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By Maida Coleman

Learn & Play 11Balanced, flavorful meals

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Several propositions passed in Fer-guson, Florissant and Jennings on the April 5 ballot which will result in changes in the communities’ schools, businesses and infrastructures.

Proposition E passed in Ferguson af-ter 68.9 percent of residents voted for the Economic Development Sales Tax. The .5 cent tax will generate $1,225,000 annually. $800,000 of the generated funds will go toward general fund pur-poses and $425,000 will be used for capital improvement. Road and build-ing maintenance, business recruitment and retention and police patrols in the business district will be supported by the tax increase.

Proposition P failed receive the re-quired 66.67 percent supermajor-ity after only 56.8 percent of Ferguson residents voted in favor of the $0.40 per $100 Assessed Value property tax increase. The generated funds would have been used for general municipal purposes.

“For our community to pass Proposi-tion E with nearly 70 percent voter ap-proval says our community is looking forward to moving forward,” said Fer-guson Mayor James Knowles III. “We still have a long road ahead of us, and we know the council will have to make

some tough decisions over the next few months when it comes to our budget. But we are a resilient community and we will continue to move forward.”

Jennings School District will see more facility and program updates after a 71 percent voter approval of Proposition S. The $3 million bond will provide new flooring in the gym-nasiums, playground safety upgrades, instructional equipment and supplies and other facility updates.

In Florissant, Propositions B.A.R. passed with 63-70 percent of voters in favor of each proposition. Proposi-tion B, which passed with 70 percent approval, allows the city to continue collecting sales tax on motor vehicles bought from sources other than li-censed Missouri dealers. Proposition A passed with 70 percent voter ap-proval; the ordinance requires owners of residential structures in Florissant vacant for at least six months to pay a $200 annual registration fee. Florissant can better keep track of rental property owners with the passing of Proposition R, which increases the fee for a Resi-dential Rental License of $50 per unit. The proposition was passed with a 63 percent voter approval rate.

“We are delighted that the voters of

By Sara Hardin

Voters approve several propositions that will give a financial lift to North County communities

Boosted by the ballot

Students in the Jennings School District will see more facility and program updates after a 71 percent voter approval of Proposition S. The $3 million bond will provide new flooring in the gymnasiums, playground safety upgrades, instructional equipment and supplies and other facility updates.

Submitted photo

Florissant passed all three of these bal-lot measures with overwhelming ma-jorities,” said Florissant Mayor Thomas P. Schneider. “Our city council unani-mously recommended passage of all of these propositions in order to increase needed funding for the city’s rigorous code enforcement of vacant residential rental units as well as to continue to pro-vide a level playing field for licensed au-tomotive dealers in Missouri.”

April 20, 2016

April 20, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com2 Around Town

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In This Issue...

Vol. 95 No. 16

Around TownCrisis Nursery celebrates 30 years, raises $300,000 and more.

SchoolHazelwood high schools maintain Project Lead the Way certification and more.

BusinessHBA donates $10,000 to St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation and more.

SportsLocal sports with Gary B.

Learn & PlayFeaturing recipe and crossword.

What’s Happening

Classifieds

Movie“They Will Have to Kill Talking with “Ethnic Mom” Lanie Kazan.

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Operation Food Search, a regional leader in hunger relief, nu-trition education and advocacy, is grateful to its passionate and dedicated volunteers, who are essential to making a difference in hunger relief. The organization continues to grow its volun-teer force and seeks spring and summer volunteers to help with food distribution, assist as cooking instructors, promote and sup-port summer meals and help with special events. To learn more about volunteer opportunities visit www.OperationFoodSearch.org or contact Katie.Schneider@OperationFoodSearch.org or call 3140726-5355 ext. 21.

“Volunteers have always been at the heart of Operation Food

Search. They are true heroes and the lifeblood of our organiza-tion,” said OFS executive director Sunny Schaefer. “Last year, 4,800 volunteers contributed more than 16,500 hours of service, saving us nearly $375,000 that we were able to use toward our programs and services! We are inspired daily by those who take part in an ongoing opportunity to help Operation Food Search provide food and essential nutrition services. We welcome individuals, groups and company employees to take action in helping us expand our capacity to feed more people and contribute to the health and well-being of our neighbors in need, especially children who are most vulnerable to the adverse effects of hunger and food insecurity.”

As a Commissioner at the Public Ser-vice Commission (PSC), we make de-cisions each day that affect the lives of Missourians in our state. It is a respon-sibility that I take very seriously and I work very hard to balance the interests of all that come before us.

A vital part of our mission is consumer education and outreach. We believe it is important that consumers know who we are and what we do. I travel across the state attending local public hearings on cases before the commission, getting the chance to hear from you on how a proposed rate increase affects you and if you have any service related issues. Con-sumer testimony is an important part of our process and we appreciate people sharing their thoughts.

At local public hearings, the PSC Staff conducts a question and answer session providing information about the com-mission, answering questions consum-ers might have about the PSC, or why a company has filed a rate case.

There are a number of ways consum-ers can get information about the PSC.

Our website (www.psc.mo.gov) is a great source. We have several information sheets on a number of topics includ-ing the Cold Weather Rule; electric and natural gas safety; budget billing; and telephone assistance programs for low income and disabled Missourians. We also have a publication “A Guide To Help Manage Your Utility Services” as well as brochures on a number of topics includ-ing energy efficiency and your rights as a utility consumer.

The commission also offers a free mag-azine (PSC Connection) which contains a number of interesting articles and in-formation. That publication is available on our website or by contacting our Con-sumer Services Unit at 1-800-392-4211.

The PSC is also very involved in com-munities throughout the state as part of our consumer education efforts. You may have seen us at energy, health and senior service fairs, or back-to-school fairs in your area. This is another venue to get information to you on what the PSC does and how what we do daily af-fects you and your family.

I hope to see you at one of these events soon.

Former Senator Maida Coleman was appointed to the Missouri Public Service Commis-sion (PSC) by Gov-ernor Jay Nixon, in August 2015. Prior to her appoint-ment, Commis-sioner Coleman was the Director of the Office of Community Engagement. She previously served as Executive Director of the Missouri Workforce Investment Board at the Department of Economic Development, and in a leadership role at the Missouri De-partment of Labor. From 2001 until 2009, Commissioner Coleman served as a State Representative and State Senator from St. Louis, becoming the first African-American woman in state history to serve as Senate Mi-nority Leader. Commissioner Coleman has a B.A. in Journalism from Lincoln University in Jefferson City and was awarded a Doctor of Humane Letters Degree from Harris-Stowe State University in St. Louis in 2008.

The opinions expressed in this column are the columnist’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News.

The Public Service Commission plays a vital role in the lives of Missourians

By Maida Coleman

COMMUNITY VOICES

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Around Town 3www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • April 20, 2016

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Celebrating Art for Senior Engagement Festival showcases art events throughout the St. Louis region

Saint Louis Crisis Nursery celebrates 30 years and raises $300,000 for child abuse prevention

Artists don’t retire. They keep on making art. And that’s what Celebrating Art for Senior En-gagement, a 10-day festival April 28 through May 7, is all about. Celebrating Art for Senior En-gagement, presented by Maturity and Its Muse, is showcasing art in all its forms with 80-plus events throughout the St. Louis region. Lynn Hamilton’s Maturity and Its Muse, that’s dedi-cated to improving the life of seniors through the arts has worked with 60 local venues to bring St. Louis 10 days of exhibits and art-related events to highlight how art improves the aging expe-rience. As events are continuously being added and updated, you can find an up-to-date calen-dar online at maturityanditsmuse.org/calendar/. The majority of events will be free, however a few may cost or ask for pre-registration.

Celebrating Art for Senior Engagement is the first area-wide festival dedicated to the St. Louis region’s older adult population. From St. Louis Art Museum to several area galleries, libraries, Laumeier Sculpture Park, Missouri Botanical Garden and more, arts events and programs can be found for people of all abilities and interests.

“Artists have the ability to inspire all of us to try our hand at something we had always wanted to do. Whether that’s play a musical instrument, pick up a pencil and sketch, dig in the dirt, color

in a book…do something new,” said Lynn Ham-ilton, creator of Celebrating Art for Senior En-gagement through her nonprofit Maturity and Its Muse. “This festival is about enjoying life and having fun.”

Art can keep people young in spirit and recent discoveries show that when older people become involved in culturally enriching programs, they experience a decline in depression, are less likely to fall and pay fewer visits to the doctor.

The goal of Celebrating Art for Senior Engage-ment is twofold:

• To harness the power of the arts to energize and transform the quality of life for the region’s older adults.

• To attract and help build audiences for the venues involved.

“What’s great about Celebrating Art for Se-nior Engagement is it doesn’t matter what level anyone’s ability is,” Hamilton said. “Just because something may keep someone from singing or dancing on the outside, it’s still possible to have a song in one’s heart and dance on the inside. From watching a St. Louis Symphony rehearsal to listening to poetry readings to dancing and coloring, this festival incorporates all different aspects of the arts and some are participatory while others are not.”

The Saint Louis Crisis Nursery celebrated its 30th anniversary at the sold-out 2016 Razzle Dazzle “Once Upon A Time” gala. Emceed by KMOV-TV’s Emily Rau and Andre Hepkins and joined by 600 community and business support-ers, the Saint Louis Crisis Nursery raised $300,000 for its mission of child abuse prevention.

At the magical and fairy-tale themed event, the Crisis Nursery gave H.U.G.S. & K.I.S.S.E.S. awards to organizations and volunteers that have impacted and helped the Crisis Nursery’s vision in saving babies’ lives. The Foundation of the Year award was presented to the Saigh Foundation with JoAnn Hejna and Mary Kemp accepting the award for the organization. Dedicated to enhanc-ing the quality of life for children in the region, the Saigh Foundation’s generous gifts to the Nursery have helped to provide care for countless children living in the city of St. Louis.

The Funder of the Year award was presented to the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund (CSF). Accepted by CSF Board chair, Terry Crow and CSF’s Executive Director, Connie Cunningham; CSF has generously supported the care for children in St. Louis County, keeping them alive and safe.

The Couple of the Year award was presented to Steve and Sally Mitchell for their personal com-mitment to the children and families served by the Crisis Nursery. The Mitchells generously support events, underwriting costs of important special projects around the Nursery, and volunteer their time to help with day-to-day activities.

The Young Professional Hero Awards were pre-sented to Celisia Harris and Shawn Vinson. Celi-sia, Business Manager for the Dr. Pepper Snapple Group serves as Secretary for the Nursery’s Young

Professional Board and contributes her time vol-unteering, supporting events and advocating for the children of the Crisis Nursery. Shawn, Presi-dent of Vinson Mortgage Group, also a member of the Young Professional Board devotes his time and energy working to help raise awareness about the Crisis Nursery in the region, encouraging oth-ers to “get involved.”

“I’m so very grateful for the years of support from the community,” said DiAnne Mueller. “Sav-ing babies’ lives and keeping kids safe has been our mission for 30 years and to see so many join us in this mission is amazing! It’s just not right for a child to go without diapers or formula and I’m glad we’re here making sure every child is safe.”

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Ferguson-Florissant School District Board of Education results announced

Unofficial results of the April 5 election for the Ferguson-Florissant School District Board of Education indicate newcomer Connie Harge will join incumbent Leslie Hogshead on the Board for a three-year term.

Harge received 36.48 percent of the vote, and Hogshead received 28.81 percent of the vote.

Other candidates who sought election to the

board were Roger Hines, who received 23.26 percent of the vote, and Donna Dameron with 10.73 percent. Write-in votes accounted for 1.35 percent.

The board will hold a reorganization meeting on April 20 following certification of the results by the St. Louis County Board of Election Commis-sioners.

Submitted photo

Crisis Nursery Board President Jim Wagner (left) stands with Celisia Harris, winner of the Hero Award.

April 20, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com4 Around Town

Submitted photo

Christian Hospital President Ron McMullenrep-resentative, Rep. Margo McNeil, after partici-pating in STEM Day at the Capitol on March 3.

Local Author Spotlight: Carolyn Mueller

Carolyn Mueller was born and raised in St. Louis. Growing up an animal lover, she treasured her English Setter, found plenty of box turtles in the backyard and mourned a hamster or two. Naturally, the majority of her birthday parties were spent watching the animals of the Saint Louis Zoo. By happy accident, post-graduation, Carolyn was given the opportunity

to become a Keeper in the Children’s Zoo. She fell in love with the daily routine of caring for the Zoo’s animals and working full-time for an organization that strives toward the conser-vation of endangered species as well as excellent standards of captive animal management.

“Bubbles the Dwarf Zebu,” her first children’s book was published by Reedy Press in 2012. Carolyn’s other works include “Lily: A True Story of Courage and the Joplin Tornado,” in-spired by Tara Prosser and her Weimaraner, Lily, and “Happy Birthday, St. Louis!,” a history of St. Louis for kids. Carolyn’s latest works are “Dizzy Dean and the Gashouse Gang,” which recounts the harrowing adventures of the 1934 St. Louis Cardinals, and “St. Louis Boo,” true St. Louis ghost stories for kids. Carolyn con-tinues to balance her passions for zookeeping and writing. She enjoys working with lions, tigers, bears and more in her current position as a Carnivore Keeper and sharing her stories in the city of St. Louis.

The Veiled Prophet Organization has officially announced that the 134th annual VP Parade will take place in Downtown St. Louis, returning America’s Biggest Birthday Parade to its original location after two years in Forest Park.

The parade will begin at 7th and Market streets at 10 a.m. on July 2, kicking off a weekend of Inde-pendence Day celebrations. Fair St. Louis, set for July 2-4, will remain in Forest Park for 2016 and will feature three days of family-friendly activities, food, live music, fireworks, and more.

“We are deeply grateful to Forest Park for its support in hosting the parade for the past two years,” said Jim Hetlage, Grand Marshal of the 2016 parade. “The parade has historically been a civic point of pride for the city of St. Louis. We are thrilled to return to downtown and work along-side Fair Saint Louis in Forest Park to host a true, city-wide Fourth of July celebration with these events.”

“Big things are happening in Downtown St. Louis, and we are delighted the 2016 VP Parade will return to its traditional location in the heart of downtown, near the new National Blues Mu-seum and CityArchRiver,” said city of St. Louis Mayor Francis Slay.

Hetlage also announced that the theme of this year’s Parade is “Hats Off to Heroes.” “We are ex-cited to present a tribute to Americans from all walks of life whose everyday contributions make them heroes in their communities,” he said. “The parade will celebrate heroes in every shape and form, from military officers and veterans, to first responders, to blue collar workers, to school teachers, to parents, and all those in between.”

“The parade is a celebration of our city, our re-gion and our country, and a symbol of pride of the St. Louis community,” said Missy Kelley, President

and CEO of the Downtown STL, Inc. “It’s an en-during tradition, and one of America’s oldest and largest Independence Day celebrations. We are proud to support it.”

The parade will feature a procession of 130 units—including 14 major floats with live musi-cal performances—that will march west on Mar-ket Street from 7th Street to 20th Street, involving more than 300 singers and dancers, giant helium balloons, community groups and military units. The celebration will also feature the 2016 Liberty Drum Challenge, one of the premier high school band competitions in the region, with 12 local high school bands competing for $10,000 in cash prizes.

Changes to the 2016 Parade route from prior years will ensure safety for spectators in the midst of ongoing improvements and construction at the Gateway Arch and Kiener Plaza. The 2016 Parade will start at Kiener Plaza and pass by landmarks such as City Garden, the Carnahan Courthouse, City Hall, Peabody Opera House and Aloe Plaza. It will finish at the historic Union Station, located at 20th and Market. The Parade route will offer easy access for thousands of individuals and fami-lies to view the parade along Market Street.

“The VP Organization and Fair St. Louis are working hand-in-hand with the National Park Service, St. Louis Police Department and Fire De-partment and other local, state, and federal agen-cies to ensure another safe and fun celebration,” said Mayor Slay.

As always, parade officials will designate an ac-cessible Special Needs Viewing Area for viewers with disabilities. Public parking information will be announced closer to the event.

KMOV will broadcast the parade live from out-side Union Station beginning at 10 a.m. on July 2.

VP Parade returns to Downtown St. Louis for 2016 event

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Mayor Thomas P. Schneider was invited to at-tend a roundtable discussion on March 30 with Assistant Secretary of the Department of Labor and former Congressman from Maine, Michael H. Michaud at the Missouri State Florissant Ca-reer Center. The topic of discussion was focused on job placement for veterans from Missouri and Illinois. Officials representing Missouri and Illi-nois Departments of Economic Development and Workforce Development as well as representatives of the US Military discussed broadening employ-

ment opportunities for veterans in Missouri and Illinois.

Schneider noted that Florissant City Hall pro-vides an office every Tuesday for a Veterans Affairs counselor to assist veterans and their families ap-ply for the benefits they deserve. Schneider also put in a last minute plug to the Assistant Labor Secretary, who was appointed by the president, advocating for the St. Louis site for the Geospa-tial Mapping Agency, saying that it is vital for the economy of St. Louis and North St. Louis County.

Florissant mayor meets with assistant labor secretary

North County Incorporated (NCI) is honoring Christian Hospital President Ron Mc-Mullen with the 2016 Elmer Belsha Leadership Award for his years of leadership, com-mitment to north St. Louis County, and his positive im-pact on the community. Mc-Mullen will receive the award at the NCI Annual Breakfast and Leadership Award Cer-emony on May 13. McMullen has served as Christian Hos-pital president since 2007 and has been in leadership roles with BJC HealthCare since 1983.

Christian Hospital president to receive 2016 Leadership Award

Around Town 5www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • April 20, 2016

The first days of spring are upon us, which is giving someone a certain new “spring” in their step.

That springy step belongs to my husband. He’s doing a happy dance in the living room, shaking his groove thang in the garage and will soon be arrested if he starts twerking in the grocery store aisles. Very embar-rassing.

What’s got his joints jitterbugging you ask?One word – lawn.Yes, he has finally uncovered the truth about turf!

He can now qualify to wear the cape of, Captain Lawn Boy! Defender of growth and green, and together with his pre-emergent broadleaf herbicide, wage war against the likes of low-growing criminal life such as chickweed, spurge, dandelions, ragwort and evil crabgrass!

For years, he has surrendered the care of his grass to the “experts” only to dismiss one lawn care company af-ter another and in the process, forfeit chunks of money and patience. Time after time, the edges wouldn’t be treated, the green turned brown and the grubs marched boldly across the yard in battalions while the weeds formed roving gangs. They’d pop up everywhere and defy the weed whacker and brazenly resist Round Up.

In desperation, my husband humbled himself and

consulted that all-knowing, powerful keeper of knowl-edge, the almighty omnipotent force…Google. (FYI: I’m confident God knows more. Just wanna get that on record so I won’t burn in the hereafter.)

Finally, he found a sure-fire formula and set about to care for the greens himself.

And then…boom! Christmas in April! We came home from being away for the weekend and drove past the usual houses in our neighborhood. My husband checked out the yards and commented on each.

“The McMillen’s have got to water more. The Smith’s need to aerate. Those Jensen’s…need to give it up.

They should pave it over and install Astroturf.”In the distance we saw a certain yard sprouting green-

er and healthier grass than any other in the neighborhood. You could say it was even glowing. Even the Pilkinson’s, who usu-ally have golf course quality lawn, couldn’t compare with this little patch of Eden. And who do you think owned that oasis?

Us!My husband jumped out of the car and immediately

put his dad dance grooves into motion. I hoped the neighbors had their blinds shut.

So he’s got the lawn care thing down, but will need considerable help with his boogie woogie.

Unfortunately that’s something even God or Google can’t help.

Cindy Moore is the mother of three superlative kids, servant of two self-indulgent felines and wife to one nifty husband. Her ficticious occupation? Archeological Humorist: someone who unearths absurdity and hilarity in strange and unusual places including public restrooms, the lint filter, and church meetings. Most recently, she excavated a find in her neigh-bor’s bird feeder.

The opinions expressed in this column are Cindy Moore’s alone and do not reflect the opinion of the owners or staff of Community News.

Rolling in the green

By Cindy MooreMoore On Life

If you remember the timeless romantic tale of the 1995 movie “Bridges of Madison County” with Meryl Streep and Clint Eastwood, you also remember the forbidden love story of two lives that happened to cross paths with one another in the heart of Iowa. The book was on the New York Times best seller list for about three years and sold over 12 million copies.

Now, the Broadway musical is offering a ro-mantic tale that is much different than the book or movie. The simple stage set does give the feel of a small town atmosphere and has a lot of moving parts which are almost distracting at times. The flashbacks and the dual locations on the stage tend to be a little confusing. With the direct dialog and mention of a “covered bridge” as well as the title of the movie, the stage set of the actual “covered bridge” was disappointing.

Elizabeth Stanley who played the lead role of Francesca was a little hard to understand at times especially when she was singing. But at the same time, it was understood that her char-acter had an Italian accent. Francesca started off the show singing a song and the lyrics were not easily understood, thus hard to engage into the

first act of the show.Andrew Samonsky who played the hand-

some, well traveled photographer Robert, had a strong solid voice and showed a sincere passion toward Francesca’s character. There was a defi-nite strong chemistry between the two charac-ters on stage.

The breath of refreshment came with Mary Callahan who played Marge. Her character at times gave life to the production when the show seemed to drag in other places.

Some of the music seemed to be forced in with the dialog when it could have just as easily been spoken to better get the point across. Oth-er times the musical numbers fit in very well.

I did enjoy getting a little more background and the details of Francesca and Bud’s two children.

The ending was confusing, especially if you have read the book or have seen the movie. Why change the story of such a beautiful, successful movie and book?

Overall the production was well received but the audience around me stated that they were confused with the direction of the story line at times.

‘Bridges of Madison County’ gets a confusing, middling debut at the Fox Theatre

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By Christy ParksTheaTer review:

April 20, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com6 Around Town

Pictured (from left) are Lisa Allen with Missouri Department of Conservation State Forestry and Florissant City Foresters Doug Shelley and Larry Gerst.

Photo courtesy city of Florissant

The St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation is invit-ing St. Louisans in grades three through 12 to participate in the 2016 Ultimate Tourist Con-test, where they can win a $500 cash prize for visiting and writing about their area tourism experiences this summer.

Participants must visit at least three St. Louis area attractions then write about their journeys through an essay (500 words or less) or by cre-ating a brief video.

Each entry will be judged on its own merits with the winners chosen by a selection commit-

tee comprised of St. Louis Civic Pride Founda-tion board members. The winning entries will be featured in Explore St. Louis’ 2017 Official Visitors Guide and posted on explorestlouis.com for a full year.

The Ultimate Tourist Contest is open to stu-dents, ages 8 to 18 who will be entering grades three through 12 for the 2016-17 school year. Entries will be accepted from April 20 through Sept. 5. Limit one entry per student. For more information on contest rules, please visit ex-plorestlouis.com/ultimatetourist.

City’s Foresters Doug Shelley and Larry Gerst attended the 2016 Arbor Day Recognition Cer-emony and Luncheon to honor the St. Louis area Tree City USA, Tree Campus USA and Tree Line USA recipients that was held at the LODGE Des Peres on April 1. This marks the 27th year that the city of Florissant has been recognized as being a member of Tree City USA.

The Tree City USA, Tree Line and Tree Cam-pus USA programs are sponsored by the Na-tional Arbor Day Foundation in cooperation with the US Forest Service and the National Association of State Foresters. These programs provide direction, technical assistance, public attention and national recognition for commu-nity forestry programs.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis (BGCSTL) is excited to announce that they are applying for a 21st Century Community Learn-ing Center Program grant from the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Edu-cation for a new club site in the Riverview Gar-dens School District.

The 21st Century Community Learning Centers Program creates community learning centers that provide academic enrichment op-portunities for children, particularly students who attend high poverty and low-performing schools, to offer students a broad array of en-

richment activities that can complement their regular academic programs.

BGCSTL is dedicated to ensuring that our community’s youth have greater access to qual-ity programs and services that will enhance their lives and shape their futures. For nearly 50 years, BGCSTL has provided a safe place for youth to learn and grow. Through the support of 21st Century Community Learning Centers, they can expand their reach and impact more youth to realize their full potential as produc-tive, responsible and caring citizens.

St. Louis Civic Pride Foundation announces Ultimate Tourist Contest for students

Florissant recognized as a member of Tree City USA for the 27th year

21st Century grants are available in Missouri

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Photo courtesy www.facebook.com/paintpalprogram

Around Town 7www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • April 20, 2016

Bringing the visual and sensory stimulation of colorful amateur paintings to our nursing home residents is the goal of the PAINT PAL program. Each resident chooses a painting of their prefer-ence from a selection to hang in their personal space and receives a greeting from an amateur artist.

The PAINT PAL art program intent is to ac-tivate sensory development, stimulate resident conversations and individualize and brighten each room. The personal interaction lifts spirits and provides companionship from the PAINT PAL messages long after the visit.

The Paint & Wine studios are sourcing the paintings with surplus instructor-led examples and acting as repositories for the ‘bring backs.’

Customers of the studio parties will be able to align with the nursing home program three ways: Opt to leave behind their art for the residents,

return previous art from parties-gone-by from any store, or simply leave a PAINT PAL note for a resident while onsite (supplied). The program is expecting a May launch servicing nursing homes as inventory expands.

Former St. Louis Rams legends led by Isaac Bruce will reunite to compete in a flag football showdown at the Dome on July 23. Bruce will be joined by members of the Greatest Show on Turf including Kurt Warner, Dick Vermeil, Mike Martz, Orlando Pace, Mike Jones, Ernie Conwell and many more as well as other Rams legends including Marc Bulger and Aeneas Williams. The event will give the players a chance to thank fans and give St. Louis a chance to celebrate great memories.

Tickets will go on sale April 21 at 10 a.m. on www.ticketmaster.com. Individual ticket prices are $15 and $20. Premium tickets that will in-clude an on-field autograph session prior to the game are limited to 1,000 tickets and are on sale for $100.

Kickoff for the game is set for 2 p.m. with gates opening at 12:30 p.m. The pregame autograph session for premium ticket holders will be from 11

a.m. - noon. “We’re excited to be able to bring together

a bunch of the Greatest Show on Turf guys and other former Rams greats to be able to thank the fans for the incredible support over the years,” said Bruce. “We want to fill up the Dome one last time and really show everyone what an incredible sports city St. Louis is. We have the opportunity to raise a lot of money for the Isaac Bruce Founda-tion which we can then pour back into this great city and it’s really exciting.”

Proceeds from the Legends of the Dome will benefit the Isaac Bruce Foundation which is com-mitted to continuing to make an impact in the St. Louis community. Isaac launched the Isaac Bruce Foundation in 2006 which focuses on health, well-ness, nutrition, fitness and education. Through the Foundation, Isaac reaches out to youth and teaches them at an early age the importance of a healthy lifestyle with an emphasis on education.

Paint & Wine studios partner with ‘PAINT PAL’ program for nursing home residents

Former Rams legends unite for last game at the Dome

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Effective April 1 two local collaborative part-ners, Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma and Bilingual International Assistant Services, have united to support their common cause. Since the early 2000s, these nonprofit agencies have worked closely to help and heal immigrants and refugees in the St. Louis area and to offer assistance as they become successful contributors to the community.

Going forward, Bilingual International As-sistant Services will continue operations and management of the agency’s wellness, mental

health and social service programs for foreign born consumers, plus professional interpretation and translation services. The Center for Survi-vors of Torture and War Trauma programs shall continue to be run under the name “The Center for Survivors.” Facilities will continue to operate largely as they have, with only minor differences, if any, in service delivery.

By joining forces, the two entities look forward to optimal support for new Americans in our community needing hope and healing.

Merger of Bilingual International Assistant Services and Center for Survivors of Torture and War Trauma announced

ParticiPating studios are: Pinot’s Palette

All locations Metro Area St. Louis Painting with a twist

All locations Metro Area St. Louis Wine & design

10212 Watson Road The art cellar on Main

205 Main St. That Painting spot12798 Olive Blvd.

April 20, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com8 School

www.stladhd.com

Submitted photosFerguson Middle Students show-off the new Kindles they received as gifts.

Ferguson Youth Initiative donates Kindles to Ferguson Middle School students

Hazelwood School District high schools maintain Project Lead the Way national certification

Ferguson-Florissant superintendent reaches out to celebrities to support reading initiative

Twelve Ferguson Middle School students are the recipi-ents of brand-new Amazon Kindle readers. The Kindles were gifted to the students by the Ferguson Youth Initiative in collaboration with Project Hart, a non-profit student group from the University of Illinois at Ur-bana-Champaign.

The Kindles were given to students who have read the most pages this year as part of the school’s Read 4000 Initiative and to those who have made the most gains as readers – they have embraced reading by mov-ing from reading very few pages to many. The Wi-Fi equipped devices are loaded with age-ap-propriate free e-books and stu-dents will be able to load addi-tional reading material that they purchase from Amazon.

“This is an event that is ex-tremely important to us,” said Jorian Heal, chief executive of-ficer of Project Hart. “Our organization’s goal is to cultivate a love of reading and learning. Each device is an opportunity for a child to have at their disposal a resource that offers them a

wealth of knowledge.” The Kindles were presented to students dur-

ing a reception at the Ferguson Youth Initiative office.

Hazelwood Central, Hazelwood East and Hazelwood West high schools, earned recertification for their Proj-ect Lead The Way (PLTW) programs that were estab-lished in the Hazelwood School District in 2002.

PLTW is a nonprofit organization and is the lead-ing provider of science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) education programs, offering a rigorous curriculum that allows students to apply what they are learning in math and science to real-life engineering and technology projects. PLTW high school curricu-lum includes Pathway to Engineering and Biomedical Sciences.

The PLTW recertification program recognizes

schools for successfully demonstrating a commitment to PLTW’s national standards, and for providing stu-dents with the opportunity to apply for college credit after completing select PLTW courses.

The certification process involves a team of teachers, staff, students and members of the community who submit an assessment of the school’s implementation of the curriculum, and a site visit by a national PLTW certification team.

Enrollment in PLTW courses has increased steadily in the district since the 2003-2004 school year. In 2015-2016, there were 691 high school students enrolled.

Teachers are a critical component to the success of the program. All teachers are required to

complete intensive two-week professional develop-ment courses in the summer before they can teach a PLTW course.

According to an Adecco Engineering & Technol-ogy report, currently there are almost two STEM job listings for every unemployed individual and 75 per-cent of the fastest growing occupations require STEM preparation. By 2018, there will be approximately 10 million new STEM jobs.

PLTW was founded in 1997 in 12 high schools in New York. It has grown to more than 8,000 middle and high schools across the country, as well as affiliate col-leges and universities.

Dr. Joseph Davis watched news coverage of Ferguson, Missouri, following the 2014 shoot-ing death of Michael Brown, and decided to be part of the solution. Dr. Davis, then super-intendent of a small school district in North Carolina, applied to be superintendent of the Ferguson-Florissant Schools outside St. Louis, because he believed improving schools is the most powerful way to strengthen a communi-ty in crisis. Last year, he accepted the job and moved to Ferguson with his wife and son.

Today, Dr. Davis is reaching out to celebrities across the country – including some who were outspoken about the events in Ferguson – ask-ing for their help.

Superintendent Davis has launched a $2 mil-lion campaign to promote reading among the more than 11,000 students in the Ferguson-Florissant School District, where 80 percent of students are African-American, and about 76 percent live in poverty. Dr. Davis has sent letters to 170 of the biggest names in movies, television, music and sports, requesting their personal and financial support.

“I believe that providing all children with a first-rate education is the single most powerful tool in eradicating bias and building commu-

nity,” Dr. Davis wrote in his letter. “I also believe that to be successful in school and in life, every student must develop a deep love of reading. My own experiences growing up as a black child in the South – and today as a parent and an educa-tor – have taught me unequivocally that reading is the key to a bright future.”

The reading initiative will infuse Ferguson-Florissant’s 24 schools with four important resources: classroom libraries of new books; e-readers and interactive software; intensive literacy training for teachers; and materials to engage parents and the community in reading with kids.

The celebrities include Missouri natives such as Don Cheadle, Jon Hamm, Sheryl Crow, Matt Bomer, John Goodman, Akon, and Misty Cope-land, as well as notable figures who spoke out on social media about events in Ferguson, includ-ing Katy Perry, Magic Johnson, Lena Dunham, Pharrell Williams, Rihanna, Kerry Washington, and Chris Rock.

“We believe this campaign can be a game-changer in our community,” Dr. Davis wrote. “For all those who watched the events in Fer-guson and said, ‘I wish there were something I could do to help,’ this is your chance.”

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Business 9www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • April 20, 2016

Home Builders Association donates $10,000 to St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation

On behalf of the Home Builders Charitable Foundation (HBCF), 2016 HBA President Kim Hibbs of Hibbs Homes (left) and HBCF vice president Dave Griege of Paramount Mortgage Company (right) presented a $10,000 donation to Amy McFarlin, executive director of St. Andrew’s Senior Solutions.

The donation will help fund St. Andrew’s Project Independence. Project Independence addresses the increasing need for quality home repair for low-income seniors, 65 years of age and older, who live in St. Louis City and County. St. Andrew’s Charitable Foundation raises funds to support the charitable mission, pur-pose and activities of St. Andrew’s Resources for Seniors System and its subsidiaries. A variety of repairs are performed through this program including, but not limited, to the repair of cracked walls, replacement of corroded and leaking faucets and pipes, in-stallation or repair of locks, replacement of doors, windows, bath-room vanities, and other measures to maintain sanitation and pre-vent avoidable accidents.

Submitted photo

Pictured is Mary Jo Heydt, Savile Row Vice President, with the rack of collected clothing. Submitted photo

Savile Row, a custom clothier and shirt maker for men and women, recently held its annual spring trunk show event.

As a part of this trunk show event, Savile Row collected gently used suits, sports coats and trousers. The clothing was dry cleaned and donated to the Urban League of Metropolitan

St. Louis’ community Clothes Closet, which features work-appropriate clothing for those seeking employment opportunities. Founded in 1918, the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis empowers African-Americans and oth-ers throughout the region in securing economic self-reliance, social equality and civil rights.

bluefrog Plumbing + Drain, an emerging plumbing and drain-cleaning, repair and re-placement company, is leaping into St. Charles and St. Louis County with services that began during the latter part of March.

Managed by a local resident, Kevin Lansing, the new business offers both residential and commercial services including: water heaters, garbage disposals, toilets, faucets/sinks, drains, pipes/sewers, septic systems, water softeners/filtration, grease traps and backflow prevention.

“The plumbing and drain industry is very sat-

urated, yet lacks the professionalism and cour-tesy home and business owners desire,” Lansing said. “bluefrog Plumbing + Drain is focused on providing a first-class customer experience while maintaining a fun personality and cul-ture. Community members will recognize our friendly and professional service experts by our branded trucks that display our playful, bright-blue frog, named Freddie.”

bluefrog Plumbing + Drain of Saint Louis can be reached at 636-642-1000 or visit www.blue-frogplumbing.com/saint-louis.

Savile Row collects clothing for the Urban League of St. Louis

bluefrog Plumbing + Drain hops into Saint Louis area

www.NorthStLouisCounty.com

Front office of the Ras-cals ready to entertain

The River City Rascals play professional baseball in the West Division of

the Frontier League at the CarShield Field in O’Fallon.

President and General Manager Dan Dial has been working diligently during the off season to provide a lot of excitement to the game besides the game itself. Several early sea-son promotions include:

**May 6 - Education Day** May 20-Jackpot Giveaway** May 21-Tony La Russa Appearance NightBesides the great promotions, the Manag-

er and Director of Baseball Operations Steve Brook has coordinated an offense and a defen-sive group hungry for the title. His hitting coach, former player Josh Ludy is ready to have the bats crack with excitement for the season.

For more information go to www.RiverCit-yRascals.com

* Here before you know it

27 days to River City Rascals baseball in O’Fallon

Lindenwood sends Law to capture a big win The Lion’s baseball team defeated a tough Fort

Hays State squad with a 3-0 win recently at the Lou Brock Sports Complex in St. Charles.

Connor Law had one of his best pitching per-formances of the season after pitching a com-plete-game shutout en route to his fifth win of the season. He tallied four strikeouts and al-lowed just three hits in the nine-inning affair. The defensive supported him with two phenom-enal catches by Kyle Teter in centerfield to help keep the visiting Tigers from scoring.

Lindenwood improves to 15-18 on the season, and now sit at 9-15 in the MIAA.

For more details go to www.Lindenwood.edu.* Drew Morris / Graduate Assistant for Sports

Information

Indoor football Raiders bringing excitement to the Family Arena

The River City Raiders professional indoor

football team plays in the Northern Division of the American Indoor

Football league with home games at the Family Arena in St. Charles.

Besides the St. Louis Blues taking on the Black-hawks from Chicago, the Raiders will entertain the Chicago Blitz this Saturday with kickoff at 7:05 p.m.

Free tickets can be scooped at the website be-low.

The team finds themselves tied for third place out of 19 teams in the league with about a month left in the regular season. The Raiders have scored the more points than any other team in their division.

If you are big in hearing one of the best nation-al anthem renditions, make sure you are at the game and hear retired Navy Petty Officer Gener-ald Wilson with his great voice. Wilson sang the national anthem at the NCAA Championship game in Houston, MLB (World Series), NHL, and NFL games all over the nation.

May 8 - 3:05 p.m. against the N. Kentucky Nightmare

Last game of the regular season is at the Chi-cago Blitz facility on May 14 at 7 p.m.

For more details go to www.IndoorRaiders.com.

You can listen to the game with Todd Black-stock and David Solomon on 590 AM or www.590TheFan.com.

* Season winding down

Gary Baute, a St. Louis native, has hosted many radio shows from Health to Sports to Baby Boomer news. He was the EMCEE of the River City Rascals and St. Louis Swarm basketball team inaugural sea-sons and broadcasting for the indoor football teams over a decade. Has been writing sports since 1999 for the paper.

10 April 20, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

SportsSports you see with Gary B...

I will be broadcasting the “STL Health and Wellness LIVE” show every Saturday from

9-11 am on 590 The Fan and 590TheFan.com

www.stangelawfirm.com

www.treesbywoody.net

Recipe:Weeknights: the time of the day when the sun

goes down and you are left with only a limited amount of time to finish answering emails, help-ing the kids with their homework and, of course, getting everyone fed. Busy families know that getting nutritious and flavorful dinners on the table can be challenging when there is little-to-no time to think about what to serve, let alone prepare. So when it comes to dishing up quick, wholesome meals, maximizing efficiency with preparation is key.

Rather than serve your family the same go-to dish day-in and day-out, up the ante with a frozen prepared meal. Frozen foods are not only a fan-tastic resource for getting a delicious meal on the table in a pinch, but can help you meet the U.S. dietary guidelines for balanced nutrition, just by simply pairing your meal with a nutritious side

dish. Balance Your Plate, an educational cam-paign created by Nestlé, helps consumers create a nutritiously balanced meal by pairing frozen prepared dishes with a side of fresh fruit, veg-etables, whole grains or low-fat dairy.

When choosing the right frozen prepared entree for you and your family, look for frozen items that offer high-quality ingredients and preparation techniques that highlight flavor and simplicity. For example, Stouffer’s Lasagna with Meat and Sauce is made with freshly prepared, hand-layered pasta, hand-seasoned sauce with vine-ripened tomatoes and topped with fresh mozzarella and aged parmesan. You can pair this with a refreshing Apple and Walnut Arugula Salad to achieve a nutritiously balanced, yet fla-vorful weeknight meal.

Balanced, flavorful meals for a hectic week

www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • April 20, 2016 Learn & Play 11

Ingredients:6 cups torn mixed salad greens2 medium apples, chopped1/2 red onion sliced1/2 cup dried cranberries3 tablespoons chopped walnuts, toasted1 garlic clove, mincedsalt and pepper4 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar1 tablespoon honey1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice2 tablespoons olive oil2 tablespoons crumbled goat cheese (optional)

Directions:In large bowl, combine greens, apples, onion, cranberries and walnuts. In separate small bowl, whisk together garlic, pinch of salt and pepper, balsamic vinegar, honey and lemon juice. Then slowly add olive oil, continuing to whisk. Pour dressing over greens and toss. Top with goat cheese, if de-sired. Sprinkle with salt and pepper.

Fresh Apple and Walnut Arugula SaladServings: 1 | Prep time: 10 minutes

Fill in the blank squares in the grid, making sure that every row, column and 3-by-3 box includes all the digits 1 through 9.

SUDOKU:

See solution on page 13

John Hanna is a part time, amateur cartoonist taking his first

step into the world of print and online comic media. When he isn’t drawing or working at his second

job, he can be seen in and around the St Charles area. If you like his work, that is good. If you don’t like

it, that is good too.

John HannaCommunity Toons

www.manorcare.com/Florissant

facebook.com/mycnewsLike Us On Facebook

April 20, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com12 What’s HappeningSend your event to editor@mycnews.com and we'll print it!

EvEnts

April 20: Karaoke Karaoke at the Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more informa-tion call 314-831-6121.

April 21: Healthcare conferenceThe state’s leading dental benefits pro-vider and champion of improving both oral health and overall health will host futureFOCUS2016 from 7:30 to 11:30 a.m. at the Ritz Carlton in Clayton. This conference is free to attend and will include a complimentary break-fast and a book written by the keynote speaker. Local business leaders and healthcare professionals can secure a reservation at www.futurefocuscon-ference.com. futureFOCUS2016 will feature speakers Joe Flower and Kath-ryn Gilliam, RDH, BA. This event is packed with helpful information for HR executives and benefits manag-ers, employee benefits professionals, strategic planners, CEOs, benefits con-sultants, agents, brokers, dentists and other healthcare professionals.

April 21-23: Spring book saleThe Spring Book Sale for Friends of Ferguson Library (FLIERS) will be on: April 21 from 1 -7:30 p.m., April 22 from 9 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. and April 23 from 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the library auditorium at 35 No. Florissant Road. In addition to large stock of books, we have larger numbers of WWI and WWII, Civil War and Vietnam mili-tary collection and large amounts of audio books. No scanners. For more information call 314-521-4663.

April 22: Spaghetti or chicken al-fredo dinner Spaghetti or chicken alfredo dinner at the Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 4 to 7 p.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121.

April 23: Chili cook-offSt. Mark’s United Methodist Church at 315 Graham Road in Florissant is host-ing their annual chili cook-off. Free Admission, no entry fee, doors open at 4 p.m., judging begins at 5 p.m. First place for chili is $150, first place for dessert is $100 and children’s dessert competition first place is $50. There will be refreshments and lots of fun. To register call Jill at 314-695-4490 or email her at jill.a.simmons@gmail.com.

April 23: Earth Day celebrationThe Ferguson-Florissant School Dis-trict’s 97-acre nature preserve, Little Creek Nature Area, will host an Earth Day celebration from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. Little Creek Nature Area is located at 2295 Dunn Road in Florissant. Attendees will be able to witness a rehabilitated bird release and rap-tor show, hike the nature preserve’s ADA-accessible trails, take an Audu-bon Society bird-watching walk, visit with and feed farm animals, create earth-friendly crafts and partici-pate in educational activities at Little Creek’s pond. Guests can also create earth-friendly crafts. The event will also include a 10 a.m. presentation of the Green Ribbon School Awards to Ferguson-Florissant schools that pro-mote sustainable practices in energy usage, gardening, recycling and waste reduction, water run-off and erosion. Earth Day at Little Creek is free and open to the public.

April 23: Pancake breakfastThe St Louis County Citizen Po-lice Academy Alumni Association - North County (CPAAA) invites you to our CPAAA Pancake Breakfast Fundraiser. The event is being held at O’Charley’s Restaurant at 13971 New Halls Ferry Road in Florissant. Break-fast served from 8 to 10 a.m. costs $8.50 for adults and $6 for children eight years old and under. Breakfast includes pancakes, sausage, orange juice, milk, coffee, tea and soda. Two one-week vacation packages to be raf-fled, tickets will be drawn the morning of the breakfast. One week stay in Las Vegas or one week stay in Orlando, Florida. Winners need not be present to win; cost is $20 per ticket. Proceeds benefit the on-going support of the St Louis County Police Department’s - North Precinct and their Community Outreach Programs by the CPAAA.

April 23: Fine arts showThe Hazelwood School District (HSD) will host its second annual Fine Arts Show from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hazelwood Central High School at 15875 New Halls Ferry Road in Florissant. The event is free and open to the community. The Fine Arts Show is a collective show of art work created by HSD art students in Pre-K through 12th grade.

April 23: “Focus on Love, Neigh-bors and Forgiveness”First Baptist Church of Ferguson, at 333 N. Florissant Road, will host a

special event featuring shoebox gift recipient, Alex Nsengimana from 2 – 4 p.m. Growing up in the throes of an unstable Rwandan government, Alex experienced first-hand the travesties of his nation’s genocide. In 1994 he witnessed the murder of his grand-mother and uncle. Fleeing for his life, he escaped and ended up in an or-phanage. A year after arriving at the orphanage Alex received a shoebox from Operation Christmas Child and remembers being so excited to have a gift to call his own. Alex now serves with Operation Christmas Child as a national spokesperson, sharing the story of hope and love he received through a shoebox gift.

April 23: Trivia nightThe annual Trivia Night Fundraiser for TEAM will be held in the parish hall of Sacred Heart Catholic Church located at 751 N. Jefferson St. The trivia night is being sponsored by the Florissant License Office – Florissant Rotary Club. Entry fee is $200 per table with a maximum of eight people per team. Entry fee includes drinks, popcorn and attendance prizes. Doors open at 6:15 p.m., trivia starts promptly at 7 p.m. Checks should be made payable to TEAM and mailed to Pat Piotrowicz, TEAM Trivia Night, 9 Beaujolais, Florissant, MO 63031. To register, volunteer, sponsor, or make a donation, please contact Pat Piotrow-icz at p.piotrowicz1@yahoo.com. All proceeds benefit TEAM – The Emer-gency Assistance Ministry, a 501c3 organization. The mission of TEAM is to serve the poor and the hungry in the Florissant and Hazelwood areas. To learn more about how to donate or receive assistance, please visit our website teamfoodpantry.com.

April 23: Free document shred-dingThe Fifth Annual Florissant Resi-dent “Free Document Shredding Day” will be held at St. Ferdinand Park- rear parking lot from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.. Bring your sensitive tax, bank or financial records from home to be shredded right in front of you. Cintas Document Management Com-pany will professionally shred your information. All information will be destroyed in a manner to which it cannot be recognized or recreated. All paper will then be recycled. What to bring to be shredded: bank state-ments, tax records, credit card state-ments, invoices, anything with your name and address on it and no need to remove paper clips, binder clips or

staples. You may bring up to five bags or boxes. Types of boxes include copy paper boxes, banker boxes and shoe boxes. Types of bags include shopping bags, grocery bags and trash bags. No three ring binders, hanging file fold-ers, CD’s, DVD’s or hard bound books. Open to the public.

April 26: Card and game partyAnnual card and game party will be held at Holy Trinity Catholic Church at 3400 St Gregory Lane in St Ann. Doors open at 11 a.m., games start at noon. The cost is $7 which includes cake and coffee or tea. Other food items will be available for purchase. Many great attendance prizes will be awarded. Also Pot of Gold and raffle prizes, including a quilt raffle. For res-ervations call Mary Cornwall at 314-428-3236 to reserve your table.

April 27: Karaoke Karaoke at the Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. All profits go to support veterans. For more informa-tion call 314-831-6121.

April 29: All-you-can-eat chick-en dinner All-you-can-eat chicken dinner (dine-in only) at the Florissant Valley VFW Post 4105, located at 410 St. Francois, from 4 to 7 p.m. All profits go to sup-port veterans. For more information call 314-831-6121.

April 30: Trivia nightSt. Barnabas’ Episcopal Church Trivia Night takes place at 2900 St. Cath-erine Street in Florissant. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., trivia begins at 6:30 p.m. Cost is $160 per table, maximum eight people per table with a 16 table limit. To reserve a table call Marlene at 314-837-7113.

April 30: Florissant Garage SaleFlorissant residents can haul down the clutter from their attics and treasures from their garages and organize accu-mulations from their barns for the 6th Annual Florissant Garage Sale. The garage sale will be held at the James J Eagan Ice Rink area from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Each applicant will only receive one space. Only Florissant residents receive a space to sell. The selling of craft items will not be approved. Fill out an application and return it by April 22.. Applications will be avail-able at the JJE and JFK Center and

at www.florissantmo.com. Space is limited. The fee is $20 per table. The Florissant Garage sale is free to attend. For additional information call 314-921-4250 or 314-921-4466.

April 30: Florissant Garage SaleFlorissant residents can haul down the clutter from their attics and treasures from their garages and organize ac-cumulations from their barns for the Sixth Annual Florissant Garage Sale. The Garage Sale will be held at the James J Eagan Ice Rink area from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Each applicant will only receive one space. Only Florissant res-idents receive a space to sell. The sell-ing of craft items will not be approved. Fill out an application and return it by April 22. Applications are available at the JJE and JFK Center and on our website www.florissantmo.com. Space is limited. The fee is $20 Per table. The Florissant Garage sale is free to attend! For additional information call 314-921-4250 or 314-921-4466.

April 30: Purse auction and pam-per partyBeauty Impact Accessories and Mizz Piggys’ presents “All Moms Matter” Purse Auction & Pamper Party at 1F North Oaks Plaza in St. Louis County. This event will have a live auction of items from various local small busi-nesses. For entertainment several serviced-based businesses have vol-unteered their services for women who have lost a child. The proceeds from this event are being donated to St. Louis Children’s Hospital Parent Bereavement Program. The organizers of the event, Brittany Raji and Cath-erine Harvey, hope to give the griev-ing women time to relax, feel appreci-ated and supported. This event is free and open to the public. Women who have lost a child can come and receive massages, manicures and mini- make-overs.

May 2: Hospice volunteer train-ingMercy Hospice will be conducting new volunteer training in St. Louis on four consecutive Mondays; April 11, 18, 25, and May 2 from 12:30 – 4 p.m. Trained volunteers provide a variety of different services including com-panionship and caregiver relief for patients and families, administrative assistance and grief support. To reg-ister or inquire, please contact Paula Minogue at 314-729-4415 or Paula.Minogue@mercy.net.

Business Spotlight

A place to find out a little more about your local

businesses!

May 5: Pitch, hit and runKids ages seven-14 (as of July 17, 2016) are invited to participate in the Pitch, Hit & Run competition at 6 p.m. at Koch Park field number four. Partici-pants compete in three stations: pitch-ing, hitting, and running with a chance to advance to sectional competitions, team championships at a Cardinal’s game, and the national finals at the 2016 MLB All Star game. Metal spikes are not allowed. For further informa-tion, please call 314-921-4466.

May 14: Washers tournamentFlorissant Eagles at 15245 New Halls Ferry Rd. will be holding the 5th An-nual Washers tournament. There will be five lanes to choose from with a payout of first place 50 percent, second place 30 percent and third place 20 per-cent payout. Event starts at 1 p.m. Cost is $10 per two-person team. Come en-joy our beer garden and have some fun. Get there early to register your team.

May 14: “Shoot for a Cure” eventMake plans now to join the Friends of the Saint Louis University Liver Center for the Eighth Annual “Shoot for a Cure” fundraising event at the beautiful Strathalbyn Farms Club. Located on 140 pristine acres in the Weldon Spring area of St. Charles County, Strathalbyn Farms Club offers a unique private club environment for this benefit shooting event. The event is geared towards intermediate and ex-perienced shooters. Event registration begins at 8 a.m. with a required safety meeting at 9:15 a.m. and shotgun start at 9:30 a.m. Breakfast will be served at 8:15 a.m. Sponsorships are available at various investment levels – for more information, contact the Friends of the Saint Louis University Liver Center at 314-576-3078. Teams may register for the event at a cost of $1,250 for a four member team, 100-shot course with 14-stations. Included in the team price is breakfast, clays and shells and beer and pretzels after the shoot. Proceeds will benefit the Friends of the Saint Louis University Liver Center. For more information about the “Shoot for a Cure” event and associated spon-sorship opportunities, or to register a team, please contact the Friends orga-nization at 314-576-3078 or via email at lduff@friendsoftheslulc.org.

May 16: Golf fundraiserThe Christian Hospital Foundation is hosting their sixth-annual Golf Outing at Norwood Hills Country Club. The day includes lunch, shotgun start, on-course refreshments and games, and an awards reception with cocktails and dinner immediately after play. Proceeds from the outing will help the founda-tion continue in its mission to provide compassionate care and clinical excel-lence to more than 160,000 patients who visit Christian Hospital each year. The foundation also provides more than 10,000 area residents with free education and screenings each year. Sponsorships are still available and cost for a foursome is $800; individual play is $200; or cocktail/dinner only is $70. For more information, please visit the website at www.christianhospital.org/golf or call the foundation office at 314-653-5162.

May 20: Charity golf tournamentSoroptimist International of Greater St. Louis is pleased to announce its 18th annual All Women’s Charity Golf Tournament at the Golf Club of Florissant. Individual entry fee is $65 and includes nine holes with cart, din-ner, attendance prizes and awards for longest drive and closest to the pin. Registration begins at 1 p.m., shotgun start scramble at 2 p.m. with dinner and awards at 5 p.m. The Golf Club of Florissant is located at 50 Country Club Lane in Florissant. This year’s theme is Tropical. Proceeds from the golf tournament benefit women and children’s charities. For more infor-mation please contact Margie Hep-permann at 314-839-0565, Grace Zykan at 314-837-4881 or visit their

website at http://www.soroptimistst-louis.com/.

June 11-12: Beaumont High School ReunionBeaumont High Schools graduating class of January and June 1946 will be holding their 70th reunion this June. This will be the final reunion for the Beaumont graduating classes of 1946. The reunion will consist of dinner at Clayton Plaza on June 11, followed by a lunch at the DoubleTree Hotel in Chesterfield on June 12. For more in-formation contact Martha Strehle at 636-386-5587 or Marsha Hoeman 314-839-5156.

June 20: Charity golf eventThe annual Jim Butler Charity Golf classic, benefitting the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater St. Louis, will be at the Country Club of St. Albans at 3165 St. Albans Road in St. Albans. The event will be a fun-filled tournament experi-ence that includes afternoon tee times, golf, lunch, live and silent auction, din-ner and awards program. Both courses will be available for the tournament. For more information, or to register, visit www.bgcstl.org.

June 20: Coed softball leagues registrationThe city of Overland will offer adult coed recreational slow-pitch softball leagues Monday through Thursday at a cost of $450 per team for six week dou-ble headers and $300 per team for eight week single-header games. All leagues will be recreational and do not include playoffs. League games are set to start on August 1 - 8, 2016. Registration will be accepted starting June 20 through July 22 at the Overland Community Center at 9225 Lackland Road, during normal business hours. To reserve you spot in our upcoming leagues a 50 per-cent deposit or full payment is required along with a completed registration form. All remaining league fees must be paid before your second game. To obtain more information, please call 314-428-0490 or check us out online at: http://www.overlandmo.org/231/Adult-Softball-Leagues.

July 14: Charity golf tournamentUnited 4 Children announces their Annual charity golf tournament will be held at the Norman K. Probstein golf course in Forest Park at 6141 Lagoon Drive. This important event raises over $50,000 to help children who are at-risk develop and thrive regardless of their fragile environments. Golfers will join us beginning at 12:30 p.m. with a shotgun start, followed by 18 holes of golf and an awards banquet at the club house. Tickets are $125 per player. Check out United4Children.org to reg-ister.

RecuRRing events

Mondays: A cappella singers Men of Harmony a cappella singers meet at Salem Evangelical Free Church at New Halls Ferry at Pohlman Road at 7 p.m. Not church affiliated. Group is always looking for new members. Call Al at 314-993-6134 for more informa-tion.

Tuesdays: Choir rehearsalsThe St. Louis Chordinals, a women’s a cappella chorus, rehearse every Tues-day evening from 7 - 9:30 p.m. at Beau-tiful Savior Lutheran Church at 12397 Natural Bridge Rd. in Bridgeton (next to the Bridgeton Government Cen-ter). For more information call Linda at 314-839-3495 or visit stlouischordi-nals.org.

Tuesdays: TOPS (Take off pounds sensibly) From 9:15 - 10:30 a.m. located at John F. Kennedy Center/Henry Koch Ctr., Howdershell Rd. at Charbonier Rd., Florissant. For more info contact Paul or Connie McConnell, 314-831-5476.

Every 4th Tuesday of the month:

Fort Bellefontaine Memorial American Legion Post 335 meet-ing6:30pm, Fort Bellefontaine Memorial American Legion Post 335, 800 Cham-bers Road in Bellefontaine Neighbors. Those interested in membership are invited to attend.

Every Tuesday: Bingo Evening at Florissant Elks Lodge #2316Doors at 4:30pm, games begin at 6pm, Florissant Elks Lodge #2316, 16400 New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. For more information, call 314.921.2316.

Wednesdays: Are you interested in losing weight? Check out TOPS #361 Florissant group of supportive ladies. Meetings are on Wednesday mornings beginning at 9:15 am at Bethel Providence Christian Church located at 14700 New Halls Ferry Rd in Florissant. If interested, please contact Shirley at 314-895-3528 for more information.

Every Wednesday: Bingo Morn-ing at Florissant Elks Lodge #2316Florissant Elks Lodge #2316, 16400 New Halls Ferry Rd. in Florissant. Doors at 7:30am, games begin at 9:30am. For more information, call 314.921.2316.

Bridgeton Trails Library Branch Programs:3455 McKelvey Rd., St. Louis, 314.994.3300. Story Time: Wednes-days, 10:30 a.m. 9 months to 2 yrs. Room 1 (Lap Time); Wednesdays, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3–5. Room 2; Thurs-days, 10:30 a.m. Ages 3–5. Room 1.

Florissant Senior Citizens’ Bingo Clubs: 314.839.7604.

Every 1st Wednesday of the Month: Stroke Support Group3-4pm, Center for Senior Renewal, De-trick Building 1st floor, 11133 Dunn Rd. For more information, contact Ja-mie Stevens at 314.653.5331.

Every Friday: Our Lady of Fatima #4429 Knights of Columbus Bin-go6:45pm, Knights of Columbus Hall, 1216 Teson Rd. in Hazelwood. For more information call 314.731.9330

Every 3rd Friday of the month: Bingo 2pm, Life Care Center of Florissant, 1201 Garden Plaza Dr. For more infor-mation, call 314.831.3752.

Last Saturdays: Writers Work-shop:10am - 1:30pm, Baden Liberary, 8448 Church Rd., 314.388.2400

Sundays: Meat shootCome and enjoy the meat shoots at American Legion Post 444 located on 17090 Old Jamestown Road between Sinks Rd and Lindbergh starting at noon until dusk every Sunday - rain or shine. Great meat prizes awarded.

Every Sunday: Tours at Old St. Ferdinand Shrine#1 Rue St. Francois St., Florissant, 1 – 4pm, through October. Donations ac-cepted. Docents needed. 314.921.7582, vicray01@aol.com

Sundays: Jennings Do-Dads meetingThe Jennings Do-Dads hold meetings every third Sunday of the month (ex-cept June which is the second Sunday and no meeting in December) at 1 p.m. at Classics Bar & Grill at 11601 West Florissant Avenue. Those inter-ested in membership are invited to attend. For more information visit www.jenningsdodads.org.

chuRch

Tuesdays & Thursdays: Chapel of

the Cross Lutheran Church Grief-Share Support Group Tuesdays from 2 - 4pm and Thursday from 6:30 - 8:30pm, 11645 Benham Rd., 314.741.3737

health

Every Mon. & Tues.: Healthy Meal Replacement (HMR) Program OrientationMondays: 6–7pm Tuesdays: Noon–1pm SSM DePaul Wellness Center. Attend a free orientation to learn: the Five Success Variables needed to lose weight, different diet options available and how important physical activ-ity really is. Please call to register at 1.877.477.6954.

Every Monday-Friday: Evening Front Desk Volunteers Needed4-7pm, Christian Hospital, 1225 Gra-ham Rd. in Florissant. For more infor-mation, please contact Lee Shields at 314.653.5032.

2nd Tuesday of Every Month: Al-zheimer’s Association Caregiver Support Group MeetingMeeting to be held at Sarah Care of Bridgeton Adult Day Center 11977 St. Charles Rock Road, Suite 121-124, Bridgeton, MO 63044. Join our Support Group for Mutual, Emotional Support and Education. You are not alone. For information, contact Deborah Mabrie at 314-291-5210 or Ferd Fetsch at 314-291-3021 Email: dbland@sarahcare.com ferdfetsch@sbcglobal.net.

Tuesdays: Alcohol and Drug In-formation MeetingChristian Hospital Building 2, Suite 401, 6:30 – 8pm, 314.839.3171, free and open to the public.

Every third Tuesday of every month: Grief Support Group sponsored by DePaul Hospital 11:30am-1pm, Bridgeton Trails Li-brary, 3455 McKelvey Rd. For more information, call 314.344.6873.

Wednesdays: STEPS Schizo-phrenia Support Group6:30 - 7:30pm, 314.839.3171.

Sundays: Alcoholics Anony-mous Group 10911th floor conference room at Chris-tian Hospital, 10am, 11133 Dunn Road.

Diabetes Basics: 314.344.7024 for info or 314.344.7220 to enroll.

Crisis Nursery:Committed to preventing child abuse and neglect, the Crisis Nursery pro-vides short-term, safe havens to chil-dren, birth through age 12, whose fam-ilies are faced with an emergency or crisis. Care is available year-round and serves families throughout the greater St. Charles region. 24-hour helpline: 314.768.3201. Or 636.947.0600, www.crisisnurserykids.org

Center for Senior Renewal:Day treatment programs for older adults dealing with anxiety, depression, grief, loss and early signs of dementia, 314.653.5123.

Nutrition Education: SSM DePaul registered dieticians can help you make sure your diet is right for you, 314.344.6157.

Christian Hospital Recovery Cen-ter:Outpatient mental health and sub-stance abuse treatment for adults, 314.953.8100.

Volunteers Needed at Christian Hospital: Call 314.653.5032

Nicotine AnonymousNicotine Anonymous is a 12 Step Pro-gram, free and available to all seeking recovery from nicotine addiction based on principals of AA. Only requirement is a desire to stop using nicotine. Vol-untary contributions are accepted. For further info call 314-822-2066 or visit WWW.Nicotine-Anonymous.org.

Look Good…Feel BetterSSM Cancer Care at DePaul Health Center, 12303 DePaul Drive. Radia-tion OncologyBridgeton. Attend a great makeup session sponsored by the American Cancer Society. A licensed cosmetologist teaches a session of scarf tying, shows a parade of hats, and pro-vides each participant with a makeup kit. Light refreshments are served. Info: 314.344.6090.

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www.mycnews.com • Community News – St. Louis County • April 20, 2016 What’s Happening 13

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16 April 20, 2016 • Community News – St. Louis County • www.mycnews.com

By Steve Bryan

As a fan of Lainie Kazan, it’s difficult to pin down a favorite performance. Her turn as Rose, an older law student, on Showtime’s “The Paper Chase,” was excep-tionally memorable. In the episode entitled “The Big D,” for instance, Rose repre-sented herself during her own divorce proceedings.

“That was one of my favorite, favorite jobs. Oh my God, what a wonderful job that was,” Kazan said when reached by phone for an interview. “I was out with my girlfriend, who was producing and directing it. We were having lunch and I said to her ‘You know, I would like to just get a part that’s not an ethnic mother. I’ve been everybody’s mother, and I just want a part where I have problems and I’m a person.’ And she wrote that part for me. She wrote that part for me and I got nominated for an Ace Award.”

Speaking of ethnic mothers, the prolific actress/singer re-cently returned as Maria in “My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2.” The original film, produced by Tom Hanks and Rita Wil-son, was a cultural and box office phenomenon. During the film’s theatrical run in 2002, word-of-mouth turned this en-gaging romantic comedy into a huge success.

“I’m a Greek mother, and I love it! And I am so happy and I am so grateful and I am so pleased with the fact that we did this movie again,” she explained. “Because it is a feel good, warm, delicious film and I think people love the characters.”

Windex, which became a character in the first film, also plays a part in the sequel. Michael Constantine’s Gus re-turns with more uses for the popular cleaning product.

“Did you know that Windex put money up for the mov-ie? I was in shock. They had Windex on every table at the opening, at the premiere. They had Windex with bows on them for the people who came. It was hysterical,” she said, lauging.

The original “Greek Wedding” was so popular, in fact, that it became a series on CBS with most of the original characters. Unfortunately, it barely made it through the first season.

“It didn’t work; it was a very sad thing. First of all, our lead-ing man (John Corbett) wasn’t there. He wasn’t in the series. I think the guy who directed it and helped write it, he had no ethnic sensibility. He just didn’t understand anything Greek and he whitewashed it. I think that was the problem with it, which was sad,” she

explained.Kazan has high praise for Nia Vardalos, who wrote and

starred in the films. “She’s wonderful, a wonderful woman. I love her. She took care of us,” Kazan added. “She wanted us to have wonderful roles. She’s just a caring, fabulous per-son. I really appreciate her.”

The idea of a sequel, Kazan said, came up every time they had dinner: “She never bit; she never really wanted to do it. She felt she didn’t know what to write about. She didn’t know what to say. Then, all of a sudden, we were going to have dinner one night. She came to me and said ‘Let’s get everybody together; I want to talk to you all.”

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2,” rated PG-13 for some suggestive material, is currently playing in theaters.

Lainie Kazan photo courtesy of Bigstock

“My Big Fat Greek Wedding 2” photo courtesy of HBO Films

Born and raised in South St. Louis, Steve Bryan is now based in Anaheim, California, and has been allowed access to movie and television sets to see actors and directors at work. Though his writing has taken him far from St. Louis, Steve is, at heart, still the same wide-eyed kid who spent countless hours watching classic movies at neighborhood theaters.

Talking with ‘Ethnic Mom’ Lainie KazanMovie

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