CN: October 4, 2023

Strength through service

By Wendy Todd

Ten years ago, Katie Harris was diagnosed with the genetic condition, Ehlers-Danlos syndrome, a group of disorders that affect the connective tissues supporting the skin, bones, blood vessels and other organs and tissues. The social worker experienced excruciating pain, surgeries and was eventually wheelchair bound. Harris and her doctors were giving up hope.

“I was truly fighting not to end my life every day, all day,” Harris said.

But she’d adopted a dog, Moxie, a Goldendoodle, who wound up helping her on one of the hardest days of her life and would go

on to help so many others.

The pain Harris was experiencing that day was unbearable and she didn’t think she could fight anymore. Her mental and physical strength were tapped. She was crying hysterically and thought her demise was imminent. But Moxie brought her back from the brink.

“Moxie came pouncing up on the bed and just wrapped her little paws around me,” she said. “I was looking at Moxie and it was in that moment that something shifted. I decided I wasn’t ready to stop fighting and it was time to stop focusing on all the things I couldn’t do anymore.”

In that moment, Harris realized how

much Moxie meant to her life and what a service dog could mean to others. She created a campaign to raise funds to donate a service dog to someone in need and was successful. From that effort, the nonprofit, Moxie’s Mission, began.

Today, Moxie’s Mission helps provide education and knowledge of service, therapy and emotional support dogs, as well as provide financial assistance for veterans and civilians in need of a service dog.

The nonprofit is an endeavor of passion for Harris.

“This is a one-person job and I don’t get

Katie Harris was inspired by her service dog Moxie to start Moxie’s Mission, a nonprofit that helps provide education and knowledge of service, therapy and emotional support dogs, as well as provide financial assistance for veterans and civilians in need of a service dog.

Moxie’s Mission, a nonprofit created in honor of a life-changing service dog, works to provide education and financial assistance to those in need of a service dog

WHATS HAPPENING EVENT

Oct. 19-21: Book sale

FLIERS (The Friends of the Ferguson Municipal Public Library) will host a book sale

Oct. 19, 4 – 7:30 p.m.; Oct. 20, 9 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Oct. 21, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. at the Ferguson Municipal Public Library at 35 N. Florissant Rd. in Ferguson. For more information call 314-521-4663.

Get your event or good news published in Community News: email your information in calendar and article formats to editor@mycnews.com.

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paid,” she said. “One hundred percent of the proceeds go directly to Moxie’s Mission, funding dogs and holding fundraisers. I am truly learning how to do everything in real time. I do the marketing, website updates, social media, fundraising, grant writing, sponsorships and donations. I do have an incredible board that helps in areas as they can and are now helping me with booking presentations for our children’s book and speaking engagements.”

In addition to helping five people, to date, including a little boy and a first responder obtain service dogs, Moxie’s Mission has recently added another success story. The five-year-old Moxie has been named service dog of the year

by the American Humane Hero Dog Awards.

Moxie, who beat out hundreds of dogs in the country in a public vote, and four semi-finalists, will receive the award, given out annually, at a star-studded gala in Palm Beach in November. The honor brings more visibility to Moxie’s Mission and the significance of service dogs.

“Service dogs truly change lives and there are so many different types of service dogs for different disabilities,” Harris said. “When seeing someone out in public, always be mindful of distracting the dog and talk to the handler, not the dog. The education just isn’t really there, which is why I go into schools and groups to teach.”

COMMUNITY VOICES:

What is life really all about? Has anyone ever accepted the model for living or have we decided that it is up to each of us to design how we will spend the time we have on earth?

We believe that the definition for life could be “Love Is For Everyone.” You may notice that the first letter of each word, when put together, spells LIFE! It suggests that the unselfish desire of each of us to make sure that our neighbors have” Love,” is the key ingredient that is necessary, in order for each of us to have an enjoyable time while we inhabit the earth. Doesn’t that sound ideal, and doesn’t that sound good? Doesn’t that also make plenty of sense? Why is it then so hard for us to make every effort to structure the way we live so that this happens?

Could it be reasons that others have sought to instill in us or ways that others have taught us to live? Could it be ways to live that we have read about or conversations we have overheard? We need to start using our own senses of reason to analyze and arrive at answers to life’s questions, that are really necessary guides to our own ways of living.

As the world is brought closer to us because of new technologies, we are better able to actually see how we can help someone have a bet-

Dr. Larry A. Brown

ter experience in life. We not only can see their situation, but we can witness and visualize how we can be a real blessing to their condition. Again, I will say that people feel better when they can help another one feel good!

I believe that we have been led to think that we must do all that we can to acquire things that show our neighbors that we are doing well, and we are to acquire material items in abundance as a sign of doing well. It doesn’t matter if these “things” satisfy us or make us feel good. It is just the accomplishment that we have acquired and own these objects. (What a false sense of comfort we have allowed ourselves to settle for!)

But we have learned that the real meaning of life can be achieved only when we can use our life to benefit another. Then we both experience the loveliness that life has to offer and the co-experience becomes really meaningful. The sharing part is the real essence of life itself.

If one misses this, then that person has not really gotten the full taste of life. What have you done lately to make life better for someone? Doesn’t it feel especially good when one can see the smile on another’s face or notice the relief another has received from our action?

If you have never done this, then you have not really had the benefit of experiencing life’s true potential. The joy released by such an action causes people to care about one another and allows progress to occur and society to expand.

If you understand this potential, but have no one to try this on, work through an organization like ours at www.gracechapelministries.org or send us an email at gracechapeldevelopment@gmail.com.

It is our responsibility to make life a good experience for as many as possible, for as long as we can, while we can.

By improving the quality of life for others, we actually improve the quality of life for ourselves.

Dr. Larry A. Brown is a retired Chairman of the Board and co-founder of Worknet, Inc., which has a national ten-year contract with the Social Security Administration to find jobs for people with disabilities who are interested and qualified to enter the traditional workforce. He is also co-founder and president of Grace Chapel Ministries, former president of National Cable Training Centers, and president of Woodstock Industrial Products Group.

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.

Gateway Arch hosts Frights & Heights family-friendly Halloween party

Halloween returns to the Gateway Arch. The tallest monument in the U.S. will host its annual Frights & Heights event, sponsored by Arsenal Credit Union, on Oct. 14. Event attendees are encouraged to wear their best costumes and participate in various Halloween-themed activities. General admission to the family-friendly Halloween party is free, but advance registration is required, and space is limited. Tram ride tickets are available for purchase with early bird discounts.

“Frights & Heights is a spooktacular way to experience the Gateway Arch and has become a beloved family-friendly Halloween tradition for many in our region,” said Mary Lamie, Executive Vice President of Multi Modal Enterprises, Bi-State Development. “We’re pleased to continue our partnership with Gateway Arch National Park on this spooky event.”

FRIGHTS & HEIGHTS FEATURES:

• Trick or Tram: Experience scary sights and festive decorations on the one-of-a-kind 630-foot ride to the top of the Arch. *Ticket Purchase Required

• Freaky Face Painting: Look hauntingly good after a makeover from face painters.

• Boo-loon Animals: Your favorite creepy crawlers come to life.

• Creepy Crafts & Games: Express yourself on your very own pumpkin craft or create a corner bookmark. Other activities include Halloween rainbow scratchers, skeleton puzzles, cornhole, arch blocks, button making, temporary tattoos and a very big “I Spy” game.

• Live Music: A Halloween dance party with a DJ will take over the Arch mezzanine.

• Ghost Stories: History comes to life in the Museum at the Gateway Arch as the ghosts of Dick Bowser, Meriwether Lewis, a French fur trader, a pioneer girl, and more come to life through living history performances.

• Puppet Shows in Tucker Theater: Lewis and Clark describe their adventure West and share some spooky and true stories from the trails.

• Storytelling in Tucker Theater: Local storyteller Sherry Norfolk will share some not-so-scary stories that tickle the funny bone.

• Freaky Fudge: If you have the guts, purchase some Halloween-themed specialty fudge flavors from park partner Jefferson National Parks Association (JNPA). The Arch Store will be open during the event. Proceeds from fudge sales and Arch Store purchases benefit Gateway Arch National Park and other JNPA partner parks.

• Free Cruise: Every child will receive a free one-hour St. Louis Riverfront Cruise ticket from the Riverboats at the Gateway Arch, good for the 2024 cruise season.

Candy and non-candy treats will be distributed to children. Family-friendly costumes are encouraged. No weapons, real or pretend, are allowed. Costume masks must be removed while going through the security checkpoint.

It’s wonderful being a neighbor again Still In This Together:

Whenwe moved to our new home in February, ours was the only home on the block that was completed. It was cold, it had snowed and sleeted the day we signed the contact, and our real estate agent friend, Cathy, had brought a throw rug from her own home so that we could take off our shoes and boots at the front door as we took our final walk-through.

We didn’t know anyone in our new city, and the refrigerator delivery driver couldn’t find us because Google maps showed our address as being in the middle of the street a half-mile away.

The little grocery store down the street was our first trip out of the house, when we had family members drop by to see the progress we’d made unpacking the ridiculous number of boxes that were sitting smack dab in the middle of our great room, and we needed snacks for our guests. I spoke at length to the lady at the deli, the produce man and the cashier, anxious to discover the best places to eat and local destinations that should be explored once the weather broke.

I wanted to know a little history about our new city straight from the residents themselves. Coincidentally, I found that a lot of the established community had been opposed to the idea of a new subdivision on the former farmland and were going to need to be won over to the idea that 45 new families were going to be joining them when no one thought the idea would ever pass the city council vote.

Challenge accepted.

As the weather began to warm in the spring, we made our way to the local library, walked daily to the cul-de-sac as one, then two, then three white mailboxes perched on top of boards cemented into buckets appeared, and construction equipment clattered and banged, concrete was poured and trusses were raised, windows were installed and sod was laid.

The display home next door to us finally opened and we were able to visit with the salespeople and watch as the symbolic parcels of land on the sign outside the office were gradually colored in, denoting property sales and impending arrival of moving trucks, and tentative drive-bys of prospective homeowners as they wondered, as we had a few months before, if this could be their new city. We even talked to a few of them as they walked by, encouraging them to consider being our neighbors.

I found early on that my favorite place to sit on the nicer evenings is in one of the big white plastic molded Adirondack chairs on our front porch, or in the driveway if John joins me. I write or read, or just wave at people as they drive by, figuring it can’t ever hurt to be friendly, and unobtrusively smiling my way into our new surroundings.

And soon there were honks and waves and people walking by from other more established subdivisions who stopped to chat and tell us where they live and how long they’ve been here and asked if we knew people were really wary about having a new subdivision here, but they’re starting to come around.

We’ve met our new neighbors in the cul-de-sac now, and suddenly I’m busy remembering names and spouses, their careers and former residences, and giving my own newly-found information about the nearest ice cream place and the friendliest old-time hardware store, the best way to contact the builder with a question, and

By Vicki Bahr

learning to match dogs to their owners, homes with their occupants, and children with their parents. I’m thrilled that there is such an assortment of people, with such an assortment of names and ages and jobs. We aren’t the only older couple in the neighborhood!

I didn’t realize how much I missed being a neighbor until we had the opportunity to stand on the corner or in the yard and chat until the streetlights come on, and then laugh and wave and go our separate ways until we see each other again.

Because we’re neighbors and that’s what neighbors do.

Vicki Bahr is an inveterate word lover and story sharer, a published author in magazine, newspaper and blog forms. As a mom of four, grandma of nine, and wife of one for 50 years, she finds that inspiration and wonder are everywhere.

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

Boyle Law Firm Patrick O.Boyle 755 rue. St. Francois Florissant, MO 63031 314-838-4500

Kay-Bee Electric 250 rue St. Francois Florissant, MO 63031 314-837-3308 www.kaybeeelectric.com

BUSINESSES CONTINUED ON PAGES 5 & 6

JOIN US FOR A DAY OF FUN!

Florissant Old Town Partners and the city of Florissant host the Florissant Old Town Fall Festival on rue St. Francois each year on the second Sunday in October.

The Old Town Fall Festival kicks off at 10 a.m. on Sunday Oct. 8 and runs until 5 p.m. on rue St. Francois Street in the heart of Old Town Florissant. Eleven full blocks from Florissant Road down to the St. Ferdinand Shrine are closed off for this event. All side streets will be blocked off to accommodate the festival. The street will be filled with activities for everyone including a retail and craft fair area, food and beverages. We will have the old favorites such as pumpkin decorating, pony rides, car show, , dog show, live entertainment and more!

Join us in the historic Old Town area of Florissant for a great day of entertainment for the whole family. For more information or to join the activities call the Old Town Partners office at 314-837-0033.

BROUGHT TO YOU BY THESE COMMUNITY-MINDED BUSINESSES ON PAGES 4-6

RECIPE : A heart-healthy, whole-grain breakfast

Ingredients:

Muffins: Nonstick cooking spray

1 1/2 cups whole grain sorghum flour

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

3/4 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk

1/3 cup firmly packed light brown sugar

3 large egg whites

1/4 cup canola or corn oil

2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup fresh or frozen unsweetened raspberries, thawed if frozen

Streusel:

2 tablespoons whole grain sorghum flour

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

2 tablespoons uncooked quick-cooking rolled oats

2 tablespoons chopped pecans

2 tablespoons light tub margarine

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Raspberry Streusel Muffins

Recipe courtesy of the American Heart Association and Sorghum Checkoff Servings: 12 (1 muffin per serving)

DIRECTIONS:

To make muffins: Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly spray 12-cup muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.

In large bowl, stir sorghum flour, cinnamon and baking soda.

In medium bowl, whisk buttermilk, brown sugar, egg whites, oil, lemon zest and vanilla. Stir into flour mixture until batter is just moistened and no flour is visible without overmixing. Spoon batter into muffin cups.

Top each muffin with raspberries.

To make streusel: In small bowl, stir sorghum flour, brown sugar, oats, pecans, margarine and cinnamon to reach texture of coarse crumbs. Sprinkle over muffins, gently pushing into batter. Bake 16 minutes, or until wooden toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. The USDA recommends cooking egg dishes to 160 F. Transfer pan to cooling rack. Let stand 5 minutes. Carefully transfer muffins to rack.

To find more heart-healthy recipe inspiration, visit Heart.org/healthyforgood

Remembering David McCallum

– SUDOKU –

Movie:

By Steve Bryan

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.

Neighborhood,” eat dinner and catch a few minutes of “The Monkees” before “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” came on. As I got older, one of my favorite shows was “The Man From U.N.C.L.E.,” a Cold War series that didn’t take itself too seriously during its fouryear run (The acronym U.N.C.L.E. stood for “United Network Command for Law and Enforcement”). Scottish actor David McCallum played Illya Kuryakin, a secret agent who teamed up with Napoleon Solo (Robert Vaughn) on a spy-themed show.

McCallum, who received two Emmy Award nominations for playing Kuryakin in the 1960’s, passed away on Sept. 25, at age 90. In a notable early role, the actor played Harold Bride, a young RMS Titanic radio operator in the 1958 film “A Night to Remember.”

In the engaging 1963 film “The Great Escape,” McCallum took the role of Lt. Cmdr. Eric Ashley-Pitt, an officer who figured out how to disperse large amounts of dirt in the compound while creating escape tunnels.

Vaughn and McCallum also starred in 1983’s “Return of the Man from U.N.C.L.E.”

In my mind, though, David McCallum’s 1975 TV series “The Invisible Man” was not given enough time to show how good the actor was in the role of scientist Daniel Westin. One of Westin’s experiments could turn objects invisible, so he tried the technique on himself. After becoming invisible, he learned that the military took over his experiment, prompting Westin to destroy his work. Unfortunately, after becoming invisible twice, he could no longer become visible. The series ended after only 13 episodes and was followed up by “Gemini Man,” a shortlived series with Ben Murphy playing Sam Casey, a secret agent who also could turn invisible, but for a limited time.

In the eyes of his fans, David McCallum’s most beloved role was Dr. Donald Horatio “Ducky” Mallard, the chief medical examiner at NCIS (Naval Criminal Investigative Service). After retiring from his position, he became an NCIS historian and had the nickname “Ducky,” a reference to his last name. The Scottish-born Mallard also used a ringtone with bagpipes playing “Scotland the Brave” and talked to the deceased. Keeping up with the times, Ducky listed etymology, ornithology and archeology as some of his interests. His alma mater, the University of Edinburgh, also wanted to present him with an “honorary doctor of Humane Letters.”

In the animated world, David McCallum voiced Alfred Pennyworth in the 2008 animated film “Batman: Gotham Knight” and played Zeus in 2009’s animated “Wonder Woman.” He also appeared on “The Outer Limits, “Rod Serling’s “Night Gallery” and “The Six Million Dollar Man.” Other notable appearances included “Alfred Hitchcock Presents” and “Babylon 5.” Even though his role as “The Invisible Man” didn’t last very long, McCallum will always be quite “Ducky” to everyone who worked on NCIS. Thank you, David McCallum, for all your fine work. You will be missed.

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.

‘The Man from U.N.C.L.E’ photo courtesy Arena Productions

Moore on Life: Old school

School’s back in session and that means it’s time to play Then and Now.

Then: We could eat things called peanuts. These were tiny nutty seeds that grew in the ground and when mashed made a nice creamy spread. It was delicious on bread. We ate them by the handfuls and could often trade our peanut butter sandwich for a prized marble at lunchtime.

Now: Peanuts are banned. They are to be more feared than an outbreak of Covid headlice. If one is found within a block of the building’s parameters, school will be immediately cancelled. A notice will then go out informing parents that a caustic toxin was found within proximity of the student’s breathing space and proper action should be taken. This includes a month-long quarantine followed by a thorough bleach bath.

Then: We participated in a sport called dodgeball. This fast-paced activity really got kids up off their lazy behinds after a long day spent trying to understand what a fraction was and eating paste. There was a real need to get their stagnant bodies exercising by dodging those fast balls, but mostly it was needed to help digest all that glue.

Now: Dodgeball is strictly outlawed. The possibility of being thumped on the head with a rubber ball is considered far more dangerous than juggling chainsaws or even eating a peanut butter and paste sandwich.

Then: Discipline. Back in the day a teacher could administer strict punishment for a student who dared to bend the rules. My husband was given a swift smack to

By Cindy Moore CROSSWORD: THE 2000S

his backside because he threw snowballs during recess. To this day he will do a double take before lobbing one for fear of the dreaded wooden paddle.

Today: Teacher, “Jimmy, put the flamethrower down before you hurt someone!”

Jimmy: “Oh ya, well you’ll need to put that in writing in triplicate form and send a copy to my legal team; another to my therapist for the sessions I’ll need to overcome the emotional distress you’ve caused and one more for a personal tutor. I’ll be taking off the remainder of the school year to recoup from the damage to my self-esteem.”

Things have changed so much. I seriously fear if we’re ever invaded by a hostile country the enemy won’t need grenades or bullets, just a few rubber balls, a bucket of peanuts and some harsh words.

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 neighbor’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.

LIFESTYLE: Create beautiful, inviting outdoor spaces

With all the beauty Mother Nature has to offer, a few pops of color or other simple embellishments can help make your yard look superb from the curb.

Whether you’re looking to enhance your front yard, backyard, porch or patio space, consider these easy and affordable ways to spruce up your outdoor oasis:

Add mirrors

Just as they do indoors, mirrors can open up small patio spaces and make areas feel larger. Use mirrors made with resin or other waterproof materials so they won’t be compromised when exposed to the elements.

Make bold statements

Plant your favorite flowers in a giant, bright red or yellow pot or hang a bright colored swing from a tree. Just a little dab of color can make a statement and brighten the whole space.

Hang it up

Place hanging baskets around the porch to bring punches of color to your outdoor sanctuary. With the freedom to pick and choose your favorite plants and flowers, these baskets have the added benefit of easy maintenance.

Consider time when planting

If you wish to add color to your landscape, consider

the time of day you normally spend in your outdoor space. Early risers may appreciate vibrantly colored foliage that perks with the morning sun. Those who spend time outdoors in the evening hours can incorporate white or lightly colored plants that take on a silvery sheen in the moonlight.

Tie up a hammock

Make a relaxing retreat in the comfort of your own yard by hanging a hammock from trees or between posts on your deck.

Add a birdbath

These garden favorites come in a variety of styles and colors to fit your unique tastes and budget. Birds of all kinds can find an oasis in their new bath and provide you with a beautiful view.

Throw some pillows

Outdoor pillows are often available in the same fun designs of their indoor counterparts. Add some throw pillows to your outdoor furniture for a chic yet comfortable update.

These subtle changes can help beautify your outdoor spaces and cause onlookers to do a double-take – for the right reasons. Find more ideas at eLivingtoday.com.

ACROSS

1. Interest in a venture

6. Hundredweight, acr.

9. Med. sch. requirement

13. ____ the tail ___ the donkey

14. Duran Duran's 1982 hit

15. All plants and animals

16. Part of an eye, pl.

17. Go for the bull's eye

18. Reduction/ oxidation portmanteau

19. *Best selling author of the 2000s

21. *Billboard's music artist of the 2000s

23. Chicken ____ ____ king

24. From a thrift store

25. Class-conscious grp.

28. Formerly, once

30. Marine mammal in famous Beatles' song

35. Fabled fliers

37. Jealous biblical brother

39. Averse

40. *"He's Just Not That ____ You" (2009)

41. Acrylic fiber

43. Arabian chieftain

44. Apartments, e.g.

46. *Friendster or Facebook, e.g.

47. 5,280 feet

48. Metal detector, e.g.

50. Goose egg

52. Cry of horror in comics

53. Made a basket

55. *Frodo Baggins and Samwise Gamgee or Nemo and Dory, e.g.

57. *Name for 2000s

60. *Popular social network of the 2000s

64. K-pop country

65. Woody creeper

67. Teletype machine, for short

68. Picture within a picture, e.g.

69. *"____ Smart" (2008)

70. Make a canyon, e.g.

71. Furniture wood

72. Utmost degree

73. Financing values DOWN

1. Horse prod

2. *Popular DVR device

3. All over again

4. Eucalyptus-eating marsupial

5. Store in a silo

6. Mountain goat terrain

7. *Xbox competitor

8. Libraryful

9. Dignified manner

10. *"The Da Vinci ____," best selling book of the 2000s

11. A-bomb particle

12. Levy

15. Like "something new" boutique

20. Beginning of

sleeping disorder

22. Feline sound

24. Put to work

25. *Toyota Hybrid introduced worldwide in 2000

26. 1,000 kilograms

27. Play a part (2 words)

29. *2002-2004 zoonotic epidemic cause, acr.

31. Rich soil

32. China grass

33. Handy

34. *First ever recipient of Oscar for Best Animated Feature

36. Chronic drinkers

38. Post-it slip

42. Like #59 Down

45. *Pink's 2008 hit (2 words)

49. Break down

51. Dismissal or ejection

54. "Peace" with fingers

56. "Madame Butterfly", e.g.

57. First rate (2 words)

58. Sky's Major one

59. *Like Best Buy's Squad

60. Urban legend

61. Tons (2 words)

62. Relinquish, as in property

63. *Jennifer Aniston and Brad Pitt, after 2005

64. *American Girl

____ Kittredge

66. Doctor Dolittle, e.g.

Photo courtesy Bigstock