Lakeplex Lanes are now smoke free
By Barbara Gartman
Monitor Staff Writer
SEVEN POINTS–Lakeplex Lanes owner Don Gano has opted to clean up the air and make his establishment more family friendly, by going smoke free, starting Jan. 1.
“This was a business decision. I am trying to accommodate the most people,” Gano said.
This action will help our plans to grow the business, he added.
Gano emphasized smokers can still indulge their habit, but they must either smoke in the lounge (the bar area) or go outside.
Bowling has often been touted as a “healthy exercise” for all age groups, but with all the news about the dangers of secondhand smoke, many people felt it was not a healthy atmosphere for their children or older family members.
“The truth is fewer and fewer people are smoking and I have to move ahead (with the times),” he said.
“I have received calls from people who would like to bring their families in but when told smoking was allowed, they would say, ‘sorry, we prefer a smoke free environment,’ and then they would hang up,” he said.
“So far it has been pretty well accepted,” Gano added.
He does sympathize with those who smoke as at one time he was an avid smoker.
“I was a two and a half pack a day smoker, but 30 years ago I quit cold turkey,” Gano explained.
“The funny thing is, I quit while I was managing a bowling center in Dallas where smoking was allowed,” he said.
Then at another center in Dallas in 1990, he managed a bowling center that went smoke free.
“It was the first center in the nation to do so,” he said.
League bowlers have a varied opinion, sometimes depending on whether they smoke or not.
“It is more enjoyable since we don’t have all the smoke in here,” Jerry Nolan of Payne Springs said.
But the smoke from those who go into the bar for their puff, often drifts into the lane area and those who enjoy the fresher air without all the smoke still have to breathe the pollution.
“It (the cleaner air) is a real blessing if you are not sitting by lanes 1 through 8,” Jeff Hajek of Gun Barrel City said.
Those lanes are located near the bar doors, and smoke filters out as customers pass in and out of the bar area.
Not everyone is happy about the change. Smokers defend their choice.
“I don’t like it! There are a lot of people who smoke that don’t like it either,” Joyce Bracey, a smoker from Gun Barrel City said.
“I don’t like it! I come here to enjoy bowling with my friends and to relax. If they had the right ventilation, it wouldn’t be a problem,” smoker Belinda Yates from Kemp explained.
However, that may be something considered for the future.
“I am going to be looking at upgrading the ventilation system in the bar,” Gano said.
But he explained that type of ventilation is an expensive process, costing into the thousands of dollars.
But not too many people complain about the change and most agree it is a good thing.
“I am not hearing many complaints but I am hearing lots of people say they like it,” Karen Stephens, Seven Points and LakePlex Lanes concession stand manager said.
And some bowlers are really excited about the new “no smoking” rule.
“It’s great! Tremendous! Bowlers can have their family members come and watch them bowl because it is smoke free,” Alvis Shavers of Scurry said.
The renovations for LakePlex Lanes have been underway for about a year and a half, Gano explained.
“We have completely remodeled the entire center, completing the project this past summer,” he added.
“We wish to invite the community to visit and check out our new leagues,” Gano said.
For information call (903) 432-4094.

 

Mother-daughter team makes beading simple
Monitor Staff Reports
GUN BARREL CITY–If you’ve found that your New Year’s resolution to lose weight is getting side-tracked due to night time munching, maybe you need to keep your mind occupied and hands busy with a new hobby – like beading.
Simply Beadiful is offering beginning and intermediate classes to help new comers get familiar with the simple techniques needed that can produce a very beautiful and satisfying outcome, as well as advanced techniques that produce a variety of jewelry effects.
Located at 720 West Main St. in Gun Barrel City, the spacious and well-lit shop offers hundreds of choices in beading material. It has a varied selection of glass, crystal and pearl beads in every shape, size and color as well as natural materials such as gemstones, nuts, wood, bone and metallic beads. And of course they carry the very popular Swarovski crystals.
Mother-daughter team Marsha and Nicole Cyzmer opened the store two years ago this April and look forward to a bright future in a community they have enjoyed being a part of.
The pair has enjoyed beading for about 10 years. And though they’ve taken classes from time to time to hone their skills, they are mostly self-taught in making their beautiful creations.
“I started with making dangles that wrap around wine glasses, so guests can identify their glass at a party, and I was hooked,” Nicole said.
Beading classes for beginners take between one and two hours, depending upon the participants’ progress, and result in a necklace and matching set of earrings.
The class teaches basic skills that the student can apply to other projects, like charm bracelets. The beginning class costs $15, plus the price of beads. The Cyzmers provide the tools, wire, clasps and easy to follow instructions. All classes are taught at their shop.
Nicole has been surprised by some of the other ways students and customers have found to incorporate beads into their life. “One customer buys beads to attach to fishing lures,” she said, while others have used them to decorate flip flops, dog leashes, collars and even lamp shades.
The Cyzmers have also invited other bead artisans to teach advanced techniques, such as macramé, and specialty projects, like The Garden Necklace and Picot Necklace, which uses seed-bead weaving to gain a most elegant effect. (See photos.)
Students are signing up now to make the Picot Necklace class being held from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28. The class costs $25, plus beads. Two opportunities to produce the Garden Necklace are set for 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 4 and Wednesday, Feb. 8, when artisan Teresa French will teach for a charge of $20 each student.
A two-hour class to produce a stunning pair of earrings, using macramé knots is planned for February, and another class just before Valentine’s Day is in the works. “We’ll be beading something sweet and lovely for gift giving,” Nicole said. Check out their Facebook page Simply Beadiful TX, for the latest updates on class schedules.
To assist beginners with collecting the tools and materials for starting to bead, the Cyzmers offer a store-wide 25 percent discount the last Saturday of each month.
They encourage customers bring in whatever they’re trying to accessorize or match with them, when they visit. Store hours are 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., during the winter and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. in the summer Monday through Saturday.
“When no beading classes are scheduled, customers are welcome to work on their beading projects here,” Marsha said. “We always have a table set up for projects and are ready to answer any questions or help in selecting additional beads as needed for the successful completion.”

 

Come Adopt Us At The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake

We have many animals at the Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake in Seven Points in dire need of a good home. Please call or stop by the Humane Society today and rescue one of these forgotten animals. The Humane Society of Cedar Creek Lake is located on 10220 County Road 2403 in Seven Points. For more information, please call (903) 432-3422 after 11 a.m. We are closed on Wednesday.

For further information visit our website at petfinder.com