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Celebrating Women
I don’t know about you, but I love any excuse to celebrate the incredible women in my life, the ones who make this world a little richer, a lot more beautiful, and infinitely more meaningful.
From wives and mothers to daughters and lifelong friends, these women shape our stories in big and small ways. And with Mother’s Day on the horizon, our hearts naturally turn toward moms, not just the biological kind, but all the strong, nur turing, generous women who’ve loved us like their own.
They’re the mentors, teachers, neighbors, and quiet heroes who’ve poured into our lives without asking for anything in return. They’ve shown up, stood by us, lifted us, and cheered us on when we needed it most. For that and so much more I am forever grateful.
May is also the perfect month to shine a light on the women-owned businesses in our community. Supporting local is always in style, but there’s something special about backing a woman who is chasing her dream while lifting others along the way.
That’s one of our favorite parts of this role connecting with the powerhouse women who are building, creating, and inspiring across our city. They’re movers and shakers. Builders and makers. Bold and quiet. Their presence seen and unseen adds layers of beauty and brilliance to our everyday lives.
So here’s my challenge to you: take a moment this month to reach out to the women who’ve impacted your life. Send a quick text, make a heartfelt call, or set up a video chat with someone who deserves a little love and recognition. It doesn’t take much to make someone feel seen and it’s always worth it.
Cheers to the women who make life brighter, better and beautifully unforgettable.
May 2025
PUBLISHERS
Gordon Montgomery gordon.montgomery@citylifestyle.com
Kelley Lamm kelley.lamm@citylifestyle.com
COPY EDITOR
Julie Brown Patton | julie.patton@citylifestyle.com
PUBLICATION DIRECTOR
Casey Pierce | casey.pierce@citylifestyle.com
SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR
Christina Iris Schmidt christina.schmidt@citylifestyle.com
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS
Julie Brown Patton, Mel Boban, Robin Seaton Jefferson, Angela Broockerd, Chelsea Haynes
CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS
Carol Green The Graceful Lens, Kelly Laramore, Mel Boban, Janie Jones
Corporate Team
CEO Steven Schowengerdt
COO Matthew Perry
CRO Jamie Pentz
VP OF OPERATIONS Janeane Thompson
VP OF SALES Andrew Leaders
AD DESIGNER Evan Deuvall
LAYOUT DESIGNER Antanette Ray
QUALITY CONTROL SPECIALIST Anna Minnick
Left: Medical Director Dr. Lenise Cummings-Vaughn, Administrator Kathy Kelley, and Medical Advisor Dr. David Carr meet with a resident.
city scene
1: KARAOKE FOR WISHES committee all smiles helping to raise funds to benefit Make-A-Wish Foundation. 2-4: Guests from different cities came together at the Marquee in New Town to support KARAOKE FOR WISHES 5: Amy Brindisi singing a fan favorite at KARAOKE FOR WISHES to support Make-A-Wish Foundation. 6: Guests were on their feet dancing as wish kid Skylar sang “Happy” at KARAOKE-FOR-WISHES. 7: Publisher Kelley Lamm was delighted to present a check to grant a wish from KARAOKE FOR WISHES.
8-9: Women joined together to model Kentucky Derby Hats designed by Dianne Isbell to support T1D. 10: Nothing Bundt Cakes Chesterfield had fun celebrating their 10th birthday with bundtinis and martinis! 11: Jillian Tedesco, founder at Fit-Flavors shared her story at LBB BECOME Accelerated Women’s Conference 12: LBB BECOME Conference was packed with empowering keynote speakers, hands-on workshops and networking opportunities. 13: Experts Behind Quantum Runway during STL Tech Week. The Intersection of Fashion and Tech. 14: QuantumRunway sparked conversations about the transformative power of technology in fashion.
HEALTH-ENTHUSIAST CULINARIAN PLANTS SEEDS For Whole Food Diets
STL VEG GIRL FOUNDED NATION’S FIRST PLANT-BASED, NUTRITION EDUCATION CENTER
ARTICLE BY JULIE BROWN PATTON
Caryn Dugan loves to eat. In fact, in high school, she says one of her friends called her the human garbage disposal. Her then-faves included Velveeta cheese and fried bologna. But her brush with cancer in 2008 prompted a pilgrimage into the healthiest of eating. So much so, she built a business based on "meals that heal," all through plant-based diets, and became known as the 'STL Veg Girl.'
"An insatiable need to learn how the food we put in our body directly affects our health continues to be my quest. During reading, researching and meeting with authors, instructors and medical experts in the field of nutrition science and health, I adopted a plant-based, whole foods diet," she explains.
"It’s no secret that mainly unprocessed, real food is what our body responds to and uses to develop a strong immune system to help fight off disease and chronic illnesses."
After sharing healthy recipes via regional television segments, home shows, corporate kitchen classes and health immersion events, Caryn launched into making house calls to deliver customized meals. She also became certified through the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in 2011.
"Today, still delving deep in continual education and always working toward the highest in certifications, I enjoy teaching plant-based culinary classes and serving
my clients. Whether you're looking to reverse an illness or take preventative measures to avoid one, looking at what you put in your body is a good place to start. The most asked question I receive is, 'How do I begin?' My answer, A Plant On Every Plate," she asserts as a wellness coach.
Combining all of her interests and information, Caryn founded the Center for Plant-Based Living in Kirkwood during 2019, which she says was the nation's first plantbased and nutrition education center. She made the decision to close the center's physical location last summer due to the broad acceptance and flexibility of virtual programming.
Presently, Caryn collaborates with James Loomis Jr., M.D., MBA, FACLM, to produce and provide "The Doc & Chef" online videos on top nutrition topics. She says they build 10to 20-minute videos, and an evidence-backed blog post around each one. "Jim served as the medical director for the Center for Plant-Based Living, and he's a practicing lifestyle medicine clinician and the medical director at the Physicians Committee in Washington, D.C."
call with her. Dr. Loomis joins the group on a quarterly basis for an "Ask The Doc" call on Zoom.
"Our membership is built like a streaming service where members can watch whenever they want," Caryn states.
In addition, Caryn also works with the Hospital for Special Surgery staff in New York City regarding orthopedics and lifestyle medicine.
Dr. Loomis and Caryn also co-authored a 350-page book on what they deem the six pillars of lifestyle medicine through the lens of food. They serialized this information in six parts, with each booklet focusing on a pillar: WholeFood, Plant-Predominant Eating Pattern; Physical Activity; Restorative Sleep; Stress Management; Avoidance of Risky Substances; and Positive Social Connection. She says they like to "marry nutrition science to plates of food."
“Whether you had a health scare or are just taking preventive measures, I can help soften the learning curve.”
Additionally, this duo travels the world to do live Doc and Chef shows at conferences and events worldwide, including throughout the United States, the US Air Force, cruise ships, Romania, Moldova, Canada, the Virgin Islands and Europe.
She says the center’s virtual members have access to an on-demand library of plant-based cooking classes, 150-and-growing recipes, interactive live virtual cooking classes and a monthly accountability support group
"Never did I ever think little STL Veg Girl in 2011 would be here," Caryn sighs.
• Center for Plant-based Living for classes and events.
• STL Veg Girl for recipes and online cooking program.
• The Doc and Chef for nutrition science and application.
St. Louis' #1 Real Estate Company
AS GOOD As Gold
CELEBRATING THE JACKIE JOYNER-KERSEE CENTER’S 25TH ANNIVERSARY AND THE WORLD CHAMPION WHO MADE IT HAPPEN
ARTICLE BY ROBIN SEATON JEFFERSON
PHOTOGRAPHY BY CAROL GREEN PHOTOGRAPHY
“There is gold in all of us.” It’s the first thing one sees when visiting the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation website. The motto is fitting, as its founder is known as one of the most gracious, impressive and positive people.
Considered one of the “50 Great Athletes of All Time” by ESPN, and named by Sports Illustrated the "Greatest Female Athlete of the 20th Century," Jackie Joyner-Kersee is a legend in St. Louis and the world over. But thousands of children who grew up in East St. Louis, Illinois, will remember her for many years to come for so much more.
Twenty-five years ago, the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Center and Academy were born out of the foundation Jackie started in 1988. The 6,200-square-foot multi-purpose center sits on nearly 50 acres in the middle of East St. Louis, where Jackie was born and where her desire to find her own gold began.
A humble and seemingly fearless woman, Jackie’s athletic credentials are unquestionably among the best ever, in all of sports. A six-time Olympic medalist, including three gold, one silver and two bronze, Jackie dominated the Olympic heptathlon and long jump events throughout her career, which spanned four Olympic Games: 1984, 1988, 1992, and 1996. She is the first woman to win back-to-back gold medals in the heptathlon, the first American woman to win an Olympic Gold Medal in the long jump, and the first woman to score more than 7,000 points in the heptathlon. And astonishingly, despite the advancements in technology and training used by athletes around the world over the decades since, she still holds the World Heptathlon Record at 7,291 points, which she set at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Korea.
But Jackie hasn’t just broken records. She has been building futures for decades. The JJK Foundation has been empowering young people for a quarter century. In the beginning, she “didn’t need a building to help people.” She simply used her own sponsorships from her athletic achievements. “You want to help people, you just help,” she says.
She says she wants to do for others what her first coach, Nino Fennoy, did for her. “He saw the potential in me, I did not know I had,” she says. “I just had fun running, jumping and playing basketball. We ran on dirt in the park. But we were young. We didn’t know any better.”
She says her parents, Alfred Joyner and Mary Ruth Joyner, and her great grandmother, Ollie Mae Johnson, all played a part in her ability believe dreams were possible. “We lived with my great grandmother and lived off of her Social Security check. But my parents focused on what we could control, not putting limits or barriers on us. And I focused on, ‘I can do it.’ When you are younger, you have imagination. For me, seeing the 1976 Olympics Games on television helped me make that connection of seeing that what we were doing running on the dirt meant something, that I could one day represent my country and compete amongst the world’s best.”
After the Olympics, Jackie didn’t put her awards on a shelf and fade into the record books. Instead, she chose to return home in 1988 and live out a greater purpose. She established the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation that same year. And from it came Jackie Joyner-Kersee’s (JJK) Winning in Life program series in 1996; the Jackie Joyner-Kersee (JJK) Center in 2000; the Jackie JoynerKersee (JJK) Academy in 2021; and in 2022, Jackie Joyner-Kersee Food, Agriculture and Nutrition Innovation Center (JJK FAN).
A unique public-private partnership between the JJK Foundation, the Donald Danforth Plant Science Center, the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and University of Illinois Extension, The JJK FAN Center’s mission is to provide quality youth and community programs in STEAM+Ag, the integration of Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) with agriculture (Ag), food production, nutrition and physical activity, in East St. Louis and beyond.
The program is designed to eventually offer indoor and outdoor urban agriculture demonstration sites, as well as space for youth and community members to engage in hands-on training and certification programs related to growing food, ag innovation, and nutrition for improving health and performance, all in line with Jackie’s dream to provide youth in East St. Louis the opportunity to “win in life” and transform a community that inspires the world.
“And this community is like any other community,” Jackie says. “It is filled with very articulate, loving, thriving people who really want to make a difference.”
The JJK Academy uses the BJU Press curriculum, which incorporates a variety of hands-on and multisensory learning approaches focusing on academic rigor, visuals, critical-thinking exercises, manipulatives and activities that take students beyond just reading a textbook.
According to the Foundation, “Being born in a city that is severely under-resourced and shrouded in stereotypes, does not have to limit the course of a child’s future. Their first step to greatness starts here.”
Jackie says the JJK Winning in Life program series is based on her fundamental belief that there is gold in all of us. She says the question then becomes: “How do we create a proven solution, for youth that face the severest of economic and societal hurdles, that will develop the mindset and instill the confidence, dedication and self-respect to achieve the greatness that lives within them?”
The program focuses participants on setting and achieving a series of goals through calculated risk-taking, challenging their determination and grit and expanding their critical thinking skills. “The essence of the program teaches the students that, in spite of life’s challenges, winning happens for those that strive for the highest standards and stay true to the highest values,” Jackie says. “It takes a lot of courage and faith to face the most severe obstacles and believe in yourself enough to know you will overcome them.”
According to the JJK Foundation representatives, the programs have “grown to become a safe haven and learning-rich environment for area youth, where the challenges and limitations of one of America’s most notoriously deadly and impoverished cities will never define where a child can go, or who they can become.”
Jackie says next she hopes to create an endowment to continue the legacy of the Foundation long after she is gone.
“Being born in a city that is severely under-resourced and shrouded in stereotypes, does not have to limit the course of a child’s future. Their first step to greatness starts here.”
In the end, Jackie says its all about faith. “It’s my faith and my belief in God. I pray a lot. Every step of the way was filled with life lessons that have tested my character, my strength, my motivation, my desire. But through it all, I learned something. I don’t let fear get the best of me.”
Today, Jackie mentors athletes, as her husband of nearly 40 years and former coach, Bob Kersee, coaches them. She says it’s actually tougher for her to watch others compete. “When I was in it, I gave my all, but the anxiety is greater in the stands than it ever was being out their competing.”
Humble to a fault, Jackie was reluctant to answer, when prodded to answer the question: “Are you still fast?” Eventually, she nods though, “I’m still pretty fast.”
For more information or to donate or get involved with the Jackie Joyner-Kersee Foundation, visit JJKFoundation.org or call 618.274.5437.
For I Know The Plans...
FROM A LIFE SENTENCE TO A LIFE TRANSFORMED
ARTICLE BY ROBIN SEATON JEFFERSON
“Imagine losing everything you love in a single day: your home, your children, your freedom. The pain drops you to your knees. But as the tears dry, you face a choice: Stay broken, or stand up and rebuild. My name is Judy Henderson. In 1982, at 32 years old, I was sent to prison for life. The crime? A murder I didn’t commit. It took 36 years for the truth to come out. I was 68 when I was finally freed and pardoned. By then, I’d spent more time behind bars than I had in the free world. This is my story.”
With the prologue to Judy’s book, written with Jimmy Soni and released in April 2025: When the Light Finds Us: From a Life Sentence to a Life Transformed , she pulls the reader into her gripping story and allows them to experience the depths of human despair as well as resilience and the transformative power of hope.
“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.”~ Jeremiah 29:11
She says the scripture was handwritten and taped above the mirror in her cell for years.
Judy was a 32-year-old mother-of-two and a business woman when she was wrongfully convicted of murder and sentenced to life in prison. But rather than surrender to despair, she transformed her sentence into a mission. Behind bars, she earned her GED and paralegal certification, pioneered programs connecting incarcerated mothers with their children, and became a powerful voice for women's rights and prison reform. Her advocacy work led to landmark legislation recognizing battered women's syndrome as a legal defense in Missouri.
Pardoned in 2018, Judy says her release wasn't just freedom; it was vindication. Today, she serves others through Catholic Charities and continues to advocate for criminal justice reform. Nine grandchildren and
nine great-grandchildren have been added to her family since she was sent to prison.
“No matter your situation, there are choices,” Judy says. “With anger, you can get bitter or you an get better. A lot of people can be in dark, dark situations. There are people in their own prisons out here. But I believe you are born with everything you need to create what you want in your life. You don’t have to stay bitter. You can always turn that resentment into something better. I just thought, ‘Look at all the people I can help.’ My mother taught me to always help others.”
Before her life took what she calls an “unthinkable turn,” Judy says she was living the quintessential American dream. "My days revolved around my two children, Chip and Angel, in our modest suburban home. Our calendar was filled with dance recitals, barbecues and birthday parties: the ordinary joys of family life.”
Following her divorce, she got involved with a man she will only refer to now as her “co-defendant.” Nevertheless, at the time, he was charming and charismatic, and though now she admits there were red flags, she fell for him.
She says one day, he approached her with what seemed like a simple request. “He needed to confront a man named Harry about an unresolved financial matter.” She agreed to go.
But what he had planned was “far from a simple confrontation,” Judy writes in her book. “In a horrifying turn of events, he robbed and murdered Harry in cold blood.”
Even more horrifying, her co-defendant manipulated the narrative, framing her for his crime. And despite her clean record and evidence supporting her innocence, she was convicted of Harry’s murder, while her co-defendant walked free.
“In 1982, I was sent to prison for life. The crime? A murder I didn’t commit. It took 36 years for the truth to come out. This is my story.”
“But in my 36th year of incarceration, my plea was granted. The governor himself arrived to deliver the news and apologize for the lifetime stolen from me,” she says.
She was sentenced to life in prison without parole.
In her book, Judy describes prison as a “foreign land with its own brutal language,” saying “danger lurked everywhere: shanks fashioned from toothbrushes,” and “invisible lines separating rival gangs.”
“At first, I tried to disappear,” she says. “I’d mumble apologies for the slightest bump into another inmate, my eyes glued to the floor. But it was impossible to be invisible in these crowded confines. My middle-class background and soft-spoken manner might as well have been targets on my back.” Worse, she says her attempts to hide screamed weakness.
So, she made the only choice she could. She learned to adapt. She says she learned to meet stares with unflinching eyes, to stand her ground and let her voice carry an edge of threat.
The prison system, she says isn’t interested “in rehabilitation, only punishment. We were systematically stripped of our names, our stories, our very humanity,” mere numbers, faceless entities “shoved along like cattle. Hope felt like a luxury I couldn’t afford.”
So, Judy focused on survival. She did what she knows best: found hope where there seemed to be none. “Even in prison’s bleakness, there were pinpricks of light. We found small ways to rebel, trading contraband, makeup or hair color. These actions may have seemed insignificant to outsiders, but they gave us precious moments of control…”
They made jokes and mimicked the guards, created silly nicknames for the prison food, crafted celebrations using crude cakes made of hoarded snacks, and sipped lukewarm tea in chipped mugs.
“‘You do the time, or the time does you,’ prisoners say. I chose to do the time.”
For decades, Judy says she rebuilt herself through education, faith, therapy and service. “I devoured
entire libraries, arming myself with knowledge. Faith anchored me,” she writes. “In the depths of confinement, I discovered spiritual freedom: a newfound purpose. I learned to turn raw emotion into action.”
She wrote to legislators, taught fellow inmates, became an advocate for prison reforms and protections for abused women and testified before state legislators. She even led fitness classes.
“Always, I remembered I wasn’t just an inmate; I was a mom. Prison didn’t erase my identity as a mother. It forced me to reimagine it,” she writes. “I became a voice on the phone, a lifeline of love and guidance.”
The “fragments of motherhood” kept her connected to her family and her true self, as she clung to her belief justice would prevail. “They strengthened my vow: I's speak to my children as a free woman once again, my name cleared.”
At every turn, she petitioned the state for her freedom. She crafted and recrafted clemency pleas. She spent thousands of hours with lawyers, mastering every intricacy of the legal system. Yet for 35 years, every one of those petitions failed.
“But in my 36th year of incarceration, my plea was granted. The governor himself arrived to deliver the news and apologize for the lifetime stolen from me,” she says.
“It was my faith,” she asserts. “I know God had me. Everybody who came into my life, they were there for a purpose, and He orchestrated their miracle to happen. I would think, ‘This isn’t God’s plan. He said in Jeremiah that His plans are to prosper me and not to harm me, plans to give me hope and a future.' So that gave me the strength to go on every day. In prison there is very little you can control. I controlled that, for 36 years.”
For decades, Judy rebuilt herself through education, faith, therapy and service: “I devoured entire libraries, arming myself with knowledge. Faith anchored me. In the depths of confinement, I discovered spiritual freedom: a newfound purpose.”
TAKING CONTROL OF YOUR FINANCIAL PICTURE
Have You Considered... ?
• When was the last time your investment advisor asked to see your income tax return?
• Are your tax professionals proactive with income tax strategies, or do they just react to the information you provide them every year?
• How should you structure your mortgage in retirement? Should you just pay it off?
• Is your investment portfolio designed for accumulation or utilization?
• Has anyone looked at your options for Social Security benefits or Medicare coverage and helped you decide which decisions you should make in your personal economy?
• What options do you have to help protect your assets from medical issues or long-term care needs?
• Are all of your accounts properly titled and have the right beneficiaries for an efficient transfer of your estate?
• Do you have a plan in place to protect your legacy?
« Scan to Learn More Contact Steve Perrmann sperrmann@e3wealth.com |
906 S. Kirkwood Road
Steve Perrmann
Senior Partner
BALLOONTIFUL THINGS MAKE LIFE’S OCCASIONS MORE BEAUTIFUL
ARTICLE BY JULIE BROWN PATTON
Evoking Cheer, Joy, Freedom Through Event Decorations
Little did former nurse Maria Widaman know she'd become a balloon artisan. However, during May 2023, she made it a whole new business, based from O'Fallon, Missouri.
"For as far as I can remember, I've always wanted to use my creative side in a way that would bring joy to others. Sometimes when I had downtime as a NICU nurse, I'd decorate the rooms of premature babies who would be hospitalized anywhere from one month to even a year," she recalls. "I'd also decorate the rooms of patients in the ICU during holidays or birthdays to brighten up their stay."
After Maria's second daughter was born, she says she decided to put her nursing career on hold. "I missed being able to express my creative side and started targeting my energy toward learning how to plan budget-friendly parties and celebrations for my friends and family. This included learning how to make these amazing balloon garlands I kept seeing that were becoming a staple for most events."
Maria now offers custom balloon installations for corporate and commercial spaces, as well as events such as baby showers, birthdays, Grandparents Day, Halloween, galas, baby gender reveals, graduations, bridal showers, Mother's Day, anniversaries, engagement parties, proms, fundraisers and baptisms.
Maria Widaman
"This allows me to do something I love while being a present mom and wife. I love all the people and relationships I've made from this business. I enjoy hearing people’s stories, and being a small part of whatever it is they're celebrating. I also like that it allows me to de-stress from the busyness of everyday life once I get my balloon pump going," she says.
Her installations and backdrops include design, installation, breakdown and cleanup.
She says she produced her first balloon garland during winter 2023, while offering to do events for discounted rates. She also reached out to small businesses, churches and nonprofits to do events free of cost.
She adds that the physics of balloon decorating drew her to the industry, noting that properly built balloon structures won’t fall down or fly away. “Balloon work requires a lot of design forethought and balance."
The most current trend, or most popular setup, Maria explains, is a half balloon arch with a personalized chiara-style backdrop because this allows for a beautiful photo op while making any event pop. "Some other trends are shimmer backdrop walls, faux or real florals added to balloons, big and small bow accents, and what's known as balloon ropes."
Maria says she likes to go above and beyond to ensure her final product matches clients' visions. "Sometimes this entails 10-plus emails back and forth, phone conversations or walkthroughs. I'm a perfectionist and I ensure my work reflects that."
Due to customer and business growth, the Widamans are exploring bringing on parttime support to maintain the high level of service expected. They also plan to add more inventory marquee letters and other unique backdrops.
"We don’t take being hired for any event lightly. I'm always very honored and grateful that people trust me with their events. My husband and I feel very blessed and grateful to have what we do and love to give back. Therefore, we offer either pro bono services or very steep discounts to nonprofits, charity organizations and fundraisers," she states.
As a veteran-owned company, she says they offer a 10% discount to any active or retired military client. "We love the doors this business has opened for us."
balloontifulthings@gmail.com
908.906.8399
LET’S STICK TOGETHER
ARTICLE BY MEL BOBAN
St. Louis Mom is more than a local website destination; it's a community. When founder Rebekah Coste was living abroad and experiencing motherhood for the first time, she says she looked for a local resource for women like her, but she couldn't find it. Fast forward to Rebekah's return to her hometown
PHOTOGRAPHY BY KELLY LARAMORE
St. Louis Mom Fosters A Local Community
“I want more women to know that the habits they form in their household is shaping our entire community.”
St. Louis, and she came across the opportunity to curate this very 'online' place she was dreaming of for local women. Enter St. Louis Mom.
"My hope for St. Louis Mom is that it will be a powerful tool for building community between mothers and a space where mothers know how powerful their role is in raising up the next generation," Rebekah states.
The site covers details in topics such as aging, beauty, fashion, health, wellness, lifestyles, pregnancies, current events, travel and social awareness.
Beyond their website, the group's executive team, along with a team of writers, passionately organizes helpful resources for mothers from
their podcast, social media channels, local events, guides with handpicked spots for St. Louis transplants, and more.
Rebekah and her team band together with one collective goal: helping moms understand how important their role is in their household and their community. She explains, "We're not just wiping noses and packing snacks, we're forming someone that is about to go out into the world, and it's important. I want more women to feel how valuable they are, and celebrate in knowing that the habits they form in their households are shaping our entire community. Your sphere of influence is in your home, and that's where we can focus our energy."
An important mission of St. Louis Mom is encouraging moms to stay healthy and well. Through partnerships with Siteman Cancer Center and other local health institutions, the team works self-care into their content often. For mothers looking for local resources for their family, they'll also find a place where they are encouraged to take care of themselves. Resources for staying updated on preventive care at all stages of motherhood, whether one is pregnant with their first child, long past the diaper stage or even a mom to older children, is offered for inspiration for taking care of one's whole self.
"I'm passionate about moms feeling seen and heard in motherhood, and that they feel encouraged hearing what they're doing is important," Rebekah says.
Contributing St. Louis Moms writer Meg Smidt (Your Coach Meg) reflects on what the publication has meant to her: "Being a part of the St. Louis Mom community for the past five years has been such a gift. As their fun, purple-haired empty nester and proud Lolli (grandma), I get to share my journey, my lessons and the joy that comes with embracing life's new chapters. It's been an incredible experience to connect with other parents in our vibrant city, offering a space where we can celebrate both the beauty and the chaos of motherhood. Through writing, I get to be part of a larger conversation, inspire and laugh together, because life is a lot more fun when we do it with others!"
info@stlouismom.com StLouisMom.com
Magical Memories For Mama
Still missing the mark on Mother’s Day gifts? Lean into trendy, timeless classics that will leave every matriarch feeling like the most magical woman in the world.
Fabulous Florals: Unique bouquets with peonies, anemones and tulips symbolize honor, wealth and unconditional love. Celebrate mom with an arrangement that offers purpose behind the petals. Stunning Stationary: Monogrammed stationery is cute, classy and curates chances to pause, reflect or express gratitude and kind words to family and friends. It’s timeless. Lovely LEDs: Is mom casually dropping comments about aging skin? Red light therapy boosts collagen, reduces inflammation and targets wrinkles. Help her fall in love with the person she sees in the mirror, all over again. Solo Staycation: Recharge Mom’s batteries with a couple of nights of R&R. Solo trips promote rest, self-discovery and freedom. Don’t forget to support local, boutique hotels and inns.
Considerate And Creative Presents To Surprise Mom For Mother’s Day
Top Left: Amazing Amazing Anemones. | Middle: Studio STL/Fox 2 Now Host Top Right: Boutique Hotel. | Bottom Left: Custom Stationary with Wax Stamp
ARTICLE BY ANGELA BROOCKERD | PHOTOGRAPHY BY JANIE JONES
From Stem To Vase:
TRANSFORMING FLORALS INTO ART
Flowers have a rich history of symbolic meanings.
As far back as the 19th century, they were used to convey secret messages. Stories throughout history recount how flowers were used to send hidden messages between people. French publishers began producing flower dictionaries that cataloged the many floral codes that had been gathered over time. Some of these meanings were linked to the flower’s root name, often derived from mythology, while others were drawn from the flowers themselves. The colors, medicinal properties, and even the superstitions
associated with these flowers all contributed to the creation of this secret language.
In addition to their symbolic significance, flowers bring natural beauty to any interior, enhancing spaces with their color, texture, and mood-boosting qualities. Floral arrangements not only create a cozy atmosphere but also infuse a room with personality, elevating the overall ambiance. There are multiple ways to creatively integrate florals into your home, and whether using fresh or artificial flowers, creative displays can make quite the statement piece.
Hanging Florals
Florals and Fruit
Add an extra burst of color and texture to your floral arrangement by layering fruit around the edges of your vase. To achieve this, place a smaller vase inside a larger one, ensuring the flowers stay contained in the inner vase to preserve their shape. Fill the surrounding space with water and then arrange sliced fruit along the vase’s outer sides. For a fresh touch, add ice cubes to keep the fruit looking vibrant longer and to hold them in place. Not only will the flowers’ fragrance fill the air, but the citrus notes from the fruit will add a refreshing scent.
For a dramatic effect, try creating a hanging floral display. Floral cones are available for this style, or you can craft your own for a more personalized, organic look. The contrast between long-stemmed white flowers and a dark wall creates a striking visual impact.
No matter how you choose to display them, flowers are a wonderful addition to any room. They boost mood, improve air quality, spark creativity, and bring a decorative charm to any space.
Flower Frogs
Using a frog to display flowers creates a minimalist yet elegant look that highlights the individuality of each bloom. It helps the stems stay in place. To set it up, place the frog on your chosen display base, whether it’s a vase, bowl, platter, or any container you prefer. Then, simply insert the flower stems by gently pressing them into the prongs. Tip: Flowers with sturdy stems and a lighter top work best in a frog, as delicate blooms tend to lose their shape more quickly.
Aging Steadily On Your Feet:
The Comprehensive Guide To Decreasing Falls & Maintaining Balance
By: Dr. Beth Templin
If you've noticed you aren't as steady on your feet as you used to be, it's tempting to think that it's just a normal part of aging. You may not know when it was that you started to lose your confidence and when you started to worry about every step you take, but now it's starting to limit what you're able to do. If this is happening to you, yo u're not alone. We hear this all the time In fact, Balance Issues are the most common problem we see at HouseFit. Most people realize their balance won't magically get better on its own, but they still don't take action. It might be because they don't know what steps to take to make their balance better OR they don't truly believe balance can be improved "at their age". Fortunately, there are several option s to get you back on your feet again Over the last 20 years, I’ve worked with hundreds of clients who’ve had a fall (or several), and I’ve been able to help them get their lives back. In working with so many clients, I’ve been able to put together a very helpful Guide “How To Decrease Falls: Helpful Tips To Keep You Steady On Your Feet”.
Inside this special guide, I share detailed information, such as:
A SELECTION OF UPCOMING LOCAL EVENTS
Women
Top 3 factors that cause falls and how to minimize your risk in each area.
The 4 parts of balance that work together to keep us steady and how to find areas of improvement.
How to “Test Yourself” to find out if you're at risk for a fall
Simple exercises you can do at home to start improving your balance AND much more!
I want to make this guide available to you free of charge! To claim your copy, simply call us at (314) 9391377 or visit the website housefitstl.com/balanceissues to download the report.
If you’re ready to start taking positive steps toward regaining your balance and an active lifestyle, this free guide will let you to start this process with confidence!
MAY 1ST-31ST
In
Transportation Exhibit
National Museum of Transportation | 10:00 AM
Women have played vital roles in shaping the world of transportation, contributing their ingenuity, dedication and hard work to advancements. From the invention of windshield wipers to the development of refrigerated rail cars and the construction of iconic structures like the Brooklyn Bridge, women left their marks on every mode of transportation. This exhibit is available through Dec. 31, 2025.
MAY 2ND
Puppuccinos In The Park
Eberwein Park | 5:00 PM
Bring pups, and yummy puppuccinos will be provided. This 1-hour event is free for Chesterfield's dog park members. Get outside and enjoy time with pups and friends. Pre-registration is required by emailing recreation@chesterfield.mo.us.
MAY 8TH
Senior Educational Series: Effective
Pain Management Techniques For Seniors
Chesterfield City Hall | 10:00 AM
This free, 1-hour presentation at 690 Chesterfield Parkway West by St. Luke’s Hospital specialists will explore the impact of pain on overall health and well-being. Registration is required: Online: City of Chesterfield, Missouri | Educational Seminars; email olderadults@chesterfield. mo.us or call 636.812.9500.
CONTINUED
MAY 18TH
Musical Concert
Lord Of Life Lutheran Church | 3:00 PM
An afternoon of classical music will feature Mark Laverty, Lord of Life music director and longtime Chesterfield resident. He'll perform the works of Bach, Mozart, Chopin and Rachmaninoff. This concert is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be served afterward. The church is located at 15750 Baxter Road in Chesterfield. Phone 636.532.0400 for more details or visit LOLSTL.org
MAY 27TH
Riverwalk Begins
Chesterfield Family Aquatic Center | 8:00 AM
Join others for a walk in the endless river or walk against the current to customize workouts. Water walking increases blood flow, warms muscles and joints, and is an easy-going exercise for those who enjoy the outdoors. All participants must be age 16 or older. Walk-in fee: resident: $5; non-resident: $6. Punch cards (10 punch minimum): resident: $40; non-resident: $50.
MAY 31ST
TEDxStLouis
Hosts 'Curiosity' Talks
Missouri History Museum | 7:00 PM
TEDxStLouis invites the community to spark new ideas and challenge perspectives at the upcoming 'Curiosity' Talks. General admission tickets are $37 per person. The event features influential local voices exploring bold ideas on leadership, critical thinking, biodiversity, data literacy and even the impact of lighting design. Each talk is designed to shift perspectives, ignite conversations and inspire action. See TEDxSaintLouis.org
At The Kaiser Law Firm, P.C., the father and son team of Phil and Andy Kaiser, with over 60 years of combined experience in the estate planning, asset protection, elder law and business law fields, along with their dedicated support staff, are here in Chesterfield to meet the needs of your family and those of your business. As a family owned firm, we understand what matters to your family and your business.
St. Louis Cardinal Mike Matheny shares his experience with Kaiser Law Firm who helped him put a plan together to ensure things were set up as my family needed them to be.
Mike Matheny, St. Louis Cardinals
