MA RCH 202 2 | T HE HEA LT H & WELLN E SS ISSU E | A PU B L ICATION OF TH E B U SIN E SS TIM ES COM PAN Y
ERICA DICKSON FOUNDER, MID-MISSOURI BLACK DOULA COLLECTIVE
THE HEALTH & WELLNESS ISSUE
IN OUR OWN BACKYARD Human trafficking is our issue, too. PAGE 74
BACK TO THE FUTURE Reflecting on the Spanish flu in the midst of COVID-19. PAGE 98
The way your child feels is worth talking about.
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COMOMAG.COM
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Approximately 300 children in the Boone and Callaway County foster care system are still waiting for a CASA volunteer. Our next training begins on April 19th. Start your application today! You can help change a child's story.
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Friday, April 22, 2022 • 7:30PM • Missouri Theatre PANELS • READINGS • SPECIAL EVENTS • AUTHOR SIGNINGS AUTHOR CONVERSATIONS • WORKSHOPS FOR WRITERS Subjects include (but are not limited to): baseball, comedy, nostalgia, banned books, the medical-industrial complex, graphic memoirs, Detroit, fantastic stories, the Anthropocene, work, letter writing in literature, pop culture, and more!
Unbound Book Festival brings together readers and writers to create diverse communities, and to expose participants to new ideas and authors in order to inspire a life-long love of books and reading.
W W W. U N B O U N D B O O K F E S T I VA L . C O M
Authors of the 2022 Unbound Book Festival
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Shanthi Sekaran
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Vincent Ialenti COMOMAG.COM
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14
MARCH 2022
Letter from the Publisher
I
A Time to Act
’ll be honest. I wasn’t thrilled about planning yet another health & wellness issue when we sat down in our conference room months ago to tackle this one. In my many years of publishing, we’ve had a health issue every year. We always talk about the University Hospital. We always talk about Boone Hospital. We fi lter in other stories about health in the traditional sense. We put a bow on it and ship it. I was bored by it. What was new to say? Th is year, none of us wanted to settle for that. We wanted to push the envelope as far as our time and money would let us go including how race impacts health outcomes, the role of Planned Parenthood in our under and uninsured community, and what new technologies were emerging to treat old problems. Ultimately, it was most important to me and the team that a light was shone on mental health issues and resources in our community (or lack thereof). Mental health care is health care. People experiencing poor mental health suffer often avoidable consequences when interacting with all parts of our community — schools, the healthcare system, the police, and the judicial system. It frustrates me as I see so much of it can be helped by the wonderful people and organizations in our community. Other communities (Springfield, for example) have banded together to help ensure that they had a 24 hour mental health crisis center. Yet in our city, while everyone talks about what a need it is, few have stepped up to support fi lling that need. Our city has been asked by Burrell Health to invest $3 million of our American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funds to ensure that this sustainable program managed by Burrell Health is able to be built here. I’m disappointed at not only the lack of any response but at the lack of an emphatic “YES and NOW” response. Columbia has had $12.5
our CREATIVE DIRECTOR A NOTE from
I’m disappointed at not only the lack of any response but at the lack of an emphatic “YES and NOW” response.
It takes many people to put together a magazine: our staff, freelance photographers and writers, contract photographers, interns and also many contributing photographers whose work comes by way of our story sources. I’d personally like to thank and recognize these photographers whose work is a lovely addition to this issue and helps tell the important, meaningful stories we share in our pages. Rebecca Allen (page 86) Casey Buckman (page 43) Jacqueline Byas (page 68) Laura Rowe (page 41) Scott Schaefer (page 106) Tevin Uthlaut (page 25)
ON THE COVER million dollars in ARPA funds (the fi rst installment of a $25 million grant) available to use for issues such as this. The money must be used in five years, one of which is already gone. The second installment is due soon and the allocation priorities and process haven’t even been decided yet. Our community needs to wholeheartedly embrace this solution that will save lives immediately and over time. People that need mental health care rather than handcuffs deserve to be helped. Parents that need urgent solutions for their children when they are at their wits end deserve to be helped. Friends and family that desperately need someone to help at 11pm and can’t wait until morning deserve to be helped. I urge everyone to learn more about this proposed center and tell your elected officials that it is time to act. As always, I want to hear what you think. You can email me at erica@comomag.com. Until next time, take care of each other, my friends.
ERICA PEFFERMAN PUBLISHER
Erica Dickson, founder at Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective. Pg. 68 Photo by Keith Borgmeyer
MARCH 2022 | THE HE ALTH & WE LLNESS ISSUE | A PUBLICATION OF THE BUSINESS TIMES COMPANY
ERICA DICKSON FOUNDER, MID-MISSOURI BLACK DOULA COLLECTIVE
THE HEALTH & WELLNESS ISSUE
IN OUR OWN BACKYARD Human trafficking is our issue, too. PAGE 74
BACK TO THE FUTURE Reflecting on the Spanish flu in the midst of COVID-19. PAGE 98
This issue’s cover is one for the books. Keith Borgmeyer, one of COMO’s contracted freelance photographers, brought to life COMO photo director, Sadie Thibodeaux’s vision. Together, they discussed mood, vibe, feelings, color and Keith, the artist he is, knew it would take a custom canvas backdrop. He painted in his garage using just the right colors and tones to ultimately create not just the perfect cover portrait, but also a work of art.
COMOMAG.COM
15
ADJUSTING
President Erica Pefferman
Erica@comomag.com
Senior Vice President Fran Patrick Fran@comomag.com
EDITORIAL Publisher | Erica Pefferman Erica@comomag.com
Editor | Kim Ambra Kim@comomag.com
Copy Editor | Matt Patston
DESIGN Creative Director | Kate Morrow Kate@comomag.com
Photo Director | Sadie Thibodeaux Sadie@comomag.com
Senior Designer | Jordan Watts Jordan@comomag.com
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS Rebecca Allen, Casey Buckman, Keith Borgmeyer, Anthony Jinson, Laura Rowe Photography & Design, Scott Schaefer, Sadie Thibodeaux, Tevin Uthlaut
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Corin Cesaric, Lauren Sable Freiman, Alex George, Jules Graebner, Jessica Jainchill, Amanda Long, Mary Caitlyn Polovich, Hannah Robertson, Michelle Terhune, Jennifer Truesdale
Director of Operations Amy Ferrari Amy@comomag.com
MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Account Executive | Charles Bruce Charles@comomag.com
YO U R H E A LT H IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
OUR MISSION
To inspire, educate, and entertain the citizens of Columbia with quality, relevant content that reflects Columbia’s business environment, lifestyle, and community spirit.
CONTACT
Business Times Holdings, LLC 18 S. Ninth St. Ste 201, Columbia, MO, 65201 (573) 499-1830 • comomag.com /wearecomomag @wearecomomag
SUBSCRIPTIONS
Magazines are $5.95 an issue. Subscription rate is $39 for 12 issues for one year or $69 for 24 issues for two years. Subscribe at comomag.com or by phone. COMO is published every month by Business Times Holdings, LLC. Copyright Business Times Holdings, LLC 2022. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.
ON T HEM E
What is one thing you do to support your own health & wellness?
Dr. Ashley Emel
DC, CACCP, Webster Certified
Dr. Jennifer Sutherland DC, FASA, Webster Certified
Fran Patrick Senior VP of COMO Ever since I first met Crystal at The Strand, I have been blessed to have my Saturday “me” time relaxing with an amazing “fassage” (facial and massage all in one) maybe followed by a quick mimosa. With a pretty hectic life, this 90 minute treat hits the reset button perfectly. Highly recommended, 5 stars. Go book now!
J.J. Carlson Director of Web Development In addition to regular exercise and cooking my own meals, every day I read about communication skills, relationship building, and parenting, and I practice what I learn in order to best show up for the people I’m in a relationship with.
Jordan Watts Senior Designer
Hannah Robertson Executive Assistant & Writer
I do my best to spend time actively playing with my dog every day. Not only does it strengthen our bond and ensure I get physical movement, but regardless of how I’m doing mentally that day, it always lifts my mood when I see his goofy little smile.
I cook at least one healthy meal a week. I really enjoy cooking, so it’s fun for me. Setting aside that time, especially after a long day, is sometimes difficult but always worth it. It makes me slow down, clear my head, and feel accomplished while also treating my body to a tasty dinner I can feel good about!
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IN THIS ISSUE
62 FAVORITE FINDS COMO staff share their favorite way to boost their mood with "treats" from local businesses.
MARCH 202 2 | The Health & Wellness Issue
15
37
82
Publisher’s Letter
GUEST VOICES
BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS
Beautiful Boy
LIVING 25
ART & CULTURE If You Can Break It, You Can Make It
27
PET FRIENDLY New Bee-ginnings
29
WELLNESS A Groundbreaking Treatment
31
FRIENDS & FAMILY The Nurse’s Office: A Student’s Safe Haven
35
GUEST VOICES Alex George: Skylarking
41 HOMES
85 MOVERS & SHAKERS
FEATURES
67
MID-MISSOURI BLACK DOULA COLLECTIVE
A Place for Solitude
86
Empowering expecting
54
CELEBRATIONS
of pregnancy, birth, and
GOURMET The Art of Healing through Ayurvedic Herbs
62 FAVORITE FINDS Treat Yo'self
Reaching New Heights
88 NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT Informed & Empowered
90 BUSINESS UPDATE
moms through every step postpartum.
74 IN OUR OWN BACKYARD Human trafficking can be difficult to recognize, but
Healing in the Metaverse
knowing the signs to look for
SHOULD KNOW
95
a life in your own community.
Cory & Misha Shea
PERSON YOU
65 COUPLE YOU
WORKING 81 CLOSER LOOK
SHOULD KNOW
and who can help could save
Monica Smith
98
106
BACK TO THE FUTURE
THIS OR THAT
Reflecting on Spanish flu in
Teresa Snow
the midst of COVID-19.
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Living
31 THE NURSE’S OFFICE How CPS nurses impact students’ lives.
54
THE ART OF HEALING THROUGH AYURVEDIC HERBS Raw Roots Turmeric offers fresh, allnatural products to Columbia.
74 IN OUR OWN BACKYARD Human trafficking is our issue, too.
Living
ART & CULTURE
If You Can Break It, You Can Make It At Cindy Lou’s Glass Studio, art is found in unusual places. BY JULES N. GRAEBNER
O
ff Rollins Road, you may have noticed a small automotive shop with a large, bright green dinosaur that sits out front. Mutrux Automotive is family owned and operated with a charm that harkens back to a simpler time. However, if you step foot into the building, you’ll notice that Mutrux Automotive isn’t just a body shop — their storefront is peppered with beautiful glass and copper art and jewelry available for perusal while you wait for your tires to be rotated. This art is the work of Cindy Mutrux, who first found herself inspired by one of the shop’s own customers. “It started with a customer who brought me a piece of glass — it was an American flag magnet,” Cindy says. “I said, ‘Oh, where did you buy this?’ and she says, ‘I made it!’ and I thought, ‘Oh my goodness, I have got to learn how to do this.’” Though Cindy had previously been interested in glass, it was that small American flag magnet that finally inspired her to learn how to work with the material. She began taking classes and fell in love with the art form, and once she was proficient enough, Cindy decided that she wanted to teach, too. “Art is therapy, and I felt like this load had just released for me,” she says. “I thought if it can make me feel this way, it could make other people feel this way as well.” Cindy began hosting classes on Saturdays, using an empty bay in the garage as her classroom to teach small groups of people who wanted to learn how to make their own glass art — even those who thought they would never be able to do so.
“People would tell me, ‘Oh, I could never do that!’ and I would say: ‘Well, can you break things? If you can break and glue, you can do glass fusion.’ That’s basically what it is: breaking, gluing, and putting it in a kiln to melt,” she laughs. “If you notice, none of my pieces are uniform in any way. They’re sometimes sloppy or messy, and that’s by purpose. That was the purpose of my classes, because life is kind of messy,” Cindy says. “People are a lot like glass. We come in different colors and shapes and sizes — some are sharper than others.” Later, when Cindy was preparing to sell a 1920s home that her son had lived in, she came across a new opportunity. While replacing the roof, a contractor had discovered that underneath the shingles, the roof was copper. Buyers weren’t interested in the dated feature, but Cindy was. “I said to my contractor: ‘I have an idea. Bring me that roof,’” Cindy says, She wanted to create art and jewelry out of copper. With the help of a friend, they began creating what Cindy calls “Copper with a Story.” “I use different patina techniques for the copper,” she says. “I’ll use ammonia, vinegar, or kosher salt. Sometimes I use mustard! There’s all kinds of ways to patina copper and make it look funky.”
Though her methods may seem unorthodox, it results in one of a kind bohemian jewelry. Cindy is happy to have a creative outlet, but she says that the greatest reward is sharing art’s therapeutic effects with others, and she hopes to resume her classes soon. “All I can say is that in my classes, something good always happens,” she says. “I call them ‘God Things.’ I’ve had a gentleman who had a stroke, and his thinking wasn’t quite clear, but he knew he wanted to create something. His wife brought him [to a class] and the smile on his face after he saw his art out of the kiln — that smile and that joy — I just burst with excitement. That’s what keeps me going.”
MUTRUX AUTOMOTIVE 2100 Rollins Rd. Facebook: Cindy Lou’s Glass Studio Instagram: @CindyLousGlassStudio
COMOMAG.COM
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Living
New Bee-ginnings How veterans are saving Missouri’s bees. BY JESSICA JAINCHILL | PHOTOS BY TEVIN UTHLAUT
M
issouri is an agriculture state, but in order to keep that agriculture going, a healthy bee population is vital. Unfortunately, Missouri’s bee population has been in an unsettling decline. MU’s Heroes to Hives program has offered a way for Missouri veterans to become part of the solution to this problem. According to Missouri’s Heroes to Hives director, Karen Funkenbusch, as of 2017, Missouri was home to 425,000 veterans. She explains that these veterans are “facing a multitude of challenges as they translate from military to civilian lives. These challenges include things like anxiety, depression, disabilities, and finding career opportunities, and these challenges are exacerbated by that loss of the camaraderie that they had in the services.” The purpose of the Heroes to Hives program is to address many of these challenges. The program offers nine modules that
train veterans on how to raise and keep bees. While this can turn into a profitable hobby, the idea is that the veterans are restored the camaraderie they once had with other military members. But that isn’t the only benefit that beekeeping can give to veterans. Travis Harper, the Missouri state coordinator for the program and a beekeeper with more than 30 years of experience, explains: “Beekeeping has been shown to be sort of therapeutic because you’re responsible for another living creature. Just like with any other animals or livestock, when you’re keeping bees, it requires you to be 100 percent in the moment. You have to listen to them, and you’re not dealing with things you might have dealt with in combat or overseas.” The fi rst Missouri chapter of this program started in 2021 and exceeded participation expectations at 290 participants. At no cost,
PET FRIENDLY
the program also welcomes veterans’ spouses and adult dependents to participate. “Our goal going forward is to add training sites at strategic locations throughout the state,” Travis says. “We’re adding a second location in 2022 down in Southwest Missouri.” At these training sites, the program offers veterans free, hands-on training. On the training days, the program offers free use of bee smokers, veils, and any other learning tools that veterans participating in the program may require. However, Travis does clarify, “If [veterans] do decide they want to go back to their home or property and raise bees, then they would have to purchase their equipment.” The hope is that not only will Heroes to Hives be a benefit to the many veteran families in Missouri, but will also bolster Missouri’s essential bee population. Though the primary goal of the program is beekeeping education, Travis has noticed other benefits. “The most beneficial thing I’ve seen is we’ve got only veterans there or their spouses or dependents there,” he says. “They’ve all been through something similar, and they sort of understand what each other has been through in the military.”
COMOMAG.COM
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SPORTS MEDICINE INJURY CLINIC An early morning walk-in clinic for sports injuries. We know that sport- and exercise-related injuries don’t happen at convenient times, which is why MU Health Care’s Missouri Orthopaedic Institute offers an early morning walk-in clinic for injuries suffered within the last week. With on-site services like X-ray, bracing and therapy, we’ve got everything you need to get in, out and on with your day.
Learn more at muhealth.org/sportsinjuryclinic.
Living
A Groundbreaking Treatment Transcranial magnetic stimulation offers hope for people with major depressive disorder. BY CORIN CESARIC
W
hile the use of psychotherapy and antidepressants have shown vast improvement in some people who suffer from clinical depression, traditional treatment methods do not always work for everyone. That’s where transcranial magnetic stimulation, or TMS, comes in. TMS is a non-invasive form of treatment where an electromagnetic coil is placed on a patient's scalp near their forehead. A magnetic pulse then stimulates the nerve cells in the brain. The treatment focuses on the part of the brain that is associated with depression. Burrell Behavioral Health has a partnership with MU to offer this treatment to patients in central Missouri. In order to receive TMS, you must be 18 years or older and be diagnosed with major depressive disorder. "The majority of the studies being done have found [the treatment] to be very effective,” says Dr. Garima Singh, chief medical officer at Burrell Behavioral Health and Brightli. “We do patient health questionnaires at the beginning of treatment and toward the end and we have found significant improvement in their mood and depression." A typical treatment course is five treatments per week for six weeks. The treatments last, on average, around 20 minutes, with the first treatment being longer so the doctors can study the brain activity in the patient. After the initial six-weeks, patients can come back for additional treatment if needed. "We strongly believe in our vision that our patients should have all the options available with all the treatment modalities,” Garima says. “So having TMS is important, first of all, because the research and the science show it's an effective and
efficient means of treatment, and our patients with mental health concerns and behavioral issues at times don't have all the options available to them. It's very important to us at Burrell that we have every option available for our patients to get better and to reach their potential and just feel better." Toward the end of 2021, Missouri Medicare announced that it will now cover TMS, which will open the door for more people suffering from depression to have access to this treatment. "With the recent coverage of Medicare, we have a vision of expanding TMS services to all our regions so that we can help our patients,” Dr. Singh says. “Presently, in Columbia, we are partnering with MU to provide this treatment modality to our patients.” Burrell Behavioral Health is also opening a behavioral crisis center this year. The temporary location will open in July at Stephens Lake Clinic. It will be open 24/7. “Once we start the behavioral crisis center, that's going to be another venue for our patients to get the help right then when they need it, and they don't have to wait for 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.,” Dr. Singh says. “Because we all know that a crisis doesn't see the time. It just happens, and we need to be there to help them.”
WELLNESS
"It's very important to us at Burrell that we have every option available for our patient to get better and to reach their potential and just feel better.” Dr. Garima Singh,
Chief Medical Officer, Burrell Behavioral Health
To learn more or schedule an appointment, visit burrellcenter.com IF YOU NEED TO SEEK HELP 24-Hour Columbia crisis line: (1-800) 395-2132 In addition to Burrell Behavioral Health and MU Health, CenterPointe Hospital also offers TMS in Columbia.
COMOMAG.COM
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Living
FRIENDS & FAMILY
THE NURSE’S OFFICE: A STUDENT’S SAFE HAVEN How CPS nurses impact students’ lives. BY HA NNA H R O BE RTS ON
D
uring the eight hours in a school day, school nurses are responsible for managing the health issues that arise in their school building. From students to staffers, from minor cuts to ambulance calls, they do it all —much more than most people realize. For many, the nurse’s office is a safe place where someone listens and attends to their physical and mental concerns, an experience that, unfortunately, many students do not have outside of school. Despite a shortage of school nurses, particularly following the pandemic, many in this profession continue to give their all despite the stress they experience for the sake of their students. To shine a light on these incredible professionals and the invaluable work they do, we interviewed three school nurses from Columbia Public Schools. COMOMAG.COM
31
“Some days it’s ice packs and bandages; Danielle Lamm
Rachael Alexander
Nurse at Rock Bridge High School
Nurse at Shepard Boulevard Elementary
At
age 12, Danielle felt a calling to work in the health industry after taking care of her ill grandmother. Danielle would go to her house after school and help her through recovery, and she got a taste of the joy she now feels daily from helping others. As a high school nurse, her experience differs slightly, as her students are nearly adults. Through her five years of experience, Danielle describes an increase in kids seeking help for mental health issues the past couple of years. But what she enjoys about working with this older demographic is the fact that she gets to be real with her students and have honest conversations. When a student wants to go home frequently, Danielle is the one who asks them the hard questions: “What’s really going on?” and “How can we keep you in school and learning, as it’s in your best interest?” These conversations can be tough, but they come from the heart and help teach students to become independent in their health care. Nothing makes Danielle happier than when past students come back to visit and update her on their lives. One student in particular, who she saw daily for regular medication distribution, brings her baby to see Danielle, and that is always a highlight of her day. It’s proof of the connection she builds with these students and the long-term impact she has on their lives. She admits that prior to starting, she herself didn’t realize all that a school nurse does. “It is what you think, but it’s also so much more than that.” For a school nurse, there are no bells and whistles or machines that provide immediate diagnosis or triage, only their assessment skills and creativity in finding resources.
32
MARCH 2022
Despite
the fact it is only her second year as a school nurse, working with children is hardly new for Rachael Alexander. For 15 years prior to her job at Shepard, she worked in pediatrics and pediatric intensive care units. Once she had her own children — 3-year-old twins Beckett and Brooks — she wanted to find a job more suitable for family life. Though the kids she works with are not acutely sick, she still sees as many, if not more patients, in a day than she did in previous jobs. Between 70 and 80 kids may visit her office in a day. Twenty of these kids visit daily for medication, while others come in for injury or illness throughout the day. “Some days it’s ice packs and bandages; other days it’s broken bones and calls home,” Rachael says. Along with triage treatments, Rachael is responsible for making sure immunizations are up to date, performing vision and hearing screenings, COVID contact tracing, providing additional resources to families, scheduling care such as dental and vision appointments, and more. Rachael says, “It’s not always just about the students, but the families as a whole getting through trying times.” No matter the reason a student comes in, Rachael always tries to wipe away those tears and have them leave with a smile. One of her favorite memories as a school nurse was Nurses’ Day her fi rst year, when her office was flooded with handmade cards, treats, pictures, and thank you notes from the students she serves.
other days it’s broken bones and calls home.” — Rachael Alexander
Living
“You never know what emotional or physical burden they’re dealing with each day, but you can be the solid person they connect with.” — Julie Bolton
FRIENDS & FAMILY
Julie Bolton Nurse at Oakland Middle School
“It
took me six years to get you back, but I did.” That was one of the fi rst things Julie heard from her previous boss upon returning to school nursing. Julie Bolton has nine years of experience as a school nurse under her belt, starting in 2006 and then taking a brief hiatus from 2014 to 2020 before returning to the profession. During the hiatus, she worked in family medicine and found that she was taking care of the same patients she saw as a school nurse, but as adults. She wasn’t immediately sold on being a school nurse with her previous background in critical care nursing, but she fell in love with the upbeat atmosphere the kids provide and knowing she could make a positive impact on their lives. “You never know what emotional or physical burden they’re dealing with each day, but you can be the solid person they connect with.” One of her favorite tools in the school is the electronic nurse pass, which is a Google Sheet that pulls up a student’s information and their reason for wanting to visit the nurse. From there, Julie can respond with the appropriate course of action without kids having to physically visit her office, which is important as they work to maximize students’ school days and keep them in their seats. Despite the challenges that come with her position, such as working through language barriers with the multiple refugee children at Oakland and not having the tools at a typical hospital or doctor’s office at her disposal, Julie stays motivated by thinking of her students fi rst. “We just have to keep our eye on the prize, and the prize is our kids’ wellbeing!” she says.
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MARCH 2022
BOOKS, ETC.
Skylarking BY ALEX GEORGE, SKYLARK BOOKSHOP OWNER
W
e’ve had a wonderful time selecting titles for the Skylarking Book Club so far. There are many different criteria we think about when choosing the books, and with each passing month we’re learning more about what the lovely folks who show up at the book club enjoy. It is, in some ways, an agonizing decision because there are so many extraordinary books that we’d love to discuss. For every title that we settle on, there are dozens more that we have considered and regretfully passed on. (Which is why we’ll be introducing more book clubs later this year… watch this space.) Sometimes, though, the titles pick themselves. After two years of pandemic-ravaged programming, April sees the return of the Unbound Book Festival, live and in person — and, excitingly, downtown for the first time. This year’s keynote speaker is the brilliant Viet Thanh Nguyen. Viet will be in conversation with award-winning poet Patrick Rosal at the Missouri Theatre on Friday, April 22, and in honor of what I know is going to be a memorable night, we will be discussing his debut novel, "The Sympathizer," at March’s Skylarking Book Club. The book’s unnamed narrator is a halfFrench, half-Vietnamese army captain who is working both for the American forces and spying for the Viet Cong. After the fall of Saigon, he escapes to America (just) and sets about re-establishing a new life in the States. Still, though, he finds himself torn between two worlds. While he tries to carve out a new existence among his fellow political refugees in Los Angeles, he is unable to leave his old life behind – he continues to act as a double-agent for the communist regime back in Vietnam. So yes, it’s about a spy, but — as a glowing review in The New Yorker observed — calling this a spy novel is about as helpful as calling "Crime and Punishment" a police procedural. It’s so much more than that. To call a book “genre-defying”
In addition to being a taut and fiendishly clever spy story, it’s also a sweeping epic of love and friendship, an exploration of nationality and loyalty, and a blistering absurdist satire ... Oh, and it’s funny as hell. is something of a cliché these days, but "The Sympathizer" really does deserve the name. In addition to being a taut and fiendishly clever spy story, it’s also a sweeping epic of love and friendship, an exploration of nationality and loyalty, and a blistering absurdist satire — all wrapped up in spellbinding prose that some have compared to Graham Greene and Saul Bellow. Oh, and it’s funny as hell. The novel starts with an admission. “I am a spy, a sleeper, a spook, a man of two faces. Perhaps not surprisingly, I am also a man of two minds.” He is the Sympathizer of the title, in every sense of the word. In a polarized society where people prefer simple, binary categorizations, the clarity of black and white, the narrator can see both sides to every story. He is constitutionally unable to be as dogmatic or as loyal as he or his superiors would like. This is his gift, but also his burden. It certainly makes life more complicated, and he often finds himself in an ethical and political limbo as a result,
wrestling with complex moral issues while the rest of the world ploughs unthinkingly on. The novel is restless, forever shifting focus, taking us across the world and back again, from war zones to re-education camps and movie sets (the narrator lands a job as a consultant on the set of a film about the recently ended war, which gives Nguyen the opportunity to gleefully skewer American tone-deafness to their role in the catastrophe.) Indeed, Nguyen is highly critical not only of American actions during the war in Vietnam but also of the country’s subsequent attempts to rewrite the history of what actually went on there. The book offers a perspective on the era that, until its publication, was not often presented in America. For that reason alone, it would have been an important book, and one worthy of your time. That it is also fabulously entertaining makes it utterly unmissable. For these glories, "The Sympathizer" was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 2016. We’ll be meeting to discuss this marvelous novel at Skylark Bookshop on Thursday, March 24, at 6:30 p.m. All are welcome, and there is no cost to attend — we just ask that you purchase your copy of the book from Skylark. We look forward to seeing you there — and then to hearing Viet Thanh Nguyen himself speak at Unbound just under a month later, on April 22.
Alex George is the founder and director of the Unbound Book Festival and the owner of Skylark Bookshop in downtown Columbia.
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MA R C H I S . . .
Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month! Tweet or post on social media in support of #DevelopmentalDisabilitiesAwareness Month. Follow @woodhaventeam for resources to reshare.
Join us for Disability Rights Legislative Day at the Missouri State Capitol. Disability Rights Legislative Day will be held from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Tuesday, March 9, 2022.
Make a donation to Woodhaven in honor of DDA Month. Simply scan the QR code!
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MARCH 2022
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Living
Beautiful Boy
And so there I sat, in my car, sobbing. The perfect illustration of a broken mental health care system.
A mother's struggle to find the mental health care needed for her son. BY ANONYMOUS
T
oday, I sat in my car in the hospital parking lot and sobbed. It was an ugly, sloppy sobbing that was born of frustration, desperation, and hopeless defeat. I had just walked out the ER doors with my 9 year old in tow. It was the third such visit this year, but this time I was left feeling totally abandoned and helpless. A sobbing woman in a hospital parking lot seems like a fitting illustration of the total failure of our mental health system. My son is a beautiful child with wit and charm to spare. He is sensitive and kind. He is social and intelligent. He is also defiant and impulsive. Challenging and utterly exhausting. Sometimes he is cruel and even frightening. He is all these things because he is a child with complex mental health issues. Today’s visit was after a total meltdown because his father and I were going to go to a football game and he was not. It quickly devolved into screaming and throwing things. The predictable refusals to do anything asked of him were there, too. While the onslaught of rage is always a bit shocking, it had been building for a while. There had been arguments all week. He had broken my rules and played video games while at a friend’s house — video games always trigger his ADHD and behavioral issues. The whole family had been paying for it all week. The arguments, the lying, the refusal to do what he was asked. It was building, and today was the day. The final straw broke and it all came tumbling down, just as it has before. Even though he’s only 9, my son has been seeing a psychologist for six years. These challenges aren’t new, but they’ve gotten worse. The pandemic has brought with it more rules and restrictions in our house than ever before, and that’s frustrating. A year of online learning for a kid with an internet addiction will take
GUEST VOICES
its toll. This time, just like before, we did as the psychologist said and took him to the ER. The first time we went, it was because he had gotten mad and trashed the house. Chairs overturned. Pillows and laundry strewn about. After nine hours in the ER, they sent us home and encouraged us to come back if things didn’t get better. The shock of an ER visit bought us a little time. The second visit came after our son told my husband that he was going to get a knife and kill himself. The nice doctor asked him if he really wanted to hurt himself. When he told her no, they sent us home because he didn’t seem to be a threat. They encouraged us to put all our knives away though — just in case. Somewhere, deep down, I think I was convinced that they’d finally do something with a third visit. That would be the key. They’d take him inpatient and work to make it better with more than platitudes and lists of resources. The same nice doctor came in. She showed my son how to deep breathe when he gets upset (as if we’d never thought of that). I had him show her his technique, the one he uses when he’s able to stop himself from impulsive, angry outbursts in time. Neither her technique nor his is successful in pulling him back once he crosses that line. When I pushed that we couldn’t keep doing this, a prescription followed. This magical pill is to be given when he starts to get upset. I questioned
how trying to get him to take a pill would help when he’s already mad and suggested that doing so would just be a trigger. “Give it to him before it gets to that point.” When I asked for thresholds — how to know when to give it — the response was that I know him best, so I’ll just know. I do know him, and I know that it often goes from perfectly fine to nuclear meltdown in a matter of seconds and that telling him to take a pill in those moments is only going to escalate things. That was it, though. No more help was coming. I was left to go back and keep trying. When the nice nurse came in with discharge papers, I suppose I was primed. She flipped through the 20 or so pages to tell me that I should follow up with his current psychologist. She paused to confirm he had one. “Yes. He’s been seeing him for six years,” I said as tears welled up. Perhaps they meant that I should follow up with the psychiatrist that he’s been seeing, too, the one that just wants to sign new prescriptions. The one that asks me what I’d like him to prescribe as if I somehow know my choices, or what would work. The nurse continued on, quickly recognizing the ridiculousness of the instructions — “return to the ER if the problem persists.” Well, why the hell wouldn’t it? We haven’t actually done anything to fix it. We wouldn’t discharge a gunshot victim without address-
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I’m disappointed and discouraged — knocked down, but not out. I will keep advocating for my son, seeking, demanding, begging for the resources he needs. It just shouldn’t be this hard. ing the wound and tell them to come back if it keeps bleeding! I was done. Though it wasn’t her fault, the nurse got my emotional baggage when she acknowledged that wasn’t very helpful and unwisely asked if I felt like I’d been helped today. All the tears came when I responded: “No! No, I haven’t been helped. But I wasn’t the last two times, so maybe it takes four visits before someone will help us. See you soon.” The list of resources — the ones that I’d received before — was left behind on the bed. I’d called them all already. They either didn’t provide the types of services I needed, were identical to the services I already have, or had such a long waiting list they weren’t even taking names anymore. Each one referred me to the others, creating a vicious circle. And so there I sat, in my car, sobbing. The perfect illustration of a broken mental health care system. The impact of mental health is, of course, far reaching. My son’s outbursts impact far more
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MARCH 2022
than just him. Our family walks on eggshells, wondering what the next trigger will be. My daughter’s anxiety is heightened by the constant arguing and threat of escalated meltdowns. She’s quick to take cover as things progress and talks often of a preference to be somewhere other than our home. My husband and I struggle not to approach every encounter with frustration and the expectation that it’s going to be an issue. It’s hard to forgive and give another chance over and over again. It’s difficult to remember that our son is trying and that this is hard for him. It’s nearly impossible not to feel hurt when he looks at you with a mixture of anger and hatred and tells you that he hates you. It’s easy to believe him when he tells you that you’re a horrible mother. Mental health issues are forced into the shadows as something to be ashamed of and to hide. That’s bad enough. Then, when you try to get help, there’s none to be found. We must do better. We must find ways to provide support for families. The pandemic has taken a terrible toll on the mental health of everyone, and our children are not immune from that. It would be disingenuous of me to suggest that all of my son’s issues arose as a result of the pandemic, but it certainly was a perfect storm that made managing it impossible. Maybe a positive of this pandemic can be a recognition of the need for better mental health support. I don’t know what should be done or what my son needs, but that’s the point. Mental health professionals must provide that guidance — and then the needed resources must be available. I have health insurance and financial means. I can’t imagine what this must look like without those advantages.
I’m disappointed and discouraged — knocked down, but not out. I will keep advocating for my son, seeking, demanding, begging for the resources he needs. It just shouldn’t be this hard. My children have a host of other medical issues, but they’re physical, not mental. Getting whatever I need for those issues is so easy in comparison. It should be the same for mental health. We must bring it out of the shadows and devote the time, energy, and resources to take care of our children’s mental health in the same ways we take care of their physical health. The fact that I don’t want you to know my child’s identity — that I feel the need to protect him from public disclosures of his mental health challenges — just confirms that we still live in the shadows. I’d like to boldly say it doesn’t matter, but I want to protect my child even more. It’s not fair for me to choose to make him a martyr to the cause. So the stigma continues. The challenges remain unresolved. There are undoubtedly hundreds of other families in our community struggling in similar ways, although each has their own unique journey. It can feel so lonely and isolating. Every morning starts with the anticipation of new challenges, and every night ends in the exhaustion of all that the day has demanded. We can do better. I so desperately want us to do better. In the meantime, I want those other families out there — the ones hiding in the shadows and putting on a smile even when you feel more like crying — to know that I see you. You are not alone. I don’t know the answers, but I’m there with you, hunkering down in the cool shadows and trying desperately to ride out the storm.
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Living
HOMES
a place for
Solitude This Fayette bed and breakfast offers a healthful retreat. BY JENNIFER TRUESDALE PHOTOS BY LAURA ROWE PHOTOGRAPHY & DESIGN
J
ust 30 to 40 minutes northwest of Columbia, nestled in the woods of Fayette, lies what can only be described as an oasis. Breathe at JJ’s Folly Bed & Breakfast offers a rustic retreat like no other. If you like log cabin charm and outdoor recreation, you’re in for a treat — bonus if you’re into yoga. Bryan and Catina Topash bought the scenic property, which had been operating as a B&B since 2012, in 2017 and added a twist by offering yoga to guests. Catina isn’t your run-of-themill yoga instructor. She is an independent contractor for YogaFit, a national yoga teacher training program, and her YogaFit retreats for instructors attract yogis from all over. And she has local students and clients who come to the B&B for yoga classes and yoga therapy. “Yoga is not just a practice of physical postures. It’s a way of life and a way for us to connect with ourselves on all levels of our being: physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. Through my work as a yoga therapist and yoga teacher, I have witnessed life transformations for those dealing with anxiety, depression, physical ailments, trauma, and more,” Catina says. “Yoga gives us the tools to connect to ourselves and others at a deeper level, to slow down and find gratitude for all that life brings us. What we learn about ourselves on our yoga mat is in essence what we can bring to the world — a greater capacity for empathy, connection, and love.” You can come for the B&B and get in some yoga on the side, which might include aerial yoga, goat yoga, or even paddleboard yoga, but you don’t have to be into yoga to enjoy your stay. You can just enjoy the swimming, fishing, and paddle boating on the 20-acre lake; hiking the three-quarter-mile nature trail; and taking in the endless views from a deck, patio, or your own cozy room.
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Living
HOMES
Brayden, Brian, Catina, and Skylar Topash. Photo by Casey Buckman.
Getting to Know the History The property known as JJ’s Folly was built in 1970 by Julius Johnmeyer. The 5,500-square-foot estate that overlooks the lake was home to “JJ” and his wife, Grace, along with their seven children. By all accounts, JJ was a character, a flamboyant man who loved life and who was keen on doing spectacularly daring things, like skydiving on his 79th birthday. His over-the-top personality is how the property became known as “JJ’s Folly.” In 2012, Julius and Grace’s daughter, Connie, remodeled the home and opened it as a B&B. Catina is friends with one of JJ and Graces’ 24 grandchildren, Elizabeth, who told Catina in 2016 that the property was going up for sale and would be perfect for yoga. In January of 2017, Bryan and Catina Topash bought the property and began hosting guests that April. Judy Johnmeyer Strodtman, another of JJ and Grace’s children, now lives across the lake from her childhood home and is the only neighbor on the property. “The first day we walked into the home and Connie Johnmeyer walked us through, I could immediately feel that there was an energy in this home that was inviting and warm,” Catina remembers. “We have been so grateful to be able to share that with guests and yogis who have walked through our doors. I always tell them that it’s such a blessing for us to build on the positive energy and harmony that was already in the home by having others stay with us and share the peace and joy they bring to Breathe.” The Topashes grew up near Hallsville, in Brown Station. They married in 1996 after Connie graduated from MU. They lived out of state for a few years, during which time Catina earned her master’s in music and worked as a professional flutist before the couple moved to Columbia in 1999. They had their first son, Skylar, in 2000, and then Brayden in 2003. Bryan, 52, works at 3M in Columbia. In addition to running the B&B, Catina, 48, has been the fitness director for Wilsons’ Fitness in Columbia since 2004. She teaches yoga there, as well as yoga therapy, and trains other yoga instructors. She is a certified yoga therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists and is certified in personal training, pilates, and group fitness through the American Council on Exercise. Catina also practices sound therapy and offers sound baths (think Tibetan singing bowls and therapy tuning forks) that promote relaxation and a sense of balance.
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Taking the Tour Your trip to solitude begins when you pull off State Route W onto County Road 400 and down the long gravel drive to Breathe. The enormous home and its lake emerge into view on your left, breathtaking. As you cross the little wooden bridge over the lake and up to the house, you are likely to be greeted by one, if not both, of the Topashes’ enormous white abkashes, a Turkish breed of herding dog that can grow to 140 pounds, or by the family’s herd of Norwegian dwarf goats, whose milk Catina uses to make cheese. (She also uses them in goat yoga.) A number of chickens running about provide fresh eggs. The size of the home and its interesting features will capture you next. A wide deck to the left leads down to a patio directly on the water, complete with picnic tables, firepit, and a few boat slips where guests can slide into a canoe or paddle boat. Or you can follow the deck as it climbs to the second floor, wrapping around to the other side of the house overlooking the lake. You’ll notice long, slender Osage orange tree trunks built into the interior and exterior — and they’re structural. Breathe’s website aptly compares it to something out of “Swiss Family Robinson,” as you truly feel like you’re in a treehouse. There’s even a tree-branch ladder you can climb to go between the second-floor balcony and the main floor deck.
You’ll notice long, slender Osage orange tree trunks built into the interior and exterior — and they’re structural.
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Living
HOMES
A wooden spiral staircase off of the living room takes guests to the B&B suites on the second floor.
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Photo by Catina Topash
"Yoga gives us the tools to connect to ourselves and others at a deeper level."
The interior has wide open spaces on the main floor, — Catina Topash, owner which is loaded with rustic touches like shiplap and wooden ceiling beams, and more windows overlooking the lake than can be counted. Beyond the kitchen and dining room lies a huge yoga studio with a never-ending view of the lake. A wooden spiral staircase off of the living room takes guests to the B&B suites on the second floor. There are four guest rooms — two with private baths and another two that share a bathroom. One of the upstairs suites includes a living room for those who want a little more space. Each room has a theme, like “Air and Sound” or “Peace,” to set the mood. The second level also boasts an enormous covered patio that serves as an outdoor yoga studio. The terrace level of the home offers the Sun Suite, a small apartment with a living room and kitchen, which Catina says is ideal for honeymooners. Guests enjoy Catina’s healthy, homemade breakfasts; in addition to her eggs and goat cheese, Catina cooks with produce from her summer garden and sources locally as much as possible, including pork from Sullivan Farms and turmeric from Raw Roots Turmeric. The rooms book for $109 per person per night, while the apartment goes for $139 per person per night. Guests can book from the Breathe website. Whether you’re looking for yoga or an amazing destination for your wedding, family reunion, or company retreat with health in mind, you won’t find anything like the accommodations at Breathe. “Waking up every morning in this space in the country with animals, nature, a lake, and serenity is amazing,” Catina reflects. “I will say, though, that getting to share our lives and home with all the wonderful people we have had the fortune to meet is the best part. We are hardwired for connection with other human beings, and that is so necessary for our health and happiness. We have built that into our lives by welcoming people into our homes, sharing food and conversation, and even practicing yoga together.”
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MARCH 2022
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WHAT THE
HOME
PROS KNOW
SHAUN HENRY ATKINS
JULIE WESLEY & JULIEANNE MATTSON TIGER HOME TEAM
ANNE TUCKLEY
ANNE TUCKLEY HOME
KATIE BASSMANN LOMBARDO HOMES
BRENDAN ROST
ROST LANDSCAPING
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WHAT THE
SPRING IS HERE – BE WELL!
SHAUN HENRY
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ATKINS
A Columbia native, Shaun Henry found a home at Atkins in 2000 when he started his career as a turf technician. Shaun holds a commercial applicator’s license through the Missouri Department of Agriculture and is a member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals, the Mid-America Green Industry Council, and the Missouri Green Industry Alliance. Shaun strongly believes in the importance of a great customer experience where the Atkins staff knows their clients and anticipates their needs accordingly. Shaun is an MU alumnus and has a degree in plant science.
By Shaun Henry Find more at AtkinsInc.com
W
hen I first started with Atkins, I used to try to figure out how many steps I took or how many miles I walked pushing a fertilizer spreader or dragging a hose around to spot treat for weeds. Seems like, on average, I walked around 7 to 8 miles most every day. Talk about good exercise! Nowadays, we have better equipment that helps save your legs and apps on our phone or watch to keep track of our steps for us. Gotta love technology! As spring finally rolls around, you may be getting geared up for the turf and tree growing season. Some of us may have already started! So, do you DIY or do you hire it out? There’s a lot of benefit to working on your lawn and landscape yourself. You’ll keep your hands and mind busy. Your interaction with nature can reduce stress, anxiety, blood pressure and can even reduce your level of anger if ever you need. The exercise itself can do you some good. You can increase your strength, flexibility, coordination and endurance. Setting aside some time each week for this sort of work can go a long way. Don’t forget to stretch, and if you’re a bit out of shape, start off slow! You might even check in with your doc beforehand to make sure you’re OK to do this sort of work. Know your limitations and don’t risk it. You can build strength and burn calories with activities such as pulling weeds, raking mulch, push mowing, seeding your bare spots, and digging holes for any new plants or flowers this spring. In the
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573-874-5100 ATKINSINC.COM
end, you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment and build up your self-esteem. Not everyone has time or energy to devote to maintaining their lawn and landscape, so hire a professional. Mowing, fertilizing, weed control, mulching, pruning, leaf removal, pulling weeds, landscaping, lighting, irrigating, etc. We do it all and we have all the equipment at the ready! Other reasons to hire some lawn and landscape help are:
COST. Often times, by the time you buy materials, tools or equipment to do the job, you could have had someone else do it.
EXPERIENCE. Not all, but most professional lawn care and landscape maintenance professionals bring a tremendous amount of experience and expertise to the job. They can quickly assess the situation and come up with a plan to fix whatever issue you’re having or the task that you’re trying to accomplish.
RIGHT PLANT, RIGHT PLACE. Landscapers know what plants to use where and when. They know what issues we deal with in Mid-Missouri and what plants are better suited for your lawn and landscape, which can save you time, money and a headache down the road.
RIGHT TIMING AND MATERIALS. There’s more to managing insects, disease, and weeds in your lawn and landscape. Again, a professional will be able to identify the issue and come up with a variety of options to solve your problems. Applying the wrong material or applying at the wrong time or on the wrong thing, will cost you.
GOOD STEWARDS. Professional grounds crews know what it takes to have a positive impact on the environment to ensure a healthy future for our children, grandchildren, great grandchildren and so-on. No matter what you decide — DIY or hire out — I hope that you have a safe and healthy spring!
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WHAT THE
HOME HEALTH & WELLNESS By Julie Wesley & JulieAnne Mattson Find more at tigerhometeam.com
T
his is the time of year that many of us think about improving our physical and mental well-being. A gym membership might be on your list of things to join, but maybe the solution is waiting right inside your front door. We often don’t think about the health and wellness of the home that we live in. If you are wanting to create or add WELLNESS FEATURES to your current home, consider the following elements: • Programmable lighting and temperature controls. This can be added to most any home and helps with circadian rhythms. • A calming and serene color palette. Consider Benjamin Moore Tranquility AF-490. • Natural lighting. Remove heavy drapery and let the light shine in. • Air quality and purification. Change your AC filter; have your carpets, rugs, and air ducts cleaned; control humidity; and add a few indoor plants. • Get space for self-care. Carve out a quiet space in your home for meditation or fitness.
HOME
PROS KNOW JULIE WESLEY & JULIEANNE MATTSON TIGER HOME TEAM
Born and raised in Missouri, Julie Wesley graduated from MU with a degree in housing and interior design. She began her career as an architectural home designer before getting her real estate license in 1982. JulieAnne grew up in South Florida, graduated from the University of South Florida in 1992 with a degree in elementary education, and moved here to marry her Columbianative husband. She began her real estate career in 2012 with Tiger Home Team. 573-289-4440 | TIGERHOMETEAM.COM
To keep your humble abode in tip-top PHYSICAL SHAPE, use this Tiger Home Team checklist to get a jump start on spring cleaning: 1. Freshen and touch-up indoor paint on walls, cabinets, doors, and trim. 2. Clean and reorganize your laundry room so it’s clutter-free and more efficient. 3. Clean the air duct that connects the back of your dryer to the outside vents. 4. Clean the refrigerator condenser coils at the back or on the bottom of the appliance. 5. Clean the range hood filter and fan. 6. Clean and degrease kitchen cabinets. 7. Clean garbage disposal by running it with crushed ice to sharpen, then with baking soda and citrus peels. 8. Vacuum the box springs and the mattress top and bottom. Rotate or flip the mattress. 9. Check caulking and grout around sinks, showers, and tubs
10. Inspect the roof (with a friend’s help holding the ladder) for missing shingles and damaged vent boots. 11. Check the foundation for cracks that can cause significant issues when spring rains arrive. 12. Check all gutters, downspouts, and extensions to make sure they are free of debris and run smoothly. 13. Test carbon monoxide and smoke detectors; replace batteries as needed. 14. Consider having a termite inspection and radon test. Keeping your home looking beautiful and in great shape is a year-round endeavor! Always feel free to check with us if you would like a referral for vendors or contractors that can help you with any of these projects. And . . . if you’re curious about the improvements that add the most value in your neighborhood? Send us a DM. We’d love to share what we’re seeing in your neck of the woods as we head into spring.
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WHAT THE
NO IDEA IS ORIGINAL By Anne Tuckley Find more at AnneTuckleyhome.com
R
emember how much fun art class was as a kid? Remember the guilty pleasure of leaning back in your chair and smearing Elmer’s all over your hand and picking off the dried goop while the teacher prattled on about the daily construction paper creation? Life was good. I adored art class as a child, and my passion for the arts has only intensified as I have matured (although, no more glue smeared on my hands . . . well, at least not on purpose). Interior design by its very nature is artistic, but I love resorting back to my art class days, pulling out a blank canvas and creating my own custom painting or constructing my own sculpture. It’s nostalgic and energizing. The creation of Pinterest and comparable sites has helped to generate and promote other art projects utilizing simple tools around your house. It is an art project heaven. I encourage each of you to spend time simply looking at the ideas of others. It is astounding to see the creativity that is generated in your own mind simply by receiving fuel from another’s idea. It also serves as a phenomenal cost saving tool, because it shows you ways to take what you have and simply alter it slightly into something brand new. Plus, is there anything better than when someone is gushing about a piece of art in your house and you can say, “I created that”? And let’s be honest: worst-case scenario and you have a mini disaster, it makes for a good story!
ANNE TUCKLEY
HOME
PROS KNOW
ANNE TUCKLEY HOME Anne has been in the interior design industry for more than 20 years and has resided in metropolitan cities ranging from NYC to Houston while honing her skills. Her specialties are interior design and home staging with a focus on unique perception. Anne graduated with a BFA in fine art with a concentration in design and illustration. She has extensive experience in designing new construction as well as remodeling and conceptualizing out-of-the-box ideas. She ensures cutting-edge design and superb customer service. 108 CORPORATE LAKE PL. COLUMBIA, MO, 65203 (573) 639-1989 ANNETUCKLEYHOME.COM
SPONSORED CONTENT
WHAT THE
COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT HOMEBUILDING
KATIE BASSMANN
HOME
PROS KNOW
LOMBARDO HOMES
Katie Bassmann, sales manager for Lombardo Homes of Columbia, has been in residential construction for over 10 years. Raised in a construction family environment and with a background in interior design, new home sales has allowed Katie to marry her construction and design knowledge with her passion to help clients build the home of their dreams.
By Katie Bassmann Find more at lombardohomes.com
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he decision to build a new home can feel both exciting and overwhelming. If you’re looking to take that step, you may feel like you don’t know where to begin. Here we list a few questions that will help you feel prepared and enjoy the homebuilding experience. What sort of commitments am I getting into? Building a home is a time-intensive process that can take about a year from signing, to building, to closing. Also be mindful of the financial commitments. When budgeting for your new home, be sure to include the base price, design options, and homesite premiums, as well as longer-term costs such as taxes, homeowner’s association fees, and maintenance requirements. What additional costs should I consider when creating my budget? How much you budget will depend on the options you’d like to have in your home, if you’re building in an existing community or on your own land, and what kind of amenities are within your community of choice. You’ll also want to consider your closing costs, which are typically around 15-20% of your overall budget.
What options do I consider, and when? Designing your new home is one of the most fun and personal parts of building new! Options and features to consider range from structural options to interior and exterior options including cabinets, countertops, flooring, and more. Many cities and communities have design restrictions. Even when you’re building on your own lot, ordinances and rules can dictate some of the choices you can and cannot make for your home. If you have a particular feature in mind, it’s worth researching if it’s allowed in the area you’re moving into before making a commitment.
LOMBARDO HOMES OF COLUMBIA 573-542-0605 LOMBARDOHOMES.COM
How do I select the right builder? When considering a homebuilder, some of the main aspects to look into are their credibility, past work, the style of the homes they build, and their pricing. Overall communication and understanding how much the builder will walk you through this process can also be a key factor in your decision. Is there anything else I need to know? You won’t be expected to have your new home completely planned out when you show up for
your first meeting. Your builder will work with you from start to finish to help the process flow smoothly. The experience will sometimes feel intimidating, but your homebuilder will be well-versed in their work and can be a source of reassurance while going through this process. How do I get started? Reach out to your builder team! They’d love the opportunity to answer any questions you have and start you on your homebuilding journey.
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WHAT THE
RETAINING WALLS
BRENDAN ROST
PROS KNOW
ROST LANDSCAPING
Brendan Rost is a Columbia native and son of Rost Landscaping owners Tim and Toby Rost. He grew up playing at the garden center and nursery and has worked in all divisions of Rost Inc. Brendan received his degree in horticulture and design from MU and now works as a designer in the landscaping division. He thrives on building relationships and creating unique landscapes that complement their space.
By Brendan Rost Find more at rostlandscaping.com
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etaining walls are an invaluable tool for a landscape designer and homeowners alike. Walls add form, function, and create distinct layers to the landscape. Whether we are creating a more functional space or building a multi-level outdoor living area, the right type of retainage is crucial for long term success. Building retaining walls to last for many years requires choosing the right materials and a reputable installer. The majority of retaining wall failures stem from improper installation and a lack of maintenance. Water builds up in the soil behind the wall and the resulting hydrostatic pressure causes a bulge that can easily topple large sections of your structure. Missouri’s heavy clay soils experience extreme shrink-and-swell cycles as their moisture levels fluctuate. To combat this, walls over a couple blocks tall should have perforated drains behind the base of the wall, a geotextile grid, and adequate clean gravel backfill wrapped in filter fabric. It’s common to see contractors err and exclude the filter fabric. No matter how much gravel is placed behind the wall, without filter fabric, fine sediments from the soil will leech into the gravel and clog water’s path to the French drain at the bottom. Sloped sites can actually be advantageous, as it creates more interest to draw the eye than a flat lot. Walls and boulders can create intriguing design elements that turn site defects into assets. Tiers will draw the eye and create purposeful “rooms” in the landscape that offer new elements to the experience of your outdoor living space. As designers, we use walls and boulders to create room for other design elements such as patios, fire features, pergolas, and recreation areas. By designing in retainage with dual purpose, we can create seat walls around fire pits, contrast the color and texture of our plantings, or give prefab features such as hot tubs a more custom look.
HOME
(573) 445-4465 ROSTLANDSCAPING.COM
There’s a huge variety of quality materials that we utilize in our retaining wall projects. Concrete block walls are our most common form of retainage. They can provide a relatively budget friendly option in a wide variety of styles. When properly engineered, block walls are appropriate for walls 2 to 50-plus feet tall. Poured concrete walls veneered with stone are a high-end product with infinite customizations available. Veneered walls can include more intricate masonry work, be built to match other vertical structures (stone on the home, outdoor kitchens, etc.), and are highly functional. Other great alternatives to traditional block wall retainage are boulders and ledge rock. There’s a spectrum of natural and large cut stone that can form walls, rocky outcrops, and vertical interest. Boulders naturalize the site, prevent erosion, and can take the place of small to medium size retaining walls in a costeffective manner. All of the materials in our tool kit can be combined or used independently to create effective and aesthetically pleasing retainage. Each project is unique, so don’t hesitate to contact a designer to determine which retainage solution is best for you.
Nathan Jones and Ernie Ueligger, your trusted attorneys. Let Nathan assist you with your will or trust and powers of attorney. By getting these documents in place, you will: • Ensure your assets pass to the people of your choosing • If you have minor children, exercise your right to name their guardian if something happens to you • Avoid probate and its expensive and unnecessary costs
Ernie handles a wide range of family law related matters, both simple and complex, to help his clients move on and have a happy and successful future. He can help with: • Divorce • Legal Separation • Child Custody and Support • Grandparent’s Rights • Domestic Violence • Modifications of Child Custody and Support
• Have peace of mind knowing your family and assets are protected
NATHAN JONES
• Modifications of Maintenance/Alimony Awards
ERNIE UELIGGER
The choice of a lawyer is an important decision and should not be based solely upon advertisements.
2412 Forum Blvd, Suite 101, Columbia | 573-874-1122 | JandULaw.com
Your House. Your Shelter. ®
Mike Messer
908 Rain Forest Pkwy., Ste. C Columbia, MO 65202
573-442-5291
MMesser@ShelterInsurance.com
We’re your Shield. We’re your Shelter. COMOMAG.COM
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The Art of Healing through Ayurvedic Herbs 54
MARCH 2022
Living
Ranjana Hans walks through the abundant garden growing in the backyard of her Columbia home.
GOURMET
Raw Roots Turmeric offers fresh, all-natural healing products to Columbia. BY A M ANDA LONG PHOTO S BY K E I T H B ORG M EYE R
Y
ou might never guess that in the backyard of her home in south Columbia, Ranjana Hans is growing a variety of Ayurvedic herbs (including turmeric, ashwagandha, and tulsi) and using them to create healing, health-boosting pastes, soaps, beverages, and syrups for her local community. Growing up in India, Ranjana remembers her mother and her grandmother using turmeric in various culinary and medicinal applications. She recalls her father picking tulsi leaves from the family herb garden saying, “Be sure to eat the leaves and you will not get sick.” “When I was a child, my mother would serve us golden milk — a mixture of milk, turmeric, cinnamon, ginger, and sweetener — before going to bed because it’s good for sleeping,” says Ranjana. “Later, I learned it also has natural anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, anti-arthritic, and anti-cancer benefits.” In 2003, Ranjana and her family moved to Columbia when her husband, a research scientist, took a job at MU. A few years later, it was chronic knee pain that made her go back to her roots — literally, relying on turmeric to ease her pain.
But she quickly realized that the powdered version she purchased at the grocery store had little to no effect, and the root in its fresh form was difficult to fi nd and quite expensive to purchase. “I discovered that, using the powder, you get the color and taste, but you don’t get the anti-inflammatory properties — when it becomes a powder, it loses it nutritional and health value. I found that by using the fresh root, the nutritional values of the plant are preserved without losing the healing properties,” says Ranjana. “Once I healed completely, I began thinking that I know a lot of people who are complaining about inflammation and pain. I felt I should share with others this natural way to heal the body.” Ayurveda, a natural system of medicine, originated in India more than 3,000 years ago. The term is derived from the Sanskrit words ayur (life) and veda (science or knowledge). Ayurvedic herbs like turmeric, ashwagandha, and tulsi are used for many reasons: to maintain overall health; to boost immunity; to support mental clarity and focus; to calm the nerves; to improve digestion; to protect the body from toxins and support the detoxification process; and to support innate healing processes. Over the years, more and more people in the United States have become aware of the health benefits of these herbs. Both ashwagandha and tulsi are classified as adaptogens, meaning they can help your body manage stress and promote mental balance. Ashwagandha is best known for its ability to promote energy and stamina without stimulating the heart. As a body-balancing herb, it also addresses insomnia and can boost brain function, lower blood sugar and cortisone levels, and help fi ght symptoms of anxiety and depression. Tulsi, also known as “holy basil,” contains vitamin C, which acts as a natural immunity booster and keeps infections at bay, plus vitamin A, calcium, iron, zinc, and chlorophyll. The main component of turmeric is curcumin, which gives the herb its signature golden color and its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. Ranjana learned that curcumin becomes more effective when it’s paired with black pepper or a healthy fat, such as avocado or nut butter, which she began adding to her pastes. Some pastes are savory; others lean to the sweet side.
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Ashwagandha
Marigold
Tulsi (Shyama)
“Once I healed completely, I realized that I know a lot of people who are complaining about inflammation and pain. I felt I should share with others this natural way to heal the body.”
Neem
Ashwagandha Berries
Black Turmeric
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Ranjana says when she began developing her products, she spent several months experimenting with the ingredients to ensure maximum nutrition. “I know exactly what I am putting in these jars,” she says. The turmeric and cinnamon paste, for example, is especially delicious in golden milk, but Ranjana says you can add a teaspoon to any beverage, including coffee or even yogurt. “The pastes are very versatile and there are so many different ways you can utilize them,” Ranjana shares. You can try blending the fresh turmeric paste into salad dressings, curries, or peanut or almond butter. The Raw Roots Turmeric website offers an array of recipes, including roasted masala tea and stir fry. Through Raw Roots Turmeric, Ranjana hopes to make these healing herbs an accessible and natural part of other people’s daily routines. Her products are available at the Columbia Farmers Market, Clovers Natural Market, and Hy-Vee, as well as her website. Ranjana sells a variety of raw turmeric, ashwagandha, and tulsi leaf pastes, along with turmeric ghee, turmeric relish, roasted masala, dried tulsi leaves, and jaggery syrup. “My goal is to promote health and wellness in my community by turning these simple, raw ingredients into products that are ready to use,” Ranjana says. “Nourish Café in downtown Columbia even uses the turmeric in their lattes.” Ranjana says she and her family have learned a lot about growing the herbs. “Turmeric takes seven to nine months to grow. We start sprouting turmeric inside in
Ranjana recommends mixing her pastes and concentrates with sparkling water for a delicious and refreshing, healthy drink.
November, then in early May, we plant it in raised beds in the garden, then harvest in September. We keep an eye on the weather and harvest before fi rst frost. Th is year, we covered our raised beds with a winter blanket and left some of the roots in the ground, where it will stay fresh until we harvest it.” Raw Roots Turmeric is a family affair, as Ranjana’s husband helps with the gardening and her children help with labeling and setting up their stand at the Columbia Farmer’s Market each Saturday. “I love to share my products with the locals and educate them on the benefits,” she says. “Plus I’m telling them it is grown here and there are no preservatives, no additives, no artificial colors. It is pure product.” As her products gain popularity in Columbia and demand continues to grow, Ranjana has begun looking for ways to grow turmeric, tulsi, and ashwagandha on a larger scale, with hopes of one day selling on an international scale. In order to take the fi rst step toward increased production, they recently rented land south of Columbia where an additional 20 raised beds were built. They will plant there this spring. She also says that, early this year, Raw Roots Turmeric will be partnering with Bluebird Composting on Rangeline (the previous Wilson’s Garden Center), where they will sell herbal plants for home gardens as well as the full line of Raw Roots Turmeric products. “We are excited for this new opportunity and plan to be ready to go by March at the new location,” Ranjana says.
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Treat
COMO staff share their favorite way to boost their mood with "treats" f rom local businesses.
PHOTOS BY KEITH BORGMEYER
Yo'self Sadie Thibodeaux Photo Director
My typical go-to treat is books, however when I want something a bit different, I stop in at Poppy. Walking around in the store is so calming to me — looking at the beautiful jewelry, smelling delicious candles, picking out special cards, visiting with the lovely staff . . . It’s one of my favorite shops in CoMo. Necklace by Sailor Pie Studio Poppy • 920 E Broadway #1
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FAVE FINDS
62
Living
Kate Morrow
Kim Ambra
Creative Director
Editor
Books. I’m obsessed with books. From the cover design to the story held within the pages. A new book is a quick pick me up - even if I don’t get around to reading it for a few months. Can you spot the books I bought as gifts? To me, buying a book for someone else is an even stronger mood-booster.
These hair products are my current obsession, because I made the dreaded mistake of cutting my hair and have been trying to grow it back ever since! MK Lush promotes self love and the importance of taking time for yourself. Taking a few hours to sit in a salon chair you can feel the weight of the world lifted f rom your shoulders. Take some “you time,” and go see my f riends at MK Lush!
Books Skylark Bookshop • 22 S Ninth St
L'Oreal Professionnel Pro Longer Serie Expert Collection MK Lush • 110 N Tenth St, Ste 7
MARCH 2022
Living
FAVE FINDS
Fran Patrick
Erica Pefferman
Senior Vice President
President + Publisher
If you have been around the Duchess for any amount of time you will know that Champagne is my love. Top Ten Wines can really help a girl out when she needs to replenish the supplies. From the design of the bottle to the pop of the cork and that bubbly f izz it adds a splash of decadence to life. Top Ten is also a great place to hang with f riends and chill. Friends + Champers = Happy Duchess.
There is little else I love more than a night listening to live music at The Blue Note. I love the environment, I love the staff, and I really love the quality of acts they book there. (Thank you, Pat Kay!!) You’ll for sure f ind me at my table located just left of the soundbooth for just about any country show and basking in the history of such an iconic venue.
Vices & Vertus • Orgueil Top Ten Wines • 111 S Ninth St, #160
Swag & Concerts The Blue Note • 17 N Ninth St
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Chiropractors that treat you like family. Chiropractic care is an amazing option for addressing many conditions including the desire to have improved vitality and optimal health. Our team is made up of individuals that want your life to be better. We want to be your complete health and wellness provider in Columbia and vicinity.
These amenities are complementary to our members: • Massage tables available before or after adjustment
• Ample parking
• Email, text, or phone appointment reminders. You can also reply to our text messages and our office will receive your reply.
• Beverage Station with Nutrient-infused fruit water, hot chocolate, Keurig coffee station, Orange Tiger Family cups (take some home for the family!)
• Posture training instruction at key points in your care plan
• Make an appointment through the website, by texting, or by calling
• Family friendly – with a dedicated toy room for your children to enjoy • Free WiFi
• Convenient hours, including early mornings, lunch breaks, and evenings
Feel like yourself again. tigerfamilychiropractic.com | 573.443.1414 3700 Interstate 70 Dr SE #110, Columbia, MO 64
MARCH 2022
Living
Cory and Misha Shea
means, but we have always approached our relationship from a perspective of building it on a foundation. For us, that foundation has been our faith, though our shared interests — like loving to travel, skiing, and experiencing new foods, places, and people —I think have made our journey so far incredible.
Cory and Misha, both emergency medicine physicians at University Hospital, share their love of medicine and their love of each other.
WHAT IS THE BEST QUALITY OF YOUR PARTNER?
M: Everything! He’s smart, funny, sexy, loving, totally sarcastic, and so much fun to be with. He encourages me when I need to be pushed and loves harder than anyone I know. He’s also the world’s best father! C: Her red hair. Also her unbelievable energy, and how she truly engages people.
HOW DID YOU MEET?
Misha: We met back in 2000 when we were both working at a restaurant called Earl’s in Edmonton, Alberta. I actually don’t remember meeting him, which he still teases me about because he totally remembers me and remembers me walking away from him, apparently!
WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT YOUR RELATIONSHIP?
J: We have been on such a crazy adventure together, and it all started 22 years ago! We’ve lived in multiple countries, did med school together, did residency together, and have loved every minute of it. Nothing we have done has been easy, but we seem to work together so well, especially when things get tough. Our relationship is centered around Christ and he is our rock. Without having that as our foundation, I don’t think we’d be where we are today.
Cory: I met her one day when she was working as a hostess and sat me at a table on the patio. I remember the yellow sundress she was wearing, though if you ask her, she’ll tell you she’s never owned a yellow sundress. WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST DATE?
M: We watched a movie at his parents’ place called “Romeo Must Die.” We didn’t really watch the movie though. WHAT KEEPS YOU BUSY DURING THE WEEK?
C: It probably seems like a cliché, but work and kids. Our kids are pretty active in sports and other activities, and I try to help coach whenever I can. Because our shift times vary so much, our weekly schedules are different every week. WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WORK TOGETHER?
M: It’s so awesome! We rarely get to work together though. We’re usually just signing our patients out to each other. We did all of residency together in Newark, New Jersey, but the fi rst time we worked together as attendings was more than six years ago. We had both just started in the emergency department at University Hospital and we couldn’t believe that they entrusted the two of us to the whole emergency department! We did a lot of high-fives that shift.
CYSK
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE RESTAURANT IN COLUMBIA? WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO DO IN YOUR FREE TIME?
C: Play hockey, work out, bike, ski, have Nerf gun battles with my kids. M: Work out, go for runs on the MKT, take our girls for bike rides to Katfish Katy’s, and go on trips, although COVID kind of squashed that for a bit. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ART OR CULTURE ACTIVITY IN COLUMBIA?
M: The Boone Dawdle, if that counts as being “cultural!” It’s definitely unique to Columbia. C: Roots N Blues Festival. WHAT IS THE KEY TO A LASTING AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP?
C: I certainly don’t want to pretend that we have this whole thing sorted out by any
C: Flyover. M: Flyover without a doubt! WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PROJECT TO WORK ON TOGETHER?
C: Shortly after we started working here, we brought an educational activity called “Morning Report” to our residency. Misha or I had to come into the hospital every morning for weeks to get it started, but six years later, it’s still a part of the education for our residents and medical students. WHAT BROUGHT YOU BOTH TO COLUMBIA?
M: Work. We are both emergency medicine physicians at University Hospital and have the best jobs in the world. Seriously. I couldn’t have asked for a better place to work and better people to work with.
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In 2021, VAC met 27,426 basic and emergency needs for individuals and families experiencing hardship to bridge the gap between crisis and stability in Boone County.
To learn more or donate, visit www.vacmo.org
FACEBOOK /vacboone | TWITTER @vacmo | YOUTUBE VAC - Boone County, MO
Is working from home ... just not working? COMO Magazine and Columbia Marketing Group are renting private suites in our downtown office!
In addition to your own private office, you’ll have access to all of our amenities (plus pretty fun office neighbors). Your own private office suite with room for 2-3.
Located in a charming historic building on 9th St. in downtown.
24/7 access, utilities, internet, coffee, and parking are included.
To learn more or schedule an office tour, email us at info@columbiamarketinggroup.com 66
MARCH 2022
Mid-Missouri Black Doula
COLLECTIVE Empowering expecting moms through ever y step of pregnancy, birth, and postpartum. BY M A RY C A I T LY N P O LOV I C H | PH OTO S PR OV I D ED BY JACQ U EL I N E BYA S
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he Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective was created and established as a response to learning about high maternal mortality rates amongst Black women, the overall goal being to provide mothers with both education and a companion certified and trained to help women through pregnancy, the birthing process, and postpartum life. Erica Dickson, a doula and founder of the collective, initially learned about maternal death rates when working as a homeschool communicator, a professional who serves as the liaison between homes, schools, and communities. During the school year, homeschool communicators come together for monthly meetings, which typically include various different trainings. One particular meeting discussed a news clip about maternal death rates in the United States, and specifically the higher maternal death rates among Black women. “I was amazed I had never heard these conversations before, being a Black woman myself,” Erica explains. “I am actively involved in a lot of things throughout the community, so I immediately began researching, trying to figure out what I could do about this.” Th is eventually led to learning about the work of doulas and beginning her own training to become certified. In November of 2020, Hakima Payne, of Uzazi Village in Kansas City, reached out to help organize a group of women to go through doula training. “We selected 10 women, including myself, to go through training together with the interest of forming some type of organized effort,” Erica says. “And here we are with the Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective.” After going through training for perinatal doula support, childbirth education, reproductive health, and breastfeeding, the Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective officially became an organization in September of 2021 and started accepting clients as of January 2022.
W H AT A R E D O U L A S E R V I C E S ? “The more educated and knowledgeable you are, the more you are able to be active and empowered in the process of having a baby,” Erica says. A doula’s primary role is to empower their client to advocate for themselves and what they want for their birthing process. The fi rst step in feeling empowered is being educated about each stage of pregnancy and birth, as well as what to expect postpartum.
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“When we talk about maternal mortality rates, most of the time it happens after giving birth,” Erica explains. “In that postpartum period, there are different mood disorders women can experience in that postpartum phase, and many women will, you know, sometimes tend to normalize or not know what is going on. So there are many different things a doula could be of value with, and it is really individualized based on the client’s needs.” There are many ways a doula can help, Erica says. “It may not be that we are dealing with death, but there is a lot of trauma that is associated with giving birth — physically, emotionally, and spiritually,” she adds. “So what does it look like to help women through that? Having someone that is aware and knowledgeable is a start.” The Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective also offers a childbirth education curriculum, which focuses on breaking down each stage of labor and what to expect. The curriculum is included in the full doula services, but it can also be taken on its own without signing up for additional services. Full doula services include seven total sessions: three prenatal visits, labor and delivery, and three postpartum visits. The total cost is $1,200, which can be broken down at $100 per prenatal and postpartum visit and $600 for labor and delivery. “We definitely don’t want people to let costs be a barrier if they feel they would benefit from the services,” Erica says. “We are able to break the cost down into payments and there is funding available to serve women that do not have the income, because those are the women impacted the most when you talk about maternal mortality rates” The Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective received a grant from the Healthy Blue portion of Anthem, which is for moms that qualify for Healthy Blue as a Medicaid program. “They have started us off with a pretty significant grant so we can serve women that don’t have the income to pay for services,” Erica ex-
plains. “However, our long-term hope is that eventually doulas will be included on the fee schedules with insurance. They have done that in other states, but currently it is not included in Missouri.” The organization’s website also has the option to donate either as a monthly subscription or a one-time donation, and all donations go towards expecting mothers.
B R E A K I N G D O W N M AT E R N A L D E AT H R AT E S The United States has the highest maternal mortality rate, regardless of race, among any industrialized country in the world. “Women are typically rushed through the process,” Erica explains. “Their opinions, concerns, and knowledge of their own body aren’t listened to or honored. There is also this fear tactic. When you don’t feel confident in the knowledge you have and someone is saying, ‘If you don’t do this, it could harm your baby,’ of course most women are going to do it. Not having enough knowledge and education to be empowered enough in the decision-making is one of the biggest contributors to the death rates.” More than half of recorded maternal deaths occur after the day of birth, and the maternal death rate for Black women is 2.5 times the rate for white women and three times the rate for Hispanic women. “With that, we can look at equitable practices and socialization — the different systems people grew up with and how they learned about different things,” Erica says. “When you think about the way society views any group of people, we have a tendency to group people together regardless of what their background is. Our fi rst impressions are based on looks because we don’t know anything else when we fi rst meet them. That is why a lot of Black women get grouped together, or really why people, in general, get grouped together. “There is a societal bias,” she continues, “which I know is a tough conversation for a lot of people, but there’s an adultification bias
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“It may not be that we are dealing with death, but there is a lot of trauma that is associated with giving birth — physically, emotionally, and spiritually,” – ERICA DICKSON, FOUNDER /DOUL A
Photo by Keith Borgmeyer
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among Black women — the tendency to think that, you know, they have thicker skin and pain is looked at in a different way. It is a tough conversation for a lot of communities to have, but it is a very real thing. I don’t know what other more real way you can see it than Black women dying while and after having babies.” The Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective works to be a part of the solution through their services. “Part of having a doula is knowing what to ask,” Erica says. “Doctors are packed with clients and appointments are brief: The whole process can be overwhelming, and women can feel like a nuisance if they stop and ask questions. A lot of times, women leave with unanswered questions and are pushed through like an assembly line, which is not what the birthing process is supposed to look like.” Outside of doula services, the Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective is working to educate the medical system on what some of the
Jae Cropp
disparities look like and what conversations they should be having with clients. It’s all done with the goal of creating a better future. “Forming a collective of Black women in particular was important,” Erica explains. “It creates a sense of security and safety. There is historically a mistrust in the medical system as far as the Black community is concerned. When there is distrust with people who don’t look like you, you are going to look for people that do. Black women make up less than 3% of the medical system of doctors in the U.S., and even though we are not doctors, we are somebody that can stand in the gap and begin to mend that gap.”
LO O K I N G A H E A D The overall goal of the Mid-Missouri Black Doula collective is to serve as many women and they possibly can, which can look like adding more doulas to the collective, having more than enough funds for expecting mothers, and building a relationship with the current medical system.
In addition to the Mid-Missouri Black Doula Collective, there are similar organizations in Kansas City and St. Louis. The purpose of the Mid-Missouri location was to cover the middle area in between. “We are looking at adding more people to the collective that will help cover the areas where there are more rural towns,” Erica says, “places like Jefferson City, Boonville, Sedalia, and then the Moberly and Mexico areas. We want to make sure we are covering more ground as far as being able to offer services in different places.” The collective is also planning a fundraiser to help keep additional funding available for women that can’t afford doulas. “The other piece of what I feel I am charged to do is create relationships with our larger medical systems,” Erica says. “We are not in an adversarial position, we are in a both/and world — we can do both of these things to get the outcomes we need to see for our community, not just our birthing clients.”
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In Our Own Backyard BY LAUREN SABLE FREIMAN
Human trafficking can be difficult to recognize, but knowing the signs to look for and who can help could save a life in your own community.
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uman trafficking, which includes both sex trafficking and labor trafficking, generates $150 billion a year globally, making it the fastest growing criminal industry in the world, second only to drug trafficking. The statistics are sobering, and startling, because human trafficking isn’t just a concern for other people in other cities. It’s happening right here in Columbia. “Many, many, many individuals are trafficked right here in the city limits of Columbia,” says Nanette Ward, who helped launch the Stop Human Trafficking Coalition of Central Missouri in 2008 to raise awareness about human trafficking in Mid-Missouri. The coalition provides free educational opportunities in a variety of formats for any and all groups or people who would like to learn how to identify and prevent human trafficking, from professional and civic groups to schools and churches. Th is past year, the Stop Human Trafficking Coalition of Central Missouri directly supported at least 60 survivors of human trafficking with a variety of services. With the help of coalition volunteers and resources, as well as resources pulled together from other social service agencies around Columbia, the coalition helps provide emergency lodging, medical care, mental health support, personal care products, food, longterm housing, furniture, access to educational opportunities, and much more to those exiting trafficking. While the majority of people served were survivors of sex trafficking, some were also survivors of labor trafficking. “We are along for the long haul, for the duration,” Nanette says. “It could be months or years. Your life could be forever changed when you experience something like this. The relationships we form matter so much. Nobody is paying us to do what we do for the survivors; it is simply because they matter.”
WHAT IS HUMAN TRAFFICKING? According to Nanette, human trafficking is an exploitation of vulnerability. It’s the commodification or commercialization of a human being who is brought into the commercial sex industry, or into labor, with the use of force, fraud, or coercion. While labor trafficking can occur in any industry, it most frequently occurs in the construction, lawn maintenance, hotel, and restaurant industries. “It could be workers in a restaurant who aren’t getting the pay they were promised, who are sharing a single space with many other coworkers, or someone forced to babysit,” Nanette says. “If they are under threat of harm to themselves or their
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“WE CAN’T STRESS ENOUGH HOW HIGHLY TARGETED YOUNG PEOPLE ARE. YOU HAVE TO RETRAIN YOUR THINKING AS A PARENT OR GUARDIAN. IT’S NOT A MATTER OF IF; IT’S A MATTER OF WHEN." — Richelle Douglas, Stop Human Trafficking Coalition of Central Missouri Board Member
family, of having their documents taken, even if they are legally in the country, or of being reported and deported, they are victims of human trafficking and there is protection for those individuals.” Sex trafficking can take many different forms, and it can happen to girls and women as well as boys and men. It could be forced prostitution. It could also be a child or an adult who is forced to provide photographs depicting sexual acts. “When we think of human trafficking, we think of kidnapping, but there are often times when a child is still attending church, going to school, participating in sports, and they’re being trafficked when they’re still at home with their parents,” says Richelle Douglas, a coalition board member. “A girl befriends a boy online, he talks her into going to a party at some other location, she goes to the party and he slips her drugs, sets her up where she is going to have sex, he gets paid for it, and she turns around and goes home. She's been trafficked, and she probably doesn’t know. She's still going to school, doing all the things a teenager is doing. Or a kid sends a picture online, and the next thing you know, the recipient says they need more and more. They’ve backed themselves into a corner where they're being coerced and threatened. Kids can be at home doing all the right things and they can be trafficked, and parents might not even know.” Because it is such a lucrative criminal industry, some victims of human trafficking are, in fact, abducted. Other victims are lured in through social media and other online platforms.
THE DANGERS OF SOCIAL MEDIA The internet has opened up a whole new world for predators to access victims of all ages, but kids are especially vulnerable. Predators are contacting kids through text messages, private messages, direct messages, and through gaming platforms like “Roblox” and “Fortnite,” even on private accounts. “We can’t stress enough how highly targeted young people are,” Richelle says. “You have to retrain your thinking as a parent or guardian. It’s not a matter of if; it’s a matter of when. Something is going to come across their path, whether it is something they searched out on their own because of curiosity or it is something unsolicited.” According to Corporal Kim Davis, human trafficking coordinator for the Missouri State
Highway Patrol, social media increases the risk for kids because they struggle to understand that they don’t always know who they are in contact with. “You don’t always know who you’re talking to, and kids don’t quite fully understand that,” she says. “Relationships get built via social media. We know how difficult the teenage years are, and if you take a girl who is struggling with her self-image and her self-esteem, and you connect with someone via social media who says all the right things, there are all kinds of risks, even beyond becoming a victim of human trafficking.” Many predators earn the trust of their victims through grooming, a process where they gain their victim’s trust, identify their vulnerabilities, then offer them what they are wanting and needing. Once they’ve earned their trust, they isolate them. “Once they isolate them, they'll normalize sexualize encounters by using pornography, by showing them pictures of this person doing this and it’s not a big deal, to normalize it and desensitize them,” Nanette says. “Then they can control them. They’ll threaten to tell everyone what they’re doing or threaten violence.” The ease with which predators can access children means that parents have to be proactive in talking to their kids about the dangers of social media, and they have to develop a strong foundation of trust with their children. “We tell parents that they need to talk to their kids constantly,” Richelle says. “It is not a one and done conversation. You need to talk to your kids about sex, body parts, good touch, bad touch, good pictures, bad pictures, and correct terminology for body parts. We want to normalize the awkward conversations we don’t want to have so they know they can talk about it if something bad happens.” Beyond the open and frequent conversations, Kim says parents should have access to their children’s devices, and they should regularly review their online activity. “Parents should be involved with their children and what is transpiring on social media,” she says. “If your child has a Snapchat account, I would recommend having a Snapchat account, too. Whatever social media platform they're on, monitor them. Trust them, but monitor them at the same time, because you just don’t know who else is out there.” Noticing red flags in children is difficult, as the teenage years often bring many changes. But Richelle says that an older boyfriend
or girlfriend, new jewelry, a new phone, new clothing or other gifts, a change in grades or behaviors, a change in who your child is associating with, staying up later than usual, or dressing differently could all be signs that they’re involved in a difficult situation. “Don’t shame them or make them feel guilty,” Richelle says. “Never create a space where they’re fearful to come talk to you or another trusted adult.” With an online world that is constantly evolving, Nanette stresses the importance of constant vigilance, whether your child earns straight As, is an athletic standout, or is the class president. “These are smart parents with blinders on to the real issues of what our kids are exposed to and the capabilities of access they have on social media,” Nanette says. “There are parents that we know who are smart, caring, loving, and educated, and our kids can still slip through the cracks because of how aggressive predators are. They have nothing to lose.”
IN YOUR BACKYARD Kim says she can assure Columbia residents that human trafficking is defi nitely happening in the city. Statistics are hard to pinpoint because local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies all work on human trafficking cases. She also says that human trafficking cases are prosecuted less often than they occur. “It’s often difficult to get a case put together for prosecution,” she says. “If the victim is under 18, it’s pretty simple, but when you get into adults, you have to prove the force, fraud, or coercion aspect.” The philosophy of supply and demand dictates that human trafficking will continue to grow, and that’s why the coalition is working tirelessly to serve victims and to educate the community. “Our goal is to expand the circle of those who understand,” Nanette says. “It’s one of the biggest defenses we have against this crime. The more of us who know how to recognize it and report it, the better.” STOP HUMAN TRAFFICKING COALITION OF CENTRAL MISSOURI HELP LINE: (866) 590-5959 NATIONAL HOTLINE: (888) 373-7888
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86 REACHING NEW HEIGHTS CoMo Rocks, a community climbing gym, is set to open soon.
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HEALING IN THE METAVERSE Neuromeditation with Healium.
PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW
98 BACK TO THE FUTURE Reflecting on Spanish flu in the midst of COVID-19.
HIRE OUR JOB SEEKERS Looking for reliable candidates who are actively seeking employment? Great! We know someone who would love to meet you! We help connect great people with great employers.
VOLUNTEER AT JOB POINT Volunteers help with tutoring our students, mock interviews for job seekers and candidates, co-service opportunities & more.
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in plant medicine and what it can do to change people’s lives for the better. Ethan hopes to bring a new perspective of plant health and medicine and also a clean, inviting atmosphere for people to enjoy and feel comfortable asking questions. Whether you are suffering from chronic pain, high stress and anxiety, insomnia, or poor immune health, MindRight Wellness has products that can help. MINDRIGHT WELLNESS 1009 E. BROADWAY (573) 442-2844 WWW.MINDRIGHTWELLNESS.COM
Love Coffee
Photo provided by Foxy Boss Salon.
Foxy Boss Salon
Foxy Boss, located in the heart of The District, opened its doors in December of 2021. Foxy Boss is a salon, spa, and social space specializing in precision haircuts, styling, color treatments, manicures, and pedicures. Owned by husband-and-wife duo Adam and Bethany Voight, Bethany runs the day-to-day operations and works as a stylist while Adam helps with marketing and anything else behind the scenes. Foxy Boss is an extension and complement to their other business, conveniently located next door, M. Boss barber shop. As the barbershop business grew, Adam and Bethany saw the need to bring on additional services that they were not able to provide in their existing space. They snagged the location next door, formulated a plan, and Foxy Boss was born! The goal: to create a posh, relaxed environ-
ment with a vintage twist. Both businesses offer exceptional customer service, quality, and, delicious beverages. FOXY BOSS SALON 28 N. NINTH ST. (573) 607-3699 WWW.FOXYBOSSSALON.COM
MindRight Wellness
MindRight Wellness opened their first brick and mortar store in 2021 but has been an online herbal store since 2018. Owner Ethan Jones says he started MindRight Wellness in his spare bedroom with a mere $500. MindRight Wellness specializes in natural herbal health products for immune health, pain relief, anxiety support, and sleep assistance. They’re known for their customer service and expertise
Love Coffee has opened a second location! When asked, “What are you most known for?” Love Coffee's answer is simple: their employment model of hiring and supporting individuals with disabilities. (But the bakery items make the mission delicious!) They offer scratch-made pastries, breakfast and lunch items, espresso, and coffee drinks. Love Coffee is operated by the Love My Job Training Center, a 501(c)3 Missouri corporation. Founder Chuck Crews enjoyed working with the Special Olympics for many years. He observed folks show up to practice, demonstrate improvement over time, have a great experience, and make meaningful friendships. Inspired by a similar organization, Bitty and Beau’s Coffee, Chuck wanted to bring the same joy to a business here in Columbia. Love Coffee hopes to raise awareness of the value those with barriers to employment bring to employers and, more importantly, to our community. They want to create a place for community to happen in a great atmosphere with great food. LOVE COFFEE THE TIGER HOTEL: 23 S. EIGHTH ST. BUSINESS LOOP 70: 15 BUSINESS LOOP 70 E (573) 777-1877 WWW.COLUMBIALOVECOFFEE.ORG
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Briefly in the News
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COMMUNITY
143-home Habitat for Humanity Subdivision Welcomes First Family with Help of Shelter Insurance Keneshia and her 13-year-old son, Kendred, celebrated the completion of their very own Habitat for Humanity home, which was sponsored by Shelter Insurance. This is the first of 143 Habitat homes to be built in the brand-new Habitat subdivision off Brown Station Rd. in Columbia. This huge subdivision is in response to the significant need for affordable housing in Boone County. Working on a 50-plus acre plot of land, Habitat for Humanity plans to spend the next several years partnering with local businesses, individual donors, volunteers,
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and future homeowners to make this area a community of proud families that own their own home. Shelter Insurance, as part of its 75th anniversary, has contributed $50,000 toward this project and dedicated 8 hours of paid volunteer leave for each employee to contribute to this project and others around Columbia.
G IVI N G BAC K
H EALTH
EquipmentShare hosted its annual holiday drive-thru light display to benefit the community and spread holiday cheer. At the event, the community came together to raise $5,347 and 2,000 pounds, or 20 barrels, of food to benefit the Voluntary Action Center Holiday Family Program and The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri. “Last year, the community raised $4,000 for the holiday program and donated 1,462 pounds of food at our light show event,” Danielle Schlacks, a member of EquipmentShare’s executive support team, said. “This year, we wanted to beat that record and help VAC and the Food Bank provide even more essential resources to our neighbors. That’s what this event is about, and we can’t thank the community enough for their donations.” The food donations will be used to feed families and individuals experiencing food insecurity throughout Boone County.
Groundbreaking Research at Boone Hospital to Reduce Anxiety and Stress A new research trial at Boone Hospital in partnership with Healium and GSK Consumer Healthcare has been assessing the impact of mind-powered virtual reality and neurofeedback to improve mood and reduce stress among healthcare workers directly involved in patient care. The study was published in Frontiers in Virtual Reality Medicine. In the 100-employee study at Boone Health, participating healthcare workers were fitted with a portable brainsensing head strap and portable virtual reality goggles to record the users’ brain patterns associated with stress. They were then placed inside a beautiful virtual environment that responds to the user’s biometric information, modifying the scene if the brain becomes stressed. The experience is powered by Healium’s patented technology that modifies and recommends immersive media content based on brain patterns measured by electroencephalogram. Results show the intervention quickly improved mood, increased feelings of happiness and calm, and reduced tension in as little as four minutes. “Engaging in innovative solutions to provide nurses with a calm, relaxing environment, even for a short period of time is a demonstration of Boone’s commitment to our outstanding nurses,” says Monica Smith, chief nursing officer and chief operations officer of Boone Health. “Nursing is a difficult profession with incredibly high expectations. Providing an outlet for our nurses to rejuvenate and care for themselves is a high priority. We are excited to participate in a study focused on the well-being of our nursing staff.”
Community Raises $5,347 and 20 Barrels of Food for Local Organizations at EquipmentShare Light Show Event
HEA LTH
Burrell to Open Temporary Crisis Center in Columbia; Permanent Solution Still in Works Burrell Behavioral Health, acknowledging the growing and urgent need for an aroundthe-clock, crisis-level mental health and substance use treatment center in Columbia, has come up with a temporary solution while awaiting a decision of financial support from the City of Columbia. Burrell will utilize space at its Stephens Lake Clinic (1805 E. Walnut St.) to open a 24/7 rapid access unit until a larger, more permanent solution can be funded and constructed. Burrell anticipates opening this interim solution by July 2022. A rapid access unit will offer up to 23-hours of stabilization for adults experiencing a psychiatric or substance use
BRIEFLY
crisis. This will include medication-assisted treatment for opioid use and connection to Burrell services for psychiatric needs or to Phoenix Programs for long-term substanceuse care. The space at Stephens Lake is intended to be an immediate solution for the community as Burrell awaits American Rescue Plan Act funding to put toward a permanent crisis center. GIVING BAC K
Coil Construction Donates $30,000 in Renovations at Job Point’s Headquarters Job Point is pleased to announce the completion of renovations on five bathrooms and the installation of a new shower for students at their headquarters at 400 Wilkes Blvd. The renovation work was completed by Coil Construction. Job Point was pleased to partner with Coil Construction for the completion of these vital renovations, for which Coil donated $30,000 in labor and materials. “They have an outstanding reputation for doing excellent work in a timely manner, and with their incredibly generous and gracious donation, the price was right,” Steve Smith, president and CEO of Job Point, said. “Their team was courteous and efficient, and we are happy with how the project turned out.”
“Coil Construction is dedicated to building community by giving back through service. We believe in sharing our generosity with organizations like Job Point that make our community a better place to live and work.” — BARRY DENNISON, DIRECTOR OF FACILITIES AT COIL CONSTRUCTION COMOMAG.COM
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MARCH 2022
ANDREW KREUTZ
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Andrew Kreutz joined the team at SuretyBonds.com as a transaction coordinator. Andrew will be issuing bonds, submitting applications, creating and reviewing bond documents, and mailing and emailing documents to clients. After a decade and a half of working as a bartender and a cook in the restaurant industry, Andrew is excited to utilize his bachelor’s in accounting to determine risk assessment as it relates to underwriting for a surety bond.
Special Olympics named Daryl Smith to the newest cohort of National Education Leaders Network. Daryl is a professor at the MU Trulaske College of Business whose past career assignments include senior human resources roles at ESPN and ABC Media Networks, Aramark/Galls, and Cox Communications. In 2016, Daryl received the Bruce and Pam Walker Outstanding Faculty Service Award. In 2019, Kappa Alpha Theta Inc. named Daryl to their Top 10 Faculty in the U.S. and Canada. In 2020, Daryl received the prestigious William T. Kemper Fellowship for Teaching Excellence Award. He has effectively served on more than 50 boards, including industry associations and nonprofits. Th is new role with Special Olympics has a term of three years and is the result of a comprehensive nomination and selection process.
BOONE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
The nonprofit Boone County Historical Society has welcomed two new officers and four local leaders to its Board of Directors. Amy Henderson assumed the role of president. Amy specializes in estate planning at Cripps & Simmons L.L.C. Her term runs through 2023. Randall Kilgore was elected as vice president. Randall recently retired from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs. He served for 10 years as the compliance and ethics officer at the Truman VA Medical Center. The BCHS membership elected Earl Coleman, Barbra Horrell, Eryca Neville, and Jo Stealey to the BCHS Board of Directors for three-year terms, running 2022 to 2024. Each adds important expertise to guide the future of the Boone County History & Culture Center, home of the BCHS.
KEVIN HARVEY
Coil Construction announced that senior project manager Kevin Harvey was recently appointed to the board of the Industrial Development Authority of Boone County. The IDA is governed by a nine-member board that is appointed by the Boone County Commission. Members are appointed for a six-year term. Kevin joined the Coil team in 2020 as a senior project manager. He holds a bachelor’s degree in civil engineering technology
from Lincoln University. Kevin’s responsibilities at Coil include managing projects and using his site and utilities experience to help the team. KREUTZ T H E T R U S T CO M PA N Y
The Trust Company has announced the promotion of Polly Reynolds to senior vice president. In addition, she is the branch manager for the company’s Columbia office and a longtime trust officer and wealth advisor for the firm. She also holds the designation of certified trust and financial advisor. Polly has served on the boards of directors for Meals on Wheels and SEED Success, and she’s a member of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, Women’s Network, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Missouri Society of CPAs, Mid-Missouri Estate Planning Council, and Leadership Columbia. Tennille Lester, associate trust officer and financial planner at The Trust Company, has been recognized as a certified financial planning professional. Tennille holds a bachelor’s degree in finance with a minor in economics from MU. She has more than 13 years of personal banking, branch management, and regional management experience. Tennille has served on the board of directors for the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, as well as the Women’s Network steering committee (for which she was the 2018-2019 chair). She has also sat on the board for the Ronald McDonald House. She was honored as one of three finalists for the 2020 Athena International Young Professional Award.
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Reaching New Heights CoMo Rocks, a community climbing gym, is set to open soon. BY HANNAH ROBERTSON PHOTOS BY REBECCA ALLEN PHOTOGRAPHY
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ith nearly 40 years of combined climbing experience, business partners Dave McGee and Wil Palmieri are no strangers to the view from the top — or the challenges you run into getting there. It’s a view, and passion, they hope to share with many other Columbia citizens at their world-class climbing gym, CoMo Rocks. The two met at a 24-hour outdoor rock-climbing competition in Arkansas. They ran in similar circles and had heard of each other previously but had never met. When they finally did, they realized they shared a dream of opening a climbing gym in Columbia. The rest, as they say, is history. Dave found rock climbing while in Springfield, Missouri, as a student at Missouri State University. He built and managed a climbing gym there in the late ’90s, where he also met his wife, Jenny. They extended their three-month honeymoon in El Salvador to a three-year stay before finally settling in Columbia in 2010. Since day one, Dave has felt the desire to open a climbing gym in Columbia, as he believes “every town needs a good quality rock climbing gym in order to build community.” Wil has been climbing since the early 2000s, when he joined a group of experienced climbers that allowed him to make mistakes and learn along the way. He was overcome with passion for the sport and the community that it builds — so much so that as an undergraduate in Minnesota, he gave up his position as captain of the wrestling team and quit in order to work at a local climbing wall. From then on, no matter the city, state, or country (yes, even in Lyon, France — true story!) you can count on Wil checking out the local climbing gym. Because for him, it’s not just about the gym; it’s about the community that gym has created. Community is the foundation of CoMo Rocks, expressed directly in their tagline “Empowering Individuals, Elevating Community.” They hope to offer everyone — no matter what age, race, or background they come from — the opportunity
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CoMo Rocks owners Dave McGee (left, climbing The Nose route at El Capitan, Yosemite, CA) and Wil Palmieri (right, climbing the Lightning Bolt Crack route at North Six Shooter, Desert Towers, UT) are eager to turn their shared passion for climbing into a business.
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CELEBRATIONS
September 6, 2021
CoMo Rocks announces the gym’s official location; construction begins.
September 15, 2021
Plumbing and framework are completed.
October 2, 2021
Sneak peek renderings of the facility are released.
November 7, 2021
CoMo Rocks holds the Ground Up Club preopening party at Logboat Brewing Co.
November 15, 2021 Wall installation begins.
November 18, 2021 CoMo Rocks announces collaboration with FACE of Boone County for respite climbing care.
December 27, 2021 CoMo Rocks signage is installed.
to climb. They plan to partner with nonprofits and other organizations to make climbing accessible to everyone. They’ll be working with Family Access Center of Excellence of Boone County, or FACE of Boone County, to provide child care to mothers who need respite, allowing them the opportunity to clear their mind and climb. The gym will provide an environment that has great opportunities for education. “Climbing is inherently dangerous, with elements you can’t eliminate,” Wil says, “but what we can do is teach. We can teach people how to behave in a climbing gym, the standards of safety, and general awareness.” The classes and educated staff available at CoMo Rocks will benefit climbers of all experience levels, especially younger generations, which the duo hope to inspire. If you’ve never climbed before, you may be asking yourself, “Why should I?” “Climbing is the total package,” according to Dave, and comes with benefits those unfamiliar with the sport may not realize. It is a great physical workout, but it also challenges you mentally. When you’re climbing, you are essentially solving a puzzle with your body, determining the right movements while also handling the technical side of things, such as rope management. There is also the relational and social aspects of climbing, especially with partners. “When you’re
on the side of a mountain, terrified, you have to work together to get through it. Once you’re through, you have someone who understands and has seen you at that moment. It creates a bond like no other,” Wil explains. One of the biggest challenges the sport faces is perception. People assume they won’t be able to climb for a variety of reasons — their age, fear of heights, not having enough arm strength, etc. Wil and Dave have watched many people overcome these perceived barriers, and the reward one feels from doing what they think is impossible, as well as the confidence they gain inside and outside of the gym, is indescribable. Though there have been a few bumps in the road to opening CoMo Rocks, Wil and Dave have taken the lessons learned through climbing about perseverance to remain positive. After six years of working on this project, CoMo Rocks is coming to Columbia soon. So if you’re ready to explore your adventurous side, be sure to give this state-of-theart facility a chance.
COMO ROCKS 205 E. NIFONG BLVD, STE. 120 (573) 554-5894 COMOROCKS.COM @COMOROCKS
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Informed & Empowered Planned Parenthood Great Plains Columbia Health Center tackles the here and now in reproductive and sexual health. BY MICHELLE TERHUNE
Mission: Uphold the standard for providing high-quality sexual and reproductive health care. Provide education that promotes informed, proud, and authentic sexuality. Change the culture through proactive advocacy to ensure equality in reproductive and sexual decision-making.
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ome are more comfortable than others when it comes to discussing reproductive and sexual health. The conversation can feel difficult, confusing, or intimidating and many fi nd themselves unprepared to answer questions beyond “where do babies come from?” At Planned Parenthood Great Plains Columbia Health Center, there are no awkward conversations about sexual and reproductive health. CHC clinicians and staff are comfortable with any conversation and the questions about topics unfamiliar to many. Roughly 3,500 patients are served by CHC every year, most of them under-insured or uninsured. They aren’t only the wiser for it, but they’re also equipped to make smart decisions about their health. “PPGP works to ensure that every individual has the knowledge, opportunity, and freedom to make informed, private decisions about reproductive and sexual health. Our expertise in the field is second-to-none, and with a compassionate, culturally responsive approach, we empower all patients to lead healthy lives,” says Emily Wales, PPGP interim president and chief executive officer.
BIRDS, BEES, AND MUCH MORE PPGP encompasses health centers in Missouri, Arkansas, Kansas, and Oklahoma. In addition to birth control, CHC’s services encompass critical health care needs, including emergency contraception; HIV education, testing, prevention, treatment, and counseling referrals; education, testing, treatment, and vaccines for sexually transmitted infections; and LGBTQ-specific services, including hormone replacement therapy and post-operative and annual exams for transgender patients. Patients can schedule exams if they’re experiencing sexual or reproductive health issues or urinary tract infections. Services also include pap tests, clinical breast ex-
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Planned Parenthood Great Plains
Founded: 1970 Board of Directors: • Emily Wales, interim president and CEO • Rabbi Doug Alpert Emily Wales, PPGP interim president and chief executive of ficer
ams, diagnosis and treatment of vaginal infections, cervical exams, menopause and midlife testing and treatment, colposcopy procedures, and mammogram referrals. CHC stepped up its telehealth offerings during the pandemic, investing in new technology to deliver some services as if the patient were present in the exam room. The Planned Parenthood Direct mobile app is an easy way to consult with clinicians and have birth control, emergency contraception, and UTI treatment delivered to your door. Although most of its patients are ages 18 and older, CHC provides services to minors as young as 14 either on their own or when accompanied by a parent or guardian. After all, CHC is always happy to help with those awkward conversations, so long as the teen’s privacy is protected. “Title X provides clear protections for minors to receive confidential, affordable care. Without parental consent or knowledge, we see minors ages 14 and older for all forms of prenatal care and STI treatment and testing, as well as many forms of contraceptive services,” Emily says.
• Dr. Romina Barral • Jay Barth, Chair • Dr. Barbara Bollier • Chuck Cordray • Rebecca Davis • Katherine DeBruce • Dr. Syeachia Dennis • Curtis Fisher • Joanne Fulton • Delia Garcia • Susanna Ginsburg • Jackie Johnson • Ronneal Mathews • Rev. Sara Milford • Chelsea Miller • Susan Moeder • Murry Newbern • Jason Parson • Dr. Phil Rettig • Corinne Schwarz • Dr. Billy Thomas • Julie Wellner • Jim Wohlleb • Gretchen Yancey
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NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT
Photo by Sadie Thibodeaux
REMOVING THE “DIS” FROM “DISPARITY” CHC also participates in PPGP’s The Right Time initiative, designed to address social and economic disparities by providing patients with birth control methods at little or no cost. It’s that dedication to opening its doors to people, regardless of insurance coverage or their ability to pay, that makes CHC such an asset to Columbia and beyond. CHC also accepts many public and private insurance plans and MO HealthNet, Missouri’s Medicaid program. “We’re proud to be a provider of choice for all those who need us,” Emily says. “We’re here if you have insurance or if you don’t. As a provider in the federal Title X network in Missouri, we’re able to support our patients with family planning services that are affordable and culturally responsive.” In 2021, more than 50% of the care delivered at CHC was provided for free or at a reduced rate. The funding that allows the Center to do that comes from service fees, grants, donations, and community support, including fi nancial contributions you can make via the website. “The insurance reimbursements received from private insurers are reinvested in care for patients with more limited means,” Emily says. “So, if you have health insurance you can fi nancially support the essential health care we provide by simply getting care from our team.” Clinical care at CHC is delivered by physicians, nurses, educators, reproductive health assistants, and support staff . And they’re
always looking for people who want to volunteer (virtually or in person) as well as health care professionals and students who want to work at CHC and patients who want to tell their stories about the impact the center had on their lives.
HUMAN RIGHTS MATTER CHC’s ability to deliver quality sexual and reproductive healthcare was threatened in February 2019 when an arsonist damaged the facility. CHC was closed for only one week before reopening. After serving the community for more than 50 years, what would happen if CHC weren’t here for its patients? “Our presence ensures that Columbia’s permanent residents, large student population, and growing number of young professionals can count on safe and compassionate care from dedicated medical professionals,” Emily says. “CHC provides the community access to quality health care delivered with compassion and integrity — something that we believe is a basic human right.”
PLANNED PARENTHOOD GREAT PLAINS COLUMBIA HEALTH CENTER 711 NORTH PROVIDENCE ROAD (573) 443-0427 PLANNEDPARENTHOOD.ORG
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Healing in the
Metaverse Neuromeditation with Healium.
BY HANNAH ROBERTSON | PHOTOS BY ANTHONY JINSON
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ith just a few clicks on an app called Healium, a user can be transported from their living room couch to breathtaking 360-degree scenic views in a matter of seconds. Healium offers a wide variety of virtual and augmented reality stories for users to experience, from teleporting to eight countries through magic portals to watching the seasons change at Emerald Lake, with new stories uploaded every 60 days. These immersive videos provide so much more than a pretty picture; there is real science behind them, and they have been proven by multiple peer-reviewed journals to reduce moderate anxiety by a third in as little as four minutes. CEO and chief storyteller Sarah Hill began working in the world of augmented and virtual realities with her startup StoryUp VR in 2015. StoryUp’s original experience, titled “Honor Everywhere 360” was inspired by Sarah’s grandfather, who tragically passed before he was able
to see his war memorial. Honor Everywhere 360 allowed terminally ill World War II veterans who couldn’t make an in-person Honor Flight to virtually visit the memorials as if they were standing right there. Through these experiences, Sarah’s team noticed that the veterans had a physiological response — an idea that would eventually lead to Healium. Since 2016, the clinically validated mental fitness channel Healium has been creating VR and AR stories that help users manage their stress and anxiety in a unique way. The fi rst of its kind, Healium uses an EEG headband and Apple Watch to monitor brain waves and heart rate throughout the experience. Th is biometric data is displayed to the user within the story as a fi refly, allowing users to see their stress like never before. The fi refly represents the amount of high beta activity in the brain, moving up and down over a solid white threshold line as brainwaves change. Th is visual neurofeedback informs the experience, and if
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using a wearable, a person is able to change their environment — whether it be changing the color of a jaguar’s fur or growing flowers — through brain patterns or lowering their heart rate. Though you can experience Healium without these wearables or a VR device, the optional hardware provides a more immersive and interactive experience that allows users to control their environment with the power of their thoughts. And that’s a powerful lesson for everyday life. What Healium provides is a form of neuromeditation. Neuromeditation differs from traditional meditation because it applies neuroscience, recognizing through dozens of brain imaging studies that not all meditations are the same. Because different meditation types impact brain patterns differently, Healium categorizes their stories into “Calm” and “Focus.” Th is allows individuals to choose the story that best suits their goals and needs. Healium has proven to be a drugless solution and mental escape for the everyday consumer who uses it to fall asleep, as well as those in acute situational-defined stress — including professional athletes, military members, and front-line health care workers. In fact, a recent study at Boone Hospital Center compared the effectiveness of using virtual reality for meditation versus audio-only meditation. The study, conducted from Oc-
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tober 2020 to March 2021 at the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, compared 100 frontline health care workers as participants: 50 using Healium and 50 using audio-only meditation as a control. Using the Brunel Mood Scale, which consists of 32 mood descriptors that are categorized into 8 dimensions (anger, tension, depression, vigor, fatigue, confusion, happiness, and calmness), the study found that while both groups showed a similar, significant decrease in anger, tension, and depression, only the group using Healium showed significant decreases in vigor, fatigue, and confusion and significant increases in calmness and happiness. Given that the study was conducted in the hospital setting, the results suggest that the immersive experience VR provides, combined with neurofeedback that increases self-awareness, may yield more positive outcomes than traditional standard audio-guided meditation. Sarah likens using the “mental fitness channel” to training for a marathon. “There is no end in the stress Olympics we all experience in life,” she says, “so we have to build our mental armor. As a content company, our goal with these stories is to teach people that their thoughts have the power to control things not only in the virtual world, but in the real world as well.” Though there isn’t enough data to conclude the long-term effects and benefits of
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BUSINESS UPDATE
Luna, XR developer/ designer Alyssa’s dog, often makes an appearance around the office.
using Healium, the experiences are so realistic that it tricks your brain into creating a stored memory, which users can revisit in times of stress or before bed. For those interested in experiencing Healium themselves, you can sign up for a free account on their app, which gives you access to limited content, but a free user cannot track data or use a wearable. To get the most out of your experience, opt for one of Healium’s paid subscriptions: Healium Lite, which is AR only, for $4.99 a month; or Healium XR Pro, which gives you access to all of Healium’s VR and AR experiences, for $28.99 a month.
Some may see being located in the Midwest as a disadvantage, but Sarah considers being in the “Silicon Prairie” to be a strategic advantage. “With decreased costs, investment dollars and revenue dollars go further,” she says. “Here in the heartland, companies are building compassionate products that don’t just fi ll a need, but also have a social purpose and add value to peoples’ lives.” Between partnerships with well-known companies like Procter & Gamble and Apple team members visiting their Columbia office, the future for Healium is as bright as ever. Their team has doubled in the last year, and
Sarah expects that in 2022 the company will add more compatible wearables, release more exciting content, and announce “fascinating brand partnerships that will allow them to do real good in the world.” The conversation about digital drugs is not stopping anytime soon, and neither is Healium.
HEALIUM 1906 CORONA RD., STE. 200 HELLO@TRYHEALIUM.COM TRYHEALIUM.COM
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BUILDING BETTER HEALTHCARE coil-health.com SPACE PLANNING
SITE EVALUATION
PROJECT FUNDING
ACHIEVING WELLNESS and EMPOWERING PATIENTS,
Naturally. achievebalancechiropractic.com New location coming in Mid March — 2700 Forum! Experience a state of the art healing facility to heal through all your senses.
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DESIGN/ BUILD
CONSTRUCTION MANAGEMENT
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PYSK
Monica Smith Chief Operating Off icer and Chief Nursing Off icer, Boone Hospital Center PHOTO BY ANT HONY JINS ON JOB DESCRIPTION
I’m a member of the senior executive team with direct accountability for developing, executing, and managing all services delivered by Boone Hospital Center. This includes hospital (inpatient and outpatient) and home health ad hospice services. In addition, I have authority, accountability, and responsibility for the definition of policy and procedure and standards relating to the provision of nursing care and practice throughout the organization. PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND
Bachelor of Science and Master of Science in nursing from the MU Sinclair School of Nursing and more than 30 years of nursing and operational experience, including roles as COO, CNO, service line director, director of patient care services, advanced practice nursing, and staff nursing in critical care and trauma. In addition, I’m a fellow of American College of Healthcare Executives and boardcertified as a nurse executive. HOMETOWN
Grew up in Austin, Texas, and went to high school in St. Louis until going to MU. I consider Columbia my hometown now. YEARS LIVED IN COLUMBIA
Since 1987.
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FAVORITE VOLUNTEER/ COMMUNITY ACTIVITY
Heart of Missouri United Way Day of Caring. FAVORITE RECENT PROJECT
Although highly challenging, I have held the role of incident commander for Boone Health since the start of the pandemic in March 2020. Leading an organization through a tumultuous and unprecedented time with the goal of patient and staff safety while developing programs to support the workforce has been challenging yet rewarding. A COLUMBIA BUSINESSPERSON YOU ADMIRE AND WHY
I admire Dr. Dianne Lynch, president of Stephens College. Dr. Lynch had a collective vision to develop a creative nursing school partnership with Boone Hospital Center. She embraced what is needed to become a nurse and developed a program that supported students, becoming entrenched in health care from day one. Working with Dr. Lynch on this vision and making it a reality has inspired me to be a more creative thinker and leader — never saying no, just saying how can we do it! WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR JOB
I am passionate about making a difference for the people who dedicate their lives to serving others. I consider myself a servantleader. My goal is to break down barriers, develop programs or services, and provide resources or support that make their work easier given the challenges in health care. IF YOU WEREN’T DOING THIS FOR A LIVING, YOU WOULD
Continue to find ways to serve others through authentic leadership and nursing. WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR COMPANY
Boone Health is special. I have worked in many different health care organizations, and I value that Boone puts their people fi rst. Many would think that we should put patients fi rst. Th is is true; however, Boone and I both believe that if you put your people fi rst, then this creates an environment where patients will have positive outcomes in care and experience. Boone is a large organization with a small, family vibe. We have high standards to which we hold one another accountable, making Boone an excellent place to work and to receive health care.
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QUOTE YOU LIVE BY
“Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” — ALBERT EINSTEIN
WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION
Nurses are highly organized and resourceful, exceptional leaders and outstanding critical thinkers. Nursing is extremely challenging — physically, emotionally, and spiritually. But however challenging the profession of nursing can be, it is also extremely rewarding. To share in someone’s experience at the beginning of life, the end of life, or in between is a gift and a honor. As a health care executive, having a nursing and health care background brings insight, experience, and leadership to best drive operational and patient outcomes, which complements and supports the organizational mission. THE NEXT CHALLENGE FACING YOUR INDUSTRY
Workforce. Throughout my career, there has rarely been a time we have not experienced a nursing shortage. The pandemic, coupled with an aging workforce, has significantly impacted the ability to fi ll critical health care needs. Identifying new models of care delivery will be paramount for the future of health care and nursing. BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED IN BUSINESS
There is a cost to provide care. How one can articulate and demonstrate tangible and non-tangible returns on investments to achieve a goal is an art. YOUR NEXT PROFESSIONAL GOAL
I have committed to life-long learning. As a leader, executive, and nurse, continuing to learn how to provide exceptional care and service is
a constant goal. One way will be to identify new leadership roles that stretch me professionally. HOW YOU WANT TO IMPACT THE COLUMBIA COMMUNITY
By leading the delivery of high-quality care and services to the citizens of Boone County and beyond. I also am a board member of Heart of Missouri United Way. Being a volunteer board member allows me to continue to help others outside of health care. I will also serve as the American Heart Association’s Go Red chair for 2022. My role will help influence how we can educate women and the community on heart health. Columbia is an incredible place to live and raise a family. If I can use my expertise, knowledge, and influence to make Columbia a better place to live, then I meet my personal and professional goals of making a difference. GREATEST STRENGTH
Authentic servant-leadership and excellent communication skills. GREATEST WEAKNESS
Wanting to fi x everything for everyone. WHAT YOU DO FOR FUN
I enjoy spending time with my family and friends, traveling, fishing, hunting, and being anywhere near water. FAMILY
My husband, Jeff, is a professor with the MU School of Medicine Department of Radiology. Caitlyn, 17, is a senior at Hickman and plays basketball and track; Morgyn, 16, is a sophomore at Hickman and is manager of the basketball team and does track. FAVORITE PLACE IN COLUMBIA
Tailgating at MU football games and going to the games (preferably not in a pandemic). ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF
Instilling in my girls that you can be a fulltime mother while having a highly successful career. I want them to know that they can do anything they put their mind to without giving up personal and professional goals. MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THAT
I am quiet and more on the introverted side.
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BACK TO THE FUTURE Reflecting on Spanish flu in the midst of COVID-19. BY L AU R E N S A B L E FR E IMAN
This story contains digital scans of The Evening Missourian newspaper. Archived issues are available in digital format as part of the Library of Congress Chronicling America online collection and are provided by the State Historical Society of Missouri, Columbia, MO.
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t’s fitting that Carolyn Orbann was immersed in research about a global pandemic when COVID-19 hit Columbia in March 2020. Spurred by the 100-year anniversary of the Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, Carolyn, an associate teaching professor in the department of health sciences at MU, had been studying how Spanish Flu impacted the state of Missouri. “I was trying to understand the flu mortality in the state by looking at all the counties to understand the geographic spread and understand why certain places were more impacted,” Carolyn says. “I was looking at what we knew about the state at that time and asking the standard questions a scientist might have about how the area was affected.” With the help of students, Carolyn says her team searched through historical databases to learn more about how Spanish Flu affected Columbia and surrounding communities. She says she was thrilled to learn that Missouri has an incredible re-
source in the Missouri Digital Heritage project, something not every state has. All of the resources she’s used for her research are open and available to the public, and she says she had no special access to information. “We initially found old newspaper databases through the Missouri State Historical Society,” Carolyn says. “We have a newspaper that’s been running the entire time. It was called The Evening Missourian at the time, and it was published five or six days per week, and you can read each issue. I started doing some searches to try to see what the flu was doing here in town.” As COVID-19 spread through the city, MU was awarded a $146,000 research grant from the National Science Foundation in May 2020. With Carolyn as the co-principal investigator of the study, a multidisciplinary team of researchers from around the university was created to compare the patterns and responses of Missouri residents during the 1918 influenza pandemic to those during the COVID-19 pandemic.
October 26, 1918
PARALLELS TO THE PAST
Carolyn Orbann, Associate Teaching Professor in the Department of Health Sciences at MU
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As Carolyn and her team began combing through the archives, she says similarities between 1918 and 2020 were immediately clear. “As the COVID-19 pandemic was happening, I was doing this newspaper research with these students, and we found that the city and the university did so many of the same things as they did during 2018,” she says. “A mask mandate was in place. Schools, churches, and theaters were closed. There were occupancy restrictions for downtown businesses,
and the university closed early. There were so many parallels, and it was really amazing to be able to see them through these documents.” Carolyn’s team also studied digital versions of MU’s yearbook, The Savitar, which painted a picture of how the flu transformed daily life on campus. “You can look through and see people wearing masks,” Carolyn says. “There was a whole section about nursing students working in the hospitals. About 1,000 students caught the flu and many people had to be hospitalized.”
A DIFFERENT TIME, A DIFFERENT MINDSET Although most of our current population hadn’t experienced a pandemic before COVID-19, life was different in 1918. People were used to circulating infectious diseases that swept through communities, leaving countless dead or disabled. “Back then, the mindset was different,” Carolyn says. “Measles, whooping cough, malaria, tetanus, typhoid — almost everything you have a vaccine for now, people were dying of in some numbers back then.” And, with the way news traveled in a small town, it was impossible to escape the realities of the pandemic’s effects. “If you look at old newspapers, you would see stuff about your neighbors, their names and addresses,” Carolyn says. “They would have sick lists, whole lists about who was sick. As the pandemic was starting to ramp up in these towns, you couldn’t help but know that people you knew were sick or dying. You could very quickly see the impact of the pandemic. Now, unless you have someone in your social circle with COVID-19, you don’t really see the impact of it fi rsthand.”
October 8, 1918 October 11, 1918
EMBRACING SCIENCE While the scientific community’s understanding of viruses has greatly evolved since 1918, at the time, Carolyn says that doctors and scientists didn’t have a widespread understanding of viruses. Yet, when the flu vaccine became available, Carolyn says that her research shows that people were excited. “Vaccines were new enough as an idea that people were dazzled by them, and this was a time when science seemed really exciting,” she says. “It seemed in general that people were excited and that the state board of health was excited. If there was an anti-vaccine sentiment, I wasn’t seeing it in these sources.” Her sources also highlight the fact that 1918 was the golden age of public health, a time when new sewer systems were being built, new laws about food safety were evolving, and water quality became a focus.
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December 2, 1918
“As the COVID-19 pandemic was happening, I was doing this newspaper research with these students, and we found that the city and the university did so many of the same things as they did during 2018. A mask mandate was in place. Schools, churches, and theaters were closed. There were occupancy restrictions for downtown businesses, and the university closed early. There were so many parallels, and it was really amazing to be able to see them through these documents.”
– CAROLYN ORBANN
December 23, 1918
January 30, 1920
“People were putting their health care investments into prevention,” Carolyn says. “Now it seems like we are all about treatment, curative care. We’ve let our budget and focus fall away from the public health aspect. Vaccines are excellent and it is great that we have clinical treatments, ventilators are amazing, and the quality of care you can get is frankly miraculous. But clinical care is not accessible to everybody, and that’s a real problem.”
A CHANGING SOCIAL CONTEXT In 1918, the United States was at the end of World War I, patriotism was high, and the country was united around the war effort. Much of the discussion around the flu was related to stopping the spread of disease in order to keep soldiers healthy. Though Carolyn says that the public didn’t necessari-
ly understand the specific pathogen that was making people sick, they understood the degree of infectiousness and they were quick to embrace mitigation efforts. Her examination of death records reveals that there were both primary and secondary causes of death listed, and there didn’t seem to be an argument about flu being listed secondary to a primary cause of death. “As people who study infectious disease, we know that the disease you attribute to the cause of death sometimes goes beyond that,” she says. “A lot of people who died from the flu actually died from pneumonia. Flu is a virus that can make you more susceptible to pneumonia, which makes you more susceptible to death. The primary cause of death was listed as pneumonia and the secondary
October 11, 1918
November 29, 1918
November 1, 1918
January 29, 1919
cause was flu. As researchers, we can use that death in our data.” Carolyn says that the flu can also cause heart problems or bad pregnancy outcomes, and in those cases, flu would have been listed as a secondary cause of death. Her research did not reveal any contention about what deaths count as pandemic deaths. “That’s something I didn’t see in 1918, where people said that a death didn’t count as a flu death, and I think that is something we are seeing now,” she says.
DOES HISTORY REPEAT ITSELF? As a researcher who builds computer models of infectious disease, Carolyn says she is still trying to understand the trajectory of the flu in 1918. Around Boone County, there was a three-wave structure, with spikes in deaths in fall and winter of 1918.
After death rates slowed, a severe wave in February 1920 left even more dead than in the initial wave. “February 1920 was a steep peak almost everywhere throughout the state, then it just went away,” Carolyn says. “It’s weird. I think that’s what people are hoping for now, but we know Omicron is a different strain and coronavirus is a different disease. Omicron seems to be a case peak, not a death peak.” As she continues her research to try to understand why there was such a severe peak of flu in February 1920, she says she is using what’s she’s learned about COVID-19 as a frame of reference. “I’m thinking about ways to help me interpret 1918 and I wonder: Did people get tired and go back into the world?” she says. “I have no idea. I’m still trying to understand that better.”
Though there are similarities between flu and COVID-19, Carolyn says that the nature of viruses makes predictions incredibly difficult. It’s unlikely that understanding the waves and peaks of the flu pandemic will shed light on what’s on the horizon for COVID-19. “The historical data are interesting, but I would never predict COVID-19 based on 1918,” Carolyn says. “It’s really hard to make predictions because you have to consider the geographic distribution of people, social connections, how random chance plays a role, there is so much. I would never give a specific date. At this point, most people are comfortable saying we aren’t going to get rid of it, and I think I largely agree. We’re way past the point where we’re going to be able to put it back in the bottle.”
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A DVE RT I S E R I NDE X A Secret Place Events...................................................................................... 46 Accounting Plus................................................................................................107 Achieve Balance................................................................................................. 94 Ai Painting Plus...................................................................................................72 Alzheimer's Association Greater Missouri Chapter....................................9 American Outdoor Brands........................................................................... 104 Anne Tuckley Home..........................................................................................50 Anthony Jinson Photography..........................................................................6 Atkins Inc............................................................................................................. 48 Body Recovery......................................................................................................11 Boone Health.........................................................................................................4 Brockmeier Financial Services....................................................................... 84 Burrell Behavioral Health...................................................................................2 Coil Construction............................................................................................... 94 Compass Chiropractic........................................................................................17 Convergence Companies...................................................................................3 DanceArts............................................................................................................ 34 Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management..................................................................8 First Chance for Children................................................................................ 39 Haas Accounting................................................................................................... 7 Hawthorn Bank................................................................................................ 108 Heart of Missouri CASA....................................................................................10 Job Point .............................................................................................................80 Joe Machens Dealerships................................................................................ 14 Jones & Ueligger Law.......................................................................................53 KRCG...................................................................................................................... 18 Les Bourgeouis - The Blufftop at Rocheport............................................97 Lizzi and Rocco's Natural Pet Market.......................................................... 26 Lombardo Homes.......................................................................................51, 90 Lumia Med Spa.................................................................................................. 39 Mediacom..............................................................................................................21 Moxie Training Company.................................................................................80 Optimized CFO & Controller Services, LLC................................................73 Parks Amusements (Level Up).........................................................................5 Polished................................................................................................................60 Pulaski County Tourism Bureau................................................................... 46 Shelter Insurance - Mike Messer....................................................................53 Skylark Bookshop..............................................................................................73 Southern Provisions - Southern Gent Candle Company.......................22 State Farm - Phyllis Nichols...........................................................................78 Superior Garden Center/Rost Landscaping.....................................52, 105 The Bank of Missouri.........................................................................................78 The Blue Note/Rose Music Hall................................................................... 24 The Broadway Hotel.........................................................................................30 The Missouri Symphony.................................................................................. 36 The Trust Company........................................................................................... 16 Tiger Family Chiropractic & Wellness Center............................................ 64 Tiger Home Team - House of Brokers......................................................... 49 True/False Film Fest........................................................................................20 Unbound Book Festival.....................................................................................12 University of Missouri Health Care............................................................... 28 Voluntary Action Center.................................................................................. 66 Wilson's Fitness.................................................................................................30 Woodhaven......................................................................................................... 36
Rost Landscaping
Superior Garden Center
Superior Irrigation
(573) 445-4465
(573) 442-9499
(573) 875-5040
THREE DIVISIONS, ONE GOAL
Quality in every aspect.
With roots conveniently close to home, Superior Garden Center is mid-Missouri’s most complete garden center with seven greenhouses and over six acres of trees, shrubs, and perennials.
SERVING MID-MISSOURI
since 1985
2450 Trails W Ave, Columbia, MO 65202 (573) 442-9499 • rostlandscaping.com COMOMAG.COM
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18 S. 9th St. Ste 201 Columbia, MO 65201
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