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Madilyn Kopec

I am an ambitious communicator with experience in feature writing, news coverage, social media management and copy desk editorial leadership. I have compelling storytelling ability, can manage digital platforms and ensure accuracy through strong editing skills.

The Community News •

Paintings with a purpose - The Community News

Both ladies found a love for expressing themselves through art at a young age and began taking lessons. Some may call it fate that they ended up in the same class at nine years old. 
Life went on for the pair, and in the 1980s, Brumley moved to Aledo with her husband, Buddy. Brumley and Crumbie lived similar lives as they were both teachers and attended the same church. However, they did not reconnect until Brumley was invited to attend a Keno party at Crumbie’s home. 
“When I walked in…she had...
TCU Magazine •

Lorie Fangio on French Cooking, Curated Travel and A Taste of Paris - TCU Magazine

Before Lorie Fangio ’84 founded A Taste of Paris, her culinary business that’s been taking small groups of foodies to France since 2014, she was teaching cooking classes in her home and craving a new adventure. One day, as she was describing an apricot almond tart recipe inspired by a visit to a Parisian bakery, a longtime student asked, “When are you going to take us with you?”  
This question opened Fangio’s mind to her next big career step. It was a surreal moment, she said. “I felt like the...
The Community News •

Fine Furniture - The Community News

With combined experience in aerospace engineering, architecture, and fine arts, the family has built a successful, heirloom-quality, customizable business out of their at-home workshop, with customers across the U.S. 

In 2019, while the family was seated around the Thanksgiving dinner table, the idea for Frailey Woodworks came to fruition. 
James and his daughter, Hannah, both worked at Lockheed Martin when there was a surge of people wanting more ergonomic work, and they started bringing in si...
The Community News •

Gardening confidence for all ages - The Community News

Master gardeners Nicole Witmer, Jane Bessolo, Sharon Abner, and Terry Barton from the Parker County Master Gardener Association, a non-profit volunteer gardening and education group, led Tiny Gardeners at Work on April 21 at the Aledo Community Center. 
“The fun, hands-on class is designed especially for kids to explore how plants grow and spark a love of gardening,” according to the City of Aledo Facebook page. 
Educational lessons and activities are shared with the kids to teach them about the...
The Community News •

Students plug in at Maverick STEM Fest - The Community News

Members of the school district, from kindergarten through 12th grade, were invited to participate in the evening, showcasing middle and high school CTE programming opportunities, local businesses, higher education partners, and a senior engineering project showcase. Students like Taylor Mouery, who built a go-kart from the ground up, were able to display their hard work. She explained the project took “patient, tedious work” to complete and emphasized that her creation demonstrated “pure mechani...
The Community News •

Real life experience through practicums - The Community News

Williamson’s internship is through Fort Worth’s VLK Architects. She obtained the position by sending her resume to the company. She was invited to interview, take a tour, and meet the people in the interior design department, where she would later be working. 
Since August, Williamson has worked on projects, attended meetings with brand representatives or other interior designers, adjusted renderings, and perfected layouts on a set schedule. 
A few of the projects Williamson contributed to inclu...
The Community News •

Chapel Bar in historic downtown - The Community News

The ambiance of the bar is achieved through the original stained-glass windows from 1883, matched with brown leather couches, green wooden walls, and low lighting. It is best described as “a modern, luxurious Western speakeasy environment,” according to the Chapel Bar website. 
Jazz Chapel, an event venue, is the original business in the restored historic building, which was previously a furniture store neighboring a funeral home. Developers Matt Hughes and Griffin Phillips brought it back to li...
The Community News •

A relational ministry - The Community News

Young Life is a global, Christian-based, nonprofit with the mission of building “relationships with young people and [introducing] them to Jesus,” according to the Young Life website. 
The Young Life mission spread to Aledo in the 1990s. There were ups and downs during the establishment phase, but since 2012, Aledo Young Life has been fully operational. 
“The thing we hang our hat on is we’re a relational ministry,” said Bills. “So, modeling our ministry style based on what Jesus did. Jesus did...
The Community News •

A unique cafe experience - The Community News

Davis and her family moved to Aledo from West Virginia about a year ago and began the project. With experience in bartending, a love for coffee, and an established online boutique, Davis had all she needed for a successful business. Davis opened her boutique in October 2025 from her home, selling clothing, shoes, accessories, gift items, and home goods. Once she got the idea to open a coffee shop, “We just decided to merge them together,” she said.
The name Wild Honey Mercantile Boutique & Coffe...
The Community News •

Bunco and raffles - The Community News

McCall Elementary went through changes over the past couple of years so “we were really trying to build up that community spirit and get everybody invested in McCall Elementary,” said McCall PTO President, Rhema McGrath. “While they were waiting for [the McKinney Elementary] school to be built, all the Morningstar kids were moved to McCall Elementary School and all the normal McCall kids were dispersed throughout Aledo ISD,” said McGrath.
Now that McKinney Elementary is in session, “all of us ju...
The Community News •

Prepping students for success - The Community News

The career fair allows the students the opportunity to “Get a feel for different professions…[and] to network and interact with professionals,” said Tricia Hackfeld, counselor.
They were given time during the school day to walk through and make connections with professionals, learning degree/certification requirements, what hiring employers look for, and possible career opportunities. 
“[The career fair is] a great way to introduce [us] into a lot of different fields and start [our] journey in h...
The Community News •

Aledo Spring Fling draws crowds in support of prom - The Community News

Mary McLellan, AP statistics teacher and junior and senior class sponsor, said that not only does the Spring Fling help with prom funding, but it also provides the community and small business vendors with an outlet to make connections, creating an all-around beneficial experience. 
McLellan, along with a team including the class officers and about 60 student volunteers, brought the Spring Fling to life. Help from students was critical, said McLellan. The vendors were specially selected with the...
The Community News •

Competition success for the Bearcats Dance Team - The Community News

However, bringing spirit is not all they do. The teams compete at various competitions during the first couple of months of the school year, showcasing their perfected routines. 
The team competitions begin in January and run through mid-March, and with much preparation, the Ladycats excelled. “It takes a long time to prepare [competition dances],” said the Aledo ISD Dance Coordinator, Varsity/JV coach, and AHS/DNG dance teacher Emily Robison. The Bearcat middle school and high school dance team...
The Community News •

Curriculum in action - The Community News

The 43 students with 95 total attendees, including parents and teachers, set off on their trip on Sunday, Feb. 15, to head to their first stop, Washington, D.C. 
“It is a whirlwind,” Candice Gables, American History and Government/Economics teacher, said. The group is on their feet, walking anywhere from 10 to 15 miles a day… We are busy from pretty much 8-8:30 in the morning till about 9:30 at night.”
The trip is an “opportunity for students to learn outside of the classroom,” said Gables. In W...
The Community News •

Rooted in one hometown - The Community News

Freddy was drafted into the U.S. Army in December 1953 and shortly after was sent on a ship to Korea. “I got overseas, and she sent me a ‘Dear John,’ so I started writing her,” said Freddy. He stayed there for 14 months, where he spent nine months on the front line.
Verda and Freddy’s relationship continued to blossom, and when he was stationed in El Paso, after being overseas, he would drive to Weatherford, her hometown, every other weekend to visit her. 
“We got serious and became engaged whil...
The Community News •

Generosity and community - The Community News

Every table at the River Ranch Stockyards venue was full, meaning a capacity crowd of about 500 people who attended to support the cause.
“We are so grateful for JAG Metals LLC to step up again as the Presenting Sponsor, as well as the numerous sponsors and donors who supported our event,” said Penny Shelton, Chairperson. “We could not do this without their support. The word I would use to describe our supporters is generous.”
The community “stepped up to the plate and it was just more than what...
The Community News •

What to see on Spring Break - The Community News

One cost-free option families can enjoy any day of the week is visiting parks. 

Parks of Aledo Trail — a series of biking trails ranging in difficulty
Aledo Community Center Park — “features a concrete-paved walking trail, large playground, basketball court, volleyball area, covered pavilion with a stationary charcoal grill and picnic tables, gardens and green space,” according to the City of Aledo website 
Aledo Commons Park — community park home to the Aledo Veterans Plaza
Bearcat Park — a la...
The Community News •

HOSA Blood Drive collects 49 pints - The Community News

Students ages 16, with parental consent, and older were welcomed to give blood at the event throughout the school day at the Don R. Daniel Ninth Grade Campus gymnasium. HOSA has sponsored the blood drive annually for about a decade.
Donors, once in the gym, go to an evaluation station. Here their vitals are taken, and they are given a pre-donor screening to ensure the administration of their blood to other individuals is safe and all personal information is up to date.
While Carter phlebotomists...
The Community News •

Toastique opening in Willow Park - The Community News

General Manager Brooke Clock comes from a family of “foodies.”
“We like to try all the different restaurants, and when we tried Toastique, it stood out to us as a fresh and inviting environment, and the food was delicious,” she said. “It was healthy, we fell in love with it, and we wanted to eat it every day, so we decided to open one.”
Once open, Clock said she wants to make sure “that every customer has a positive experience.
“It’s bringing in that healthy aspect of the food and providing an o...
The Community News •

Drawing Blood - The Community News

Hosted on Feb. 16 at the high school, senior-level Certified Clinical Medical Assistant (CCMA) students learn phlebotomy, the process of drawing blood, and EKG or electrocardiogram, a test that measures heart activity, as a part of their coursework. They also have the opportunity to achieve both of those as separate certifications. 
The students need 40 sticks and 10 EKGs to complete their certifications. So, this experience allows students to fulfill their practices outside of class hours. 
The...
The Community News •

Goodwill Job Resource Center now open - The Community News

Reverend Edgar J. Helms, a Methodist minister and social innovator, founded Goodwill in 1902. "Rather than giving them a handout, he wanted to give them a hand up,” David Cox, President and CEO of Goodwill NCT, said. "In the North Central Texas area alone, we serve 16,000 people, and that is getting people back on their feet, getting them employed and in jobs that will help them sustain themselves and their families.”
The job resource center opened prior to COVID-19, but closed when face-to-face...
The Community News •

Craft pizza and brews - The Community News

At the grand opening, the first 25 people who make a purchase have the chance to win free pizza for a year, special offers, merchandise, and promotional giveaways, according to a press release. 
Rotolo’s was founded in 1996 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, and has spread to nine states across the nation with nearly 40 locations. Willow Park will be the third Dallas-area location. 
Franchisees Matt and Lindsey Canon, who recently opened their first Rotolo’s in Mansfield, own the new location.
“We like...
The Community News •

A new home for the Aledo Soccer Club - The Community News

With most competitive soccer facilities located in North Dallas, the new facility will provide a "more convenient and accessible location to house soccer in West Fort Worth…it will increase the development in this area also, as kids will be getting on the ball more frequently, with more intentional coaching and have more opportunities to play the game closer to home with the kids that they're going to school with and growing up with,” said James Kerr, founder of Aledo Soccer Club and Frontrunner...
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