MAIN SQUEEZE MADE NEW PAGE 5
THE
Finding ways to keep girls involved in sports p.12
NICDANGER’S VOCAL IMPACT PAGE 9
SAY CHEESE FOR GRILLED CHEESE PAGE 18
PRESERVING THE PIEROGIES PAGE 25
VOICE OF COLUMBIA JAN/FEB 2025
PASSION PROJECTS
As you get older, it can feel like you’re expected to let go of passions or hobbies developed in youth. Life starts to seem more serious when you decide to pursue higher education, begin a new job or maybe even start a family. Sometimes, just getting older is enough to lose sight of what we enjoy doing in our spare time.
This is something that I’ve struggled with and am still working on as a young adult. After spending all day in class and working a shift in the evening, it can be hard to make time for friends, pick up a book or pursue a new hobby — and there are so many I want to try. What should be prioritized when so many aspects of life are worthy of our attention?
I was reminded of hobbies I enjoyed in my childhood when I read our feature on girls sports (p.12). The story is all about local people who make girls sports a priority when a large percentage of girls quit their sports during puberty. Not only is it important for all of us to see girls in sports, but this participation lends
itself to physical health, social skills and building community.
It’s inspiring to see individuals whose work life extends to their hobbies or passions. Eric Mitchell was working at a bank before he tapped into his hobby of candlemaking (p. 27). What started as watching YouTube videos would eventually launch him into running a candle business that would sell out on opening day.
Our other feature is about The Melt Masters, a group of four University of Missouri students who banded together to open a grilled cheese food truck (p.18). The group made the impromptu decision to make their pipe dream a reality.
I can also say that I am fortunate to have worked with magazines — a medium I have loved from a young age. From stories like these, I have developed much respect and appreciation for this community. As I move on from Vox and continue in my professional journey, I’m eager to continue reading. Hopefully, you are too.
MICAH BARNES Editor-in-Chief
Behind the issue
At a time when athletes like Ilona Maher, Caitlin Clark and Simone Biles are rising to stratospheric levels of acclaim, many young girls are dropping out of athletics. According to the Aspen Institute, one in three girls ages 6 to 12 participate in sports, but almost half drop out during puberty. Our feature (p. 12) explores how coaches and organizations like Women’s Intersport Network for Columbia encourage girls to stay in the game. Many on the Vox staff played youth sports (including our editor in chief, top left, who was a legit college track and field athlete). “Girls lose the time and motivation to do the sports they loved in childhood,” says Olivia Maillet, Vox’s multimedia editor. “I’m thankful for the experience of running around as a kid — it was freeing.” Youth sports are an avenue to lifelong characteristics like confidence, teamwork and perseverance. And that’s the real goal. —Heather Isherwood
Clockwise from top left, Micah Barnes, Abigail Ramirez, Olivia Maillet and Ashlee Klotzbuecher were active on the field as kids. See more on the Vox Instagram @voxmagazine.
Correction: John Fennell exhibited at the Perlow-Stevens gallery, a predecessor of the current Sager Reeves gallery. The story in the December issue incorrectly listed the gallery.
EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MICAH BARNES
MANAGING EDITORS GRACE BURWELL, CAYLI YANAGIDA
DEPUTY EDITOR ABIGAIL RAMIREZ
DIGITAL MANAGING EDITOR MJ MONTGOMERY
AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT EDITOR DAVID TALLANT
ART DIRECTOR VALERIE TISCARENO
PHOTO DIRECTOR ASHLEE KLOTZBEUCHER
MULTIMEDIA EDITOR OLIVIA MAILLET
ASSISTANT ART DIRECTORS LILY CARROLL, SHIRIN REKABDAR-XAVIER
ASSOCIATE EDITORS
CULTURE LILY CARROLL, BRIANNA DAVIS, OLIVIA
MAHL, OLIVIA MAILLET, KATE RAMSEYER
EAT + DRINK SAM BARRETT, SARAH GASSEL, SHIRIN REKABDAR-XAVIER, KEVIN UTZ, ELENA WILSON CITY LIFE BAILEY BECKER, ETHAN DAVIS, LAUREN GREEN, SOPHIA KOCH
STAFF WRITERS AUSTIN GARZA, ALEX GOLDSTEIN, SARAH GOODSON, SYD MINOR, MJ MONTGOMERY, SARAH MOURA, ASHLYNN PEREZ, ALLY SCHNIEPP, EMMA ZAWACKI
SOCIAL & AUDIENCE KALYN LAIRE, ALEX XU
DIGITAL PRODUCERS HAVEN DAGER, ASHLEY DICKEY, PRAJI GHOSH, NAOMI M. KLEIN, KENZIE RIPE, OLIVIA RODRIGUEZ, NATALIE TAN DESIGN ASSISTANTS RACHEL GOODBEE, SOPHIA LINDBERG
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS MAYA DAWSON, AUDREY ELLIS, ASHLEY FLEWELLEN, CHARLIE WARNER
CONTRIBUTING PRODUCERS ARABELLA COSGROVE, CHARLIE DAHLGREN, JAKE MARSZEWSKI
EDITORIAL DIRECTOR HEATHER ISHERWOOD
EXECUTIVE EDITOR LAURA HECK
WRITING COACHES CARY LITTLEJOHN, JENNIFER ROWE
FOLLOW US
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ADVERTISING 882-5714 | CIRCULATION 882-5700 | EDITORIAL 884-6432
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2025 VOLUME 27, ISSUE 1
PUBLISHED BY THE COLUMBIA MISSOURIAN LEE HILLS HALL, COLUMBIA MO 65211
Cover design: Valerie Tiscareno
Cover photography: Austin Johnson
Photography by Lily Dozier and courtesy of Micah Barnes, Abigail Ramirez, Olivia Maillet and Ashlee Klotzbuecher
A new Main Squeeze
Leigh Lockhart is transferring her ownership of Main Squeeze to focus on a new venture: plant-based ice cream. 07
Vox Picks
Start your new year off right with a unique workout, familiar drinks, impractical jokes and local music.
08
Curb enthusiasm
Vox sat down for a chat with McKenzie Ortiz, creator of the Pedestrian Pride Project, which gives voice to common issues that walking commuters face.
CULTURE
Rhymes to change lives
NicDanger is a rapper, dancer and community leader who’s leaving his mark on Columbia.
11
Notes to self for health
There are infinite ways to journal: apps, diaries, bullet journals, the list goes on. Figure out which type is best for you.
Getting girls in the game
Girls’ participation in sports is dropping, and local coaches are finding unique ways to keep girls involved.
Cheesin’ it
Meet The Melt Masters, four college students who banded together to start their own grilled cheese food truck. EAT + DRINK
Bakery on a roll
Delysium is a new local bakery that’s bringing a Colombian taste to Columbia.
Pass the pierogies
Longtime Cafe Poland owners have stepped down, and the new owners plan to keep the authentic Polish influence alive. CITY LIFE
Eric Mitchell is a local entrepreneur who merges crafting and steampunk to create fragrant wax candles sold on Etsy.
Photography by Austin Johnson, Ashlee Klotzbuecher, Kyle Maki and Jessie Zhao and Illustrations by Rachel Goodbee
What’s the scoop on Main Squeeze?
Downtown Columbia’s Main Squeeze now has new owners. But keep your spoons ready and freezer open for founder Leigh Lockhart’s Oso Cremoso.
BY EMMA ZAWACKI
The first traces of Main Squeeze can be found on an audio tape made during a road trip. Founder Leigh Lockhart recorded her thoughts about opening a business while driving an F-150 with a camper shell to the Grand Canyon. She had a carrot juice in her hand.
The thoughts she had while traveling turned into a juice bar in Lakota Coffee Company, and then became the Main Squeeze that stands today. It has taken many forms over the years, and,
at the start of 2025, Lockhart and Main Squeeze evolved yet again.
Starting Jan. 1, John Gilbreth and Amanda Rainey, the couple who owns Pizza Tree and Goldie’s Bagels, took over the space. They plan to put it in a time machine, before Main Squeeze stopped serving food.
That’s right, they’re bringing back the breakfast and lunch menu — while also selling the product of Lockhart’s new venture, Oso Cremoso.
Leigh Lockhart started avoiding eating meat when she was 20. Ensuring her business stays vegetarian in the hands of the new owners is important to her.
We all scream for ice cream
If you know Lockhart, you know she is loud and proud about offering meatless food. She initially became vegan to protect animals from suffering.
After creating the city’s first meatless restaurant, Lockhart launched Columbia’s first plant-based ice cream brand. Lockhart loves the dessert and the creativity that comes with making it. There are 10 flavors currently available at Main Squeeze and Clovers Natural Market.
Photography by Clayton Steward/Archive
“(Lockhart’s) been in our community for a long time so it was kind of a no brainer,” says Julie Nardy, grocery manager at Forum Boulevard’s Clovers Market, about carrying Oso Cremoso.
Lockhart is most proud of her Cookie Monster flavor. The blue ice cream is made of cookie butter, stroopwafel pieces and is naturally colored with butterfly pea powder. “I’m positive it does not exist anywhere else in the world,” Lockhart says.
Lockhart is eager for what’s to come from Oso Cremoso after selling Main Squeeze. “(It’ll) be really exciting to figure out what I am without Main Squeeze,” Lockhart says, “but without feeling super sad or worried about its continuation because now I know that I’ve put it into such capable hands.”
New ownership, same mission
Main Squeeze will continue to be a safe haven for vegetarians. “Having a small impact made me feel good,” Lockhart says. “I did it as long as I could.”
Lockhart is ready for a change; she started Main Squeeze in 1996. However, her dedication to providing the Columbia community with vegetarian options kept her from closing. “I was very excited when John and Amanda came along,” Lockhart says. “I asked for a price and (to) keep it vegetarian and to sell my ice cream. They said yes. He and I worked out a deal in like five minutes.”
Despite the change in ownership, Lockhart’s mission of saving animals will continue. Gilbreth contractually can’t bring meat into the restaurant. “I am going to recreate Leigh’s recipe book,” Gilbreth says. “I’m going to bring back a lot of the old favorites and I plan on them looking and tasting very familiar.”
This means the popular Buddha Bowl, a tofu and brown rice bowl with purple cabbage, steamed broccoli and carrots, will return. Eventually, Gilbreth looks forward to incorporating new items, like fermented foods, and plans to open the restaurant in February with the shop serving breakfast and lunch
O, SO YUMMY
Oso Cremoso is Columbia’s first plant-based ice cream offering 10 unique pints (and scoops). Find flavors like Mint to Be and Cookie Monster at Clovers Natural Market at 2100 Chapel Plaza Court and 2012 E. Broadway, and Main Squeeze at 28 S. Ninth St. Stay in the know by following @osocremosocomo on Instagram.
like it used to.
Despite not being vegan, Gilbreth was inspired by Lockhart. “It is enormously flattering that somebody wanted to see something that I created still exist. I was just going to close at the end of the year, and then it would be gone forever,” Lockhart says. “People (will) have a place to go where they know that animals are respected. It’s just beyond humbling.”
Main Squeeze wasn’t the only thing that made an impact on the community. Lockhart did too.
“(She’s) a wonderful voice in our community,” says Nickie Davis, executive director of the Downtown Community Improvement District. “Even though she is moving forward and we are very happy for her, we hope she continues to stay a loud voice amongst our businesses.”
Even with her exit from Main Squeeze, Lockhart isn’t going anywhere. Through Oso Cremoso, she’ll spread her message and share her passion while her legacy at Main Squeeze lives on through new ownership.
Vox Picks for JANUARY FEBRUARY
Each month, Vox curates a list of can’t-miss shops, eats, reads and experiences. We find the new, trending or underrated to help you enjoy the best our city has to offer.
BY BAILEY BECKER AND ETHAN DAVIS
ROCK OUT
to Violet and the Undercurrents, a Columbia band that will perform classics by The Cranberries at The Blue Note. Formed in 2011, the native Columbia band finds inspiration for its discography from alternative rock artists like Local Natives, Ani DiFranco, St. Vincent and more. Expect some classic Cranberries hits like “Linger” and “Zombie” during the tribute to one of the great rock bands of the ’90s. 8 p.m. Jan. 25, The Blue Note, thebluenote.com, $10-$20
to one of Columbia’s staple restaurants, Tellers Gallery and Bar. The business closed after damage due to a September 2023 fire in the True/False Film Fest offices above it. Deb Rust, co-owner of Tellers, told the Missourian in October, “Tellers is still Tellers, but I think that people will be pleased with some upgrades.” Check out its $7 Monday martini nights as you welcome back a business that’s been in the community Tellers Gallery and Bar, 820 E. Broadway, 11 a.m. to 1:30 a.m., Monday-Saturday, tellerscomo.com
into your next workout at Muse Pole Fitness. The inclusive studio has beginner pole classes, such as the pole kitten, all the way up to more advanced classes like pole tigress. It’s not all about the pole. There are also opportunities to activate muscles through strength and conditioning or stretch and flexibility classes. You can get your body moving in the twerk class too. Muse Pole Fitness, 3605 S. Providence Road Suite 5, first two weeks of unlimited classes are $69, musepolefitness. com/memberships
LAUGH through the pains of dating at this Speed Dating & Comedy event at Dream Tree Academy 573, which is above Bank of America. Whether in the wild or on the apps, dating can feel awkward and exhausting. Head on over to this singles event for those 25 and older. It’s hosted by local comedian Lady Moe Joe, who will perform a short comedy set. Afterward, try 6:30 p.m. Jan. 18, 800 Cherry St. Suite 201, $15 in advance or $20 at door, email ladymoejoe@gmail.com to sign up
with former
“Impractical Jokers” star Joe Gatto in his latest tour, Let’s Get Into It, with fellow comedian Mark “Jiggy” Jigarjian. Gatto was on “Impractical Jokers,” a reality comedy show, for nine seasons. Grab your pals and check out his all-new material at Jesse Auditorium. 7 p.m. Feb. 15, Jesse Auditorium, $60 and up,
Can’t curb her enthusiasm
McKenzie Ortiz, creator of the Pedestrian Pride Project, helps Columbians rethink what it means to walk safely.
BY AUDREY ELLIS
When McKenzie Ortiz moved to Columbia from Kansas City in 2021, one of the first things she noticed was the city’s sidewalks and crosswalks. Preferring to walk instead of drive for most of her adult life, the damaged sidewalks and unsafe intersections throughout Columbia concerned her.
Ortiz’s love of advocacy and passion for improving walkways in Columbia inspired her to apply for the Power-Full program at Local Motion, a transportation advocacy nonprofit in Columbia. Through the program, individuals create initiatives that improve non-automotive commutes and public transportation in their communities.
Participants learn about transportation advocacy at the local level and put it into action, Gabi Jacobs, the communications and outreach director for Local Motion, says.
Ortiz’s work with Local Motion led her to create the Pedestrian Pride Project, a social media-based initiative across all platforms to share the experiences of Columbia’s walking commuters.
Vox spoke with Ortiz about the project, and what led her to advocate for pedestrians in Columbia.
What inspired the Pedestrian Pride Project?
I didn’t have a car. I was walking everywhere I wanted to go. And one of the things I noticed because I do live on East Campus — which is supposed to be more walkable — was the intersection of College and University avenues, where so many times cars had almost hit me. I was getting very frustrated because there is a pedestrian crosswalk, there’s lines, there’s all the things that you need to be safe at a crosswalk, but cars are still flying through. I posted about this on Reddit and people were telling me about this nonprofit called Local Motion, and
shortly after I followed them on social media.
What has been the reaction to the Pedestrian Pride Project?
I think a lot of folks have reached out about feeling seen. (They say), “Oh, I’ve experienced that, but I wasn’t even sure why I was so frustrated by it. But now seeing your account, I realized it does cause accessibility issues or concerns.”
I had one person reach out to me after a video very early on where I was kicking rocks off a sidewalk. I think it was a construction zone and they had dumped a bunch of rocks to drive their car over it. Someone reached out and was like, “Hey, my grandma actually fell because a bunch of acorns were left on the sidewalk and she had a traumatic brain injury because of it, so I really appreciate
GET IN MOTION
Nonprofit Local Motion is walking the community through different ways to get involved in transportation advocacy. Find programs and events, and learn how to lead your own initiatives at lomocomo.org.
McKenzie Ortiz is the creator of the Pedestrian Pride Project. Follow the experiences of CoMo’s walking commuters on Instagram
change of “Hey, when we’re using a heavy piece of machinery, we need to be mindful of where we’re leaving that.” In reality, I think it’s more about educating the public to be mindful.
What is the sidewalk repair program?
In Columbia, the sidewalk is not necessarily the responsibility of the city; it’s actually the responsibility of the adjacent property owner.
So, whoever owns the property next to the sidewalk has to maintain it if it gets bad. The city can, if you apply, put a bid out for a construction company. They’ll come, they’ll look at it, they’ll give you a cost estimate and then you’re in compliance with the city. It’s like standards on safe sidewalks.
What would you like to see happen
Photography by Kyle Maki
Writing rhymes and changing lives
Since he was a kid, Nic Rodriguez – better known as NicDanger – has found purpose in helping others. He uses his talents to spark inspiration through with local organizations and performances.
BY AUSTIN GARZA
The inaugural Hip-Hop Unity Day in 2023 was a culmination of Nic Rodriguez’s longtime commitment to uplifting his community through words and music. It ended with a proclamation from Mayor Barbara Buffaloe calling it a “key cultural event within the community.”
“It felt really good,” Rodriguez says. “It lets you know your work is not in vain and that it’s being seen and recognized.”
Rodriguez, better known as NicDanger, has been active in Columbia’s
music scene for 15 years as a rapper and dancer. He’s not just an artist, though; Rodriguez, 34, is a community leader committed to bettering the city he calls home.
Musical DNA
Music and art were prevalent throughout Rodriguez’s childhood. His grandmother exposed him to music from Chaka Khan to Van Halen, and many of his uncles were musicians and dancers. Rodriguez’s passion for music started during a
Aidan Mitchell, 8, (center) introduces himself to the audience at Compass Church. Mamma Yawson, 9, (left) and Nana Yaa Yawson,11, play drums. Rodriguez uses music as a medium to spark engagement with younger generations.
fourth-grade poetry class at Rock Bridge Elementary School. “Poetry gave me a sense of therapy, and I expressed myself at the same time,” he says. “It was killing two birds with one stone.”
As an introverted child, he quickly took to poetry as a creative medium. Mary Rodriguez, his mother, says his time experimenting with art produced a positive ripple effect. “Where a lot of kids were getting in trouble with violence and crime, he took to poetry,” Mary Rodriguez says. “That took up
Photography by Jessie Zhao and illustration by Rachel Goodbee
a lot of his time and was something positive. It grew from there, and now he’s a young man continuing to make a positive mark on himself. Hopefully, other young people will see what he’s doing and mirror that.”
Rodriguez’s musical inspirations include Public Enemy, Anthrax and Parliament Funkadelic. He can rap quickly like Tech N9ne and in-the-pocket like Nas. He likes to employ different rap flows and cadences to sound unique and prevent himself from being typecasted.
“I’m a human,” Rodriguez says. “I don’t like being put into a box. The same thing that defines you confines you.”
Rodriguez began doing larger shows after his breakthrough performance opening for Young Joc in 2009 at The Blue Note. This led to performances with hip-hop legends such as Ice Cube, Too Short and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Despite working with superstars, Rodriguez never lost sight of where he came from. His tracks “Columbia Stand Up” and “Welcome to the Zou” showcase Rodriguez’s ties to the city that shaped his artistic endeavors.
Community roots
Rodriguez’s history of leadership began at a young age. In school, he missed recesses to help elementary school students learn to read. This dedication led to President George W. Bush recognizing him with a signed certificate in honor of his efforts.
“If there’s a young person around, he’s talking to them about things for the future and ways to look out for themselves,” Mary Rodriguez says.
His mentoring evolved into work with local organizations such as Granny’s House and True North. He also performs in collaboration with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention.
For Rodriguez, helping those in need is more important than any accolades that might follow. “I always say, ‘I don’t want to be blessed unless I can bless the people around me,’ ” Rodriguez says. “We can build other people as we’re building ourselves.”
Alongside his fundraising efforts, Rodriguez is a member of Regional Economic Development Inc. This Columbia-based nonprofit helps create new job
HE AIN’T NO JOKE
NicDanger’s 2020 EP, “No Distractions,” features Pretty Boi Beats on the track “The Come Up.” This is the song for his latest music video, which you can find on NicDanger’s YouTube. Stream NicDanger’s music on Spotify, SoundCloud, Pandora, Apple Music, YouTube and YouTube Music. But, in order to experience the magic that NicDanger creates, you’ll have to see him live. Follow @nicdanger on Instagram for updates on local performances and events.
opportunities by supporting businesses and assisting entrepreneurs in growing startups.
Rodriguez’s performing experience translates into his ability to captivate crowds through motivational speaking. He views any performance opportunity as a chance to make a lasting, positive impact on his audience.
“When you’re helping other people, you’re helping yourself,” Rodriguez says. “Art as it goes out of you, and the effect comes back into you.”
Building unity
Rodriguez’s passion for art as a creative outlet and his love for Columbia culminated when he organized Hip-Hop Unity Day.
In its first year, Rodriguez tapped into connections he made from his years spent in Columbia to create an event at Cafe Berlin featuring DJs, emcees and breakdancers. After a successful first year, the event returned this year as a block party on Fourth Street in downtown Columbia.
But Unity Day aimed to be more than a block party. He wanted to champion the genre’s history of using art to empower impoverished communities and its global influence. Rodriguez used the celebration to showcase how creativity allows individuality to flourish and uplift communities.
Charles Beason, also known as DJ Charlie Chan Soprano, is Run-D.M.C.’s DJ and a member of the band D.M.C. and the Hellraisers. He collaborated with Rodriguez for Hip-Hop Unity Day and found it refreshing to see someone rooted in the art form wanting to help others and showcase hip-hop culture.
NicDanger performs rap songs at the second annual Youth Summit, where kids hear encouraging messages to promote social change. He also works with organizations that help struggling students and Regional Economic Development Inc., which seeks to help small businesses.
“He likes to bring the culture to the people who don’t get to see it,” Beason says. “He makes it where you can touch it.”
Rodriguez doesn’t plan on slowing down. He looks forward to performing in more local music events to continue engaging with Columbia. A strong dedication to his craft allows him to continue impacting the community.
“Art takes you on a ride when you’re open to it,” Rodriguez says. “I feel like when you’re closed off, you only get small results.”
Photography by Jessie Zhao
Notes to self for better health
Want to get organized, de-stress or just explore a new creative outlet? Grab and notebook and try journaling with one of these five methods.
BY ALLY SCHNIEPP
From quill and ink pots to locked teenage diaries to modern journaling apps, the practice of writing our daily thoughts is timeless. It’s also an easy and effective way to improve mental health.
“There are so many ways that writing can facilitate a person’s life, their well-being, their sense of meaning, their physical health,” says Laura King, a professor of psychology at the University of Missouri with an interest in personality psychology. King is known for her landmark 2001 “Best Possible Self” journaling technique, which showed how daily writing improved health, mood and overall well-being.
Want to pick up a pen and start writing? Here are some of the most common forms of journaling, plus tips for getting started.
Bullet journaling
If you’re feeling unorganized and want to set intentions, consider a bullet journal.
These journals include trackers and logs that you create to fit your goals. Some popular layouts include habit trackers, meal planning, sleep tracking and weekly spreads that help organize time each day. Some bullet journalers show their creative side by using washi tape, colorful pens and calligraphy to adorn the pages.
“It’s very soothing and calming to be able to sit down and make something look really pretty, then also know that I’m going to use that to look back on things, or reflect or plan for things that are coming in the future,” says Emily Datz, a Columbia journaler who posts her bullet journals on Instagram as The Paperback Planner. “I think it all works together really well to keep that anxiety part of me calm.” How to get started: 2001 W. Ash St., has a selection of bullet journals (and all the crafty supplies), but any dotted-paper journal will work. Follow Datz’s Instagram @thepaperbackplanner for layout ideas.
liked as an avenue to reduce stress, improve self-esteem, increase mindfulness and improve your overall mood. It is also a good way to try journaling for the first time and helps establish a regular writing routine.
How to get started:
Self-Reflection Journal (example prompt: What am I really worried about?). How to be a WildFlower: A Field Guide, which is available at Sabu’s Books, has prompts with med itative activities (example prompts: Hike by the light of the moon; make a
aside five minutes in the morning or at night to list moments or people that affected your life in a good way, according to Calm. This can help shift your mindset to see what is working even when it feels as though everything has gone awry.
How to get started:
Pick up a gratitude journal at Skylark, 22 S. Ninth St. or skylarkbookshop.com. Or, find a 365-day gratitude journal at Sabu’s Books, 4603 John Garry Drive and sabusbooks.com.
Guided journaling
Stream-of-consciousness journaling
This “dear diary” form of journaling means opening a blank page and writing whatever’s in your brain. It’s helpful for people who want to unload thoughts and feel lighter after they’re
“I think that it’s really been beneficial for me to be able to get all the thoughts out of my head and not have to hold them in my brain all the time,” says Anna McAnnally, an avid journaler and English doctoral student
Let prompts direct your purpose in guided journaling. It can be less overwhelming than trying to think of where to start on your own.
ley Wilds says this type of journaling is well-
Illustration by Rachel Goodbee
Getting girls
Columbia is tackling the drop
Story by Sarah Goodson
Design by Shirin Rekabdar-Xavier
Photography by Austin Johnson
Editing by Lauren Green
in the game
drop in girls sports participation.
Sarah Tornez watches over her Battle High School cheer team as they warm up with various moves like high kicks and cartwheels.
Kelsey Mescher didn’t have a female coach until she was in high school. For that reason, she struggled relating to coaches — and couldn’t see a future in sports. She played soccer as a kid, and eventually played goalkeeper for Hickman High School. Now in her first year as head coach for the girls wrestling team at Battle High School, Mescher connects with athletes through her own sports career.
“I play roller derby in my free time,” Mescher says. “I understand how much hard work it takes and (the) time it takes to get good at something.”
Mescher calls herself a “warm demander,” saying she’s equal parts supportive and stern when it comes to coaching her team. She emphasizes the importance of empowering female athletes. Positive reinforcement is not always present in their social lives, she says.
With girls sport participation falling nationally, women in leadership and coaching roles are more vital than ever
for young female athletes. In Columbia, there are both women coaches and programs that promote a positive and encouraging environment for girls who want to get — and keep — their head in the game.
A new era
Girls’ participation in sports is taking a big hit across the United States.
While one in three girls between the ages of 6 and 12 participate in sports, almost half of those drop out of sports during puberty, according to the nonprofit Aspen Institute. The highest dropout rates are for girls 11 to 17 years old, according to 2018 data from the University of Minnesota’s Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport.
More young girls are playing sports while more older girls are leaving. And this is all happening during a prime age for building relationships and leadership skills that girls get through sports.
Unlike boys in sports, girls’ relationship with sports changes drastically when
Get involved with WIN
WIN for Columbia, a nonprofit organization, empowers girls and women of all ages to participate in sports. It offers awards honoring athletes and coaches and hosts events to connect local athletes with those in their community and beyond.
One of those events is the Awards Luncheon, which has recognized over 200 female athletes since its creation. Attendees have the opportunity to hear from Olympic gold medalists and celebrate their own personal achievements. The 2025 speaker will be Amber Cox, the COO/general manager of the WNBA’s Indiana Fever. It takes place 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 18 in Columbia College’s Southwell Complex. To make a donation or purchase tickets, visit winforcolumbia.com.
Battle High’s Yanni Collier (top) works teammate Julissa Gonzalez-Pedroza into a cradle during wrestling practice. The girls wrestling squad had its first match of the season in late November.
Daisy Johnson Brown (front) of the Battle cheer team stretches into a bridge pose as her teammates warm up and stretch in the background. Cheer is much more than showing school spirit and requires a high level of flexibility and gymnastics skills.
they hit puberty. This can be attributed to a combination of societal pressures and how girls feel about their coaches. These factors largely determine whether or not they continue with organized sports.
At the same time, professional and college women athletes are more popular than ever. Simone Biles, Katie Ledecky and Sha’Carri Richardson were among the stars of the 2024 Summer Olympics. The 2024 NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship set an attendance record (breaking the record from the previous year), attributed partially to what the NCAA calls “The Caitlin Clark Effect.” Here in Missouri, the Kansas City Current women’s soccer team played its second season in CPKC Stadium, the first professional women’s sports stadium in the world. Both Kansas City and St. Louis are vying to land a WNBA expansion team.
“I’m really excited any time we’re talking about girls in sports,” Mescher says. “I’m excited for the time where it’s not a weird thing that we have the same amount of professional women athletes that we do men athletes, and it starts with our high school sports.”
Getting girls involved
Nationally, statewide and locally, there is an imbalance between the sports participation rates of girls and boys, David Egan, athletic director for Columbia Public Schools says. Egan is also a board director at the Women’s Intersport Network (WIN) for Columbia. The group
started in 1994 with a mission to empower girls and women by promoting the value of sports, participation and leadership.
Local coaches say imposter syndrome, body image, confidence and social media play a role in participation rates dropping. Organizations like WIN for Columbia are working to solve this problem by continuously uplifting women.
“I do think, slowly but surely, our culture is doing a better job of valuing how great female sports are,” Egan says. He says it starts by building bridges within the community to ensure that female athletes feel supported and commemorated by their coaches and peers.
Samantha Symonds, Battle High School’s athletic director, leans into celebrating her school’s female athletes. Last year, Symonds and some other coaches contacted companies for donations to make gift baskets for all 200 girls in athletics at the school. “Taking any opportunities to celebrate our female athletes is so huge to me,” Symonds says. Symonds also nominates the school’s athletes for awards, such as WIN for Columbia’s athlete of the year. The organization hosts a lunch to recognize girls’ sports achievements throughout high school, college and adulthood, says Mitzi Clayton, a WIN for Columbia board director. Clayton says the luncheon brings in motivational speakers, including Olympians and CEOs of women’s pro sports organizations.
WIN for Columbia also launched
Addey Aldridge is launched into the air to perform a basket toss during stunting at cheer practice. This moves requires strength, focus and coordination among the people making up the basket and the flyer in the air.
celebrations for National Girls and Women in Sports Day, which takes place the first Wednesday each February. Making it a weeklong event, WIN creates opportunities for girls and women to work out at fitness centers, yoga studios and gyms for free. “We really wanted that kind of caring and group synergy that you get when you work out with other women,” Clayton says. “It also helps diminish gymphobia and things like that.”
Every July, WIN hosts a girls in sport leadership seminar called Win Every Day. This seminar is directed toward Columbia Public Schools students and talks about everything from menstruation and body image to goal setting and supporting one another. WIN also awards $500 grants to girls up to eighth grade who are in the free or reduced lunch program to participate in sport activities.
All for one
Growing up in Minnesota, Sarah Tornez was a gymnast from elementary to high school. Receiving a varsity letter in seventh grade for gymnastics, she understood the importance of team support. Now the head cheer coach at Battle High School, Tornez tries to make her team like a family.
On Friday nights before football games, Tornez hosts a dinner for the varsity and junior varsity teams, along with other kids in the program. Additionally, the cheer team has a sibling program that pairs upperclassmen with underclassmen to create bonds between the girls and develop team leadership. Tornez says the extra little things encourage her athletes to stay involved. “They work together, not only (through) fun little theme days at practice where they dress up together, but also (at) a mentorship program
where they can sit down and talk to them about school,” Tornez says.
Haylie Thornhill, a senior at Battle High School, has been on the cheer program for a year. She was an acrobatic gymnast as a kid, but Thornhill says she had a moment of doubt. “I didn’t know what I was doing, and I was new to everything,”
Thornhill says. “I was definitely discouraged going in those first couple of weeks because I had no clue what I was doing or how I was supposed to fill in.”
Although Thornhill was discouraged at first, she knew she had to keep going. Her favorite part about being on Tornez’s team is that it feels like a big, welcoming family. “I’m always held accountable for what I do, and also always just being encouraged,”
Thornhill says. “She’s always in my back corner rooting for me.”
Tornez says she wants her athletes to feel they can talk to her about anything. Not every coach can walk into a program and have that type of connection, she says. Now in her second year as Battle’s coach, she encourages open communication by sitting the entire group down to talk through problems. She says she’s able to learn more about her athletes that way, and uses her experience as a gymnast to create relatable dialogue and an environment where everyone respects one another. Even when Tornez is pushing the girls really hard, she wants them to know she loves them.
“Just seeing a strong woman who’s out there involved in sports, caring about sports, promoting sports, having lots of technical knowledge in the field that they’re in — I think that is encouraging to them,” Tornez says. “To realize that women can do everything that men can do, too.”
Addey Aldridge prepares to be caught by her teammates after a basket toss.
Cheesin’ it:
Story by MJ Montgomery Photography by Caroline Larson
Design by Valerie Tiscareno
Edited by Sam Barrett
Meet The Melt Masters
Between class and slinging melty grilled cheeses, The Melt Masters Kobe, Keegan, Sam and Connor learn lessons about business, life and friendship.
If you’re on the University of Missouri campus on a weekday during lunchtime, you’re bound to see a big, yellow trailer filling the air with smells of bread toasting, onions caramelizing and smash patties grilling. This is The Melt Masters truck, the brainchild of MU students and friends Kobe Messick, Connor McHugh, Keegan Hartnett and Sam O’Neill.
The Melt Masters serve all things cheesy and affordable, catering to their student customer base. From your typical grilled cheese — a buttery sourdough and cheddar — to their Master Melt — a smash burger on rye with grilled onion, cheddar and Swiss slathered with their signature aioli sauce, the Master Sauce — everyone will find something to sink their teeth into.
Cheesing your dreams
It’s been a busy few months for Messick, McHugh, Hartnett and O’Neill. After a summer spent preparing, the truck opened its doors — or rather, its windows — in August. Since then, they’ve been operating five days a week and booking tailgates and festivals nearly every weekend. Opening the truck wasn’t easy, and it wouldn’t have been possible without this exact team.
McHugh says the truck started out as a pipe dream. O’Neill and Messick have been friends since middle school, and the rest of The Melt Masters team met as co-workers at the Student Center’s Panda Express. As their friendship blossomed, so did the idea of starting a food truck. It began as a joke before becoming so much more.
“It was very impromptu,” O’Neill says.
The Melt Masters owners (from left) Sam O’Neill, Connor McHugh, Keegan Hartnett and Kobe Messick, opened their food truck in August and have been running it five days a week ever since. The four met while working at Panda Express.
“Super impromptu,” McHugh adds.
As O’Neill remembers it, he was cooking at the house he shares with Messick when one day, Messick came downstairs and asked him if he wanted to start a food truck.
O’Neill replied with “Yeah, hell yeah.”
“We joke about ‘Wow, this food truck made it out of the group chat,’ ” McHugh says. “People text all the time like, ‘Oh what if we start a business, what if we did this or this,’ and 99% of people never do it, but we actually did it. We’re super proud of ourselves for that.”
When they found a food truck on sale for $8,000 on Facebook Marketplace, the four pooled their resources, much of which came from their Panda Express wages, and their melty journey began. It was a summer-long effort of culinary and financial growing pains. They did it on their own, though not without the support of family and friends, such as O’Neill’s father, who designed The Melt Masters’ logo.
Zach Wood, McHugh’s roommate of three years, has watched the business flourish and the quartet work together to keep the truck running. “I remember hearing someone in (McHugh’s) room when I knew he wouldn’t be home, and I went downstairs,” Wood says. “It was Sam and Keegan in his room getting something for the truck. It’s kind of crazy that they’re doing this, but I’m happy for (them).”
The dream team
In addition to their teamwork, each member has an area of expertise. “We’re really kind of a dream team in terms of our own abilities,” O’Neill says.
O’Neill, a civil engineering major, is responsible for outfitting the truck with the equipment it needs to function. McHugh, a strategic communications and economics major, runs their social media and designs their materials. Hartnett is a biomedical engineering major who has worked in kitchens since he was 16 and is the melt mastermind behind their menu. Messick, a secondary education
O’Neill and the rest of the group use the CoMo Cooks facilities to clean cooking gear from their truck.
McHugh (from left), Messick, O’Neill and Hartnett use CoMo Cooks Shared Kitchen to prep food and store materials. While working inside the commissary kitchen, the four talk about new food ideas that they get from surveys.
O’Neill (from left), Hartnett, Messick and McHugh park their truck outside the Student Center three days a week and can be found at Speaker’s Circle twice a week. Learn more about the menu and hours @themeltmasters on Instagram.
major, is their business guru, taking care of the legal side. Messick’s experience running Columbia Sneaker Exchange in the Student Center familiarized him with the ins and outs of starting a business. Despite their diverse talents, each owner wields the spatula when it’s showtime.
Outside the truck
McHugh remembers an event where the planners overestimated attendance by the hundreds, prompting them to over-prep. “We had to learn to weed out people’s expectations and plan for what we actually thought was going to happen,” McHugh says. “It was actually a good learning opportunity.”
Operating out of a food truck means needing a place to store food, which led The Melt Masters to CoMo Cooks Shared Kitchen. The commercial kitchen is their fridgeaway-from-fridge. Trish Sieckmann, kitchen manager at CoMo Cooks, watched The Melt Masters grow from its humble summer beginnings. “I got to watch these four college kids be motivated in such a weird society that we live in now,” Sieckmann says. “I’m really proud of them.”
The Melt Masters truck sells patty melts (left) alongside fresh chips or French fries for sides. Everything is cooked to order inside the truck. It offers its own special sauces (below) like the Master Sauce, which is a take on an aioli.
This November, The Melt Masters team was a finalist in MU’s Entrepreneur Quest Student Accelerator. The group was evaluated by a panel of judges alongside other student-owned businesses. The Melt Masters placed third, receiving $5,000 to put towards the business.
Yet, for McHugh, any award isn’t the best part. The best part is being able to make a dream come true with friends at his side.
“I’ve definitely gotten closer to them through all this,” McHugh says. “I wouldn’t rather do it with anyone else.”
McHugh and the rest of the group take on multiple different jobs and often share roles inside the food truck depending on who is working.
The Melt Masters offers more than just classic grilled cheese; it also serves patty melts.
Be your own melt master
Want to give lunchtime a little more melty goodness? Keegan Hartnett, The Melt Masters’ menu mastermind, shares some tips:
Good! Bread! The Melt Masters sticks with sourdough for the grilled cheese.
Mix your cheeses. The Melt Masters use cheddar and Swiss.
Butter, butter, butter! “You can add sauces, but really, it comes down to butter,” Hartnett says. “(Restaurant) food tastes better because there’s just more butter in it.”
Experiment with flavors. The Melt Masters has spicy and mushroom melts alongside its standard grilled cheese.
A bakery on a roll
Delysium offers Latin American favorites like alfajores and pandebonos, plus fresh-baked croissants and New York rolls.
BY SARAH MOURA
Marcela Isaza noticed something missing from Columbia’s downtown food-scape during a 2023 visit with her son, Juan Giraldo. There were no baked goods that reminded her of their home in Medellín, Colombia. While many coffee shops and bakeries provided cookies, scones or muffins, the pastries weren’t like the ones in Colombia.
In August, Isaza opened Delysium, a bakery on the corner of Elm and Hitt streets. She makes croissants, New York rolls and Latin American pastries every day to fill the gap she experienced the year before.
“We might be the only place in the whole city that sells alfajores or pandebonos,” Giraldo says.
Alfajores are pastries from Argentina, but Giraldo says they are common in Colombia. These small sandwich cookies are coated in sugar with filling decorated with white flakes of coconut. The dulce de leche flavor in the middle immediately jumps out while the cookie softly dissolves in your mouth, leaving remnants of powdered sugar lingering on your hands.
Pandebono is a type of bread made from tapioca flour, eggs and cheese. In Colombia, pairing it with coffee or hot chocolate is popular. Both drinks are available at the bakery.
Delysium also offers New York rolls — a popular social media croissant-like pastry — which Isaza learned how to
Photography by Ashlee Klotzbuecher
New York rolls are a popular menu item at Delysium.
Marcela Isaza learned how to make the pastry at a Colombian baking academy before bringing it to Columbia.
make at a European-style cooking class in Colombia. The rolls demonstrate how Isaza has fused recipes from her classes with her heritage.
Jessi Church prepares to check out with a tray of pastries. Delysium is a self-serve style bakery that allows customers to grab their favorites for themselves.
in Colombia. Today, she spends about 12 hours a day baking at the shop starting at 4 a.m.
After opening Delysium, Isaza says she had to experiment with pastry recipes due to the difficulty of finding traditional Colombian ingredients. The bakery imports ingredients from all over the U.S., and she hopes to one day import directly from Colombia.
“I change the ingredients, test them out and adapt them to what I need,” Isaza says. “The flours are very different from those found in my country, which has made it harder to achieve the desired results. The butter, the flour, the eggs — everything is different.”
PICK A PASTRY
While running the bakery, Isaza has been traveling to and from Colombia, but expects to move to Missouri permanently in January.
I
Isaza says she has enjoyed baking, cooking and being in the kitchen since she was a child. She learned about cooking from her mother, who ran a bakery
Delysium is located at 904 Elm St. Its hours are Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Learn more at delysiumcomo. com.
Isaza says her croissants are an interpretation of the French pastry. Her current recipe, which has gone through multiple modifications, takes three days to make.
“For me, (the bakery) doesn’t mean work,” Isaza says. “It means fun, which is important because the days are so long. If you don’t have passion for it, you won’t survive the days.”
BUZZED DRIVING IS DRUNK DRIVING
SHOULD PROBABLY GET A RIDE HOME. I SHOULD PROBABLY
Ashlee Klotzbuecher
Pass the pierogies
Cafe Poland’s new owners plan to keep its authentic Polish influence alive.
BY ALEX GOLDSTEIN
There’s a legacy living in the heart and soul of Cafe Poland. Longtime owners Iwona Galijska and her son Robert Burlinski have stepped away from the restaurant they opened in 2013, but a plate of fresh pierogies can still bring you warmth on a cold day. New owners Madison Tasker and Antonie De Los Santos are happy to step in with the newly named Cafe Poland by Iwona. They took over ownership in late October.
The couple has a background in the Las Vegas service industry — Tasker as a waitress and De Los Santos as a mixolo-
gist. But when the COVID-19 pandemic put their jobs on hold, they sought out a community that they simply weren’t finding in competitive Las Vegas.
Columbia’s vibrant art scene allowed Tasker and De Los Santos — who are artists on the side — to find space to thrive with the North Village Arts District and in a city where restaurants and art intersect. “There’s so much appreciation for different types of art,” Tasker says. “You appreciate, like, ‘wow, my neighbor made this. I know this artist. I’ve seen them before.’ ”
On one of their first visits to Cafe
Cafe Poland co-owner Antonie De Los Santos, a former mixologist, sees Cafe Poland as an opportunity to make new drinks inspired by traditional Polish dishes and drinks.
Poland, the couple saw creative potential in the warm pierogies and traditional Polish stews, none of which they had ever experimented with themselves.
Apprentices to Polish cuisine
Tasker and De Los Santos met Galijska at a time when owning Cafe Poland was a heavy load for her. Burlinski was focusing on medical school, and Galijska doing all the work on her own proved to be too much. “She was literally a one-woman army,” Tasker says.
Establishing credibility to take over ownership of the restaurant took per-
Photography by Hannah Henderson
sistence. The couple spent months of early mornings and late nights in the kitchen with Galijska, trying out recipes and learning the culture.
Tucked away behind Cafe Poland’s cozy dining area is the kitchen that inspires respect for Polish cuisine as art. Galijska, who De Los Santos calls the “Gordon Ramsay of Polish chefs,” comes to life in her kitchen-turned-trainingground. “If she sees something that we’re doing that’s not part of the process, she’ll definitely let us know,” De Los Santos says. “She’ll let us feel it — so that we continue her legacy without any shortcuts.”
Continuing that legacy means carrying on Galijska’s standard of perfection in the kitchen, while also preserving the atmosphere and the customer experience that has defined Cafe Poland for so long.
The outpouring of support from the community, Galijska says, has inspired her and her son to keep the restaurant alive. Through the years and through the transition, many people have made their mark on Cafe Poland. The main message, as she recalls a customer saying to Burlinski one day, is to never give up. “This support, not financial, (gives) you more heart to just keep going,” she says.
Respecting the dish
Tasker and De Los Santos are committed to preserving the Polish heritage Galijska brought to Columbia by keeping her recipes sacred. At the same time, they want to align the menu options with what’s going on in the community while spreading knowledge of the cuisine and culture. New additions could include seasonal crepes crafted by customers, Christmas-themed pierogies or a Cafe Poland food truck when the weather
Cafe Poland co-owner Madison Tasker is dedicated to honoring Iwona Galijska’s legacy by using creativity through new menu items like Christmasthemed pierogies and new Polish cocktails.
POLISH DELIGHTS
Visit Cafe Poland at 807 Locust St. The spot is open Wednesday to Sunday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Longtime owners Robert Burlinski and Iwona Galijska have stepped away from Cafe Poland. Galijska says support from the community kept the restaurant alive.
gets warm. “We can use our own creativity, and then also allow other people to express their creativity,” Tasker says.
A former colleague has seen their creativity with cuisine. Mitchell Roemer is a regional post harvest manager at Good Day Farm, where Tasker and De Los Santos worked when they arrived in Columbia.
Noting De Los Santos’ background as a mixologist and knack for crafting the perfect food and drink pairings, Roemer says the two have a level of “caring for the dish” that only local restaurants can provide.
Ultimately, De Los Santos says, everything about Cafe Poland — from the unassuming little building on Locust Street to the practiced motions of stirring pots full of traditional Polish
stews — still belongs to Galijska. His aim is to heighten the drink menu through newfound knowledge of the cuisine and culture, fusing his understanding of cocktails with the original list of German and Czech beers.
As a starting point, there’s a traditional Polish cocktail called a Krupnik that De Los Santos hopes to master and bring to Columbia. It combines vodka with a honey and herbaceous base. His final product, which is still in the works, would “bring in our history,” essentially as an ode to Cafe Poland’s original owners and the cuisine they’ve brought to light.
The name? “Iwona’s Krupnik.”
Reporting from KBIA’s Aminah Jenkins and Anna Spidel contributed to this story. See their story at kbia.org.
Photography by Hannah Henderson and Aminah Jenkins
A creative spark
Eric Mitchell went from YouTube tutorials to making candles like a pro for the whole community.
BY SYD MINOR
When Eric Mitchell launched the Matchstick Millennial Candle Company on Etsy, he sold out the same day. Matchstick Millennial sells handmade candles inspired by steampunk and Victorian-era style.
Mitchell grew up in Hannibal, which hosts the annual Big River Steampunk Festival every summer. He says the festival strikes a chord with him. “That elegance of Victorian-style dress with the added steampunk accessories — that’s what I had in my mind when I started this,” he says.
Melting dreams into reality
Mitchell’s journey to candlemaking began after he sustained a back injury in a lifting accident in 2013 that left him partially disabled. Surgery alleviated some of the pain, and in 2015, he moved to Columbia to attend the University of Missouri.
By 2018, his back pain returned, which made it difficult to navigate MU’s campus, and he left school before finishing his degree.
While waiting for a second surgery in 2019, Mitchell discovered can-
Eric Mitchell makes candles for his small business at home.
LIGHT YOUR FIRE
Check out Matchstick Millennial Candle Company on Etsy, etsy.com/shop/ Matchstick Millennial. Candles are $17.50.
dle-making videos on YouTube that inspired him to try it himself. “It was nice to make my first set of candles and feel like I had done something special,” he says.
A third surgery in 2021 improved his mobility and quality of life. He soon got a job working in Central Bank’s call center. However, with limited mobility, he didn’t feel there were many advancement opportunities he could physically handle at the bank. He left after two and a half years to find something more meaningful.
Photography by Austin Johnson
Beth Burkett, a friend of Mitchell’s who worked at Central Bank, encouraged him to move forward in creating Matchstick Millennial. “He contacted me and said, ‘I’m thinking about doing this, do you think I could do it?’ ” Burkett says. “I was like, ‘Yeah, if you really want to do it, I think you can.’ ”
Mitchell also had support from sister Emily Rosenburg to start the business. Mitchell had been making candles and giving them to his family for years, Rosenburg says. “Everybody always kept saying, ‘Oh, man, if he made these, I would buy them,’ ” she says. “I kept, pushing him, like, ‘I think that you really should do that.’ ”
From start to finish
Mitchell says the active portion of the candle-making process can take anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half to make three to six candles. For his candles, Mitchell uses coconut wax blended with paraffin. This type of wax is derived from a more natural process than soy wax.
To start, he calculates how much wax and fragrance oil is needed based on how many candles he’s making. He uses a double boiler to melt the wax while he
Eric Mitchell lets his candles harden for a couple of hours. Then trims the wicks and lets them sit for five days. On the first burn of your candle, he advises to let it melt to the edges to avoid tunneling.
preps the wicks and jars.
When the wax reaches 190 degrees, he pulls it off the stove and adds fragrance oil. He stirs the mixture until the scented wax reaches the correct temperature for pouring, and then fills the jars.
How Matchstick helped him
Mitchell’s journey has been one of perseverance and dedication. Rosenburg saw his hesitancy before starting his company. “He was worried it was going to fail,” Rosenburg says.
Mitchell makes three to six candles at a time (below), pulling the wax off the stove after it reaches 190 degrees. He says that candle making is beneficial because he isn’t always on his feet.
There are eight scents in his collection, all featuring whimsical steampunk names, such as Midevening Parlor and Bronzewood Break. Midevening Parlor has scents of lemon peel, honeysuckle, violet and vanilla bean, while Bronzewood Break has tones of lavender, cypress, cedar and patchouli.
After Mitchell’s candles harden in a couple hours, he trims the wicks, puts on the lids and lets them sit for five days.
One thing for Mitchell had to overcome was a negative mindset. “I had kind of convinced myself I wasn’t good for anything,” he says. “I didn’t have a lot of prospects for the future. I didn’t have anything I was building towards.”
However, Matchstick Millennial has given him purpose and a path he can potentially build on. “I feel like I’m overcoming obstacles,” he says. “Every candle I make is another success, and that’s just a good feeling.”
by
Photography
Austin Johnson
TO-DO LIST
Your curated guide of what to do in Columbia this month.
ARTS
QuadCon Comic & Toy Show
Suit up as your favorite character and head to the Columbia Mall to enjoy a celebration of pop culture. This familyfriendly event is free to attend with opportunities to sell or purchase comics, toys, board games, vintage magazines and more. If you choose to cosplay, just make sure it’s child appropriate, please. Jan. 2526, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Columbia Mall, free, 563-940-9389, quadcitycon.com
Corleone: The Shakespearean Godfather
Ever wondered what would happen if Shakespeare wrote The Godfather? Watch Talking Horse Productions merge the 1972 Oscar-winning mafia film with Elizabethan theater to creatively reimagine the Corleone family in this dramatic masterpiece of a play. Feb. 13-15 and 2022, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 16 and 23, 2 p.m., Talking Horse Productions, $22; $19.90, students and seniors, 573-607-1740
Murder on the Orient Express
Unlock your inner detective at Stephens College’s rendition of this Agatha Christie classic. Experience the anticipation of discovering the truth as the mystery unfolds onstage. Feb. 13, 11 a.m. and 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 14-15, 7:30 p.m.; Feb. 16, 2 p.m., The Conservatory for the Performing Arts at Stephens College, $15, 573-876-7199
CIVIC
Rockin’ Against Multiple Sclerosis
Charity Gala
Help support Rockin’ Against Multiple Sclerosis while sipping on a mimosa at its third annual charity gala. The organization will jazz it up at The Penguin Piano Bar & Restaurant with gourmet brunch and silent auctions. All proceeds go to the MS Institute of Mid-Missouri. Feb. 22, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., The Penguin Piano Bar & Restaurant, $60, rockinagainstms@ gmail.com
Tap into the variety of beers available at the 2025 MO Bacon & Bourbon Festival. Explore this sizzling event by sampling bacon and bacon-adjacent treats as the festival returns for another year. Attendees can sip on bourbon, spirits, cocktails and beer while enjoying live music. Proceeds benefit the Central Missouri Honor Flight. Feb. 1, 1-4 p.m., Bur Oak Brewing Company, $49, 573-814-2178
Pajama Jam
Grab your pals and head to the biggest slumber party in mid-Missouri. This year’s Pajama Jam will have over 40 unique vendors. Enjoy a night of pampering, shopping, dancing, games and karaoke. You can even have an all-night sleepover with the Pajama Jam package, which includes a one-night stay at the Stoney Creek Hotel. The bundle also includes T-shirts and tote bags. Jan. 25, check-in 3 p.m., Stoney Creek Hotel, $229 plus tax, 573-442-6400
The Roots of the Black Working Class
Get out and get educated on the trials and triumphs of the history of the Black working class in America. The 2025 Distinguished Black History Lecture, hosted by the Department of Black Studies, will feature Blair LM Kelly, a Joel R. Williamson Distinguished Professor of Southern Studies from the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Feb. 6, 5:30-6:30 p.m., free, Wrench Auditorium in Memorial Union
FOOD
Truman’s 20th Anniversary
Join Truman’s Bar and Grill in celebrating its 20th anniversary. Stop in and grab one of its featured tap beers or split an appetizer with your buddies as music fills the room. Jan. 17, 4 p.m., Truman’s Bar and Grill, free, 573-445-1669
MUSIC
Clay Street Unit
From Denver, meet the band bringing hoots and hollers to Rose Music Hall with a sound steeped in country, folk and the twangy bluegrass traditions of Appalachian music. Clay Street Unit released its first EP, A Mighty Fine Evening, in 2022 and is cooking up a fresh take on the traditional American sound. Jan. 25, 8 p.m., Rose Music Hall, $12 in advance; $15 day of, 573-874-1944
Lotus: How to Dream in Color Tour
Are you itching to tear up the dance floor and get your groove on? Introducing Lotus: a jam band with plans to deliver a
CHANGE IN THE WEATHER
PHOTOGRAPHY
BY
JAMIE MARON
The fog that shrouded the State Capitol during Gov. Mike Parsons’ final State of the State address in January 2024 feels allegorical of this January — a time of change as both the state and the country inaugurate new leaders. It will be a busy month in Jefferson City. State representatives and senators began the 2025 legislative term Jan. 8 and Mike Kehoe is sworn in as the 58th govenor Jan. 13. Nationally, Donald Trump takes the presidential oath of office Jan. 20.
photo finish
