CrossRoads: October 2014

Find your Path

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CROSSROADS OCTOBER 2014

OctoBER Departments

Publisher Editor Production Manager Contributors

Bob Huneke Andrew Tessmer Rebecca Brockmann Avalanche, Robin Daniels, Brian Guerrero, Tony Mathews, Cindy Moore, Melinda Myers, Russ Patton, Dave Welborn, Pat Wahler & Theresa Sanders Photographer Ray Rockwell Staff Writer Shawn Clubb

features

Around Town Local news and events

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Business Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce

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Entertainment A Salute to Spin-offs

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Food Preserve the Harvest for Winter and Holiday Gifts

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Always an Adventure Between the Towers

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Moore on Life A Tale of Terror

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Health Fall Cleaning Tips

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Photo Op St. Charles ILLUMINATION

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Community Calendar September

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Community News

What are Home Equity Loans and Lines of Credit?

By Robin Daniels

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Advertiser Profiles Fifth-wheel RVs Grow Popular with Snowbirds

By Russ Patton

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Fun for ALL! Live! Laugh Play…Together

By Dave Welborn, Exec. Director, KEEN St. Louis

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contents

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VOL 11 | NO 10

Published monthly with direct mail circulation to Wentzville and Lake Saint Louis, plus newsstands in Troy.

2014

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Reboot your Life Finding a new path to happiness

By Pat Wahler & Theresa Sanders On the cover: Photo courtesy Big Stock

OCTOBER 2014 CROSSROADS

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AROUND TOWN United Way Awards $15,000 in One-time Grants The Tri-County Region of United Way of Greater St. Louis has awarded six one-time Community Enhancement Grants totaling $15,000 to nonprofit organizations to aid in helping people gain and maintain employment. The grants were made available to nonprofit organizations in early and mid-2014 in St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren counties.

Each year, United Way of Greater St. Louis offers one-time grants throughout the region to United Way member and nonmember agencies to provide financial support for new and emerging issues.

The grant recipients were determined by a team of volunteers. For employment support services, each agency received $2,500.

Boone Center received a grant to help young adults with developmental disabilities retain and maintain employment by offering employment and job skills training programs.

Connections to Success received a grant to provide low-income clients with a laptop for job searching and work-related activities

Payne 1/8

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(left to right) Mike Borgna, Paul Johnson, Eric Hinton & Karen Schleicher (Boone Center Inc.) Boone Center, Inc. receives a United Way 2014 One-time Grant for their employment support services in the amount of $2,500. Photo courtesy Tri-County Region of United Way of Greater St. Louis

and engagement in employment workshops and personal and professional development classes to increase employment opportunities.

Developmental Disabilities Resources of Lincoln County received a grant to provide young teens the opportunity to visit area business leaders and gain hands-on experience in their field of interest, participate in mock interviews, and engage in job shadowing through their summer employment training program.

Our Lady’s Inn received a grant to assist homeless women, who are residing in the agency shelter, gain employment by participating in an eight-week program to learn job searching, interview and resume writing skills.

Sts. Joachim and Ann Care Service received a grant to provide assessments of client needs and job skills, one-to-one counseling, a career center with computer assistance, and online job search assistance.

TEMCO Inc. received a grant to provide job training programs for people with mental and developmental disabilities.

AROUND TOWN Builders Home & Remodeling Show Returns The Builders Home and Remodeling Show, produced by the Home Builders Association, will run Oct. 10-12 at the St. Charles Convention Center.

The show is an opportunity for people to see 200 companies in 300 booths and learn about and buy the latest home products and services in one day in one place. The show has free admission and free parking and could help people save time and money as they look to improve their homes.

Jeff Wilson, HGTV veteran and home improvement expert, will present seminars about trends in outdoor spaces and cutting-edge energy efficiency technologies for the home. Visitors will see what’s new in energy efficiency technology from home automation to drain water heat recovery to do-it-yourself spray foam kits and more. They will see new technology, but also see how older technologies are changing and developing to provide better performance, lower maintenance and longer life.

People wishing to improve their homes can attend seminars at the Home Idea Stage. Jeff Holper, The Mole Hunter, will help people rid their yards of moles and other pests with his seminar “Taking Your Lawn Back from Moles and Voles.” KMOX Home Answer Man Scott Mosby will present “Curb Appeal: What It Is and How to Get It.” The show also will feature the Sixth Annual Mills Apple Festival, presented by Mills Apple Farm. People will enjoy free samples of apples and apple pie. Visitors also can purchase made-from-scratch apple pies, crisps, cookies and other treats, plus a variety of apples fresh from the orchards in Marine, Ill. The kids will enjoy free pumpkin painting.

In conjunction with the Mills Apple Festival, Scott “Stormin” Norman, the Picasso of Pumpkin Carving, will create jack-o-lanterns.

Norman travels the country performing pumpkin carving exhibitions full of advice, humor and pumpkin works of art. He has appeared on “America’s Got Talent,” taught “pumpkinology” at the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival, and been a guest carver for the Miami Dolphins and the Tampa Bay Lightning. As he carves, Norman will give suggestions about selecting a good carving pumpkin, the best way to empty out a pumpkin, how to draw the pattern, shadowing effects, knife safety and more. During his Pumpkin Extravaganza ex-

hibitions, he will use machetes, swords, torches, meat cleavers and more to carve pumpkins.

People will learn how to enhance their homes with floral decorations by participating in hands-on floral classes presented by Walter Knoll Florist’s design team at the Walter Knoll Fall Floral Stage. Visitors can create their own bouquet to take home or give as a gift. They can choose from several types of bouquets, each valued at $80 or more. Classes have a $10 fee.

The Henry Plumbing Kitchen & Bath Warehouse Sale will feature bargains on a variety of kitchen and bath items, including cabinetry, bathtubs, whirlpools, faucets, countertops, shower bases, shower doors and tile.

The Spa Showcase has spas from multiple manufacturers, brought to the show by Mr. B’s Pool Centers and Pool King Recreation. In addition to the inside displays, there’s also the Spa Tent Sale on the parking lot outside the main show entrance.

The Red Cross will have a blood drive at the show from noon to 4 pm Saturday, and the home show will host a food drive where visitors can donate non-perishable food items to the St. Louis Area Foodbank.

Show hours are 11 am to 8 pm Friday, Oct. 10, and Saturday, Oct. 11, and 11 am to 5 pm Sunday, Oct. 12. Visit www.STLHomeShow.com for details.

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AROUND TOWN LSL Mayor, Ralph Sidebottom, Passes Away Lake Saint Louis Mayor Ralph Sidebottom died in his sleep on Monday, Sept. 15, at the age of 71.

Mr. Sidebottom was elected mayor on April 2, 2013. He served as mayor pro-tem for the last two years. From April 2006 through April 2013, he served as Ward 1 alderman. He served as president of the Lake Saint Louis Board of Aldermen for the last three of those years.

Mr. Sidebottom retired in 2005, as international vice president of the Glass, Molders, Pottery, Plastics and Allied Workers. He worked for 33 years as a labor relations representative and arbitrator.

Mr. Sidebottom also served on the VFW advisory committee. He was an avid shooter, master scuba diver, a gold medalist in downhill skiing, an amateur photographer and a woodworker. He was involved with the Cookout Club, Pontooners Club and Ambassadors Club.

Mr. Sidebottom is survived by his wife, Lil-

lian, who he married on April 10, 1982, in Laurel, Md. He also is survived by his son, Joseph Sidebottom of Mt. Airy, Md.; two daughters, Denise Eileene (Joseph) Pickrell of Rockledge, Fla., and Deborah Garnette (Dave) Vasques of Wentzville; a brother, Ray (Mary Jo) Sidebottom of Severn, Md.; a sister, Janet Ann Pelton, of Colorado; four grandsons, David Minnick, Joseph Sidebottom, Joseph Shepherd and Michael Vasques; three granddaughters, Brittany Harris, Maegan Shepherd and Allison Shepherd; two great-granddaughters, Makenzie Minnick and Josephine Harris; and a great-grandson, Kaiden Minnick. He was preceded in death by his father, Ralph Clifford Sidebottom, and his mother, Frances Sidebottom.

Memorial contributions may be made to Lake Saint Louis VFW Post No. 10350 or Volunteers in Medicine, care of Pitman Funeral Home, 1545 Wentzville Parkway, Wentzville, M0, 63385.

Wentzville Schools Celebrate Patriot Day

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Students across the Wentzville School District participated in the annual Patriot Day Celebration on Sept. 11 to remember the lives lost on Sept. 11, 2001, and to honor first responders and community service providers.

The largest event in the district every year is at Crossroads Elementary School, where the students visited stations that included presentations by the Wentzville Fire Protection District, St. Charles County Sheriff’s Photo courtesy Wentzville School District.

Department and members of the military.

The celebration at Crossroads is intended to feeling appreciative. keep 9/11 from being just another day that “Today means that I get to thank the people that help protect us. All these people are here students read about in a history textbook.

“It has been a great tradition here at Cross- to help us, so we should always remember roads, and it’s an important day of learning them,” second-grader Logan Randolph said. as well, because 9/11 happened before these Parents and students alike commented that students were born,” Principal David Duck- Patriot Day is one of the best days of the year worth said. “We want them to take what at Crossroads Elementary. they’ve learned here today and continue that Flags were flown at half-staff across the district in honor of 9/11 victims and first reconversation at home.”

Students enjoyed visiting with police, para- sponders. Schools around the district also obmedics and firefighters to hear the stories and served a moment of silence and discussed the descriptions of their work, and many were historic significance of the events of 9/11.

Fun for ALL!

LIVE! LAUGH! PLAY….TOGETHER!

By Dave Welborn, Exec. Director, KEEN St. Louis After learning of a horrendous act a group of Bay Village, Ohio teens performed at the expense of a 14-year old child living with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Comedian Drew Carey stepped forward to offer his support—and his money—leading to the arrests of the boys. The teens reportedly tricked the youngster, who thought he was participating in the popular ice bucket challenge, into dumping a bucket filled with urine and feces over his head instead.

Carey tweeted, “These kids should be arrested and expelled. If the Bay Village PD wants to start a reward fund to find who did this, contact me. I’ll donate $10k,” he added.

Carry’s actions spurred support from other celebrities. More importantly, it helped accelerate a discussion on “bullying” (and the prevention thereof) in schools across the country.

Children perceived as “different”—including those of a different race, religion, ethnic background or youth that are lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender—are at a higher risk of being bullied. Sadly, children with physical, developmental or intellectual disabilities are also at an increased risk. As a matter of fact, in a recent study published in the Journal of Developmental Behavioral Pediatrics, researchers found that children with ASD, like the child in Ohio, were more than three times as likely to be bullied as their peers. www.Stopbullying.gov, which provides information from various government agencies on what bullying is, who is at risk, and how it can be prevented, defines “bullying” as an unwanted, aggressive behavior that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behavior is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time.

Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumors, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose.

The agency offers the following suggestions to help teach tolerance at an early age and prevent similar actions when they are older: • Model positive ways for young children to make friends. For example, practice pleasant ways that children can ask to join others in play and take turns in games. Coach older children to help reinforce these behaviors as well. Praise children for appropriate behavior.

• Help young children learn the consequences of certain actions in terms they can understand.

• Set clear rules for behavior and monitor children’s interactions carefully. Step in quickly to stop aggressive behavior or redirect it before it occurs.

• Use age-appropriate consequences for aggressive behavior. Young children should be encouraged to say “I’m sorry” whenever they hurt a peer, even accidentally. The apology should also be paired with an action. For example, young children could help rebuild a knocked over block structure or replace a torn paper or crayons with new ones.

Special considerations are needed when addressing bullying in youth with disabilities. Stopbullying.gov, suggests that parents address any signs of potential bullying during their Individualized Education Programs (IEPs) or Section 504 plans to help craft specialized approaches for preventing and responding to bullying.

It is never too early to teach your kids to accept their peers for who they are, not who they want them to be. Noted author and antibullying activist Kathleen Patel once wrote, “With ignorance comes fear – from fear comes bigotry. Education is the key to acceptance.”

October is recognized as National Bullying Prevention Month. The campaign, created by Pacer’s National Bullying Prevention Center, is held during the month of October. Schools, businesses and organizations throughout the country participate with the aim of uniting communities to educate and raise awareness of bullying prevention. For more information, contact www.pacer.org/bullying/nbpm/

KEEN St. Louis offers a free program for schools which celebrates diversity by pointing out characteristics that makes us more alike than different.

Dave Welborn is the Executive Director of KEEN St. Louis, a local nonprofit which provides free recreational programs for kids with physical and mental disabilities age 5-17. For more information visit www.keenstlouis.org OCTOBER 2014 CROSSROADS

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BUSINESS Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce Serving Wentzville, Lake St. Louis, and Dardenne Prairie Chamber Hosts Four Ribbon Cutting & Groundbreaking Ceremonies The Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce hosted ribbon cutting and groundbreaking ceremonies for Trinity Christian Academy, New Hope Resource Center – Morning Star Church, Magic World Preschool, and Ranken Technical College.

1. Trinity Christian Academy opened recently at 1459 Wentzville Pkwy., Wentzville, MO 63385. At Trinity Christian Academy, their goal is to deepen faith, build character and develop strong academics. In their small classes, your child will be nurtured and encouraged to develop his or her unique learning style. You can reach them at 636.614.0206.

2. The New Hope Center is an organization within Morning Star Church. They are located at 1600 Feise Rd., Dardenne Prairie, MO 63368. The New Hope Resource Center provides assistance, resources, and counseling with compassion. Volunteers, who are dedicated to meeting each individual, responding to their needs, and walking with them towards self-reliance, make up the staff of the Center. You can

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contact them by calling 636.561.5680, or visiting www.hoperesource.org.

3. Magic World Preschool celebrated a ribbon cutting at their newly renovated preschool in Wentzville. Magic World is an excellent preschool which offers an exemplary curriculum to provide every child a strong foundation to be successful in upper grades. You can visit them at 106 Kent Drive, Wentzville, MO 63385. You can learn more by calling 636.327.8008.

4. Ranken Technical College celebrated a

groundbreaking for a new addition to their Wentzville Campus. Ranken Wentzville will begin construction of a two-story building designed to house their new Diesel Technology program and to accommodate increased enrollment in all programs. You can visit their facility at 755 Parr Road, Wentzville, MO 63385. To learn more, call them at 314.286.3671, or visit www.ranken.edu.

If you are interested in having a ribbon cutting at your place of business please contact the chamber.

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BUSINESS Chamber to Host Mystery Dinner Theater The Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce is hosting their fourth annual Mystery Dinner Theater on Friday, Oct. 24 and Saturday, Oct. 25 at the Pitman Reception Center. The cast will be performing Murderous Night at the Museum by Kate Sparacio, Matt Steele, Mike Steele, and Melissa Stumbaugh.

The event will be held at the Pitman Reception Center located at 1543 Wentzville Pkwy. Doors open at 6:30 pm and the play starts at 7. Admission is $35 per person. Admission includes dinner, drinks, dessert and a wonderful play.

For reservations contact the Chamber at 636.327.6914, or visit www.westernstcharlescountychamber.com. Seating is limited, so please make your reservations early because tickets sell out fast.

The Mystery Dinner Theater is sponsored by Pitman Funeral Home.

Free Membership Directory App Have you found yourself looking for a great local restaurant for dinner, a fun retail location to pick up a present, a repair man, and more?

The Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce would like to offer you a free app that will connect you with our local businesses. The app will give you telephone numbers, contact information, and directions.

Instructions for downloading the app: • Search for free “My Chamber App” in your app store, • Download the free App, and • The app will automatically choose the Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce, or you can choose by the State of Missouri.

For more information on members of the Chamber, visit us online.

The chamber serves over 610 members in Dardenne Prairie, Lake St. Louis, Wentzville, and surrounding communities.

By tony mathews

Tony Mathews is the President and CEO of the Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce

Exclusive Partnership with AAIM Employers Association The Western St. Charles County Chamber of Commerce has entered into an Exclusive Partnership with AAIM Employers Association.

Founded in 1898, AAIM Employers’ Association is an association of over 1,600 member organizations in the St Louis region and throughout Illinois. They are dedicated to helping businesses become stronger employers by assisting them in developing and managing their people and processes. They offer peer networking opportunities, business research information, HR and management consulting, performance improvement and professional training and development.

The Chamber has added the following benefits to Chamber Membership with no additional cost to membership dues. They are able to offer this to members at no additional cost due to the support of these great partners: Carol Davis Homes, CenturyLink, Fairfield Inn & Suites, I-70 Auto Body, and Twin Oaks at Heritage Pointe.

For more information on all the additional benefits added to membership please visit us online.

For more on any of this information or the chamber in general, please call the chamber office at 636.327.6914 or visit the website www.westernstcharlescountychamber.com.

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ENTERTAINMENT A Salute to Spin-Offs

(Including the One That Gave us Robin Williams)

Currently, the “spin-off” is such an interesting subject that we have a horror movie this month that is spun-off from The Conjuring, a show in the works spawning from the recent big Emmy winner—Breaking Bad, and remembering a show that introduced us to one of our most cherished comedians to date.

Mork & Mindy (Spun from Happy Days) It wasn’t until season five of Happy Days that the world would never be the same again—literally—when an episode called My Favorite Orkan aired on Feb. 28, 1978. No one believes Richie Cunningham (Ron Howard) when he claims to have seen a flying saucer and actually spoke with the alien pilot. His name is Mork and he came to take Richie back to the planet Ork as an example of an average human. The character Mork was the grand introduction of the otherworldly comic, Robin Williams, who was an unknown at the time. While coming in to audition for the

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crime/drama taking place in the time leading up to his strip-mall office in Albuquerque that we’ve come to know from Breaking Bad. Here’s hoping Better Call Saul receives a successful life of its own as it will premier in 2015.

Mork and Mindy photo courtesy of ABC

part he was asked to take a seat and ended up sitting on his head on the chair. He was cast on the spot.

His performance as Mork became such a huge favorite that he got a show of his own— Mork & Mindy—to continue his character in. The show’s debut was less than seven months after Mork was introduced in Happy Days. The show was an instant hit and the beginning of a legendary career for the future movie icon. Robin Williams changed the way we look, and feel for laughter forever. While he recently left this world, he left it a better and funnier place for future generations to enjoy. What a man he was.

Better Call Saul (Spun from Breaking Bad) “Lawyers, we’re like health insurance—you hope you never need it, but man, oh man, not having it… no.” That statement from Saul Goodman himself (played by Bob Odenkirk in the teaser clip for his new show) couldn’t be more accurate, especially back in the days of the Walter White and Jesse Pinkman dilemmas. It began on Breaking Bad’s eighth episode (Better Call Saul) of season two when one of their drug dealers get caught by an undercover cop. Looking for the best criminal lawyer in Albuquerque, they find Saul Goodman. Goodman, a sleazy lawyer of the worst kind, ends up being a huge help for the duo and becomes a new addition to the Breaking Bad roster—naturally as the comic relief for the intense drama. From the looks of it, the spin-off will be part comedy and part

Annabelle (Spun from The Conjuring) It’s rare for a spin-off to be brought up when talking about movies—especially if the subject of the term is not a favorable character, but rather one that we fear. This new film will explain the horrifying origin of how the Annabelle doll possibly became possessed, or as demonologists Ed and Lorraine Warren prefer, manipulated by a demonic presence.

Aside from that film’s main focus about the haunting in Harrisville, Rhode Island, the side story opener about Annabelle in The Conjuring was also a factual investigation by The Warrens. The real Annabelle was a raggedy Ann doll, so the director of The Conjuring, James Wan, created an original look for the doll. That look is revised in Annabelle making it a true movie spin-off. This film will share a completely separate horror story of its own, taking place before the Warren’s Annabelle case ever happened. The slick new Annabelle trailer, with its unique—and terrifying—setups does look quite promising for a good scary time as Halloween nears.

Concluding this month with more recommendations, here’s a list more spin-offs (some may surprise you) that have proven to be successful: Frasier (from Cheers), The Facts Of Life (from Diff’rent Strokes), The Colbert Report (from The Daily Show), Saved

By The Bell (from Good Morning, Miss Bliss), Get Him To The Greek (from Forgetting Sarah Marshall) and Puss In Boots (from the Shrek sequels).

By Brian GuerRero

Brian Guerrero is a former resident of Los Angeles and a current resident of New York City with extensive experience in front of and behind the camera for film and television.

Preserve the Harvest for Winter Meals and Holiday Gifts

By Melinda Myers The cucumbers have filled the vegetable drawer, you’ve run out of cabbage recipes and your family is refusing to eat one more BLT. Or maybe you just couldn’t resist that special deal on a bushel of tomatoes, potatoes or apples at the farmer’s market. So what is a gardener or shopper to do with all that produce?

Since properly stored vegetables will hold their flavor and nutritional value longer than those left in a plastic bag or set on the sunny kitchen counter, consider preserving some for the long winter ahead using one of several methods.

Storage orchard racks and slatted crates placed in a cool dark location have long been used to store squash, onions and potatoes. The stackable nature or drawers provide ample storage space, so fruits and vegetables do not touch. Keeping stored fruit separated prevents rot from spreading from one fruit to the next. Plus, the slatted sides allow airflow to extend storage longevity.

Those in colder climates like Missouri’s can store their carrots and parsnips right in the garden. Once the soil gets a bit crunchy, cover them with straw or evergreen boughs for easier digging in winter. Then dig as needed or harvest during the first winter thaw. If this isn’t possible or not your style, try out a root vegetable storage bin. The root crops are layered in sand or sawdust and placed in a cool dark location. Just remove and use as needed. No snow shoveling needed.

Drying is one of the oldest food preservation techniques. Most of us have grabbed a few bundles of herbs to hang and dry.

Expand your drying endeavors to include fruits and vegetables. The goal is to quickly remove moisture without cooking the food.

You can make your own dehydrator or purchase one. Research has shown that blanching vegetables and fruit before drying helps destroy harmful bacteria. Blanching involves a steam or boiling water bath followed by a cold water bath. Timing varies with the fruit or vegetable you are preparing.

Another ancient food preservation technique, fermentation, is experiencing a come-

back. Cultures around the world have fermented fruits and vegetables for thousands of years.

Unique flavors, storage options and health benefits have many gardeners revisiting this tradition.

Fermenting cucumbers into pickles, cabbage into sauerkraut, and berries into preserves are just a few options. The ingredients can be as simple as water, salt, and spices. All you need is a vessel, vegetables and fermenting culture. You can jump-start your efforts with a fermentation crock kit (gardeners.com) which includes the crock, cover and weights to make sure your veggies stay safely submerged in water.

Or quickly lock in the flavor and nutrition of your fruits and vegetables with freezing.

You’ll need airtight containers or bags that are durable, don’t leak and won’t become brittle in cold temperatures. Some produce does not freeze well and others may need to be blanched before they are packed in the freezer bag or container. But frozen items can easily be retrieved from the freezer and included in your winter meals.

Canning is a bit more involved, but can be lots of fun. This process preserves the food and keeps it safe by preventing the growth of undesirable bacteria, yeast and mold. The

sealed jars keep the flavor in and bad microorganisms out. So gather your produce, jars, pressure cooker, canner and friends to create tomato sauce, salsa, jams and jellies to enjoy or give as gifts.

Whatever method you choose, do a bit of research before you start. You’ll have greater success and a lot more fun. The National Center for Home Food Preservation website, www.nchfp.uga.edu, provides all the basic information for storage and food preservation.

About Melinda Myers Gardening expert, TV/radio host, author & columnist Melinda Myers has more than 30 years of horticulture experience and has written over 20 gardening books, including Can’t Miss Small Space Gardening and the Midwest Gardener’s Handbook. Myers’ web site, www.melindamyers.com, offers gardening videos and tips.

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ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE Between The Towers “Hurry up!!!” I yelled down the mountainside, my desperate shout swallowed up by the snow swirling in the gusty wind. The faltering beam of my headlamp illuminated just a few feet in front of me, fading to black a short distance away in the blowing snow. Lightning flashed, followed all-too-quickly by the pounding of thunder, felt as much as heard. Staci’s voice faintly floated up the steep slab of ice, “wait!” I waited. After a seemingly interminable pause, which was likely only a minute or two, her voice came up again, “on belay!” She had set up a solid climbing anchor to protect us both in the event of a fall—at least in theory. I began to descend, down-climbing as fast as I could, trying to remind myself this was supposed to be fun.

We had gotten a late start that morning. Still fatigued from carrying backpacks full of camping and climbing gear over the two-day, 18-plus mile hike to camp, we’d slept in later than planned. A big breakfast eaten while loading necessary gear into our backpacks fortified us for the main event. A half-hour hike took us from our tent in the high mountain basin to the base of the climb.

The climb was very straightforward, a simple slab of ice that gained steepness as it gained altitude. At the bottom it was roughly 50 yards wide, and about 30 degrees in slope. The gully gradually steepened to about 60 degrees, and narrowed down to the width of a single traffic lane, topping out 1,500 vertical feet up at a notchlike pass between two rock towers. No route-finding difficulties or fancy gymnastic moves were required to get to the top. But as it was solid alpine ice with just a couple inches of crusty snow on top, there could be no lapse of focus. Gravity would send an indiscreet climber straight to the bottom. Stay focused, climb up and get down. It should have been a simple day out.

We took our time getting up the 10 rope-lengths worth of climbing. We were able to set up belay anchors in the adjacent rock walls in most places, with some anchors screwed directly into the ice. Lots of photos and snack breaks at the belay anchors conspired to eat up a considerable portion of the short daylight hours of autumn.

We got to the top of the gully between the towers in late afternoon. It was a spectacular spot, barely enough room to stand, nestled between two rock towers that rose another 1500 feet. We ate a

late lunch and began looking at the way down.

The guidebook had mentioned a descent route between the towers on the opposite side from where we had climbed up. This way was a wretched-looking drop, a vertical shaft surrounded by loose stone. Free-hanging rappels anchored in loose rock held little appeal, leaving us with the option of rappelling and/or down-climbing the route we had just come up. The afternoon was slipping away, and clouds were building in the sky.

We set up an anchor at the top of the ice and Staci rappelled down first, placing an ice screw half-way down to protect my subsequent descent. She set up an anchor at the bottom of the ropes, and I climbed down to her. We then set up another rappel anchor and repeated the whole process.

About half-way down, the last of the daylight left us and a storm moved in. I dug my headlamp out of my pack and found the battery was failing; with heavy snow falling, we return to the beginning of this tale. I managed for a while until the light was useless, then I put a new battery in the lamp. The brand new battery was completely dead. Just great. Storm raging, headlight failing in the dark, we were tired, cold and more than a little concerned, being perched on the middle of a steep slab of ice in the middle of a storm in the middle of nowhere. We had crossed over the fun barrier.

Digging through my pack I found a mini-flashlight that had seemed like so much useless weight while going up. Now, that redundant weight became incredibly valuable, providing at least a bit of illumination in the black stormy night.

We slowly made our way down the remainder of the gully with no mishaps. Once we were back on relatively level ground the storm abated, having subjected us to its fury only while we were most vulnerable. We stumbled back into camp well after midnight and collapsed into our sleeping bags, completely spent. We had achieved our objective, even with less-than-graceful style.

By Avalanche

Avalanche is a functional illiterate who left the St. Louis area three decades ago in search of adventure. He enjoys motorcycling and all things outdoors. He lives with his wife and dogs.

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CROSSROADS OCTOBER 2014

MOORE ON LIFE A Tale of Terror It’s a chilling and scary time of year and not just because the temperature has plunged and it happens to be October. Something even more frightening and sinister is taking place. Freaks lurk around every corner, monsters are yelling, witches screaming, and demons are demonizing the local town folk leaving the average person curled up in the fetal position moaning and groaning in their overstuffed couches. Yes, an upcoming election often has that effect on its citizens. It grips the country in fear and scares the bejeebers out of the general public with a white-hot intensity that can’t be matched…or can it? Oh, but it can. There is one other thing, and one thing only, during this time of year that can take the searing spotlight of panic away from the mid-term voting issue and bring focus onto something even more terrorizing. Of course, that of which I speak is the ever-vile, prefabricated imposter of an otherwise decent vegetable…candy corn.

Seriously, is there anything more disturbing? And who exactly is responsible for concocting this mutated monstrosity?

For beginners, its name is a complete farce because it is neither candy nor corn. I firmly believe it was a discovery chanced upon while in the process of trying to invent rubber cement. It is a concoction of one part polyhydropropolene (picked up for next to nothing at the local nuclear waste dump) mixed with two parts mercury, and a tub of cake frosting, then left to bake overnight in a kiln. Once removed, it is spray-painted in led-based paint and sneakily marketed as one of the four food groups to the unsuspecting population.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for carcinogens. I drink my share of manufactured beverages and gobble up the synthetic protein covered in yellow glucose which is passed off as cheese in cheeseburgers. I get it. I eat it. But I really need to draw the line on this one.

If only I could.

But I don’t…know…how.

Halloween is almost here. It comes once a year and serving up the weird neon confection is an American tradition which I suppose is no more bizarre than dressing our children up as aliens and outlaws and sending them out to beg for snacks from strangers.

The trouble is I have no will power. I sadly succumb to the annual fall tradition and eat one…two…three…maybe a handful or two… three…four of the overly-sweet stuff. Then cometh the sugar coma.

It starts as I extract the last clump of the plasticky candy from my back molar with my tongue and swallow. Moments later, a wave of nausea passes over me as I realize I have eaten one…two…three… maybe a handful or two…three…four too much of the overly-sweet stuff.

A toxic mass has now clumped together in the pit of my gut and

punches a hole through my digestive tract. A volley of candy corn insurgents surf through my blood stream stomping on innocent corpuscles as they turn my plasma into maple syrup. A siren blasts in my brain accompanied by red warning lights flashing somewhere in back of my eye sockets. I stumble a little then catch myself. My stomach bunches up into the size of a little rubber ball. Ugh! All I want to do is to release its contents.

This wave of sickness lasts for the remainder of the year. So much so, that any future sightings of rogue candy corns which might be hiding out in between the car seat and discovered in June, will bring on an immediate gag reflex.

It’s alarming indeed. So in the coming weeks while we’re all hunkered down during the election as we listen to the debates and rants and squabbles and try to eliminate the wolves from the sheep, I will listen intently. Instead of all this chatter about balanced budgets and taxes schmaxes, I will look for someone with a real message–a mandate making candy corn illegal…or better yet, a felony! A minimum of five years in the slammer for anyone caught in possession with the intent to distribute the stuff.

To him or her I say thank you, yes; you have my vote. You’re elected.

...I have no will power.

by Cindy Moore

Cindy Moore is the mother of three superlative kids, servant of two self-indulgent felines and wife to one nifty husband.

Her ficticious occupation? Archeological Humorist: someone who unearths absurdity and hilarity in strange and unusual places including public restrooms, the lint filter, and church meetings. Most recently, she excavated a find in her neighbor’s bird feeder.

OCTOBER 2014 CROSSROADS

13

ADVERTISER PROFILES Fifth-wheel RVs Grow Popular with Snowbirds

By Russ Patton

What are Home Equity Loans and Lines of Credit?

Photo courtesy of Byerly RV

The leaves are falling and so are the temperatures. For one group of RVers it’s time to head south. Motorhomes and Fifth-wheel travel trailers are the RVs of choice for the snowbirds. Each year, a few decide to hit the road with a brand new home.

While Byerly RV in Eureka has been the No. 1 dealer in Missouri for motorhomes for several years, the category with the most rapid growth is the Fifth-wheel RV. Designed for pickup truck towing, the Fifth-wheel offers the greatest amount of living space. Often models include three to four slide-out rooms and can be detached and set up permanently, leaving you to set out and explore in the truck.

Fifth-wheel trailers range in price and style to fit almost any budget.

Byerly RV offers five brands ranging from the luxurious, full-timer’s Big Country to the half-ton towable models from Laredo and Hideout. Also available are the multipurpose SRV models with tailgates that lower to provide storage of motorcycles, off-road vehicles or other portable equipment.

For those of us who cannot escape the winter, we must prepare.

Each spring, Byerly’s service department must deal with damages that have occurred during winter storage. Last year’s extended freeze took a toll.

Be sure to winterize the plumbing in your RV with non-toxic antifreeze. Equally important is preventing water leaks to the exterior of your RV. Check your RV and seal it! Call Byerly for winterization assistance or an appointment at 636.938.2000, or check Byerly’s website for seasonal updates at www.byerlyrv.com.

A home equity loan allows you to borrow money using your home’s equity as collateral. If reading that sentence was enough to make your head hurt, no worries. I will explain.

First, some definitions: Collateral: property that you pledge as a guarantee that you will repay the debt. If you don’t repay the loan, the lender can take possession of the collateral and sell it in order to get its money back.

With a home equity loan, you pledge your home as collateral.

Equity: the difference between how much your home is worth and how much you owe on the mortgage.

In short, a home equity loan or line of credit is a second mortgage that lets you turn equity into cash. There are two different routes when it comes to a home equity mortgage product: a home equity loan or a home equity line of credit (HELOC). A home equity loan is a one-time lump sum distribution that is paid back over a set amount of time, with a fixed interest rate, and the same payment amount each month. You only receive funds once and cannot borrow again from the loan. A HELOC has a revolving balance, much like a credit card. A HELOC allows you to borrow up to a certain amount for a set time period. During that time, you can withdraw money as you need it. As you pay off the principal, you can borrow the money back again.

A home equity loan or line of credit is a great way to access cash for life’s unexpected or even planned expenses. Many times borrowers will use the equity in their homes to pay for home improvements or home additions. Other common uses include college expenses, consolidating high interest debt, or even purchasing cars or RVs. Home equity loans or lines of credits also offer potential tax advantages. You may be able to deduct the interest you pay on your home equity loan or line of credit. Please consult your tax preparer and/or legal advisor to discuss your particular situation. It is important to note that with both a home equity loan and a HELOC, you have to pay off the balance if you sell the house.

By Robin Daniels

Robin Daniels is Asst VP/Secondary Market Manager for Peoples Bank & Trust Co. NMLS #408454 | (636) 290-7272 | www.pbtc.net

14

CROSSROADS OCTOBER 2014

HEALTH Fall Cleaning Tips to Help Rid your Home of Autumn Allergens Many people think of allergies as a spring problem, but most sniffle sufferers know that fall can pose its own issues. Mold and ragweed are common fall allergy triggers, as well as dust mites, which are naturally more prevalent in the home during the drier months.

“You can turn your home into a safe haven from fall allergens with regular, strategic cleaning and a few preventive measures,” says Robin Wilson, an interior design expert and an ambassador with the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

To help make your home more comfortable this season, Wilson is offering some fall cleaning tips to eliminate allergens and maintain a clean and healthy space: • Wash your bedding. Mattress and pillow protectors will help control dust mites. As an added precaution, wash your bedding in warm or hot water every month and replace pillows every three years.

• Check for mold. Moisture breeds mold, so make sure to scan the inside of dishwashers, under the fridge in the water pan and in sink and bath drains. Change water dispensers and icemaker filters on a regular basis.

• Vacuum frequently. Whether you have wall-to-wall carpeting, tile or hardwood floors, it’s important to eliminate dust and dirt.

Vacuum, mop or steam clean flooring regularly.

“Use a vacuum with a high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filter, which captures small particles such as allergens, irritants and pollutants,” says Wilson.

For example, the Panasonic MC-UL429 Vacuum has a HEPA filter and accessories that allow you to be more thorough and get into tight corners. This vacuum also comes with an attachment that

pulls pet hair -- another potential allergen -- out of upholstered surfaces. More information can be found at www.shop.panasonic.com.

• Wash or freeze stuffed toys. If your child sleeps with their favorite stuffed animals, you should frequently wash or freeze them in a plastic bag for 48 hours. This will lower the level of dust mites which can trigger asthma and allergies.

• Use Slipcovers. Slipcovers have come a long way in the last 10 years. Since they can be cleaned regularly and more easily than upholstery, consider using them on sofas and other furniture.

• Keep ragweed outside. After spending time outside, have your child leave any clothing or sports equipment close to the entrance of the home to avoid tracking irritants throughout rooms.

“Just because the pollen count isn’t through the roof doesn’t mean you can’t fall prey to allergies,” says Wilson. “With regular cleaning, you can manage the irritants in your home and make it a more breathable place.”

www.windowworld.com

OCTOBER 2014 CROSSROADS 15

Reboot your Life Finding a new path to happiness Local residents Pat Wahler and Theresa Sanders’ stories are included in the new Chicken Soup for the Soul: Reboot Your Life.

The two were nice enough to share with us their stories on how they rebooted their lives.

Photo courtesy Chicken Soup for the Soul

16

CROSSROADS OCTOBER 2014

The Tuesday Night Ladies League

By Pat Wahler

Keep your fears to yourself but share your courage with others. ~Robert Louis Stevenson Bowling? My jaw dropped when my friend Sherry invited me to join the Tuesday Night Ladies Bowling League. She’d been bowling for decades, but I hadn’t picked up a bowling ball since high school. When I told her I didn’t even know how to tally scores anymore, she laughed. Apparently a computer takes care of that now, which further demonstrated how far removed I was from the bowling world. The thought of doing something so far out of my skill set seemed ridiculous.

“Don’t worry,” she told me. “You get a handicap based on your bowling average so it all works out. Anyway, we just bowl for fun.”

Still, I hesitated. In addition to being clueless about bowling, after getting home from work, the last thing I wanted to do was go back out. I knew I should say no, but I surprised myself by saying, “Okay, I’ll try.”

Sherry wrote my name on her team roster while I chewed my lip and thought about sitting in front of the TV with my feet up.

The next evening I went to the pro shop. Bob, the man in charge, must have sensed my lack of enthusiasm. He gave me a pep talk on how addictive and exciting bowling would be for me. All I needed to do was throw the ball at the pins and make sure I followed through with my arm. Bob handed me a ball and I nearly dropped it on my foot. When I asked for a lighter model, he frowned and informed me that a bowling ball should be about ten percent of the bowler’s body weight.

After a quick calculation, my eyes widened. I opted for the ten-pound ball instead.

On my first night of bowling, I slipped into the building feeling like an imposter.

The scent of fried food and old shoes immediately assaulted my senses. I saw ladies everywhere. Some were young enough to be my daughter and others old enough to be my mom. Each one took a turn hurling a ball down the lane. Pins crashed as strikes and spares were tallied. The game seemed simple enough. Perhaps bowling wouldn’t be as tough as I feared. I found my new teammates and pulled on a pair of bright white bowling shoes.

My palms were damp when it came time for me to bowl. I picked up the ball and walked to the line. My back prickled with the sense that dozens of eyes were on me as I took aim, walked forward, and let the ball fly. It didn’t go anywhere near where I wanted it to go. In fact, the ball curved right into the gutter. Face flaming, I tried again. Another gutter ball.

I sat down and my teammates flocked around me. Their bowling shirts made them look like brightly colored birds as each one gave me advice.

“Don’t drop your shoulder.”

“Focus on the arrows, not the pins.”

“Hit the sweet spot.”

I understood why they were eager to help me. My performance didn’t exactly contribute to the team total. I felt sure everyone in the place had pegged me as someone who didn’t

belong. I wished I was back home in my comfy chair. If I quit now, surely it wouldn’t be hard to replace me with someone who could actually hit those stubborn pins.

After the third game of the night, my only consolation was that at least my best score was higher than my age. I slumped in the seat and removed my shoes, wishing the bowling alley had a dark corner so I could slink off to hide. My teammates provided consoling pats on the back. Even women from other teams came by to chirp a few words of encouragement. They told me everyone starts somewhere, and if I kept at it my game would surely improve. In the face of such generosity it seemed small of me to announce that I’d rather call it a day.

So I dusted off my bruised ego and went back the next week.

And as it turns out, they were right. After a month I began to understand the best way to hold my arm and when to release the ball. On the night my score finally broke 100, it was high fives all around. I couldn’t stop smiling.

It would never have occurred to me to join a bowling team if my friend hadn’t suggested it. The Tuesday Night Ladies League helped me step outside my circle of comfort and exchange a stale old routine for a vibrant new one. In the process I’ve gotten to know a wonderful group of women who comfort me when I have a bad game and cheer me on when I do well.

Bowling is a night out with the girls. We talk and laugh and once in a while send a ball spinning down the alley. Though I’ll never be part of any pro tour, that’s okay. A few hours of bowling makes me feel much better than sitting at home.

The next time an unlikely opportunity comes along, I won’t hesitate a minute.

You see, my Wednesday nights could use a little excitement, too.

Pat Wahler is a grant writer by day and awardwinning writer of essays and short stories by night. Her work can be found in both national and local publications. A lifelong animal lover, Pat ponders critters, writing, and life’s little mysteries at www.critteralley.blogspot.com.

Jersey Shore Promises

By Theresa Sanders

Find joy in everything you choose to do. Every job, relationship, home... it is your responsibility to love it or change it. ~Chuck Palahniuk It was unseasonably cool that August day, almost sweater weather. Thick layers of stratus clouds stretched out overhead but my boys, ages eight and four, didn’t seem to notice. With their little blue suitcases clutched tightly in hand, they bubbled with excitement as they climbed the steps of the magnificent hotel in beautiful Cape May. It was the first time they would see the ocean, the first time any of us had visited the Jersey Shore. Even the three-hour drive from our Maryland home had been an adventure. My husband Jeff and I hurried to keep up with our sons, relishing their delight.

But beneath it all, we both knew that the purpose of this long weekend was far more sobering than we had let on.

We had come to Cape May to save our marriage.

It had started to unravel the year before, when a car accident on my way to work had re-ordered life for me.

Things prior to that had been pretty stressful, too. Jeff and I were working opposite shifts, shuffling the boys back and forth to school and daycare, and I was going to class at night to finish my college degree. As a computer systems analyst, I was part of a team tasked with taking over some existing computer applications from another company. I disliked the work and didn’t feel very good at it, not to mention that the company from which we were migrating the computer applications wasn’t happy about the takeover. To say that it was a hostile work environment was an understatement.

Jeff was experiencing work complications of his own.

He had just accepted a job at IBM as a third-shift computer operator and while we were thrilled with this new opportunity, third shift was taking a toll. Jeff scarcely slept, and when he was home, I wasn’t. We talked just enough, it seemed, to juggle schedules. My car accident added a whole new layer of misery to our lives, and the attendant pain, surgeries, and doctor appointments often left me cranky.

As summer approached that year, I was depressed and worried. We had somehow fallen into a rut and were fast becoming a statistic. Having wed shortly after high school, we’d had our first son by the time we were twenty.

I knew many teenage marriages didn’t survive, but I’d never before envisioned that outcome for us.

It was Jeff who came up with the idea of traveling to the shore. He’d heard about Cape May from a friend and booked us a room. “A lifesaver,” this friend of his had said.

“You’ll think you’ve gone back in time.”

As I stood on the hotel’s expansive front porch, I couldn’t

help feeling skeptical.

The going-back-in-time part I could definitely see. The hotel was an elegant lady dating back to the 1800s. It boasted shared bathrooms, no phones or TVs, and no air conditioning.

We were also required to dress up for meals, which convened at set times and with assigned tables that we shared with other hotel guests, most of whom were senior citizens. My skepticism grew.

But there is something magical about the Jersey Shore. And even though the next day dawned cloudy again, little by little the sun began to peek through. It was as if the present was unfurling, wrapping me within its sweet embrace. There was no past and no future. There was only this moment, this hour.

Maybe it was the sea that ultimately moved me. Like the hand of God caressing my ravaged soul, its ebb and flow seemed to cry out for transformation. Every ray of light struck me anew, every deep breath expanded my heart.

The very salt air whispered revival.

Maybe it was the way one of the elderly women patted my hand at dinner. “In forty years, dear, you’ll come back here and wonder where the time went.” Her gentle words told me things that I am only now beginning to fathom. They told me that life is fleeting. They told me that the world can change in a heartbeat.

Maybe it was the joy my boys radiated at every turn, their little faces as bright as morning. Everything held fascination for them: the arcades of Wildwood, the sand castles we built, the incoming tide that tickled their tiny toes. Their smiles reminded me that the bond between parent and child is eternal and so very precious.

Maybe it was the way Jeff said, “How can we make things better?” and really listened as I explained how trapped I’d started to feel. He confessed that he sometimes felt trapped too.

He asked me about my dreams and I told him I’d always wanted to be a writer.

“Let’s see if we can make that work,” he said.

It was also there, beneath those Jersey Shore skies, with the sun finally achieving full breakthrough, that we vowed to recapture another long-held dream: to adopt a child from a foreign country. In Jeff’s soft brown eyes I suddenly saw that change was doable.

I saw that he still believed in love. He still believed in me.

That was thirty years ago.

As I look back now, I marvel at how we could ever have been at that impasse.

Our marriage today is strong.

I like to say it is Jersey Shore strong. The changes we crafted back then took some implementing, but steadily we set them in motion. Jeff soon left third shift but stayed at IBM, and he has just retired from a distinguished thirty-year career.

Nearly two years after our Cape May outing, we adopted not only one child, but two, fiveyear-old twin girls from Korea. And as for me, well, I’m still plugging away at the writing thing.

There’s just something about the Jersey Shore. I was a stranger the first time I visited yet somehow it became part of my family, part of my heart. It is in my blood, in my very sinew. I can still hear my sons’ voices calling on the sea breeze, as tender and free as the memories we made. I can still feel the beach, smell it, and every time I imagine it, I am at peace.

Yes, we went to Cape May to save our marriage, and over that long August weekend, we did just that—and so much more. The Jersey Shore promises we made have lasted us a lifetime.

Theresa Sanders is honored to be a frequent Chicken Soup for the Soul contributor. She lives with her husband near St. Louis, where she is completing her third novel, set (coincidentally!) at the Jersey Shore.

OCTOBER 2014 CROSSROADS 17

Photo Op Photos by Ray Rockwell

18

CROSSROADS OCTOBER 2014

ILLUMINATION in St. Charles Ray Rockwell spent some time at the St. Charles Parks and Recreation Department’s Illumination Celebration in Frontier Park, 500 S Riverside Dr. in St Charles, Sept. 12 – 15.

The park and the fairgoers were aglow to celebrate 100 years of parks in St. Charles.

COMMUNITY CALENDAR

October

October events continued...

4: Toys for Tots Poker Run, 9:30am-5pm, Hawk Point VFW Post 7560, 636.528.2115 Trivia Night & Silent Auction, 6pm, Lincoln County Fairgrounds, 636.248.4058 Moonlight Bike Ride, 6:30-10pm, Indian Camp Creek Park, 636.949.7535 11: Fall Harvest Festival, 10am-4pm, Towne Park, Foristell, 636.949.7535

To see your organization’s event listed here, please email editor@mycnews.com

World Vegetarian Day

Troy Rotary Backyard Brews & Vino 4-8pm, Lincoln County Fairgrounds, 636.462.3704

Friends of LCMC Classic Country Trivia Night

7pm, Sacred Heart School, Troy, 636.528.3300

Mad Hatter Day

Fire Prevention Day

Fall Fest Street Dance 7-10pm, Civic Park, O’Fallon, 636.379.5502

Troy Chamber Night Golf

Columbus Day

9am-noon, O’Fallon City Hall

Take A Kid Mountain Biking Day

10am-2pm, Broemmelsiek Park, 1615 Schwede Rd., Wentzville, 636.949.7535

25: Troy Pumpkin Festival, Main Street, 636.299.2944

World Teacher’s Day

St. Charles County Senior Fair

Helping Hands for Tweens and teens 4:30pm, 636.332.9236

PALS Meeting

Bosses Day Dictionary Day

7pm, Cuivre River Electric Co., 636.338.1818

Fall Fest 5K, 10K, Scarecrow Contest

7-8:30am, O’Fallon City Hall, 636.379.5574

O’Fallon Fall Fest

6:30pm, Sun Valley Golf Course, Elsberry, 636.462.8769

10am-5pm, Civic Park, 636.379.5502

Haunted Park Hunt

Wild In The Woods Race

7-10pm, Dames Park, O’Fallon, MO, 636.474.2732

H.O.P.P. Night teens night out

Indian Camp Creek Park, 636.949.7535

7-9pm, Progress Park Center, 636.332.9236

Coffee Talk with Mayor Guccione

Night Of Fright Haunted House

12:30-2pm, Wentzville City Hall, 636.327.5101

Youth Activity Park, 7801 Highway N, Dardenne Prairie, 636.949.7535

Hiking at Klondike Park

4600 Highway 94 South, Augusta, 636.949.7535

National Candy Corn Day

Halloween

Hayride Hoedown

Broemmelsiek Park, 1615 Schwede Rd., 636.949.7535

Night Of Fright Haunted House

Youth Activity Park, 7801 Highway N, Dardenne Prairie, 636.949.7535

EVERY SATURDAY Lake Saint Louis Farmers & Artists Market 8am-noon, 314.495.2531

OCTOBER 2014 CROSSROADS 19

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