Open house to highlight heroes, healing

By Judy Babb

If you want someone to rub you the right way, you’ll want to find your way to the block party at 9219 Garland Rd., located between Buckner Boulevard and the Arboretum. The party is from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday, July 17 in front of Well Ground Coffee Community.

Four women-owned businesses have united to provide a morning of fun, food and frivolity and live music and education about what they can do for their customers and clients.

The block party is the brainchild of mPower Physical Therapy owner Stefani Crowley. Crowley brought in other businesses, including OPAL Health and Wellness, Thryv Organics and Well Grounded Coffee Community. Each will add a special extra to the event.

Food trucks featuring organic foods and macaroons will be on site.

Victoria Rodriguez, who is in charge of mPower’s client care, said Crowley always tries to have a special once a month. The block party takes care of that times four.

mPower will have a table near Well Grounded Coffee Community and will offer consultations to explain how the benefits of physical therapy helps keep people at the top of their game.

“We help people who have aches and pains feel listened to,” Crowley said. “We’re a place where we help you understand how you can heal your body — a place where we can get you back to doing what you love.”

OPAL Healthcare and Wellness will have its doors open for people to come in and learn about the new practice. Owned by nurse practitioners Michaela Klose and Christiane Jamieson, the two embrace the concept of wellness. They think the concept of wellness is often misunderstood. Wellness encompasses not only physical well-being, but also emotional, mental and spiritual health.

Klose explained that their office is a primary care facility providing complete care for each of their patients. That includes management of chronic issues like diabetes and high blood pressure.  

“Each appointment is a full hour,” said Klose of their time and treatment of patients, “We do anything a doctor’s office can do.”

Expect to meet Shirley King, Klose’s daughter, on Saturday. She will explain how this practice is different from many doctors’ offices. She’ll also give a sample of ELTA MD skin care to those who come in.

Thryv Organics, a luxury CBD company, was born of co-owner Staci Czech’s attempts to help her mother with pain and general wellbeing as her mom lived with multiple sclerosis. Czech discovered CBD soft gels, which allowed her mother to get off of prescription pain medications and improve all aspects of her life.

Czech said the store carries those same soft gels. Thryv Organics is a premium hemp CBD wellness boutique. All their products are organically farmed and processed in the United States.

Czech and co-owner Kristi Kelley are proud of not being a franchise, although that decision came after their desired location was turned down by a franchisor. That allowed them to have full control of the business and to make it a source their customers can trust. Kelley also had experience with CBD products because she gave them to her rescues Wesley and Chief. No sale was required to get her on board. Chief, a 6-year-old shepherd mix, takes CBD for anxiety, and Wesley, a 10-year-old labradoodle, takes them for allergies.

“CBD can be helpful with pets just like it is with people,” Kelley said. 

Thryv is bringing in face painting artists and a balloon twister who will make a variety of creatures and then give them to children — or adults who are feeling childlike. Dallas Pets Alive is bringing in dogs that need to find their forever homes. It will be a great time to cuddle and love them and just maybe take one home. 

Well Grounded Coffee Community is the anchor spot for this party. They will provide live music by acoustic guitar player and singer Mollie Molina. While Molina sings covers in the cozy coffee house Saturday mornings, she will be outside during the block party for all to enjoy.

Board member Alyx Jones explained Well Grounded is a non-profit that helps formerly incarcerated women learn the art of being a barista and gain much needed confidence. They currently have three ladies they call their Barista Heroes.

“Simply drinking our coffee and eating our food gives the ladies a great job and helps us to hire the next Barista Hero,” said Natalie Huscheck on their website. Natalie and her husband Michael Huscheck are co-founders of the non-profit. They invite you to come into the shop to enjoy the air conditioning and partake of their special coffees and teas or food offerings. The shop will provide swag bags, which include coffee, T-shirts and the like. As a special end to the day, Well Grounded is hosting a raffle for an Amazon Echo. The drawing is at noon. Ticket holders do not have to be present to win. 

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