COMO | June 2022

JUN E 2022 | T HE O UT DO O R I S S U E | A PU B L ICATION OF TH E B U SIN E SS TIM E S H OL D IN GS

ADD SOME SPARK TO YOUR SUMMER!

Sparky's Homemade Ice Cream

Outdoor THE

ISSUE

THANK YOU to all of our supporters who made True North’s 2022 Little Black Dress Fundraiser Gala a success!

For a complete list please see our website.

OVER $125,000

was raised to provide services to survivors of domestic and sexual violence in our community!

Presenting Sponsor

Host

Survivor Toast Sponsor

Illumination Sponsor

Parking Shuttle Sponsor

Premier Sponsor

Entertainment Sponsor

Dessert Sponsor

Photo Booth Sponsor

Media Sponsors

Additional Sponsors

FOR MORE INFORMATION, CALL OR VISIT: (573) 875-0503 • TRUENORTHOFCOLUMBIA.ORG

Event photography by Amy Enderle.

upcoming shows shows upcoming 9TH STREET// //DOWNTOWN DOWNTOWNCOLUMBIA COLUMBIA////THEBLUENOTE.COM THEBLUENOTE.COM 17 17 N. N. 9TH STREET

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JULY 3 SNAKES & SPARKLERS FT. NICK SHOULDERS JULY 6 MO LOWDA & THE HUMBLE + ME LIKE BEES JULY 7 ALEXANDRA KAY JULY 6 JULY JULY 7 ALEXANDRA MO LOWDA & THE HUMBLE + ME LIKE BASH: BEES TEN KAY 8 THE MORNING SHAG BIRTHDAY YEAR ANNIVERSARY JULY 8HIP-HOP THE MORNING SHAGJULY BIRTHDAY BASH: TEN YEAR ANNIVERSARY JULY 9 HEAT WAVES 10 OTHERWISE JULY 15 JORDAN SHOWCASE DAVIS JULY 9 HEAT WAVES 10 DISCO! 15 JORDAN SHOWCASE OTHERWISE DAVIS JULYHIP-HOP JU 16 BAD BAD 17 KID JULY 22 JULY HATS JULY JULY ANIMAL COLLECTIVE JULY JU 16 BROTHERS’ JULYJULY 17 KID JULY 22 ANIMAL BAD BAD HATS COLLECTIVE JULY 23 THE 24 DISCO! JULY 28 HAYES KAY FISH FRY JACOB GAPSCH CARLL JULY 23 THE KAY BROTHERS’ FISH FRY JULY 24 JACOB GAPSCH JULY 28 HAYES CARLL

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Meet the Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management Advisory Board!

Doug, Andrew, and Jeff have incredibly strong backgrounds in banking and investments; we are excited to continue to work with them as we grow and navigate the future.

DOUG MOORE

ANDREW BEVERLEY

For over 40 years, Doug Moore has diligently served clients as a CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNERTM professional, investment portfolio manager, and Chief Investment Officer at regional financial institutions, including Boone County National Bank/Central Trust Company and Landmark Bank, where he served as both the Chief Investment Officer and later, the head of the Trust and Investment Division. He retired in 2020, following the acquisition of Landmark Bank by Simmons Bank. During his career, Doug worked closely with and mentored many of the Eagle Bluffs’ team members and is delighted to continue working with the team by serving as a member of the Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management Advisory Board. Beyond his work in the financial services industry, Doug has served on the boards of several local organizations and continues to volunteer with the Great Rivers Council of Boy Scouts of America.

He is the father of four daughters and ten grandchildren, and he enjoys spending time outdoors camping, bicycling, a little fishing, and, since retirement, playing pickleball.

Andrew Beverley has served the banking community for almost 40 years, at local, regional, and national banks, including Bank of America, Central Bank, Landmark Bank, and Neighbors Bank. He left community banking in 2016 to start Neighbors Bank, an online commercial bank affiliated through common ownership with Veterans United. Since becoming President & CEO of Neighbors Bank, Neighbors Bank now makes mortgage loans in 49 of 50 states and continues to grow rapidly. Andrew retired from Neighbors Bank in December 2021 but remains involved as a Director. Andrew has spent almost 20 years either managing or overseeing various Trust/Investment Departments/Divisions at local banks. As a member of the Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management Advisory Board, he brings extensive expertise in community banking, managing Trust/Investment Departments, and centering the client experience to best serve not just his own clients, but the community as a whole. Andrew and his wife, Cynthia, have lived in Columbia since 1999; their two grown children and their families live on the West Coast.

JEFF M ac LELLAN For the past 38 years, Jeff has amassed extensive and varied experience in the banking industry, where he has served as President and CEO of several local/regional banks, including First National Bank and the Landrum Co., bank holding company for Landmark Bank. Under his leadership, the Landrum Co. became a billion dollar plus bank with operations in three states and with over 35 locations. Jeff brings a deep and nuanced understanding of the banking industry to the Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management Advisory board, including raising and selling capital, and performing mergers and acquisitions, financial analysis, risk management and mitigation, regulatory compliance, financial and strategic planning, among a host of other skills. Jeff and his wife have two married children and eight grandchildren. He spends his time spoiling the grandchildren and traveling. Since retiring, he has stayed current with business and economic conditions, writes relevant and regular articles with a local paper, and occasionally teaches. Jeff has always been active in the community and has served on many boards, including serving as President for seven of those boards.

E AG L E B LU F FS.C O M | 573-507-9 084 Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management LLC is a registered investment advisor.

SPORTS MEDICINE INJURY CLINIC An early morning walk-in clinic for sports injuries.

We know sport- and exercise-related injuries don’t happen at convenient times.

That’s why MU Health Care’s Missouri Orthopaedic Institute offers an early morning walk-in clinic — Monday through Friday, 7 to 8 a.m. — for injuries suffered within the last week. With on-site services like X-ray, bracing and therapy, we’ve got everything you need to get in, out and on with your day.

Learn more at muhealth.org/sportsinjuryclinic.

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SPONSORED CONTENT

Letter from the Publisher

The Great Outdoors

I

absolutely love the outdoors.

I love to grow things. Pruning trees and plants or weeding my garden is meditative for me. I truly enjoy the peace that I find while observing the beauty in the mountains or around any body of water. I’m even one of those weird people that loves winter.

However, I do have my limitations. I can’t do a lot of direct sunlight. I’m just one step away from vampire status. One of my favorite vacations was a trip to Lake Tahoe with my best gal pals. I truly have never seen anything more beautiful than Lake Tahoe. I had no idea such natural splendor could be found without a passport. One of our favorite memories from this trip is the constant search of shade for my pasty white body. I can’t be in the sun (even with SPF 70) for more than 10 minutes without burning. Among the many places I was able to find shade were under the boardwalk of a dock and in the shadow of a large trash can at the pool. What can I say? Sometimes, necessity is bigger than my pride.

I’m also not the most athletic. On this same trip to Lake Tahoe, I made the very unfortunate decision to wear fl ip flops on a day when we were going to hike (I heard walk) down to Emerald Bay. Th is was one of the most painful experiences of my life! The 5 to 6-mile trip felt like triple that, and the elevation change of 500 feet felt like ten times that. I was passed on the left by a family with toddlers. While I gasped for what I was sure was going to be my last breath on the way back up the mountain to our car carrying far too much gear for a leisurely beach visit, I heard one of the sassy little toddlers ask their mom if I was ok. “You worry about yourself, kid,” I thought to myself as I contemplated actually dying right there on the trail. The only thing that made me feel better was knowing that I had the keys to the vehicle with the cooler of cold Busch Lights in it, and the few friends

that had left me behind were going to have to wait in the blazing sun for me.

(Insert villainous laugh here.)

I have learned a lot from my limitations in nature. Some people may see these as reasons to stay inside in the cool AC away from any discomfort, but I see them as ways to prepare and strengthen myself to continue to explore.

If I hadn’t made the trek down the mountain, I would have missed seeing the gold flecks dance in the clear, cold water of Lake Tahoe, which was nothing short of magical.

Th is issue is packed with new things to try for you and your family. Let’s not let our limitations hold us back in any way.

Arm yourself with what will make you stronger and go out. Pack the sunscreen and bug spray. Wear the right shoes.

Explore. Find ways to connect with others that aren’t behind a keyboard and screen. And most importantly, have fun!

A photo taken right before the hike to Emerald Bay began, note the footwear.

ON THE COVER A delicious summer treat from a popular COMO hotspot, locally owned Sparky’s Homemade Ice Cream Photo by Keith Borgmeyer

J UNE 2022 | THE OUTDOOR ISSUE | A PUBLICATION OF THE BU S I N E S S T I M E S H O L D I N G S

ADD SOME SPARK TO YOUR SUMMER!

Sparky's Homemade Ice Cream

Outdoor THE

ISSUE

ERICA PEFFERMAN PUBLISHER

COMOMAG.COM

13

FourREASONS

why your business should partner with the COMO Walk to End Alzheimer’s on October 8th!

Come together with others from the COMO community for a good cause.

We have a sponsorship option for every type of business budget!

You can make fundraising a team building experience! (Or a friendly competition!)

end of Alzheimer’s starts with you.

The

For more information about Community Partnership, contact Chris Cottle at ccottle@alz.org.

Letter from the Editor

My Outdoor Happy Places

A

nyone who knows me knows that I am not the most “outdoorsy” kinda gal.

I’m pretty sure my last two attempts at camping ended with me sleeping / crying in the car.

I prefer perfectly sunny days that range from 75 to 82 degrees and are in insect- or reptile-free environments; my friends and family love to tease me endlessly about this. So, when we first started talking about the Outdoor Issue, we tossed around the idea of me going camping and documenting my adventure. Thankfully, that idea never came to fruition!

There are, however, a few things I love about the outdoors, in no particular order: ANY PATIO OR LIVE MUSIC VENUE. The patio directory we provide you in this issue came about from us literally asking the almost-daily question of which patio we should visit. We are already blessed to have so many patio options with good eats and beverages, and we are even more fortunate that so many of those places offer live music. My favorite is The Dive Bar, which is a little hidden gem on the Business Loop. If you have never been, don’t let the exterior fool you! It offers brunch; lunch and dinner; handcrafted cocktails; a pretty amazing whiskey selection, and its own house-infused vodka. Most nights, you will find live music, but Dive Bar also offers Bingo, trivia, and karaoke. Go check it out, and tell them I sent you! You will also find me almost weekly at Rose Music Hall or The Blue Note. There is just something special about crowds of people coming together over the love of music.

FOOTBALL. The thought of Friday night lights warms my heart. My daughter cheered high school football for four years, followed by my son playing high school football

for another four years. It was a huge part of our lives, and I miss it so much now that they are both in college. I never thought I would find myself missing making 100-plus sandwiches and meals every week . . . but I would give anything to go back and receive those sweaty hugs and, “Thanks, Braden’s Mom” from the kids. From hearing the excitement of the crowd to watching the students chant to listening to the band play, it’s just such a wholesome feeling for me, and one I will carry in my heart forever. I also really love a MU tailgate, and anything and everything Kansas City Chiefs-related.

ANY BODY OF WATER. There is something about a body of water or a fi re that makes you want to just sit and look at for hours. I love pool days, beach vacays, and the Missouri River. I think I have solved all the world problems sitting at Eagle Bluffs watching the river run past. Any rough life moment that

has happened, somehow the river seems to take it all away. I have spent many hours at the river with friends talking, laughing, crying, or planning, usually until the sun rises. It is soul-healing for me to drive a river road with the windows down and music blaring on a sunny day.

Wherever you fall on the spectrum of being an outdoor enthusiast, there is truly something for everyone in our beloved COMO. We hope you enjoy this issue and maybe learn about something or someplace you weren’t aware of. Th is magazine is for you, COMO! I would love to hear from you! What should we talk about in upcoming issues? Feel free to share, Kim@comomag.com.

XO,

KIM AMBRA EDITOR

COMOMAG.COM

15

ADJUSTING

YO U R H E A LT H IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.

President Erica Pefferman Erica@comomag.com

Director of Operations Amy Ferrari Amy@comomag.com

EDITORIAL

MARKETING REPRESENTATIVES Account Executive | Charles Bruce Charles@comomag.com

Publisher | Erica Pefferman Erica@comomag.com Editor | Kim Ambra Kim@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.

Copy Editor | Josh Mosley

DESIGN

Creative Director | Kate Morrow Kate@comomag.com

CONTACT

Photo Director | Sadie Thibodeaux Sadie@comomag.com

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

Senior Designer | Jordan Watts Jordan@comomag.com

CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHERS

Keith Borgmeyer, Anthony Jinson, Chris Padgett, Drew Piester

SUBSCRIPTIONS

CONTRIBUTING WRITERS

Dr. Ashley Emel

DC, CACCP, Webster Certified

Dr. Jennifer Sutherland DC, FASA, Webster Certified

Magazines are $5.95 an issue.

Subscription rate is $39 for 12 issues for one year or $69 for 24 issues for two years. Subscribe at comomag.com or by phone.

Taylor Ambra, Lauren Sable Freiman, Jessica Jainchill, Amanda Long, Mike Murphy, Molly Rhodes, Hannah Robertson, Jennifer Truesdale

KEEP AN EYE O UT FO R RECEN T IS S UES AT LO CAL STO CKISTS ARO UN D TOWN!

MAY 2022 | THE FA MI LY I S S U E | A PU BL I CATI O N O F THE BU S I NES S TI MES HO L DI NGS

A PR I L 2022 | THE TR AVEL I S S U E | A PU BL I CATI O N O F THE BU S I NES S TI MES CO MPA NY

FEBR UA RY 2022 | TH E ART & CU LTU R E I S S U E | A PU B LI CAT I ON OF T H E B U S I N ES S T I M ES COM PAN Y

DR. LESTER WOODS, JR. CAO AT MoDOT

THE

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ED BRENT & YANGMALI SAHADEV RAI

WILD, WILD MIDWEST

Fashion from Fringe Western Wear

FAR AWAY FLAVORS

Tour the world through COMO's restaurants.

Travel THE

ISSUE

The

MEET YOUR MAYORAL CANDIDATES OF COLUMBIA

&CULTURE ISSUE

THE ART

COMO is published every month by Business Times Holdings, LLC. Copyright Business Times Holdings, LLC 2022. All rights reserved. Reproduction or use of any editorial or graphic content without the express written permission of the publisher is prohibited.

R

AG F T G A

RO ILM SOCIETY and T HE BLUFFTOP AT

PO C HE

RT present:

2 2 0 2 , 3 1 .

G U A , Y A D R U SAT

!

W O N ALE S N O G R PASSES O .

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L A F E U TR

IA TO B M U L O OWN C T N TION W O A D E R M C O E N FR TURE, & R E STARS. O I T I D E EXP NS FOOD, NA M UNDER TH L I A R E T NERY THAT JOI ND A FIL A BIK A C S WI I I O S E U G R M LES BOU ITED LIVE PIR WITH S

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View all the options at amazing prices, from every Machens dealership.

It’s a big deal.

IN THIS ISSUE

67 FAVORITE FINDS See You on the Patio: We've compiled a guide to patio experiences around COMO so you can find your next outdoor spot.

JUNE 202 2 | The Outdoor Issue

13

Publisher’s Letter

15 Editor's Letter

LIVING 22

ART & CULTURE Putting the 'Community' in 'Community Theatre'

25

PET FRIENDLY Tiny Farming

27

WELLNESS Throwing Golf

29

HOMES From Firefighter to Landscaping Pro

43

GUEST VOICES Interest is High in Upcoming Elections

59

GOURMET What's the Scoop?

72

FRIENDS & FAMILY More Than Just a Blanket and a Basket

WORKING 77

87 PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW Marshall Stewart

90 BUSINESS UPDATE Women Making a Difference

106 THE LAST WORD

CLOSER LOOK

78

BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

81

MOVERS & SHAKERS

82

CELEBRATIONS Keeping the District Beautiful

84

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT Champions for the Planet

49 HITTING THE TRAILS Learn how to prepare and plan for your next adventure in COMO's great outdoors.

92 SERVING UP FUN The Kitchen Grill &

FEATURES

47

AN (UN)OFFICIAL GUIDE TO (SOME OF) COMO'S PARKS What better way to

Games at Discovery Park will allow family and friends to enjoy food, drink, and recreation — all in one location.

98

connect with nature in

HATCHING A BUSINESS

your community than to

From kid-preneurs to

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profiled a few of our

Dustin and Austin Stanton

personal favorite parks in

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and around COMO.

range egg business.

Celebrating 15 Years of Service!

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 Nutrient-infused 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

• Family friendly – with a dedicated toy room for your children to enjoy • Free WiFi

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

Feel like yourself again. tigerfamilychiropractic.com | 573.443.1414 3700 Interstate 70 Dr SE #110, Columbia, MO

Living

22 ART & CULTURE Putting the “Community” into “Community Theatre”

47

AN (UN)OFFICIAL GUIDE TO (SOME OF) COMO’S PARKS

43 GUEST VOICES Interest is High in Upcoming Elections

What better way to connect with nature in your local community than to visit a park?

COMOMAG.COM

21

Putting the ‘Community’ in ‘Community Theatre’ As Maplewood Barn Community Theatre nears its 50th season, Board of Directors President Sean Dennehy discusses the barn’s past and present.

BY MOLLY RHODES PHOTOS BY MEL . WOLVERSON 22

JUNE 2022

E

stablished in 1973, Maplewood Barn Community Theatre is a nonprofit organization located in Nifong Park with the intent to provide family-friendly, outdoor live entertainment to mid-Missourians. Maplewood invites the community to come out, bring a blanket or a lawn chair, and enjoy an evening under the stars.

In 1969, Nifong Park was established as a Historical Garden Park for the City of Columbia with the attention on areas of culture and activities. Part of the master plan and blueprint by Columbia Parks and Recreation included using the barn as a performing arts center. The barn hosted a day camp until the spring of 1973 when Columbia citizens began to see the barn’s true potential.

In 1973, the Nifong Steering Committee was presented with proposed renovations that would transform the barn into an outdoor performing arts center. The idea was to enhance Nifong Park by offering quality performing arts programs within the park and historic buildings.

The theatre is staffed entirely by volunteers. President of the Board of Directors Sean Dennehy has volunteered and done shows with Maplewood Barn Theatre since 2015 and served on the board for four years. The organization supplements production costs through ticket sales from each show, sponsorships, local donations, and donor grants.

“We are blessed to receive two major grants from Columbia’s Office of Cultural Affairs and Missouri Arts Council who are our primary donors on an annual basis,” Sean said.

Living

ART & CULTURE

Each year, Maplewood's productions start at the beginning of April and conclude at the end of September. However, the barn is closed the third week of September due to the annual Heritage Festival. When the season is not in session, Columbia’s Park and Recreation rents out the barn.

FROM FIRE BRINGS BETTERMENT

On April 5, 2010, the 133-year-old barn was engulfed in flames where props, costumes, lumber and set pieces were burned. The cause of what started the fire is unknown, but it reopened two years later with a production of “Fiddler on the Roof.”

“The barn was remodeled to look like a large barn on the outside but include indoor plumbing, air conditioning, and not having any animals there anymore,” Sean said.

FROM CHAOS COMES INGENUITY

“There were many attempts made to stay open [during the pandemic]. Our show, ‘Love Labor’s Lost' was done as a staged reading and all the rehearsal process was over zoom,” Sean said.

With the staged reading, there were music stands and stools placed where people could stand up and give their bits as the audience members watched live but socially distant.

If you are on the go and want to listen to some full cast audio dramas and comedy, Maplewood has a Spotify and a Soundcloud channel to reach worldwide audiences. During the summer season, nonfiction content is also created. This idea came about with some board members with past experience at KBIA wanting to create content in their downtime.

“Our Christmas special of ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ was a radio piece done stage-like resembling a 1930 radio play with live sounds behind the scenes with some editing after,” Sean said.

WHAT'S COMING

The 2022 season began with a production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown” and auditions for “She Kills Monsters” have begun.

A focus this season is partnering with other nonprofits to raise awareness for them and the theatre. For the production of “You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown,” Maplewood is partnering with Unchained Melodies Dog Rescue. They will be having an event for individuals to take pictures with their dogs with Snoopy’s dog house and the Peanuts crew. During the May 12 show, Unchained will have a dog pet supply drive where people can bring dog bowls, leashes, and other items along with a discounted ticket.

“We have joked on the board to keep putting community into community theatre,” Sean said.

And with next year being the theatre’s 50th season, the staff is already plotting how it will celebrate.

“We are looking into doing a historical monologue from past productions and encourage past board members or actors from over the years to come out and celebrate,” Sean said.

Maplewood Barn Theatre’s upcoming lineup for this “Good Grief ” season will also include “The Importance of Being Earnest.” The box office opens at 7 p.m. and individuals can also purchase tickets on the theatre’s website.

COMOMAG.COM

23

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Living

PET FRIENDLY

Tiny Farming A family’s small dream could mean better food for COMO.

BY JESSICA JAINCHILL

I

n the wake of COVID-19, people are becoming more concerned about where their food comes from. The desire for healthy and humanely grown food has inspired a movement of small farmers who are seeking to provide quality produce for their communities. In COMO, Ashley and McKinley Worley have started Abounding Acres, a small farm that not only serves as a natural and humane place to raise food, but also provides a place for their young family to thrive.

In the early 2010s, the Worleys were introduced to regenerative agriculture, a concept that encourages people to grow healthy food sustainably while also regenerating the land.

In 2015, the family moved to a 10-acre farm and started raising rabbits and chickens. Five years later, they added Kunekune pigs and Nigerian Dwarf goats.

“Kunekune pigs and Nigerian Dwarf goats are smaller types of breeds," Ashley says. "Basically, I wanted my kids to be safe around the animals.”

Using regenerative agricultural methods, the Worleys built a system that allows their animals to grow in a natural and healthy environment.

“We want the animals to be raised on green grass as they were intended to be,” Ashley says. “We had a system of rotating animals in a pasture to utilize our ground and give them the best nutrients possible.

Our animals are allowed to graze 24/7 if they would like to; whereas, with conventional farming, they might be put in houses or not even have the opportunity to go out on grass.”

The Worley's Kunekune pigs are also a heritage breed, meaning that they have not been bred down and are better at foraging.

As a result, their food intake is more natural, allowing the pigs to be more active.

“It’s just the freedom of being outside and connecting with nature, knowing where their food comes from at an early age.”

— ASHLEY WORLEY

To the Worleys, however, the only thing more important than raising their animals naturally is bringing their children up in the best environment possible.

Ashley’s remote job allows her to spend more time with the children and on the land, she says, “I’m able to just let them run. It’s just the freedom of being outside and connecting with nature, knowing where their food comes from at an early age.”

Right now, the Worleys use most of their produce themselves, and they have only used about five acres of their land. However, they are preparing to expand Abounding Acres into a full-time business. They’ve already sold meat, eggs, and homemade goods at the Southern Boone YMCA farmers market in the summers, and they’re also planning to start a market garden.

“A market garden is just gardening with the intent to sell to consumers or restaurants," Ashley explains. "For us, we won’t be certified organic, however, we intend to follow the same practices of that. It’s just costly to do that and quite a bit of paperwork. We are trying to not spray harsh chemicals or anything if at all possible.”

However, even as their farm dream is coming together, the Worleys know it is not all fun and games. Like any job, there is work to be done, such as moving animals or weeding gardens. Also, there is the potential for loss.

“We are a farm, so there is some loss in terms of animal loss,” Ashley says. “That for me is hard. I don’t like to lose an animal, no matter how large or small.”

However, the Worleys are just as quick to assert what makes regenerative farming worthwhile. “Seeing our kids get involved with it, learning about natural process, but also being at the farmers markets and seeing our customers’ happiness because they are able to get locally produced, healthy products. Also, seeing the animals, and even our kids happy and just thriving makes it all worthwhile.”

COMOMAG.COM

25

Vacation in style this summer.

Living

Throwing Golf

WELLNESS

Columbia Disc Golf Club hosts "Bring your own Team Triples."

The sport's popularity within COMO has reached new heights during the pandemic.

BY JESSICA JAINCHILL

B

efore 2020, disc golf was one of those relatively unknown sports that needed a built-in definition. The game is a hybrid of golf and Ultimate Frisbee and requires players to cross a course containing designated baskets. Like golf, players try to throw their flying discs into the baskets in as few shots as possible. Pre-pandemic, it wasn’t exactly a raging sport, but since then, the game has taken off locally at record speeds.

Since 2020, disc golf’s popularity has increased 33%, according to Udisc statistics.

The sport’s sudden popularity may be attributed to how it allows players to social distance while enjoying an outdoor activity.

Another plus? It doesn’t cost much to play. “You could get a full bag of discs and everything you need for less than $50. Also, most of the disc golf courses in COMO are free,” says Michael Bentele, treasurer for COMO’s local disc golf organization, Though disc golf’s popularity is recent, the Columbia Missouri Disc Golf Club has had a presence in the city since the 80s.

Locals Rick Rothstein and Alex Dadaist established the club in 1983 as a way to help local players socialize and enjoy the sport. In the spirit of the game, the founders emphasized, “Most fun wins.”

Columbia Disc Golf Club selling custom stamped discs to fundraise for tournaments.

Michael follows up that motto, saying, “There is definitely a competitive side of it, but there’s a little bit for everybody.”

Disc golf is definitely one of those games where anyone can play and enjoy themselves. Thanks to the variety of courses, people can choose their own speed and physical exertion. Th is allows the sport to accommodate young children, senior citizens, and everyone in-between.

“I think it’s an activity that pretty much anybody can enjoy, regardless of their skill level,” Michael says.

Even for people who are not athletically inclined, disc golf has a comfortable place for them to start playing and still have fun.

Michael adds: “Disc golf can get you very close to the 10,000 steps that you need every day. Some folks have gotten into better shape within a year, and they aren’t doing anything other than playing disc golf. You can do anything from casu-

Teammates celebrating a hole-in-one

al play to league play and all the way up to competitive tournaments. So whatever level you are comfortable with, there is a community to connect with.”

Fortunately, disc golf in COMO has much to offer. Since it's had an established foothold for so long, the community has come up with multiple ways to enjoy and share their sport with city residents.

In addition to the annual tournament the club puts on every October, Michael says, “We run league every week, and we have the Mid-America Open Pro Tour coming in August.”

However, the bottom line for most people, when choosing a sport, is whether or not it is fun.

Of course, opinions vary from person to person, but Michael says, “Anytime that you can throw a Frisbee into the basket from over a hundred feet, it just keeps you coming back for more.”

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JUNE 2022

WORKERS’ COMP

PERSONAL INJURY

Living

HOMES

From Firefighter to

Landscaping Pro Lanier Landscaping is transforming commercial & residential outdoor spaces in Mid-Missouri.

BY JENNIFER TRUESDALE | PHOTOS BY KEITH BORGMEYER COMOMAG.COM

29

L

ance Lanier’s story is one of entrepreneurial spirit and a never-quit attitude.

In 2016, the then-COMO firefighter began a relatively simple landscaping business to help fill his free time. Today, that small project has grown into a “full commercial site-work/excavation, landscaping, pool & spa, maintenance, and design” business, according to the Lanier Landscaping Facebook page. In fact, LL took this publication’s prize for Best Commercial Landscaping Business in both the 2018 and 2019 Top of the Town award competitions.

Lance grew up in New London, just south of Hannibal. He studied paramedicine at John Woods Community College in Quincy, Illinois, after which he worked as a medic in three different ambulance districts from 2010-2015 before coming to COMO in 2015 to join the fi re department. He had also earned a fi re science/ fi refighting degree from John Woods.

“Being a fi refighter was my dream job as a kid,” Lance says. “I always wanted to help people, and you’re doing something different everyday.” Lance says that the unusual schedule that fi refighters work allowed him to start his own landscaping business in 2016. As a fi refighter, he worked 24-hour shifts 3-5 five days per week; even though he was working an average of 70 hours per week as a fi refighter, he had large chunks of time off to fi ll.

His family has a farm in Hannibal, and he grew up working with equipment and had worked a short stint at a landscaping business there. Lance was injured during a structure fi re in 2017 and was released from CFD in 2019. As he recovered, he grew the landscaping business and added on a few other ventures. One of them, Deluxe Window Care, is a window-cleaning company that services MU and Boone Medical Group.

Lanier Landscaping began as just Lance and one other employee. Today, he employs 22 people and more than 30 during peak seasons. Whether you need a retaining wall, a jaw-dropping patio, lawn maintenance, leaf removal, or the outdoor kitchen of your dreams, Lanier Landscaping has you covered. Lance added pool installation to his service lines last October, something he’d been itching to get into for a while. Lance says the waitlist for pool installation is 2 to 3 years, likely spurred by the pandemic that has encouraged people to spruce up their homes after spending 30

JUNE 2022

Lance Lanier, Owner

Living

HOMES

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31

so much time there. Lanier Landscaping has doubled its revenue each year since launching, and tripled it in 2020 and 2021.

One of Lance’s favorite projects was on a 30-acre property in Hallsville in which the company installed three ponds, a couple of roads, and moved some dirt to solve significant water drainage issues.

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JUNE2022 MAY 2022

Another cool project involved installing a wood-look porcelain patio with outdoor fi replace. Porcelain tile is more durable and water impervious than ceramic, so it will stand the test of time better.

Lanier Landscaping will move into a brand new location off of Grindstone Parkway near Club Car Wash.

Lance takes pride in his workforce. “I recruit family-oriented guys who can’t work

weekends because they have family obligations,” Lance says. He and wife, Kim, have two young sons themselves. “I have some really high-quality people, which is why I feel confident tapping into these markets [like swimming pool installation].”

Lance always dreamt of doing something that helped people. With Lanier Landscaping, he gets to assist them and the places they live, too.

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ENHANCING THE BEST ROOM IN THE HOUSE: YOUR KITCHEN

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ANNE TUCKLEY HOME Anne has been in the interior design industry for more than 20 years and has resided in metropolitan cities ranging 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 arts 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.

By Anne Tuckley Find more at AnneTuckleyhome.com

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he kitchen is a necessity in any home, and the abundance of appliances, fixtures, and materials available lend it to being one of the most enjoyable (at least for me) rooms to decorate. The kitchen is the epitome of storage space optimization and in a way is like a puzzle – you want to maximize storage without losing aesthetics.

The following are several ways I like to maximize space and functionality in kitchens while maintaining beauty.

ADD SOME GREEN Incorporate small pots with herbs and edible flowers. The plants will add a touch of beauty to the room and an amazing taste to your food.

CONSIDER WHAT IS ABOVE Maximize storage space by adding ceiling racks to display your pots, pans, strainers, etc.

THINK VINTAGE Add a vintage beverage cart to display your liquor, decanters, and other glassware. This will save you shelf space, plus it adds a touch of class and function to your dinner parties.

USE THE WALL Optimize storage space (or lack thereof) by adding shelves. This can be as simple as a couple shelves over a stove. All wall space is valuable, so even a very narrow floorto-ceiling shelving display can be used to display attractive glassware, ceramics, etc.

ADD SOME SCHOLARLY INSPIRATION Is there anyone that does not fantasize about having a ladder in a gorgeous home library? The reality is that very few people have the space available to designate a room as a library, so why not add the element to

your kitchen? This allows you to reach even higher up on the wall to access products and creates more storage opportunities — just don’t drink wine prior to use!

HAPPY DECORATING!

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GET YOUR HOME IN SHAPE THIS SUMMER

AMBER WOOTEN TIGER HOME TEAM

Find more at tigerhometeam.com

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t’s summertime, and the livin’ is easy, right? Maybe sometimes... But now that the sun is shining, home improvement projects beckon for most of us. It’s no secret that condition of your home is a major factor in selling - or just for helping to avoid the costly results of deferred maintenance.

Whatever your plans, be sure to check some of these off your list this summer!

Paint shutters. Replacing tired, faded shutters can be costly, but you can give them a fresh, clean look with nothing more than a few coats of paint. Even better, if the shutters are structurally in good shape, this is a very DIY-friendly job that’s ideal for your summertime to-do list.

Touch up your front door. Freshening up the paint on your front door is an easy maintenance task that will pay off big in curb appeal.

Repaint exterior trim. Any trim with paint that is chipping, peeling, or missing should be scraped and re-painted to remain weather tight. When the wood beneath is left exposed to the elements, deterioration and rot is bound to occur.

Recaulk trim. Exposure to the elements and the passage of time can cause caulk to fail, and this can lead to rot around your windows, sills, and doorways. It’s a good idea to inspect the caulk around the outdoor trim

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Amber joined Tiger Home Team in 2020 with 10 years of experience helping Columbia area buyers and sellers with their real estate needs. Amber and her husband, Will, moved to Columbia in 2004 with their two sons, Whitten and Jett. Their family was completed with the addition of their daughter, Ovella, in 2011.

She always strives to make your priorities her own because when you’re buying or selling your home, the experience matters.

By Amber Wooten

Power wash. Whether you’re power-washing the house, the deck, the walkways, or the front porch, this is a job that’s best tackled in warmer weather, so it’s a perfect summer project. And with the sun beating down, you won’t mind too much if you get a little wet.

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of your house every year and do repairs as needed.

How’s it looking up top?

Inspect your roof in summer to ensure that you’ll have plenty of time to schedule repairs before the tough winter weather returns. *While this is happening, ask them to check the condition of the rubber boots on the rooftop plumbing vent pipes - the sun & elements cause those to dry and crack over time, and is often the culprit for water stains on your ceilings! Replacing boots costs very little, and is a small job for roofers & many handymen.

Check the chimney. On the subject of all things up-top... Regular chimney inspections and cleanings help prevent fires and keep your home safe. Schedule some time this summer to have your chimney inspected so you can complete any needed repairs before cool weather arrives in the fall.

Grease the garage door. You may not give much thought to your automatic garage door—until it stops working, that is. To keep

it running properly, make sure everything is tight and lubricate the hinges, rollers, and other moving parts at least once a year.

Pruning dead branches. It’s easy to identify dead branches in summertime after all the leaves have come out on your trees. Pruning dead wood is safe at any time of year, and summer is a great time to do it.

While not a complete list, this should be enough to get you started - and keep you busy for a while! We hope you enjoy the summer. Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions about real estate!

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SELECTING JAPANESE MAPLES

JACOB PORTER

ROST LANDSCAPING

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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.

By Jacob Porter Find more at rostlandscaping.com

A

dding specimen plants to a landscape design is one way we like to add interest and focal elements to an outdoor space. Japanese Maples are an excellent selection for a specimen plant as there are several different varieties to choose available. As long as you have a suitable location for the tree, you can really add some visual and structural interest to the landscape. However, just saying you want a Japanese Maple is somewhat of a broad statement. There are different sizes, growth habits, and leaf colors to on the table. When it comes to selecting a variety, breaking the options down into those categories can help narrow down the selection and allow you to select the perfect Japanese Maple for your landscape.

The first consideration I account for when selecting a Japanese Maple is to figure out what size tree can fit in the desired area. There are dwarf varieties that stay very small and fit into much smaller spaces. Some of these dwarf varieties can be as small as 3-5 feet tall and wide. On the other end of the spectrum, there are varieties that can grow up to 25 feet and or more. Therefore, this is the important consideration when selecting your tree.

When it comes to the growth habit, Japanese Maples can be separated into two categories: upright or weeping. When selecting what type to plant, it is important to consider the area where it will be planted.

If there is a window on the house that cannot be blocked, a lower growing weeper would be a great choice. In front of a blank, tall wall would be a great spot for a larger upright maple that can standout against the

(573) 445-4465 ROSTLANDSCAPING.COM

wall. Keep in mind, both growth types are available in a range of sizes.

Japanese Maples typically have foliage color that are either in the red or green spectrum. Red Japanese Maples tend to be the most popular, but there are several great varieties that have green leaves. On several occasions, the green-leafed varieties can standout and add as much interest as the red varieties. In addition to the color, there are a couple types of leaf shape to consider.

Some varieties have leaves that are more broad or fuller in size while others have leaves that are thinner and more lace-like.

As with the growth habit, it is important to

consider the other elements around the area when deciding the foliage type.

When it comes to selecting a Japanese Maple, it can seem overwhelming at first with all the varieties available. However, if you break the selection process down into the categories I have mentioned, it can make the decision much easier and enable you to pick the perfect tree for your landscape.

To view many of the varieties available, visit our garden center’s website at superiorgardencenter.com and check out their Plant Finder tool. There you will be able to search Japanese Maple varieties and their features.

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SUMMER HOME MAINTENANCE

JEREMY SPILLMAN LOMBARDO HOMES

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S

ummer is here! Before you pack the car for your family vacation, don’t forget about the routine maintenance that should be performed on your home this season. This summer home maintenance will help lower energy bills and save you time, effort, and investment of future home repair.

2. WATER YOUR STREET TREES. Street trees need TLC in the summer, especially if they were installed that spring. Water street trees throughout the summer – approximately 5 gallons per day for the first 2 weeks after the tree was installed and 10 gallons per week thereafter.

3. GET WARM, MOIST AIR OUT OF YOUR HOME. On a day when the humidity and temperature is low, open the windows to let fresh air in and to give your home a fresh start, especially if your home’s been closed up and has had the A/C cranked for a few weeks.

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With a fascination of architectural design and his own knack for design, a young Jeremy Spillman started Spillman Contracting to focus on smaller projects and remodels.

Fourteen years later, Spillman Homes was born, allowing Jeremy to expand his team and his knowledge of remodels and new home builds.

Thanks to expert design and craftsmanship, business grew exponentially, and Spillman Homes caught the attention of regional homebuilders. Jeremy joined forces with a regional partner in 2021. Now, Jeremy is the division president of Lombardo Homes Columbia, where he oversees the sales and construction of luxury, custom homes in the Columbia market.

By Jeremy Spillman

1. MONITOR THE HUMIDITY IN YOUR HOME. Too much humidity, which can happen in the summer months, can lead to moisture on the windows and damp or musty basements. Humidistats can be placed throughout the home and give you a better reading of the humidity than just the humidistat on the furnace alone.

If your humidity level is too high (we recommend maintaining a humidity level of 35-45%), consider using a dehumidifier.

WHAT THE

LOMBARDO HOMES OF COLUMBIA 573-542-0605 LOMBARDOHOMES.COM

4. CHECK THE PLUMBING TRAPS FOR WATER. The plumbing trap is the curved pipe by your sinks, toilets, etc., and holds water to prevent sewer gases from entering the building. If you come home after an extended vacation to find your home smelling like sewage, it’s likely the water in your traps evaporated while you were away. To fix this, simply run water in all of your sinks to refill the traps.

5. USE SILICONE SPRAY ON THE WINDOWS. Vinyl windows can expand in the heat. Silicone spray is a lubricant and will help you open and close the window more easily this season.

6. CHECK YOUR GUTTERS FOR DEBRIS. This may seem like a job for the fall, but it’s smart to check your gutters periodically throughout the year. Make sure your gutters are clear of debris

so they can handle the season’s heavy rainstorms.

7. INSPECT WEATHER-STRIPPING AROUND ALL DOORS. As the seasons change, you may need to make minor adjustments to door catches to create a tighter seal between the door and weather-stripping.

8. CHECK THAT PAINTED EXTERIOR ITEMS ARE IN GOOD CONDITION AND TOUCH UP OR RE-PAINT AS NEEDED. These items may include your front door, porch post, architectural moldings, garage door, steel lintels over windows and doors (in brick areas), and main gas service supply.

9. DISCONNECT THE DUCT BETWEEN THE DRYER AND WALL AND CLEAN OUT LINT. Be sure to clean the dryer vent’s outside hood, as well.

10. HIRE A LICENSED CONTRACTOR TO SEAL ALL EXTERIOR CONCRETE SURFACES. We know cold, snowy days are far from your mind, but sealing

will protect the concrete from harmful salt tracked in on vehicle tires and boots during the winter.

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THE TOP 5 BENEFITS OF AN ADJUSTABLE BED BASE

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JAKE BAUMGARTNER BAUMGARTNER’S FURNITURE

By Jake Baumgartner

A

1. Relieves Swelling An adjustable bed can provide the perfect solution to Edema, or swelling due to fluid retention, especially in the legs. In fact, many doctors advise patients with Edema to elevate the affected areas above their heart while sleeping. With an adjustable bed base, keeping your limbs elevated throughout the night is a breeze!

2. Helps with Snoring If you’ve ever woken up to your partner’s snoring, or even your own, you know how disruptive it can be. Though there are many causes of snoring, a large part of the problem is that laying flat horizontally restricts airways. By elevating your head slightly (20 to 30 degrees) with an adjustable bed base, your airways will remain open, leading to better breathing and less snoring!

3. Alleviates Joint/Ligament Pain In 2021, the CDC reported that 24% of all adults in the United States have arthritis.

An adjustable bed can provide temporary pain relief to individuals living with arthritis as it helps to alleviate pressure

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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.

Find more at baumgartners.com

dding an adjustable bed base to your bedroom is one of the simplest and best ways to ensure a comfortable night’s sleep. But did you know that it can also benefit your health? Here are five major ways an adjustable bed base can positively impact your health:.

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on the joints. Adjustable beds also provide many ergonomic position options, which can help individuals get into and out of bed while reducing joint pressure.

4. Reduces Acid Reflux and Heartburn Acid reflux is a common health condition that keeps many Americans up at night. It occurs when stomach acid flows back up into the esophagus.

This can cause a painful burning sensation, known as heartburn, in the lower chest and throat. An adjustable bed can help to prevent this by elevating your upper body and using gravity to keep the stomach acid at bay.

5. Eases Back Pain Whatever the cause, those who experience chronic back pain know all too well how difficult it can be to get in a comfortable position to sleep. An adjustable bed can help you find comfort by raising both the head and foot of the bed. This position provides quality support to your entire spine and will soothe pressure points.

These are just five reasons of many to invest in an adjustable bed. With so many health benefits, maybe the question isn’t “are adjustable beds worth it?”, but instead “Is my health worth it?”. The answer to that should always be yes.

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“BETTER OUT THAN IN.” THAT’S WHAT I SAY!

SHAUN HENRY

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 applicator’s 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 their clients and anticipates their needs accordingly.

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

Find more at AtkinsInc.com

I

Preventing Mosquitoes AKA “Skeeters” • Remove their water source. Mosquitoes lay their eggs in standing or slow-moving water (puddles, ditch/creek, ponds, bird bath, etc.).

This approach can reduce the number of mosquitoes laying eggs around your property.

• Avoid using scented lotions, perfumes, and body washes. These are almost guaranteed to attract mosquitoes.

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ATKINS

By Shaun Henry

t’s one of the main reasons I chose to pursue a degree and career in the green industry. I would much rather be outside!

More space, more air, more dirt to play in, more sun, and lots more fun!

Fall is still my favorite season of the year here in COMO, but early summer holds a close second place for me. It’s starting to warm up nicely, but not scorching-hot quite yet. Everything is green and growing, plus I’m using our barbecue grill and smoker any chance I get. Bad thing is, though, “skeeters” are out along with the ticks and chiggers! On the lawn side of things, fungal disease is rampant and summer weeds are popping up. These are most likely going to be in the thin and bare spots in your lawn that didn’t get filled in last fall. Plus, heat stress on our cool season lawns is right around the corner.

Here are some tips to help you enjoy the outdoors around your house this season:

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Managing Ticks and Chiggers • Keep the lawn mowing frequency up and manage any other tall vegetation, leaf litter, and wood piles around the property as best you can.

• Limit shade and moisture where you can.

Both make good places to hide and thrive.

• Check yourself and your pets regularly for ticks. Especially if you go “off-roading” a bit. It might not hurt to treat your dogs or cats for ticks. Talk to your vet about the best options here. Again, there are both chemical and “natural” treatment options available to control them, and treatment frequency will obviously vary.

Fungal Disease on your Turf • Raise your mower for the summer. Turf Type Tall Fescue should be cut at 3.5-4 inches and go even taller if you can get away with it or stand it. You don’t need to change your mowing frequency, just mow a bit taller and be sure to keep your mower blades sharp, too!

• There are a lot of mosquito repellent options out there for you, from chemical to “natural.”

Plant a few citronella plants around your patio.

Candles and torches work fairly well, too

• Don’t fertilize! Fertilizing with high-nitrogen materials can really promote some diseases.

Brown Patch, being the primary disease for our area, thrives when there’s an nitrogen excesses, warm overnight temps, and plenty of moisture.

Organics, moderate phosphorus levels, and /or potassium-based fertilizers are OK, though.

• Treat areas of your lawn that are near ponds and standing water. These options usually require monthly treatment to manage the population around your home.

• Water early in the morning to knock the morning dew off the lawn. There is also what is called, “water of guttation present.” It is loaded with sugar and fungal diseases love

that! If you need to water later in the day, try to be done with enough time for the lawn to dry before sunset.

• Increased air movement across the lawn helps but may not be practical for you to add or improve upon. Prune trees and shrubs where you can to allow for more airflow.

• Use fungicide treatments, if necessary. You can look for more disease resistant seed options for the fall.

Summertime Weeds • Seed when you need to fill in thin and bare spots in order to limit access to these opportunistic plants.

• Mow tall. To reduce stress on your turf, shade the soil to keep temperatures down.

• Don’t disturb the soil. Weed eating, edging, or any other mechanical disturbance of the soil can bring weed seed to the surface. Try to minimize scalping where you can.

• Water when you can or when it needs it to promote overall lawn health.

• “Get off my lawn”, in my best Clint Eastwood voice. Stay off your lawn if it’s too hot and dry.

You can damage it by walking across it.

We love taking care of your lawn, even if you’re not one of our regular customers! If you ever have a question about anything related to your lawn or the pests that can damage it, you know what you should do!

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Providing basic resources for families in need, because we can all use a little help sometimes.

Donate diapers to those in need.

Visit fc4c.org to help.

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JUNE 2022

Living

GUEST VOICES

Interest is High in Upcoming Elections Small groups cast large influence as August vote nears.

BY MIKE MURPHY

W

hile the good people of COMO go about their busy lives with little concern for public affairs, small groups that advocate for special interests are usurping the political process and bending it to their will. Left unchecked by the distracted majority, our public policies are being shaped by activists, extremists, and organized factions.

So, in the spirit of hope and civic duty, we’re trying to intervene. I launched comobuz.com earlier this year with the slogan “Eat. Drink. Vote.” and a mission to

produce trustworthy, fair-minded, and needed journalism on our city’s cultural and political issues. The collaboration with COMO Magazine that you see here hatched after the April municipal election over a shared vision that city residents must become better informed and re-engaged with their government if the city is to avoid turmoil and decline.

First, let’s take a look at April’s election.

About 1 in 4 registered voters participated. Mayoral candidate Randy Minchew and Fourth Ward Council Candidate Erica

Pefferman were the only two seeking office that said they were willing to consider privatization of the city’s solid waste services. This triggered Laborers Local 955, which represents 240 city employees in the public works, solid waste, and transit departments. The union poured $21,422 into the campaign of mayoral candidate Barbara Buffaloe, $4,576 into the campaign of Fourth Ward Council candidate Nick Foster, and knocked on more than 1,500 doors in Foster’s ward on his and Buffaloe’s behalf.

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Living

GUEST VOICES

While the other precincts averaged just over 20% turnout, 36% of Fourth Ward voters turned out, with more than half picking Buffaloe – 1,099 more than Minchew.

Despite winning 4 of the other 5 districts, Minchew lost the election by 800 votes; in the fourth ward, Foster beat Pefferman 3,316-2,033.

It’s probably worth mentioning that the union candidates also won both open positions on the Columbia Public School board of education. A conservative-leaning and well-funded group of citizens concerned about declining test scores and progressive curricula supported candidates Andrea Lisenby and Adam Burks. They were defeated by Suzette Waters and Blake Willoughby, who had the endorsement of the Columbia Missouri National Education Association. All seven of the current sitting CPS school board members were endorsed for election by the CMNEA. If you doubt the influence a loud, connected group can have on the city council, look at the city’s inability to get a new electric transmission line extended down Nifong Blvd., which will probably go down as its greatest political failure of the last decade. The city’s water and light utility spent years designing a critically needed upgrade to the city’s electric grid to help meet demand in growing southwest Columbia and balance overloaded substations. In 2015, it got 68% of voters to approve a $63 million bond issue to finance the improvements.

Shortly before construction on the new transmission line was set to begin and with more than $4 million already invested, some residents along Nifong protested to the city council that the lines would be unsightly, lower their property values, and potentially harmful to students at nearby Mill Creek Elementary School. In January 2016, the council reversed its earlier approval and voted to “pause” the project. In the 6 years since, the council has spent more than $1 million on consultants looking for alternatives and council members continue studying options for locating those critically needed new transmission lines.

Then there’s this current effort by environmental activists to bully the city council into mandating that 100% of the city’s electrical power come from renewable sources like wind and solar by 2030. They’ve gathered nearly 3,000 signatures on a petition and 53 letters of support, illustrating the 44

JUNE 2022

"City residents must become better informed and re-engaged with their government if the city is to avoid turmoil and decline."

Living

woeful gullibility of well-meaning but uninformed citizens.

Here’s a quick primer on our electricity: We generate very little locally. The city’s two natural gas-fueled power plants are inefficient and contribute less than 10% of our power because we can purchase it cheaper via the electric grid from more efficient fossil-burning power plants.

We are part of three “life of plant” power contracts, binding us to the power plants while they are operational. This is not a bad thing – it provides a consistent and reliable power source at arranged prices. Further, just because we purchase power from the Sikeston Power Plant in southern Missouri or the Prairie State Power Campus in Illinois doesn’t mean the power that arrives at your home comes from those facilities.

The power plants provide electricity we purchase to the grid on our behalf, but the actual power arriving at your home comes from a more nearby source, most likely the Callaway Nuclear Plant near Fulton.

So, we are already under contract to purchase most of the power we need for the foreseeable future from these coal-fired plants. Claiming our energy is 25% or 50% or 100% from “renewable sources” requires that we purchase the equivalent percentage of renewable energy in addition to what we’ve already purchased and need.

Then, city staff and consultant experts are expected to re-sell the coal-fueled power to someone else on the grid. So, being 100% renewable means we seek and purchase renewable energy that would meet our full need, then sell the coal power that we’ve already purchased to someone else, possibly when demand is low and for less than we paid for it.

“This is gambling with the public’s money and without its consent,” wrote Sarah Read, a Columbia attorney and energy expert, to city staff and water and light board members.

“It’s also a ‘smoke and mirrors’ approach to meeting the societal goals – the coal plants will still keep running, even though our portfolio may be ‘clean on paper.’”

An inconvenient truth: When we claim that our power comes from “100% renewable sources,” it will be a shell game with power contracts and the bulk of electricity actually arriving at our homes will continue to be coming off the grid from a nearby power plant, most likely nuclear or coal-fueled.

The newspapers ignore or botch these issues because they either don’t under-

stand, are incapable of explaining, or have an agenda. So it is with the “Defund the Police” movement that simmers beneath the city council. Organized, motivated, and credible activists believe the way to reduce crime is to reallocate public funding from policing to other neglected agencies that could serve public safety such as education, public health, affordable housing, and youth services. They believe that investing in communities would act as a better deterrent to crime by directly addressing societal problems like poverty, mental illness, and homelessness.

The city has been systematically defunding the police for years as it has grown disproportionate to the police force. But you don’t hear much from any active lawand-order lobby. Citizens should keep a close eye on the direction new City Manager De’Carlon Seewood plans to take when he presents his first annual budget this month.

Speaking of ignored, how has Boone County government managed to avoid controversy and remain off the radar of the local media? Probably the leadership and quiet competence of presiding Commissioner Dan Atwell and the exemplary service of County Auditor June Pitchford has a lot to do with it. But with Atwell retiring this year after 10 years in office, and Pitchford after 32, the tranquility is unlikely to continue and the election for these two offices is very worthy of our attention.

The presiding commissioner leads a three-member county commission that are salaried administrators of the county’s $95 million budget. The presiding commissioner’s current annual salary is $108,274.

Kip Kendrick, the former state representative, is running unopposed for presiding commissioner in the Democratic primary.

Connie Leipard and James Pounds are facing off in the Republican primary.

County commissioners had a falling out late last year with the Boone Health Board of Trustees over a longstanding financial arrangement terminated by the hospital.

GUEST VOICES

For 33 years prior to 2022, the hospital paid rent and other compensation to the county from operation of the county-owned hospital. The anticipated amount this year would have been about $2.6 million. But financially strapped hospital trustees decided earlier this year without the commission’s approval to no longer pay the county in a new 30-year lease it put into effect when it separated from BJC Healthcare and became independent. County commissioners continue to dispute the validity of the new lease agreement but are no longer receiving any compensation.

In high irony earlier this year, the hospital trustees asked commissioners for a $7.2 million share of the $35 million the county received in COVID-19 relief funds from the American Rescue Plan Act. Commissioners have until next year to make a decision on how to spend the money, and they don’t appear in any hurry.

A Republican winning office in Boone County may be a long shot, but if Leipard survives the primary, she will have some cards to play. The Kendrick campaign, which has $200,000 stowed away, just took $10,000 in contributions from the Orscheln family. CEO and Chairman William [Barry] Orscheln happens to sit on the Boone Health Board of Trustees. Kendrick will also have to deal with suggestions that Boone County needs a serious administrator to run its business, not a politician perfectly parked until the next opportunity for a higher office comes along. Democrats might also have to answer for their willingness to look the other way for some of their no-show officeholders in the county building. This campaign is not just important, it could have high entertainment value as well.

You can follow along at comobuz.com, and I hope you do. I cover these topics, and plenty of others, so feel free to take a look around. If you like what you see, please support local journalism with a subscription. We’ll see you next month in this space with a report on the upcoming August election campaigns.

Mike Murphy is a former newspaper writer, editor, and executive who resides in COMO. He operates comobuz.com, a news and commentary website that reports on city culture and politics.

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an (un) official guide to (some of) como’s parks What better way to connect with nature in your local community than to visit a park? Here, you’ll find profiles on just a few of our personal favorite parks in and around COMO. We hope you’ll take some time to visit these places with f riends, family, (or even a good book!) and soak up some sunshine.

BY HA NNA H R O BE RTSON | PH OTOS BY C H R IS PA D G E T T

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capen Park I

f you are interested in scenic overlooks, Capen Park is your place. The 31.9-acre park features the Hinkson Creek Hiking Trail, a creek, and rocky bluffs perfect for hikers and rock climbers alike. Th is park connects to Grindstone Nature Area and the Hinkson Creek Trail via bridges.

The Hinkson Creek Hiking Trail is a result of a collaboration between the City of Columbia and MU. The trail and two-wide pedways connect Conley Road with the MKT trail. The city manages 5.25 miles beginning at Conley until it connects with the 2.25-mile long MU Rec Trail, which the University manages, before meshing with the MKT trail.

The park property was acquired in 1978 after a 10.75-acre donation by James and Lucy Capen. Over the years, the City purchased the remaining 20.84 acres for a total of $120,890.

The City of Columbia also has a mulch site at Capen where citizens can drop off yard waste and pick up free mulch.

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JUNE 2022

L O C AT I O N

1600 Capen Park Dr. Columbia, MO 65201 PA R K H O U R S

6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

Hitt ing the Trails Columbia Offers Easy Access to Hiking and Nature

BY L AU R EN S A B L E FR EI M A N

C

OMO is a great spot for many things, from healthcare and education to arts and entertainment.

As COVID-19 drove more and more people outdoors, the city’s abundant natural resources and proximity to hiking trails has become yet another reason to celebrate our town and its natural beauty.

“People don’t think about how great we have it in COMO with all our nature access that is hidden within the city,” says Jake Dalton, assistant store manager at Alpine Shop on East Broadway. “There is so much for people to take advantage of.”

In addition to selling equipment for outdoor sports and activities such as hiking, Alpine Shop “sells” the outdoor opportunity that COMO offers.

The store features an entire shelf of free maps and brochures for visitors who want to learn about the city’s parks, running trails, hiking trails, and other outdoor areas.

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“When the pandemic fi rst hit, there were a lot of people coming into our store looking to get into hiking, running, kayaking, anything outdoors,” Jake says. “As the weather has been warming up, a lot of people start to come in for running and hiking shoes so they can get outside.”

As the air becomes warmer and the sun shines brighter, these expert tips for hitting the trails will help provide you an enjoyable and safe outdoor adventure.

Plan Ahead

Before heading off into the woods, take the time to plan your route.

Some trails loop around, making it fairly straightforward to get back to your starting location. Others go on for miles and connect with other trails along the way. You’ll want to know where you’re headed and how far you’re going so you have an understanding of the amount of water and snacks you’ll need along the way. The Missouri State Parks website has plenty of information about the assortment of trails in COMO and across the state, including maps and detailed information about each trail’s distance, surface type, estimated hiking time, available shortcuts, trail type, elevation, GPS location, and conditions.

“Know the trail well, know the area, and know the route you’re going to take,” Jake says.

And despite the wonders of modern technology, when you’re planning a hike, it’s good practice to rely on some of the time-tested basics.

“Always bring a paper trail map, just in case,” Jake says. “But most of the trails in Columbia have pretty good cell reception. Because we do have so many outdoor areas close to the central part of town, you will most likely have cell reception if you get in a pinch and need to call someone.”

It’s always a good idea to let someone know where you’re going beforehand and how long you plan to be gone. That way, if you get lost, or in the event of an emergency, someone knows you’re missing and has an idea of where you were planning to be.

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JUNE 2022

Finger Lakes State Park B

uilt in a former coal mining area, Finger Lakes State Park has become quite the outdoor destination. On top of spacious campgrounds, rolling terrains, and Missouri’s natural beauty, the park offers various activities for the whole family to enjoy.

The campgrounds offer basic 30-amp and 50-amp electric campsites. Reservations can be made online at mostateparks.com/campgrounds/fi nger-lakes-state-park or by calling toll-free 877-ICampMO. The park features multiple trails: The challenging 2.75-mile Kelley Branch Mountain Bike Trail, the 4.5-mile Finger Lakes State Park Water Trail, and an ORV (Off-Road Vehicle) Trail system for visitors to explore. The ATV park is one of only two in Missouri’s state parks system. Kayak, paddleboard, and canoe rentals are available for those interested in exploring the water trail.

Other activities include swimming at the park’s sand beach or in the lake, fishing in the fi nger-shaped lakes that give the park its name, picnicing in the shaded picnic area (complete with tables and grills) or enclosed shelter, boating, and having fun at the park’s playground.

L O C AT I O N

1505 Peabody Rd. Columbia, MO, 65202 PA R K H O U R S

April - October (on-season) 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., daily November - March (off-season) 6 a.m. to 9 p.m., daily *Office, riding, Motocross/ORV Area, etc. hours vary COMOMAG.COM

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“People don’t think about how great we have it in COMO with our nature access that is hidden within the city. There is so much for people to take advantage of.”

- JA KE DALTON

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JUNE 2022

rock bridge state park E

stablished in 1967, Rock Bridge Memorial State Park has been a local hotspot for decades. The park encompasses 2,273 acres and has 12 caves that provide insight into Missouri’s underworld.

The park also features some of the most popular hiking trails in the state, some of which visitors can use to ride bikes or horses. Trails include Deer Run Trail, Gans Creek Wild Area Trail, High Ridge Trail, Sinkhole Trail, Grassland Trail, Karst Trail, Spring Brook Trail, and Devil’s Icebox Trail. The latter is only half a mile, but hosts some of the most impressive geological features in the park. Th is includes the 63-foot high and 124-foot long natural tunnel known as The Rock Bridge and the double sinkhole entrance known as Devil’s Icebox. Once visitors enter Devil’s Icebox, they can explore the 166-foot long Connor’s Cave and even get a guided tour.

Rock Bridge offers a variety of interpretive programs to help educate and connect people with their natural environment. The park also features an orienteering course, a recreational activity in which participants use a map and compass to navigate along an unfamiliar path that has permanently installed markers/ control stations as checkpoints. There are also two picnic shelters (Bill Gilbert Memorial Shelter and Rockbridge Mills Shelter), a special-use camping area for nonprofit, educational, or scout groups with children, and a playground rated for 5-to-12 year olds.

L O C AT I O N

5901 South Highway 163 Columbia, MO, 65203 PA R K H O U R S

Sunrise to Sunset, year-round

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Get the Gear

A water bottle is a must-have for any hike, especially longer ones on warmer days. If you plan to be out for a longer hike, don’t forget to toss some trail snacks into a backpack or waist pack.

Footwear is another essential for hiking. Walking shoes, trail running shoes, or hiking boots will all get the job done.

“The biggest difference between a hiking boot and a trail running shoe is how rigid it is,” Jake says. “Most hiking boots are a thicker material and will give you a lot of ankle support, and it is a little bulkier than a running shoe. A running shoe is designed to be light, not as waterproof as a hiking boot, but lighter and more breathable.”

Whether you wear a mid-ankle or low-ankle hiking boot, your choice will offer a more intense grip on the bottom for navigating challenging terrain. Running and walking shoes vary between brands, so the weight of the shoe and the thickness of the material will differ.

Whatever you choose, “give yourself a nice cushion to treat your body right on a hike, walk, or run,” Jake says.

Select the Perfect Spot

From gravel trails to paved trails, boardwalk trails to caves, and rock formations to sinkholes, COMO has plenty of hiking options. Rock Bridge Memorial State Park is one of Jake’s go-to spots. Just minutes from Columbia, Rock Bridge boasts a large cave system with rock bridges, sinkholes, a spring, and an underground stream located at the Devil’s Icebox.

“There are a ton of interconnected trails and boardwalk trails, and it is a cool place to see creeks and rock formations,” Jake says.

Those evaluating the options will fi nd that there is something for everyone at each trail.

The MKT Trail goes right through town and connects to the Katy Trail that spans the entire state. The MKT Trail is a multi-use, 10-foot wide trail built on the old railbed of the MKT 54

JUNE 2022

L O C AT I O N

850 E Pinnacles Rd. Sturgeon, MO 65284 PA R K H O U R S

Sunrise to Sunset

Pinnacles Youth Park L

ocated about 12 miles north of COMO, Pinnacles Youth Park may be the farthest from the city, but the views from the craggy peaks at the park are well worth the trip. The 70-acre park is a geological wonder, formed by two rivers carving out limestone on both sides.

The rock formation stands at 75-feet high and stretches 1,000-feet long. The park is open daily for public use and also available for youth groups to camp overnight.

The latter keeps the park true to its initial purpose, as it was deeded to the youth of Boone County in 1965. Since then, the private park has been maintained by the Boone County Pinnacles Youth Foundation with the help of donations and volunteer labor and without government funding.

There are several trails within the park, but the most popular runs along the namesake rock formation, The Pinnacles. Another favorite trail leads to the Shelving Rock, a 40-foot deep, 125-foot long, and maximum 10 foot high natural shelter that was formed from the Burlington Limestone being undercut by erosion.

COMOMAG.COM

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Twin Lakes Recreation Area T

win Lakes Recreation Area spreads across 73.3 acres in south Columbia. The area holds special appeal to dog owners, as there are three dog parks within Twin Lakes: Lakeside, Paws Pond, and the Off-Season Dog Park. Dogs are allowed to be off-leash here, but they must be under the control of the owner. Leashes are required on established trails, however.

Lakeside provides a spacious 3.9-acre area for dogs of all sizes to play in. Th is area is fenced in on three sides with the 16-acre fi shing lake serving as the west boundary (hence the name). Dogs are welcome to join the fi sh and dive right in!

Paws Pond Dog Park is a safe haven for small dogs. No big dogs allowed! Visitors should be no taller than 18 inches at the shoulder.

Th is area is fenced in and also features a small pond for the tinier canines to dip their paws in.

Both of the previously mentioned dog parks are closed from December to February. Appropriately named, the Off-Season Dog Park is open to all dogs during the colder months. Th is space was created at the Columbia Fire Department’s request after a hazardous winter season when it received nine calls to help rescue dogs that fell through the ice.

Anglers can utilize the fi shing lake and dock in Lakeside dog park, but be aware that there is no boat dock and no motorized boating allowed. Additional amenities also include a playground, picnic tables, a reservation shelter, restrooms (open April 15-Oct. 15), a bath house, the County House Trail, and access to MKT Trail.

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JUNE 2022

L O C AT I O N

2500 Chapel Hill Rd. Columbia, MO, 65203 PA R K H O U R S

6 a.m. to 11 p.m.

FISHING HOURS

4:30 a.m. to 11 p.m.

railroad. It begins in downtown’s Flat Branch Park and ends nearly nine miles later at the Katy Trail State Park.

Once the MKT meets the Katy, hikers have the option to continue on to the latter, which extends 240 miles from St. Charles to Sedalia.

Forum Nature Area is a trailhead for the MKT Trail, located off of Forum Blvd. The nature area has a parking lot, restrooms that are open year-round, a water fountain, and stretching stations. It also contains a 1.8-mile limestone trail that loops through the park.

Flat Branch Park begins downtown, running along Flat Branch Creek and extending across two city blocks. In addition to access to the MKT Trail, the park also offers a gazebo, picnic areas, spraygrounds, a playground, and more features that make it a convenient and family-friendly option.

3M Flat Branch-Hinkson Creek Wetlands is a great option for hikers who appreciate wildlife. A 1.25-mile nature trail loop takes hikers along the wetland trail, which is lined with educational signs about the environment.

3M Wetlands is also listed as a world hot spot for bird sightings, according to e-bird.org.

For a longer hike within the city, the Bear Creek Trail is a 4.8-mile limestone trail that links Cosmo and Albert-Oakland parks. Located in northern Columbia, the trail runs east/west across the northern part of the city, following the natural drainage system of the Bear Creek.

As summer approaches, Jake says Alpine Shop is hoping to organize events where novice hikers can learn about the activity’s basics. Plans for group hikes are also in the works.

While the pandemic undoubtedly encouraged more people to hit the trails for a hike, walk, or ride, Jake says he hopes the good weather and proximity to trails will motivate more people to lace up their hiking boots and head outside.

“I encourage people to get outside more,” Jake says. “And see what the city has to offer.”

COMOMAG.COM

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JUNE 2022

Living

GOURMET

WHAT'S THE

SCOOP? Get the dish on COMO's quirky ice cream flavor mastermind.

BY AMANDA LONG PHOTOS BY KEITH BORGMEYER

COMOMAG.COM

59

Living

GOURMET

i

t was during the cicada swarm in 2011 when business really started to boom for Sparky’s, downtown Columbia’s beloved ice cream shop. “When we made the cicada ice cream – that’s when it became bonkers,” says manager of 14 years, Tony Layson.

The phenomenon even made national news, with an article in TIME magazine stating, “The fi rst batch of the cicada-flavored ice cream at the Columbia, Mo., joint Sparky’s Homemade Ice Cream sold out before it even hit the display case. After removing most of the wings (some wings were left on as a garnish for the top layer of the ice cream) and legs, the bugs were fully cooked in boiling water and covered in brown sugar and milk chocolate.

“Staff say the cicada remains purely a texture since the flavor resembles a peanut. Plus, with so much sugar coating the insects, you’d never know anyway. The insects were then mixed in with a base ice 60

JUNE 2022

cream flavor of brown sugar and butter.

And people loved it, even if just for the oddity of it all.”

Originally opened in 2003 by local transplant, Scott Southwick, Sparky’s original intent was to fi ll a gap Southwick saw in Columbia’s downtown food offerings. “I don’t think Scott was necessarily super into ice cream,” says Tony, “He just did some research and saw the need.”

The brightly painted ice cream parlor can be termed eclectic, to say the least. The shop is named after Scott’s beloved dog, who is memorialized by the now-iconic bulldog statue that sits on the sidewalk just outside the shop. Because it is so lifelike, Tony says dogs passing by are generally perplexed as to why it doesn’t sniff them back.

The front window of Sparky’s is lined with a colorful menagerie of crocheted stuffed animals and dolls – garage sale treasures gifted to Scott by a close friend.

Living

GOURMET

“When we made the cicada ice cream – that’s when it

became bonkers,”

– TO N Y L AY S O N

COMOMAG.COM

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Living

GOURMET

The interior walls are adorned with Scott’s personal collection of paintings, most bought on eBay or at thrift shops and which some would deem “bad art.” But Scott disagrees, saying he appreciates when ambition is greater than ability. “I like original paintings by absolute beginners who’ve thrown themselves into the project, often getting themselves in over their heads – making mistakes.”

“Sometimes, they capture something elemental about their subject, but more often they are capturing something elemental about the process of making art, the process of taking risks and making mistakes,” says Scott. “I dislike the term bad art.

I don’t call them bad, but I’m OK with the term ‘failed.’”

Tony says as new paintings randomly arrive, he and the staff find empty wall space on which to hang them. At least one person every day

asks if the paintings are for sale, and the answer is always a definitive “no.”

If the stoic bulldog statue, lively colors, and eye-catching art aren’t intriguing enough, the lineup of creatively delectable, housemade ice creams has customers returning again and again.

Sparky’s offers a mainstay of traditional, made-fresh-daily flavors including strawberry; chocolate; va-

nilla; cake batter; bubblegum, and cookies and crème, plus specialty flavors like lavender honey, carrot cake, butter pecan, and Oreo Speedwagon, a best-selling original that combines the famous sandwich cookie with coffee. Non-dairy/vegan options are also available, such as mint chocolate Oreo and blue orange agave sorbet.

Made with natural ingredients, the Sparky’s team uses real food to color and flavor their ice creams.

“People always ask why our mint chocolate chip ice cream is not green. It is because we don’t use food dyes,” says Tony.

But what keeps the crowds lining up at the door and the community talking are the quirky, limited-edition creations. For instance, Sparky’s recently partnered with Bangkok Gardens to create a cream cheese rangoon ice cream and it also rolled out Jallab, a Ramadan-inspired flavor

Living

tinged with rose water and date syrup. “The limited flavors have a built-in FOMO (fear of missing out) – customers know if they don’t try it while it is here, they may miss their chance,” says Tony. Sparky’s does consider requests from customers to bring back limited-time flavors again.

“We are always thinking, ‘Would that make a good ice cream?’ In the beginning, it was trial and error; some flavor combos worked, and some did not,” says Tony as he describes the less popular biscuits and gravy ice cream.

“Creative genius, it works both ways. But now there is pressure to put out really good flavors because that is what people expect and anticipate.”

Sparky’s often teams up with local businesses to create new options like the Boone Olive Oil Blueberry Balsamic, Harold’s Doughnuts Red Velvet White Chocolate Doughnut, and Uprise Candied Bacon. There are also future plans to collaborate with Ozark Mountain Biscuit Company.

Although its liquor license expired during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sparky’s plans to bring back their boozy ice cream options once it’s renewed.

When that happens, a collaboration of Ghirardelli chocolate and Les Bourgeois red wine — the all-time most requested flavor — could soon come to fruition.

“We often get customers who come in after they’ve been at the bars since we are open until 11:00 p.m. One night a girl asked for a scoop of ‘cookie speedway,’” Tony laughs. “So, we added Bailey’s to the Oreo speedwagon and gave it to her – and she was happy.”

Whether you prefer your scoop(s) in a cup or a pint, prefer servings in a waffle, cake, or sugar cone, play it safe with strawberry, or live on the edge with a unique flavor creation like curry or red bean, Sparky’s Homemade Ice Cream offers customers something to enjoy!

GOURMET

Creative

“

genius, it works both ways.

But now there is pressure to create really good, one-ofa-kind flavors because that is what people expect and anticipate.”

- TO N Y L AY S O N , S PA R K Y ' S M A N A G ER COMOMAG.COM

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SHOWCASING TALENTED CONDUCTORS FROM ALL OVER THE NATION Symphony in Motion Wednesday, June 15 | Missouri Theater featuring guest Conductor Emeritus Kirk Trevor

Stars, Stripes, and Symphony Saturday, July 2 | Missouri Theater featuring conductor candidate Michelle Di Russo

Singing in the Key of Freedom Saturday, June 18 | Missouri Theater featuring guest conductor Dr. Brandon A. Boyd

Marie Osmond with The Missouri Symphony Wednesday, July 6 | Ozark Amphitheater featuring selections from her new album Unexpected

Laments, Romance, and Dreams Wednesday, June 22 | Missouri Theater featuring conductor candidate Wilbur Lin

Chamber Series: Made in America Thursday, July 7 | Whitmore Recital Hall

Show-Me America hosted by Mister MOSY Saturday, June 25 | Stephens Lake Amphitheater featuring conductor candidate Wilbur Lin The New World and Beyond Wednesday, June 29 | Missouri Theater featuring conductor candidate Michelle Di Russo Chamber Series: Mozart in Miniature Thursday, June 30 | Whitmore Recital Hall

Femmes de légende (Women of Legend) Saturday, July 9 | Missouri Theater featuring conductor candidate Chelsea Gallo An Uncommon Enigma Wednesday, July 13 | Missouri Theater featuring conductor candidate Darwin Aquino Back to Broadway!

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Rost Landscaping

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Living

e e S

FAVORITE FINDS

e h t n o you

Summer is here, and what better way to relax and unwind than on your favorite patio with your favorite people? We've compiled a guide to patio experiences around COMO so you can f ind your next outdoor spot.

BY KIM AMBRA

COMOMAG.COM

67

Living

FAVORITE FINDS

Relax and unwind, you're on patio time.

Your Key Covered Partially Covered Partially Heated Pet Friendly

1839 Taphouse 212 E Green Meadows Rd, Suite 2 1839taphouse.com

44 Stone Public House 44stonepub.com

Acola Coffee Company

4005 Frontgate Dr.

Full Bar Menu Full Food Menu Partial/Limted Menu Some Money Less Money

Bud's Classic BBQ 304 S 9th St. Budsclassicbbq.com

Cafe Berlin

acolacoffee.com

Live Entertainment

Full Cafe Menu

Blackandgoldtavern.com

300 N 10th St, Suite 100

Kid Friendly

Outdoor Activities

2102 Business Loop 70 East

3910 Peachtree Dr.

Addison's South

Wifi

Black & Gold Tavern

220 N 10th St. cafeberlincomo.com

Campus Bar & Grill

Addisonsgrill.com

Agave Mexican Restaurant 901 Safari Dr. Facebook: @AgaveMexican

Barred Owl Butcher & Table 47 E Broadway Barredowlbutcher.com

304 S 9th St. campusbarandgrill.com

Casa Maria's Mexican Cantina 1305 Grindstone Parkway Casamariamexican.com

Como Smoke and Fire

Billiards on Broadway 4600 Paris Rd, Suite 102 comosmokeandfire.com 514 E Broadway Billiardsonbroadway.com 68

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South location Patio coming mid summer.

Living

D. Rowe's Restaurant & Bar

Flat Branch Pub & Brewing

International Tap House 308 S 9th St.

FAVORITE FINDS

J.J., our web developer, picked Logboat's patio as his fave!

Logboat Brewing Company

internationaltaphouse.com Carry-in food allowed.

1005 Club Village Dr. Drowesrestaurant.com

Deuce Pub & Pit

115 S 5th St. Flatbranch.com

Sadie, photo director, loves to hang out outside at Flat Branch Pub!

Fuzzy's Taco Shop

Dive Bar

Jina Yoo's Asian Bistro 2200 Forum Blvd, Suite 108

205 E Nifong, Suite 200 Restaurants.fuzzystacoshop.com

Glenn's Cafe

907 Alley A. kampaialley.com

Klik's Deli & Bar

1116 Business Loop 70 East divebarcomo.com

29 S 8th St.

205 N 10th St.

glennscafe.com

Facebook: @Klik’s Deli & Bar

El Maguey

Grand Cru

La Siesta North

901 E Nifong Blvd Facebook: @elmagueycomo

El Oso Mexican Grill

Gunter Hans 522 E Broadway osoceloso13.wixsite.com/menu

Charles, our ive, account execut can o en be Oso! found at El

3890 Rangeline, Suite 115 Lasiestamex.com

Our executive assistant, Hannah's favorite patio is Gunter Hans!

Logboatbrewing.com Carry-in food allowed.

McGinty's Pub 1312 Old 63 South

Amanda, director of account services' Carry-in food allowed. fave is McGinty's!

Mcgintysbar.com

McNally's Irish Pub 7 N 6th St. mcnallys.biz/mcnallys

My House Nightclub & Sports Bar

119 S 7th St.

2600 S Providence Rd. Facebook: @Grand Cru

504 Fay St.

Jinayoos.com

Kampai

3700 Monterey Dr. Deucepub.com

Editor, Kim and creative director, Kate love to hang out here!

Kid-friendly before 8 p.m.

Las Margaritas Mexican Bar and Grill

myhousecomo.com Kid friendly before dark.

Nourish Café & Market 1201 E Broadway, Suite B nourishcafemarket.com Limited bar menu.

7 Hitt St.

10 E Southampton Dr

gunterhans.com Pet-friendly on the front patio.

220 S 8th St Lasmargaritascolumbia.com

Harpo's Bar & Grill

Le Bao Asian Eatery

29 S 10th St.

1009 Park Ave.

1204 Hinkson Avenue

Harposcomo.com

Lebaoeatery.com

ozarkbiscuits.com

Ozark Mountain Biscuit & Bar

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Living

FAVORITE FINDS

PaPPo's Pizzeria & Pub

Shakespeare's Pizza

The 5th Down Bar & Grill

225 S 9th St. 3304 W Broadway

10 W Nifong Blvd.

Pappospizzeria.com

3911 Peachtree Drive

Park Restaurant & Bar

Full bar menu after 4 p.m.

shakespeares.com

Shiloh Bar & Grill

4380 Nocona Parkway

1111 E Broadway 912 Rain Forest Pkwy, Suite D

thebroadway-

Facebook: @5thdown

columbia.com/the-roof

The FieldHouse & Willie’s

Director of operations Amy and account manager, Laura enjoy seeing the whole town from The Roof!

The Social Room

1109 E Broadway

Dineatpark.com 402 E Broadway

Pressed

The Roof

Shilohbar-grill.com Kid-friendly before dark.

Sophia's

Fieldhousecomo.com

The Grind Coffee House

220 N 8th St. Thesocialroomcomo.com

Top Ten Wines

803 E Walnut St. pressedcomo.com 4603 John Garry Dr, Suite 1

Kid-Friendly before 9 p.m.

Room 38 Restaurant and Lounge

2601 Rangeline St, Suite 101

Sophiascomo.com

1412 Forum Blvd, Suite 135 thecolumbiagrind.com

Southside Pizza & Pub

ica, You might see Erre! he , er sh bli our pu

Stadium Grill

Tropical Liqueurs

3805 S Providence Rd. 515 E Broadway

Southsidepizzacomo.com

Room-38.com

Toptenwines.biz

The Heidelberg

3908 Peachtree Dr.

38 N 8th St.

Rose Music Hall

3915 S Providence Rd.

111 S 9th St, Suite 160

2trops.com 410 S 9th St. theheidelberg.com

The Industry - Tiger Hotel

Carry-in food allowed.

Uprise Bakery

Senior designer, Jordan loves to outside at Upris sit e!

10 Hitt St.

1013 Park Ave.

1219 Fellows Pl.

Rosemusichall.com

stadiumgrillcolumbia.com

Sake Japanese Bistro and Bar

Teller’s Gallery and Bar

16 N 10th St.

820 E Broadway

1201 E Broadway

1413 Grindstone Plaza Dr.

Sakejapanesebistro.com

Tellerscomo.com

Thequarrybar.com

Yourpie.com

23 S 8th St. thetigerhotel.com/experience/ the-industry

Uprisebakery.com

Your Pie Pizza

The Quarry

If you have an update or would like to be added to this list email Kim@comomag.com.

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Small businesses fuel our local economy, create jobs, and keep Columbia the vibrant place we all love. discoverthedistrict.com

573-499-1830 | comomag.com

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Living

FRIENDS & FAMILY

Featured Seasonal Picnic: Modern Spring

More Than Just a Blanket and a Basket CoMo Picnics brings luxury celebration experiences into the heart of Mid-Missouri.

BY TAYLOR AMBRA | PHOTOS BY KEITH BORGMEYER

I

f a woven basket and checkered blanket is what comes to mind when you think of a picnic — Andrea Lyn Seppo is here to challenge that. CoMo Picnics offers extravagant picnics for any occasion. “By hosting a luxury picnic, you can turn everyday experiences into a celebration,” says Andrea Lyn, CoMo Picnics director of events.

Andrea Lyn owns the business with her husband, Jonathan, the company’s director of business development. The couple had been researching and tracking the luxury picnic trend that was popping up on the east and west coasts. In August 2021, they decided to bring CoMo Picnics to life and became the first business to

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provide the luxury picnic experience in Mid-Missouri.

AN ARRAY OF SERVICES CoMo Picnics offers three design package options: seasonal, signature, and customizable. The seasonal designs change depending on the time of year the event is taking place, but the signature designs are always available.

Some of the signature designs, which according to Andrea Lyn “merge traditional and modern in each design,” include “Pretty in Pink,” “Wine n’ Dine,” and “Down to Earth.” The custom designs are unique to the client’s event, and the CoMo Picnics

team works collaboratively with the host to come up with the design.

With the help of their Lead Picnic Creator, Mercedez Waters, the team at CoMo Picnics is always ready to help bring dream celebrations to life. All picnics start at $150, then go up in price depending on the size of the party and the number of attendees. For groups larger than 12, pricing starts at $25 per guest with set-up fees.

Each picnic includes a blanket, a table, pillows, all dining ware, and the décor associated with the chosen package.

Most picnics are set using a low-profile table, but accommodations for a taller table can be made upon request. CoMo Picnics also offers upgrades to any picnic with an extra fee. Some available upgrades include a tent, letter board sign, flower bouquet, balloon garland, and more.

Should the weather not cooperate, the CoMo Picnics bubble tent options are a helpful option. The tents allow for a warm event in the winter or a bug-free event during the warmer season. Food and drinks, besides chilled water, are not included in the picnic packages, but hosts are welcome to pick up takeout from a

Living

FRIENDS & FAMILY

nics can be done directly through their website, comopicnics.com, where you can find all the information on the packages, upgrades, and locations offered. On the day of the event, CoMo Picnics makes sure its team takes care of everything.

All set up is done by the team about 30-90 minutes before the start of the picnic, and the space is available for up to 2 hours. If an event needs to last longer than 2 hours, simply reach out to the CoMo Picnics team to make it possible. When the event is over, the team will come back to tear down and clean up everything.

“Customer service is what sets us apart from other businesses,” says Andrea Lyn. The team loves to take care of their clients.

local restaurant, prepare their favorite recipe, or use the catering option CoMo Picnics provides as an upgrade.

The team is happy to set the scene for any food choice you like.

CoMo Picnics also offers a blanket package starting at $20, which includes a blanket, tarp, and a few pillows. This is a great option for local outdoor concerts or a unique get-together with friends. No matter the chosen package, CoMo Picnics will create a memorable and stressfree experience.

LOCATION OPTIONS Whether hosting an intimate date night, a fun birthday party, a romantic proposal, or finding an excuse to get together with friends, Andrea Lyn and her team are ready to help bring the vision to life. They can bring the picnic to the location of your choosing or pick from one of CoMo Picnics’ predetermined locations such as Cherry Hill Square, Stephens Lake Park, or Nifong Park.

CoMo Picnics services all of Mid-Missouri and will travel anywhere within a 2-hour drive of town with additional travel fees. If there is rain in the forecast on the day of the event, the picnic can be moved indoors or rescheduled to a different day — the CoMo Picnics team is flexible and available for quick accommodations when necessary.

PLANS FOR THE FUTURE CoMo Picnics has gone through tremendous growth in its first year of business, and there are already plans to continue that growth in the future.

Andrea Lyn and her team are looking to expand into the corporate world to provide a fun experience for events such as work meetings and team outings. They are also working to broaden their reach to various academic campuses in mid-Missouri.

CoMo Picnics has a heart to serve others and give back to the community. They have been fortunate enough to be able to donate picnics to various events and organizations and hope to continue to pay it forward in the future.

THE PICNIC PROCESS Booking a gathering with CoMo Pic-

COMO PICNIC'S NEWLY RELEASED SUMMER DESIGNS

Summer @ the Farm

Summer Squeeze

Coastal

Traditional Picnic COMOMAG.COM

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We are proud of Columbia and are deeply attached to the local businesses that make this city such a great place to be.

Please support local at every opportunity.

(Oh, and we think you should read local, too.)

THE

BAN K

From corner stores to professional firms, The Bank of Missouri is a partner you can count on. As a local, community bank, we work closely with you to understand your priorities. We bring the financial expertise, so you can focus on what you do best.

Get started at BANKOFMISSOURI.COM.

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CELEBRATIONS Keeping the District Beautiful

98

HATCHING A BUSINESS From kid-preneurs to thriving wholesalers, Dustin and Austin Stanton have taken over the freerange egg business.

92 SERVING UP FUN The Kitchen Grill & Games at Discovery Park will allow family and friends to enjoy food, drink, and recreation — all in one location

WATCH OUR VIDEO TO LEARN MORE:

YOU R P R E-CON ST R U CT I O N PART N E R

START WITH COIL coilconstruction.com

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E V A L U A T I O N

P R O J E C T

F U N D I N G

S P A C E

N E E D S

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CLOSER LOOK

JUNE 2022

south COMO. From its homemade sauces to the daily assortment of freshly smoked meats, COMO Smoke and Fire enjoys putting its own spin on barbecue — it’s not St. Louis Style or K.C. Style, it's COMO Style!

Their saying, “When You're Here, It's Never a Disgrace to Have Sauce on Your Face!” rings true, as does their mission of wanting everybody to feel like family close at heart. It truly is a family affair: Patrick cooks and creates, Matt smokes the meat, and Christy works the office. You’ll often find their kids in the restaurant seating guests or cleaning up. Who's hungry?!

3804 BUTTONWOOD DR. 573-443-3473 COMOSMOKEANDFIRE.COM

Achieve Balance Chiropractic Element Wellness + Cryotherapy

Owners Matt and Claire Taylor decided to open a cryotherapy facility after researching and learning that it was a treatment option for Claire, who was diagnosed with Multiple Sclerosis. The Taylors knew our community would greatly benefit from adding these treatments, thus, Element Wellness + Cryotherapy was born. The social wellness club facilitates a variety of remedies through a highly educated team of experienced nurses, an attending physician, and wellness experts, all with the goal of providing optimal healing and lifestyle support. Element offers whole body cryotherapy, infrared sauna treatments, hyperbaric oxygen therapies, Normatec compression, NAD+ therapy, vitamin IV drips, vitamin injections, Celluma red-light therapy, and massage therapy. The original location opened in 2019 and expanded at the end of last year. “The human body is a self-healing machine, naturally equipped with innate restorative capabilities. When we support our systems with the proper

tools, we are able to function at optimal performance and organically repair our physiological self. The most important thing we can do for our health and well-being is to put our body in the best possible state. By helping our community optimize their physical state, we are helping the community strengthen both their physical and mental health,” says Matt.

1020 E. GREEN MEADOWS RD SUITE 112 573-214-2616 ELEMENTCRYO.COM

COMO South

Family-owned and operated BBQ restaurant COMO Smoke and Fire, is excited to announce that a second location will open this summer. An extension of COMO Smoke and Fire, the new restaurant will be called COMO South, and it will take over the space formerly occupied by Buckingham Smokehouse. Owners Christy, Matt, and Patrick Hawkins are looking forward to bringing the best barbecue, burgers, and sandwiches in Mid-Missouri to

Achieve Balance Chiropractic fi rst opened its doors 14 years ago, and is now thrilled to open its brand new state-ofthe-art facility in The Colonies at the corner of Forum Boulevard and Colony Drive.

Dr. Arminta Phelps has her CCWP certification (Certified Chiropractic Wellness Practitioner) which allows her to educate people on how to eat, think, and move better. Dr. Arminta is joined at Achieve Balance by her mother, Gwen, her husband, Chris, and three on-staff doctors ready to provide specialized care to every patient that walks through the door. When asked what she hopes to provide for our community, Dr. Arminta says, “A solution to your health care needs naturally, by helping your body adapt easier to stress, easing aches and pains, while teaching you to live a more holistic lifestyle. We have created a space to encourage healing through all of your senses. Th is new space allows us to serve more people and impact more lives! Plus, the space itself is absolutely beautiful!”

2700 FORUM BLVD 573-442-5520 ACHIEVEBALANCECHIROPRACTIC.COM

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Briefly in the News J UNE 2022

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HEALTH

Dr. Kevin Halsey, MD of Boone Health and Gastrointestinal Associates, LLP

Boone Health First In Area To OfferC2 CryoBalloon™ Ablation Procedure

Boone Health is now offering the C2 CryoBalloon™ Ablation System to patients who suffer from chronic gastroesophageal reflux disease, the first hospital in Mid-Missouri to offer this procedure. The system applies extreme cold to a catheter connected to a balloon that contacts the wall of the target tissue. Once activated by a physician, the balloon probe is cooled and inflated with nitrous oxide, at which time the extreme cold eradicates the pre-

cancerous or abnormal lesions along the esophageal lining without harming the healthy tissue.

The procedure takes just 15-30 minutes and because the procedure uses freezing therapy instead of burning therapy, it’s less painful to patients and cuts their recovery time down.

“There have also been studies to show that there have been some positive immunologic response from the body when you freeze tissue because you don’t degrade the proteins as much as when you burn them,” says Dr. Kevin Halsey, MD of Boone Health and Gastrointestinal Associates, LLP.

Working

G IVI N G B AC K

Columbia College Sets New Giving Day Record The Columbia College community came together in a major way by raising a record $180,210 at the college’s fourth annual Giving Day. That amount represented a 52% increase over last year’s while the number of gifts eclipsed the college’s goal of 500 gifts during the initiative.

The event focused on encouraging alumni, faculty, staff, students, parents, and friends of the college to make a participatory gift in support of students continuing to pursue their educational goals.

“It is truly remarkable to see the level of energy and excitement Giving Day 2022 generated amongst members of our college community,” said Dr. David Russell, president of Columbia College. “These gifts are a reflection of the contributor’s belief in our mission of changing lives through education. The funds raised will benefit our students immediately through scholarship support, innovative new programming, and enhanced technology infrastructure across our network of locations nationwide and online. We can’t thank those who supported Giving Day enough for stepping up.”

B U SI N E S S

Weichert, Realtors® - First Tier Earns National Award Weichert, Realtors® - First Tier, was named the nation’s top Weichert® franchised office for 2021, earning the prestigious Pinnacle Award from Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. This marks the fourth time in five years the Missouri-based agency was recognized. The award is presented annually to the top producing Weichert affiliated office in the country based on gross commission income earned over the past calendar

year. Weichert, Realtors® - First Tier earned the distinction out of over 370 Weichert franchised offices in operation throughout the country.

“This is a great honor for our office and our amazing team of dedicated agents,” said Robert Smith, broker/ owner of Weichert, Realtors® - First Tier. “Our team puts in work around the clock to ensure our clients receive the best service in the industry. We are proud to see all their hard work get recognized.” In addition to the office’s Pinnacle Award, Weichert, Realtors® - First Tier also had 36 of its agents earn recognition from Weichert Real Estate Affiliates, Inc. for their outstanding sales performance in 2021.

G IVI NG BAC K

Kiwanis Club of Columbia Celebrates Centennial The Kiwanis Club of Columbia was chartered on April 5, 1922. The Club celebrated the centennial with a banquet in which they celebrated donating 100 gifts to local charities each month in 2022. The type of item and recipient rotates every month of the club’s business year from October to September.

To date, the Kiwanis Club have distributed items to these organizations:

•

October 2021: 100 winter wear items for Coyote Hill foster care neighborhood.

• • • • •

BRIEFLY IN THE NEWS

November 2021: 100 clothing items for Welcome Home, a community for veterans.

December 2021: 100 requested items for Afghan refugees delivered to Catholic Charities.

January 2022: 100 books to nursery schools and elementary schools.

February 2022: 100 items for local ‘Blessing Boxes.’

March 2022: 100 children’s sports or activity items for Day Dreams Foundation.

COMMUNITY

The State Historical Society of Missouri Announces Fellowship Opportunities The State Historical Society of Missouri is seeking proposals for two Center for Missouri Studies fellowships to begin January 1, 2023. Each fellowship carries a stipend of $5,000 for completing a 6,000-8,000-word scholarly essay on these two topics: rural-urban conflicts in Missouri or Missouri and the arts.

The deadline for submitting proposals is Sept. 6, and the competition is open to both academic and independent scholars. The fellowship awards will be announced in December. The chosen projects will be considered for publication in the Missouri Historical Review, the only quarterly journal devoted to scholarship on Missouri’s history. Fellowship recipients will also have an opportunity to make a public presentation of their work.

Launched in 2015, the Center for Missouri Studies Fellowships underwrite valuable scholarship about Missouri's past, including the interdisciplinary study of Missouri history and culture. "The fellowships are designed to promote scholarship in under explored areas of Missouri history and culture,” said State Historical Society of Missouri Executive Director Gary R. Kremer.

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Tickets on sale NOW! | theMOSY.org | Missouri Theater Box Office: (573) 875-0600

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Optimized team.

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CFO Services • Controller Services Optimized Accounting Solutions

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Working

MOVERS & SHAKERS

JUNE 2022

M ISSOURI RESTAUR ANT A SSOCIATION

The Missouri Restaurant Association held its annual President’s Inaugural Dinner in March, and the organization would like to recognize the following individuals for their accomplishments: Billy Giordano and Jeremy Bowles from Room 38 were selected as Restaurateurs of the Year. Mark Sulltrop of 44 Stone/44 Canteen was inducted into the Missouri Restaurant Association Hall of Fame.

Jim Anderson of the Missouri Wine & Grape Board was selected as Distinguished Service winner. Andy Stein of US Foods was honored as Allied Partner of the Year.

Former Günter Hans owner Lydia Melton was elected as the state president for the Missouri Restaurant Association.

M ORGAN WRIGH T

Günter Hans is delighted to announce that Morgan Wright will assume ownership of Günter Hans. Morgan, 25, will assume the position at the same age founder, Lydia Melton, was when she opened up Günter Hans nine years ago. Melton will now turn her attention toward consulting and pursuing other startup ventures.

Morgan is no stranger to the local Columbia community.

She graduated from the University of Missouri in 2018 as a third-generation legacy of the Hospitality Management program. Additionally, she is an experienced leader in the restaurant industry,

servicing several accounts in the Columbia and Kansas City area. Morgan and her husband, Regan, are eager to begin this new chapter and assume responsibilities of Günter Hans.

B I L LY B O B B ET T

Central Bank of Boone County (CBBC) promoted Billy Bobbett to relationship banking specialist at its downtown location. In this role, Billy will work with customers on all levels from business accounts to personal accounts and also closely collaborate with other departments.

Billy began his career with CBBC in 2013 in commercial services. Over the course of nine years, Billy has secured several promotions on his way to this position. In his spare time, Billy enjoys walking and raising money for the National Alzheimer’s Association, as well as volunteering at the Ronald McDonald House.

KATR I NA L AMB R EC H T

MU Health Care has named Katrina Lambrecht, JD, MBA, as its new chief operating officer. Katrina will be joining MU Health Care from Dignity Health’s St. Joseph’s Hospital and Medical Center in Phoenix where she served in the same role. Before her time at Dignity Health, Katrina spent 10 years at University of Texas Medical Branch in Galveston in a variety of leadership roles, including chief of staff and as a vice president positions in health system operations

and institutional strategic initiatives. She earned her MBA, Juris Doctorate, and Bachelor of Science in sociology from the University of Wisconsin.

Prior to her health care experience, Katrina was a practicing attorney who specialized in business and family immigration law.

CO LU M B I A PU B L I C S C H O O LS

Seven Columbia Public Schools educators have been selected as this year’s Columbia Fund for Academic Excellence honorees. Each year, educators are selected from nominations submitted by parents and peers for their outstanding teaching, leadership, and support for students. This year’s honorees and their respective categories are: Taylor Morales Christensen Outstanding Elementary Educator, Grades PreKindergarten-2 Jim Steelman - Outstanding Elementary Educator, Grades 3-5 Sean Dwyer - Outstanding Middle School Educator Laina Fullum - Outstanding Administrator Cortni Gonzalez - Outstanding High School Educator Amanda Brown - Outstanding Educator in a Specialized Area Jake Floyd - Outstanding Beginning Teacher Honorees receive a $1,500 cash award and an engraved silver tray. The fund began through the work of the late Ray and Jeanne Lewis thanks to an initial contribution and extensive fundraising efforts.

WR IG HT

B O BBE T T

L AMBR ECHT

MO R A L E S

STE E L M A N

DWYE R

FU L LU M

GON ZA L E Z

B R OWN

F LOYD

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Keeping the District Beautiful Block by Block Ambassadors tackle cleaning downtown COMO.

BY JENNIFER TRUESDALE | PHOTOS BY ANTHONY JINSON

I

f you’ve ever walked around downtown COMO’s 50 blocks and admired how clean they are, there’s someone to thank for that — several people, in fact. Bill York and his crew of Block by Block (BBB) ambassadors put in the hard work of keeping The District as clean as possible, all year round, no matter the weather.

“I like what I do. When I’m cleaning, I know I’m making a difference in my downtown,” Bill, Block by Block operations manager, said.

Block by Block is a Louisville, Kentucky-based organization whose cleaning and safety services can be found in the downtown areas of more than 100 municipalities, including COMO, which so far is the only Missouri city to implement BBB services.

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BBB offers a one-stop-shop for cities looking for a way to keep their downtown areas clean, attractive, and safe. They recruit for and fi ll the positions for street cleaners, called ambassadors, as well as provide training, uniforms, equipment, HR software, and more to make it as simple as possible for downtowns like COMO’s to “plug and play” BBB services into their community.

BBB came to The District in 2016 and is paid for by the Downtown CID. “The District sought out BBB due to the amount of trash and debris that was on the sidewalks of downtown,” says Nickie Davis, executive director for The District.

“Two of our top priorities are to keep our District clean and safe. BBB helps with both those things.”

Bill and his three ambassadors go out and do the largely thankless job few others wish to do. It’s not unusual for each ambassador to walk 8-12 miles a day as they clean up downtown.

“We remove litter and debris from sidewalks and curb lines, and remove graffiti from benches, bike racks and trash cans,” Bill says.

And the graffiti is a challenge: For BBB purposes, graffiti is not limited to your typical spray paint art; it’s basically anything that doesn’t belong where it is, and Bill says that in downtown COMO, stickers are a big culprit. Flyers for events and lost pets also count as graffiti, and Bill points out that there are designated bulletin boards downtown for these items. In the last 13 months, Bill and his crew have

Working

CELEBR ATIONS

The District, Downtown CID hired the first Block by Block ambassadors in October of 2015 and the impact they have made is incredible...

926 Directions Given

33 Escorts Provided

7,330 Instances of Graffiti Removed

119 Parking Meter Assistance Given

6,377 TerraCycle Ashtrays Emptied

181,080 Pounds of Trash Collected

1,528 Trash Cans Emptied

71,068 Weeds Removed

917,420 Cigarette Butts (Approx.)

removed 18,000 pounds of litter and 942 pieces of graffiti from downtown. In April of this year alone, The District’s BBB team cleaned up 1,300 pounds of trash and 171 graffiti incidents.

“There’s more trash when MU is in session and when the weather is nice.”

The District’s BBB services installed cigarette butt recycling receptacles strapped to light poles in February 2016. Since then, BBB has recycled more than 917,000 cigarette butts through its partnership with TerraCycle, a global business that specializes in recycling hard-to-recycle items.

Bill says in October of 2021, COMO’s BBB was a top-25 cigarette butt recycler for TerraCycle.

Despite these impressive numbers, cigarette butts are still among the top trash items the ambassadors pick up. Bill says he wishes people would use the recycling ash trays more, along with the regular trash cans.

Looking ahead, the BBB program may grow to include more street cleaning ambassadors as need dictates.

“We’re just going to keep doing what we’re doing,” Bill says. “There will probably always be a need; people still litter.”

If you see an ambassador cleaning downtown, be sure to say hello and thanks for their hard work.

THE DISTRICT - BLOCK BY BLOCK AMBASSADORS 11 S 10TH ST. (573) 442-6816

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Champions for the Planet Highlighting our local chapter of The Sierra Club.

BY HANNAH ROBE RTS O N

S

ince 1892, The Sierra Club and its members have been championing our planet. The national organization is one of the oldest and most influential grassroots conservation groups in the United States, containing millions of nationwide members and more than 20,000 in Missouri. The Missouri Chapter, which was founded in COMO, celebrates its 50th anniversary this year.

The Osage Group is an arm of the Mid-Missouri group and is 1 of 4 regional groups in Sierra Club’s Missouri

Chapter. The other regional collectives include the Eastern Missouri Group (St. Louis), the Thomas Heart Benton Group (Kansas City), and the White River Group (Springfield).

The Sierra Club is a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, which allows it to participate in legislative lobbying and political advocacy for strong environmental laws at the municipal, state, and federal levels of government through its various groups and chapters. Along with its participation in legislation and policy,

Osage Group of the Missouri Chapter of The Sierra Club* * At the time of this article being written, the Osage Group is in the process of changing its name to the Mid-Missouri Group.

Mission • To explore, enjoy, and protect the wild places of the Earth.

• To practice and promote the responsible use of the Earth’s ecosystems and resources.

• To educate and enlist humanity to protect and restore the quality of the natural and human environment, and to use all lawful means to carry out these objectives.

Executive Committee • Carolyn Amparan, Chair • Jan Dye, Vice Chair and Treasurer • Christine Doerr, Secretary • Dee Dokken, Conservation Chair • Brooke Fletcher, Assistant Publicity Chair Missouri Sierra Club Lobby Day 2022 Top photo: State Representative Chuck Basye with Christine Doerr, Jack Meinzenbach, and Brian Page. | Bottom photo: Brian Page, Walter Bargen, Christine Doerr, Rep. David Tyson Smith, and Jack Meizenbach.

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• Walter Bargen • Ken Midkiff

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Christian Sasse (top and bottom photos), and Dee Dokken (middle photo) hard at work during the Adopt-a-Trail workday at Bear Creek Trail. The Sierra Club has adopted a 1/4 mile segment to remove invasive species and do litter control as needed. As you can see, bush honeysuckle can get rather large!

The Sierra Club interviews and selects candidates who align with their mission for endorsement. Carolyn Amparan, the Osage Group’s Executive Committee Chair, fi nds that “the environment is more greatly protected in a democracy.”

Separately, The Sierra Club Foundation exists as an independent 501(c)(3) public charity. The foundation is the fiscal sponsor of the Sierra Club’s charitable environmental programs. The Sierra Club is the principal recipient of the foundation’s charitable grants, but not the only one, as the foundation supports various environmental programs and organizations. The Sierra Club is also funded by members and donations.

The support of the foundation is crucial to The Sierra Club initiative to get more people outdoors through organized outing programs. These opportunities include hiking, backpacking, canoe floats, and more. Carolyn says these events are crucial to fostering a love for nature that will inspire action. “If people are able to experience and enjoy the outdoors, they’re more likely to protect green spaces.”

She speaks from personal experience, as her own journey with the organization began about 40 years ago as a member who enjoyed the outings. Over time, Carolyn found herself naturally becoming more involved, especially once the Climate Action Campaign began. She fondly remembers the calling she felt that led her to “hop on a bus with total strangers to walk in the cold for climate action, despite never doing anything like that before” during the club’s 2013 “Forward on Climate” march outside the White House. Carolyn went on to join the executive committee in 2014 and took over as chair in 2015.

The executive committee has overall say in the direction for the local group and their fi nances. Carolyn wears many hats in her role as chair, including fundraiser, leader, activity coordinator, re-

NONPROFIT SPOTLIGHT

cruiter, and overall cheerleader. She says the role of “cheerleader” should not be dismissed, as environmental outlooks can be slow and volunteers must remain optimistic.

The Missouri Chapter applies for grant funding for various focus activities, such as the Beyond Coal campaign that aims to “unite people across America to replace our dirtiest energy sources with 100% clean, renewable energy.”

Th is campaign is part of the club’s biggest agenda item of providing solutions to the climate crisis.

Currently, The Osage Group is working with other local organizations as part of a local coalition advocating for the city council to commit to 100% renewable energy. “The nonprofit environment in COMO is great at collaboration.

We are able to leverage each other’s strengths and accomplish the most together where interests overlap.”

The Osage Group also pays special attention to local development. Carolyn compliments COMO on maintaining green space as the city has expanded, and wants to be clear that The Sierra Club is in support of conscientious development.

“We aren’t against the city growing; we’re for smart development which meets the needs of humans while protecting the native environment and wildlife,” says Carolyn.

Moving forward, Carolyn hopes to see the city allow for more clean transportation options. She also wants The Osage Group to expand so there is more focus on Boone County as whole, not just COMO. Specifically the group will be engaging in the regulations for solar farms that provide a “unique opportunity” for the county.

The group is 100% volunteer-based, and it is crucial to have voices there during city council meetings and the like showing support. Those interested in getting involved are encouraged to fi ll out a volunteer form on the website or reach out via email.

OSAGE GROUP OF THE MISSOURI CHAPTER OF THE SIERRA CLUB Send correspondence to: 4804 Shale Oaks Drive, Columbia, MO 65203 Website: sierraclub.org/missouri/osage Email: sc.osage.group@gmail.com

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PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW

Marshall Stewart Vice Chancellor, University of Missouri for Extension and Engagement Chief Engagement Off icer, UM System PHOTO BY A NT HO NY J I NS O N

JOB DESCRIPTION

Through the University of Missouri Office of Extension and Engagement, I lead statewide extension, continuing education, and university-wide engagement efforts. I also am the chief engagement officer for the UM System, leading statewide outreach and engagement strategies with leaders at the four system universities and key constituent groups.

PROFESSIONAL BACKGROUND

I have always worked in education, leadership, and serving with and helping others grow.

I started my career as a high school agriculture teacher in North Carolina, worked for the National Future Farmers of America organization (FFA), then spent 20-plus years at North Carolina State University before coming to Missouri. At NC State, I served in several roles, including associate director of the North Carolina Cooperative Extension Service and director of College Leadership and Strategy in the College of Agriculture and Life Science.

HOMETOWN

Born in Elizabethtown, North Carolina, and raised in Sampson, Pitt and Nash counties in rural eastern North Carolina.

YEARS LIVED IN COLUMBIA

Since August 2016.

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PERSON YOU SHOULD KNOW

WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR JOB

My role allows me to do my best to serve, lead, and grow the 6 million-plus people of Missouri through Mizzou’s land-grant mission. I am passionate about that mission. Because of the Land Grant Acts (1862, 1890, 1994), those beyond the affluent and well-connected had the opportunity to go to school. As a landgrant graduate, I’m a product of that idea. My paternal grandparents never had the opportunity to go to school. So that transformation of opportunity that occurred for my family — thanks to that mission — is something I think about every day.

WHY YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR FIELD

HOW YOU WANT TO IMPACT THE COLUMBIA COMMUNITY QUOTE YOU LIVE BY

“To those to whom much is given, much is required.” delivers $1.2 billion in economic impact to Missouri’s economy.

It's exciting to be working in a land-grant university, and the other institutions within the UM System have the opportunity to empower others. When you think about a vision of serving, leading, and growing others, there are very few places where you can do it at the scale that a land-grant university does.

A COLUMBIA PERSON YOU ADMIRE AND WHY

IF YOU WEREN’T DOING THIS FOR A LIVING, YOU WOULD

THE NEXT CHALLENGE FACING YOUR FIELD

When I was a little boy, my dream was to be the quarterback of the Dallas Cowboys.

When I got to be about 11 or 12 years old, I realized that’s not going to happen. So I thought that becoming a professional bass fisherman might not be a bad thing.

The truth is, if I wasn’t doing this job, I’d still be doing this type of work — serving, leading, and growing others. The title doesn’t define the work.

FAVORITE RECENT PROJECT

My favorite project has been my role as we reimagine the extension engagement in Missouri. [We work on] how to bring knowledge and education from the four UM System universities to empower people and improve lives.

WHAT PEOPLE SHOULD KNOW ABOUT YOUR PROFESSION

In my leadership role, I am a connection to what people across the state are thinking about the university and how it is serving them. Through our campus faculty and a statewide network of offices and specialists in 114 Missouri counties and the City of St. Louis, MU Extension 88

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Matt McCormick, president of the Columbia Chamber of Commerce, is doing incredible work to bring people together from across the community and to think about the big picture of what’s good for Columbia and the region.

The speed of change and our ability to keep up is creating a disruption in higher education. The pandemic further accelerated changes toward online and e-learning. We have to figure out ways to keep up with these changing demands of how and where people learn, and always be mindful of our land-grant mission to serve. The need and value of our work won’t change, but how we deliver knowledge, resources, and research may look very different in the years ahead.

We are working on further strengthening the relationship between the university and City of Columbia. We want to bring more Columbia natives into the campus community and visa versa. We want Columbia to feel this is their campus — whether it is walking through our botanical garden or coming to a program.

FAVORITE VOLUNTEER/ COMMUNITY ACTIVITY

I chaired the university’s United Way campaign for three years and continue on the committee. United Way is a great example of how we can accomplish great things together that we can’t do apart.

GREATEST STRENGTH

I have a tremendous belief and interest in people.

GREATEST WEAKNESS

I tend to see endless possibilities and therefore may take on too much; however, I don’t see that changing.

WHAT YOU DO FOR FUN

I enjoy fishing on the local ponds and lakes. My dad taught me, and it brings back such great memories and lessons.

FAMILY

I say there’s no such thing as “quality time.”

There’s just time, and all time is quality — it’s a gift. That’s true of the time I spend with my wife, Jan, our son, John, and our extended family. Faith is a big piece of our lives, too.

FAVORITE PLACE IN COLUMBIA

The trails.

YOUR NEXT PROFESSIONAL GOAL

ACCOMPLISHMENT YOU ARE MOST PROUD OF

I will always continue to look for places where I can contribute to making this world a better place where every person is recognized as having value and something to contribute.

My time at MU and the system helping to expand our extension and engagement impact across the state has been the most affirming, challenging, and exciting time in my life and career.

BIGGEST LESSON LEARNED IN BUSINESS

MOST PEOPLE DON’T KNOW THAT YOU

We’re all interims. There was somebody here before me. There will be somebody here after. Like the leadership author Spencer Johnson says, all we have is the gift of today. Our most important work is to be a good steward of today.

I play the guitar — mainly country and Southern gospel music. My mother was a pianist, my father was a minister, and my brother is an excellent singer. We grew up with music in church. And I mow my own grass; that’s called yard therapy.

1 6 T H A N N UA L

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Women Making a Difference Greater Missouri Leadership Foundation has been inspiring women leaders for 33 years (and counting).

B Y M O L LY R H O D E S P H O T O S P R O V I D E D B Y T H E G R E AT E R M I S S O U R I L E A D E R S H I P F O U N D AT I O N , I N C .

C

onsistently strong leadership requires building a solid base of qualified and credible prospects. For more than three decades, the Greater Missouri Leadership Foundation (GMLF) has been doing just that.

GMLF helps educate and inspire women leaders to make a difference. GMLF sponsors the Greater Missouri Leadership Challenge (GMLC), a 12-day traveling symposium of 40 ambitious and driven women. Participants are nominated by employers, themselves, their friends, and the organization’s alumna.

All applicants can apply online at the GMLF’s website and must provide letters 90

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of recommendation due to the waiting list. The board of directors review each application before making their selections.

“The 40 women that are selected for the class, we want to make sure they are committed to attending all the sessions and are someone who has the support because you are going to be away from home at sessions and we ask for them to be fully submersed,” GMLF Executive Director Katie Steele Danner said.

Katie was a part of the GMLC’s third class and has been involved with GMLF for 30 years.

The challenge consists of four sessions, each taking place over the course of three

days. At the end of the program, the women graduate and join the network and its base of 1,200 alumnae.

The foundation is composed of all volunteers. Twenty-one people sit on the board of directors, there’s a 10-person alumnae council, all of whom are challenge graduates.

Amy Schneider, an alumna from the GLC class of 2015, spoke about her experience with the program.

“I was so surprised of the different people you get to meet, not only throughout the state of Missouri but connections you make within the Boone County area,” Amy said.

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Amy is on the board of directors at GMLF. She appreciates all she learned and applies all those insights in her everyday life and work.

“The Kansas City session was impactful because we toured a food shelter and women’s shelter, and I have never really been to one before. To know the people you are passing in the halls, to understand you are there to take a tour and they are there to live made a difference. I am now on the board of directors for a food bank and attribute that to my experience,” Amy said.

The board incorporates an overarching theme that the foundation follows into each of the four sessions. The fi rst session tends to focus on education and branches of government. The second focuses on not-for-profit sectors and individual organizations stepping up. The third highlights Missouri’s rural aspects, and the last session discusses where Missouri fits on a global scale in St. Louis.

Each session teaches the women the same things about the State of Missouri and businesses within, but each attendee comes in with different knowledge about the state.

“I was a member of the Missouri House of Representatives when I went through and had some knowledge about suburban and urban living but didn't know anything about the rest of the state,” Katie said. “So I used GMLF to further me as a policy maker and broaden my horizons.”

An alumna from the class of 2004, Teresa Maledy fondly remembers her experience in the program and serving on its board for several years.

“One of the things I valued so much [was] as a banker, I primarily interacted with CEOs, CFOs, and company treasurers, and it was thrilling to get to know an engineer at Boeing, for example, and see their leadership style and approaches to things that I haven’t thought about before,” Teresa said.

Due to the pandemic, the alumnae reunion has been on hiatus to keep everyone safe. In July, however, the GMLF alumnae reunion will take place in-person in COMO. “It is to bring everyone from the different classes, experiences, and industries to connect and re-energize,” Katie said.

Th is reunion will also partner with the organization’s annual fundraising event to help raise scholarship money for those

who might not have the available resources to go through the program without a scholarship. A fundraising luncheon will occur on July 20, and four individuals will be recognized by the board of directors as Women of the Year.

“One thing about being a participant, I realized that each woman that goes through the program steps away with a little different experience and perception, that it’s a growing opportunity for a woman, and it’s meaningful to women in different ways and that makes it really special,” Teresa said.

With being a part of a big organization of women and going through the GMLC program, there are many things that a woman can take away from the experience.

“The spectrum of careers and passions that you meet from these women throughout the state is inspiring and one takeaway from being a part of it is that you are

BUSINESS UPDATE

part of a sisterhood, part of a organization of women who will hold you up as you figure out how you want to lead and where,” Amy said.

GMLF really wants to encourage women to step forward and see what they can make a change for and to take their passions and skills and lean into them as they go through the program.

“The networking is just incredible and has made me who I am. I have met women that without GMLF, I never would have had the chance to meet,” Katie said.

GREATER MISSOURI LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION, INC. 5231 NE ANTIOCH ROAD #342, K ANSAS CIT Y, MISSOURI (417) 527-2888 GREATERMO.ORG

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The Kitchen Grill & Games at Discovery Park will allow family and f riends to enjoy food, drink, and recreation – all in one location.

BY AMANDA LONG

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eal Equity Management, the developers of Columbia’s Discovery Park, initially announced its latest project in May 2021. The new site, The Kitchen Grill & Games, was conceived as a dining and entertainment complex.

“The original project was intended to capitalize on the rapidly spreading pickleball craze, offering both indoor and outdoor pickleball courts, an ice-skating rink, and a restaurant/bar — but a much smaller footprint. The almost immediate and overwhelmingly positive response we received from Columbians was so encouraging we decided to expand,” says Jack Cardetti, spokesman for The Kitchen Grill & Games.

The updated 10.64-acre venue will be located at the southwest corner of Discovery Parkway and Endeavor Avenue, the first entertainment complex in Mid-Missouri of its kind. The Kitchen Grill & Games will include six indoor pickleball courts, plus four outdoor courts, a large common area for yard games and events, a restaurant and three bars. The concept builds upon other successful eat, drink, and play business models, such as Top Golf, that allows family and friends to enjoy food, drink, and games all in one location.

Central States Construction, the same company that built neighboring Aria Apartments, Marriott TownePlace Suites, and Park Restaurant will start moving dirt in the next few weeks for a late spring to early summer 2023 completion.

“We’ve found that since the pandemic, just going to a bar and sitting has become less appealing. People like to get out, enjoy the outdoors and be active. Plus, with the explosion of the popularity of pickleball this is a concept that really made sense,” says Jack.

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THE PICKLEBALL COURTS Pickleball was born from the boredom and imaginations of Congressman Joel Pritchard, Barney McCallum, and Bill Bell. Today, the obscure paddle game played with a perforated ball — a quirky cross between tennis, table tennis, and badminton — is one of America’s fastest-growing sports. The pickleball net is 3 feet tall, with the lowest central point at 34 inches. The game is played with large paddles, similar to those used in table tennis.

There is a bit of controversy surrounding the name “Pickleball” as some say the game was named after inventor Joel Pritchard’s family dog, while other sources say it is actually coined by Joel’s wife, Joan, because it reminded her of the thrown-together leftover non-starters in the “pickle boat” of crew races.

Regardless, with 4.8 million people in the United States now playing — almost double the number from just five years

“We’ve found that since the pandemic, just going to a bar and sitting has become less appealing.

People like to get out — enjoy the outdoors and be active. Plus, with the explosion of the popularity of pickleball, this is a concept that really made sense.”

- JACK CARDETTI

ago, according to the Sports and Fitness Industry Association — the developers of The Kitchen Grill & Games are capitalizing on the game's spike in popularity.

“There is a huge demand for pickleball — the interest made us expand the project,” says Jack. “There are leisure teams, club teams, and an ever-growing circuit of pickleball competitions that we’d love to attract to Columbia.” The Show-Me Pickleball Club, based in COMO, has gained more than 250 new members as of November 2021.

Pickleball courts come in three sizes: recreational, competition, and stadium.

Recreational pickleball is played on a 30by-60 foot court. The Kitchen’s six indoor and four outdoor courts are all competitive play size: 34-by-64 feet, which includes a larger area around each court.

Jack says The Kitchen Grill & Games is inspired by a pickleball term. “The Kitchen is dual use. It is obviously a restaurant, but also a part of the pickleball court — the 7-foot “no volley zone” on either side of the net. So, the name has a double meaning.”

“Tennis requires a lot of skill and can be hard for beginners to compete with seasoned players. Pickleball is popular because it is easier to learn because of the smaller court and simpler rules, so it is a more attractive option to a wide variety of players.

“Almost anyone can play!” says Jack.

For those new to the sport, The Kitchen Grill & Games will employ a pickleball pro, who will be available for lessons, as well as a pickleball pro shop for shopping.

THE COMMON AREA Located between the restaurant and pickleball courts and surrounded by cabanas and outdoor seating, the 55-by-110 foot common area is a large yard ideal for hanging out or playing yard games like cornhole. The common area features a 30-foot screen with a performance stage below intended to host live events and performances.

“We’re offering all the fun activities people love to do when they tailgate, but in a bigger, better space,” says Jack.

On the opposite side of the pickleball courts are bocce ball and shuffleboard courts. During the winter months the common area will be converted to an ice skating rink.

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THE RESTAURANT AND BAR The restaurant will be slated to serve casual American dining, including shareable small plates and local beers on tap.

“The Kitchen will be more casual than Park Restaurant,” says Jack. “It will offer a good mix of flavors and food that complement the experience when you are there — finger foods, things that can be shared. The bar will be an extension of the restaurant but faster.”

A large gaming room in the restaurant will offer foosball and table tennis, and it can be converted into an indoor event space available for rent, accommodating approximately 350 with catering provided by The Kitchen.

THE AREA “Columbia has always been a great place to go to school and a great place to raise a family, but had trouble attracting the 20-to30-year-old age bracket. With ever-growing companies like Veterans United Home Loans, Columbia Safety, and Equipment Share in town, we wanted to provide those amenities that make COMO an attractive place to move and live,” says Jack.

Over the past few years, the Discovery Parkway area has experienced tremendous growth as 1,500 residents now live in Aria Apartments, including young professionals, healthcare workers, and empty nesters who want to live somewhere maintenance free. Discovery Park also contains Marriott TownePlace Suites, a pet-friendly, extended-stay hotel, Park Restaurant & Bar, dozens of local businesses in the office park, as well as Horton Animal Hospital, a full-service, 24-hour emergency facility for pets.

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The nearby Phillips Lake Park features a 40-acre lake for fishing with a boat ramp, 1.4 miles of gravel walking trails, picnic shelters, and a rain garden. The City of Columbia also has plans to add amenities to the area including tennis courts, athletics fields, a sports fieldhouse, and an event center.

The new home of the MU men's and women's cross-country teams, the Gans Creek Cross Country Course is located just south of Discovery Park. The 320-acre park is a state-of-the-art facility that attracts state, regional, and national meets to the Mid-Missouri area. The course hosted the 2020 MSHSSA Cross Country Championships and the 2021 SEC Championships.

GETTING THERE Construction of the extension of Discovery Parkway began in early spring, which will create a new major thoroughfare in southeast Columbia, connecting Gans Road to the intersection of New Haven and Rolling Hills roads. The extension will go north of the highway and past MU’s South Farm Research Center. Other Discovery Park amenities are expected to be announced in the coming months.

“The Discovery Park area has always been about work, life, and play,” says Jack. “As the area continues to grow and more residents move here and more companies open here, we wanted to provide more entertainment options. So that is what The Kitchen Grill & Games is all about.

“At The Kitchen, we look forward to being a destination for families and friends that want great food, drink, and service, but in a relaxed, fun environment that promotes an active lifestyle.”

Relax, Recover, Reset.

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ching a Business

From kid-preneurs to thriving wholesalers, Dustin and Austin Stanton have taken over the free-range egg business (and created a positive impact on their community)!

BY LAUREN SABLE FREIMAN PHOTOS BY DREW PIESTER PROVIDED BY STANTON BROTHERS EGGS

The Stanton Brothers, Austin and Dustin

A

s a 6-year-old fi rst grader, Dustin Stanton watched with excitement as six chicks incubated and hatched in his classroom. The local 4-H chapter that brought the chicks to school promised them to one lucky student in the class, and the idea of taking the chicks home intrigued Dustin.

“I was eager and excited, and I was the only one who wanted the baby chicks up until the very last day when a girl in my class decided that she wanted them, too,” Dustin recalls.” Our names went into a hat, she won, and I was devastated.”

Dustin shared the news with his uncle, who showed up at the 1,400-acre Stanton family farm in Centralia with six chicks for Dustin and his little brother, Austin.

Dustin says that their parents, Andrew and Judy, decided that the boys could sell the eggs from their chickens to earn their allowance, and they began selling to neighbors, family members, and friends.

What they didn’t know at the time was that they were launching a business that

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would grow exponentially and carry them into adulthood.

High School Brings Expansion

During Dustin’s freshman year of high school, the egg business expanded for the first time when he joined the local FFA program, bought 500 chickens and set his sights on selling eggs at the Columbia Farmers Market. He and Austin purchased a full year’s vendor membership for around $250, then showed up the first Saturday ready to make sales.

“We had one individual come to our stall and they bought six eggs,” Dustin says. “It was raining, and it was really terrible to be honest.”

On the next Saturday, which was also rainy, Dustin doubled his sales to one dozen eggs. The third Saturday was also “pretty bad.” Feeling defeated, Dustin says that he and Austin seriously considered quitting and cutting their losses.

“We decided we wanted to get our annual membership fee back before we quit, and on the fourth Saturday, we sold 40 doz-

en eggs,” Dustin says. “We were really excited. It was a big deal. That’s how we decided we would stick to this.”

Today, Dustin and Austin own Stanton Brothers Eggs, which produces 3,500 eggs each week. In addition to wholesaling to 60 outlets — including grocery stores, public schools, nursing homes, restaurants, bakers, golf courses, and MU — the brothers sell 300-500 dozen eggs at the Columbia Farmers Market each week.

Though he says he is no longer wholly dependent on the farmers market business anymore, Dustin, who currently serves as the market’s president, says it is one of the bright spots of every week.

“We continue to go to the Farmers Market because I love the people there,” Dustin says. “I love to go there to meet the customers we are selling to. It’s fulfilling to see the people and families we are feeding with the work we are doing.”

Farmers to the Core

The Stanton Farm, which houses Stanton Brothers Eggs, has been passed through

“I made some of my worst business decisions before I was 12, so I am blessed in that regard.

I was learning the ins and outs, and some of the bad decisions were in those early years when we were trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t.”

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five generations spanning 175 years. Dustin’s parents still farm there full-time, raising beef and cattle and farming hay and row crops. The chance to become so hands-on from such a young age meant that Dustin gained farming experience and business acumen through trial and error while most kids his age were doing typical kid things.

“I made some of my worst business decisions before I was 12, so I am blessed in that regard,” Dustin says. “I was learning the ins and outs, and some of the bad decisions were in those early years when we were trying to figure out what worked and what didn’t.”

By the time he was 16, Dustin was running the nation’s largest free range egg operation, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, a designation that he still holds today. The business remains independent, a fact that Dustin says is crucial to its success and ability to continue thriving in the industry.

Unlike other egg producers, Stanton Brothers Eggs is involved in every step of the process.

Dustin and Austin grow their own non-GMO grain called milo, also known as sorghum, which is ground into feed for the chickens and for other animals on the farm. Then, the brothers and their two full-time employees collect all the eggs, wash them, grade them, box them and refrigerate them. They also handle the sales and marketing side of the business.

“I have honed in on central Missouri, and all the outlets we sell to are within an hour of the farm,” Dustin says. “We’ve made a lot of connections at the Farmers Market, and the majority of our sales come from networking, which is so crucial to our success and to anyone’s success who endeavors to be entrepreneurial.”

A Focus on Education

It’s a bit ironic, but Dustin says he entered college, and left college, with the same job.

The first college graduates in their family, Dustin and Austin have both received accolades for their farming practices and entrepreneurial endeavors. Dustin, a 2014 graduate of MU’s Agricultural Business program, was named the 2015 University of Missouri Student Entrepreneur of the Year. Austin, a 2019 graduate of MU’s Agricultural Systems Management program, was named the 2018 American Star Farmer, while Dustin was named the 2014 American Star in agribusiness, two of the highest honors from FFA. “That was a really amazing experience for both of us,” Dustin says. “I believe we are the only brothers to win those awards, which is really cool.”

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SORGHUM

Stanton Brothers Eggs also won a national risk management award from the USDA Risk Management Agency.

Facebook Famous Much to their surprise, some of the publicity Dustin and Austin received caught the eye of Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg.

“We got a call in 2017 from Mark Zuckerberg and he wanted to come tour our operation,” Dustin says. “I thought it was a joke.”

But it wasn’t a joke. After three visits to the farm by Mark’s chief of staff, executives on his team, and his security team, Mark arrived in Centralia at the Stanton Farm. Dustin and Austin were under a strict gag order prior to the visit, and no one besides family was permitted to be present on the farm.

“He was going on a 50 state tour, trying to meet people who were entrepreneurs and millennials, and we fit the bill, so he wanted to connect,” Dustin says. “It was really amazing to show our lifestyle. He was trying to recreate Facebook so it reflected what happened in the Midwest, so it was a really great opportunity.”

A Bright Future Dustin says he can’t predict the future of Stanton Brothers Eggs, but he does know that growth, in whatever form it takes, is essential.

“If you’re not growing, you’re dying, so we will continue to grow, but there are more ways to grow than one,” Dustin says. “You can grow the number of eggs sold, but you can grow with vertical integration as well.”

While the majority of his attention is focused on the business, Dustin has also taken on a new role as Boone County’s treasurer. After a lengthy application and interview process, he was appointed by the Governor to serve in the role this past April.

As a local company, Stanton Brothers Eggs is committed to supporting the local community, though Dustin says they often prefer to give anonymously without the fanfare and glamour that might come with it. Today, Stanton Brothers Eggs supports local schools, civic groups, veterans groups and other community organizations with monetary donations and egg donations.

“We were taught to be involved in the community and it’s something we are both very passionate about,” Dustin says. “I’m a millennial, and I’m very passionate about making sure we are involved in making the community the best it can be.”

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R E T T E B MOVE Y L P M I S .

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ADV ERT I S E R I NDE X A Secret Place Events........................................................................... 65 Accounting Plus.....................................................................................107 Alzheimer’s Association Greater Missouri Chapter....................... 14 Anne Tuckley Home............................................................................... 36 Anthony Jinson Photography............................................................. 12 Atkins Inc................................................................................................... 41 Baumgartner’s Furniture & Carpet...................................................40 Body Recovery.........................................................................................97 Boone Health..............................................................................................3 Brockmeier Financial............................................................................. 86 Burrell Behavioral Health....................................................................... 11 Cancer Research Center....................................................................... 58 Cindy Scott Artistry................................................................................ 65 City of Columbia Water & Light......................................................... 66 Coil Construction.....................................................................................76 Compass Chiropractic............................................................................ 16 Delight Events.........................................................................................46 Designer Kitchens & Baths.................................................................. 42 Eagle Bluffs Wealth Management.......................................................8 First Chance for Children..................................................................... 42 Hawthorn Bank..................................................................................... 108 Joe Machens Dealerships..................................................................... 18 Joe Machens Ford Lincoln................................................................... 26 Jones & Ueligger Law............................................................................ 28 Joplin CVB.................................................................................................74 Lizzi and Rocco’s Natural Pet Market.............................................. 24 Lombardo Homes.................................................................................. 39 McClure Engineering.............................................................................. 34 Mediacom....................................................................................................6 Optimized CFO & Controller Services, LLC....................................80 Parks Amusements (Level Up)..............................................................5 Shelter Insurance - Krista Kippenberger ........................................ 58 Shelter Insurance - Mike Messer.........................................................76 Southern Provisions - Southern Gents Candle..............................10 State Farm - Phyllis Nichols.................................................................71 Superior Garden Center/Rost Landscaping........................38 & 66 The Bank of Missouri..............................................................................74 The Blue Note............................................................................................4 The Broadway Hotel.............................................................................. 28 The District.................................................................................................71 The Missouri Symphony............................................................ 64 & 80 The Trust Company.................................................................................. 7 Tiger Family Chiropractic & Wellness Center.................................20 Tiger Home Team - House of Brokers...............................................37 True False Film Fest.................................................................................17 True North....................................................................................................2 University of Missouri Health Care.......................................................9 Varsity Nails........................................................................................... 105 Wilson’s Fitness.................................................................................... 104 Woodhaven.............................................................................................. 89

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Working

THE L AST WORD

Ringing The Bell!

S

Some of you may not know but our one-and-only Amy-Louise recently completed six rounds of chemotherapy. Our staff banded together to bring her whatever she needed while receiving treatment at MU Health. On her last day we celebrated her strength. So, congratulations to our Director of Operations, Amy Ferrari, on her last day of chemo!

! u o y e v o l We

CO MIN G UP IN J ULY

The Politics Issue

What is happening in the Third Ward?

We take a closer look at local voter turnout.

Get to know your candidates for County Commissioner.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? Send ‘em to Kim@comomag.com.

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“Hawthorn Bank does whatever it takes.”

“Sometimes I might only have a few days to lock in a property for one of our special guests at Boone Supported Living. Brandon and Hawthorn Bank go way above and beyond in supporting our mission and I love them for it.”

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Brandon Kalista

Assistant Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer (573) 449-3204

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