COMO | May 2021

MAY 2021 | T HE KI DS I S S UE | A PU B L ICATION OF TH E B U SIN E SS TIM E S COM PA NY

KONA ICE BRINGS THE JOY

the

Kids issue A National Park Bucket List Internet Safety Foster Parent Training

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MAY 30, 2021

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To learn more about The Builders’ Association safety services, visit www.buildersassociation.com or contact:

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mdierking@buildersassociation.com 816.595.4158

• Online toolbox topics • Build Safe Partnership Program (BSPP) • Industrial hygiene • Written programs • Midwest Construction Safety Conference (MSCS) • Safety awards program • Safety bulletin program

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This project was supported, in part by grant number 90AC2811-01-00 from the U.S. Administration for Community Living, Department of Health and Human Services, Washington, D.C. 20201. Grantees undertaking projects with government sponsorship are encouraged to express freely their findings and conclusions. Points of view or opinions do not, therefore, necessarily represent official ACL policy.

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This free program, offered by Department of Human and Senior Services, is in partnership with Memory Care Home Solutions, Alzheimer’s Association, and Missouri Rural Health Association.

Call the Alzheimer’s Association for a free Care Consultation 800.272.3900

Letter from the Publisher

So Many Kids

ART DIRECTOR'S MUSINGS

T

here are things that I can talk a lot about for a long time.

Publishing is one. My lovely city of Columbia is another. Marketing can keep me geeking out for days.

But the topic on which I have the most opinions, fun stories, and memories is raising children. You see, when I play the game of “Name something people will be surprised to know about you,” it’s always that I have five children. (My second go-to is that I have raised chickens, which is oddly similar in a lot of ways.)

I have five wonderful, interesting, funny, trouble-making, boundary-pushing, messy, sarcastic young humans between the ages of 13 and 23. Three boys and two girls. (Yes, boys are easier.) They each have their own unique personalities, which is so crazy since there are so many of them. I have spent 23 years of my life learning about how to be a good mother to them. One of the most important things that I have learned is that when patience, time, and money were short, the key was to remember what really mattered.

(It wasn’t the dirty dishes. )The second most critical lesson to learn was that social media isn’t real. The families you see with all of their shit together . . . you are only seeing their very best moments, and you should never judge your reality on their fairy tale moments that aren’t the whole story.

I’ve paid daycare bills that were more expensive than my mortgage. I’ve gone to parent-teacher conferences ­— both the good and the bad ones. I’ve taken college tours, tolerated gap year(s), and discussed trade schools. I’ve held my child crying as they battled their own demons and worried about those of their friends. I’ve had to let others come in and help care for my child as they sought treatment. I’ve worried when they have fallen and beamed when they’ve gotten

up and brushed themselves off. By no means have I always gotten it right. I know that I have handled some things poorly, especially earlier on (sorry oldest ones!), but I’m starting to get the hang of it now that they are almost gone.

What matters most is for our children to know we actually hear them. We are listening to them and their thoughts and sitting with them in their hard places . . . ideally with our arms wrapped around them. It’s hard to learn how to tie your shoes. It’s hard to learn how to manage your time and homework.

It’s hard to learn how to navigate all of the emotions teens have in our world lived out on social media. It’s hard to feel safe. It’s hard to disagree with people you love and find your own voice. It’s just hard. Heck, it’s hard for us to feel these things as adults, so imagine how much harder it is for our children with no life experience to give them a longer perspective.

They only see the present, which brings an insane amount of pressure.

I’ll leave you with this. It does, in fact, take a village. Maybe you can find new parts to your village in this issue. And, lastly, yes I do still count them every day to make sure I know where they are all at. That’s a habit I don’t see breaking.

For those who are unfamiliar, in the early ’90s, Scholastic started publishing I Spy, a beloved series of books featuring photographs of lots of different objects paired with rhymes to help you find specific items within. They were a staple of long road trips and rainy days.

When I was a kid we had a few off-brand I Spy books themed around Christmas. Look and Find Santa Claus, that sort of thing. One of the Christmas party scenes is etched in my brain — there must have been a really hard-to-find sugar plum fairy on that page. When our graphic designer, Kate Morrow, suggested doing an I Spy page for the kid’s issue, I was delighted.

We went downstairs to Speckled Frog where Shelly excitedly helped us pick out some beautiful things to feature in our rendition. Then Kate showed up with the most amazing collection of vintage toys ever!

What a joy it was to stage it all in the photo studio! I felt like I was in my childhood bedroom playing pretend.

Trembling hands and precarious placements made for quite the excitement. I think Shelly heard my shriek from downstairs when the Quetzalcoatlus dinosaur crashed down from the top shelf. Check it out on page 114.

ON THE COVER Stirling Patrick, age 4, eats Kona Ice on a warm day. He mixed and matched the flavors of red raspberry, strawberry, and watermelon. Page 45.

Photo by Rebecca Allen

M AY 202 1 | T H E KI D S I S S U E | A PU B L I CATI O N O F TH E B U S I N E S S TI M E S CO M PA N Y

KONA ICE BRINGS THE JOY

the

Kids issue A National Park Bucket List Internet Safety Foster Parent Training

ERICA PEFFERMAN PUBLISHER

COMOMAG.COM

13

reader What do you give the in your life?

How about a steady supply of brand-new books chosen especially for them and delivered to their door each month?

How it works: • Choose a 3, 6, or 12 month subscription.

(Hardback, Paperback, or Kids)

• Recipients of our book subscriptions complete a short consultation so we get a feel for their reading tastes.

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DID YOU KNOW? Woodhaven offers Community Employment Services

MEET MIKAILA

"If there is one thing I want people to know about autism it is that it doesn't show in or affect every autistic person the same way. One of my favorite things about it is the joy and passion I've felt about the "special interests" I've had throughout my life."

—Mikaila B.

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MAY 2021

Let our dedicated staff help you build on your strengths and find success on your own terms.

WOODHAVENTEAM.ORG/ENCIRCLE-TECHNOLOGIES

President Erica Pefferman

Erica@comomag.com

Senior Vice President Fran Patrick Fran@comomag.com

EDITORIAL

Director of Operations Amy Ferrari Amy@comomag.com

MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES

Publisher | Erica Pefferman

Account Executive | Charles Bruce

Editor | Fran Patrick

Account Executive | Kendall Lappe

Erica@comomag.com

Fran@comomag.com

Managing Editor | Kim Ambra Kim@comomag.com

Copy Editor | Matt Patston

DESIGN Art Director | Cassidy Shearrer

Cassidy@comomag.com

Senior Graphic Designer | Jordan Watts Jordan@comomag.com

Director of Photography | Sadie Thibodeaux Sadie@comomag.com

Graphic Designer | Kate Morrow Kate@comomag.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Rebecca Allen, Keith Borgmeyer, Lana Eklund, Getty Images, Melissa Jane Photography, Anthony Jinson, LaShay Photography

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Lauren Sable Freiman, Julienne Graebner, Jodie Jackson, Jessica Jainchill, Amanda Long, Matt McCormick, Tiffany Schmidt, Michelle Terhune, Jennifer Truesdale, Tara Vossenkemper

Charles@comomag.com

Kendall@comomag.com

OUR MISSION

To inspire, educate, and entertain the citizens of Columbia with quality, relevant content that reflects Columbia’s business environment, lifestyle, and community spirit.

WELL ORGANIZED

Imagine...custom closet and storage solutions that fit your life beautifully.

CONTACT

Business Times Holdings, LLC 18 S. Ninth St. Ste 201 Columbia, MO 65201 (573) 499-1830 • comomag.com /wearecomomag @wearecomomag

SUBSCRIPTIONS

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COMO is published every month by Business Times Holdings, LLC. Copyright Business Times Holdings, LLC 2021. All rights reserved.

Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

CONTRIBUTING INTERNS

Kaitlyn Bailey, Leslie Douglas, Vivian Kolks

ON T HEM E

What does your parent do at their job?

JJ’s son, Cohen Web Designer & Developer

Kate’s son, Bennett Graphic Designer

Fran’s son, Stirling Senior Vice President

Erica’s daughter, Katie President and Publisher

“Maybe do, like, good things daddy needs to do.”

“I don’t know. She works and works and works and works and works a lot, but she does come back home.”

“My mom spins on her big red chairs in her off ice and works on her ‘puter.”

“She works hard at publishing magazines and maintaining a healthy working environment all while being a magnif icent business woman.” *Publisher’s note: this child was not coached.

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IN THIS ISSUE

50 STYLE Swing into summer with savings on adorable outfits for the kids in your life from Once Upon A Child.

MAY 2021 | The Kids Issue

13

50

88

Publisher’s Letter

STYLE Swingin’ into Summer

CELEBRATIONS Getting Your Name

61

57

on the Door

KEEPING YOUR KIDS

FRIENDS & FAMILY A Traveling Family

90

73

SPOTLIGHT

LIVING 23 ART & CULTURE Music in Hummingbirdhouse

25 PET FRIENDLY Cats and Caffeine

27 WELLNESS Beyond the Pose

29 TARA TALKS

31 HOMES Rainbow House

COUPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW Drs. Charles and Holly Bondurant

WORKING 79 CLOSER LOOK

80 BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

83 MOVERS & SHAKERS

45

85

GOURMET Bringing Joy with Kona Ice

GUEST VOICES Advocating Today for a Stronger Tomorrow

NONPROFIT

FEATURES

SAFE ONLINE Kids are now victimizing each other.

Breaking Down

67

Barriers through Art

RAINBOWS AFTER

93 BUSINESS UPDATE Full STEAM Ahead

97 PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW Dr. Mary Katherine Welch

112 THIS OR THAT Bria Malone McCarty

114 1-2-3, What Do You See?

THE STORM Navigating infertility and pregnancy loss.

100 529 PLAN Not just for college.

106 FOSTERING FAMILY CMFCAA provides support and resources to foster families in central Missouri.

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Living

31 RAINBOW HOUSE 35 years of serving children and families in need.

45

61

BRINGING JOY WITH KONA ICE

KEEPING YOUR KIDS SAFE ONLINE

The inside scoop on Columbia's shaved ice entrepreneurs.

Kids are now victimizing each other.

22

MAY 2021

Living

ART & CULTURE

Music in Hummingbirdhouse A music studio for helping children with disabilities.

BY JESSICA JAINC H I L L

igence: improved development of language skills, motor skills, and focus.

“Human beings were designed for making music,” she says. “There’s a period where a learner might seem passive because they’re observing, and then there’s the part where they’re active and trying it.”

Though Margaret is passionate about teaching her students music, she realizes that people still have concerns and unease about coming into the practice because of COVID-19. She has worked around this by giving online classes.

She says, “Basically, I’ve done everything I can technology-wise, and I keep thinking about what more I can do and how I can make it more perfect for the children.”

I

n most people’s lives, music is a vital thread that sweeps the soul and mind with inspiration, excitement, and creativity. However, though most people like music, Americans are no longer as good at making it as they used to be. Columbia music teacher Margaret Waddell is working to change that by employing a cutting-edge teaching method on her younger music students.

Backed by years of experience as a music educator, Margaret believes the best way for children to learn music is to mirror how they learn language. Margaret says that, prior to the last century, children learned music by observing the musicians who were common in American social life. In the same way children listen, observe, and practice language, American children would listen, observe, and practice music from the culture around them. At her business, Hummingbirdhouse Music Studio, Margaret is revitalizing this way of learning with her students, who can sometimes be as young as newborns.

“It’s a process of understanding the developmental stages of acquiring music language,” Margaret says. “On one hand, it might seem complicated, but on the other hand, it’s very natural when you look at cultures and tribes

who play with children with music. We’ve been losing this active musicking for one hundred years in our country because music has moved from being the center of the family to being outside the family.”

With this natural way of learning music, Margaret also helps children with disabilities such as ADHD or autism.

“The way I think of it is that I teach people of all ages, abilities, skill levels, strengths, and weaknesses,” she says. “Basically, I’m not judging people on categories. I treat each person as an individual.”

Margaret’s inspiration for helping children with disabilities through music came from childhood.

“My first experience with a child with Down syndrome was when I was 10,” she says. “My step-grandfather explained to me before we left home the nature of this child’s condition and explained to me how I needed to respond to them. It was so intriguing to me that, when I met that child, I became super focused on relating to them and interacting with them.”

In her work with students with disabilities, Margaret often sees the rewards of her dil-

“It’s a process of understanding the developmental stages of acquiring music language.”

Margaret has noticed new benefits of online learning for her students. “One thing that is really amazing to me is that children are playing the piano more with their parents and siblings,” she says. Margaret has pointed out that the strength of familial relationships and home life stability can really encourage a child’s success in music, particularly with the teaching strategies she uses.

Concerning the future of her music studio, Margaret has one major goal she would like to realize soon: “I really look forward to seeing my students when it is safe to be in close quarters singing together again.

COMOMAG.COM

23

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MAY 2021

Living

PET FRIENDLY

Cats and Caffeine Papa’s Cat Café offers great coffee, youth opportunities, private event space, and cuddly cats.

BY VIVIAN KOLKS | PH OTO S BY MEL I S S A JA N E PHOTO GR A PHY

L

et’s say you go get a coffee at the place by the EatWell supermarket and the Walgreens on Broadway. If you chance on a seat by the wall, don’t be alarmed by the stylized playroom next door or the 20-odd cats watching you get your caffeine fi x.

No, those aren’t the patrons; those are the feline residents of Papa’s Cat Café, currently the only cat café in Mid-Missouri. The cats are provided by Boone County Animal Control, the coffee is provided by Fretboard, and the human interaction is from local couple Ryan Kennedy and MacKenzie Everett-Kennedy.

“We wanted to put together something different,” Ryan says of their decision to open the café. “A place where cats of all different types can have a chance to get adopted, including disabled cats. Those have actually been some of our fondest success stories.”

The concept is simple (and cute). Anyone is welcome to purchase coffee and baked goods from the café, but a reservation in the adjacent playroom gets you right in the middle of a hoard of cuddly, lovable, and adoptable cats.

With a grand opening on July 31, 2018, Ryan and MacKenzie had simple goals for their fi rst year in business. They wanted to adopt out 100 cats by their one-year anniversary, which they managed with a week to spare.

Th ings have changed since then, of course, and drastically. Papa’s Cat Café closed its doors for two months during the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, having to temporarily lay off its employees.

However, the extended time at home brought an unforeseen turn of events. The entire community spent more time inside, which meant the demand for a furry friend to keep them company in lockdown soared, and donations began to creep in regularly.

According to Ryan, the café has adopted out around 150 cats since the beginning of the pandemic alone, bringing their total to 350 total adoptions since they’ve opened.

Ryan and MacKenzie usually try to keep at least 20 to 25 cats at any given time within the playroom. Papa’s Cat Café offers plenty of chances to get up close and personal with their cats, and their events packages allow renting out any combination of the café, cat playroom, and adjacent party room. According to Ryan, the Side Room Party offering is perfect for children’s parties, since a reservation in the cat’s playroom comes with a 30-minute slot in a private party room.

Another popular option includes reserving a party during the Children’s Cat Academy event that Papa’s hosts on the third Saturday of every month from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. It includes a lesson on cats, story time, and a craft, and then the party can be moved to the private room after the event is over.

Some would rather volunteer than just visit, and that’s completely fi ne with the café. There is a special youth internship program, an eight-week, hands-on program for students ages 10 to 15 that teaches them in-depth animal training skills. The internship is unpaid, but it allows participants with an enthusiasm for animals and the desire to volunteer to become certified BCAC volunteers.

All in all, Ryan and MacKenzie are grateful that their café and all of its programs have gotten so much support from the community.

“Obviously, with the pandemic, things have been scaled down,” Ryan says. “But we’re still here, which I think speaks to how much the town likes us. The biggest surprise is the people that support us that have never been here before.”

All but two of the cats featured at Papa’s Cat Café are available for adoption, and potential cat owners can fi ll out an adoption interest form on the BCAC website.

COMOMAG.COM

25

ADJUSTING

Your Health

IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION

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Dr. Ashley Emel NEST

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MAY 2021

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Living

Beyond the Pose Atelier School of Creative Learning incorporates yoga and mindfulness into an arts-integrated curriculum.

BY KAITLYN BAILEY

WELLNESS

Part of the school’s mission is that teachers continue their research to improve their classrooms. Knowing that different students need to move their bodies in various ways to absorb and communicate information, Jenn researched the vestibular system, an area of the brain that controls balance and is right next to the center for listening and hearing.

Research shows that stimulating the vestibular system is important for listening in some children.

“Once I started to research how to stimulate the vestibular system, I learned that being upside down is one way to accomplish this,” Jenn says. “Knowing this, I introduced an upside-down wall this semester.”

The upside-down wall is a yoga mat on the floor, with handprints on the yoga mat and footprints on the wall. When students use the wall, they place their hands on the handprints and their feet on the footprints, eventually forming an L-shaped handstand. It’s just one of the ways in which the school tries to unlock a child’s full learning potential.

ART AND MINDFULNESS IN THE CLASSROOM

A PUMPKIN SEED becomes a pumpkin sprout, which then rather suddenly converts into a pumpkin vine. A chrysalis caterpillar turns into a beautiful butterfly. A storm brings a flash of lightning. These sights are nothing but scenes from the Atelier School of Creative Learning.

The Atelier School of Creative Learning, founded in 2016, weaves practices like yoga into their arts-integrated curriculum to help students understand chemistry, biology, geography, and more.

“We are using traditional yoga poses that we call something else to house it in what our ‘big inquiry’ is. If we’re trying to teach our students the lifespan of a pumpkin, I will create a yoga practice to mimic the lifespan of a pumpkin,” says Jenn Book Haselswerdt, the lead pre-K and artful yoga teacher. “By doing this, we can get our students moving and physicalize what they’re learning about.”

The school also integrates yoga into its curriculum to help children with self-empowerment, empathy, and focus.

“We allow our students to learn with their entire body, but it’s so much more than just movement. Students learn everything yoga is — the mindfulness, the body, the breath — all together,” Kara Hook, co-founder of the Atelier School of Creative Learning, says.

ART AND MOVEMENT IN THE CLASSROOM The Atelier School of Creative Learning incorporates art and movement by beginning the day with a sun salutation, stretching in a sequence to create a flow of movement. The sun salutations use a concrete, creative drama sort of language — naming moves as “lizard pose” rather than “dandosana,” for example.

After the sun salutation, the school integrates movement into the curriculum.

“When our students were learning about hibernating animals, we had an art project where we made caves and students explored oil pastels.

Our students got the sensory experience with real oil pastels during the project, but I also developed a yoga practice where we were hibernating bears, coyotes, rabbits, and frogs,” Jenn says.

Beyond the movement yoga offers students, the practice of mindfulness is integral to the classroom. Every morning, students at the Atelier School of Creative Learning say a kindness mantra, teaching children how to listen to their bodies.

“We use the thread of the kindness mantra of our yoga practice throughout the day to teach children how to self-regulate — thus, it becomes our approach to misbehavior. As they learn various breathing techniques of how to calm our body and how to listen to our emotions and needs, they can self-regulate and work through that with the help of a teacher,” Kara says.

The school also integrates mindfulness into the curriculum. Students created a self-portrait of what they feel like rather than how they look. A breathing project also allowed students to explore their breath with various tempos by listening to music.

“Ultimately, the Atelier wants to give students various ways to express and communicate an idea,” Kara says. “Teaching students that we can convey ideas and emotions through visual art and audio is an amazing gift we can give to children.”

COMOMAG.COM

27

WHERE YOUR CHILD IS KNOWN AND LOVED. Classes are Monday-Friday from 7:30 AM to 5:30 PM Starting in the fall of 2021, classes will run all year long $225 per week includes nutritious snacks, lunches and many school field trips Your child will receive a quality Christian education Christian Fellowship School presents Little Knights Learning Center. A preschool for 3-5 yr. olds

A M IN ISTRY OF

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MAY 2021

Living

What’s the best way to solve a disagreement when one person replies with, “Whatever you say, you’re always right”? #SolveItPlease

Y

ou probably don’t know this, but one of my favorite topics is conflict in relationships. I like it for a few reasons, none of which I’ll get into right now, but suffice it to say that conflict can actually bring people closer together — when it’s done well.

I need to set the stage a bit before I respond directly, so bear with me. When I use the term “conflict,” I’m loosely describing any sort of friction within a relationship. Think of it as an umbrella term for a disagreement, friction in a conversation, a tiff, or even a high-energy argument. All these are forms of conflict.

With any conflict, there are key things that help it to go well and there are key things that steer it towards failure. Failure in conflict is not the lack of a resolution. Failure in conflict is when the much-needed discussion doesn’t take place, or when people leave feeling misunderstood, unheard, and more agitated than when the conversation started.

Specific to the question being asked, the phrase “whatever you say, you’re always right” is coded as defensiveness. Defensiveness is one of the "four horsemen" that the Gottmans, prominent marital psychology authors, discovered through their extensive research (like, extensive). The four horsemen are predictive of relationship dissolution, but it’s common that some of the four horsemen are present in all relationships.

Defensiveness takes two forms. The first is a reactive response that metaphorically hits back the ball that was thrown. Think, “No, I didn’t!” Or, “Well, you started it!” Or, “Yeah,

but I only did that because you did this.” Any of those responses are reactive types of defensive responses.

The second form of defensiveness is more of a “righteous victim” response. This might sound like, “I would never have done that” Or, “I can’t believe you did blah blah blah.” Or, “Whatever you say. You’re always right and I’m always wrong.” [That last statement sounds familiar, doesn’t it?]

Defensiveness stops the conversation. It’s basically a giant shield that blocks a message from getting to the other person. If I’m feeling defensive, I’m shutting out what the other person is saying and digging my heels in, searching for something they’ve done or said or implied wrong so that I can also accuse them of something (or play victim).

With defensiveness, there are two key things to keep in mind.

First, the defensiveness might be in response to the way you said something. For example, if you’ve used an accusatory tone or accusatory language (even on accident), it can result in defensiveness from others. Saying, “You work all the time!” is much different than, “I miss you lately and would love to spend more time with you. Can we rethink our work schedules to have more time together?” I’m not saying that asking in the perfect way will result in the perfect response. What I am saying is that asking in a way that’s more honest and puts the focus on your feelings and needs is a way of lessening the possibility of a defensive response.

Second, the defensiveness might be in response to a feeling you’ve elicited. Hypothetically, you’ve said something in an ideal way, but it’s brought up an unpleasant feeling in the other person, like a sense of inadequacy.

Their response to the unpleasant feeling (inadequacy) is to get defensive with you, shut down the conversation, and thus end the unpleasant feeling. This happens more frequently than I wish it did.

I’m going to tell you a handful of things that might help you de-escalate defensiveness and, ideally, stay focused on the intended conversation about a specific topic.

TARA TALKS

• Check your language. You might ask yourself how you’ve said something and then try to finesse your language in a different way. You could even respond to the other person’s statement by directly saying, “I must not have said that accurately. Let me try again.” This both keeps you on topic (see my next point) and allows you to self-correct.

• Stay on topic. When people hear a phrase like “Whatever you say, you’re always right,” the recipient tends to shift the conversation from the desired topic to “I am not always right!” The byproduct of the shift is that the desired topic gets forgotten, and now we’re both in a defensive position.

• Be curious. This is somewhat of an advanced skill, but it’s worth mentioning.

If you notice defensiveness and you have a solid relationship with this person, you might pause the topic at hand (we’ll get back to it) and curiously ask, “I’m not sure what’s happened.

I’d like to talk about X topic, but it seems like you might be upset about what I’ve said. Help me understand.” Put the onus on the other person to explain their position and perspective. Once they’re done and you understand, then you bring back up the desired topic. Again, this might be advanced, but could be worth a try.

I’m hoping this is enough to start, even though I could write a lot more about the topic at hand. Even having a slightly different understanding can help to break up a conversation (or conflict) that isn’t going well. That awareness is crucial, and it seems like you’ve got enough to know that things aren’t going well and that you’re in the mood to shift things up.

Defensiveness stops the conversation. It’s basically a giant shield that blocks a message from getting to the other person.

Tara Vossenkemper is the founder and owner of The Counseling Hub. She practices Gottman Method Couples Therapy.

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Age: 46 Hometown: Sturgeon, MO

Downtime is lovingly spent with his wife, Jennifer and two sons, Jacob, and Josh. Jason enjoys working on old cars, and home improvement projects.

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35 years of serving children and families in need.

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Rainbow House was started in a farmhouse in 1986.

Here, you can see an image of the original farmhouse and the handmade sign that adorned the property.

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rom her office window, Janie Bakutes can see children playing on the playground, and it reminds her of why she does what she does. With 17 years spent as executive director of Rainbow House — and 30 years prior to that with the State of Missouri Social Services in Adair County — helping and advocating for children in need has been her life’s work.

Rainbow House’s Regional Child Advocacy Center and emergency shelter provides a very real service for kids and families in crisis.

“I think the thing I love the most about this place is our history — we consider ourselves a gem in the community because we’ve been here since 1986 and our mission statement hasn’t changed,” Janie says.

That mission is “to keep children safe and to support families in crisis through prevention, assessment, and intervention in child abuse and neglect.”

Now in its 35th year of operation, Rainbow House got started in a farmhouse on Oakland Gravel Road under the guidance of founder Kathy Hughes, an experienced foster mom who saw a need for a nonprofit emergency shelter for children experiencing homelessness or those in foster care for up to 30 days. The house was able to provide beds for 12 children up to age 18; the budget that year was $55,000. Today, the shelter still has beds for 12, but operates on a $1.4 million budget. In 2020, 138 children stayed in the emergency shelter for a total of 1,948 nights. The average length of stay for these kids was 14 days. Kathy is still involved with Rainbow House today.

Children in the shelter come there by one of two avenues: They are referred by Missouri’s children’s division when they are wards of the state and awaiting foster home placement, or they come from the family itself for either crisis care or respite care. The crisis care aspect is for kids whose family is experiencing an unexpected crisis, such as hospitalization, eviction, or entering rehab. Respite care serves families who need temporary child care for caregivers who have special circumstances like a job interview, medical

“I think the resiliency these kids show is a bit surprising — just seeing how smiley and happy the kids are is a great surprise.”

— Caitlin Niendick, youth specialist

procedure, or court appearance and have no other means of care. All of these services are provided free of charge.

At the beginning of the pandemic in 2020, when daycare centers were closing, Rainbow House was able to get state approval to provide seven more beds by converting a therapy room into additional shelter space. For five weeks, they offered these additional beds free of charge to children of first responders and essential workers who were scrambling to juggle work and child care. While everything else was shutting down, Rainbow House did not close its doors for even a day during the pandemic.

Janie says the community may not be aware of how Rainbow House has helped families when the unthinkable has happened, pointing to one example from years ago. “There was a horrific vehicle accident on I-70 years ago that involved an entire family,” she says. “The two parents were seriously injured and their three children were not — the parents required hospitalization, so we answered the call from law enforcement and were able to accept the children into the shelter until relatives could travel in from a couple states away to pick up the kids.”

In 1998, Rainbow House added its Regional Child Advocacy Center, which serves 11 counties

(Adair, Audrain, Boone, Callaway, Cole, Cooper, Howard, Macon, Monroe, Randolph, and Shelby).

This center is for children who are believed to be suffering physical or sexual abuse or who witnessed a crime. Children are referred to the center by the children’s division of the Department of Social Services, law enforcement, or juvenile detention. The center provides a safe place for forensic interviews and medical evaluations, as well as therapy and support groups. The interviews are sometimes used as evidence in court cases, and the interviewers are often subpoenaed to testify.

In 2020, the center provided 456 interviews. The Regional Child Advocacy Center is one of just 15 in the state, and Rainbow House is the only agency in Mid-Missouri that provides both an emergency shelter and child advocacy services.

Rainbow House moved to its current facility, on Towne Drive, in 2004. The emergency shelter is staffed 24/7 by at least two full-time youth specialists, who work in three eight-hour shifts. For youth specialist Serenity Cave, who has been with

Winston is the therapy dog on the premises. Part of his training involves staying on his mat until he’s needed. But he has sensed that when someone is in the advocacy center interview room, they may need extra support, so he waits outside the door until they’re finished.

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Living

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HOMES

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Living

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Rainbow House continuously restocks supply closets so necessities are available for anyone who needs them.

“The community has kept us going, and it’s an honor to serve this community.”

— Janie Bakutes, executive director

One way they receive supplies is through donation drives from individuals or organizations.

Rainbow House for a year, a typical shift includes making snacks and meals, doing activities with the kids, putting them to bed, and being a supportive, smiling face that the kids can trust. She says she has been surprised by the stories she’s heard — every child is there for different reasons.

Youth specialist Tawnie Nelson says her favorite part of the job is when the kids run up to her and hug her when she starts her shift.

“It makes me feel like I’m making a positive difference in their lives,” she says.

Youth specialist Caitlin Niendick says what has surprised her on the job is how adaptable the children are. “I think the resiliency these kids show [is] a bit surprising — just seeing how smiley and happy the kids are is a great surprise,” Caitlin says.

Janie says it’s the dedicated staff, like these youth specialists, that make Rainbow House a success. “I think the thing that makes us strong as a nonprofit is finding the right people, because obviously, we’re not paying six-digit incomes,” she says.

In addition to state funding and grants, Rainbow House raises money through two popular fundraisers: A masquerade ball and a golf tournament. The masquerade ball was canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, and Janie says it’s unclear if it will take place this year.

Despite the disruption in fundraising, Janie feels confident Rainbow House will survive, largely crediting the support of the local community for keeping them going all of these years. Community donations account for about half of their operating budget.

“The beautiful part of what has helped us sustain is frankly the community in Boone County and Columbia,” Janie says. “If we need something, we reach out and I guarantee we’ll get it. It’s just that simple. The generosity of this community really shows the way it has embraced Rainbow House and trusts us. The community has kept us going, and it’s an honor to serve this community. We feel respected and appreciated, and that was Kathy’s vision all those years ago.”

Volunteers are essential at Rainbow House. Anyone interested in volunteering can start the process by visiting the Rainbow House website.

From meal prep and deep cleaning to activity kit prep and landscaping, volunteers help the home stay ready for each day.

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Jacob comes from the small town of California, Missouri. With his plant science degree from MU and six years with Rost, he enjoys creating exciting outdoor spaces for his clients. Watching these creations come to life is only one highlight of being a designer for Rost. When he is not designing, he loves spending time with his wife and kids, tournament bass fishing, and doing a little bit of woodworking.

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limit how much you need to cut them back from the sidewalk, driveway or other areas where the planting is not desired. As you select your size of plants, using a variety of sizes can help create some depth and interest as well.

s you start to plan out your new landscape project, selecting plants can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. There are so many plants to choose from. As you walk down the rows of plants at a garden center, it can be tough to know what plants will or will not work in the area that you plan on landscaping. How do you start narrowing the selection down? There are a few considerations that need to be made that can help in deciding what plants you can use. Sun exposure, size of the area to be planted, and moisture are a few starting points that can lead you in the right direction.

SUN AND SHADE EXPOSURE One of the most important things to consider is the amount of sun or shade that the potential landscape area will receive. There are many plants that love areas where they can get sun all day long, but there are also several that prefer a shadier spot. Some plants enjoy the sun in the morning, but need some shade in the afternoon.

Take note of the amount of sun that the area is getting through different times of the day. Keep an eye on how existing trees, buildings, or other structures play a role in the sun exposure as well.

PLANTS THAT FIT THE SPACE The next thing I usually take into account is the amount of space there is to plant in. You don’t want to select plants that will grow too large for the area. But, selecting plants that are too small may make the bed seem very empty.

Height and spread of the plant should be taken into consideration. Making sure plants don’t grow too far outside of their boundary can help

MOISTURE IN THE GROUND One more factor to consider when narrowing your selection down is the general moisture in the area you are planting. Knowing whether that area stays wet or gets very little water naturally can also limit what should be planted.

Again, there are variety of plants that prefer different conditions. Some plants can stand to be planted in areas that stay very wet, while some prefer well-drained conditions.

Selecting your plants doesn’t have to be as overwhelming as it may first seem if you use these factors to help narrow your selection.

This will also help you in creating a landscape that will thrive and create interest for years to come. If selecting your plants and creating a design still seems to be too much for you, contacting a landscape designer to help with the process is another great way to get started on a great looking landscape.

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s human beings, we strive to be beautiful inside and out. Your home should be no different.

As an interior designer, the majority of my time is spent beautifying properties from within, but the outside sets the stage for what lies behind closed doors and is the perfect opportunity to both embrace and showcase the natural surroundings.

Like any design project, the cost can be as little or as much as you choose to pursue. The following are a few very affordable ideas to enhance your exterior while adding value and charm to your property.

1. Paint Your Door The front door is a statement. What statement are

you making? Color not only influences impression and mood but also potential future dollars in your pocket.

Explore online for the latest trends.

2. Clean Seems simple: You wouldn’t put makeup on without cleaning your face first.

How dirty is the face of your house? Clean the grime off siding and regularly wash your windows to showcase your house at its best.

3. Tidy-up Have kids? Use decorative plant pots to store toys out of sight but keep them easily accessible. Have a beautiful lawn? Don’t skip the edging. Details matter.

Happy Spring!

Anne has been in the interior design industry for more than 20 years and has resided in metropolitan cities from NYC to Houston while honing her skills. Her specialties are interior design and home staging with a focus on unique perception. Anne graduated with a BFA in fine art with a concentration in design and illustration. She has extensive experience in designing new construction as well as remodeling and conceptualizing out-of-the-box ideas. She ensures cutting-edge design and superb customer service.

108 CORPORATE LAKE PLACE, COLUMBIA, MO 65203 (573) 639-1989 ANNETUCKLEYHOME.COM

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Born and Raised in Missouri, Julie Wesley graduated from MU with a degree in housing and interior design. She began her career as an architectural home designer before getting her real estate license in 1982.

JulieAnne grew up in South Florida, graduated from University of South Florida in 1992 with a degree in elementary education, and moved to here to marry her Columbia native husband. She began her real estate career in 2012 with Tiger Home Team.

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hen we work with clients who are downsizing to a smaller home, one of the hardest chores they face is letting go of sentimental belongings they no longer have room for. Souvenirs collected during travels, family heirlooms, and your children’s keepsakes can be quite stressful to part with. Here are some Tiger Home Team Tips to help you part with belongings you are attached to but no longer want to keep.

1. Remember that our memories reside within us, not within our possessions. Psychologists say that letting go of sentimental items can be extremely therapeutic. When we keep things, the items occupy both physical and mental space in our lives. It’s healthier to focus on your memories and not the items that represent your memories.

2. Focus on the present. Letting go also helps to bring your focus to the present. Sometimes things

573-289-4440 TIGERHOMETEAM.COM

are continual reminders of the past and hold us back from living in the present. Realize that while we can always cherish our memories, we don’t need the past to be happy in the present.

3. Let go of guilt. People often hold onto an item they don’t want or need because someone special gave it to them or it represents a special person. Learn to let go of the guilt associated with getting rid of gifts you can’t use. Appreciate the thoughtfulness of the giver or the special memory it represents but pass the item on to someone else who can use it or donate it to charity.

4. Don’t save it for your grown children. Times have changed and today more young adults are able to buy their own furnishings.

They aren’t as sentimental about family heirlooms as prior generations were. Talk to your kids now

and find out if you are holding onto your china, crystal, and silver tea service for nothing.

5. Write a family memoir. Hold onto your memories with words instead of things by writing your

memoir or the story of your family. Writing your story can help you release your hold on tangible items. If you need help, try a service like Storyworth.com OR call us for local company recs for organizing or estate sales!

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Jake essentially grew up in the furniture industry as he is the fourth generation involved in Baumgartner’s Furniture. Working very closely with his father, Alan, Jake has been devoted to the stores full-time since 2004. His greatest enjoyment, however, still comes from working closely with the customers. He is married to Sarah, and they have two active boys, Noah and Laine. Jake received his degree in finance from Saint Louis University.

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ith many working from home, the home office or study space has become one of the most frequent rooms to remodel.

While remodeling a space can be exciting, the process can be a bit overwhelming. What storage is best for an office? How do you make the area inspiring? What type of furniture will keep you comfortable for long hours spent in your office? Relax. I’m here to make the process of improving the design of your home office easier for you. Follow these three tips and get ready to kick back in a new office that suits your needs, style, and budget.

MAKE THE SPACE INSPIRING You want your home office to be a place where you can do your absolute best work, which is why you should choose designs, colors, and furniture that’s conducive to your work. Pieces of art, photos, and reminders of

your past achievements are great if you want your office to inspire motivation, whereas placing your desk near windows and plants will inspire creativity. If you want your office to bring you focus, separate your office from the rest of your home and remove any distractions.

CHOOSE COMFORTABLE FURNITURE Extended hours are spent in the office, so a comfortable workspace is vital to help you do your best work. Sit-to-stand desks are a great solution because they allow you to alternate between standing and sitting while staying at your desk. If you’re sitting throughout the day, chairs should support the back correctly and not cause pain.

The Lynxtyn Home Office Chair at Baumgartner’s Furniture is an excellent option.

Your office should also adhere to the basic principles of office ergonomics: Monitor at arm’s

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length away; wrists straight; hands at or below elbow level; and chair height with your knees about level with your hips. Maintaining proper office ergonomics will prevent neck and back pain or sore wrists and fingers.

MAXIMIZE YOUR STORAGE A good home office should be optimized to organize.

At Baumgartner’s Furniture, we provide hundreds of storage options perfect for your home office.

You can choose from closed storage options, such as our bunching lateral file cabinet, to hide most of the clutter behind closet drawers. If you prefer to have your materials out in the open, our desk hutches are right up your alley.

At Baumgartner’s Furniture, we understand that, other than your home, your office is the indoor space where you spend the most time. To help with both, visit our showrooms in Columbia and Auxvasse to kick back in your beautiful and functional home office.

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A Columbia native, Shaun Henry found a home at Atkins in 2000 when he started his career as a turf technician.

Shaun holds a commercial applicators license through the Missouri Department of Agriculture and is a member of the National Association of Landscape Professionals, the Mid-America Green Industry Council, and the Missouri Green Industry Alliance. Shaun strongly believes in the importance of a great customer experience, where the Atkins staff knows the clients and anticipates their needs accordingly.

Shaun is an MU alumnus and has a degree in plant science.

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“I

t’s ok to get dirty!” I never thought I would have to tell my kids that as they were growing up, but I did. I don’t remember ever asking permission to get dirty when I was a kid anyways. I doubt my brother ever asked either! We were always running around outside. Our house didn’t have an elaborate landscape, but I do still remember helping my mom weed the front bed and our attempts to grow strawberries just off the front corner of the house a few different times. Then later, we planted some trees that she had given silly names out in the front lawn. I think some of these experiences helped shape who I am and now, how my wife and I raised our own kids and my connection to nature.

With our busy lifestyles, it’s often hard to find time to work in a family trip to the park and not everyone has access to a rural Missouri farm, so we have to find other ways to get the kids outdoors. Here are some ways to connect your kiddos to nature right around your home: 1. Get them involved from the start. Talk to your kids about what you’re trying to do. Walk the property with them and take inventory of stuff that you all already have and come up with ideas of how you could use those things for “play.” Let their imaginations run. You may be surprised at what ideas they come up that may turn into a really fun family project.

2. Create an adventure pathway around the lawn and through your landscape beds.

You can strategically place logs, rocks and boulders, pavers, bricks or other materials as step stones. If the landscape allows, maybe the path even leads to a secret hideaway for them. You can also bang around on these things to make music 3. Build a fort! Probably one of my boys’ favorite thing to do when they were kids (probably still!) was to build a fort. We

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4.

had the luxury of a wooded lot behind our home and with that came lots of fallen sticks and limbs that they could tie together with twine or just lean and weave them together to hold some shape resembling a teepee or a log cabin. Speaking of, a good log can serve as seating or a table to carry out their adventures or just a good place to hang out. A word of caution though — watch out for splinters and poison ivy!

Inspect for wildlife. You would be surprised at the number and variety of interesting creatures around the lawn and landscape. You may have an opportunity to watch bees and butterflies pollinating,

5.

6.

birds hunting for food, frogs hopping about, squirrels doing their busy work or maybe you’ll spot a “blue tailed” skink crawling out of its hiding place. You might even camp out in the lawn one night just to listen to all of the critters that move about your neighborhood.

Remember the benefits of a thick, healthy turf area where you can host picnics, story time, group games, or just kick back and watch the clouds pass by. Building a healthy lawn with colorful buffers around it can make for a luxurious getaway for you and the kiddos.

Play a good game of “I Spy” as it can help you figure out what draws your child’s attention. It also helps get them engaged in looking about the entire lawn and landscape trying to figure out where your clues lead.

We hope that you are able to find ways to pull your kids away from technology and introduce them to the natural surroundings at your home. Get outside and make some memories!! And remember, if ever you need help getting things in shape, let us know. We can help you with that!

Chiropractors that treat you like family.

Chiropractic care is an amazing option for addressing many conditions including the desire to have improved vitality and optimal health. Our team is made up of individuals that want your life to be better. We want to be your complete health and wellness provider in Columbia and vicinity.

These amenities are complementary to our members: • Massage tables available before or after adjustment

• Ample parking

• Email, text, or phone appointment reminders. You can also reply to our text messages and our office will receive your reply.

• Beverage Station with Nutrientinfused fruit water, hot chocolate, Keurig coffee station, Orange Tiger Family cups (take some home for the family!)

• Posture training instruction at key points in your care plan

• Make an appointment through the website, by texting, or by calling

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• Convenient hours, including early mornings, lunch breaks, and evenings

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Feel like yourself again.

tigerfamilychiropractic.com | 573.443.1414 3700 Interstate 70 Dr SE #110, Columbia, MO

What is REDI? Regional Economic Development Inc. (REDI) is a nonprofit, public/private par tnership created to enhance the vitality of business and increase the number of quality, sustainable jobs in Columbia and Boone County.

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Cathy Cook

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MAY 2021

In 2013, Cathy and Chris Cook were scouting downtown Columbia for the perfect spot to open a bar or restaurant. Cathy was working on her PhD in psychology dyslexia, but didn’t quite feel like things were falling into place. When they began their search, the Cooks had never heard of Kona Ice, the shaved ice franchise. But eventually, the Cooks put their previous plans aside and took a leap of faith by purchasing their first Kona Ice truck. “Chris blames for me getting into this,” Cathy says, laughing. “But I wouldn’t change a thing.”

Thirty days after buying into the franchise, the Cooks had attended Kona College and were driving their neon, tropically painted, chrome-wheeled, steel-drum music playing KEV (Kona Entertainment Vehicle) on the street. “I was so nervous — we stood out like a sore thumb!” Cathy says.

In the beginning, they hit a few bumps in the road. The trucks are battery-powered and plugged in at night to recharge. Cathy says their first truck was originally wired wrong, causing the electrical to blow, so they had to purchase dry ice for the truck to keep things cold.

But the Cooks persevered. On their first day out, they had not gone a block from their own neighborhood before their first customer was waving them down from the street corner. Cathy says she asked Chris, “Is he waving at us?”

Nine seasons later, Cathy and Chris have grown used to the attention that the trucks garner. She says people driving down the interstate even take pictures, and now she feels weird when she’s not driving around in one of their KEVs. The Cooks’ Kona Ice fleet now consists of four trucks, a mini-cart, and a kiosk and serves five territories across Missouri — from north of Columbia down to the Arkansas border, including Springfield and Branson. With partnerships with local ball fields, the Columbia Mall, MU Athletics, and Tanger outlet, in Branson, to name a few, Cathy says she and Chris have no problem keeping the trucks busy year-round.

Living

GOURMET

WHAT IS SHAVED ICE?

Often confused with crushed ice, slushies, or Icees, Kona Ice gourmet shaved ice is finely shaved through a blade, allowing for the added flavors of choice to completely soak in. Each truck is equipped with a shaver that turns ice cubes into the shaved ice served to customers, who can then mix and match the wide array of flavors located in the “Flavorwave” on the outside of the truck to their hearts' content.

Flavor choices include classics like cherry limeade, peach, and red raspberry, in addition to the crafted flavors such as bourbon black cherry, blackberry mojito, and Tiger’s Blood that are more geared for an adult’s taste buds (even though they are alcohol-free).

Healthier options are available, too, like the “Fruit First” low-calorie flavors made from real fruit, and the sugar-free flavors. A sanitizing shield used in conjunction with the highest level of cleanliness keep the Cooks’ Kona Ice trucks approved by every health department from here to Branson.

BRINGING JOY

Although scheduled events take up more of their time these days, Cathy says the joy it brings her to drive through the neighborhoods is indescribable. “You see the best of everything. It’s like heaven. There is a community feeling that I can’t even begin to explain with words,” she says. “It just makes people so happy."

Recently, a fellow franchisee from Nashville, who also happened to be a musician, used his recording studio to turn well-known songs into steel drum music. Cathy says she and Chris operated during the entire pandemic, broadcasting this new music and watching as kids in the neighborhoods recognized the songs. “The trucks are equipped with loudspeakers, flashing lights, and light-up menus — it really brings the kids running.”

One of Cathy’s favorite memories occurred a few years ago during an unseasonably warm Christmas Day. The Cooks decided to take the truck to Coyote Hill Christian Children’s

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GOURMET

Home in Harrisburg. They served the 36 foster children living there, most of whom had never had Kona Ice. “Kids love Kona Ice, but I think adults love it even more,” says Cathy, sharing that they also visit a retirement facility in Eldon once a month and serve hot chocolate with toppings along with the shaved ice. “Seniors love it, too!

I served a 93-year-old woman her first shaved ice ever. She was so excited.”

GIVING BACK

Chris and Cathy also offer Kona Ice fundraising opportunities, having already given back over $100,000 to local schools, churches, and nonprofit organizations. A fundraising event can be scheduled at athletic events, parks, or even in a neighborhood with a 20% giveback, which can be given right after the event. Kona Ice has also recently added a fundraising opportunity that will be completely online.

“We usually do a tax-free day where we set up at MU Women’s and Children’s Hospital — we get bombarded!” Cathy says. “The nurses, doctors, they love it so much. There are children who can’t leave their room or are on a strict diet, but because Kona Ice is dairy and gluten-free, they can still have Kona Ice, even when they might not want or can’t have regular food.”

Once, Cathy remembers a young man on the autism spectrum who came to the truck. “I was pushing the lever to help him put the flavors on and it made his eyes light up. He waved goodbye, which was a huge thing [for him]. It was so rewarding to make him so happy.”

The Kona Ice brand is constantly growing and adding new equipment, boasting more than 1,200 franchisees around the globe, including trucks in Canada, Dubai, Mexico, and Alaska. Kona Ice can be requested for weddings, birthday parties, and corporate events year-round, including hot chocolate set-ups during the winter months.

To schedule an event, contact Chris and Cathy via Facebook, Instagram, email, phone, or text — they just need to know when, where, and how many people there are to serve.

Cathy says kids even get the phone number from their website and call requesting a visit to their neighborhood. “We can hold more than 200 pounds of ice — we’ve even served the Mizzou football team!”

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A T R AV E L

THE EUBANK FAMILY TRAVELS TOWARD A LOFTY GOAL: VISITING EVERY NATIONAL PARK.

M I LY

I N G FA

Stop 1 of 63 Great Smoky Mountains National Park

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Last spring, when COVID-19 happened, we had to cancel our beach trip in the summer and our normal vacations that we had planned. As things progressed into the summer, we thought ‘What is something we can do where we would feel safe traveling?’” says Columbia resident Susan Eubank.

When COVID-19 hit, Susan’s family, like many families, was faced with the termination of their summer vacation. However, amid the pandemic’s uncertainty, Susan was determined to find a way for her family to spend time together. Now, with her husband and 6-year-old twins in tow, Susan has set out on a monumental adventure: visiting every U.S. national park.

The plan started coming together in March 2020, when Susan realized that family vacations in the usual places, like Disneyworld or other destinations where social distancing is difficult, wouldn’t be possible.

Susan says: “We started looking at national parks within a driveable distance. We came across the Smoky Mountains, and we thought, oh, that would be fun. I get on Instagram and then it takes me to these other national parks, and I was like, ‘Oh, I had no idea how big the national park system was.’ It kind of went down a rabbit hole where we thought, hey, what if we try to visit all the national parks before the girls go to college?’”

For their first trip, Susan’s family trekked to the Smoky Mountains, where they had adventures whitewater rafting and horseback riding into the national park. When they returned from Tennessee, they started checking off parks in Missouri and Arkansas and are currently planning to check off national parks in Utah.

Though the long car rides to national parks with younger children may sound hard, Susan has a tried and true method for car boredom.

“We give them an iPad,” she says. “We’ll listen to a few podcasts. There’s some kid podcasts they enjoy.

They’re obsessed with Taylor Swift, so if we have Taylor Swift on, they’re pretty happy in the car.”

Actually, Susan says the exciting part of visiting national parks is the travel to them. On their long drives, she and her family have already discovered quaint towns like Paducah, Kentucky. Though Paducah is not exactly a big tourist attraction, it does have an attractive historic part of town. More importantly, this town has a stamp of approval from Susan’s daughters, Maura and Arden Marie, who say, “We love Paducah so much!”

Currently, one of the biggest concerns when traveling with a family is being safe during COVID-19.

“I would say COVID has been a little different to travel in,” Susan says. “Everything we’ve done so far has been driving distance. It’s been pretty controlled in that.” She adds that her family never does anything that makes them uncomfortable about COVID-19 while traveling.

A concern of the Eubank family when traveling during COVID-19 is finding living conditions that are properly sani-

tized. The first option that comes to mind might be camping, but Susan and her husband did not grow up going on camping trips. Despite their inexperience with camping, the couple has found a way around this problem with Airbnb accommodations. Susan says that she’s found that these places actually seem cleaner than the hotels her family usually stays at.

However, in the future, the couple does plan on exploring camping. Susan explains that they will need to camp in some of the more rugged parks. She says: “There are some parks that are a little more remote that will be harder to get to. There are quite a few in Alaska, and the only way you can get into those is through a little bush airplane.”

At this point in the journey, Susan’s greatest difficulty is quelling her eagerness for adventure in America’s national parks.

“I would say the hardest part for me is that I want to do everything right now, and I know I have to be patient on some of the parks because I know our kids aren’t old enough or ready for it,” she explains. “I just have to remind myself that it’s not a marathon or a sprint — we have a long time to do this.”

However, if she could plan this journey over again, Susan does admit she would do some things differently.

“I wish it had been on my radar when [my daughters] were in preschool and it was easier to take them out of school more,” she says. “But in that same breath, I know that when they were younger, there were some things we never would have been able to do.”

Susan is concerned that, in the future, her daughters may not be as interested in visiting national parks. But that’s something she’s letting the future to take care of.

“So far they just really like it. We haven’t really done anything that has been, like, a flop,” she says.

As Susan’s family follows their big goal, they have started an Instagram account called “Leave No Trace Family,” where they document their adventures. Susan says the name was created for the eco-friendly theme she and her husband constantly reiterate to their daughters.

“We remind the girls, when we’re out here, that if you want to have a snack, that’s fine, but make sure you leave no trace while we’re here,” Susan says.

Hopefully, Susan’s family will complete their goal by their set deadline, but there may be a little obstacle to that.

“I would like to say we’ll be able to hit our goal before our girls go to college, but I don’t know because every year, they keep adding parks,” Susan says with amusement. “I hope that we can do it by the time they can go to college.”

As of mid-2020, there are 62 national parks in the U.S. This makes for quite a long list for the Eubank family. But even if the family doesn’t make it to all the national parks before the twins go to college, the Eubanks still plan on finishing their big adventure.

“We’re just having a good time,” Susan says.

“We thought ‘Oh, that would be fun.’”

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Living

FRIENDS & FAMILY

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R E D FLAGS

Keeping Your Kids Safe Online

Kids are n ow vic timizin g ea ch oth er.

BY JODIE JACKSON JR

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Not my child.

When it comes to most hazards and actions that can imperil a child’s reputation, health, or life, dismissing those possibilities with an automatic “not my child” may be one of the biggest mistakes a parent can make.

Det. Tracy Perkins says she can’t make that point loudly or fi rmly enough. As the leader of the Boone County Sheriff ’s Office Cyber Crimes Task Force, Perkins has spent the past 14 years witnessing and apprehending online predators who target children, luring them into compromising and even life-threatening circumstances.

While those issues remain as real as ever — as unprecedented levels of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic have shown — many online threats are more subtle, at least initially. Perhaps one of the more eye-opening if not gut-punching developments in internet safety for teens and children is that the teens and children are no longer just the targets.

Increasingly, Perkins says, the children and teens are now also the bullies and offenders. “Our kids are learning this from other kids,” she says. The message that Perkins has championed for nearly two decades and that she now wants to shout is something parents need to heed.

“I hear so many parents say, ‘I just don’t know anything about the phone,’” Perkins explains. Her response? “Then why is your 9-year-old on it?”

Her message is simple, though undoubtedly easier said than done. “Don’t allow your children access and be diligent about knowing what technology their friends let them use,” Perkins adds. “I know for a fact there are younger kids that have nicer phones than a lot of their parents.”

The Gathering Storm

Perkins mentions the “bigger storm” of internet predation, bullying, and sexual exploitation that the public and parents seem unaware of — perhaps because they’re checking their phones and not checking on their children. Add the frequent prevalence of kids soliciting each other for nude photographs or having explicit sexual conversations via text and there are even more opportunities for adult predators.

COVID-related isolation has meant more people online and, Perkins points out, more online solicitation and exploitation. The numbers bear out that conclusion.

In 2019, the cybercrimes task force, which covers Boone and six other Central Missouri counties, investigated 79 cases. In 2020, the task force’s two investigators handled 152 cases. The National

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Center for Missing and Exploited Children, as well as FBI statistics, also show a doubling of cybercrime investigations in 2020.

The NCMEC is a national clearinghouse of sorts between law enforcement and internet service providers and social media platforms that are considered mandated reporters. They are required by law to notify law enforcement of situations and incidents that involve a child’s safety.

Perkins estimates that for every internet or social media red flag alerting authorities to cybercrime, perhaps 5,000 other accounts with nefarious activity are somehow avoiding those red flags.

Perkins says the task force receives cyber tips made to the NCMEC as well as self-reports from parents who fi nd inappropriate photos or texts on their kids’ phones.

Right Under their Noses?

There are apps that young iPhone and smartphone users can use to hide apps from their parents’ snooping eyes, and it no longer takes a lot of tech savvy to know how to bypass parental controls, unless parents have enough understanding to keep ahead.

To say the rapid changes in technology and communication apps are just part of the wild, wild west of cyberspace is an understatement. The truth is starker — and darker — considering that the technology is at the fi ngertips of anyone wanting to pursue, bully, stalk, harass, or intimidate another person.

As the COVID cloud begins to lift, Perkins suggests, now is a good time to get into new online habits. Kids have been isolated more and with less adult supervision. Unless parents take a more active role, the online dangers may be occurring right under their noses, perhaps even with their child sitting in the same room. Or even on the same sofa.

When Perkins began her work on the cybercrimes task force in 2007, the youngest children she could remember on the internet were 13 or 14 years old. “We had dial-up. We had a different flow of access to the internet,” she says. Telephones weren’t yet “smart.” Now? “It’s worse,” she explains. New apps emerge on a regular if not dizzying basis. Facebook also exploded from a few hundred thousand users to a few million to billions. New social media platforms – catering to and popular among younger and younger users – are hard to keep track of.

“What’s happening today is we don’t have just the 13- and 14-year-olds” online, Perkins says. “But we have 5- and 6-year-olds on smartphones. Not all of them are chit-chatting with individuals online, but sometimes they are.”

“Most kids today were born with technology in their hand and the app in their face.”

— Det. Tracy Perkins, Boone County Sheriff ’s Off ice Cyber Crimes Task Force

Normalized and Desensitized

As online conversations and activity have become more normalized, now kids are soliciting kids. It’s not just adults preying on children.

“And it’s not just, ‘Hey, let me see your boobs.’ It’s more, what they want,” Perkins adds. “Kids are producing it. They are naïve. But they’ve seen it somewhere.”

The new cyber scenario has also gained footing at schools, giving teachers and administrators more reasons to be vigilant in protecting students — sometimes from themselves, as Perkins tells it.

“I hate to compare it to a gun, but would you give a loaded gun to a kid?” she asks. “The answer is ‘no.’” But a mobile phone, with even a few apps, potentially can exploit a child.

“Once a kid becomes victimized, they have two ways they can go,” Perkins explains. “Tell or keep it a secret — and then you don’t know how to get out of the problem.” The secret becomes a burden that the child will carry “for many years” and becomes a complex trauma as the result of emotional disturbances and self-esteem issues, she adds.

When a Parent Finds Those Images

Suppose a mom takes her child’s phone for inspection and discovers sexually explicit images? Is she now in possession of child pornography?

“Her due diligence is to make sure those images are no longer accessible,” Perkins explains. “Turn it over to the police. You’re not going to get in trouble for that.” On the other hand, if those photos are then sent to another phone or internet user, “You are part of the problem now.”

While Perkins wants to emphasize to parents that teens are now victimizing each other in many cases, it’s also still a fact that “kids are being enticed by adults.”

Through the years, Perkins has had the unpleasant task of viewing unspeakable images and videos in the course of investigations. Once upon a time in the cybercrime world, the venues and means for distributing and viewing child pornography were limited, at least compared to today’s world of synched phones, cloud storage, and email.

“It’s creating a bigger storm than what the general person really understands,” she explains.

Another example of how the problem seems even more insurmountable is that Perkins used to see many of the same children in those investigative photos and videos. Now, “I never see the same one twice — that’s how bad it is.”

Perkins wants to bring the conversation around to a point of contact with parents and acknowledges that kids have a superior level of understanding about technology and phone apps because they’ve grown up in the cyber age. That only increases the need for parents to be hypervigilant and as tech-savvy as they can be, rather than allowing a computer screen or mobile phone to be a babysitter.

“Generation-wise, let’s go back to when apps were born,” she says. “Most kids today were born with technology in their hand and the app in their face.”

The bulk of Perkins’s cautions are for parents, but she doesn’t let teens off the hook.

“If your parent is giving you permission to use a device, you’ve got to be smart,” she adds. “There are ways to use a device and not be dangerous with it.”

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8 Tips to Keep your Kids Safe Online

Based on resources f rom the Boone County Sheriff’s Office Cyber Crimes Task Force, the U.S. Department of Justice, and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, here are some steps parents can take to keep their kids safe online. In summary: Parents should stay involved in their digital world, know the apps they use, use parental controls where possible, and block and report people who make them feel uncomfortable.

1.

Be involved in your child’s life. That is a multi-faceted challenge, but the dividends are priceless in many ways. When it comes to being the victim of a cybercrime, children are often groomed to feel responsible for what is happening. The more openness in the parent-child relationship — including open, frank conversation about online expectations — the more likely a child won’t be a victim or keep a secret.

2.

“Stranger danger” applies to strangers approaching in cars as well as someone you don’t know on the internet. Parents must insist on those guidelines for people their children encounter in person and online.

3.

Change the phone settings. Perkins says iPhone and Android phones are set for “explicit,” so change the settings. “These phones are really designed for adults. They’re not designed for kids,” she says. Apple has a “Screen Time” feature with a passcode that parents can set to limit the amount of time a child can be on the phone, what apps can be accessed, and what can be downloaded. “Basically, a lock and key to your kid’s life,” Perkins explains. Android has well-being settings for similar protection.

4.

Change the privacy and sharing settings for your child’s social media to prevent anonymity, direct messaging, and similar functions.

5.

Be alert to potential signs of abuse, including changes in children’s use of electronic devices, attempts to conceal online activity, withdrawn behavior, angry outbursts, anxiety, and depression.

6.

7.

Keep screens and devices where you can see them.

Keep control of your family’s digital footprint. This involves parental use of electronics, too. Most apps, networks, and devices have geo-tagging features that make your location public and can lead someone directly to you. These features should be turned off for obvious privacy and safety reasons. Digital photos also contain metadata that may reveal time, date, and GPS coordinates. Some social media platforms hide or remove this data, but not all.

8.

Lead by example and model the online behavior you want your children to use.

And, yes, this includes limiting your own screen time. Less screen time means more family time.

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Navigating infertility and pregnancy loss.

BY L AU R E N S A B L E FR E I M A N

Twelve percent of women of reproductive age — 1 in 8 couples — struggle with infertility or recurrent pregnancy loss. The emotional, physical, and financial burdens are heavy, almost unbearable at times. But for those struggling with infertility, the light at the end of the tunnel keeps them moving forward, day by day.

The Lowest Lows Lead to the Highest Highs

The positive pregnancy test thrilled Megan Alphin and her husband, Anthony. They got pregnant the first month they tried to conceive, and they were overjoyed with the idea of watching their son Schaefer, now 7, become a big brother. As they began to envision life as a family of four, a routine ultrasound 20 weeks into Megan’s pregnancy brought shocking and devastating news.

“We got pregnant easily with no issue, until the 20-week ultrasound, when we found out there were several abnormalities,” Megan says.

Their daughter, Berkeley, was diagnosed with Trisomy 18, a condition that significantly disrupts fetal development. On April 26, 2017, Berkeley was born via cesarean section at 38 weeks. She lived for one day before passing away on April 27, just five days after Schaefer’s third birthday.

Eight months later, as Megan and Anthony continued to navigate their grief while parenting a toddler, they began trying to conceive once again.

Though she had gotten pregnant quickly and easily with her first two children, Megan says she was surprised that, after many months, nothing was happening.

“After six months, I had my regular check up with my OB/GYN, but she wasn’t too concerned because we had conceived in the past, so she suggested that we wait it out for a year,” Megan says. “After everything we had been through, I didn’t want to wait it out.

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It’s confusing because once it happens naturally, you start wondering if you’re doing something wrong or if it’s your fault in some way, but that’s also what made me start to wonder what could have changed in my or my husband’s body in this time period.”

After losing Berkeley, Megan joined Graceful Wait, a local infertility and infant loss support group. As she began to discuss her pregnancy struggle with friends and group members, she realized her periods had always been abnormal and she was experiencing symptoms consistent with endometriosis. A couple months later, an OB/GYN friend agreed that Megan should seek out a fertility specialist.

Megan’s journey took her to Missouri Fertility, where she met Dr. Gil Wilshire. After a consultation and diagnostic testing, Dr. Wilshire confirmed that her secondary infertility — her inability to become pregnant after previously giving birth to a baby — was most likely caused by endometriosis.

“The majority of the patients that we see have a diagnosis of endometriosis or polycystic ovary syndrome,” says April Rutter, Missouri Fertility’s practice manager. “The definition of infertility is if you’re 35 and under and trying to conceive for a year with no success, or over 35 and trying unsuccessfully for 6 months.”

In her first month with Dr. Wilshire, Megan was able to complete a round of the fertility drug Clomid along with intrauterine insemination, a type of artificial insemination.

‘We got pregnant right away, but the first time we had an ultrasound at eight weeks, Dr. Wilshire found some abnormalities,” Megan says. “He said we would miscarry the child, and we miscarried our daughter Jozie at 10 weeks.”

Despite two heartbreaking and physically draining losses, Megan says she kept a deep desire to grow her family in any way possible. She continued cycles of Clomid and IUI with no luck until Dr. Wilshire switched Megan to an injectable fertility drug called Follistim. Then, Megan got pregnant.

“From the beginning, my HCG numbers were high and I was worried that it could be a molar pregnancy [a complication that causes cyst pro-

duction in the reproductive organs], but then I realized that it could mean multiple babies,” she says.

“I knew my numbers were really high and I had a lot of cramping, and I was up all night thinking, ‘What if multiple babies is the outcome?’”

Six weeks later, an ultrasound confirmed Megan’s maternal hunch: She was pregnant with triplets.

“I had tried not to read too much online, but based upon the HCG number, I thought it was going to be two or three babies,” Megan says.

“But you think, surely not. When they labeled the babies A, B, and C in the ultrasound, I think my husband and I just laughed.”

Despite her previous losses and a high-risk triplet pregnancy, Megan says the pregnancy went smoothly, and on March 10, 2020, Megan gave birth to two daughters and one son, Adleigh, Pierce, and Kherington.

“After our loss of Berkeley, it was hard to feel like I wouldn’t be able to get pregnant again,” Megan says. “I know women who go through years and years of much more significant fertility treatments and thousands and thousands of dollars. Any fertility struggle is hard, but I feel bad for saying our struggle was hard based on what other people are going through.”

Waiting for Their Miracle

Cortney Vogel jokes that, growing up, she had the impression that if she looked at a boy the wrong way, she could get pregnant. So when she married Brandon in September 2019 and they began trying to conceive, she says she never considered that getting pregnant could be a struggle. After trying for nearly a year with no luck, the couple scheduled a consultation with Dr. Wilshire. Cortney, 26, says they assumed they would undergo some testing to confirm that everything was working as it should.

“We are both healthy and young, and we never thought that we would have trouble,” Cortney says. “When we went to our first doctor’s appoint-

ment, I thought it would be super positive, but we found out there was no way we would have ever gotten pregnant.”

Testing revealed that Brandon had a varicocele, an enlargement of the veins within the scrotum. As a result, his sperm count was so low that the couple would not be able to conceive without surgery to correct the varicocele. Cortney was also diagnosed with PCOS, which causes irregular cycles that also make conception challenging.

“There was no way it could have even happened,” Cortney says. “Walking out of that appointment was tough. We weren’t expecting that. We thought it would be an easy, simple fix.”

After surgery to correct Brandon’s varicocele, Cortney says the couple carefully weighed their options. With irregular cycles caused by Cortney’s PCOS and Brandon’s sperm count not yet high enough to conceive naturally, the pair decided to begin the emotionally charged and physically challenging process of in vitro fertilization.

During IVF, eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and fertilized by sperm in a lab before being transferred back into the uterus. In order to stimulate egg production, patients inject themselves with a series of medications. In addition to the injections, patients undergo regular blood tests and ultrasounds to keep track of hormone levels and egg production.

“With the medications, you’re gaining

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“There is a whole community of women who are dealing with infertility. It has honestly been one of the biggest blessings through this whole thing — the community I’ve gained through it, knowing I’m not alone.”

— Cortney Vogel weight, you’re not feeling like yourself, you’re watching your body change and realizing you don’t have control over it,” Cortney says. “I knew it would be hard, but until you do it, you don’t know how physically and mentally draining it will be on you.”

After their first embryo transfer, blood tests indicated a positive pregnancy. But just days later, the couple learned that it was a chemical pregnancy, a type of very early pregnancy loss occurring when an embryo doesn’t fully implant in the uterus.

“It’s so weird because you have to prepare yourself so you won’t be devastated if it doesn’t work out, so going into our first transfer, we didn’t want to get our hopes up,” Cortney says. “You try to stay as positive as possible, but not to the point where you’ll be crushed if it doesn’t work out.”

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As the Vogels prepare to undergo their second round of IVF, Cortney says she is thankful that she and Brandon have jobs that can support IVF’s hefty price tag. So far, Cortney says they’ve spent $22,000 on medications, ultrasounds, blood work, egg retrieval, and more, none of which was covered by their insurance.

“It is easy to get bitter through the process — to watch other people get pregnant so easily as you’re draining your bank account to do something that isn’t guaranteed. It is a lot,” Cortney says.

As a social media influencer, it was natural for Cortney to share much of her life with her following on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook, and when it came to her fertility journey, she quickly discovered that sharing her struggle resulted in a huge amount of support from around the country.

“It is a private matter, and sharing on social media seemed taboo, but I really needed support through it,” she says. “There is a whole community of women who are dealing with infertility. It has honestly been one of the biggest blessings through this whole thing — the community I’ve gained through it, knowing I’m not alone.”

Finding Help

April says those struggling to conceive should begin a conversation with their OB/ GYN, who will often prescribe a fertility drug like Clomid or Letrozole. If, after a few cycles, a woman has not yet conceived, April suggests scheduling a consultation with a fertility specialist.

“It doesn’t hurt to talk to someone,” April says. “You can come in and get your questions answered. Don’t wait until you’re so desperate that you need to get pregnant yesterday. Just because you go in and talk to a specialist doesn’t mean you have to start treatment tomorrow.”

In advance of a consultation, April also recommends that patients contact their insurance company to learn about coverage for diagnostics and treatment.

“You want to know what your insurance will cover and use it while you can,” she says. “If you need to do your diagnostic work up in-network, do it. We are all running the same tests. Then shop around to find the doctor with the best success rates who you’re most comfortable with.”

We focus on Ernie Ueligger, Rob Temple, Nathan Jones

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Living

COUPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW

Drs. Charles & Holly Bondurant Holly talks about what it's like to be one half of a health care power couple in Columbia.

HOW DID YOU MEET?

We were set up on a blind date by Dr. Jeff Parker.

WHAT WAS YOUR FIRST DATE?

He picked me up in his old Chevy Blazer and handed me a “post-test gift” — it was in a brown paper bag with the chemical structure of acetaminophen drawn on it — because I had just taken a chemistry test. He took me to Murry’s.

WHAT KEEPS YOU BUSY DURING THE WEEK?

Work, and we both serve on some boards in Columbia: Commerce Bank and The Wind Institute for me.

WHAT’S IT LIKE TO WORK TOGETHER?

It doesn't happen too often, but I do have a lot of patients who come to me because their parents know or know of Charles. They have said to me, “I know he's brilliant, so he would marry a smart woman, and so I picked you as my pediatrician.” Both being at Boone Hospital together is great, as we have many overlapping colleagues.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE TO

WHAT IS UNIQUE ABOUT

DO IN YOUR FREE TIME?

YOUR RELATIONSHIP?

Run, Peloton, swim, read, Netflix, play with my dogs, and travel (Ew! COVID!) to see my kids.

ACTIVITY IN COLUMBIA?

We have always been independent of each other.

I mean, we can go days without seeing each other due to schedules or work, but we still depend on each other for even little things. I do the laundry, but I cannot use the air compressor to pump up a tire. That’s all Charles.

I have always loved Art in the Park. Does the Columbia Farmers Market count?

WHAT DOES THE FUTURE

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ART/CULTURE

WHAT ARE SOME OF YOUR FAVORITE OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES?

Well, that would be fishing on Lake of the Woods in Canada, skiing, or hiking the mile trail Charles contoured on our 32 acres (with the dogs).

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE

WHAT INTERESTS OR EXCITES YOU ABOUT WORKING IN THE HEALTH CARE FIELD?

The return on my investment. If I do this well, my little patient can live 100 more healthy years!

RESTAURANT IN COLUMBIA?

Hard one . . . Sycamore, Flyover, Cherry Street Cellar, Murry's.

QUALITY OF YOUR PARTNER?

Patience.

We do not even talk about retirement. We love our work too much. But we do hope to travel more, even if it's just spending all summer on our island in Canada. The land was sold as a homesteading act years ago — his grandfather bought a 3-acre island for $150 — so we have a cabin there now, and it is heaven.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR FAVORITE PROJECT TO WORK ON TOGETHER?

Raising our children.

WHAT IS THE KEY TO A LASTING AND HEALTHY RELATIONSHIP?

WHAT IS THE BEST

HOLD FOR THE TWO OF YOU?

Get away from the grind sometimes, even if it’s dinner and a movie or just a hike around our property.

WHAT BROUGHT YOU BOTH TO COLUMBIA?

College for me, residency for Charles (we met just like in Grey’s Anatomy).

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UNBOUND BOOK FESTIVAL

From the bottom of our hearts...

Many thanks to our sponsors and supporters.

More than 35,000 people watched an Unbound event online this year. And we couldn’t have done it without you!

Special thanks to all our amazing board members, committee members, and volunteers!

All of this year’s events are available to watch for free online. More details at www.unboundbookfestival.com.

Without you, we would not have made it through this most challenging, yet rewarding, year.

We can’t wait to see you all in person in April 2022!

If you would like to discuss volunteer or sponsorship opportunities with the 2022 festival, we’d love to talk!

Please drop us a line at mail@unboundbookfestival.com.

W W W.U N B O U N D B O O K F E S T I VA L . C O M

Working

100 PLAN 529: NOT JUST FOR COLLEGE The ins and outs of the education savings plan.

97 PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW

Meet Dr. Mary Katherine Welch, gynecologist at Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans' Hospital.

106 FOSTERING FAMILY CMFCAA provides support and resources to foster families in central Missouri.

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Jeffrey, in particular, loves to “go to work” with Daddy and help with whatever he can (and boy, does he work!)

When he grows up he wants to be a firefighter and mow lawns like Dad.

Sophia, 9 Jeffrey, 6

Take back your weekend!

Every birthday asks for his own truck and dump trailer. We tell him, “Let’s wait just a few more years, bud.”

Sophia likes to work behind the scenes with Mommy, running errands, taking pictures, and bringing Daddy lunch. While she works closely with Mommy, Sophia is definitely a Daddy’s girl.

She also wants to be a firefighter some day!

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MAY 2021

Working

CLOSER LOOK

MAY 2021

“We’re here to make a living, but our whole intention is to help the community,” Nathan says. “We’re very community-based people.”

Their most popular option is their “donut shot” with special syrup, cinnamon, and water, but their menu is extensive and includes a number of shake flavors modeled after almost every dessert you can think of. According to the Brantleys, most of their customers are staunch supporters of their favorites but they enjoy helping their customers branch out and try new things.

“We promote better health,” Nathan says.

“Our shakes taste just like the real thing and they’re good for you.”

47 E. BROADWAY (573) 239-9321 FACEBOOK.COM/TIGERNUTRITIONCOLUMBIA

Camacho Coffee

M&H Solar

For M&H Solar, Columbia’s newest solar panel installation company, each client starts with an in-person consultation so they can have their specifications met. Th is collaborative method shouldn’t come as a surprise, since M&H is a collaboration itself, between Kent Murdock, of Randy Adams Construction, and Joe Hargis, of Five Star Flatwork. M&H is the culmination of years of interest in solar.

“I’m really excited about solar energy,” Murdock says. “The way it’s leaning, it seems like it’s really up and coming.”

Although M&H is focusing on MidMissouri right now, their overall goal is to provide installation services for most of the rural part of the state. The benefits for switching to solar, according to Murdock, are numerous, including tax write offs and

rebates on electricity bills. Their prices and job lengths vary, but it’s all in the spirit of giving their clients the best installation they can get.

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Tiger Nutrition

A move from Louisiana and recent health scares convinced Nathan and Amy Brantley that it was time to break free from the corporate lifestyle and open their own business.

The result is Tiger Nutrition, a new shop open since March that offers meal replacement shakes, nutritional supplements, and energizing teas.

When Camacho Coffee fi rst began, it was in the kitchen of owners Jesse and Megan Walters. Now, after years of renting industrial space in order to air roast their signature coffee beans, they opened their fi rst retail space in January.

“We love it. We have the square footage that we need to operate efficiently,” Jesse says. “And now we have the space we need to connect with the community.”

Camacho Coffee’s new space means that they can air roast and package their beans while also offering a cafe with a full espresso menu. They even offer beer and wine options that can be enjoyed out on their patio space.

Bagged coffee is available along with wholesale beans, and they donate 10% of their total proceeds to charity.

Find their beans in stores all over town or at Broadway Brewery — or better yet, stop by the new space and see it for yourself.

4009 FRONTGATE DR., STE. 101 (573) 447-0070 CAMACHOCOFFEE.COM

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Briefly in the News

M AY 202 1

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MED ICAL

Boone Health Officially Goes Independent Boone Health has officially become an independent health care provider. The organization separated from the BJC HealthCare system on April 1, 2021, after 32 years. Boone Health is now an umbrella organization that manages Boone Hospital Center, Boone Home Care and Hospice, and Boone Medical Center, among others. The organization was formed in August of 2019 when the Boone Hospital Center Board of Trustees decided to separate from the BJC HealthCare system. Boone Health has

Working

transitioned over 150 software applications, including the installation of MEDITECH, a new electronic health record system. More than 160 employees have also been hired to fill roles previously handled

by BJC shared services.

“I have been so impressed by the dedication of our team and their willingness to do whatever it takes to make Boone Health great. There is no doubt that we are on the path to becoming a successful independent health care provider focused on the needs of our local community.”

— TROY GREER, BOONE HEALTH CEO G IVI N G B AC K

PedNet Coalition Receives Two-Year Grant for Policy Campaign PedNet Coalition has received a two-year policy campaign grant through the Missouri Foundation for Health to build transportation equity. The grant will allow the nonprofit to lead a two-year advocacy campaign to develop and advocate for a new gold standard “complete streets” policy in Columbia. PedNet led Columbia to be one of the first cities in the U.S. to adopt a complete streets policy, which sets standards for road design that promote safe and equitable travel regardless of mode of transportation, in 2004. However, the policy has not been revised since and now lacks modern street design best practices that create safe and convenient streets. The grant will support the nonprofit in ensuring roads are safe and convenient for everyone, including those walking, biking, and riding public transit.

BRIEFLY

T ECH NOLOGY

LEAD ER SHIP

City of Columbia Introduces New App for Residents

Tolton Catholic High School Board of Directors Expands to Include Lay Leadership

The City of Columbia released a new app, called MyCOMO, that will connect residents to a wide array of city information. Residents can receive notifications of specific events, chat with a customer service representative during business hours, and report issues.

MyCOMO will provide users with information on city government, utility services, outage maps and directories, and more.

LEA D ER SHIP

United Way Announces New Council and Fund to Address Local Inequalities Heart of Missouri United Way is establishing the Equity Fund and Advisory Council. With the advice of the newly formed advisory council, the new fund will enable the co-creation of solutions that ensure all people in the United Way’s service area have the resources, support, opportunities, and networks they need to thrive. United Way is seeking BIPOC (Black, indigenous, and people of color) individuals to form and serve on the Equity Advisory Council. The Equity Advisory Council will make recommendations for strategic investments, awareness building, advocacy, and engagement to create more equitable communities.

Two new voting members have been appointed to the Tolton Catholic High School Board of Directors. Michael Kelly and Julie Stansfield were appointed in February as lay leadership members. The board expansion was part of a larger strategic plan at the high school. Previously, the board of directors was composed of four appointed clerical members with the school’s president and principal serving in an ex officio capacity.

FOOD & D R INK

Brassy Bird Opens Online-Only Chicken Sandwich Eatery

G IVI N G BAC K

Job Point and Veterans United Foundation Partner Job Point and Veterans United Foundation officials announced that the foundation made an influential $500,000 donation to the social services organization. The donation makes Job Point closer to owning their building located on Wilkes Boulevard in central Columbia. Job Point says having ownership of the building will make them more able to direct funds to providing training, education, and support for students and job seekers in Missouri.

If chicken sandwiches and salads get your mouth watering, Coley’s American Bistro owner has created a new virtual restaurant experience with a unique take on chicken sandwiches and salads: Brassy Bird. The online-only chicken sandwich and salad eatery was created in response to the COVID-19 pandemic and inspired by “ghost kitchens” and online restaurant brands.

Brassy Bird’s menu consists of eight chicken sandwich options and three chicken salad options, all of which are made from scratch with real ingredients. Brassy Bird chicken sandwiches and salads are available for pickup or delivery.

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MAY 2021

RANDY COLE

The Columbia Housing Authority Board of Commissioners has appointed Randy Cole as the new CEO of the Columbia Housing Authority. Randy has served as the housing programs manager for the City of Columbia since 2011 and has extensive experience in developing and facilitating affordable housing programs.

He was also recognized by the Columbia Business Times in the 20 under 40 class of 2019 and received the Missourian Progress Award for Civic Engagement in 2020. His new duties will include oversight of the administrative and professional responsibilities of the CHA.

ERIC KAUP

Missouri Employers Mutual has appointed Eric Kaup to its Agents’ Advisory Council.

Eric is the president of NaughtNaught Agency in Columbia.

He began his career with Benchmark Insurers in 2003 and has more than 18 years of experience. The Agents’ Advisory Council is a group of 17 producers who bring issues to the table on producers’ behalf and advise MEM on different marketing strategies.

BETTY SCHUSTER

Columbia Insurance Group has announced that Betty Schuster will become chair of its board of directors. Betty

will make history as the first female board chair in the organization’s 147-year history, although she has served as a director for CIG since 1997 and chaired several other boards in the community. She is also the owner of Schuster Financial Services LLC, a personal finance company, and has served as an agent with Principal Financial Group since 1987.

Courtney Johnson, community mental health liaison, successfully completed her licensed clinical social worker license last month while Sarah Davis, youth community support specialist supervisor, met full licensure requirements and has become a licensed professional counselor.

COLE

MORGAN NEALE BURRELL B E H A V I O R A L H E A LT H

Burrell Behavioral Health has marked several milestones with its central Missouri staff, including hiring 14 new employees. Michael Gass, president of the Central Region, recently celebrated 10 years in the position, overseeing staff and operations in ten counties.

Danielle Rackers, Nancy Pulliam, Raven Eckhoff, and Lisa Fox all celebrated their five-year anniversaries, as well.

Dr. Garima Singh, the chief medical officer for Burrell, was recently named a fellow of the American Psychiatric Association, an honor for only a select few members of the association meant to reflect dedication to the APA and the psychiatric profession.

Rachel Ballew has been promoted to talent acquisition specialist and will be focusing on recruitment efforts for Burrell’s Central Region. Rachel joined Burrell in 2020 as an administrative assistant before serving as an associate human resources business partner.

Morgan Neale will be recommended to the Columbia Board of Education to become the principal at West Boulevard Elementary School for the 2021-2022 school year, taking over from interim principal Tyler Simmons. After beginning as a music education teacher in Kansas City, Morgan has accrued more than 18 years of experience in education at both the elementary and middle school level. She has served as the assistant principal at Rock Bridge Elementary School since 2017.

SCHUSTER

GASS

B R O O K LY N N E F O G L E

Cayce Dermatology welcomed their newest physician assistant, Brooklynne Fogle.

A graduate of the University of Texas — Arlington, Brooklynne earned a Master of Physician Assistant Studies degree at Stephens College in Columbia. She is also certified by the National Commission of Certification of Physician Assistants and licensed with the Missouri Board of Healing Arts.

SINGH

BALLEW

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GUEST VOICE

Filling the Workforce Development Demand The Columbia Chamber of Commerce launches the Workforce Development Division to retain and attract talent while bolstering the community.

CONTENT PROVIDED BY COLUMBIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE

A

lifetime ago, in late 2019, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce embarked on its annual Leadership Visit. The Leadership Visit is a fall experience coordinated by the chamber for a diverse delegation of business, education, government, and community leaders from Columbia and Boone County to have robust discussions with peer communities and discover ways to improve Columbia. These visits have been responsible for sparking inventive ideas such as Columbia Public Schools’ Early College program in partnership with Moberly Area Community College.

The 2019 trip to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, gave us the inspiration to satisfy Columbia’s need for a centralized entity focusing on workforce development. There had long been demand from the business community, the city, and the county to fill this void.

“Columbia needed a convener to help push our community forward with workforce development. We are proud to fill that role,” says Matt McCormick, the Columbia Chamber of Commerce’s president and CEO. From that trip, the concept of the chamber’s Workforce Development Division was born.

While the program was initially slated to start in March 2020, it was paused due to COVID-19.

Now, with Columbia and the region taking

steps forward on the road to reopening, the chamber has reignited its focus and is moving forward with the division.

USING THE RESOURCES WE HAVE TO BUILD GREAT THINGS “Because we’re so passionate about improving our community, our goal is not to duplicate any great programs in Columbia, but to collaborate and capitalize on what is already being accomplished,” Matt says.

The Workforce Development Division’s strategic initiatives and goals include convening strategic partners and organizations working on workforce development, collaborating with the business community, developing workforce development programming, and collaborating with state workforce programs.

The division’s mission is to retain talent in Columbia while helping build a strong workforce of tomorrow.

“When creating a division like this, it’s vital for us to be strategic about who steers the ship,” says Matt. “The chamber wanted purposeful people leading the way.”

One of the earliest individuals tapped to lead was Dr. Jeff Lashley, president of MACC, who chairs the division’s steering committee.

“Workforce development is a major priority for the college and the business community at large,” says Jeff. “Creating pathways for individuals to grow and support themselves in local workforce opportunities will create lasting, positive change for the entire community.”

The remaining members of the division’s steering committee represent a range of industries, including health care, finance, education, manufacturing, and construction.

Who makes up the Workforce Development Division Steering Committee?

• MU Health Care: Beth Alpers • Moberly Area Community College: Dr. Jeff Lashley • University of Missouri System: Steve Devlin • Columbia Board of Education: Teresa Maledy • Boone Medical Group: Michelle Zvanut • Emery Sapp and Sons: Sara Snodderley • Providence Bank: Eric Morrison • COMO Magazine: Erica Pefferman • Central Bank: Ed Scavone • American Outdoor Brands: Brian Murphy • Midwest Computech: David Nivens • PepsiCo Quaker Oats: Cole Knudsen The division has earned interest and support from Columbia and the Mid-Missouri region due to the potential positive impact it may have. The division has the long-term potential to clog Columbia’s brain drain and fill talent gaps in industries like construction and health care. Retaining talent in Columbia and the region will ultimately enrich every aspect of the community, thereby fulfilling the chamber’s mission to “enhance the quality of where we live, learn, work, and play.”

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WHAT BANKS WON’T TELL YOU.

STRAIGHT TO BUSINESS The steering committee conducted its first meeting in early January 2021, and by the February meeting, the committee had created four subcommittees to execute the division’s goals and address its needs.

Workforce Development Subcommittees: • Capital Campaign Subcommittee: Focuses on raising funds for the Workforce Development Division.

• Program Inventory Subcommittee: Creates a dynamic collection of community-wide resources that the division should support and programs that the business community needs to be made aware of.

• Inventory of Needed Positions Subcommittee: Takes stock of what positions the business community needs to be filled or created.

• Internal Program Subcommittee: Evaluates what programs need to be implemented or developed in Columbia and the region.

At the writing of this article, the chamber is actively in pursuit of hiring a full-time staff person to implement the division’s strategic initiatives and goals. The new staff member is projected to begin in May 2021.

With the support of community partners such as REDI, MU, and Columbia Public Schools, the chamber is confident in the potential success of this program as it helps grow the chamber, Columbia, and the greater Mid-Missouri community.

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CELEBRATIONS

Getting Your Name on the Door A rebrand offers a chance for Jones & Ueligger Law to take their next step in serving Columbia families.

BY JULES N. GRAEBNER PHOTOS BY ANTHONY JINSON

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C

ommitment can be daunting, but it often proves to be worthwhile. When it comes to romance, commitment may mean that if you like it, you put a ring on it. However, when practicing law, this means putting your business associate’s name on the door.

Th is is certainly the case when it comes to friends and fellow attorneys Nathan Jones and Ernie Ueligger of Jones & Ueligger Law. In June of 2016, Nathan Jones opened his own law fi rm under the name Nathan Jones Law. “That was just me sitting in an office,” Nathan says. “Thankfully I had plenty of clients to keep me busy, but it was just me.”

The fi rm grew over time, and Nathan hired more staff as the fi rm became busier. In June of 2018, Ernie Ueligger joined the fi rm as a partner. Nathan explains, “He’s been a partner since then, but we kept the name Nathan Jones Law because we just weren’t quite ready to rebrand.”

In January of 2021, Nathan and Ernie made the ultimate business commitment and decided to rebrand to Jones & Ueligger Law. “It’s one of those things that was just a long time coming,” Nathan says, “We had grown

to the point where [the name] Nathan Jones Law wasn’t reflective of what the firm was anymore, and it was time to get Ernie’s name on the door to reflect that he’s a partner and [show] the work he does here.”

Though Nathan and Ernie’s business partnership began in 2018, their friendship began years ago, at the MU School of Law, where they both graduated in 2011. Since they were in the same section, Nathan and Ernie shared many of the same classes, often sitting by one another or studying together. However, it wasn’t until the Barrister’s Ball, which Ernie describes as “basically law school prom,” that they discovered just how alike they were and began to form a friendship.

“We actually became friends after our families became friends,” Ernie says. Nathan, Ernie, and their wives found themselves all sitting at a table together at the Barrister’s Ball. “At the time, Nathan’s wife was visibly pregnant, and [my wife and I] just found out that we were pregnant with our second child.

We hadn’t even told anybody yet,” Ernie says.

“Our wives bonded, and once wives bond, husbands kind of come along, too.”

May 2011 Nathan and Ernie graduate from MU Law School.

June 2016 Nathan opens Nathan Jones Law as the sole employee.

November 2016 The firm hires its first full-time employee, paralegal Katie Jackson.

June 2018 Ernie joins Nathan Jones Law as a partner.

June 2020 The firm hires its first associate attorney, Rob Temple.

January 2021 Rebrand to Jones & Ueligger Law.

Ernie says that he and Nathan are both very family-oriented people, which has translated into both their personal and professional relationships. “It worked out perfectly,” he says. “Now, we get to see each other nearly every day, and our wives talk when we hang out, which is pretty often. The Barrister’s Ball is really where it all started.”

Despite Nathan and Ernie’s many similarities, they do not practice the same types of law. Nathan has been practicing estate and business law since graduation, but after dabbling in the subject for a few years, Ernie found that estate and business law wasn’t his passion.

Now, Ernie practices personal injury, worker’s compensation, and family law. Ernie says that, “We don’t do anything the other person does, but together, we offer quite a few services.”

“We’re not necessarily a one-stop-shop by any means — we don’t do traffic tickets or criminal law or things like that,” Nathan says, “but the hope was that clients could come visit our fi rm and that we would be able to help them with a lot of things that might come up in their lives.”

Since its inception in 2016, the newly-rebranded Jones & Ueligger Law has grown exponentially, from Nathan being the sole worker to having a staff of six employees with the intention to hire more in the future.

“We’ve always let our client base and the market dictate our growth and where we’re heading,” says Nathan.

“I would foresee that we’ll add another associate attorney as our practice areas grow, Ernie’s in particular.

He’s quite busy.”

At this, Ernie laughs in agreement.

“We are nearing the point where we will need another person,” Nathan says. “Ultimately, we’d like to be in our own building, which is one of our long-term goals for sure.” Nathan explains that as the fi rm expands, so do their needs, and they’re looking forward to finding a space that they can fully customize.

Dreaming of the possibilities is only possible because of a strong present foundation. Adding Ernie’s name to the door reflects the ways in which the fi rm has come of age since 2016.

“When we started hanging out together and with our families, we realized we had a very strong family drive,” Ernie says. “Everything we do here, we want to be focused on families and helping families. The areas of law that we do [may have] built us to be family people, or because we already were family people, that melded well with what we do. We’ve focused on continuing to help families, no matter what we do. [For example] Nathan’s business law: With every small business out there, there is a family supporting it.”

For these two friends, the importance of family is embedded in every aspect of their work. As Ernie says, “Our kind-of motto is, ‘We’re here to protect and plan for your family.’”

JONES & UELIGGER L AW 2412 FORUM BLVD., STE. 101 (573) 874-1122 JANDUL AW.COM

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Jabberwocky Studios Mission Statement: Jabberwocky teaches and performs ethnic and urban arts to build inclusion and equity in our diverse community.

Founded: 2015

Executive Director: Linda Schust

Breaking Down Barriers Through Art Jabberwocky Studios uses art to enhance equity and inclusion.

BY KAITLYN BAILEY

W

hen you enter Jabberwocky’s fine arts studio on Grand Avenue, you will quickly find people there that are more similar than different — the common denominator is not one’s socioeconomic status or ethnicity, but the desire to create.

“Art has the power to break down barriers by offering people something they can share,” Linda Schust, executive art director and founder of Jabberwocky, says. “At the same time, there are lots of barriers that prevent people from accessing the arts.”

Jabberwocky, which was founded in 2015, strives to remove those barriers. The local nonprofit uses art and science to enhance equity and inclusion in the community.

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Board of Directors: • Tea Zeigler • Jonathan Verdejo-Rocha • Judith Mutamba • Jeanette Bailey • Alex LeCure

Instructors JABBERWOCKY’S ROOTS Linda moved from Boston to Columbia with her husband, her two biological children, and her transracially adopted daughter in 2007. Soon after, Linda’s family began to immerse themselves in the Columbia art scene.

“There was a very distinct lack of diversity,” Linda recalls. “I noticed how uncomfortable it was for my daughter to be the only person that looked like her in a space.”

Linda, at the time, was also teaching at Grant Elementary School, which serves a high population of low-income students. According to Columbia Public Schools, nearly 43% of students are on the free and reduced-price lunch program.

• Jonathan Verdejo-Rocha • Jeanette Bailey • Cassie Elam • Cato • Marjorie McDonald • Joe Schlottach • Alex Schust • Hope Schust • Rebecca Wallace

Working

“I became very aware that my students had completely different challenges to accessing the education that was available to them at the school,” Linda says.

With the need for arts programming that supports a diverse population and the knowledge that there are barriers to accessing the arts, Linda founded Jabberwocky Studios. The studio offers instruction ranging from hiphop and swing dancing to slam poetry and DJing. The organization also hosts annual events such as Africa Fest and has formed a slam poetry program, which gives students a chance to participate in Columbia’s Louder than a Bomb poetry competition.

Children in families who qualify for free and reduced-price school lunches can participate in Jabberwocky’s programming for free through the organization’s tuition waiver policy.

“Jabberwocky builds inclusion and equity by allowing everyone to access the arts no matter their socioeconomic status, ethnicity, race, or gender, but we also build inclusion and equity by using the arts to build academic and life skills, which is done in part by our STEAM program,” Linda says. The STEAM program incorporates art as well as science, technology, engineering, and math — a spinoff from the more commonly known acronym STEM.

MAKING AN IMPACT During the COVID-19 pandemic, Jabberwocky has worked hard to ensure its services continue to be as accessible as ever.

“When school went online in the fall, we realized kids were really struggling because of language barriers and lack of internet access,” Linda says.

With funding from the Heart of Missouri United Way, Jabberwocky pivoted the program to offer tutoring for students. According to Linda, the shift has been beneficial — some students received almost all As on their report cards.

Jabberwocky’s impact on students — pandemic or not — is monumental. For children that have had access to the arts, Linda says developing a deeper understanding of art and self-expression through Jabberwocky’s programming creates confidence in a student, whereas those who haven’t had access to the arts learn social norms through the studio.

“If students haven’t had access to a dance class, vocal lesson, or theater group, they may not understand how a dance class works or what the expectation is for being in that class,” Linda says. “Our instructors introduce students to those social norms, which has a huge impact on students as they leave Jabberwocky and go to school, the grocery store, the playground, and more.”

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

“As we continue pursuing our mission, we realize that because there are so many inequities and barriers, our use of the arts is expanding,” Linda says. “Because of that, we are in need of a bigger building to be able to fit all of the programming we offer and will offer in the future.”

Linda says transportation is also a topic the board members are discussing.

“While a free class is beneficial to many students, not everyone can access that class because they don’t have transportation,” Linda says. “We’ve recognized that not providing transportation has become a huge barrier in getting people to participate in our programs.”

To overcome transportation obstacles for students, Jabberwocky is partnering with the Columbia Art League to create an art bus. The bus will bring art and artists to area neighborhoods, according to Linda.

While Linda is looking forward to what’s next for Jabberwocky, she says the nonprofit looks the way it does because of the experiences that led her to create the fine arts studio.

“It’s grown very organically because people realize there are inequities and barriers to education just like I did nearly six years ago,” Linda says.

WHAT’S NEXT? Jabberwocky was founded with a mission of “teaching and performing ethnic and urban arts to build inclusion and equity.” The nonprofit’s mission is what remains at the heart of its future projects.

JABBERWOCKY 1308 GRAND AVE. (573) 239-9899 JABBERWOCKYSTUDIOS.ORG

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Full STEAM Ahead

BUSINESS UPDATE

Snapology of Columbia is on a mission to encourage so much fun that kids don’t realize they’re learning.

BY MICHELLE TERHUNE PHOTOS PROVIDED BY SNAPOLOGY OF COLUMBIA

L

ike a lot of Columbia residents, Ruby Abdul came to town to attend MU. She also wanted to open a business. So, Ruby did her homework, researching franchise opportunities. The day she discovered Snapology, she stopped looking. Ruby had discovered a great fit for herself and for a town steeped in education.

“I want kids to learn something that is both educational and fun,” Ruby says. “I liked the idea behind Snapology from the fi rst time I learned about it.”

Snapology was founded in 2010 by sisters Lisa and Laura Coe, who, not unlike Ruby, wanted to launch a kid-friendly business that would be both fun and educational. According to Entrepreneur, it’s now the No. 1 children’s enrichment franchise in the country.

PUTTING THE “A” IN STEM “We don’t sell Legos,” says Mo Abdul, who helps his wife run the company. “We provide STEAM education with a focus on fun.”

STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, has become a major focus in K-12 education over the past 20 years, designed to cultivate future employees for expanding career markets in those areas. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, STEM occupations numbered 9.955 million in 2019 and are projected to grow to 10.75 million by 2029. More recently, however, an emphasis on the arts has been interwoven into STEM education — hence the idea of “STEAM.” Jen Rogers, director of marketing for Snapology of Columbia, says STEAM education includes social development skills.

“STEAM includes those soft skills that kids are lacking when they come out of pure STEM programs, where they’re often sitting in front of a computer working on their own,” Jen says. “Our programs really have a balance of academics, fun, and that social development piece, which is more important than ever these days, now that kids have been isolated for so long.”

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Snapology offers online and in-person classes, summer camps, field trips, and birthday parties. In addition to more traditional subjects, it features classes in robotics, coding, video game design and animation, using Legos, K’nex, and other technology, including iPads and laptops.

Mo acknowledges that many area schools are already introducing STEAM concepts to their students.

“The difference is that at Snapology, we introduce it with fun and focus the learning on fun,” he says.

Two of the kids having fun are Arane and Verity Richmond, ages 8 and 6. The girls have taken two Snapology classes, a space-themed Lego class and a robotics class.

“They think this is the coolest thing,” says their mom, Elizabeth Richmond.

“They like Legos, but having a real person teaching them how to build things is great. They were so excited about building their own robots.”

Arane and Verity are homeschooled, so Elizabeth likes having somewhere else they can go to learn.

“These classes supplement our science curriculum,” Elizabeth says. “And I know they’re getting solid instruction.”

PROGRAMMING FOR THE POST-PANDEMIC PERIOD Snapology of Columbia launched in July 2020, four months into the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of going into school classrooms and hosting field trips, the company started with online programs and some in-person classes. It has been offering small weekly classes in a space provided through a partnership with Level Up Entertainment in the Columbia Mall, teaching 20 to 30 kids per month.

Jen says programming will grow as the pandemic weakens, with robotics classes already in high demand. Enrollment is currently open for 10 different summer camps, and parents can register their kids via the Snapology of Columbia website.

“Kids have been starved for that social interaction and engagement and fun learning environment because it’s not exciting to be at home for school, watching on your screen,” Jen says. “They’ve

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“We don’t sell Legos. We provide STEAM education with a focus on fun.”

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kind of gotten disenchanted with the whole learning process. So we’re really expecting to see an awesome summer camps season because parents really want their kids back in our programs.”

Weeklong camps are scheduled from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., Monday through Friday, with costs ranging from $150 for traditional STEAM camps to $180 for robotics. Kids can bring their lunch or purchase food available at Level Up. Regular classes range in cost from $10 for a virtual class to $180.

And if you’re looking for a great gift for a child that’s fun and educational, Snapology sells gift cards redeemable for birthday parties, classes, and camps.

A GOOD TIME IS HAD BY ALL Snapology also hires and trains area educators, something Columbia has in abundance. The company has trained five Columbia teachers so far and plans to add another two or three soon. With 1,500 hours of developed curriculum, Snapology will have room for more in the future. Elizabeth Richmond says the teachers seem to have as much fun as the kids.

“We work really hard to hire and train the right teachers,” Jen says. “They love the job because they play and have fun while truly impacting these kids. It’s our goal that everyone who comes into contact with Snapology learns and has a great time while doing it, and that applies to our teachers as well.”

Classes are designed to be taken individually but arranged to build successively on learned skills. Most kids currently taking

BUSINESS UPDATE

classes are ages 5 to 14, although Snapology has developed curricula for preschoolers. So far, the students have been about 60% boys and 40% girls, and Snapology of Columbia is on a mission to attract more girls to change their perceptions of STEM fields.

“I noticed that some girls in robotics classes in the beginning are not very interested,” Mo says. “Then they start coding and completely change their minds. They ask for more.”

In the future, Ruby plans to offer programs in Snapology’s own brick-and-mortar location. She also wants to introduce classes and camps in Jefferson City and Fulton.

“The most challenging thing we face is educating the community about what we do,” says Mo. “The overwhelming majority of people are surprised by what their child can do and learn from our programs.”

With classes focusing on everything from superheroes to engineering, there’s certainly a lot to learn. Even if kids — and their teachers — think they’re just playing around.

SNAPOLOGY OF COLUMBIA SNAPOLOGY.COM/LOCATION/COLUMBIA (573) 340-1811 Classes and camps are currently held at Level Up Entertainment in the Columbia Mall at 2300 Bernadette Dr.

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Every child deserves a voice.

LEND YOURS. Join our community of volunteers and be a voice for a child in foster care.

94%

of our volunteers’ recommendations were ordered or accepted by a judge

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IN 2020

97%

of the cases we helped close ended in permanent homes, either reunited with family, or adopted by relatives or non-relatives

100% of children with a CASA remained free from re-abuse while in foster care

In 2021, Heart of Missouri CASA’s goal is to serve 350 children with 170 volunteer advocates, which are both record-breaking milestones. Although the number of children in the system continues to grow, our vision remains the same: To serve 100% of the children who need us.

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PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW

Dr. Mary Katherine Welch PHOTO BY ANTHONY JINSON COMPANY/ORGANIZATION:

Harry S. Truman Memorial Veterans’ Hospital.

JOB DESCRIPTION

Gynecologist.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

I graduated from MU undergrad (1994) and medical school (1998).

I did residency in obstetrics and gynecology in Wilmington, North Carolina. My fi rst job was in Rocky Mount, North Carolina, where I was in practice for four years. We moved back to Columbia in 2006, and I started working at Women’s Health Associates. Th is year, I moved to the VA to help start the gynecology department.

HOMETOWN

Excelsior Springs, Missouri.

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“We get to see people at their best and their worst.

Being allowed to be part of something that is very personal is an honor and not something taken lightly.”

YEARS LIVED IN COLUMBIA

“The question isn’t who is going to let me. It’s who is going to stop me,” from Ayn Rand.

need. Th is is even more true in rural areas, which is most of Missouri.

FAVORITE VOLUNTEER/ COMMUNITY ACTIVITY

YOUR NEXT PROFESSIONAL GOAL

We love First Fridays and going downtown to shop and eat.

FAVORITE RECENT PROJECT

Recent and ongoing — working on our place at the Lake of the Ozarks. (Now I know why my parents never wanted a second home!)

But when we’re there, I am able to be “away” and relax. I can’t worry about all the things that need to be done at home. All this for a 90-minute drive.

A COLUMBIA BUSINESS PERSON YOU ADMIRE AND WHY

Charlie Graznak and Rebecca Fahrendorf of McAdams Limited. When we fi rst moved back to Columbia, our daughter, Elizabeth, was 4 years old. She loved (and still loves) beautiful things, so I took her to McAdams when it was still downtown. We talked about looking with our eyes and not our hands, but Charlie and Rebecca let her touch and hold everything she wanted. They even let her try on beautiful jewelry. Th is Christmas, Elizabeth went to McAdams and bought gifts for me and my husband, Jon. She remembered how nice they’ve been to her over the years and was excited to have saved her hard-earned money to be able to shop there herself.

WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR JOB

I get to help women in their health care journey.

WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR COMPANY

Female veterans are strong and resilient and don’t like to ask for help. Being allowed to be part of their care is a privilege.

WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION

It’s wonderful, scary, and exhausting. We get to see people at their best and their worst.

Being allowed to be part of something that is very personal is an honor and not something taken lightly.

22 and a half.

THE NEXT CHALLENGE FACING YOUR INDUSTRY

QUOTE YOU LIVE BY

Having enough providers to care for the growing population. The number of medical school graduates is not keeping up with the

“Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!” from “Auntie Mame” and

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To become more proficient at the electronic medical records at the VA. BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED IN BUSINESS

Taking care of your clients — in my case, my patients — is everything.

HOW YOU WANT TO IMPACT THE COLUMBIA COMMUNITY

By continuing to provide care to women by being the fi rst gynecologist at the VA. GREATEST STRENGTH

Persistence when I want something.

GREATEST WEAKNESS

Chocolate and my daughter — she usually gets what she wants.

WHAT YOU DO FOR FUN

Read, walk, and go to the Lake. Hoping to get back to weekly coffee with my girlfriends as COVID vaccination ramps up and cases decline!

FAMILY

My husband, Jonathan, and our daughter, Elizabeth. My parents, Bob and Mary, are still living in Excelsior Springs in the home they have been in for nearly 50 years. I also have two sisters — Allison and her husband, Bob, and children, Anya and Rowan, live in Charleston, South Carolina, and Suzanne and her husband, Jim, and son, Quillan, live in Kansas City.

FAVORITE PLACE IN COLUMBIA

Williams and Solliday Fine Antiques and McAdams.

ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF

Our daughter. She is a freshman at Truman State and thriving. She is kind and compassionate and puts others above herself. She is also very intelligent and strong-willed. I truly believe she will do great things!

MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THAT YOU

I’m kind of an open book, so I don’t know!

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BY JODIE JACKSON JR.

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GENERAL MANAGER AND PRINCIPAL LABRUNERIE FINANCIAL

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isconceptions — and even an aura of intrigue — often color conversations about the MOST 529 College Savings Plan that many Missourians have been using to save for and fund a college education for two decades now.

MOST 529 funds can be used for a wide range of educational costs, not just a four-year college or university. Costs for K-12 education — whether public, private, or religious — and trade school tuition are also covered.

The expected family contribution section on a student’s Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, excludes the fi rst $20,000 of parental assets, whether in checking accounts, 529 Plans, or similar sources. Therefore, a MOST 529 savings plan does not exclude a college-bound student from qualifying for need-based aid.

The 529 Savings Plans are sponsored by individual states, but the funds can be used to attend any qualified college, university, or trade school. In other words, investment in Virginia’s plan can be used to pay for college anywhere in the United States and even abroad as long as the post-secondary institution is qualified.

A Missouri family with a 529 plan in another state will still reap the tax benefits on its Missouri taxes.

There certainly are an abundance of questions about MOST 529. Fortunately, there’s a broad range of expertise among Columbia financial planners and advisers to help navigate the situation and take any mystery out of the important tax-free savings plan.

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The 529 plan gets its name from Section 529 of the Internal Revenue Code and has powerful tax savings implications. Earnings in a 529 plan grow federally tax deferred; qualified withdrawals are tax-free; and some states, including Missouri, have additional tax benefits.

The account owner, whether a parent, grandparent, friend, or other relative, can pick the investments, select a beneficiary (son, daughter, niece, nephew, or grandchild, for example), and determine how the money is used. The account owner can even open a 529 plan for him or herself.

The No. 1 piece of advice from Leann Knuth, general manager and principal at LaBrunerie Financial, is to simply start a plan.

“You can start small,” she says. “Some plans will even let you open an account with $1. We talk about doing $25 a month.”

Leann uses an example of $100 monthly contributions to a 529 plan, “something that’s not way outside” a family budget.

“Even if you just start out when they’re babies, that can pay about a quarter of room and board for college,” she adds.

“That’s really good savings.” Not only will it build a college fund — capped at $325,000 under the MOST 529 plan — but it’s also a tax savings of 6 percent.

The MOST 529 website can walk investors through the process, and do-ityourself is the preferred method under the MOST rules, including setting up electronic payments as automatic contributions from a paycheck or personal account to the 529 account.

Leann encourages a look at 529 savings to finance more than just a college or university education. If the school or program is eligible for Title IV federal student aid, then the student may use 529 savings for tuition and qualified expenses. Some of those include technical,trade, and vocational programs; culinary schools; cosmetology; golf academies; and even Department of Labor-approved apprenticeships. Other little-known uses include the cost of equipment for on-thejob plumbing training if the trade school program is eligible for Title IV federal student aid.

“Most people don’t realize that,” Leann says. “It’s not limited to a four-year school.

There are so many other things you can use it for.” Having the ability to claim 529 contributions on Missouri state tax returns — even if the 529 plan is not based in Missouri — is another misunderstood perk.

“They really let you look around to meet your needs, rather than just what MOST is offering,” Leann says.

Two of the most common questions about 529 plans are: What if my child or grandchild — the plan beneficiary — doesn’t want to go to college? And what happens if my beneficiary dies?

In either case, the account can be transferred to another beneficiary without penalty, says Polly Reynolds, vice president and trust officer at The Trust Company. If the funds are withdrawn and used for non-qualifying expenses because of a death, the account owner will pay federal and state tax on the amount of those expenses, but not the 10 percent tax on earnings. If the funds are used for non-qualifying expenses because the beneficiary decides not to use the money for college, technical school, or other qualified expenses, the account owner will pay federal and state tax plus a 10 percent penalty on the earnings.

Other options to consider if a beneficiary decides not to attend college: stay invested, in case he or she decides to attend later (there’s no age limit on using the money) or change the beneficiary to another eligible family member.

The most important facet of making withdrawals is understanding what expenses are qualified and which are non-qualified, Polly says.

“Any time you take money out that’s not a qualified educational expense — unless it meets the exceptions — you’re going to pay federal and state tax on it and a penalty,” she cautions.

Among some of the other qualified expenses: special needs equipment for blind students; room and board, if enrolled at least half-time, and as long as the withdrawal doesn’t exceed the college’s estimate; and books, supplies, and even internet access if it’s for college use.

Leann says transportation and travel are also questions that come up a lot.

That’s an easy, if disappointing, answer.

“If someone has to fly back and forth” from home to college, “that is not a qualified education expense,” she says. The

same goes for college testing and applications fees, as well as health insurance, even if it’s offered by the school. Sorry.

Not a qualified expense.

Also not qualified: campus parking passes, smartphones, extracurricular activity fees, and fitness clubs and gyms.

Even though the latter expenses are often included on the bill for tuition, room, and board, those items must be excluded from 529 plan expenses.

Overall, 529 plans are important savings and tax strategies, Leann says, adding, “I feel like this is a good program that more people can take advantage of.”

The 529 savings plans are especially attractive investment options for grandparents, some of whom use them in estate planning, Polly says. One approach is front-loading. For instance, a grandparent can give a grandchild a maximum of $15,000 a year without the money triggering gift tax requirements.

Front-loading, however, would be putting up to $75,000 in a grandchild’s 529 plan, and then not adding any other contributions for five years.

In fact, both grandparents could make individual $75,000 contributions in one sum — amounting to $150,000 total — then not add to the account until after five years, Polly explains. What that means, however, is that any additional monetary gift to that grandchild will trigger gift tax requirements and IRS Form 709.

Another 529 strategy, she says, comes from understanding that when it comes to fi ling for FAFSA (financial aid), a parent’s withdrawals for their student’s education is not considered income to the student.

Withdrawals

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for the student from a grandparent’s 529 plan are considered income to the student.

To counter that possibility, 529 rules allow a 12-month rollover from a grandparent’s savings fund to the parent’s savings fund so the withdrawals aren’t considered income to students.

Another scenario is when two siblings are beneficiaries of separate 529 plans, but one decides not to go to college or use the savings for qualified expenses. Polly says the accounts can be rolled into one for the other child’s qualified educational expenses. (Missouri’s limit for tax advantages is $325,000 in total of all accounts for one individual.)

Polly says that about 90 percent of her clients with 529 plans use the savings for college, with the other 10 percent using the funds for private school and other related qualified expenses.

Tyler Hoff mann, advisor associate at Convergence Financial, likes to take on the myth that investing and saving for college is something that only wealthy people can do.

“The approach we take, no matter what you are saving for, is to educate people on their optimal financial plan, and helping them live out their plan, Hoff mann explains, discussing savings and investment goals, designing a plan to achieve these goals and then tracking the process along the way.”

He says, “It’s absolutely why I like doing what I do,” adding that he enjoys seeing a client live out their financial plan and showing them how their investments are working for them. He would not say he’s enamored with 529 plans, but “I’m happy with the recent changes that now include K-12 education as a qualified expense.

Anything that offers more uses for this type of plan is usually going to be beneficial to the owner. Additionally, I think these changes give people more incentive to save money in these types of plans.”

YOUR TEENAGER IS EXCITED FOR THEIR NEW CAR. YOU CAN BE, TOO.

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O

ne phone call can forever alter the lives of hopeful parents-to-be.

Sarah and Dustin Berry had been happily married since 2011, and at fi rst, they were wholeheartedly focused on each other and their careers. As it does, the desire to transition from newlyweds to new parents naturally progressed.

Due to health complications, the couple began working through fertility treatments in hopes of getting pregnant. Then, one day, the phone rang. A family member reached out to Sarah asking if she and Dustin would be interested in adopting her second cousin, Connor.

“I didn’t even hesitate,” says Sarah. “I said absolutely, let me just tell my husband we’re adopting!”

Because Connor had been in and out of their lives as family, in order to take over his care, the couple had to apply for a kinship license.

Kinship care is a type of foster care in which a relative, family friend, or someone the child has had a previous relationship with takes over the child’s care. In Columbia and the surrounding counties, the Central Missouri Foster Care and Adoption Association offers training services for foster parents who need to become licensed for care.

“The fi rst round of care was really just trial and error — we didn’t really know what to do. I just knew I really wanted to make this work for him,” says Sarah. In 2017, the family officially adopted Connor and began settling into a new home and routine.

Once again, Sarah and Dustin began to feel the itch to grow their family, and Sarah started back on her fertility treatments. Th is time, her physician recommended in vitro fertilization. But once again, a phone call changed their plans.

Th is time, a biological mother had seen their fi le and selected Sarah and Dustin as foster parents for her child. As Sarah and Dustin rushed to fi nalize paperwork, they received yet another call that brought their plans to a grinding halt.

When the couple adopted Connor, their foster license ended. That meant that, in order to begin caring for a new child, they would fi rst need to get recertified. “When we heard we needed to be certified and were looking at probably six months before we could start classes, we were almost devastated,” says Dustin. “A lot can happen with that child in six months.”

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“As a foster parent, you really do experience these highs and lows,” Sarah adds, “the lows being that there is so much uncertainty since you do feel this passion and call to take care of these kids.”

Trauma-Informed Training

Since the couple had no previous relationship with the child, they were looking at the route of traditional foster care. To apply as a foster family, the household fi rst undergoes a rigorous background check, after which comes a safety walkthrough of the family’s home.

Once the family and home are cleared, foster parents must complete a pre-service training course called STARS Foster Parent Training, a 27-hour program that prepares a family to bring a child into their home.

“Even though we’d already worked in this and had some experience, you still feel helpless or lost not knowing what can happen with this child,” says Sarah. “When I got that second phone call and it led me to Carol and her group, it was like a sign that this is what I was supposed to be doing, and here are the tools you need.”

Training is essential for a smooth transition, helping minimize the risk that when a child comes into a home, they don’t need to be removed later due to complications with the foster family. STARS is just one of five training programs offered by CMFCAA that can help foster parents become licensed in the state of Missouri.

Reunification is the end goal in most fostering situations. However, depending on what

FOR THE FIRST-TIME FOSTER PARENT • Get connected.

• It’s not as scary as it can appear to be.

• Get involved with some type of organization. There is power in numbers.

• You’re not alone in anything

• Ask the questions that are nestled in the corners of your mind.

• Disregard all the stigma about foster children or foster care. You have the ability to change statistics.

“STARS is an informative, state policy-driven, trauma-driven program,” says CMFCAA family development supervisor Carol Montie.

“All kids that have been removed from their home have some form of trauma. So what we do is to give foster parents as much information as we can to train them with support and knowledge of how it will work once a child comes into their care.”

Sarah immediately turned to her licensing agent, who directed the couple to CMFCAA. That afternoon, the agency had an agent out to the home and the couple enrolled in training.

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happens with the biological parents, the average foster child experiences care for about 24 to 26 months, sometimes longer. Ensuring that families are trauma-informed and know how to work with the needs of the children that are in their care is a critical part of the training process.

Carol has found that, often, healing comes on both sides. “We have a graduation ceremony at the end of the training program,” she says. “One of my foster parents who graduated came up to me crying — she had never gotten to walk across the stage and wear a cap and

gown because she was in care and had moved around so much.”

Staying Connected

Sarah and Dustin recently graduated from the Spaulding Adoption Training and STARS training programs. In the middle of training, their family was thrown another curveball.

After nine years of trying, Sarah was pregnant.

“Sutton was our little surprise,” says Sarah.

“At fi rst I was definitely thought ‘how are we going to do this,’ but you just do.” The couple is currently working toward adopting their second child to complete their family of five.

With Connor’s adoption, Sarah and Dustin had a strong connection with the biological parents, as they were relatives of Sarah’s. As they now proceed with their second adoption, both Sarah and Dustin have found that much of the support they need has come from the families they’ve met in their training programs.

“We’ve been blessed in getting to meet so many families, both foster and biological, and developed these relationships,” says Sarah.

“They become an extension of your own family.”

“These families often get connected and stay in touch, even going as far as watching each other’s kids or going on vacations together,” Carol says. “Getting to know the people inside your agency — on Facebook, in support groups, getting involved with local associations, and meeting other foster parents in your area that you can lean on — is so important.

CMFCAA offers respite care and programming to offer foster parents the opportunity to take time for themselves, whether that means running errands or simply decompressing at the park. These programs also give foster kids the opportunity to be around other kids who understand the same experiences.

One of these programs, Odyssey, is run in each of CMFCAA’s 13 counties by an average of 40 volunteers who work with the kids for four hours. In Columbia, Odyssey is held at the ARC. Sarah and Dustin’s second adoption has been progressing throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, making in-person training and support much harder. Both agree that their Zoom calls and Facebook groups have been incredible resources for staying connected, and they look forward to being able to connect with their groups in person in the future.

“I’m sure our foster story isn’t done and I’m excited to see what’s in store for us in the fu-

ture, but for now we’re just taking it one day at a time,” says Sarah.

Making a Difference

Each month in Boone County, there are 350 kids in foster care on average. Last fiscal year, 46 homes were licensed, and 3,576 kids were served throughout CMFCAA’s 13 counties. Comparing these numbers makes it easy to see why the need for foster parents in the community is so great.

“If we don’t have enough foster parents in our community to take these kids, then upon removal from a home, these kids end up spending the night in an office or on a couch somewhere,” says DeAnna Alonso, CEO at CMFCAA.

TRAINING PROGRAMS FOR FOSTER PARENTS • STARS Foster Parent Training • Strong Foster Parent Training • Youth with Elevated Needs Training • Spaulding Adoption Training • CPR Training (for families and community professionals)

To help, CMFCAA has implemented programs like 30 Days to Family, which works to provide children who have no permanent options with a home within 30 days. The CMFCAA team has helped some children out of foster care in as little as 48 hours.

Among their other services, CMFCAA provides identity services with specialized genealogy support to help find first, second, and third generation family for foster children.

“Hanging out in foster care is not OK with us,” says DeAnna, “We either need to get an adoptive family that understands the entirety of the situation or we need to find some family so we can get the child out of foster care.”

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A DVE RT I S E R I NDE X 44 STONE.....................................................................................................................................84 ACCENT DENTAL CENTER............................................................................................... 36 ACCOUNTING PLUS.............................................................................................................115 ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION GREATER MISSOURI CHAPTER..................12 ANNE TUCKLEY HOME...................................................................................................... 39 ANTHONY JINSON PHOTOGRAPHY......................................................................... 56 ATKINS INC................................................................................................................................. 42 BAUMGARTNER’S FURNITURE & CARPET............................................................ 41 BLOOM BOOKKEEPING....................................................................................................84 BOONE HOSPITAL.................................................................................................................. 16 CALLAWAY COUNTY TOURISM.....................................................................................111 CHRISTIAN FELLOWSHIP SCHOOL........................................................................... 28 COLUMBIA/BOONE COUNTY DEPT PUBLIC HEALTH..................................60 COLUMBIA MARKETING GROUP............................................................................... 110 COMPASS CHIROPRACTIC.............................................................................................. 26 CONVERGENCE FINANCIAL.............................................................................................. 2 DANCEARTS...............................................................................................................................44 DESIGNER KITCHENS & BATHS................................................................................... 30 DOWNTOWN APPLIANCE............................................................................................... 36 ELASTICITY (MISSOURI WINES)................................................................................... 66 FIRST MIDWEST BANK....................................................................................................... 86 GRASSROOTS...........................................................................................................................84 HAWTHORN BANK...............................................................................................................116 HEART OF MISSOURI CASA............................................................................................ 96 J&S LAWN AND LANDSCAPE........................................................................................ 78 JEFFERSON CITY CONVENTION & VISITORS BUREAU................................... 9 JIRA HEATING AND COOLING...................................................................................... 30 JOE MACHENS DEALERSHIPS................................................................................... 105 JOE MACHENS LINCOLN..................................................................................................... 3 JOE MACHENS VOLKSWAGEN...............................................................................7 & 8 JONES & UELIGGER LAW.................................................................................................. 71 KIA OF COLUMBIA........................................................................................................ 10 & 11 KRCG..................................................................................................................................................4 LIZZIE AND ROCCO’S NATURAL PET MARKET.................................................. 24 LOVE2NOURISH...................................................................................................................... 26 MACADOODLES...................................................................................................................... 18 MEDIACOM................................................................................................................................113 ORGANIZE THAT SPACE......................................................................................................15 PEDEGO ELECTRIC BIKES.................................................................................................. 5 POLISHED.................................................................................................................................... 19 PROVIDENCE BANK............................................................................................................49 REDI (REGIONAL ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT INC.).................................... 43 SHELTER INSURANCE - MIKE MESSER.................................................................. 24 SIMMONS BANK..................................................................................................................... 82 SKYLARK BOOKSHOP...............................................................................................14 & 76 STANGE LAW FIRM................................................................................................................ 18 STATE FARM - PHYLLIS NICHOLS................................................................................55 STATE FARM INSURANCE - STEPHANIE WILMSMEYER.............................44 SUPERIOR GARDEN CENTER/ROST LANDSCAPE...............................20 & 38 TALLULAH’S............................................................................................................................... 26 THE BANK OF MISSOURI...................................................................................................55 THE BROADWAY HOTEL...................................................................................................49 THE BUILDERS ASSOCIATION......................................................................................... 6 THE COUNSELING HUB......................................................................................................72 THE LANGUAGE TREE........................................................................................................44 THE TRUST COMPANY........................................................................................................ 92 TIGER FAMILY CHIROPRACTIC & WELLNESS CENTER................................ 43 TIGER HOME TEAM - HOUSE OF BROKERS.......................................................40 TRUE FALSE FILM FEST......................................................................................................22 TRUE NORTH............................................................................................................................. 87 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI HEALTH CARE........................................................... 99 WILSON’S FITNESS................................................................................................................ 71 WOMEN’S WELLNESS............................................................................................. 74 & 75 WOODHAVEN........................................................................................................................... 14

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THIS OR THAT

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Pancakes Be Older Ocean Lefty Dine In Socks Photo by LaShay Photography

MAY 2021

Candy

Halloween

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Reading

Christmas

Summer

3. I also like both, but I do love watching TV and relaxing.

Be Able To Fly

Vegetables

Save

2. I like to do both.

Night Owl

Fruits

Beach

1. I prefer swirl.

Play Outside

Ice Cream

Chocolate

Miss Missouri Elementary

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Bria Malone McCarty

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2.

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Sunrise

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Relax

Explore

Read

Watch

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Headphones Tater Tots Weekends Camping

3.

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1-2-3,

what do you see?

Are there harmonicas?

Yes, there are three.

A kaleidoscope behind time running out!

One unicorn with magic powers and a fluffy bunny hiding behind a flower.

One dinosaur or five? Goodness sakes, are they alive?

Two construction, trucks, and do you see the ducks?

After three spinning tops, is it time to stop?

New toys provided by The Speckled Frog: PlanToys construction vehicles; Fanciful Unicorn Wand; Clearly Colorful harmonicas; astrological kaleidoscope; Quetzalcoatlus dinosaur figure; 8 inch bunny stuffed animal; red and green Sufi wooden tops; red and yellow Flippy-Floppy spinning top; and a blue and orange swirl yo-yo.

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MAY 2021

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