Our Town: February 2018

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2 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2018

Our Town Volume 09 | Number 02 FEBRUARY 2018

Published by the Community News, Our Town is a monthly news magazine covering the cities of Creve Coeur, Maryland Heights, and Olivette.

Circulation is 7,000 monthly through over 105 monitored newsstands guaranteeing 100% pickup.

Additional issues are distributed online, and a free online subscription is available at www.mycnews. com

N THIS SSUE

Around Town

MDC joins partners to remove Asian carp from Creve Coeur Park Lake and more.

Nonprofit Profile Warren County Handicapped Services – showing the community how to help others.

PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Mathew DeKinder PUBLISHER EMERITUS/ GENTERAL MANAGER Bob Huneke PRODUCTION Lisa Moran Melissa Nordmann CONTRIBUTORS Avalanche, David Finkelstein, Brian Guerrero, Cindy Moore STAFF WRITERS Brett Auten Charlotte Beard

Our Thoughts Moore on Life author Cindy Moore braves the friendly skies while Avalanche takes a trip just across the highway.

Feature Remembering the past, guarding the future The Holocaust Museum Learning Center in Creve Coeur works to relate the tragedy of the Holocaust to current issues

By Charlotte Beard

Caring Partners Assistive technology tools to improve the everyday

Lifestyle For advertising information, please contact us at:

info@mycnews.com or

Community News 2139 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr. O’Fallon, MO 63366 Ph: 636.379.1775 Fx: 636.379.1632 www.mycnews.com

Praise for cinematographer Roger Deakins in Entertainment. Audi A5 Sportback brings power and performance to 2018 in Automobile Alley. Make kitchen time easier in For the Love of Food.

In Depth Room at the Inn serves as a temporary, emergency shelter for homeless women and families.

Copyright 2018 Huneke Publications, Inc.

Events Calendar

No part of the publication may be reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of the publisher.

Staff Writer – Charlotte Beard Cover Photo – Bigstock

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10 13 14 18 20

AroundTown

Scholarships available The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis is accepting student applications The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis is accepting applications for its interestfree, fee-free student loan program through April 16. Qualified postsecondary students of any age can be awarded a renewable, interest-free loan of up to $11,000 annually. Those interested must meet the following requirements: • Be pursuing a first certificate or degree at an accredited, nonprofit college, university or technical/ trade school.

• Demonstrate financial need.

• Have a cumulative GPA of 2.0 or higher or have earned a GED. • Be a permanent resident of the St. Louis metropolitan area, for at least two years prior to application.

Applicants are selected on the basis of academic potential, personal character, and financial need. Students can apply for funding by completing an online general application on the St. Louis Graduates’ Scholarship Central website (myscholarshipcentral.org). Upon completion of the general application, applicants can then apply for The Scholarship Foundation’s interest-free loan. St. Louis Graduates’ Scholarship Central website contains over 60 scholarship opportunities for the 2018-2019 academic year with various application deadlines.

Students from the following areas are eligible to apply: St. Louis City and St. Louis County; the Missouri counties of Franklin, Jefferson, Lincoln, St. Charles, and Warren; and the Illinois counties of Bond, Calhoun, Clinton, Jersey, Madison, Macoupin, Monroe, and St. Clair.

For more information, or for application assistance, please contact The Scholarship Foundation of St. Louis at 314725-7990, info@sfstl.org, or visit www. sfstl.org.

4 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2018

Advertorial

1948 – 2018: 70 years of RV history, and more to come

BY RUSS PATTON The merger of the Pattons and the Byerlys occurred in 1967. The Byerly company was a customer of my father’s service station in Des Peres. Our family history was with oil, but my father was quick with numbers and selling gas for 14.9 cents per gallon was not a fast track to anywhere. He became more interested with what you can do with oil besides just sell it…like travel.

About 1959 we started renting and selling primitive tent campers. The first one, a Masco, was a metal trailer which folded out to form a base for mounting a tent on top. Two beds off the ground, that’s all. The Nimrod came along with slideout beds, stove, icebox…wow!

Finally, he bought some 16-foot travel trailers and truck campers from a little company in Iowa. They were white with a big bold turquoise W stripe down the side. That is the first time and last time that we represented Winnebago…until now. After 70 years Byerly and Winnebago have reunited. A long time coming and we look forward to a long road together.

Another familiar name is making its debut at Byerly, Coachman. We have been very impressed with Coachmen’s Chaparrel Fifth Wheel. We believe it conforms to our strategy of focusing on value and quality rather that just price and superficial glitz. We learned long ago that our customers’ satisfaction comes after the sale, not at the closing table. First-time buyers often shop price through lack of experience. So, we get a

e th th Wor ive Dr

lot of trade-ins of late model RVs as the learning curve matures.

We know first-time buyers are excited.

But, slow down and don’t be rushed into a decision. If the fast-talkers want to see your driver’s license or run your credit before you even can see a product, slow down. If you can’t look at products unless you’re handcuffed to a salesman who has already been told which ones you can see, slow down. If you feel that

the salesperson is just setting you up for the “professional closer,” slow down. If the price quoted for the product seems great, but the bottom line is so much higher, slow down.

You may be paying a huge price for paper add-ons which will not show up as value if you want to trade later. There are some important “add-ons” to consider, but it would be smart to compare the quality and price of these additional products or services also.

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AroundTown

Removing a pest Visitors to St. Louis County’s popular Creve Coeur Lake Park may experience some temporary restrictions in using the park for a two-week period between Jan. 21 and Feb. 17. The long-term benefit, however, should be the near-eradication of the lake’s biggest nuisance – invasive Asian carp.

Asian carp have been damaging the Creve Coeur Park Lake fishery for years.

After several attempts to remove them with limited success, the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), St. Louis County Department of Parks and Recreation, U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service (USFWS) have formed a partnership to execute an innovative Asian carp removal project this January and February. Additionally, agency biologists will test new methods of estimating invasive Asian carp abundance, as well as tracking, herding and capturing invasive Asian carp in lake situations.

Invasive Asian carp (primarily bighead carp and silver carp) entered Creve Coeur Park Lake when the lake was flooded by the Missouri River sometime prior to 2009.

They quickly began to compete with native fish for food and space, reducing sportfishing quality. Recent fisheries surveys and angler reports suggest white crappie fishing has declined since invasive Asian carp entered the lake. Asian carp also cause conflicts by leaping at and striking lake users, and have been the source of several nuisance fishkills.

The partnership will use a technique called the unified method, which has been adapted from proven techniques used in

Asia. The unified method involves a combination of fish herding, clearing, blocking re-entry, and driving actions using several boats, long nets, and dozens of staff.

Depending on weather conditions, the agencies will employ the effort over a twoweek period between Jan. 21 and Feb. 17.

Winter conditions may concentrate Asian carp populations and limit their ability to jump over block nets, making removal efforts more efficient. However, ice coverage on the lake will require suspension of the project until the lake clears.

Biologists will divide the lake into cells using nets. They will herd/drive fish out of these cells with boats employing acoustic sound, localized electricity and nets. As each cell is cleared of fish, biologists will block their re-entry to that cell with nets.

This methodical process will limit access to increasingly larger portions of the lake and push fish toward a central collection point.

At the collection point, biologists will confine all fish into a large corral with nets and then herd them into a live collection net.

They will sort the collected fish, and return native fish to Creve Coeur Park Lake while removing all Asian carp.

The project will field up to 12 boats and 50 staff each day during challenging winter conditions. Work on the lake and shore will require open access for equipment and people safety. As a result, public access to Creve Coeur Park Lake, as well as Sailboat Cove and its surrounding area (including trails) will be temporarily prohibited over the two-week period. If weather conditions require a change, the public closure period will be altered as well.

USFWS

MDC joins partners to remove Asian carp from Creve Coeur Park Lake

Large numbers of silver carp jump in front of an electro fishing boat. MDC will join with St. Louis County, the U.S. Geological Survey, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in a cooperative, cutting-edge effort to irradiate invasive Asian carp from Creve Coeur Lake this winter.

Complete and selective removal of all Asian carp from Creve Coeur Park Lake is virtually impossible. However, the unified method has been used twice in the U.S. with success rates as high as 70 percent. Learning from those experiences, the partnership hopes to remove up to 90 percent of the Asian carp from Creve Coeur Park Lake.

If most of the Asian carp are removed, biologists expect remaining native sportfish to re-establish their historic numbers and sizes. Previously good crappie fishing should re-establish within three-to-five years. Unable to reproduce in lake situations, the remaining Asian carp populations will dwindle.

On a broader scale, the project could demonstrate that a successful method for removing Asian carp from lake systems exists and could be ready for future use throughout the U.S.

Creve Coeur-Olivette Chamber of Commerce Awards Dinner and Auction The Creve Coeur-Olivette Chamber of Commerce will hold its Annual Award Dinner and Auction on Friday, Feb. 23 from 5:30 – 9 p.m. at Orlando’s Event and Conference Center located at 2050 Dorsett Village. The event will include a gourmet buffet dinner and a premium bar along with dozens of fabulous action items donated from area businesses. The highlight of the evening will be the presentation of the Firefighter of the Year from Creve Coeur and Olivette and the Police Officer of the Year from Creve

Coeur, Olivette and St. Louis County Precinct.

The theme for this year’s event is “Get Your Kicks on Route 66” and will feature music, photo booth and décor in the spirit of the great American road trip. Tickets are $45 per person or $350 for a table of eight. There are several sponsorship levels available to meet any price-point. For tickets or sponsorship information go to https://tinyurl.com/yddt9977 or call the chamber office at 314-569-3536.

FEBRUARY 2018 | OUR TOWN | 5

AroundTown Discover Nature and Identify Birds at ‘The Great Backyard Bird Count’ at the Gateway Arch The National Park Service invites visitors of all ages on a winter adventure to explore the Gateway Arch’s renovated “backyard” and connect with nature at The Great Backyard Bird Count at the Gateway Arch grounds on Feb. 17.

Launched in 1998, the Great Backyard Bird Count is a worldwide citizen science initiative to create a snapshot of birds all across the globe and answer “big picture” questions about what’s happening to bird populations over time. Last year more than 160,000 people participated from more than 130 countries.

The Great Backyard Bird Count at the Arch will feature special programs focusing on birds and their life cycle, the importance of citizen science and bird watching and one of our greatest natural resources: the Mississippi River. Opportunities to tour the park grounds for optimal bird watching and bird counting opportunities will be available. Danny Brown, a freelance wildlife photographer who specializes in Missouri animals, will lead discussions about his experience photo-

graphing birds; and John Miller will discuss purple martins and the importance of providing their habitat.

Other activities include: a special Citizen Science Junior Ranger badge and activity sheet, interactive stations featuring bird skulls and adaptations, and group oil painting of a John James Audubon print led by National Park Ranger Tony Gilpin.

“Hosting The Great Backyard Bird Count at the Gateway Arch allows bird watchers of all ages and skill levels to not only explore nature at the Gateway Arch’s renovated park grounds, but also help scientists collect data on inhabiting birds in the area such as eagles, robins and sparrows,” says Rhonda Schier, Chief of Museum Services and Interpretation at Jefferson National Expansion Memorial.

This event is made possible by the National Park Service and Audubon Center at Riverlands, in partnership with Gateway Arch Park Foundation, Jefferson National Parks Association and The City of St. Louis Mayor’s Office of Sustainability.

The event is free and open to all ages

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS: Attendees will meet at the south leg of the Arch. Staff will walk them to birding stations at times below. All other activities will take place in the Gateway Arch Visitor Center. Presentations will take place in the Tucker Theater inside the Arch Visitor Center.

9:15 a.m. First bird count group departs for Arch grounds exploration 10 a.m.

Presentation by Danny Brown in the Tucker Theater 10:15 a.m. Second bird count group departs for Arch grounds exploration 10:45 a.m. Presentation by John Miller in the Tucker Theater 11 a.m.

Third bird count group departs for Arch grounds exploration 11:30 a.m. Presentation by Danny Brown in the Tucker Theater

HAVE GOOD NEWS TO SHARE?

Get your event or good news published in:

email your information in calendar and article formats to editor@mycnews.com.

6 | OUR TOWN |FEBRUARY 2018

New hotel opens Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn & Suites opens in Maryland Heights

SUBMITTED PHOTO

Birds at the Arch

Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott recently opened at 11918 Westline Industrial Dr. in Maryland Heights.

Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn & Suites opens in Maryland Heights Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn & Suites

by Marriott recently opened at 11918 Westline Industrial Dr. in Maryland Heights.

The 119,000-square-foot hotel, which was the previous home of Clayton Engineering, cost $25 million. This is Marriott’s first dual-branded hotel in the St. Louis area.

The hotel includes 96 suites for the Residence Inn and 88 rooms for the Fairfield Inn & Suites. The property features a state-of-the-art fitness center, indoor pool, meetings rooms, guest laundry facilities, and backyard seating areas with a grill and pergola. Located on Page Rd. east of I-270, the hotel is adjacent to Westport Plaza, Worldwide Technology headquarters, and Edward Jones headquarters, as well as 15 minutes from Lambert International Airport.

Midas Hospitality, a premier hotel management group, will manage the hotel built by sister company MC Hotel Construction, a general contractor specializing in new hotel construction and renovations.

“This dual-branded hotel – one of the Marriott Hotels & Resorts’ finest – truly complements the growing Maryland Heights’ area,” said Rob Willard, President and Principal. “We look forward to being a part of this community, as well as catering to both extended stay and transient customers.”

NonProfitProfile

Warren County Handicapped Services showing the community how to help others

W

WCHS offers nine different programs for individuals with developmental disabilities: Camp We Can, a two-week summer camp for children ages six to 15. Crafts, activities, educational outings, drinks, snacks, lunch and transportation provided at no cost to the consumer.

Choices Day Program teaches life skills to adults. Programming covers personal hygiene, health, fitness, safety, fine motor skills, social skills, cooking, selfreliance and volunteering.

SUBMITTED PHOTOS

arren County Handicapped Services, Inc. (WCHS) opened in September 1986 as a 501c3 organization to provide services to individuals who have developmental disabilities and reside in Warren County. The primary mission of WCHS is to develop an array of community-based services for Warren County citizens who are developmentally disabled and their families. We assure these services are provided in an effective, efficient and accountable manner.

Discovery Plus is a monthly, weekend recreational program designed for adults after high school.

and including 24-hour staff.

Stars Plus is a monthly, weekend recreational program for children grades six – 12.

Personal Assistant Program provides assistance to employees of sheltered workshops who have been designated as needing assistance in their support plan.

Special Olympics is offered to any Warren County individual with a developmental disability.

Events include bowling, track and field, basketball, volleyball, power lifting, swimming, and much more. Recently merged with Warren County School District to provide Special Olympics services for all students.

Individualized Supported Living (ISL) supports individuals in three local homes, provides assistance and training to enable independent living and supports include protective oversight up to

Transportation provides round trip transportation to Temco sheltered workshop, WCHS programs and ISL homes.

Youth Leadership Program is a one-week summer camp for Warren County children ages 15-21 to learn skills for

future success. Includes: filling out job applications, opening a bank account, utilizing Career Center, socialization, money management and more.

We need your help! To continue offering the services we do, WCHS desperately needs another 15-passanger van for employment, medical, nutrition, etc., services for our clients.

If you or someone you know would be able to help us in any way, please contact our Development Director, Laurie Simon, at Lsimon@wchsmo.org or 636-219-5492.

To learn more about WCHS, please visit www.wchsmo.org or call 636-456-7518. Warren County Handicapped Services is located at 703 1st Street in Warrenton.

BY LAURIE SIMON

Laurie Simon lives in St. Peters with her husband and toddler son. When not rehabbing her home she enjoys weekends at the lake and spending time with family, friends and her two fur babies.

FEBRUARY 2018 | OUR TOWN | 7

OurThoughts MOORE ON LIFE

BY CINDY MOORE

Love Flying of

D

ontcha just love flying? My husband and I have experienced the good and bad in it, so deciding to take a “no frills” flight seemed like a how-badcan-it-be decision and a way to pocket a little ching-ching.

After takeoff the stewardess announced that the beverage service would begin.

“Oh goodie,” I thought to myself. “Free thimblefuls of my favorite soda plus a pouch of dried kibble.”

It makes the cost of flying all worth it!

But then those dreaded words, “All snacks and beverages will cost. Have your cash ready; no charge.”

What the heck?!

When the cart stopped in front of us the stewardess barked, “Coke six dollars, bottled water five!”

My husband nudged me and said, “No problem, watch and learn.”

“We’d like some water, please…in cups.”

“Genius,” I thought.

“Sorry, we only serve bottled water.” She must have felt our pain for a nano-second because she then said, “Well, I can give you some water if you need it to take a drug.”

(Not even exaggerating!) By then, my 8 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2018

tongue was swollen and stuck to the roof of my mouth from dehydration. I looked in my bag and found a peppermint disc.

“Hello,” I said waving it in her direction.

“I have a…a…severe translucent hematoma and have been instructed by my doctor to take this prescribed pill every half hour or it will herniate! Water, please?”

She grabbed the disc and popped it into her mouth. “Oooh, minty fresh. Nice try loser,” she then moved her cart ahead along with my teaspoon of water.

My husband searched his jacket and came up with was a Lifesaver covered in pocket lint. No help. I hurriedly asked the passenger beside me for something. He handed me a small blue Aleve.

“Perfect,” I said. I jammed the stewardess button and she appeared with eyebrows raised.

“I have urgent medical needs,” I said, waving the tiny blue pill. “This is for my inflated thorax, which is about to rupture.

Water?”

She hmphed, then passed me a meager cup of water. “Okay, but I’m watching you,” she sneered as she gave me the ol’ stink eye.

BIGSTOCK

For the

I downed it with the water then raised my hand in victory to give my seatmate a highfive. He stared at me wide-eyed with a pale face that had lost all circulation.

“Oh,” I winked. “I get it. You’re trying to act sick too so you can get free water. Nice job!”

I punched the service button again when he nervously informed me, “Uh, I might have given you the wrong little blue pill. I still have the Aleve in my bottle, but…I…I seem to be missing my…Viagra!”

The stewardess snarled at me, “Now what?”

“Barf bag please!”

“That’ll be ten bucks. Cash only!”

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.

OurThoughts the main creek at about 1.5 miles up; a small creek crosses the road at about 2.25 miles and merges with the larger one.

Numbers aside, a significant portion of my life has been spent in this portion of the valley. Many runs, hikes, ATV trips, motorcycle rides and trips in the truck have been made up and down this road. Turkey, elk, and fish from further up the valley have helped to keep us fed over the years. The scenery, much of which can be seen from our house, changes every hour, with the passage of sun and clouds, snow and rain.

It’s never disappointing.

The topography of the valley provides a natural, seasonal sundial at my house, as during the summer solstice, the sun rises just above a high peak on the north side of the valley; during winter solstice, the sun rises over a peak on the south side, but not until after 9 a.m.

The road is closed to vehicle traffic for nearly six months, from late-fall into midspring, to protect winter wildlife habitat.

When the snows are deep, elk, sheep and deer are funneled into the narrow valley bottom, only a half-mile wide, and have to subsist on the limited food available. This year, the animals can still feed at higher elevations due to thin snow depth, and

Just across the highway ALWAYS AN ADVENTURE

BY AVALANCHE

they have not yet moved down to their traditional winter range. I’ve seen deer, elk and bighorn sheep here all at once, from a single vantage point. This year, I haven’t seen any large game for several months.

Today’s run turns around at the campground, but if I were so inclined, I could continue for a dozen more miles and come to a small lake nestled in a large rocky bowl at the head of the valley. A number of littleused trails branch off the main trail, which lead to other wilderness valleys, and many trail-less possibilities exist for the adventurous. The main trail is “official,” maintained and marked by the Forest Service. Few besides long-time locals, hunting guides and forest workers are aware of the obscure side trails – and we try to keep it that way.

Judging by the lack of tracks in the thin snow, no one else is on the road, or anywhere else in the valley today, and I am able to bask in 60 square miles of mountain solitude. Making my way back home, I’m reminded that even in the middle of my second decade of regularly going up and down this road “just across the highway,” it’s a special place, and should never be taken for granted.

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.

AVALANCHE

“I’m just going across the highway, I’ll be back soon,” I told Staci on my way out the door for a run. As I slowly jogged my way downhill through the neighborhood, then across the state highway and onto the forest road, I realized that “just across the highway” indicated a familiarity which, while certainly not contemptuous, put the road I have spent so much time on into the “taken for granted” category.

Across the highway, the road follows a creek valley, which drains about 60 square miles of mountainous terrain, emptying its waters into the river which runs next to the state highway. Just up from the highway, private lands turn to public, with a few small mining claims still clinging to legal, and sometimes commercial, life. A sign near the bottom of the road warns of steep, rocky conditions ahead, and advises against trailer traffic to the forest campground at the wilderness boundary.

From my house to the campground at the end of the road measures just a bit under three miles; adding a short jog past the wilderness boundary makes it an even six miles out and back. It’s 600 vertical feet from the highway to the campground, with another 100 feet back up to my house on the return trip. One small spring feeds into

FEBRUARY 2018 | OUR TOWN | 9

Remembering the past, guarding the future

“

Through the lessons of the Holocaust, we inspire all people to confront hatred, promote human dignity

”

and prevent genocide.

10 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2018

The Holocaust Museum Learning Center in Creve Coeur works to relate the tragedy of the Holocaust to current issues

BY CHARLOTTE BEARD A powerful reminder of one of history’s darkest moments sits right in our own backyard.

The Holocaust Museum Learning Center (HMLC), which is free to visitors, has been in existence since 1995. A department of the Jewish Federation, the museum is located at 12 Millstone Campus Drive in Creve Coeur on the Jewish Community Center Campus in the Kopolow Building. The museum’s mission is to show that “Through the lessons of the Holocaust, we inspire all people to confront hatred, promote human dignity and prevent genocide.”

One such example of using these lessons is utilized in the museum’s Change Begins with Me Exhibit which was installed in 2012. The exhibit focuses on three areas of engagement: 1) know, 2) learn, and 3) do. The knowledge portion makes visitors aware of bias, discrimination and genocide that exists throughout the world, whereas the learning section teaches how

hatred is a downward spiral from stereotypes and prejudices to discrimination and violence. Genocide is the worst case. The “do” portion of the exhibit gives visitors ideas on how they can make a difference in their own communities.

Jean Cavender, director of the museum, stresses that there is no comparison to the Holocaust, but they especially want students to connect the dots by seeing that there were similar behaviors and actions that occurred during the Holocaust that also happen in some of the contemporary issues and with genocides. Cavender shared that middle school students who are studying the Holocaust in their history class or reading a book, such as the Diary of Anne Frank in their language arts class, make up a large portion of the museum’s visitors.

When asked about the ethnicity demographics for those who visit the museum, Cavender shared that there are a lot of urban schools that visit. There is a bus fund

for groups that can’t afford a bus.

“We want people from schools that can’t afford transportation to have the advantage of coming to go through the museum,” she said.

She shared that approximately 25 percent of the visitors are people of color. Approximately 99 percent of the visitors are people of other faiths and traditions.

“After all the things that happened in Ferguson…after the [verdict] decision was made it was really serendipity that the day the Ferguson School District went back to school they were scheduled for a tour here,” Cavender shared. “It wasn’t lost on us and it wasn’t lost on them; we talked a lot about it. That was probably a profound day for them after coming off the heels of what had happened in their own community. The Change Begins with Me exhibition is about bringing contemporary issues forward to talk about them. Docents [will ask] ‘can somebody think about something that’s going on in today’s world that might be [like] what happened during the Holocaust’ – really trying to contemporize those lessons.”

Gary Sokolik has been a docent, a volunteer tour guide, of HMLC for five years.

He is Jewish, and his grandfather came from northeast Poland.

“I was a lawyer in a little country town in northeast Missouri,” Sokolik stated. “I grew up in University City. I came back here [to St. Louis] in 2010 because my mother needed me. My kids [and] grandkids were here. I was looking for something beneficial to do with my time. So, I volunteered with CORP.” CORP is the County Older Resident Programs that serves residents age 60-andover for a variety of needs not limited to transportation and home visits.

“That [volunteering] was nice but I couldn’t find anything that I thought was more worthwhile than this. It was an opportunity to tell people about an episode in history that was a horrible period in history. This was mass murder…that caught my interest. It was an opportunity to talk to mostly kids about the dangers of stereotyping people, about tolerance, about not making someone who may be [of a differ-

ent culture] the ‘other.’ [These are] lessons that are important.”

Sokolik also shared that the museum has had non-Jewish docents from various backgrounds such as ministers, nuns, teachers, physicians and lawyers. Cavender stated that HMLC has 50 docents and approximately 50 percent are people of other faiths and traditions who conduct the tours.

Cavender spoke about the experience visitors receive from presentations of those who are either survivors of the Holocaust or who are descendants of those who have passed on. The latter are referred to as second-generation speakers.

“I’ve been here for 14 years. We had a good cadre of about 20 survivors and now it’s [approximately] four first eye-witnesses to this account.”

She shared that the current survivors are in their mid to late 80s. The second-generation speakers consist of sons, daughters and cousins of the Holocaust victims who wish to carry on their family member’s memory. HMLC has preserved hundreds of audio and visual recordings from St. Louis area survivors.

“One of our second-generation people had a DVD of her mother’s testimony,” Cavender shared. “She lays out the scenario [during her presentation of] what her mother is going to talk about [via the DVD]. Her mother has passed on. It’s a really cool way to have the survivor be a part of the testimony.”

Before a visitor enters the display areas of the museum, one can expect to see a wall adorned with a very unique art piece.

It consists of a cut-out of a menorah, surrounded by upraised images representative of the Holocaust period. Gold-plated lettering on the wall next to the art reads: “Donated by Leo and Sara Wolf in memory of their brothers and sisters lost in PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE BEARD

These images from a display at the Holocaust Museum Learning Center were donated by family members of Holocaust victims.

FEBRUARY 2018 | OUR TOWN | 11

the Holocaust.” HMLC is comprised of various display areas not limited to a room lined with the donated pictures of family members from the historical period, and eight display areas that capture the historical timeline and pictorials that bring visitors up to today with the Change Begins with Me – The Learning Center.

HMLC has a variety of programs that are aimed at engaging people of all backgrounds and traditions. Some include the Student Art and Writing Contest, Rosenberg Monthly Film Series, Anti-Defamation League (ADL) and Staenberg Education Trunk Program. The contest is an opportunity for youth who have visited the HMLC or studied the Holocaust in their classrooms to use their skill in art or writing to demonstrate what they have learned. All entries must be submitted by April 13.

The monthly film series is free of charge at HMLC, starts at 1 p.m. and requires RSVP. February 26 is the next showing with the film “Life is Beautiful (La Vita e Bella).” ADL is a partnership with law enforcement. It offers training for police officers that includes a tour of the museum, and application of law enforcement’s experiences during the Holocaust period. These lessons are made relevant to the roles of police today. The Trunk Program includes 10 middle school trunks and nine high school trunks used for distribution to teachers to help them with their Holocaust curriculum. The trunk is stocked with books, maps, and films to use in the classroom.

For more information on how to participate in these programs and others go to: https://hmlc.org/about-us/programs.

On Feb. 22 at 7 p.m., Voices of the Generation will be held at Congregation Shaare Emeth on 11645 Ladue Road. This presentation from Julie Kohner will teach about the Holocaust through its impact on one family, and the experience of survivors Hanna and Walter – her parents. The presentation will include the screening of a 1953 episode of the television program, “This Is Your Life” featuring Hanna Kohner. RSVPs are required by calling 314-442-3711.

“I think where we have our strongest impact is when we give tours to students and adult groups because we have a number of docents who help facilitate those tours. People [can] ask questions, get more information, and really understand how the Holocaust had such a tremendous impact on people of the Jewish faith,” said Cavender. “The history and lessons of the Holocaust really resonate for a lot of the docents who are here, and they convey that through their educational facilitation of a tour. People go though here and walk out a little bit like a dish rag because it’s emotional. We have a small museum, but we go through the chronology of the Holocaust.

I think the way we have it set up it really gets the message across and people understand the gravity of what transpired during that time in history and that people lost their entire families.”

To schedule a group tour at HMLC call 314-442-3711 or to find out more about the information presented in this story visit: www.hmlc.org.

(Right) This art piece welcomes visitors to the Holocaust Museum Learning Center

HOLOCAUST MUSEUM & LEARNING CENTER BIGSTOCK

12 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2018

CaringPartners

M

ost Americans want to stay in their homes as they age.

Not a bad plan, but what if your home doesn’t fit you as well as it once did?

Often, aging can be accompanied by a change in your ability to manage and move around in your home. That’s where assistive technology – better known as AT – comes in. No matter your age or what type of disability you may have, chances are there is an AT device out there that can help you with everyday tasks.

AT isn’t a new concept. In fact, most people have probably used an assistive device without realizing it. Smartphones, voice command technology and certain types of software all fall under the AT umbrella. AT also includes plenty of low-tech devices, like adapted pencil grips for students with disabilities.

There’s an ever-growing variety of AT tools available to help with household chores, work functions, getting around, seeing, hearing, learning and living independently in general. These devices and technologies are designed to help older adults and people with disabilities, but you may find that these tools can make life easier for anyone.

Examples of AT devices and tools include: • Hearing aids • Vehicle modifications, such as hand controls or wheelchair lifts • Devices that help with bathing and eating • Software modifications for those with hearing and visual challenges • Equipment, such as grab bars in a shower, to help prevent falls • Eye glasses and magnification devices to help individuals with low vision • Communication devices for individuals with speech disabilities • Wheelchairs, walkers and other mobility devices

THE RIGHT AT FOR YOU

At first, trying to find the right AT tools and solutions can feel overwhelming. The network of State Assistive Technology Act Programs is a good place to start. Your state AT Act program can provide information and support to help you identify and acquire AT that meets your needs.

These programs offer: • Device demonstration and short-term loan programs that allow you to try out equipment before purchasing • Reuse programs that provide gently used devices at substantial savings • Financing options, such as cash loan programs, that can help you get the AT devices you need You can find the AT Act Program in your state or territory at acl.gov/AT. You’ll also find additional information on state AT programs, data about the network of state AT programs and additional resources to help you find and obtain AT that fits your needs.

With more research and awareness around the importance of AT, the future possibilities for living independently in the place of your choosing are almost limitless.

FEBRUARY 2018 | OUR TOWN | 13

OurLifestyle

Roger Deakins and that r a c s O y k s pe

BY BRIAN GUERRO

“Skyfall”

COLUMBIA PICTURES

Oscar season is upon us again and it looks to be a very diverse group of well-deserved nominees. With everyone’s favorites bound to be in the spotlight front and center, film buffs know of an individual with 13 previous Oscar nominations without a single win – yet. Not an actor, producer or even a director, but a legendary director of photography who’s been on the hunt (for decades) for his long overdue statuette for Best Cinematography.

Roger Deakins is the visual mastermind directly behind GET OUT the lens in service for directors such as Sam Mendes, Frank Darabont, Ron Howard, Edward Zwick, Denis Villeneuve and, most of all, The Coen Brothers (Joel and Ethan). We’ve mentioned Deakins’ work before some time ago, but there’s something about his recent work for “Blade Runner: 2049” that has delighted critics giving more aggressive praise to Deakins (or any cinematographer) than ever before. Here is a look back at some of his most iconic work.

It wasn’t a thing for Deakins to work on a large-scale film, like this James Bond flick. After much insistence from director Sam Mendes, Deakins eventually accepted the job. Deakins and Mendes shot this movie (the single-shot silhouette fight scene being a standout) as if their careers depended on it.

“Blade Runner: 2049”

FX PRODUCTIONS

“The Shawshank Redemption”

COLUMBIA PICTURES

So far, every film working with director Denis Villeneueve (“Prisoners” and “Sicario”) has earned Roger Deakins an Oscar nomination. It’s nice to see Oscars given to people on their absolute best work, which doesn’t always happen respectively. “Blade Runner: 2049” is Roger Deakins’ greatest achievement – hands down!

“Fargo” “Barton Fink” was the first collaboration between Deakins and filmmakers Joel and Ethan Coen and it appeared to be a match made in heaven. This was Deakins’ second nomiTHE SHAPE OF WATER nation and the first of five for his cinematography work for the Coen Brothers. Here he set an artistic standard for how a thriller (with humor) should look in a cold – and snowy – environment in the middle of nowhere, where a lot can happen.

After sharing my ‘entertaining’ thoughts on film and television with you all for five years, beginning with the March column in 2013, this will be my final column as your entertainment writer. At this point, I will be moving on with my film and TV-editing career in full swing from here on out. It’s purely been a pleasure sharing my trivial thoughts with you, wishing you all the best and I’ll see you at the movies.

BULL PRODUCTIONS

This iconic film was the first of the 13 previous Oscar nominations in which Deakins’ work was recognized. Deakins and director Frank Darabont took full advantage of the real prison site and shot the heck out of it - never sacrificing the most importing thing about the film, the career milestone performances of its cast.

“O Brother, Where Art Thou?”

Roger Deakins’ work here with the Coen’s is arguably his most lush – in terms of color and beauty – and, ironically, it’s an adventure/comedy about three escaped convicts out on the run in the 1930’s south.

14 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2018

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.

AUDI A5

SPORTBACK BRINGS POWER AND PERFORMANCE TO 2018

New for 2018 is the Audi A5 Sportback.

Its standard engine is a 2.0-liter turbo four cylinder which is nicely matched with a seven-speed S-tronic dual-clutch automatic transmission. This performance execution helps to launch A5 from 0-60 mph in just 5.7 seconds.

This five-door vehicle with a rear liftback cargo hatch is basically designed and mirrored from the company’s breakthrough design language copied from their popular coupe model. It’s noticeably featured with a wider, flatter and unique front grille design and a longer yet lower hood blueprint that helps to highlight the powerful engines offered in the new A5 family line of vehicles.

The precise, wave-design shoulder lines are quite pronounced and gives the car a high degree of strength. The car’s rear horizontal design profile is joined by the slim, yet sculpted three-dimension LED taillights that offer a distinctly powerful look.

A5 is a fun-to-drive and nimble-handling automobile that offers up distinctive styling, notable passing power, excellent versatility and standard seating for up to

OurThoughts five adults. With double the cargo capacity over the two door coupe and generous interior space, the A5 and its racing inspired S5 Sportback model is clearly a functional and sporty choice for customers.

The refined interior of the A5 includes greater attention to detail through functional refinements and additional driverfocused technologies. Three-dimensional, decorative inlay trim with climate control integration spans from the door panels across the dashboard and thus helps to add tranquility to the car’s passenger cabin.

Regardless, if you’re drawn towards the Audi A5 or the S5 Sportback performance version, it comes standard with their quattro all-wheel drive system. The A5 model line also receives a redesigned front fivelink suspension with lightweight construction which offers greater steering precision and excellent handling through its optimized steering-rack placement design.

For those seeking to feed their rapid acceleration appetite, the S5 Sportback is equipped with a re-engineered 3.0-liter turbo V6 engine. It produces an impressive 354 hp and 369 lb-ft of torque and sprints from 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds. It’s matched with an eight-speed Tiptronic automatic transmission. Audi adaptive cruise control with stop and go traffic jam assist, help drivers navigate the road and traffic with confidence. A full-color heads-up display is available on A5 and S5 models, projecting relevant driving information within the driver’s field of vision.

Model year 2018 A5/S5 Sportback manufacturer suggested retail prices start out at $42,600 and top out (before options) at $58,800. It’s sold in three versions. Manufactured in Ingolstadt, Germany, destination charges are excluded which come out to be $975. Dealer’s set actual pricing. The base warranty is for fouryears/50,000 miles. Also included is oneyear/10,000 miles of courtesy scheduled maintenance. At roadtest, the A5 I drove with the 2.0-liter engine showed 24-mpg city/34-mpg with highway driving.

David Finkelstein is a Master/Skill Automotive Service Technician, and a shop owner.

He’s also invented garage service tools for mechanics and has served on both National and local Automotive Trade Industry Boards. He pioneered “Car Talk Radio” starting out with KMOX/CBS Radio and hosted “Auto Talk” on KFTK/FOX News Radio for 15-years.

David tests and evaluates new vehicles weekly and does some consulting with various auto manufacturers.

FEBRUARY 2018 | OUR TOWN | 15

OurLifestyle

Make kitchen time easier Pork Loin Chops with Sweet Balsamic Mushrooms Servings: 8

Ingredients: 8 boneless center-cut pork loin chops (4 ounces each), trimmed of fat 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper 2 tablespoons canola oil, divided 12 ounces sliced portobello mushrooms 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/2 teaspoon salt, divided 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 2 tablespoons water 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce 1 teaspoon sugar 2 tablespoons chopped green onions

16 | OUR TOWN | FEBRUARY 2018

Directions: Sprinkle both sides of pork with pepper.

In large skillet over medium-high heat, heat 1 tablespoon canola oil. Cook pork chops 4 minutes on each side, or until internal temperature reaches 160 F. Reserve four pork chops in refrigerator to make Pressed Pepperoncini-Pork Sandwiches.

In skillet over medium-high heat, heat remaining canola oil; tilt skillet to coat bottom lightly. Cook mushrooms 4-5 minutes, or until tender and juices begin to release,

stirring occasionally. Stir in garlic and 1/4 teaspoon salt; cook 15 seconds, stirring constantly. Place over pork chops; cover to keep warm.

To pan residue, add vinegar, water, Worcestershire sauce, sugar and remaining salt. Bring to boil over medium-high heat and boil 1 1/2-2 minutes, or until reduced to 2 tablespoons, scraping bottom and sides of skillet. Drizzle sauce over pork and mushrooms. Sprinkle with onions.

OurLifestyle

T

hroughout 2018, you can create easy, healthy and delicious family meals by using time-saving recipes.

For example, these “Cook Once, Eat Twice” recipes from CanolaInfo start with pork chops that double as the base for lunch or dinner the following day.

“The more you cook your own meals, the more you can control portion sizes and ingredients,” said Manuel Villacorta, registered dietitian. “Knowing the

right oil to use is essential. I like using canola oil to keep the flavors of your dishes intact due to its neutral taste and light texture. Plus, it contains high levels of monounsaturated fat and plant-based omega 3 fat, and is low in saturated fat. I use it regularly in my home kitchen and recommend it to my clients.”

For more time-saving recipes, visit canolainfo.org.

Pressed Pepperoncini-Pork Sandwiches Servings: 4 Ingredients: 12 ounces crusty French bread, unsliced 4 leftover pork chops from Pork Loin Chops with Sweet Balsamic Mushrooms recipe 2/3 cup pepperoncini slices 1 plum tomato, chopped 1/4 cup finely chopped red onion 2 garlic cloves, minced 1 1/2 tablespoons canola oil 1 1/2 tablespoons cider vinegar 1 1/2 teaspoons dried oregano 1/4 teaspoon dried pepper flakes 3 slices ultra-thin sliced Swiss cheese, cut in half

Directions:

Hollow out top and bottom halves of bread, leaving 1/2-inch thick shell.

Place pork on bottom half of bread. In bowl, combine pepperoncini, tomato, onion, garlic, canola oil, vinegar, oregano and pepper flakes. Spoon pepperoncini mixture and any accumulated juices on top of pork and top with cheese.

Cover with top half of loaf. Press down firmly to flatten sandwich and allow flavors and juices to absorb. Cut filled loaf crosswise into four equal pieces.

FEBRUARY 2018 | OUR TOWN | 17

InDepth

There is ROOM at the INN

PHOTOS BY CHARLOTTE BEARD

Room at the Inn serves as a temporary, emergency shelter for homeless women and families

BY CHARLOTTE BEARD To most St. Louis citizens, Room at the Inn has been a secret since its early stages in December 1988 and Development Manager, Troy Miles wants to change that in the coming year.

Room at the Inn, located at 3415 Bridgeland Drive in Bridgeton, is a temporary, emergency shelter for homeless women and families, regardless of the age or gender of the children. Miles did share that assistance is extended to men who come with children as well and may sometimes involve a mother and father coming with children.

With a facility that can accommodate only 20 people per day for sleeping, Room at the Inn partners with almost 60 churches that provide an overnight stay with dinner and breakfast the following morning to families in need. These interfaith churches fall under the Inn’s group of Night Site Partners, who also receive training. Each church serves a set number of women and families one night a month. Those requiring assistance are encouraged to go through the St. Louis Regional Housing Helpline which refers people to the Inn and other facilities.

Besides Miles and the Executive Director, Tiffany Jackson, the day facility is staffed by five additional members. The idea for Room at the Inn originated in 1988 when a minister from McKnight Road Church of Christ borrowed the idea from a program in Tennessee to use church space for hous18

| OUR TOWN | FEBRAURY 2018

ing the overflow from shelters.

More churches in St. Louis County began housing the overflow from the Salvation Army’s shelter on the weekends and during the winter. In 1992 the “inn model” for the Salvation Army evolved to year-round provisions after acquisition of a grant from St. Louis County Department of Human Services and Housing Resource Commission, which enabled recruitment of more churches. The Sisters of Divine Providence, who currently sponsors Room at the Inn, was asked to house the expanded day site at that time. In 1993 the Sisters made a commitment to provide a portion of their facility. When they moved to the Bridgeton site in 1999, one-third of their facility was designed to accommodate the present-day Inn. The Inn, a 501(c)(3) incorporated agency, which refers to the homeless they serve as “clients,” collaborates with over 50 outside agencies to aid them in gaining independence.

Among the many agencies are: Almost Home, BJC Mental Health, Dress for Success, Housing Authority, Life Skills Foundation, and St. Louis Crisis Nursery.

Room at the Inn is also one of 44 key partners in the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund and receives funding to provide shelter to youth ages 19 and under. The fund is a coalition of nonprofit agencies whose mission is to “improve the lives of children, youth, and families in St. Louis County

InDepth by strategically investing in the creation and maintenance of an integrated system of care that delivers effective and quality mental health and substance abuse services.”

Development Manager, Miles reported that the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act of 1987 makes it possible for youth to get the assistance they need to still attend school during this phase of their lives. More specifically the act ensures homeless children transportation to and from school free of charge, allowing them to attend the last school where they were enrolled or the school they attended when they first became homeless. Schools also must register homeless children regardless of missing required documents, such as immunization records or proof of residence.

Catherine Welsh, Night Site Coordinator for St. Norbert Catholic Church in Florissant and recent December host, shared that her parish has been a host for five years. Welsh has found that people have been very open in volunteering their time.

Though the church does get outside volunteers, she states that most have been parishioners of St. Norbert. St. Norbert has their team of volunteers divided up into the following groups to minimize the burden: 1) setup and greeters who prepare the accommodation areas of the church as well as greet clients, 2) evening drivers who pick up the assigned overflow of clients from the Inn, 3) evening food preparers and servers 4) evening host for postdinner activities, 5) innkeepers who oversee the guests during their night stay, 6) morning breakfast preparers, 7) morning drivers who transport clients back to the Inn, 8) clean up team, and 9) launderers who gather towels and strip the bed linens for laundering.

Welsh reports that St. Norbert has one or two innkeepers per month. If they are older volunteers, the church ensures reclining chairs are provided for sleeping to accommodate not having to get down low on the blowup mattresses.

Welsh shared that those they serve express a lot of gratefulness for all

provisions and warmth shown them.

However, being at a different site every night does take its toll for some.

During some visits a guest may prefer to retire to their sleeping quarters after dinner rather than engage in a group activity. She expressed that some just need the solitude.

Room at the Inn is making strides in the impact it has on the community. Room at the Inn’s latest annual report for year ending 2016 indicates that 30 percent of its clients secured housing and moved into their new homes. The average length of stay for the 163 clients served during the year was 50 days. Ninety-five of those clients were adults and 68 were children, which made up 85 households. The Inn’s employment readiness program yielded 41 percent of its participating clients as new job recipients for the year. Other numbers to note: 92 percent of children were enrolled in school and attended regularly, 100 percent of client mental health assessments were completed, and 59 church congregations of 15 different faith backgrounds served 343 nights in the year. The service nights are representative of 2,335 volunteers.

Room at the Inn is having its first Annual Sleep Out, a fundraiser and to celebrate 25 years of service to the homeless on March 23 starting at 6 p.m. on the Inn’s parking lot.

Guest host for the evening will be Fox 2’s Tim Ezell. Participants are invited to help raise awareness for homeless women and families in St. Louis. Participants will experience a night of homelessness by sleeping out on the parking lot or one of the night site’s lot. To participate as an individual or as a team, contact Troy Miles at TMiles@roomstl.org or call Troy Miles at 314-209-9181.

When asked what kind of donations does Room at the Inn need, Miles stated that one should think of the necessities that they themselves need. Cash donations are always helpful as well gas cards, bus and MetroLink passes, clothing shoes, and coats. For a complete list visit: https://roomstl.org/waystogive.

Top. (From left) Gina Timme, Mary Kaminski and Troy Miles all work with Room at the Inn (Middle and Bottom) A typical Room at the Inn setup.

FEBRUARY 2018 | OUR TOWN | 19

February 1 National Freedom Day 2 Groundhog Day 8

Food packing event Operation Food Search, a nonprofit hunger relief organization, will host its “Share the Love” Rap ‘N Pack from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at OFS’ headquarters located at 1644 Lotsie Blvd. The cost is $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Participants ages 21 years of age and older will help pack food for food insecure children and their families. Volunteers will enjoy upbeat music, appetizers and adult beverages. They will learn more about the nonprofit organization that feeds more than 200,000 individuals on a monthly basis – one-third of which are children – through a network of 330 community partners in 31 Missouri and Illinois counties. To sign up for the Rap ‘N Pack, visit http://www.OperationFoodSearch.org or call 314-726-5355.

12 Lincoln’s Birthday 14 Valentine’s Day

14 Ash Wednesday service The season of Lent begins with Ash Wednesday. Calvary United Church of Christ at 2501 Hartland Ave. invites the community at 11 a.m. for its Ash Wednesday Service.

The service will include the imposition of ashes and communion. All are welcome to participate. Questions call 314-429-7464.

16 Chinese New Year 17 Monthly writing workshop Writing workshop at Jamestown Bluff branch of St. Louis County Library at 4153 N. Highway 67 in Florissant from 11 a.m. – 1 p.m. Bring work to read and share with group. Free event sponsored by Write Sistahs Literary Group. Email writesistahs@yahoo.com or call 314-2104774 for more info.

19 Presidents’ Day