectors and more. She is also editor/writer for Southlake City Lifestyle, a magazine covering Southlake, Westlake and surrounding areas of North Texas.

By Sally Crocker, freelance writer for the Tarrant Regional Water District, North Texas

Blog article published April 9, 2024, to TRWD online news page (trwd.com)

“In his spare time, Chris Akers enjoys clowning around.

During working hours, Chris serves as patrol sergeant for the Tarrant Regional Water District’s law enforcement division, but as a volunteer for Shrine International – benefitting the Shriners Hospitals for Children national network that provides medical services to children in need, regardless of ability to pay – Chris is known as Kranky the Clown.

His wife and daughters are involved as well, dressing for parades, entertaining children and their families, and spreading the word about the great work of Shriners International. His youngest daughter’s clown name is Flower, his other daughter is Pom Pom the cheerleader clown, and his wife is Koko. It’s fun for a great cause, and it’s a true family affair for mom, dad and the Akers girls …”

By Sally Crocker, freelance writer for the Tarrant Regional Water District, North Texas

Blog article published March 20, 2024, to TRWD online news page (trwd.com)

“At age 76, TRWD employee Banty Blair still believes that a full day’s work does a body good.

When his shift is over at the water district, Banty heads home to his 51-acre ranch near Azle to have dinner, feed the cows and manage other chores that sometimes take him up until 10 p.m. Four mornings a week, he’s back at TRWD before 7 a.m., ready to start the day. Banty works a schedule of 10-hour days each Tuesday through Friday.

Banty celebrates his 50-year anniversary with TRWD in March 2024. He retired once – taking time to travel the country with his wife, remodeling his house and spending time with his son in Florida – before deciding to return to the place where he had enjoyed working for so long …”

By Sally Crocker for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM)

Burnout is driving more physicians to leave the profession and contributes to a growing shortage of primary care physicians. Lifestyle medicine can help.

A lot has been reported about the stresses that physicians and other health professionals have faced in recent years. What the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) calls a mental health crisis of burnout, work dissatisfaction, and demanding and sometimes dangerous job duties, is leading more healthcare workers to leave the profession. 

In the last decade, the rates of burnout and dissatisfaction have doubled. The U.S. is running low on primary care physicians, according to the American Medical Association, with an estimated shortage of between 17,800 and 48,000 predicted by 2034.  

One report by the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC) says that more than 83 million people in the US live in a designated primary-care health professional shortage area (HPSA), and more than 14,800 practitioners are needed to remove the HPSA designation. The shortage of physicians can have negative consequences for patients and communities, such as delays in access to care, poorer health outcomes, higher costs, and lower satisfaction. 

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the healthcare industry has faced more stressors, further driving this shortage of primary care physicians. But the problem didn’t start with COVID, said Amber Orman, MD, DipABLM, who has served as Florida’s AdventHealth Medical Group chief wellness officer since 2021. 

“Burnout has been a longstanding issue in healthcare,” Dr. Orman said. “Decreased productivity and increased physician turnover cost the industry around $5 billion a year.” 

Simon Shellis was born into the roofing business. His father and uncle started a London roofing company in 1968 that’s still active today.

As a young man, Simon worked in the family’s business. Everything changed in 1990, when he visited the U.S. with friends and met his future wife, Carla. He returned home, packed everything up and moved to Texas, and the two were married five months later.

Simon opened SPS Roofing in Denton in 1991. Daughter Jade now works in the business with her parents. Over the years, SPS has remained a family-owned business with many of the same crew members since the beginning. The company recently relocated to Roanoke and also maintains an Austin office. In every job and relationship, SPS puts customers and their best interests first.

SPS works about 50/50 with residential and commercial clients. The commercial business is nationwide, and the residential side covers Texas. SPS provides both commercial roofing and inspections before a building is purchased. Many residential jobs are hail damage related.

The company’s main goal is to solve a problem for the client. A huge pain point for Texas homeowners, Carla says, is being able to keep their home warm enough in the winter and cool enough in the extreme summers.

“We installed a new roof on our own home last year, and we’ve found that both heat and cold dissipate away from the house, keeping our interior temperature where we set it,” she says. 

This has been accomplished with new, metal roof tiles from a manufacturing partner in Poland.

The certifications and accolades SPS has been awarded are a strong testament to the trust customers can place in the company. SPS is Haag Engineering Certified to assess hail damage and determine if a roof needs repair or replacement. This certification is one of the most respected industry designations.

SPS also works with a proven group of subcontractors, so everything can be handled under one umbrella.

“Storms can also damage windows, downspouts, stucco and air conditioning units. We comprehensively manage claims to cover all the bases,” Simon notes.

Inspections are free, and SPS’ main focus is in securing the home and business owner. With no state licensing requirements, the risk for scams is high in Texas, and sales representatives often go door-to-door after storms. Some request payment up front, some never complete the job or can’t be reached later, and customers can get conned.

Placing your trust in SPS Roofing assures you’ll receive a certified, time-proven, trusted assessment and follow-up.

Lucie Hasek started painting with a friend about 23 years ago. As homeowners began requesting other features, Lucie added services, building her company, Creative Elements, that today designs elegant home spaces through custom remodeling.

You might say design runs in Lucie’s blood. Her father was a remodeler and custom home and yacht builder. Lucie grew up studying architecture in the Czech Republic and moved to the U.S. in search of freedom and opportunity in 1980. She first settled in Seattle, pursuing a business degree and starting a family. When her youngest child entered school, Lucie made her start in home remodeling.

Now in Texas, she serves Southlake, Colleyville, Flower Mound and other North Texas communities. Lucie still partners with some of the same subcontractors she worked with early on.

She’s big into listening and helping homeowners find a “feeling” for their home that provides a comfortable retreat and relaxation at the end of the day.

Christal Moore can tell you about an amazing number of Black inventors who have made an impact on the world.

For example, Sarah Boone, who was born into slavery and barred from a formal education, patented an improved ironing board in 1892. Housekeeper Ellen Eglin made her mark on African American history in the 1880s when she invented the wringer washing machine. Black businessman William Purvis patented an early fountain pen design, and inventor Lonnie Johnson created the popular Super Soaker® water toy. The movie “Hidden Figures” tells of three Black women who did the math that helped send the first U.S. astronaut to the moon.

Christal is proud of her history and has spent time both learning and teaching this important ancestry to children at her church.

“Black History Month has great importance, yet it means so much more than just one month a year to our American culture and growth. The more we listen and learn about where we have come from and share with others, the more we all can understand each other better,” Christal says.

By Sally Crocker for the American College of Lifestyle Medicine

The American College of Lifestyle Medicine’s Health Systems Council, founded in 2021, has quickly grown to 100 members in just two years, bringing together innovative health organizations from across the US, with a shared goal to revolutionize healthcare using lifestyle medicine.

In just two years, the American College of Lifestyle Medicine (ACLM) has reached a milestone in helping to prevent, treat and potentially reverse chronic disease across the U.S.  

Established in May 2021 with 19 founding members, ACLM’s Health Systems Council (HSC), now celebrates its 100th member. The HSC is comprised of some of the most innovative health organizations from nearly 40 states that are dedicated to providing the best high-value care through the pioneering trend of lifestyle medicine.  

Tani Richards walked into her first Jazzercise class in June 2019.  She wanted to change up her exercise routine and explore aerobics. That’s when she found the Southlake Jazzercise center and decided to give it a try.

“I’ve always been an athlete. Sports was my thing – softball, a little bit of basketball, and I’ve always liked music and singing,” she says. “I wouldn’t call myself a dancer, but I did want to give Jazzercise a try.”

The music is so important to immersing yourself in Jazzercise, and Tani says that’s one of the things she most enjoys about the classes and the body-changing workouts. Now that she owns her own studio and teaches Jazzercise, she advises her classes to “feel the music, let it speak to you, because it can change your whole day.”

The story of how Tani came to own a Jazzercise franchise in Southlake is an interesting one …

By Sally Crocker, written for Southlake City Lifestyle magazine, Southlake, Texas - January 2024 issue

Originally published in Southlake City Lifestyle

BUSY SOUTHLAKE-AREA COUPLE DEDICATE THEIR TALENTS TO SUPERLATIVE EYE CARE

Married couple Dr. Aaleya Koreishi and Dr. Jawad Qureshi are both well-known eye specialists in the North Texas area.

Dr. Qureshi specializes in retina care at his practice, Retina Center of Texas, with locations in Southlake, Fort Worth, Plano and Dallas, and Dr. Koreishi specializes in cornea and cataract services. Her Cornea Consultants of Texas locations are in Fort Worth, Arlington and Plano. In 2020, Dr. Qureshi won an Entrepreneur of Excellence in Healthcare award from Fort Worth Inc. magazine for the outstanding work of his practice. …

… Both physicians place a high emphasis on taking special care of their patients.

“It can sometimes be hard to balance our work with family and other activities,” she adds, “but we hope that our children will understand when they grow up and see that the hard work we put in for our patients is well worth it.”

Written by Sally Crocker for the Tarrant Regional Water District, Fort Worth, Texas - published to the TRWD website (News page) on Dec. 22, 2023

Drop by drop, the work of good folks like Jason Gehrig and other Tarrant Regional Water District employee volunteers is helping to improve quality of life in countries across the globe …

… Balancing his TRWD responsibilities and volunteer service to communities far away takes time, but it is so important to Jason to continue helping countries like Bolivia.

“Support efforts are very much appreciated in these countries. The people there who often struggle under limited resources are willing to sacrifice and put in the effort alongside volunteers. They’re not looking for a handout – goodwill efforts can open up opportunities, assist with the well-being of their families and neighbors and help restore their sense of dignity as a community. They embrace and welcome the friendships and assistance. In return the local people enrich us with lived values and perspectives that we sometimes lose sight of here,” he says.

Caring for others in need

In Bolivia, there is a saying, “agua es vida,” that means “water is life,” and there is so much truth in that message for all of us around the world.

“I only wish I had more time to help,” Jason says.

Warmest wishes from past to present

Holiday memories, traditions live on from generation to generation in this family

Article by Sally Crocker

Photography by Crocker family photos

Originally published in Southlake City Lifestyle magazine

December 2023 issue

“I can close my eyes and return to a very special Christmas Eve from many years ago. Me, sitting cross-legged under the Christmas tree with my dog Tipper, anxiously awaiting the warm, gooey chocolate chip cookies that would soon emerge from the oven. My mom was the best baker. All the neighborhood kids declared it so, as she always seemed to have homemade brownies, cakes or other sweet treats ready for us to enjoy with a glass of milk when they came by …

It's interesting how traditions are passed on from generation to generation …”

Written by Sally Crocker for the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) website and social media

Published to the TRWD website November 14, 2023, as part of an ongoing series of positive employee stories

“Dean Kuhn is a survivor.

Before he joined Tarrant Regional Water District in 1991, Dean’s life had taken a grim turn. At the young age of 19, he was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s lymphoma, an aggressive form of cancer that spreads quickly. His only path forward was through a punishing course of intensive chemotherapy and radiation treatments.

Dean was diagnosed in 1989, completed treatment in 1990, and in remission, started working for TRWD one year later. Things seemed to be going well.

His first TRWD job was in the tire shop, the operations division for vehicle repairs. Over time, he moved to a truck driver position, became an equipment operator and was promoted to an inspector role during construction of the Benbrook pipeline in the mid-1990s. He later returned to operations, running equipment and overseeing in-house construction projects along the floodway project.

From there, Dean became a construction coordinator, training and managing third-party permits, working in coordination with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He moved to the real property department as a Land Agent II in 2008, was later promoted to Senior Land Agent and has been in that position since.

In a heartbeat, everything changed …”

Written by Sally Crocker for the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) website and social media

Published to the TRWD website October 24, 2023, as part of an ongoing series of positive employee stories

“It was a natural for William Fruhwirth to get into the water business. He was practically born into the Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) back in 1954. His dad, Eugene Fruhwirth, was chief of operations at what was then called Tarrant Water Control Improvement District Number 1. It was a much smaller enterprise in the 1950s, with probably only 15-20 employees. What would become today’s TRWD, providing water to more than 2.1 million people across 11 North Texas counties, started with humble beginnings, just like William’s career in the organization.

This September, William celebrates his 50th anniversary with TRWD. He has many great memories from over the years and many great friends that make his job enjoyable and worthwhile …”