Notables

Inside hits home run

Kara Harshbarger '96 is enjoying more fanfare and accolades for her feature film A Little Inside. After a nationwide premiere at Fort Worth's Sundance Square in February 2002, the film has continued to be a hit with television execs and audiences alike. United Airlines and Delta Air Lines featured A Little Inside as their in-flight movie in June, and HBO will begin airing it in October, followed by Showtime and the PAX network. It can be found on VHS and DVD in many Hollywood Videos and Blockbusters around the country. It's also for sale in many grocery store chains and Amazon.com. The movie, which began as a 15-minute "short" and was selected for the prestigious Lifetime Women's Film Festival in June 1999, stars 8-year-old Hallie Kate Eisenberg as Abby and her father Ed (Benjamin King) sharing the game of baseball while they cope with the loss of Abby's mother. "The movie has just continued to be popular because it's heartwarming and its themes are timeless," says Harshbarger. For information, visit www.alittleinside.com.

Growing old gracefully

When Lloyd Allen '44 (BD '48) reached the age of 79, he decided to keep a running account of his progress into "old age." After 10 years of chronicling his aging experiences, Allen compiled his thoughts into a book, which became How I Am Coping with Growing Old, published by Smithfield Press in North Richland Hills this year. "I'm an old man who enjoys life," says Allen, now 89. "Because I feel grateful for the length of my life, I wanted to encourage others to approach aging not with dread, but with excitement. So I wrote my story." Allen's "story," which describes his life of faith, family and some golf, is receiving rave reviews from the lucky few who have a copy. "I'm not selling the books, I'm just giving them to friends," he says. "So even though I've had to weigh the compliments I've received, I've still been very pleased with the response." Allen, who holds degrees in sociology and divinity, was a Disciples of Christ minister for 55 years. As he approaches his 90th birthday, Allen is still "excited about life," he said.

Chip on the block

Whoever said, "youth is wasted on the young" had obviously never met Chip Haass '00. In May, Haass, 25, became the youngest city councilman in the history of the city of San Antonio. He used his youth to his advantage. His fresh perspective in his approach to city government impressed voters in his district; he won 54 percent of the vote. Haass defeated a well-connected and well-funded opponent on a shoestring budget, proposing an end to "business as usual" politics. He sees a move to more grass-roots campaigns in the future. "We're leaving the days where money is the end-all, be-all," he said. "Volunteers and community support are where it's at." St. Mary's Hall, a private school in San Antonio, will be without one of its American government and history teachers for the duration of Haass' term.

Man with all the answers

As a morning radio personality, Greg Lazor '94 has a reputation for on-air shenanigans. "Lazerman," as he is known on the Magic Morning Show on top 40 radio station KKMG-FM in Colorado Springs, Colo., thought both he and his listeners would get a kick out of his auditioning to appear on a game show. "The Weakest Link," a nationally syndicated trivia show, did a contestant search in Colorado Springs. Lazor took a written test, and then participated in a mock version of the show. "I just tried out for the fun of it," he said. "But I had always wanted to be on a game show." So when the show's producers called and offered to fly him to Los Angeles for the show, he happily accepted. The show is known for its often-harsh humor, lampooning contestants who give wrong answers. "They asked questions and made fun of us," Lazor said. "It was a lot of fun." When it came time for the taped episode, Lazor didn't answer too many questions wrong, either. At the end of the show, he was the strongest link, winning a cool $3,500 in prize money.

Recognizing a life of service

Gerard Kaye '50 (MA '51) recently received the 50-year Legion of Honor Award for a half century of service to Kiwanis International. It is quite an distinctionÑless than 1 percent of all Kiwanians reach this honor. Kaye, along with his wife Mildred '51, also received the Hugh O'Brian Foundation 10-year, 10,000-mile, 10,000-hour service award given for their volunteer work with high school students. In the 46 years of the foundation, which uplifts the American free enterprise system, only 17 have been granted. The Kayes are the first to receive it as a couple. Outside of Kiwanis, the Kayes are retired after 42 years in education and ministry. They continue to live in Albuquerque, N.M.

Bright as silver

The American Advertising Federation awards silver rather than gold medals to "champions" in the profession. Susan Cook Adkins '78 recently received the AAF Silver Medal Award from the Advertising Club of Fort Worth, the highest honor bestowed on an advertising practitioner at the local level. Adkins, owner and founder of Adkins and Associates Advertising, credits the support of colleagues for the honor. "I am so lucky," she said. "I feel like my TCU education gave me a perfect foundation for what I wanted to do in real life," she said. TCU advertising professor Jack Raskopf, who was Adkins' academic advisor when she was a student, chaired the eight-member selection committee. "While operating her own business, Susan still finds time to devote to professional advertising programs locally and regionally plus donating her communication skills to civic, educational and charitable activities," he says.

A flair for design

One of Big D's hottest interior designers is James McInroe '81, according to the Dallas Home Design magazine. McInroe and partner Marcia Curtis-Hornsby have captured the attention of the interior design world recently with a unique flair for mix-masteringÑjuxtaposing seemingly disparate elements into one cohesive pattern or environment. Despite heavy demand, they keep their client list small to give personal attention to every detail. "The result is a powerful combination," the magazine says.