STAFF REPORT

Derrick Birdsall is preparing to step back in time — more or less.

The superintendent of Farmers Branch Historical Park will live in one of the park’s attractions, the log cabin, from March 25 to April 2 as part of a celebration of the park’s 25th anniversary. Community members can cheer him on while partaking in the other celebration activities going on that week.

While Birdsall will have access to some modern conveniences — including the park’s bathrooms and refrigerators, he will try to cook using historical recipes and make some of his meals over a fire.

The would-be pioneer took a little time recently to answer some of our questions about him and his upcoming adventure.

By Marcus Murphree
mmurphree@neighborsgo.com

Sunnyvale High School has been experiencing a year of firsts in 2010-11.

From it’s first senior class graduating this spring to its first college sports scholarship athlete Emeka Okafor, who signed with the University of Houston on Feb. 2.

Okafor is a three-sport letterman in football, basketball and track and field and will be taking his skills as the big man on the offensive line south of Interstate-45 next fall.

The 300-pound senior took some time to answer a few questions for neighborsgo.

When did you first get an idea that college coaches were going to recruit you, even while attending a small high school?
Definitely after I got a call from Mac McWhorter, former University of Texas offensive line coach, during my sophomore year, asking me to attend a University of Texas game.

By Ruth Haesemeyer
ruthh@neighborsgo.com

Hayley Rabe is “The Cheap Girl in a Chic World.” At least, that’s what she calls herself in the title of her blog.

At cheapgirlchicworld.blogspot.com, the Carrollton resident and Hebron High School senior showcases her creative fashion sense — and frugality. With pictures of outfits she’s assembled, she lists where she obtained the pieces. Many come from thrift stores and clearance racks.

Compiled by Ruth Haesemeyer
ruthh@neighborsgo.com

The Rev. Felix Driver Jr. of Carrollton has been involved in the Martin Luther King Jr. Parade in Carrollton for 11 years.

He said it is an example of people remembering the past, in order to avoid repeating mistakes.

“That is what I try to instill in our youth today,” he said.

David McNabb received significant face time on ESPN's 30 for 30 documentary series on the Southern Methodist University football program.

Titled Pony Excess, the 1-hour, 42-minute program detailed the events that led to SMU receiving the "death penalty" from the National Collegiate Athletic Association for numerous infractions.

McNabb, who works for the Parish Episcopal School's communications department today, worked 25 years as a sports writer for The Dallas Morning News. In the ESPN documentary, McNabb appears on camera 19 times, second to Skip Bayless (39) and Dale Hansen (24), according to one TV blogger's tabulation. The documentary is being shown this month on ESPN.

McNabb, a frequent contributor to neighborsgo, answered a few questions about the documentary and what happened at SMU.

By Paige Arrington
& Ruth Haesemeyer

Brycen Rushing, 11, has eight years of dance behind him ―and a starring role ahead.

The sixth-grader at Blalack Middle School will play Fritz in Chamberlain Performing Arts’ production of The Nutcracker, Nov. 26-28.

By Ruth Haesemeyer
ruthh@neighborsgo.com

Carrollton resident Gina McWilliams often says, “The spirit can only be broken by consent, and if you never consent, then you can never be broken.”

Few are as qualified as she to say it.

By Ruth Haesemeyer
ruthh@neighborsgo.com

The importance of family and the importance of safety are the basis of Sana Merchant’s Gold Award project.

The Carrollton 15-year-old, a student at Ranchview and a member of Troop 2143, is putting together a two-day event, a seminar on safety and family fun day, Nov. 6 and Nov. 13 to aid low-income families. The Gold Award project is required to achieve the Gold Award, the top award in Girl Scouts.

The event for low-income families will include games, family portraits, bags of household goods, and safety information from guest speakers ―all free. Sana is backed by community support ―she is still seeking donations ―and by Metrocrest Social Services.

“I’ve been volunteering with the Metrocrest Social Services for most of my life in the Girl Scouts,” Sana said. “I wanted to keep this connection with them and do an ultimate project for them, start a tradition I hope will continue.”

Compiled by RUTH HAESEMEYER
ruthh@neighborsgo.com

Jim Gagliardo’s career in the U.S. Navy was prefaced and followed by time at the University of Missouri — first as a student, then as a teacher.

An Illinois native, he was in the ROTC at the University of Missouri before he served from 1960-67.

He sailed on the USS Charles S. Sperry and served as chief engineering inspector for the National Nuclear Regulatory Commission before returning to Missouri to teach nuclear reactor graduate courses.

He and his wife, Nancy, have two daughters, Lara and Lisa, and now live in Carrollton.

The following individuals are some of the residents featured in our neighborsgo print editions of Oct. 1, 2010 — 125 years to the day of the very first Dallas Morning News newspaper. Click on the links below their photos to read their stories. If you have stories about the amazing people in your life, please drop us a line or post them on neighborsgo.com today so that we can share their stories in an upcoming print edition as part of our Know Your Neighbor feature.

MESQUITE
• Four friends share ties
• See the edition

FRISCO
• 'Our little country town'
• See the edition

MCKINNEY
• McKinney's namesake
• See the edition

WHITE ROCK
• 92-year-old Paul Harris Sr.
• See the edition

LEWISVILLE
• Collinsworths of Lewisville
• See the edition

PLANO
• Mary Katherine Carpenter, 99
• See the edition

ALLEN
• Allen native Iva Morrow
• See the edition

COPPELL
• Barbara Lee of Coppell
• See the edition

IRVING
• Mary Kathryn Clyatt
• See the cover

GARLAND
• Garland families trace back
• See the edition

RICHARDSON
• Robert Cecil Rippy's book
• See the edition

ROWLETT
• Couple Vernon and Lorene Schrade
• See the edition

LANCASTER
• Marimyn Graham Garrison
• See the edition

ROCKWALL
• Rockwall’s longest residents
• See the edition

PARK CITIES
• Dorothy Cullum
• See the edition

FARMERS BRANCH
• ‘A Great Little Town’
• See the edition

OAK CLIFF
• Sue Davis Lawrence, 92, of Oak Cliff

CARROLLTON
• Sara Salmon, 81, of Carrollton

DESOTO
• Zelma Huffstutler, 93, of DeSoto

NORTH DALLAS
• Ebby Halliday's 65 years in the biz

NEIGHBORSGO SAYS HAPPY BIRTHDAY

SEE THE VERY FIRST EDITION