22 minute read
Lifelong McDonald County Friends Recall ‘Happy Days’
Longtime friends holding hands Jean Rae (Allpress) Hook, Marilyn (Hansen) Ruestman, Karen (Whitten) Buchanan, Beverly (Davis) Robinson.
Lifelong McDonald County friends recall
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The reunion included looking through school yearbooks, photographs and old newspapers.
Graduation from Noel High School, maiden names from left to right: Jean Rae Allpress, Beverly Davis, Marilyn Hansen, Karen Whitten, Jeanie Kerry. ‘Happy Days’ By Cheryl Franklin
It was 1960: the beginning of a new decade, John F. Kennedy was running for president and six Noel, Missouri, girls who had been friends through elementary and junior high were now graduating from Noel High School together.
All of them were born in 1942, and Jean Rae (Allpress) Hook, Beverly (Davis) Robinson, Marilyn (Hansen) Ruestman, Jeannie (Kerry) Phipps, Martha (Pogue) Gregory and Karen (Whitten) Buchanan spent the late 1940s and all the 1950s hanging out together before, during and after school back when Noel was the vacation capital of the Ozarks. All of their families owned small businesses in and around Noel. The girls spent their summers swimming and floating on inner tubes in Elk River, dancing at Shadow Lake, and drinking sodas and shakes at the local soda shop. “We actually lived Happy Days,” said Ruestman, referring to the popular TV series. “We all had the same interests,” said Buchanan. “We all got along real well, and I never knew of a time that a harsh word was said; we were a group of sisters.” Recently, four of the girls met at Ruestman’s Grand Lake, Oklahoma, home for a weekend reunion. “It was Jeannie’s idea to get together,” Ruestman said. But sadly, she couldn’t make it from South Carolina due to a family emergency, she said. “During a period when women had very little choice outside the home, all these women have held executive-type positions in the business world,” Ruestman said. “Ranging from small business ownership, entrepreneurship, teaching, executive assistant, elected official and vice president of a bank.” Ruestman, after owning her own business, worked alongside politicians and eventually served as a Missouri state representative and then as a Newton County presiding commissioner.
Beverly and Marilyn sitting on the hood of Marilyn’s father’s 1953 Chevy in front of a grocery store on Main Street in Noel wearing their saddle shoes and penny loafers. An unidentified resident also poses for the photo.
─ Beverly (Davis) Robinson
The ladies are so happy to be together. Jean Rae (Allpress) Hook, Marilyn (Hansen) Ruestman, Karen (Whitten) Buchanan, Beverly (Davis) Robinson.
“All of us were in each other’s weddings,” she said. After that, the girls never failed to keep in touch through the years, but mostly through birthday and Christmas cards. Now, 62 years after high school graduation, as the ladies sat around a table covered with school yearbooks, old photographs and newspaper clippings, laughter filled the air as they reminisced about friends and schoolmates they haven’t seen in years. The faded images captured a lifetime ago seemed to spur on stories all of them seemed to remember vividly. “We just picked up where we left off,” said Robinson, who now lives in Bartlesville, Oklahoma. “When we got together, it was like we never parted. Something about old friends, they really know you, they are the basis of who you become.” It wasn’t all talk about high school, however. All of girls married and raised children; four of them married their high school sweethearts. “We enjoyed catching up on each other’s lives and families,” Buchanan said. “We all decided that none of us have changed a bit.” All of the girls were members of the nine-piece choral group that won first in the state. Buchanan, who lives in Joplin, continued her love of singing by joining a community choir in her adult years. “One of my most memorable moments was getting to sing in Carnegie Hall,” Buchanan said. “Through the 70-plus years, we have added a few age spots, made a few mistakes but helped create wonderful families and memories,” Ruestman said after the reunion. The friends are already planning more get togethers, and they are going to do it soon. All of the ladies will be turning 80 years old within the next year. “At our age, you don’t bring home bananas and not eat them that day,” Robinson said.
Covers for a Cause
Show Me The Ozarks hosted its 12th annual Covers For a Cause event at Freeman Health System October 27. Participants had the opportunity to smile for the camera on their own cover of Show Me The Ozarks Magazine. All $2371 raised from the event benefit the Hope 4 You Breast Cancer Foundation, which provides mammograms for women in need. We are proud to be supporters of Hope 4 You and our sisters battling breast cancer for over a decade strong! Thank you, Freeman Health System and Lakeland Office Systems, for being our sponsors! And a big thank you to Dr. Flys Salon for donating pink hair extensions!
Photos by Ashley Caughorn
Isa Greenwood and Cavanaugh Studyvin
Elissa Lea, Alice Smirl, Stephanie Thorne, Alizabeth Webber, Marley Hensley, Lisa Baker, Madison VanDorn
Shila Lowe, Jade Elmore, Katie Counts, Wes Braman, Kathy Mason, Bobbie Cornell, Jane Clark, Treva Geiger, Charlene Milligan, Amber Seymour and Brittany Drake
Jim Crossley, Charlie Brown, Wendy Anderson, Brandi Cerone, Whittney Armstrong and Paise Whitehead
Vicki Gilson Paula Baker Linda Teeter Arminta Malin, Jackie Lewis and Jill Mullere
Tiffany Hill, Sue Junken and Pilar Ethredge Jennifer and Lincoln Rickman Howie Nunnelly and Bubba Evansco Taylor Ebbinghaus and Becca Malcolm
Lee Timmsen and Lauren Gilbreth Stephanie Vaughn, AKA Jessie and Woody Betty Cooper and Kenzie Jones Kenzie Jones and Amanda Merrill
10th Annual Pink Ribbon Gala
The Four-States Area came together October 28 for Breast Cancer Foundation of the Ozarks’ celebratory 10th Annual Pink Ribbon Gala. Indigo Sky Casino Resort and Casino and the Eastern Shawnee Tribe were presenting sponsors of the 2022 Gala. Approximately 288 guests were in attendance and enjoyed a wonderful buffet-style meal. Guest speaker was local business owner Mitzi Starkweather, who delivered a touching account of her recent breast cancer journey. Ms. Starkweather is under
35 years of age, which highlighted the need for a new program BCFO started in April 2022 called U35. This new program addresses the needs of a growing number of people being diagnosed with breast cancer under the age of 35. Brandon Abramovitz served as the live auctioneer, as he has for over 8 years. The Gala was another huge success as it raised nearly $130,000. BCFO thanks every sponsor, donor, attendee, volunteer, committee member and the good folks at Indigo Sky Casino and Resort for making the evening so nice and such a success.
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1. Duane and Holly Hukill, Randy and Brenda Kaiser 2. Rhonda and Kurt Stork, Alan and Lori Marble 3. Margie Moss, Beth Sellers, Ruby Schmidt and Susan Richards 4. Charity Mathis, Meleah Yarnell, Jamie Strickland and Jennifer Reeves 5. Jerri Holguin and Marry Morris 6. Beth Newman and Anna Lance 7. Cheryl Franklin, Bob and Sue Dillmon, Kristen Radaker Sheafer, Scott and Lee Timmsen, David and Tracy Freund, Allison Riechman-Bennett and Melodee Colbert-Kean 8. Dian Jones, Steve and Stacey Bishop 9. David Clements and Wendy Belden 10. Wendy Belden and Linda Brown 11. Lee Timmsen and Cynthia Olmstead 12. Mike and Patty Moss, Gary Stubblefield 13. Natalie Demint, Elijah Ochoa, April Kontak, Mitzi Starkweather, Jennifer Reeves 14. Meleah Yarnell, Katie Fields, Charity Mathis, Ashley Franco and Tara Haws 15. Lee Timmsen and Kristi Seibert
Photos by Ashley Caughorn
2022 Horses of Hope Gala Goes Down in History as ‘the best’!
Horses of Hope could not have had a better way to celebrate its 25th Anniversary than at the 2022 Horses of Hope Gala, its annual fundraising event held at Downstream Casino, under the major sponsorship of Fletcher Toyota. Jim Adams, general manager of Fletcher Toyota in Joplin, is the inspiration and served as the master of ceremonies for this large event, with over 520 guests attending this year. Entertainment featured the Confederate Railroad.
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1. Kristi Seibert and Lee Radcliff-Timmsen 2. Mike Opfer, Ashley Caughorn, Scott and Lee Timmsen, Tracy and David Fruend 3. Pamela Thompson, Vallerie Sweeton and Sarah Oglesby 4. Jennifer Leeper and Heaven Whorton 5. Jennifer Wallace, Angelina Wallace, Kelsee Embree and Micah McColm-Hopkins 6. Judy Lowe and Melody Morgan 7. David and Ashley Groves, Leslie and Doug Heady 8. Brad and Emily McIntyre, Debbie and Gerold Koehler 9. Steve Kelly, Shanna Heckmaster, Lauren Gilbreth, Melanie Morton and Kevin Sidenstricker (AMI Radio) 10. Ash Wise and Dustin Guthrie 11. Kayla Boyd, Belinda Jasmin, Donna Jackson, Randy Ferson 12. Steve Bale and Dorothy Johnston 13. Taylor Warner, Marty and Teresa Armstrong 14. Dillon Leggett and Lee Radcliff-Timmsen 15. Jana and Dan Hickman Left: Jim and Kristi Adams
Photos by Mandy Edmonson
KRISTI
Finding peace in winter’s long night with yoga
By Bradley Morris
It’s darker earlier and a lot colder. Late fall and winter pose a problem if you’re looking to maintain your health, because while some people are fine keeping their routine with a few extra layers on and potentially out in the dark, many others will find exercising becomes a lot less convenient. If you’re in this situation, you might find indoor machine exercises such as treadmills or exercise bikes don’t engage you enough while weightlifting doesn’t necessarily fit your health goals. A great exercise you can perform indoors and that most people can do in their living room is yoga. While you do need enough room to extend your arms and legs out, I’ve been surprised to find how little room even a bigger guy like me needs to have small yoga sessions.
What are the benefits of yoga? While not as intensive as running or jogging, yoga increases your circulatory health, helps you build and maintain muscles and improves less obvious functions such as your metabolism, energy and breathing. If you suffer from any chronic pain or health issues such as high blood pressure, yoga has also been found to help with that. How should you get started with yoga? A beginner-friendly class is a good bet if you have one nearby you can attend. Having people there to do the exercises with you can give a sense of community to strengthen your sense of commitment and accountability and can help you perfect your form and really get the exercises down. If that isn’t an option for you, finding some sort of video series, whether on home video, television or the Internet, can also give you a good step-by-step of how to do beginner exercises and even give you a beginner routine. As always, ensuring you don’t strain yourself is as important as getting the work in. If a pose is too hard to hold for the targeted time, don’t be afraid to back off. Pushing yourself too far can cause injury, and hurting yourself while trying to improve your health isn’t a great thing. If you’re concerned about pushing yourself and feeling the burn, don’t forget that going too far and injuring yourself will make it so you must take time off. Losing a day or two of exercise to recover from an injury you got trying to hold a pose for a few seconds longer isn’t a good tradeoff at all, so always listen to your body and make sure you don’t go too far. While yoga might not be right for you, it’s a great option to consider if you’re looking for a new winter routine. Routine is very important to ensuring we stay healthy or improve our health, so losing your routine to the long, cold nights of winter can be a burden all its own. Ensure you don’t lose too much of your progress in the coming months – or even give yourself a head-start on New Year’s routines.
Parsons, KS
December 13: Breast Cancer Support Group, 3:30 pm, Cancer Center conference room. Meets second Tuesday of each month. Call 620.235.7516. December 15: Grief Companions Support Group meets second Thursday of each month, 6 pm, Elm Haven West. Call 620.704.1110.
Via Christi Hospital - Pittsburg, KS
Joplin, MO
Every day: Alcoholics Anonymous Meetings. Call 888.740.4568. Every Monday: Tips for Living a Healthy Life, 10 am-12 pm, South YMCA, 3404 W. McIntosh Circle. Free; registration required. Call 417.625.2492. Every day: 12-Step Recovery Meetings, Alano Club, 1800 E. 30th. Call 417.623.9645. Every Friday: Grief Counseling, 11 am-3 pm, St. Philip’s Episcopal Church, 706 S. Byers. Free. No appointment necessary. December 13: Brain Injury Support Group meets every second Tuesday, 12-1:30 pm, The Independent Living Center, 2639 E. 34th. Contact 417.659.8086 for information and referral. December 28: Grief Support Group meets every fourth Wednesday of each month, 6-7:30 pm, Hospice Compassus, 2216 E. 32nd St., Ste. 201. Call 417.623.8272.
Freeman Health System Joplin, MO
All events are free and open to the public, unless noted; support group meetings are cancelled on days Joplin R-VIII Schools close due to inclement weather. December 1: Freeman Early Detection Screenings, by appointment, Freeman Screen Team Resource Center, 1130 E. 32nd St., Ste. C. Early detection screenings include abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral arterial disease and stroke/carotid artery screenings, as well as osteoporosis risk assessment. Fees vary. Call 417.347.6555 for an appointment.
5-6 pm, Joplin Avenue Coffee Company, 506 S. Joplin Ave. Enjoy a coffee courtesy of Freeman Cornell-Beshore Cancer Institute. Our monthly breast cancer support group enables members to share, gain helpful information and useful tips, and form new friendships. Enjoy listening to a special guest from time to time. RSVP to Marcella at 417.347.2662. December 6: AHA Family and Friends CPR, 6:30-8:30 pm, Freeman Screen Team Resource Center, 1130 E. 32nd St., Ste. C. Friends and Family CPR is open to the community. This is not a certification course, but a participation card will be given. Class will cover adult, child and infant CPR, choking and AED techniques. Cost of course is $20. To register, call Shelby Allen at 417.347.5646.
December 7: Freeman Real Living with Diabetes, 12-12:45 pm, Freeman Women’s Center Conference Rooms, 1532 W. 32nd St. A meeting for anyone struggling with diabetes to discuss real issues and concerns. Call 417.347.5700 for more information. December 13: Freeman Bariatric Weight-loss Seminar, 4:30 pm (registration), 5:30 pm (seminar), Freeman Business Center Conference Rooms, 3220 McClelland Blvd (back entrance). Better understand the options available for weight-loss surgery. Contact 417.347.1266 or freemanhealth.com/bariatric to register. December 15: Freeman Caregiver Support Group, 1-2:30 pm, Joplin Senior Center, 2616 S. Picher Ave. Are you a caregiver interested in having a safe haven to share your feelings? Receive information about resources and coping mechanisms, gain advice on what lies ahead, make new friends and learn how to deal with family members. Door prizes will be given out. RSVP to Kathy Mason at kdmason@freemanhealth. com or 417.347.8463. December 20: Bariatric Weight-Loss Support Group, 5:30-6:30 pm, Freeman Business Center Conference Rooms, 3220 McClelland Blvd (back entrance). Designed to help those who have had bariatric surgery. For more information, call 417.347.1266. National Alliance on Mental Illness - For information on NAMI, call 417.781.6264 or visit www.namijoplin.org. Meetings held at the NAMI building, 219 W. 2nd St., in Joplin. Every Monday: NAMI Basics, 6-8:30 pm. A signature education program for parents and caregivers of children and adolescents living with mental illnesses. Every Tuesday: NAMI Connection Support Group, 6:30-8 pm. Every Tuesday: Self Injury Support Group, 5-6 pm. Every Tuesday: Family Support Group, 6:30-8 pm. Every Wednesday: Dual Diagnosis Support Group, 2:30-3:30 pm. Every Wednesday: Post-5/22 Stress Counseling Sessions, 10 am. Every Thursday: Family to Family Class, 6:30-8:30 pm. For families or caregivers of individuals with severe mental illnesses. Includes current information about most major mental illnesses; information about medications, side effects and strategies for medication adherence; developing strategies for handling crises and relapse; focusing on care for the caregiver.
Neosho, MO
December 26: Caregivers Support Group meets the fourth Monday of each month, 5-6 pm, Medicalodge, 400 Lyon Drive. Help with care, finances, insurance, Medicare, Medicaid, respite care, hospice care, day care and support for the caregivers. Sponsors: Avalon Hospice and Medicalodges Neosho. Call 417.451.2544.
Nevada Regional Medical Center, Nevada, MO
December 2: Lighting the Tree of Shining Memories, 5:30 pm. Join us on the square in downtown Nevada as we light the Tree of Shining Memories. We’ll meet on the southeast corner of the Vernon County Courthouse lawn as we read the names of all those being remembered. For information on how you can purchase a light on the tree, call 417.448.2101 or visit nrmchhealth.com/TOSM. This event will take place just prior to the Annual Chamber of Commerce Christmas Parade through downtown Nevada. December 3: Birth and Beyond Saturday Class, 8:30 amnoon, hospital mezzanine. The class will focus on ways the mother and her family can prepare for the birth of their baby. To register, call 417.448.2101. December 10: Holiday Open House, 9 am-12 pm. Join us at the hospital to visit with Mr. and Mrs. Claus, decorate cookies, make an ornament and take a picture with Santa. This will be a great opportunity to kick-off the season! For more information about this free event and to RSVP, call 417.448.2101. December 13 & 15: Birth and Beyond Evening Class, 6-8 pm, hospital mezzanine. This two-session class will focus on ways the mother and her family can prepare for the birth of their baby. To register, call 417.448.2101.
December 27: Rich Hill Family Medical Clinic Screenings,
11 am-noon, Kern Senior Center. This month, we will offer free blood pressure checks, plus a free body fat test. The event takes place at the Kern Senior Center in Rich Hill. Integris Baptist Regional Health Center, Grove, OK December 13 & 27: Depression Support Group meets the second and fourth Tuesday of each month, 2 pm, Northeastern Tribal Health System Conference Room, 2301 Eight Tribes Trail. Call 918.675.2093. INTEGRIS Baptist Regional Health Center, Miami, OK - For more information, visit www.integrisok.com/baptistregional-health-center-Miami-ok.
Every Tuesday: Free blood pressure and glucose
screenings provided by INTEGRIS Regency Home Care and Hospice. First Tuesday: Commerce Nutrition Center, 10:30-11:30 am. Second Tuesday: Nine Tribes Tower, 10-11 am. Third Tuesday: Miami Senior Center, 10-11 am. Fourth Tuesday: INTEGRIS Baptist Village, 9-10 am. December 6: Alzheimer’s Support Group meets first Tuesday monthly, 11 am, Generations fourth floor visiting room. Call 918.542.3391.
Crisis Text Line Text 741741 Free 24/7 support for those in crisis to create a plan to stay safe and healthy. National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 988 has been designated as the new three-digit dialing code www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org
Many Concerns Exist About the Passage of Recreational Marijuana Use
By Bridget Bauer
With the passage of Missouri Amendment 3, which legalizes the use of marijuana for recreational use, ASCENT Recovery Residences Executive Director Teddy Steen has serious concerns.
“I think it was very short-sighted,” she said. “It is about money for the people who funded it. It was a 39-page amendment that no one read. For one thing, it is a $100 civil fine for supplying someone under age 21 with marijuana. That should be a criminal offense.” Steen’s concerns lie in two areas. One is what using the drug can lead to, and the other is the affect it has on younger individuals. She wants parents to know it is not a harmless drug. Research from states who have legalized recreational marijuana use shows some startling facts. Unfortunately, law officials from those states with legal marijuana use know what happens each day. Many law enforcement agencies oppose the legalization of marijuana and alluded to a study conducted by the National Fraternal Order of Police, the University of Colorado, Johns Hopkins University and Harvard Medical about the impact of legalization in Colorado. An article titled “Marijuana Legalization Will Cause Many Problems for Missouri Law Enforcement and Schools” taken from Missouri Medicine, the Journal of the Missouri State Medical Association, May/ June 2019 outlines the following:
1. There is evidence of a persistent black market for marijuana which may increase the presence of Mexican drug cartels that are bringing in other drugs like heroin. 2. There are higher rates of traffic fatalities while driving under the influence of marijuana. 3. An increase in marijuana-related poisonings and hospital visits for children occurs. 4. There was no reduction in crime or significant increase in tax revenues. 5. Use of marijuana by children less than 17 years of age is rising faster than the national average and arrests of juveniles for marijuana-related offenses are up 5%.
Because the THC in marijuana causes a high, marijuana use can lead to addiction, mental illness, violence, crime, traffic deaths and social problems. Of particular concern is the correlation between mental problems and marijuana use. From the article “Marijuana Legalization Will Cause Many Problems for Missouri Law Enforcement and Schools”: Research linking marijuana use to psychosis and schizophrenia and acts of violence is uniformly ignored by the proponents of marijuana use. The American Psychiatric Association and other authorities report that current evidence supports, at a minimum, a strong association of marijuana use with the onset of psychiatric disorders. Because many people think using marijuana is less risky than other behaviors, it is not thought of as being dangerous. Teenagers particularly think this and are turning to marijuana over cigarettes and alcohol. “Younger people are becoming marijuana users,” Steen said. “For many young people, that leads to higher drug use. The younger ones are the ones I’m most worried about. Their pre-frontal cortex is not fully developed. THC has a negative impact of the brain’s higher levels of thinking. Those executive functions include the ability to make decisions, remember important data, plan, organize and solve problems, as well as control emotions and behavior. The marijuana that is out there today is as high as 99% pure. It is not the marijuana of old.”
