Connection January 2023

FUTURE The

Outreach

YOU’RE WELCOME AT THE NEW MONETT LIBRARY!

OPEN NOW! MONDAY THROUGH SATURDAY 8:30am to 5:30pm (and until 6:30pm of Thursdays) It’s located at 2200 Park St. on the corner of Park St. and Old Airport Rd. Just northeast of PriceCutter.

THIS FLAGSHIP FACILITY will lead the way into the Future of the entire Library District. This Library is tailored to modern programs and better ways of serving our community. Drive-through services, inspiration kitchen, and an innovative Children’s Library space are only a few examples of the unique features of this incredible building. We are striving to bring the same excellence embodied in this new facility to every branch of the Barry-Lawrence Regional Library.

GETTING YOUR LIBRARY CARD IS EASY & FREE! If you live in Barry or Lawrence counties we are here for you with free use of books, movies, and programs for all ages. Cardholders also get free access multiple online streaming services. Learn more at blrLibrary.org or call the Monett Library at 417-235-7350

Who would have thought?

Well folks, I, Lisa Craft, have been working at The Monett Times for more than 32 years and I am currently at the point that I can retire. In October I began mulling this over in my head and checking on different information pertaining to retirement. This was a hard decision because I have been doing this so long that all I could ask myself was, “what will I do with my time.”

I have heard so many people I know say that they are busier since they retired than they were when they were working full-time. In my case I find that hard to believe that it would be possible to be busier.

There have been a lot of changes in 2022. The newspaper was purchased by CherryRoad Media in March, we moved to a new location and a lot of our software changed, which can be very challenging. The more changes that happened, the closer I got to my decision.

I believe that it was towards the end of October that I started hearing some rumors within the company grapevine that CherryRoad was going to sell some of the newspapers within the group that was purchased in 2022, including the Times and Democrat. I started asking questions and had it confirmed that they were indeed selling the Cassville Democrat, The Monett Times and one other.

Kyle Troutman, the longtime editor for the Democrat and Times, had decided to purchase the Cassville Democrat. He and his family live there. Kyle and his wife, Jordan, have both been working at the Democrat for quite some time and wanted to make it a locally owned paper.

As soon as I heard the news, I called the owner of CherryRoad and asked if they had a buyer for The Monett Times and the owner of CherryRoad, Jeremy Gulban CEO, said no and asked if I was interested.

All I could think was, wow, I had been in the mindset of retiring, and now this gets put in my path. Questions flooded my head over and over. Doubts filled the gaps in between the questions, and I was not sure what I should do.

If I did not buy it, who would? I mean, would they care and love it as much as I feel I have, and try to make sure that it would continue for our community?

Would they even know the community well enough to take the special interest needed to make it a community-minded paper? Should we take a risk of it becoming corporate-owned again or jump at the opportunity to see the paper once again locally owned?

My goodness this was just crazy and why didn’t this opportunity come my way when I was 40 and not ready to retire?

Well, I could not come up with many answers to my questions, except that the newspaper that I had worked at for more than 32 years and had been in existence since 1899 needed someone to take care of it. It needed someone to make sure it continued for the community.

We are not New York or Los Angeles and I believe that our small community newspapers touch people in a way that a big city newspaper does not, and it has been an honor to deliver that to the people of the community all of these years.

So the bottom line is, am I going to retire? Someday I will. But as of January 1, 2023 I am now the current publisher/owner of The Monett Times and Connection Magazine.

There will be some upcoming changes, so I ask for your patience, but the important thing to me is the newspaper and magazine are locally owned and operated for you. We will do our best to serve you with our minds and our hearts. The staff here has served the readership for many years and will continue to do so.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for your loyalty and look forward to serving you in the future. As far as retiring? Eventually, but right now I guess I will have to pretend that I am 40-years-old again.

Happy New Year!

Lisa Craft Owner & Publisher, Connection Magazine

Lisa Craft is owner and publisher of Connection Magazine and The Monett Times.

> edwardjones.com | Member SIPC

OWNER/PUBLISHER

Lisa Craft monettcommunity@gmail.com

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Meagan Ruffing

Melonie Roberts

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Pam Wormington

Christa Stout

Annie Lisenby Smith

Mike Gervais

Murray Bishoff

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Chuck Nickle

DISTRIBUTION

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Mailing address: P.O. Box 40, Monett, MO 65708

Connection is published monthly and distributed free in Cassville, Monett, Exeter, Washburn, Pierce City, Mt. Vernon, Aurora, Verona, Roaring River, Eagle Rock, Shell Knob, Purdy, Wheaton, Freistatt, Marionville, Seligman, Golden and other surrounding areas.

Connection is a publication of the The Monett Times

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8 | MONETT LIBRARY OPENS

A new chapter takes shape as the doors to the new branch opens

20 | BRAILLE OUTREACH

Braille Work Center in Freistatt reaches a 25-year milestone of aiding the cause

27 | TOURING THE HOLY LAND

The Zahn family of Monett share a life’s adventure through modern Israel

Jerusalem

31 | LOCAL ARCHER ON TARGET

Chris Berry earns his 28th national archery championship in 2022

33 | SERIAL STORY: Keeping Secrets

Part six by Annie Lisenby Smith

Grandma Zahn walking with Zella through the old

market. Learn more about the Zahn’s travels on page 27.

A new chapter opens for the Monett Library

For two decades, the Barry-Lawrence County Regional Library has been trying to replace its 50-year-old Monett branch. After a tax rate adjustment stripped away anticipated income and multiple trips to voters seeking a tax increase, the $6 million new library on Old Airport Road and Park Street in Monett opened in November. Strategic planning, including pre-ordering the steel for construction, enabled library leaders to save around $1 million and deliver more in the final product.

Located in what has been called Monett’s educational corridor, by the high school and the future home of the middle school, the dream come true has only begun unfolding like a big beautiful flower, full of surprises and new delights.

Story by Murray Bishoff

The Monett Library branch is open 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and with extended hours from 8:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays.

Planners scoured the internet, other library designs and input from a community survey to assemble new and innovative ideas, then incorporate them into this new site, the biggest branch in the system, the flagship of the system. The results of their efforts have resonated with patrons.

Many times since the opening, all the parking spaces, now numbering around 40 – five times the dedicated parking space at the old branch at Sixth and Bond streets – have been full.

“We circulated 1,000 titles in the first four days the facility was open,” said Greg Brown, marketing director.

The Monett branch over the years

competed closely with the Mt. Vernon and Cassville branches for which one circulated the most material. Excitement has been growing as the move drew near. Brown said even during the shutdown of the old branch to move the collection, the Monett branch still had the highest numbers in the system over the transition.

“We’ve added a significant number of titles,” Brown said, more than doubling the number of books and other materials. “There was no place to fit that many books on the shelves at the old branch. We continue adding. The way a library works, the books on the shelves don’t just stay there. If they’re not checked out,

the ‘weeding’ process removes them. A library collection is always changing and updating. It’s a never-ending process.”

The challenge in building a new library was to make an inviting, creative space that encourages exploration, discovery and sustained visits. In many ways, the new Monett library meets those goals. Brown noted that while the old library had become cramped and had black as a major color theme, from its shelves to its window frames, the new library has substantially open spaces, white shelves and a brighter ambiance.

“The Teen Zone is generally cool, with a cyber-lounge vibe,” Brown said. “The teen area has tripled in size.

After 50 years, a new branch fulfills many dreams for upgrading

The children’s section brings new learning and engagement opportunities

The furnishings are more fun and hip, with booths and two levels of bar style stools, fun chairs, floating glide chairs. It’s a fun place to hang out. With the middle school coming,” and with construction underway at the nearby high school campus, “this is the study group Nirvana, an ideal place for study groups to happen. Kids have a safe place to go connect with knowledge and each other.”

Already the foot traffic has increased at the branch, especially with parents picking up children at all hours.

The children’s section has as much square footage in it as the entire old branch had. It has a dedicated circulation desk in it, kid’s computers, a

story-time forest, reading nooks and what Brown described as “a cute reading house providing the ideal environment for kids to connect to books and fun.”

One recent addition that stands out in the children’s section is a series of shelves stacked with clear duffle-bag sized projects to explore check out. These are STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art and Math) kits, collections of games, puzzles and activities for all ages, for the whole family. The library has always had some of these kits. Brown explained that the

district recently applied for a $70,000 grant to acquire more, and much to their surprise, the entire grant was approved, bringing in pallets of kits that have been distributed throughout the district.

“You may try to buy kits like these for yourself and find they’re really expensive,” Brown said. “Some of it is just fun. It’s all educational. Kids are socializing and learning a lot, even if they learn Grandpa cheats on games. A good number of them can be checked out. Some have hundreds of parts and are a challenge for us to check them back in.”

Contents are only part of a library. Making an accommodating space, a home-away-from-home environment involves creative thinking plus anticipating the needs of patrons. Here the Monett library branch has especially excelled.

For example, circling the outside, you would discover the drive-through window, unique to this branch, ideal for processing advance reservations, picking up and dropping off books from the car, along with a drive-up drop box. Parking encircles the building.

On the northeast corner of the building is a unique outdoor covered patio space, complete with ample furnishings that enables patrons to read outside in the fresh air.

“There’s nothing like that in any other branch, or is it typical in any library across the country,” Brown said. “We took surveys of the community, and the outdoor area came up in that. In the past, when the weather was nice, we would go outside and do outdoor reading time. We did an ice cream social reading time in spring and early summer. Now we have a perfect place for that. We have a little playground out there too. Moms can meet there with their kids for a play date.”

At the entrance is a coffee bar and spacious hospitality area, a welcoming place for people to congregate and connect with other library patrons. Adjacent to that is the community room, the largest in the system, something the Monett branch has lacked since the introduction of a computer server took away that space. This community room has space for more than 100 people, with tables and comfortable chairs, enough for an arts and crafts program giving everyone their own table space. All the furniture can be stacked and rolled away in a nearby storage room, space the old branch never had.

Most unique about the community room is the Inspiration Kitchen, a complete kitchen that can not only assist gatherings but is designed for foodbased demonstrations, some of the most popular types of adult programs.

“Culinary food-based interest is a commonality among all our online audience,” Brown said. “We use online research to direct our programming staff. The University of Missouri Extension has a lot of food-based programming, such as canning, jerky making and working with elderberries. These have been some of the best attended programs in Monett and across the district. Investing in a space that enriches that type of program makes sense.”

Special spaces have been incorporated all around the building. There are four reservable private study rooms for up to two patrons to work in quiet and without disturbance, available on a first-come, first-served basis if not reserved. There’s also a reservable meeting room that can hold up to 10 people.

“One of the things people don’t realize is we have social workers and tutors come to use the library space,” Brown said. “Social workers are discussing private subjects. Before, they did that in the middle of the walkway, and tried

to handle sensitive matters very quietly but still in a public space. Now they can work in a private, safe space. We’re really happy to offer that.”

The new branch also has a bank of nine computer stations – an upgrade from six in the old branch – in separate carrells offering high-speed internet access, all connected to a professional-grade color laser printer. Those are in addition to computers used to search the catalogue. Brown noted each computer space has a dividing wall instead of being in the middle of the walkway as in the past. “You feel like you are in your own little office space,” he said.

Throughout the facility are new furnishings, secured by bid from Demco, “the gold standard” in library furniture. A number of other vendors didn’t even bid, due to supply chain issues. Metal tables have plug-ins and plug-in caddies for electronic devices, as do many other seating options. There’s also a large cozy adult reading area with a place for enjoying books, off to one side in a somewhat secluded area, safe and open, designed with shelves and a wall of expanded display cases as a divider, giving the feeling of a private lounge area. The display cases will enable the library to show off art and collectibles from patrons far beyond what was possible in the past.

Even the much larger bathrooms have special touches. They have full automation to save energy, are fully trimmed with anti-vandalism tiles designed for easy maintenance and long lasting wear. The entire branch has LED lights for more brightness and energy efficiency.

Staff received better accommodations as well.

The welcome desk is twice the size of the old one, enabling staff to serve multiple patrons quickly and efficiently. Designed with plenty of

under-the-counter space, the desk offers an organized place for everything, all set up ergonomically. Brown credited the staff at Paragon Architecture in Springfield with many good ideas to make a better work space. Staff also now have a large workroom, unlike anything they had previously, an office, and a break room with lockers and a kitchen.

“Most librarians stay the entire day,” Brown said. “Now each of the staff has their own desk area in the workroom. For them to have a space so they can enjoy lunch, or a break, or to have a workroom to prepare a program, like making a craft for a presentation, away from the patron space, is really nice.”

New jobs have also come from the expanded space and financial resources. Calling the librarians “the best feature in the new library,” Brown said the number of staff has almost doubled at the branch, including the addition of an assistant branch supervisor, a second children’s librarian, and two library assistants specializing in shelving books.

“In general, the whole facility could not be more welcoming,” Brown continued. “I’ve spent lots of time there and listened to feedback. I heard some teenage boys – a hard group to impress – who said ‘This is really nice.’ I had a mom in with two little girls. They were so excited. They made a ‘welcome home’ card for the librarians, whom they all knew. I gave them a tour. They smiled from ear to ear the whole time. The mom was on the verge of tears. For someone who really relies on the library, who cares a lot about the library, then to see what we were able to do, it gets to her. It gets to all of us.”

The old library branch is presently under renovation and will remain the system’s administrative office. n

by Lauraleigh Guthrie

Sarcopenia

Sarcopenia, a progressive and generalized skeletal muscle disorder, is a syndrome seen within the older population that increases the risk of falls, fractures, physical disability, and mortality due to low muscle strength, quality, and quantity.

Sarcopenia is a slow progression of decreased muscle mass and strength, that tends to occur in individuals starting as young as 30 years old. Once the degeneration of the muscle begins, sarcopenia can be treated with adequate nutrition, especially protein, and resistance-based physical activity.

Signs and symptoms that individuals experiencing sarcopenia note include muscle weakness, slow walking speed, muscle wasting, and increased falls. To help prevent age-related sarcopenia, current recommendations include both an increase in resistance training and protein supplementation.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) are a beneficial addition to both physical activity and protein supplementation, as they have various anti-inflammatory properties. Inflammation has a catabolic effect on muscle, meaning inflammation causes the muscle to break down.

Anti-inflammatory foods, including omega-3s, can help prevent muscle breakdown.

Because the Western diet is not full of fatty fish such as salmon and mackerel, which provide the highest content of EPA and DHA, an Omega-3 supplement is recommended for the general population.

Apart from an anti-inflammatory effect, PUFA also assists in increased nerve conduction, muscle activation, and increased energy production. Although there is not an exact dose recommendation, increasing one’s fatty fish intake, such as maceral and salmon, or asking a physician about an Omega-3 supplement is a great way to prevent age-related sarcopenia and maintain a healthy and active lifestyle.

Protein recommendations for a healthy adult should range anywhere from 0.8g/lb - 1g/lb.

This is a general recommendation and individuals with multiple comorbidities should seek guidance from a registered dietitian regarding protein needs to help stimulate muscle growth in the elderly population,

adequate-protein, and calories, as well as anti-inflammatory foods such as omega-3’s, should be utilized in combination with resistance training. n

HEALTHY PROTEIN SOURCES:

 Eggs

 Chicken

 Greek yogurt

 Milk

 Cottage cheese

 Beans

 Lean Beef

 Fish

 Nuts

 Nutritional shakes (Ensure, premier protein)

Down on the farm

WITH

YOUR FARMERS

Consumers

Winter – a time for warming around a fireplace, of flannel shirts and hot cocoa.

Down on the farm, fields are fallow, frozen and asleep for the winter. For dairy farmers and ranchers, life goes on, for their participation in preserving their livestock becomes far more than casual. Winter offers weightier, often difficult challenges that will not wait.

While we don’t know what struggles Mother Nature will deliver in the coming months, farmers and ranchers have seen it before. But every year creates its new odyssey. “We have a very lean supply of hay with the recent drought,” said Reagan Bluel, University of Missouri Extension dairy specialist based in Cassville. “It’s not unique to us. In Kansas, 100 percent of the state is designated drought. The good news is northern Missouri had a good growing season. Unlike 2012, there is forage to be had, but you’ve got to truck it here.”

Bluel said Governor Mike Parson with Chris Chinn, Missouri director of agriculture, worked with the Department of Transportation to lift some of the limitations to move hay here, including lifting weight limits. A portion of trucking costs can be paid with federal drought assistance money, so Bluel advised keeping receipts so that a percentage of that expense can be reimbursed.

16 | January 2023

by Murray Bishoff

energy dense but more economical and often available. Keeping free choice extra minerals, like calcium, out for the cattle as needed also becomes important for their health when stressed.

The cold may not bother cows as much as an onlooker might think. Bluel has experienced warm dairy barns as a cow typically radiates heat at 101 degrees.

“It’s like having a radiator in the house,” she said.

Putting up plastic curtains across a barn door can create a comfortable space occupied by lactating cows, whose comfort zone is 32 to 72 degrees. Wind and frosted teats when outdoors trouble cows more than just the cold.

rubber tire tanks, like from an excavator, where lots of volume holds the ground heat and will typically only superficially freeze.

McCorkill cautioned that, “Snow doesn’t equate to water. A lot of time there’s not a lot of moisture in snow. Make sure the cattle have water.”

“Old ranchers who have gone through enough winters know the tricks,” Bluel said. “Young producers who don’t have infrastructure in place and operate on a shoestring budget struggle the most. I just trenched in my first water line last year. It was the first time I didn’t have water problems. While there’s a textbook on what to do, sometimes cash flow during those early years make it hard.”

In the meantime, cows have to eat. Lactating dairy cows need more energy and protein to support milk production. Patrick Davis, field specialist in livestock with the Extension for Cedar County, advised getting hay tested, as 2022 was a tough growing year promoting poor quality forages, because of the wet spring and subsequent drought. With drought conditions spread fairly widely since July, some producers have been feeding their cows hay for two or three months already.

Where hay tests call for feed supplements, Davis said options may depend on what a producer has. He recommends corn, with some dry distiller’s grain mixed in, for higher protein. Where price becomes an issue, Davis recommended considering corn gluten feed, not as

“Beef cows are pretty tough birds,” said Andy McCorkill, Extension field specialist in livestock, based in Lebanon. “They can get by with a good dry coat in temperatures down in the teens. It’s good to move cattle around to where there are trees that can break the wind. A cold wet rain is the hardest thing on them. That will chill them to the bone.”

For comfort, producers often rolled out hay for cows to sleep on. Bluel said with little extra forage available, a bed of corn stalks would also suffice. Surprisingly, few ranchers will build windbreaks, though some may stack hay bales for protection. Few beef producers have barns either.

Water becomes even more critical in winter. All the specialists said water has to stay available, even if it requires breaking up the ice. Lactating cows especially need clear, fresh water. Bluel recommended considering a smaller tank to keep the water moving. Many use big

She noted essential strategies must involve carefully checking the farm’s back-up generators, critical for maintaining a dairy farm’s milking. McCorkill advised checking the mechanics of any automatic watering system, making sure the floats are set right and the overflow valve is working.

Managing herds also becomes critical in winter conditions. McCorkill advised separating cows that have either given birth in the fall from the ones due for spring delivery, as their nutritional needs will be opposite. Fall cows at early or peak lactation need more feed, while pregnant cows won’t need as much. He suggested separating the calves from the cows if the strain of producing milk causes serious weight loss.

If a producer has difficulty stretching resources during winter, it may become necessary to reduce the size of the herd. McCorkill recalled the late Eldon Cole, longtime

southwest Missouri livestock specialist, referred to “the four O’s” as standards for whether to keep a cow: old (which often means less production), open (not pregnant when she should be), ornery, or other (such as utter or feet problems, or too big, demanding more food).

Culling has become a strategy nationwide. Cow numbers have dropped substantially. Once a cow has been culled, it takes two years to get another calf on the ground, resulting in lower beef inventories in the grocery store for years ahead.

Davis recommended using a body condition score system to assess how cattle handle seasonal stress. He wants to see fall calving cows score above a 4, not showing ribs, and see spring calving cows at least a 6, with no ribs showing and a good smooth appearance, for delivering healthy calves. Outside of that range ought to prompt corrective action.

“I think this year producers will be taking a hard look at their feed supplies, getting numbers, identifying the ones that aren’t doing their job for you, and culling their herds if they have to,” Davis said. “It’s going to be a hard winter.”

When winter doesn’t end, dumping snow and ice on the area in late March and early April, options boil down to basics.

“You have to continue on,” Davis said. “That’s about all you can do. Weather like that is going to affect some of the March and April things you’re going to do. Obviously, you will need to feed a little more hay.”

“We keep on keeping on,” Bluel said, regardless of the weather. She added, “Please mix milk with your hot chocolate. Dairy farmers will thank you.”

Braille Work Center at Trinity Lutheran recognized

Braille outreach celebrates 25 years

Volunteers with the Braille Work Center in Freistatt work morning or afternoon sessions at the school to prepare specific books of the Bible to be compiled and distributed to those in need at no charge.

The group, with members from Freistatt, Monett, Mt. Vernon, Aurora, Springfield, Shell Knob and Purdy, participate in preparing books, which includes two volumes on pronunciation of Biblical names in English; the books of Ruth and Esther in Kiswahili and Spanish; the books of Daniel, Hosea and Jeremiah in Bahasa Indonesian braille; and the books of Matthew, Hebrews and Jude in English. The group also does “Portals of Prayer,” a two-volume quarterly devotional.

Rev. Ken Lampe directs volunteers and serves as liaison to the program’s headquarters, Lutheran Braille Workers, Inc., in Yucaipa, Calif.

“This is a non-denominational organization, and everyone is welcome to help,” Lampe said.

Orders for which books are needed and where they are to be shipped comes from headquarters. Volunteers then get to work punching paper, running it through the press where metal plates emboss the text onto the page. They then collate and bind the books and prepare them for shipping.

“These books are sent all over the world,” Lampe said. “The boxes are stamped ‘Free reading material for the blind,’ and the post office delivers them postage-free.”

Braille books may be read about 100 times before the embossed bumps, which make up the braille alphabet, become too worn and need replaced.

“In 1997, this group raised $3,000 to equip the braille print shop with a press, puncher and binder,” Lampe

Story by Melonie Roberts

Linda Gaines hole punches pages of heavy paper for imprinting braille text for the ministry outreach at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freistatt.

Kay Johnson displays one of the metal plates used by volunteers of the Braille Ministry at Trinity Lutheran Church in Freistatt. The group celebrated their 25th anniversary for the outreach in 2022.

Volunteers for the Braille Ministry at Freistatt’s Trinity Lutheran Church

In the first row,

Lois Gaddy, Nancy Duncan, Karen Schmedeke, Alma Barnes, Darlene Lampe, Linda Schelin, Jeanette McAlexander, June Brandt and Orville Meyer. Second row: Elva Bossaller, Don Schmedeke, Connie Austin, Bonnie Worm, Joanne Michel, Edith Chambers, Loretta Pennington, Darlene Nowak, Carolyn Schad, Evelyn Bracht, Linda Gaines, Kay Johnson and Doris Meyer. Third row: Herb Bossaller, Ken Lampe, Bruce McAlexander, Delphine Hesemann, Joe Pennington, Debbie Brafford, Alison West, Phyllis Melby and Pam Bowling.

said. “About $800 of that came from donations from the local church, while the remaining $2,200 came from the Freistatt Lions Club.

“Since that time, additional equipment has been acquired, with the responsibility of paper, packing boxes, shipping tape, labels, and spiral binders for the books being the responsibility of the local center and paid for by donations.”

More than 3,000 volunteers working at 117 centers across the nation strive to print large type Bibles, emboss braille, record tapes, fold, punch, bins and ship materials all over the world.

“We have about 32 workers, many from 13 area churches, who work the center at Trinity Lutheran School,” Lampe said. “Our quarterly devotional is printed in two volumes and shipped to about 350 people,” he said. “The other books of the Bible are embossed at other work centers.”

Phyllis Melby, left, and Darlene Nowak, operate the press that imprints the braille text onto the page. The templates are such that imprints may be made on both sides of the paper and then are bound into chapters.

are pictured.

from left, are:

Volunteers for the Braille Ministry at Freistatt’s Trinity Lutheran Church include: Lois Gaddy, Nancy Duncan, Karen Schmedeke, Alma Barnes, Darlene Lampe, Linda Schelin, Jeanette McAlexander, June Brandt, Orville Meyer, Elva Bossaller, Don Schmedeke, Connie Austin, Bonnie Worm, Joanna Michel, Edith Chambers, Loretta Pennington, Darlene Nowak, Carolyn Schad, Evelyn Bracht, Linda Gaines, Kay Johnson, Doris Meyer, Herb Bossaller, Ken Lampe, Bruce McAlexander, Delphine Hesemann, Joe Pennington, Debbie Brafford, Alison West, Phyllis Melby, Pam Bowling, Ken Saloga, Gwen Lampe, Maxine Schad, Anna Wecker, Alison West, Linda VanEaton, Wilma Hall, Edna Haynes, Thelma Barnes, Dale Chapman, Kenneth McIntyre, Joe Pennington, Betty Sawyer, Ruth Skaggs, and Edna Stricklin.

All together, the Braille Bible and the large print format is printed in 30 languages and sent to more than 164 countries.

A commercially produced Bible costs more than $700, but the cost of the Lutheran outreach Bible runs about $275. Each Braille Bible is comprised of 37 volumes covering five feet of shelf space.

“The materials are paid for completely through donations, and we, in turn, send them directly to anyone in need, anywhere in the world, free of charge,” Lampe said.

Those wishing to make donations may send them to: Trinity Lutheran Church, c/o Braille Bible Mission, 207 N. Main St., Freistatt, MO 65654.

Visitors or volunteers are welcome to stop by Trinity Lutheran School on Mondays. For more information, call 417-235-7300. n

by Meagan Ruffing

Inner peace in the New Year

For about four years now, I have been on a journey to find inner peace for myself. At times I thought I had found it, only to be reminded that happiness could go as fast it came. I have experienced some of life’s highest highs like having a baby, getting married, graduating from college, getting a paycheck, and being in love.

I have also experienced some of life’s lowest lows like getting divorced, losing friends, watching my children struggle with various life lessons, and a broken heart.

Through it all though, I have felt this deep desire to keep searching for an inner peace so that no matter what high or low I was experiencing, it would not shake my core. In this quest to find more of myself, I stumbled across a few things that helped me. These 7 things encouraged me along the way and still do. Sometimes they gave me the extra push I needed to keep going when I just wanted to hide. I hope whatever season of life you find yourself in when you read this article, that it is one with intention and peace.

1. A Mindfulness Calendar. I found this calendar at Barnes & Noble and it is something I have looked forward to reading every morning. In fact, I just bought a new one for this year. Some of the daily mantras were so inspiring I stuck them up on the refrigerator as reminders for myself.

2. Yoga. I have done yoga for years now but I wanted to take my practice up a notch so I started trying arial yoga. I am definitely not graceful in my attempts to hang from the ceiling in a hammock but I feel powerful and alive when I am trying something that challenges me. I don’t always feel like going but when I push myself to sign up for a class, I always feel so much better about myself and what my body can do.

3. Dates with Friends. This one is so important for my inner peace. I try to see at least one girlfriend a week to help ‘balance’ me out. It might be a quick coffee meetup or something more involved like dinner and drinks. I have different groups of friends who help me navigate my way through life which makes the daily grind so much more fun. I cannot stress enough how important it is to have a support system in your life. Having great friends also holds me accountable to myself and my well-being; something that my inner peace craves.

4. Naps On the Weekends.

I don’t always get to nap on the weekends but when I do, I feel like a new person afterwards. I used to feel guilty if I laid down for a few hours but I have been able to reframe those thoughts

Meagan Ruffing is a parenting journalist and Mental Health Therapist living in northwest Arkansas. She intends to continue her quest for inner peace in the New Year and may even expand her list of ideas to include getting back in the gym.

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and tell myself that if I was able to close my eyes and fall asleep, then my body must have really needed the rest. Having more positive thoughts like this has helped work towards finding inner peace.

5. Slow Down. I love making to do lists and I find that they really help me slow down. That might sound contradictory to you but seeing things written out on a piece of paper helps me organize my priorities. When I don’t do this, I find myself running around, stressed out, and short with my kids. It’s better for everyone when mom makes her to do list and sticks to it.

6. Clean My Environment. Whether I am at home or in my office at work, I like to have a clean space. Sometimes when life gets crazy, I grab the Clorox wipes and start cleaning. I don’t know what it is about the act of cleaning that brings me peace…I just know it does. I get to think while I clean and I see a finished product when I’m done. Being in a clean space inspires me to do good work.

7. Nest. I am the happiest and calmest when I am at home, sitting on the couch with my dogs, a candle is lit, and my kids are lounging. This is when I feel like the world is at its best and I want to freeze time, bottle it up, and keep it protected. Do you have a place or a time in life that makes you feel that way? If you do, I encourage you to protect that to the best of your ability. Try to include it in your every day life to keep you grounded and soak in every minute.

January is a great time to start new things but it is also a great time to find peace. If you find yourself feeling stressed out and the new year has just begun, take a deep breath and tell yourself that this will be your year for inner peace. You deserve it. n

Congrats ELLA

Ella Kate Keeter, 9-month-old daughter of Ryan and Ally Keeter of Prairie Grove; granddaughter of Doug and Ann Nickle of Cassville; Jeff and Pam Keeter of Grady, Ark.

Family trip to the Holy land

In ancient Irish Celtic Christian history there is mention of “thin places.” These are locations where the distance between heaven and earth collapses and people are able to catch a glimpse of the divine. There are many places on earth that people define as thin places. Some are in nature where the surrounding beauty sings of the divine. Others are holy places. This past October, the Zahn family of Monett visited a thin place, the Holy land in Israel.

This was not the first trip for parents Andrew and Carrie Zahn. “When I was 18 and dating Andrew, his parents were living and volunteering at Bethlehem Bible College. I was invited to travel with Andrew and his sisters to visit them over Christmas,” said Carrie. “With my parent’s encouragement I experienced Christmas in a vastly different and profound way.”

Returning to the Holy land was a

Story by Annie Lisenby Smith

goal for the Zahn family. “Carrie and I had made the trip back in 1994, and we wanted our kids to experience the Holy land,” Andrew said. “My parents have led over 12 trips to Israel, and we wanted our kids to experience it with their grandparents.”

With their children Zella (age 11) and Zurich (age 14) the Zahn family was able to take advantage of one of the perks of Andrew’s job to get them to Israel. “We are so fortunate that Andrew is an airline pilot, which allows us to travel ‘space available’ to lots of places,” Carrie said. “Andrew is the family travel agent so he organized our flights and my father-in-law planned a ‘fluid’ itinerary which included visits to holy sites and time with friends and acquaintances living in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, and Nazareth.”

It was important to the Zahns for their children to have this experience with their grandparents who have

A trek through one of the “thin places,” Israel

At the Western Wall (A.K.A., Wailing Wall), Andrew and Zurich pray for family, friends, and peace.

many special friendships and relationships in the Holy land. And it was important to the children too. “I was excited to see the places where Jesus was born, lived, and was crucified,” said Zurich.

“I was able to walk where my Savior walked,” said Zella.

“I was also really excited to re-experience this as an adult,” said Carrie. “At age 18, I was dealing with culture shock. The foods and flavors were way outside my Midwest upbringing, and I was seeing all these amazing places where Jesus lived and taught. It was overwhelming. As an adult, I could process it all so differently and with more maturity in my age and my Christian walk.”

In the time since the Zahns first trip to Israel, there had been some changes. A wall has been built around Bethlehem and most of the West Bank, which makes travel restrictive with multiple checkpoints. While it is safe for tourists to come and go, it can be difficult for Palestinians.

“Until you experience it, you cannot understand what it’s like to ‘show your papers’ to leave one town to travel to another,” said Carrie. “We took the kids through a pedestrian checkpoint to leave Bethlehem so that we could each increase our understanding and perspective of those living in walled off areas.”

The experience opened Zella’s eyes to the many cultures and religions all in “a pretty small geographic area.”

Being able to travel abroad can change people’s understanding of places, people, and cultures. “My in-laws have always shared about Arab hospitality, but I was blown away by the warmth of those we were able to visit on our trip,” Carrie said. “Such loving, giving, and caring Christ-like people.”

When asked about how his under-

The Zahn family feasting with friends in the West Bank.

The entire Zahn family in the Garden of Gethsemane with olive trees older than 2,000 years.

standing of the Holy land changed from this experience, Zurich said, “Seeing in person where Jesus was born, walked and died helped me better understand Bible stories more.

Zella added, “I’ve heard Bible stories, but while in the Holy land I heard more details in those stories that changed my way of thinking.”

There were many highlights to the trip from the simple joys of Zurich’s first camel ride to the more impactful experiences of seeing where Jesus lived and taught. “The most meaningful part of the trip for me was getting to experience the Holy land sites and culture with my children and family,” Andrew said, “but also spending time with local Christian families and dining in their homes.”

A favorite place for Carrie was the Church of All Nations in the Garden of Gethsemane. “Seeing an olive tree that is 2,000+ years old and imagining my Lord and Savior praying under it as He prepared to give his life for me is

The Zahn family inside the bustling Damascus Gate market area.

Zella and Andrew enjoying all of the Madonna artwork in the Church of the Annunciation in Nazareth.

Carrie with Zurich and Zella and the graffiti on the wall around Bethlehem and the West Bank.

beyond remarkable,” said Carrie.

A holy site that Zella enjoyed was in Nazareth, the Church of the Annunciation. “It’s the place believed to be the site of the house of the Virgin Mary, and where the angel Gabriel appeared to her and announced that she would conceive and bear the Son of God, Jesus,” Zella said. “Each country provided a work of the Madonna, and I could see their colors, their styles, their outfits, their version of the Madonna and Christ child.”

For Andrew Zahn this trip helped the Bible come to life. “It was color with 3D images, similar to an IMAX but with all five senses: sight, sound, touch, smell, and wonderful tastes of food.”

Carrie described the trip as humbling and faith affirming. “I think we were also impacted by the friendships we experienced,” she added. Like his parents, Zurich was also touched by the experience saying that it made him feel closer to God.

While a trip like this might seem daunting to some, the Zahn family encourages everyone to go. “Don’t put it off and wear good walking shoes,” Carrie said.

“Make this a bucket list trip and go ASAP,” Andrew added. “My parents are starting to make their next VIM (Volunteers in Mission) trip for June 2023. The VIM trip would be very similar to our experience where you meet local Christians, dine with them, volunteer efforts for part of the time, and visit all of the major Holy sites in Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Nazareth, and the Sea of Galilee.”

Whatever adventures lie ahead for 2023, a trip to a “thin place” like the Holy land would be a great place to experience new friendships, culture, great food, and the places where Jesus walked on earth. n

Move over Katniss

Local archer racks up 28th national championship

Katniss Everdeen, a character in the movie trilogy “The Hunger Games,” may have been good with a bow and arrow. She may have even been great. But Everdeen will have to move over for Chris Berry, a local archer from Sarcoxie, who has racked up a whopping 28 national championships, 12 world level championships and had a total of 98 podium finishes at the combined national and world competitions.

While the movie franchise has found a resurgence in popularity for archery enthusiasts, with some area schools even forming archery teams, Berry has been an ardent fan of the sport for more than 30 years.

“My dad got a bow for Christmas when I was about four or five years old,” he said. “He didn’t want it, so he gave it to me. I took to it like a duck to water, terrorizing mice and rats — or whatever would sit still long enough for me to shoot at it.”

That is what sparked his lifelong love of the sport.

Berry has spent the past 30 years competing professionally, at national and world events, taking home his share of top honors.

Story by Melonie Roberts

“A lot has changed in the sport since the 1960s,” he said. “I went from a $30 set up to where just one bow cost $2,500. I’ve had lots of training and coaches. Even today, I still get advice from others. It’s important in order to keep our head in the game.”

Berry also competed in a televised competition hosted by Archery, Field and Sports, where finalists actually shot exploding discs.

Although there is growing interest in the sport, Berry recalled a time when there were just a handful of competitors who remembered how to do this type of competition.

“It’s been about 18 years since we’ve had this style of competition,” he said. “It was very fast paced, family and crowd oriented. It was intense. There were like 10 million viewers when it aired.”

Although the Covid-19 pandemic side-railed a few competitions in the past two years, Berry said before that,

Chris Berry, a local archer, takes aim at a target during one of the national competitions in which he participated. Berry has captured 28 national championships, 12 world level championships and had a total of 98 podium finishes at the combined national and world competitions, where he took second or third place.

he would travel 80 to 100 days per year.

“During Covid, I cut back to 50 or 60 days per year.”

Berry has also mentored others, helping students at Sarcoxie High School set up their archery program.

“They have won multiple world and national championships,” he said. “I’m proud to have been a part of that.”

He also taught the sport at Roaring River State Park for more than 15 years.

“I was really happy to be a part of that,” he said. “I guess I have taught or mentored 35,391 kids over the past 15 years. I ran into a former student’s parent not long back, and she said their child was still crazy about [archery]. That’s what it’s all about.” n

Previously in Keeping Secrets, 15-year-old Paige learns that her mom, Alice, is a spy and that her dad has been kidnapped by Alice’s rogue boss, Piper. With the help of tech guy Tom, they track Alice down and find Nathan, Paige’s dad. In her attempt to get the files Alice is hiding, Piper steals Paige away believing Paige’s lie about the file’s location. Paige manages to send a quick text message to her friend Brayden before destroying her phone and sending Piper into a rage.

Keeping Secrets part six

By Annie Lisenby Smith

Paige feels every breath Piper takes. Crushed against the double-crossing CIA agent, the scent of her department store perfume mixes with the pungent smell of gun powder from the handgun Piper presses to Paige’s jaw.

“Mom?” Paige cries, her voice weak from fear.

“Let her go,” Alice commands again, this time speaking lower, steadier.

“You have got to be kidding me,” Piper sighs, digging the barrel of the gun into Paige’s cheek.

“Piper,” Alice softens her voice more, “let’s talk. Just the two of us and work this out.”

“There is nothing to work out, Alice!” Piper yells. “You have something I want, and you will give it to me or you will all die!”

“Okay, let’s do that. Let me give you what you want,” Alice says. “Tom, you go back to the car with Nathan. I’m sure I’ll be out soon.”

Piper’s grip on Paige lightened helping lower the pounding in Paige’s ears. She’s able to take a short breath thinking she can walk away, go to the car with Tom and her dad. This could finally all be over. But Piper doesn’t let go, doesn’t drop her gun.

“I’m keeping her as collateral,” Piper says leaning her head against Paige’s. The oddity of Piper’s cheek resting against her hair sends a shiver down Paige’s spine. This woman is messed up in so many ways. Paige can’t help but question how Piper ever became a CIA agent.

Alice takes a slow breath before speaking over her shoulder to Tom. “Go ahead, take the car around to the side. I’m sure that both of us will be out soon.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?” Tom asks with a look of dread.

“It’ll be fine,” Alice says then turns her gaze to Nathan and repeats. “It’ll be fine. I’m sure of it. Piper wouldn’t ever do anything to hurt my daughter.”

With hesitation, Tom slides back into his SUV, the engine still running. Nathan hesitates. His gaze stays on Paige until she smiles, a tight smile, but one to tell her dad that she’s really okay, even if it’s a lie. After Nathan climbs into the SUV, Tom steers it slowly around the side of the hangar.

“Now your turn,” Alice points to Roberto and the other goons.

“Beat it,” Piper nods her head toward the hangar door.

“But boss?” Roberto questions Piper.

“Just go,” Piper huffs. “She’s just an accountant and a 14-year-old kid. I’ll be fine.”

“I’m fifteen,” Paige whispers under her breath as Piper loosens her grip on Paige but not on the gun. But Piper doesn’t acknowledge her, just pulls her arm leading Paige toward the office.

Stepping through the doorway, Alice’s gaze darts from the pieces of broken glass and plastic on the floor from Paige’s destroyed phone. And Paige thinks she sees a quick look of admiration flash through Alice’s eyes.

“Shall we sit?” Alice nods to the desk and pulls up a rickety metal folding chair from the corner. Piper shoves Paige into the chair next to the desk and drops into the rolling office chair.

“And how about we put down the gun?” Alice asks, more

of a command than a question. Paige can’t help looking at Alice’s ankle, looking for the bulge of the gun Alice had pulled out earlier that night. That was when she’d showed up totally unexpected after Paige’s summer marching band practice and the whole night had taken a wild turn.

“It’s late, and this has taken too long,” Piper says setting her gun on the desk between her and Paige. “Let’s just get this done. Where are the files?”

As Piper settles back in her chair, Paige looks at the gun on the desk. It’s not far away. She could reach out and grab it if she really wanted. Flashes of lessons from the hunter safety class in seventh grade fill her mind. Looking closely, she sees the small lever near the trigger, the safety. It’s just a little switch that swivels to the side. Paige is relieved to see it’s in the safe position.

“Okay,” Alice begins with a sigh. “I do still have the files. I just can’t get to them now. That’s what I was trying to do earlier.”

“I know, Alice, like when you stopped at that boy’s house,” Piper says. A flicker of fear fills Paige. That was Brayden’s house, the guy she’s been crushing on. Paige never imagined that Piper knew about that when she texted him the tail number of Piper’s plane. What kind of trouble had she just made for Brayden?

But Alice doesn’t falter with this knowledge that Piper has been surveilling her. She continues, her voice steady and calm. The only sign of her apprehension is in the

twitch of her left pinky finger.

“Yes, of course you know about that,” Alice says. “I’ve got the files in a safe place. Don’t worry, I haven’t blown into a conch shell to rally the cavalry.”

“What?” Piper squints in confusion at Alice.

But Paige knows exactly what she’s saying. The woman she’d studied in fifth grade history, Nancy Hart and written “The Conch and the Cavalry” essay. Her and Alice had laughed when she made that the title of her paper. And when Paige glanced at the gun on the table, she clearly saw Alice nod in agreement.

“It’s an old phrase from around here,” Alice brushes Piper off. “Basically, I haven’t uploaded the original files to the server or anything. They’re all safely on a flash drive in a very secure location.”

“Then tell me the location!” Piper leans forward, her breath blowing back stray strands of Alice’s hair. Paige leans to the side and reaches for the gun, pulling it inches closer to herself. Her lungs don’t work for the moment it takes her, her heart stopping in her chest. If they get caught, Paige has no idea how they’ll talk their way out of it.

“It’s safe, okay?” Alice shrugs. Her nonchalance is tainted by that twitching pinky and tap of her foot. She won’t be able to drag this out long, Paige knows that. She reaches for the gun again and slides it another inch.

With a quick turn of her head, Piper’s gaze lands on

“The woman she’d studied in fifth grade history, Nancy Hart and written ‘The Conch and the Cavalry’ essay.

Her and Alice had laughed when she made that the title of her paper. And when Paige glanced at the gun on the table, she clearly saw Alice nod in agreement.”

Paige. For a moment, Paige thinks she’s been caught. Pushing her glasses up her nose to hide her roaming hand, Paige sinks into the chair wishing she could disappear from all this.

“Piper, I promise,” Alice says recapturing Piper’s gaze. “It’s safe. And I’ll give it to you if you give me what I want.”

“What is that?” Piper asks.

“Out,” Alice replies as Paige reaches for the gun again. “I want out of the CIA. I want to go back to my family. The only way I can do that is if you set us up in witness protection.” Paige’s heart drops, but not because of Piper, because of Alice. Witness protection? That’d mean moving, a new school, new friends, never talking to her friends or Brayden ever again.

“What’s the catch?” Piper tents her fingers in front of her mouth.

“I want a big house in a good school district with a very, very well-paying job,” Alice says, her gaze darting to the gun. Paige slides it another inch closer. “And nowhere too cold either.”

Another slide. Paige is relishing reliving Nancy Hart’s story, the subject of her report. How Nancy Hart welcomed the English soldiers into her home, had her daughter blow the conch shell to rally the neighbors, and how she’d gotten the solders so drunk on her homemade liquor that they didn’t notice her moving their guns a few inches every time she passed by to fill their glasses again. Eventually, Nancy Hart took the upper hand and overtook the soldiers with their own guns.

Nancy Hart took back her life, Paige thinks as her mother describes giving their lives away. She hates hearing Alice add details to the new life she wants Piper to give them, but she loves that Piper hadn’t noticed her… yet.

“What else? A ride on the next rocket to space?” Piper sneers. “Geez, Alice, you know we can’t do all that.”

“Yes, we can,” Alice leans forward, closer to Piper but also closer to Paige. “I’ve seen the receipts, the tax records. We’ve done it before. And we’ll do it again or you won’t get your precious little flash drive so you can hide the fact that you’re aiding a known drug and antiquities smuggler.”

Even though her pinky finger is still twitching, Paige has never seen Alice look more in control. Before she’d disappeared to work for the CIA, Alice would have never talked to someone like she is to Piper now.

Biting her lip as she thinks, Piper turns to look out the office door and Alice jumps into action. She leaps for the gun that is only six inches from Paige on the table, but not quickly enough. Piper thrusts herself between Alice and the gun, tumbling into Alice and taking them both to the floor.

Paige squeals, raising her hands to protect herself from the flailing women. On the hard cement floor Alice struggles against Piper’s strength. Piper is quick and slippery like a fish. She’s on her feet before Paige can decide what she should be doing. But seeing Piper’s eyes squinted in determination, her hair disheveled and wild as she lunges for the gun, Paige knows what to do.

Thrusting herself up from the chair, Paige uses her body to block Piper as she reaches for the gun. The cold metal feels wrong in her hands. It’s too heavy, too awkward. But her fingers still wrap around the grip before Piper can grab it.

Paige whips around and ducks low to avoid Piper’s grasp. She catches Alice’s gaze and tosses the gun. The world stops. Paige watches the gun float through the air and land in Alice’s hands. Alice lifts the gun and points it directly at Piper’s chest.

“Finally, this ends now,” Alice says flicking off the safety. Paige stumbles as she runs for cover behind her mother.

Frozen, Piper’s gaze is locked on Alice. Paige watches the wheels turning in the woman’s eyes as they flicker between Alice and the gun in Alice’s hands.

There’s no sound except Paige’s quick breaths as she waits to see what Piper will do next. Alice keeps the gun steady on her former boss and friend, her finger no longer twitching. It feels like years have passed before Piper raises her hands in defeat.

Before she can say anything though, the sound of a siren cuts through the night. Alice, Piper, and Paige look out the office door. Red and blue flashing lights flicker into the hangar. And in the flash of lights a new expression invades Piper’s face. She lifts her hands in surrender as her eyes widen. When the first police officer steps out of his cruiser just inside the hangar Piper begins to yell, “Help! Help! They’re trying to hurt me!”

The look on Piper’s face is pathetic, she’s acting the part of the victim so well that all the cops’ guns turn to target Alice and Paige.

“This didn’t go how I thought it would,” Alice sighs as she lowers the gun to the floor and raises her hands. “Put your hands up, Paige. We’re about to be arrested.” n

Friends of Jolly Mill hosted its annual Jolly Mill Christmas open house on Dec. 2 and 3 at the mill, located at 31630 Jolly Mill Dr., Pierce City. The event featured treats, hot chocolate, coffee and a visit from Old Saint Nick.

1. Justin and Stefani Burris

2. Front to back: Kinzlee Franklin, Kaiyah McGlumphy, Kilyn Franklin, Tiffany Franklin, Jacob Myers and Michael Myers.

3. From front: Ricky Gerard, Gwen Gerard and Bob Haskins, whose family once owned the mill and adjacent park site.

4. Mason and Brinley Smith and parents, Craig and Kayla Smith

5. From front, Cade and Brock Flehmer, Erin Flehmer and Stephen Flehmer.

6. Destinee Sanders and Parker McCall.

at the historic one room schoolhouse.

1. Seated: Annalise Midyett and Santa. Back, from left: Amailah, Amanda and Alex Midyett.

2. Larry Hyde

3. Alexis and Jack Davis

4. Keiron Dye, Sarah Hancock, Robyn Hancock and Jack Davis

5. Nora Roderman and Santa

The Kings Prairie “Christmas at the Schoolhouse” open house was held Dec. 2

Email your pet’s photo to: monettcommunity@ gmail.com

If you think your furry or feathered friend is the cutest in the area, let us know! We invite you to share a photo of your pet to be featured in Connection’s Cutest Pet contest. Photos should be sent in the original JPG format at the highest resolution possible. Remember to include your pet’s name, city of residence and your contact information.

RT Young

RT Young is the fur baby of Jeannie and Pete Young of Shell Knob

by Christa Stout

Are you a cat lover?

Here is the place for you, Eden Animal Haven outside of Brighton, MO. I went to see Leslie Sawyer at Eden for this month’s column, a wonderful place for cats of all sizes, ages, and breeds. I love going there to get my cat fix.

Leslie is totally amazing; she holds down a full time job and still manages the rescue. She also works evenings and weekends helping with all the rescue chores, doing adoption events, working with vendors like Chewie and Petsmart on grants and simply anything else that comes along. And she knows every one of the 80 (sometimes 90) resident cats by name! Leslie tells me that in addition to the residents, there are also 70 foster cats being taken care of by kind foster parents in the area. All of them are waiting for their own home, but in the meantime, they are being spoiled.

You may recall that I wrote about Eden some time ago and Leslie had shared her plans to improve and enlarge the rescue. And guess what, she has done an awesome job! There are still individual rooms for the different cat(egories): kittens, seniors, quarantined, adults, FELV cats and everything in between, but they all now have access to their individual catios – enclosed outside areas where

To learn more about Eden Animal Haven visit their Facebook page:

they can sun themselves, play, get exercise in a wheel and be sociable with others. Leslie says this creates a low stress environment for the cats.

She is currently working on remodeling a barn where feral cats can stay. These cats do get vaccinations and are spayed and neutered, but they are not used to humans and therefore not available for adoption. I can’t wait to see this shelter area.

The biggest accomplishment in 2022 was when Eden took in 17 cats that lived with homeless people in an area in Springfield that needed to be vacated for pending construction. Unfortunately, the cats couldn’t go with them. Leslie and her staff rescued the 17 cats, took them into the rescue, where they were evaluated, spayed and

neutered, received vaccinations and whatever medical attention they needed.

In order to keep them isolated from other cats, they had to use one of their offices and remodel it into another cat room. They have since been named after nuts and seeds, socialized and there are now only 10 of these homeless cats remaining, 7 have been successfully adopted. These cats, including many kittens, were in remarkably good shape when they came to Eden – Leslie gives the credit to the homeless, after all, these were their pets. Leslie being the kind person she is, also kept the homeless appraised of the cats’ progress and where possible, any updates.

As you can imagine, adding the cats from the homeless camp to

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their current facilities stretched them to the limit and also severely impacted their financial situation. It took some grants and appeals to the public for help to get Eden through this tough stretch.

Regrettably adoptions are about the same as before the pandemic, but Eden, like other rescues, have encountered an unusual number of surrenders and returns, mostly due to tighter restrictions on rental apartments and houses. Consequently, when owners move, they may not be able to afford the higher cost for having a pet.

As we all know, the cost of living has increased and that is certainly true for shelters and rescues, with cat food, medicines, vaccinations, and vet fees increasing dramatically. Places like Pet Supplies Plus and PetSmart contribute to the food supply etc. and most also have grants available. But it is a financial juggle to keep the cats healthy and the organization financially stable.

I asked Leslie what her hopes are for the next couple of years, and she told me that Community Outreach was on the top of her list, which includes spay and neuter clinics, and hopefully more involvement from veterinaries and spaying/neutering at an earlier age, maybe when a cat reaches 2 lbs and/or 8 weeks. She believes it is safe when using these limits.

If you are interested in donating, the website and Facebook links listed below will make it easy. If you would like to send something, please send consumables, such as food, cleaning supplies, etc. – you can find their wish list on Amazon and of course, you can always make them your favorite nonprofit at smile.amazon.com. n

These ladies traveled and made memories in Las Vegas that will last a lifetime. Pictured, from left, are Rose Long, Carolyn Wormington, Lynn Lowe and Carol Knaus. The group enjoyed a trip to Grand Canyon followed by an Elton John concert. The trip continued with an old Vegas tour and finished with the “O” Cirque du Soleil performance. One of the ladies took her Connection magazine for photos.

“ The miracle is this: The more we share, the more we have.”

— Leonard Nimoy

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