StreetScape Summer 2017

SUMMER 2017

t u O k c e h C

HEN C T I K WINE Y KE WHaISge 68 P

Summer Fun R V

• ecipes

• acation • estivities

F

Home Décor

•

Fashion C edar Lake Cellars

Summer 2017

1

JUNE-JULY 2017 CALENDAR JULY

JUNE 11

St. Charles Municipal Big Band

Frontier Park

14

StreetsFest Concert on Beale Street

15

BCI’s Wing Ding – Chicken Wing Competition for a Cause

Streets of St. Charles

Family Arena Lot

15-17 New Melle Festival 16-18 Wine Country Fest in Defiance 17 PRIDE St. Charles Frontier Park

20

Food Trucks in Frontier Park

21

Music on Main – Tony Campanella Band

28

Frontier Park

8-9 9 12

Tri Hard Big Shark Triathlon

New Town at St. Charles

St. Charles Municipal Big Band

Frontier Park

StreetsFest Concert on Beale Street

Streets of St. Charles

100-200 blks of North Main

19

St. Charles County Symphony, Blockbusters for a great Nation!

25-29 St. Charles County Fair

OPO, 119 South Main

2 StreetScape Magazine

Saturday, July 1 • 5pm to 10:30pm Sunday, July 2 - Tuesday July 4 • Noon to 10:30pm FRONTIER PARK

Music on Main – Soulard Blues Band 100-200 blks of North Main Rotary Park – Wentzville

Table of Contents 4. Publisher ’s Note

8

FutureScape

8. Solar Eclipse 2017 10. Into the Future: Dream Job Ahead

Dynamic Duo

12

12. Dynamic Duo Hank & Susan Raedeke

Glad Hearts

14. In Plain Sight 16. Touching Hearts Through Names of Grace

Home Sweet Home

20

Fashion

36

20. Create Outdoor Spaces 26. Outdoor Decor

36. The Taste of Summer

Wedding

47

14

47. Creative. Colorful. Unique. Keepsakes

Recipes

58. For the Grill of it!

58

Entertainment

82

BusinessScape

60. Spectrum: Northwest Plaza 66. The Art of Accomplishment Comes to St. Charles 68. The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey 70. The White Hare

60

74. Dan Lennon Missouri Director of Tourism 76. Plan Your Red Hot Musical Summer in St. Charles 80. Wayward Critic: Netflix & Chill 82. SK8 Club: Where Two or More are Gathered 84. Gene Simmons 88. Cara Mason: Hard Work & Destiny 90. The Ambassadors of Harmony Society Pages Begin Page 92 Cover Image Credits

Photography: Lance Tilford | Wardrobe Styling: Tamara Tungate | Hair & Makeup: Lisa Kalz Dress – Leopard Boutique | Necklace – MOss Boutique | Hat – Marshall’s Cover Design: Jeanne Strickland Summer 2017

3

Publisher’s Note

For those that may say “print is dead”…recent research proves that is just not true. Quite the opposite. A survey, commissioned by Two Sides and undertaken by international research company Toluna, sought the opinions/preferences of 1,000 people in the U.S. on a number of issues relating to the switch from paper-based to digital media. The survey revealed 79% found printed media more relaxing to read, while 60% of mobile/smart phone users (71% of 18 – 24 year olds) were concerned about how these devices were damaging their health (eye strain, headaches, insomnia). Overall, the survey reported that 79% of respondents preferred to read print on paper when given the choice, stating that “the results of the survey have lessons for all those who choose the way in which information is distributed, particularly for advertisers, marketers and educators who need to understand how information is being delivered, received, processed and retained.”

And print is the most trusted type of ad. According to a survey by MarketingSherpa, 82% of U.S. internet users trust print ads when making a purchase decision, more than any other medium.

According to experts such as MarketingProfs, “the most effective marketing strategy is the one that covers all your bases, with both printed and digital media.” They say that merging print with digital can be more powerful than each medium alone. That’s exactly what StreetScape offers! Our new content-rich website is the perfect complement to our printed publication… and an excellent way for businesses and organizations to reach their target audience.

So check it out at www.streetscapemagazine.com.

Both online and in this issue of StreetScape Magazine, you can read about a 128-year-old church in St. Louis being transformed into a skate park--decorated by area artists; some fun and interesting facts about the state of Missouri and the Division of Tourism; Rocker Gene Simmons’ visit to honor Chuck Berry and to present a scholarship to a wounded veteran’s son; and lots of great outdoor décor and grilling ideas.

As usual, there are plenty of fun activities throughout St. Charles County all summer long, including the viewing of the total eclipse!

Have a happy and safe 4th of July! I’ll be seeing you around.

Thomas P. Hannegan Publisher & Founder, StreetScape Magazine

s o i d u St Photos courtesy of Alan Wang Photography

4 StreetScape Magazine

NOW

o p e n 3501 NEW TOWN BLVD ST. CHARLES, MO 63301

TOUR or BOOK STUDIO TIME PHOTOGRAPHY or VIDEO STUDIO 314.537.5655 SCOTT@STREETSCAPEMAG.COM

StreetScapeMag.com Summer 2017

5

the d n i h s e e n B Sce

Scott Mell Sales Account Manager 314.537.5655 Scott@StreetScapeMag.com

Judy Peters Senior Sales Account Manager 636.448.2074 Judy@StreetScapeMag.com

Jeanne Strickland Layout | Design | Graphics 314.605.7193 Jeanne@StreetScapeMag.com

Jackie Vick Production & Distribution 636.875.6833 Jackie@StreetScapeMag.com

Tom Hannegan

Founder & Publisher | Tom@StreetScapeMag.com

Mary Ellen Renaud PR Director-Marketing 314.660.1975 Renaud7207@Outlook.com

6 StreetScape Magazine

Lance Tilford Contributing Photographer LanceTilfordPhotography.com Lance@LTphoto.us

Michael Schlueter Contributing Photographer 314.580.7105 SchlueterPhoto.com

DISTRIBUTED TO Chesterfield • Cottleville • Dardenne Prairie

Lake St. Louis • Maryland Heights • New Town O’Fallon • St. Charles • St. Peters Weldon Spring • Wentzville ADVISORY BOARD Deborah Alessi

Steve Kaspar

Susan Berthold

Mike Klinghammer

Nadine Boon

Kelley Lamm

Linda Brown-Didion

Martha Mazzola

Steve Church

Bob Millstone

John Clark

Connie Petree

Sally Faith

Susie Pundmann

April Feldewerth

Linda Sanchez

Lorna Frahm

Kelley Scheidegger-Barbee

Grace Harmon

Victoria Schmitt-Babb

Mike Haverstick

Keith Schneider

Ann Hazelwood

Vicki Schneider

Jason Hughes

Mary West

Dianne Isbell

Brian Wies

Lisa Kalz

George Wise

Your Hometown Lender

Serving St. Charles, St. Louis and surrounding communities since 1993

Volume 21, Issue 3 SUMMER 2017 TPH Media 223 North Main Street | St. Charles, Missouri 63301 636.448.2074 Judy@StreetScapeMag.com www.StreetScapeMagazine.com

StreetScape Magazine is registered in the US Patent and Trademark Office. #3251745. Any reproduction of StreetScape Magazine or its contents requires publishers written consent. StreetScape Magazine aims to ensure that information is accurate and correct at all times but cannot accept responsibility for mistakes. StreetScape Magazine reserves the right to refuse an advertisement and assumes no responsibility for submitted materials.

Unsolicited material must include a self-addressed stamped envelope. © 2017 TPH Media. All rights reserved.

Diane Bazzell NMLS:381333

Rob Bazzell NMLS:381333

Company NMLS: 1228440

636.940.9290 Located on Historic St. Charles Main Street

200 N. Main Street • St. Charles, MO 63301 Summer 2017

7

Solar Eclipse

FUTURESCAPE

2

Written by Jeff Stahlhut

17

On August 21, 2017, up to half a billion people will have the opportunity to WITNESS A TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE – millions of whom will be in the United States – including people across the state of Missouri.

Those in a particularly good viewing spot are people who live across the middle of the state, where viewing will be as good - or better - than anywhere else.

Dr. Angela Speck, Professor and Director of Astronomy at the University of Missouri, says this event is the rarest of rare celestial events – it’s an event that hasn’t been seen at this magnitude in almost 600 years.

“There is a total solar eclipse approximately once a year somewhere on the planet, but the area from which totality can be seen is only 1/1,000 of the surface area of the earth,” said Dr. Speck. “So it’s common on a planetary scale, but rare on a local scale. On average, the time between eclipses at a single location is approximately 375 years – but the cycles are complicated. Central and Southeastern Missouri haven’t seen one since 1442. Southeastern Missouri gets another one in 2024.”

What exactly is a total solar eclipse? According to nasa.gov, “A total solar eclipse is only visible from a small area on Earth. The people who see the total eclipse are in the center of the moon’s shadow when it hits Earth. The sky becomes very dark, as if it were night.

For a total eclipse to take place, the sun, moon and Earth must be in a direct line.”

Dr. Speck, Professor and Director of Astronomy at the University of Missouri, offered an explanation as to why so many people are going to have the chance to view this historic eclipse.

“There are 12 million people in the country who can view the eclipse in totality without traveling anywhere. The rest of the country will see a good partial eclipse – and if we include Canada and Mexico – there’s a potential for half a billion people to see something of the eclipse event.”

With so many people in the path, local authorities are going out of their way to give people the best chance to see the eclipse. Nancy Lee Gomar, the St. Charles County Parks & Rec Marketing Coordinator, offered StreetScape plenty of information about the viewing parties that are being planned.

“The St. Charles County Parks and Recreation Department and the Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri have been planning this event since Fall 2016, said Gomar. “We chose Klondike Park, Broemmelsiek Park and Quail Ridge Park to host these special events because they are in the line of totality and thus will have a substantial amount of total darkness. The Klondike Park event, near Augusta, is the most desirable because it has 2 minutes 14 seconds of totality, out of the 2 minutes 40 seconds maximum amount of totality occurring at the center line of the solar eclipse.”

8 StreetScape Magazine

That’s not to say the other spots aren’t going to be great for viewing, though.

“The second best place to view the eclipse will be at Broemmelsiek Park near Defiance, where the duration of totality is 1 minute 35 seconds. The Quail Ridge Park event will have the least amount of totality with 1 minute 1 second,” added Gomar. “Gates for each event will open at 9 a.m.”

Those interested in going to one of these events need to reserve a spot as soon as possible.

“Since space is limited to 1,000 guests at each Total Eclipse in the Park event, all guests must pre-register online at www.stcccparks. org or call 636-949-7535, prior to August 8 for this free event,” said Gomar. “We already have nearly 400 guests registered for the Klondike Park event, 150 for the Broemmelsiek Park event and 150 for the Quail Ridge Park event.”

Given the rarity of the event, Gomar says the parks should be full – and a lot of fun.

“I suspect the Klondike Park event is going to sell out first because it has the longest totality or total darkness time at 2 minutes 14 seconds,” she said. “Once we are at capacity, we will not be able to allow any additional guests into the park. After guests register, they will receive an email with details about when and where they need to pick up their event packet. Each event packet will have a parking pass and commemorative eclipse glasses for safe viewing. Guests will not be allowed in the park without these items.”

Guests will, however, be set for an interesting, historic, and fun time – and there will be a lot of people in attendance. “Food and drink vendors will be on site for each event,” said Gomar. “Since parking is limited, carpooling is a must and we are asking guests to have 3-5 people in their vehicle. Guests attending any event should wear sensible shoes and be prepared to walk through the park when they arrive. Seating is also limited, so guests should bring a lawn chair or blanket to sit on. Since this is a once-in-a-lifetime event happening right here in St. Charles County, it’s anticipated that as many as 50,000 tourists may visit our area to see this grand spectacle in the sky unfold. Guests attending our Total Eclipse in the Park events might want to consider leaving the house a little earlier because the roadways leading to our parks may be more congested than usual.”

August

t men quire 15 e Re 2-2:20 31

ts th Mee ISO 12 for

Learn 21, 201

INST RUCTION radia tion any S FOR solar USE: eclipse, time you Wear look your Eclipse SAFE FOR small use your Eclip directly at is visib Shades ® DIRECT le. This se Shades ®the Sun or SOLAR the Sun to protect prod whe such as cam uct should never ANY ’s reflectionyour eyes VIEWING not from eras, PART . Whe solar telescopebe used with of the Sun n looking s , no matt at a Children or binocula any other er how rs. This optical should use only product applianc "CE" certified with adul is not a es whic toy. t supe h mee rvision requirem ts the tran ents of scal smission e 12-1 EN 169/ 6 of 1992 .

7

more

at StL ouisEclip

se201

FRON

7.org

T (Out

SAFE

side)

BACK (In FOR

side)

DIREC

T SO

ECLIPSE LAR SHA VIEWI Mfg Rainbow. in U.S DES ® NG .A. by Reseda Sympho , CA 913 ny, Inc. (818) eclipse@ 708 35 USA rainbowsy-8400 www.rainb mphony.co owsympho ny.com m

WAR NIN DO NOT G: NEV ER LOO BEFORE USE IF K AT DAM AGED. THE SUN separatio EACH USE disinfect, n from fram : Check Using dam WITHOUT e. If dam front and aged Eclip SPECIA (under Meets L EYE back se gene ral cond aged, cut of each Shades ® PROTEC 1338 the 2012 into .1:1992 Tran can ition lens for TION for Ecli smission s of use small piec damageresult in seve . pse filte Require this shou es and such re eye disc Certified ld not men as rs. (Qu be nece ard. DO NOT scratche injury. eenslan ts of EN Standard by: Briti #008 ssar 1836 sh attem s, pinholes d Dire 6 s pt to ctive) :2005 & y). or HP2 Notified bodyInstitute clean AS/N 4SQ or ZS

To sum up the excitement around the eclipse, Dr. Speck made its magnitude perfectly clear: “This will be the most-watched celestial event…EVER.” ¤

Included in the packet for those planning to go to a St. Charles Park event will be safety glasses. Glasses are also available for purchase.

“The Astronomical Society of Eastern Missouri (ASEM) will sell our commemorative glasses in bundles of 50 or more,” said Gomar. “For more information about purchasing glasses from ASEM, email Outreach@asemonline.org. Or If a group wants custom solar eclipse glasses, they can also check out the League webstore at www.astroleague.org/store to order or email leaguesales@astroleague.org.

Keeping your eyes safe is of the utmost importance during an eclipse, so the glasses are a must-have. According to the website eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety, not wearing protective glasses could cause permanent damage.

“Trouble comes when you deliberately stare at the sun,” it states. “Why would you do that? To follow the progress of a solar eclipse, of course! But gazing at the sun for any length of time without proper eye protection is terribly dangerous and may result in “eclipse blindness,” a serious injury in which the eye’s retina is damaged by solar radiation. Fortunately most victims eventually recover their eyesight, but there are some who suffer permanent loss of some or all of their vision.”

Summer 2017

9

Into the Future Written by Jeff Stahlhut 10 StreetScape Magazine

With a constantly changing job market, it’s often difficult to know from one year to the next – even month-to-month – what the hottest field might be. Right now, though, particularly in St. Charles County, there is what is being described by many as a boom in tech and manufacturing jobs.

According to Christine Zika, the Director of Business Development at the Economic Development Center of St. Charles County, this is more than just perception – it’s quite real.

“In 2015, the Progressive Policy Institute issued their Tech/Info Job Rankings Policy Brief, which listed St. Charles County as one of the top 25 counties nationwide for tech job growth,” she said.

“Between 2011-2014, St. Charles County experienced a 19.4% increase in Tech/Info jobs. They attributed the growth in this sector to our thriving aerospace supplier industry. So, last year we weren’t surprised when it was determined that aerospace supplier manufacturers should be one of our Key Industries for continued prosperity in our County.”

Dr. John D. Bookstaver, Interim Vice President for Academic and Student Affairs at St. Charles Community College (SCC), told StreetScape that all of that growth is creating a definite shortage in workers.

“We consistently hear from local employers that they have a hard time finding trained workers. Data from the Missouri Economic Research and Information Center (MERIC) confirms that this shortage is real, particularly in the fields SCC is focusing on,” he said. “Jobs in information technology, health care--specifically nursing and occupational therapy--and logistics are among those projected to grow the fastest in the region over the next five to ten years. And that’s where we are focusing much of our attention.”

So what might have led to this growth and demand? According to Zika, many different factors have played a part.

“There are several reasons why this boom has occurred in St. Charles County. One reason is our low cost of living and the other is the close proximity to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs),” she said. “According to the Tax Foundation, the real value of $100 U.S. Dollars is $111.86 in Missouri and only $88.97 in California. Our low cost of living is important for a company that is currently operating, as well as to an entrepreneur that is bootstrapping a new technology. Having two OEMs in our County has also helped us attract and retain key suppliers that are drivers in new technologies. In addition, our entrepreneurial ecosystem is readily accessible with many resources available to help the next big idea become a household name.”

While the demand for employees is an encouraging sign, Dr. Bookstaver says the demand caused by the boom is evident. “It depends on the industry, but the state has documented a steady stream of online job ads in fields like IT and logistics that number in the hundreds,” he said. “And many healthcare jobs, especially jobs for occupational therapy assistants, are projected to grow at an average rate of 3% per year over the next five years.”

To that end, Dr. Bookstaver says local schools, including SCC, are taking steps to help fill these positions.

“We are addressing this issue on several fronts.

We have been working with area school districts on a Career Exploration Alliance that lines up students in K-12 with industry professionals so they can begin to investigate career options before they get to college,” he said. “In addition, we have aligned many degrees and certificates in high-demand fields with industry credentials to ensure students are obtaining the skills employers want and need.”

And that’s not all they are doing, as SCC recently purchased the old Barat Academy building in Chesterfield.

“Our purchase of the property at One Academy Place, I think, is a concrete example of our commitment to develop the local workforce,” said Dr. Bookstaver. “It will immediately allow us to expand our offerings in some Allied Health fields and will give us the space to start and grow new programs in fields like logistics, advanced manufacturing, agriculture, culinary and food science.”

They are not alone in this effort, either.

“One very exciting initiative among all the community colleges in the state is the formation of the Missouri Community College Workforce Development Network,” added Dr. Bookstaver.

“Through the Network, businesses will have access to the resources of every community college in the state when they contact their local community college for help. So if a business needs training that we are not able to provide, we will connect them with a community college partner who can help them.”

Zika, meanwhile, says efforts to fill the jobs cannot be fixed by more than just local schools providing potential workers – the businesses are going to have to convince those workers to come on board.

“Recruitment is going to be key in alleviating shortages,” she said.

“Recently, the City of St. Charles finished their first employee recruitment effort in Effingham, IL. The City of St. Charles economic developers and seven of their major employers held a job fair in that city for the purposes of recruiting workforce. They were happy to report that one individual was recruited and several others are being considered. They are planning to conduct another of these job fairs in another Illinois city in the near future.

“We see this model being repeated not only in cities in Illinois but also military posts,” added Zika. “St. Charles County embraces those that have served our country and we want them to know that there is a welcoming community here waiting for them with many job choices.”

Dr. Bookstaverr noted that all those looking to enter the workforce need to be prepared and to look to the future while considering their path.

“I think it is important for students to do their homework and learn about different career possibilities.

And it is never too early to start. Take advantage of programs like the Career Exploration Alliance or one of the new CAPS (Center for Advanced Professional Studies) programs some districts like Wentzville are starting,” he said. “Do not be afraid to ask questions of their family and friends to find out what their jobs involve, and utilize the services provided by their schools’ counseling offices.”

Dr. Bookstaver also offered up some different things for students to look into.

“Many fields have what we call stackable credentials. Students interested in healthcare, for instance, can start out in a non-credit program like the Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) program, which will allow them to work in a healthcare facility,” he said. “Many of those facilities have programs through which they will financially support or subsidize further education so that students who earned their CNA can, while they are working, go on to earn their Licensed Practical Nursing (LPN) certification. Then, if they wish, they can pursue an Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), after which they can sit for the licensing exam for Registered Nurses. So there are ways for students who find the pursuit of a full degree to be a daunting task to break that degree up into smaller pieces, each of which gives them skills to gain employment. I think this is a great option for students to explore.”

Anyone interested in learning more about the St. Charles EDC can do so online at http://edcscc.com/. For more information about St. Charles Community College, visit https://www.stchas.edu/. ¤

Summer 2017

11

Dynamic Duo

Hank & Susan

Raedeke Written by Amy Armour Photos Courtesy of The Raedeke Family

“I like to keep in touch with the kids,” said Susan, who also plays the organ and bells at her church.

Hank has been a Stephen minister for the last six years, working with adults who are facing a crisis.

“You provide a listening ear so they can get out their feelings and help support them,” said Hank. “It’s a way to help others.”

Education has always been a love for both Hank and Susan, and they continue to foster that love by donating their time and talent to different causes.

Whether it’s sewing costumes for a children’s play, helping build a library for a city school, or playing the organ at a church service, a St. Charles County couple has been sharing their love for education and the arts with the community for years.

Hank and Susan Raedeke have dedicated their lives to education and the arts.

Susan taught elementary school for 30 years, retiring from Emmanuel Lutheran School in St. Charles about nine years ago. Hank, who has a Master’s in Education and Administration, retired after 30 years as a principal, most recently at Emmanuel Lutheran.

Since retiring, Susan volunteers at Emmanuel Lutheran School in St. Charles in the library, reading to students or checking in books. Susan also shares her sewing skills, helping make costumes for the school musicals.

12 StreetScape Magazine

While the couple was living in Baltimore, Susan worked on the Maryland Writing Project. She taught children from kindergarten to college all the steps in the writing process. Every child wrote an entire book, which was published. The children also kept a journal about their feelings.

When the couple heard about the struggling River Roads Lutheran School in Baden, they decided to go there for a visit. When touring the school in 2015, they asked about a room that had stacks of random books hanging off mismatched and broken shelves. The principal explained that students were trying to create a school library by gathering books from other classrooms. The books were cast-offs, outdated and dirty.

“These kids were trying so hard to start their own library,” said Susan.

“So we asked if we could please come and help,” said Hank.

The couple built bench seating and shelves to organize the books, painted the room, and added carpeting. A Georgia school that was closing donated all of their books to the new River Roads library. With help from volunteers, Susan washed the books and cataloged them that summer. The couple also purchased a large giraffe to overlook the library, and held contest to name him. “Spots” was the winner.

The couple also commissioned a wellknown St. Louis artist to do two paintings—featuring fathers and children— that are now hung in the new library.

One of the paintings includes the phrase, ‘Through God I’m committed to making a difference in my son’s life.’

“The principal is really trying to promote fathers getting involved because hardly any of the kids have fathers around,” said Susan.

“It’s so gratifying to see them keep up the library and use it,” said Hank.

“It’s a peaceful place. The principal says he goes in there to unwind and just think,” said Susan.

The following Summer the couple decided to tackle another room at River Roads Lutheran School—a STEAM Lab. With the help of volunteers, the couple transformed the science room into a functional workspace for the elementary school.

“We decided let’s just show up with a paint brush and help them,” said Hank.

The team tore out the lockers and added shelving and cabinets. Hank said Mark Krueger, retired shop teacher from the Francis Howell School District, helped tremendously with the building projects.

The team designed and built four large tables from scratch, using a dry erase surface for the top.

“Kids can draw diagrams or problems and just wipe it off,” said Hank.

The new flooring materials were donated and the team installed them. Bulletin boards were hung, and a 3D printer was purchased.

“It’s really gratifying to see kids using it,” said Hank.

Unfortunately, River Roads Lutheran School is still struggling, and will have to restructure in some way next year. The school almost closed down at Christmas time, but was able to remain open through this school year. The couple is holding off on any more projects at the school until a decision is made about its future.

The couple is extremely modest about their dedication and accomplishments.

“I just really like to build and I have a fun time with it,” said Hank. “We really enjoyed working on the projects.”

Hank is a very hands-on artist, and he considers his “art” building and designing. He built a porch addition on his home, laid all the floors throughout the house and created a large brick patio to complete his immaculately landscaped backyard. His yard features a couple of fountains he created and designed from casting elephant ear plants in cement.

children design their own art-- seeing what their young minds can create.

“The younger they are, the more fearless they are,” said Susan. “They just plunge in and they like it... I just think it’s fun because they come up with art that we could never do as an adult. It’s just so free and so beautiful.”

With such similar interests, it’s no wonder the couple hit it off immediately while attending Concordia College in Ann Arbor, Michigan back in the 1960s.

The couple met when Hank forgot to sign up for a practice room to complete his required number of hours on the organ for teacher’s training. With no space to practice, he snuck into Susan’s practice room.

“I was desperate and I stole her practice room,” said Hank. “It was love at first sight.”

After the chance encounter, the couple starting dating. Concordia College was a two-year program and the couple attended different four-year universities. Even though they were across the country, they kept the relationship going.

“We wrote letters for almost three years.

We have more than 800 letters in the basement,” said Susan.

The couple married in 1968, and have three adult sons, as well as six grandchildren from the ages of 4-13. The couple often finishes each other’s sentences— telling stories in tandem.

“My dad liked carpentry. I guess I have courage to do it.

I just look it up and figure out how to do it,” said Hank.

“He designed a replica of our house for me to use for a pattern for a gingerbread house,” said Susan.

“And it was featured on Martha Stewart’s website,” said Hank.

“He likes to make up patterns and design things and build them,” said Susan. “He’s pretty ambitious.”

Susan has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Education. She taught for 32 years, mostly third and fourth grade, and her favorite kind of teaching it to let the

All their children and grandchildren have a shared love for art. Many of the walls in the Raedeke home are adorned with paintings, and mixed media from the family artists.

“We have been so blessed,” said Susan.

“Education has been our life. We love to learn and we hope to pass this love on to our grandchildren.” ¤

Summer 2017

13

GladHearts

In Plain Sight

Written by Amy Armour

58-year-old Gary (not his real name) spent the better part of the last seven years living on the streets in St. Charles. His days would be spent looking for odd jobs and hanging out in front of the gas station. In the evening, he would roll out his sleeping bag behind the car wash and curl up for the night. Dozens of people walked or drove by him each day—seeing him, but not seeing him.

“There are men, women and children living under bridges, in the woods, in cars, and nearby parks all over St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren Counties. When I meet them I see someone’s son, daughter, father, mother--someone loves them just like I love my family yet they are on the streets, unseen and unheard by the masses,” said Pam Struckhoff, director of program services at Sts. Joachim & Ann Care Service.

Struckhoff met Gary last June on one of the hottest days of the summer. Temperatures were hovering above 100 degrees, and Gary looked tired and hungry sitting in the shade of the gas station overhang.

14 StreetScape Magazine

Struckhoff approached Gary and learned that he was an out-of-work roofer and he suffered from bad knees and a bad back. He survived with odd jobs, but didn’t make enough to afford a place to live. Struckhoff took Gary to the store to purchase food, but he told her he was too hot to eat. Struckhoff bought him laundry soap and took him to the laundromat so he could wash his clothes. She brought him to a hotel and paid for him to stay, providing temporary shelter from the sweltering heat.

Struckhoff worked with Gary for months finding him permanent housing.

Gary is just one example of the homeless the Care Service sees living on the streets on a daily basis. The Care Service

launched a Street Outreach program in April 2016. The mobile outreach unit, which includes a Care Service case manager and an SSM medic or nurse, is on the streets three days a week to provide medical care to the people the team meets on the streets. The team also provides tangible needs like food, water, hygiene items, socks, tents, sleeping bags, and phones.

“We work to find them temporary shelter, and then permanent housing,” said Struckhoff. “Some of the homeless don’t want housing, so we check on them regularly.”

Since the program’s inception, Street

Outreach has encountered 120 homeless individuals in St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren counties. The team has been able to find safe and affordable housing for more than 20 of the individuals so far.

To expose the reality of homelessness in our community, Sts. Joachim & Ann Care Service unveiled its In Plain Sight project in April. The project provided 100 homeless members of the community with a disposable camera and a mission—to tell their story from the street.

“People pass them every day, but one of the biggest questions I am asked is- are there really homeless people in our area? We want to shine a bright light exposing homelessness in our area, and provide an outlet for members of our community who are not hiding, but are in plain sight. We also hope this project will raise funds to directly assist homeless members of the community find safe, affordable housing,” said Struckhoff.

Struckhoff said the goal of the In Plain Sight project is to bring about awareness of homelessness in our neighborhoods, and provide the homeless with a voice through a camera lens.

“These men and women, who volunteer as photographers, are an integral part of providing a visual of the harsh reality of homelessness in St. Charles, Lincoln and Warren counties,” said Struckhoff.

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12

Photographers had seven days to tell their story through pictures before returning the camera to the Care Service. Each photographer received a t-shirt with ‘photographer’ emblazoned on the back, a $10 fast food gift card and a backpack stocked with toiletries for their participation in this innovative and eye-opening project.

The photos were developed and a team of community judges chose the top 20 photos which will be on public display at the St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre from June 29-August 20. Visitors of the display will have the opportunity to vote for their favorite photo by way of donation while taking a self-guided auditory tour that explains the backstory of the photo. The photos will also be available to view online at InPlainSight.live starting on June 29.

In Plain Sight will culminate with an evening event on August 19 that will include a live auction of the portraits at the St. Peters Cultural Arts Centre. The top three winning portraits will receive a beneficial prize based on their individual needs. Additional photos from the homeless photographers will be available as a travelling display to local venues, churches and community agencies following the auction.

“We all make mistakes and one wrong decision could leave you in the same situation,” said Struckhoff. “If we are able to raise awareness of homelessness in our community and start conversations about the real issues we see in the community then I think we’ve done our job.”

To become a sponsor for the mission-based project, reserve a table for the auction event, or check out more information, visit jacares.org or contact Karen Grant at 636-441-1302, ext.263. ¤

St Charles Soccer Complex Park REGISTER ONLINE bikereg.com/scmokiwanis Summer 2017

15

GladHearts

Touching Hearts Names Grace What’s in a name? For Maggie Lowe, artist and founder of Names of Grace, a name can reveal a lot. Every person has a unique story.

And as an artist, Maggie captures that story by depicting what makes each person unique in a customized design, woven through the letters of their name. The result is a breathtaking, one-of-akind piece of art that is both beautiful and deeply meaningful to the one who receives it.

How did this unique expression of art come to be?

Maggie has always had a creative side. She earns her living as a graphic designer, which she loves, but she’s also always been an artist who enjoys working with different subject matter across varied mediums – with a particular passion for drawing. Along with a love of drawing horses and pet portraits, Maggie has drawn decorative designs and letters for her own line of cards for years. And she had a quirky habit of snagging envelopes when birthday cards were passed around to draw artistic renderings of the person’s name using decorative letters.

In 2013, it all shifted to a more serious direction for her art - and became the basis for Names of Grace - when Maggie created a special gift for someone who was going through a very difficult time. While working as a graphic design contractor, Maggie’s boss shared the news that his wife, Neysa, had been diagnosed with ovarian cancer. Heartbroken by what her friend and his wife were going through, and at a loss for what she could do to help, Maggie turned to what had always fed her soul – her art.

Maggie sat down and drew Neysa’s name, but this time she wove prayers and words of hope, healing and encouragement through the letters, creating a stunning, tangible source of daily inspiration, peace and healing energy. For Maggie, creating the piece was ca16 StreetScape Magazine

Written by Linda Stroud Photos Courtesy of Names of Grace, Maggie Lowe

thartic. For Neysa, it was a powerful visual representation of hope, love and courage. So powerful that, when Neysa saw it for the first time, she was able to release her fears and pent up emotion in a wave of healing tears that signified acceptance of the challenge she faced and determination to beat the disease. Which she did.

Since that first creation, Names of Grace has evolved. Few projects have been as intense or deeply personal as that first one, but each creation touches lives and hearts nonetheless. Maggie has created pieces for weddings, milestone birthdays, retirements, anniversaries, births and memorials. The list of possible occasions to mark is endless. And the possibilities for what to include are limited only by the person requesting the piece – and the length of the name.

Each drawing is done by hand, taking many hours to complete.

Maggie collects information and specific details about the person the piece is for, then incorporates those details into the design.

She then scans the design into a computer to preserve the original colors and puts them with a UV protectant on archival paper, so they’ll last a lifetime.

Every original piece comes framed, unless someone wants to frame it themselves. In situations where people want to sign the mat, Maggie puts it in a larger frame with a bigger mat, so people can sign.

Names of Grace has become one of Maggie’s favorite forms of artistic expression. She displays her work on the Names of Grace Facebook page and at various venues throughout the year. She loves creating one-of-a-kind pieces that tell the story of each special person. And with her unique gift, this unique artist is sure to be creating art that touches hearts for a long time to come. ¤

MARGARITA MONDAY! HALF PRICE MARGARITAS ALL DAY! Best House Margarita in Town!

TACO TUESDAY HALF PRICE TACOS ALL DAY Dine-in Only

WINE WEDNESDAY HALF PRICED BOTTLES OF WINE All Day Long

THURSDAY HOSPITALITY APPRECIATION

20% off for industry professionals

DINE-IN, CARRY-OUT OR CATERING! LET US BRING THE FIESTA TO YOU BRUNCH BUFFET SUNDAYS 9 - 2 636.856.8444 2 W. Pearce Blvd Wentzville, MO 63385 yolosmex.com

Summer 2017

17

LaGalerie_1_17_SS.pdf

1

2/8/17

3:06 PM

The place to find original oil paintings, abstracts, home decor & gifts

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

unique, uplifting, fun

636.410.8166

812 S. MAIN | ST. CHARLES, MO www.facebook.com/LaGallerie-441528289379704/

18 StreetScape Magazine

R on H a u s er s' Written by Sarah Moeller Photos Courtesy of Ron Hauser

As a young child, Ron Hauser’s life was full of experiences that made for great stories later on in his life. He speaks of his family’s Grapes of Wrath existence and how his mom and birth father were resemblant of Bonnie and Clyde. When just a toddler, he made newspaper headlines when he inadvertently cooperated with “Revenuers” to divulge the location of the family’s secret stash of whiskey. Once, under a hail of bullets, his dad whisked him away through the Ozarks in a high-speed car chase. As a businessman, he sat in the back of Chuck Berry’s car, strumming the rock legend’s guitar. Later on, he wrote lyrics about the life and tragic death of Elvis. In his teen years, friends would have him personalize their cars with a nickname and logo, painted between the front wheel fenders and on the front door. As a working adult, he traveled extensively and rubbed shoulders with a few giants of the corporate world, including Sam Walton, when Sam had only eleven (Walmart) stores. All true stories...

Along the way, he earned a minor degree in art, and met and married Mary, his beautiful wife of the last fifty-four years. As a father, he did things like painting murals in his daughters’ bedrooms, but it wasn’t until he was retired from his first career—marketing management—that he really capitalized on his artistic talent. It all started after an accident left him unable to continue his highly successful corporate job. To boost his mood and help him find a purpose and a pursuit in life again, his wife told him to go paint in the basement.

She had intended for him to paint the basement itself, but as fate would have it, this wasn’t clear. He thought she meant to set up an easel down there, and grab some paints and a canvas, and begin that sort of painting!

Canvas of Life

he has always focused on helping others, and even with an art business, he continues that trend. Specifically, his paintings have benefited Therapeutic Horsemanship, an organization that offers horseback riding therapy to people with special needs. Ron has a personal connection to this place and its staff, because his grandson Christian has been a recipient of their services. Ron’s talents even extended to the actual therapy sessions themselves— Christian needed a special saddle, and due to Ron’s informal apprenticeship with his Jewish tailor of a grandfather, he was able to create and construct a special saddle for the boy, allowing him to safely ride his therapy horse. In fact, as Ron was telling about his grandfather, impersonating him with a Tevye-esque accent and mannerisms, it became clear how Ron evolved into the skilled and encouraging teacher he is today.

Although he isn’t pontificating around in a mythical dissolving Russian village, his insights and vast palette of life experiences converge to provide the perfect canvas on which to display his knowledge of art and how to sell it. Whether one is a dancer, painter, writer, or any other kind of artist, Ron has developed a program to help people market their work. In some cases, as an art teacher at St. Charles Community College, he has even helped his students learn to create the art in the first place, as well as how to market it.

While he had always been a skilled artist, whether it was painting or otherwise, it wasn’t until this time in his life that his work began to gather a broader audience and clientele. He has paintings hung in the homes of local patrons, all the way to galleries in Washington, D.C. His subjects include everything from world history scenes to animals, although he focuses primarily on western and cowboy themes. As Ron’s artwork grew, he became even more clearly dedicated to portraying his love of history.

While people remain foundationally the same over their lives, just like a finished painting, it is in the light of time, in the shadows, and in the changing of the sunlight streaming through the windows that highlights or obscures different parts of a person.

If Ron were a painting, you could see the earlier version of him as bright colors, living through wild and unpredictable stories.

As the middle-aged Ron, the colors may look more steady and predictable, but plenty exciting nonetheless. And now, as the light has shifted again, other colors are drawn into perspective—we see a mature teacher with love for his students, and one who wants to give back to the world by making it a better place for artists and their art. In any case, the metaphorical painting entitled “Ron Hauser” is definitely a masterpiece, and certainly worth getting to know.

It is on this canvas of life that Ron’s new lifestyle has been painted. While his art is indeed a career he has sculpted for himself,

To speak with Ron or find out more about his classes, contact him at 314-805-8011 or rhauser@peoplepc.com. ¤

Summer 2017

19

Home Sweet Home

Written by and Photos courtesy of Heidi Sowatsky SWAT Design Team | Decorating Den Interiors

20 StreetScape Magazine

Outdoor

The line between indoors and outdoors continues to blur as many of us want to take our indoor comforts and solitude outdoors. This concept is becoming more realistic as many manufacturers of home products develop more and more appliances, furniture, lighting and accessories that can be used indoors or out.

People are driven to find peaceful sanctuaries as a prescription for our stressful lives. Outdoor patios and porches are becoming more sophisticated and refined, and are becoming a living extension of the indoor spaces. Three-season indoor spaces are also making a comeback.

Creating or renovating an outdoor space has many elements.

Landscape design, stonework and carpentry are all critical components of designing your outdoor haven. Outdoor furnishings, lighting and accessories are also an essential element in your overall plan. As you begin the process and consider space planning and design, be sure to include the entire family. You will be amazed at the wish list that’s developed.

Outdoor furniture has greatly evolved from the folding, vinyl strap versions of the past, to beautiful pieces made of teak, steel, rattan, and wicker. Many pieces look just like indoor furniture but are constructed and designed to stand up to the year-round outdoor elements. If you’ve been procrastinating on buying new outdoor furniture, don’t get into such a hurry that you make decisions you’ll regret later. Here are a few tips:

Frames: Wood, Metal, or Wicker?

Wood looks very attractive in outdoor furnishings and makes for sturdy furniture that can be as comfortable as anything you use indoors. It does require regular treatment with a preservative and may also require UV protection. Choose weather-resistant woods like teak, redwood, cypress and cedar.

Iron is a heavy metal that will not blow away in a Missouri Spring storm, but it can be hot to the touch in the summer. It will rust if not weatherproofed or painted periodically. Aluminum is much lighter, easier to maintain and can be less expensive. Powder-coated aluminum gives you a lot of finish options.

Cushions or not ?

The most inviting outdoor spaces are filled with fabric-covered cushions, outdoor rugs, and a lot of pillows. But those elements come with maintenance requirements. To get the most longevity out of your outdoor fabrics, you should plan on storing them indoors in the winter and covering them when not in use spring through fall.

If you have cushioned furniture exposed to the rain, it will need time to dry before you sit on it, and to prevent mold and mildew. How long it takes to dry depends on the cushion. Look for all-fiber cushions wrapped in poly netting with a mesh bottom that allows water to flow all the way through the cushion.

If storing and/or covering your furniture isn’t a practical option, consider sling style seating that comes in a wide variety of patterns and colors. Rainwater runs right through it, so it dries quickly. Well-made sling chairs are contoured to be comfortable, even if they don’t have the plush look of upholstered furniture. You can still add throw pillows for fun.

Fabrics

Seek out attractive, well designed fabrics. You do not have to settle for the traditional outdoor look of awning stripes and seashells. Today’s fabrics that withstand climate also are stylish.

We see more variety in patterns that make fabrics blend well with interior and outdoor usage.

Use fabrics that are stain and mildew resistant, water repellant and fade resistant. Most indoor/outdoor fabrics are made from acrylic or polyester and are solution dyed. This means that the color is put into the material when it is a liquid. This makes the color an inherent part of the fabric, not something that is added later. Most indoor/outdoor fabrics are UV protected and have a guarantee to not fade for 3-10 years depending on the pattern and the amount of exposure.

Also look at the cleaning instructions. If it’s stain resistant, it most likely can be cleaned using a mild detergent and cold water for spot cleaning. Some outdoor fabrics can even be hosed off.

Perhaps the best-known brand for these types of fabrics is Sunbrella, which was developed in the early 1960's as an alternative to cotton canvas.

Spaces

Traditional wicker furniture uses natural materials such as rattan that present a great look but should only be used in covered areas. Synthetic wicker is very durable outdoors and is low maintenance. Some manufacturers have categories described as “Outdoor Limited Exposure” and “Outdoor Weatherproof.”

Look for the label.

Don’t base your decisions solely on function. Decorate your outdoor spaces to be pleasing to the eye. Nature is beautiful; so too should be the space in which you enjoy the outdoors. Like always, decorating is about you and your family. To make it even easier, why not take all the guesswork out of outdoor decorating and call a professional such as Heidi Sowatsky, who owns SWAT Design Team/Decorating Den Interiors—winner of multiple Dream Room Awards for her design work. ¤

Summer 2017

21

St. Louis-based Gershman Mortgage has moved its headquarters from Clayton to Chesterfield 16253 Swingley Ridge Rd, Suite 400.

Adam Mason, Gershman’s Executive Vice President and COO, stated that, “We are proud of our long history in the St. Louis community, and our new headquarters will provide us with the space we need to continue to grow. We look forward to building on our outstanding reputation for customer service at this location that provides great access and visibility, while enabling our employees to work in an environment that is conducive to collaboration and teamwork.”

Founded in 1953, Gershman Mortgage is the one of the oldest independently owned mortgage companies in the Midwest. In addition to their corporate headquarters, the company has 18 branch offices in 6 states including Missouri, Illinois, Colorado, Iowa, Oklahoma, and Florida. Gershman Mortgage’s residential lending offers a full range of loan programs to its customers, including FHA, VA, USDA, Conventional, Reverse Mortgages, Jumbo loans, and first-time homebuyer programs.

Over 100 employees will be located at the new office.

Gershman Mortgage has local branch offices in Kirkwood, South St. Louis City and St. Peters.

I gave my “ To-Do” list to Mr. Handyman... and he took care of everything!

My To-Do list Carpentry Seal & Weatherproof Windows Ceiling/Wall/F loor repair Install Moulding Install Tile & Grout Repair Wood on Deck Repair Wood Rot Install Backsplash Drywall Repair/Install Exterior & Interior Doors Bathroom/Kitchen Repairs Shelving & Storage Gutter Cleaning/Maintenance Install Railings/Safety Handles Interior Painting/Staining PGet more free time...

call Mr. Handyman!

For more information, call 1-800-GERSHMAN or visit www.Gershman.com. ¤

Your Home is Your Most Valuable AssetLet Us Help You Protect It

636-238-8804

Mr. Handyman is a female majority owned company dedicated to keeping your residential and commercial properties looking good and running smoothly.

Every technician is an insured uniformed employee with at least 10+ years paid experience that will arrive at your property in a well-stocked van with the professional tools to get your job done right the first time!

FOR ALL YOUR REPAIR, MAINTENANCE, IMPROVEMENT AND REMODELING NEEDS! LIVE ANSWERING SERVICE ALL DAY, EVERY DAY

like us on

follow us on

find us on

blog.mrhandyman.com

www.mrhandyman.com/central-stl

22 StreetScape Magazine

www.mrhandyman.com/central-stl

We Make Beautiful Happen!

SWAT DESIGN TEAM

636-244-1623 swatdesignteam.com

WELCOME SPRING Unique, Eclectic A freshand new start...

See what’s new.

Unbelievably Fun NOW OPEN!

Tue-Sat 10-5 • 1057 Hwy 79, St. Peters, MO (636) 278-4445 •

Oma’s Barn HG

Summer 2017

23

636-442-1333

www.stlbuyandsell.com

3829 Veterans Memorial Pkwy., St. Peters 5377 Highway N, Cottleville ACT

ER UND

Cottleville

243 Dardenne Farms Dr.

$840,000

Rare property in Fort Zumwalt! This 6-bed, 4.5-bath home offers a recent $200,000 addition with a mud room, expanded laundry, additional 2-car garage & more. Enjoy the summer in the in-ground saltwater pool or entertain in the finished lower level. Home sits on 1+ acre and backs to trees.

TR ON

C

Defiance

1240 Wild Horse Ridge

$835,000

Nestled on 3 acres that back to Busch Wildlife, you’ll find this 4-bed, 3.5bath custom home. The kitchen features cherry cabinets and sought-after Alaskan white countertops. You are sure to be impressed by the luxurious master suite with two walk-in closets, travertine walk-in shower & jetted tub.

ACT

ER

UND

TR ON

C

2013 Crimson Meadows

717 Knollshire Way

325 Hyde Park Ave.

A must see! This 3-bed, 2.5-bath split-bedroom ranch has upgrades galore! Magnificent open great room, gourmet kitchen, luxury master suite, partially-finished walkout lower level, and heated/cooled oversized 3-car garage.

Immaculate 4-bed, 2.5-bath 2-story. Move-in ready!

Fresh paint, new hardwood, plantation shutters throughout, granite counters, 9’ main-floor ceilings, MFL with custom cabinetry, hearth room with vault, alarm & more!

Why build? Awesome 4-bed, 2-bath ranch with 11’ ceilings. Large great room, formal dining room, gourmet kitchen, 2 fireplaces. Fresh paint. LL finish has been started to add 4th bdrm and wonderful bathroom. Must see!

O’Fallon

$359,900 Dardenne Prairie

$350,000 Wentzville

$339,900

C Charlestowne Crossing

Stone Ridge Canyon

1355 Mason Grove Dr.

TR Hughes’ newest community featuring their most popular homestyles in a fantastic location off Boschertown Rd. near New Town. All homes come with a 3-car garage!

Choose floorplans from the Estate or Manor Series.

Zykan & Sons Homes is offering new homes in the final plat of this well-established subdivision conveneintly located off Wentzville Parkway near Hwy. 61. Customize the home of your dreams from their base floorplans!

Beautiful 3-bed, 2.5-bath 2-story inventory home by Zykan & Sons! Just minutes from Page Ext. or I-70. Loaded with upgrades: 42” cabinets, SS appliances, fireplace, luxury master suite, gorgeous deck & much more!

St. Charles

24 StreetScape Magazine

From the $230’s Wentzville

From the $230’s St. Charles

$287,900

is excited to welcome these agents in 2017!

Tom Hannegan

Don Griffith

Kesley Schwenck

Brandon Kleeschulte

They join our family of outstanding REALTORS®

Judy Bateman

Turon Blevins

Sue Brown

Mark Carey Jr

Robert Clarke

Sandie End-Schroeder

Mary Frkovic

Randy Green

Tim Hammond

Tom Hernandez

John Jones

Becky Klein

Will Klein

Nick Lamm

Derek Milkovich

Tim Mitchell

Bob Niedergerke

Ryan Riege

The Rohlfing Team

Mark Strege

Stephanie Van Hee

Walter Walker III

Kelly Weber

Stacey Zykan

Paula Staten O’Connell Office Manager

Michelle Walker Broker/Owner

Considering a career in real estate?

We are hiring!

Training • Support • Flexible Commission Plans

Call Michelle at 314-960-0055

Summer 2017

25

Home Sweet Home

OutdoorDécor Written by April Moxley Photos courtesy of Michael Mcmanus

Sunshine and moonlight. Or was that “moonshine” in the sunlight?

Either way you look at it there are those of us who cannot wait until the warmer months arrive and we head outside. When Mother Nature treats us kindly there is no better place to be than the great outdoors. However, in climates such as our good old Midwestern town here in Missouri, we can never be absolutely certain of the impending weather. Making plans for outdoor activities too far in the future might find us scrambling for last-minute adjustments or cancellations. One needs to have a bit of flexibility when it comes to the climate, or better yet, just create the perfect little haven outside your own back door.

Close enough to run inside if it starts to rain, grab a sweater if the wind kicks up, easy access to bathrooms and no need for designated drivers if you happen to be enjoying some adult beverages. And the decision to go outside can be made on the spur of the moment.

Making the most of your chosen area so that you will want to spend time there should be a foregone conclusion. If you grew up back in the day of the iconic Weber grill and treated lumber picnic tables with the attached benches, you might wonder what all the fuss is about when it comes to the 26 StreetScape Magazine

contemporary approach to outdoor entertaining. What else does one need? Badminton, croquet, horseshoes for game time, an AM/FM radio to catch the Cardinals game, a little homegrown garden to show off to your friends, and maybe a 2-foot tall aluminum pool to splash around in. We didn’t care about decorations – they were already there – grass, weeds, fences, doghouses and an occasional rosebush. My, how the times have changed.

Gazebos, pavilions, pergolas and retractable awnings are providing us with a bit of shelter from the blazing sun and possible pop-up showers. Tremendous changes in outdoor cooking apparatus now have us preparing gourmet meals on our stainless-steel gas- powered grills that rival some of the best indoor kitchens.

Smokers, fryers, pizza ovens and refrigerators are popular choices for the avid outdoor host.

Add the in-ground pool, luxury seating, stone fireplaces or fire pits, decorative water features, landscape lighting, and a putting green and you may never want to go inside.

SS_droste_3_17.pdf

1

4/6/17

Perhaps your outdoor space is no more than a slab of concrete with an umbrella-topped table and chairs alongside a standard gas grill and a few potted plants. Well I’d say that is a pretty good start. But you can’t stop there. If your goal is to construct a place that beckons your family and guests to stay outside soaking up some vitamin D or relaxing under a starry, moonlit sky, you may want to bring your “A” game. Make sure you have enough extra seating to accommodate a change in venue when sitting around the table becomes tedious. Patio gliders, hammock chairs, ceramic garden seats are nice choices along with extra side tables for snacks and beverages.

Once the basics are in place, you will want to work on the atmospheric essentials. A nice little tabletop fountain is very relaxing.

Four-seasons canvas-wrapped art can be hung on nearby fencing or set up on easels among the trees, providing a lovely backdrop for a special seating area. Consider a few oversized artificial palm trees which can be stored indoors during the off season. For a nice pop of color, try out various size containers or pedestaled urns that can double as planters when the trees go back inside.

Add a few live potted plants or flowers for a realistic touch and maybe some aromatic herbal plants that can also be used in food prep. Assorted lanterns, a few garden stakes and colorful lawn art positioned around the dining area will be a feast for the eyes while your guests nosh on grilled steaks and skewered shrimp.

REMODELING ST. CHARLES

C

M

Y

CM

MY

12:10 PM

FOR FOUR GENERATIONS & COUNTING.

General Contracting & Carpentry for New Commercial Buildings & Alterations, Custom Homes, Additions & Remodeling, Historic Restorations

CY

CMY

K

Let us not forget the table décor. If you don’t have a collection of preferred outside dining tableware, just use your daily dinnerware. But forget the paper plates and plastic coated placemats – you’ve spent too much time beautifying the space to tamp it down with disposables. At April’s on Main, we carry a line of indoor/ outdoor crocheted placemats and coasters that are handmade out of 100% polypropylene--colorfast and machine or dishwasher safe. Melamine plates are durable and lovely for outside dining and come in so many colors and patterns.

636.949.8698 1517 N. THIRD STREET ST. CHARLES

www.DROSTEBUILT.com

Something for Everyone

Dress up the center of the table with connected sectional vases that will accordion around an umbrella pole and provide a non-obtrusive view with just a few single stems of flowers or succulents. If the table is solid, you may want to set a big wine barrel lazy susan in the center with assorted wines and snacks for the guests. If you uncork the bottles prior to the party you can use a variety of unique stoppers to dress them up. We have a new favorite at the store – a fabulous octopus.

Lighting is important when entertaining at night, so make sure you have enough candles (Luminara battery operated, outdoor pillars), light strings or perhaps something so breathtaking it defies ordinary... such as an oversized set of outdoor lawn orbs that change colors and are operated by a phone app. (For that you will need to visit the store. Stay tuned to our FB page for updates).

Now that you have created your own little paradise, guests will readily accept invites to your backyard soirées. Your bigger issue might be in getting them to go home.¤

Store Hours

M | W | F: 9:30-7:00 T | TH | SAT: 9:30 5:00 SUNDAY: 11:30-5:00

Whether you need a gift or the perfect accessory to complete your home.

Custom Florals • Jewelry • Lotions • Artwork Upholstery • Furniture and more April’s on Main St. Charles

636.395.7605

222 North Main Street | St. Charles, MO 63301 Summer 2017

27

OFFICE/WAREHOUSE DEVELOPMENT

Property Information -2,100-10,500 s.f. office/warehouse building possible in this 11.83 acre development -Available for Lease, Sale, or Lease w/ Option to Purchase -Landlord will finish out to Tenant specifications -Possibility for outside storage -Great visibility and access to I-370 near New Town -This is a major growth area in St. Charles -Perfect for small businesses to own or lease-to-own --Also have three retail outlots for Lease, Sale, or Build To Suit

Join: Retail Outlots SOLD SOLD

Acres 11.83 25 years Celebrating of Business s in St. Charle ! ty n Cou

For more information contact Danny Wapelhorst at Cissell Mueller Company, L.L.C. dannyw@cissellmueller.com Phone: 636. 970.0330 * www.cissellmueller.com 28 StreetScape Magazine

Experts in: Commercial Real Estate Brokerage Commercial Development Commercial Construction Long Term Investments

5 Ways to Ready to Sell

Home Sweet Home

Get Your Home this Summer

Deep Clean

Deep cleaning your home will be worth your time and energy. Not only will you enjoy living in a freshly cleaned home for the time being, but a buyer and their agent will always remember a freshly cleaned home. Some important items to make sure to clean: • Carpets and flooring • Inside and outside of all windows • Replace furnace filter • Dust vents and ceiling fans

1

Landscaping

First impressions are everything! Before you get professional photos taken, and before buyers start viewing your home, make sure your landscaping is well maintained and in good condition. The following are ways to ensure your landscaping is ready for the market: • Mow, trim, and bag lawn (routinely) • Trim bushes and trees • Lay down fresh mulch • Replace “welcome mat”

2

Start Packing

You are going to be moving soon, so why not expedite the process by getting rid of some unwanted items? Start packing away the things you don’t need every day. Items to consider: • Sell or donate any furniture you don’t want to move • Pack away winter clothes to free up closet space • Pack personal and valuable items and store them until you move • Declutter closets and storage areas • Freshen It Up

Show Off Some Colors

3

Summer is a great time to do just that and what better way to freshen things up then by doing the following: • Add fresh flowers • Add a fresh coat of paint to the interior and front door • Replace towels, shower curtains, and rugs • Depersonalize the home to help buyers visualize it as their own

4

Written by Kyle Hannegan, Real Estate Consultant

Do The Little Things

(Repairs) Pride of ownership shows when the little things are done right! The following are some small but valuable things to consider doing before showing your home: • Repair or replace broken or torn window screens • Replace burnt-out light bulbs • Check for leaking pipes and faucets • Tighten hand or stair rails

5

KHannegan@BHHSselectSTL.com

NOW OPEN inCottleville!

NEW, larger location!

Carpet Direct MOBILE SHOWROOM

1010 Miralago Way Cottleville, MO 63376 636-441-1111 * M-Sat 10-6 * Sun 12-5

At Ohmes & Mid Rivers Mall Dr behind Circle K Gas

www.thewhitehare.com

(we come to you) Great brands at a great price!

Stainmaster, Shaw, and more Free estimates Call Sonja • 314-320-9883 CarpetDirectNow.com

Summer 2017

29

A Caring Choice Area Seniors Written by Sarah Moeller Photos Courtesy of Care Choice

As a young child, Maria Miskovic loved spending time with her grandparents. Their Italian heritage led them to the kitchen and garden, where they would spend hours of “quality time� together before the phrase became a household word. In high school, she worked in a nursing home, and went on to professionally serve in many other geriatric-related capacities. It was in this environment that the seeds were planted for a career in elder-care, and where the inspiration for Maria's future business, Care Choice Care Management, was cooked up.

Care Choice Care Management employs the expertise of several elder-care professionals, whose work experience in this field is nearly 200 years combined.

With Masters degrees in social work and gerontology, their education and experience convened to create a topnotch team of caring professionals who are ready to help clients and their families navigate the tricky waters of modern-day adult care.

In the old days, families lived closer together, and adults who were mentally challenged and/or elderly could expect to receive help directly from their families for as long as they needed it. Lifestyles were much simpler: the legal, technological, and medical environments, to name a few, were much easier to navigate, if they were a factor at all. Nowadays, while families usually have the same willingness to take care of their loved ones, figuring out the logistics can 30 StreetScape Magazine

be a lot more daunting and seem almost impossible.

Care Choice often becomes involved when older adults finds themselves in a crisis situation. For example, a loved one with dementia may have wandered away in the night, without proper clothing, and may never be able to live alone again. Or, Grandma or Grandpa may have fallen and broken a hip, and need care after their hospital stay, when they were independent before the injury.

These situations may require the appointment of a guardian, navigation of financial matters, and of course medical assistance.

That is where many families find themselves overwhelmed, and without the knowledge or connections to care for their loved ones.

Maria and her colleagues are very well prepared for such cases.

One of Care Choice's care managers, such as Lisa Alessi, can set up a consultation for clients and their family members to assess the client and see what help they might need, and then devise a plan to meet those needs. Maria and her team can either guide the families in setting up the care plan, or, as their name says, they can create and manage the care plan so that families are freed up to do other things.

Depending on how much care families are able to provide, Care Choice can either make referrals to other professionals, or they can manage the whole plan themselves.

However, according to Lisa, sometimes family cooperation is an issue in getting clients the help they need. As a geriatric care manager on Maria's team Lisa has an innate ability to connect with seniors suffering with all forms of dementia and provide calmness to the situation. For example, if one family member lives

Realtor Spotlight

Sandra Meranda

Having the right real estate agent means having an agent who is committed to helping you buy or sell your home with the highest level of expertise in your local market.

This commitment level has helped Sandra Meranda become one of the area's top real estate agents, delivering results since 1999.

Lisa Alessi

She prides herself on being honest, trustworthy, and knowledgeable. And she knows how important it is to find your dream home or get the best offer for your property, therefore making it her responsibility to help you achieve those goals.

Maria Miskovic

close to the client, but another lives out of state, Lisa says there is often conflict about what options are best for the client. There may be disagreement about whether or not the person is able to live alone, for example. For this reason, she often helps mediate between different family members who may have varying degrees of knowledge about their elderly loved one. As a professional care manager, Lisa is able to offer an outsider's perspective on the client, and can communicate with family members to educate them and keep them informed, so that everyone involved stays abreast of the situation. This intervention often helps defuse what could be a tense time between family members, and it also prevents one family member from being the “bad guy” and the bearer of bad news. This is just another way Care Choice advocates for their clients.

A lot of times, because Care Choice is managing the larger issues (legal, financial, medical, etc.), family members are freed up to address daily tasks for the clients, or just be the loving child instead of the taskmaster. Sometimes, though, there is still a need for someone to help with things like going to the doctor, doing laundry, going shopping, paying bills, etc. In this case, Care Choice will help the client find someone that can assist them with these things, but at a lower rate than their managerial services.

Maria and her team members are also prepared to offer these kinds of services, and they have many certifications that attest to their training and to their desire to provide an extremely high level of care. In fact, Maria advises people who are looking for help with long-term elderly care to check and see what kinds of certifications and professional affiliations any potential management firm has, because not every firm is equal as far as training.

Despite being very passionate about social work, and helping adults who can't function independently, Maria says that social work is a “high-burnout” role. Caring for others without proper care (for the caregiver!) comes with a cost. For her clients' families, counseling is offered, and for herself, she likes to spend time cooking and gardening, which is only fitting, because it was doing these pastimes with her grandparents that gave her the taste for social work in the first place. ¤

With her extensive knowledge in the St. Charles & St. Louis County areas and the resources of Coldwell Banker Gundaker, Sandra makes selling your St. Charles or St. Louis County home and/or buying a home in our area as “stress-free” as possible.

She can be contacted at 314-691-1320

Real Estate & Relocation Specialist • President’s Elite Agent, GRI, RRES, SRES

I’LL GET YOU MOVING! Committed to your complete satisfaction while making your move as stress-free as possible !

Specializing in Relocations First-Time Buyers New Construction Condos & Villas Move-Up Buyers for the entire St. Louis and St. Charles area!

Contact Me

for a FREE Market Analysis of Your Home

314.691.1320 • SMeranda@IllGetYouMoving.com

IllGetYouMoving.com

Summer 2017

31

Book Review

St. Louis Dreamers

and

Dream Champions

Have you ever watched a friend or loved one wholeheartedly pursue their dream and been inspired to cultivate your own? In St. Louis, we have a non-profit that supports people on their path to achieving their dreams: Gateway to Dreams. Karen Hoffman started this organization in 2013 with the vision that all dreamers deserve the chance to live their dream. Through Gateway to Dreams, St. Louis is become a community that fosters, supports, and helps individuals grow their dreams.

This summer, Gateway to Dreams will be publishing their inaugural volume of St. Louis Dreamers and Dream Champions. This compilation book will be celebrating the accomplishments of 40 men and women positively impacting the St. Louis area through the pursuit of their dreams. More than half of the stories shared are Gateway to Dreams’ own members. St. Louis Dreamers and Dream Champions, is a living chronicle of personal and professional dream journeys. 40 St. Louis dreamers have opened their hearts and shared their stories of hard-work, determination, boldness, and encouragement while pursuing their dreams. Through St. Louis Dreamers and Dream Champions, Gateway to Dreams will be able to reach more St. Louisans with the message that achieving YOUR dream is possible.

St. Louis Dreamers and Dream Champions is written by Andrea Blevins and photographed by Marian Brickner and Kimberly Rozema. St. Louis Dreamers and Dream Champions’ launch party will be June 25th at Gateway to Dreams’ Business Lodge in the Chesterfield Mall at 5:00 pm. For more information, please join St. Louis Dreamers and Dream Champions’ Facebook group or email Karen Hoffman at karen.hoffman@gatewaytodreams.org. St. Louis Dreamers and Dream Champions will be available for purchase on Amazon, at Gateway to Dreams’ Business Lodge in Chesterfield Mall, and on Gateway to Dreams’ website, www.gatewaytodreams.org. ¤ centerpointe_turning_SS_05_17.pdf

1

5/5/17

12:28 PM

�dvertise in StreetScape Magazine

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

ADDICTION TREATMENT

including: DETOXIFICATION 4-WEEK RESIDENTIAL TREATMENT INTENSIVE OUTPATIENT PARTIAL HOSPITALIZATION OUTPATIENT FAMILY SERVICES AFTERCARE MEDICATION-ASSISTED RECOVERY

636-477-2136 800-345-5407 Admissions

Toll Free

4801 Weldon Spring Pkwy | St. Charles, MO

CenterPointeHospital.com

32 StreetScape Magazine

Sales@StreetScapeMag.com

314.537.5655

THE SILENT KILLER Dealing with Digestive Issues

Written by Dr. Christy Jenkins, B.C.N.D. & QRA There is a huge “epidemic” sweeping our nation affecting millions of Americans like yourself. This fungus is something that may be lurking in your body and feeds off certain foods that you eat. This fungus affects over 50 million Americans each year. Even worse, this fungus can mutate and become resistant to conventional treatments.

You might be asking yourself, “what is a fungus?” A fungus can be beneficial or not so beneficial, depending on how it affects your body.

If you answer “Yes.” to any of the following questions, continue reading and follow the 7 tips below 1. Are you tired when you wake up in the morning?

2. Are you constipated more than once a week?

3. Are you bloated after meals?

4. Are you having trouble falling asleep?

5. Do you have bad breath?

6. Does travel make you unravel?

7. Do menstrual cycles wreak havoc with your digestion?

8. Do you get a headache after eating certain foods?

7 Simple Tips to a better, balanced digestive system 1. Gradually add more fiber to your diet.

2. Eat several small meals throughout the day.

3. Stay hydrated--avoid caffeine, alcohol. These can make you dehydrated and cause further damage to your digestive system.

4. Managing your stress will promote digest-tranquility. Try yoga, meditation, affirmations, massage, exercise. All are effective ways to decrease stress, allowing for better digestive motility.

5. Connect with others who are going through the same issue. Participating in small group therapy will help bring balance and peace to your entire body.

6. Take charge of your own health. Partner with a specialist that provides valuable detailed feedback.

7. Try alterative colon cleansing and fasting. Some alterative methods are not good for everyone. Contact your doctor for guidance.

For more information on the root causes of digestive issues, contact Dr. Christy Jenkins at 636-724-5605 for a free 30-minute consultation, or visit www.nathealthsol.com. ¤ Summer 2017

33

Whatever you’re doing this Summer…STOP HERE FIRST! Coldest Beer Best Ice in Town for Your Coolers Homemade Mango Margaritas

Since

wned O y l i 1960 Fam

Call ahead...

We’ll have your order ready!

Pizza • Salads • Sandwiches Beer • Wine • Liquor

636.723.0005

3025 Hwy 94 North • St. Charles, MO 63301 RivTooWine.com

Don’t dream to look like everybody else... be your OWN kind of

l u f i t U O beY Find one-of-a-kind summer fashions only at Abigail’s!

124 S. Main Street • St. Charles • (636) 255-0295 abigailsapparel@gmail.com

34 StreetScape Magazine

Zander’s Jewelry For a more personal t ouch

leopard

Kimberly Zander

G.I.A. Graduate Gemologist Independent Jewelry Appraisals

by Appointment Only

A More Affordable Boutique Experience Leopard is the Spot to Shop shop online at

leopardboutique.com

1015 South 5th Street St. Charles MO 63301

636.946.6618

20% off one item with code “streetcape” ST CHARLES 150 Beale St. #150, St. Charles, MO 63303 WEBSTER GROVES 20 Allen Ave. #100 St. Louis, MO 63119

Thank You Lance Tilford Photography

Cedar Lake Cellars

Summer 2017 Fashion Spread Sponsor

CedarLakeCellars.com Summer 2017

35

Dress & Necklace - Abigail’s Apparel Bracelet - Leopard Boutique Wine - Cedar Lake Cellars 3 Swans Cabernet Sauvignon

36 StreetScape Magazine

Summer 2017

37

Dress & Shoes - MOss Boutique Hat - Marshall’s Jacket, Necklace & Purse - Abigail’s Apparel 38 StreetScape Magazine

Jeans & shoes - MOss Boutique Necklace - Leopard Boutique Blouse, Sunglasses & Bracelet - Abigail’s Apparel

Summer 2017

39

Jumper & Shoes - MOss Boutique Purse & Necklace - Abigail’s Apparel

40 StreetScape Magazine

Dress - Abigail’s Apparel Hat & Necklace - MOss Boutique

Summer 2017

41

Dress & Shoes - Leopard Boutique Necklace - MOss Boutique Hat - Marshall’s

42 StreetScape Magazine

Shirt & Shorts - Leopard Boutique Halter top, Shoes & Necklace - MOss Boutique Bracelets - Abigail’s Apparel

Summer 2017

43

BLANK 44 StreetScape Magazine

UNIQUE STYLE. YOUR WAY. 2938 Hwy K at Hwy N 2938 Hwy K at Hwy N Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Fallon, MO 63368 O'Fallon, MO. 63368 ek,gl e11 636.978.7870 ewe l eJ1<' 636.978.7870

J

:J

krekeler.com

Krekeler.com

String AlongWith Me

F

ashion hunters fall in love with this terrific little shop!

We offer the best selection of stylish accessories.

Let us help you custom-design a piece to fit your personality.

625 South Main Street â&#x20AC;˘ St Charles, MO 636.947.7740 Summer 2017

45

Couldn’t decide on a name.

Not sure what color to paint the nursery.

Knew exactly where they wanted to deliver.

One of the most joyful moments of life is welcoming a new baby to the world. Mercy offers you and your family an exceptional birthing experience in comfortable, home-like surroundings.

Schedule a birthplace tour at mercy.net/NewParents Your life is our life’s work.

Get care for you and your new baby close to home at:

Your life is our life’s work.

Mercy Urgent Care 107 Piper Hill Dr., Suite 100 St. Peters | 636.447.4149 Mercy Clinic Pediatrics 4525 Mid Rivers Mall Dr. St. Peters | 636.441.5437

46 StreetScape Magazine

Mercy Urgent Care 300 Winding Woods Dr. O’Fallon | 636.379.4329

Wedding

Creative. Colorful. Unique. l

Keepsakes l

Written By Amy Armour Photos courtesy of Art Glass Array

The wedding industry has a new must-have accessory for couples planning their nuptials. Art Glass Array in St. Charles is re-defining the Unity Ceremony with its exclusive Glass Knot Division.

Becker needs a minimum of two weeks to get the process ready in time for the wedding. After choosing the style of the unity piece, the bride and groom choose the colors of glass crystals.

Becker recommends two to five different colors. The couple can visit the shop, located at 501 North Kingshighway in St Charles, to start the process—or check out the website theglassknot.com to choose from a color chart. After the colors are chosen, the glass can be mailed or picked up at Art Glass Array.

The shop recently tapped into the wedding industry offering brides and grooms the unique opportunity to create a lasting memory—in the form of glass.

The shop has a display set up in its upstairs gallery for The Glass Knot, with an example frame and finished artwork that customers can come check out. Once the piece is delivered back to Art Glass Array after the ceremony, it will be fired and melted—and ready as an art piece or platter in one to two weeks.

“Your wedding, anniversary, or special event should be as unique as you are. The Glass Knot helps you create a one-of-a-kind glass art piece that will last generations,” said Lisa Becker, owner of the Art Glass Array, a warm glass studio, gallery and teaching facility.

“It’s an art piece and keepsake for the couple’s home and something they’ve created together,” said Becker.

The cost ranges from $150 to $275, depending on the shape and size chosen. Some of the pieces also have ‘off-cuts’ which can be made into jewelry or small dishes for an additional price.

Like a “blending of the sands” unity ceremony--symbolizing the couple coming together as one--the bride and groom each pour special glass crystals into a unique frame. After the wedding, the frame is returned to Art Glass Array and it’s melted into a oneof-a-kind custom art piece.

Art Glass Array also offers a variety of fused glass classes from beginner to advanced. The shop also offers mixed media Girls’ Night Out classes, as well as monthly Fuser Fridays where artists can bring in their projects and work independently on their fusing skills.

“The coolest part is that the couple creates the unique design together and we capture it in the final piece,” said Becker.

“It is custom and exclusively yours."

“A lot of students just want a break from the day-to-day grind,” said Becker.

For more class information, visit artglassarray.com. ¤

Couples can choose from different shapes and sizes of frames— from the popular rectangle, circle or square to the more unique wave sculpture or versatile curve which can be displayed on its side like an arc or on its bottom like a platter.

“I don’t think there’s anything quite like it out there,” said Becker. “The unity ceremony symbolizes the couple coming together and this is a unique, artistic way a couple can do that.”

Becker, a self-taught artist, was inspired to create the special unity piece after seeing another artist’s sand art drawing squished in between two pieces of glass. She had been teaching a crushed glass art class, and thought she could use the glass in a similar— but more permanent way. It took several prototypes and frames, but she perfected her craft about a year ago.

Summer 2017

47

SATURDAY, AUGUST 12

St Charles Soccer Complex Park REGISTER ONLINE bikereg.com/scmokiwanis

ST. CHARLES KIWANIS HOST

THIRD ANNUAL BIKE RIDE

Love to ride bikes, but tired of the same old scenery around the neighborhood?

Are you a serious cyclist looking for an opportunity to prepare for an upcoming ride?

Whether you’re a casual or more serious cyclist, the Cycling for Our Children ride is the event for you!

The third annual Cycling for Our Children bike ride, hosted by the St. Charles Kiwanis Club, will be held on Saturday, August 12, 2017 from 7:00 am – 11:00 am. As in years past, the event will start and finish at Mueller Park, off Mueller Road in St. Charles, and feature routes that take riders through northern St. Charles County.

Participants can choose from four different routes and four distances - 12, 24, 32, or 60 miles – for their ride. While the majority of the course along the shorter routes is flat, the longer rides will provide more of a challenge for those who want to push themselves a bit more.

With all those choices, there will be plenty of fun for riders of any level at this family-friendly event.

Written by Linda Stroud Photo courtesy of St. Charles Kiwanis

Each registered participant will receive a goodie bag with a t-shirt and water bottle. There will be bottled water, fruit and breakfast bars provided at the start and finish of the event, as well as rest stations along the routes. And Momentum Cycles, a proud sponsor of the event, will be on hand to offer mechanical support and help volunteers provide sag support along the routes to ensure safety for all.

Early registration is $35 per rider until July 1.

After July 1, the cost is $45 per rider. Registration prior to the event is encouraged and can be completed online at bikereg.com through August 9. Pre-registered cyclists can pick up their registration packets August 5 - 11 at Momentum Cycles, located at 384 Mid Rivers Mall Drive in St. Peters. Riders can also register the day of the event from 5:45 – 6:55 am. Participants will be asked to sign a waiver before participating, and helmets are required.

Though the ride itself is limited to ages 13 and older, there will be additional activities available for the whole family. The cost for the additional activities is $20 per participant. But

if a parent is already registered for this or the ride, the price is reduced to $10 for each child participating. There will be a short bike cruise at Mueller Park for cyclists 10 and under to enjoy, accompanied by an adult. Momentum Cycles will also be providing bike safety tips and training, helmet fittings and bike safety checks performed by one of their mechanics.

And, as an added bonus to round off the morning this year, there will be a BBQ from 11:30 – 1:00, with hot dogs, chips, fruit and water for all registered participants.

The annual cycling event benefits causes for children. From the local to international level, Kiwanis is dedicated to enhancing communities by improving the lives of children in the community. For over 80 years, the St. Charles Kiwanis Club has been actively raising funds that go directly to specific organizations or charities that serve the needs of children and fulfill that mission.

The Kiwanis Club looks forward to seeing this fundraising event grow each year. They always welcome new sponsors and hope to increase the funds raised to benefit children. Riders can help by seeking pledges from family, friends and coworkers, who can either pledge directly through the rider or at pledgereg.com. Donations are also welcome from those who aren’t able to participate and can be made by contacting Michael Webb at 314-614-9930.

The website is www.stcharleskiwanis.com.

48 StreetScape Magazine

ART. Be Original

Sherry Salant

Exhibiting more than 30 Regional Artists Framations Art Gallery 218 N. Main - St. Charles 636.724.8313 www.Framations.com

Summer 2017

49

Written by Mia Trout Photos courtesy of Thaemert Photography The O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce & Industries is proud to host the 33rd annual Firecracker Run presented by Mercy on Tuesday, July 4, 2017 in O’Fallon, Missouri. The race begins at 7:00 a.m. and consists of a 10K, 5K and a 1 Mile Fun Run. Registration is now open.

Firecracker action takes place at CarShield Field – Home of the River City Rascals (located at 900 T.R. Hughes Blvd in O’Fallon). Runners will finish the race over home plate and be greeted with exclusive access to the famous Runners Only Area to partake in amazing food, drinks, and fun. Runners will get attendance prizes and top finishers will be recognized in an awards ceremony.

“It’s the most fun you can have before 10:00 a.m. on the Fourth of July.” said Amos Reed, Firecracker Committee Chair. And it’s true! The committee has been hard at work for months to plan an event that is bigger and better than ever. In addition to the running action, there are also lots of family friendly activities everyone can enjoy including, a bounce house, bubble bus, and expo. After the race, stick around the ballpark for the 2017 Heritage & Freedom Fest parade by the City of O’Fallon.

You can register online at FirecrackerRun.net or by stopping by the O’Fallon Chamber office at 2145 Bryan Valley Commercial Dr, O’Fallon, Missouri.

You may also call 636-240-1818 or send an email to Info@FirecrackerRun.net for more information.

50 StreetScape Magazine

The Firecracker Run is the O’Fallon Chambers biggest event of the year and both participants and committee members have a lot of fun in the process. If you would like to help with the planning committee or volunteer during the event it’s not too late to get involved.

In addition to the committee there are also numerous opportunities to publicize your business through sponsorships which range in amount from $50 to $600.

Firecracker Run proceeds benefit the mission of the O’Fallon Chamber of Commerce & Industries, a non-profit organization for businesses. The O'Fallon Chamber of Commerce & Industries is committed to promoting the economic vitality of O’Fallon and the St. Charles County Region by engaging its members in networking and educational opportunities, while advocating for pro-business public policy. ¤

Summer 2017

51

What to Do? W hat to Do? Missouri is not called the "Show-Me State" for nothing Missouri holds the titles for a lot of “firsts” and “mosts” and “largests.” From its lush, green grass-covered plains and forested Ozark Mountains, the Show-Me State not only boasts all four seasons and all of the beauty, diversity and activities that that entails, but Missouri is just downright interesting.

The Gateway Arch, for example, is the tallest man-made national monument in the United States. The Anheuser-Busch brewery in St. Louis, is the largest beer producing plant in the United States.

And, for the record, Kansas City, Missouri holds the record for more fountains than any city in the world except Rome.

Big Spring, located in the Ozark National Scenic Riverways system, is America's largest single-outlet spring, and it’s one of the largest in the world. The system itself, in southeast Missouri, was the nation's first federally designated scenic riverways system.

Kansas City is home to America’s first suburban shopping center.

Country Club Plaza, built in the 1920s, is now home to nearly 250 shops, stores and restaurants.

Aside from the intriguing and fun facts about the state, Missouri is just a great place to visit or spend your staycation, said Stephen Foutes, public relations specialist for the Missouri Division of Tourism. “When you start exploring Missouri, you find there really are a lot of cool, interesting places to see and a lot of fun things to do,” he said. “That’s because the variety of offerings in the Show-Me State, from metropolitan fun in our larger cities to the quiet charm of small towns, plus a year-round lineup of events, means Missouri has something to appeal to virtually every taste, style and budget.”

Foutes said the city of St. Charles is a good example. “One of Missouri’s larger cities, it has the Historic Downtown area filled with dining, retail and lodging options, along with attractions such as the First Missouri State Capitol State Historic Site and the Ameristar Casino Resort Spa.” A little ways west is Augusta, which has fewer than 300 residents but is home to bed-andbreakfast inns, retail shops and wineries. It is a popular stop on the Katy Trail.”

Foutes said the proximity of the 52 StreetScape Magazine

Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos courtesy of Missouri Division of Tourism

two places, yet the differences between them, are keenly representative of what Missouri is like. “So within a short amount of time, you find two very different kinds of visitor experiences, and that’s what Missouri offers –opportunities for a diverse and memorable vacation,” he said.

Foutes shared some recommendations for travelers and staycationers for Summer 2017 with StreetScape Magazine.

“Along with everything there is to see and do in and around the St. Charles and St. Louis areas, Missouri has a host of activities and attractions to make your 2017 vacation awesome,” Foutes said.

Here’s a look at just a few of the things to add to your must-see list for 2017 broken down into activities and sites for grown-ups and those for families:

FOR THE GROWN-UPS

• Missouri State Penitentiary Tours, Jefferson City This was the oldest operating prison west of the Mississippi River when it closed in 2004.

History and ghost tours are available. missouripentours.com • Ancient Ozarks Natural History Museum at Top of the Rock, Branson This museum features exhibits that focus on prehistoric animals that roamed the Ozarks, along with displays on American Indian cultures and the Civil War. bigcedar. com/attractions/top-of-therock-en.html?anchor=3

• Mark Twain Boyhood Home and Museum, Hannibal One of Missouri’s most famous residents and global figures, Mark Twain, grew up in Hannibal and the city and its people inspired some of his best-known works, including “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.” marktwainmuseum.org

Photo courtesy of Hannibal CVB

And just randomly speaking, let’s not forget about the Sight & Sound Theatre in Branson, the National World War I Museum and Memorial in Kansas City, the St. Louis Zoo, the Missouri Botanical Garden in Saint Louis and the Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis. One of the most unique playgrounds for the body and mind is at the City Museum in St. Louis. But there are also educational garden sites, and plenty of events at all of the arenas and stadiums in the state.

• Gone Girl Tour (based on 2014 film starring Ben Affleck), Cape Girardeau Hollywood came to Cape Girardeau for a few weeks in 2013, when principal filming for the movie took place. See some of the sights that made or inspired scenes from the film. visitcape.com/gonegirl • Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City Known as one of the finest art museums in the country, the Nelson-Atkins has works from international cultures. nelson-atkins.org • Missouri’s 10 Wine Trails and more than 130 wineries Wine-making has long been a part of Missouri’s culture and today, there are many places to get a true taste of the Show-Me State. missouriwine.org

FOR FAMILIES

• Echo Bluff State Park, Eminence Among Missouri’s newest state parks, it offers overnight accommodations in a cozy lodge and/or spacious cabins, and convenient access to activities such as hiking, mountain biking and canoeing. mostateparks.com/park/echo-bluff-state-park • LEGOLAND Discovery Center, Kansas City Kids can let their creative side shine through during an outing at this activity center, which hosts demonstrations by master builders. kansascity.legolanddiscoverycenter.com • Big Surf Waterpark, Camdenton Located in the Lake of the Ozarks area, this waterpark offers family fun, courtesy of a wave pool, water slides and activity zones for kids. bigsurfwaterpark.com • Discovery Center of Springfield Don’t tell the kids, but they might learn a thing or two about chemistry and physics while playing with the interactive exhibits. http://www.discoverycenter.org/ • Meramec Caverns, Stanton See one of Missouri’s largest show caves and learn how outlaw Jesse James may have used the location to hide his loot. americascave.com • 2017 Great American Eclipse, statewide This spectacular solar event is coming to Missouri on Aug. 21, 2017, and promises to bring thousands of spectators to the Show-Me State. Find a good viewing location (someplace facing south, with no obstructions) and prepare for quite a show. Eclipse viewing glasses are a must! greatamericaneclipse.com/missouri

Then there numerous lakes including Table Rock Lake in Branson and of course the waterways of Lake of the Ozarks, and more parks than anyone can count including Forest Park in St. Louis, the Ha Ha Tonka State Park near Camdenton, Cuivre River in Troy, Elephant Rocks in Belleview and the National Tiger Sanctuary in Saddlebrook.

Museums abound as well, including the Missouri History Museum in St. Louis, the Arabia Steamboat Museum in Kansas City, the Harry S Truman Library and Museum in Independence and the Titanic Museum in Branson. The Glore Psychiatric Museum, with replicas of equipment from the 16th, 17th and 18th centuries, brings creepy medicine to the masses and Leila's Hair Museum in Independence displays wreaths and pieces of jewelry made from actual human hair, some dating back to the 17th century.

And as if there weren’t enough “largests” in the Show-Me State, Missouri boasts The World's Largest Ball of Twine in Branson, the World’s Largest Fork in Springfield and the World’s Largest Shuttlecocks in Kansas City.

Heck, there’s even a 70-foot giant clawing its way out of the ground in Chesterfield. Locals call him The Buried Giant.

They don’t call this the Show-Me State for nothing.

Whatever your taste in entertainment and exploration, Missouri has something to fit your needs. For more information, explore VisitMO.com, onlyinyourstate.com, thecrazytourist.com or mostateparks.com. ¤ Summer 2017

53

It’s YOUR Show!

MISSOURI DIVISION OF TOURISM DRIVES UP VISITORS AND REVENUE FOR THE STATE WITH AWARD-WINNING CAMPAIGN.

“Traveling—it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” ~ Ibn Battutah, “The Travels of Ibn Battutah”

Dan Lennon has become a storyteller. The new director of the Missouri Division of Tourism said he came from Southern California to the Show-Me State “with the eye of a visitor,” and he decided to stay.

Brother to the acclaimed Lennon Sisters, he has spent a lifetime in entertainment and promotion.

He is now promoting Missouri.

And apparently it’s working.

Tourism is up by 2.2 percent and Missouri has seen an average of nearly one million more visitors per year since 2010. It’s estimated that the state will host more than 45 million visitors in 2020.

Missouri’s tourism industry is a $16.5 billion industry. Last year over 41 million visitors spent some $13.1 billion here, Lennon said. And one in 12 Missouri jobs is directly related to the tourism industry in the state.

Simply put, money spent on tourism is a good investment, Lennon said.

“Every year we can consistently tell the legislature and the people of Missouri that we can return to them $4 in state tax revenue for every

54 StreetScape Magazine

dollar they put in our budget,” Lennon said.

“We are among the programs that net tax revenue in the state and consequently we provide money for other programs that do not.”

Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson

Lennon said the Missouri Division of Tourism’s 2016 Halo Effect study with research firm Longwoods International found that “people who saw Missouri tourism advertising were not only more likely to travel to Missouri but also to think better of the state as a place to live, start a business, purchase a vacation home and retire in.” He said that “our ads give a positive view of the state which helps overall economic development.”

The Division makes the state enticing by promoting Missouri as a travel destination through an integrated campaign aimed at driving visitation to the state.

In addition, the Division participates in robust cooperative marketing programs with 36 communities within the state. St. Charles is one of them. The program gives these communities the opportunity for 50/50 matching grants. In other words, if a community spends $100,000 to market their attractions in Chicago, for instance, the Division will add $100,000 to that to boost that community’s advertising capabilities.

The Missouri Division of Tourism promotes the state through television, print, digital and social media. In fact, the Division’s “Missouri Travel Guide” and publications it supports, such as Missouri Life magazine’s “Motorcycle Guide” and “Guide to Missouri’s Route 66” remain incredibly popular, despite consumers increasing reliance on digital travel-planning tools.

The state’s website, www.VisitMo.com, is similarly popular with over 2.3 million visits to the site in 2016. VisitMo.com offers 5,500 listings, trip ideas, coupons and articles. A plethora of information on festivals and events is offered as well as seasonal highlights and many free listings.

Community outreach, education and research are always part of the Division’s programs to promote Missouri, as well as the state’s film office which promotes filming in Missouri. The state also has nine official and nine affiliate Missouri Welcome Centers.

Lennon brings decades of successful strategic tourism marketing and brand management experience to the director position. His job, in a nutshell, is to shape a tourism strategy that enhances the image of Missouri and brings more visitors – and thus increasing the spending and tax revenue they generate to and within the state.

It’s no small task. He manages the daily operations of the Division and, working with staff and consultants, leads the development of marketing and public relations programs, manages the implementation of the strategic marketing plan, provides direction for annual domestic, international, and group tour work plans, consults widely with statewide industry partners and represents the Division of Tourism at regional and national tourism and economic development conferences on a regular basis.

Before taking the helm, Lennon served as deputy director of Strategic Communications for the Division. From 2003-2013, he served as vice president of Marketing and Public Relations for the Branson Convention & Visitors Bureau. He’s a 2006 graduate of the Leadership Missouri Program of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry, and in July 2010, earned his Certified Destination Marketing Executive designation (CDME).

A visitor is defined as anyone who travels 50 or more miles one way from home for an event, attraction or dining, or who stays the night at a lodging property, even if it’s less than 50 miles from home. The typical Missouri visitor is 47 years old with an annual household income of $73,000. They typically spend $277 per person per trip.

Many of the visitors the Division of Tourism is after live much farther than 50 miles away, though. As is true on the national level, the biggest spenders in tourism are international travelers. Lennon said it’s because they travel the farthest, so they generally want to make their trip worthwhile, and they often assume they will not be returning to the same place, so they tend to buy expensive things from their travel destinations—things they can’t get at home. Chinese travelers are especially sought after, as they are relatively new to leisure traveling. Not long ago, they were unable to travel due to government and economic restrictions. They also have children who are attending American universities now. “So you have this burgeoning middle class with the ability to travel and more money to spend,” Lennon said. “They are very interested in our food and our culture and in the wide open spaces here.”

International travelers also seek out the middle of the United States. While many of them have traveled to the big cities like New York and Los Angeles or the beaches of California and Florida, they now want to see the “real America. They want the full American experience,” Lennon said, “which includes the Midwest. Often, their foreign language study includes classics by Mark Twain. They want to see Hannibal and the Mississippi River.

They want to see Route 66, the Gateway Arch, jazz, blues and barbecue.”

The Missouri Division of Tourism’s newest marketing campaign—“Enjoy The Show”— was revamped last year to include “It’s Your Show.” Lennon said the Division set out to put a more positive spin on the old nickname “Show-Me State.”

"It's Your Show" highlights couples, families and friends enjoying all that Missouri has to offer- Family Fun, Outdoor Recreation, Arts & Culture, Nightlife & Entertainment and Sports & Gaming activities- from their own point of view.

Lennon said the Division gave different groups or types of visitors GoPros (wearable cameras).

The people then traveled to several regions in Missouri for vacation and documented their trips. There were two families, two couples, a guys’ vacation and a girls’ getaway. The Division then used their documentation for print and digital advertisements as well as content for its website.

The results were astounding. The campaign drove some 2.1 million more visitors and an additional $2 billion in expenditures to the state in 2016, he said.

Many visitors who come to Missouri for its culture enjoy its fine dining, museums, theatre, historic sites, wine, events, festivals and historic homes. They’re looking for authenticity, core community values and good value for their time and money. But most of all, they are seeking experiences--stories that are unique to a destination’s region.

Lennon said millennials are driving this new “experiential” travel. They assume that their standard of living may not be as high as their parents, so they are often after experiences instead of things. Their needs and wants are shifting from those of their parents. Because of this, they prefer trips with a wide variety of activities, regional memorabilia and local foods and wines. They want to relax, enrich relationships, learn about history, explore different cultures and create lasting memories. But even baby boomers are shifting focus on travel and experiences since the end of the recession. Lennon said they are figuring out that experiences may the only things that last.

And everyone wants to eat. Digitally sharing culinary experiences with friends has fueled contests to post the most unique food and beverage experiences. Apps and services are being offered for travelers that provide ratings

for restaurants around the globe.

Lennon said that Skift.com recently posted that “…dining might be the last form of true live entertainment…as we start to digitize experiences; we are going to yearn for authentic experiences where we can break bread together.”

“The Travel Channel” now includes more than a dozen shows with a food and travel focus. Travelers are simply becoming more and more interested in culturally specific food.

All of these statistics and travel demographics keep Lennon, the Missouri Division of Tourism and its advertising agency of record, H&L Partners of St. Louis, on their collective toes.

And it appears they are up to the task.

Along with record numbers of visitors and tourism-related spending, the Division of Tourism and H&L Partners earlier this year won seven Adrian Awards from Hospitality Sales and Marketing Association International, a leading organization in the tourism industry, for their work on the “It’s Your Show” campaign.

“The numbers suggest we’re connecting with travelers and the accolades are an indication that our peers think we’re doing good work,” Lennon says. “We are striving to keep that momentum going and ensuring people continue to enjoy the show.” ¤

Summer 2017

55

Prasino Executive Chef Tony Marchetto recently hosted his 2nd annual Wild Game Dinner at the restaurant, located at Streets of St Charles. Dr. Michael Conoyer and Brian Scheidegger provided various types of wild game, and along with several friends, enjoyed a wonderful evening with wine and laughter.

Prasinos Executive Chef Tony Marchetto

They chose to leave all creative rights to Chef Marchetto for the style and cuisine of the dinner.

“This really made me step out of my box, but I had a good time playing around with it. I utilized every part of the animals I was given,” explained Chef Marchetto.

Out of the 10 courses, 9 featured wild game as the star of each dish, the tenth being a special dessert. The goal was for each course to reflect prasino’s style of highlighting fresh products.

All 38 guests were enthralled with what was presented to them, and they all look forward to the next special event hosted by Chef Tony Marchetto and prasino. ¤

prasino ld

Wi GAME ner Din Coconut Floured Korean Fried Chukars Pheasant Rillettes Apricot, Raisin, Grilled Bread 56 StreetScape Magazine

The Biggest and Best Charity Happy Hour in Town!

Hosted by Wood Fire Speckled Belly Geese Potato Herb Almond Sauce

Thursday, June 15

Presented by

5-9 p.m. g St. Charles Family Arena Lot

All-You-Can-Eat Wings!

Premier Sponsor

buy tickets now at boonecenter.com

Ground Venison Wild Mushroom Flat Bread

Wing Sponsors Champion Precast T.R. Hughes Homes UMB PSI Packaging Systems Inc. Pickett, Ray & Silver J.W. Terrill Enterprise Bank & Trust Ameren Missouri Missouri Valley Federal CU St. Charles Jaycees Soccer Darts USA Cantor Injury Law Firm Dirt Cheap Emmaus Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Fallon Kiwanis Club Community Living St. Louis Business Forms Crown Packaging Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart P.C. First State Bank Cutter & Company Dr. Patricia M. Rothermich, Chiropractor MicroLogic OneMain Financial

50% OFF an APPETIZER when you mention this ad Expires 8.15.17

Hours Monday-Saturday 11am-1am Sunday 11am-Midnight Lunch Specials Monday-Friday 11am-3pm Happy Hour Monday-Friday 3pm-6pm

Venison Cabbage Roll Blackberry Schooner Sauce

Ask about us catering your event!

3761 New Town Blvd St Charles, MO 63301 636-925-2961 Summer 2017

57

Summer is here and for me that means outdoor entertaining! There’s just something about gathering our friends for an evening under the Willow Tree and sharing life, laughs, and a great meal.

Recently we hosted an outdoor dinner party and while I was pondering my menu, it occurred to me, because I’m typically indoors finishing the meal, I miss a lot of the socializing since everyone else is outdoors. So I made the decision to grill everything on the menu. It was a perfect solution to not being isolated from all the fun. I wanted to do a nice meal and not the usual hamburgers and hotdogs that are typically served at an outdoor gathering. Not that there is anything wrong with that, but on this particular night we would all be sitting down at the table together, therefore I felt something a little more formal would be better.

The menu for the evening consisted of smoked chicken, grilled twice baked potatoes, grilled bacon wrapped green bean bundles, grilled Mexican corn on the cob and for dessert, grilled banana bread ice cream sandwiches. Because I had done some prep work before everyone arrived, it made it much easier to be outside and then all I had to do was put the ice cream sandwiches together and those were super easy. It was an absolute beautiful evening and I didn’t have to miss any of it because I was in the kitchen frantically trying to get everything cooked while everyone else was outside having fun. If you’ve never tried grilling your entire meal, I encourage you to give it a try! I hope you will gather some friends and family and give these recipes a try. Your guests will thank you and you will have spent quality time with all of them.

Enjoy your summer and happy cooking!

Whole Smoked Chicken

Note: I don’t have measurements for the seasonings I use. Just cover the chicken liberally with all of the seasonings.

Sea Salt • Fresh Cracked Black Pepper Chili Powder • Onion Powder Garlic Powder • Cajun or Creole Seasoning Brush the chicken with lemon juice and season on all sides and underneath the legs and wings. I like to marinate overnight for added flavor, but it isn’t necessary. Let your smoker get up to 350 degrees and smoke for about 4 hours or until an internal temp reaches about 125-135 degrees. Let the chicken rest about 15 to 20 minutes before slicing.

Written by Sandi Caro Photos courtesy of JHarderPhotography

58 StreetScape Magazine

Banana Bread Ice Cream Sandwiches

2 ripe bananas 2 eggs 1 ¾ cup all purpose flour, unsifted 1 ½ cup sugar 1 cup chopped pecans ½ cup vegetable oil ¼ cup plus 1 Tbsp. milk 1 tsp. baking soda 1 tsp. vanilla extract ½ tsp. Salt

Grease and flour a 9x5 inch loaf pan.

Combine all ingredients in a large bowl, mix well. Pour batter into loaf pan. Bake for 1 hour 20 minutes at 325 degrees until top is golden brown and splits. Let the bread completely cool, turn it out on a cutting board and slice. Put the slices on indirect heat on the grill. Be careful to stay with the grill, bread is very easy to burn. Leave them on until there are some good grill marks and they heat up a bit. Be sure your ice cream is a bit thawed so it is easier to spread to make sandwiches. I prefer Vanilla Bean ice cream, but there are many different flavors that would work for this recipe. Depending on when you serve dessert, you might need to put them in the freezer a bit to keep the ice cream from melting.

For the of it!

Mexican Grilled Corn

¼ cup mayonnaise ¼ cup sour cream ½ cup finely crumbled cotija cheese ½ teaspoon chipotle chili powder 1 medium clove garlic, finely minced ¼ cup finely chopped cilantro 4 ears shucked corn 1 lime cut into wedges Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, cheese, chili powder and cilantro in a large bowl. Stir until well mixed. Place the corn directly over hot side of grill and cook rotating occasionally until cooked through and charred in spots. About 8-10 minutes. Roll the corn in the cheese mixture to evenly coat. Sprinkle with extra cotija cheese, cilantro and chili powder. Top with the juice of half of lime and serve immediately with lime wedges.

Summer 2017

59

Written by Amy Armour | Photography by Michael Schlueter “The building was designed with an emphasis on our employees, including features to help them better serve customers, such as an indirect, LED lighting system to reduce glare and eye fatigue. Other features include sound masking, video conferencing, team-specific TV displays, and more,” said Shirley.

The massive 134,000 square foot facility gives Charter employees plenty of space for future expansion.

In terms of size, Charter’s Northwest Plaza facility is just over 134,000 square feet. The facility houses more than 779 seats—with room to grow— which is used for multiple shifts. Both the Bridgeton and St. Ann Call Centers which moved to the new facility were previously located at Charter Commons in nearby Town & Country.

The trademark rotunda at Northwest Plaza marks the home of Charter’s St. Ann Customer Operations Center.

Back in the 90's, Northwest Plaza in St. Ann was the mall where teenagers shopped for the perfect homecoming dress, checked out the latest blockbuster movie, played video games in the Tilt arcade, or simply wandered aimlessly for hours with friends. The mall started going downhill, losing tenants, and eventually closing its doors in 2010. A couple of years ago, new tenants started breathing new life into the area.

Charter Communications is one of the new tenants that invested in the St. Louis landmark that many remember with fondness. The communications company relocated two of its call centers to the former Northwest Plaza mall two years ago—taking up space in what was once Macy’s.

“Northwest Plaza presented an excellent opportunity for us to create a modern and welcoming environment for our growing team — and contribute toward revitalizing the area,” said Wes Shirley, senior manager of communications at Charter Communications.

“St. Ann was also an excellent fit based on a number of factors, including location and size.”

And for many area natives, there’s a lot of sentiment attached to this location.

“The trademark rotunda once symbolized a bustling, thriving area. For Charter to be part of the revitalization process in St. Ann is exciting, growing our business side by side with the local economy,” said Shirley.

Charter invested $16 million to completely renovate the Northwest Plaza facility.

60 StreetScape Magazine

“That facility in Town & Country is still an important part of our local presence: We recently finished a massive remodeling project there and several other Charter teams have either expanded or moved into this space,” said Shirley.

Charter’s suite of Spectrum services is the nation’s fastest growing TV, internet and voice provider, which is evident in the St. Louis area due to our continued job growth and efforts to revitalize vacant buildings into cutting-edge workplaces for its growing employee base.

Shirley said the drivers behind Charter’s growing local presence are twofold.

“First, with an increased demand for our products, we need more employees to better serve our customers,” said Shirley. “And second, when we create new jobs locally, we also need great places for our employees to work, highlighted by several recent remodeling projects, including Northwest Plaza in St. Ann.”

In the St. Louis area, Charter has more than 4,500 employees across 17 office locations, including two national call centers.

Nationally, Charter provides service in 41 states and employs more than 90,000 individuals.

“Our focus is on delivering high-quality products backed by exceptional customer Nicholas P. explains the benefits of Spectrum services to a customer.

service. We service both residential, small business and commercial customers,” said Shirley.

In the St. Louis area, Spectrum features a starting internet speed of 100 Mbps with no modem fees, contracts or data caps. When it comes to video and voice services, the company provides the most HD channels and offers a fully-featured voice product that includes unlimited long-distance, free features such as voicemail and even unlimited local and long distance calling in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico and several other locations.

“If a customer has questions during the sales process, they can either call the phone number provided to speak with an agent, or click the ‘Chat’ icon to chat with an agent,” said Shirley. Upon choosing to chat with an agent, the customer is then connected with a sales agent to complete the order process.”

Charter also strives to take care of its employees by providing an excellent, comprehensive benefits package to full-time employees, including a cable services discount, paid vacation, a competitive 401K, tuition reimbursement, and much more.

And Shirley said the company is very focused on delivering exceptional customer service — as evidenced by its local job growth and plans to add 20,000 new jobs nationally in the next several years. One way Charter is able to provide superb customer service it through its ‘Centers of Excellence’ that are specifically and intricately structured to best serve customers.

“We’re also focused on career progression, with managers working alongside their team members to plan to their professional growth,” said Shirley.

“Each center focuses on one specific area of Customer Care, such as billing, sales, repair, etc. which really allows our representatives to hone their skills and ultimately provide the best service possible,” said Shirley. “By helping employees master their craft, we help give them the knowledge, tools and technology they need to succeed, which benefits both them and our customers.”

Charter also has a Chat Team which provides assistance to customers who choose to purchase Spectrum services online.

“As our customer-facing workforce grows, the need to expand the teams who support those employees, such as training and information technology, has also grown,” said Shirley.

Shirley said the new facility enables Charter to grow its Inbound Sales and other teams, which helps us keep pace with our business growth while staying focused on our goals of providing the best products and service to our customers." ¤

Technicians undergo extensive training to

learn how to perform skilled projects such

Charter has seen growth in recent years within other facilities, as well– such as Bridgeton and the Tech Training Center.

as installation and repairs, including how to properly and safely climb poles.

Summer 2017

61

NORTHWEST PLAZA Do You Remember?

French onion soup, fountains and more are all memories of Northwest Plaza. We asked readers what they remembered of the outdoor mall while growing up.

My grandmother worked at Sears at Northwest Plaza, in the boys' department for many years. It was still an open air mall back then. I spent a good deal of my childhood visiting her there, going downstairs to the candy counter where we always bought snow caps and other chocolate treats. We always got our Easter candy from Mavroko's, which I believe was also on the lower level of the mall. For me, Northwest Plaza will forever be linked with memories of my Grandma.

Lauren Foley Kolbe

Kris Ross Voeller

Practically lived thereâ&#x20AC;Ś spent a lot of time at the fountain, also, we thought the waterfall inside of Woolworth's was so awesome!

Had to get our French onion soup fix at the little counter in the lower level of Famous Barr.

In 1977, my brother worked at the Nosh a Rye and also at the theater. Free movie Wednesday! He said he was making minimum wage there, $1.50!

There were "traffic" reports on the radio for parking spaces during the Christmas shopping season the first year it was enclosed!

Mary Lynne Rummerfield

Worked at JCPenney from 1976-1982.

Lots of good memories. It was an open mall then. Loved eating at Famous Barr, Wags and 2 Cents Plain.

Cousins, Roxanne Zangara Galati and Stan Weber worked at Northwest Plaza too for a while.

Had lots of dear friends from JCPenney I really miss today.

We all need to get together.

Sharon Musielak

Bobbie Crane

Kris Lyons Turnbough

Deborah Ann Phillips

We used to buy chocolate covered sea foam candy at their candy counter right in the middle of the store.

Good memories.

Wow!!!! Northwest plaza was the mall!!!Loved that mall!!! I loved it when it was an outside mall and the fountain in the middle! Awesome shops! The big deal of putting Santa on the roof of the medical building (I think it was the medical building) ...lots of memories!

62 StreetScape Magazine

So MANY memories. From when it was open air to the bitter end. Eating at Wag's Restaurant at Walgreens, the restaurants at Penney's and Famous Barr. Walking in the snow to Christmas shop. Saw the original Star Wars at the theater.

Getting dropped off to shop with friends before we could drive.

So thrilled when it became an indoor mall, so much easier to shop without worrying about the weather!

Brian Scheidegger

has joined Corporate Group, Inc. as Vice President Project Development

Corporate Group, based in St Charles, specializes in commercial and residential real estate management, development, leasing and sales. Corporate Group has over 43 years of experience in the real estate market throughout St Charles County, Warren County, and Lake of the Ozarks.

Brian was previously in the title industry. He can be reached at brian@corporategrp.com.

Whether youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve been actively focused on your wealth management for years, or havenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t gotten started - call us today to schedule your FREE consultation.

Michele Berra, CSA

Certified Senior Advisor Michele Berra Financial Group works together with individuals, families and businesses in providing sound financial advice.

Private Retirement & Financial Advisor 2249 Bluestone Drive, St. Charles, MO 63303 O: 636.946.7222 | F: 636.724.5005 MicheleBerra.com

Securities offered through First Heartland Capital, Inc. Member FINRA & SIPC. Michele Berra Financial Group, LLC is not affiliated with First Heartland Capital, Inc.

Summer 2017

63

St. Charles Welcomes

New SSM Outpatient Center According to SSM, The SSM Health Outpatient Center will provide St. Charles with convenient access to outpatient care services essential to maintaining a healthy community. It enables SSM Health to partner with patients to proactively manage their individual needs and deliver compassionate care that is efficiently coordinated and highly personalized.

It was built and designed to meet the needs of the region’s population by improving access to health care and making it more convenient, coordinated and affordable. It provides a new home for SSM Health specialists in internal medicine, pediatrics, endocrinology and physical therapy. The services being offered are complementary in nature and designed to improve the health care experience for patients.

As a healthcare organization, SSM Health is continuously challenged to find new ways to meet the evolving needs of its community. The employees and physicians at the Outpatient Center will help achieve that goal.

64 StreetScape Magazine

Several local dignitaries and SSM hospital staff attended the Ribbon Cutting & Open House for the 55,700-square foot, $23.9 million SSM Health Outpatient Center at 711 Veterans Memorial Parkway in St Charles in late-April.

Some of them included: Anitra Galmore – Vice President of Nursing, St. Joseph Hospital – St. Charles Rachel Donlan – Director of Strategy & Business Development, SSM Health – West Region Barb Huber – Administrator of Regional Primary & Specialty Care, SSM Health Medical Group Margaret Head – Vice President of Operations, SSM Health Medical Group Dave Cosby – Chairman-Board of Directors Lee Bernstein – Regional Executive Vice President of Hospital Operations, SSM Health Dr. James Bleicher – Regional President, SSM Health Medical Group Candace Jennings – Regional President of Hospital Operations, SSM Health Mike Bowers – President of SSM Health St. Joseph Hospital – St. Charles Austin Davis – Alberici Healthcare Sally Faith – St. Charles Mayor Chris Howard – President of Hospital Operations & Executive Vice President, SSM Health Scott Tate – President & CEO, St Charles Chamber of Commerce ¤

2 0 1 7

Join us as we celebrate our 8th year!

Monday, October 23, 2017 | Ameristar Casino Resort and Spa

Beyond the Best honorees are leaders that are advocates and activists.

They are amazing people that make significant, positive changes to our community and our neighborhoods.

Each year StreetScape is very excited and extremely proud to recognize those in our metro region that share their time, talent and treasure.

Join Krilogy FinancialÂŽ as a 2017 Beyond the Best Sponsor.

Michael Brown of Krilogy FinancialÂŽ receiving his 2016 Beyond the Best award

2017 Silver Sponsor To nominate, for additional nomination information, and for sponsorship opportunities, contact Jackie at 636.875.6833 or Traffic@StreetScapeMag.com

StreetScapeBeyondtheBest.com

Summer 2017

65

66 StreetScape Magazine

BusinessScape

Summer 2017

67

BUSINESS PROFILE BUSINESS PROFILE

Written by Eryn McAlister Photography by Michael Schlueter

Pictured are The Rack House owners and staff

It can be tough for local restaurants to find the right niche.

Some just try to copy what other successful restaurants do.

Some focus on doing one thing well, and fail to deliver on a complete experience. And then there are those like “The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey” that focus on being “something different, something for everyone.”

68 StreetScape Magazine

The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey owners, John and Bridgette Hamilton, have had a passion from day one to create a great, relaxing and enjoyable fine dining experience. They are constantly making sure they are giving their customers exactly what they want, and more. The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey recently underwent a name change (formerly known as The Rack House West Winery) to highlight several changes they have made.

Leading those changes is a complete update to their menu. The food on the menu comes from a “scratch kitchen”, meaning all of the food is cooked from scratch.

The produce is sourced locally, if possible, so you can be given farm to table freshness, and so local businesses can be supported. These are elements that are not only important to John and Bridgette, but to Chef Philip Day as well. In describing the food on the menu, Chef Day refers to it as “American upscale comfort food.”

Three items featured on the menu are the American Burger, a juicy burger topped with candied bacon, white American cheese and secret sauce served on a brioche bun, the 48 Hour Brined Hickory Smoked Pork Steak, a generous cut of pork steak with bourbon BBQ served alongside summer garden dirty rice and a soft poached egg, and the Butter Basted Ribeye Steak, a delicious ribeye served with Yukon mashed potatoes, asparagus, and Béarnaise.

In the past, the Rack House Kitchen Wine

Whiskey exclusively served Missouri wines, but now they are expanding to include wines from all over the world.

Two of the new wines being served are Wild Horse, a cabernet sauvignon from the central coast of California, and Louis Jadot, a chardonnay from Macon-Villages in France.

BUSINESS PROFILE

Not only is the menu being updated with new food and wine, but the seating and décor is being refined as well. John and Bridgette want their customers to feel welcome to not only enjoy dinner and drinks, but to “come and stay in a comfortable environment.” To that end, they are installing banquette seating with bar-height tables and stools. This change, along with updated fabrics, will make you feel right at home.

The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey also features approximately 140 bourbons, scotches, whiskeys, and ryes. Josh French, the creative genius behind all of their drinks, uses this vast assortment of spirits to craft all of their unique cocktails, including those in their barrel aged program. Barrel aging is the process of taking a cocktail, mixing all of the ingredients together in a barrel, and letting it age for a few weeks. What you end up with is a richer version of your cocktail mixed with subtle flavors of the barrel. Every few weeks, Josh showcases a new, limited-availability cocktail, like the Signature Manhattan, featuring Four Roses Bourbon aged in a charred American oak barrel for a minimum of four weeks.

Other highlights include Peach infused Knob Creek and Barrel Aged Sazerac.

They have whiskeys that are so exclusive that when they sell out, they are sold out forever. One example of these exclusive whiskeys is WhistlePig, made using a farm to bottle concept in Vermont where the Rye is grown on their farm, distilled on their farm, aged in barrels made from Vermont Oak grown on their farm, and then bottled on their farm.

Every Saturday night, there is live music at The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey featuring great local musicians.

During the summer months, the music moves out onto the patio. The patio has a wisteria covered pergola that blooms in the spring, making for a beautiful al fresco dining experience. There’s nothing quite like enjoying a delicious meal and fabulous drinks under the night sky while listening to music on a beautiful evening.

Co-owner John Hamilton has a love of cigars and has created a ventilated cigar lounge, the only one in the area of which he is aware. This ventilation allows

Sauteed Shrimp Toast

customers to enjoy the full food and drink service directly in the cigar lounge without the overwhelming effects of the cigar smoke. John stocks the cigar lounge with some of his favorite cigars, and the lounge is a great place to enjoy a smoke with some friends while watching a game.

If you’re planning an event, they have a beautiful banquet room. The banquet room seats up to 50 and can accommodate up to 100 if you’re hosting a mixer style event. There is no charge to rent the room, just a person minimum. This room is great for office parties, rehearsal dinners, baby and wedding showers, birthday parties, or any other event where you want to give your guests an amazing experience. For more information on renting this room, you can talk with Ellen at Events@TheRackHouseKWW.com.

The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey is well named because of all that they feature. It’s a great, unique dining experience for a quick dinner, but is best when you can spend the entire evening exploring all that they have to offer. After all, The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey really is “something different, something for everyone.” ¤

Summer 2017

69

BUSINESS PROFILE

The White Hare first opened its doors 14 years ago in Winghaven with the goal of providing the area with unique home décor and gifts. In April, they moved to their fourth location, once again doubling their square footage with the idea that they are now in their forever home at 1010 Miralago Way in Cottleville. This extra space allows The White Hare to offer everything they’ve had before, only now they have room for much more of it!

Their new home, in the old Mid Rivers Golf building, is open 7 days a week (10-6 Monday – Saturday and 12-5 on Sunday).

The White Hare has built a loyal following that appreciates both the items they carry and the design ideas they offer.

They feature constantly changing displays with new items continually arriving.

The frequent changes allow customers to envision how they might utilize one piece in multiple different ways in their own home.

At The White Hare, their goal is to help everybody’s home look incredible, from choosing the right items to placing them appropriately in order to create an overall fabulous feeling. One way they accomplish this is through their new design center.

The design center allows customers to work with a designer on specific parts of their home. In each design 70 StreetScape Magazine

e r a H White ! e m o H w e N Written by Eryn McAlister

consultation, they focus on room layout and furnishings, including the ability to create custom sofas and rugs. Customers are always welcome to bring in pictures, measurements, and fabric swatches to help with design consultations.

Another focus at The White Hare is custom florals. They carry a large variety of florals from which to choose. Once the florals are selected, the customer can arrange them on their own, or have their floral specialist, Mary Kay, arrange them into a beautiful setting.

The White Hare features popular brands, including the Magnolia home collection.

All of their custom upholstery is made in the USA and they place an emphasis, when possible, on stocking products that are made in the USA.

With the new space, they’ll have the ability to start hosting their popular classes once again. These classes focus on specific areas of your home like mantles, tabletops, cabinet tops, and bookcases to give you ideas on the best way to utilize them to help pull together a fabulous design.

The best way to experience The White Hare is to visit in person on a regular basis. Because of the constantly evolving showroom, you can easily find new pieces to add to your overall home design each visit. You can also stay up to date on inventory and displays by following them on facebook at facebook.com/ thewhitehare.

Whether you’re looking for a small accent, a complete room design, or just a small gift, The White Hare is the perfect destination for something unique that will be loved for years to come. ¤

Making you our #1 priority is whatʼs made State Farm® #1* in auto insurance.

Weʼre here to listen to your needs and to help life go right.

CALL US TODAY.

* Based on written premium as reported by SNL Financial 2014.

you invited to to you are are cordially cordially invited

ST. CHARLES CARE TO LEARN

Masquerade Ball S AT U R D AY, O C T O B E R 2 8 , 2 0 1 7 AMERISTAR GRAND BALLROOM

6 pm to 11 pm Dinner, Open Bar, & Live Band

Jeff Strickland, Agent 1018 First Capitol Drive St Charles, MO 63301 Bus: 636-947-6226 jeff@jeffstrickland.com

Emily Swift-Wise, Agent 3741 New Town Blvd St Charles, MO 63301 Bus: 636-946-6927 emily@emilyswift.com

FOR TICKETS OR MORE INFORMATION: WWW.SC-CARE-TO-LEARN.COM OR CONTACT:

State Farm Mutual Automobile Insurance Company Bloomington, IL

Lori Wootten

636.795.1292 PALOWOOTTEN@GMAIL.COM

June SEO, CRO & Geo-Farming July Drones Panel of Experts August Mobile Development iOS

For more details, check our Social Media or sign up for our emails!

Learn from professionals in the tech & design industry, while enjoing a free drink & making new connections!

www.opostartups.com info@opostartups.com @OPOstartups

Summer 2017

71

ACCELERATED PROGRAMS FOR ADULTS Earn your degree at Lindenwood University • Classes meet one night a week • Nine credit hours per quarter • Degree programs to meet your goals • In the classroom or online • Your degree is closer than you think

636-949-4933 www.lindenwood.edu St. Charles • North County • Westport • South County • 1 3/3/17 3:18 PM St. Louis City • Wentzville • Belleville • Collinsville, Ill.

irisheyes_HP_2_17.pdf

EXCEPTIONAL PHOTOGRAPHY for

Weddings Newborns Children Families Engagements Seniors Milestone Birthdays & Special Events

C

M

Y

CM

MY

CY

CMY

K

636-288-4663 www.photosbyirisheyes.com

Come see us at our studio in Historic Wentzville 24 W. Main St. 72 StreetScape Magazine

BusinessScape

Big changes are coming to education. No, not charter schools, vouchers, etc., but changes that will have a greater impact on the students in the classroom.

However, we will lose some things… and that’s for the better.

Educating Our Youth Rob Ciampoli, Headmaster Andrews Academy Lake St. Louis

Let’s look at what “sacred cows” are to be taken out to pasture in schooling, and what will replace them: 1. Teacher-centered classrooms: replaced with child-centered classrooms.

2. Students competing against each other: replaced with cooperative, project-based learning.

3. Report cards: replaced with continuous feedback.

4. Standardized testing: replaced with no standardized testing.

Teacher-centered classrooms. We have learned a lot about human development in the last thirty years. One of the most important “discoveries” is the understanding that all children don’t learn the same way. Children’s brains aren’t blank slates onto which teachers imprint facts and figures. We have learned that children are born with innate qualities. Some youngsters are mathematically inclined, others linguistically intelligent, some artistically gifted and others mechanically talented. Because of this understanding, we are now required to design lessons around children’s individual strengths instead of teaching youngsters the same thing at the same time in the same way. Lessons will need to be child-based, not teacher centered.

Student competition. Every youngster in a typical elementary school knows who is best at math, who knows more history, who is the best artist and who can sing like a bird. Standardized tests were originally implemented to divide those “with brains” and those without. We now know that most children are skilled in at least one area of learning due to (see above) brain research. Kids competing against each other is sort of like a lion racing against a raccoon in order to find a meal neither of them will eat. Sorting children by competition does, however, teach all the wrong things to kids - if you are better at math you are a better person. You aren’t. You’re just better at math.

Replacing student competition with cooperative, project-based learning is

the wave of the future. Many children are trapped, alone with their digital devices; they aren’t learning, they are being trained. However, working in real groups with real classmates on real projects will result in…real learning.

Report Cards. These won’t go away soon but they will eventually disappear.

Why? Formative assessment (the act of teachers immediately and consistently checking understanding) is an easier and, at the same time, a more effective way to make sure kids are learning. A teacher walking around a classroom as the children work allows for immediate feedback as opposed to students taking quizzes and tests days after the lesson was taught. Computers and the internet (which are already being used to send report cards home) will accelerate the report card’s demise because of the immediate feedback they provide to students.

Standardized Testing. Top universities are now dropping the SAT’s as a requirement for admission. Everyone now knows that with test “prepping,” students can increase their scores by 200 points or more and--guess what--the test-takers aren’t any smarter than before they took the test. At our school, we do little, if any, test preparation and our students wind up scoring far above their grade level by sixth grade. It happens not because many of them are “smarter,” but because we are committed to real-time feedback and technology.

Need more proof? The countries in which student achievement is highest (eg., most of Scandinavia) don’t administer standardized tests until the students’ senior year in high school! There are no rankings, no comparisons, and no competition within and among schools. These countries focus on innovation, cooperative learning and individual children’s needs--especially those who are struggling in academics.

The future is here. Demand that schools prepare your children for it.

What’s your opinion?

Please send me an email at rciampoli@andrewsacademy.com. ¤

op h S op t S e n O ! c Your i s u m s g n i h t l for al

Bisco

Lessons Music Rentals Repairs

Serving St. Charles for over 50 years!

636-441-7707 BiscoMusic.com

Summer 2017

73

DAN LENNON

Missouri Director of Tourism

Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson Photos courtesy of Welk Theater

It’s no wonder tourism is up in Missouri. The state’s tourism director comes from a family of performers. Missouri Division of Tourism Director Dan Lennon is one of 11 children, including the acclaimed Lennon Sisters.

But it wasn’t long ago that Dan had a brand of his own — with his brothers, that is. Dan was a co-producer and featured vocalist in the Lennon Brothers Swing Music Show at the Lawrence Welk Resort Theatre in Branson from 1994-2002.

Americans first fell in love with Dan’s sisters on Dec. 24, 1955, thanks to the nationally televised “The Lawrence Welk Show.” Every week after that for 13 years, the original quartet of sisters, Dianne, Peggy, Kathy and Janet charmed the nation with their performances on the series thru 1968. The four little girls from Venice, California were dubbed "America's Sweethearts of Song."

A 2006 graduate of the Leadership Missouri Program of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Dan has degrees in English and applied linguistics from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA). In July 2010, he earned his Certified Destination Marketing Executive designation (CDME), completing an advanced educational program for tourism marketing professionals designed by Destination Marketing Association International (DMAI) and Purdue University.

With early singles that became Billboard chart hits including “Tonight You Belong to Me” and “Sad Movies (Make Me Cry)” and subsequent albums including “The Lennon Sisters Sing Twelve Great Hits,” “On the Groovy Side,” “Somethin’ Stupid” and “The Lennon Sisters Today,” the girls were a steady presence on the “Billboard Hot 100 Chart.”

The Lennon Sisters appeared on the covers of over 400 movie and television fan magazines and were guests on 150 variety and talk shows, including “The Mickey Mouse Club,” “The Ed Sullivan Show,” “The Hollywood Palace,” the “Today” show, “Perry Como’s Kraft Music Hall,” “The Jackie Gleason Show,” “The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson,” “The Mike Douglas Show,” “The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour,” “Live! with Regis and Kathie Lee,” The Merv Griffin Show” and “The Cher Show.” They also starred in their own television special in 1969 for ABC, “The Lennon Sisters Show.”

That led to their own variety series, “Jimmy Durante presents The Lennon Sisters Hour,” which attracted such top name guest stars as Andy Williams; Sammy Davis, Jr.; Bob Hope; Perry Como; George Burns; Desi Arnaz; Jack Benny; Milton Berle; Dinah Shore; Merle Haggard; Glen Campbell; Jerry Lewis and the Osmonds.

Today, The Lennon Sisters’ younger brother heads up the Missouri Division of Tourism, bringing decades of successful strategic tourism marketing and brand management experience to the job. Dan Lennon’s job, in a nutshell, is to shape a tourism strategy that enhances the image of Missouri and brings more visitors – and the spending and tax revenue they generate to and within the State.

It’s no small task. Dan manages the daily operations of the Division and, working with staff and consultants, leads the development of marketing and public relations programs, manages the implementation of the strategic marketing plan, provides direction for annual domestic, international, and group tour work plans, consults widely with statewide industry partners and represents the Division of Tourism at regional and national tourism and economic development conferences on a regular basis.

Before taking the helm, Dan served as deputy director of Strategic Communications for the Division. From 2003-2013, Dan served as vice president of Marketing and Public Relations for the Branson Convention & Visitors Bureau.

74 StreetScape Magazine

So how did such a significant portion of a Venice, California, family of 12 end up in Branson? It all goes back to one of the most successful and fondly-remembered shows in television history—“The Lawrence Welk Show." The show featured a wealth of talent with Welk leading the band in what became known as Champagne Music over its 27year and 1,065-episode history. But it was also the show that gave the Lennons their start.

Welk passed away in 1992. The Lennon Sisters were semi-retired. But Dan said, Welk’s son, Larry Welk, wanted the show to go on. He built a theatre and resort in Branson, Missouri—the Welk Resort Center and Champagne Theatre—and reached out to the sisters to revive their show.

“So in 1993, five or six of us came out. We really had an Ozarks

conversion experience,” Dan said. “Eventually 30 members of my family moved from Los Angeles to Branson, Missouri. We sold businesses and houses and brought our kids.”

The sisters and the brothers in the Lennon family were doing shows at the Welk Theatre. Then their kids became singers and dancers.

“At one point, 17 Lennons were on stage in Branson performing,” he said. “There are a number of Lennons who have been born in Branson now.”

Dan said he will always be a “beach bum” of sorts at heart, but he quickly grew to love Missouri. He said for all of the fame, the Lennons were really a simple family, but they had been in the entertainment business in some way or another as long as he could remember.

His mother, Isabelle Lennon, was a homemaker, but she could tap dance, sing and juggle. Her mother was a flapper, actress and dancer in the 1920s. Isabelle’s father was a bar room piano player from St. Louis, Missouri. Dan’s father, Bill Lennon, grew up during the depression. He sang with the original Lennon Brothers, drove a truck, sold 7-Up and instructed golf over the years. Bill’s mother was a dancer in Munich, Germany. His father was a journalist and promoter.

Dan said his early life in Venice, California was a “great way to grow up. Mom and dad learned how to have fun without much money. We played a lot of games, went to the beach a lot and sang all the time.”

Moving to Branson was “almost a throwback to my childhood where individual relationships were important and you were surrounded by nature,” Dan said, recalling growing up near Los Angeles in the 1950s and 1960s. “At that time, in Venice, the owner of the local hardware store was the football coach and served on the city council.”

Dan said he wouldn’t change a thing. “I miss the ocean, but I’m awed by the woods, lakes, streams and forests of the Ozarks,” he added.

The Lennon Sisters—now a trio of Kathy, Janet and Mimi (Mimi was born the year the original four sisters appeared on Lawrence Welk)— continue to bring their harmonies and multi-media concert showcase to theaters across the country as well as their annual Christmas reunion in Branson. Since younger sister Mimi joined the group, they’ve been inducted into the National Vocal Group Hall of Fame and have released two CD’s, “The Lennon Sisters Now! Live in Branson” and “Christmas with the Lennon Sisters at the Moon River Theatre” and a concert DVD also called “Christmas with the Lennon Sisters at the Moon River Theatre.” They’ve also returned to performing in top showrooms around the country.

KITCHEN WINE WHISKEY Something different, something for everyone 5065 State Highway N Cottleville, MO 63304 636.244.0574 Upscale American Comfort Food From Scratch Kitchen Lunch and Dinner Menus Live music Saturday nights Over 140 Bottle Whiskey List Expanded Wine Menu Patio Seating Private Banquet Room Ventilated Cigar Lounge

The Lennon Sisters classic performances on The Lawrence Welk Show still re-air weekly on many PBS stations nationwide and they remain in the pop culture pantheon with mentions on several shows including ABC’s “The Middle” and as “answers” on “Jeopardy” and “Family Feud,” “Trivial Pursuit” and in several crossword puzzles including “TV Guide,” “Entertainment Weekly,” “The New York Times” and “People” magazine.

For more information on The Lennon Sisters, visit www.lennonsisters.com. For more information on Missouri tourism, visit www.visitmo.com. ¤

www.TheRackHouseKWW.com

@RHKWW

Summer 2017

75

d e R

Plan Your

The summer season of music will kick off with Saint Charles Municipal Band Concerts in Frontier Park, be sure to take in a concert Thursdays at 8pm from June 1 through August 31. On June 11 at 7:30pm, you can head back to the park to listen to the St. Charles Municipal Big Band.

The perennial musical favorite, Music on Main, on – where else? – Historic Main Street – is in full swing. This concert series features free concerts on the third Wednesday of every month through September and will feature Soulard Blues Band, Delta Sol Revival, Butch Wax & the Hollywoods, and more. This is an outdoor concert series in the 100-200 blocks of North Main Street and provides residents and visitors alike the opportunity to get outdoors, hear some great music, eat, drink and relax.

76 StreetScape Magazine

Musical Summer in St. Charles

As the weather heats up in Saint Charles, so does the opportunity to head out and get your live music fix. The summer months bring festivals and music nearly every day of the week.

From big (jazz) band concerts in Frontier Park to the Tony Campanella Band at Music on Main to acoustic concerts at Picasso’s, and patio concerts at one of the area’s many restaurant patios, summertime here is sure to be music to your ears.

Beale Street Concert Seriesat the Streets of St. Charles are in their third season and they have Rough Riders, Marquise Knox, Trixie Delight, and more in the lineup. Be sure to head over to the Streets for great music, a street festival atmosphere and lots of dancing.

The 2017 concert series performances are from 6-8 pm on the folowing dates: Super Jam - June 14 Rough Riders - July 12 Marquise Knox - August 9 Trixie Delight - September 13

These are just a few of the summer musical highlights on tap. This summer will also bring special events featuring live music like Food Trucks in Frontier, Riverfest, Festival of the Little Hills and many more. So, just follow the music this summer and dance like no one’s watching.

To discover all there is to do and see in Saint Charles and for a complete event list, visit us online at discoversaintcharles.com. You can also follow us on Facebook at Discover Saint Charles, Mo, on Twitter at @DiscoverStC and on the Discover St. Charles Youtube channel.

Summer 2017

77

Finding Tax-Free Money for Main Logo:

Annuity Owners can now convert their existing Annuities into Tax-Free Money for Long Term Care

Long-Term

Care Did you know that annuity owners can convert their existing annuities into taxfree money for long-term care? As of January 1, 2010, the Pension Protection Act allows for the cash value of annuity contracts to be used to pay premiums on longterm care (LTC) contracts*. The payment of premiums in this manner will reduce the cost basis of the annuity contract. In addition, the Act allows the purchase of an annuity contract with such a rider to utilize a tax-free transfer under Section 1035 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended. This provision may prove beneficial to individuals who own annuities with a low cost basis (low original premium paid) and those who are not in the best of health. Premium sources for this type of policy can be by way of a 1035 exchange or any after-tax money, such as savings or money market accounts and/or CDs. andrews_QP_waiting_pint_rev.pdf 1

Here’s an example of how this type of planning may be beneficial

needs long-term care to pay for qualifying health needs like home care, assisted living, or skilled care, he now has a longBob, age 70, is concerned about how he term care pool of tax-free money equal to will pay for long-term care if he gets sick.

Alt Logo:$1,100,000 to pay for his care.

By taking his $200,000 fixed annuity with a cost basis of only $40,000 (i.e. the For more information, contact Don premium he actually paid for the annuity) Quante at Eldercare Financial, and using the IRS 1035 tax-free exchange 636-441-3700. from his existing fixed annuity to a new annuity that complied with the rules laid *Source: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/PLAWout in the Pension Protect Act, Bob will 109publ280/pdf/PLAW-109publ280.pdf ¤ be able to solve his long-term care dilemma. Bob’s $200,000 fixed annuity will continue4:24 to earn 4/24/17 PM interest. However, if he

Alt Logo:

SMALL CLASSES

C

A

FINANCIAL AID

EXAM

M

Y

CM

1 2 3 4 5 6

A A A A A A

B B B B B B

C C C C C C

D D D D D D

HIGH TEST SCORES

ALL INCLUSIVE TUITION

MY

CY

CMY

K

636-561-7709

andrewsacademy.com

LIMITED ENROLLMENT FOR 2017/18 School Tours: Kim Rybak, krybak@andrewsacademy.com 1701 Feise Road, Lake St. Louis, MO

78 StreetScape Magazine

1

2

Inaugural

President’s Spring Tea April 11 in the Lindenwood University-Belleville Sunken Garden

Campus President Brett Barger invited students and faculty in recognition of our students’ academic achievements.

4 3

Photo captions #1: O’Fallon Mayor Herb Roach, Edmond Brown. #2: Nicolas Bourgeais, Brett Melloch, President Brett Barger, Sebastian Wegner. #3: President Brett Barger, Sebastian Wegner, Dianne Garrison, Linda Weisenstein. #4: Major General William Enyart, Paige-Mettler Cherry, Catherine Kreher, Judge Annette Eckert.

Photography by Lennon Mueller

Summer 2017

79

NETFLIX &

l l i h C

Movie-wise...we are in for

a Summer of vengeful mummies, swashbuckling pirates (also vengeful), bloodthirsty sentient apes, a joking spider, harrowing true tales of war, giant robots (again, vengeful), talking cars who live in a world clearly built by humans but in which no humans exist, and one really, truly, wonderful woman.

Does it all just sound very, very familiar? Does it make you want to hunker down in the ol’ movie room with the air conditioning on full blast and a pint of Ben & Jerry’s in hand so you can literally watch Netflix and chill? Or should you seek out something new, something a bit more original, mine the depths of your Netflix and Amazon options? I’m going to give you some suggestions for your chill-fest viewing options, so pull up a couch and set your remotes to stun...

80 StreetScape Magazine

ON NETFLIX Black Mirror

If you haven’t checked out the most spine-tingling and prescient series around, it’s time to click in.

Whether it’s a near-future or slightly alternate reality, Black Mirror presents mind-blowing, cautionary tales of our addiction to technology. No sci-fi movies or psychological thrillers in recent years have come near the originality and biting, too-close-to-home satire in these three seasons worth of riveting stories.

The OA

A true “love it or hate it” miniseries, The OA gets high marks for originality in its story of a young blind woman who’s been missing for seven years but shows up back at home, her eyesight restored.

She gathers together a clandestine group of disparate students and one wayward teacher to tell the story of her years in captivity, and has them wondering what is real and what is not.

The Defenders

Debuting in August, a smaller Avengers for the small screen.

Marvel’s Netflix series that began with Daredevil and Jessica Jones, Luke Cage and finally Iron Fist, are deeper, more intelligent and grittier than their big-screen cousins (well, with the exception of Iron Fist).

If you haven’t binged through the individual series, there’s time to do so before they pool their super resources together as The Defenders.

3%

This is the smartest post-apocalyptic young adult story out there, a story that bests the likes of Hunger Games, Divergent, and Maze Runner in its suspenseful and compassionate story of a world in which 20-year-olds compete to join a utopian off-shore colony. It’s Brazilian, so unless you speak fluent Portuguese, read the subtitles.

Worth it.

O utdo or

Scrim Ba nner

S ell

Retractable Banner

ON AMAZON Oasis

The pilot for this science fiction saga leaves you wanting more.

It’s the compelling story of humans trying to establish a colony on a faraway planet, and of the preacher (Richard Madden from Game of Thrones) sent there to minister to the Jesus-worshipping aliens who keep to themselves in the unforgiving dunes of the planet’s desert. Oasis is thought provoking on both sci-fi and religious levels.

S he

et

Brochure

Business Card

Vehicle Wrap

Re-Opening this Summer!

Follow us on Facebook for updates

The Girl with All the Gifts

If you have been tiring of the zombie and virus epidemic movies and TV shows, this gem of an independent movie (which did not get national release) breathes new life into the genre through the story of a young girl who may hold the key to a cure for an epidemic that has wiped out most of civilization. It’s heartbreaking and extremely well-acted, starring Glenn Close and Gemma Arterton.

The Wayward Critic reviews current movies, television and cable offerings. Catch new movie reviews on Facebook (The Wayward Critic) and Twitter (@waywardcritic).

Summer 2017

81

WHERE TWO OR M ORE ARE GATHERED...

Local Skaters Bring Skate Park & Arts Studios to Life in Abandoned Church Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson | Photos courtesy of Lori Peterson Photography

What happens when some incredibly creative people take over a 128-year-old Catholic church in an all but abandoned neighborhood in downtown St. Louis? A skate park for starters. But organizers say there is more to come—much more.

states. “It merged with Our Lady of Perpetual Help, Holy Name, and Holy Trinity. The church was closed in 1992 and many of the church's decorative furnishings were sold at an auction in 1993.” The property was later purchased by Hogan Street Partners LLC.

That has nothing to do with us. We are trying to create a skate park for kids.” Bedwell added that someone put a hash tag with the name “Church of Skatan” on a post somewhere on social media about LUAS, and the connection was erroneously made.

It’s called Liborius Urban Arts Studios (LUAS), and though it’s slow-going (the project began five years ago), rehabbers hope to create an amazing new space for all ages and interests.

The parish school is now home to the juvenile correctional home, Hogan Street Regional Youth Center, a 36-bed high level secure facility for males governed by the Missouri Division of Youth Services (DYS).

The convent is now occupied by Karen House, a shelter for women and children, founded in 1977.

For now, it’s mainly a skate park. Two-to11-foot-tall skateboard ramps sit where parishioners once gathered for mass at St. Liborius, the former Catholic parish in the St. Louis Place neighborhood of St. Louis.

Modern art in the form of murals and graffiti melds with architectural antiquities and the stories of the biblical Testaments on the ceilings and walls.

Though rumors have circulated that St. Liborius Church was being converted into a skate park to be named “The Church of Skatan,” the Gothic Revival structure will be anything but. “We are not representing Satan in any way,” said board member and volunteer, Bryan Bedwell. “There is a skateboard shop in California called Church of Skatan.

We are not trying to steal anyone’s name.

The fact is...LUAS is the result of several innovative and forward-thinking young artists who are attempting to save a piece of history contained in a one-of-a-kind structure. They want to transform the dilapidated, and in some places, crumbling building into a place they envision as an incubator for upcoming artists. “We believe St. Louis has an amazing wealth of talented artists, artist studios and galleries. Due to their high cost, these spaces tend to cater to the well-polished contemporary and modern artist mostly,” board member, Forrest Mattli, wrote in a blog at theliboriusurbanartstudios.blogspot. com. “We feel that the gritty, anti-establishment, urban artist speaks to the identity that is North St. Louis and hope to create a safe haven and national hub for street artists and muralists.” Organizers hope to create event space for CD release parties, concerts and fundraisers for local musicians and artists as well as a place that will provide gallery space for muralists, street artists and performing artists.

According to its Facebook page (St. Liborius Church and Buildings), St. Liborius was established as a German national parish in 1856. The church was completed in 1889. The rectory was built in 1890, and the convent in 1905. The School Sisters of Notre Dame taught in the parish school from 1859 to 1969. The parish buildings were formally declared a City Landmark in 1975 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1979. “A decrease in the number of Catholics in the area led to a merger with neighboring parishes,” the site 82 StreetScape Magazine

“We plan to have private studio work spaces that don't cost a fortune as well as open studio work spaces for members,” Mattli said.

“These work spaces will include a wood working area, a metal working area and plenty of open spaces with tables and natural light for flexibility.”

.

The main floor of the church has, so far, been renovated into a private skate park, named "Sk8 Liborius.” In 2016, it was visited by Lil Wayne, and in late 2016, it was featured on an episode of the multinational television channel VICELAND's Abandoned.

Fundraisers and events, as well as a GoFundMe page have been organized to raise money for the project, including funds needed to repair critical electrical wiring issues, new flooring in places and mold clean up. The “Sk8 Liborius Roof Fund” can be found on GoFundMe.com.

Bedwell said the group also hopes to create a “makers spot” in the basement of the church that would be used to teach young people about tools, ceramics, woodworking, metalworking and machining. A motorcycle shop may also be included.

Bedwell said the board has decided to keep the Fresco-type paintings depicting biblical stories on the walls and ceilings of the massive St. Liborius. He said they only wish they

Public skating and BMX sessions are also held regularly for a small donation.

They also want to add more sports to the LUAS lineup, including rock climbing, weightlifting and any other sports for which young people show an interest and the building can accommodate.

Bedwell, who used to own a skateboard shop in St. Louis and currently runs KHVT, a skateboarding advocacy group in St. Louis, said murals and other artwork currently donning the walls of LUAS, were done by professionals as well as amateurs. He hopes to continue that tradition during Paint Louis graffiti jam.

Paint Louis brings street artists from all over the world to St. Louis for a city-sanctioned weekend of graffiti painting on the riverfront's flood wall. It started with a group of people who didn’t think graffiti was getting enough attention. The group gained notoriety in 1998 when T-shirts and a DVD documentary were created. Fat Joe and Big Pun came to the 1998 Paint Louis and did murals. That year the Guinness Book of World Records named the wall the longest graffiti mural in the world. According to stlpaintlouis.com, the event continued successfully until it was stopped by city officials in 2001 after several artists showed up and began painting all over the city, leaving millions of dollars in property damage. In 2012, the site states, two of the original committee members reconvened and invited a handful of artists to paint at the wall. With support from the city and new committee members, the 2013 Paint Louis hosted 300 artists and around 1,000 attendees.

Professional BMX athlete, Zack Warden, also serves on the LUAS Board of Directors. The only person to ever pull a backflip bikeflip-to-tailwhip, Warden was born and raised in St. Louis. A nine-time X Games medalist, Warden is sponsored by Monster Energy.

John Dudrey, a former maintenance worker for City Museum in St. Louis, also serves on the board.

could say the same of the Italian-made stained glass windows. Those were mostly sold off by an unscrupulous liquidator more than 20 years ago, he said.

“We save everything from the building that we possibly can, and we just put it to use in other places,” said Dudrey. “We try to keep so much of the integrity in the building that was here in the beginning that we can.”

Bedwell said keeping everything in its original state has not always been easy, as the damage to the church from decades of neglect was extensive in places. “We took out four tones of pigeon crap alone,” he said. “We had 10 full-sized roll off dumpsters full of debris from plywood to broken furniture.” The Catholic churches at one time used St. Liborius as a catch-all for furniture, statues and other items they weren’t using.

Along with having alternative athletic facilities, Bedwell said LUAS board members want to provide a skate hostile of sorts for skaters who visit St. Louis from all over the world. Joss Hay would be an example, though he doesn’t need a place to live at the moment. A resident of Crieff, Scotland, Hay is temporarily living in St. Louis while his wife obtains her doctorate at Washington University. Since he is unable to work legally in the United States, Hay, a skater, volunteers his time on the LUAS project. He said he’s giving back to a city that welcomed him. “St. Louis is the best place I’ve been to in the states,” Hay said.

For more information on LUAS and SK8 Liborius, or to donate to the project, visit theliboriusurbanartstudios.blogspot.com, www.gofundme.com/fygnzcjz or call Bedwell at 314-852-4300. ¤

Summer 2017

83

GENE SIMMONS

God of Thunder & Rock n‘ ’Roll

Written by Robin Seaton Jefferson

HONORS A VETERAN’S SON WITH A STOP IN CHESTERFIELD He’s the one who declared Detroit “Rock City” and told us we had to “lose our mind” there. He dubbed himself the God of Thunder and rock and roll. And he beckoned women to call on him, Dr. Love, because “the first step of the cure is a kiss.”

The Demon, Dr. Love, God of Thunder, Reginald Van Helsing or Chaim Witz— whatever you have come to call the frontman of one of the most beloved and legendary rock bands of all time, one thing is for sure.

Gene Simmons is just as full of shock and awe today as he was in the early 1970s when he co-founded KISS—though not for the same reasons. Many fans and others are shocked at the depth of the man they thought just played rock and roll and dress up.

Simmons made a pit stop at the restaurant he also co-founded—Rock & Brews in Chesterfield, Missouri—on April 9, on his way to pay his respects to rock pioneer and St. Louis hero, Chuck Berry, at the celebration of Berry’s life. Berry died on March 18, 2017 at the age of 90.

Simmons was greeted by about 300 die-hard fans of all ages during a little-publicized autograph opportunity at the restaurant that’s quickly becoming known for combining the concert, branding and restaurant experience, with the international fan-base of KISS. Debbie Arena came out to see Simmons For his appearance. She met Simmons while she was working as an acid rescue drug abuse counselor in Forest Park when KISS gave a free concert there. “KISS thought it was cool. That night they came to Acid Rescue 84 StreetScape Magazine

on Big Bend and Maplewood, and they answered the phones of people who were on acid, peyote, Window Pane and other drugs.”

and tells me when there’s nothing but hot air coming out and tells me, ‘You’re not all that.’ ”

Arena said after that, she and Simmons became friends. “He had a belt buckle that had a tarantula on it. He left it at my house. It was even in ‘Teen Beat’ magazine that some lady in St. Louis had his belt.”

Simmons was born Chaim Witz on August 25, 1949 in Haifa, Israel. His mother, Flora Witz, was a Hungarian Jew and Holocaust survivor. At 14 years old, she watched her family die in the concentration camps. After World War II, Flora moved to Israel where she met carpenter Yeichel Witz, the man who became Chaim’s father. The couple divorced shortly after Chaim was born and never reunited.

Much of the shock and awe surrounding Simmons nowadays comes when people find out the drive, intelligence and sheer graciousness behind the “Demon.”

Simmons stopped at Rock & Brews to present a scholarship donation to Henry Cobb, son of wounded Army Specialist Danny E. Cobb and freshman at Lindenwood University, on behalf of the local veterans’ organization, Folds of Honor. The 501(C) (3) nonprofit organization has provided more than 7,500 educational scholarships to families in all 50 states—including Guam, Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands—of military men and women who have fallen or been disabled in combat while serving in the United States Armed Forces.

“It ain’t about me,” Simmons said. “I’m happy. I wish everybody health and happiness.

I’ve had everything anybody could even wish for. I have the money to do whatever I want to do. And I fully recognize that the rest of the world doesn’t have that. “ Simmons said his hero is far and away his mother. “She’s everything. She’s 92 and she rocks even today,” he said. “She is one of the few people in my life that catches me

Simmon’s said his mother’s determination and self-reliance became the impetus for everything he would do in his life. “This is all from my mother. The old adage is not a new idea. ‘If you want something done right, you do it yourself.’ Before the women’s movement or Gloria Steinem, before any of that, my mother stopped depending on a man for her identity and for her money.”

Flora raised Simmons alone, and according to biography.com, as a result of staying with caregivers, he became fluent in Turkish, Hungarian, Hebrew and Spanish. In 1958, he and his mother immigrated to New York to live with relatives in Flushing, Queens. “After entering the country, Chaim changed his name to Gene, because it was easier to pronounce, and took his mother’s surname of Klein. Gene quickly learned English through comic books and television, and entered the Hasidic theological seminary, called yeshiva, at the age of nine. He studied rigorously while his mother worked at a button factory in Williamsburg, Brooklyn,” the site says.

Gene Simmons during his appearance at Rock & Brews in Chesterfield, MO, on April 9, 2017

“KISS was the first band to take over their own label and negotiate their own royalties against management. What a precedent. With me owning my own business and seeing the accomplishment he’s made by himself, it’s so inspiring. It’s beyond belief,” said life-long KISS fan and owner of Capitol Cars in Wentzville, Missouri, A.J. Reese, who came to see Simmons at Rock & Brews. “Gene Simmons never drank or did drugs. KISS was the first rock and roll band I ever saw on TV and that I ever looked up to after Ted Nugent. He never drank or smoked either.”

Chris Allen, 17, and Tyler Siebuhr, 18, were representing a new generation of KISS fans who still pay homage to the one who started it all. “They were totally revolutionary,” Siebuhr said. “There were a couple of glam acts before them, but their make-up and expression was big stuff.”

The two said they admired Simmons dedication to his mother, as well. “His mom made him work hard for all of his stuff,” Siebuhr said. “She made him work for it. She had it really rough. He’s really respectful of his mom.”

Siebuhr said, surprisingly, neither he nor Allen listed to KISS because of their parents. Allen turned him on to KISS and he did the same for his friend with Led Zeppelin. “The 70s was the pinnacle in rock music. If they toured in the 70s, I pretty much like them. If I could see KISS play in 1976, that would be my dream.”

Noah and Ava Glass of Indiana assure that yet another generation will follow KISS. The five and eight year old brother and sister, respectively, along with their parents, traveled five hours from Indiana to meet Simmons that day. Mother, Amy Willoughby, said they have met everyone but Paul Stanley and that her son was born to KISS playing on the radio. Noah doesn’t remember that, but he does know what he wants. “I want a Catman face mask and a black long sleeve shirt that has black dots on it with KISS. And I want the makeup on, and I want the gloves that are cut off and the belt that’s spiky and that’s all.”

Photo Courtesy of Alan Wang Frehley, who was chosen after he answered an ad in The Village Voice. By December of 1972, the group had renamed themselves KISS. It was Simmons who suggested the group don wild makeup and all-black clothing. Inspired by his childhood obsession with comic book superheroes, Simmons later revealed that Marvel comic character Black Bolt inspired his bat-wing-patterned facial make-up, a look he nicknamed “The Demon.” He also learned how to breathe fire.

It wouldn’t be long until the “KISS Army,” the cult following that imitated the group’s dress and make-up, was born.

KISS’ live album Alive! hit the stores in 1974, and spawned the group’s first hit single, “Rock and Roll All Nite,” which jumped onto the Billboard Top 40 charts. Destroyer then hit gold in 1976, and later went platinum. The album Rock and Roll Over, followed by 1977’s Love Gun and Alive II, all hit platinum, and by the end of 1977, KISS had been named the most popular band in America.

In 1996, Simmons and Stanley assembled a reunion tour of the original members of KISS in full make-up and costume, and grossed more than $43.6 million, making KISS the top concert act of 1996, biography.com states.

Simmons also joined reality television in 2006 on the A&E television network with the show “Gene Simmons Family Jewels.”

In his autobiography, Kiss and Make-up, Simmons said his musical interests came while watching the Beatles. He said he thought “If I go start a band, maybe the girls will scream at me.” His first band was formed with a couple of friends at Joseph Pulitzer Middle School. It was called The Missing Links, and it won a talent show at the school.

Listed as number eight on celebritynetworth.com’s list of “The 50 Richest Lead Singers in the World,” Simmons is reported to have a net worth of over $300 million, just behind Mick Jagger, Jimmy Buffett, Beyonce, Elton John, Bono, Madonna and the British Knight himself, Sir Paul McCartney whose net worth is some $1.2 billion. Even Ozzy Osbourne’s wealth pales compared to Simmons’, though.

He was in a series of bands after that, but also attained his bachelor’s degree in 1970. Then he met Stanley Eisen (also known as Paul Stanley). Stanley joined Simmon’s band, Wicked Lester. Some of Simmons’ jobs then included working as a sixth grade teacher in Spanish Harlem, as an assistant at the Puerto Rican Interagency Council, as a temp for the Kelly Agency, as a deli cashier, as an assistant at Glamour and as an assistant to editor Kate Lloyd at Vogue.

The Chesterfield Rock & Brews is the chain’s first location in Missouri. In an article on stltoday.com, Stanley said, “Our relationship with St. Louis goes back to the KSHE Kite-Flying contest,” Stanley said. “We’ve been at the Checkerdome, we’ve been all over,” Stanley continued. “I can remember going to salvage yards that had stained-glass windows that came out of the older houses. I’ve spent a good amount of time in St. Louis.”

According to biography.com, Wicked Lester landed a break after Stanley got the number of an engineer at Jimi Hendrix’s studio, Electric Lady Land. But instead of calling the engineer, Simmons called the head of the studio, Ron Johnson. Epic Records agreed to fund the recording of a full album. Once it was completed, however, Epic hated the album, refused to release it and dropped the band.

Rock & Brews is an American restaurant chain founded by Michael Zislis, Dave Furano, Dell Furano, Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons of KISS in 2012. It features at least 52 beers on draft, including selections from local craft brewers. The 8,600-square-foot restaurant and bar boasts 35 televisions, most synced to the rock music playing on the restaurant’s speakers. The store’s computer has 40,000 music choices.

Refusing to give up, Simmons and Stanley restructured the group to become KISS. The two first found drummer Peter Criss, who had placed an ad in Rolling Stone. Then came guitarist Paul “Ace”

For more information about Folds of Honor scholarships, visit www.foldsofhonor.org. ¤ Summer 2017

85

OUT LOUD

Written by Amy Armour Photos Courtesy of Andy Hamilton

opportunity. Hamilton runs the comedy showcase and often opens the show—getting the audience jump-started for the three comedians on tap.

Hamilton describes his material as clean and clever. He often relates stories about everyday life, like his past and current relationships, along with some family jokes and current events—although he steers clear of politics.

Larry Green, Rob Durham, Andy Hamilton, Micaela Mohr

Looking for a night out with lots of laughs paired with good wine and a delicious dinner? Check out local and national comics at O’Fallon Out Loud this Summer.

O’Fallon Out Loud is a professional comedy showcase that was started in October 2012 by St. Louis comic Shaun Arredondo. It started as a one-time comedy show that quickly gained momentum and success.

Held at the Rendezvous Café and Wine Bar in O’Fallon just about every month, the show features local and national comics.

Arredondo decided to move to California in 2015, but he wanted the comedy showcase to continue. He approached fellow comic Andy Hamilton to continue the growing O’Fallon Out Loud.

Hamilton, who works for Citibank during the day, has a double degree in Business Administration and Criminal Justice. The 29-year-old added Comic to his resume just about two years ago when he braved his first Open Mic Night.

“I have a couple of jokes about my girlfriend and she’s OK with it,” said Hamilton. “I also talk about past relationships and I have jokes about my brother.”

After Hamilton opens the show, three comics will follow. The comedians that grace the stage at O’Fallon Out Loud have often travelled through the St. Louis comedy circuit and beyond—some gaining national recognition. Andrew Frank, a fan-favorite at O’Fallon Out Loud, won the comedy competition Make Me Laugh St. Louis. Frank has also released a one-hour comedy special. Nick Vatterott, who has made an appearance on the O’Fallon Out Loud stage, has been seen on Comedy Central, as well as the Conan O’Brien show and Jimmy Fallon. Hamilton is hoping Vatterott will return for a show in the Fall.

Christine Steadman, with more than 20 years of experience as a comic, made it to the final five contestants on Nick at Nite’s Search for the Funniest Mom, and Comic Tim Northern has been seen on the NBC show Last Comic Standing.

“We try to get more experienced comics to the show. We try to make it the most enjoyable experience for everyone,” said Hamilton.

He emphasized that each show is relatively clean, and each comic offers a different perspective and twist to the show.

“I always watched a lot of comedy shows, and I’m a person who likes to laugh,” said Hamilton, who grew up in Troy, Mo. “It took me two to three years to really sit down and say I’m going to try (comedy) and see if I’m any good.”

His first Open Mic Night was a short set at the Funny Bone Comedy Club in St. Louis in September 2015.

“It went OK,” said Hamilton, who lives in St. Charles now.

“It was a lot of fun though."

Chris Cyr

Christine Stedman

He started trying more Open Mic Nights, getting more confidence, and perfecting his set. When Arredondo approached him to take over running O’Fallon Out Loud, Hamilton said he couldn’t pass up the

86 StreetScape Magazine

“There’s something for everyone.

It’s a great place to come and laugh,” said Hamilton. “It’s a good escape from everything else going on. Once you come in for one show, you’ll want to come back.”

Andy Hamilton

For the upcoming show schedule: www.facebook.com/Ofallonoutloud. ¤

Buyers of diamonds and precious metals.

Walters Jewelry has been serving Saint Charles County since 1925, with fine jewelry & watches.

Repair and appraisal1 service available.

4/7/17 4:00 PM

SS_rendezvous_HP_4_17.pdf

C

M

Y

CM

MY

OPEN DAILY AT 8 AM Featuring all day breakfast, soups, salads, sandwiches, pizza, tapas and AMAZING desserts!

CY

CMY

K

636.281.2233

BANQUET ROOM AVAILABLE FOR LUNCHEONS, DINNERS, SHOWERS, TEAM BUILDING & MORE!

217 S. Main St. | Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Fallon, Missouri www.rendezvouscafeandwinebar.com Summer 2017

87

Cara n o s a M

Written by Linda Stroud Photos Courtesy of Mason Family

Hard Work & Destiny Even as a young girl, Cara Mason had big dreams. And from her roots in St. Charles County to breaking fundraising records as Finance Director for the Republican National Committee, her life has unfolded in ways that pointed her where she was meant to be. Some might call it luck. Some might call it destiny. But whatever you call it, Cara’s hard work, passion and talent have this local girl making her mark and accomplishing big things.

Cara didn’t grow up dreaming of a career in politics. In fact, she wanted to be a doctor when she was little. But politics were certainly part of her world from a very young age. Her dad was active and engaged in state and local politics as Fire Chief for Central County Fire and Rescue for much of her life. And Cara herself did show some interest, with an early job putting up 4x8s for local candidates in St. Charles and St. Louis. But, in terms of career, Cara points to a series of people and events that influenced her career path, starting in high school.

Prior to Cara’s sophomore year, Francis Howell Central was built and district boundaries were redrawn.

Cara was part of a group of students who were redistricted and forced to switch to the new school. It was a tough time, but the school was small, with only Cara’s class and a freshman class behind them.

They were all in it together. The teachers were enthusiastic, caring, and engaged.

And the personal attention from teachers got Cara focused on her grades and exploring new interests, which revealed strengths and leadership skills she didn’t know she had.

Though she had initially fought the move “tooth and nail,” Cara jumped in, got in88 StreetScape Magazine

volved and flourished. She was captain of the tennis team, on the student council, and a class officer. She also joined DECA – a program that prepares future leaders and entrepreneurs to be college and career ready – and was a Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) officer. And by the time she graduated in 2000, Cara’s focus for her future had turned to business.

She studied for two years at Lindenwood University, then transferred to Missouri State University (MSU), a school with an emphasis on the public affairs tenets of ethical leadership, cultural competence and community engagement. In her senior year at MSU, she was chosen to participate in a legislative internship program. And, according to Cara, that’s where she first caught the “politics bug”.

During that program, Cara interned for Catherine Hanaway, who was Speaker of the Missouri House of Representatives at the time. And after completing her coursework and graduating with a degree in Administrative Management in 2004, Cara jumped on Hanaway’s campaign for Secretary of State. Though Hanaway lost that race, Cara now knew what she wanted to do.

With new clarity for her path forward, she packed two suitcases and headed to Washington, DC on New Year’s Eve 2004.

In DC, Cara slept on couches, waited tables and interned for Senator Jim Talent, while searching for her next opportunity.

When she got a job in Representative Jo Ann Emerson’s office, she couldn’t have been more thrilled. Cara worked as a staff assistant and enjoyed working for Emerson. But because everyone loved working

there so much, people tended to hold onto the positions they held in the Representative’s office. And, one year in, Cara found herself wondering what her next step should be.

That time as Emerson’s staff assistant was anything but wasted time, however.

In fact, Cara credits Emerson with putting her on the path that ultimately led to her greatest success to date. She states, “Talk about people who were influential in your life! She sat down with me and said we needed to figure out what my career was going to be, which direction I would go, and that she would help me get there. She also said she thought I would be a really great fundraiser. I’d never thought of that.”

Though Cara had never considered fundraising, Emerson believed Cara’s personality, strengths and energy made fundraising a great fit. And, once that door of possibility was opened, Cara jumped in head first as a cascade of opportunities unfolded.

She started with a job in a small fundraising shop in Virginia, working on local and statewide projects. She worked for the National Association of Home Builders and then the National Republican Senatorial Committee, where she was deployed to a senate race in Seattle. Then, she went down to Florida and jumped on with Jon Huntsman’s presidential campaign. After Huntsman dropped out of the race in January 2012, Cara found herself fundraising in New Jersey with a public affairs firm. But when a former client became Chairman of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, Cara went back to Washington DC to serve as Deputy Finance Director.

Give us your communications challenge. We’ll come up with a plan. Our experienced FASTSIGNS® team will tailor the right mix of graphic solutions to help you reach your goals.

®

4101 Mexico Rd. St. Peters

636-875-7337 fastsigns.com/2090

Then in 2014, Katie Walsh, a friend from St. Louis who had traveled a parallel track and just taken the job as Finance Director for the Republican National Committee, asked Cara to come on board as a Regional Finance Director. In that role, Cara raised nearly half of the RNC budget that year. And when Katie was later promoted to RNC Chief of Staff, Cara accepted the position of Finance Director in 2015.

Under Cara’s leadership, the RNC finance team broke records across the political fundraising components of major donors and direct mail. And in the Victory phase of the campaign, she and her team continued to set the bar high. It was intense, hard work, long days and about 21 days of travel a month during the primary debate process. But Cara states, “The hard work paid off, so it was worth it. It’s a fun job and was exactly where I wanted to be.”

Monday Closed Tuesday-Friday 3-11:00 pm Saturday 11:00am-11:00 pm Sunday 11:00 am-10:00 pm

With her successful role as RNC Finance Director, Cara left an impressive legacy, as well as a new record for the next Finance Director to break. And Cara’s rooting for him to do it. “I think it’s very important to turn around and help the one behind you. The Finance Director now is a very good friend, someone who worked for me for years, and now he’s trying to beat me. And that’s the way it should be.”

1/2 Price Bottles of Wine

With so much already accomplished, what does the future hold for Cara? She’s started her own company, Mason Strategies, and the business is thriving. She loves that her new endeavor allows her to choose the candidates, causes and projects that are important to her.

And life is good.

But no matter how much she achieves or how far from home her career takes her, Cara’s ties to St. Louis will always be strong. She still roots for the hometown teams and can be found cheering the Cardinals on at games in and around DC. And she comes home every chance she gets to spend time with her parents, friends, siblings, niece and nephew. For Cara, even though she’s out there chasing dreams and creating her destiny, she’ll always be a St. Louis girl at heart. ¤

(Choose from selection)

Wednesdays & Sundays

Bottomless Mimosas Sundays

636.925.0941

3331 Rue Royale | Saint Charles, MO 63301

Summer 2017

89

Several sets of Brothers and Father & Sons of The Ambassadors of Harmony

The

AMBASSADORS of K " eeping it in the Family" HARMONY

Written by Amy Armour Photography by Michael Schlueter

Brothers Sam & Peter Kersulis

Brothers Blake & Jonny Moroni

Father and Son Terry & Dave Carlisle

Brothers Mark & Steve Merritt

The Ambassadors of Harmony (AOH) is so much more than one of the premier men’s a cappella choruses in the world. The chorus is like family to its members—and many of the members are literally family.

Jim Henry grew up with the AOH. His father was a member of the chorus since he was a baby, and he attended rehearsals with his dad.

By the time he was 11, Henry desperately wanted to become a fullfledged member of the chorus.

“I wrote a letter to the board of directors asking if I could join and promising that I would be well-behaved, learn my music, and work hard,” said Henry, who has been a member for 42 years. “I'll never forget the telephone ringing at my house the night of the board meeting. I answered it, and the president of the chorus was on the other end. He said, ‘Congratulations, you’re a member of the Daniel Boone Chorus (the Ambassadors of Harmony's former name).’

It was one of the greatest days of my life.”

Known for powerful and musically masterful performances, the four-time International Champion chorus offers a diverse repertoire drawing from barbershop, jazz, pop, Broadway, folk, classical, and holiday favorites. The group was founded in 1963 by 26 members who called themselves the Daniel Boone Chorus. AOH has grown to more than 100 singers, has produced several recordings, won numerous awards, and has entertained audiences across the United States, as well as Canada, England, Germany, Ireland, Sweden, and The Netherlands.

AOH currently has about 120 men in its chorus ranging in age from 16 to over 80. Many of the members are related—as brothers, fathers, or grandfathers—sometimes with three generations singing together. The experience level varies from novice to professional, but very few are involved in music as a paid living.

“Most of the members are not professional musicians and none

90 StreetScape Magazine

are paid to sing in the chorus. We do this entirely for the love of it,” said Henry, co-director of the chorus, and an Associate Music Professor and Head of Choral Studies at the University of Missouri-St. Louis.

“And each one of us knows that we have 100- plus people and their families who are there for us in good times and bad.”

“We want to elevate what is essentially our hobby to the level of an art form, such as what might be expected of a group that tours and performs professionally, only we start with mechanics and cooks, chiropractors and teachers and create a whole that is greater than the sum of our parts,” said Dave Revelle, with AOH.

Henry loves the passion of the singers, both for musical excellence and the familial bond he has with members of the chorus and that they have with one another. Henry sang in the chorus with his dad, stepdad and his brother Rob. “All three of these men--my dad, my step-dad, and my brother--have now passed away. The experiences I shared with them through barbershop music and the Ambassadors of Harmony are some of the strongest and dearest memories I have of them,” said Henry. “Last year, I stood next to my son Isaiah on the risers as we competed in and won the International Chorus Championship. There is no value I can place on what it has meant to me to have shared this music and this organization with my family.”

When Henry’s brother Rob was battling cancer, the Ambassadors stepped in to help.

“They brought food, did household chores, and started a college fund for his son, so that all we would have to worry about was spending every precious moment with Rob. That's when I truly realized that the Ambassadors were a family first and a musical organization second,” said Henry.

Gene Spilker, who has been in the chorus for 30 years, said all of his closest friends are in AOH. “Love and support is abundant within the chorus and it’s always great to see the men rally on a member’s behalf when they need it.

Any adversities in the world vanish while I (we) are on the risers,” said Spilker. “Our focus, our breathing, our music is for the sake of creating something together, beyond anything we could achieve alone. We attract men of strong musical talent and strong character.

It's unlike any chapter/chorus I have seen.”

I was so proud of him. He is a natural performer.”

Spilker loves the variety of ages in the group.

“The thing I enjoy most is that the generation lines are blurred in this style of music. Each member is equal. The common bond of singing music well eliminates the boundaries that could separate 60 from 16,” said Spilker. “Events bring the community of singers together and there is no bias because of age or really anything. You can grab any three other singers and start making barbershop music.

It’s young and old members singing together, learning together and enjoying what each brings.”

Jonny Moroni was just 15 when his grandparents took him to the AOH Christmas Show.

“He was immediately hooked and joined the chorus right after the Christmas shows ended. I joined the chorus through osmosis in 2009,” said Blake Moroni, his brother, who has been in the chorus for eight years. “It's definitely a blast to be able to share something in common. To be able to share something together with so many people is truly amazing. Being raised in an Italian home, we are no stranger to always being around ‘family,’ and singing in AOH allows us to further the tradition.”

Giving back to the community is also important to the chorus. AOH has six unique programs that seek to inspire youth in the St. Louis area. It started about 20 years ago with a scholarship for a single male singer from St. Charles County. It has grown to include a fall field trip called Acappellooza, a four-day summer overnight camp, and a youth chorus called The Recruits.

“We run a mentoring program for high school foursomes that want to learn barbershop quartet singing, called Project Harmony. And we just started a fall acapella festival for high-school and college groups called Acafest in 2016,” said Revelle. “In 2016 we impacted the lives of over 1,500 kids. Beyond the arts aspect of the chorus, we are very proud of our community impact.”

AOH performs mostly at the Blanche Touhill Performing Arts Center on the campus of UMSL, and their next performance will be on June 17. For more information, visit their website at www.aoh.org. ¤

Father and Son Adam & Aiden Jurotich

Spilker was only 16 when he joined AOH with his stepdad David Wright, who was the director at that time. A third-generation barbershopper, Spilker’s grandparents, parents, siblings, wife and kids all have sung some form of barbershop music.

“Growing up it was cool to be related to mom (Sandi Wright) who is a two-time international quartet champion and David, the most prolific arranger in barbershop music, because I would get to meet all sorts of great people at conventions,” said Spilker. “They got me into the judging program and we were able to sit on a panel together.

We work with other groups together. It’s fun to be close to my family.

I sometimes look over at David as he is singing on the risers and it’s obvious that he is enjoying himself. I'm very proud of all of us.”

Father and Son Stan & Alex Johnson

In 2008, Spilker’s 12-year-old son Gene III sang with AOH—with three generations singing on the same stage.

“He is really good and was used in a few feature parts. He sang in a kids’ quartet in one of our Christmas shows and I caught myself getting choked up watching him from my spot on the risers,” said Spilker. “He earned a silver medal and performed for thousands and

Father and Son-In-Law David Wright & Gene Spilker

Summer 2017

91

Society

TREE House of Greater St. Louis An Evening of Possibilities

March 11, 2017 • Foundry Art Centre • Photos by Bill Barrett Photography On Saturday, March 11, 2017, TREE House of Greater St. Louis (TH) hosted An Evening of Possibilities at the Foundry Art Centre in St. Charles, celebrating Imagination, Inspiration, and Artistry through Partnerships. The event was An Evening of cocktails, dinner, silent and live auctions, and entertainment provided by the well-known local band Serapis. The Rafferty Award was presented to both Judith McLachlin and the St. Louis National Charity Horse Show for their outstanding and lasting partnerships with TH. Another highlighted Partnership was local artists taking their inspiration from artwork that TREE House participants created using their horses’ tails and hooves as painting tools. The “Works of Art” generated through this Partnership of the TH participants/equines and the local artists were offered to the public in a silent auction during An Evening of Possibilities. The art was an amazing representation of the POSSIBILITIES that can become ACCOMPLISHMENTS through partnering with TREE House and its equine-assisted programs.

A

B

C

E D

F

H

G

I

J K

L

M

A. Sandy Huebner, Sandy Miller, Nate Harms B. Jared and Theresa Davis C. Ginny Rafferty and Kathleen Kehoe D. Holly Franer, Sandy Rafferty, Jimmy Pool, Deb Strobach E. Sue Williams, Madi DiMercurio, Bob Williams F. Scott and Amy Johnston G. Lisa Thess, Leslie Faust H. Judith McLachlin, Nate Harms, Sandy Rafferty I. Sandy Rafferty, Nate Harms, Keith Goding J. Artist Amy Jamison with TREE House Participant Michelle K. Artist Ken Farris with TREE House Participant Ashley L. Artist Linda Wilmes with TREE House Participant Robert M. Artist Sherry Salant with TREE House Participant Luke

92 StreetScape Magazine

Society

Crisis Nursery Razzle Dazzle April 1, 2017 • Foundry Art Centre • Photos by Karl Lund

The Crisis Nursery raised a record breaking $336,000 for its mission of child abuse prevention. At the jungle themed event, the Crisis Nursery gave H.U.G.S. & K.I.S.S.E.S. awards to organizations and volunteers that have impacted and helped the Crisis Nursery’s vision in saving babies’ lives.

The Couple of the Year award was presented to Suzanne and John Carney for their personal commitment to the children and families served by the Crisis Nursery. The Legislator of the Year award was presented to Senator Jill Schupp for championing legislation aimed at training educators to spot signs of suicide, instituting paid family and medical leave and protecting children in unlicensed daycare settings. The Foundation of the Year award was presented to the William T. Kemper Foundation. Through their trustee, Commerce Bank, Jenny Hoelzer accepted the award for the foundation. Dedicated to enhancing the quality of life for children in the region, the William T. Kemper Foundation has committed thousands of dollars to ensure Crisis Nursery children and families have the basic necessities they need to not only survive but to thrive. The Distinguished Corporate Citizen of the Year award was presented to Express Scripts. Accepted by Crisis Nursery Board member, Christine Way and Kris Maassen, Express Scripts was honored for supporting the Crisis Nursery in numerous ways – including Holiday Hearts, sponsoring families needing extra magic during the holiday season. The Young Professional Hero Awards were presented to Emily Rau and George Ladd.

A

B

D

C

E

F

A. 2017 Razzle Dazzle Award Winners B. Bill, Ruth, Abbie and Dylan Oran C. Bruce and Heidi Sowatsky D. Keith Jackson, Senator Jill Schupp, CEO DiAnne Mueller, Board President Stephanie Hall, KMOV emcee Courtney Bryant, Bonnie Define and Jim Wagner E. Russo-Loewe Table F. Steve and Sally Mitchell with their guests

Summer 2017

93

Society

Mayors' Charity Ball

April 1, 2017 • St. Charles Convention Center • Photos by Michael Schlueter On April 1, 2017, the St. Charles County Mayors came together to host an extravagant gala that raises money for local charities.

This year the local charities chosen were: Catholic Family Services, First Step Back Home, Our Lady’s Inn, Salvation Army, and Family YMCA

A

B

C

D

94 StreetScape Magazine

Society

Mayors Ball E

F

G

H

I

A. St. Charles County Mayors and their assistants (pictured from left to right are: Mayor Jim Hennessey of Cottleville, Mayor Bill Hennessy of Oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;Fallon, Bess Bacher, Julie Smith, Mayor Len Pagano of St. Peters, Mayor Sally Faith of City of St. Charles, Michele Mooney, Lauren Smith, Mayor Nick Guccione of Wentzville, Mayor Willie Richter of West Alton and his wife, Crystal B. 2017 ice sculpture C. Christine Latimer, Mayor Sally Faith, Arturo Latimer D. Glenn and Anne Ritter, Tom and Molly Dempsey E. Laurie Feldman and Tom Nichols F. Mayor Len Pagano and Mayor Bill Hennessy G. Mayor Sally Faith and Guests H. Allison Onder, Senator Bob Onder, and Scott Tate I. St. Charles County Police Chief David and Christine Todd

Summer 2017

95

Society

One With Courage Gala

April 29.2017 • The Christy Banquet Center • Photos courtesy of Cindy Wiltse The Child Center, Inc. held its 4th Annual One With Courage Gala, with the theme “Lights, Camera, Take Action” on Saturday, April 29, at The Christy Banquet Center in O’Fallon, MO. More than 200 guests celebrated the contributions of the One With Courage Award Winners, Yvonne McBride and Marilyn Fitzsimmons with the Epsilon Sigma Alpha: Beta Omega Chapter as the Volunteers of the Year, St. Charles County GoodFellas for the Supporter of the Year, and United Way of the Mark Twain Region as the Funder of the Year. Local celebrity, Mike Elam served as Master of Ceremonies, and Merle Schneider was the auctioneer. Proceeds from the One With Courage Gala support children and families in 14 counties in Missouri served by The Child Center, Inc. Intervention and Prevention Programs.

A

B

C D

E

F G

A.Vickie Roberts, Amy Robins, Reka, Jillian Anderson, Becky Shaffar, Sully, Judge Rebecca Navarro-McKelvey B. Gregg Hillyer, Juli Hillyer, Rich Bickert, Suzie Bickert, Lynn Hyde, Jeff Hyde, Katy Cushing, Brian Cushing C. Jerry and Ruth Anne Scheiddeger- Honorary Co-Chairpersons D. Sissy Swift (Executive Director), Yvonne McBride, Marilyn Fitzsimmons, Amy Dunning (Board President)- Yvonne and Marilyn we awarded the Volunteer of the Year Award. E. Sissy Swift, Susan Sams, Jeff Sams, Steve Thomas, Amy Dunning (Susan, Jeff, and Steve were from the St. Charles GoodFellas group who were awarded the Supporter of the Year Award. F. Mike Elam- Master of Ceremonies G. Bob and Tina Rigoni, Mike and Kim Egelhoff (Kim was a Co-Chairperson of the event)

96 StreetScape Magazine

Society

A

Chemin de Fer

May 6, 2017 â&#x20AC;˘ Academy of the Sacred Heart â&#x20AC;˘ Photos courtesy of Steven's Photography

More than 425 guests enjoyed all that Chemin de Fer has to offer: exciting auction prizes, lively bidding, delicious dinner and drinks, and catching up with friends. Most memorable of all this year was the presence of nearly two dozen Religious of the Sacred Heart, who served as Honorary Chairs and whose attendance brought so many longtime friends to the Academy of the Sacred Heart's largest fundraiser of the year.

Special thanks to Auction Chairs Elizabeth Grygo and David Smith and Co-Chairs Rick and Megan Kahn Lee, who oversaw every detail and who guided the Chemin de Fer train to a successful conclusion! Merci, amis, pour votre soutane!

B C

D

E

F G

A. Chemin de Fer Chairs David Smith and Elizabeth Grygo and Co-Chairs Rick and Megan Kahn Lee with Sister Maureen Glavin, Head of School B. Academy of the Sacred Heart students helped serve dinner C. Steve and Margo Allison, Ashley Willenbrock, Justin and Mary Brady D. Tim and Terri Dillick, Rollin Jackson, Matt and Jessica Miller, Jeannie Boettler, Guy and Jill Matthews, Ryan and Laurel Siffring E. Bill Dulle, Jack Ahlheim, Kelly Dulle, Carla Wappelhorst and Kelly Kocs F. More than 425 guests enjoyed the French theme in Rauch Memorial G. 23 Religious of the Sacred Heart served as Honorary Chairs of the auction

Summer 2017

97

Abby Eich Photography Abigails Apparel Academy of the Sacred Heart Andrews Academy April's on Main Art Glass Array Assistance Home Care BCI bisco MUSIC Blush Salon Care to Learn Carpet Direct Cedar Lake Cellars CenterPointe Hospital Cissell Mueller Cool Touch Graphics Corporate Group, Inc. Dance Pizazz Decorating Den Interiors Droste & Sons Construction Co Don's Auto Body Eldercare Financial Erio's Ristorante FastSigns St Peters Framations Fratellis Ristorante Hollywood Blonde Salon Integrity Mortgage Irish Eyes Photography Kiwanis-Ron Williams Krekeler Jewelers Krilogy Financial La Gallerie Fine Art Leopard Boutique Lewis & Clark's Restaurant LIJ Designs, Inc

98 StreetScape Magazine

Advertiser Listing abbyeichphotography.com

45

facebook.com/abigailsapparelstcharles 34

ash1818.org 9 andrewsacademy.com 78 aprilsonmain.com 27 artglassarray.com 49 assistancehomecarestlouis.com 63 boonecenter.com 57 bandinstrumentservice.com 73 facebook.com/sheaweinrichblushsalon 5 caretolearnfund.org 71 carpetdirectnow.com 29 cedarlakecellars.com 35 CenterPointeHospital.com 32 cissellmueller.com 28 cooltouchstl.com 81 corporategrp.com 63 dance-pizazz.com back cover swatdesignteam.com 23 DrosteBuilt.com 27 donscollisionrepair.com 7 eldercarefinancial.com 78 eriosristorante.com 18 fastsigns.com/2090 89 framations.com 49 fratellisristorante.com 49 hollywoodblondesalon.com 45 ntegritymortgagemo.com 7 photosbyirisheyes.com 72 stcharleskiwanis.com 15 krekeler.com 45 krilogy.com 67 facebook.com/LaGallerie 18 leopardboutique.com 35 lewisandclarksrestaurant.com 81 lijdesign.com 44

Lindenwood University lindenwood.edu 72 Lloyd & Company lloydcpa.com 15 Massa's stlmassas.com 57 Mercy mercy.net/New Parents 46 Michele Berra Financial Group micheleberra.com 63 Midwest BankCentre midwestbankcentre.com 34 MOss Boutique MOssboutique.com 17 Mr Handyman mrhandyman.com 22 Oma's Barn Home & Garden facebook.com/omasbarnHG 23 OPO Startups OPOStartups.com 71 Parkview Gardens parkviewgardens.com 18 ReFash Studios refash-studios.com 44 Rendezvous CafĂŠ & Wine Bar rendezvouscafeandwinebar.com 87 Riviera Too rivtoowine.com 34 RLK & Associates rlk-inc.com 67 Roux Royale Bistro facebook.com/RouxRoyale 89 Sandra Meranda Coldwell Banker illgetyoumoving.com 31 Schlueter Photography schlueterphoto.com 44 St Charles County Historical Society scchs.org 13 St Charles County Parks stccparks.org 49 St Charles CVB historicstcharles.com 2 State Farm-Strickland/Swift jeffstrickland.com, emilyswift.com 71 String Along With Me stringalongwithme.net 45 Sugar Cubed facebook.com/SUGARCUBED3 87 The Family Arena familyarena.com 99 The Kyle Hannegan Group thekylehannegangroup.com 29 The Muny muny.org 17 The Potted Plant pottedplant.net 23 The Rack House Kitchen Wine Whiskey therackhousekww.com 75 The White Hare thewhitehare.com 29 Thros and Michelles throsandmichelles.com 34 Turtle Creek Pub and Grill turtlereekpub.com 78 Walters Jewelry waltersjewelryinc.com 87 Yo! Salsa yolosmex.com 17 Zanders Jewelry zandersjewelry.com 35

Summer 2017

99

100 StreetScape Magazine